Chapter 1199: The War Son Decree

"Luo Qiqi?"

The three of them remembered the name.

As hall masters, each was a match for ten opponents, virtually invincible at the same level, yet even so, they were no match for the girl—a testament to her strength!

"I wonder... if Miss Qiqi would be interested in joining our Chongyuan Empire's War Master Hall?" Zhao Yi stepped forward.

"Not interested!" Luo Qiqi shook her head.

If she had wanted to join the War Master Hall, she would have taken the assessment long ago; there was no way she would have waited until now... To be honest, she just wanted to stay by her teacher's side and go nowhere else.

"This..."

Rejected without a moment's hesitation, knowing her resolve was firm and persuasion would be extremely difficult, Zhao Yi smiled bitterly. Just as he was about to say more, a thunderous roar sounded.

The War Master Hall at the center of the War Master Hall compound, like a charging war horn, emitted a deep rumbling thunder, as if it might tear the heavenly palace apart at any moment.

"It's the War Master Assembly Order!"

Their pupils contracted, and the four hall masters' expressions all changed.

The War Master Hall guarded the safety of the region; normally they trained and cultivated, but once the horn sounded, they had to assemble immediately without any delay.

"Let's go..."

Without time for further explanation, they dared not pause and hurriedly flew toward the War Master Hall.

For this horn to sound, something major must have happened.

In the blink of an eye, they arrived at the square before the War Master Hall. By then, all the war masters had already assembled, standing in formation with solemn expressions.

Whoosh!

The four hall masters had just landed at the front when they felt a violent energy fluctuation surge forth, forming a massive curtain in the air.

"It's a message from headquarters..."

Seeing this, Hall Master Xing and the others breathed a sigh of relief.

They had thought a battle had broken out somewhere and they would be deployed, but apparently that wasn't the case.

If it were a battle, the message would be transmitted directly to each person's mind, and they would set off immediately, without such energy fluctuations.

Boom!

Just as they were speculating on what had happened, as the energy flowed, an old man's voice slowly resounded, echoing in everyone's hearts.

"The Qingyuan Empire War Master Hall reports: War Master Zheng Yang has successfully challenged the War Son and become the new War Son of the War Master Hall!"

Whoosh!

Then, on the energy curtain, a figure slowly emerged, holding a long spear, exuding a sharp aura as if ready to break through the air at any moment.

Zheng Yang was now even more keen-edged than before. If previously he had been a divine weapon untested in battle and unstained by blood, now his sharpness was fully revealed; every move he made exerted immense pressure.

It was like touching a dagger that could cut into muscle at any moment.

"War Son?"

The three hall masters—Zhao Yi, Wei Qianshu, and Liu Qinshan—their pupils contracted, their bodies stiffened.

The War Master Hall had not had a War Son for over three hundred years. They understood very well what the emergence of one signified.

They had thought the Qingyuan Empire was merely a fallen nation and its War Master Hall utterly decadent; they never imagined that the selected war master would actually succeed in the War Son assessment!

Not to mention other things, just the 'recommendation favor' alone was enough to propel one to rapid advancement and soaring success.

Their throats dry, the three were speechless.

They had been frustrated at not obtaining even one exchange slot, feeling unlucky; now they realized it wasn't bad luck but that the other's strength was too great for them to contend with.

Hall Master Xing's pupils also contracted.

Zheng Yang had not come to the War Master Hall but had been sent directly to headquarters, with a high probability of failure; he never dreamed... he had succeeded!

War Son... the future hall master of the War Master Hall, the future continental war god!

Appearing in their branch...

Buzz!

As they were still in shock, the scene on the curtain changed. Zheng Yang swept his long spear and charged straight at a great dragon ahead.

"Breaking the Dragon Gate Formation..."

Hall Master Xing nodded.

To become a War Son, one must first break through the Dragon Gate Formation.

The Dragon Gate Formation was divided into three levels: Dragon Tail, Dragon Back, and Dragon Head. At each position, there were three cultivators, respectively at the same level as the challenger, one minor level higher, two minor levels higher, three... all the way up to eight minor levels higher!

Moreover, they formed a formation; to pass, one had to defeat them. The difficulty was unimaginable.

For this reason, no one had succeeded in three hundred years.

"Headquarters transmitted the footage of the War Son breaking the Dragon Gate Formation for all war masters to watch, to boost morale, to let us know the War Son's strength, and also to show that the assessment was fair and without cheating!"

This scene, recorded by headquarters with a recording crystal and transmitted, naturally had its significance.

Not only to make known the War Son's strength, but more importantly... to establish authority!

To make all war masters aware of the War Son's power, thereby establishing supreme prestige.

Whoosh!

As he pondered, he saw Zheng Yang on the curtain had already reached the Dragon Tail.

His spear thrust out, like thunder, like lightning, so fast it was hard to see, stabbing straight ahead.

"So strong..."

Feeling the speed of that thrust, Hall Master Xing felt a chill at his neck and trembled uncontrollably.

Fortunately, he hadn't fought this man; if they were at the same level, he would surely have had his throat pierced on the spot without even reacting.

