Heavenly Star (Web Novel)

291 Leng Ya vs. Yan Zheng

The seven figures attacked Yan Zheng at the same time. Six of them vanished immediately, leaving only the one attacking from the front. His right fist sunk hard into Yan Zheng’s chest…and oddly enough, Yan Zheng’s body only leaned back slightly, while Wu Sansi’s fist looked like it was being sucked into Yan Zheng’s torso, frozen still.

He!!

After a moment, Yan Zheng’s brows furrowed furiously, emitting a shout that was like a shock of thunder. The red glow around him seemed to find its release, zooming to the place he had been struck by Wu Sansi’s fist. It looked like Wu Sansi had been struck by heavy hammers. Moaning in pain, he flew out in the opposite direction. He didn’t recover until his body had almost landed. With a twist, his feet landed on the ground steadily, although his face was still filled with a visible red aura.

“‘Thousand Illusionary Bodies’ is impossible to predict and difficult to defend against. But you are still not as strong as me, and you distribute your strength when you divide into different bodies. With my fire magic, I not only use my hands to release my power, I can do it from every single part of my body. You could say that it’s the perfect counter to your powers. I’d warn you against using these pretty little tricks if you’re hoping to win against me. If you want to win, use your real strength.” Yan Zheng spoke coolly, like an elder educating his student.

Wu Sansi was breathing heavily. The impact just now had damaged his internal organs already. He didn’t need Yan Zheng’s explanation to know exactly what had happened when he was struck just now. That fist had struck hard at Yan Zheng’s torso. When he was creating illusionary bodies, Yan Zheng was already accumulating his own strength. By the time he hit him, that power retaliated against him in a single instant…just as he had said, his power didn’t just release through his limbs, but through every single part of his body.

After a moment’s pause, Wu Sansi letting out a small sigh, he darted forward again. This time he followed Yan Zheng’s advice, no longer using ‘Thousand Illusionary Bodies’, instead charging forward and approaching with nothing but his raw power.

Wu Sansi was most definitely strong, perhaps in the earlier stages of the godly level, but still couldn’t compare to Yan Zheng. His illusionary bodies were most useful when trying to end the fight in a single hit like an assassin, and he wasn’t much for hand-to-hand combat. That, and he had already suffered a sizeable blow. After a few moves, he was beginning to slow down. Although he was still incredibly nimble, Yan Zheng’s intense energy release still forced him to stall, putting him at a disadvantage. Finally, he stepped back with a long sigh after dodging a blow from Yan Zheng. “My skills do not match up to yours. Even if I keep battling, there’s no possible outcome for me but a loss.”

Withdrawing his hands, Yan Zheng spoke coldly. “There’s a saying among those who train in magical forces: speed is enough to break down any move. I believe this is utter nonsense. Before absolute power, all of that is nothing but parlor tricks. If you really put your full strength forward today, you would be able to best me.”

Wu Sansi frowned. “You’re wrong. I only have my own lack of skill to blame. I can’t agree that natural talent and technique won’t match up to raw power…”

Zoom…

Blowing past like a gust of wind, a skinny silhouette stood in front of Wu Sansi. There was a moment’s shock on his face as he thought to himself…incredible, such speed.

A thin, wan face with a stiff expression, cold eyes. Medium height and slightly thin. Standing there was Leng Ya, who had suddenly charged out of the audience. He pointed the Windbreaker Blade at Yan Zheng.

Leng Ya’s appearance drew everyone’s gaze. All eyes fixed on this man, who couldn’t be much older than twenty, but who carried an intense killing intent and will to battle. He had been overlooked by most of them beforehand, but right now the formless aura surrounding him moved even the champions at the peak of Heavenly Star Continent.

Yan Zheng glanced him over, his gaze finally landing on the Windbreaker Blade in his hand. He began to take note of everything about this man. His expression shifted slightly, and he nodded. “I didn’t think I would see a genius talent who will dominate the world so early. Seems this trip today has been fruitful after all.”

.

Leng Ya had earned such high words of praise from a discipline elder of the Northern Emperor sect, but no one present could say that he was overstating anything. After all, even judging from his aura everyone could tell–this young man who was in no more than his second decade of life had already attained a godly level of power!

It wasn’t unheard of for people of his age to reach that level. Those were all characters who, in the future decades of their lives, had the power to affect the comings and goings of the world. In the past century, only one man was known to have reached that level in his twenties…the Battle God, Feng Zhaoyang.

It was difficult not to be shocked by this young man’s appearance. His current expression and the cold, frightening killing intent he was emanating right now, meant that he was destined to be an emotionless killer. It seemed like they could already see the whole Heavenly Star continent shuddering under Leng Ya’s weight. That day was not far off.

