Chapter 735: Clash of Commanders
At the summit of Spirit Pool Peak.
Lin Langtian stepped onto the golden platform, his gaze sweeping outward.
The gold platform beneath his feet stretched for roughly ten thousand meters, vast and expansive.
Now, on this empty Universe Gold Platform, there were only six figures present.
Aside from Lin Langtian, the other five were the Universe Sect's five great Commanders.
As Lin Langtian studied the five figures on the platform, their gazes gathered on him in turn.
Except for Dong Kui's slightly chilly stare, the other four seemed somewhat surprised.
Clearly, they had not expected this newly appointed Commander, who had only just joined the Universe Sect, to reach this point.
"Hehe, how interesting. Who would've thought such a powerful dark horse would appear this time? Much better than before," Luo Lin of the Spear Palace said with a friendly clasp of his hands and a smile.
In response to Luo Lin's goodwill, Lin Langtian gave him a small nod, then turned his flickering gaze toward the Calamity Palace's Commander, Dong Kui.
In the next moment, Lin Langtian's calm voice rang out across the heavens.
"Lin Langtian, newly appointed Commander of Silver Mist Palace, respectfully requests Commander Dong Kui's guidance."
The moment his voice echoed across the Universe Gold Platform, the air seemed to freeze.
At the same time, down below Spirit Pool Peak, the atmosphere exploded.
Shouts of shock soared into the sky as everyone stared wide-eyed, their interest fully ignited.
Everyone knew that the Universe Spirit Pool offered only five slots, which by rights should belong to the five great Commanders.
But with Lin Langtian's arrival, someone had to be eliminated.
Relations between Calamity Palace and Silver Mist Palace had always been extremely poor, and Lin Langtian just happened to be Silver Mist Palace's new Commander.
Now that Lin Langtian had challenged Dong Kui, new and old Commanders had collided. If they truly fought, the spectacle would be extraordinary.
People were eager to see whether it would be Dong Kui, foremost of the five great Commanders, or this greatest dark horse in the Universe Sect's history—Silver Mist Palace's new Commander—who would prove superior.
Amid the uproar, the Silver Mist Guard on the Silver Mist Palace's side watched that figure in green with faces full of excitement and admiration.
The conflict between Calamity Palace and Silver Mist Palace was common knowledge. Because Silver Mist Palace had shallow foundations and weak strength, it had suffered a great deal at Calamity Palace's hands over the years.
Now, however, Lin Langtian had decisively challenged Dong Kui, foremost of the five great Commanders. The significance of that needed no explanation.
Mu Honglian's small hands clenched tightly, her pretty face unable to conceal her tension.
Whether Silver Mist Palace could reclaim its name might well hinge on this.
As exclamations rose skyward beneath the peak, Luo Lin and the other three Commanders watched the scene on the Universe Gold Platform with great interest.
From their point of view, regardless of who won, one of the two would be eliminated. Since that was the case, they were more than happy to sit back and enjoy the show.
Still, they did not hold out much hope that Lin Langtian would prevail.
Dong Kui's status as the foremost of the five great Commanders was not earned by words alone. His strength had already reached the level of an established Third Grade Sovereign, and he was famed throughout the vast Universe Sect.
Though Lin Langtian's performance on Spirit Pool Peak had been dazzling—and even shocking—he still fell short compared to Dong Kui.
At that moment, Dong Kui's lips curved slightly upon hearing Lin Langtian's challenge.
He stared at Lin Langtian, a cruel smile slowly emerging at the corner of his mouth.
For Lin Langtian to choose him as an opponent was precisely what he had hoped for.
He stepped forward, his massive frame like a small mountain, radiating an overwhelming presence.
His gaze fixed coldly on Lin Langtian, his voice drifting across the platform in a chilly laugh.
"Challenging me, are you? Very well, as you wish. Just make sure you can bear the price, whelp from that women's palace."
As his words fell, the spiritual power surging from Dong Kui's body rose at an astonishing speed.
In an instant, his aura exceeded the peak of Second Grade Sovereign and surged into the realm of Third Grade Sovereign.
The sheer force of his spiritual power far surpassed that of any opponent Lin Langtian had faced on Spirit Pool Peak thus far.
Standing at the center of the Universe Gold Platform, Dong Kui gazed down at Lin Langtian with a faintly condescending air.
As a Third Grade Sovereign, he had every reason to confront any challenge with confidence.
"To make such a fuss over a mere Third Grade Sovereign… 'frog at the bottom of a well' suits you quite well," Lin Langtian said with a cold smile.
Back when he had been Plane Lord of the Tianxuan Continent, ruling an entire world, he had still maintained humility and respect.
Now, this Dong Kui, a mere Third Grade Sovereign surrounded by countless beings greater than himself, dared to act so arrogantly. It was truly foolish.
The Commanders on the Universe Gold Platform were taken aback to see Lin Langtian dismiss Dong Kui so casually.
They could barely comprehend how a Second Grade Sovereign could look down on a Third Grade Sovereign in this way. It was practically a reversal of heaven and earth.
No matter how impressive his earlier combat strength had been, that did not qualify him to boast in front of a Third Grade Sovereign.
"Hehe… this is getting interesting," Luo Lin murmured, watching Lin Langtian with keen interest.
He did not believe that someone who had clawed his way from a lower plane into the Great Thousand World could be a foolish braggart. If he were, he would have died a long time ago.
If Lin Langtian was not a fool, then it meant he truly had the confidence to disregard Dong Kui.
If that was the case, then the Universe Sect had indeed welcomed a remarkable powerhouse.
