After the Engagement Was Broken Off, I Was Pursued by Peerless Holy Maidens - Chapter 69:

Chapter 69: Y-You’re a Martial Saint?

“Our Earthly Xia Domain has survived to this day because we have the courage to fight, to stand against our enemies even at the cost of our lives!”

“If everyone were like you—cowering at the mere sound of rumors and eager to surrender—our imperial domain would’ve collapsed long ago!”

“Old Yan, stop trying to poison His Majesty’s judgment! A twenty-three-year-old brat who managed to break through to Earth-grade Martial Emperor in such a short time—fine, I’ll admit he’s born with an imperial physique, that’s impressive!”

“But if you’re telling me that at twenty-three, he’s already a Martial Saint—I’d spit in your face right now just to wake you up!”

The vulgar battle general’s words came out like rapid fire, leaving Elder Yan completely at a loss for how to respond.

His aged face flushed red as he pointed furiously at the other man. “You… you… you scoundrel! We’re discussing matters concerning the survival of the entire imperial domain, and you’re acting like a vulgar fishwife—how disgraceful! You call yourself the grand general of an empire? You’re nothing but a disgrace!”

“Hmph, the one who’s truly disgraceful here is you,” the general sneered, completely unmoved by Elder Yan’s criticism.

“To be afraid of a wet-behind-the-ears brat like that? You’ve lived all these years for nothing!”

A thoughtful glint appeared in Emperor Xia Di’s eyes.

As much as the general’s words were crass, there was some truth in them.

If Xia Feng truly was a Martial Saint, why would he spare them after destroying the Heavenly Xia Domain?

A Martial Saint should’ve reached them in two days, right?

But this was already the eighth day.

Perhaps… the general was right?

Who would want to keep backing down and surrendering, especially to someone so young?

He’d even considered fleeing south, and now shame surged within him.

“Listen to my command!” Xia Di suddenly roared, startling the entire court.

The civil and military officials quickly turned and bowed.

“Your Majesty!”

“I have made my decision. General Zhang, you are to go to the Human Xia Domain immediately. Tell Emperor Xia Ren that the boy is nothing but a bluff. He is to bring his three Heaven-grade Martial Emperors, and we will work together to march on Xingyu City and capture that brat alive!”

“At once, Your Majesty!” General Zhang was overjoyed. He stepped forward quickly, dropped to one knee, and cupped his fists. “Rest assured, Your Majesty! I will join forces with the Human Xia Emperor at once—we won’t let that brat escape!”

The other court members exchanged looks and also stepped forward, eager to express their desire to see Xia Feng torn to pieces.

Only Elder Yan stood to the side, sighing in frustration and sorrow.

That boy had the Imperial Physique. It wasn’t impossible for him to become a Martial Saint.

But his words carried no weight. No one believed him. So it meant nothing.

Sadly, in the entire Earthly Xia Domain, no one was paying him any attention anymore.

General Zhang accepted the imperial edict and turned to leave the palace.

But just as his left foot crossed the threshold, he froze in place, completely motionless.

“Beloved subject, what’s wrong? Why haven’t you left? Did you forget something?” Xia Di asked, confused by the general’s sudden pause. He stepped forward and asked in a low voice.

“N-No… It’s… him…”

What answered him was a trembling whisper, barely louder than a mosquito’s buzz. Zhang didn’t even turn his head.

It wasn’t that he didn’t want to speak.

It was that his body was frozen stiff, his mind blank from fear at what he had just seen.

“What do you mean ‘not him’? What are you mumbling about like a woman?” Xia Di snapped, furious at Zhang’s sudden silence. He strode forward and shouted angrily.

But Zhang remained silent.

Not because he was ignoring the emperor, but because his entire body had gone numb. His flesh and bones were paralyzed.

“Why won’t you speak?! I’m asking you a question—are you ignoring me?!” Xia Di’s voice thundered in the palace.

He was the emperor—the ruler of an imperial domain. For a subordinate to ignore him in front of all the civil and military officials was unbearable.

He instantly flared his aura to the maximum.

The pressure of a 9th stage Heaven-grade Martial Emperor exploded forth, forcing weaker officials to stagger backward. Some even collapsed to the ground.

But General Zhang still didn’t react.

Xia Di was enraged. Never in the empire’s long history had a subject dared ignore him like this.

Spiritual energy surged into his left hand, forming a glowing blue orb.

“Scoundrel! I’m speaking to you!” he bellowed.

The orb was packed with violent, explosive energy. It was clear to everyone watching: the emperor intended to punish Zhang for his disrespect with the upper-grade Martial Emperor technique, Aqua Dragon Starburst.

All eyes were fixed on the scene.

But what happened next stunned them all.

The Aqua Dragon Starburst vanished instantly, and Xia Di, who had just stepped outside the palace, froze in place like a statue.

No—not entirely. His body began to tremble.

Then came a swallowing gulp, and a voice full of terror:

“N-No way… you’re… a Martial Saint?”

Martial Saint?

The words echoed through the palace as the civil and military officials looked at one another in shock.

Xia Di looked up in disbelief at the figure floating five paces in front of him and Zhang—Xia Feng.

A wave of dread surged through his chest.

“What? Am I not allowed to become a Martial Saint?” Xia Feng smiled warmly as he floated in mid-air, one leg crossed over the other.

But calling him Xia Feng didn’t quite feel accurate anymore.

He looked more like a lightning spirit, with arcs of silver lightning dancing around his body. A massive wave of saintly pressure enveloped both Zhang and Xia Di.

Despite being a 9th stage Heaven-grade Martial Emperor and a 5th stage Martial Emperor respectively, they felt like helpless children facing a 300-kilogram berserker.

Powerless. Small. Terrified.

Their faces turned pale.

Neither had imagined that just eight days ago, this man was only a half-saint… and now, he had become a true Martial Saint!

Though Xia Di had never seen Xia Feng in person before, he had seen the portrait created by Han Sen.

Now, upon seeing him in the flesh, his mind went blank.

Regret and fear twisted together in his chest like a dagger.

He was a real Martial Saint!

Saintly pressure could be faked, perhaps, but not the rolling arcs of lightning radiating with the power of laws.

The power of laws could only be released by one who had truly comprehended that law’s great path.