Chapter 159: Shanshan

The Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang shrank by three meters. Countless dense eyes all locked onto Jiang Ming, unleashing divine light that directly assaulted his mind and soul.

At the same time, its eight tentacles intertwined and twisted together like a giant awl, aiming straight for Jiang Ming's fist.

It even manipulated the energy of heaven and earth to form a domain for defense.

Its reaction speed had reached the absolute extreme.

While defending, it simultaneously launched a counter-offensive.

The domain of the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang was extraordinarily powerful, far surpassing that of the former Emperor Pino. Yet, instead of shattering Jiang Ming's martial arts domain, it was suppressed by a notch.

Rumble...

The collision of heaven and earth distorted time and space, shattering the order of Dao and creating all sorts of terrifying anomalies. It resembled an apocalyptic natural disaster, with roaring thunder, sweeping gales, vomiting flames, monstrous tidal waves, and falling stars.

Immediately afterward, Jiang Ming was struck by the divine light from the eyes of the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang. It instantly pierced through his external barrier and plunged deep into his mind. The chaotic energy and various eerie whispers drove the mind into confusion and the nervous system into madness.

It also harbored an incomparably terrifying and irresistible destructive force.

Within Jiang Ming's Sea of Consciousness:

He had long since prepared defenses. As his Yin Spirit shifted, it transformed into a Dharmic Form. At this moment, the laurel tree stood like a towering cosmic pillar, its branches and leaves swaying to shroud all directions, supporting a bright moon above.

A jade rabbit rested among the branches.

On the other side, a massive Fusang tree blazed with fire, supporting a magnificent sun. Its vast, supreme Yang energy illuminated the heavens and myriad realms, seemingly bestowing light upon all living beings.

A three-legged Golden Crow stood upon its branches, and as it cried out to the heavens, it naturally radiated the True Fire of the Sun, capable of incinerating the heavens, boiling the seas, and destroying everything.

One Yin, one Yang. Their rotation formed the supreme law, constructing the ultimate domain defense barrier in this world.

The forces of supreme Yin and supreme Yang spun rapidly, obliterating everything in their path.

When the power of the monstrous eyes struck, it caused the Yin-Yang Dharmic Form to vibrate violently, but it failed to break through. Instead, it was continually ground down and dissolved by the rotational force.

Yet Jiang Ming was also startled.

Because accompanying the attack, his mental will was almost broken. All kinds of chaotic emotions surged forth, accompanied by endless whispers resembling the murmurs of evil gods from countless abysses, compelling him involuntarily to sink into darkness.

Fortunately, his Dharmic Form was formidable enough to rapidly grind away the attack, and the various chaotic whispers vanished swiftly until not a trace remained.

This clash of souls was completed in less than a thousandth of an instant.

A flash of shock crossed the face of the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang.

How could his monstrous eyes fail to kill the opponent, or even severely injure him?

Back then, Li Maimang had almost been utterly destroyed by this very move!

Before it could dwell on it, the sharp awl formed by its tentacles had already collided with Jiang Ming's fist. This was another of its terrifying abilities.

By shrinking its body, the power stored within its tentacles would surge exponentially, and they would become even more rigid.

Let alone a punch, it could pierce right through an iron mountain.

But the next moment, shock flashed through its cruel eyes, followed instantly by terror.

Boom...

The instant they collided, it felt like the creation of heaven and earth or the detonation of an atomic bomb. The resulting torrent of force directly shattered the mountain peak below.

The shockwave of energy swept clearly in all directions. Wherever it passed, trees were annihilated and rocks were pulverized. Even Li Maimang's pupils contracted as he quickly retreated.

This power was simply too immense.

He knew all too well how terrifying the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang was, and he had never dared engage it in close combat during their previous clashes.

"So powerful!"

Seeing what happened next, Li Maimang's pupils constricted further.

Jiang Ming's fist merely paused for a fraction of a second before pushing forward. The supreme power formed by the intertwining of eight tentacles could not block this punch at all, and the entire body was blasted apart.

Tentacles, eyes, flesh...

"Impossible..."

The Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang let out a cry of despair, and in the next instant, its entire body was blown to pieces. Not a bone remained, its spirit was annihilated, and its will was utterly destroyed, resulting in its complete demise.

"How dare you let me close in..."

Jiang Ming withdrew his fist and couldn't help but smile.

This punch had been thoroughly satisfying and immensely gratifying.

The Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang, who was far more powerful than Emperor Pino, had been abruptly beaten to death by him with matchless dominance. However, he did not let down his guard. Sweeping the surrounding area with his soul power and confirming that no lingering marks remained, he finally set his mind at ease.

Simultaneously, he opened the system panel and saw that the task to kill ten alien emperors had progressed by two, proving that the enemy was thoroughly dead.

After a careful inspection, he discovered a few stray drops of flesh and blood and stored them in his spatial ring, intending to analyze the life form and genetic hierarchy of the Monstrous Zhang race in the future.

"Is it dead?" Li Maimang walked over through the air, traces of lingering shock still visible in his expression.

"Dead!" Jiang Ming nodded. "Great Scholar, Cotton City is now in your hands!"

"Rest assured!" Li Maimang let out a long breath and smiled. "Without the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang, the rest of them are nothing more than lambs waiting for slaughter to me."

"That's good!" Jiang Ming said, unable to help raising his head.

He sensed prying eyes and discovered countless eyes staring at him from the highest heavens. In an instant, various forces of chaos swarmed over, and grand, peerless whispers penetrated deep into his mind and soul.

Even his physical body involuntarily desired to transform into an alien entity.

Jiang Ming's vital blood surged, and his Yin Spirit manifested in its full sanctity, effortlessly suppressing all discomfort. He smiled: "Nothing special!"

"Haha..." The Master's hearty laughter echoed down from above. "Good, good, good, little fellow, impressive. Having killed that thing, the crisis within the Great Tang territory is temporarily averted. As for this entity above, this old man will continue to drag it down."

"I will kill you!" The voice of the Monstrous Zhang Emperor was icy cold. "I will turn this world into my nest."

"Who kills whom is yet to be decided!" The Master remained completely unbothered.

Jiang Ming couldn't help laughing when he heard this. "Master, I'll leave the heavens above to you. I'm going to wander around the various regions!"

"Go on, go on, just don't die!" The Master seemed entirely at ease.

Jiang Ming cupped his fists, nodded to Li Maimang, and his figure vanished abruptly.

As for going up to have a go at the Monstrous Zhang Emperor?

There was no rush, absolutely no rush.

It would not be too late after stepping into the eighth realm.

That would be much safer.

"Truly an extraordinary man!" Watching Jiang Ming disappear, Li Maimang sighed with emotion. Then, casting a glance upward with a hint of worry, he flashed into Cotton City and began a massive slaughter.

Jiang Ming traveled across the land using the method of spatial teleportation. Though each jump was not overly distant, his speed was terrifyingly fast. Pausing his steps, he sensed a familiar aura.

The next moment, he appeared atop a mountain peak. Two women stood nearby: one clad in red like fire, absent-mindedly sipping wine from a flask; the other dressed in white like snow, elegant and ethereal as if detached from the mortal world, with hazy eyes and an air of deep scholarly refinement.

"Ye Hongyu." Jiang Ming looked toward the woman in red.

"Brother Jiang!" Ye Hongyu's body stiffened. Turning her head to look, she was first overjoyed, but then her expression darkened, her eyes reddened, and she leaped forward into his arms, weeping softly.

All her pent-up grievances poured out.

Jiang Ming patted her shoulder and glanced at the woman in white, who was observing him with curiosity.

This woman was breathtakingly beautiful.

Serene like a chrysanthemum, she seemed transcendental.

After a long while, Ye Hongyu finally calmed down. Leaving Jiang Ming's embrace, her face blushed deeply.

"What happened?" Jiang Ming asked.

"Ahead lies Xiling, which is also the location of the Haotian Taoist Sect's mountain gate. The entire place has been destroyed," Ye Hongyu whispered, her mood sinking again. "They're all dead, everyone is dead. My brother is dead, Pipi who returned is dead, the mountain-guarding Daoist is dead, the chief of law enforcement is dead. It was done by an octopus monster that called itself the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang. Even the Abbey Dean was severely injured."

