The Favored Son of Heaven

Du Hen’s exit had filled the messy battlefield with a sorrowful atmosphere that was hard to describe. Du Peng sat expressionlessly on the edge of the ring; his clenched fists had betrayed him, showing his heartfelt emotions that were not known to anyone.

A golden light shone from the sky and dispelled the sorrowful atmosphere. People’s attention was once again attracted by the contestants in the middle of the battlefield.

Shang Guan Chuan Qi! It was the second time he had come to the center of the ring! In his last battle, his opponent was Qin Guangwang, the second strongest martial artist of Inferno. The battle ended with Qin Guangwang abstaining.

This time! People couldn’t help but lament that Shang Guan Chuan Qi was destined to face Inferno as his opponent. Both of his opponents for two consecutive rounds were from Inferno, and the opponent this time was Ground Treasury, who was known to be the strongest martial artist of Inferno!

The real pro among the older generation! No one expected that Ground Treasury would be drawn so early in the lots, nor that he’d face Shang Guan Chuan Qi, one of the young pros who was qualified to challenge him, so early on.

The people’s eyes were focused on Ground Treasury as the camera turned.

Ground Treasury, who was in a green robe, got up slowly, dusted off his clothes, and walked onto the ring step by step with a solemn look.

Entering the center of the battlefield, Ground Treasury cup his hands in obeisance to the spectators around him, stopping in front of Shang Guan Chuan Qi.

Shang Guan Chuan Qi stood proudly in the center of the ring, his body was towering like a pillar supporting the sky. He turned a blind eye to Ground Treasury’s obeisance and his smile of courtesy, taking Ground Treasury’s respect for granted.

“What?”

“Isn’t this too arrogant?”

“He’s facing the senior with such an attitude.”

People watching the live broadcast on the Internet expressed their dissatisfaction in the comment section, and the martial dao masters around them frowned slightly as well. It was okay for young people to be prideful, but the public wouldn’t like an arrogant young man.

Vermillion Bird, Shang Guan Sheng Yu, smirked in disdain. She opened her red lips and commented with one word, “Pedantic!”

One simple word sounded with different meanings in the ears of different people.

“That’s right! Vermillion Bird has the point. Why should the younger generation bow to the older generation?”

“Absolutely! It is pedantic! The senior martial artists are just older in age. This is the world of martial artists; as long as one has the required strength, they’re free to do like Shang Guan Chuan Qi.”

“Bullshit! Let’s assume Ground Treasury is your father, and Shang Guan Chuan Qi treats your father like this; can you still say something like what you said?”

“It’s no big deal, what Vermillion Bird said! Ground Treasury, teach this Shang Guan Chuan Qi with such bad upbringing a proper lesson!”

“Don’t you dare to put our Chuan Qi down! Where are you from? Our Chuan Qi’s fan club will be your enemy forever!”

The battle on the ring had yet to begin; those on the internet who were Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s fans and those who opposed him had started a messy quarrel. This quarrel worsened from the initial argument into a rude name-calling battle of each other’s parents.

The quarrel did not affect the people on the battlefield. Ground Treasury smiled indifferently and put his hands down. He prepared himself calmly with the Great Guardian Deity Fist stance.

Shang Guan Chuan Qi felt Ground Treasury’s fist lock onto him and he could feel his skin around his temples flicker. He spread out his arms widely to the side, broke into a fully confident smile, looked at Ground Treasury arrogantly, and said with a flat tone, “Ground Treasury, you are old. The next era belongs to me, Shang Guan Chuan Qi.”

Ground Treasury put on a gentle smile, gently shook his head from side to side twice without saying any more words, but responded with a more confident aura of power.

“The era that belongs to me…” Shang Guan Chuan Qi looked up at the sky, his eyes filled with endless desire, “Has come!”

At that moment, Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s long hair was flying in the air, a heatwave visible to the naked eye surged around his body; the air was ignited at that moment! The inflated self-confidence turned into an aura of power, which overwhelmed his opponent preemptively.

The word “come” echoed like thunder in the air, as if to spread across the whole planet.

Shang Guan Chuan Qi suddenly appeared in front of Ground Treasury with the fiery red air current! He was so fast that the martial dao masters present could only chase his afterimage left in the air, but they couldn’t really see the actual Shang Guan Chuan Qi and his movements.

