World’s End: My Keyword is One More Than Others

Two days ago.

The imperial teacher arrived in Linyang City.

He had been secretly observing Du Ge, and the occasional shouts from the military camp made the veins on his forehead throb uncontrollably.

At this moment.

In front of the imperial teacher were all the issues of the "Linyang Daily" published in the past few days, each newspaper spread open to the horoscope section.

"The Zodiac, an astrology from another world?" The imperial teacher looked at the descriptions of the stars on the newspaper and shook his head slightly, "The stars above our heads are different, and everyone's birth date varies. How can such astrology be applied universally? It's truly laughable.

In the land of gods and demons, I am a Gemini, curious and full of endless exploration for everything around me, which does match my personality. But lacking principles and having a weak will? That's nonsense. If my will were weak, how could I have reached the grandmaster level in cultivation?

Based on his birth date, Cao Lin should be a Capricorn, stubborn and persistent, which indeed fits his character. Not good at communication? That also matches. Capricorn in retrograde? Interesting. Judging by the time, Cao Lin should be arriving soon. I want to see how Cao Lin handles this retrograde..."

Suddenly.

A commotion came from the street. The imperial teacher's ears twitched, and he flashed to the window, only to see the soldiers who were training in the school grounds marching quickly towards the city gates.

The imperial teacher frowned: "Not defending the city, Leng Shi wants to duel Cao Lin outside the city? Why attack with one's weakness against the other's strength? No, Leng Shi is skilled in water magic, so the duel location is at Yangjiang. What a bold move. But how can he ensure Cao Lin will go to Yangjiang?"

...

"Master, today's horoscope for Aries is excellent. My career will see a significant boost. We will surely win this battle."

Luo Shuang rode beside Du Ge, her face glowing with excitement.

Ever since Du Ge introduced the concept of astrology, the princess had been obsessed with it.

Even though Du Ge had explained the essence of astrology to her.

She still believed in it wholeheartedly and enthusiastically studied the horoscopes in the "Linyang Daily" with Huangfu Yue. Whenever something matched the horoscope, she would get extremely excited.

She had asked Du Ge about his zodiac sign several times, but he never told her.

So Luo Shuang naturally deduced Du Ge's sign based on his personality, concluding he was a Sagittarius. Not for any particular reason, but mainly because Aries' best match is Sagittarius.

"Princess, my career horoscope is also very good today. We will definitely succeed in this battle." Huangfu Yue, riding a red horse and dressed in red armor, looked valiant and was just as excited as Luo Shuang.

How could it not be good?

I wrote the horoscopes myself to boost your confidence!

Watching the two excited women, Du Ge chuckled to himself.

Ever since he discovered their obsession with the horoscopes, he had been subtly influencing them through the horoscopes.

Moreover.

He wasn't sure if their obsession with astrology had affected their luck or if the trends he created daily were also a form of influence.

In the past two days, the two women had been incredibly lucky, breaking through cultivation levels continuously, finding money on the streets, winning at mahjong, and even getting the best hands in Pai Gow...

Because of this, Du Ge had raised their horoscopes to the highest level today.

Of course, Leng Shi's horoscope was also extremely favorable these days.

Apart from them, the horoscopes for other signs were all in retrograde today.

This wasn't superstition; it was following the trend.

In fact.

Du Ge could clearly feel his own luck improving in the past two days.

Because he was doing the same things as before, but his mental power kept increasing, rising by eighty thousand in just two or three days.

At this moment, his mental power had reached 280,000, almost double what it was when he entered the battlefield.

One has to admit, the influence of skills is really strong.

...

Listening to the scout's report, Cao Lin looked at Zhang Yizhi with admiration: "Mr. Zhang, just as you said, Leng Shi has indeed set up his formation at Yangjiang. In Linyang City, he might have held out a bit longer, but in the open fields of Yangjiang, his ten thousand troops won't withstand a single charge from my soldiers. How could such a pedantic person have captured Yutang and Langping in just a few days?"

"General Cao, Leng Shi is not pedantic; he has fallen under my supernatural power without realizing it," Zhang Yizhi stroked his beard and said, "In the future, when the Heavenly Demon wreaks havoc, you must think thrice before acting in battle to avoid falling under the Heavenly Demon's power. If possible, find a Heavenly Demon as an advisor for the safest course."

"I will remember your words, sir." Cao Lin cupped his hands.

"Next, I leave it to you, General." Zhang Yizhi said, "The prime minister is still waiting for Leng Shi's head!"

"Sir, just watch me from the formation as I behead Leng Shi. He thinks Yangjiang favors his water magic." Cao Lin laughed heartily, "Today, I will show him that in the eyes of a grandmaster, magic is but a minor trick."

