<h4>Chapter 555: Chapter 557: Peerless General</h4>
Dressed in white and wielding a silver spear, Zhao Suoxiang stood defiantly. He was the same Zhao Suoxiang from the Iron Spear Sect on Heavenly Wolf Ind, Zhong Shan''s old friend. After the sect was annihted, Zhao Suoxiang, with Zhong Shan''s help, inherited the sect''s treasured Spear Heart and left for Shenzhou with his senior uncles to seek development.
"It''s Zhao Suoxiang!" Tian Ling''er eximed in surprise.
Tian Ling''er knew Zhao Suoxiang from her first journey with Zhong Shan. They hadter faced enemies together at the Zhong Residence. Although they were not very familiar, she remembered him.
"Is that man really just at the Nascent Soul peak? Is he nning to fight the entire monkey horde alone?" Gu Qianyou asked with a hint of doubt.
Nascent Soul peak? There were thousands of demon monkeys before him, with over a hundred at the Nascent Soul stage and six at the Integration stage. Could Zhao Suoxiang handle them all alone?
As Gu Qianyou and others pondered, Zhao Suoxiang let out a long howl and charged into the horde with his spear.
The lower-level monkeys attacked first, each wielding a stick and disying their brute strength. However, as soon as Zhao Suoxiang entered the fray, a terrifying disaster unfolded.
With a single sweep of his spear, Zhao Suoxiang caused a monkey to explode. Despite their enormous size, the monkeys were no match for him.
As one monkey exploded, Zhao Suoxiang''s spear danced wildly, sending countless monkey corpses flying into the sky. Blood and limbs rained down, and his spear carried a fierce masculine aura. Wherever his spear pointed, nothing could stand in his way.
Despite the overwhelming number of monkeys, Zhao Suoxiang quickly adapted, his body moving fluidly. Hundreds of spear energies shot out from his sides, resembling rockets, and they struck in all directions, creating a storm of carnage.
The battle turned frenzied as Zhao Suoxiang spun his spear with unparalleled precision, reaping the lives of the monkey horde like a machine. Any Golden Core stage monkey that touched his spear was instantly annihted. Even the Nascent Soul stage monkeys met the same fate, unable to withstand his attacks.
"Incredible! In such a short time, he has already killed nearly five hundred monkeys, and yet his clothes remain unstained by blood," A''da remarked in amazement.
"Didn''t you notice? Zhao Suoxiang''s movements are perfectly efficient—no wasted motion at all," Zhihuo observed, narrowing his eyes.
As the group marveled, one of the enormous Integration stage demon monkeys could no longer tolerate it. In a brief period, five Nascent Soul stage monkeys had perished under Zhao Suoxiang''s spear, which seemed like a call of death. The giant monkey leapt, raising a colossal club, and descended upon Zhao Suoxiang with crushing force.
The club''s fall sealed Zhao Suoxiang''s escape route. He had no choice but to face it head-on.
The Integration stage monkey''s strike was incredibly powerful, creating a gale that pushed the surrounding monkeys away.
Zhao Suoxiang''s eyes widened. He assumed a bow-and-arrow stance, his spear pointing directly at the descending club.
"Ha!"
With a thunderous shout, veins bulging on his forehead, Zhao Suoxiang''s spear seemed to swell tenfold in strength.
A monumental sh ensued between Zhao Suoxiang''s spear and the giant monkey''s club.
The peak of Nascent Soul shed fiercely with the power of the Integration stage.
"Boom!"
The spear and club collided, unleashing a powerful shockwave that pushed the surrounding monkeys further back. Zhao Suoxiang''s stance was firm, his feet dug into the dry ground, which cracked and raised a cloud of dust under the immense pressure.
As the dust settled, Zhao Suoxiang''s eyes zed with battle intent, while the giant monkey''s cluby broken in two. The giant monkey, stunned by disbelief, could only watch as Zhao Suoxiang leaped up. His spear danced in a deadly arc, and a massive spear energy shot towards the monkey''s face.
Zhao Suoxiang''s muscles strained against his once-loose white robe, now stretched taut and ready to tear. The giant monkey, seeing the spear energying, hastily tried to defend itself.
"Thud!"
In the incredulous eyes of the monkey horde, Zhao Suoxiang''s fierce strike pierced the giant monkey''s heart, right at its Purple Pce. It was as if time stood still, every monkey unable to believe that one of their leaders had been killed in a single move.
The impaled giant monkey, too, looked on in disbelief, but it was toote. Zhao Suoxiang retracted his spear and then thrust it forward again, shattering the giant monkey''s head. Hended gracefully, raising another cloud of dust, and the fallen monkey''s corpse added a terrifying presence that instilled fear in the entire horde.
Without paying any attention to the monkeys'' reactions, Zhao Suoxiang pointed his spear and charged back into the fray, his fierceness reaching the heavens.
The ten spear-wielding men behind him looked at Zhao Suoxiang with utter admiration as he ughtered the monkeys.
From high above, Zhong Shan''s group was equally astonished, especially Zhihuo and the others.
"A Nascent Soul stage against an Integration stage? One encounter? Just one move to win?" Zhihuo''s eyes were filled with disbelief. This defied all his previous understanding. Even if such challenges were possible, they shouldn''t happen this quickly. One move, just one move, absolute suppression!
"What an unparalleled general!" Gu Qianyou eximed in awe.
"A general?" Tian Ling''er asked, not quite understanding.
