I Have the Martial Arts Heavenly Eye in the Storm Riders

Shi Dingtian glanced down at the Empress.

Just one glance.

Then he spoke calmly, his tone completely indifferent:

"I recognize it."

"Without His Majesty's decree, even if the Empress Dowager were to arrive, she would not be allowed to enter. If she dared to take another step forward—she would be killed without exception."

The Empress was so angry at his attitude that she trembled all over, and her hand pointing at Shi Dingtian shook.

"You...you dare! I am His Majesty's Empress! How dare you, a mere warrior, be so disrespectful to me?!"

Shi Dingtian didn't reply, but simply slung the ghost-headed broadsword over his shoulder. The blade reflected the morning sunlight, exuding a chilling aura.

"I will force my way in!"

The Empress gritted her teeth, sharply cracked her whip, and spurred her horse toward the gate—

She didn't believe Shi Dingtian would actually dare to make a move.

She is the Empress!

The Empress, a paragon of virtue and grace!

Killing her would be treason, a crime punishable by the execution of the entire Shi family—a charge Shi Dingtian would never dare to bear.

Thinking this, the horse's hooves had already crossed the gate.

Then, she didn't have to think about anything anymore.

A dark figure leaped down from the city wall, sweeping a broadsword horizontally—

"puff."

A head flew out, spun twice in the air, landed on the bluestone slab, and rolled several times.

The Empress died with her eyes wide open, her gaze fixed on the gray sky, her eyes filled with shock and disbelief until her last breath.

She never understood how Shi Dingtian could actually dare to do such a thing, even until her death.

The headless body swayed twice on the horse's back, then fell to the ground with a thud, gushing out blood that soaked the yellow earth in front of Shijiabao.

The startled horses neighed and ran away, the sound of their hooves fading into the distance.

Shi Dingtian shook the blood off his knife and walked into Shijiabao without looking back.

When the news reached the capital, a loud crash was heard in the imperial study as a fine Duan inkstone was smashed to pieces.

"They've rebelled! They've rebelled against Shi Dingtian!!"

The emperor's eyes were bloodshot, and he was in a fit of impotent rage in the imperial study like a plucked lion, smashing everything he could to pieces.

Killing the reigning empress is like tearing off the royal family's face and trampling it on the ground!

Despite his outburst, the emperor, panting heavily, slumped onto his throne but dared not issue an edict to punish him.

What grounds should we use to accuse them?

Shi Dingtian had given his own strict orders: not even a fly was allowed to get in.

Even if the emperor wanted to break off relations, he simply couldn't win!

Not only are there many experts in Shijiabao, but Shi Dingtian also holds real power over hundreds of thousands of troops!

If this god of war is angered and he marches his troops into the capital, then it's uncertain who will sit on the throne!

The incompetent and spineless emperor, covered in cold sweat, could only slap his thigh hard, swallow his pride, and sigh dejectedly.

"So be it, so be it... There are countless beauties in the world, and one of them has died... At worst, I can just appoint another empress."

In the months that followed, the aftershocks of the Mount Tai Conference spread like ripples in all directions, growing wider and more outlandish with each passing day.

Whether in teahouses in the capital or taverns on the frontier, from the desert to the south of the Yangtze River, everyone is talking about the same thing—

Duan Lang single-handedly takes on a group of heroes, while Nie Feng, the Demon God, descends to earth.

The "Four Auspicious Beasts and the Secret to Immortality" mentioned by Duan Lang sparked an unprecedented frenzy of beast hunting across the land.

Countless martial arts practitioners, whether in groups or alone, have traversed famous mountains and rivers in search of the legendary dragon, phoenix, and dragon turtle.

As for the Fire Qilin of Lingyun Cave—

Although it is one of the four auspicious beasts, it has become an abandoned creature that no one cares about because it goes crazy after drinking blood.

After all, what people seek is never power.

It is immortality.

At the horizon where the sea meets the sky, stands the Imperial Palace of Japan.

Deep within the forbidden grounds of the imperial palace, the candlelight was so faint it was almost extinguished, casting ghostly shadows on the walls.

An old man stood there with his hands behind his back, wearing an imperial robe, his whole body as thin as a withered tree—it was the Emperor of Japan.

Half of his face was hidden in the shadows, making his expression impossible to discern, but it exuded an indescribable eeriness and gloom.

A person was kneeling in front of him.

This man prostrated himself on the ground, dressed in fine clothes, with his head bowed and eyes lowered—the Emperor's son, the mighty Emperor.

"Ichifu..." the old emperor began, his voice hoarse like the hooting of an owl, carrying an air of endless decline.

"Father's time is coming to an end, and the fate of the Eastern Kingdom will ultimately fall to you."

Shenwu Yifu was startled.

He had been waiting for these words for many years.

From childhood to adulthood, his father never praised him once, nor did he ever look at him directly.

He practiced martial arts diligently and governed the country conscientiously, all for the day he could hear his father say those words himself.

Now, the wait is finally over.

His nose tingled with emotion, and he kowtowed deeply to the ground with the highest Japanese courtesy, his voice trembling:

"May Your Majesty live as long as the heavens! Your son... Your son is filled with trepidation!"

But in his heart he thought—Father, I will certainly not let you down.

On the first day of my ascension to the throne, I will go to pay homage to my mother's memorial tablet and tell her... Your son has finally made something of himself.

"Foolish child..." The old emperor sighed softly, beckoning with his withered hand, his tone compassionate.

"Step forward and receive the Emperor's blessing of patting your head."

"Hai!"

Shenwu Yifu respectfully agreed and crawled forward on his knees.

