Translator: CinderTL
Whoosh! Whoosh!
A relentless gale howled across the land, like the harbinger of a violent storm.
Missiles frozen mid-air above the Royal Palace, their fiery trails suspended in place, trembled with a mechanical hum. Armored vehicles and tanks ground to a halt, their metal frames groaning and twisting as they were locked in place.
The fierce firefight came to an abrupt standstill, plunging the area within a kilometer of the Niduo Royal Palace into absolute silence.
"How is this possible?!"
Countless eyes, filled with disbelief and shock, turned upward to the figure hovering in the sky.
Whether they were troops stationed in the royal capital from various nations or the armed cyborgs from the Platinum Federation, masquerading under false identities, their hearts trembled with terror.
A single person had altered the very fabric of reality, suppressing an army of ten thousand, immobilizing all firepower weapons, and freezing every energy engine.
Was this being a god?
"He..."
The cloud layer parted, and the faint roar of a tiger carried on the wind.
Princess Eleanor stared dazedly at the black-clad figure materializing in the heavens, a flicker of complex hope gradually returning to her pale face.
The distance was too great to discern his features, yet the calm, cold voice struck her with an inexplicable sense of familiarity.
Boom!!
As if in response, the white-skinned man who had been on the verge of victory frantically activated all his energy devices, pushing his core engine to its maximum overload capacity.
Amidst the droning hum, his cold, rigid expression had long been replaced by shock, anger, and terror. Beads of cold sweat trickled down his face, gradually giving way to panic and fear.
Rip!
In an instant, his black jacket exploded, scattering into fluttering shreds.
His silver-blue cyborg body gleamed with metallic luster, jets of flame erupting from his elbows, back, waist, and feet as he strained to break free from the invisible gravitational restraints with brute force exceeding a thousand tons.
Crack! Crack! Crack! Crack!
The piercing sound echoed through the air, like metal grinding against an invisible cage. Sparks flew from his metallic body, visible to the naked eye.
The other peak sixth-tier Mech Warrior guarding General Walker wore a similar expression of furious terror. Recognizing the young man hovering above, he urgently activated his Flying Shuttle, preparing to unleash a high-energy beam to amplify the destructive force and shatter the confinement.
Hum!
But then, a gale surged anew.
The azure sky churned like a roiling ocean, the Martial Dao Momentum of the Giant Dome Canopy pressing down from above.
Sunlight froze in place, as if trapped in amber.
The cloud layer solidified into stony masses.
The fusion of a powerful mind and Pinnacle Intent warped reality, almost replacing the world surrounding Niduo Royal Palace with an absolute domain belonging solely to one man.
The grinding, twisting sounds intensified once more.
The two struggling Flying General-level white men froze mid-motion as all their Energy Devices simultaneously malfunctioned and shut down. Their metallic bodies and Flying Shuttles shattered in rapid succession, sparking violently.
"Had enough?" Chen Feng asked calmly, his gaze sweeping over the scene from above.
Though he stood invisibly in the empty sky, he seemed to be standing on an invisible staircase, his mere gaze dominating everything.
"You—"
One of the Flying General-level white men opened his mouth, his expression a mix of shock, anger, and fear. His metallic body continued to crumble, the electromagnetic glow in his eyes rapidly dimming.
He tried to speak, but—
Boom!
A flash of light erupted into a violent explosion.
The replicated Flying General-level consciousness was completely crushed by the overwhelming mental pressure, and the Stellar Titanium-enhanced body shattered instantly.
Metal fragments scattered in all directions, only to lose momentum under the crushing pressure and clatter to the ground.
The lifelike white man's head rolled away, coming to rest beside Captain Modo and the other guards lying on the ground. Their faces were frozen in shock, their eyes wide as they clearly saw the lingering terror and rage on the cyborg's face.
Finally—
Thud!
The head came to a stop, lightly touching the black leather boot of Princess Eleanor's left foot.
Forcing herself to focus, Eleanor glanced down, her pale face betraying a complex mix of emotions.
This was the Peak Flying General-level cyborg who had nearly annihilated the entire Royal Family guard.
Yet now, he had been instantly killed by a casual glance, unable to offer even the slightest resistance.
Shock, terror, relief, despair...
A complex mix of emotions surged within her as she gazed up at the figure in the sky.
She wanted to speak, but then she saw the Sixth-Tier Mech Warrior in the distance, unable to withstand the mental pressure any longer, collapse into madness.
"Aaaah!!!"
Crackling electromagnetic sparks erupted from his head as the computational power of his implanted chips exceeded their limits.
Driven by desperate madness and terror at his companion's death, he unleashed his final survival instinct. Even as his Flying Shuttle shattered, it forcibly ejected blue, high-energy flames in a desperate burst of power.
"Not good!"
General Walker's expression twisted in alarm. The enemy's energy signature in his Scanning Module had transformed into a high-energy Magnetic Field, its energy levels skyrocketing every second.
Amidst the chaos,
Boom!!
Like fireworks exploding, six Flying Shuttles detonated simultaneously.