Shang Guan Chuan Qi stood in front of Ground Treasury. His arms crossed and turned like a phoenix spreading its wings; two punches clamped against Ground Treasury’s body. The whole battlefield seemed to be completely engulfed by the fire in an instant.

Fire Phoenix and a Prairie Fire! An ultimate trump card passed from Vermillion Bird!

Ground Treasury showed no joy and no worries on his face. He lowered his waist, spread his legs, and brought his chest back a little; he pulled back his left leg for a half step, and made a sudden big whole body turn with his left leg as the pivot; he rotated his right arm below the elbow to draw a vortex, moving like a spear’s blade thrusting into Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s hand.

Suddenly, Shang Guan Chuan Qi pressed down his hands, and his whole body dived down. His wrists’ movements switched from clamping inwards to extending outwards! His arms were like a pair of widely-spread wings of a Fire Phoenix, soaring into the sky! The two wings sliced through the air like two sabers, cutting upwards from the bottom, aiming for Ground Treasury’s ribs!

Ground Treasury made a move in the direction of his upwards attack and fell backward, lifting his right leg up! He aimed for Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s lower abdomen with his heel! At that moment, Ground Treasury revealed his real strength as a senior martial artist. For an evenly-matched battle, when he lost the upper hand, he could still take advantage of the disadvantages.

Shang Guan Chuan Qi was in danger, but his eyes revealed a smile. He opened his lips and shouted, “Fail!”

At the same time, Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s right knee lifted upwards as his aura of power underwent a huge change in an instant. His body welled up with endless powerful energy current, and his whole body was shining blinding golden rays!

For a moment, all the martial dao masters who were watching the battle closed their eyes. This intense light and hot air flow felt like a man-made sun had suddenly appeared on the battlefield!

Powerful! For a moment, Shang Guan Chuan Qi felt like an incarnation of the sun. His aura of power, speed, and strength soared continuously; he turned into a completely different man than he was before.

Ground Treasury was too close to Shang Guan Chuan Qi, he couldn’t react at all to the sudden change. His back waist was hit by Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s knee. Ground Treasury’s strong bones that were claimed to be able to break mountains couldn’t hold it together under this attack; all they could hear was a continuous sound of metal breaking.

Boom!

Ground Treasury’s body flew backward for a distance of around a hundred meters, like a hemp bag packed with sand. His body glided hundreds of meters before it came to a stop.

The golden light on the battlefield had disappeared, leaving only the heated air suspended in the center of the battlefield. The earth was longer bare and dry; it had turned into a desert.

The whole battlefield turned into a sandy ground under the extreme heat. Shang Guan Chuan Qi stood proudly in the center as the sun shone on him. He gave the impression that he was the sun, and that he wasn’t shone on by the sun in the sky, but that he himself was the source of the sunlight.

Ka cha… ka cha… ka cha… 

All bones in Ground Treasury’s body were broken and shattered. For a good few seconds, his body continuously made sounds of cracking bones. He laid face down on the ground, a boneless fleshy lump.

After another few seconds, Ground Treasury’s body began to squirm again. The fusion and regeneration ability of his biochemical beast made his bones regenerate completely.

Ground Treasury got up from the ground very slowly, dejected and depressed. He cupped his hands in obeisance to Shang Guan Chuan Qi. He showed no joy or sorrow on his face and he said with a flat tone, “You won, congratulations.”

He lost! Ground Treasury lost!

Countless internet spectators and martial dao masters present were watching this scene blankly.

As soon as the battle started, it ended! The speed is suffocating! Is this really a battle between the younger generation’s challenger and the senior pro?

No one could have imagined that Ground Treasury, who seemed to be unreachable before the battle, would be completely defeated in an instant by Shang Guan Chuan Qi. He could say nothing about the defeat.

No one could have imagined that Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s strength had reached such a level! He defeated the Ground Treasury, who was as strong as Heaven Emperor, in an instant!

They were in shock for a brief moment, but people soon began to recollect themselves.

The era of the younger generation’s martial artists was really here… No! It was the era of Shang Guan Chuan Qi! The son of the Divine Beast Vermillion Bird, he was simply too powerful! No wonder he dared to claim the era as his. This young man was indeed qualified and actually had a chance to get the title of Divine Beast martial artist.

This young man was no longer just a legend on Mars, he had become a true legend in the martial artists’ era! He was a legend who was qualified to challenge for the title of Divine Beast martial artist at such a young age! At that moment, he was like the sun!

