Chương 238: Emperor Zhao

In the midst of the storm! Zhao Rui transformed into a hundred-foot giant, with clouds above his head and waves beneath his feet, and a vast sword intent emanated from his body.

Although he used the Purple Mansion Yuanzun Dharma Body, it did not affect Zhao Rui's speed at all. His body transformed into a series of afterimages, constantly changing positions around the Viper King.

At the same time, he swiftly unleashed a sword aura containing extreme power from his longsword toward the Viper King.

This sword energy is different from ordinary sword energy condensed from true qi. Instead, it is pure yang true qi generated by Zhao Rui after comprehending the Zixia Divine Skill on Mount Tai, by condensing pure yang qi into it.

This pure yang energy is a fluctuation of solar ion flow energy, which generates spatial oscillations at a unique frequency, thus containing extremely high temperatures.

It is far more severe than ordinary flame burns. Its destructive power lies not only in temperature but also in the convergence of frequencies, which can transform matter into the same plasma state in an extreme amount of time.

This was something Zhao Rui cultivated based on his understanding of the sun from his previous life.

Its power has a unique merit.

After taking a hit from the sword, the Viper King dared not use its body to withstand another. The destructive power that could damage its scales made it extremely wary, and it had no choice but to twist its body and dodge.

Although the Viper King was enormous, its speed was no slower than Zhao Rui's.

Being able to float in the void, its agility far surpasses that of flying beasts.

"roar!"

The Viper King was no ordinary being. After a brief dodge, its pair of sharp claws tore through space, unleashing boundless destructive power as it reached for Zhao Rui's Dharma body.

Zhao Rui hurriedly swung his sword to block, the Broken Blade flashing with brilliant light, transforming into a hundred-meter-long sword that collided with the claws carrying black light.

It emitted a piercing, explosive sound.

"A copyable martial art technique has been discovered: Viper Transformation Dragon Technique! Copy?"

At that moment, a prompt message appeared in his mind.

Zhao Rui was clearly stunned for a moment. Could you copy a technique by fighting a strange beast?

Why aren't those strange beasts here anymore?

Could it be that only such intelligent and powerful beasts can derive cultivation techniques and be copied by the system?

That's quite possible!

Although it was just a guess, Zhao Rui felt it was very likely.

Whatever the reason, this is definitely good news for Zhao Rui.

"Copy!"

Zhao Rui decisively chose to copy, and charged at the Viper King with his sword at lightning speed.

Although the two were fighting in mid-air, the seawater a hundred meters below was still churned up by the force of their energy, creating towering waves that made it difficult for fish and shrimp to survive.

Some of the wandering beasts, upon smelling this powerful aura from afar, turned tail and fled in terror before they could even get close.

The two were extremely fast, and the vast sea, covering an area of hundreds of miles, was within the range of the aftershocks of their battle.

The surrounding weather became extremely violent, with frequent lightning flashes and torrential rain pouring down.

The onlookers had no choice but to retreat nearly a thousand miles to watch from a distance.

"Wow, that's amazing! Even a nuclear bomb might not be this powerful. These two can actually affect a sea area thousands of miles away."

Online, although people can't see the details of the battle, they can hear about it through the accounts of onlookers and the brutal weather shown on camera.

There are still some guesses that can be made.

"Thankfully, Emperor Zhao is here; otherwise, who could possibly contend with this strange dragon!"

"Where do you think the pinnacle of martial arts lies? Has Emperor Zhao reached the end of martial arts? Can he traverse the void? Is the area outside Blue Star the same as what we observed before?"

Some people noticed a strange problem, and once they complained about it online, it quickly resonated with many people.

Where is the pinnacle of martial arts?

Before the return of spiritual energy, they practiced martial arts, believing that the Grandmaster realm was the ultimate in martial arts.

Being able to injure people from a distance, leave no trace in the snow, and even have one's body protected by true energy, making one impervious to swords and spears, already constitutes superhuman strength.

However, as the concentration of spiritual energy gradually increased, people absorbed spiritual energy at a faster rate, and their martial arts cultivation also progressed faster.

Gradually, martial artists at the Divine Void Realm emerged, where the illusory appeared real and the real appeared illusory. That mysterious and profound feeling captivated the martial artists.

The revival of spiritual energy did not slow down for a moment, nor did the advancement in martial arts reach new heights.

When a large number of martial arts masters from Guixu returned, especially with the appearance of Master Faxiang, their ability to move mountains and fill seas, and to destroy mountains and level plains at will, made people's eyes widen once again.

So this is what the pinnacle of martial arts can be—it's inhuman!

This is comparable to a terrestrial deity from ancient mythology.

Just when people thought this was the limit, the appearance of the Crimson Flame Frost Dragon and Zhao Rui once again shattered people's perceptions.

It turns out that flying and escaping are also possible, and a single strike can create a thousand miles of crimson flames, which is no longer a fantasy.

