BOOMMM!!
A loud explosion accompanied by a bright flash of light illuminated the Jiu Empire like the sunlight of a second sun, while mushroom clouds filled the entire sky!
It was fortunate that Duan Li was able to kick the self-destructing meat ball high up into the sky at the very last moment.
After all, the explosion was gigantic and covered several kilometer radius in the sky! In fact, it was so powerful that the shockwaves travelled all the way to the ground and caused the windows to shatter and some buildings to collapse!
If it had exploded on the ground, the entire capital city of Nine Lotus would be devastated and flattened into a barren land. Countless people would've died as a result!
At this moment, Duan Li's figure in the sky coincidentally blocked the flash of light with his body, causing his shadow to extend far and wide to the ground, encompassing everyone within it like an eclipse as his hair danced gently by the wind!
"A celestial... That young man is a celestial! I need to build a temple for him!"
"He is the child of Tian! My savior! My hero!"
"Duan Li... what a terrifying figure.."
Countless murmurs could be heard as the crowd was awed and astomished by this sight. They felt as though a guardian angel was protecting them within its warm and cozy cradle, all the while as they were helpless with their face flattened to the ground as if infants that was dependent on their parents!
This caused them to have a sense of deep veneration, respect and worship towards Duan Li! As their emotions quickly surging through the roof, they began to cheer out his name excitedly!
On the other hand, there was a single person that shook his head repeatedly in denial. "No.. no! NO! This can't be happening!" Xiqong Wu clutched at his head, feeling extremely indignant with the end result!
What the hell is this?
He thought that his plan was perfect and that nothing could stand on his way. But who could have thought that a single mortal, the boy that he targeted turns out to be the very same person that thwarted his plan today?
In addition, the slave that he had painstakingly raised at the risk of endangering his identity and status died without achieving his goal! To him, this was a very big loss!
That insolent slave.. how dare he died without my permission!
It wasn't easy to snuck a mortal into the heaven's realm and training them without catching anyone's notice, and its even more difficult to find someone of Cao Tengfei's quality!
By the looks of it, it seems that he had thoroughly lost today. He had the urge to bellow and curse Duan Li down to his final ancestor, but upon recalling of his high status, he forced himself to stay calm to preserve the last shred of dignity he has left.
"Hmph! Today is your day. But on my next visit, you will never be this lucky again! You will pay a hundred times more than what happened today for your disobedience!" he snorted before taking a last look on Duan Li. Then, his figure slowly turned transparent before vanishing altogether.
After all, his time to stay in the Tian continent was limited even with his disguise to elude the senses of the Heaven's Will. Even if he wanted, he couldn't personally take action himself, so what use was staying then?
As the old saying goes, 'Retreat today to fight another day!'
With Xiqong Wu exiting the scene, the suppressing presence he placed onto everyone on the square was finally lifted as people gradually began to stand up one by one.
They raised their heads to look up at the hero floating in the sky with their eyes swelling in tears. After all, despite the overwhelming sense of danger they felt earlier, the young man above them had not let even a single one of them die, it was truly a miracle!
In the future, Duan Li would be heralded as the 'Hero that bled for the people', his deeds will be told by travelling poets and bards across the continent until eventually, his name will be always remembered in the annals of history, passed through generations after generations!
"Hais! We are truly indebted to this young hero.." a person from the crowd said.
His friend nodded and replied, "It would be good if he is the Imperial Overseer of the Jiu Empire.."
"Yeah, that would make me feel really safe! Sadly, I don't think someone so young would be chosen as the Imperial Overseer... Hais!"
As the crowd continued to lament and discussed among them on this matter, the Emperor and the Empress, Fei Jin Fang, the Principal Bian Tianyu and Zhang Xi the Vice Principal, as well as Queen Levy flew to the skies to meet Duan Li.
"Boy, are you okay?" The Emperor asked with a worried look on his face.
Legs charred, multiple cuts and lacerations on the body..
