Chapter 88: Battle Within the Barracks

Tang Hao nodded in agreement, and only then did Chu Han feel at ease enough to walk out of the storeroom, shutting the heavy doors tight. With the restriction he had laid down, no one could so much as take a step inside; only then was Tang Hao truly safe. This restriction was a secret art from the Thunder Emperor’s Codex, making it impossible for anyone to break through. The Thunder Emperor’s Codex was far from something that could be unraveled so easily.

Once Chu Han emerged, he was immediately surrounded. More than a dozen men encircled him, their faces cold and stern, covering all ages—there were middle-aged men as well as a few elders with white beards.

“Chu Han, today is the day you die. Any last words before your end?” one of the elders said coldly. The true energy radiating from his body marked him as someone at the peak of the Dao Palace realm, his strength considerably higher than Xue Ming’s.

“Who are you people?” Chu Han asked, determined to learn the identities of those before him so that he could someday take his revenge. He already knew the Xue family was involved, but as for the rest, he was still in the dark.

Given the number of powerful experts present, he was sure it wasn’t just the Xue family. After all, he had half-killed Tang Feng, and there were plenty of influential families in the capital with ties to Tang Feng; it was only natural they would seize this chance to come after him.

“Ha! Today you face the top experts from all the great families. You’ve offended people you should never have crossed. Enough talk—prepare to die!” the elder sneered and lunged at him. The instant the old man moved, the rest surged forward like a swarm.

Facing attacks from all directions, Chu Han remained utterly composed. Just as the attacks were about to land, his figure vanished. All they saw was a flash of lightning; in the blink of an eye, Chu Han had reappeared some distance away.

The group was shocked—his speed sent chills through them, though not enough to make them retreat. At that moment, Chu Han struck back, raising his right fist and sneering. “Heh, did no one tell you that coming after me is nothing short of suicide? Qilin.”

As his words fell, lightning coalesced from the heavens, and the crowd was stunned by the overwhelming power gathering above. In that instant, they had only one thought: to stop Chu Han.

They launched their attacks—gusts of wind, flames, ice, lightning—every conceivable form of assault hurtled toward Chu Han, striking him and raising a cloud of dust, blasting a massive crater into the ground.

“Phew, finally taken care of. That guy’s speed and strength were monstrous. If he’d managed to unleash the attack he was gathering, it’s anyone’s guess who would have survived,” said Elder Ma Ji, the Ma family’s representative and the main force among those present, also at the peak of the Dao Palace realm. He was deeply wary of Chu Han’s power.

“Elder Ma, is he really finished? Somehow, I doubt it’s that simple,” said Xue Ting, an expert from the Xue family, also at the Dao Palace peak, though slightly weaker than Ma Ji. Cautious by nature, he never believed Chu Han would be so easily defeated.

“Ha! He took the brunt of all those attacks. There’s no way anyone could survive that. You’re just too cautious—no one could possibly live through such an onslaught,” Ma Ji laughed boisterously, and the rest nodded in agreement.

After all, everyone had attacked at once, and their combined might was something no one could withstand. Anyone struck directly by that force would have no hope of survival.

Xue Ting nodded, acknowledging the logic, though his gut told him things were never that straightforward.

Soon enough, the dust cleared—but the corpse they expected was nowhere to be seen. Instead, an oppressive power filled the air, leaving them glancing at each other in confusion.

Then, Chu Han appeared before them once more, not only unscathed but with not so much as a speck of dust on his robes. It was as if none of the attacks had touched him at all, astonishing them all.

“Heh, is that all you’ve got? I expected more. That didn’t hurt at all. Now, it’s my turn,” Chu Han said with a cold snort. Having entered the Dao Palace realm, his advancement had raised the defense of his Infernal Gold Body to a whole new level. The barrage just now hadn’t even tickled him.

By now, his own attack was fully formed—a colossal, lightning-forged Qilin appeared in the sky, its blood-red eyes menacing, jaws gaping wide as it let out a silent roar at the crowd before him.

The Qilin charged at them, moving with terrifying speed. In the blink of an eye, it was upon them. There was no time to dodge; they could only meet it head-on. Banding together, they conjured a defensive shield to block the Qilin’s assault.

But as the Qilin reached them, its massive claw smashed into the barrier, punching a hole straight through it. Then, transforming into a bolt of lightning, it shot through the opening, enveloping every one of them.

Agonized screams echoed without end, sending chills down the spine. Just as Chu Han thought he’d finished off his foes, the silver-armored general from before appeared, wielding a massive sword. With a mighty swing, he cleaved through the lightning wrapping the crowd, shattering it in an instant and absorbing it all into his sword.

“General Xu Ke, you arrived just in time. We were caught off guard,” Ma Ji said with visible relief. The force of Chu Han’s lightning had nearly killed him; had Xu Ke not arrived when he did, they’d have all perished.

Chu Han, meanwhile, eyed the greatsword in Xu Ke’s hand with interest. This blade was no ordinary weapon—capable of absorbing his lightning, it was a fine piece indeed.

“Enough chatter, elders. Join forces and take this man down. Don’t underestimate him—he’s no ordinary foe, and his strength will surpass anything you’ve imagined,” Xu Ke said with a frown, his grip on the greatsword trembling slightly. He had felt firsthand the terrifying force of Chu Han’s lightning, and knew that Chu Han’s true power was far beyond what he’d expected.

“So, you’re Xu Ke? And that weapon… what is it? It looks impressive, to be able to absorb my lightning,” Chu Han said with a slight smile, utterly dismissive of the dozen or so men before him. Whether one or ten, they were all trash in his eyes—just a rabble, unworthy of concern. Still, his curiosity was piqued by the greatsword, and he couldn’t help but ask.

“Hmph, this is my weapon—the Heavy Iron Greatsword. Its ability is to absorb every element, not just lightning. Any form of energy can be devoured. Today marks your end!” Xu Ke roared, charging forward. Chu Han advanced to meet him, eager to see what the sword could really do.

At the same time, the remaining dozen experts launched their strongest techniques, determined not to hold back any longer—their goal: to kill Chu Han on the spot.

Yet their attacks, even at full force, could not so much as tear his clothing. In contrast, Chu Han casually struck Ma Ji in the chest, sending him flying into three or four others, the sheer force knocking them to the ground. Ma Ji’s chest caved in, his ribs shattered—he was as good as dead.