Chapter 438 Another one lusting after brother's sacred physique? (2)
"..." Nôv(el)B\\\\jnn
The silence that followed was telling.
Huang Juncheng\'s expression, previously an unreadable mask, darkened significantly—a silent affirmation that Du Yun\'er\'s guess struck closer to the truth than he preferred.
Indeed, the mystery of how the Dynasty\'s strongest warrior had become confined to a wheelchair was a topic of much speculation and whispered rumors.
Some whispered of covert actions by foreign nations, envious of his power and seeking to cripple the Dynasty\'s might.
Others speculated about the wrath of the Divine Mountain, a place shrouded in mystery and awe.
Only Huang Juncheng held the key to the true sequence of events.
Once a figure of unrivaled strength and frivolous spirit, his life had taken a dramatic turn following a fateful encounter.
It wasn\'t just the loss of his mobility that the incident cost him, but also his most formidable weapon of destruction.
Now, he possessed the weapon still, yet it lay dormant, stripped of its devastating power.
The catalyst for this seismic shift in his fate was none other than a young woman seeking asylum from the Divine Mountain—a place as revered as it was feared within the Dynasty.
Cloaked in the dense aura of heaven and earth, the Divine Mountain was the pinnacle of cultivation, a paradise that every cultivator aspired to reach.
Yet, its beauty belied a ruthless truth; without significant strength or powerful allies, one would be crushed like an ant within its sacred bounds.
Even to the martial ancestors revered across the lands, the peaks of the Divine Mountain were merciless, reducing even these untouched beings to mere cannon fodder.
....
In offering sanctuary to the mysterious woman and her companions, Huang Juncheng was far from altruistic.
Known for his ruthlessness, he rarely acted without seeking a benefit.
His interest was particularly piqued by the young lady among the group. When conventional tactics failed to yield the advantage he sought, he saw an opportunity to exploit the situation.
Despite her weakened state, having sacrificed much of her cultivation to escape, he grossly miscalculated the profound gulf between the martial arts of the Han Dynasty and those practiced by denizens of the Divine Mountain.
On that fateful day, his arrogance led to his downfall.
His once formidable balls of fire, symbols of his unmatched power, betrayed him—spitting ice instead of flame.
His legs were encased in eternal ice, a chilling evidence to his defeat.
And though he eventually recovered from his frozen state, he was left with no movement in any part of his body below the waist.
The melancholy that shadowed Master Huang\'s face as he recounted his tale, even though the details remained unspoken.
Zhang Mingxuan and Du Yun\'er, oblivious to the full extent of his \'past\' actions, felt an involuntary twinge of pity for the man who once stood unchallenged, a titan among mortals.
Internally, wiping away the nonexistent tears that threatened to fall, Huang Juncheng\'s expression hardened with resolve. "You two must remember, he might be our only hope to restore balance between the Divine Mountain and our Han Dynasty," he declared, a faint echo of his former conviction resonating in his voice.
"Heh!???"
The proclamation struck Zhang Mingxuan and Du Yun\'er with the force of a thunderclap.
Du Yun\'er, in particular, felt as if she had been slapped by an invisible hand.
Pakh!
"Master, you cannot be serious? He?" she blurted out, her disbelief echoing.
...
Zhang Mingxuan, equally stunned, voiced his confusion, "But Master... I thought our hopes were pinned on the ancient dragons to the south of the capital? Wasn\'t the child from the Long family chosen by the ancient Gu sect?"
Huang Juncheng shook his head, a gesture laden with a mix of disappointment and enlightenment. "You\'re not seeing the full picture. Why would the Gu sect allow such a thing freely? Could they not be aiming to expand their influence over our lands through him?" His retort echoed with authority, casting a hush over the gathering.
Zhang Mingxuan sank into contemplation, but Du Yun\'er\'s reaction was visceral; her face flushed with a fiery anger. "No! I refuse to accept it!" Her outburst startled the others.
"I will confront him myself! I wish to gauge the strength that you, Master, have acknowledged!"
"Wait—" Huang Juncheng began, but before he could articulate his thoughts, Du Yun\'er had already departed.
09:21
"Since he has violated the Martial Arts Association\'s laws, I will apprehend him personally," she declared with unwavering conviction.
"Wait—" Huang Juncheng began, but before he could articulate his thoughts, Du Yun\'er had already departed.
Whoosh!
Her silhouette ignited into flames, transforming her into a streak of light that pierced through the air, rapidly diminishing as she sped towards the mountain, her figure swiftly crossing the region.
"Master, aren\'t you going to stop her?" Zhang Mingxuan asked, concern etching his features.
Huang Juncheng, maneuvering his wheelchair to face the departing trail, sighed deeply. "If you possess the strength, then go ahead and halt this impending clash of the phoenix and dragon," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.
Du Yun\'er hailed from an ancient lineage within the capital, choosing Huang Juncheng as her master out of respect for his knowledge and power. Huang was content with the mobility he had left and had no desire to see his legs—or hers—reduced to ashes in a reckless confrontation.
Meanwhile, Zhang Wei remained blissfully oblivious as another woman hurtled toward him with the speed of a bullet train, consumed by lust for his sacred body!
__________
"Achoo!" Leng Mei, the mysterious figure behind Huang Juncheng\'s affliction, sneezed abruptly. She rubbed her nose, a puzzled expression crossing her features. "Who could be cursing me now?" she mused, her curiosity piqued by the sudden irritation.
From the corner of the room, Hu Jia, ever the diligent caretaker despite her advanced years, paused in her sweeping.
She looked towards Leng Mei, her expression a blend of concern and mild exasperation. "Miss, I\'d wager it\'s the dust. These quarters haven\'t been properly cleaned in what seems like ages. Living in such an environment isn\'t advisable," she remarked, her tone gentle yet firm, a subtle encouragement for better living conditions.
"What?" Leng Mei\'s eyes narrowed, taken aback by the unexpected critique. \'Am I feeding this old lady too well? Since when did she start nipping at her owner?\' she pondered, half-amused and half-irritated. "...Or perhaps... the fault does lie with me?"