A Void Realm divine armament had appeared!
The news detonated like an artillery shell inside the council hall, leaving all the assembled elders reeling and dizzy.
"Isn't that thing... just a legend?!" the white-bearded elder stammered, his eyes wide in disbelief.
Rumors spoke of five great Void Realm divine armaments in the world, said to emerge only when a catastrophic tribulation befell the realm. Yet in the nearly ten thousand years that had passed, no living soul had ever seen a so-called Void Realm divine armament with their own eyes.
Countless people regarded them as nothing more than ancient myths. How could one appear today...?
The one-eyed elder also asked, "Sect Master, how can we be sure it is truly a Void Realm divine armament?"
Qian Shan replied slowly, "As everyone knows, divine armaments possess spirits. But the spirits of Grandmaster divine armaments and Celestial Being divine armaments are merely spiritual natures.
"They lack a true consciousness!
"Only the legendary Void Realm divine armaments possess true spirits that choose their own masters!
"This time, two divine armaments have emerged at once. Unmanned, they soared across the sky swift as thunder, each seeking its master!"
Displaying the letter for everyone to see, he continued, "The five great divine armaments are the Thundering Lightning-Chasing Divine Sword, the Falling Meteor Sun-Plunging Bow, the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler, the Nirvana Dark Armor, and the River and Mountain Dragon Abyss Saber. The ones that have appeared this time are the sword and the ruler!"
The elders crowded forward to inspect the letter, then gasped in unison. "Could our Kunyun Commandery actually have an armament master?!"
The letter clearly stated that the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler had allegedly appeared in Funing County under Kunyun Commandery's jurisdiction. It had cleaved through the skies before descending into an endless mountain range, likely having found an armament master suited to it.
"No, whether it is truly the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler remains unconfirmed. Someone might have seen wrong. It's not as though there haven't been laughable incidents before where people mistook a flying Grandmaster for a Void Realm divine armament..."
Qian Shan shook his head. "However, the other one—the Thundering Lightning-Chasing Divine Sword that appeared in neighboring Yong Province—is indisputably real!
"When that divine sword flew over a commandery seat in Yong Province, it alerted several Grandmasters in the city. They took to the skies in pursuit, hoping to seize the divine armament, but in the end, their true qi was completely depleted and they still couldn't catch up, forcing them to abandon the chase."
The one-eyed elder mused, "Grandmasters possess keen eyesight; they couldn't have been mistaken. In that case, the legendary Void Realm divine armaments truly have emerged!"
At those words, complex emotions churned within everyone present—shock, greed, dread...
Seeing the fluctuating expressions on the elders' faces, Qian Shan could easily guess their thoughts. He said in a deep voice, "The emergence of a divine armament is a matter of paramount importance. I must immediately report this to the Supreme Elder and invite him out of seclusion to preside over the situation!"
Originally, he had still been hesitating over whether to call upon the Grandmaster to deal with Huang Tian, but there was no need to hesitate now.
With a divine armament appearing in the world, the Grandmaster would have to come out of seclusion regardless, especially when one was suspected to be right within Kunyun Commandery!
"Set aside the matter of Huang Tian for now. Each of you take your subordinates and head to Funing County to investigate whether any traces of the divine armament truly exist. If you find nothing, widen your search across the entire commandery. Report back the moment you obtain any news!"
"Yes!" everyone answered in unison.
***
Inside a spacious chamber within the commandery's Martial Restraint Guard government office.
Over a dozen Battalion Commanders had gathered together, including Xia Hong, Nie Kun, Tie Qi, Huang Tian, and others.
Xia Hong stroked his chin. "I wonder why the Assistant Commissioner ordered us all to assemble. Could there be some major announcement?"
Nie Kun shook his head. "I haven't heard a whisper of news."
The two looked toward Huang Tian, thinking he might know something, but the young man shook his head as well. "I was summoned unexpectedly as well."
Hearing that, the others grew even more curious. What kind of monumental event could warrant summoning all the Battalion Commanders stationed in different areas?
