Chapter 223 The Impervious

"Speak no whispers in the presence of Mengyao, The Impervious!" The man boomed.

With a slam of his shoe down, the draconic man, who stood over five meters tall with a broad build like an ox, imposed what felt like an earthquake through the quarry, rumbling the ground.

"--Enough. It doesn't matter if your level is that high. My Divine attribute will pierce whatever defenses you have," Baek-Hyeon composed himself.

Casually swiping his hand, the silver-haired man signaled for a dozen of light-forged blades to manifest out of thin air, sinking through the stratifications of wind before shooting out like cannons to the towering figure.

Each impact of the divine weapons exploded into a glorious cloud of gilded smoke, releasing volatile collisions that cracked the stone ground of the bleached valley.

"Ghh…!" Eunji winced, keeping herself low as powerful winds exuded in the presence of Baek-Hyeon's assault.

After the explosions of radiant energy settled, the winds were still whistling while rocks crumbled and continued etching with cracks.

"As I assumed," Baek-Hyeon said to himself, "It is inconceivable that the first floor would be inhabited by such powerful–"

Before the angelic-empowered man could finish speaking, his words were caught in his throat as the smoke dispersed, revealing the inhumanly tall and imposing man to be standing in the exact same spot without a scratch on his form.

"What?!" Baek-Hyeon called out.

Mengyao stood tall, unfolding his arms from his chest as he flexed his entire body, "Disappointing. Your attacks are predictable and slow, yet you stand there and rely on them as if you're some king too high and mighty to battle yourself. But, I'll teach you…"

An enormous pressure propelled outward from the Winged General as he raised a single foot to begin one step.

Baek-Hyeon tried to leap back to evade, but the towering warrior closed the distance in an instant.

Mengyao stared at him with his dark, fearsome gaze, "...There's only one man fit to be king in this land! And that's the Great Emperor!"

Sinking into the gut of the Assimilation System user was the massive fist belonging to the inhumanly durable man, which produced such strength that even Baek-Hyeon spit out the breath from his lungs before being buried into the ground with a thunderous impact.

"No way…" Eunji mumbled, watching from behind the rock.

"...There's somebody like this on this floor?" Ma-Ri questioned.

Standing over Baek-Hyeon, who was breathing heavily as his lungs were battered well and laid on the shattered and cratered ground, Mengyao looked down at him as his lengthy beard swayed in the wind.

"Impressive. You're made out of strong stuff. Usually one of my blows is enough to turn bone to ash and flesh to red mist. Not bad for a scaleless," Mengyao said, "However, I am on my way to visit the Great Emperor–don't waste my time with half-baked attacks."

Still, Baek-Hyeon retaliated in an instant, unleashing a burst of concentrated divine energy that slammed against the general's chest, forcing him back. After knocking the impervious general back, Baek-Hyeon huffed, returning to his feet as wings manifested onto his back.

"...I'm retreating for now," Baek-Hyeon said quietly, clutching his chest as he still had trouble breathing.

So, this is the most powerful entity on this floor? I see. God truly gave humanity little chance of ascending by placing an obstacle like this here–this one is like a natural disaster; he's best to be avoided, Baek-Hyeon thought.

Steam gave off from the point of impact on Mengyao's chest; the skin of his chest had been scorched, but it wasn't a lethal wound in the slightest, but a wound nonetheless that only made the draconic man scoff.

"Your fortune ran dry the moment you stepped into my path! The greatest of the Twelve Winged Generals stands before you–try not to scorn your own weakness, but only remember you were defeated by the strongest!" Mengyao proudly proclaimed.

Before another clash could happen, Baek-Hyeon used his powerful wings to take off with sound barrier shattering speeds, accelerating in an instant and retreating.

"Tch," Mengyao clicked his tongue, "Still, who could blame one from running from me, Mengyao, The Impervious?! I am the greatest warrior in this world! Be it Yinlong or Scalyue–I am the most powerful subject of the Great Emperor!"

Such an arrogant proclamation shouted out, echoing forth felt like nothing less than the truth coming from the man with a body that was seemingly invincible.

Fortunately for the two women, the emperor left, leaping away as by some miracle, they survived the encounter between two monsters.

"Phew…" Eunji sighed out.

Ma-Ri slumped against the boulder, catching her breath from the stress-inducing situation.

