"This strength…"
"His cultivation is at the peak of the Martial King realm, but his combat power seems stronger than General Zhao."
All the commanders of the Dragon Spear Army were shocked.
Pan Yulou was actually a real expert.
General Meng's expression shifted. "Cangyun Sect's got some real successors coming up."
Even though the other commanders weren't thrilled, they had to admit it.
When it came to charging on the battlefield, they were top-notch.
But when it came to one-on-one combat power, they really couldn't compare to Pan Yulou.
Back then, the reason they lost to the Greedy Wolf Army was because their individual strength was far too weak.
Swish!
Right after that, everyone turned toward Yang Cheng in unison.
Their personal combat strength might fall short, but that didn't mean the whole Dragon Spear Army was lacking.
His Highness the Crown Prince was now the commander of the Dragon Spear Army—and a true powerhouse.
"Your Highness, how about a friendly spar?" Pan Yulou said haughtily. "No need to worry. This won't take much of your time."
Yang Cheng didn't even look at him. He turned to Qin Qiancheng and asked, "Is this the quality of Cangyun Sect's disciples?"
Qin Qiancheng looked awkward. "Your Highness, Senior Brother Pan—"
"Enough. Don't give me that 'he's just a blunt guy' excuse," Yang Cheng said calmly.
Qin Qiancheng had no choice but to look to Sun Xiangsheng. "Elder, please ask Senior Brother Pan to apologize to His Highness."
But Sun Xiangsheng said, "A ruler shouldn't only listen to flattery. Sometimes, hearing honest words is more helpful."
Qin Qiancheng couldn't say another word.
That response made it clear—Sun Xiangsheng was supporting Pan Yulou's disrespectful jab at the Crown Prince.
"Qiancheng, what's gotten into you?" Sun Xiangsheng scolded her. "Don't forget—you're a soldier, not some boot-licking court flatterer."
"I get it now," Wei Hong shook his head. "His Highness knows full well Zhao Yuefeng went easy on him. Now that he sees Junior Brother Pan isn't the flattering type, he's scared to lose face, so he won't fight."
"Is this how a Crown Prince should act? Cowering like this?" Pan Yulou suddenly laughed.
The next moment—
His foot slammed the ground, and his figure charged forward like a raging bear, punching straight at Yang Cheng.
It was the wild bear strength of the Cangheng Fist.
"Not good!"
"This is outrageous!"
The Dragon Spear Army was furious and shocked. They never thought Pan Yulou would actually dare to strike at the Crown Prince.
Everything happened so fast, they couldn't stop it in time.
"That punch is insanely violent. Can His Highness block it?"
Many soldiers were worried.
Facing the incoming punch, Yang Cheng stood perfectly still. He didn't even raise a hand.
"Is he frozen in fear? That's some slow reaction…" Wei Hong frowned.
If that were true, then he'd be seriously disappointed in the Crown Prince.
In the blink of an eye, Pan Yulou's fist was already right in front of Yang Cheng.
Yang Cheng still didn't move.
Boom!
Pan Yulou's punch landed solidly on Yang Cheng's chest.
Gasps filled the air.
If the Crown Prince were seriously injured by Pan Yulou, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Before anyone could think further, a sharp cracking sound rang out.
"Did His Highness's chest bone just break?"
Just as the thought popped up in everyone's mind, a miserable scream burst out from Pan Yulou.
Boom!
Pan Yulou's body flew backward.
His right hand, the one he punched with, had every finger bone completely shattered.
Before the stunned eyes of everyone around, Pan Yulou smashed into a nearby iron training post.
The post bent from the impact before he hit the ground.
His knees buckled, and he dropped down in a kneel.
"I haven't even made a move," Yang Cheng said calmly, "so why are you already kneeling?"
Yang Cheng spoke calmly.
"Pfft."
Pan Yulou was so furious he coughed up blood on the spot.
The Dragon Spear Army soldiers had stars in their eyes. For the first time, they truly felt how strong the Crown Prince really was.
