Monarch of Evernight

It was unknown when an extra person had appeared within the large and empty courtyard. He possessed a moderate build and his robust figure appeared as if it was carved from stone. He merely stood there but his grave and imposing manner pervaded the air, suppressing everyone until it was difficult to breathe.

Qianye slowly stood up and met that person’s incoming gaze. He suddenly felt as if a beam of white light was striking toward him like a bolt of lightning. His whole field of vision momentarily distorted.

He, however, forcibly withstood this moment of blindness. He stood straight as he exclaimed with a serious voice, “Wu Zhengnan!”

“If I didn’t remember wrong, we only met for the first time the day before yesterday, but it seems you’ve been concerned about me for quite some time.” Wu Zhengnan’s tone wasn’t as overbearing as his demeanor. His words were spoken calmly as if he was actively chatting with a friend.

Wu Zhengnan advanced in slow strides and no loud sound could be heard from his every step. However, the courtyard was trembling as if a whole mountain was encroaching upon it.

He only halted his steps when he reached the eaves of the porch. Light poured out of the open door and illuminated the visitor. One could see Wu Zhengnan still wearing the expeditionary army’s major general uniform, but the military rank insignias on his cuffs, collar and shoulders have been removed.

Wu Zhengnan was only supposed to be investigated and not dismissed—after seeing him appear wearing a uniform with no insignia, the corner of Song Zining’s eyes twitched ever so slightly while Qianye also felt a vague sense of unease.

Wei Potian, on the other hand, had no such thoughts. He suddenly stood up and shouted, “What are you here for!?”

Wu Zhengnan replied with a smile, “The Wei clan heir still has that fiery temper. In truth, I only came to see little friend Qianye. I didn’t expect the heir to also be here.”

At this point, Wu Zhengnan turned toward Song Zining and spoke with a questioning tone, “And you are?”

“Highland Song Clan, I’m seventh.” Song Zining’s reply was very simple, but those who could announce their name like this could only be main branch scions of considerable identity. The branch lineages would have to state their branch name.

The uneasiness within Qianye’s heart grew stronger. He understood Song Zining very well—him throwing out the Song clan name directly indicated that they were in a position where it had become absolutely necessary.

Wu Zhengnan was startled ever so slightly. He then proceeded to nod in greeting. “So it’s the seventh young master.”

Wei Potian suddenly shouted, “Wu Zhengnan! How did you come in here? What happened to my men outside?”

“The men outside?” Wu Zhengnan’s smile suddenly became fleeting. “I didn’t see any living people outside, only a few corpses.”

Wei Potian’s expression immediately sunk as he said coldly, “That means you’ve killed them? What nerve! Where’s Elder Chen?”

Qianye’s gaze suddenly fell on Wu Zhengnan’s left hand which was hanging to his side at an unnatural angle—it looked like an artificial arm was attached to the body—a drop of blood slowly trickled down from his sleeve and dripped onto the floor.

The blood pool on the ground gradually increased in size and became palm-sized in the blink of an eye.

Qianye finally discovered something he had overlooked. Under the suppression of Wu Zhengnan’s powerful vigor which almost seemed to be able to stir up space, he had failed to notice the dense stench of blood in the air.

Such a density couldn’t be accumulated by killing just one or two people. Qianye had only smelt such a concentrated stench of blood on battlefields involving thousands. But now such a bloody aura was being emitted continuously from under Wu Zhengnan’s uniform as if his body was completely stained with fresh blood.

Qianye suddenly looked up at the dark night sky. At this time, the whole block was unusually quiet—not even the slightest background noise could be heard, and even the night winds seemed to have stopped flowing.

Wu Zhengnan sighed. “Wei clan heir is really dull. How could you reveal something like this? Now it’s no longer interesting! I don’t know any Elder Chen, but I did pick up something outside that might perhaps be of interest to you.”

With that, Wu Zhengnan raised his right hand and casually tossed a black object toward Wei Potian.

Wei Potian subconsciously caught it. He was immediately enraged after seeing what it was and cried out involuntarily, “Elder Chen!”

It was, shockingly, a human head. Its facial features resembled the external elder who had been accompanying Wei Potian on this excursion. He was also a champion level expert, but unexpectedly, he had silently died in Wu Zhengnan’s hands.

Wei Potian’s anger disappeared all of a sudden. He calmed down and spoke with a harsh tone, “General Wu, although it wasn’t my idea, I have already left you a way out, but you suddenly killed our Wei clan’s elder. Did you think those expeditionary army dignitaries will cover for you till the end?”

Wu Zhengnan attentively gazed at Wei Potian and found the latter to be completely unaffected by his suppressive might. This wasn’t a forced and artificial calmness but true fearlessness which he couldn’t help but praise. “The Wei clan heir is indeed a giant among men. Sigh, my son wouldn’t have died so early if only he had half your talents.”

With that Wu Zhengnan turned to Qianye. “If I’m not wrong, that useless brat should’ve died in your hands.”

Qianye replied indifferently, “He was actively courting death. He should’ve known he would lose his life the moment he annihilated the whole of my friend’s family.”

Wu Zhengnan laughed loudly and said repeatedly, “So it’s like that. Good, good, good! It seems my son should indeed be killed! Well done!”

Wei Potian frowned. “General Wu! What is the meaning of this? You have a way out before you, are you not willing to go?”

Wu Zhengnan sneered. “A way out? Even if I walk out of the Department of Military Affairs alive, the 7th division should already have another owner, right? This division, this land, this city, and this military base… I’ve spent half my life operating this place! What meaning is there in being alive if I lose them all!? Just like this military uniform I’m wearing, can you still call this a military uniform after removing all the military insignia?”

