As the words were spoken! Another wall within the crystal enclosure holding the Fire Dragon opened, and then a group of more than twenty unknown monsters, each the size of a Mammoth King, were dumped beside the Fire Dragon as if they were trash!
Roar! At once, muffled, panicked roars rose and fell. Although no one knew what ferocious beasts they were, their sharp fangs, keen claws, and robust physiques all proclaimed them to be a pack of fiercely aggressive monsters!
Yet, at this moment, these beasts were trembling, letting out frightened, dull moans, desperately crowding into the corner of the wall, like sheep encountering a wolf pack—utterly panicked!
Splat! Gak!
With a chilling, unsettling sound, the Fire Dragon finally opened its massive eyes, and that extraordinarily large head shifted slightly.
Roar! Then, its gaping maw, large enough to rival a city gate, suddenly split open.
Its claws, unbelievably thick, were astonishingly nimble and swift, snatching the fleeing monsters like lightning, grabbing five or six in a single strike. They were then jammed into that cavernous mouth.
Utterly effortless!
The more than twenty monsters were devoured by the Fire Dragon in mere minutes, as easily as crunching peanuts.
Not even a shred of fur or bone was spat out! Only thick streams of viscous blood oozed from the corners of its mouth, a sight that made one’s scalp crawl!
Ah! What a cruel creature!
The scene before them caused even Xing Zhan, accustomed to bloodshed, to gag, nearly vomiting!
“If a creature like this were unleashed upon the Mafa Continent!” Xing Zhan muttered to himself, “It’s unimaginable.”
“If possible, we wouldn’t want to deploy the Fire Dragon either,” Xing Yue said. “Everything depends on your will. If you accept our proposal and become our leader, then at least we can guarantee that such horrifying things won't happen on the Mafa Continent.”
“Are you threatening me?” Xing Zhan murmured.
Scorching sunlight pierced through the gaps in the tent! The blinding light startled Xing Chen, who had been meditating to heal his injuries, deep in an inward-gazing state.
“My stamina seems to have recovered significantly,” Xing Chen crawled out of the tent and stretched his limbs. This meditation session only took ten hours, yet his body seemed to have returned to peak condition—truly incredible!
“How is Yueying’s condition?”
“Yueying has returned to peak condition,” Lan Ye reported. “Ready for combat at any moment.”
“Excellent.” Xing Chen was overjoyed and quickly packed away the tent!
Simultaneously, he summoned Yueying, who had finished recuperating in the Nano Space!
But which direction should they advance in now? Xing Chen was momentarily bewildered.
Thinking back now, he had truly miscalculated. Who could have guessed that Yueying, upon activating the Wings of Light, would become so monstrously strong that Xing Chen couldn't even keep a living specimen to ask for directions!
The current situation meant they could only take things one step at a time!
Just as Xing Chen was at his wit's end!
“Beep beep beep! Alert! A powerful life form is rapidly approaching, count two, Life Field signature 2202!”
“Life Field 2 and 220.” Xing Chen jumped up in alarm. What powerful beings were these? Could they be pursuers?
His mind raced, and Xing Chen instinctively tried to suppress his aura!
But it was too late!
In the distant sky, two red beams flashed like lightning through the air, arriving above Xing Chen in the blink of an eye! They then hovered, stationary! Under the blazing sun, their tall figures were framed by the light, casting a hazy, oppressive shadow that firmly enveloped Xing Chen!
That terrifying aura made Xing Chen’s chest pound uncontrollably. How could these two be so strong? Were they monsters?
The two figures wore identical styles of Fengtian Demon Armor, completely different from the purple Fengtian Demon Armor Xing Chen had seen before. These two were clad in gold Fengtian Demon Armor!
Yet, what they held were the strangely styled, peculiar Heaven-Splitting Greatswords. Unlike the dull black of common Heaven-Splitting Greatswords, these two were also golden, seemingly forged from pure gold, but the potent fluctuations emanating from them were far more profound than those of the Thunderous Rage Set Yueying used previously—they were on an entirely different level.
What kind of equipment was this? Were these enhanced versions of the Star King Set, the Fengtian Demon Armor, and the Heaven-Splitting Greatsword?
