Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh!
The violent winds and shockwaves continued to rage, forcing the residents of Niduo Kingdom's Capital to squint against the gale. Even the closest members of the Niduo Military, stationed hundreds of meters away, struggled to keep their aircraft and tanks steady as their uniforms flapped wildly.
"Is this truly the work of human hands?"
"Can a Martial Artist achieve such a feat?"
"Is he some kind of monster?"
Murmurs of shock rippled through the crowd, blending into a cacophony of awe and disbelief.
Chen Feng paid little heed to the commotion, his gaze fixed on the charred, withered half-corpse on the ground.
"Flame Tiger Sect... are you alright?"
The mournful voice and familiar face stirred memories within him. Though Chen Feng had long suspected this outcome, a part of him still hoped it wouldn't come to pass.
Now, staring into those dimming eyes that seemed on the verge of fading away, he hesitated before nodding.
"They're all still here."
"Is that so..."
The ambiguous reply brought a relieved smile to the desiccated half-corpse. Its rapidly paling face grew almost translucent, the grotesque veins on its forehead bulging purple and black.
If Xu Tingxiao had been closer, or if any other members of the Flame Tiger Sect had been present, they would have been horrified to discover that the man's face was identical to that of Junior Martial Uncle Li Chenye, who had vanished long ago.
"After that day, he became me."
"And I... became him."
The words sounded like both an explanation and a lament, tinged with regret.
He gazed one last time at the towering figure that blocked the light, his lips parting soundlessly.
A flood of memories surged through his mind, vivid recollections of his Senior Brother raising him as a child.
Driven by his ambition to break through to Grandmaster status, he had made a fatal choice, losing all autonomy from that moment onward.
"A trivial Evil God."
Boom!
As his final words faded, the remaining half of his body shattered completely, disintegrating into dust.
Li Chenye, who had vanished long ago, reappeared for a fleeting moment before departing this world forever.
Chen Feng remained silent for a long moment, then turned his gaze to the shattered black mask lying on the ground. Intricate patterns resembling ravens adorned its surface. Using his perception, he sensed a faint wisp of residual energy within it. By now, he had pieced together the broad strokes of what had transpired.
The life force within the mask was the true Chu Dingkun.
Though Chen Feng couldn't discern the exact method, it was clear that Chu Dingkun had long since abandoned his physical body, relying solely on the power of an Evil God to control others. Li Chenye, having made a fatal mistake, had fallen into this trap, becoming Chu Dingkun's vessel and puppet.
The so-called World Fighting Tournament was nothing more than an elaborate ritual orchestrated by Chu Dingkun. By harnessing the Evil God Power, he intended to sacrifice countless martial artists in a bloody rite, forcibly breaking through his limits to ascend to the Sixth-Tier Powerhouse level.
"You can't kill me..."
A tremor rippled through Chen Feng's spiritual will, a feeble plea emanating from Chu Dingkun's weakening presence within the mask.
But it was too late.
The combined fury of the Wrath of the Storm and the Pinnacle Intent coalesced into an invisible javelin, piercing through the mask.
Boom!
The shattering sound reverberated as the last vestige of the Divine Martial Alliance Leader was utterly annihilated. The jet-black mask crumbled into dust, wisps of formless energy surging into the palm seal on Chen Feng's hand.
An inexplicable sense of melancholy settled over Chen Feng. Footsteps raced toward him from behind.
"Grandmaster Chen!"
"Senior Brother!"
Han Chao and the others hurried over, Xu Tingxiao anxiously scanning Chen Feng from head to toe.
"I'm fine," Chen Feng said, gently shaking his head to reassure them.
Xu Tingxiao sighed in relief and turned to examine the black residue left on the ground where the corpse had disintegrated. Earlier, from a distance, he had only glimpsed a vague outline, yet something about it had seemed strangely familiar. Dismissing the absurd possibility, he frowned in contemplation before glancing back at Chen Feng. He wanted to ask, but...
Buzz!
