Chapter 1235: You May Have Won, But I Didn’t Lose Either

“Stop.”

The Tyrant Might Army cavalrymen were collecting themselves and getting ready for another charge when a weak but indisputable voice cut through the air.

The cavalrymen turned just in time to see Taba Xuanwu slowly climbing to his feet amidst the mountain of powder.

Taba Xuanwu looked absolutely terrible right now. His Tyrant King Halberd had snapped into two, his body was cut all over, blood was pouring profusely out of his wounds, his face was covered in cracks, and his aura was so weak it was almost imperceptible. To say he looked horrifying would be an understatement.

Despite this, his eyes remained as bright as before, dazzling like the sun or the moon.

After commanding his soldiers to stop, Taba Xuanwu turned to look at Ye Qing and asked, “What is it called?”

“Annihilation Hammer...” Ye Qing said slowly. It wasn’t because he was trying to be dramatic, but because he wasn’t faring much better than Taba Xuanwu. Every time he spoke a word, blood would jet out of his orifices. His face was also covered in cracks. He looked like a cracked porcelain vase that was barely holding itself together.

“Annihilation Hammer? Is it the one from the Three Origin Hammers; the move that claims to be capable of annihilating all things including yin and yang, the Five Phases, the laws of time and space, and even the six realms of samsara; the killing technique that is said to be one of the strongest of all times, Annihilation Hammer?” Taba Xuanwu exclaimed in surprise.

“That is correct,” Ye Qing answered before wiping away the blood on his lips.

“I see. No wonder it is so powerful.” Taba Xuanwu nodded. “That said, you must have started practicing Annihilation Hammer not long ago. I might have crumbled into ash if your fist intent had been just a little stronger.”

Ye Qing chuckled. “You are joking, general. I’m sure you would survive even if my fist intent was a little stronger.”

As Taba Xuanwu said, he had just begun to practice Annihilation Hammer. Annihilation Hammer was the strongest, loftiest, and deepest technique of the Three Origin Hammers. Naturally, its difficulty curve was way steeper than Suppression Hammer or Break Hammer’s. Although he had mastered Suppression Hammer and Break Hammer a long time ago, he hadn’t been able to find a way to merge the two differing fist intents, and one of the prerequisites to practice Annihilation Hammer was to understand the two fist intents completely and combine them into one. Only after he combined them could he truly annihilate anything and everything.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

It wasn’t until he began practicing the “Records of Laojun Studying The Dao On A Bull” that he gained a clearer understanding of the natural laws of the world and true martial intent. This deepened his understanding of Suppression Hammer and Break Hammer and allowed him to combine parts of them into a single wisp of Annihilation Hammer fist intent.

Although his Annihilation Hammer’s fist intent was small and weak, its potency could not be underestimated. In terms of killing power alone, not even the adept level Break Hammer was its match. That was why he was able to severely injure Taba Xuanwu in one go.

Of course, Ye Qing could tell that Taba Xuanwu hadn’t used every trump card he possessed. That was why he was certain the man would survive even if his Annihilation Hammer’s fist intent was a tad stronger.

In fact, there was no chance he could kill Taba Xuanwu until the day he fully combined Suppression Hammer and Break Hammer’s fist intent into one and created a proper Annihilation Hammer.

Therefore, he wasn’t just complimenting Taba Xuanwu. It was simply the truth.

“Hahaha... to think that I was able to experience one of the strongest killing techniques of all time, Annihilation Hammer, in person! I truly am a lucky man!”

Taba Xuanwu guffawed loudly. “This is your win, Ye Qing.”

“Martial Might!”

Beside Taba Xuanwu, a female officer’s eyes flashed with murder as she performed a secret wave behind her back. The soldiers immediately spread into formations and assumed charging positions.

“I said, stop!”

Taba Xuanwu immediately sensed this and yelled at his army to stop. “A win is a win, a loss a loss. Do you think that I, Taba Xuanwu, am a man who cannot lose no matter what?”

“Ye Qing, I hereby surrender my title as number one under the Half-Sage stage to you.”

