Berserk

Berserk...

As three silhouettes walked alongside the Eye King towards the Violet Thunder Sword-Drum Formation, those in the know couldn't help but shake their heads. They believed this marked the end of Qin Wentian's journey.

The War King Palace was a prestigious institution within Grand Shang, renowned for producing exceptional geniuses. These talents were groomed to serve the successive generations of the royal clan, learning countless innate techniques and cultivation arts. To gain entry into the War King Palace was considered the highest honor, signifying their status as trusted aides of the royal clan, ready to be nurtured to their fullest potential.

Frequent conflicts erupted among the princes and kings of the royal clan as they vied for the support of the War King Palace's promising disciples. After all, they were considered the cream of the crop, and with their assistance, one's prospects of gaining power within the Royal Sacred Sect would soar. This power held even greater sway than the authority of the Grand Shang Empire itself.

Although the Grand Shang Empire governed vast territories, the combined strength of the nine great sects and the Great Zhou Empire was formidable enough to challenge its authority. Many formidable experts within these sects paid little heed to the Great Shang Empire's commands, answering only to the Royal Sacred Sect, the preeminent force in the region.

As the three young men from the War King Palace approached, it was evident that they were extraordinary. Even with Qin Wentian's exceptional talent, surviving their challenge seemed improbable.

Yet, Qin Wentian displayed an unwavering self-assurance in his abilities. Despite receiving an invitation from the Great Earth Sect, he remained unruffled. Standing steadfast at the center of the stage, he awaited his challengers with his eyes closed, exuding an air of quiet confidence. There was no trace of fear in his heart—whether his opponents hailed from the War King Palace of the Shang Royal Clan mattered little to him. He was ready to fight right where he stood.

The spectators were uncertain whether Qin Wentian's demeanor reflected absolute self-confidence or a lack of understanding regarding the true might of his adversaries, leading him to make such a resolute decision.

While the Violet Thunder Sword-Drum Formation possessed formidable might, it was child's play for the experts of the War King Palace. Their steps were confident and resolute, breezing through the formation with ease. The crowd couldn't help but feel concerned for Qin Wentian. This young man who had dared to challenge Jun Yu, a disciple of the Royal Sacred Sect, could he maintain his earlier dominance in the face of these formidable adversaries?

The representatives of the six major powers in Xuan King City all wore expressions of murderous intent. It seemed almost certain that Qin Wentian would meet his demise this time, with no hope of escape. The Eye King, Shang Tong, a member of the Shang Royal Clan, was a truly exceptional individual. If he desired Qin Wentian's death, what chance did the young man have? Throughout the entire Grand Shang, there were scarcely any who dared to oppose him.

Once the trio had passed the formation, one of them strode purposefully toward Qin Wentian. His gaze was a veritable storm of menace, brimming with an intensity that could pierce through anything.

"You will meet your end," he declared with a venomous tone. In an instant, his astral souls and astral novas materialized, conjuring a golden vortex that appeared capable of reducing all it touched to dust. Within this fearsome storm, countless golden spears materialized, radiating a power that seemed capable of penetrating any obstacle, even tearing through the fabric of reality itself.

This individual exuded the aura of a sixth-level Heavenly Dipper expert. Before him, other cultivators at the same level would crumble under the sheer pressure he exerted. The overwhelming force of his aura surged toward Qin Wentian, seeking to rend him apart.

Qin Wentian's fourth astral nova materialized, and the King Sword levitated in the air. His sword qi swept through the surroundings, demanding submission from all it encountered. The tempestuous pressure was completely shattered, unable to touch him in the slightest.

"You're not worthy," Qin Wentian declared icily. The opponent snorted disdainfully, and with a casual wave of his hand, the multitude of golden spears streaked through the skies like bolts of lightning, hurtling toward Qin Wentian. There was no doubting the immense power these spears contained; they possessed enough strength to pierce through anything.

"Bzzz!" Qin Wentian's King Sword astral nova swung into action, intercepting the golden spears and causing the very fabric of space to tremble. A series of razor-sharp shockwaves rippled through the surroundings. His adversary chuckled, "An impressive astral nova, and you're quite formidable as well. Regrettably, it won't be enough to save you from death."

As his words echoed through the air, a monstrous, ravenous force surged from him. Qin Wentian's body seemed to lose control, on the verge of being drawn into this overwhelming vortex of power. Even his King Sword astral nova was not immune to the effects of this voracious tempest.

Suddenly, the divine spear in Qin Wentian's grasp vanished. The onlookers exchanged bewildered glances. Had Qin Wentian lost his mind? Why would he stow away his weapon at such a crucial moment?

Yet, what they witnessed next left them in awe. Qin Wentian's body underwent a dramatic transformation. He was now adorned in a set of armor made of demonic scales, turning him into a living weapon. His arms took on a demonic appearance, radiating boundless sharpness. His vitality surged, his blood roiling like a tempest, creating a symphony of rushing sounds. He resembled a descendant of an ancient primordial demon king, the very essence of demonic supremacy.

"You are far from enough," Qin Wentian declared, his voice resolute. He took a resolute step forward, causing the entire stage to quake beneath him. He ignored the powerful devouring storm that attempted to swallow him and pressed on. The Mandate will in his forehead erupted, surging into his opponent's mind.

Yet, his adversary possessed an unyielding will. He resisted the invasive Mandate, furrowing his brows with fierce concentration. Without pause, he lunged toward Qin Wentian, conjuring a barrage of lethal weaponry aimed at him.

