"Bang! Bang! Bang!"
At midnight, every household was setting off firecrackers. Those living in the county town ran to the riverside to set off fireworks and firecrackers.
"Rumble!"
Along the dark riverside, many ordinary people saw a flash of golden light.
As if hearing a "hiss," something fell into the water.
Immediately, a water wave tens of meters high erupted.
"Wooo! Wooo! Wooo!"
The terrifying waves stirred up air currents, causing the car alarms on the riverside road to blare. It even made many ordinary people stare blankly.
"Damn it, what kind of firecracker can create such a huge wave? It scared me to death!"
A fat, ordinary man was startled.
Chen Jiuyang smiled lightly. Surprisingly, an ordinary person thought this was a firecracker. In reality, the noise was caused by him killing the fleeing half-step Heavenly Realm expert.
Chen Jiuyang sheathed his saber and slowly returned to the Qian Wang Mansion.
Chen Biandao and Elder Han were recuperating.
Fang Bahua and others had captured the four half-step Heavenly Realm experts whose true qi and dantian had been sealed by Chen Jiuyang.
Seeing Chen Jiuyang stride back, Han Peiling clapped his hands and laughed, "What an invincible path of divine abilities, truly domineering and peerless. At the sixth level of the Earth Realm, one can contend against divine might with their physical body, turning fingers to gold, and blood and qi like reality."
"Such strength and demeanor are no less than this old ancestor's in my prime."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes were calm, and he replied, "Old ancestor, you flatter me. I merely slew some insignificant ants; it hardly deserves such praise."
"Not arrogant, not impatient, a very good state of mind," Han Peiling nodded slowly. "After tonight, the Longevity Alliance and the God of Slaughter Hall should not dare to trouble you again."
Chen Jiuyang smiled lightly, "For these dogs and pigs, I will kill as many as come."
Chen Biandao slowly opened his eyes, stopping his recuperation. He flicked an envelope in his hand towards Chen Jiuyang and said, "Jiuyang, take a look. This is a letter from King Beiyan, Yan Hongming, for you."
Chen Jiuyang took the letter and read it. The handwriting was vigorous and sharp, carrying a hint of killing intent. After finishing the letter, Chen Jiuyang said expressionlessly,
"The day after tomorrow, we head north to Longjing."
Chen Jiuyang's achievements that night quickly spread: his physical body could withstand divine might, domineering and peerless!
Then, the news of him heading to Longjing on the third day of the Lunar New Year also leaked out.
The matter of the Martial Ranking concerned everyone's hearts.
The intrusion into Longjing by martial artists from the Southern Gaoli and Eastern Ying countries during the Dragon Country's Spring Festival, their rampant actions, had greatly displeased many.
Yet, no martial artist dared to lay a hand on the martial artists from these two countries. The arrivals were all participants in their respective countries' Martial Rankings, carrying the fortune of their nations.
Even if Dragon Country martial artists wanted to confront them, they would be stopped by the Sword Bearers of Longjing.
Dragon Country martial artists could indeed confront them, but only Martial Ranking experts. However, with the champion, King Qian, Chen Jiuyang, absent from Longjing, there was no leader. Even Yan Hongming dared not act rashly.
With the Dragon Country Martial Ranking champion, Chen Jiuyang, not appearing or speaking, the remaining nine members of the Martial Ranking dared not make a move.
This was the rule.
Therefore, many people were urging Chen Jiuyang to head north to Longjing as soon as possible, to lead them and teach these foreign Martial Ranking martial artists a lesson.
As the news of Chen Jiuyang heading to Longjing on the third day of the Lunar New Year leaked, martial artists from all corners of the Dragon Country rushed to Longjing.
Everyone in the Dragon Country martial arts world knew King Qian Chen Jiuyang's temperament. They headed to Longjing early to prepare for a good show.
Moreover, King Qian's martial cultivation had advanced further, capable of withstanding divine might with a single hand, domineering and peerless.