"General, be cautious." Zhang Yizhi reminded.

"Rest assured, sir, I am off." Cao Lin laughed heartily, raised his large blade, and leaped into the air, "Soldiers, wait for me to draw out Leng Shi, then cut off Yangjiang with a single stroke. Seize the opportunity to kill the rebels and capture Luo Shuang alive. After days of marching, we will rest in Linyang City tonight."

After speaking.

He stepped into the air and disappeared from sight in a few steps.

Watching Cao Lin disappear, the deputy general stepped forward: "Pass the order, march quickly, and reach Yangjiang in the time it takes to burn a stick of incense."

...

At this moment.

On the opposite bank of Yangjiang.

Du Ge and his troops had already set up their formation, ready for battle.

Du Ge, Luo Shuang, and Huangfu Yue stood at the forefront of the army.

Looking at the rolling river in front of him, Du Ge felt an extraordinary sense of familiarity, as if he had returned to the moment he was first imbued with the Power of Poseidon, facing the sea.

With his mental power doubled, his control over water had greatly increased.

If before he had a fifty percent chance of defeating Cao Lin, now he had a hundred percent.

Du Ge's vision was the best, and he saw Cao Lin stepping through the air long before anyone else. He smiled slightly: "Princess, Huangfu Yue, if there's any danger, jump into the water with all your might. I'll protect you."

Before Luo Shuang and Huangfu Yue could respond.

A thunderous voice boomed from the sky: "Leng Shi, come out and face your death!"

The previously orderly formation of Du Ge's troops was thrown into chaos as the horses reared back, disrupting the ranks, and the soldiers had to restrain their mounts.

The power of a single shout was terrifying.

The warriors, who had been full of fighting spirit, turned pale at this moment. It was only because Du Ge, Luo Shuang, and Huangfu Yue were at the forefront that they didn't turn and flee!

The voice arrived, and so did the person!

Cao Lin's figure stopped above Yangjiang, like a god of death, exuding an overwhelming aura. The long blade in his hand pointed directly at Du Ge's formation, as if it could strike down at any moment.

Du Ge looked at Cao Lin and, with a flash, appeared on the river's surface.

Without any visible movement, dozens of water dragons rose from the river, charging towards Cao Lin in the sky.

Du Ge stood on the head of one of the water dragons, soaring upwards.

"Petty tricks."

Cao Lin snorted disdainfully and swung his long blade down.

The massive blade shadow, hundreds of meters long, slashed towards Du Ge's water dragons.

Except for the one under Du Ge's feet, the other water dragons shattered, turning into countless water droplets that fell back towards the river. But just as they sank a foot, the water droplets reversed direction, forming countless water arrows that shot towards Cao Lin.

At the same time.

Several more water dragons rose from the river, carrying an unstoppable force as they surged towards Cao Lin.

Amidst the water dragons, Du Ge shattered Cao Lin's blade energy with a sword strike and, amidst the splashing water, charged straight at Cao Lin, a calm smile on his face: "A grandmaster, nothing more."

Due to his cultivation technique, Du Ge couldn't unleash blade energy hundreds of meters long like Cao Lin. But the Power of Poseidon and the geographical advantage of Yangjiang completely leveled the playing field between him and Cao Lin.

Using the Power of Poseidon to control the water had almost no cost for him. On the contrary, it replenished his soul and nourished his body.

If only his mental power weren't so low and the Power of Poseidon incomplete, limiting the water resources he could mobilize.

Otherwise, if he could lift the entire Yangjiang, no matter how powerful Cao Lin was, he couldn't cut through his water flow. Now he could only find a way to push Cao Lin into the water and drown him.

"Fool, I've seen people burned by fire, crushed by wood, injured by metal, and buried by earth, but when have I ever seen water kill a grandmaster?" Cao Lin looked at the approaching Du Ge and suddenly gave up resisting the water dragons, swinging his blade down at Du Ge's head, "I'll take your water dragon strike head-on, so what?"

The massive blade shadow whistled down towards Du Ge's head, blocking all possible escape routes. Moreover, Cao Lin's overwhelming aura seemed to lock onto Du Ge, leaving him no room to dodge.

With no other choice.

Du Ge could only raise his sword to block Cao Lin's massive blade shadow.

Boom!

A loud crash.

The immense force pressed down on his arm, and the water dragon under Du Ge's feet couldn't support him, scattering in all directions.

Du Ge fell heavily towards the river.

"Master."

Luo Shuang's expression changed drastically. She leaped off her horse, intending to rescue Du Ge, but was stopped by Huangfu Yue.

Huangfu Yue, looking at Cao Lin, who was drenched by several water dragons, swallowed instinctively and quickly said, "Princess, don't go. The imperial teacher has won."