*Tap, tap...*
Steady footsteps echoed as Yu Jingcheng, clad in green robes, walked in first. Following behind him were Bai Yuanfu and two other Pacification Commissioners.
All four men wore somber expressions, their brows tightly knit as though they had run into a thorny dilemma.
The Battalion Commanders immediately straightened up in solemn attention.
Yu Jingcheng took his seat, his gaze heavy and focused. He waved a hand at Bai Yuanfu. The latter coughed once, stepped before the crowd, and explained the news that two Void Realm divine armaments were suspected to have emerged. The room instantly erupted into an uproar!
"Two Void Realm divine armaments have appeared?! And one is suspected to be in our Kunyun Commandery?!"
"Doesn't the legend say an armament master will only wield a divine armament to quell disasters when a great tribulation descends? The world is still peaceful and orderly right now—where is this tribulation coming from?"
"This spells trouble. Our Kunyun Commandery is bound to fall into utter turmoil in the coming days. Countless martial artists from the pugilistic world will flock here!"
"..."
As the others discussed the matter in commotion, Huang Tian was equally astonished. *Just a month or two ago, I was wondering whether Void Realm divine armaments would ever appear, and whether their masters would be able to break through to the Void Realm Soul once they grew up. Who would have thought that not long after, a divine armament would actually descend into the world?!*
*Could I be the tribulation?!*
It was no wonder he thought that way—the timing was simply too coincidental!
How long had he been in this world before armaments unseen for ten thousand years suddenly emerged? It felt almost as if they were aimed directly at him!
As he pondered in silence, Yu Jingcheng said solemnly, "Although a divine armament is only suspected to have appeared in our Kunyun Commandery, unlike the confirmed sighting in Yong Province...
"Most of the world's top experts will likely rush to Yong Province upon hearing the news, and only a small fraction will come to Qin Province to try their luck. Even so, the commandery will know no peace in the days ahead. Our Martial Restraint Guard must do everything in its power to preserve order in the commandery seat and all subordinate counties."
Martial artists used their might to break laws; individuals possessing great power had always acted willfully and refused to be bound by legal statutes.
Once hordes of martial artists poured into Kunyun Commandery, widespread chaos would inevitably follow!
Next, Yu Jingcheng called out the names of several Battalion Commanders, ordering them to immediately lead teams down to oversee the lower county seats.
He then instructed two Pacification Commissioners to lead Nie Kun, Tie Qi, and several other Battalion Commanders to Funing County, where they were to maintain order while investigating any trace of the armament master.
In the end, only Bai Yuanfu and six Battalion Commanders remained unassigned, including both Huang Tian and Xia Hong.
Yu Jingcheng said, "Bai Yuanfu will oversee the commandery seat with me. As for the five of you, Xia Hong included, you are the garrison Battalion Commanders of the five sectors. You must maintain order within the city. If martial artists engage in violence, you must stop them immediately. If you cannot suppress them, report to Bai Yuanfu at once. Is that understood?"
"Understood!" Xia Hong and the others answered loudly.
"Very well. You may withdraw."
Once they left the room, only Yu Jingcheng, Bai Yuanfu, and Huang Tian remained.
"Huang Tian, the city will inevitably be in disarray for the foreseeable future, so you must exercise extra caution. While many are coming for the divine armament, some might target you instead," Yu Jingcheng warned.
Huang Tian collected his thoughts and nodded, feeling no fear. True powerhouses—such as Second Rank Grandmasters, First Rank Grandmasters, and even Celestial Beings—would certainly rush straight to Yong Province, where a genuine divine armament had surfaced.
Kunyun Commandery, after all, was merely a rumor. Since it was unconfirmed, genuine experts would not come for the time being. At most, a few Third Rank Grandmasters and a handful of Second Rank Grandmasters might show up, none of whom posed an insurmountable threat to him.
Moreover, it would take considerable time for experts from various provinces to receive the news and travel all the way here.
