The Human Emperor

“Treasonous son! As a member of the imperial household, you were always meant to sacrifice yourself for the khaganate! Why are you so unwilling to accept your fate? You even invited foreign enemies in the Tang!”

Ishbara Khagan turned his head and slowly walked over to Barshad, his entire body exuding an intimidating aura as his energy locked onto his son.

At this moment, Ishbara Khagan’s expression was cold and indifferent, his fists tightly clenched. His words were cold and emotionless, as if he wasn’t talking about his own son at all.

This sort of Ishbara Khagan was completely different from the kind father that Barshad remembered.

A hint of fear finally appeared on Barshad’s face. He could sense that his father was determined to kill him.

“Imperial Father, joining the alliance is not a wise decision!”

Barshad backed away. He had always feared his father, but even so, he did not panic and still tried to argue his case.

“There’s no need to say any more. You no longer need to worry yourself about the problems of the Western Turks!” Ishbara Khagan indifferently said.

Bang!

He shot forward, instantly blasting aside all the falling snow for several hundred feet around him. At the same time, his immense energy took the form of a massive palm that shot forward with destructive energy, seeking to grab Barshad.

In front of this immense strength, Barshad was like an insignificant ant.

Just when Barshad was about to die to Ishbara Khagan’s palm, the ghastly pale Barshad finally couldn’t help but cry out, “Your Highness!”

Bang!

At the moment when the energy palm was about to impact, a green-black energy erupted from the ground, seemingly in response to Barshad’s cry, blooming into a large barrier that protected Barshad.

With a massive explosion, Ishbara Khagan’s terrifying attack slammed into the barrier and was totally stopped.

The greenish-black barrier was unbelievably tough.

“What is this?!”

Ishbara Khagan’s eyes flew open, his face scowling.

He was far too familiar with the power of his own attack, and though he knew that he had not used his full strength, it had carried with it the strength of a tsunami. Let alone that seemingly fragile barrier, he could even shatter a wall of steel with that palm.

But the barrier had been able to hold fast against the attack, appearing unshakable. Only a small number of people in the world were capable of this feat.

But this was far from over. Before Ishbara Khagan could react, boom! The ground beneath him shuddered, and a giant hand made from stone emerged from the earth and snatched at him.

Earth Element users were not rare, but this giant hand felt very different to Ishbara Khagan. Although it was formed from stone, it seemed tougher than steel, and with this single grab, it contained the power of a peak Great General.

With no time to think, Ishbara Khagan shifted away and thrust out his own palm. By moving to the side, he just barely managed to dodge this attack.

This giant hand did not continue to pursue after failing to hit its target. It froze in the air, chunks of stone dropping off it.

Whoooah!

The Western Turkic generals and Irbis Shiyun all backed away in shock and fear.

As everyone reeled in shock, a youthful voice came from above the palm.

“Ishbara, not even a fierce tiger will eat its cubs, but you, the mighty Western Turkic Khagan, would do such a thing in order to join that traitor An Yaluoshan, killing your son with your own hands! Truly despicable!”

“Who’s there? If you’ve got the guts, show yourself instead of hiding like some ghost!” a Western Turkic general called out.

“Hmph!”

As if in response to these words, a young man with long hair, wearing a violet gold crown and golden robe, slowly stood up from the palm, coldly laughing.

His expression was aloof and his eyes domineering, his hands held behind his back. Just by standing there, he exuded boundless majesty.

Compared to that young figure on the hand, all the experts present, including Wunu Shibi and Duwu Sili, were as insignificant as could be.

Strong!

Extremely strong!

Everyone nervously stared at this man as they would a powerful foe.

“It’s you!”

Before anyone else could react, Irbis Shiyun and Wunu Shibi paled.

The young figure atop the giant hand also noticed Wunu Shibi and Irbis Shiyun and softly chuckled. “Irbis Shiyun, Wunu Shibi, we meet again!”

But this simple laugh made both Irbis Shiyun and Wunu Shibi back away in panic and shock.

At this time, the only person able to maintain their calm was Ishbara Khagan.

“Just who are you?”

Ishbara Khagan narrowed his eyes and coldly stared at the youth.

