Chapter 261 - 223: The Way to Break the Deadlock (2)

"Everyone, this situation is indeed quite grim. If any of you have misgivings, we can understand. We can have someone in the World Hall erase the names of your Schools."

The Earth Elder now spoke to the men from the Five Great Sects.

"Earth Elder, why would you say such a thing? Are we the kind of men who follow the winds and go back on our word? Now that we’ve made our decision, we will naturally see it through to the end."

Huang Zhankui of the Sanmei Sect spoke up.

"That’s right. We are certainly not the kind of men to betray a trust. Besides, we haven’t even fought yet. How can we speak of defeat?"

The others also spoke up in agreement.

Having taken this step, they were already prepared. When you place a bet, you either win or lose. Even if they were to withdraw now and have their names erased from the World Hall, what difference would it make? They were surely already on every major Warlord’s list. Once this affair was concluded, they would be the first ones to be dealt with. Their fates were intertwined; if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold.

Besides, they had come to Jinmen to fight for their Schools’ futures and had already made contingency plans. Even if they died in Jinmen, they could ensure their Schools would survive, though they would inevitably be greatly diminished.

"Good! You are all men of courage. This situation is indeed critical, but it is not without a solution."

Zhao Xuanqi said.

"Oh?"

Hearing this, they all looked toward Zhao Xuanqi.

"The key to this operation lies with the top experts among the Sixteen Generals—it’s a battle at the Harmony level. Everything else is secondary. The solution is actually quite simple. Though the Warlords have formed a coalition, they each have their own agendas and won’t be able to gather in one place. We just need to strike before they can mobilize. If we defeat more than half of their top experts first, their offensive will be broken."

"After that, we’ll counter their moves as they make them. Given the current political climate, the Warlords can’t focus too much of their strength on Jinmen. As long as our Harmony masters remain undefeated, the Warlords will be forced to compromise with us."

Zhao Xuanqi said slowly.

Hearing Zhao Xuanqi’s words, the others’ mouths fell slightly agape, unsure of what to say.

’Was that supposed to be insightful? It was a whole lot of nothing.’

They knew, of course, that the Harmony masters were the core of the Warlords’ joint operation. At that realm of power, conventional military action had a limited effect, unless the goal was to level the entire city. If they could defeat the enemy’s Harmony masters, the Martial Arts Association would naturally be safe.

But the enemy’s lineup of experts was incredibly formidable. If they could be defeated so easily, why would they be agonizing over it now?

They didn’t know that Zhao Xuanqi’s strength had transformed completely in just a few days. They just assumed his confidence had ballooned after reaching the Harmony realm.

Just as they were about to urge Zhao Xuanqi to be more cautious, he spoke again.

"This is not a matter you can interfere in. Leave it to us to handle. All right, this meeting is over. The World Martial Banquet is drawing near, so all of you can rest easy and carry on as usual. I need to consult with a certain someone, so I’ll be leaving first."

THUMP!!

The moment his voice fell, a dull thud echoed through the room. Everyone present felt their vision blur for an instant. When they looked back to where Zhao Xuanqi had been, he was gone, vanished without a trace.

No one had seen how he moved. They almost thought he had learned some Demon Technique or Taoist Skill and used an Escape Technique to vanish.

"What was...that...?!"

The representatives of the Five Great Schools, along with Zhao Yuan, Xiang Ji, and Zhang Hongyun, were all visibly shaken, their faces etched with disbelief.

They knew, of course, that there was no such thing as a Demon Technique or Taoist Skill in this world. Zhao Xuanqi had vanished by instantly erupting his Physical Ability and Intent. He had unleashed his spiritual presence, overwhelming their senses for a fraction of a second, and used that opening to leave with incredible speed and a masterful Body Technique.

And it must be understood that these were no ordinary men in the conference room. They were all powerful Martial Artists with immense Qi and Blood and unyielding wills. Many had even reached the realm of Half-Step Harmony.

For an expert, that fleeting moment of distraction was enough time to do many things—even to seriously injure or kill someone in the room.

They thought they had a grasp of Zhao Xuanqi’s strength, having sparred with him just a few days ago. Back then, they could still hold their own against him. The five of them together could even have posed a real threat.

But the power Zhao Xuanqi had just displayed was far beyond what it had been then. Based on that display alone, none of them were qualified to trade blows with him anymore.