*And in less than ten days, I will break through once more! I will possess the strength to match a Second Rank Grandmaster. When that time comes, no matter how fierce the wind and rain, I can rest easy...*
***
In the blink of an eye, several days passed, and Kunyun Commandery fell into chaos just as expected.
The lower counties—especially Funing County, the suspected emergence site of the Juntian Ocean-Subduing Ruler—devolved into utter mayhem. Grudges from the pugilistic world were settled with blood, people were murdered for their wealth, and fights erupted over the slightest disagreement...
Even though both the commandery Martial Restraint Guard and the Six Doors had dispatched numerous personnel to station themselves in Funing County, the town remained in complete turmoil.
Meanwhile, hordes of martial artists poured into the commandery seat, placing immense pressure on Xia Hong and the others.
There was no helping it. The pugilistic figures were simply too numerous, whereas the guard's manpower was far smaller by comparison. Furthermore, any martial artist daring to act unruly in the commandery seat possessed considerable strength, with many at the Sixth or Fifth Rank.
Order across the commandery seat gradually broke down. Every government office was overwhelmed with work, as warriors, constables, and runners sprinted through the streets to quell disturbances.
Fortunately, with three official Grandmasters—including Yu Jingcheng—holding down the fort, no martial artists had dared to stage wholesale massacres within the city walls just yet.
Inside the Baoqing Ward Company Office.
Although Huang Tian had been promoted to Battalion Commander some time ago, Bai Yuanfu had not yet assigned him a formal post, so he continued to oversee the affairs of the Company Office. At that moment, he sat in the main hall listening to Luo Chan's report.
"Commander, in recent days, over a hundred homicides have occurred in the eastern sector, where our Baoqing Ward is located. However, most were vendettas among pugilistic fighters, and relatively few civilians have been caught in the crossfire..."
*Rumble!!*
Before Luo Chan could finish, a deafening crash of collapsing buildings erupted from outside the office, followed immediately by the furious roars of two martial artists.
"Are you out of your mind?! This is Baoqing Ward! Daring to strike here—if you have a death wish, I certainly don't!"
"You crippled my foundation and ruined my martial path! What does dying together with you matter?!"
"Madman! Lunatic! Get away from me!"
"Don't you dare run! Today, you die!"
"Damn you! If you're begging to die, I'll grant your wish!"
"..."
The explosive clashes of powerful true qi mingled with the terrified shrieks and weeping of ordinary citizens, causing Huang Tian's face to darken. He rose at once, retrieved the Crimson Radiance Bow and a brimming quiver from the case on his desk, and leaped out of the Company Office bow in hand.
Emerging onto the street, he spotted two martial artists—one clad in gray, the other in white—locked in combat with saber and spear not far away.
Unrestrained true qi swept in all directions. Teahouses, taverns, and residences along the streets had collapsed beneath the onslaught, leaving broken timber and shattered tiles everywhere. More than a dozen corpses were pinned under gray bricks, and the thick stench of blood hung heavy in the air.
Channeling his true qi, Huang Tian's voice resonated outward like rolling thunder: "Cease fighting and submit to arrest, or die!"
Yet the two were already completely blinded by fury, seeing only each other and bent on killing their foe at any cost.
In the distance, several martial artists looked on from afar, pointing and whispering.
"I heard Mountain Sanren and Moon Sanren were close friends in their early years, always sticking together. Who would have thought they'd cross blades today..."
"No matter how deep a friendship, it pales before the temptation of profit. The two of them once entered an ancient predecessor's cave abode together, but fell out over treasures inside and ambushed one another, leaving both gravely injured.
"Mountain Sanren had it worse, though—his foundation was crippled, completely ending his hopes of reaching the Grandmaster realm. From then on, he viewed Moon Sanren as a mortal enemy and hunted him relentlessly for revenge."
"Still, fighting like this in the city is sheer folly."
"Heh, Mountain Sanren went half-mad long ago. To track down Moon Sanren, who knows how many innocent people he's slaughtered, sparing neither the old nor women and children? He's been injured countless times himself and no longer values his own life—why would he care about reason?"