Qin Wentian thrust his palms forward, creating the resonance of ancient bells that reverberated through the air. His opponent's heart shuddered, threatened by the sensation of impending rupture.

"Return!" Qin Wentian's second palm strike sent a surge of formless energy swirling forward, redirecting the incoming weapons back toward his opponent.

"Hmph," the adversary snorted disdainfully. The devouring force grew even stronger, its Mandate of Devouring appearing capable of consuming everything in its path. It absorbed the force of Qin Wentian's attack into its vortex, weakening its vibrational shockwaves.

Qin Wentian's figure flickered as he executed Stellar Transposition, closing the gap between him and his opponent in the blink of an eye. With incredible speed, he launched a ferocious punch, unleashing its devastating power upon his foe.

"What an impressive Mandate of Devouring," Qin Wentian muttered, his heart sinking. In response, a brilliant beam of light erupted from his forehead as his Great Dream astral nova materialized. A nightmarish dreamscape emerged, catching his opponent off guard. Even with closed eyes, his opponent couldn't evade this Mandate's intrusion. He could sense a legion of a thousand scarlet demon halberds piercing relentlessly toward his mind.

"It's nothing more than an illusion," his opponent snarled, closing his eyes to resist the dream's allure. However, this Mandate had the power to directly infiltrate the minds of others. Despite his best efforts, he felt the looming threat of the scarlet demon halberds inching closer.

"If you fancy it so much, I'll let you indulge," a voice echoed in his opponent's mind. Suddenly, he felt a torrent of Qin Wentian's blood energy surging into him, granting him the devouring power he sought. But almost immediately, his body began to wither, as though a malevolent blood curse was eroding his life force, rapidly consuming his vitality.

"Cursed be it!" His opponent's complexion shifted drastically as he desperately loosened his grip. However, it was too late. The full force of Qin Wentian's blood curse mark had already taken hold, reducing his body to a pile of bones, obliterating him entirely.

Amidst the crowd, a look of bewilderment crossed their faces. The expert from the War King Palace had clearly matched Qin Wentian's strength. So why had he abruptly let go? He seemed perfectly capable of fighting back. Yet, he had released his resistance, collapsing to the ground.

"Watch out!" His companion behind him shouted, eyes widening in shock. He suddenly found Qin Wentian right before him, his palms descending with deadly intent. Panic washed over him. Hadn't he resisted the dreamforce? Shouldn't he be unaffected? How was this Mandate so overwhelmingly powerful? He had experienced his own death in the dream, only to discover that his actual demise was imminent when he regained his senses. Ultimately, it became clear that he had remained under the dreamforce's influence.

With a resounding impact, the palm strike crushed his heart, causing him to cough up blood before he succumbed to instant death.

It didn't matter if it was someone from the War King Palace of the Royal Shang Clan—Qin Wentian would eliminate them without hesitation.

His two companions charged at Qin Wentian simultaneously, but they were met with a crimson aura enveloping his palms. In a swift motion, Qin Wentian unleashed a stream of bloodcurse imprints. The two opponents reacted promptly, forming powerful palm strikes that stirred up a fierce gale.

BOOOM! A thunderous explosion echoed as they felt a corrosive energy gnawing at their bodies.

"BOOOM!" The tolling of the bells continued, causing their hearts to race involuntarily. Still, they pressed forward, heedless of the relentless attack. They dashed toward Qin Wentian, determination etched on their faces.

Stellar Transposition! Qin Wentian vanished once more. His opponents' keen perception prompted them to turn around at his disappearance.

"Bzzz!"

A melodious humming of a sword filled the air. Two crimson streaks of light sped toward their throats. Reacting swiftly, they retreated, narrowly avoiding the blade's cutting edge.

"BOOM!" Qin Wentian disappeared again. This time, his sword strike targeted their backs.

"SCRAM!" The two struggled to defend themselves but were forced into a desperate retreat. They attempted to retaliate, but at that moment, the scarlet demon halberd lunged toward them, and the Mandate of Dreams flooded their minds, altering the very fabric of reality.

"Puchi!" A crisp sound reverberated as one of the opponents had his head brutally smashed by the scarlet demon halberd. The other, attempting to flee, was met with the grotesque sight of his companion's head flying toward him as the crescent moon blade of the halberd cleaved through his arm. Another sharp sound followed as his arm was severed. He finally awakened from the nightmarish illusion, though it had felt like an eternity.

"Dreamforce!" The expert howled, his words sending shivers down the spectators' spines. They now understood why Qin Wentian appeared invincible, effortlessly defeating his opponents with each strike. Each of his attacks carried the Mandate of Dreams, and it had evidently grown stronger. Moreover, the scarlet demon halberd amplified his dream will.

"Puchi!" As the echoes of his words faded, Qin Wentian appeared before the remaining opponent. There was no defense that could withstand the halberd's thrust. Yet Qin Wentian merely rested the tip of the weapon against him, refraining from a fatal blow.

"RELEASE HIM!" A thunderous shout reverberated across the battle stage. All eyes turned toward the source of the shout—the Eye King, standing up with a furious glint in his eyes. Two of his three subordinates had fallen, a blatant blow to his pride.

Qin Wentian shifted his gaze to Shang Tong. Exuding an aura of a demon king, he met the Eye King's glare with unyielding arrogance.

"Sizzzz!" Only then did the halberd pierce through the opponent's body. With a forceful flick, Qin Wentian hurled the lifeless body at Shang Tong.

"BOOM!" The corpse landed at Shang Tong's feet.

Qin Wentian leveled his halberd at Shang Tong, his eyes brimming with wild pride as he coldly declared, "Who are you to command me?"