Chapter 271 - 228: The Oriole Behind

Azure Dragon Star, Meng Dongtai?!

Li Ping and Yang Xun stared in shock at the figure Zhao Xuanqi had thrown down.

The two of them had taken action and, while ultimately achieving their goal, had only managed to injure their opponents. Their targets had still escaped in the end; they hadn’t been able to capture them.

The masters among the Sixteen Generals were all top-tier figures in the Divine Land, each with a hundred tricks up their sleeves. If they were truly determined to flee, it was incredibly difficult to stop them. To even injure them and neutralize their ability to affect the situation was already a remarkable feat.

But now, Zhao Xuanqi had actually captured one of them alive. This meant that if he had wanted to, he could have killed his opponent in a single battle, leaving no chance for escape.

It proved that his strength had reached a level where he could completely overwhelm his foe.

’Just what level has his power reached?!’

Li Ping and Yang Xun exchanged a look, at a loss for words.

Zhao Xuanqi’s progress had surpassed their comprehension.

However, they were extraordinary men and quickly adjusted their mindsets to accept this reality. After all, the stronger Zhao Xuanqi was, the better it was for their cause.

As for how he had gotten so strong, there was no need for them to dwell on it. There were too many incomprehensible things in this world, especially when it came to those who were truly gifted.

"It really is Meng Dongtai. This is excellent! He holds a high position and a great reputation within the Beidou Army. He’s also Yuan Tianhao’s adopted son, and Yuan Tianhao values him greatly. With him in our hands, the Beidou Army will have to think twice before making a move. We finally have the leverage to sit down and truly negotiate with them."

Li Ping said.

"Exactly. This time, Yin Wood Thunder Bi Celestial Mansion and Feathered Spirit Qi Hongxuan are injured, and more importantly, the Beidou Army’s Meng Dongtai is in our hands. The Warlords’ joint operation has effectively failed. It won’t be easy for them to organize a second attempt. With you and the Three Elders holding down the fort in Jinmen, the situation should stabilize."

A smile appeared on Yang Xun’s face as well. This affair had seemed like a massive crisis, but by launching a preemptive strike and picking their enemies off one by one, they had managed to turn danger into safety. The progress had been surprisingly smooth.

"It’s not time to celebrate yet. This isn’t completely over. We still need to guard against a counterattack from the Warlords and continue to pressure them. This will only be considered finished when they’ve truly withdrawn from Jinmen for the time being."

Li Ping said softly.

"You’re right. The situation in Jinmen is chaotic right now. We must return as soon as possible to take command."

Zhao Xuanqi nodded.

The three then briefly discussed their next steps before splitting up, leaving the courtyard to attend to their respective tasks.

Zhao Xuanqi took Meng Dongtai and rushed back to the Martial Arts Association Headquarters to oversee things. The Jinmen Martial Arts Association was located in the very center of Jinmen, allowing him to provide swift support no matter where trouble arose in the city.

Li Ping returned to mobilize the forces of the National Salvation Association’s Intelligence Department. On one hand, he would continue to monitor the subsequent movements of the various factions. On the other, he needed to quickly spread the news of the battle in Jinmen to expand their influence and deepen the deterrent effect.

Meanwhile, Yang Xun went back to quickly replenish his body’s nutrients, after which he would lead the men of the Divine Martial Department to continue carrying out raids and harassment against the corresponding forces of the Warlords in Jinmen. This would further accelerate the withdrawal of the major factions from the city. If possible, capturing another one of the Sixteen Generals would grant them even more initiative.

Martial Arts Association Headquarters, Jinmen.

The Three Elders and the strongest experts of the Five Great Sects were all gathered in the front courtyard. Meanwhile, Zhao Yuan and the other Seven General Stars had already left the headquarters to oversee the Martial Arts Association’s various important industries and stabilize the situation.

Everyone in the courtyard was already aware of the major operation that night.

At present, the few from the Five Great Sects paced around the courtyard, their expressions anxious.

