“How is that possible? The only two countries that could threaten us are Northern Han and the Heavenly Principle State. The Heavenly Principle State is our puppet; it wouldn’t dare do this, and it couldn’t. As for Northern Han, according to the front-line reports they’re still locked in combat along the border. How could they appear here?”
Sha Tongtian shook his head.
“Exactly. Unless you think it’s an army from the Divine Phoenix Empire?”
The Peacock Phoenix Kong He laughed with disdain. “If it were, that would actually be perfect. With me here, I’d love to see who is bold enough to raise a hand against an ally of the Divine Phoenix Empire!”
“That’s right, First Demon General. Why worry? With my senior brother Kong He present, even real wolves, tigers, and leopards would be nothing. Those people probably heard the Peacock Phoenix was here and came specially to pay respects and apologise.”
Hong Li said with a smile.
Unlike Bai Qianjiao’s indifference towards the Peacock Phoenix, Hong Li practically worshipped him blindly.
Whether in strength or status, the Peacock Phoenix was an absolute standout among the younger generation. Who would dare show him disrespect?
“Hahaha, well said, well said. With the Peacock Phoenix here, those thieves wouldn’t dare act rashly.”
At this point, Jiao Batian, controlled by Ling Xiao, chimed in.
Once even he had spoken, Sha Tongtian could hardly voice his lingering worries without looking cowardly.
Losing face in front of so many people would be truly humiliating.
…
Outside the imperial palace, the guards stood in tight formation, all Sea Clan warriors.
They were powerful, but for Ling Xiao this was actually good news.
It meant he did not need to hold back for fear of harming his own people.
A terrifying aura accompanied the thousand iron riders as they advanced steadily towards the palace.
Fear flickered in the eyes of the Sea Clan warriors on guard. They hurriedly raised bows and aimed at the approaching cavalry.
“Fire!”
An army daring to charge the palace was clearly committing treason. No warning was needed; they could shoot to kill immediately.
Yet the instant the arrows left the strings, they suddenly froze mid-air, then reversed direction and shot back towards the guards.
Once a martial artist reached a certain level of power, using inner force or soul force to forcibly alter the trajectory of objects was child’s play.
“Kill!”
A cold command rang out from Ling Xiao’s mouth.
The iron riders behind him transformed into a colossal iron spear that stabbed straight at the palace gates.
Boom!
The massive gates had no time to close. They shattered under the terrifying impact.
The combined assault of a thousand iron riders was truly horrifying; the destructive force rivalled that of a Cave Heaven realm martial artist.
Not only did the gates explode into fragments, even the walls connected to them collapsed into rubble.
These thousand riders had been meticulously trained by Qin Huo, constantly drilling the battle formation Ling Xiao had provided.
This formation could concentrate the power of a thousand men into a single point, producing devastating might.
Today was merely a trial run, yet the results far exceeded expectations.
Many of the guards at the entrance were killed outright by the shockwave.
The iron riders stormed into the palace, clearing a path for Ling Xiao.
This was, after all, the Sea Clan’s palace. Everyone inside was either a Sea Clan warrior or a human traitor who had sworn absolute loyalty to them.
All of them were enemies.
On the battlefield, they had to die.
The combat strength of the iron riders was simply overwhelming. The palace guards were no match at all.
With Ji Mingkong and Leng Mei joining the fray, it quickly turned into a one-sided massacre.
Amusingly, all the real experts in the palace were still deep inside, drinking and making merry.
Ling Xiao rode his demonic wolf slowly into the palace and gave a deliberate cough. “Hey, take it easy. Look how impatient you all are; you even smashed the main gate. We might still live here in the future. Be more careful.”
Though he said this, he was secretly very pleased.
The battle formation, combined with the training methods of Qin Huo and Ji Ning, had produced an army far stronger than average.
That was genuinely something to be proud of.
The palace descended into complete chaos.
Even the most isolated corners now realised something was terribly wrong.
Sha Tongtian, Kong He, Hong Li, and the others all stepped outside.
Jiao Batian, under Ling Xiao’s control, stood behind Sha Tongtian, his icy gaze fixed on the general’s vulnerable neck.
If Ling Xiao wished it, he could kill Sha Tongtian at any moment.
The formidable demonic-wolf iron riders slaughtered the palace guards without mercy. Their blood-soaked armour made them appear even more ruthless and merciless.
Sunlight from the sky fell upon the armour, casting a ferocious, murderous aura that made everyone tremble.
Sha Tongtian’s face darkened.
Kong He’s expression was no better.
Such an elite, blood-hardened force had appeared right under their noses. Did that mean the Demon Capital had already fallen?
Yet the ever-arrogant Peacock Phoenix would never allow himself to show fear.
He slowly stepped forward from the crowd, his face grim as he stared at the calm, indifferent young man among the riders, and barked coldly, “Ling Xiao, you have some nerve. The True Demon Empire is an ally of the Divine Phoenix Empire. Without His Majesty’s permission, you dare cause trouble in the Divine Phoenix Empire’s Demon Capital? Aren’t you afraid of His Majesty’s wrath?”
Ling Xiao?
So that was the Chosen of Heaven, Ling Xiao!
He looked so young, only sixteen or seventeen at most. No one had expected such an elite cavalry force to obey the orders of someone this young.
Ling Xiao did not even glance at Kong He. His gaze remained levelled at Jiao Batian as he spoke calmly, “Jiao Batian, your Sea Clan invaded human territory, destroyed the foundation of our Sacred Dynasty, murdered human martial artists, and enslaved human citizens. Today, I, Ling Xiao, the Chosen of Heaven, have come specially to settle the debt!”
Seeing that Ling Xiao would not even spare him a look, Kong He felt deeply humiliated. He suddenly realised he had made a complete fool of himself in front of everyone.
At the banquet earlier, in front of the woman he fancied and all the dignitaries of the True Demon Empire, he had boasted that as long as he stepped forward, even an army from the Divine Phoenix Empire itself would retreat the moment he spoke.
He could not lose face now.
Even though these blood-soaked, murderous cavalry filled him with dread, he had no choice but to step out.
Otherwise, what would happen to the Peacock Phoenix’s reputation?
What would happen to the prestige of the Peacock Clan?
Hong Li also stepped forward, standing beside Kong He, and shouted at Ling Xiao, “Ling Xiao, I know you’ve just been named Heavenly Dragon King, but your domain is in the Eastern Commandery, not here. Retreat at once, or with a single word from my senior brother Kong He, your little title of grass-roots king can be stripped away.”
She probably felt immensely proud.
With the Peacock Phoenix backing her and standing at his side, she felt an overwhelming sense of glory.
