Strongest War Emperor

The Martial Arts Arena instantly erupted in an uproar.

This guy really wouldn’t stop until he said something completely outrageous!

"You piece of trash..."

Shame and indignation, layered on top of his already simmering anger, caused Shen Quan’s rage to flare. He was already furious from being knocked over by Shen Lang’s kick. Now, just as he was about to be the first to teach Shen Lang a lesson in front of everyone, his opponent had uttered those three words!

And in front of that unknown, peerless beauty, no less!

’He’s just a piece of trash. It’s obvious he has some powerful people or a family backing him. How skilled could he possibly be on his own?’

’To say something like that... does this trash think I’m not even qualified to face him in a real fight?’

"You’re courting death!" A murderous glint appeared in Shen Quan’s eyes, and his hand tightened on his sword’s hilt.

’I’ll kill him, or at the very least, cripple him. The Elders will probably be pleased!’

But at that very moment, a powerful aura surged toward him from across the stage. Shen Lang’s gaze was like lightning, like that of a Demon God, piercing straight through the hearts of men—unbeatable! The pressure forced Shen Quan to stumble backward, drawing gasps of shock from the surrounding crowd!

This aura wasn’t as powerful as that of the Elders, nor was it an aura derived from Cultivation. It was a strange, indescribable will. Yet, to Shen Quan, it felt utterly terrifying and suffocating, far surpassing the pressure he felt from the Elders.

This domineering aura, enough to overwhelm the world, erupted from Shen Lang’s body. The air in all directions seemed to prostrate itself before him, roiling and retreating in every direction!

In that instant, Shen Lang unleashed the will of the War Emperor for the first time!

The power to overturn nations is in my hands. Defy my path, and you will be slain without exception!

At this very moment, Shen Lang was the War Emperor, and the War Emperor was Shen Lang!

Their eyes met. Shen Quan, who had been brimming with killing intent just a moment ago, shuddered, and the hand gripping his sword began to tremble involuntarily.

An urge to kneel and worship rose from the depths of Shen Quan’s heart...

That gaze was bone-chillingly cold, devoid of all human emotion. It was like that of a supreme Emperor. The moment their eyes met, a coldness spread through his entire body, and his surging battle intent vanished without a trace.

"It seems you’re not as smart as you think," Shen Lang said, taking a step toward Shen Quan.

His pace was extremely slow, like a leisurely stroll, yet each step was perfectly natural. It was as if he was in harmony with some unspoken rule, causing the surrounding aura to grow even more immense and oppressive.

With every step he took, the aura that made Shen Quan tremble and sweat profusely intensified, causing his body to shake even more violently.

His anger and killing intent had vanished in an instant, replaced only by an indescribable fear and panic!

He could sense that Shen Lang hadn’t done anything. He hadn’t activated any Cultivation Technique, and there wasn’t the slightest fluctuation of Spiritual Power around him...

But facing the aura Shen Lang radiated, Shen Quan’s heart sank to the abyss. The feeling of being completely outmatched instantly flooded his entire body.

’Why... Why is this happening? How could this trash possibly emit an aura so tangible? How could an aura like this possibly come from him...’ Shen Quan roared in his mind.

Shen Lang was clearly only sixteen years old, but his calm and leisurely demeanor made him seem like an Emperor who controlled the world. It was as if he carried the vicissitudes of countless ages upon his shoulders...

As he walked across the stage, he was like an ancient Emperor traversing the heavens and earth, compelling everyone to look up to him.

It was a very strange and seemingly impossible notion, yet this was the thought that arose in the minds of everyone around.

A powerful, cutting edge and an immense aura swept across the entire arena, making everyone in the Shen Family feel as if they had needles on their backs. Those with slightly lower Cultivation began to break out in a cold sweat, their faces turning pale as they trembled uncontrollably.

When they looked around in horror and saw the expressions on the faces of others, they instantly understood one thing—everyone else felt the exact same way!