"Alas..." Jiang Ming sighed softly. "The world suffers a calamity, and the common people endure disaster. However, the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang has already been slain by me, which can be considered avenging you."

"You killed him?" Ye Hongyu was astonished.

Though she had never witnessed the true might of the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang, she knew its power transcended imagination simply from the destruction of her mountain gate and the severe injury of the Abbey Dean.

Jiang Ming nodded. "He was entangled by Great Scholar Li Maimang in Cotton City. After I arrived there, I joined forces with him and blasted the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang to death."

"Well killed!" Hatred flashed across Ye Hongyu's face, followed immediately by a look of bewilderment.

Previously, she had family, ambition, and a life filled with hopeful pleasures.

Later, her mountain gate was destroyed and her family killed, filling her heart with hatred and a desire for vengeance. But now that her enemies were dead, her heart suddenly felt empty.

"Brother Jiang, the world is vast, yet there is no longer a place for me to find refuge," Ye Hongyu said, exhaling a breath of stale air, rallying her spirits with a bitter smile.

"How could there be no place for refuge? Isn't Tianwu Manor one?" Jiang Ming said. "Not long ago, all of us were cultivating at the Hanging Temple. Once that phase concluded, we traveled the world, slaying aliens while tempering our martial arts, and we agreed to gather at Tianwu Manor. You are our friend and partner, and that place is your home as well."

"Home?" Ye Hongyu looked dazed, then suddenly smiled like a blooming crabapple flower. "That's right, I still have you guys. Brother Jiang, come, let me introduce you. This is the Book Addict Mo Shanshan; I used to be the Dao Addict. Shanshan, this is Jiang Ming, whom I've mentioned to you."

"Miss Mo!" Jiang Ming nodded in greeting.

"Mr. Jiang!" Mo Shanshan's voice was gentle.

She looked at Jiang Ming with curiosity. The man standing before her with an imposing stature didn't look very old, yet he was capable of killing the Second Emperor of the Monstrous Zhang?

It was simply unbelievable.

The three of them sat down.

From the conversation, Jiang Ming learned that Mo Shanshan's homeland had been destroyed by aliens. Surviving by a stroke of luck, she had intended to head to Chang'an in the Great Tang.

On the way, she was surrounded and hunted by aliens, causing her to detour here, where she happened to run into Ye Hongyu.

After chatting for a long time, Jiang Ming asked, "Miss Ye..."

"Calling me Miss Ye is too formal; just call me Hongyu."

"Alright, Hongyu, does the inheritance of the Haotian Taoist Sect still exist?"

"It does!" Ye Hongyu said. "Though the mountain gate was battered, the inheritance remains. I've gathered all of it and placed it in the cave nearby. Hopefully, the Haotian Taoist Sect can one day recover its former glory."

"It will," Jiang Ming said. "May I take a look?"

"Of course." Ye Hongyu nodded. "Come, I'll take you to see it. The world is in chaos, and perhaps all nine domains will be enslaved. If we were still to hoard our secrets jealously now, it would be courting self-destruction. Shanshan, you should come take a look too; perhaps some of it will be useful to you."

Mo Shanshan hesitated for a moment before finally nodding.

Soon, they arrived at the scripture repository cave.

The cave was spacious, with bookshelves carved directly into the stone walls in neat rows, clearly showing the great care Ye Hongyu had put into it.

With a thought from Jiang Ming, over a hundred books rose into the air, flipping rapidly without any wind. This sight startled both Ye Hongyu and Mo Shanshan.

"Reading with divine sense is much faster," Jiang Ming smiled and explained.

"If you had taken the imperial examinations back then, you definitely would have taken top honors," Mo Shanshan smiled. "Can you really remember anything by reading like this?"

"I can!" Jiang Ming nodded. "My cultivation in the soul path is passable; a single glance takes it all into the sea of the mind."

"Incredible!"

The two women marveled.

