Chapter Ninety-Three: The Great Battle with Feipeng

"I cannot wait. I am going to the South Heavenly Gate to take a look."

Yuan Wuji unleashed his Earth-Skimming Golden Light Art, and within a few breaths he had already arrived at the South Heavenly Gate.

"The Four Heavenly Kings are truly gone."

The heavenly soldiers stationed there had all been replaced. Not one of the old guard remained; every face was unfamiliar.

At the very center of the South Heavenly Gate stood a man in white armor, sword in hand, his features sharp and resolute, his countenance upright and stern. He could not be called a handsome man, yet the aura about him made it clear beyond doubt that he was a god of war.

So this was Feipeng.

"State your business."

None of the heavenly soldiers at the South Heavenly Gate recognized Yuan Wuji now. Perhaps at present, aside from a few great gods and immortals, all other celestial beings were treated no differently from him.

The nearest soldier raised his spear and blocked Yuan Wuji's path, refusing to let him advance even half a step.

That gesture stirred a trace of anger in Yuan Wuji's heart, but he forced it down at once and took out his token, holding it out before the soldier.

"Grand Marshal Divine Ape?" the soldier read from the token.

"Since you are the Grand Marshal Divine Ape, may I ask what brings you to the South Heavenly Gate?"

"I am here. What business is that of yours? Shut your mouth."

Already in a foul mood, Yuan Wuji naturally had no patience to waste on polite words.

The soldier was stung by his tone and was about to say more when Yuan Wuji kicked him straight over to Feipeng.

Yuan Wuji's action caused every soldier at the South Heavenly Gate to lift their spears and aim them at him, yet none attacked, as if awaiting a command.

"Grand Marshal Divine Ape, why do you strike my men?" Feipeng said without turning around. That posture was no different from looking down on Yuan Wuji entirely.

"Just beating a few disobedient dogs."

Feipeng kept his back to Yuan Wuji, and Yuan Wuji likewise had no intention of facing him head-on. As he turned aside, he sent several more soldiers flying with a kick.

But it was only when Feipeng gave a gesture that the remaining soldiers refrained from rushing forward to attack Yuan Wuji.

"Grand Marshal Divine Ape, are you not going too far?" Feipeng said in a displeased tone.

The divine sword in his hand was already beginning to slide from its scabbard.

"Too far? I don't think so."

Yuan Wuji kicked away a few more spear-bearing soldiers, and even raised a certain finger at Feipeng.

That act of provocation instantly ignited every soldier guarding the South Heavenly Gate.

All of them lifted their spears high and surged toward Yuan Wuji like a mad tide, intent on tearing him apart. To them, Feipeng was an invincible war god, and any insult to him could not be tolerated.

The soldiers under Feipeng were indeed far stronger than those under the Four Heavenly Kings, but in Yuan Wuji's eyes, no matter how many came at him, they were still utterly insignificant.

"Stop!"

Feipeng's voice rang out, once again halting the soldiers.

"General Feipeng, let us kill him. Even if the Jade Emperor orders punishment, we brothers will bear it!" shouted the soldier beside Feipeng, drawing fierce agreement from the others.

"Yes, General! He dares to humiliate you; that is to humiliate us all. We will surely avenge you!"

At those words, every soldier's gaze toward Yuan Wuji grew even more hostile.

"Die!"

One of the soldiers could no longer restrain himself and lunged first, spear in hand, at Yuan Wuji.

"Hmph."

That earlier soldier had only been trampled by Yuan Wuji to slight Feipeng, so he had not used his full strength. But this one was courting death of his own accord, and there could be no blaming anyone else for it.

Yuan Wuji drove a kick straight into the soldier's chest, and the force of it shattered his body into fragments.

With a sputter of blood, the soldier flew to Feipeng's feet, though this time he was left half-dead and barely breathing.

"Good. Then let me witness the divine might of the Grand Marshal Divine Ape."

If Feipeng still did not make a move after his subordinate had been beaten into such a state, would he still have loyal men under him?

A streak of white sword light flashed past Yuan Wuji's ear as the sword in Feipeng's hand finally left its scabbard.

Judging by the sword's power, it already possessed the might of an early innate spiritual treasure.

"I've been waiting for this."

Yuan Wuji showed no fear whatsoever. He drew out his own acquired spiritual treasure, the Cloud-Splitting Head-Severing Staff, and met Feipeng's charge head-on.

For Feipeng to replace the Four Heavenly Kings in guarding the South Heavenly Gate, his strength could not be simple. Yuan Wuji could not see through his cultivation at all; his realm was absolutely above Yuan Wuji's.

He invoked the Mountain-Uplifting, Sea-Transcending Art, and his strength surged sharply.

With a thunderous impact, Yuan Wuji's staff and Feipeng's sword collided, and the shockwave sent all the surrounding heavenly soldiers staggering backward.

With that one strike, Feipeng's power was actually on par with his own.

Yuan Wuji had used the Mountain-Uplifting, Sea-Transcending Art, while Feipeng had met him purely with physical strength.

It was almost a contest of flesh against flesh. Aside from the Mountain-Uplifting, Sea-Transcending Art, Yuan Wuji had used no other divine technique.

Few opponents could match Yuan Wuji in bodily strength, and even after invoking that art, he could only fight Feipeng to a draw.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

After dozens of exchanges, Yuan Wuji had gained no advantage whatsoever in raw physical strength. Though Feipeng's realm was considerably higher than his own, the Stone-Armed Monkey Clan was famed for bodily power, and there were very few who could truly rival them in strength.

"You do have some skill."

Even Yuan Wuji could not help but praise him. To reach such a profound level of physical strength alone was indeed enough to justify replacing the Four Heavenly Kings.

Whistling sounds rang out as Feipeng unleashed several quick streaks of sword light toward Yuan Wuji.

Yuan Wuji set his staff before him and blocked them one by one.

"Hm?"

He felt the power carried by those sword lights was not as formidable as the ones released when Feipeng's sword had first come free. It seemed Feipeng had done so deliberately.

"Someone is coming," Feipeng transmitted from afar. Only Yuan Wuji could hear him.

Hearing that message, Yuan Wuji focused his senses, and only then did he detect a faint, concealed presence.

So that was how it was.

Yuan Wuji looked at Feipeng with a somewhat complicated expression. Feipeng's physical strength was on par with his own, and even his primordial spirit was stronger than Yuan Wuji's. Yuan Wuji's own spirit had devoured quite a few living beings, yet it still fell a step short.

Since setting out on his path, Yuan Wuji had scarcely encountered anyone stronger than himself. Though he often reminded himself that there was always someone above him and heaven beyond heaven, deep down he remained arrogantly self-assured. Feipeng had just slapped that arrogance in the face.

"Venus of the White Dipper, what are you hiding for? Come out."

Feipeng called toward the white clouds in the distance.

"If you do not come out, I will come and fetch you myself."

As he spoke, Feipeng deliberately leveled the sword in his hand at that patch of cloud, ready to unleash a sword light at any moment.

"Haha, General Feipeng is indeed formidable. So even this old man cannot escape your notice."

From within the clouds stepped an old man clad entirely in white, with white hair and a long white beard. It was indeed Venus of the White Dipper.

"Grand Marshal Divine Ape."

Venus of the White Dipper also gave Yuan Wuji a respectful bow.

"The commotion made by you two generals is far too great. This old man, being an elder of the Celestial Court, could hardly fail to come and see what was happening." Stroking his white beard, Venus of the White Dipper smiled.