Wu Zhengnan continued, “Originally, I only wanted to see this person of astonishing talents who was able to kill my son, escape the pursuit of my assassins and, in the end, rob an entire caravan of mine. I hadn’t expected the Wei clan heir and Song clan young master to be here. Quite unexpected!”

“You also killed everyone in this street block,” Qianye said calmly. It seemed as if flames were dancing within his eyes amidst restrained fury.

Wu Zhengnan was visibly surprised by Qianye’s keen senses. He raised his brows and said, “It seems my useless son died for a reason. You are all young and heroic. It’s only proper that you have people to accompany you in death.”

Qianye’s heart slowly sank. Only a short while had passed between his friends’ return from the alleyway and Wu Zhengnan’s appearance, yet the latter had actually killed all of the residents in this block along with Wei Potian’s personal guards and the elder during this time. This kind of strength proved that he was more than just an ordinary champion.

Wei Potian, on the other hand, laughed loudly instead. “If you kill me, your whole clan can forget about surviving!”

Wu Zhengnan replied calmly, “Since I’ve already killed people from your Wei clan, one more doesn’t make a difference. Evernight is a vast place. It won’t be so easy even if the four great clans want to find me, not to mention your Wei clan. As for family, heh, heh, how can there be whole eggs under an overturned nest. They should be resigned to their fate.

Song Zining suddenly spoke, “It’s quite grand of you to bury the whole Huaiyang Wu Clan along with you.”

Wu Zhengnan’s expression finally changed. However, his expression was somewhat odd. It didn’t quite resemble fear, but neither was it complete anger.

Song Zining continued without waiting for him to say anything, “General Wu, you also seemed to have paid quite dearly in order to kill the Wei clan champion if I’m not mistaken. You probably won’t last very long suppressing your wounds with a secret art.”

The radiance within Wu Zhengnan’s eyes intensified as he stared fixedly at Song Zining like a vicious beast choosing his prey in the dark night. “Young Master Song truly has a good eyesight. But even if I’m wounded, do you three juniors really think you’re a match for me?”

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy and stagnant during the short three steps he took from the hallway to the room door. It was as if an invisible gigantic beast was encroaching upon them.

Song Zining, however, wasn’t quite affected. He revealed a gentle and refined smile as azure light flashed across his body. His whole person suddenly flickered for a moment, however, that was just an illusion—the truth was that the distorted air around his body had affected visual perception.

“But it seems this matter is completely unrelated to me. So can I leave?” Song Zining shrugged and said innocently.

Wu Zhengnan hadn’t expected Song Zining to say something like this. He hesitated for a moment before saying, “If Young Master Song wishes to leave, please do so immediately! I can’t promise I won’t change my mind if you delay any longer.”

Song Zining’s figure suddenly flickered and disappeared, leaving only a few afterimages where he stood.

Wu Zhengnan stared at the place where the final afterimage disappeared and frowned. After which, his gaze swept back toward Qianye and Wei Potian. He had long since figured out that Song Zining was the most difficult among the three—the latter’s unfathomable secret art had exceeded his expectations. Since he had let one of them go, it was imperative for him to end this battle quickly.

Qianye had already whispered to Wei Potian when Song Zining expressed his plan to leave. “You leave too!”

Wu Zhengnan was a major general. A major general, even if he was only from the expeditionary army, wouldn’t just be a late stage champion. This also meant that the three of them were at least three ranks lower than him. Under the suppression of such a difference in rank, they might not be able to receive a few blows from Wu Zhengnan, even if the latter was badly wounded. But as long as Qianye could block the enemy for a moment, the others could run away—this was especially true for Song Zining and Wei Potian who had personal guards—they would be safe as long as they could return to their garrison.

At this time, he couldn’t be clearer on what to choose.

Wei Potian, on the other hand, said calmly, “What are you scared of? At worst, this daddy will repay you with this life.”

Qianye wanted to say more but Song Zining’s figure had already disappeared at this point. Wu Zhengnan laughed out loud. “It’s already quite late. Allow me to accomplish your wishes!” A bright jade glow emerged on his right palm and swatted down with earth-shattering momentum!

Qianye and Wei Potian felt the space before them freeze even while the palm winds were some distance away. A tremendous and peerless force was pushing toward them, almost causing their breathing to stagnate.

Wei Potian took large strides toward the courtyard. He roared wildly like a thunderclap as a blazing yellow radiance surged even brighter than the glow of his origin power—the “Thousand Mountains” had been activated at full power! However, this yellow gleam dimmed swiftly under the assault of the jade green light. He was like a flickering flame amidst the violent squall, about to be extinguished at any time.

Qianye suddenly appeared diagonally behind Wei Potian and reached out to support the latter’s back and waist. The “Thousand Mountains”, at this time, was wavering and about to collapse. Qianye pushed out with a supple force and sent the unsuspecting Wei Potian flying to one side.

Qianye took one step and withstood the incoming attack in Wei Potian’s previous position. He faced the jade green glow which had arrived within arm’s reach. It was at this time that Qianye clenched his jaws—his full attention was gathered on the origin power tide within his body as the combatant formula rushed past the 28th cycle. This was already his current fastest speed.

At this moment, he only heard the sound of the tide and soft thunder rumbling from afar.

Qianye’s fist struck out toward the jade glow which seemed as if it could swallow everything. His heart was exceptionally calm—this matter had arisen from him, and quite rightly, it should also end with him.