Chapter 266 - 226: Absolute Dominance (Part 2)

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Three consecutive palm strikes. A crimson light already enveloped Zhao Xuanqi’s body as Meng Dongtai staggered backward repeatedly. The violent eruption of the final palm sent him flying, smashing straight through the opposite wall and out of the room.

CRASH!!

Unable to bear the load, the entire wall came crashing down. The pavilion’s support columns also seemed to have been damaged by the three clashing palm strikes. The structure swayed, on the verge of collapsing at any moment.

Harmony masters could be considered heavy artillery on the battlefield. How could a mere pavilion possibly withstand the clash between two such experts?

The pavilion teetered on the brink of collapse, yet Yue Shu, who had fallen inside, seemed utterly oblivious. His gaze was vacant, fixed on Meng Dongtai’s figure as it flew into the courtyard behind the building. It was as if he had lost his way completely.

’Zhao Xuanqi... why is he so strong?’

"Meng Dongtai, one of the Three Stars. If this is all the strength you have, you really don’t live up to your name."

With a single step, Zhao Xuanqi shot forward, his figure already in pursuit into the rear courtyard.

"Don’t live up to my name?! You think it’s over just like that?!"

Having been sent flying into the courtyard, Meng Dongtai abruptly leaped to his feet, his expression twisted with ferocity.

He had achieved success at a young age and enjoyed a meteoric rise. At thirty-one, he reached the Harmony realm and was ranked among the Three Stars, one of the most preeminent figures in the Divine Land. He was an incredibly proud man; how could he possibly endure such humiliation?

An eerie light flickered in his eyes, and his entire aura changed in an instant.

On his body, in addition to the original seven points of light, five more points suddenly blazed to life.

HUMMM!!

The sound of terrifying organs whirring echoed from within his body. The five new points, combined with the original Seven Stars of Beidou, made for twelve points in total. Their positions began to twist and turn.

The formation of Beidou’s Seven Stars shattered, and a new, peculiar connection seemed to form between the twelve points of light.

The next moment.

CRACK!!

The twelve points of light shattered completely, merging into his body.

It was a Secret Technique similar to the Seven-Star Lamp Secret Technique that Yue Shu had once used. However, this technique was far more ferocious and seemed to have far surpassed the limits of the Seven-Star Lamp.

VMMMM!!

A faint, fluorescent glow instantly enveloped Meng Dongtai’s body. A halo appeared behind his head, within which stars seemed to flicker and revolve.

Immediately, Zhao Xuanqi could feel the man’s Physical Ability skyrocketing. The threat level registered by his Hundred Beasts’ Intent soared dramatically.

He had fought Yue Shu of the Beidou Sect before, so he understood their Secret Transmission: using the Martial Dao to reshape the body and create seven new energy-supplying organs within it. This was the technique of the Seven-Star Life Palace.

Now, however, Meng Dongtai had lit twelve stars. Five of those stars were, in fact, his five major internal organs!

The five organs and the Seven-Star Life Palace shifted and circulated within his body, shattering the Beidou formation to forge a new connection. He was using the power of the Harmony realm to fundamentally reshape his body’s internal energy system and break through human limits.

Meng Dongtai had broken through the shackles of the Beidou Sect’s Secret Transmission and forged his own path.

In the Harmony realm, true power came from forging one’s own path.

It was because Zhao Xuanqi had created the Qilin Form and forged his own path that he had earned the name Qilin and stood at the pinnacle of power.

’The concept behind this Secret Technique Meng Dongtai is using is somewhat similar to my own Dragon Blood Secret Technique. I’m just not sure how powerful it is. Judging by his current state, the strain it puts on him seems immense. It also appears incomplete; otherwise, he wouldn’t have saved it until now.’

BOOM!!

As his Physical Ability erupted, Meng Dongtai’s aura surged. A vision of a starry sky enveloped the courtyard. Within it, stars flowed in their orbits, like the ceaseless workings of the Celestial Dao.

The twelve stars represented the Twelve Earthly Branches, the twelve celestial palaces, the twelve primordial gods of time.

The changing of the seasons, the movement of the Five Elements, the rotation of heaven and earth—all were contained within.

With the twelve stars upon him, Meng Dongtai was like a deity commanding the seasons and the Five Elements.

Meng Dongtai attacked with a palm strike, holding nothing back. This was his own self-created Secret Technique, and it was still incomplete. The twelve stars granted him the power of only twelve strikes. Afterward, his body would be damaged and his Spirit wounded; it would likely take him days to recover his peak combat strength.