“Sun…”

“The Sun King…”

“The Sun King, Shang Guan Chuan Qi…”

Somebody on the internet started calling him that. Soon, many people began to repeat the name, until there was only one united voice left in the entire network.

No matter how much the spectators disliked Shang Guan Chuan Qi before this match, they were subjugated by his incredible strength and aura of power. Everyone shouted out loud together subconsciously, “Sun King, Shang Guan Chuan Qi!”

The group of people who belonged to the Fan Club of Shang Guan Chuan Qi shouted crazily to the point of losing their voices. It was such a thrilling thing that the martial artist they supported all along might become a Divine Beast martial artist after the Great Ensemble.

“Such an incredible neo martial art!” Caesar couldn’t help but admire, “That explosive extreme heat in an instant, I bet even the apex-level of Nuclear Fusion Fist couldn’t reach that temperature. So this is the rumored apex-level of Fire Type neo martial art? The Sun True Fire?”

“Compared to your paleo martial art, the apex-level of Yang Internal Art…” Yang Lie revealed a faint smile, “Are you afraid?”

“Not afraid, but I admire him.” Caesar smiled lightly, “The outside world always thought that Shang Guan Chuan Qi is good at paleo martial arts. Who would have thought that he is a super pro who used neo martial art? I have never heard of anyone who can excel in their neo martial art to such an extent. I wonder how his neo martial art was cultivated. As for my paleo martial art, the apex-level of Yang Internal Art will not be inferior to his neo martial art. Instead of worrying about me, it’s better to take care of your own business. Ice Dragon King, be careful not to get sunburnt. ”

Yang Lie shrugged. It was not suitable timing to brag about oneself now as it wouldn’t be regarded as courageous, just stupidity. Shang Guan Chuan Qi did show a slightly stronger strength than them, and he was worthy of the number one title among the younger generation.

“Okay, it’s time for my turn.” Caesar looked at Lu Dongbin who stood up, tapping the ground with his feet and leaping into the center of the ring. He cupped his fists in obeisance to Lu Dongbin, “Senior, I am greatly honored to be able to have a match with your world number one Firm and Fierce today.”

Lu Dongbin paid attention to Caesar, and he revealed a great surprise in his eyes. This young man is so much stronger compared to the last time I met him in the forest of Saturn! Even if he is a genius martial artist, it’s unbelievable for him to have such a progression! Did he also take the life-or-death pill?

In that short period of around half a year, everyone in Qin Fen’s team had gone through dramatic changes. Everyone’s strength had skyrocketed through the extended Unity of Man and Nature alone. They then also sparred with each other; fought in Pandora; all these had not only increased their star-level, but also helped them advance on the martial dao path.

The Caesar now was no longer the young man who was too proud to conceal his aura of power. He no longer tried to overpower his opponent with his invincible royal aura of power the first instance they confronted each other in the ring.

In the past six months, apart from the time he spent on practicing martial dao, Caesar had taken a lot of time out to read ancient books and had discussions with someone like Lin Liqiang who had a good grade in history.

Eventually, Caesar found that there were many different types of emperors in ancient times, but the strongest emperors were not simply courageous and authoritarian. Emperor Dao could be both firm and gentle. Only if they had incorporated both firm and gentleness perfectly could they lay a solid foundation to conquer the entire world.

Caesar’s Martial Dao of Emperor was no longer focused only on conquerors and vanquishers nor those emperors born in the golden era.

Each generation of emperors had different performances. The Martial Dao of Emperor should naturally have their own tastes!

“Young man? You’re cultivating the Martial Dao of Emperor?” Lu Dongbin prepared himself into an Eight Extreme Fists stance, “Come, let me have a look at it. It’s a rare martial dao. I would like to see how well have you cultivated it.”

The bell of the contest came from the sky at this moment.

Caesar didn’t show any humility and straightened his spine all of a sudden. Before the sound of cracking bones and joints came to a stop, he took a step out to attack!

Caesar’s speed didn’t seem to be quick, but only Lu Dongbin, who was in the center of the incoming attack, knew that Caesar was not just fast, he was incredibly fast! It was just his boundless Emperor’s aura of power that gave people the illusion that he was an emperor who was always walking slowly.

