Chapter 125: The War God Dragon Envoy

Chapter 125: The War God Dragon Envoy

Ning Xiaochiao and Ming Yang clashed with their Sword Qi, competing in both swordplay and intent. Countless Sword Qi flew around their bodies, emitting sharp "swishing" sounds.

The small red dragon that had been coiled around Ning Xiaochiao's waist suddenly came to life, winding around his arm and greedily absorbing the Sword Qi emanating from both fighters. The small red dragon was covered in scales, with four sharp little claws and a pair of wings on its back, resembling a legendary Divine Dragon—only much smaller, almost like a tiny snake.

Many who witnessed this were stunned. "Ning Xiaochiao’s belt was actually a mystic beast… no… it looks like a dragon!"

"What kind of dragon is this? Why is it so small?"

"This dragon can actually devour the Sword Qi from the Supreme Sword Dao. It’s truly miraculous—could it really be a descendant of a Divine Dragon?"

"Ning Xiaochiao actually has a Battle Pet, no wonder he dares to challenge Ming Yang."

"The fact that Ning Xiaochiao blocked Ming Yang’s first strike already proves his strength. It seems today will be a fierce battle between titans."

Many had placed heavy bets on Ming Yang, believing he could kill Ning Xiaochiao in a single strike. However, Ning Xiaochiao’s cultivation surpassed everyone’s expectations—he blocked Ming Yang’s first attack, causing many to lose everything they had wagered.

The small red dragon’s eyes gleamed cunningly as it continued absorbing Sword Qi. It even crawled along Ning Xiaochiao’s arm onto Ming Yang’s heavy sword, frantically devouring the Supreme Sword Dao’s Sword Qi.

Ming Yang’s cultivation was naturally higher than Ning Xiaochiao’s, and his Sword Qi was far more powerful. Yet, no one had anticipated the appearance of a dragon that could consume Sword Qi.

Ming Yang’s Sword Qi grew weaker as most of it was absorbed by the small red dragon. Gradually, Ning Xiaochiao began to gain the upper hand, his Sword Qi overpowering Ming Yang’s. "Little Red, well done! Let’s work together to take his life."

A mystic beast Battle Pet was part of a warrior’s combat strength, and even the instructors of the Emperor’s Martial Palace couldn’t interfere.

The Deputy Headmaster of the Diamond Martial Academy abruptly stood up, clenching his fists tightly as he began to worry for Ming Yang. Ning Xiaochiao’s Battle Pet was far too extraordinary—it might very well decide the outcome of this battle.

"Ning Xiaochiao, blocking this strike proves you have some skill, but it won’t change your fate today."

Ming Yang’s heavy sword erupted with an overwhelming force, forming seven layers of Sword Qi shields that sent both the small red dragon and Ning Xiaochiao flying backward.

Ning Xiaochiao was forced into retreat, a drop of blood forming on his fingertip where the heavy sword had pierced him. A trace of Supreme Sword Dao Sword Qi invaded his body, but the Demonic Sword effortlessly absorbed it, leaving Ning Xiaochiao unharmed.

"Ooooww!"

The small red dragon was also unharmed. Flapping its wings, it bared its teeth at Ming Yang, sticking out its tongue and making a mocking face.

Ming Yang raised his battle sword and swung it lightly in front of him, instantly forming a circular curtain of Sword Qi. Upon this curtain, bright and clear stars appeared, resembling a night sky.

"Crackle—"

A pair of cyan wings, each over 7 meters long, unfurled from Ning Xiaochiao’s back, crackling with lightning as he soared into the sky, hovering 30 meters above the ground.

"Lightning!"

Ning Xiaochiao spread his arms, surrounded by thunder and lightning that enveloped his body, forming a massive lightning ball.

The small red dragon also took flight, landing on Ning Xiaochiao's shoulder. It raised its tail, extended its tiny claws, and glared fiercely at Ming Yang below, letting out a series of growls.

Ming Yang pointed his sword toward the sky.

A curtain of sword light, bright as stars, shot upward, transforming into countless radiant streaks of Sword Qi that streaked toward Ning Xiaochiao like meteors.

Between Ning Xiaochiao's hands, a colossal Lightning Divine Beast materialized, roaring as it pounced downward, colliding with the Sword Qi. Its massive claw slammed toward Ming Yang's head.

"Swish!"

Ming Yang swung his sword in retaliation, slicing through the Lightning Divine Beast effortlessly, rendering it no threat.

"Boom!"

A second Lightning Divine Beast descended from the sky, followed by a third...

Ning Xiaochiao hovered mid-air, continuously unleashing flashes of lightning to bombard the ground below.

Meanwhile, Ming Yang's Sword Qi, weakened by the distance, posed little threat by the time it reached Ning Xiaochiao.

What was supposed to be a decisive victory for Ming Yang had now turned into an evenly matched battle.

Even Yu Tiadi hadn't anticipated this outcome. He had initially believed Ning Xiaochiao would be instantly slain by Ming Yang. "Ning Xiaochiao has actually awakened a flying ability. For now, he's temporarily invincible."

A nearby warrior asked curiously, "Why only temporarily?"

Yu Tiadi replied, "Flight is incredibly difficult for martial artists. Even a Martial Venerable can't rely on their own power to fly. Only the most exceptional talents can awaken such an ability, but it consumes Martial Arts Profound Qi at an alarming rate. Don’t be fooled by how effortlessly Ning Xiaochiao is maneuvering in the air—his Martial Arts Profound Qi is depleting rapidly. If this drags on, within half an hour, he’ll exhaust his energy and plummet from the sky."

"Then why doesn’t he land and fight Ming Yang on the ground?" someone else questioned.