Blue, high-energy flames intertwined and bloomed in mid-air. The surging Magnetic Field that had been visible in General Walker's eyes vanished abruptly, as if crushed by a massive hammer.
"This..."
He stared in disbelief. The peak sixth-tier Mech Warrior who had blocked their path had been reduced to a headless corpse.
Crackling electromagnetic sparks continued to burn his body and the windbreaker he wore. Every rebel in the Royal Palace, as well as their disguised accomplices who had participated in the armed assassination, felt their hearts tremble at the sight.
Farther away, the multinational forces stationed in the Royal Capital's square also witnessed the spectacle.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
All the frozen missiles detonated simultaneously, unleashing a blinding, sky-filling inferno that made everyone's eardrums ache and eyes sting.
Amid the brief chaos, tanks and armored vehicles screeched to a halt, while the ion light shields of aircraft flickered and died.
The federal military powerhouse, who had used a flimsy excuse to block the Red Nation's Flying General, now stood pale-faced, his combat suit soaked with cold sweat and clinging uncomfortably to his skin.
They had never imagined that their meticulously planned assassination would encounter such formidable resistance.
Even more terrifying was the realization of this being's lethal intent and unyielding resolve.
They doubted whether they could even survive this encounter.
"Let's see how you explain this," the Red Nation's stationed Flying General sneered, finally venting his pent-up anger.
Sensing the oppressive pressure that had blanketed the heavens slowly receding, the Red Nation general, clad in his Flying General Combat Suit, ignited his thrusters and shot skyward, heading straight for Chen Feng.
The overwhelming Martial Dao Momentum gradually dissipated, allowing those near the Royal Palace to regain their freedom of movement.
Yet even so, no one dared to act rashly.
Whether they were from the Platinum Federation or other nations' armed forces, everyone swallowed hard, craning their necks to gaze at the figure suspended in the high-altitude cloud layer.
"Subordinate Guo Weiping reports to Major General Chen!"
The officer in charge of the Niduo Kingdom's Capital, a man known as a Flying General, approached Chen Feng.
As the clouds parted, the fiery trails behind him resembled thrusters, stabilizing his descent.
The crystal sword-and-shield emblem on his left chest glowed brightly, and his middle-aged face, etched with the wisdom of forty years, radiated awe and admiration.
Chen Feng nodded slightly but didn't immediately respond. Instead, his gaze deepened as he peered beyond the royal capital toward a distant area.
Buzz!
The azure sky still bore the faint outline of the Canopy, its immense power seemingly restrained.
Meanwhile, a crimson sun blazed fiercely, as if about to transform into a volcanic meteor and plunge toward the horizon.
"Hmm?"
Guo Weiping, the Flying General, paused momentarily, then reacted swiftly. His expression shifted as he hurried to Chen Feng's side, activating his detection device to scan the distant landscape.
It was the national highway leading out of the capital, a paved asphalt road over ten meters wide that stretched straight across the Gobi Desert, forming the sole passage through the arid wasteland.
At that very moment, on a hillside bordering the highway, the air shimmered with heat distortion.
A shadowy figure stood silhouetted against the horizon, wearing sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat, their gaze locked with theirs across the distance.
"That's..."
"A Legend," Chen Feng declared, his words causing Guo Weiping's face to twist with surprise and suspicion.
Before the Flying General could recover,
Buzz!
The Canopy above converged with crushing force, its burning crimson light igniting the atmosphere.
Boom!!
A volcanic mountain, like a colossal beast, descended with crushing force, its massive shadow engulfing the earth.
The yellow sands outside the royal capital trembled violently, sinking inch by inch as they rapidly melted.
Finally, the volcano crashed to the ground.
Boom!!!
The impact shook the royal capital like an earthquake, nearly toppling its inhabitants.
Pale, shocked gazes watched as the asphalt roads and hillside slopes outside the city vanished, replaced by a massive crater a kilometer in diameter.
Scorched earth melted, fissures spreading across the landscape.
Sand grains vibrated and melted under the distorted air, while the distant figure they had been facing had vanished without a trace.
"This..."
Flying General Guo Fei, hovering in the cloud layer above, wore a look of utter shock. Inside the aircraft, Lin Hao and the others stared in disbelief.
First the Canopy, now a volcanic meteor.
Such godlike martial arts techniques defied all scientific explanation, striking their minds like illusions that left them shaken and speechless.
Gulp!
Swallowing hard, Guo Fei finally understood why this man, relying solely on his martial arts prowess, had been able to defeat a Legendary Title powerhouse like Flying General Nangong.
Suppressing his shock and terror, he asked the crucial question in a trembling voice:
"Major General Chen, that person..."
"He's gone," Chen Feng replied, narrowing his eyes as he slowly withdrew his Martial Dao Momentum.
The Canopy dissipated, and the volcanic illusion faded.
Chen Feng gazed at the massive scorched crater outside the royal capital, watching the molten terrain transform into shifting sands.
He was certain he hadn't killed his opponent.
The enemy possessed an extraordinary ability, vanishing completely as if dissolving into the air like an element.
