Chapter 261: What's So Hard About Using the Word 'Take'?
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Life, it seemed, had played an enormous joke on Zhu Guangbo.
Five months ago, a mysterious figure had arrived at the Zhu Family of the Northeast, instructing the martial arts prodigy to head to the Northern Border Camp to assume the role of the new Northern Border King.
The ambitious Zhu Guangbo naturally would not pass up this rare opportunity and eagerly set out, with the Zhu Family Members unanimously believing it to be the herald of the Zhu Family's rise.
Zhu Guangbo was the chosen one of fate.
Yet, having arrived here, everything had gone against his wishes. Zhu Guangbo found himself to be nothing more than a puppet in someone else's hands, unable to resist, only capable of obedient compliance.
Yes, a martial arts prodigy.
Now, Zhu Guangbo realized just how laughable his so-called "martial arts prodigy" status was. Any random person from the Zhang Family, unheard of and unknown, had become an existence he needed to look up to.
Not to mention Gai Jiutian, and that mysterious Young Master.
The chosen one of fate, who in this world is truly the chosen one of fate?
Watching Zhang Wenyuan holding his own against two opponents without showing any signs of weakness, Zhu Guangbo knew he was not the one. Not by a long shot. He was a Martial King, and moreover, one who had broken through before the age of thirty - a feat that in the past would have been enough to fill him with pride.
But what did it amount to when compared with the man before him now?
"This kid is tough, we can't hold back anymore."
After exchanging dozens of rounds with Zhang Wenyuan, the Two Elders of Ice from the Heaven Darkness Sect grew increasingly alarmed; the young man before them showed not the slightest sign of fatigue. On the contrary, he seemed to grow stronger as the battle continued, his combat skills becoming ever more refined.
Clearly, he was using them for practice.
"Fine, let's kill him and be done with it."
Sky Ice communicated back via sound transmission.
A genius, but what of it?
Any genius who cannot grow to the end is a fool. The Two Elders, Sky Ice and Sky Cold, stood back to back, touching palms, transmitting their Power to one another.
One cultivated Ice Qi Energy, the other cultivated Cold Qi.
If these two were to merge, it would form the genuine Ice Qi Energy. Sky Ice and Sky Cold were brothers who had practiced together since childhood, their energies long since harmonized. Normally, they practiced individually, but when facing enemies, they would join forces.
"We knew you had this trick up your sleeve."
"Such a Dual Cultivation Method does yield twice the result with half the effort. Let's see just how formidable the so-called Divine Ice Palm truly is."
To their surprise, during the Two Elders' transmission of power, Zhang Wenyuan did not launch a full-scale attack but instead watched with great interest from the sidelines, still brimming with confidence.
"Should we assist the Young Master later?"
Within the Daoyi Group's team, two Martial Kings communicated with each other through sound transmission.
"Do you really not understand the Young Master, or are you just pretending not to?"
One of the older Martial Kings asked.
"What do you mean?"
The younger Martial King, clearly not understanding, asked blankly.
"If there were any danger, the Young Master would've run without a trace long ago without waiting for your help."
Look, he hasn't run!
That means, the so-called Two Elders of Ice, no matter what tricks they pull out, are nothing to be afraid of. The older Martial King would not forget a phrase Zhang Wenyuan had said before:
"When fighting, be ruthless; when it's time to run, do not hesitate at all."
Discussing martial virtue with the Young Master, the Young Master only talks about the correct way to defeat an opponent, never about the feasibility of begging for mercy when outmatched.
"You're about to witness."
The Two Elders of Ice exchanged glances, both somewhat surprised. Was this young man too arrogant?
The two figures lunged at Zhang Wenyuan together. Unlike before, they now seemed to fuse into a current of Ice Qi Energy, the atmosphere solidifying wherever their Qi Energy passed.
"This is more like what a Divine Path Expert should look like. Witness my Acalanatha Divine Skill," Zhang Wenyuan said, bringing his palms together, and immediately a golden color great Buddha's silhouette appeared on his body.
The Golden Buddha was not tall, about three zhang, manifesting over Zhang Wenyuan as it chanted Buddhist Scriptures. An unending flow of golden light soaked through the Buddha's body, dispersing layers of encompassing Ice Qi Energy.
Eventually, like sunlight clearing away the heavy clouds, the layers of frost covering the Buddha were dispelled, dissipating into nothingness.
"Acalanatha Divine Skill?"
The expression on Sky Ice's face darkened to the extreme. The move they had reserved to deal with Ye Feng had now failed against Zhang Wenyuan as well.
If mastering one lost Divine Skill was by chance, then possessing two was definitely not. This young man's background was shockingly significant.
"Indeed!"
Zhang Wenyuan dispersed the Golden Buddha silhouette, declaring proudly.
"Who exactly are you?"
Sky Ice asked again.
"Haven't I told you? What goes around, comes around. Now it's my turn to make a move," Zhang Wenyuan said, suddenly turning cold.
Suddenly, his hands came together, and a profoundly cold aura surged from his body, flakes of snow settling on him, integrating as if becoming part of him, manifesting the same Ice Qi Energy as the Two Elders of Ice!
"With heaven and earth fused, are you a Divine Path Expert?"
At that moment, the Two Elders of Ice finally understood where the young man's confidence came from. Such a pure and natural aura could be nothing but that of the Divine Path Realm.
"Of course, I am not a Divine Path Expert."
"But I have entered the Divine Path once, and then returned from it."
Whoosh!
This statement set off monumental waves in the minds of the Two Elders of Ice. Was there actually someone who could enter the Divine Path and then leave it again? Were they demoted in realm?
Their instincts told the Two Elders that Zhang Wenyuan was not such a person.
