Facing Chen Jiuyang's questioning.
Zhang Dongyue broke out in a cold sweat, unsure how to answer.
He had been lax in his discipline; should he punish Zhang Hao?
But Zhang Hao was his only able-bodied son. If Zhang Hao were crippled, how would he continue the family line?
Yet, he couldn't afford to offend Chen Jiuyang.
Just as the atmosphere grew tense and stagnant.
"Rumble!"
A helicopter flew across the sky.
"Whoosh!"
Then a figure descended from the sky. This figure wore a suit, with thick, long hair cascading over his shoulders. Despite the suit, he exuded a profound Confucian elegance from the Dragon Country, his aura as deep as an abyss.
"Your Highness, King of Zhen Dong!"
Zhang Dongyue immediately knelt on one knee. Zhang Hao and Cao Qingqing were shocked and quickly followed Zhang Dongyue's example, kneeling on one knee.
However, Cao Qingqing did not kneel. An invisible force held her back.
The minds of these two were blank. They hadn't expected this matter to alarm His Highness King of Zhen Dong, Huangfu Ruisheng.
Following this, an astonishing scene unfolded before their eyes. Huangfu Ruisheng spoke to the standing young man, "I didn't expect that you, King of Qian, like King of Zhen Nan, couldn't sit still. There are still a few days until the battle, yet you've both come to Dongshan Province."
"What?!"
"King of Qian!?"
This young man was none other than the recently powerful sixth king of the Dragon Country, King of Qian!!!
Zhang Hao felt as if he could barely breathe. He hadn't imagined he had offended such a person.
Cao Qingqing was also utterly stunned. While she knew his identity was extraordinary, she had never dared to consider him as King of Qian.
"Our Dragon Country's magnificent mountains and rivers, why shouldn't I go and see them?" King of Qian said with a smile to the fourth king, King of Zhen Dong, "How did King of Zhen Dong know I was here?"
"Hahaha." King of Zhen Dong chuckled, then said with a gentle laugh, "If the dignified King of Qian is bullying my subordinate, how could I not know?"
"Indeed." Chen Jiuyang nodded slowly, "Since King of Zhen Dong has arrived, this matter will be handled by you from now on."
King of Zhen Dong had come forward to protect Zhang Dongyue, and Chen Jiuyang found it difficult to refuse King of Zhen Dong's request and damage their harmony.
"Good." Huangfu Ruisheng chuckled softly, "Since King of Qian has come here, how can I not fulfill my duty as a host? Let's go, I'll treat you to some fine wine, the good wine flowing from the Penglai Holy Land."
Chen Jiuyang's eyes brightened slightly, and he said, "Then I must taste its flavor."
With that, Huangfu Ruisheng led the way, taking Chen Jiuyang with him. The remaining matters no longer required Chen Jiuyang's intervention.
At the King of Zhen Dong's mansion.
Chen Jiuyang and Huangfu Ruisheng sat opposite each other, drinking and conversing.
During this time, they did not discuss martial arts at all. Instead, they exchanged secrets and legends. This drinking session lasted for three days and two nights.
The banquet only ended the day before Chen Jiuyang's battle with Zhou Fangzun.
As he was leaving, Huangfu Ruisheng asked, "Do you have confidence in winning?"
"This battle, regardless of victory or defeat, regardless of life or death, I only seek to give my all and have no regrets," Chen Jiuyang replied.
"Thank you for the fine wine, King of Zhen Dong. I must depart."
With that, Chen Jiuyang shattered a wooden box with one hand, and the Yansheng Saber flew into his hand. He strode towards Mount Tai.
Under the moonlight.
His shadow was stretched long. Having drunk for three days and two nights, he was somewhat… drunk.
Mount Tai under the moonlight. It was March, and some snow had yet to melt. Mount Tai stood tall, piercing the clouds.
Chen Jiuyang looked up, his eyes filled with anger, pain, and killing intent!
Chen Jiuyang had waited a long time for this day.
But he did not rush up Mount Tai. Instead, like an ordinary person, he ascended Mount Tai step by step, slowly, like a penitent undergoing penance.
On the narrow mountain path, there were occasional martial artists who had already arrived to watch the battle. When they saw King of Qian, Chen Jiuyang, passing by them, their eyes showed fear and shock.
It was because the killing intent emanating from King of Qian was too terrifying, almost tangible.
Carrying killing intent, he walked with a calm mind.
Dragons and snakes rise from the land, killing intent covers the sky!
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
Stepping on the ancient plank roads that had existed for who knew how many years, the cold wind blew, and the clear, pleasant sound echoed softly in the mountains, like heavenly music, captivating the soul.
Until a sliver of fish-belly white appeared on the horizon and the morning sun slowly rose, Chen Jiuyang's footsteps lightly landed, finally firmly stepping onto the peak of Mount Tai, which was still covered in thin snow.
He turned his head and saw countless people standing in various places watching behind him.
Turning back, Chen Jiuyang saw the middle-aged man sitting cross-legged on a rock, exuding an imposing presence.
At this moment, Chen Jiuyang felt his soul roaring. With a gentle exhale, all the pent-up emotions from before were released.
From an ordinary person to where he was now, the countless battles and bloodshed in between seemed to be nourishment, urging Chen Jiuyang to break free from his cocoon and soar eight thousand miles!
His chest was filled with an indescribable emotion. His eyes moved slightly, locking onto the figure on the summit's rock.
"Zhou Fangzun!"
...
"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
Countless people were already waiting on the peaks of Mount Tai.
Zhou Fangzun had arrived here four days prior. For four days, he had not opened his eyes, sitting there like a rock, enduring the wind and rain, not taking a drop of water, like a penitent atoning for his sins.
On the first day Zhou Fangzun arrived, three thousand martial artists descended upon this place.
On the second day, there were eight thousand martial artists.
On the third day, there were thirty thousand people.
On the fourth day, there were fifty thousand people, and over a hundred thousand people gathered within the Mount Tai area.
This was the allure of the battle between the two kings, attracting so many people to this place.
By the time Chen Jiuyang ascended the mountain on this day, Mount Tai was filled with people, as far as the eye could see, countless numbers.
A gust of wind howled past, and then the morning sun rose. The faint sound of footsteps quietly arose and then softly reached his ears.
Following this, the entire atmosphere of Mount Tai changed.
Countless gazes turned towards the summit of Mount Tai, and the entire summit was filled with the constant buzzing sound of drones.
Zhou Fangzun, who was sitting cross-legged on the rock, slowly opened his eyes.
High in the sky, sunlight streamed down, passing through the ethereal clouds, casting upon the summit of Mount Tai, falling upon Chen Jiuyang and Zhou Fangzun.
The two figures stood on the peak of Mount Tai.
Under the gaze of countless people, Zhou Fangzun rose and moved, stepping down from the rock. His gaze then pierced through the layers of spatial distance, locking onto that figure.
Following this, Zhou Fangzun slowly raised his hand and picked up a Fangtian Hua Ji (a halberd).
"Tap! Tap! Tap!"
Zhou Fangzun took three steps forward, and Chen Jiuyang also took three steps forward. The low sound of footsteps drifted across the quiet summit of Mount Tai.
Then, Chen Jiuyang, holding his saber, gently clasped his hands in a fist and said faintly:
"Feng Province, Chen Jiuyang!"
That steady figure also gently clasped his hands in a fist, and his calm voice echoed:
"Northwest, Zhou Fangzun!"