After all, tonight’s operation would likely determine the final outcome of the entire situation in Jinmen, which was directly tied to their own fates. Whether they won or lost would be decided tonight, yet there was nothing they could do but wait quietly. It was an unpleasant feeling that left them on edge.

"Three Elders, what do you think our chances of success are tonight? If our operation fails and we suffer losses instead, wouldn’t that make the situation even worse?"

Yu Huang couldn’t help but ask the Three Elders.

"It’s been quite a while since the operation began, hasn’t it? Has there been any news yet?"

Huang Zhankui also interjected impatiently.

"Gentlemen, please be patient. The core operational areas are now under a tight blockade by the various military factions, making it difficult for information to get out. Come, sit and have a cup of tea. There should be news soon enough."

The Heavenly Elder said as he personally brewed tea for everyone.

Suddenly, the expressions of the Three Elders flickered.

SWOOSH!!

With a howl of wind, a figure vaulted over the courtyard wall. But before he even landed, a shadow was flung from his hand, landing with a THUD in front of the crowd and startling everyone.

WHOOSH!

The masters from the Five Great Sects shot up from the tea table in an instant. They only relaxed after seeing that the newcomer was Zhao Xuanqi, and their gazes then shifted to the figure that had been thrown to the ground.

"This is..."

The Three Elders also frowned slightly and rose to their feet, unable to immediately identify the person on the ground.

"One of the Sixteen Generals, Azure Dragon Star Meng Dongtai. Our operation was a resounding success. I’ve brought him back to use as a bargaining chip."

"Everyone, get ready. Prepare for a potential counterattack from the Warlords’ forces. Follow the plan and make preparations as quickly as possible."

Zhao Xuanqi announced.

’This man is one of the Sixteen Generals, Azure Dragon Star Meng Dongtai?!!’

Never mind the masters of the Five Great Sects; even the Three Elders were stunned into silence, frozen on the spot, upon hearing Zhao Xuanqi’s words.

...

...

「Meanwhile, after the attacks occurred.」

The major Warlord factions immediately contacted one another to assess the situation. They all wanted to leverage each other’s strength to impose a city-wide lockdown on Jinmen.

However, after communicating with each other, all the factions were stunned.

The three members of the Sixteen Generals who had come to Jinmen had all been attacked. Two were severely injured and had gone into hiding to recover. Most terrifyingly, the Beidou Army’s Meng Dongtai had been captured alive. And the one who did it was someone no one had expected.

Hundred Beasts Fist, Zhao Xuanqi!

This name had become renowned throughout the Divine Land with the progression of the World Martial Arts Tournament, ringing like thunder in everyone’s ears.

But in reality, in the eyes of the various factions, he was not yet someone who could truly influence the world’s situation. He had not entered the top echelon.

No matter how strong he was, he was only at Half-Step Harmony. Even with his immense potential, it was unknown how many years it would take for him to cross that heavenly chasm.

But now, he had captured one of the Sixteen Generals, Meng Dongtai, alive. This proved that his strength had already reached the Harmony realm and had deepened to a terrifying degree.

If not for repeated confirmations, the major factions would have almost thought it was fake news.

He was not yet twenty years old. Such strength and potential could no longer be described as merely "terrifying."

Now, within Jinmen, the Three Elders were holding down the Martial Arts Association Headquarters, two great generals of the National Salvation Association were present, and on top of that, there was the unfathomably powerful Zhao Xuanqi. With three of the Sixteen Generals either injured or captured, the situation had spun completely out of control.

Furthermore, shortly thereafter, members of the National Salvation Association’s Divine Martial Department, led by Yang Xun, began harassing the garrisons of the various military factions, making them all paranoid and jumpy.

The news quickly reached the headquarters of the major factions.

Yin Wood Thunder Bi Celestial Mansion and Feathered Spirit Qi Hongxuan were attacked by Undying Yang Xun and Thousand Illusions Li Ping respectively. They were severely injured and had lost their ability to fight.

Azure Dragon Star Meng Dongtai was attacked by Hundred Beasts Fist Zhao Xuanqi, defeated on the spot, and captured alive.

