Translator: CinderTL
The situation was critical.
Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu shot skyward from within the Chen Clan compound, flying directly toward White Dragon University.
Although the Chen Clan's territory was quite a distance from the university, Jiang Ye's current speed, when fully unleashed, would allow them to reach their destination in just over ten minutes.
This was even faster than taking a spaceship. After all, spaceships required time for takeoff and landing, making the entire process rather time-consuming.
But just as Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu left the Chen Clan, a telepathic voice suddenly echoed in their minds:
"Jiang Ye, Xiaolu, where are you going?"
It was Chen Jiuxuan, the Chen Family Patriarch, who had been secretly monitoring them.
"Teacher Qiu is in trouble. We need to return to the university immediately," Chen Zilu replied, her voice urgent, leaving no time for further explanation.
"Be careful," Chen Jiuxuan warned.
"Understood," Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu responded in unison.
The pair swiftly departed from the Chen Clan.
"Senior sister, let me carry you," Jiang Ye said, grabbing Chen Zilu's arm and pulling her into his embrace.
"Mm," Chen Zilu murmured, letting him hold her tightly. She knew Jiang Ye's speed well.
Boom!
The two transformed into a streak of flowing light, soaring straight into the heavens.
In mere seconds, they had traversed hundreds of kilometers.
At that moment, two streaks of flowing light appeared on the horizon, approaching from opposite directions, seemingly powerful individuals hurrying on their way.
Chen Zilu paid them no mind.
The road from the Chen Clan's ancestral lands to White Dragon University, while not particularly bustling, passed through several small towns. It was not uncommon to see powerful individuals traveling through the air.
But the moment Jiang Ye saw those two figures, his expression tightened.
Jiang Ye's vision was now extraordinary. Enhanced by the Crown of Clairvoyance, he could clearly discern even specks of dust a kilometer away.
In an instant, he recognized one of the figures in the flowing light.
"Xia Qing?" Jiang Ye instantly identified her.
The figure was none other than Xia Qing, his former classmate from Ancheng Third High School!
Jiang Ye had vivid memories of her.
In high school, she often brought him water. Then, she mysteriously disappeared, only to resurface later within the Hidden God Organization.
Their reunion revealed her elevated status as the Hidden God's "young master," a position of immense authority.
"Are they from the Hidden God Organization?"
"I just left the Chen Clan, and I'm already running into them?" Jiang Ye's internal alarm bells rang loudly. "What a coincidence!"
He ignored the two flowing lights.
Whoosh! Jiang Ye tightened his grip on the girl in his arms, slightly altered his course, and prepared to bypass Xia Qing and Zhuo Feng.
Jiang Ye's mind was entirely focused on Teacher Qiu Cang; he didn't want any unnecessary complications.
But as he veered off course, the two flowing lights ahead abruptly changed direction, charging straight toward him.
"They're coming for me," Jiang Ye realized instantly.
He released the girl from his arms.
"Senior sister, enemies," Jiang Ye's voice echoed in Chen Zilu's mind.
In an instant, long spears materialized in both their hands, their movements perfectly synchronized.
Boom! Boom!
Xia Qing and Zhuo Feng, realizing they'd been discovered, abandoned all pretense. With explosive speed, they surged forward like lightning bolts toward Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu.
Simultaneously, Xia Qing and Zhuo Feng's auras erupted with overwhelming force.
Peak fourth-breakthrough! Peak fifth-breakthrough!
Their speed was terrifying. In just one second, they had closed the distance and were upon Jiang Ye and Chen Zilu.
Zhuo Feng decisively charged toward the stronger Chen Zilu.
Xia Qing, meanwhile, targeted Jiang Ye.
"Jiang Ye, surprised?" Xia Qing's voice echoed in Jiang Ye's mind, tinged with smugness. "I've already reached the peak of the fourth breakthrough."
She still harbored resentment over Jiang Ye's earlier rejection.
But in the next instant, Xia Qing's expression froze completely.
Boom!
A tremendous life aura erupted from Jiang Ye's body.