–

[Crowded Forest | Outskirts of Yinlong]

"Uergh…So much walking," Sol groaned.

"Complaining is not very dazzling! Try and smile more!" Tsukikage said with a bright smile, marching forward.

The flamboyant, muscular man with white-and-pink hair laughed, walking in front of the hazel-haired youth who slumped his shoulders.

"Yeah, yeah…" He groaned again.

"Waaah!"

"Huh?"

A yell suddenly sounded out, coming from directly in front of the two, piercing through the dense forest of thick trees and abundant foliage.

"Mm?" Tsukikage blinked a couple times, "A girl?...Ah, no! Even more dazzling! A boy!"

"Wha–?" Sol glanced at the man before looking forward again.

It was a familiar figure that was yelling out desperately; long, silver hair, a feminine face, but definitely a boy around his age.

[Xiaodan | Level 24]

"Xiaodan?!" He called out.

Tsukikage casually glanced down at him, "You know him?"

"You bet I do!" He nodded, "...What's he running from though…?"

Xiaodan only seemed to register him as he sprinted within a couple meters of him, temporarily shifting from his anxious expression to one of surprise, "...Sol?!"

"Yeah–what's up?!" Sol asked.

"No time to explain–run!" Xiaodan warned.

"Huh?" Sol let out.

Suddenly, it barged through the trees, rushing in and stomping with a mighty weight; a massive beast covered in a thick, dark-brown hide with a singular horn on the front of its head.

"A rhino?!" Sol yelled.

[Stone Horn | Level 35]

Though, following the norm of this world, the rhino-like creature dwarfed any other of its relatives from Earth, charging forward as steam emitted from its nostrils.

"Ha-ha! Great beast of this forest, it is inelegant to attack esteemed guests!" Tsukikage yelled out casually.

He looked back, seeing the eccentric, pink-eyed man standing with open arms in the massive rhino's path, "What're you doing?! You're gonna get a horn through your body!"

Xiaodan glanced back as well, running alongside him, "What's up with that guy…?! Doesn't he see that thing charging right towards him!"

The stampede of the monstrous rhino's thunderous stomps filled the forest with volatile rumbles as the branches of the surrounding trees trembled and leaves danced down.

"He does, he's just…not normal!" He replied.

Though as the stone-skinned beast neared the man, causing the winds of its heavy weight to brush his plaid scarf around, Tsukikage's stance changed as he held his arms out in front of him with a confident smile.

"--If you're going to ignore reason, then…!" Tsukikage said.

The two reunited members of Gangcheori stopped and watched, now at a "safe distance" as the house-sized rhino was stepped dead in its tracks by the man, who, while large himself, was dwarfed in comparison to the beast.

Tsukikage dug his shoes into the dirt, planting himself down and flexing his muscles as he fully nullified the charge of the steam-breathing creature.

"Am I hallucinating or is that guy…?" Xiaodan asked in awe.

"...I told you: he's not normal…" He gulped.

Even the rhino seemed surprised as it quelled its steam-exuding breathing and tried to back away, but the grip that the flamboyant man possessed didn't even allow the dozen-ton creature to move in the slightest.

"Say, Sol and…"

"Xiaodan," the silver-haired, androgynous boy gave his name.

"Sol and Xiaodan," Tsukikage fixed his words with a smile, holding the massive beast still in its tracks, "How do you feel about rhino for dinner?"

Sol replied, "...I'll eat just about anything right now!"

Xiaodan added, nodding in agreement, "Same here!"

With that decided, Tsukikage grinned, looking the Stone Horn straight in its eyes, "Hear that?"

"Gruu…" The Stone Horn growled low.

As it tried to dig its feet into the soil and resist the man's hold, it was quickly countered as Tsukikage breathed in and summoned further strength, flipping the beast up into the air.

Such grand weight being lifted up caused the air pressure to change momentarily as the soil cracked and the foliage swayed.

"What a monster…" Xiaodan mumbled, watching in astonishment.

Sol nodded with a nervous smile, "Let's just be glad he's on our side."

After hoisting the beast vertically into the air, Tsukikage roared out before body slamming it, causing the forest to rumble and knocking the creature out.

"--Alright! Let's feast!" Tsukikage smiled.

–

Though the eccentric, jewelry-wearing man tried to have the hazel-haired young man and Xiaodan carry the beast, it was proven impossible, requiring the man himself to carry it to a clearing in the forest.