When Lu Dongbin saw Caesar coming, the aura shield in his stomach rolled like thunder. The muscles of his shoulders and arms crackled like firecrackers and emitted continuous energy. The sounds emitted by his arms were like thousands of M134 Gatling guns firing bullets simultaneously, exploding through the air like a dragon in the sky. The rumbling boom of his fists sounded like the revolution and uprising of the farmers, which slammed onto Caesar’s body as if it was enveloped by a firm and fierce historical force to overthrow the emperor.

At that moment, Caesar’s aura of power changed again, and his whole face became fierce and violent. His raised arm squeezed together shaping into a Jade Seal and smashed into the incoming farmer’s uprising punches.

The Martial Dao of Emperor, Tyrant!

Instantly, Caesar turned into a historical tyrant! The enormous pressure of the punches covered up all the noises on the ring, and the sound of Lu Dongbin’s fists and feet was completely suppressed.

The fist coming from above was Caesar’s Annihilation of the Whole Clan! Facing the revolutionary uprising in history, no tyrant would not go for the Annihilation of the Whole Clan!

Kaboom!

Suddenly, Lu Dongbin felt the power of Caesar’s punch!

Caesar’s fist was not relatively big, but still, he could sweep away the afterimage of Lu Dongbin’s fist. His fair skin, which was burnt gold under the scorching Yang Internal Arts, instantly compressed the entire atmosphere of the battlefield in the blink of an eye, forming a vacuum.

The martial dao masters in a distance felt suffocated, as if the air in their lungs was squeezed out by this punch; no one could imagine how Lu Dongbin was feeling in the middle of the ring.

Powerful! Too powerful! Ever since he took the life-or-death pill that helped the progression of his martial art, Lu Dongbin had always thought that only Qin Fen could pose a challenge to him. After watching Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s battle, he only realized that there was a Shang Guan Chuan Qi beside Qin Fen in this world.

He thought there were only these two young men in this world who could be this strong. He didn’t expect that the young genius martial artist who came together with Qin Fen could be this strong!

Excluding the Divine Beast martial artists, if Qin Fen decided to conquer the world at this very moment, not even Shang Guan Chuan Qi could stop him now!

This was not because Qin Fen may be stronger than Shang Guan Chuan Qi, but because Dragon Hall was too powerful! If Caesar had such strength, so what about Brooks? What about Solomon? What about Yang Lie? Did they have the same strength as Caesar? Lu Dongbin didn’t have the time to think further as Caesar’s fist coming from above had reached him.

Dodge it? Lu Dongbin didn’t want to dodge it, he chose to take it face on!

Ao ao ao!

Lu Dongbin entered a state of ecstasy at that very moment. Nothing but the fist in front of him was left in the entire world. He crossed his arms and raised upwards, blocking the tyrant’s blow forcefully.

The moment his arms came into contact with the Jade Seal-like fist, Lu Dongbin could hear the sound of his bones fracturing inside him. His body seemed to turn into a falling meteor. He had an image of himself as a knight facing an evil dragon, and that he was slapped by the evil dragon’s huge claw; even though his armor could protect him from some of the force, it failed to block off all the evil dragon’s power.

The earth under his feet couldn’t withstand the power of Caesar the tyrant. The sandy earth formed by Shang Guan Chuan Qi’s neo martial art was sent up to the sky, forming an unprecedented dust storm pouring down from the sky.

Boom! The skin on Lu Dongbin’s fist was peeled off from the inside out. Blood spurted out starting from his arm up to his shoulder, and then to the whole body; he was drenched in his own blood within an instant. Caesar halted his second punch just before hitting Lu Dongbin’s chin, not moving forward even for half an inch.

Lu Dongbin stared blankly at the fist under his chin, and he smiled bitterly. I thought I had become strong enough as I have overcome the bottleneck, but here I am, facing a group of monstrous young men. It seems like a new era is really here.

“I lost.” Lu Dongbin looked at Caesar in admiration, “Young man, you do have a wonderful Martial Dao of Tyrant.”

Caesar retracted his fist and relaxed his five fingers. Then he cupped his fists in obeisance, “I’ve learned a lot from your Firm and Fierce Martial Dao.”

“Hehe, did you now?” Lu Dongbin patted Caesar on the shoulder, “It’s all right. Since I’m not dead, I’ll be entering Pandora together with you guys.”

Caesar wasn’t too surprised. I’d only be surprised if a person as strong as Lu Dongbin didn’t know the existence of Pandora.