The Niduo Royal Family's aircraft slowly descended, flanked by military fighter jets. Old Leader Zhang, Han Chao, and the others exchanged wary glances, standing on guard with vigilant expressions.
Finally, the cabin door opened. Princess Eleanor emerged, draped in a long golden silk robe, escorted by Walker and a retinue of security personnel.
"Thank you, Mr. Chen, for avenging my Uncle Wang," she declared immediately, as if anticipating their confusion.
Han Chao and the others froze momentarily. If not for the sincerity in her expression, they would have dismissed it as a hallucination.
"All this calamity was caused by Martial Divinity, who was also responsible for my uncle's demise."
"Mr. Chen, by slaying this man, you have avenged my Uncle Wang!"
Princess Eleanor had forcibly suppressed the grief and shock in her eyes, leaving only a trace. Though her exquisite face was pale, her voice rang with unwavering sincerity.
Their gazes locked. Chen Feng sensed little malice in her perception, noting her close proximity—less than half a meter away—and the wary, even fearful, looks on the faces of Walker and the others.
After a moment of silence, Chen Feng gave the seemingly frail and vulnerable Princess Eleanor a deep, searching look. He was genuinely surprised that a princess of the Niduo Royal Family could reach such a decisive conclusion so quickly. After all, the damage he had caused, particularly to the Niduo Military, was substantial. And the death of the Lion King...
...was largely due to his own actions.
Still,
"You're welcome," Chen Feng replied calmly.
His confidence stemmed entirely from his overwhelming strength. Even if the Niduo Royal Family were foolish enough to retaliate, he had nothing to fear.
As his response echoed, the surrounding members of the Niduo Military wore complex expressions—a mixture of fear, respect, suspicion, and avoidance.
A wave of emotions surged through Chen Feng's perception as a Niduo Military tank slowly rolled to a stop. A figure leaped down and strode forward.
"Mr. Yang," Han Chao greeted, recognizing the newcomer.
Yang Wudi, clad in a brown trench coat with a cigarette dangling from his lips, nodded in acknowledgment. Behind Old Leader Zhang, Zhao Xue's eyelid twitched, her phoenix eyes flashing with a hint of murderous intent, but Zhang raised a hand to restrain her.
"Senior Zhang," Yang Wudi said.
"Greetings," Old Leader Zhang replied calmly. Yang Wudi glanced at Zhao Xue behind him.
Celine, carrying her sniper cannon, followed suit, jumping down from the tank and walking slowly forward. Soon, the two stood before Chen Feng.
"Congratulations," Yang Wudi murmured, the cigarette now pinched between his fingers.
No further explanation was needed. The scale and intensity of the destruction, capable of affecting others' spiritual will, could only mean one thing: Chen Feng had shattered the limits of human capability.
Chen Feng didn't deny it. He nodded and offered a perfunctory thanks.
"Thank you."
Although the earlier military pursuit had posed no threat to him, Yang Wudi's intervention was nonetheless a gesture of goodwill. It had at least spared him some obstacles and trouble.
"No need to thank me," Yang Wudi replied.
"I just wanted to take the opportunity to settle a score while I was at it," Yang Wudi said with a shrug. Chen Feng sensed his pride and didn't press the matter.
Finally, he turned to the short-haired woman beside Yang Wudi. Her tanned skin suggested she was in her early thirties, and her black jacket gave her a sharp, capable air.
"I'm Celine. You've probably heard of me," she said, extending a hand. Her bright, fiery brown eyes met his.
Chen Feng glanced at the sniper cannon slung over her shoulder, nodded lightly, and shook her hand.
"Chen, you're incredibly strong," Celine said, her voice filled with genuine admiration and candid curiosity. "I was wondering if I could ask you about how to break through one's limits."
At these words, the cigarette in Yang Wudi's hand trembled slightly, and Old Leader Zhang and the others exchanged subtle glances.
A moment of silence hung in the air, but Chen Feng's Perception allowed him to sense their collective curiosity and anticipation.
"You may," Chen Feng replied calmly, his mind already made up.
