No one expected that the powerful mage would be defeated in an instant. The dragon knight swaggered in the air, and the faces of the Chu king and his ministers were extremely ugly.
At this moment, perhaps only the little princess could laugh. Gazing at the flying dragon in the sky, she muttered, "I never imagined such an ugly creature could be so powerful. I wish I had one too, so I could fly everywhere. Alas, this dragon is probably in for trouble. When that scoundrel Chen Nan makes his appearance, he'll surely shoot it down with an arrow."
Thinking that Chen Nan had regained his power, the little princess felt a strange mix of emotions. At first, she had no good feelings towards Chen Nan whatsoever. Later, after she had caused him to lose all his power, she felt a little guilty. But when she thought about how Chen Nan had captured her, she felt ashamed and indignant.
"That despicable thief, I'll teach you a lesson sooner or later. Don't think you can just let bygones be bygones."
If Chen Nan knew that the little princess had designs on him again, I wonder what he would think.
The Empress asked, "Yu'er, what are you muttering about?"
"Oh, it's nothing."
At this moment, Sima Lingkong had already flown in from outside the palace on his flying dragon. The onlookers cheered. Sima Lingkong felt extremely happy, as if he had transformed into a peerless hero who turned the tide.
He searched carefully through the crowd and finally spotted Nalan Ruoshui. However, to his disappointment, Nalan Ruoshui didn't seem to be paying any attention to him, which infuriated him. He turned to look at Chen Nan, who was watching him with a half-smile. His anger surged, and he wished he could rush over and smash that guy he found so utterly repulsive.
Two dragon riders faced each other in the air, their two dragons glaring fiercely at one another.
Suddenly, a long roar resounded from the ground, soaring into the sky. Another dragon flew in from afar upon hearing the sound. The dragon circled once above the training ground before descending to the ground. Another dragon knight from Tianyang Kingdom leaped onto the dragon and soared into the air.
"Junior brother, you go and rest. I'll deal with this man."
"Second Brother, I'm not tired. Let me deal with this guy before I rest."
"No, you go and rest right now. This person is mine."
Sima Lingkong was furious. These two were treating him like he was nothing, completely disregarding him. He roared, "Are you two done babbling? Which one of you is going to come and die first?"
Sima Lingkong was furious and sneered, "Let's see who kills whom!"
The two dragon knights in the air were armed with long, wide greatswords like those in the West, their chilling gleam terrifying.
The two riders simultaneously propelled their dragons forward, creating two gusts of wind in the air. Two bursts of battle aura erupted from the greatswords of the two dragon knights, their dazzling auras flashing like two bolts of lightning, accompanied by a faint rumbling sound in the air.
The Chu courtiers watching the battle were captivated, as if they themselves were in the midst of the great war.
The battle qi in the air collided and burst into a dazzling light, emitting bursts of intense energy fluctuations.
Affected by the energy wave, both dragons swayed a few times before flying off to the side.
Sima Lingkong and the dragon knight's chests and abdomens heaved. In the first strike, the two were evenly matched, their strength being comparable.
The two once again spurred their dragons to charge at each other, their battle auras surging and clashing in the air as they engaged in a fierce battle.
Many highly skilled cultivators in the Qishi Mansion discussed among themselves, with one sighing, "Dragon Knights are indeed incredibly powerful. With the help of the dragon's might, they are like tigers with wings. The powerful impact force and the ability to fly make Dragon Knights much stronger than cultivators of the same level."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
The battle in the air had reached a fever pitch. Flying dragons roared, their battle auras pierced the sky, and the arena was ablaze with light as streaks of battle aura shot out in all directions.
Sima Lingkong's dark green battle aura clashed with the blue battle aura of the Tianyang Kingdom's dragon knight, creating a constant hissing sound as the air was being torn apart.
The Emperor of Chu exclaimed, "What a magnificent battle! I haven't seen a duel between dragon knights in a long time. It was truly spectacular. Dragon knights are indeed warriors among cultivators!"
The Queen nodded in agreement, saying, "Indeed, the dragon knights are incredibly powerful and more suited for combat than other cultivators."
The princes and two princesses present were also captivated by the sight, especially the little princess, who was so excited that she would have run off the platform if Chu Yue hadn't been holding her back.
Under the powerful impact of their battle aura, the upper garments of the two dragon knights ripped apart, revealing their formidable physiques. The battle aura emanating from their greatswords intensified, faintly accompanied by the sounds of wind and thunder, with streaks of lightning seemingly dancing wildly in the air.
