Whole districts of buildings in the garden city collapsed, the intense blast wave slamming into the heart. The battlefields on both sides were not static but moving at breakneck speed; the movement of the Peak Masters was lightning-fast, often appearing and vanishing in an instant, like an antelope hanging from a horn, leaving no trace.

Yang Ying found his vision blurring, unable to take it all in, feeling as if he were right in the thick of the battle, facing the pressure of the Peak Masters firsthand. Of the four Peak Masters locked in fierce combat, Horace excelled in fire, and Agnon in wind—this much was obvious. But as for Master Merlin and Balomon, Yang Ying still couldn't discern their particular expertise.

However, it was clear that Master Merlin, aided by three master-level experts, had beaten Balomon into a state where he couldn't fight back. Balomon could only retreat while fighting, using his psychic power to whip up stones and rebar to throw at the forces of the Psionic Temple, creating obstacles for the crowd while maneuvering toward the battlefield where Horace and Agnon clashed. It seemed he intended to rendezvous with Horace.

Suddenly, Yang Ying saw Master Pang Qian’s figure flash, disengaging from his own skirmish, and rushing toward the other battlefield.

Yang Ying was startled. Agnon had been very clear just moments ago about settling things with Horace one-on-one. What was Master Pang Qian trying to do by joining in?

Judging by Master Merlin’s demeanor, he clearly knew what Master Pang Qian was about to do. This suggested they must have communicated telepathically beforehand.

Though curious, Yang Ying could do nothing but continue watching.

Master Pang Qian’s movement was incredibly fast, leaving a string of afterimages in the air. He arrived at Horace and Agnon’s fight just as Horace's figure was being shredded and pulled apart by two swirling tempests.

"What are you doing here? Didn't I say I needed space to resolve this with Horace alone?"

Agnon flashed his light-technique, his face stern, adopting a wary stance. He showed no complacency just because Horace had been seemingly obliterated. He was clearly displeased by Master Pang Qian’s arrival.

"Hmph, isn't this Pang Qian of the Psionic Temple?"

Horace’s voice rang out from a clear patch of ground, and simultaneously, a flash of fire appeared. Horace's figure reappeared. Although the close-fitting leather armor he wore as an outer layer was shredded to tatters, his body remained unmarked. He sneered, "If it’s Pang Qian, then you have the qualifications to involve yourself in the feud between us."

"Why would you say that?" Agnon asked cautiously.

"Ask Pang Qian that question," Horace said, glancing towards Master Pang Qian.

Agnon didn't turn his head but shot a questioning look toward Master Pang Qian from the corner of his eye.

Master Pang Qian didn't hesitate. "I know the core of your enmity: it lies with Ulysses."

"Correct," Agnon admitted. "Do you have some connection to Ulysses?"

Master Pang Qian nodded. "Forty-eight years ago, a newborn Ulysses appeared at the port of Mand Island. Ulysses awakened naturally and was later sent to the Psionic Temple's Novice School. Among all the children, Ulysses was the youngest but possessed the highest talent. I still remember that when he was two years old, he couldn't even speak fluently, yet he passed the Focus Trial."

As he spoke, a look of reminiscence crossed Master Pang Qian’s face. Suddenly, his eyes sharpened, and he pointed the blue light-sword in his hand at Horace. He continued, "Forty-six years and five months ago, Horace launched a surprise attack on the Psionic Temple's Novice School to found the Ape Worship Cult, kidnapping a group of children just beginning to learn psionics, Ulysses among them. They were later brainwashed and became the first generation of cult members. And I was Ulysses's teacher back then!"

Horace burst into laughter. "Yes, yes, I remember. You were a high-level Psion then. Because Merlin was pursuing me from behind and I didn't have much time to waste, I casually struck you once. I thought you’d surely burn to death then, but I never expected you to survive, let alone become a Master."

"As a teacher, I failed to protect those children, and because of that, I have been consumed by self-reproach all these years."

"Self-reproach? Nonsense!" Horace roared. "Only a handful of the first batch of Ape Worship Cultists remain today; many were killed by the Psionic Temple, and several of them died at your hands, Pang Qian. As a teacher, is killing your students the way you protect them?"

"Do you think I wanted to do such things?" Master Pang Qian’s eyes flew open in fury, his gaze like that of an enraged Vajra, showing no fear of Horace's might. "After you brainwashed them, they became cold-blooded and ruthless, acting with wanton malice, utterly changed from who they were. But even so, every time I struck them with a killing blow, my heart bled. If judged by the nature of those children, they would never have wanted to become your puppets, controlled by you to do things they never wished to do!"

"What sophistry."

Horace mocked loudly. "Pang Qian, you are not them, so how dare you presume to make decisions for them! My brainwashing technique is inescapable. Making them revert to their true selves, making a decision—that is absolutely impossible!"