Chu Jingtian was about to shout out of instinct, but Yan Duancang pulled him back. “Don’t distract him.”

Only then did Chu Jingtian swallow his words, his expression filling with excitement and longing, but also concern. For three years he and Leng Ya had fought together, progressed together. They knew everything about each other. Leng Ya had only just breached a godly level of power. Could he really defeat someone as strong as Yan Zheng?

“Be careful, young man,” Wu Sansi said quietly after memorizing Leng Ya’s appearance, turning to leave. He had already made his share of faulty judgements today. He glanced at the other young people who had come with Leng Ya…if they were all as strong as him, then…that would be past shocking, almost to the point of the impossible.

“Your name is Leng Ya, correct? Don’t be surprised. Three years ago, you appeared in Tianlong Country with the Battle God Feng Zhaoyang’s weapon, sparking our interest in you. Then we learned through incident that you were his son…in only three years, you’ve progressed from an immature youth to today’s level…it seems that the battle god’s bloodline is one to marvel at. Your father might have died, but you have not let him down with your strength.” Yan Zheng exclaimed.

The atmosphere froze once again, like a scripted play. Right after the son of the God of Illusions, the son of the Battle God had showed up before Yan Zheng, drawing everyone’s gaze. No one had heard of the Feng Zhaoyang having children, but they were certain that Yan Zheng would not lie about such a thing. Within a moment’s notice they had learned another extraordinary fact.

No wonder this youth had such an amazing aura! They began to look forward to his performance.

Even though Yan Zheng had revealed his identity within a few words, Leng Ya still remained calm as ever, his aura still targeting Yan Zheng and preparing to attack.

“The Battle God’s attacks and defenses were both on a godly level. You seem to be relying on energy and speed. Seems that you appeared because you were dissatisfied with my statements just now. Well, then, prove your beliefs with your strength.” Before Leng Ya, Yan Zheng didn’t put on a display. His hands began to glow with that red light once more, his expression becoming serious.

In his heart, he muttered to himself: his foundations are too shallow, nothing to be afraid of. But if he continues on like this…

Si.

Like a thick cardboard sheet ripped apart by a blunt knife, Leng Ya was already moving like a gust of wild wind. Who would believe that this was the sound made by the Windbreaker in his hand, slicing open the air?

While Leng Ya moved like a rumble of thunder, most of the fighters in the arena furrowed their brows, pondering their chances at dodging such an attack. Leng Ya’s attack was just like an arrow flying from a perfectly taut blow, with almost no preparation time to account for. The sheer momentum of that first moment was astonishing, inspiring the frightful thought in many of their heads: no matter his actual strength, if he hid in the dark and attacked a target unprepared, how many people in the world could avoid him?

What about ten, twenty years from now?

Si….

Yan Zheng’s palm stretched out, grabbing Leng Ya’s hands like a vice grip. Leng Ya’s Windbreaker blade had already ripped through the clothes on his chest, touching his skin. If it moved any further, he would be bleeding.

Decades of experience and the resulting intuition in a fight was enough to provoke him to raise his hands in the midst of an onslaught, receiving Leng Ya’s blow. When his hands gripped around Leng Ya’s, his heart pounded in his chest. It wasn’t relaxation, far from it, but the moment of fear after the event.

“That’s incredible!” Yan Gongluo exclaimed.

.

“Yes, even my grandpa said that he had more talent at hitting ‘fast, accurate, hard’ than anyone else.” Chu Jingtian said, nodding his head. Even so, he still felt his heart tighten with nervousness. Chu Cangming had also said that Leng Ya’s talent would turn him into a demon, into the nightmares of countless people, but he wasn’t suited to direct moves or confrontation…and right now, Leng Ya’s right hand had been stopped by Yan Zheng, either by chance or by quick reaction time. To Leng Ya, this was the worst situation.

“You are quite astonishing in your talent. But…you’re not strong. Now that you’re locked down, there’s nothing threatening about you!” Saying this, Yan Zheng tightened the grip of his hands. Leng Ya’s face began to twitch, and he poured all of his strength into his right hand and tried to wrest free. But no matter how hard he struggled, he couldn’t free himself. Instead he was pulled in harder and harder…he didn’t try using his left hand, because that would only scatter his strength and make it even harder for him to get out.

Leng Ya was like a sharp blade. When attacking at high speed, he could slit the throat of any enemy too slow to dodge his attack. But if someone grabbed him by the hilt and he couldn’t get free, he was like a lamb for the slaughter. He wasn’t strong within himself, and in front of such a strong opponent he could barely hope to match up.