"Scram!" Shen Lang took another step forward.

The word wasn’t particularly loud, yet it struck Shen Quan’s heart like a heavy hammer.

Shen Quan panted heavily, sweat pouring down like rain as he retreated step by step.

The confidence and glory of a Shen Family genius, his battle intent and even killing intent to defeat Shen Lang... all of it crumbled with just three of Shen Lang’s steps.

THUD!

Shen Quan fell to his knees, his head hanging low. His longsword clattered to the ground as he spoke in a hoarse voice, "I... I surrender..."

No one could understand just how terrifying it was to face Shen Lang.

The domineering and sharp look in Shen Quan’s eyes was gone, replaced only by fear and despair.

If he had been facing anyone else, even in defeat, he would have thought about how to train harder and eventually beat them.

But against Shen Lang, he hadn’t even seen him make a move or gotten a sense of his Cultivation level. From that aura alone, he understood that if his opponent wanted to kill him...

It would be as easy as flipping a hand!

Nothing was more despairing than this. The piece of trash he and everyone else had bullied since childhood had, in a single moment, utterly crushed his confidence and destroyed all his convictions and fantasies about the Martial Arts.

This blow was more devastating than being knocked off the stage, even more devastating than being kicked to the ground.

If he couldn’t escape this shadow in the future, if he couldn’t find a way to overcome the pressure of this aura, he would likely never be able to take another step forward on his path of Martial Arts for the rest of his life.

No matter what, he could never have imagined that in the face of Shen Lang, his self-proclaimed strength and pride would prove so pathetic.

"Asshole! Shen Quan, what are you doing? Get up and beat that piece of trash!" someone shouted.

The crowd erupted once more. The participating disciples who hadn’t felt what Shen Quan experienced began to swarm toward the stage.

"Trash! Defeated without even fighting!"

"You didn’t even dare to draw your sword! Shen Quan, you’re a disgrace to the Shen Family!"

"Get down from there! Don’t get in the way, let us deal with him!"

"Shen Quan." A middle-aged man in the crowd stood up, his body trembling slightly.

It was Shen Quan’s father, Shen Xiao. He simply couldn’t understand why this had happened. Even if his son’s Cultivation wasn’t top-tier, with that First Grade Spiritual Artifact, he should have easily been able to fight his way into the top ten of the Shen Family’s current generation.

He was supposed to become the pride of the family, make a name for himself in this tournament, represent the Shen Family in the martial competition held by the City Lord’s Mansion, and finally be chosen by a Major Sect, bringing glory to his ancestors...

But now, he had surrendered without a single move, completely suppressed by someone’s aura!

And that person was Shen Lang, who had been called trash his entire life!

"Damn it, what the hell happened to that kid? Why is he so powerful? Why are even the Elders and the Clan Leader so wary of him?" Shen Xiao was burning with rage, the corners of his eyes twitching uncontrollably.

"Calm down. Sit down, and don’t cause trouble!" Clan Leader Shen Haoxuan’s voice was transmitted to him.

Shen Xiao shuddered, snorted coldly, and sat back down.

"Shen Lang wins this match. Anyone who wishes to challenge him may come up now," the Third Elder announced. The worried frown on his brow deepened.

’Shen Lang, technically speaking, is an outsider. He has no Martial Soul and a Celestial Vein Sacred Body. No matter how you look at it, he’s an undeniable piece of trash. That’s why he was mocked and bullied since he was a child. Even his parents suffered for it, ostracized by the Shen Family because of him. But just two days ago, not only did he obtain a Profound Iron Token signifying Profound Iron Level status from the Treasure Pavilion, but he also took measures to suppress the Shen Family at the auction. Now, when so many people wanted to see him make a fool of himself on stage, he defeated Shen Quan without making a single move! With his aura alone!’

"I didn’t expect you to actually have some skill. In that case, I, Shen Fengxiao, will come and test you. Let’s fulfill the promise we made three days ago!"