For a time, the major factions could no longer muster an effective force to respond within Jinmen.

The joint operation concerning the Jinmen situation could be all but declared a failure.

This news sent violent shockwaves through the major factions.

The so-called World Martial Arts Tournament, despite its grand scale, was nothing more than a minor squabble in the civilian Martial Arts Realm in the eyes of the top brass. Titles like "Number One in Jinmen" or "Number One in the Tournament" were just empty names.

But now that Zhao Xuanqi had defeated Meng Dongtai head-on and captured him alive, everything was completely different.

At this moment, Zhao Xuanqi had truly become a figure that the major factions feared. From now on, his every move would have terrifying repercussions.

Shangjing.

"Not yet twenty, yet he has grasped the secrets of Harmony and captured Tai’er alive. To think the Divine Land has produced such a person... Interesting. How very interesting..."

The imposing figure of Beidou Army Commander Yuan Tianhao sat on his chair, muttering to himself. No one around him dared to utter a word.

Jinling.

"Is this... the power of the true Holy Beast Fist legacy?"

After Lin Quelan finished reading the intelligence report, a sharp glint flashed in her phoenix-like eyes, and her heart could not calm down for a long time.

"Hundred Beasts Fist Zhao Xuanqi, successor to an Ancient Holy Beast Divine General, has entered the Harmony realm."

"Not yet twenty, advanced to Harmony, captured Azure Dragon Star, one of the Sixteen Generals."

"Zhao Xuanqi’s strength is unfathomable. The Jinmen plan has failed."

"..."

These reports spread one by one through the upper echelons of the major factions.

After this battle, an incomparably brilliant new star would rise in the Divine Land’s Martial Arts Realm, and no other Martial Artist’s light could compare!

Within Jinmen, overnight, all the infiltrated forces of the Warlords received orders to withdraw. Under the current circumstances, if these important combatants remained in Jinmen, not only would they be unable to do anything against the Martial Arts Association and the National Salvation Association, but they might even be captured and used as bargaining chips.

In this situation, a temporary withdrawal to plan for the long term was the best course of action.

And just as the various factions were preparing to pull out...

Neon Concession Consulate.

"Hundred Beasts Fist Zhao Xuanqi... a Harmony realm master under the age of twenty, with the strength to capture one of the Divine Land’s Sixteen Generals alive. Even looking through the entirety of the Divine Land’s Martial History, you would struggle to find more than a handful of such individuals. With his potential, he will become a grave threat to the Empire."

"If he cannot be used by us, then he must be eliminated as soon as possible."

Seated in the head position, Mr. An Yuan, who looked like a frail old man at death’s door, had murky eyes, but his words dripped with sharp, killing intent.

"The three generals of the National Salvation Association... those three have also progressed at a divine speed in recent years. They are a great menace to the Empire. However, this incident is precisely our opportunity."

Wakatsuki Kei said in a deep voice.

"Indeed. After this attack, the strength of the various factions in Jinmen has been greatly diminished. With three of the Sixteen Generals, all Harmony-level masters, taken out of the picture, eliminating their remaining forces will be child’s play. For such combat power to be lost in Jinmen is like a heavy blow to the Divine Land’s various armies. In a way, we should thank the Jinmen Martial Arts Association and the National Salvation Association. Without them, we wouldn’t have this excellent opportunity."

"Telegraph the Far East Army Headquarters in the Northern Territory at once. The time is ripe. We are preparing to move immediately. Activate our insiders within the various factions, obtain their detailed withdrawal routes, and set up ambushes to intercept and kill them. We must ensure that the forces of these major factions are left behind in Jinmen for good."

"As for Hundred Beasts Fist Zhao Xuanqi, he is a genius of the Divine Land’s Martial Dao. We cannot allow him to continue developing. Once we have finished intercepting the Warlords, we will launch the next phase of our operation against the Jinmen Martial Arts Association and completely eliminate this threat in its cradle."

Mr. An Yuan said with a smile. Then, the smile vanished, and his wrinkled old face filled with a grim, murderous aura. He stated coolly, "The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. It is finally our time to strike."