Yu Tiadi smirked coldly. "Do you really think Ning Xiaochiao stands a chance against Ming Yang? Just Ming Yang’s Seventh Level of the Divine Body Realm cultivation alone guarantees his victory. There’s no way a Fifth Level of the Divine Body Realm warrior could defeat him."

"Ning Xiaochiao must understand this too. He’s bound to lose today, but by staying airborne, he can hold out for half an hour. Even in defeat, he won’t appear too humiliated."

Of course, this was merely Yu Tiadi’s interpretation. In truth, Ning Xiaochiao burned with an intense desire to win. But to do so, he needed to find an opening in Ming Yang’s defenses—only then could he seize victory.

The longer the battle dragged on, the more Ming Yang’s sword intent wavered.

To Ming Yang, killing Ning Xiaochiao should have been a single-stroke affair. The fact that he hadn’t succeeded yet was nothing short of a disgrace.

"You really think flying keeps you out of my reach? How naive! Wind-Riding Sword!"

Ming Yang formed a sword seal with his hands, and the heavy ancient sword levitated into the air.

On the sword's surface, circles of sword radiance emanated, and a resonant sword cry rang out from the blade.

"Whoosh!"

The heavy sword actually soared into the sky, thrusting straight toward Ning Xiaochiao.

Ning Xiaochiao's expression changed drastically. Ming Yang could actually make the sword fly on its own—as if it possessed a spirit, yet still remained under its master's control even in midair.

This was the true Sword Control Technique, not merely launching sword Qi or striking with the blade, but genuine manipulation of a sword.

Since Ming Yang had already mastered the true Sword Control Technique, Ning Xiaochiao flying in the sky was akin to becoming a living target, his body at risk of being pierced by the heavy sword at any moment.

"Boom!"

A heavy rain suddenly poured down from nowhere.

Ning Xiaochiao flew through the rain, condensing a hundred Sword Qi Shadows that arranged themselves into a Sword Dragon, crashing down toward the heavy sword.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The heavy sword was battered left and right by the Sword Qi Shadows before falling back into Ming Yang's hand.

Ming Yang gripped the hilt and swung the sword toward Ning Xiaochiao.

Ning Xiaochiao summoned a hundred Sword Qi Shadows, forming a sword array to shield himself.

"Boom!"

The heavy sword shattered the array and struck Ning Xiaochiao, carving a 30-centimeter-long gash across his chest, leaving a horrifying wound.

The technique "Ten Thousand Swords Transforming into Rain" was not weak. The reason it was broken by Ming Yang's single strike was due to the gap in their cultivation realms—something no technique could bridge.

Though severely wounded, Ning Xiaochiao did not retreat. Instead, he advanced again, gathering another hundred Sword Qi Shadows and stacking them into a single sword before thrusting toward Ming Yang.

Ming Yang had expected Ning Xiaochiao to flee after such a heavy blow, but instead, he endured the pain and attacked once more.

Caught off guard, Ming Yang hastily raised his sword to block.

"Boom!"

Ning Xiaochiao pushed forward with both hands, forcing Ming Yang to stagger backward.

"Annihilation Sword Dao!"

Ning Xiaochiao infused the sword intent of the Annihilation Sword Dao into the technique "Ten Thousand Swords Transforming into Rain," instantly amplifying the power of his blade. Breaking through Ming Yang's sword Qi defense, the strike grazed past his armpit, tearing off a piece of his robe.

Standing in the heavy rain, Ning Xiaochiao clutched his flickering battle sword, his entire body drenched in blood.

Blood rolled down the blade, dripping into the rainwater, filling the air with a faint metallic scent.

Ming Yang stood opposite him, gripping the heavy sword. "You've already used all five of your divine abilities, yet all you managed was to tear a piece of my robe. Today, you are destined to die by my sword."

Ming Yang believed Ning Xiaochiao had exhausted his techniques, his moves now fully exposed. All it would take was one more strike—one more to kill him.

Ming Yang said, "That Battle Pet of yours isn't bad. After you die, I'll take it in myself."

Hearing the term "Battle Pet," the small red dragon felt deeply insulted, gnashing its teeth and letting out furious growls.

Others couldn't understand it, but Ning Xiaochiao roughly grasped its meaning—it was declaring war on Ming Yang.

Ning Xiaochiao thought it was just venting, but at that moment, the small red dragon's body blurred, transforming into a crimson mist that enveloped him.

A blood-red dragon vein pierced Ning Xiaochiao's heart, connecting with his Martial Arts Heart Palace. Martial Arts Profound Qi surged wildly through the dragon vein, flowing outward in torrents.

"Whoosh—"

Instantly, Ning Xiaochiao's body became covered in fiery red dragon scales, wrapping around him completely. The scales burned like crimson flames, as if carved from divine jade. A pair of sharp crystalline-red spikes grew from his head, while a pair of massive dragon wings, over 10 meters long, sprouted from his back. In his hand appeared a blazing red battle sword, forged with a vicious dragon claw and inscribed with ancient divine runes.

"ROAR—"

Half of the red dragon's body rose from behind Ning Xiaochiao, merging with his form—a barrel-thick torso, a massive draconic head, razor-sharp fangs, and glowing red horns. It let out an earth-shaking roar directed at Ming Yang.

The lower half of the red dragon transformed into armor, a battle sword, and wings, while the upper half remained intact, coiled around Ning Xiaochiao like a colossal dragon. Clad in this serpentine armor, his combat aura skyrocketed, as if he could now challenge the gods themselves.

This transformation was utterly terrifying.

The four deputy headmasters simultaneously rose from their seats, staring at Ning Xiaochiao in shock. The Deputy Headmaster of the Three Masters Martial Academy exclaimed in awe, "Heavens! Could this be the legendary War God Dragon Envoy recorded in ancient texts?"