Crackle.
The sound of thunder echoed as crimson-gold lightning descended from the heavens. The lightning, combined with the condensed soul energy sword aura, formed a curtain of blades that clashed with Hou Meng's raised heavy blade.
Crack...
The moment the two forces collided, Hou Meng heard the sound of his weapon cracking. The lightning from the sword aura seeped into the cracks, expanding them rapidly.
In the end, his weapon could no longer withstand the overwhelming power and shattered into countless fragments, no longer recognizable as a soul artifact. It was reduced to mere shards, incapable of being reassembled.
Hou Meng stared in terror as the sword aura that had shattered his weapon continued to slash toward him. He hurriedly gathered all the soul energy within his body, attempting to form a barrier to block the incoming strike.
However, as the sword aura tore through his soul energy shield and shredded his protective soul energy, a wave of despair washed over him.
He regretted not being more cautious, regretted not believing the rumors that Lin Qian had killed Qin Yunyu with a single strike.
Though Lin Qian exuded the aura of a Life and Death Realm cultivator, the power behind that single strike far surpassed what Hou Meng knew to be possible for that realm.
Whoosh! The lightning-infused sword aura cut through Hou Meng's body, splitting him in two.
"So this is the power of someone who achieved the unprecedented Twelve-Cycle Nirvana?" Hou Meng thought in his final moments as his consciousness began to fade. He felt his body become weightless as it drifted upward, his awareness slowly dissipating.
Boom! Moments later, the crimson-gold lightning erupted from the sword aura, incinerating Hou Meng's body into ash that scattered in the wind.
With a casual swing of his Thunder Night Sword, Lin Qian sent a gust of wind that dispersed the ashes, and he continued to lead the massive formation of the Imperial Army forward.
In Lin Qian's eyes, there was only one goal—to charge into the heart of the Qin Dynasty's army!
The Qin soldiers, who had been cheering for Hou Meng moments earlier, fell silent in disbelief as they watched the figure in the sky disappear.
A powerful Awakening Realm expert was just... gone?
The remaining six Awakening Realm marquises and generals stood frozen in shock. Rumors were just rumors until they witnessed the reality. And after seeing it with their own eyes, the impact was indescribable.
Even though Hou Meng was the weakest among them, they couldn't help but wonder: if they had been in his place, how would they have fared against that devastating strike?
"The Emperor of the Huaxia Empire is personally leading the charge. We must work together to stop him, or we stand no chance," the general who had tried to warn Hou Meng earlier communicated through soul sense to the other five marquises and generals. "When the time comes, do not hold back. If we falter, we will surely die."
The general's tone grew even more serious as he added, "Do not think of him as a Life and Death Realm cultivator. Consider him an Awakening Realm powerhouse!"
"Agreed," one of the marquises replied with a twitching mouth. "Anyone who can kill an Awakening Realm expert with a single strike cannot be underestimated."
Having reached a consensus, the six of them gathered together, positioning themselves directly in Lin Qian's path. Each of them fully activated their soul artifacts and prepared for battle.
As Lin Qian led the Imperial Army in a relentless charge, he fixed his gaze on the six Awakening Realm experts ahead. His expression remained fearless, and the speed of the army's advance only increased. The wind created by their movement sent leaves and branches spiraling into the air.
The Life and Death Realm has four great tribulations, each of which brings immense benefits upon being overcome. Successfully enduring the Soul Tribulation greatly enhances a cultivator's soul power.
For example, Lin Qian's crimson-gold lightning soul energy amplified his physical strength tenfold, and his white-blue icy soul energy similarly increased his soul power tenfold when activated.
Lin Qian's physical body was already incredibly formidable, and his soul power wasn't lacking either.
To outsiders, Lin Qian's ability to kill Awakening Realm experts with a single strike was extraordinary. However, during battle, his crimson-gold lightning soul energy radiated outward while his white-blue icy soul energy flowed internally, enhancing both his body and soul. Combined with his immense innate strength, this allowed him to wield overwhelming power.
"Do you think you can stop me?" Lin Qian sneered as he observed the six Awakening Realm experts from the Qin Dynasty gathered in front of him. The nine golden dragons swirling around him roared and surged into the Thunder Night Sword in his hand.
Not only that, but the burning Emperor's Robe on Lin Qian's body surged like a tide, flowing down his left arm and merging into the sword.
In the next moment, the Thunder Night Sword in Lin Qian's hand seemed to ignite. Golden flames mixed with crimson lightning danced along the blade, and faint dragon roars echoed from within.
In this state, Lin Qian had significantly lowered his defenses, focusing entirely on maximizing his offensive power.
As the nine dragons and the burning Emperor's Robe vanished from around Lin Qian, the six Awakening Realm experts from the Qin Dynasty tensed, their eyes fixed on him.
It was clear that something had changed about Lin Qian, but they couldn't pinpoint exactly what. The only visible difference was the black, wide-bladed sword in his hand.
A Grandmaster-level soul artifact…
The six Awakening Realm experts from the Qin Dynasty couldn't help but feel uneasy as they realized the sword's significance.
Though they noticed the changes in Lin Qian's weapon, they couldn't gauge its true power. However, as Lin Qian and the Imperial Army drew closer, their expressions grew increasingly grim. Soul energy surged within them, forming protective barriers as they braced for the inevitable clash.
They vividly remembered how Lin Qian had slain Hou Meng from a distance, his sword aura growing larger and larger until it became an unstoppable curtain of blades.
They assumed that Lin Qian's long-range attacks were his strongest, and their best chance of survival was to engage him in close combat before he could unleash another devastating strike.
No one is perfect, they reasoned. If Lin Qian could kill Qin Yunyu and Hou Meng with a single strike, then his strength must lie in soul power. They believed his sword techniques were his trump card.
With this in mind, the six Awakening Realm experts advanced instead of retreating, rushing toward Lin Qian with the intent of closing the distance as quickly as possible.
Meanwhile, the Eight Divisions Regular Army led the charge, supported by the Central Qin Regular Army, as they prepared to overwhelm the Huaxia Imperial Army by following the footsteps of their marquises and generals.
However, these six Awakening Realm experts from the Qin Dynasty could never have imagined how foolish their decision to engage Lin Qian in close combat truly was.