"Humph! A mere insect dares to shake a great tree? Know your place!" Zhu Mingzhang roared as he charged forward. *Clang!* His Yingtian Sword collided with the massive blade of the Wraith General, producing a sharp, resounding echo. A powerful shockwave burst forth, leaving the surrounding lesser wraiths stunned. Even the Wraith General himself was taken aback.
Initially, he thought this Spirit Warden was an easy target, someone he could kill with a single blow. But now, Zhu Mingzhang was exhibiting combat power far beyond what he had shown earlier. The Wraith General was utterly baffled.
*What is going on here?!*
"Hongtian Street may be the most overlooked of all Spirit Warden territories, but that doesn't mean Zhu Mingzhang is someone to be trifled with!" Zhu declared. With those words, he surged forward again, wielding his sword with unmatched precision. *Slash, slash, slash!* His swift movements and swordplay forced the Wraith General to retreat step by step.
"Boy, don't get cocky! Now you'll witness my true power!"
"Venomous Demon Frog, merge!"
The Wraith General let out a ferocious roar, and his body began to split apart, oozing vile, toxic liquids from the cracks. The transformation was grotesque and chilling. Moments later, his appearance underwent a dramatic change. His body ballooned into a monstrous frog-like creature, towering over Zhu Mingzhang. His muscles bulged, doubling in size.
The stark size difference between them now was unmistakable.
Seeing Zhu remain still, the Wraith General sneered, assuming the boy was paralyzed with fear. He burst into laughter. "Ha ha ha! Scared stiff, aren't you, little brat? I'll give you a quick death if you beg for mercy!" He leaped, causing the ground to quake beneath him.
"Boss merged with the Venomous Demon Frog! Let's see how that Spirit Warden holds up now!"
"Yeah, he's toast for sure!" The lesser wraiths chattered eagerly, ready to enjoy the show.
Zhu Mingzhang, however, smirked. "Fine, if you're playing dirty, I'll use fire to fight fire!" He raised his voice, brimming with confidence:
"Tang He, where are you?"
A blinding golden light erupted as a towering figure over seven meters tall emerged.
"With me, Tang He, here, no one shall harm the Prince!" The giant spirit, clad in gleaming armor and wielding a long spear, declared with thunderous conviction. His appearance struck terror into every being present.
Standing behind Zhu, Su Ruiqi transitioned from shock to elation. "Amazing! Big brother finally awakened his guardian spirit!" she exclaimed, bouncing with joy.
"Of course," Zhu boasted, turning to Tang He. "Tang He, this is your first day serving me. Don't let me down."
"Rest assured, Your Highness. Dealing with these riffraff is child's play!"
The Wraith General, who moments ago was exuding menacing confidence, now wavered. He had never encountered a guardian spirit of such size and presence. In his past battles, he had slain numerous Spirit Wardens across different streets. The tallest guardian spirit he'd faced before stood merely three meters high. Yet here was a colossus, more than twice that size!
And moments ago, this brat didn't even have a guardian spirit!
"You! You dared to deceive me?!" The Wraith General was incensed, though fear lingered in his heart.
"What's wrong? Afraid because you're small, and he's so much bigger? Good, you should be! Let me show you the might of Tang He's fists!"
As Tang He charged into battle, Zhu watched intently. He was eager to see how his first guardian spirit would perform. Tang He may have been slightly less skilled than historical figures like Xu Da or Chang Yuchun, but now, as a guardian spirit, how would he fare?
His thoughts were interrupted as Tang He swiftly dismantled the Wraith General. The giant severed the General's tongue and, in a decisive strike, chopped off one of his legs.
"Ahhhh! How is he so powerful?!" The Wraith General howled in agony as he tried to retreat, dragging his mutilated body.
"Running? You're heading straight to the underworld!" Tang He bellowed, giving chase. Moments later, his spear pierced the General's chest, silencing his cries forever.
"The mighty Tang He lives up to his reputation as the Marquis of Zhongshan!" Zhu Mingzhang praised, visibly impressed.
"Ha ha! Your Highness flatters me!" Tang He replied with a hearty laugh before turning to the remaining wraiths. His glowing red soul-fire eyes sent shivers down their spines.
"How should we deal with these pests, Your Highness?"
Zhu stepped forward, his presence commanding. "Submit to me, and you may live. Defy me, and you shall perish!"
"Mercy, great warrior! Mercy!" A lesser wraith dropped its weapon and knelt. One by one, the rest followed, pleading for their lives.
Zhu rested the Yingtian Sword on his shoulder and sneered. "I am Zhu Mingzhang, Spirit Warden of Hongtian Street. Don't ever think I'm someone to be trifled with. Remember, I call the shots here!"
He turned to Tang He, his voice cold. "Tang He, finish them all. Not one of these wretches shall live."
Mercy? For wraiths? What a joke! Once a spirit transforms into a wraith, it is consumed by endless hatred and malevolence, beyond redemption. Letting them go would only sow more chaos and destruction in the mortal realm.
Meanwhile, Su Ruiqi's admiration for her brother grew. "Brother, you were so cool today!" She ran over, clinging to his arm, her face alight with joy.
Zhu froze briefly at her adorable expression before chuckling. "What are you talking about? When am I *not* cool?"
After all, saying Zhu Mingzhang isn't cool is as absurd as saying the readers of this story aren't amazing. Now that's just not acceptable!