MTLNOVEL Chapter 22 - Donghuang Taiyi Falls!
Chapter 22: Donghuang Taiyi Falls!
Xianyang City.
“Donghuang Taiyi!”
“This king asks you—do you recognise your crimes?”
Hovering mid-air, Ying Zheng’s gaze locked unflinchingly onto Donghuang Taiyi below. At that moment, his heart swelled with unshakable determination. In the city of Xianyang, before the eyes of his people, he resolved Donghuang Taiyi. He intended to use this famed Grandmaster of the Way of Yin-Yang to cement his own supreme authority.
“What?”
“Donghuang Taiyi?”
“Isn’t he the head of the Yin-Yang Clan, a Grandmaster of the Land Immortal realm?”
“Is His Majesty… really planning to challenge a Land Immortal?”
“…”
As Ying Zheng’s voice echoed, every citizen in Xianyang City froze. Initially, few paid close attention to his earlier words, stunned simply by his sudden, airborne appearance. But now, upon hearing him name Donghuang Taiyi, shock rippled through the crowd.
The citizens of Xianyang knew Donghuang Taiyi’s name well. He was a Land Immortal—a legendary figure leading the Yin-Yang Clan, seen by many as the most powerful warrior of Qin. And now, Ying Zheng seemed poised to confront him directly. It was a wonder if their emperor could truly suppress such an opponent.
“If Your Majesty intends to act against the Yin-Yang Clan,” Taiyi said, his tone calm but tinged with mockery, “why cloak it in pretense? State your reasons plainly.”
Taking a step forward, Donghuang Taiyi ascended to meet Ying Zheng in the skies.
“Levitation, is it?” Taiyi remarked, his gaze briefly flicking to the blade beneath Ying Zheng’s feet. “I see now. Your Majesty truly has acquired the means of immortal cultivation.”
[Cultivation: Refers to the xianxia concept of personal transformation through mystical practices, enabling practitioners to defy natural limits, cultivate energy, and ultimately achieve eternal life or godhood. Here, Ying Zheng’s progress signals a shift in the balance of power in his world.]
Below, Xianyang’s citizens buzzed with newfound revelation. Taiyi’s words reached every ear in the city.
“Cultivation? Is that what it means?”
“Does this mean His Majesty has gained the path to immortality?”
“…”
Years of hearing tales about Ying Zheng’s quest for eternal life had prepared the populace for rumors of immortality. Yet seeing it unfold before their eyes still felt surreal.
“Hmph!” Ying Zheng sneered. “Does my stepping into immortality trouble your Yin-Yang Clan? Or is it that your poisons failed to kill me outright, leaving you disappointed, Taiyi?”
The emperor’s words, cutting and domineering, revealed no attempt to conceal his newfound power. For Ying Zheng, the truth of his transformation—carefully seeded through Zhao Gao’s leaks to the Moon Goddess—was already in motion. He had awaited this moment, prepared the traps and lures necessary to draw Donghuang Taiyi into his grasp.
A deep hum reverberated across the city as Ying Zheng raised his hand.
“Taiyi,” he declared, “Today, you will learn what separates mortals from immortals.”
“Activate the Heavenly Thunder Formation!”
At his command, 108 banners erupted skyward from Xianyang’s depths, shimmering with arcs of lightning that wove into a massive, radiant web over the city.
Donghuang Taiyi faltered for the first time. As arcs of heavenly thunder converged, he hastily summoned his own grand qi to shield himself. A protective barrier formed, his robes rippling in the tempest.
“Impressive!” Ying Zheng’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “To think you could withstand the first strike of my Heavenly Thunder. But tell me this, Taiyi—how many more bolts can you endure?”
The storm raged, with crackling tendrils raining down upon Taiyi relentlessly. Even as a Land Immortal, he was forced into a defensive position, each bolt sapping strength from his protective aura. Taiyi gritted his teeth, his expression shifting from confidence to grim determination.
“Damned mortal! How dare you!” he roared, but his voice quavered with despair.
One bolt… Two… A dozen more descended in unison, drowning Taiyi in an explosion of divine power.
When the storm settled, nothing remained but scorched air. Donghuang Taiyi had been utterly annihilated.