Batian Martial Soul

Chapter 14372 Discovered
The stone fortress stands out from the surrounding tents, yet strangely blends in, as if it were the core and soul of the city.

Ling Xiao stood in front of the stone fortress, scanning the walls of the fortress, trying to find the entrance.

Just as he was about to search for an entrance to sneak in, the space in front of him suddenly blurred, as if it had been stirred up by an invisible hand.

Immediately afterwards, a middle-aged man dressed in dark red animal skins and with a burly, towering figure appeared in front of him without warning, blocking his way.

The middle-aged man was incredibly tall, with shoulders as broad as two large doors, and muscles bulging on his arms like coiled dragons, exuding explosive power.

His skin was bronze, covered with deep scars, like medals left by time, telling of his past glories and battles.

His hair was disheveled and draped over his shoulders, and his eyes were deep and sharp, like two sharp daggers piercing straight into Ling Xiao's heart.

Ling Xiao's heart tightened, and his heart instantly jumped into his throat.

Although he was hidden within the concealment array and in an invisible state, he could clearly feel that the other party's deep, abyss-like eyes were precisely "locking" on his location!

That gaze seemed to have penetrating power, able to see through all disguises and concealments.

It was discovered!

A strong sense of crisis welled up in Ling Xiao's heart. Even the Concealing Saint Rune Array could not completely hide from his perception, which meant that the opponent's strength far exceeded his imagination.

He knew that hiding any longer was futile, and continuing to hide would only put him in a more passive position.

So he made a quick decision, forming hand seals and chanting incantations to remove the sacred rune array.

With a flash of light, his figure slowly materialized, revealing himself to the middle-aged man.

Upon seeing Ling Xiao appear, the middle-aged man showed little surprise, as if everything was within his expectations.

He remained expressionless, his eyes conveying a sense of indifference and authority.

His voice was deep and rumbling like thunder, carrying an undeniable authority that echoed in the air: "Who are you?"

"Why have you trespassed into the forbidden area of ​​my Puppet City!"

The sound seemed to come from the depths of the earth, filled with a sense of oppression, which made Ling Xiao feel a chill in his heart.

Ling Xiao took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the turmoil in his heart caused by the sudden questioning and tense confrontation.

He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, bowing respectfully without being humble or arrogant, his voice steady and clear: "I am Ling Xiao, from the Batian Empire."

His words exuded a calm and composed demeanor, as if he could remain steadfast even in this unknown and hostile environment.

"The Overlord Empire?"

Upon hearing this, the middle-aged man frowned slightly, his furrowed brows resembling two small hills, and a look of unfamiliarity appeared on his face, as if he had no recollection of the name.

"Outsiders are not welcome here."

"Explain why you're here!"

His voice was deep and cold, like icicles in the dead of winter, carrying an unquestionable authority, each word striking Ling Xiao's heart heavily.

Ling Xiao knew very well that there was no point in saying anything more at this moment, as the other party clearly had no patience to listen to his long-winded explanation.

Without further ado, he focused his gaze and swung his right hand sharply.

In an instant, a surge of pure energy erupted from his palm, rapidly condensing in the air and gradually transforming into a lifelike portrait of Ling Bi.

The portrait was so lifelike, with eyebrows, eyes, and expression exactly like Ling Bi's, and it floated in front of the middle-aged man.

Ling Xiao kept his eyes glued to the other person's reaction, not daring to relax for a moment, and spoke again:

"I'm here to find someone, to find her!"

When Ling Bi's portrait came into clear view, the middle-aged man reacted extremely strongly.

His pupils suddenly contracted, as if two black gems had been instantly sucked into them by an invisible force.

A complex glint flashed in his eyes, a glint of surprise, as if he had seen something incredible; scrutiny, as if he were carefully judging something; and even more so, an indescribable solemnity, as if Ling Bi's appearance had involved some major secret.

The next moment, he moved without warning.

Without uttering any unnecessary words, like a long-silent volcano suddenly erupting, he threw a punch directly at Ling Xiao!

This punch, with its overwhelming force, produced a piercing sonic boom as soon as the wind rose, sounding like thousands of sharp arrows whistling through the air.

A powerful, overwhelming force, like a collapsing mountain, instantly enveloped Ling Xiao. This force was like a primordial beast that had been dormant for a long time, awakening with a world-destroying might, ready to crush him and the surrounding space together!
Ling Xiao was prepared; he kept a close eye on the middle-aged man's every subtle movement.

The moment the other person's expression changed, he was already prepared to respond.

The Bloodthirsty Blade had already leaped into his hand, its blade gleaming with a bloodthirsty light, as if yearning for battle.

Faced with this earth-shattering punch, he dared not hold back in the slightest. The sword intent within his body surged forth like a rushing river bursting its banks.

He concentrated all his strength into this one strike, slashing down with all his might!

The blade flashed, like a brilliant shooting star streaking across the night sky, carrying a fierce momentum as it met the terrifying punch head-on.

"boom--!"

In an instant, the knife and the fist collided fiercely, the sound like the roar of an ancient god or demon, shaking the heavens and earth, and erupting with a deafening roar!

The sound was like two enormous stars colliding, the energy of which distorted and deformed the surrounding space.

A terrifying shockwave, visible to the naked eye, exploded outwards at an extremely high speed, sending sand and stones flying wherever it passed. The surrounding buildings, which were already on the verge of collapse, were instantly smashed to pieces by this shockwave.

Ling Xiao felt an irresistible force, like a surging tide, rushing wildly along the blade.

This force was like ten thousand wild bulls galloping wildly, with an overwhelming momentum that he simply could not withstand.

His hand instantly split open, and blood gushed out like a fountain, staining the hilt of the knife red.

He was sent flying uncontrollably backward, like a leaf caught in a gale, tracing a long arc in the air before crashing heavily to the ground hundreds of feet away.

"Oh!"

Upon landing, the incredibly hard ground cracked instantly, as if it were made of paper.

Huge cracks spread outwards like a spider web, and then the ground collapsed into a deep pit. Smoke and dust billowed out like black clouds, obscuring Ling Xiao's figure.

Ling Xiao felt as if his internal organs had been displaced by this tremendous force, and a sweet taste rose in his throat as blood surged up.

But he endured the excruciating pain and forced back the gushing blood, his expression becoming more solemn than ever before.