"Yes, a general is different from a strategist. Theyck the intelligence of strategists but possess a bravery that strategists can never match. On the front lines, an army with a general is invincible. Not only is a general personally courageous, but they also inspire their troops with a fervent spirit. As long as the general is present, the soldiers fight with unmatched zeal, ready to die in battle without retreating. Conversely, this same spirit bes a heavy burden on the enemy, significantly reducing their effectiveness. In the past, the Great Luo Celestial Dynasty had countless generals, but there was only one true unparalleled general—Grand Marshal Huan Tulong! Yet, I doubt even Huan Tulong, at Zhao Suoxiang''s level, could match his ferocity," Gu Qianyou exined.
"Huan Tulong was a general?" Zhong Shan asked.
"Yes, he once served as a corpsmander. Wielding a dragon-ying de, he was unstoppable. His soldiers were willing to follow him to their deaths, and he was invincible against countless formidable generals," Gu Qianyou nodded.
"I see," Zhong Shan nodded thoughtfully.
"Husband, should we help?" Bao''er asked.
"No need. I know his temperament. He loves a good fight and doesn''t need anyone to interfere. Didn''t you see that even his subordinates aren''t intervening?" Zhong Shan replied with a smile.
"Alright," Bao''er nodded in understanding.
Zhao Suoxiang, with his silver spear, faced thousands of monkeys alone. His ferocity was unmatched. Zhao Suoxiang''s innate fierceness was apparent from his mortal days on the battlefield, where he was known as an undefeated general. After bing a cultivator, he had tempered this ferocity, but now, as an official once more, he embraced his role with renewed vigor.
Killing, killing, killing!
Zhao Suoxiang was like a war god, moving through the monkey horde as if there were no monkeys at all. The ughter was exhrating for him, and he fought tirelessly for an entire day and night. Despite the relentless battle, Zhao Suoxiang showed no signs of fatigue, continuing his rampage.
By the end of the day and night, the ground was littered with over eight thousand monkey corpses. The remaining thousand or so monkeys were terrified and fled quickly. However, Zhao Suoxiang, immersed in a peculiar state as if on the brink of a breakthrough, would not let them escape. His ten subordinates knew his condition well and swiftly moved to corral the fleeing monkeys back.
"Boom!"
With a thunderous roar, Zhao Suoxiang plunged his spear into the ground, causing it to crack. An overwhelming aura erupted from him.
His ten subordinates abandoned the remaining monkeys and surrounded Zhao Suoxiang. The monkeys, now thoroughly broken in spirit, discarded their clubs and fled in panic. Zhao Suoxiang had be their eternal nightmare.
Standing with his spear embedded in the ground, Zhao Suoxiang closed his eyes, allowing the wind to blow around him, emanating a powerful aura.
An hourter, Zhao Suoxiang opened his eyes, which now gleamed with intense battle intent.
"Congrattions, General!" his ten subordinates cheered.
They knew Zhao Suoxiang had been at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage, needing only an opportunity to break through. The day and night of relentless fighting had provided that opportunity, pushing him to the Integration stage.
Upon breaking through, Zhao Suoxiang immediately looked up.
"Friends in the sky, have you seen enough?" Zhao Suoxiang''s eyes turned cold.
At his words, the ten subordinates drew their spears, ready forbat.
With a wave of his hand, Zhong Shan dispelled the illusion hiding them.
Seeing the group, the subordinates'' eyes turned colder.
"Zhao Suoxiang!" Zhong Shan called out loudly.
The moment the illusion vanished, Zhao Suoxiang spotted Zhong Shan at the center and recognized him instantly.
"Zhong Shan! It''s you!" Zhao Suoxiang eximed in surprise, his face lighting up with joy.
The general knows these people? The ten subordinates were momentarily taken aback.
"Hahaha! What a fierce battle! Your iron spear is as mighty as ever!" Zhong Shanughed as he and his group descended from the clouds.
"You tter me. I imagine this level of battle wouldn''t even catch your eye," Zhao Suoxiang replied with a heartyugh.
Hearing Zhao Suoxiang''s words, the subordinates were even more surprised. Their general, usually stern and proud, was nowughing heartily and speaking humbly. Who were these people?
"Still as modest as ever, I see. You''ve grown stronger, but the spirit remains the same," Zhong Shan said with a smile.
"These are my friends and allies. Meet mypanions: Bao''er, Ling''er, Qianyou, A''da, A''er, Zhihuo, Qinghong, and two wolf generals," Zhong Shan introduced.
"It''s good to see you, Zhao Suoxiang. You''ve be even more formidable," Tian Ling''er greeted him warmly.
"And you haven''t changed a bit, Ling''er," Zhao Suoxiang responded with a grin.
"This battle was impressive. You''ve always been a peerless general," Gu Qianyou remarked.
"Thank you. It''s an honor to receive such praise," Zhao Suoxiang replied, bowing slightly.
The ten subordinates exchanged nces, realizing the significance of Zhong Shan and hispanions. Respecting their general''s demeanor, they sheathed their weapons and stood at attention.
"So, what brings you here, Zhao Suoxiang?" Zhong Shan asked.
"We are on a mission to exterminate the demon monkeys of the Blue me Empire. It''s been a challenging task, but your presence here is a most wee surprise," Zhao Suoxiang exined.
"It seems fate has brought us together again. Let''s join forces andplete this mission," Zhong Shan suggested.
"With pleasure," Zhao Suoxiang agreed.
And so, the two groups merged,bining their strength and experience, ready to face whatever challengesy ahead in the Blue me Empire.