All of this was due to the red figure standing behind the screen at the top of the hall at this moment.Holy Emperor Agate! He was one of the five strongest beings of the Ancient Martial Realm, the ruler of the South Island, and also one of Fred's targets."Who are you?"As if sensing that Fred was not one of the usual people like Sheckie who had come to pay their respects, Holy Emperor Agate immediately snorted coldly behind the screen."I’m Fred Hoffman,” answered Fred while standing with his hands behind his back.If they were in the secular world, anyone who heard Fred's self-introduction would probably be shocked. They might even go down on their knees as their bodies were wracked with shivers. However, Fred was currently in the Ancient Martial Realm. The person he was facing was one of the strongest beings in the Ancient Martial Realm, Holy Emperor Agate.Holy Emperor Agate was puzzled and remained suspicious despite Fred’s introduction. Thinking for a moment, Holy Emper
"You're not an Ancient Warlord!”Holy Emperor Agate was not just a high-level Ancient Warlord like Bernard or Sheckie. As one of the most prestigious Holy Emperors in the Ancient Martial Realm, Holy Emperor Agate had a keen perception!In the instant that Fred released the brilliance of his inner strength and aura, Holy Emperor Agate had already sensed that Fred was not an Ancient Warlord. This was not something that had happened ever since Fred entered the Ancient Martial Realm. Even so, Fred remained indifferent. It was because from the moment he decided to come to this place, he had no intention of concealing his identity.Moreover, even if Holy Emperor Agate could not currently sense Fred's identity, Fred would not be able to conceal the King's Aura when they engaged in a battle. Whether it happened sooner or later, Fred did not pay it any heed. Fred's calm demeanor deepened the frown on Holy Emperor Agate's face. One would expect him to be caught off guard when his identity
Holy Emperor Agate had just acknowledged that Fred was no ordinary guy and figured out that he was not an Ancient Warlord.The Holy Emperor had not shed an ounce of his trademark pride; otherwise, he would have stepped out from behind that screen by now.With the pride that only a Holy Emperor could flaunt, Agate unleashed his aura with a slight intention of testing thingsHe was itching to see how Fred would hold up under the weight of his powerful presence.As Agate's aura amped up, his face started to twist in frustration.Like a rival who was every bit his equal, Fred kept pace with Agate's escalating aura as if he had no limits.Even when Agate went all out, Fred's aura did not waver one bit!Now, the two were neck and neck, but here was the thing—in the Ancient Martial Realm, it had been ages since anyone but a Holy Emperor could conceivably stand toe-to-toe with another Holy Emperor. That idea was deep-rooted in everyone's mind!So, what Fred was showcasing to Holy Emper
They just…vanished?His legendary flames, which he had always been so proud of, were effortlessly unraveled by Fred?In a battle of fire against fire, no less, had his own flames been bested?The moment Fred's finger broke through the flames, Holy Emperor Agate's face twisted with shock and anger.Sure, those were not his strongest flames, but he was Holy Emperor Agate, the unmatched warrior blessed with the Fire God's legacy.To have his flames doused by Fred's? That was a slap to the face!"Good! Very good! Simply wonderful!" Holy Emperor Agate sneered, his voice quivering with rage. "I was going to let you turn to ash painlessly, but... you have got some nerve, challenging me in the art of fire!"A fierce blaze erupted once again from behind the screen with a whoosh.This time it was not just a pair of fireballs. Holy Emperor Agate was now enveloped in a fiery aura, as if he had become the sun itself, blazing with a brilliance and a heat that could incinerate all in its path
Meanwhile, just outside the grand hall of the Holy Emperor, Sheckie snapped out of his daze. His eyes widened in shock at the towering inferno erupting from the hall. Without a second thought, he bolted, retreating as fast as his legs could carry him.The other Ancient Warlords, who had been cautiously retreating while stealing glances at the chaos, followed Sheckie's lead, sprinting away with all the speed they could muster!The Ancient Warlords under Holy Emperor Agate's command knew the Crimson Flame Spear all too well—it was Agate's ultimate move!They were all aware that once Agate unleashed it, the end of the battle was near.The might of the Crimson Flame Spear meant that a ten-mile radius would be swallowed by wild flames, turning anyone or anything caught within it to mere ash."Looks like the two Holy Emperors have finally clashed!" Sheckie said, backing away. Yet, the sight of the Crimson Flame Spear sparked a glimmer of excitement in him.In a duel of masters, the out
"How? You?"Sheckie's voice was filled with panic as he stared at the man walking out from the Holy Emperor's hall.For good reason—the man was Fred!"Surprised to see me?"Fred had already picked up on the little plot Sheckie had been cooking up ever since he had returned to the Holy Emperor's palace, so Sheckie's wide-eyed panic at seeing him now did not exactly come as a shock."You... you..."Hearing Fred's calm words and seeing his cool demeanor, Sheckie felt an overwhelming urge to back away. However, he somehow managed to stand his ground.To Sheckie, Fred was none other than the Holy Emperor Rhodium himself!Run away from a Holy Emperor?Sure, there might be some top-tier Ancient Warlords in the Ancient Martial Realm who could pull that off, but Sheckie knew he was not one of them.So, swallowing his fear, Sheckie bowed awkwardly and tried to smile. "My lord, may I ask... about the recent battle, did you win?""There was no winner."Fred's answer caught Sheckie off