Sima Lingkong suddenly roared, and the dragon transformed into a green arrow, charging towards the dragon knights of Tianyang Kingdom. The dragon knights of Tianyang Kingdom were not to be outdone, and roared to the sky, driving their flying dragons forward to meet him.
Everyone watching was filled with excitement and stood up, knowing that the final showdown was about to begin.
The two dragon knights burst forth with bright light, like two raging flames, and their two greatswords unleashed two dazzling beams of battle aura, their sharp edges clashing in the air.
Accompanied by a rumbling thunderous sound, a dazzling light, like the sun, burst forth in the air. The powerful energy fluctuations made the onlookers' hearts tremble.
The two dragons let out mournful cries, their bodies covered in large and small wounds, blood dripping continuously from the air, before finally wobbling and falling to the ground.
The two dragon knights on the dragon's back were already covered in blood. Their two greatswords were broken, with only half of each remaining in their hands. Both were severely injured and unable to fight any longer. They glanced at each other and then collapsed onto the dragon's back, falling to the ground with the dragon.
The two flying dragons crashed to the ground.
This battle was extremely fierce, with both dragon riders and two wyverns severely injured and unable to recover, and the match was ultimately declared a draw.
With one loss and one draw, the situation for the State of Chu is far from optimistic.
Tianyang Kingdom still has two dragon knights left, while Chu Kingdom now only has Chen Nan left.
Chen Nan slung the Houyi Bow over his back and walked into the arena. In the crowd, he spotted Nalan Ruoshui, whose face was filled with worry. Chen Nan felt a warmth in his heart.
The old poison master shouted from behind him, "Be careful."
The old witch shouted, "Young man, use your ultimate move already!"
The people of Qishi Mansion cheered him on from behind.
Chen Nan was dressed as an Eastern martial artist, appearing utterly ordinary. He possessed neither a strong physique nor a tall stature, which greatly disappointed the civil and military officials of the court. They believed that if Chen Nan were also a powerful dragon knight or a mysterious cultivator, there might be hope for victory in this duel. At this point, the Chu court officials had lost faith in him and were very pessimistic about the upcoming great battle.
Chen Nan strode to the center of the field.
The dragon knight who hadn't yet taken the stage saw him and his eyes flashed with cold light. He was puzzled because he couldn't see through Chen Nan's abilities.
The dragon knight who was going up for the first time said, "Senior brother, let me go up. This person is not worth your time."
The dragon knight, referred to as the senior brother, looked Chen Nan over again and finally nodded.
The dragon knight propelled his dragon into the air and arrived above Chen Nan.
"Haha... Does the Chu Kingdom have no one else? They actually sent you to the arena. Do you think you can defeat me, a dragon knight, with your Eastern martial arts? Haha..." The dragon knight burst into wild laughter.
Chen Nan said quietly, "It's true that Eastern martial arts have gradually declined in recent years, but you shouldn't be so disrespectful to this treasure left by our ancestors. Eastern martial arts are profound and extensive. The reason for their decline is that later generations have not grasped their essence. If one were to cultivate the various supernatural abilities of this treasure, it would be difficult for martial arts or magic to compete with it. Today, I will show you the true meaning of Eastern martial arts and teach you, this unfilial descendant who has forgotten his ancestors, a lesson on behalf of the Martial Ancestor."
The dragon knight in the air was furious, his face flushed red. He roared, "Boy, it's not your place to lecture me! If I don't kill you with my dragon-slaying spear within ten moves, I'll consider this a loss!"
Chen Nan said, "Alright, then I'll use a gun to keep you company."
He walked to the weapon rack not far away, took down a long spear made of fine steel, and with a gentle tremor in his hand, it produced more than a dozen spear flowers.
The Chu emperor in the stands asked Chu Yue beside him, "What is he doing? Why is he carrying Hou Yi's bow? Does he intend to duel the dragon knight with a spear?"
Chu Yue frowned and said, "I don't understand what he's trying to do either."
The little princess beside him said, "This guy's martial arts are absolutely terrible. He's not trying to get himself killed, is he?"
At that moment, the dragon knight called out, "Boy, are you ready?"
Chen Nan, holding a long spear, strode towards the center of the arena. In that instant, a powerful force surged forth from his body, and his body emitted a faint golden light. With each step he took, the arena trembled slightly.
