Chapter 122: The Heavenly Dragon Dynasty Interferes! (1/3)

After increasing the weight of his Sky-Piercing Halberd to nine hundred thousand catties, Qin Feng stored the divine talisman back into his dantian.

"Once I return, I shall prepare to break through to the Human Emperor realm!"

"With my breakthrough to the Human Emperor realm, combined with the Sky-Piercing Halberd, I believe even a late-stage Human Emperor would be unable to withstand a single blow from me."

"At the very least, I now possess some means of self-preservation."

Qin Feng swung the halberd a few times, finding the weight just right, before absorbing it into his body.

"The Qin Emperor has finished gathering all the treasures from the Cloud Mountain Sect and has already begun loading them onto the carriages," Tian Junhou said in a deep voice as he approached Qin Feng, who had just emerged from his meditation spot.

He quietly calculated whether he should discuss the marriage between the Qin Emperor and Princess Mingzhu with the Emperor's parents once they returned.

"Greetings, Qin Emperor." Huayun Liang quickly stepped forward and bowed upon seeing Qin Feng.

"Rise," Qin Feng said solemnly. "You have been a great help to me this time; I owe you a favor."

"It is my honor to serve the Qin Emperor," Huayun Liang replied, his heart trembling with overwhelming joy and excitement.

A favor from such a powerful figure meant that he would have a Human Emperor-level expert standing behind him.

A day later, the resources of the Cloud Mountain Sect were fully loaded. With Qin Feng overseeing the convoy, they set off toward the Great Chu Empire. Two days into the journey, Tian Junhou and Huayun Liang came to report that a powerful figure was blocking their path ahead.

The aura emanating from the stranger caused both Tian Junhou and Huayun Liang to feel a suffocating and lethal threat.

"Who are you?" Qin Feng stepped out of his carriage and walked toward the front, his gaze falling upon a figure dressed in white robes.

The figure stood with his back to him, radiating a formidable aura far more imposing than that of Yun Zhonghe—this was no ordinary Human Emperor.

"Ao Wushi of the Heavenly Dragon Empire!"

Ao Wushi stood with his hands behind his back and slowly turned around. His expression was haughty as he appraised Qin Feng. He was the Second Ancestor of the Heavenly Dragon Empire, a mid-stage Human Emperor, only a step away from the late stage.

The Heavenly Dragon Empire had received news that the Cloud Mountain Sect within their borders had been annihilated by a Human Emperor from the Great Chu Empire, but they cared little. Sects did not truly belong to the Empire and often paid only lip service to the throne; their destruction was of no consequence to them.

However, they would not allow the Great Chu Empire’s expert to carry away the wealth of the Cloud Mountain Sect.

"You are the Human Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon royal family."

"The Human Emperor Wushi, who swept across a generation of martial artists a century ago."

Upon hearing the name, Huayun Liang immediately recognized him and spoke with awe in his voice. One hundred years ago, Ao Wushi had ascended to the Human Emperor realm and swept through all early-stage Human Emperors in the Heavenly Dragon Empire. He was invincible among his peers and had even fought a mid-stage Human Emperor to a standstill, causing a sensation.

Tian Junhou’s expression grew grim. The appearance of a royal Human Emperor from the Heavenly Dragon Empire clearly meant trouble.

"So, it is the royal Human Emperor of the Heavenly Dragon Empire."

"I am Qin Feng of the Great Chu Empire. Greetings, Brother Ao."

"May I ask why you are blocking my path?" Qin Feng asked, bowing respectfully, though he knew exactly who Ao Wushi was.

*Cough, cough, cough.*

Qin Feng suffered a violent coughing fit, spitting out a spray of blood. Because he had not yet broken through and his physical body had not fully adapted, he could not withstand the sheer power surging within him. Even a slightly rapid movement could tear his skin and muscles or injure his internal organs.

"It seems his destruction of the Cloud Mountain Sect was no easy feat; he is severely wounded," Ao Wushi thought, his eyes gleaming with cold light as he watched Qin Feng spit blood. His initial reservations vanished.

"You may leave," Ao Wushi said calmly, his hand flipping to reveal a nine-section whip. "But these goods are not allowed to leave."

"Human Emperor Ao, I don't quite understand," Qin Feng said, his brow furrowing as he stared at him. "These are my spoils of war. Why should I not be allowed to take them?"

"No!" Ao Wushi declared, his aura surging with overbearing force. "These items belong to the Heavenly Dragon Empire. They shall not be taken to the Great Chu Empire; they must remain within our borders."

"That is impossible!" Qin Feng rejected him without hesitation. "I destroyed the Cloud Mountain Sect; these are my spoils, and I will take them."

"If you wish to take them, you must first get past me." Ao Wushi lashed out with his nine-section whip, carving a massive trench into the ground.

"Your aura is stronger than Yun Zhonghe’s, but only by a limited margin," Qin Feng said, waving his hand dismissively. "You are clearly at the mid-stage of the Human Emperor realm, not the late stage."

"Step aside," Qin Feng added calmly. "As a mid-stage Human Emperor, you are no match for me. If you fight me, you are likely to be killed."

"Insolent!" Ao Wushi’s face darkened. Infuriated by the insult, he roared, leaped into the air, and brought his nine-section whip crashing down toward Qin Feng.

The whip was a rare treasure, weighing thirty thousand catties and possessing immense power.

*BOOM!*

The strike cracked the air with a deafening explosion.

"Stronger than Yun Zhonghe, certainly. But that is all."

Qin Feng, wearing his silver-black gloves, reached out a palm to intercept the whip directly.

"Overestimating yourself!" Ao Wushi sneered with disdain. Even a late-stage Human Emperor would not dare to treat his strike so lightly. For a severely wounded Qin Feng to attempt to catch it was pure suicide.

But as Qin Feng caught the whip, he easily neutralized the force behind it.

"Rise!" Qin Feng roared, exerting sudden, immense strength to fling the whip into the air.

*BOOM!*

Before Ao Wushi could react, he was sent flying by the overwhelming force transmitted through the weapon.

"This... your attack power?" Ao Wushi landed, struggling to stabilize himself, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.

"I told you, you are no match for me."

"If you continue to fight me, you will be killed!"

Qin Feng surged forward, his speed exploding to its limit as he charged directly at Ao Wushi.

"I don't believe it!" Ao Wushi roared, unleashing his full power as he charged back to meet him.