Amidst the ruins and broken architecture, a dark figure streaked by, stirring up clouds of dust in its wake. The glass windows of the adjacent high-rises shattered under the force of the powerful gust.
30 seconds, 29 seconds…
Ye Chen shot forward, his trajectory straight. An obstacle, a building ahead, he pierced directly through it. The concrete walls were no match for his physical strength, crumbling like rotten tofu.
In the blink of an eye, Ye Chen traversed hundreds of kilometers. The Lightning Superman Mode was gradually subsiding. He halted his momentum, his face looking somewhat pale, a fierce drowsiness attacking his mind. He swayed slightly, then stabilized, casting a look behind him. Seeing no activity, he quickly flicked his palm, opening the Rune Space, and plunged inside before sealing it shut.
“Huh? How did you get here?”
The Rune Old Man looked at Ye Chen approaching the spacecraft, his face etched with surprise.
Ye Chen spoke no further. He walked into the cabin and settled into a cross-legged meditation posture, slowly regulating his breathing. Activating Superman Mode twice in succession had placed an immense strain on his spirit.
About 30 minutes after Ye Chen entered the Rune Space, three figures swept in from the distance: the Dark Prince and the Enchanting Woman.
“Hmm?” The Enchanting Woman frowned slightly. “His aura vanishes right here, as if he evaporated into thin air.”
The Dark Prince immediately halted his movement, turning to glare furiously. “Are you sure?”
The Enchanting Woman trembled slightly and quickly nodded. “My monitor recorded his aura signature up to this point, and my innate secret technique, the Heavenly Charm Nose, can track any scent or trace, yet his presence completely disappears here.”
A cold glint flashed in the Dark Prince’s eyes. His fists clenched with audible cracks. A blazing fury raged inside him. Unable to vent his anger, he swung his fist, sending out a terrifying wave of power that pulverized a nearby building into ash.
“Damn it…”
“If I catch him, I swear I will eat his flesh and drink his blood!” The Dark Prince clenched his fists, his gaze thick with killing intent. “No matter how far he flees, to the ends of the earth, I will find him.”
The Enchanting Woman stood aside, pondering for a moment, then suddenly spoke. “His human aura was strongest here; he likely lingered for a period. I surmise two possibilities: first, he deployed a tool to mask his aura; second, he hid inside something that blocks detection.”
The Dark Prince’s fury was intense, yet his mind remained sharp. After a brief thought, he nodded. “It must be the second. He is definitely nearby, concealed within some spatial barrier shielding his aura and body—perhaps a minuscule pocket dimension. This dimension must be immobile, otherwise, he would have already entered it.”
“What do we do now?” asked the Man with Wings.
“Wait,” the Dark Prince stated calmly. “I have ample time. Am I afraid he won't eventually emerge?”
Immediately, the three sat down cross-legged, waiting silently. Despite waiting, they remained constantly vigilant, wary of Ye Chen suddenly reappearing, knowing that the destructive force unleashed by his extreme speed would instantly kill them if they weren't in their Ghost Transformation state. However, they couldn't maintain the Ghost Transformation indefinitely; it drained too much energy and stamina.
Deep within the ruins, Ye Chen remained calm and peaceful, resting securely, replenishing his stamina and spiritual energy as time quietly slipped by…
At the Huaxia Base City location.
The moment Ye Chen departed, Bai Lan’s expression changed drastically. “Bad. He’s encountered danger. The opponent consists of three Ghost God Realm powerhouses!”
Bai Long, Mo Feng, Ye Zhu, and the others stiffened, immediately growing anxious. Yue Heng, in particular, glared with wide, angry eyes. “How could there be Ghost God Realm experts?”
“What is a Ghost God Realm expert?” Bai Long asked, frowning.
Bai Lan explained, “When one’s life gene level reaches 10,000, a metamorphosis occurs. Genes, molecules, atoms—all can undergo energy-matter conversion, allowing entry into the ‘Ghost Transformation’ state, where the entire flesh and blood become Ghost Qi.”
Mo Feng remained composed. “Flesh and blood turning into gas? That is impossible according to medicine and science.”
Bai Lan glanced at him, shaking her head slightly. “Your technology is too limited. The universe is mysterious, and there are many things beyond your comprehension, including Ghost Qi. It is a peculiar type of gas. Alternatively put, in living matter, humans are flesh and blood; in plant life, it’s roots, wood, or a combination of wooden elemental matter and fibers. As humans evolve, flesh and blood transform. Upon reaching the 1000-level physique, meridians become jade-like, translucent, and crystalline; bones become like white jade—a fundamental change. Upon reaching the 10,000-level, it becomes the transformation into Ghost Qi. At higher levels, there will be even more unbelievable evolutions. These are evolutionary trajectories of life that conventional technology cannot probe.”
Mo Feng fell silent for a moment before nodding slightly. He had to admit that the modern medicine and technology of the Spirit Civilization were still in the infancy stage; even medicines to enhance human lifespan were under research. This implied that their study and understanding of the human body were rudimentary. Only with thorough understanding could one improve the body. The genetic technology of the Atlantean civilization was built upon such deep knowledge of the human form.