The dragon knight was shocked. At this moment, he finally felt the powerful force within Chen Nan's body.
The onlookers also noticed the changes in Chen Nan.
The little princess was the first to exclaim in surprise: "Oh my god, this scoundrel seems like a completely different person! When did he become so powerful? Oh dear, he'll be hard to deal with now."
A glint flashed in Chu Yue's eyes, and she smiled, saying, "Looks like there's going to be a surprise today!"
Chen Nan was like a heavy mountain; with each step he took, the earth trembled slightly. His powerful aura made even the flying dragons high in the sky feel uneasy, causing them to roar incessantly. After reaching the center of the arena, Chen Nan pointed his spear directly at the dragon knight in the sky and said, "Come on, I'll show you the true essence of Eastern martial arts!"
The dragon knight, enraged, brandished his dragon-slaying spear and propelled his dragon straight down, sending sand and dust billowing through the air. Chen Nan stood still in the gale, spear in hand, pointing diagonally upwards.
"Die, brat!" The dragon knight unleashed a dozen sharp blades from his dragon-slaying spear, the dazzling light blades hurtling straight toward Chen Nan.
Chen Nan remained completely calm. His spear trembled slightly, its shaft gleaming with a dazzling golden light, like a raging inferno. The spearhead emitted a tangible sharpness, its brilliance shimmering and flickering, exuding a chilling aura. Looking at the dazzling battle aura in the air and the roaring, charging dragon, he roared, "Overlord Divine Spear!"
The spear conjured more than a dozen spear flowers in the air, each of which transformed into a sharp point that shot straight upwards, with a continuous "whoosh" sound as it cut through the air.
The onlookers were all shocked, and screams immediately erupted from all sides.
"My God, it's a spear's edge!"
"This is the sword energy of an Eastern martial artist!"
"He has truly reached the level of sword energy manifesting from his body!"
"Only Eastern martial artists who have reached the third tier can do that!"
...
At this moment, Chen Nan was like an invincible overlord, domineering and awe-inspiring. His long spear soared into the sky, and the battle aura in the air was dispersed by the golden sharpness. The sharpness in the center then rushed straight up to attack the flying dragon.
The dragon rider was terrified and quickly stopped the dragon's downward charge, dodging to the side. The golden blade grazed the dragon, tearing through its steel-hard armor and leaving a faint bloodstain on its body.
With a mournful cry, the dragon took to the sky on its own, without waiting for the dragon knight's command.
Cheers erupted from the sidelines, and everyone was incredibly excited. This was the first time the Chu Kingdom had gained the upper hand since the magician entered the arena.
Looking at the boiling crowd below, and the lone figure standing in the center, gun in hand, the dragon knight was enraged. He had been repelled by a single spear thrust despite using the power of his dragon; he felt deeply insulted and once again spurred his dragon to swoop down.
The dragon knight's hair danced wildly in fury, and crimson battle aura enveloped his entire body, flickering like flames. He charged straight at Chen Nan, wielding the Dragon Slayer Spear in both hands.
This time, Chen Nan gripped the gun with both hands, channeling all his strength into it. It was a risky move; he wanted to finish the battle quickly and defeat the enemy with a single shot.
The spear seemed to come alive, its entire body enveloped in golden light. The spear trembled slightly, and a sharp point half a meter long emerged from its tip, sending chills down one's spine.
The dragon knight and the dragon arrived in the blink of an eye. Chen Nan raised his spear high, using it like a club, and shouted, "A strike to the sky!"
This powerful strike produced a series of thunderous sounds, and the spear shimmered with dazzling light as it slammed down towards the swooping dragon and dragon rider.
The Dragon Knight had already concentrated all his power into the Dragon Slayer Spear, and his dazzling battle aura was equally bright and dazzling. With the help of the flying dragon, he charged fiercely towards Chen Nan.
"Junior brother, get out of the way!" The dragon knight who had been watching the battle without lifting a finger couldn't help but shout.
As the dragon knight swooped down, he sensed the powerful energy fluctuations contained within the spear, but it was too late to dodge. He braced himself and took the blow.
The "Heavenly Strike" shattered the dragon knight's fighting spirit, broke his dragon-slaying spear, and pressed straight down on his chest.
The dragon knight was terrified and quickly rolled off the dragon's back. Although he dodged the fatal blow, the sharpness of the spear tip ripped a bloody hole in his abdomen, leaving it wide open and gushing blood. The dragon knight screamed as he fell to the ground.