"You are mistaken!" Master Pang Qian stated seriously. "Everything I said just now is supported by evidence. The Psionic Temple did not kill all the brainwashed Ape Worship Cultists. A large number have been held in secret prisons. To genuinely rescue them, I have spent years researching methods to lift the effects of the brainwashing technique, and I succeeded!"

"What!" Horace and Agnon exclaimed in surprise simultaneously.

"I finally developed the Brainwashing Removal Technique and successfully brought the Ape Worship Cultists in the secret prisons back to their senses. They told me themselves: 'Better to die free than live as slaves.' I could tell they weren't lying; not one of them was willing to live as a puppet!" Master Pang Qian roared.

From a distance, Yang Ying's gaze tightened as he witnessed this. The three were not communicating telepathically, so he could read their lips. He knew better than almost anyone just how difficult the subject of undoing brainwashing was. He had once managed to turn a Servant of the Ape, David, but that was achieved using the mind-control sorcery of the Dark Archon.

"To actually develop the Brainwashing Removal Technique, that’s truly extraordinary, Pang Qian. I should have killed you back then!" A vicious glint appeared in Horace's eyes, and his voice abruptly rose an octave. "But it's not too late today; I will have you die in this city!"

As the words fell, the entire atmosphere seemed to heat up. Master Pang Qian’s body instantly burst into flames. Horace’s command over fire had reached the pinnacle of perfection; he could ignite anything merely by looking at it!

Bang!

A surge of arctic cold exploded outward from Master Pang Qian, repelling all the flames. At the center of the cold aura, Master Pang Qian stood encased in ice armor, white vapor constantly steaming off him, indicating an abnormally low temperature.

"You think you can kill me with just a glance? You underestimate me too much," Master Pang Qian shouted.

"A layer of ice armor, you think that can stand against me?" Horace flashed, appearing behind Master Pang Qian, bringing his staff down in a heavy strike.

Crack!

With a tremendous sound, Agnon instantly wedged himself between Master Pang Qian and Horace, using his light-staff to parry Horace's downward blow.

"You cannot kill him!" Agnon channeled the gale, pushing Horace back, while Master Pang Qian was also shoved away. "Pang Qian, I admit you have the standing to see this feud concluded, but you just need to watch from the sidelines."

"It makes no difference. The Brainwashing Removal Technique has already been taught to others. Even if Horace kills me here, it is useless, and besides, I am not so easily killed. Since I chose to engage in this battle, I must be prepared to risk everything to find Ulysses and make him conscious again."

Master Pang Qian swung his light-sword with his right hand and slapped the ground with his left. With a sound like a dragon's roar, the underground water pipes within dozens of meters instantly burst, and massive columns of water shot skyward, transforming into water dragons as thick as cisterns, which lunged at Horace from all directions.

Master Pang Qian was not skilled with the sword, but his mastery of spells was truly astonishing.

Water circulation is one of the most vital cycles in a space city, as crucial as air and organic matter cycles. Therefore, nearly every space city maintains ample water resources. Master Pang Qian stood atop the water pipes, drawing water being extremely easy, which put the fire-controlling Horace at a significant disadvantage.

"It seems you are forcing me to use my final measure," Horace thought, enraged. With Pang Qian tying him down and Agnon pressing the attack in front of him, even Horace was starting to struggle.

From afar, Yang Ying watched tensely as Horace repeatedly flashed to dodge the snapping water dragons while clashing staffs with Agnon.

Suddenly, he saw Horace seize an opportunity when pushing Agnon away, raise his hand, take out a communicator, and press a button.

Then, the fight resumed, as if nothing else had happened.

Yang Ying was confused, but after a few minutes, the Observer suddenly sent him an alarm. Yang Ying opened the alert screen and his heart skipped a beat. He saw a specially modified ship hurtling toward Paradise City. The bow of the vessel was incredibly sharp, and due to its immense speed, it instantly pierced the outer armor of Paradise City, penetrating deep inside.

Yang Ying felt a sudden surge of dread, a premonition of impending doom. His sixth sense screamed at him to run.

Nuclear… it’s a nuke!

Yang Ying had entered many battle zones before; he was familiar with this sensation. It was the feeling of a nuclear weapon, meaning he was within the blast radius of an atomic bomb.

Paradise City was a fully enclosed structure. The thick outer armor would compress the bomb's force within the city, maximizing its destructive potential until the outer shell was torn open, releasing the energy. The small hole pierced by the ship would have little impact on the overall situation.

If a single nuclear warhead detonated inside Paradise City, the entire city would have no chance of survival. To know what happens next, please log on to [URL REDACTED], for more chapters and to support the author. Support legitimate reading!