Fred could not help but touch his face in exasperation at the looks on Sheckie and the other's faces.During the showdown in the Holy Emperor's grand hall a few moments ago…"Time to end this!"Clutching the Crimson Flame Spear, Holy Emperor Agate did not even bother to take Fred seriously, despite his impressive show of strength. With a haughty flick of the wrist, Agate sent the spear hurtling toward him."Oh, so it's on?" Fred thought, bracing for this so-called finishing move.Fred felt a new kind of heat emanating from the Crimson Flame Spear, a heat that was fiercer than anything before. His eyebrows twitched as he curled his open hand into a tight fist. The golden glow that had been shining from him suddenly focused into that fist as he fearlessly charged forward."Clueless fool!" Holy Emperor Agate scoffed with contempt as Fred did not even try to dodge but instead raced straight toward the fiery spear that had been hurled.Everyone knew that not even the mighty Holy Empe
"Why...why aren't you wearing any clothes?"Fred blurted out almost as soon as he saw the true appearance of Holy Emperor Agate. As soon as he said that, his face flushed red.He was not usually the type of person who would say such things.However, the whole situation made Fred speechless.This was like a boss fight—one would imagine the boss to be a burly and ferocious muscleman, but... In the blink of an eye, the boss turned into a petite feminine woman, one with no clothes on, at that.Fred was utterly confused. He was the Great One who had never had close contact with any woman except Tyne.While Fred was having this internal turmoil, Holy Emperor Agate had gone from the cold and arrogant Holy Emperor to a fidgety, shaken girl. Not only was she blushing intensely, but she was also at a loss for what to do.It was not until she saw Fred's eyes on her body that she quickly shouted, "Why...Why are you still staring? Get out of here!""Oh… Oh!"If this was before the screen w
Marciella walking away did not bode well with the giant snake. Marciella was its food! How could it accept that its food had escaped?Marciella had not moved far yet. She reluctantly looked back at Fred.She did not know how Fred would handle the River God. She could only hope Fred would be okay!When Fred saw that she had left, he geared up, rubbing his palms in glee. He had an eager look on his face, which confused the giant snake.It was the snake’s first time meeting a man like Fred!How strange indeed!At this time!Suddenly, Fred said with hostility etched on his face, "Hey, Big Snake, what are you going to do now?"The snake's attention was entirely focused on him, which seemed off to Fred."What I’m going to do?"The giant snake fixated its eyes on Fred. It felt that it could handle a human like Fred easily.“I’m going to kill you with one bite! How dare you look down on me like this!"The giant snake rushed toward Fred fiercely at a speed so fast that no one could
Fred was annoyed by the giant snake's arrogant tone. Fred squinted his eyes at the snake and asked in confusion, "Why are you making that face?"“Huh?"The giant snake was shocked. He thought that Fred would submit to him, but to his surprise, Fred was not shaken at all.The snake was about to lose his temper.“Dirty snake, haven't I made myself clear enough? I think you are probably sleep-talking if you want me to hand over my people to you..." Fred said impatiently.At this moment…Feeling that it was being ridiculed, the snake said suddenly, "You punk, this is the first time anyone spoke to me this way. What is your name?"“Me?"Fred was stunned subconsciously, not knowing what the snake wanted. Suddenly, he understood.“Did you want to know my name so you can remember me, bow down before me, and become my follower? Sure, I’ll give you that chance!"He was adding fuel to the fire. The giant snake almost spat out blood in anger!"What? You want me to follow an immature bei
Huh!?Putting aside Marciella, even Fred could not hide his shock as a giant snake appeared from under the water!A giant snake!How could it be!?Fred's eyes widened at the sheer size of the snake. "A Giant Snake… Is this the so-called River God?"Moreover, the size was humongous. The snake must be at least ten stories high!What a huge snake!Fred finally understood why he felt a powerful force under the water!There was a sharp glint in the giant snake’s eyes! That was the blinking light from time to time!"Who comes here? Are you from the village? Who do you plan to sacrifice to me this time?" As soon as the giant snake spoke, Fred realized that this was not the first time it had done this.The snake seemed familiar with the ritual process. Obviously, the villagers had witnessed this giant snake before. This was the meeting between the two sides! Fred felt uncomfortable at this. As for the giant snake, it felt bemused when it saw Fred. The snake had never seen Fred befo