Dong Kui's gaze grew utterly frigid as he glared at Lin Langtian, all traces of his earlier indifference gone. His lips twitched slightly as his expression twisted into something savage.
"Heh…"
A chilling laugh seeped out from between Dong Kui's teeth. Lin Langtian's words had clearly driven him to a point of furious mirth.
As the foremost of the five great Commanders, this was the first time in many years he had encountered someone so brazen.
"Ignorant fool. Since you're so eager to die, don't blame this Commander for what happens next!"
Whoosh!
Dong Kui moved the next instant. Despite his massive build, his speed was ghostly as he appeared right before Lin Langtian.
Without hesitation, he swung a heavy punch. Spiritual power howled like a raging storm as it poured forth, crashing down on Lin Langtian from all directions.
The full might of a Third Grade Sovereign exploded in that single blow.
That punch was enough to defeat any Second Grade Sovereign opponent.
The violent fist imprint swept in like a hurricane, shaking the golden platform beneath their feet.
Clearly, Dong Kui had been thoroughly enraged; there was no trace of mercy in his strike.
The punch rapidly expanded in Lin Langtian's black pupils, yet even when facing a Third Grade Sovereign, he did not retreat in the slightest.
His right arm swung up, blazing with golden light as layer upon layer of dragon scales spread across it. At the same time, a dragon's roar rang out from deep within his body.
Roar!
Hundreds of golden scales covered Lin Langtian's right arm, and an overwhelming pressure surged forth like a tide, drawing many startled looks.
When they saw the terrifying aura emanating from his dragon arm, many eyes flickered with shock.
Lin Langtian then drove his golden dragon arm forward, meeting the savage fist head-on.
Boom!
The two fists collided with a deep, reverberating crash.
Visible shockwaves erupted in all directions.
Even the Universe Gold Platform itself cracked under the impact.
The force was so intense that even Luo Lin and the others paled and quickly mobilized their spiritual power, forming shields in front of them.
Boom!
As the storm of spiritual power raged, two figures were flung backward.
Lin Langtian staggered back several steps before slamming down onto the platform. He forced himself steady and raised his head to look at Dong Kui's darkened face not far away.
"A Third Grade Sovereign… that's all?"
His voice remained calm. Though he had only the cultivation of a Second Grade Sovereign, his spiritual power was fused with demonic energy and plane power, making it vastly superior in quality to that of his peers.
Combined with his many elemental attributes, he could stand against Dong Kui without falling into much of a disadvantage.
"Isn't it a bit early for such big words?"
Dong Kui's lips twisted into a venomous smile as his gaze grew ever colder. His hand clenched, and a torrent of spiritual light flared outward.
A pitch-black, mountain-splitting axe appeared in his grip. Its entire body was as dark as ink, radiating a shocking killing aura, as if a single swing could cleave mountains and shatter the earth.
"That's the Calamity Axe of Calamity Palace—a half-step high-grade divine artifact and one of Calamity Palace's greatest treasures. The Calamity King is truly generous to have given such a weapon to Dong Kui," Mu Honglian said, her heart tightening as she saw the jet-black axe.
At her side, a trace of worry and tension crossed Jiang Yinlan's otherwise icy face.
With the Calamity Axe in hand, Dong Kui's aura grew even more oppressive.
The axe shuddered, sending out waves of violent killing intent that rolled out like a tide, as if seeking to slaughter all living things.
Whoosh!
Dong Kui shot forward, like Mount Tai crashing down, unstoppable.
The Calamity Axe in his hand radiated a razor-sharp killing intent as it swept down over Lin Langtian, a terrifying murderous aura surging from it.
"Flame Plume Phoenix Sword!"
In response, fire coiled around Lin Langtian's hand, forming a long sword that shimmered with scarlet light.
"Slash!"
The flaming blade fell in a sweeping arc, as though cleaving the world apart, meeting the seemingly indestructible axe blow head-on.
Bang!
Sword and axe met in a shower of sparks.
With every clash between the Calamity Axe and the Flame Plume Phoenix Sword, tremendous spiritual shockwaves erupted, twisting the very space around them.
Neither man showed the slightest hint of defense, answering offense with offense in a wildly aggressive exchange that was thrilling to behold.
Inside and outside Spirit Pool Peak, countless people stared wide-eyed at the two blurred figures on the golden platform.
One wielded a sword, the other a great axe. No matter how vicious the other's attacks became, neither could break through.
In many eyes, a hint of incredulity appeared.
They had realized that in this head-on clash, Dong Kui—whose strength should have surpassed Lin Langtian's—had failed to gain even the slightest advantage.
Naturally, Dong Kui felt this as well, and his gaze grew darker still.
He stomped heavily on the golden platform. With a thunderous boom, his figure shot into the air, the Calamity Axe in his hands erupting with boundless killing aura.
A chilling shout rang across the heavens.
"Calamity Axe—Slaughter All Life!"
The killing aura surged as the axe rapidly expanded, growing to a hundred meters in length in an instant. Terrifying waves of spiritual power rolled off its blade as it descended upon Lin Langtian like lightning.
"Die for me!" Dong Kui's cold roar shook the sky.
Lin Langtian looked up at the oncoming strike, a sharp light flashing in his eyes.
He narrowed his gaze slightly, his hand running gently along the blade of his sword. A fire demonic talisman slipped invisibly into the Flame Plume Phoenix Sword.
In that instant, an indescribable heat flooded the air, as though ancient demonic flames had awakened. Many faces paled at the sudden rise in temperature.
Demonic energy surged in Lin Langtian's eyes as a deep voice echoed in his heart.
"Flame Plume Phoenix Sword—Demon-Scorching Slash!"
(END CHAPTER)
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