It was only then that they realized Zhao Xuanqi’s earlier words might not have been an empty boast after all.

"Three Elders, it’s only been a few days... What level is he at now, exactly?"

The representatives from the Five Great Schools asked tentatively, addressing the Three Elders seated at the head of the table.

"Let him and the top brass of the National Salvation Association handle this. We truly can’t be of much help. Our job is to secure the home front and do what we can. Come, let’s discuss how to protect our associated industries and channels..."

The Three Elders were aware that Zhao Xuanqi’s strength had increased, but they had no idea just how powerful he had become. The situation had grown beyond their ability to control, so they could only leave it in the hands of Zhao Xuanqi and his allies.

Meanwhile, Zhao Xuanqi had already altered his appearance. Disguised as a Martial Arts Association staff member, he left the building under the watchful eyes of numerous spies. He made his way to a contact point established by the National Salvation Association, where a car was waiting to take him to a private estate in the remote suburbs of Jinmen.

Upon entering the estate, he saw Yang Xun waiting for him in the courtyard. Dressed as an old farmer, his face was completely unremarkable.

"The situation in Jinmen is tense. The Warlords intend to kill two birds with one stone. Our intelligence indicates that five of the Sixteen Generals and two Harmony masters are already on their way here. How do you plan to respond?"

Yang Xun asked Zhao Xuanqi.

"In war, speed is paramount; in a fight, the first strike is what counts. The Warlords think their thunderous assault will leave us weak and defensive. They are gravely mistaken. Most importantly, they do not know my true strength. The best defense is a good offense. I’ve heard that experts from enemy factions have already infiltrated Jinmen. Tonight, I will seize the initiative. I will clip their wings and break their fangs, so they can never complete their encirclement."

"If the National Salvation Association is unwilling to take the risk, you can simply provide support from the rear. The Eight Kings and Sixteen Generals... Their fame precedes them. I’ve been interested in them for a long time. Today, I shall see for myself what they’re made of."

Zhao Xuanqi said, his expression calm.

"Young, but you’ve got a big mouth. The Eight Kings and Sixteen Generals made their names long ago; they have forged their own Martial Daos. You’ve only just entered the Harmony realm. What gives you the right to make such arrogant claims? A true life-and-death battle is nothing like the probing spar you had with Yang Xun. A young man should be more humble. There is always a heaven beyond the heavens, and always someone better."

Before Yang Xun could reply to Zhao Xuanqi’s words, a voice drifted out from one of the inner rooms. It was a clear, crisp voice, full of a guileless innocence that sounded like a child’s, but the words it spoke were nothing a child would ever say.

Zhao Xuanqi turned to look. A large, chubby boy of about a meter tall emerged from the room. He looked to be eleven or twelve, with fair, smooth skin, a stocky build, and a thick waist, suggesting he was well-fed.

However, Zhao Xuanqi saw through the facade in a single glance. The boy’s internal organs were a Primordial, unified whole. His fat appearance was merely due to his bones being folded and compressed within his body. To Zhao Xuanqi’s Sensing, this person didn’t feel like a solid entity, but like a mass of water or a ball of dough that could change its shape at will, capable of launching an inconceivable attack in a single instant.

This power of transformation was even greater than his own.

In an instant, connecting this power to the top figures of the National Salvation Association, Zhao Xuanqi guessed the boy’s identity.

"I’ve heard the rumors about you," Zhao Xuanqi said. "You change your form, alter your identity, hide in the shadows, and move between the various powers. Your methods are ruthless. Your style is consistent with the Martial Dao in one respect: you are unscrupulous in achieving your goals. People say you are the reincarnation of a god or demon, but I see your endless transformations and countless tricks. It seems to me you’ve lost the sharp, courageous Blood Qi of a true Martial Artist."

"A Divine Dragon has a hundred transformations. It can be large or small, can hide in the abyss or soar through the nine heavens. An evil spirit may also have a hundred transformations, but it perishes in the light. I wonder, which one are you?"

Zhao Xuanqi said coolly.

"Interesting. I’d like to see if your abilities can back up those words."

Hearing Zhao Xuanqi, the chubby boy simply smiled, taking no offense. He then took a sudden, deep breath.

CRACK! CRACKLE!!

With an explosive crackle of bones, his body stretched and expanded as if being inflated. He grew taller and taller, and in an instant, transformed into a completely different person.