Even the Holy Shield Colossus had failed to restrain him.
"A Legendary-grade Biological Cyborg," Chen Feng surmised, scanning his surroundings to confirm the enemy's departure.
Beside him, Flying General Guo Fei, unaware of Chen Feng's thoughts, merely narrowed his eyes, a hint of lingering fear in his gaze.
The involvement of a Legendary-grade cyborg clearly implicated the Platinum Federation.
This Niduo rebellion, orchestrated by the federation's assassination plot, proved far more ruthless than he had imagined.
Buzz!
High above, the cloud layers slowly drifted apart.
Chen Feng withdrew his Martial Dao Momentum, and the Mental Canopy vanished completely.
The silver-gray aircraft remained steady in the sky, hovering behind him.
His gaze swept downward, taking in the devastation of Niduo Kingdom's Capital below.
Roads were shattered, buildings collapsed in scorched ruins, and the landscape was scarred with blackened marks.
Amidst the concrete craters and brick debris lay the burning wreckage of mechs and the blood-soaked corpses of Niduo Soldiers.
"This rebellion erupted too suddenly," Guo Fei explained. "The Platinum Federation bribed some Niduo nobles and officials, who launched a coordinated attack."
"We encountered resistance and could only watch as the rebellion spread, eventually surrounding the Royal Palace," Flying General Guo Fei said, a hint of shame in his voice. Noticing Chen Feng's gaze, he quickly explained the situation.
Chen Feng nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping past the Royal Palace before settling on the army's encampment near the plaza.
Armored vehicles and tanks had been forced to halt, while aircraft gradually disarmed.
Though fear was evident on their faces, the soldiers dared not make a single move, terrified of being annihilated on the spot.
"It seems we were just a step away from failure," Chen Feng murmured, shaking his head. He glanced at the Royal Palace one last time, catching sight of Princess Eleanor's conflicted expression and the signature on the document.
He had originally intended to merely pass through Niduo on his return journey to Nanjiang, not wanting to be distracted.
However, after filing his flight plan, he soon received an urgent plea for assistance from the military.
A rebellion had erupted in the Royal Palace, led by nobles seeking to stage a coup.
Princess Eleanor, who planned to fully align with the Red Nation, had been targeted for assassination, while Red Nation forces stationed in Niduo faced fierce resistance.
The result was the scene that had just unfolded.
"If I'm not mistaken, the Platinum Federation likely planted spies within Princess Eleanor's inner circle," Chen Feng speculated. "They must have wanted to seize control of the Royal Family before the new Legendary-grade arrived, hoping to interfere with the Luoyue secret realm. That's why they launched this coup today."
Flying General Guo Fei analyzed the situation, revealing that he had anticipated this crisis from the moment the rebellion began.
Niduo shares a border with Luoyue, particularly its eastern region, making it inevitable that the Platinum Federation would have designs on the kingdom.
Chen Feng's gaze flickered with a hint of irony as he sighed at the twists of fate.
Nangong Ling had originally been ordered to come to Niduo Kingdom's Capital to mediate the conflict between the Royal Family and the Federal Consortium. She was scheduled to arrive yesterday.
However, due to Chen Feng's delays and the Secret Realm incident, her itinerary was altered, diverting her to Luoyue instead.
In a way, Chen Feng realized, he might have inadvertently contributed to this turmoil.
"When will the other Legendary arrive?" Chen Feng asked, knowing that Niduo Kingdom's Capital urgently needed a true powerhouse to maintain order and prevent further assassinations by the Platinum Federation.
"Flying General Zhou Heng is already en route and will arrive by tonight at the latest," Guo Weiping replied, his face lighting up as he understood Chen Feng's intentions. He quickly reported the news.
Chen Feng vaguely recalled hearing about this other Legendary Flying General.
Without further delay, he turned and entered the aircraft, which slowly descended.
Returning to Nanjiang could wait a day or two.
Although the Niduo civil war had delayed his journey, Chen Feng's gaze shifted to the "Talents" section.
The progress of "Azure Armor" and "Steel Bones" remained minimal, but "Heart of Glory" had yielded an unexpected surge in progress, triggering a series of notifications.
This indicated an imminent transformation as the accumulated nutrients reached critical mass, promising a significant upgrade.
For this reason, Chen Feng didn't mind pausing his journey temporarily.
His gaze swept across the surroundings.
Though seated within the aircraft, Chen Feng's Perception allowed him to clearly observe the outside world.
They were at the heart of the military restricted zone, the plaza he had personally destroyed.
A Void Black Spot hung suspended in mid-air, surrounded by several half-meter-long pitch-black rifts.
The Niduo Kingdom's Capital had suffered a cataclysmic upheaval today, weakening all factions and sowing discord among them.
No one could be certain whether the Evil God Cult and the Black Tide would seize this opportunity to launch a world-devastating invasion.
This very uncertainty compelled him to stay.
It wasn't just about upholding his principles and convictions; he also had his own selfish motives.
The Martial Dao Heavenly Ladder remained a critical question, perhaps the key to defeating the Fearless Heart.
(End of the Chapter)
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