Thinking of the rampant actions of the Martial Ranking martial artists from two countries in Longjing, what kind of sparks would fly when they encountered someone like King Qian?
Many people were waiting, anticipating!
With foreign martial artists acting wildly in the Dragon Country, everyone was united in their opinion: put aside current conflicts and jointly resist foreign enemies.
It was the sixtieth year of the National Fortune War, which concerned whether the entire Dragon Country martial arts world could produce figures above the Heavenly Realm in the future. Even the God of Slaughter Hall and the Longevity Alliance had stopped troubling Chen Jiuyang.
The Asian Martial Ranking World Championship, nominally an exchange competition, was a small affair, but it could offer a glimpse into the national fortune of each country's contemporary martial artists.
...
The third day of the first lunar month in the Jiazi year, auspicious for travel and burial.
...
Longjing.
Martial Ranking Competition Resting Area.
Before King Qian Chen Jiuyang arrived in Longjing, the martial artists from the Southern Gaoli and Eastern Ying countries were residing here.
This was not due to subservience or fear, but rather to prevent them from being killed by other Dragon Country martial artists.
However, the Martial Ranking arena, capable of seating hundreds of thousands, was empty.
The Southern Gaoli martial artists and the Eastern Ying Martial Ranking martial artists were engaged in their morning practice.
"Heh! Ptooey!"
Not far away were the top nine martial artists of the Dragon Country Martial Ranking, who had officially been confirmed for the national team.
A Southern Gaoli Martial Ranking martial artist spat in the direction of the Dragon Country Martial Ranking martial artists and sneered,
"Humiliated like this, these Dragon Country martial artists still don't dare to make a move. Truly a bunch of cowards. It seems there's no one among the current generation of Dragon Country martial artists."
"King Yan is old. What will Dragon Country rely on to fight the National Fortune War? Will it be you cowards?"
The Southern Gaoli martial artists and the Eastern Ying martial artists deliberately used the Dragon Country language to insult Yan Hongming and the other nine. However, no matter how they insulted them, the nine members of the Dragon Country Martial Ranking team remained unfazed. Even if someone wanted to make a move against them, Yan Hongming would stop them with his spear.
"King Qian has not arrived. We must not act."
"Endure it."
"I don't believe how powerful that so-called King Qian is. Judging by your demeanor, that King Qian is at most as useless as you are."
"Useless people like you will probably not even win a medal in the National Fortune War before being eliminated..."
The Southern Gaoli martial artist, Kim Seong-cheol, sneered. His voice abruptly stopped, and he suddenly felt a chill run down his spine. He, along with the other nine and ten Eastern Ying martial artists, simultaneously stopped their movements and looked up at the sky.
"Rumble!"
A sound of piercing clouds and breaking the void echoed from outside the Martial Ranking Competition venue. A golden, long saber descended from the sky, its terrifying aura and saber energy spreading out, embedding itself into the arena, stirring up terrifying air currents.
"Hmm? This saber?"
The twenty people from Southern Gaoli and Eastern Ying countries all looked at the saber.
Immediately, their hair stood on end!
They felt a surging, almost explosive fighting spirit and killing intent erupt from the Dragon Country Martial Ranking team.
Kim Seong-cheol's expression suddenly sank, and he coldly sneered, "It seems that so-called King Qian is finally here."
"Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang—"
They each drew their weapons, a sound of clashing metal and steel.
"Whoosh!"
A streak of crimson flame was rushing towards the center of the Martial Ranking Competition venue at a speed that moved them.
The speed was extremely fast, leaving a long trail in the air, as if it were burning the air itself.
A moment later, the streak of light transformed into a figure, standing on the arena, slowly drawing his saber.
At this moment, Kim Seong-cheol and the other nineteen people's eyelids twitched violently, as if they sensed a long-lost sense of mortal danger.
"I am King Qian, the first of the Dragon Country Martial Ranking."
"Who will come and test my saber first?"