As the sovereign of the Western Turkic Khaganate, Ishbara Khagan was one of the hegemons of the world, and he knew almost all the famed individuals of the world. But he had never before seen this youth, nor could he connect him to any of the famed individuals in his mind.

“Heh!”

The youth seemed to notice Ishbara Khagan, turning to him and smiling.

“Ishbara Khagan, truly, a noble with many matters to attend to easily forgets. We have been friends in spirit for a very long time, this king even writing you a letter. Have you forgotten so quickly?”

“Letter?”

Ishbara Khagan frowned, a hint of confusion in his eyes. But a moment later, he seemed to realize something, and his face paled like he had been struck by a lightning bolt.

Wang Chong!

A sudden thought threw Ishbara Khagan’s mind into turmoil.

At present, the only letter he could recall was the letter that Wang Chong had written to him about ‘hunting on Mount Sanmi’.

Even though he had already conflicted with Wang Chong several times, Ishbara Khagan had never actually seen the King of Foreign Lands, so he had momentarily been unable to recognize him.

“It’s you!”

Ishbara Khagan scowled as he fell back, creating distance between him and Wang Chong.

Ishbara Khagan appeared to have seen a ghost, his eyes brimming with fear.

Wang Chong?

How could it be Wang Chong?!

Hadn’t he already gone to the forward base in the northeast? How did he suddenly appear amongst the Western Turks?

Ishbara Khagan finally showed a faint hint of shock.

He had always believed that he had complete control over the situation, and only now did he suddenly understand that he had fallen for this youth’s scheme.

Cries of fighting came from all around. The Demonic Emperor Old Man and the Wushang Village Chief were still fighting with Supreme Divine and Meteor Divine, and around Mount Sanmi, two factions of Western Turkic cavalry were fighting, the neighing of war horses and deafening roars rising to the heavens.

This white world of ice and snow had been transformed into a fierce battlefield.

The battle was far from decided, but Wang Chong didn’t seem to care.

Bang!

Wang Chong, his hands still behind his back, took a few steps forward, walking on the air as he made his way to Ishbara Khagan and Irbis Shiyun.

Under his feet, formless air was like sturdy ground.

Ishbara Khagan, Irbis Shiyun, and the surrounding Western Turkic generals were all stunned by this simple feat, backing away in fear.

At this moment, all of them understood who this man was.

The Young Marquis of the Great Tang!

The Son of Heaven’s disciple!

The man acknowledged by all the countries of the world as the War Saint!

Wang Chong had far too many halos strengthening him. If Wunu Shibi and Duwu Sili could be considered mighty powerhouses of the continent, then Wang Chong had transcended the concept of a powerhouse and reached the level of ruling hegemon.

In front of Wang Chong, Sacred Lord White Tiger, all the general stars of the world seemed dim and lightless.

“Fourth Prince, my apologies. I was meeting with the Blackwater Shaman, which delayed me for a while.”

Wang Chong breezily smiled as he continued to walk through the air.

When looking at Barshad, Wang Chong paused his steps for a moment.

“The Blackwater Shaman?”

Everyone was taken aback by Wang Chong’s words. Ishbara Khagan’s eyebrows shot up in unease.

Wang Chong had gone to see the Blackwater Shaman?

That meant that he had been here the whole time!

What did this comment mean? And what had the two of them been talking about?

Ishbara Khagan had intentionally left the Blackwater Shaman out of this matter, even found an excuse to send him away. Why had Wang Chong gone to see him? And had Wang Chong already made the Blackwater Shaman…

But Ishbara Khagan didn’t have time to think about these matters.

…Because Wang Chong was heading his way.

Danger!

A danger like never before was approaching him, a suffocating and oppressive sense of danger.

Ishbara Khagan had feared Wang Chong long before this, but in their first true meeting, he sensed that this danger was far greater than he had imagined.

Ishbara Khagan finally spoke. “King of Foreign Lands, amongst the various countries, the Western Turks have had the fewest conflicts with the Great Tang. Even now, We regard the Great Tang with utmost respect. We hope that the King of Foreign Lands will not interfere in the internal affairs of the Western Turks!”