At this moment, the power of martial arts has reached a new height in people's consciousness.

"If such people commit evil, who can stop them?"

The probing question plunged the internet into a brief silence.

"Is there only one Emperor Zhao in the whole world? Could there also be Emperor Zhang, Emperor Wang, and so on?"

"Law must be enacted to restrict them—"

"We should make them hand over their martial arts manuals, so that everyone can have the ability to fly and escape, wouldn't that solve the problem?"

"Ideally, it should be real-time location tracking, with everyone monitoring it —" Tens of thousands of comments flooded the live stream, most of them following the trend and discussing how to restrain a top-tier martial artist like Zhao Rui.

"Don't you guys have no shame? Emperor Zhao is helping you defend against the attacks of alien beasts and save your homeland, and you're here discussing how to restrict him."

Some people expressed their dissatisfaction.

His views attracted many supporters, who felt that those who offered opinions were simply inhuman.

"One thing at a time; gratitude and prevention are not contradictory."

"Yes, I think the sharpest spear is only truly safe when it is held in your hand."

"Nonsense, the era of might makes right has arrived. You bunch of frogs in a well, do you think people care about your opinions just because you say a few words?"

"Emperor Zhao, you could be wiped out with the flick of a single finger."

"So what if he's good at martial arts? Can he kill everyone? We could drown him with our spit."

"That's a complete idiot, I can't be bothered with someone like that. Go, Emperor Zhao!"

Various opinions are rampant and chaotic online.

But this had no effect whatsoever on the earth-shattering battle taking place on the high seas.

The battle continues; the man and the snake have fought to an altitude of 10, 000 meters.

Countless hailstones the size of fists fell from the sky and crashed onto the sea with a splashing sound.

Among the onlookers in the distance, only experts at the high-level of the Dharma Aspect Realm and the Domain Realm were able to fly up close and observe the battle.

The others had long since given up on watching and retreated far back to the shore.

This level of conflict is not even on the same level; they don't even qualify to be spectators.

"My lord, my lord, you must, you must be careful."

The "battlefield" photographer's legs trembled, and the camera lens in his hand kept shaking.

At this moment, he was being carried in Mu Yanglangjun's hand, flying at an altitude of ten thousand meters, filming the distant battlefield.

Although he was also a master, flying on his own and being carried by someone else were two completely different things.

And this is at an altitude of 10, 000 meters.

The photographer secretly thought to himself that if he could survive this, he would definitely publish a book.

I will record my experience completely.

The whole process was so exciting and exaggerated. He was actually fortunate enough to participate in such a "high-end" battle, flying into the air at an altitude of 10, 000 meters.

This was definitely an unforgettable experience.

Just as the cameraman was reminiscing about his future experience as a writer, an incredibly powerful burst of energy suddenly erupted from the center of the battle.

"Unable to transform into a dragon, you remain a snake! Viper, instead of roaming freely beyond the realms, you insisted on coming to Earth; this calamity befits you!"

Zhao Rui's voice rang out clearly, reaching the ears of the onlookers across the vast, chaotic sea of true energy.

Everyone was overjoyed to hear this, for it was the voice of Master Zhao.

Before anyone could delve into the meaning of his words, Zhao Rui continued, "The mighty power of heaven, the thunderous might, all divine thunder, heed my command, swiftly!"

As his words fell, endless lightning descended from the sky, instantly illuminating a space spanning thousands of miles.

"roar!"

The Viper King's roar carried a hint of malice and fear.

Before anyone could react, the Viper Ancestor transformed into a streak of starlight and flew rapidly toward the sky.

In the blink of an eye, he disappeared from everyone's sight.

"this----"

"You won?"

While everyone was still wondering, the clouds and rain suddenly cleared over the entire thousand-mile sea area where the battle was taking place, and the sky became clear and bright.

Flames, ice, gales, giant waves, hail, and lightning all vanished without a trace in an instant.

In the entire world, only Zhao Rui stood tall, suspended in mid-air, his robes fluttering, like an immortal.

"Gentlemen, let's go back. This serpent won't be appearing again anytime soon."

Concealing his aura, Zhao Rui flashed to the front of the group and greeted them with a smile.

"Master Zhao's skill is astounding, and his expulsion of the strange dragon is truly a great merit and a blessing to the martial arts world of the Central Plains."

Master Weiyan bowed and spoke, his expression carrying a formal solemnity.

"A true master's skill surpasses even the most miraculous techniques; this is truly a blessing for the martial arts world!"

The rest of the crowd joined in singing.

"You're too kind, everyone."

Zhao Rui returned the greeting, then looked into the distance at the approaching Shang man.

His figure suddenly vanished from sight, and when he reappeared, he was already standing in front of the Shang man.

The man smiled and looked Zhao Rui up and down, then nodded and said, "Impressive. Even the Viper King is no match for you."

"Did you need something from me?"

Zhao Rui, riding high on his victory, spoke in a calm tone, yet exuded an undeniable authority.