He tilted his head slightly back, a barely perceptible smile playing at the corners of his lips—

This was the first time in his memory that his father had taken the initiative to touch him.

The head was respectfully presented to the old emperor.

"Kazuo..."

The old emperor called out softly, his withered hand gently stroking the crown of Kamui Kazuo's head, as if caressing some precious treasure.

Kamimaru Kazuo closed his eyes, a warmth he had never felt before welling up in his heart.

However, in an instant—

A cold glint suddenly flashed in the old emperor's cloudy eyes—

The killing intent exploded without warning!

"Snap!"

The sound of bones cracking was crisp and piercing, echoing throughout the entire secret chamber.

Before Shenwu Yifu could even let out a scream, his skull shattered like a watermelon, and red and white matter scattered everywhere!

The body convulsed violently a few times, then collapsed to the ground like mud, showing no signs of life.

The old emperor, with an indifferent expression, took out a porcelain bottle from his sleeve and poured the eerie blue venom onto the corpse.

"Hiss..."

A plume of poisonous smoke rose up, and the bones melted away at a visible speed.

In just a few breaths, the corpse turned into a pool of blood that seeped into the ground, leaving no trace of its remains.

Having done all this, the old emperor turned and stepped into the secret chamber behind him.

A moment later, the door opened again.

The one who emerged was no longer a withered old man—

Instead, he was a "divine warrior" dressed in brocade robes!

Shenwu Yifu stretched his neck, tugged at the collar of his brocade robe, and habitually stretched his body.

The old emperor wore a fake skin for more than ten years. After being suffocated for so long, even breathing became difficult.

Now that I've switched to the new skin "Godly Warrior," I finally feel a bit more comfortable.

He clutched the bright yellow imperial edict tightly in his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips, and muttered to himself:

"God Warrior... Your life is gone, but your name still stands."

This is the earth-shattering hidden move laid out by Jue Tian—the Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell.

The fake skin was old and worn out, making movement inconvenient, which led to this wicked scheme—

Kill Kazuo Kamui, put on a new skin, and continue to control Japan.

Several days later, in the main hall.

Bells and drums resounded, and civil and military officials knelt on the ground.

Amidst the intense public attention, the new emperor, "Divine Warrior," stepped onto the throne, a symbol of supreme power.

He looked down at the assembled officials from his high vantage point, his face expressionless.

These ants are not kneeling before him, but before the person behind him.

The skies over Japan changed hands once again.

The vast ocean stretches out, its waves boundless.

A small boat, like duckweed, bobbed and tossed about in the raging waves.

The sea breeze was like a knife, whipping up thousands of snowy waves that slammed heavily against the ship's hull with a dull, deafening roar.

Two figures stood against the wind at the bow of the ship.

The young man at the head of the group was dressed in simple clothes and hemp shoes. He stood tall and straight like a pine tree, with a resolute and stern face.

The strong wind tousled his hair, but it couldn't dispel the palpable killing intent emanating from his brows.

He stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze piercing, fixed on the faintly visible dark figure at the horizon—

In his eyes, the flames of revenge burned fiercely.

Beside him, a woman in white quietly kept him company.

The sea breeze was blowing, making her clothes flutter, like a fairy walking on the water.

She gazed at Huai Kong's tense profile, her beautiful eyes filled with worry.

"Huai Kong..." Bai Ling murmured, her voice drifting in the wind.

"While the 'Iron Refining Hand' is indeed incredibly powerful, Iron Madman is clad in the 'Heavenly Tribulation' armor, making him impervious to blades and spears, as well as water and fire."

"This trip to Ironheart Island is fraught with uncertainty..."

Upon hearing this, Huai Kong slowly withdrew his gaze and looked down at his hands, which were covered with calluses and scars.

These hands had been repeatedly hammered and honed countless times in Tianmen, until the skin was torn and the bones were completely reshaped—

That's how he mastered the unparalleled skill that allows him to mold refined iron into molten iron: Iron Refining Hand!

"Good or bad fortune?" Huai Kong sneered, his five fingers suddenly clenching, his knuckles cracking repeatedly, as if he wanted to crush the void.

"Even if there are mountains of knives and seas of fire ahead, I will brave them! If I can't avenge the blood feud between my master and senior brother with my own hands, what am I, Huai Kong?!"

"Iron Madman... This time, I will use these hands of iron refinement to crush your proud 'Heavenly Tribulation' armor into scrap metal, inch by inch!"

At this point, Huai Kong suddenly paused, his gaze darkening slightly.

He had also heard about the Taishan Martial Arts Tournament.

Duan Lang single-handedly overwhelmed all the heroes; even Nie Feng was helpless against him.

Throughout the entire battle, Duan Lang never used the Fire Kirin Sword.

Why not use it?

There is only one answer—

The Fire Kirin Sword is still on Iron Heart Island, still in the hands of Iron Madman.

A complex expression flashed across Huai Kong's eyes.

The Fire Kirin Sword was something he had borrowed from Duan Lang years ago, and he had always kept that favor in his heart.

On this journey to Ironheart Island, we must not only take Iron Madman's life, but also return the Fire Kirin Sword to Duan Lang.

What is owed must be repaid.

What he didn't know was that Duan Lang had already killed Tie Kuangtu with his own hands, and the Fire Kirin Sword had long since returned to its master's hands.

His journey across the ocean was destined to end in vain.

A burst of intense true energy erupted from his body, instantly causing the surrounding seawater to boil and churn, with white mist rising and spreading!

Seeing this, Bai Ling said nothing more, but silently grasped Huai Kong's arm, her gaze firm:

"Regardless of life or death, my junior sister will stand with you through thick and thin."