Chapter 680 - 274: Black Dragon
A clap of thunder seemed to explode by Chen Qing’s ear. Bai Cang’s furious True Essence pressure surged toward him in palpable waves, making him gasp for air. He stumbled back several steps, each one leaving a deep footprint in the hard stone ground. Inside him, his Qi Blood Power roiled violently.
Bai Cang transformed into a streak of light, lunging for Chen Qing. His palm, condensed with True Essence, carried an aura that could tear anything apart and was just about to engulf him.
Just as the blow was about to land, an earth-yellow figure appeared between them as suddenly as a phantom, throwing a simple, unadorned punch forward!
The force of the fist was condensed and as heavy as a mountain, seeming powerful enough to calm the very earth.
"BOOM—!"
Fist met palm, a collision like two massive waves crashing into one another!
Amidst the deafening explosion, a visible, ring-shaped shockwave erupted from the point of impact, expanding violently outward!
As the shockwave passed, the nearest meditation rooms, as if made of paper and clay, were instantly covered in cracks. They then collapsed with a deafening roar, sending splintered beams and rubble flying everywhere!
Dust and smoke shot into the sky, instantly enveloping the entire stronghold.
Bai Cang’s forward momentum came to an abrupt halt. He swayed slightly and looked at the person standing before Chen Qing, his brow furrowed. "Deng Ziheng?"
The sleeves of Deng Ziheng’s robes fluttered without a wind, his aura as steady as a mountain. He stood before Chen Qing, gazing calmly at Bai Cang. "A True Disciple of my Celestial Treasure Upper Sect," he said coolly, "is someone you can touch?"
"He killed the Island Master of my Black Profound Island. How do you explain that?" Bai Cang demanded sharply.
"The Infinite Demon Sect is full of petty villains from the Demon Path. They bring disaster to the world and should have been utterly eradicated long ago."
Deng Ziheng’s tone remained placid, yet it carried an undeniable, awe-inspiring Righteous Qi. "Your indulgence and protection of them was a mistake in itself. Now that a trace of the Demon Sect has appeared, everyone has the right to execute its followers. What need is there for an explanation?"
"Good. Very good. ’Everyone has the right to execute them’!" a slightly hoarse voice echoed from behind Bai Cang.
An old man with a hunched back slowly walked out, carrying a massive object that resembled a turtle shell. His aura was profound, no weaker than Bai Cang’s in the slightest.
This was another master from Yanzi Dock, ’Baohe Camel Peak’ Mao Chengyue.
Upon seeing this man, Deng Ziheng’s brow furrowed imperceptibly. ’It seems this matter won’t be resolved peacefully today.’
Chen Qing’s heart sank as he saw another True Essence Realm master appear.
’Two True Essence Realm masters!’
’Elder Deng is strong, but facing two opponents while also trying to protect me... The situation has suddenly become extremely perilous.’
"Brother Bai, I’ll hold Deng Ziheng back. You go capture that brat!"
A sharp glint flashed in Mao Chengyue’s murky eyes. "He killed someone from Yanzi Dock. If we let him just walk away, how could we from Yanzi Dock ever show our faces in the Thousand Reefs Sea Region again?"
"Excellent! I’ll leave it to you, Brother Mao!" Bai Cang nodded without hesitation.
Before his words even faded, Mao Chengyue’s figure flickered, and he was already in front of Deng Ziheng. True Essence billowed from his body like a tide, and a viscous field resembling a deep-sea vortex spread out, locking firmly onto Deng Ziheng.
A sharp light flashed in Deng Ziheng’s eyes. The True Essence in his body erupted, flaring with a brilliant, earth-yellow radiance as he tried to break through the blockade to help Chen Qing.
However, Mao Chengyue, known as Baohe Camel Peak, excelled at defensive and entangling combat. His True Essence Field was like a quagmire, completely bogging Deng Ziheng down for the moment.
Seizing the opening, Bai Cang sneered as his body once again blurred into a streak of light, heading straight for Chen Qing!
This time, he held nothing back. His True Essence erupted completely, and the wind from his palm strike howled as if it had stirred the very tides of the sea. The attack was several times more powerful than before!
Facing the lethal pounce of a True Essence Realm master, Chen Qing’s heart sank, and his body and mind tensed to their absolute limit.
He didn’t dare hold anything back. The Three Paths of Fusion True Gang within him began circulating with unprecedented speed. The Qi Blood Power of his Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body’s Fourth Layer erupted, and a Dark Gold Luster flowed across his entire body!
"CLANG!"
The Profound Dragon Spear shot out like an enraged dragon emerging from the sea. He met Bai Cang’s palm strike head-on with a single move: True Martial Abyss!
The two Qi Forces collided with the ringing sound of metal striking metal.
Chen Qing felt an irresistible force wash over him. The webbing of his hand split open, instantly staining the spear shaft red with blood. His entire body felt as if it had taken a heavy blow, and he slid backward for over a hundred feet. If not for his Dragon Elephant Wisdom Vajra Body, he would have surely been injured.
Luo Qianjue, He Shuang, and the others had also rushed over. Seeing the True Essence Realm master Bai Cang attacking Chen Qing, cold sweat beaded on their foreheads, and they dared not approach.
"Hm?"
Bai Cang let out a soft sound of surprise, a hint of astonishment flashing in his eyes.
’Even though I didn’t use my full strength in that palm strike, it was by no means something an ordinary Astral Force practitioner could withstand. How did this kid take it head-on and come out unscathed?’
Before Bai Cang could dwell on it, Chen Qing had already regained his footing. With a profound step, his body blurred as he actually took the initiative, counterattacking with the Biluo Jinghong Spear!
The spear’s afterimages appeared like a shower of stars, its trajectory erratic and unpredictable as Chen Qing attempted to overcome brute force with finesse.
"Petty tricks!"
Bai Cang snorted. His True Essence surged, and his Palm Technique changed, unleashing a sky full of afterimages that crashed down like a raging tsunami. He was meeting skill with overwhelming force, intending to crush his opponent completely.
"BANG!"
Chen Qing’s Spear Momentum was shattered again, and his Protective Gang Qi wavered violently.
Relying on his formidable Flesh Body and exquisite Spear Technique, he had somehow withstood another one of Bai Cang’s attacks!
Bai Cang was inwardly reeling. ’This boy is only at Late-stage Astral Force, yet he withstood two of my True Essence attacks in a row. The depth of his foundation, the strength of his Flesh Body, and the refinement of his Martial Techniques... It’s simply unheard of!’
’Given time, if he’s allowed to break through to the True Essence Realm, he’ll be unstoppable!’
His killing intent blazed even hotter!
A cold light erupted in Bai Cang’s eyes. Holding nothing back, the True Essence around his body began to boil as he prepared to unleash a thunderous strike to completely annihilate Chen Qing!
Chen Qing also felt an unprecedented wave of killing intent, and the Primordial Five Elements True Astral inside him began to gather, ready to be unleashed at a moment’s notice.