The Favored Son of Heaven

Sahara’s million years of rolling heatwaves seemed to achieve an ultimate eruption following Qin Fen’s punch. The endless warmth was completely exhausted in an instant and the visible heatwave air flow disappeared without a trace. The sounds of battle sounded through the sky at this moment and it returned to the past tranquility.

Qin Fen gasped heavily and his fist stayed in the same place. He continued panting heavily and stood rooted to the ground as he watched Zuo Dongting, whose chest was blasting with blood in the air.

His muscles crept and grew wildly at his severe wounds. They condensed together quickly as if he was never hurt. That was a biochemical beast’s instinctive repair. It could repair most of the organs but could not repair nor create a new heart.

The body was recovering but the life force would no longer return to the body.

Zuo Dongting’s body flew away in the air and his focused pupils widened a little. He looked at the dark blue sky and his life quickly replayed in his mind. The bits and pieces of martial dao gathered together.

Without a heart, life was passing… Zuo Dongting turned over in the air and looked at Qin Fen on the ground like a God. He looked quietly and slowly raised his hands. The burning red Supreme Yang Sun Divine Art gushed out from his palms. The brilliant red flame of the light resembled a real fire!

Ground Shield! Snake King’s heart twitched. Zuo Dongting who was about to finish the last journey of his life and miraculously reached the level of Ground Aura Shield before he died!

Whizz…

A sand shadow floated in the desert and Xue Tian stood in front of Qin Fen with a broken saber. He didn’t appear in the battle just now not because of his incapability but because Qin Fen wanted to fight the battle himself. What he did as a friend was stand by, ready to take over anytime.

Even if Xue Tian didn’t enter the state of Furious Beheader, his combat power couldn’t be underestimated!

Zuo Dongting was suspended high in the sky. The messy hair and bloodstains all over his body were not able to make him flustered. The military’s iron aura dominated this side of the world and his body slowly landed on the ground.

“Great…”

Zuo Dongting’s foot touched the ground and was unsteady. He swayed and stabilized his body. Besides disbelief, his eyes were only filled with admiration. Putting aside the identity of an enemy as well as everything else and leaving only pure martial dao, this martial dao senior expressed his admiration towards his junior’s ability.

Zuo Dongting’s breathing had stopped and his pupils were still a little scattered. The God of Death was trying hard to pull the last breath of life away from his body.

The Investiture of the Gods had smashed his internal organs completely and cut off his last chance of survival. Even with the fusion of level four biochemical beast, there was still no way to enrich his heart.

The reason why Zuo Dongting did not collapse was because of the unique military soul of a soldier!

“Ground Shield? What a pity, it’s too late.” Zuo Dongting shook his head gently and scattered the aura of his palms. He raised his thumb gently, “Sure enough, heroes emerge from the youths…”

Zuo Dongting glanced at Xue Tian and turned his eyes to the distant Caesar with his group of people who had just fully healed and WERE approaching quickly. He finally set his sights on Qin Fen, “Young man, cherish this gang of friends around you. They are all outstanding, they are not inferior to you. Competition is good. Don’t let the darkness of the heart change its nature to become like Snake King and me.”

Zuo Dongting slowly looked up at the sky. As his life pulled away, his body started to age. His wrinkled face revealed a smile as if he lamented something. He sighed and looked at the group of nervous young men around Qin Fen.

Zuo Dongting tidied up his already ruined military uniform and tried to make it look more well-ironed. His eyes slowly shut and he no longer had any sign of life. Suddenly, the soles of his feet released a blast of dust that burst into the sky. It forcefully expelled the true energy that Qin Fen hit into the body. He finished the last journey of life while standing still in the same place.

He was dead but his body did not fall. It was not destroyed, just like a military soul! It was the most basic standing posture that a soldier learned on the first day he entered the army! The last posture of Zuo Dongting’s life!

Snake King looked at Zuo Dongting’s body that was like a majestic peak erected upright on earth. His eyes carried a faint sign of sorrow but restored to the cold of the Arctic in the blink of an eye. He looked down on the battlefield after the fierce fight and still couldn’t believe the reality he was seeing. Zuo Dongting, a powerful eighteen-star martial artist with overwhelming combat experience and incomparable steel-like willpower had actually died!