"Who is that man in the crimson official robes?"
"You don't recognize Huang Tian? The prodigy of the commandery Martial Restraint Guard, who killed Thousand Faces Old Ghost while still in the Sixth Rank!"
"So it's him! But as strong as he is, Mountain Sanren and Moon Sanren are both peak Fourth Rank experts... Wait, he's drawing his bow?!"
Upon the long street, a crimson robe and a crimson bow stood beneath eyes blazing like a roaring fire!
Huang Tian held the bow in his left hand, while the five fingers of his right hand gripped the bowstring. Blue, white, black, red, and yellow light flowed across his fingertips, resembling the strings of a zither.
It was none other than the Five Strings Orthophonic Archery!
*Twang—!!*
The bow bent like a full moon; the arrow flew like a shooting star!
A crisp, resonant cry—like the clashing of gold and jade, or a precious sword sliding from its scabbard—rang in everyone's ears!
Locked in fierce combat, the white-clad Moon Sanren took fright and turned his head in horror, only to see a densely condensed arrow shimmering with platinum light piercing through the void straight toward him!
The arrow cleaved through the air like a divine blade, sending rippling waves through the atmosphere with a bloodcurdling shriek.
Fast!
Far too fast!
Just as he caught sight of the arrow's white-dragon light swirling with heavy astral winds and baring fangs and claws, the shaft was already upon him!
Moon Sanren's eyes nearly split at the corners. He roared with abandon, his vitality surging as torrential true qi flooded into the saber in his hands. Slashing upward, he unleashed a silvery-white ribbon of blade light to meet the white dragon arrow head-on!
Yet...
Before the dragon-shaped platinum arrow qi, the condensed ribbon of blade light dissolved like grease over an open flame, vanishing in an instant. The arrow light retained its peerless sharpness, blasting through his chest with a thunderous roar!
Moon Sanren shuddered violently and looked down, only to find a hole the size of a human head punched clean through his torso. His eyes filled with shock and bewilderment. He opened his mouth, but could not produce a single sound before crashing into a pile of rubble with a heavy thud, throwing up a cloud of dust.
Mountain Sanren was stunned for a moment upon seeing his hated foe slain. Just as he recovered his senses and a grin began to spread across his face, another twang detonated through the air!
By the time the detonation reached his ears, the arrow was already before him!
It was a fiery red shaft that plunged like a falling meteor, trailing a dragon of flame several dozen yards long and searing the air with a burnt stench!
Mountain Sanren was initially startled, but then bared his teeth at Huang Tian in a savage grin. "You dog! If you want to kill me, I'll slaughter you first!!"
Facing the surging, dragon-like arrow light, he did not retreat; instead, he lunged forward, thrusting his spear. The biting gale of his weapon stirred the surrounding airflow into a screaming whirlwind, colliding violently with the flaming dragon arrow!
*Boom!!*
Sonic shockwaves and true qi tore through the surroundings, raising a fierce gale that kicked up vast clouds of dust and set Mountain Sanren's long hair dancing wildly. A colossal force traveled down the spearhead, jolting the shaft so violently that he nearly lost his grip.
He roared, his vitality boiling as the muscles across his arms bulged like coiled cords, barely managing to hold on to the trembling spear. Just as he breathed an inward sigh of relief, the world before his eyes blazed with blinding brilliance!
Three arrows shot in rapid succession tore through the sky, their blue, black, and yellow radiances intertwining into a dazzling rainbow that spanned the heavens. Before Mountain Sanren's terrified gaze, they blasted clean through his body!
The momentum of the arrows hurled his body through the air, sending him crashing heavily to the ground over a dozen yards away. After twitching twice, he moved no more.
Along the wide avenue, the gathered martial artists held their breath.
A dead silence fell.
Only the crimson-robed figure, radiant as flame, calmly lowered his bow and spoke in an even voice: "Luo Chan, sever their heads and hang them from the eastern city gate."
Chapter 102