This aura instantly suppressed Xia Qing's aura field, trapping her as if she were mired in quicksand, unable to move.
The crushing dominance of a higher-dimensional being over a lower-dimensional one was now vividly displayed.
Xia Qing, unlike Jiang Ye, lacked the monstrous ability of "Territorial Expansion," which could instantly multiply her combat power by twentyfold.
With her peak fourth-breakthrough cultivation, facing Jiang Ye now was like a mayfly confronting the vast sky.
"What?"
"Fifth breakthrough? Impossible!" Xia Qing's heart trembled with disbelief.
She had undergone dozens of flesh and blood baptisms, achieving a breakthrough to the peak of the fourth breakthrough in such a short time—a feat already beyond the reach of ordinary cultivators.
How could Jiang Ye possibly surpass her?!
Before she could dwell further on this,
Whoosh! Jiang Ye, spear in hand, had already closed the distance.
His spear moved like a dragon!
Grasping the long spear with a single arm, Jiang Ye channeled boundless stellar energy into it, causing the shaft to erupt with blinding light.
Crack... crack... crack!
The terrifying pressure emanating from the spear froze the surrounding space.
In the blink of an eye, Jiang Ye swung his spear. A dazzling spear beam erupted forth, as radiant as divine light, its overwhelming pressure and terrifying power shaking the heavens.
The divine-grade spear technique, wielded with a demigod weapon, finally unleashed its true might.
In that instant, the entire world seemed to darken.
Even the Proud Sun in the sky paled in comparison to the spear beam's brilliance. This spear, imbued with divine power, tore through the void, hurtling directly toward Xia Qing.
The terrifying sight drained the color from Xia Qing's face.
Block it!
I must block it!
Xia Qing roared inwardly, desperately swinging her sword to parry the devastating spear strike.
But the overwhelming pressure from Jiang Ye's superior life level made even movement difficult, let alone unleashing her full power.
Still, she was a peak fourth-breakthrough expert with numerous trump cards.
Nine Heavens Sword!
Divine Thunder Attraction!
Jade Stone Art! Xia Qing roared inwardly, unleashing every hidden technique in her arsenal to block the spear.
With a full-force burst, Xia Qing's body erupted in dazzling light, her aura surging to its peak in an instant. She transformed into a raging storm, her power surging like a tidal wave.
Though described at length, this entire sequence unfolded in the blink of an eye.
Boom!
In that instant, Jiang Ye's long spear struck, colliding with Xia Qing's desperate, all-out attack.
Within the Void
As Jiang Ye, Chen Zilu, Xia Qing, and Zhuo Feng clashed in a fierce battle, a lone figure lurked hidden within the void.
This figure, with its single eye and ferocious features, had completely merged with the void, emitting not the slightest trace of life aura.
It was Ma Qian.
"According to the latest intelligence, Jiang Ye is already a third-tier star professional and undoubtedly possesses numerous life-saving artifacts," Ma Qian mused before the operation began. "Xia Qing and Zhuo Feng likely won't be able to capture him."
"But that doesn't matter," he thought. "As long as they can push Jiang Ye into a corner, force him to exhaust his life-saving artifacts, and ideally even draw out his dao guardian, the mission will be considered a success."
Ma Qian knew this clearly in his heart.
A peerless genius like Jiang Ye would undoubtedly be highly valued, and therefore would certainly be protected by powerful guardians.
Ma Qian had deliberately held back, wanting to gauge the true strength of Jiang Ye's dao guardian. If the guardian proved stronger than him, he would have no choice but to abandon the mission. As a ninth breakthrough expert, Ma Qian valued his life above all else.
In short, Ma Qian's plan was meticulously crafted.
But unfortunately, he had overlooked one crucial factor:
Jiang Ye's true strength!
"What?"
"Fifth breakthrough?" Ma Qian stared intently ahead, his face contorting with disbelief the moment Jiang Ye unleashed his power. "How is this possible?!"
In mid-air,
Clang!
Jiang Ye's spear clashed against Xia Qing's full-force strike, spear and sword colliding in a deafening clash.
Boom!
(End of the Chapter)
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