The shock from this bizarre duo, coupled with the insane power radiating from their gear, left Xing Chen almost dumbfounded! He nearly collapsed to the ground—this equipment was too monstrous!
“You are Xing Chen.” The one on the left was powerfully built, with golden hair and golden eyes, possessing a detached expression yet carrying an irresistible air of authority and dominance. “To recognize this as the enhanced Fengtian Set and Star King Set shows you are very familiar with Wolong Mountain Estate.”
“Coincidence,” Xing Chen’s excellent psychological fortitude allowed him to quickly regain his composure!
“State your background and origin,” Guang Mu commanded.
“Shouldn’t you introduce yourselves before inquiring about another’s identity?” Xing Chen retorted proudly.
“Hmph!” The mysterious warrior flicked his hand, and the Golden Heaven-Splitting Sword swept out a crescent arc.
Xing Chen and Yueying reacted swiftly, executing simultaneous flanking flips to the left and right, cleverly evading the attack!
But the astonishing qi explosion turned the mountain-sized sand dune into a massive crater! The scorching air currents and twisting smoke revealed the terrifying power contained within that single arc!
A casual sword arc was this potent—this person’s strength was truly unfathomable!
“Decent reaction,” the newcomer murmured with faint praise, yet his expression remained impassive. “Pity you are doomed. To the soon-to-be-dead, my name holds no meaning.”
“Such arrogance.” Facing a powerful enemy only stoked Xing Chen’s resolute fighting spirit. “Too bad I don't believe it.”
“Seeking death,” the mysterious warrior seemed to grow angry!
The two figures flickered almost simultaneously, their tall forms vanishing into thin air!
Ah! Such speed! Xing Chen was greatly shocked.
Yueying activated the Moon Phantom in the same instant! This allowed Xing Chen to barely catch a glimpse of the two figures!
But the moment he perceived them, the two Golden Heaven-Splitting Swords were already cleaving down toward Xing Chen’s head, too fast to even allow for evasion!
“Star Shift.” In that electric, flint-spark moment, Xing Chen abruptly activated the Kaioken; the Dragon Shadow Sword lashed out with astonishing speed, carving two bizarre Tai Chi Qi Shields.
Yueying simultaneously hurled two great fireballs with terrifying momentum, slamming toward the two figures!
Clang! Boom! The two King's Blades were met head-on by the Tai Chi Qi Shields that materialized out of nowhere and the fireballs shot out by Xing Chen!
However, the two astonishing explosions simultaneously forced the two Heaven-Splitting Swords to rebound! The two mysterious warriors were involuntarily tossed into the air! Yet, they used the momentum to execute a mid-air somersault, landing lightly on the ground!
“Impressive Qi defense, and a great fireball,” the mysterious warrior’s expression shifted slightly as he stared intently at Xing Chen and Yueying, who stood poised with weapons lowered. “You managed to withstand the combined assault of myself and Pilu.”
Meanwhile!
While appearing dominant after blocking the frontal assault from the two warriors with his sword, Xing Chen knew the bitter truth: Star Shift couldn't possibly fully absorb the force of those two terrifying strikes. Fortunately, Yueying's coordination was perfect; her fireball struck first, weakening the force of the two swords, allowing the Tai Chi Qi Shields to finally do their work!
But even though the shields deflected most of the offensive power, the sheer concussive impact still churned Xing Chen’s internal organs, nearly causing him to spit blood. His sword-gripping hands trembled slightly. Right now, he was running on fumes!
Thankfully, being battle-hardened, he understood the need for deception. He swiftly activated the Nine Dragons Bodyguard to stabilize his chaotic internal aura! At this moment, he absolutely could not let his opponent see his true state, or they would surely attack and leave him with no strength to resist.
Yueying, on the other hand, seemed unaffected, maintaining her cold, vacant expression as she fixed her gaze on the two figures suspended in the air!
“You boast greatly, is that all you’ve got?” Xing Chen decided to bluff.
Yueying cooperated perfectly, positioning herself slightly behind and to the right of Xing Chen in a strange U-shaped stance with one foot forward and one back! This posture again caused the King’s Warrior some confusion.