Du Hen had considered a lot before the battle and in any case, it felt that Zuo Dongting had a bigger chance of winning. It would be considered the best result if Qin Fen could join forces with Xue Tian and others to inflict severe harm to Zuo Dongting.

On the contrary, it was not the case for Qin Fen! It was this group of young men where each of them displayed ability beyond expectations. Qin Fen continuously modified the martial arts technique in the final battle and finally shattered Zuo Dongting’s perfect Five Mountains Fist Technique. The spirit and soul of the Five Mountains still could not manage to take on Qin Fen’s punch that was fueled with real emotions combined with the uniqueness and majesty of the million years Sahara.

Du Hen never even thought that it would be such death in the battle! In the past, he even considered that if both sides hurt badly, Xing Wuyi would appear with Du Peng to carry on the final battle to kill Zuo Dongting.

Splash…

A trace of black blood spurted from the part of Qin Fen’s body that was shot and the bullet embedded in the body was sent out slowly with the muscles’ movement.

Xing Wuyi, who sat in the Secretus Class S-Level Battleship, said slowly, “Jessica, we can now give up the TV station’s control power. Launch the airship to the center of the battlefield.”

Du Hen slowly descended from the sky. His appearance did not surprise the group of young men as though they had already known that Snake King would appear here.

Du Hen glanced at Zuo Dongting and walked slowly towards Qin Fen. He nodded lightly with a slight appreciation, “Excellent. Perfect.”

Qin Fen looked at Du Hen quietly. There was no anger, sorrow or any emotion in his eyes. He just looked at Du Hen quietly. Is the old man’s heart really made out of iron? He didn’t shed a tear when Du Zhanpeng died and now, Gun King, who was the most loyal subordinate to him, died just like that.

“Very good, absolutely well done.” Du Hen studied the people around Qin Fen, “Adding the scores of these people together, you will probably have the highest score. Saturn…”

“General Du.” Qin Fen interrupted Du Hen’s words coldly, “I helped you kill Zuo Dongting. The favor I owed you is cleared off and we are now even right?”

“You are still a soldier…”

Thud… The lieutenant colonel’s pin was thrown onto the golden yellow sand.

Qin Fen looked quietly at Du Hen in the eyes, “I, Qin Fen, am no longer a soldier from today onwards.”

“You have a great future in the military.” Du Hen looked at Qin Fen, “In the future, not only you can take over East Asia’s army but the entire Federation as well. You could be the first all-army chief commander since martial artists took over the Federation.”

Qin Fen laughed, “There is no cooperation with people going separate ways.”

The roar of the battleship interrupted the scene that had fallen into silence.

Xing Wuyi walked down the military battleship slowly followed by Chen Feiyu who was holding Zuo Lin. Following behind them was a lost and stupefied Butcher.

This was Qin Fen’s arrangement. Although Xing Wuyi said that Chen Feiyu, a martial artist at the peak of sixteen-star class, did not need to be with him, Qin Fen insisted on keeping him to prevent any accidents.

“Grandfather…”

The roar of the battleship could not cover the deafening call of Zuo Lin and he tried to break away from the control of Chen Feiyu. Under the direction of Xing Wuyi, the colonel who lost his left arm was allowed to rush in front of Zuo Dongting.

Death… Zuo Lin could feel that there was no sign of life in Zuo Dongting.

Zuo Lin stared at Zuo Dongting. This is my grandfather! The grandfather who once carried me on his shoulders when I was a child.

For a moment, Zuo Lin forgot about the problems of life and death that he worried about not long ago. He looked at Zuo Dongting, baffled, and remained so for a few seconds.

Suddenly, a grievous shriek roared from Zuo Lin’s throat, echoing in the sky. The eyes with a mixture of blood and tears suddenly turned to Qin Fen with extreme murderous intention filled his eyes, “Qin Fen! You killed my grandfather!”

It was unsure where he got the power from but Zuo Lin rushed to the front of Qin Fen and swung his fist towards Qin Fen’s head. Du Peng appeared silently behind him and pressed him to the ground. He could not get up no matter how he struggled.