“I shall accept it gratefully,” Ye Qing replied smilingly and acted as if he couldn’t see what the Tyrant Might Army had tried to do. “That said, I may have won, but you didn’t lost either, did you general?”

“Hahaha! You are correct! You may have won, but I, Taba Xuanwu, did not lose either!”

As he laughed, Taba Xuanwu’s presence actually began climbing at an accelerated rate. His martial intent began blending with the surrounding world, causing invisible laws and principles to manifest into view, and purple qi to rise from the east. At the same time, red clouds began forming at the east, clashing and blending into all sorts of fantastical illusions, and the invisible sound of the Great Way resounded throughout heaven and earth.

The gate of the utmost profound was here.

“Is the general... about to make a breakthrough?!”

The Tyrant Might Army was beyond excited to say the least. It was clear that the phenomena had sprung into existence because of the breakthrough of a martial champion.

“Tyrant Might Army, retreat thirty meters and protect the general!”

Overjoyed, the handsome-looking female officer immediately commanded the soldiers to guard Taba Xuanwu and prevent outsiders from disturbing him.

Of course, the only outsider they needed to be on guard against was Ye Qing.

Ye Qing did not get angry though. He completely understood their sentiment. Better safe than sorry, right?

With nothing left to do, he sat down right in front of the Tyrant Might Army’s watchful, wary gazes and began recovering his strength.

The soldiers exchanged a glance with each other, speechless. They could not tell if Ye Qing was that confident in his strength, or if he was just foolish. Wasn’t he afraid that they would charge him while he was absorbed and cut him into a million pieces?

Ye Qing didn’t really think too much into it. For one, he believed in Taba Xuanwu. He was sure the Tyrant Might Army would not dare to act independently unless given permission by Taba Xuanwu himself. Two, this was a rare opportunity to observe and study the breakthrough to the Half-Sage stage. For obvious reasons, this was a rare opportunity especially for him.

Just like Taba Xuanwu before he underwent his breakthrough, he was just half a step away from entering the Half-Sage stage. Observing the general’s breakthrough and perceiving the mixing between true martial intent and the laws of the world would surely help his own breakthrough when it was time.

Naturally, he wasn’t going to let go of such a golden opportunity.

Besides that, this was Taba Xuanwu’s way of paying back the favor. Taba Xuanwu absolutely could have made his breakthrough after he returned to the pass, but instead, he chose to do it in front of him. It could only have been intentional.

After all, Taba Xuanwu had used Ye Qing to hone his heart and his martial way; break his cultivation bottleneck and wall. It would not be an exaggeration to say Ye Qing was his benefactor. That was why Taba Xuanwu wanted to repay the favor.

Ye Qing saw no reason to turn it down, so he didn’t. He opened his Yin Yang Spell Eyes and unleashed his demonic thoughts. Then, he openly perceived and studied the many profound and mysterious changes that occurred during the breakthrough process.

A teatime came and went swiftly. The phenomena occurring all around Cloud Hue Pass was only becoming grander and more mysterious with the passage of time.

It had been many years since Taba Xuanwu entered the Great Grandmaster stage. His foundation was solid, and his accumulation impressive. Therefore, neither obstacle nor tribulation stood in his path. As soon as he found the keyhole, it was a smooth insertion and automatic entry to the Half-Sage stage.

When Taba Xuanwu’s aura reached the pinnacle, he opened his mouth and sucked in a deep breath. The extraordinary phenomena happening all around him immediately converged into a colorful divine dragon and flew into his mouth.

As soon as the divine dragon entered his stomach, it was as if Taba Xuanwu had broken free from some sort of cage or shackle. His aura climbed again and became perfect and profound. Finally he had become one with the world, and all the arts had returned to his heart.

From the moment he swallowed the divine dragon, his life was no longer dictated by the heavens.

ROAR!

Taba Xuanwu let out a mighty roar that reached the ninth firmament, scattered the wind and clouds, and stunned the celestials and gods.

At that moment, the sky was clear, and reddish orange filled every inch of the world.