Chapter 350 - 267: Breaking Through (Part 2)

Moreover, as someone who had grasped the secrets of a Divine General, he had a high probability of succeeding Yuan Tianhao and breaking through to the Divine General realm himself.

If they could hold on for a while and wait for Zhao Xuanqi to emerge from his seclusion, there was a chance they could turn the tables. When that time came, not only would they all be saved from this crisis and have their names immortalized in history, but they might even get a glimpse of the secrets of a Divine General.

Although his words were full of holes, Yuan Tianhao’s display of that incredible, terrifying power in his final moments lent them a sliver of credibility. The situation had been dire, leaving no one with much time to think.

Besides, those who had gathered in Shangjing at such a perilous time still had some patriotic fire left in their hearts. If there was a chance, how could they bear to watch the thousand-year-old capital fall into the hands of foreign invaders? If there was even a glimmer of hope, they were willing to fight for it.

"Of course what I said is true. But don’t you think it’s a little late to be asking that question? Whether it’s true or not, the entire city is now surrounded by the Neon army. Believing me is the only path you have left."

"This is a gamble for our lives. If we win, we turn the tables. If we lose, it’s only death. Your names will be written in the annals of history. As long as the people of the Divine Land endure, your legacy will last for a thousand ages. What is there to fear?"

Meng Dongtai said coolly.

In truth, even he couldn’t be sure if Zhao Xuanqi would emerge in time, or if he could truly turn the tide after he did. But things had already come to this. His adoptive father had already gambled his final Destiny on this, all to fight for a future for the Divine Land.

It was life or death!

If they lived, it would be a tremendous victory. Even if they died, their names would be remembered by history, their stories told for generations to come!

Hearing this, the expressions of the crowd shifted.

He was right. When they first retreated from the city walls, they had a good chance of escaping Shangjing. But now, that possibility was drastically lower.

It had come to this. The only option left was to fight. No matter their past status or deeds, anyone who had remained until this moment was no coward.

「Half a day later.」

One kilometer outside the Yuan Mansion.

This was the last line of defense established by the various armies within Shangjing according to their plan. If this line was broken, they would truly have nowhere left to retreat. Their only choice would be to fight the Neon masters to the death; otherwise, the enemy would storm the Yuan Mansion.

But even now, the Yuan Mansion remained silent. There was no sign of Zhao Xuanqi.

The defenders were covered in wounds, their faces pale and grim.

They were beginning to realize they might not get the outcome they were hoping for.

’They’ve retreated all the way to the vicinity of the Yuan Mansion? Could there be some secret hidden inside?’

Several kilometers away, Seiichiro Shintani peered at the battlefield through a pair of binoculars, his eyes narrowed.

He had already figured out the objective of the Divine Land’s forces. They were stalling for time. ’For something inside the Yuan Mansion? Or someone?’

’Yuan Tianhao?’

"Break through their line as quickly as possible! Tonight, I will raze the entire Yuan Mansion to the ground!"

Seiichiro Shintani commanded, his expression cold and severe.

WHOOSH!!

The numerous Neon masters immediately launched an assault on the last defensive line of the Divine Land’s forces.

...

...

「Inside the secret chamber of the Yuan Mansion.」

Zhao Xuanqi’s progress was not as smooth as expected.

The Fourteen Dragon Body Acupoints were connected to numerous other acupoints, and opening them was exceedingly difficult.

Back in the Thirty-Six Celestial Caves, it had taken him nearly three days just to open the Eight Dragon Spine Acupoints. Now, even with Yuan Tianhao’s help and a vast supply of priceless, rare materials from the Beidou Army’s treasury, Zhao Xuanqi had originally estimated he would need at least three days to complete his breakthrough.

But Yuan Tianhao’s feint had been seen through by Seiichiro Shintani, failing to buy Zhao Xuanqi enough time.

All told, less than two days had passed.

His Spirit was focused, all disturbances shut out. He was in a state of extreme concentration, as if the outside world had been completely forgotten.

A silver light covered his body. On his torso, nine acupoints throbbed faintly.

He was doing everything he could, but he had only managed to open nearly two-thirds of the Fourteen Dragon Body Acupoints.

But just then.

BOOM!! BOOM!!

The earth suddenly began to tremble violently. Deafening explosions rang out, and terrifying ripples of life force, soaring killing intent, and furious roars abruptly jolted Zhao Xuanqi’s Spirit, pulling him out of his state of total concentration.

However, for his cultivation, this did not seem to be a bad thing.

Freed from that state of intense focus, that state of extreme "self," his Spirit instead entered a peculiar new state.

Carried on a strange ripple, his consciousness slowly spread out, leaving his body, leaving the secret chamber, and even leaving the Yuan Mansion.

He clearly "saw" things he should not have been able to from within the secret chamber.

He saw the masters and soldiers of the Divine Land fighting a brutal battle on the final defensive line a kilometer away. He saw cannons, armored cars, Auroras, powerful auras...

Blood and fire crisscrossed the night sky. Steel and flesh composed a tragic symphony.

He didn’t stop. His consciousness continued to spread.

He saw the massive Neon army swarming behind the defensive line. He saw the Neon Commander and his high-ranking officers observing from a short distance away through binoculars. He saw countless scenes from within the city of Shangjing.

On the streets, fires raged and spread. Civilians either hid in their homes, trembling, or fled their houses in a chaotic attempt to reach the city gates.

On a street corner, Neon soldiers brazenly kicked down the door of a private home. After a brief glance at the scene inside, they let out devilish laughter, then called to other soldiers, and they all rushed into the house together.

Soon, a commotion erupted from within the house. A man’s desperate pleas were followed by the sharp crack of a firearm. A woman’s terrified shriek sounded like that of a Fierce Ghost, interspersed with the wild laughter of the Neon soldiers.

A similar scene was unfolding in a nearby house. With a CRASH, a second-story window shattered, and a disheveled woman fell to the ground below, her blood instantly staining the street. The face of a Neon soldier, filled with shame and anger, appeared in the window, cursing incessantly.

Tragedies like this were playing out in different parts of the city, and at this moment, Zhao Xuanqi seemed to see them all.

An intense wave of indignation, rage, resentment, and fear rose from the city, converging and forming a subtle connection with Zhao Xuanqi.

It was a hope—a hope that someone could save them all.

’The grand tide?’

A glimmer of understanding sparked in Zhao Xuanqi’s mind. His Spirit slowly looked toward the sky above Shangjing, toward the collective will of the countless people gathered in the city, and even toward the grand tide of the entire Divine Land.

Following that connection, he slowly extended his hand.

"This grand tide... I will bear it."

Zhao Xuanqi said calmly, his expression serene.

BOOM!!

In an instant, his Spirit surged violently. Countless powerful emotions battered his will, pushing him into a state of ineffable inspiration.

THUMP!! THUMP!! THUMP!!

On his torso, one acupoint after another suddenly bulged, throbbing violently as if a heart were hidden beneath each one.

The acupoints he had previously been unable to break through were now, under the assault of this grand tide, blasted open like floodgates before a deluge!

RUMBLE RUMBLE RUMBLE!!

A terrifying torrent of Qi and Blood surged through Zhao Xuanqi’s body. He shot to his feet in the secret chamber, his body trembling. He threw his head back, and as his Qi and Blood churned, a colossal roar erupted from his diaphragm and shot out of his throat.

Like the roar of a dragon!!

ROAR!!!

The sturdy secret chamber trembled violently from the force of this roar, and cracks began to spiderweb across its walls. The sound burst forth from the chamber, broke through all barriers, and soared straight into the heavens!