The man paused for a moment, then shook his head and said, "You've expended a lot of energy today. Let's have a proper spar another day."

After speaking, the man smiled, and his figure suddenly began to fade, gradually disappearing from everyone's sight.

Zhao Rui frowned but didn't say anything. This person's strength was unfathomable and no weaker than his or the Viper King's.

He is clearly a peerless master who has transcended the realm of domains.

"The Great Shang Dynasty actually has such people? Then the Great Zhou Dynasty must have its share as well."

Zhao Rui narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed that there were still many secrets about Guixu that he did not know.

My hasty trip to Guixu was really just a quick look around, and I didn't get to know many of the core secrets.

For example, the origin of the mythical beasts, the Shang and Zhou dynasties, and even the strength of the top experts of the Mangcang people.

"The strength of the Yun family patriarch is certainly not limited to the Domain Realm. Could it be that he intentionally let me go back then?"

A series of thoughts involuntarily surfaced in his mind.

However, he put these thoughts aside for the time being in the blink of an eye.

"The True Man's divine might is unparalleled. This humble student, Muyang Langjun, on behalf of the Lord Tianji Sanren, congratulates the True Man on his great victory."

At this moment, Mu Yanglangjun, accompanied by a cameraman, flew over respectfully from afar and bowed to Zhao Rui.

"Oh? The Hermit of a Thousand Machines?"

Zhao Rui's tone was hesitant. He had naturally heard of the name Tianji Sanren, a top-notch master of the unorthodox path, skilled in predicting good and bad fortune and severing cause and effect, and extremely mysterious.

It seems that Mu Yanglangjun and the other evil masters who appeared to participate in the operation were under his command.

"Yes, our Lord has always dwelt in the mortal world, so the True Man may not have heard of him."

"I have heard about it."

Zhao Rui nodded, acknowledging his visit.

While the two were talking, the cameraman had already captured Zhao Rui's image on the camera.

And it was transmitted to the Internet.

The moment Zhao Rui's image appeared, it ignited the entire internet.

"Emperor Zhao!"

"The Great Emperor is mighty!"

A series of titles for the emperor dominated the screen, with countless characters for "Emperor Zhao" surging from the bottom of the screen. The sheer scale and the devout reverence made everyone forget that just moments before, people had been discussing how to limit Zhao Rui's strength.

This screen-dominating behavior lasted for more than ten minutes.

Once the screen-dominating event ended, Zhao Rui's figure had long since disappeared from the camera's view. Not only Zhao Rui, but also the Dharma Realm Masters from various other sects had vanished without a trace.

Only Mu Yanglang, "undeterred by hardship," urged the cameraman to stay and return to the shore.

"From a young age, I have observed that Emperor Zhao possessed the bearing of an emperor."

"You're kidding, I really did watch him grow up. I'm his neighbor."

"I'm Emperor's classmate. I have his autograph. @ me if you want it."

"I am the Emperor's girlfriend. The Emperor and I grew up together and were childhood sweethearts."

"Enough! You're making up all this nonsense. Be careful, or the Emperor will be furious and rivers of blood will flow! Let me make this clear: I'm a taxi driver, and I've driven the Emperor before."

"—Someone help me deal with him!"

The online uproar gradually changed its nature, turning into a nationwide carnival.

After great fear and dread, great joy and happiness will naturally follow.

Even if Zhao Rui knew about this, he would just laugh it off.

In the past, he would naturally care about these things, but when he truly comprehended the mysteries of martial arts, these things became insignificant to him.

The coastline was in complete disarray.

The land was scorched for miles, with countless ruins, and the refugees began to return to their homes one after another.

But all that awaited them was a dilapidated ruin.

"Heavens above! Why is this happening?"

"Where are all of you who claimed to be protecting us?"

"You clearly had the ability to defeat the evil dragon, so why didn't you appear sooner? If you had appeared sooner, so many people wouldn't have died, and so many places wouldn't have been burned down."

In the crowd, someone screamed in anguish. Unable to accept the situation, they vented their resentment on Zhao Rui and the others.

"Amitabha! This old monk can tell at a glance that you are possessed by a strange beast, the Great Mighty Heavenly Dragon, the World-Honored Ksitigarbha, the Buddhas of Prajna, Prajna Paramita!"

Zen Master Zhisheng glanced at Zhao Rui, then suddenly made a fierce glare at the loudest of the group.

Then a chanting of Sanskrit mantras rang in their ears, but only for a moment.

These people then prostrated themselves on the ground, chanting, "Amitabha!"

"Ahem!"

Zhao Rui glanced at Master Weiyan, his face somewhat embarrassed, and said, "The Demonic Sect has Demonic Sounds, Buddhism has Zen Sounds, so why doesn't our Taoism have such Gu, cough cough, incantations to persuade people to do good?"

"Amitabha Buddha, we generally don't try to persuade people!"

"6' >