“If that’s the case, these beings are only at the 10,000 level. With Ye Chen’s strength, he should be able to instantly kill them. Why did he have to flee?” Zhuge Fan asked curiously.
Bai Lan shook her head and sighed. “Once transformed into the Ghost Qi state, no matter how strong Ye Chen becomes, he ultimately belongs to the material plane and cannot inflict any harm on the Ghost Qi—it’s like a person trying to harm light.”
“What do we do now?” Ye Zhu wiped her tears, looking directly at Bai Lan, resolve burning in her eyes.
Yue Heng patted her shoulder and sighed. “Don’t act rashly. Ye Chen will be fine.”
Bai Lan looked at the girl and shook her head. “Judging by Ye Chen’s actions, he clearly has no method to counter Ghost Qi; his only recourse was escape. He has tied down these three individuals. If the opponents cannot catch him for an extended period, they might resort to a massacre across the Divine Star. Therefore, please notify all major base cities to enter the ruins as soon as possible and immediately seal them off upon sighting these figures to evade disaster.”
“You mean, if they become frustrated because they can’t deal with Ye Chen, they might lose patience and slaughter the other base cities?” Zhuge Fan gasped.
Bai Lan nodded gravely.
Bai Long’s face shifted slightly. “This is bad. Quickly notify Xu Tianguo, lest the Bright Base City suffers the same tragic history as the Huaxia Base City!”
…
While tense evacuation efforts proceeded elsewhere, time quietly flowed forward, and in the blink of an eye, a day passed.
Inside the Rune Space.
Ye Chen slowly opened his eyes. Two sharp beams of light flashed forth. He stood up, a powerful aura surging from his body. After a day of rest, his energy had recovered significantly, his eyes gleaming sharply.
“Time to go out. I wonder if those three are still around.” Ye Chen thought, opening the Rune Space. His pupils instantly contracted. Sitting directly ahead were three figures, motionless as stone sculptures—none other than the Dark Prince and his two companions.
As the Rune Space opened, the Dark Prince seemed to sense it as well. He opened his eyes, turned his head, and a sinister smirk curled his lips.
Run!
Ye Chen hesitated for almost no time, instantly activating Ant Superman Mode, shutting the Rune Space, and streaking toward the distance. With each step, deep craters were imprinted on the ground.
“It was indeed an escape into a pocket dimension,” the Dark Prince sneered. He moved instantly, giving chase, the Enchanting Woman and the other following closely behind. All three were beings above Level 10,000, their speeds formidable. Before long, they caught up to Ye Chen in Ant Superman Mode.
Whoosh!
A dark beam shot down from the Dark Prince’s hand.
Ye Chen’s eyes narrowed, and he swiftly evaded, but his speed was slightly insufficient. He gritted his teeth, thought fleetingly, activated Lightning Superman Mode, and his speed suddenly surged, rocketing him forward.
Charge, charge, charge!
Having activated Lightning Superman Mode, Ye Chen deactivated Ant Superman Mode. Under these circumstances, the Ant Superman Mode offered little benefit; its running speed was far inferior to that of the Dark Prince and the others.
“No! Don’t let him escape!” The Dark Prince and the other two changed expression upon seeing Ye Chen unleash that terrifying speed again. The Dark Prince roared in annoyance, entering his Ghost Transformation state before continuing the pursuit.
A grueling war of attrition commenced…
After a short while, Ye Chen had decisively distanced himself from the Dark Prince and his group. As time passed, the 2 minutes and 30 seconds elapsed quickly. He promptly stopped, opened the Rune Space, and dove inside.
Twenty minutes later, the Dark Prince and the others caught up.
“The aura is right here,” the Enchanting Woman stopped, her face grave.
“He’s hidden in that extra-dimensional space again! Damn bastard!” The Dark Prince roared skyward in fury. The nearby pseudo-dark creatures were stunned into silence by the bellow, as if a beggar had heard the voice of an emperor.
“What now?” the Man with Wings repeatedly inquired.
“What else can we do? Wait! I don't believe this bastard won't come out!” The Dark Prince was nearing madness, his serpentine hair whipping wildly as a towering rage consumed him. He shouted furiously, “Set up a formation! I must kill him!”
Alas…
He couldn't open the Rune Space. After all, without the spatial coordinates of the Rune Space, even if he used his skills to permeate the spatial layers, he would face the danger of falling in that chaotic spatial backflow—a risk even a demigod could perish from.
He dared not enter.
So, all he could do was wait.
Time flowed onward…
Another day passed.
Ye Chen felt his lightning genes recovering from the fatigued state. He opened his eyes, adjusted his breathing, feeling little concern, opened the Rune Space, and without looking, activated Lightning Superman Mode, closed the Rune Space, and shot straight out.
At the entrance to the Rune Space, the three figures of the Dark Prince sat waiting. They felt a flash of light pass by, startling them awake, and they roared in fury, chasing after Ye Chen.
Then, in less than three minutes of pursuit, they stopped again, having lost Ye Chen’s trail.
“His aura vanished here,” the Enchanting Woman said cautiously.
“Aaaargh!” The Dark Prince screamed toward the sky, his face contorted with a grimace. An unprecedented rage filled his core, driving him toward frenzy. He bellowed, “Set up the formation! I must kill him!”