He hadn't intended to conceal his abilities today. It was time for Earth's martial arts to emerge from their decline.
Unaware of his intentions, Yang Wudi and the others raised their eyebrows at this unexpected answer, followed by a surge of fiery anticipation.
A path that shattered all limits.
Every martial artist would yearn for such a path.
Princess Eleanor and the military officials beside her watched with complex expressions, an eerie silence falling over them.
What they had witnessed today would be etched into their minds forever. Even the most foolish among them could now see the immense brilliance radiating from martial arts.
They vaguely sensed that the martial arts of the future might truly stand shoulder to shoulder with advanced technology.
Yet ironically, Niduo Country's strongest martial artist had already perished.
Hesitating, Eleanor opened her mouth, about to speak.
Crack!
A sudden, ear-piercing sound shattered the silence.
Everyone froze, then turned toward the source.
Crack!!
The sound echoed again, causing even Yang Wudi and Old Leader Zhang's pupils to contract.
Suspicious gazes converged on the center of the deep pit, where the Divine Martial Alliance Leader's corpse had vanished into thin air.
A pinprick-sized black dot had eerily materialized in its place.
"This..." Xu Tingxiao and Han Chao stammered, the scene stirring an unsettlingly familiar memory.
As if to confirm their suspicions and buried experiences...
Crack-crack-crack!!
The ear-splitting sound of shattering glass continued, transforming the empty, invisible space into a vast, shattered mirror.
Spiderweb-like cracks spread across the ethereal expanse, each fissure radiating an overwhelming malevolence that Chen Feng could clearly sense.
"Retreat!" he barked, snapping the others out of their stupor.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Figures darted away as the alerted Niduo Military swiveled their gun barrels, aiming at the fissures in the void.
Click-clack!
Tank turrets rotated, and fighter jets circled overhead. The energy cannons of the aircraft charged up, their barrels glowing. Princess Eleanor, her face pale, was escorted to safety by Walker, having grasped the dire situation.
"How could a Black Tide eruption occur here?" she wondered aloud, her expression a mixture of confusion and apprehension.
The Suojia City incident had been widely publicized, ensuring that most present were familiar with the warning signs.
"Could it be... because of Chu Dingkun?" Yang Wudi muttered, his cigarette nearly burned to its filter.
His words hung in the air. For a moment, everyone froze, belatedly recalling Chu Dingkun's connection to the Evil God Power.
By the time they reacted, it was too late.
Boom!!
Behind the crack-riddled void, something colossal seemed to be awakening, relentlessly battering against the barriers of space.
The world trembled, the air shuddering violently.
The void fissure spread inch by inch, widening to five or six meters.
"Alert!"
"Prepare to fire!"
Old Leader Zhang, Yang Wudi, and the others clenched their fists, their faces grave. Niduo Military personnel, following orders, dripped with cold sweat as they gripped their heavy weapons, poised to engage an unseen enemy.
Boom!!
Another muffled roar reverberated through the air as the fissure widened to seven or eight meters.
The ground trembled violently. In the nearby Lower City, civilians cowered in fear, retreating into concrete buildings and street corners.
Eyes filled with terror and bewilderment stared at the spatial anomaly. Everyone held their breath, transfixed by the void's mark.
Boom!
Boom!!
Boom!!!
Each thunderous impact shook heaven and earth. The fissure grew exponentially, approaching fifteen meters.
Just as it seemed on the verge of shattering completely...
Crack!
The fissure's expansion abruptly halted. Tension reached a fever pitch, cold sweat blooming on palms.
"Something's wrong," Chen Feng suddenly declared.
Old Leader Zhang and Yang Wudi beside him froze momentarily, then watched as the void fissure began to shrink rapidly.
Fifteen meters, ten meters, seven meters...
Finally, the fissure narrowed to a mere half-meter.
All tremors ceased, and the oppressive malice that had permeated their senses gradually faded.
An eerie silence descended upon the Niduo Kingdom, relief and confusion flickering in the eyes of many soldiers.
Until...
In the next instant...
Boom!!!
(End of the Chapter)
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