Boom!
A figure from the distance landed steadily before Lin Qian, dropping to one knee. "Your Majesty, please allow me to execute this brazen fool to uphold your honor."
"Your Majesty is noble, supreme, and this trash doesn't even deserve the privilege of speaking to you. Daring to insult you is a crime punishable by death."
Zhao Long's voice grew more impassioned as his fury echoed through the air. "The Yuheng Dominion's provocation of the Huaxia Empire is an affront to the imperial will, a grave sin. They don't even deserve to lay eyes on Your Majesty."
"Your loyalty is appreciated," Lin Qian said with a satisfied smile, placing his hand on Zhao Long's head.
Beside them, Zhang Junchen was left speechless, staring in disbelief.
He could tell that Zhao Long was incredibly powerful, and his loyalty to Lin Qian bordered on fanatical—no one could offend the object of his devotion.
Having such a devoted and strong subordinate was an immense blessing for any ruler.
"Hmph, where did this lunatic come from? With your level of strength, do you think you can cause any real trouble?" Yun Meng sneered as he looked at Zhao Long. "Big talk for someone who's only at the seventh level of the Awakening Realm. Let's see how you plan to kill me."
With that, Yun Meng raised his hand, and nine spherical metal devices began to orbit around him. Infused with his chilling soul power, they condensed into a freezing stream, forming an icy spear in his grasp.
The Yun family was renowned for their crafting skills, particularly in using their cold attribute soul power to temper and solidify soul artifacts at the moment of creation. This mastery made their crafted weapons exceptionally stable and durable.
The newly formed ice spear was gripped firmly by Yun Meng as he aimed its tip at Zhao Long. "Big mouth, come and die if you dare. Your so-called emperor is nothing more than a disgrace to the Yun family. I'm just stating facts."
Standing beside Lin Qian, Zhao Long's hands clenched so tightly that his knuckles cracked. His Huaxia-attributed soul power surged out, showing his rising fury and desire to tear Yun Meng apart.
Zhao Long reached out, and the Tai Long Spear appeared in his hand, its shaft gleaming with a pale yellow hue as it was infused with his soul power. The spear's energy pulsed violently, mirroring Zhao Long's seething anger.
Boom!
The entire Righteous Emperor Warship trembled as Zhao Long, unable to tolerate the insult any longer, charged fiercely towards Yun Meng in the sky.
"An emperor not only has the power to claim and rule over the world but also to bestow and protect the world," Lin Qian said softly as he watched Zhao Long rush forward. He opened his right hand, where a faint image of mountains and rivers coalesced, forming the Mountain and River Seal that hovered above his palm.
"Imperial Authority!"
As Lin Qian's words fell, a crimson-gold lightning bolt and a white-blue icy mist shot out from the Mountain and River Seal, merging into Zhao Long's body.
Immediately, Zhao Long's left hand became engulfed in crimson-gold lightning, while his right hand was shrouded in white-blue frost.
At that moment, Zhao Long reached Yun Meng, raising his Tai Long Spear to strike down on his opponent.
Seeing this, Yun Meng quickly raised his ice spear to block the blow.
The two spears clashed with a deafening roar, sending shockwaves rippling through the air. Even Emperor Yuheng, watching nearby, had to reinforce himself with soul power to withstand the residual energy from the clash.
"Hmm?" Yun Meng had not taken Zhao Long seriously, believing that his master-level power far outclassed Zhao Long's. But the sheer force transmitted through the spear caught him off guard, nearly making him lose his grip on the ice spear.
Boom!
The two men were forced back by the impact of their clash.
As Yun Meng steadied himself, he eyed Zhao Long warily, puzzled by the immense power the man had just displayed. How could someone with such a lower cultivation level unleash such overwhelming force?
Just as Yun Meng was pondering this, Zhao Long pressed forward again, swinging his Tai Long Spear with fury, aiming straight for Yun Meng's head.
Yun Meng watched the incoming strike carefully. The aura and speed behind it seemed weaker than before, nowhere near the power of the previous attack.
Confidently, Yun Meng did not dodge but instead thrust his ice spear forward to meet the attack. The spears collided again, sparks flying as their energies clashed.
"Ugh!"
Yun Meng let out a muffled groan as the power of Zhao Long's strike sent a numbing shock up his arm, almost causing him to lose his grip on the spear once more.
"Again?" Seeing Zhao Long coming in for another strike, Yun Meng quickly retreated, narrowing his eyes in confusion.
Zhao Long's strength seemed inconsistent, shifting from weak to overpowering at unpredictable moments. This unpredictability made him a difficult opponent, something Yun Meng had never encountered before.
Meanwhile, Emperor Yuheng, observing the situation, recognized the difficult position Yun Meng was in. A sinister look flashed in his eyes as he began to move stealthily towards Zhao Long.
But just then, a streak of sword light intercepted Emperor Yuheng, halting his advance.
In an instant, countless sword qi appeared around Emperor Yuheng, trapping him within.
At that moment, Zhang Junchen appeared before him. "Let me test your strength, young man."
Zhang Junchen's words weighed heavily on Emperor Yuheng. Facing a legendary figure like Zhang Junchen, even someone as powerful as Emperor Yuheng couldn't help but feel a sense of pressure.
Meanwhile, Yun Meng and Zhao Long had already exchanged numerous blows, with Yun Meng growing increasingly frustrated. The erratic nature of Zhao Long's attacks made them difficult to predict or counter. A seemingly weak strike would suddenly unleash terrifying power, while a strong attack could suddenly fizzle out.
Then Yun Meng noticed something—he saw Lin Qian seated on the Righteous Emperor Warship, holding the Mountain and River Seal, with a faint image of Zhao Long's silhouette hovering above it.
It was impossible not to connect the strange power fluctuations in Zhao Long's attacks with Lin Qian's actions.
Attack the king to capture the bandits!
Yun Meng's eyes turned cold as he unleashed his full power, charging straight towards Lin Qian. His speed was so great that even Zhao Long couldn't catch up.
The icy spear in Yun Meng's hand gleamed with deadly intent as it aimed directly at Lin Qian's throat.