The crowd stood there dumbfounded with their mouth agape.

“See how ridiculous you are? Boasting with such meager power?” Li Qiye nonchalantly said, posing with both hands behind his back as if he hasn’t moved at all.

People actually felt that he wasn’t the one who attacked earlier. They eventually regained their wits and stared at him, shuddering and feeling their hair standing on end. They exchanged glances - the power of the king far exceeded their imagination and judgment.

“What is his cultivation realm? An untouchable Eternal?” Someone quietly speculated.

This made people ponder since they had no information about his cultivation. There was no way to find out either.

“I don’t think anyone in the young generation is his match.” The normally-prideful geniuses all lowered their head, not daring to look at him.

“It looks like the late king was wise and insightful for passing the throne down to the prince. He must have known that the prince would be able to handle this.” One ancestor commented.

Prior to this, everyone thought that Lucidity King had grown senile or was too doting towards his illegitimate child. However, in retrospect, he was perfectly clear-headed and had chosen the right successor for  Nine Secrets.

They realized the gap between themselves and Lucidity King. There was a reason why he was able to reign for three generations.

“How does he compare to Lucidity King?” Many shared this particular thought.

They wondered who was the stronger between Li Qiye and Lucidity.

During his era, Lucidity’s prestige suppressed the entire system. No one dared to be disrespectful towards him so comments and evaluations weren’t readily available. After his death, people began to assess his actual power and contributions. So now, they compared him to this new king.

“Maybe he’ll be a second Lucidity King.” Someone else said.

Certain members of the crowd were shaken after hearing this and needed to take a deep breath. No one dared to respond.

Just imagine, Lucidity King helped make Nine Secrets into one of the strongest systems in Imperial. Only the Li and Mu Clan were on the same level.

However, this wasn’t a good thing for the sects and lineages within the system. They had to live in terror because of Lucidity’s total authority, always being under his shadow. A second Lucidity King was something frightening to think about.

“Splash!” Their rumination was interrupted by splashes and flood-like waves.

The floating Tang Hexiang struggled to get up. He was as big as an ocean so he created large waves from the attempt.

He finally made it with the help of his spear. The spear’s weight made the ground shake as if something extremely heavy was knocking on it.

The guy stood upright, showing wounds and broken armor plates everywhere. The shield in his hand was in pieces.

Blood flowed down the corners of his lips, looking as pitiful as can be, no longer as imperious as before.

“He’s up!” Someone shouted.

Everyone felt that he had already lost. Wanting to reverse the tide was virtually impossible unless he had a real killer move up his sleeve.

Jianyao gently shook her head while looking at him. Though he could still stand up, she knew that the outcome has been determined. No one could change the overarching direction. Trying to go against the current was only a waste of energy.

Instead of struggling needlessly before death, if Hexiang were smart enough to surrender to Li Qiye, perhaps he would be able to keep his life.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!” Water poured down from his body resembling waterfalls.

After standing up, Hexiang straightened his back while arching his chest proudly forward - always arrogant and proud regardless of the circumstances.

After all, he came from the royal family of War Saint Dynasty; the blood of nobility flowed through him. His conceitedness was understandable. Alas, he was knocked down today by someone he considered to be a perverted and useless king, nearly unable to get up.

This has crushed his pride in a cruel manner. Thus, he tried his best to stand straight in order to protect his dignity and face.

“You do have a bit of willpower to be able to stand up.” Li Qiye smiled and said: “I thought you would stay down.”

“Don’t celebrate so early, we don’t know who will be the last one smiling yet!” Hexiang shouted and let out his fiery fury.

“Is that so? Looks like you still have moves left then. Go ahead, use them all, I’m waiting.” Li Qiye stood there and said.

“Boom!” Hexiang released his true energy straight for the sky again, trying to connect with the heaven and earth.

“Buzz.” A great formation appeared with dense coordinate lines appearing. Ancient lines emerged above and beneath him, beginning to change and fuse together.

After a loud explosion, the formation exuded a blinding light. Light rays from the stars poured down and illuminated Hexiang as if they were being attracted by the formation. 

“Rumble!” The pulsing cosmic energy turned him into the center of the universe. The stars seemed to be rotating around him.

“Boom!” Finally, the stars entered his body. Each inch of his flesh became resplendent, seemingly cast from these celestial bodies.

The massive power surge eventually formed two large wings of fire behind him.

“Clank! Clank! Clank!” The shattered shield and armor came into form again.

He was fully equipped with a flashing glow around him - looking more radiant and powerful than before.

“He’s stronger now.” Everyone was startled to see him fine and well.

“That shield might have been broken earlier, but not his formation.” An ancestor understood the events and explained: “Looks like he and the Central Legion has fused to the limit. This teamwork must have taken a long time to perfect.”

Tang Hexiang pointed his spear at Li Qiye and roared: “Again!”

He was brimming with battle intent and vitality once more, looking quite intimidating. He believed that he was too careless earlier and didn’t prepare sufficiently. He wasn’t going to repeat this mistake.

“Foolish beyond words. Do you think using this formation to the extreme can stop me? Know your own limits.” Li Qiye smirked after his patient wait.