Although the "skyward strike" did not hit the dragon knight, it slammed solidly into the dragon's body. The enormous creature was actually sent flying more than ten feet away by the spear before crashing to the ground with a loud bang.
The entire training ground was completely silent until a deafening cheer erupted after a full half minute.
Chen Nan defeated the dragon knight with his spear and smashed the flying dragon with his staff in just two strikes, making the people of Chu excited and unable to help but shout and cheer.
The experts in the army said, "He's actually a third-tier Eastern martial artist! He's strong, incredibly strong. It's impossible not to admire him."
The people of Qishi Mansion were also discussing among themselves. Some of the more skilled martial artists said, "Although relying on superior skill to fight head-on seems like cheating, there's no denying that this young man's cultivation is astonishing..."
In the center of the stands, Chu Yue looked thoughtful and said, "His cultivation is so profound, yet he was captured by Yu'er earlier. It's truly strange!"
The little princess was initially overjoyed, but now she was starting to wonder, "How did this guy suddenly become so strong? And how is he able to draw Hou Yi's bow? What a strange bastard!"
If Chen Nan and the Dragon Knight had fought normally, it might have taken dozens of moves to determine a winner. However, both of them used their full strength to clash head-on, and the result was decided in just two powerful blows. Chen Nan turned to look in Nalan Ruoshui's direction, but unfortunately, he only saw her back. For some reason, she was walking off the field.
The cheers of the crowd surrounding the training ground took a long time to subside.
The last remaining dragon knight slowly walked towards the center of the arena. An aura of power emanated from him, and his immense presence caused everyone present to feel a heavy sense of oppression. The arena suddenly fell silent; even the civil officials who did not understand cultivation methods sensed the terrifying power of this dragon knight.
The dragon knight took off his shirt, revealing his bronze-colored, muscular physique. He casually tossed the shirt aside, and it shattered into pieces in the air, fluttering down to the ground.
Chen Nan quietly looked at the dragon knight opposite him and said, "You are strong, but you are still no match for me."
"I know, but I still want to win."
Chen Nan was puzzled and didn't know why he said that.
The dragon rider roared to the sky, his voice shaking the heavens.
A huge black shadow flew in from afar. A giant dragon, more than thirty feet long, appeared above the training ground, blocking out the sun like a dark cloud and casting a large shadow on the ground.
This is a black dragon with glossy black scales, a terrifying tail, huge wings, and a ferocious head, which is awe-inspiring and chilling.
Everyone present was shocked. They never expected that the dragon knight who appeared last would possess a fourth-tier dragon, which was simply invincible!
Emperor Chu Han of Chu, who had been full of confidence, frowned. He wondered if Chen Nan, who was holding Hou Yi's bow, could deal with such a terrifying black dragon.
Although Chu Yue had seen Chen Nan in action and knew his formidable strength when wielding the Houyi Bow, she still felt somewhat uneasy.
Princess Chu Yu wasn't worried about the situation at all. She murmured, "Oh dear, that scoundrel is going to become famous. If he shoots down this dragon, won't he be infamous throughout the continent? That would be absolutely terrible!"
The extraordinary scholars of the Qishi Mansion were also discussing the matter animatedly.
The old poisoner said strangely, "This doesn't make sense. This young man is only a second-tier wyvern knight, how could he possess a fourth-tier dragon?"
The old witch stared intently at the black dragon in the sky and said, "This is the black dragon of that old devil Jason, a fourth-tier dragon knight. I've seen it before. This young man must be Jason's apprentice. I didn't expect him to have borrowed that old devil's dragon."
Chen Nan searched carefully through the crowd and finally spotted Nalan Ruoshui. A warm feeling welled up in his heart. He regained his composure, looked up at the giant dragon in the sky, and felt no fear. He raised his spear with one hand, pointing it diagonally to the sky, and a surge of battle intent rose within him.
Seeing Chen Nan's expression, the dragon knight looked surprised and doubtful. He waved his hand towards the sky, and the giant dragon spiraled down. Inside the training ground, a strong wind blew and sand and dust covered the sky.
The dragon knight quickly climbed onto the black dragon's back, and the black dragon soared into the sky, roaring continuously like rolling thunder.
Hearing the deafening roar, everyone felt a chill of fear. Even watching the battle against such a colossal black dragon was terrifying, let alone fighting it.
The great battle broke out again. The dragon knight held no weapon and focused solely on riding the dragon.
