December twelfth.
Chen Jiuyang slew one hundred and thirty-one people, carving a bloody path and breaking through the twenty-kilometer encirclement, still one hundred and thirty kilometers from Longjing.
News reached Longjing, and more forces were dispatched.
December thirteenth.
Chen Jiuyang, relentlessly pursued without rest, was injured by an archer who used an 'Imitation' arrow to pierce his clavicle. Coughing blood, Chen Jiuyang fled, pursued by a hundred martial artists.
"Does the Xingyi realm have any shame? Hong Gong is a peak Divine Intent expert, of the same generation as us, yet he ambushed a junior. The Hong family, I will remember this!"
Upon hearing the news, the Chen family patriarch was furious. His face turned ashen, and he smashed his beloved table, drawing his sword to storm out, only to be forcefully held back at the doorstep.
Later, Chen Jiuyang killed one pursuer and fled, heavily wounded and in a sorry state.
December fourteenth.
Even more martial artists entered Longjing. The Longjing Six Doors were fully mobilized to maintain order within the city, struggling to cope.
Chen Jiuyang appeared one hundred and eleven kilometers from Longjing. Wounded by two slashes and one sword, he killed Hong Gong and was once again pursued.
"Excellent, excellent!" The Chen family patriarch clapped his hands and laughed heartily. "Jiuyang may cause trouble, but he never lets an insult slide. Well done killing him!"
December fifteenth.
Chen Jiuyang entered the area ninety kilometers from Longjing. If a Earth realm martial artist were to move at full speed, ninety kilometers could be covered in less than two hours to reach Longjing.
This excited the Chen family patriarch and others, prompting them to dispatch even more troops.
Hope was within sight!
On this day, Chen Jiuyang was pierced through the abdomen by a spear, falling into a river, and his whereabouts were searched for by hundreds of martial artists.
The Chen family patriarch and others became anxious. "These bastards! Are they even human!"
"Even though the general trend cannot stop our Chen family's Qilin son from entering the capital, they still insist on making things difficult!"
"Scoundrels! Scoundrels!"
December sixteenth.
Four days remained until the Dragon Country Martial Ranking.
Chen Jiuyang's figure appeared eighty kilometers from Longjing, pursued by hundreds of martial artists, with a gruesome wound on his waist.
This brought joy to many. "Has Chen Jiuyang, that little bastard, finally run out of that fast-healing medicinal herb?"
"This is excellent news. If it continues like this, send people to surround Chen Jiuyang and prevent him from reaching Longjing!"
"It seems Chen Jiuyang has exhausted all his tricks and has no recourse. Heh heh, our heavy price has finally paid off."
Upon hearing this news, the Chen family patriarch's face turned as dark as if water could drip from it.
No matter how much he raged, he was powerless.
People from Shushan and the Han family, as well as those from the Feng Province martial arts world, were dispatched to aid Chen Jiuyang, but they were all intercepted. Chen Jiuyang was alone, without any assistance.
Just as some rejoiced and others worried, more news arrived.
Chen Jiuyang killed a spear expert, gained further insight into martial arts, and even broke through to the fourth layer of the Earth realm. He then consumed several pieces of medicinal herbs, recovered from his injuries, killed one hundred and fifty people, and rapidly advanced towards Longjing.
Those who intended to stop Chen Jiuyang immediately dispatched numerous experts to intercept him.
"Jiuyang has broken through to the fourth layer of the Earth realm! This is wonderful!" The Chen family patriarch's face flushed with excitement.
"These people shouldn't be able to stop Jiuyang. It must have been a diversion tactic to deceive them!"
...
December seventeenth.
Chen Jiuyang appeared thirty kilometers from Longjing. It would take an hour by bus, forty-five minutes by subway, or half an hour by car to reach Longjing.
Longjing seemed within Chen Jiuyang's reach. Chen Jiuyang intended to break into Longjing with a decisive blow!
On this day, hundreds of martial artists surrounded Chen Jiuyang, leaving him unable to move, struggling to resist.
Chen Jiuyang used Yuan Dao - Breaking Realm, enduring the attacks of hundreds of martial artists, causing many to waver.
Was this truly a peerless genius, a god descended, or possessed by a divine general?
December eighteenth.
Chen Jiuyang was still struggling, seemingly abandoning his intent to force his way into Longjing, spitting blood as he persisted, his martial arts moves on the verge of collapse.
This drove the Chen family patriarch and others to distraction.
As long as the Dragon Country Martial Ranking had not commenced, these people would not let Chen Jiuyang go.
Whenever Chen Jiuyang's martial arts moves were about to collapse, someone would attack him. Chen Jiuyang, as if in a final burst of energy, would kill his enemies, preventing his martial arts from disintegrating.
December nineteenth.
The situation remained the same. Chen Jiuyang was surrounded by hundreds of martial artists, unable to move, seemingly at the end of his rope.
The Chen family patriarch and others were furious. They clashed with the champions of the Martial Ranking from over forty provinces outside their residence. Shushan and the Han family were outnumbered, and both sides suffered significant injuries. In the end, Shushan and the others lost and were confined to their homes, unable to leave.
Blood trickled from the Chen family patriarch's lips, his eyes glazed over as he muttered to himself:
"Must my Chen family's dragon be trapped by this situation, unable to soar to the heavens?"
Tomorrow would be December twentieth, the day of the Dragon Country Martial Ranking.
Almost everyone knew about Chen Jiuyang's situation. Many were indignant, but no one stepped forward to help.
On this day, December nineteenth, every second was an agony.
The Chen family patriarch, his eyes red, could not sleep, searching for a way to break through the deadlock and allow Chen Jiuyang to enter Longjing to participate in the Martial Ranking.
That night, many, like the Chen family patriarch, could not sleep. They watched, wondering if Chen Jiuyang could reach Longjing and make it to the Martial Ranking.
"Clang!"
A ancient and melodious bell chime echoed within Longjing city.
December nineteenth had passed, ushering in December twentieth, the day of the Dragon Country Martial Ranking!
With the ringing of the bell.
The situation thirty kilometers outside Longjing changed.
Hundreds of martial artists surrounded Chen Jiuyang, with thousands more observing him openly and covertly nearby.
"Rumble!"
A terrifying blast of air suddenly erupted. Chen Jiuyang, who had appeared to be at the end of his strength, exuded a heart-palpitating aura, his body burning with a faint golden qi and blood, appearing heroic and sacred.
Chen Jiuyang held his saber, swallowed over a dozen leaves from a divine tree, and uttered a few obscure syllables. His aura then rose steadily, and his saber, Yan Sheng, resonated on its own.
The sound of the saber's hum carried for hundreds of meters!
"Finally, I've waited for this day, this moment!"
Chen Jiuyang's cold and domineering voice rang out, and the dark night instantly became as bright as day.
"Yuan Dao - Shaking the Sea!"
A terrifying saber light illuminated the world, striking terror into countless people.
With a single slash, over a hundred people perished!
From the desperate encirclement, Chen Jiuyang unleashed a heaven-defying surge, carving a bloody path, and then his figure shot towards Longjing!
The onlookers were first stunned, then filled with excitement, their scalps tingling, their bodies trembling as they reported this news in all directions!
Countless people gazed at the back, burning with faint golden qi and blood in the dark night, filled with emotion!
That figure was like a god descended, unstoppable!