124 Ruler of the Wes (2/2)

Hartley answered with a cordial smile lacking any aggressiveness. ”I'm afraid you've delivered yourself to serve as a stepping stone to demonstrate the power of the western hills and as a result I will establish myself as the ruler of the west.”

Song Zemin snorted, ”you are too deluded, holding this petty position among the nobles so quickly as gone to your head. Today you will find that the capital is no place for inexperienced bumpkins. Are you stalling for time thinking the young prince is on his way to save you? You are not as valuable as you think.”

Hartley's face became serious as he said, ”the fruit of a poison tree is poisoned just like your petty politics. I have no interest in the politics of the capital, I depend only on my own power.”.....

Baron Hongtian stood at the front lines surrounded by his personal guards, the sun was bright and the wind cool. The baron was so pleased with himself he almost smiled. He had orchestrated this plan which had come together perfectly, how could he not feel proud of himself. He had managed to weaken Elder Wan and Hong Zang and uprooted the troublesome Hartley at the same time.

After this was all over he would step in and offer his help on behalf of the eldest prince to Hong Zang and Elder Wan, for a price of course...

Just as he was lost in thought.....BOOM!.....

The ground shook underfoot. Everyone was tossed like a mixed salad as the violent rattle swept them off their feet. Confusion and chaos reigned among their ranks as everyone tried to figure out what had happened.

Some scrambled back to their feet just in time to see a gigantic body falling to the ground stirring up a cloud of dust.

Song Zemin got back to his feet in disbelief. He had gathered all the earth elements around him and wrapped himself in a suit of earthen armor which made him five meters tall looking like a humanoid monster made of stone.

One brutal punch would be enough to turn the arrogant youth before him into mush he had thought to himself. As he stepped forward relishing the splendor of destruction he was about to wreak upon the youth's body, he drew back his hand and punched forward.

All the dead bodies and pieces of shattered military equipment surrounding the two were swept up in a gayle force and swirled creepily in the sky, his fist expanded with more earth elements as it moved forward...by the time it had reached Hartley his fist was as big as a bucket.... Then something that shocked him happened....Hartley punched out..

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Three blue flashed erupted as Hartley's fist made contact with his. There was a colossus explosion, the bodies swirling above them were ripped to shreds as a flash of black energy exploded out like a streak of lightning between the two, sending Song Zemin flying back almost a hundred meters with a shriek of disbelief, the figure of the stone humanoid hit the ground like a bomb and shook the earth.

As he got to his feet he felt throbbing pain all over his body, there were cracks scattered across his armor and blood dripping from his mouth.

He saw Hartley walking forward towards him nonchalantly looking uninjured. Gritting his teeth in determination he pushed the pain to the back of his mind and stomped down with his left foot. The earth rumbled and spikes as thick as a adult thigh shot upwards from the ground aimed at impaling the youth at an angle.

There was a flash of blue from a sphere that instantly surrounded the youth, a circular pulse-wave shot out from Hartley like an extending halo as it shattered the spikes into a fine haze of dust that hung in the air.

Finally the alarm bells started ringing in Song Zemin's head.

He was at the peak of the 9th layer, after the backlash he suffered in the spatial crack, he still hadn't reached back to his peak power but he should be able to easily deal with anyone below the saint realm.. Just as he was contemplating fleeing and returning to finish the job when he was at his peak again..

With shocking suddenness Hartley appeared in front of him delivering another punch with his compressed circulation technique. This time there was four bright flashes of blue.

Everyone standing on the front lines of the nobles saw clearly this time, the stone monster standing five meters tall was blasted away like a cannon ball, producing a loud boom as the armor made of stone turned to dust and a man dressed in white tumbled and pitched across the battlefield ejecting a mouthful of blood like an arrow leaving a bow-string, moaning and wailing sounds escaped from his mouth like a wraith from hell as he came to a stop in full display before the terrified onlookers.

Just the sound emitted from the strike alone deafened the soldiers and nobles watching the exchange, their moral sunk into the doldrums after seeing such a highly regarded expert thrashed with such ease.....

Prince Jian sat in his office waiting for news from the battlefield of the western hills.

There was a slight ripple in the air beside him and a voice informed him of the happenings of the battle in real time. He had sent one of his saints to keep an eye on the battle.

After receiving the latest news, again the scales shifted in the young prince's mind, now the benefit of having Hartley under his banner far outweighed the riches to be gained from him hoarding the white iron for himself. Hartley could genuinely tip the scales of power in the capital...

He let out a cold breath thanking his lucky stars that he hadn't declared his position prematurely.

He immediately decreed that Zhi Ruo was no enemy of the kingdom and urgently sent his troops to defend the western hills.

Commander Genk couldn't help but shake his head in disappointment when he received the orders, he'd underestimated the shamelessness of the young prince's politics. The prince was one of the most insincere people the commander had ever met in the capital, on the surface he was scholarly and wise but deep down he was only motivated to act when benefits were to be gained in increasing his own power.

Someone like Commander Genk who truly adored talent and was happy to see talented allies around him grow and blossom towards fulfilling their potential, just couldn't wrap his head around such a concept. Doesn't it mean that no one was truly an ally to the prince?

How could he truly believe in the prince anymore when the boy who had saved the lives of him and his men in Tivoli was seen as nothing but a pawn to be discarded at the prince's leisure.

What did that make the commander himself? Just a tool to be wielded when it suited the prince's agenda?