The black dragon, swooping down, opened its massive mouth and spewed out a cloud of dragon breath that swept towards Chen Nan.
Dragon breath is highly toxic and corrosive. Usually, only high-level dragons of the fourth rank or above can breathe it. If an ordinary person comes into contact with even a drop of dragon breath, they will be poisoned and die. At the same time, the contaminated area will be dissolved.
Chen Nan moved with lightning speed, quickly covering a distance of over ten zhang. The spot where he had stood was now scorched and corroded by the dragon's breath. The dragon roared and spewed three more breaths, forcing Chen Nan to continuously run and move within the arena.
The onlookers were terrified.
The dragon knight shouted from high above, "Admit defeat, and I'll spare your life. You have no chance against this dragon."
After dodging the final dragon breath, Chen Nan stopped and said, "I might not lose."
He had decided to use Hou Yi's bow; with his own cultivation alone, he would absolutely not be able to defeat this giant dragon. Just then, the black dragon swooped down like lightning. After spewing out a powerful dragon breath, it swung its massive tail and slashed down across the sky.
Chen Nan was terrified. He pushed his family's secret technique to its limit, and golden flames erupted from his body. Like a golden arrow, he quickly retreated to the edge of the training ground.
The enormous dragon tail slammed heavily onto the ground, causing the earth to tremble violently and dust to billow throughout the arena. When the smoke cleared, a massive ravine, one zhang deep, two zhang wide, and nearly ten zhang long, appeared in the center of the arena.
Everyone outside the arena gasped in shock; the dragon's power was terrifying.
The giant dragon circled and roared high in the sky, the reverberating sound waves like thunder.
Chen Nan strode confidently from the edge of the training ground into the arena, showing no fear whatsoever. Reaching the center, he took the Houyi Bow from his back and nocked his spear. Specks of golden light, a faint golden glow, emanated from the dark, divine bow.
Most of the civil and military officials watching had never seen Hou Yi's bow before, and they were astonished to see him using a spear nearly ten feet long as an arrow.
The primordial energy of heaven and earth from all directions surged wildly towards the center of the arena, creating massive energy fluctuations that rippled like ocean waves. Even the civil officials, who were unfamiliar with cultivation methods, could feel the surging energy fluctuations, and everyone was utterly shocked.
The surrounding天地元气 (heaven and earth energy) surged near Chen Nan, and powerful energy flowed continuously between him and Hou Yi's bow, causing them to emit a dazzling light. He stared coldly at the giant dragon in the sky with a resolute expression.
On the stands, the Emperor of Chu nodded and said, "This young man is truly remarkable. At such a young age, he already possesses the demeanor of a master."
The little princess muttered, "This guy is such a scoundrel, yet he's acting so serious now."
Nalan Ruoshui was filled with complex emotions. She could hardly believe her eyes. The Chen Nan in the room was completely different from the young man she knew. There was not a trace of the former man in him. It was as if they were two different people. She felt that the distance between her and Chen Nan had become very far...
At this moment, the vast energy fluctuated violently in the field, and Chen Nan and Hou Yi's bow emitted a dazzling light, with an incomparably powerful aura emanating from him.
Everyone felt an immense pressure. The young man holding the divine bow in the center of the arena seemed to transform into a towering giant in an instant, inspiring an irresistible urge to bow down in worship.
Chen Nan had gathered enough power, and the golden light on Hou Yi's bow surged towards the spear like water, turning the entire spear, forged from fine steel, into a golden color.
The dragon in the sky seemed to sense the danger. Its body trembled, and it let out a roar of unwilling anger. It soared into the sky and fled quickly.
But it was too late. Chen Nan gently released the bowstring, and a golden lightning bolt shot into the sky. A strong wind blew and thunder rumbled in the training ground.
This extraordinary phenomenon terrified the crowd outside, causing many timid individuals to collapse to the ground.
In the blink of an eye, the golden lightning bolt caught up with the dragon. A mournful roar echoed from the sky, and a shower of blood rained down from above. The dragon plummeted to the ground like a kite with a broken string.
Chen Nan ran quickly towards the edge of the training ground. The huge black dragon crashed to the ground, shaking the earth. The dragon's body smashed into the ground, creating a huge crater.
The spectators could hardly believe their eyes. What was happening before their eyes was like a myth: a young man had actually shot down a giant dragon with a bow!
Chen Nan's unparalleled arrow shocked everyone.