Fred was going to risk it all to open this girl's eyes!The force from the punch was extraordinary! As soon as the tree was hit by the seismic fist, it fell immediately and the whole tree split neatly in two!Marciella was dumbfounded!Although she knew how powerful Fred was, to witness his power was a different thing entirely!"Master Fred, your power is insane!"Marciella could not help but applaud.Fred seemed indifferent, as though he had no feeling at all about this."Is it? Why do you think so?"He looked so indifferent.For Ancient Martial Arts, things did not get any simpler than this!"You’re so strong. Anyway, I don’t doubt you anymore..." Marciella sighed, suddenly feeling very sad. "This is the reward of being educated. If we were more knowledgeable, we wouldn’t be so clueless.”"Haha, if you can't solve your issues, your descendants can work harder," Fred said with a wink.Marciella said, "Mr. Fred, I needed to ask you something! What if our luck was changed ju
What Fred said aroused her curiosity."What does it look like when you offer a sacrifice?"Fred knew he could not speak of this matter. Sure enough, Marciella felt a little downcast after Fred said the words. She did not know why Fred would say such a thing. Suddenly, Fred felt bad about it.He coughed and said, "Don't think too much about it... I just want to find a clue. Maybe we could find a solution. Why does it never rain in your village?""Huh?"Marciella's eyes, which were still a little dejected, suddenly realized what was important and asked hurriedly, "Mr. Fred, are you saying that the reason why it never rains in our village is because someone is behind it?"Although Fred was unwilling to admit it, he could not help but nod. "Yes, this is exactly what you thought!""For real?!"Marciella felt hopeful again when she heard this. She said hastily, "The thing you asked about is pretty simple. You can just check out that place!""That place?"Fred turned around to see w
Marciella found herself nodding in agreement with Fred's harsh assessment. "You're spot on," she said. "That woman is nothing but vile!"Seeing Marciella's reaction, a rare smile crossed Fred's face as he nodded back. "Glad you see it my way," he said.What caught Fred off guard was the villagers' reaction. One by one, their faces turned ashen with despair.It seemed to them that nothing could be worse than the predicament they were facing. The absence of the witch spelled doom for the village—it was like their last shred of hope had vanished. They had all put their faith in her to charm the River God into blessing them with rain, which would have brought some peace to their troubled lives. However, now their chances seemed to have dried up just like their fields. Fred stood there, his face a mask of serenity amidst the chaos.In the moments that followed, the village chief was a picture of despair, his only option was to send everyone home while he racked his brain for a backup pl
"What?"Fred did not even have time to blink before the witch suddenly made a move.It was like a bomb went off.Kaboom!Then, she was dead!Fred dusted off his hands, even surprising himself with his lack of tolerance for the witch.Now, though, he had a real headache. He had planned to clear the air with the witch and lay out the past so everyone would know the full picture.He thought that might just turn things around.The situation changed when she vanished, and Fred's plans were completely derailed. Then again, changing the villagers' minds was not going to be a walk in the park anyway. They were pretty set in their ways, thanks to all the stuff they had been fed.As such, just talking it out might not cut it. Heck, it could even mess with history!With the witch out of the equation, Fred figured he might as well try a different tactic. Maybe if he took out the guy in the cloak and worked his own magic to bring some rain, it could save a lot of hassle. The more he thoug
"No way!"The witch bristled with defiance. She could not accept that she was no match for Fred.As she noticed Fred's focus was locked on her, a sly idea popped up in her mind.Before she could act on it, though, she found herself pinned against the wall by Fred in a flash...Her face contorted in disbelief. She was pinned so tightly that she could not even move!The witch was completely overpowered, her heart racing with panic.How could he be so much stronger than her?Fred, on the other hand, seemed unfazed."What's going through your head? You don't seriously think you can take me on, do you?" Fred asked, his voice laced with skepticism.The witch felt utterly trapped, as if at any second, Fred might just finish her off."Look, I messed up, okay? Can we not do this? I'm old, just a pile of brittle bones—I can't take this kind of rough treatment!" the witch pleaded with Fred, trying a new tactic to get through to him.Fred was not falling for it. He looked at her with a
"Heh, I caught on to you a while back, you know. You've been tailing me, and I'm pretty sure you're here for me. Plus, you don't have the look of someone from our village. That means you are an outsider, and I'm your target, right? Listen, man, we don't have any beef with each other, so why are you sticking your nose where it doesn't belong?"The witch had sensed the raw power rolling off Fred, and it was enough to send shivers down her spine!At that moment, she knew that challenging Fred was not going to be a walk in the park! If she had spotted him earlier in the forest, it would not have been good news for her. For starters, she had no clue how many tricks Fred had up his sleeve, and if he took her down, she and her buddy would be toast.However, the witch was not about to let Fred take her out without a fight! She racked her brain and finally settled on one strategy!She would try to sweet-talk him, hoping Fred would fall for her words just like everyone else, and fall into he