"This power…"
Sun Xiangsheng's eyes lit up.
At this point, he had no choice but to reassess Yang Cheng's strength.
"Arrogant! Let me ask Your Highness for some pointers!" Wei Hong shouted, charging toward Yang Cheng.
His strength was even higher than Pan Yulou's.
Qin Qiancheng and Zhao Yuefeng both moved at the same time, trying to block Wei Hong.
But someone was faster.
It was Yang Cheng.
He raised a palm and struck from a distance.
Wei Hong, who had just leapt into the air, was swatted down like a fly, smashed straight into the stone floor beneath him.
Boom!
The ground split open into a deep, human-shaped pit. Wei Hong was completely buried.
The whole area went silent.
Just how strong was the Crown Prince?
"They're not even worthy to challenge me," Yang Cheng said as he looked at Sun Xiangsheng. "Why don't you come yourself?"
Swish!
Countless eyes shifted to Yang Cheng and Sun Xiangsheng.
The former commander of the Dragon Spear Army versus the current one—who was stronger?
If it had been earlier, no one would've believed Yang Cheng could fight a sixth-level Martial Saint.
But Wei Hong and Pan Yulou were both comparable to Martial Emperors, yet they'd been swatted down like bugs.
Now, no one dared to question Yang Cheng's strength.
Maybe… he really could go toe-to-toe with Sun Xiangsheng.
Even if he couldn't win, he might still hold out for a few exchanges.
"This humble one wouldn't dare raise a hand against Your Highness," Sun Xiangsheng said.
"So you do understand," Yang Cheng said. "Since you understand, why don't your disciples? Is it because you failed to teach them, or are they pretending not to understand?"
"Your Highness…" Sun Xiangsheng's expression shifted.
"I am the Crown Prince of Great Zhou," Yang Cheng said, hands clasped behind his back. "They attacked me without my permission. Sun Xiangsheng, tell me—what crime do your disciples deserve?"
Sun Xiangsheng's face turned extremely ugly. "Your Highness, this was merely sparring between martial artists. No need to make a fuss over it."
"Just because someone's a martial artist, they can ignore national law?" Yang Cheng's voice was cold. "Both of them—go take 100 heavy strikes."
Wei Hong's face turned dark with anger.
To be beaten publicly?
He was a genius of Cangyun Sect—how could he accept such humiliation?
Instantly, rage exploded within him. "Crown Prince, you're a martial artist too, yet you rely on your status to suppress others. Isn't that laughable?"
"In terms of status, I'm the ruler—you're the subject," Yang Cheng replied. "In terms of strength, I sent you flying with a single palm. Who's the joke here?"
"Also—I already gave you a chance."
Boom!
Before he even finished speaking, Yang Cheng struck again.
"You really think you can crush me? Earlier, I just underestimated you!" Wei Hong roared, fury blazing in his eyes.
Boom!
In the next moment, his aura surged explosively—he broke through into the Martial Emperor realm.
Sun Xiangsheng was thrilled. "Excellent!"
Everyone else was stunned. No one expected Wei Hong, under the pressure of the Crown Prince, to unlock his potential and break through.
Not just that—his body actually grew taller, like a giant bear.
"This is the Black Mountain Divine Art! It boosts strength dramatically in a short time!" Qin Qiancheng cried out.
"This art is notoriously hard to master, but Wei Hong pulled it off! His combat power might now rival a mid-tier Martial Emperor," Zhao Yuefeng said, his face growing tense.
Almost at the same time—
Yang Cheng's giant true qi hand slammed down on Wei Hong.
Boom!
Then—
There was no suspense.
Wei Hong's true qi shattered instantly.
Before the shocked stares of the crowd, Yang Cheng's true qi hand once again crushed Wei Hong to his knees.
"I gave you a chance. You didn't take it—so now, you die," Yang Cheng said flatly.
Rip!
A long crack split open on Wei Hong's body—starting from the top of his skull.