He had originally intended to use this Secret Technique after eliminating the Jinmen Martial Arts Association to stabilize the situation in the city and suppress any other masters.

But now, he had been forced to use it prematurely.

There was no alternative. Without this Secret Technique, he had no right to even think about the future in the face of Zhao Xuanqi.

"Now this is more like it."

Zhao Xuanqi’s Spirit flared as he met the attack head-on, showing no intention of backing down.

Earth Shaking, Thunder Striking, Star Shattering, Cloud Turning!!

BOOM!! BOOM!! BOOM!!

Each clash of their Techniques, each terrifying burst of Physical Ability, sent massive tremors through the ground. For a mile around, ornaments and coal lamps swayed in every house, and glass windows rattled violently. The distinct vibrations could be felt from several miles away.

For a moment, the nearby residents thought it was an earthquake. They ran out of their houses in a panic, gathering in open spaces. Only then did they realize something was off. The tremors came in distinct, rhythmic bursts, not a continuous shake. What kind of earthquake behaved like that?

Everyone turned to look in the same direction.

There, at the heart of the tremors, iridescent light pulsed and currents of air swirled violently.

The residents could also see that the epicenter of the disturbance was in chaos. Soldiers were converging, apparently preparing to take action.

This was Meng Dongtai’s temporary residence, and many plain-clothed soldiers were stationed in the vicinity. Within the courtyard itself was a special hunter-killer squad trained by the Beidou Army specifically to deal with masters. They had already been alerted and were on the move. What’s more, under direct orders, the entirety of the Beidou Army forces in Jinmen were converging on this location.

Back at the fight.

The figures of Zhao Xuanqi and Meng Dongtai blurred together, appearing to be evenly matched. Having unleashed his Twelve Palaces Secret Technique, Meng Dongtai seemed to possess the power to truly contend with Zhao Xuanqi.

This rekindled a spark of hope in the eyes of Yue Shu, who was watching from the sidelines. He could already hear the commotion from outside.

This was their base of operations. Meng Dongtai had not come alone; he was accompanied by numerous other masters and special units. If Meng Dongtai could just stall Zhao Xuanqi until reinforcements arrived, they could surround him. With dozens of specialized firearms, a steady stream of soldiers, and various heavy weapons, it might just be possible to trap Zhao Xuanqi here for good.

This was, after all, the heart of the Beidou Army’s territory!

’Looks like this is all there is to it. Time to end this.’

Zhao Xuanqi remained calm. Their clashes seemed to be a stalemate, but in reality, he was simply interested in the Secret Technique Meng Dongtai was using.

He could now see that his opponent’s Secret Technique was incomplete and had severe limitations. He estimated that after just a dozen or so explosive attacks, Meng Dongtai’s body would give out.

’The creativity behind it is commendable, though. For that alone, Meng Dongtai’s talent earns my respect. If this Secret Technique were ever completed and perfected, I’d have to work quite hard to defeat him, assuming we were at the same level of mastery.’

’A pity there are no ’ifs’ in a real fight. When it’s time to strike, I won’t hold back.’

He could, of course, feel the enemy reinforcements approaching. He wasn’t going to give them a chance.

BOOM!!

In that instant, his Physical Ability erupted to its absolute peak.

His arms trembled, tracing afterimages through the air, as if in an instant one had multiplied into nine.

This was the same Technique he had used to defeat Li Ping.

Nine-tailed.

But now, empowered by his Dragon Blood State, the afterimages his arms left in the air merged with his aura. They no longer resembled tails, but nine lithe, true dragons!

ROAR!!

A burst of Spirit and a tremor of aura distorted Meng Dongtai’s sense of time and space.

With a burst of Physical Ability, the nine attacks superimposed upon one another at an unbelievable speed.

Detonation!!

SPURT!!

Meng Dongtai was struck head-on. His chest caved in violently. The sheer Force of the blow squeezed blood from his very pores, which then atomized into a thick mist in the air. It was as if this single strike had blown his entire body apart.

The hope on Yue Shu’s face, watching from the sidelines, froze completely.

He could only watch as Zhao Xuanqi tapped his foot lightly, darted into the blood mist, and hoisted Meng Dongtai’s limp body into his hand. With another light step, he was atop the wall, the large man in his grasp as if he weighed nothing at all.

Then, in another flash, Yue Shu lost sight of Zhao Xuanqi completely. Only a voice was left, echoing through the courtyard:

"I’m taking this man with me. If you people of Beidou do not withdraw from Jinmen by tomorrow morning, his head will be hung high in Longwu Square!"