“Qin Fen! Kill me! Kill me!” Zuo Lin shouted hysterically and the sand under his body flew everywhere, “If you don’t kill me today, I will kill all of you in the future! Kill me!”

It was not easy to kill a seventeen-star class martial dao grandmaster. Zuo Lin only wanted to die quickly. It was not that he could not see the road ahead after the death of an eighteen-star class grandmaster martial artist, it was the death of a close relative that ruined all his logical reasoning.

Roaring and yelling, Zuo Lin was struggling and there was constant turbulence in the yellow sand.

Butcher’s steps were frivolous and he walked past Zuo Lin in a daze. He saw the person who made him sleepless. Every time he closed his eyes, or even without closing them, a very familiar silhouette would appear – Zuo Dongting.

That order sent two of his brothers to death at Saturn, having forced them to go by threatening their family members.

Butcher’s stunned eyes flashed a glimmer of light. His shivering limbs accelerated the pace forward and the pumping chest showed his enraged emotions.

“Zuo Dongting… Zuo Dongting…”

Butcher muttered and went forward. He did not notice that Zuo Dongting had died and only had the delusion of the man in his sight.

Butcher once thought that he would be so scared that he wouldn’t even be able to budge when he saw him. However, when he really saw Zuo Dongting, he was no longer afraid and even forgot other every other emotion except anger.

“Zuo Dongting, return my brothers’ lives!”

Butcher growled and punched Zuo Dongting’s cheek…

Smack… Zuo Dongting’s body fell to the ground and Butcher followed up. He punched his cheek again and the palm’s muscles changed rapidly. The Heart Excising Hand pierced his body like a knife. He was like a wild demon ignoring the blood splashing on his face. He screamed again and again, “Return my brothers’ lives… return my brothers’ lives… return my brothers’ lives you motherf*cker…”

“Butcher…” Zuo Lin was struggling, groaning and roaring, “Butcher… Qin Fen… F*ck your ancestors! Let me go! Let me go…”

Du Hen looked at Xing Wuyi, “You are a smart person. You should be able to calculate the trade-offs very well. I believe that as a friend of Qin Fen, you should be able to make the judgments that will reap the most benefits on behalf of your friend?”

“Yes, General Du, I know how to calculate the benefits very well.” Xing Wuyi pushed the gold-rimmed spectacles frame up. His lips twitched with faint signs of self-mockery, “However, sometimes I am also a stupid person. Even though I knew the benefits could be maximized, I still chose the grueling road purposely. Lord General, we have a Chinese saying that goes, ‘There is no cooperation with people going separate ways.’”

Du Hen smiled faintly as if he didn’t mind if the persuasion was effective or not. His eyes looked at Du Peng, who pressed Zuo Lin to the ground. This man’s art was a mixture of Du Zhanpeng and the Seven Stars of Immortal Thunder. It had become the best human cauldron, “If this is the case, then I wish you all the best. However, I will take the people of Zuo Clan with me.”

Xue Tian’s body blocked Du Peng and the broken katana in his hand reached Du Hen. He said coldly, “Who is in your Zuo Clan, Lord General?”

Tsk…

The sword aura released by the broken knife drew a horizontal line in the sand between the two parties.

Xue Tian said faintly, “Go past this line, and you will have to be prepared to fight with us.”

Brooks was silent while standing not far from Xue Tian. The huge saber gathered intense killing intention.

Yang Lie stood side by side with Caesar and with the internal art of Yin and Yang combo, they could always fight an incredible battle. Even one as strong as Zuo Dongting had suffered badly.

Chen Feiyu didn’t speak. A person who came from the life-or-death arena didn’t need to talk. The murderous aura that almost condensed into a solid form spoke for him.

Solomon’s sixteen-star class martial strength was the most excited among this group of young men. It didn’t matter if Du Hen retreated. As long as Qin Fen signaled, he would definitely be the first person to fight.

Du Hen looked at Qin Fen and Xing Wuyi, then at this group of young men who had a youthful but determined look. A very uncomfortable feeling stabbed his heart. There were two kinds of people that I hate most in life; one is stupid people and the other is smart people who should make correct judgments but prefers to give a stupid response.

