Kill The Giant Dragon And Break The Calamity Cloud!

Cutting through a calamity cloud?

It sounded absurd, but Orion couldn't help but look at Emperor Qingyun, hoping he'd reveal this was some kind of joke. Yet, Qingyun's face remained calm, like he was merely stating a fact.

Orion felt a chill. Who was the real fool here?

He sighed. "Alright, Qingyun. It's all on you now. Just... be careful," Orion said, his voice tinged with worry. This was no ordinary punishment from the heavens. With his meager cultivation, Orion was powerless to assist.

"Rest assured, Lord," Emperor Qingyun replied confidently, his voice steady. "I will break this calamity cloud with one strike."

Orion opened his mouth, half wanting to laugh. So bold, he thought. But looking at Qingyun, there was no arrogance, just unshakable conviction.

Facing the looming thunderclouds, Emperor Qingyun's eyes gleamed with fighting spirit. Suddenly, the air around him shifted. His power surged, and the sky seemed to tremble.

"Qingyun Sword, rise!"

With a powerful roar, Qingyun summoned the legendary weapon. The blade's aura was overwhelming, like it could cleave the heavens themselves.

Orion, standing at a distance, felt the sheer force of Qingyun's energy washing over him. He was like a small boat caught in the middle of a stormy sea, at the mercy of waves that could consume him whole. The others felt the same—the oppressive imperial power of a Great Emperor was not something to be trifled with.

"Qingyun Sword Art—Thousands of Green Lotuses!"

Qingyun's voice thundered, and the sky exploded with light. Sword energy shaped like blooming green lotuses filled the air, each one radiating sharpness that could cut through the very fabric of reality. The void itself began to crack under the pressure.

At that same moment, the black calamity clouds above had solidified into a thick mass of ominous energy. Thunder rumbled louder, and within the heart of the clouds, a massive purple-red thunder dragon swam like a serpent, roaring in fury.

Provoked, the thunder dragon's eyes flared with wrath. It was used to punishing transgressors, not the other way around. It lunged at Qingyun, its roar shaking the earth.

But the green lotus sword energy met it head-on. The dragon writhed and roared as the lotus blades sliced into it. Glowing white lightning spilled from its wounds, spraying across the battlefield. Even at a distance, Orion and the others could feel the numbing touch of the dispersed thunder.

Yet, despite its strength, the dragon's body was shrinking. Inch by inch, the lotus blades were tearing it apart.

And then, Qingyun struck again.

"Qingyun Sword Art—One Slash to Split the Heavens!"

With a final shout, Qingyun unleashed his ultimate technique. His sword blazed like a star, cutting through the air with a brilliance that shattered everything in its path.

The void trembled as if the world itself had been split in two. The thunder dragon let out one last desperate roar before being reduced to nothing. The sword cleaved it into threads of electricity, which faded into oblivion.

The calamity cloud, which had hung so menacingly above, vanished in an instant, sucked into the void like it had never existed.

Orion stood frozen in place, his eyes wide. Did that really just happen?

Even the heavens' strongest punishment had been neutralized so effortlessly by this man standing beside him.

"Unbelievable... simply unbelievable!" Orion blurted out, unable to contain his awe. He had summoned a Great Emperor, expecting a powerful ally, but this? This was far beyond what he had imagined. Qingyun could not just walk the continent of Dongzhou—he could rule it.

Emperor Qingyun returned to Orion's side, a slight flush on his face.

Seeing this, Orion immediately asked, "Qingyun, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

Qingyun smiled faintly, shaking his head. "It's nothing, my lord. Just a bit of strain. I'll be fine after I adjust my breathing."

Relieved, Orion let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. "Good. But let's avoid any more unnecessary risks. That was a heavenly tribulation—we can't always count on surviving something like that."

Qingyun nodded. "Yes, Lord. I will refrain from using my full strength unless absolutely necessary. As long as I don't exceed the power of the Martial Emperor, such calamities shouldn't occur again. But the moment I do, the tribulation clouds will return."

Orion chuckled. "Then let's stick to power below the emperor's level for now. You're already unbeatable on this continent with that alone!"

Qingyun glanced around, his gaze landing on Luo Yi. He smirked slightly and said, "Even with my current strength, I could easily take on thirty of him."

Luo Yi, who had been quietly observing, suddenly felt targeted. "What? Thirty? Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?" His expression darkened. He prided himself as a matchless warrior in his own right.

And yet here was Qingyun, casually brushing him off.

Meanwhile, the spectacle that had just unfolded was attracting attention from far beyond. The calamity cloud and the mighty thunder dragon had been visible for miles, drawing the gaze of everyone within range. The sheer power on display had struck fear into the hearts of all who witnessed it.

Yao Qianming, one of Orion's allies, could only stare in disbelief at Qingyun. "Crushing a thunder dragon with one blow… Is he even human?"

As the army of the Great Zhou Dynasty approached from the distance, even they could see the aftermath. Their hearts trembled at the sight of the calamity clouds and the faint remnants of the dragon's thunder. They had heard rumors of Emperor-level power, but to see it in action was something else entirely.

And when they compared this mysterious figure to their own imperial ancestor—a half-emperor at best—they knew one thing for sure: the real Emperor Martial had just revealed himself, and he was far beyond anything they had ever known.