Chapter 706: Battling Shang Honghua, Have I Not Given Enough Handicap?

"I-I lost!"

Xie Feng gulped, and a layer of fine, cold sweat appeared on his forehead.

He knew.

If Chu Kuangren wanted to, he could very well end his life with the slight touch of a fingertip, and he would have absolutely no power to fight back.

"No way, no way, Centurion Xie Feng is one of the elites on the battle leaderboard. How can he possibly be defeated in just one move?!"

"I-is this for real?"

"My eyes aren't fooling me, are they? What the hell was that sword strike just now?"

"What cultivation realm is this person in?!"

The soldiers in the barracks exclaimed in utter astonishment. Even Shang Honghua and the few female guards behind her were a little surprised.

"I didn't expect this guy to have such strong combat strength."

"No matter what, Xie Feng is still a Perfected Emperor. I'm afraid not even the Commodore Junior can manage that feat."

Just as a female bodyguard said that, she suddenly remembered that Shang Honghua was beside her. As such, she quickly covered her mouth in hindsight.

"This person's strength is indeed extraordinary."

Shang Honghua said with an eagerness for challenge lingering in her eyes.

She recalled that Heavenly Imperial Ghostblade once said that Chu Kuangren was younger than her, but his achievements were no lesser than hers.

For a long time, Shang Honghua had been one of the most outstanding figures among her peers. After all, a fifty-year-old Perfected Emperor was really rare.

Of all the people in the eighty-one strongholds, there were less than a handful of the same generation who could compare with her. Even during ancient times, it would be extremely rare to find a cultivator like her.

Therefore, Shang Honghua had always taken pride in this achievement.

However, when she heard that someone's achievements were not lower than hers and that they were even younger, she could not help but develop an urge to make comparisons.

She wished to find out who, among herself and Chu Kuangren, was the better one!

"Zhang Yi, get out!"

Another emperor was called out by Shang Honghua.

Still, Chu Kuangren beat this guy in one move.

This time, everyone was in an uproar.

There was no need for Shang Honghua to call anyone out anymore. Those chiliarchs and centurions, who have reached the Emperor's Realm among the ranks of the soldiers, went out on their own initiative.

"Let me have a go at your brilliant moves, my Lord."

"Please!"

The Emperor ended up losing in just one move!

"I'm next!"

"It's my turn!"

"Hmph, I don't buy that."

As each Emperor, one after another, lost in the hands of Chu Kuangren in one move, the crowd's murmurs grew.

"Alright. It's time to stop."

At this time, Shang Honghua called the crowd to a halt. She walked up to Chu Kuangren and said calmly, "They've worked you hard enough, Brother Chu."

"Not that I mind it."

"It's my turn to give it a try now."

"Commodore Junior, please."

"Not them, but... you!"

Shang Honghua stared at Chu Kuangren fiercely. A battle intent shot out in her eyes, "I want to challenge Brother Chu's abilities myself!"

She then took out a crimson red spear, whose surface flowed with mysterious Daoist patterns. It appeared dazzling and glorious and exuded a very overbearing aura.

"Brother Chu, come at me with your sword technique."

Deep down, Chu Kuangren sighed.

He had seen this coming.

"I shall humbly accept your spar then."

The Descendant Self Sword automatically unsheathed from Chu Kuangren's waist and landed in his palm.

He thought, 'How many moves would I need to defeat Shang Honghua?'

'One move?'

'Would this be too embarrassing for her?'

Anyhow, he was living in the command headquarters at the moment, so it would not be respectful to defeat her in just one move, more so in front of so many people.

'What about three moves?'

'That still doesn't sound great.'

'How about I give myself a few handicaps?'

While Chu Kuangren was thinking about how to defeat Shang Honghua, his opponent had already stabbed her spear toward him. From this attack, a surge of majestic Emperor's Aura intertwined with Daoist patterns unleashed like thousands of cavalries charging forward, boundless and domineering.

Very few people of the Initial Emperor Realm would be able to stop it.

Chu Kuangren lifted his longsword lightly.

As soon as the sword and the spear clashed with a clang, an explosion occurred in the void!

