Sensing the immense energy surge behind him, the hairs on Ye Chen’s spine prickled; without looking, he knew it had to be the enemy closing in with their Pseudo-God realm warship.

Relying on sheer speed...

With Kaba’s puppet body, which could transform into any shape, ordinary Elementary Pseudo-God experts were completely suppressed before him, yet against Mid-tier Pseudo-God powerhouses, he could only barely evade. However, when it came to pure flight, only a select few Mid-tier Pseudo-God experts specialized in speed could actually keep up with Kaba.

“Head east!” Ye Chen commanded sharply.

Kaba, too, felt the peril mounting behind him, his expression grim. With a beat of his wings, he spun a few times mid-air, resembling a fighter jet tracing an elegant curve as he hurtled toward the far end of the Thunder Square, shaking off several laser cannons blasting in pursuit.

“Faster!”

“Quicken!”

“Even faster!”

Kaba’s eyes burned crimson, bloodshot veins mapping his irises, as he stared fixedly at the atmospheric light shield of the Thunder Square ahead, pushing his body to its absolute limit in a desperate sprint.

Ye Chen clung tightly to Kaba’s sharp talons, his eyes narrowed. He could only hear the roaring wind whistling past his ears, nothing else. The biting cold air stung his face raw.

Behind Ye Chen, three Elementary Pseudo-God warships streaked forward, their thrusters erupting in searing white light, propelling the entire vessels across the blue sky, leaving long vapor trails in their wake.

Boom!

Kaba’s body became a streak of light, piercing the atmosphere. The intense, fiery friction generated heat that made the entire metal puppet body scorching hot.

Faint wisps...

The sharp talons Ye Chen gripped felt like red-hot iron, intensely searing, raising blisters across his palm. A tearing, agonizing pain shot up his arm; his entire palm peeled away a layer of skin, which stuck fast to the claw.

Ye Chen gritted his teeth, the veins on his arm bulging violently as he held fast, refusing to let go. Despite the friction-generated heat being enough to vaporize ordinary steel, he did not ease his grip.

Whoosh!

Kaba quickly traversed the atmosphere. Internal regulators suppressed the surface heat, and a chilling sensation traveled from the talons back into Ye Chen’s palm.

Ye Chen felt significant cell necrosis in his hand. With no time to tear off the dead skin, he muttered to Kaba in a low voice, “Eastward, coordinates are White Lotus Divine Continent 3942, 23919.”

Having spent so many days together, Kaba’s memory chips were already etched with the map of the entire White Lotus Divine Continent. Hearing the coordinates, he asked no further questions and immediately charged in that direction.

Swoosh! Swoosh!

Two powerful beams of searing white light suddenly shot from behind, illuminating the entire sky as if it were midday. This blinding light enveloped Ye Chen and Kaba. Two massive pillars of energy erupted from within the two Pseudo-God warships.

Ye Chen started, and at that critical juncture, he frantically circulated the Demigod power within him, activating the Divine Flame set to form a shield condensed behind his body.

Crash!

The dazzling light struck heavily, swallowing Ye Chen and Kaba.

Ye Chen convulsed; his body felt as if it had been struck by a heavy transport truck. He spat out a mouthful of blood, his mind ringing in a blank stupor. Involuntarily, he released Kaba’s talons, his body flung far into the distance, slamming heavily into a mountainside. Stones cascaded down as he was deeply embedded in the rock face.

Ye Chen felt utterly broken, every inch of his body scorched by the laser cannon fire, leaving hundreds of lacerations where blood streamed without pause.

Whoosh!

Kaba chased after him, zooming in from the outside. Seeing Ye Chen deeply wedged in the stone, he couldn't help but ask, “Are you alright?”

Ye Chen slowly shook his head, his senses hazy. He vaguely felt that the heart within his body had been violently shaken, causing a small fissure where a broken bone scraped against it.

“Let’s go!” Kaba gritted his teeth, hoisting Ye Chen’s body. With a surge of power, he blasted out of the rock, a maniacal look in his eyes as he accelerated relentlessly.

Dazed, Ye Chen could only hear the violent rush of wind, interspersed with faint sounds of thunder. He struggled to open his eyes, seeing the scenery flashing by in a blur—countless towering peaks rushed backward.

In the sky, an eerie blood moon hung, coldly observing all living things.

The heavens were studded with starlight, perpetually a night sky, deep and mysterious.

“Am I going to die?” Sensing the three Pseudo-God warships relentlessly approaching from behind, Ye Chen bitterly asked himself this question in his heart.

When death stands before you, how should one face it?

“I had said within five years...”

“Five years...”

Memory flowed backward, returning to that dark mountain cave where a fair silhouette walked beside him, the cold, pale light of the Snow White Divine Sword illuminating her face—so delicate and captivating.

How he wished that moment could have been eternal!

Thinking of this, his spirit seemed to clear slightly, his unfocused eyes re-centering.

Biting his lower lip lightly, his voice grew hoarse: “If I die...”

Kaba started, anxiously saying, “Don’t talk nonsense!”

A slight twitch crossed Ye Chen’s lips, his eyes acquiring a touch of aged sorrow as he gazed toward the distant sky, murmuring low, “I hope you can lead the Spiritual Civilization to hold out here for 300 years. Then, when you return to the Thunder Square, someone will send you to Earth.”