He had never saw Duan Li injured to such an extent before!
"I'm fine, this is only some superficial wounds anyway.." Duan Li replied as he smiled awkwardly.
Usually, these kinds of menial injuries would have healed instantly back when he was at his peak. However, with his body still at 30 percent, even healing external injury as such was quite slow, leaving others to see this current condition of his.
How embarrassing!
"Ughh.." Duan Li felt a little light headed due to his blood loss and his face was pale.
"Hang on, let me heal you." the Principal said as he hold out his palm facing towards Duan Li.
Wengg!
The means of a Nascent Soul realm expert was boundless and thus, healing someone's external injuries with their spiritual Qi alone was something that could be easily done by anyone at their realm.
However, at this moment, the Principal could not help but to furrow his brows together.
"Hm? Its not working?" he said in surprise.
Seeing this, the Vice Principal decided to join in. "Let me help," and placed out his palm forwards as well.
Weng!
After several breaths, it was apparent that no positive result could be seen, even Fei Jin Fang, the Emperor and the Empress decided to lend their hand as well at this point, but Duan Li's injuries was still not healed!
How could this be?
The face of the four experts were pale after exerting tremendous amount of spiritual Qi trying to heal Duan Li, but to no avail!
"Everyone move." Queen Levy suddenly said at the next moment.
The five experts turned their heads to look at her, and they remembered that she was the one that protected the people before under Duan Li's command.
They recalled that she was able to deflect the rain of black flames that was heavy and murderous with only a single palm of her's, and it was such a powerful sight to behold!
"His injuries was inflicted by an immortal, so even if a thousand of you were to crowd together to try and heal him, it would be useless." she said before placing her palm forward.
She then continued, "The spiritual Qi of an immortal is qualitatively different than that of a mortal. They draw upon the spiritual Qi from the higher realm into their body, so the spiritual Qi that you guys used to heal him, which is coming from a lower realm, was outmatched by this purer spiritual Qi from the higher realm!"
Hearing this explanation, the five experts finally nodded in comprehension.
No wonder!
Wengg!
Queen Levy started to heal Duan Li with her spiritual Qi. Almost immediately after, Duan Li's injuries was healing at a rapid speed that could be seen by the naked eyes!
Hisss!!
The four experts gasped as they finally realized. Based on her explanations and this sight, they couldn't be wrong!
"This woman.. she is an immortal?!"
They thought that she was only a supreme expert that was already one foot into the immortal realm, but who could have expected that she was already an immortal herself?
But hang on!
If that was true.. didn't this woman just heeded the command from Duan Li before?
Does that mean that.. she serves Duan Li?!
They hurriedly turned their heads to look at Duan Li again with widened eyes, only to see the latter scratching his head with an embarrassed look.
"..." This guy is unbelievable!
...
After a while, they finally descended down from the sky, landing on top of the platform.
"Guys look, his Majesty and her Highness are personally thanking our hero! To think that they would even allow him to be on that platform, standing on the same level as their's.." someone said excitedly.
"Yeah! I wonder what sort of title or gifts that his Majesty will give him.. I bet that it will be... huh?"
The crowd that were busy discussing among themselves suddenly halted when they saw something astonishing, their mouths agape along with their unfinished sentence as their brain froze on the spot!
Tap! Tap!
Duan Li stepped onto the higher platform slowly, where the biggest and grandest throne was a few steps higher than the throne of the Emperor and the Empress was placed. His small and casual steps echoed in the silence.
Finally sitting on it, both the Emperor and Empress bowed their body and heads a little.
"Paying respects to the Imperial Overseer!"
This sentence of their's reverberated and crashed into the people's mind.
Suddenly, as if a broken dam, the crowd began to cry emotionally and shouted in unison!
"Paying respects to the Imperial Overseer!"
...
This is the third release of this week! Would this mean that Duan Li's name will be known throughout the entire continent from now on? Heh, find out in the next chapter of UIU! Enjoy and thanks for reading! ;)