"Join forces, Cold Piercing—"
The sentence was never finished, as Zhang Wenyuan made his move first.
"Cold Piercing Nine Heavens!"
With the might of a great wind, he sent countless currents of Ice Qi Energy surging toward the Two Elders of Ice.
When the wind ceased, Zhang Wenyuan's figure touched back down to the ground, his aura reverting to that of a Junior Martial King, seemingly quite "weak."
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Two ice sculptures, staring wide-eyed and tongue-tied, stood motionless atop Azure Cloud Peak. Upon closer inspection, it wasn't hard to discover that within the eyes of the Two Elders of Ice, there were also white ice crystals.
True Qi Energy of Ice, even the slightest touch would suffice to turn someone from the inside out into a "snowman".
"Your power has diminished once more, do you wish to make a move?"
Zhang Wenyuan turned around and looked at Zhu Guangbo with a playful smile.
People from the Daoyi Group: "..."
Young Master, when have you ever actually lost your strength?
"I dare not!"
Looking at the dead Two Elders of Ice, Zhu Guangbo's expression did not show the slightest grief, but rather, some relief.
"Since you dare not, then bring over your family's chess piece."
Zhang Wenyuan pointed towards the nearby Tiger Banner.
"I am very curious, if the Zhang Family actually has someone like you, why haven't they become the ninth family yet?"
Zhu Guangbo didn't agree verbally, but he walked step by step beneath the Tiger Banner.
A chess piece that symbolized the flag of the Zhu Family of the Northeast.
Is it just as those outsiders say, that their Zhu Family overstepped its bounds and should not have meddled in things that do not belong to them?
With a sigh for the world's ambition, Zhu Guangbo's hand gripped the flagpole, the glory of his ancestors absolutely would not allow others to trample on it.
"Stop!"
"If you dare to destroy the Tiger Banner, I will not spare a single one of the Northeast Zhu Family." Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire
A cold and stern voice reached Zhu Guangbo's ears.
On Azure Cloud Peak, Ye Feng, carrying the Black Dragon Banner, slowly made his way to the summit, his gaze fierce and resolute like two swords hanging high in the sky.
"Ye Feng, calamity should not extend to one's family. Is this the code of the Northern Border Camp that you have forgotten, or have I?"
Gazing at this majestic young man, Zhu Guangbo felt an unexpected surge of competitive spirit.
Yes!
This confrontation should have belonged solely to him and Ye Feng.
"Of course, I haven't forgotten!"
"Zhu Guangbo, you have remembered the code of the camp over these past few months, but have you ever considered whether you are truly one of the Northern Border Soldiers? Dealing with you, with your Zhu Family, I will decide."
Clearly, Ye Feng did not regard Zhu Guangbo as a member of the Northern Border Camp.
"I admit I've lost. What do you wish to do?"
Zhu Guangbo's expression turned downcast.
Unexpectedly, after several months of striving, he was, in the eyes of Ye Feng, not even worth a common soldier of the Northern Border.
"To send you on your way!"
Ye Feng responded decisively.
In this struggle, it was destined that one of them, either he or Zhu Guangbo, would lose their life to the Yellow Springs.
"The Zhu Family?"
Zhu Guangbo asked again.
"Leave it to the Punishment Heaven Department."
Ye Feng stated without hesitation.
To exterminate a Northeast Zhu Family as a warning to others?
Just as Ye Feng had previously told Hong Qingyan, he did not need to showcase his kindness to the world, nor did he ever need to constantly remind the world of his cruelty. Handing the Zhu Family over to Cao Yi, he believed Boss Cao would understand his intentions.
"Thanks!"
"Ye Feng, if you want the Tiger Banner, I will not agree."
Zhu Guangbo unfolded his right hand and, with his hands clasped behind him, stared at Ye Feng with fighting spirit brimming on his face.
"You think you can fight against me?"
"The Northern Border is mine. If I wish to take it back, then it is just taking it back. Even without the help of those people from the Imperial Capital, you heard clearly what I am saying."
The voice was profound!
In just an instant, Ye Feng, with the Black Dragon Banner on his shoulder, had reached Zhu Guangbo.
What kind of power was this?
The next second, Ye Feng delivered the answer – a golden fist, like the Fallen Heaven Strike of a War God, hurtled with the force of ten thousand pounds towards Zhu Guangbo's face.
Bang! One by one.
All resistance was in vain before the golden fist, and Zhu Guangbo's body shattered with a thunderous crash after being struck by the punch.
This flag, which symbolized a hundred years of the Zhu Family's glory, became stained with the blood of its descendants at this moment. In the cold wind, the great banner let out a whining sound, like a silent weep.
To claim a word—what difficulty lies in that?
Do not take it!
Ye Feng had never found it difficult, he did not take down the Tiger Banner but merely glanced at it, then lightly stomped on the ground.
The Tiger Banner, in an instant, shot upward and exploded into pieces mid-air.
On the peak of Azure Cloud Peak, within just two days, the Black Dragon Banner, belonging to Ye Feng and to the entire Northern Border, was planted.
Won!
People from the Daoyi Group saluted the Black Dragon Banner, no matter what, this flag that symbolized the glory of the Northern Border, having endured a century's vicissitudes since the founding of the Xuanyuan Nation, deserved the respect of everyone.
"Congratulations!"
Zhang Wenyuan sincerely offered his congratulations.
"There's nothing to celebrate about. To me, it doesn't come close to the glory of winning a battle against a hundred men. I, Ye Feng, once stood on the land of the Xuanyuan Nation, intent on moving northwards, leading armies on northern expeditions without complaint, devoting myself for the country and its people."
"If one day the nation's suppressors do nothing, I will take their place!"
Under the Black Dragon Banner, in front of everyone, Ye Feng directly made this resounding vow.