The Warrior-Mage combination was uncommon at Wolong Mountain Estate because it was difficult for the two classes to achieve the kind of seamless coordination needed for offense, defense, and free movement. The main reason was that a Mage’s primary ranged attack was magic, which often became useless when the Warrior engaged in close quarters. Furthermore, a Mage’s wide-area spells frequently risked friendly fire.
Thus, Wolong Mountain Estate typically featured Warrior-Warrior, Mage-Mage, or Daoist-Daoist pairings, or Mage-Daoist. The Warrior-Mage combination existed, but it was extremely rare, and such pairings rarely achieved stellar results!
Yet, Xing Chen and Yueying seemed to possess some hidden potential!
“I underestimated you,” the mysterious warrior showed a flicker of surprise. “But that suits me; now we can have a proper fight.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Xing Chen spoke bravely, but secretly asked Lan Ye, “What are our odds of victory?”
“Tactical computer analysis: the opponent's comprehensive combat power is three times ours. Probability of victory is five percent,” Lan Ye reported a number that nearly plunged Xing Chen into despair.
“Is there any way to escape?” Given Lan Ye’s analysis, Xing Chen didn’t doubt the result. If victory was impossible, he had to plan an escape.
“I regret to inform you,” Lan Ye said, “the opponents vastly surpass us in both speed and perceptual ability. Our probability of successful escape is eight percent.”
“Not even ten percent?” Xing Chen felt as if cold water had been poured all over him. “This is truly disastrous. Can’t fight, can’t run.”
On the other side!
Qing Cheng was analyzing the opponent's data through the tactical computer in his mind.
“The enemy’s total Life Field strength is less than one-third of ours. By inference, our combat power is three times the enemy’s, with a ninety-five percent win rate.”
“Ninety-five percent?” Qing Cheng couldn't help but laugh wildly. “I thought they were strong. Turns out they were just posturing.”
“……………” Damn it, had they seen through it? Xing Chen cautiously prepared himself, sweat dripping uncontrollably onto the scorching sand. But his brain cells were working furiously—what other method could resolve this crisis?
“The tactical computer has calculated the optimal escape strategy,” Lan Ye stated. “Yueying is an all-around Hero who can freely switch between the Saint, Warrior, Mage, God, and Heavenly Venerable combat modes. If Yueying’s combat mode is switched to Heavenly Venerable Mode, the chance of escape using the special collective invisibility skill will increase to thirty percent.”
“Daoist collective invisibility!” Xing Chen’s spirit soared. “Great idea. We wait for the right opportunity and execute a 'Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell.' If done properly, we can definitely escape this ordeal. However, if we can inflict some damage on them first, the chance of escape will increase substantially.”
“Whether it’s bluffing or not, we’ll find out soon enough!” With a roar, the Dragon Shadow Sword flashed out lightning-fast! The Qi energy, condensed to its peak by the Kaioken, instantly erupted.
Two dazzling rays shot out like lasers! Their targets were Qing Cheng and his Hero, Pilu!
It was Xing Chen’s strongest offensive move, Cold Star Puncture! A beam of piercing light that condensed a lifetime of Qi!
“Ah!” Qing Cheng’s face changed drastically. Although this light beam was only the size of a finger, Guang Mu instinctively felt an all-penetrating force within it!
He instinctively shifted slightly to the side!
Unfortunately, his reaction was half a beat too slow. His left shoulder exploded without warning, opening a bloody hole!
The speed of this laser-like Cold Star Puncture was terrifying; even Qing Cheng’s amazing reflexes couldn't completely evade it. He felt a jolt in his left shoulder, followed by a sharp, tearing, piercing pain!
This strange light beam pierced Guang Mu’s shoulder in an instant.
Splat! Almost simultaneously, a muffled groan came from beside him.
Pilu hadn't managed to completely dodge the penetrating beam shot toward him either. If his reaction hadn't been quick, the beam wouldn't have pierced his shoulder, but his heart.
Almost the moment the beam passed through, two massive fire dragons lunged forward!
It was the Heaven-Extinguishing Flames Yueying unleashed the moment she saw the opportunity.