These young men were all elites and it can be said that they have a limitless future. Perhaps they could have gained much under the exchange of interests but they chose to deliberately block the entire road.

Trade two sixteen-star class martial dao masters as a condition in exchange for Du Peng? Du Hen smiled faintly. Even if ordinary people knew that these were loose conditions, it was obviously not feasible in front of these young people.

“Friendship? That’s amusing!” Du Hen smirked, “The only relationship between people in this world is competition! There will be selfishness! You are all elites but your performance is incomparably childish!”

There was no answer and that was what was required at this moment. Standing closely together was the best answer.

Beep…

Du Hen’s phone sounded and the projection showed the smoke of war. Du Yu was dressed in a military uniform appeared, “Father, Mourad is saved.”

“Very good.” Du Hen nodded and looked at Qin Fen, “You owe me a favor.”

Clap clap clap…

Xing Wuyi applauded and slowly uttered the steady words, “Great, great! We were fighting with the enemy in front of us and forgot about the poisonous snake behind us. I really forgot you, Snake King. That means the people I sent out should have been…”

Without feeling proud, Du Hen responded calmly, “A few words were enough to send them off.”

Xing Wuyi nodded. Mourad is in the hands of Zuo Lin’s subordinates. They still have fear because of Zuo Lin’s problems, but when it fell to the hands of Du Yu, there was no fear at all. Even if the people sent out still went forth, they would have had to choose to leave because of the concern for Mourad’s life.

“Pick up your pin…” Du Hen’s words were always steady, “I don’t need you to really work for the army. I just need you to retain the military status for the time being and I will give you all the military resources of Saturn. You are the absolute supervisor there and no one in the military headquarters will give orders to you. To be more precise, you are the new warlord of Saturn.”

“Everything is yours and you don’t have to bear a single responsibility.” Du Hen continued, “Is it strange? There’s nothing strange. If you go to Saturn now, the military doesn’t even stand a chance. Instead of that, why not give it to you? So, you don’t owe me anything and I’m sure you think that as well. Then great. Pick up your pin and just go to the battles bearing the status of a military. Mourad will be returned to you.”

Xing Wuyi was astounded. Based on his understanding of Snake King, this general would never do any unprofitable trade. He could just withdraw the Saturn personnel but why…

Du Hen looked at Qin Fen and Qin Fen looked at Du Hen.

After a second, Qin Fen took a step forward and slowly bent over to pick up the pin on the ground that was covered with sand.

Du Hen raised his eyebrows and was also somewhat surprised. It would not be strange if Qin Fen with that straight personality refused. However, he picked up the pin without saying anything and all this was just for Mourad. Lowering his dignity for a youth that wanted to kill him! What kind of young man is this?

“Qin Fen…” Du Hen paused a little and fell into a few seconds of contemplation. He said, “Being too affectionate and righteous will hurt you one day. As a person who had experienced it before, this is a piece of advice for you. The more you value affection and righteousness, the more serious the injury will be when you are betrayed by your friends in the future!”

The dry and warm wind was still blowing when Du Hen turned and walked on the yellow sand.

Xing Wuyi stepped forward while staring at Du Hen’s back and shouted, “General Du, can you tell me why? This is not in line with your character.”

Du Hen didn’t stop. He walked past Butcher’s side and grabbed his collar before throwing him aside.

Du Hen bent over and picked up Zuo Dongting, whose flesh and blood had been mixed. He kicked away Butcher who had rushed forward without really hurting him. He turned and stared at Xing Wuyi. He said calmly, “There was a person who had the same dream as me, which was to have the chance to produce a Divine Beast martial artist from the military headquarters. Although I hate him, I have the same dream. If the Divine Beast martial artists of the military headquarters came from the Du family, surely, he would die with regrets. Well then, I give him one last chance to let him die peacefully. There will definitely be a Divine Beast in the Du family! But before that, if someone else from the military headquarters were to become a Divine Beast, it would also be counted as accomplishing his wish.”

Du Hen flew into the sky and left only one sentence that echoed in everyone’s ears, “I hate myself today.”