Chapter 1056: Chapter 259: Chen Jiusi: What, Wu Mu’s Legacy? (Part 5)
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, July 22nd.
The dreadful news reached the Great Capital: Daqian’s Upper City had been breached by the Four Great Dharma Kings of the Zoroastrian Sect, led by Mr. Duozhi Fox; for a moment, everyone in the capital was in fear.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, July 23rd.
Daqian’s Prime Minister, Tuotuo Timur, advised Emperor Shun that the capital was in danger, and Vassal Kings from all over should be summoned to the capital to assist. Emperor Shun immediately issued an imperial edict summoning various Vassal Kings to the capital for aid.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, July 25th.
The Ruyang King led his troops to aid the king, leading the White Deer Army of the Empire’s Three Great Armies north across the Yellow River in an effort to come to the king’s aid. The Four Great Dharma Kings of the Zoroastrian Sect, with Descending Mountain Tiger Du Zundao, led tens of thousands of elite soldiers to defend against the Ruyang King.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, July 26th.
The Taizhou Governor, Sea Patrol King Tai Buhua, led tens of thousands of naval troops planning to sail east across the East Sea to land and defend the Great Capital. The Four Great Dharma Kings of the Zoroastrian Sect, led by Sea Dragon Fang Guozhen and the Divine Dragon Sect members, intercepted along the coast, leading to a large-scale naval battle.
The Suzhou Salt Guild, headed by Zhang Shicheng, seized the opportunity to attack Taizhou, forcing Tai Buhua to retreat and defend as he was attacked from both front and back.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, July 28th.
King Qi Li Siqi led the Grey Wolf Army of the Empire’s Three Great Armies, responding to the call to aid the king, departing from the Central Pass and heading directly to Hebei with the intent to cut off the Zoroastrian Sect’s retreat. The Four Great Dharma Kings of the Zoroastrian Sect, Mr. Duozhi Fox, abandoned the Upper City, blocked King Qi in the north, and set the century-old capital city ablaze upon departure!
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, July 30th.
Peng Yingyu captured Hubei and established the Tianyuan Empire, shocking the world. King Qi Li Siqi, fearing an attack on his heartlands, retreated with his army back to his fief to guard against Peng Yingyu.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 6th.
The Ruyang King crossed the Yellow River, and Du Zundao led the main army to attack the crossing White Deer Army. Despite having thirty thousand elite troops and eighty thousand refugees, they were routed by fifty thousand White Deer soldiers.
After pursuing for fifty li, they confronted each other at Kaifeng in Henan.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 10th.
Mr. Duozhi Fox, moved south to aid Du Zundao, set up the Nine Palace Bagua Formation at Kaifeng Prefecture, and faced the White Deer Army.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 11th.
The White Deer Army’s first attempt to break the formation ended in failure.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 12th.
The White Deer Army deployed two Molten Furnace Realm Ministers and thirty thousand White Deer soldiers to break the formation, ultimately to no avail.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 13th.
The Ruyang King personally led the White Deer Army to break the formation. Mr. Guan and Du Zundao joined forces against him, yet the formation remained unbroken, leading to a stalemate with no end in sight for the Ruyang King’s advancement northward.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 18th.
The main forces of the Zoroastrian Sect clashed with the Treasure Elephant Army. Yushan Monk Liu Futong and Treasure Elephant Army Commander Boluo Timur engaged in a fierce battle, ending in a draw.
The next day they fought again, with no decisive outcome.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 19th.
The Hierarch of the Zoroastrian Sect, Ming King Han Shantong, invited Daqian Imperial Advisor Basiba to a battle on Mount Wending on the 20th.
Basiba Living Buddha gladly accepted.
The eleventh year of Zhizheng, August 20th.
Basiba Living Buddha set off early for the peak of Mount Wending, while Han Shantong was delayed. Just as everyone thought Han Shantong had failed to appear, he emerged holding a one-eyed stone man, heading directly for Mount Wending along the river.
With each step, he gathered the power of Heaven and Earth.
By the time he reached Mount Wending, his body emitted a golden glow, resembling the descent of a Heavenly God.
Simultaneously, the stone man he was holding came to life, clad in golden armor, appearing like a Heavenly God descending from above, wielding a treasure sword and striking at Basiba Living Buddha.
Basiba Living Buddha, seeing this, summoned his Dharma Form.
Instantly, a Buddha manifested on earth.
The two battled atop Mount Wending, splitting mountains, toppling trees; the hundred-zhang-high Mount Wending was cleaved in half by their battle.
For a time, they both resembled Heavenly Gods descended to the mortal realm.
One embodied the Qiankun Master, the other the Buddha Venerate.
It’s said that even the two armies clashing ceased fighting, awed by the shockwaves of their battle.
All present witnessed the pinnacle of Martial Arts in the world.
The Molten Furnace Realm seemed fragile as children before them, a testament to their power.
Even the world’s top ten masters, like Yushan Monk and Boluo Timur, felt unmatched by these two.
They believed they stood at the same Martial Arts Realm as these two, believing they’d surpassed the Molten Furnace Realm.
However, they later realized that each mountain is taller than the last; these two had reached another realm, an untouchable realm.
Yes, the realm Master Zhang Sanfeng once spoke of, that Ancestor Lu once achieved: Earthly Immortal!
Indeed, such powers as moving mountains and filling seas truly embodied divine methods, calling them Immortals was not inappropriate.
This could well be the strongest Martial Arts proficiency of this era.
Their battle collapsed Mount Wending.
For an entire day and night, all were unsure of the victor.
Heaven and Earth emitted a strong light, followed by cataclysmic might, momentarily dimming the sun in the sky.
In the aftermath of the blinding light, people saw a shattered stone man.
And a Buddha missing an arm.
Indeed, in this battle, Han Shantong perished, the world’s foremost, and Basiba lost an arm, gravely injured.
The gravely injured Basiba could no longer stop Han Shantong. They watched as Han Shantong’s stone man crumbled, followed by countless rays of light shooting across the sky.
Seeing these lights, Basiba was astounded, looking at Han Shantong, he said, “You’ve scattered everything you have!”
Yes, Han Shantong had dispersed everything he had. At this moment, Han Shantong shouted to the heavens, “Blazing Holy Fire, burn my frail body, illuminate the path ahead, for the sake of light!”