From that day on, the man and two women stayed together, occasionally venturing out to hunt beasts, ignite campfires, and chat and laugh—it was quite carefree.

Though he slowed his pace, he finished reading all the preserved texts that very day, which included the unexpressed ultimate arts of the Haotian Taoist Sect, such as the Art of Taotie, the Dao of Devouring, and the Apocalypse Divine Arts.

"I should leave now!" Jiang Ming stood at the cave entrance, gazing into the distance. "No matter how vast the world is, there are simply too many aliens. I will strive to wipe out some of the more powerful entities first. Hongyu, Shanshan, you two make your way to Chang'an City; it is relatively safe there, and Tianwu Manor is our gathering place."

"Alright!" Ye Hongyu did not pester him.

In truth, she longed to wander the ends of the earth with Jiang Ming, but her own strength was lacking, and following him would only make her a burden.

"We will wait for you at Tianwu Manor!"

Hearing their voices, Jiang Ming had already departed into the distance.

For a moment, Ye Hongyu felt a sense of loss.

Mo Shanshan's eyes grew hazy.

Among the nine domains of the world, the Great Tang territory was situated in the far west. Instead of heading toward the Great Wu territory in the center, Jiang Ming arrived at the Great Sui territory in the southwest.

This place had been thoroughly devastated.

For a thousand miles, there was no sign of human life—only piled-up skeletons and cold crows resting on withered branches.

One day, Jiang Ming sensed the sounds of battle ahead and soared into the air, only to see a mountain peak under siege.

It was a group of dog-headed humanoids.

Golden-furred dog-headed humanoids.

"The Golden Canine Tribe?"

Jiang Ming frowned.

Their numbers were vast, reaching up to a thousand, and every single one was formidable. Among them were even three entities of the eighth realm, with the one in the lead rivaling Emperor Pino.

It must be the Canine Emperor.

At the peak of the mountain, two young men were fighting side by side, barely holding off the Canine Emperor.

There was also a middle-aged man wielding a long saber, whose radiating blade aura could split the universe apart with fiercely sharp momentum. He was an eighth-realm expert holding his ground against an eighth-realm Golden Canine.

Another middle-aged man, emanating a bizarre force field, was blocking yet another eighth-realm Golden Canine warrior.

Additionally, quite a few experts were resisting the onslaught.

However, it was clear they were outmatched. If this dragged on, the peak would inevitably be breached, and their fate would likely be tragic.

After a brief consideration, Jiang Ming teleported over, his martial arts domain materializing to suppress both sides instantly.

Shock appeared on all their faces.

"Who are you?" The Canine Emperor stared at Jiang Ming with vigilance. "I am the Canine Emperor under the Ape Emperor. Are you trying to block me?"

As it spoke, its own domain surged continuously, causing heaven and earth to tremble and stirring endless anomalies, yet it failed to push open Jiang Ming's domain.

"Ape Emperor? Canine Emperor?"

Jiang Ming muttered softly. His martial arts domain contracted, and the pressure surged exponentially, causing the Canine Emperor's body to bend as if it were about to collapse. He stepped forward and slammed a fist toward its skull.

Under the suppression of the martial arts domain, the Canine Emperor had no way to dodge and could only block.

"Howl of the Heavenly Dog!"

"Fangs of the Sychophant Dog!"

The Canine Emperor let out a sharp, piercing cry that assaulted the mind, while simultaneously bringing its head forward as its fangs rapidly grew, lunging to bite Jiang Ming.

"Careful, its teeth are harder and sharper than divine weapons!" someone shouted in warning from behind.

Jiang Ming acted as if he hadn't heard, shattering the teeth with a single punch and blowing its head apart.

With a casual grab, he condensed energy into a sword and instantly executed the other two eighth-realm Golden Canine warriors.

In the blink of an eye, three powerful entities were annihilated.

This sight left the experts on the mountain peak awestruck and filled with disbelief.

Too strong.

Outrageously strong.

Unimaginably strong.

"The rest are yours to handle!" Jiang Ming stepped back, looked toward the two young men, and having a guess in his mind, asked, "Who are you? And what kind of existence is this so-called Ape Emperor?"

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(End of this chapter)