He felt he was no match, but the war master in the Dragon Tail reacted, meeting the spear with his own, clashing and emitting a cold gleam.

Zheng Yang was undaunted. His body swayed slightly, his steps shifting; the movement seemed subtle, but somehow it was extremely fast, and in an instant he was before one of the Dragon Tail war masters, his spear sweeping horizontally.

Bang!

With one blow, he sent that war master flying. Then he continued his spear technique, thrusting repeatedly; after three moves, the remaining two were also defeated, and the Dragon Tail was broken.

"Such fast spear techniques..."

All the war masters in the square clenched their fists, their faces flushed with excitement.

Especially those from the Martial Skills Hall; their eyes shone.

To break the Dragon Tail, Zheng Yang used five moves. Each move seemed very simple—just straight thrusts and horizontal sweeps—but they contained the ultimate essence of spear techniques, forcing opponents to dodge and defend.

Even if they trained for hundreds of years, or even a lifetime, they could never achieve such a spear thrust.

Of course, the Dragon Tail was the easiest; next came the Dragon Back.

The three at the Dragon Back were already three, four, and five minor levels higher than Zheng Yang.

He broke through quickly as well, though with some difficulty, but without major trouble.

"He used seventeen thrusts in total!"

Hall Master Xing counted.

After breaking the Dragon Back, he arrived before the Dragon Head.

These three were six, seven, and eight minor levels higher than Zheng Yang respectively. As they struck, wind and thunder rolled, power surged like a tide.

In an instant, their aura blotted out the sky, covering the heavens.

Like a true dragon appearing, clouds gathered, and the world changed color.

Zheng Yang stood among them like a withered leaf on a lake, seemingly about to be engulfed at any moment, yet he remained suspended above, standing firm.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

After an unknown time, the clouds dispersed and the rain ceased. Zheng Yang reappeared, panting heavily, sweat streaming down his head.

His body bore at least dozens of bloody wounds, severe injuries... but the three at the Dragon Head had also been struck down; clearly... he had passed!

"Only the final Dragon Pearl remains..."

Headquarters' Dragon Gate Formation had a Dragon Pearl guarding it; that was the hardest part.

In three hundred years, nearly ten had broken through the simplified Dragon Gate Formation without the Dragon Pearl, but not one had passed the Dragon Pearl.

Standing still, he took a few breaths, recovered slightly, then continued forward. Blood flowed from his wounds, leaving a red trail along the ground as it dripped from his spear tip, but he did not stop; instead, his steps grew steadier.

It seemed a great belief supported him from within—even if he died... he would not retreat.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

He fought against the Dragon Pearl.

Their battle nearly tore space apart; Zheng Yang's long spear was broken.

Still, he did not give up. His fist techniques, palm techniques, body movements, leg techniques... each move more exquisite than the last, and finally, he turned his body into a spear, breaking the Dragon Pearl's defense.

"Three hundred and eighty-eight moves..."

Hall Master Xing finished counting, his throat dry.

In his battle with the Dragon Pearl, Zheng Yang used nearly four hundred moves.

Though he defeated it, he was nearly at his limit, covered in blood, with hardly a spot on his body unscathed.

"Becoming a War Son... is indeed not easy!"

Seeing him persist despite such severe injuries, never giving up, all the war masters fell silent.

To be honest, if it were them, they might have given up at the Dragon Back, not because of strength, but because of conviction.

This Zheng Yang seemed to carry an unyielding confidence; even if his body was pierced with dozens of holes, he would persist in defeating his opponent and moving toward success.

This was something they could never match.

"I, Zheng Yang, am just an ordinary youth practicing spear techniques from the Tianxuan Kingdom!"

The footage of breaking the Dragon Gate Formation ended, and Zheng Yang appeared before everyone again, his injuries now fully healed.

"I was fortunate to meet my esteemed teacher. He taught me the most exquisite spear techniques, led by example, imparted the principles of conduct, and guided me against the current step by step, leading to who I am today."

"The way of the spear is the way of humanity. Cultivation is the cultivation of life. My emergence as War Son is not because my true strength surpasses others, but because... I have principles and goals in life."

"I hope all war masters can comprehend..."

"...Finally, I issue my first [War Son Decree]."

"We shall obey the War Son's teachings!"

All the war masters knelt on one knee, bowing with clasped fists.

The War Son Decree was equivalent to the hall master's decree of the War Master Hall, akin to a marshal's order in the military; all war masters must unconditionally obey.

"I received my teachings from my esteemed teacher; without him, I would not be where I am today. Henceforth, everyone in the War Master Hall, regardless of who they are, upon seeing him, must treat him with the courtesy due a teacher!"

"Yes!"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Respecting one's teacher is something everyone should observe. The War Son's teacher, the future hall master's teacher, is also the teacher of the entire War Master Hall.

To show disrespect would be an affront to the entire War Master Hall.

"My esteemed teacher is always low-key. This information is to remain within the War Master Hall only. Anyone who leaks it will be killed without mercy!"

Zheng Yang's eyes blazed with killing intent.

"Yes!"

Everyone responded again.

"Very well. I hope you will remember his name..."

"My teacher... Zhang Xuan!"