NOVEL NEXT Chapter 165: I Am Also from the Old Era
"Finally decided to show yourself?" one of the men sneered. "So much for the Ancient Divine Body, nothing special after all."
"Hahaha..."
"This young master would like to taste the thrill of slaying a Divine Body, tsk tsk... must be quite fun, right?"
There were seven or eight people, ranging from their early twenties to about thirty, with an average strength of the King Tao Fifth Heaven.
For Chen Shixian, this was a terrifying lineup.
However, she had Chen Pingping behind her.
This fellow is a Divine King, Chen Shixian remembered. Killing these people in front of me should be as easy as flipping his hand, right?
The tension in her heart dissipated, and she raised the corners of her mouth. "Come on! I'm not going anywhere today."
Chen Pingping asked something of her; she didn't believe he would stand by and watch her die.
One of the men sneered and charged forward, clenching his fist and striking with a forceful and overwhelming Power Path, his eyes filled with a strong killing intention and brimming with confidence.
He was at the Sixth Heaven of King Tao, while she was merely at the Supreme Mystery Realm.
However...
A Chen Pingping stepped out from behind her, and the seven or eight strong men only then noticed his presence. With a single finger press, he instantaneously shattered their attacks.
SPURT!
With that one finger, he pierced through the man's body, extinguishing both his life and his Divine Soul.
The few strong men behind him were shocked, raising their heads and staring fixedly at Chen Pingping. He seemed vaguely familiar, but they couldn't quite place him.
Chen Shixian's smile was radiant. "Come on! Weren't you going to kill a Divine Body? I'm standing right here. Do you dare to come kill me?"
"Who are you?" another man asked, sensing the fluctuation of Chen Pingping's previous move—it was at least that of a mid-stage Divine King, incredibly strong. The man prepared to flee.
CHEEP CHEEP!
Mao Qiu cried out, waving its little fists, seemingly trying to convey something.
At that moment, the man seemed to recall something, exclaiming in shock, "It's him, young master, that person..."
He remembered: Chen Pingping, who had disappeared two years ago.
He hadn't expected him to still be alive.
BUZZ!
Chen Pingping pointed again, turning it into a piercing sword light that slashed over. Before the others could react, their bodies had met doom, their lives dissipated and their Divine Souls dimmed.
Chen Shixian, standing beside him, couldn't help but curse, "What are you doing?"
"Isn't this what you meant?" Chen Pingping was astonished.
"I hadn't even had the chance to show off, to do anything, and you quickly killed them. Why?" Chen Shixian glared at him. "They chased me for so long, I..."
The latter's face was streaked with imaginary lines of frustration. What difference does it make to kill them now versus later? he thought.
Moreover, having returned here after two years with the Heavenly Book in hand and still seeking Chong Tower, he did not want to reveal his whereabouts because of this.
"Alright, alright, alright!" Chen Pingping said, frustrated. "My bad."
Chen Shixian didn't speak, her dark eyes whirling as she brewed a bold idea in her mind...
「...」
During those two years, Guang Xiaoyu had also been constantly pursued, with Chong Tower targeting her. She had nowhere to escape; if not for Lao Huang being by her side, she reckoned she would have already met her fate.
Only after her breakthrough to Divine King a few months ago did she gain the ability to fight back.
Then she hid in the Great Zhou Dynasty, watching over Zi Ji while waiting for Chen Pingping.
Guang Xiaoyu did not make a rash move as she watched the slaughter from afar. She remained vigilant, knowing that visible enemies had weaknesses.
It was the invisible killers who were truly terrifying.
「...」
Several strong members of the Lin Family brought out an ancient cauldron. The power of the Imperial Path erupted, enveloping and assailing the Shadow. After a few rounds, he struggled to fend off the attack.
His figure was flung aside, crashing heavily against a wall.
The earthen wall crumbled upon impact, turning into dust.
"What Shadow? What Imperial Path warrior? They're nothing," the Empress sneered as she strode toward him. "Lift your head. Let this palace see who you really are."
Over the years, using the power behind her, she had infiltrated the vassals, the City Guard Army, the Imperial Guard, and even the Emperor's personal Protectors and more.
Yet, she could never overcome the Shadow, and it was because of his existence that her plans were delayed for a whole seven or eight years.
BANG!
After steadying himself, the Shadow grasped his sword once more.
This time, he had only one target: the Empress…
Little did he know, the Empress was also a powerful cultivator, her fair, snow-like hands casting powerful skills as they moved.
In a flash, brilliance burst forth as if the rising sun were exploding.
The phoenix robe she wore manifested ancient texts, the character for "Phoenix" seeming to come to life at that very moment.
A long cry sounded; she was All Skill Immune.
Awe-inspiring and sacred, she was like a goddess above the Nine Heavens, unreachable and inviolable.
"You are… from the old era…" the Shadow exclaimed in shock.
"Indeed," the Empress sneered coldly. "It's time for the Great Zhou to perish."
Having received an answer, the Shadow seemed to lose his soul at that moment, his laugh more of a grimace, his gaze complex. He offered no resistance, seemingly finding no meaning in doing so.
Because he too was from the old era, surviving from that time, and ultimately, due to fate, becoming entangled with the Emperor and serving as the Emperor's Protector.
It was laughable, really.
The slaughter of the Phoenix swept in relentlessly.
The Shadow's robe was lifted, revealing a young face, with weary eyes and a complex expression.
He allowed the killing intention to penetrate him.
His voice was hoarse as he said, "So am I!"
Huh?
The Empress was startled, staring at him intently and reprimanding loudly, "If you are from the old era, why did you help the Great Zhou?"
"Fate," the Shadow said with difficulty.
"You are wrong. There is no such thing as fate," the Empress scoffed coldly.
Is that so? The Shadow shook his head, not wanting to say more, but his look toward Zi Ji was filled with guilt.
He had not completed his mission.
And perhaps, even if he exploded with all his might, burning himself out, it was impossible to protect Princess Zi Ji any longer.
In the final farewell, his heart felt neither sadness nor joy.
The Empress's slaughter pressed down inexorably, ending the Shadow's life completely.
Zi Ji was moved.
"Now, no one can protect you," the Empress said, her beautiful face contorting slightly.
The "Phoenix" that emerged from the phoenix robe hovered above the Empress's head as an ethereal projection, making her appear divine and holy.
The Lin Family's powerhouses halted their steps.
The armies rushing from all sides also kept a certain distance.
Trapped in the center of the battlefield, Zi Ji was surrounded by powerful enemies. If nothing unexpected happened, she would fall today.
Holding the Imperial Path Divine Weapon in her hand, she felt nervous and a bit bewildered…
She had practiced for two years, thinking she could hold off any powerful enemy, but she never expected that she wouldn't even make it out of the imperial city's gates before facing death.
How ironic!
But she was not willing to give up.
Nine Reincarnations, all exhausted, and even the Yuan Knight had perished in this life.
She did not know if she could enter into Reincarnation again or if she could ever see the Yuan Knight. But she knew that if she died this time, she might never meet her senior brothers and sisters again.
I cannot die!
Zi Ji took a deep breath, her gaze fixed on the Empress.
SCREECH!
The Phoenix flapped its wings again, its silhouette expanded, and after a long cry, it dove down from the high sky. The killing intention was dense, piercing through the air and arriving in front of Zi Ji. At that moment, on a distant path, an old yellow ox stepped out.