Ah! Having been pierced by Xing Chen’s terrifying sword qi, Qing Cheng was astonished. Fearing Xing Chen would use the cover of the Heaven-Extinguishing Flames to launch another one of those monstrous piercing sword beams, he quickly dodged sideways.
But the two fire dragons changed direction instantly, crashing into the ground!
Bang! Rumbled! A violent explosion kicked up swirling clouds of dust and smoke. Countless sand particles were thrown high by the intense blast wave, striking Qing Cheng and Pilu like pellets.
The two could only activate their defensive Qi simultaneously, fearing Xing Chen would launch a follow-up attack under the cover of the sandstorm. Indeed, that strange sword qi had terrified them. However, they didn't know that this was already the strongest attack Xing Chen could muster, and he lacked the strength for a second attempt!
When the dust settled, the disheveled Qing Cheng discovered that Xing Chen and Yueying were nowhere in sight!
“Damn it, they tricked us,” Qing Cheng was so angry he almost spat blood. “Find them for me.”
“Biological radar detects no abnormal life field signatures,” the reply from the biological computer in his mind only served to confuse Qing Cheng further.
“How is this possible? They just vanished into thin air.”
“Tactical computer analysis: Yueying is an all-around bio-mechanical warrior. If switched to the Heavenly Venerable System and utilizing the special skill Collective Invisibility Technique, she can completely evade biological radar detection.”
“Collective Invisibility Technique.” Qing Cheng’s face darkened, but as he touched the bleeding wound on his shoulder, a strange smile appeared. “A good strategy of advancing by retreating. To penetrate the enhanced Fengtian defense with limited Qi energy and nearly kill Pilu and me—this guy might actually be able to break through the layered defenses and reach headquarters.”
“Beep beep beep!” Just then, a communication signal chimed in his mind. “Lieutenant Colonel Qing Cheng, have you apprehended the intruder?”
“This…” Lieutenant Colonel Qing Cheng felt somewhat awkward. “He got away.”
A long silence passed!
From the sand dune, a hand eerily stretched out, and after a rustling movement, two blurry figures emerged.
It was Xing Chen and Yueying, covered in dust and grime.
Phew! That was close; they almost finished us!
“Scan the surrounding environmental conditions,” Xing Chen requested.
“Activating biological radar requires emitting bio-electromagnetic waves. If we detect their tracks, they will simultaneously detect our location. I suggest not using biological radar lightly,” Lan Ye advised.
“Ah! Does that mean the reason we were easily detected by those people earlier was because we activated the biological radar?” Xing Chen asked in shock.
“Yes,” Lan Ye confirmed. “High-intensity bio-electromagnetic waves and high-intensity life fields can easily reveal our position to them.”
“So, we have to abandon biological radar detection, and we can’t even fly?” Xing Chen felt a wave of dejection.
To fly required expending a certain intensity of Qi energy, and if this energy reached a certain threshold, it was very difficult to conceal from biological radar. This was a painful lesson Xing Chen learned after nearly losing his life twice.
“For safety, it is best to keep the life field intensity as low as possible,” Lan Ye suggested. “It is recommended to keep the life field below 3 points; then you don't need to worry about being detected by biological radar.”
Lowering the life field meant reducing Qi energy, which would significantly reduce their movement speed. But considering the safety factor, this seemed like the only feasible option!
Reluctantly, Xing Chen recalled Yueying.
Encountering strong enemies repeatedly had shattered Xing Chen’s limited initial confidence! Now, the only thing sustaining him was the unwavering belief that he would never give up!
But how long could this belief last? Even if he found Xing Zhan and Xing Ye, could he bring them back from the heavily guarded Wolong Mountain Estate?
Not to mention his father, whom he hadn’t heard from at all and had never even met!
A feeling of confusion and helplessness once again gripped Xing Chen’s mind.
Well, he would just have to take things one step at a time!
Even if he were unfortunately killed here, he had lived a sufficiently exciting life. He had encountered so many bizarre things that an ordinary person might never see in several lifetimes. Based on that alone, it had been worthwhile.
No matter what, as long as he had tried his best, he wouldn't have any regrets in this life!
The brief moment of confusion was quickly suppressed by force. Xing Chen rekindled his fighting spirit and took a steady step forward. His goal remained the East, where the sun rose.