The sword did not move at all, and Chu Kuangren remained as still as a mountain.

Chu Kuangren blocked this strike with ease, making Shang Honghua narrow her eyes. "There are many people here. You and I will fight in the void!"

Immediately after, the two shuttled into the void.

In the void, among the spear and sword collision, Emperor qi and Daoist patterns erupted in succession. With that, terrifying energy swept across the void!

All the elites of the entire stronghold became aware of the clash.

Streaks after streaks of Emperor Thoughts came to the void to observe the battle. Some Emperors could only tell that it was a close and intense battle.

The Heavenly Imperials, on the other hand, saw some crucial points in the battle.

"The gap between them is way too big."

In the barracks, the Bearded Commander shook his head and said.

He was a Heavenly Imperial.

Hence, he could see how huge the gap was between Chu Kuangren and Shang Honghua. They were not on the same level at all.

Although the two looked like they were fighting fiercely, Chu Kuangren was not, in fact, giving his best at all. It was just an attempt to save his opponent some dignity.

He had given himself so many handicaps that it was almost like fighting a wheelchair-bound.

"That should be enough now."

Amidst the void, Chu Kuangren said to himself.

He and Shang Honghua had already exchanged more than thirty moves.

Not even with the gods did he use so many moves. He knew for sure that he had already saved enough dignity for his opponent.

Thus, he became slightly more serious in his approach.

With the strike of his sword, a flash of sword ray shot across the void, tore the spear shadows in the sky, shattered the Emperor qi, and blasted Shang Honghua backward.

After that, the Descendant Self Sword followed like a shadow, landing on that slender, white neck of his opponent. The victor of this battle suddenly became clear!

Chu Kuangren sheathed the Descendant Self Sword. "Good battle, Commodore Junior."

Shang Honghua's face was so gloomy. She gritted her teeth and glared at Chu Kuangren. "You think I'm a fool now, don't you?"

She gave a cold sneer and then walked out of the void.

Back at the barracks.

"Commodore Junior."

A few commanders walked up, trying to comfort her.

However, before they could speak, they saw the unpleasant look on her face.

"Go."

Without a word, she left with a few guards.

Chu Kuangren also walked out of the void.

"So you haven't been showing us your full strength, Brother Chu."

"Well played. Even the Commodore Junior is not your opponent."

"But she seems really upset now."

"She's a girl. Just coax her. Besides, with those good looks of yours, it shouldn't be too difficult, Brother Chu." The Bearded Commander patted Chu Kuangren on the shoulder, a wise smile etched on his face.

Chu Kuangren looked helplessly at Shang Honghua's departing figure.

He seemed to have gone overboard.

Had he not given himself enough handicap?

"Brother Chu, come clean with me. Are you already in the Heavenly Imperial Realm?" The Bearden Commander looked at Chu Kuangren and asked solemnly.

"Yeah." Chu Kuangren did not conceal the truth either as he nodded.

Upon hearing his words, everybody gasped.

How old was he?!

How could he have achieved Heavenly Imperial Realm?!

"I thought the Commodore Junior was already an unprecedented generational talent, but I didn't expect there would be someone freakier than her."

Although the Bearded Commander had guessed this fact for a long time, he still could not help but feel a little shocked when he heard Chu Kuangren confessing to it personally.

Then, he laughed, "Very well. Now, my Stronghold Seventeen has one more Heavenly Imperial in our ranks."

Heavenly Imperials were the backbone of the front line. Every additional Heavenly Imperial would be of great help to a stronghold.

In the command headquarters.

Shang Honghua's expression looked awful.

"D*mn it. D*mn it!"

"This guy really thinks I am a fool. Can't I tell that he's giving me mercy? I, Shang Honghua, have never asked for mercy from anyone!"

Shang Honghua was quite an arrogant person.

Due to her pride, she was very annoyed at Chu Kuangren for giving her mercy. She felt that the other party was underestimating and belittling herself.

"Fighting is something where you have to give your all. I, Shang Honghua, would rather lose thoroughly than accept this such comity."

Shang Honghua gritted her teeth in anger and said.