Kaba bristled, “Why bring that up!”

Ye Chen looked at him silently, then suddenly added, “Also, I have one more thing to ask of you!”

Kaba felt the solemnity and melancholy in Ye Chen’s words, and his heart immediately sank. After a moment of silence, he replied, “Speak.”

A fierce brilliance suddenly shone in Ye Chen’s eyes. He gazed upon the vast universe, a faint glow in his dark pupils—a mix of anticipation and longing—as he whispered, “Go to the Ancient Continent!”

“What?” Kaba was momentarily stunned.

Ye Chen said quietly, “Go to the Ancient Continent, find the Bai family that governs the White Lotus Divine Continent. In that clan, there is a girl named Bai Yijun...”

“Go tell her that I love her very much, but I won’t be able to fulfill my promise. Have her write my name beside her husband on the family genealogy!”

“Even though I cannot stay with her, she can only be mine!”

Kaba had expected something monumental, not this trivial request, and was astonished. “Just to go tell her you like her? Besides, traditionally, women aren't recorded on general genealogies.”

Ye Chen suddenly became somewhat stubborn. “Not ‘like’—love!”

He looked at the distant sky and stated quietly, “In a great family like hers, there is a Phoenix Scroll that records the clan’s women. This is an ancient world custom!”

Kaba gave a wry smile. “Alright, if I’m still alive, I’ll certainly pass on the message.”

Ye Chen regarded him seriously, his expression more earnest than ever. “You must get there within five years, absolutely no later than ten!”

Kaba paused. “Why?”

Ye Chen looked at him silently for a moment. “Why do you ask so many questions?”

Kaba was left speechless, taking a long moment before exclaiming, “Damn it! Is that how you ask someone for a favor?”

Ye Chen said no more, seemingly weary.

Kaba couldn't help but ask, “If you’re about to die, why would you ask that young lady to wait for you?”

Ye Chen whispered, “She only has ten years to live, ten years at most. And... she is the woman I love, so she can only love me!”

Kaba froze momentarily, then gave a wry laugh. He was already accustomed to Ye Chen’s possessiveness.

“I promise you,” Kaba said helplessly, “as long as I’m still alive.”

Ye Chen noticed the determined flicker beneath Kaba’s casual demeanor and his eyes softened slightly.

“If you manage to find her, perhaps she will offer you a reward for your trouble—upgrading your puppet to Pseudo-God realm, or even Spirit God realm!”

Kaba’s eyes brightened. “Really?”

Ye Chen nodded. “The family she belongs to controls the White Lotus Divine Continent; their influence is immense.”

“They should be able to manage this small favor. Besides, you don’t have the powder of the Sealing Star on you. With my power at that time, I didn’t have the strength to infuse the powder into a Pseudo-God level puppet. So, you don't need to worry about your own safety.”

Kaba’s eyes widened, staring at Ye Chen for a long time. Seeing his expression unchanging, devoid of fear, Kaba finally deflated after a while, letting out a bitter laugh. “I knew you beast would scheme against me...”

Ye Chen replied coolly, “If I didn’t do this, how could I keep you in line.”

Kaba felt the relentless pursuit of the three Pseudo-God warships behind them and shook his head. “There’s no time to settle scores now. If you somehow survive this, I’ll make you suffer nicely.”

“You’re welcome,” Ye Chen said lightly. “Just remember to go to the Ancient Continent for me. The reward you receive then will absolutely exceed what you put in.”

“I won’t believe that!” Kaba muttered. “But I’ll go to that place anyway, don’t worry!”

Ye Chen remained silent.

At this moment, the three pursuing Pseudo-God warships rapidly closed the distance. A loud voice boomed from one of the vessels, amplified through loudspeakers: “You two, surrender quickly and hand over the secret manuals on you!”

Ye Chen recognized the figure of that imposing middle-aged man and frowned slightly.

“Damn it...” Kaba rolled his eyes. “So they’re after the secret techniques you used! How despicable and vile... My mechanical puppet technology is far superior to your damned manuals, these short-sighted trash!”

Ye Chen nodded slightly. “Then you go take my place.”

Kaba almost choked, raging, “Bastard! I don’t even have my own life, how can I substitute for you? You’re the one who should be substituting for me!”

A faint smile seemed to play on Ye Chen’s lips as he slowly reached out, fumbling for the token that connected to the relic space where the Spiritual Civilization members were hidden. He slipped it into Kaba’s suit compartment. “This contains everyone from the Spiritual Civilization. I hope you guard it well. Once you reach the Ancient Continent and find her, it should definitely help you break through from Elementary Pseudo-God realm to the Spirit God realm, becoming a true powerhouse!”

Kaba froze completely.

“You, you...” Kaba stared blankly at Ye Chen. “What are you doing?”

Ye Chen glanced at him, suddenly moving, leaping off Kaba’s body, and roaring, “Escape!”

Under Ye Chen’s push, Kaba shot forward several thousand zhang. He felt utterly struck by lightning, his whole body rigid. He turned his head, looking at the minuscule dark silhouette that stood before the three mountain-like warships...

A sharp, cold wind whipped through the wild black hair of that figure, carrying a tinge of desolation.