Having walked to the foot of the stage, a fierce glint flashed in Shen Fengxiao’s eyes as he prepared to leap up.

"Wait!"

A hand reached out in front of Shen Fengxiao. A powerfully built youth with a slightly pale complexion blocked his path.

"Feng Xiao, you should stay for last. Normally, we might fight to the death, but today is different. We need to be united. This kid is strange. Let me, Shen Fengkuang, test him out first. The rest of you watch closely from behind! The Shen Family can’t afford this humiliation. We have to beat him!"

Shen Fengkuang spoke in a very low voice, so only the few people gathered at the foot of the stage could hear him.

Shen Fengxiao and the others were stunned. They never expected this guy, who usually seemed so straightforward and blunt, to have such a side to him.

They all exchanged glances and nodded secretly.

Today’s battle was indeed extraordinary. Shen Fengkuang was essentially sacrificing himself.

He was at the Qi Martial Realm Fourth Heaven. He wanted to fight Shen Lang first to let everyone get a clear look at Shen Lang’s strength, and perhaps even understand his abilities through the fight.

His Cultivation Technique, speed, weaknesses...

A person who could make such a choice at a time like this deserved everyone’s respect!

On the stage, Shen Lang watched the scene below with a cold expression, not saying a word or making a move. His long hair billowed in the strong wind as he stood there, like an unparalleled Divine Sword piercing the Azure Vault.

Shen Fengkuang leaped into the air and landed on the platform.

"Xiaolang, I know many people in the Shen Family have wronged your family in the past, but you’ve gone too far today!"

Shen Fengkuang snorted coldly and said, "You suffered injustice, but that isn’t the Shen Family’s fault. This is a world of Martial Arts, and it’s the same everywhere: the strong are respected! It was wrong of them to bully you, but no matter what, you are a member of the Shen Family. You should show some consideration. You shouldn’t be targeting the entire family!"

Shen Lang raised an eyebrow and snorted. "What’s the point of all this righteous-sounding nonsense? Since you’ve already said the strong are respected, what’s the meaning of these words? Here and now, I am the strong one! If you’re not happy about it, it’s simple: defeat me!"

"You!" Only then did Shen Fengkuang realize he had been trapped by his own words, and he was rendered speechless.

Shen Lang continued, "You say I shouldn’t target the entire Shen Family? Then let me ask you, of those old men sitting on that platform, is there a single one who didn’t take part in forcing my father to step down? Is there a single one who didn’t benefit when our family’s resources were seized?"

"Telling me I’m a member of the Shen Family? When have you ever acknowledged me as one?" Shen Lang went on, "Shen Fengkuang, look closely! When my father was gravely ill, the ones who seized our Spirit Fields were his own blood brothers! At that time, did they ever think of my father as part of the Shen Family? Did they consider the bonds of brotherhood? And now you want to talk to me about fellowship? To hell with that!"

The entire arena fell silent.

In the VIP section, Xue Dangdang’s eyes welled with tears. She tried to stand up but was held back by Shui Qingwu, who gently shook her head and pulled her back into her seat. When Shui Qingwu looked at Shen Lang again, her expression was even more peculiar.

"Then... what exactly do you want, coming here today?"

Even Shen Fengkuang could hear that his own voice lacked confidence.

"It’s simple. I’m going to crush all of you and make you see just how pathetic you are! Those who humiliate others will be humiliated in turn. None of you are qualified to call anyone else trash!" Shen Lang said flatly.

Shen Fengkuang’s aura immediately began to surge wildly. He took out two jet-black, gleaming gloves and put them on.

"Fine. Let our strength decide everything. If you don’t have the strength to back it up, everything you just said is nothing but a joke! You want a fight? Then let’s have a good one!" As Shen Fengkuang spoke, he stomped his right foot hard on the ground. His aura soared, and a crack spread out from beneath his foot...