“Give up,” Raym said, watching him from a distance. In the straight beam of sunlight filtering through the cave ceiling, Raym’s face wore a faint smile, but deep in his eyes flickered a hint of pity.
No individual could resist the Empire, not even a freedom-loving martial arts fanatic like Raym, who eventually had to serve the Empire.
“You have no choice anymore,” Raym continued, hoping that Zhang Wen would willingly surrender to save everyone a lot of trouble. As for negotiations with the other factions, the higher-ups had already communicated earlier. It was simply a matter of the Empire offering some benefits in exchange for commitments from the Consortium and the Alliance.
The Consortium and the Alliance joining this affair wasn’t driven by any ambition to snatch food from the Empire’s mouth; they simply didn’t want to be excluded from the matter and sought to gain more benefits. Once the Emperor nodded in approval, the deal was sealed.
The only ones needing vigilance were the Federation’s people, but under the overwhelming power of the Empire, nearly ninety percent of the site was already under imperial control. This was the Empire’s home turf, filled with subordinates, vassals, and allies, where the Federation’s people couldn’t stir up any significant trouble.
All eyes were focused on Zhang Wen, yet they saw him slowly and firmly shake his head.
“No choice? That’s exactly why I cannot give up,” Zhang Wen said, his long sword’s tip pointing diagonally to the ground. He ignored the enemies around him, silently guarding the woman before him.
Some things indeed left no choice. If it were only himself today, he might have cooperated with the Empire, but since it involved his woman, if he surrendered, who would secure their survival?
Someone had to take responsibility for this incident. The Empire had paid a heavy price, and since they couldn’t vent their anger on Zhang Wen, Noriya and Melissa would inevitably be the first targets.
Who would guarantee their safety?
No choice.
Facing the various high-level experts present, Zhang Wen’s battle aura ignited like a candle flickering in the night, wavering yet steadfastly refusing to extinguish.
…
“I wonder what Zhang Wen is doing at this moment.”
In the governor’s mansion on the planet of Casares, Carrie rested her cheek on her hand, lost in thought.
At the same time, in the academy, Amylis was daydreaming during class, missing Teacher Zhang Wen immensely.
At the planetary port, Xiao Xi had just disembarked from the Star Moon and was leaning weakly against the fire demon Agate. She wore a smile on her face, but inside she was cursing the stinky Teacher Zhang Wen bitterly.
Yinna and Lofray had also just exited the port, both recalling their promise with Zhang Wen.
“I wonder when he’ll return. Maybe we could go to the capital to see him.”
No one considered what would happen if Zhang Wen didn’t return.
…
Underground on the planet Tenuis, none of the experts mocked Zhang Wen’s struggle.
From this seemingly weak opponent, they sensed an unbending will.
Anyone who dared to resist despite being surrounded by so many high-level experts would earn a sliver of respect, no matter their strength.
Even if he was a foolish grasshopper trying to stop a chariot, at least he had the courage!
Noriya and Melissa had already accepted their fate, perhaps having considered this outcome before they arrived. At this moment, they were surprisingly calm, steadfastly standing behind Zhang Wen, ready to face death.
Both Noriya and Melissa had come to terms with their fate: their lives originally belonged to Zhang Wen, so what was there to lose by giving them back to him? Dying for the man they loved was not a regret.
Thinking about possibly dying together, the proud Lady Countess instinctively looked at Noriya. The hostility in their eyes had vanished, replaced only by a trace of regret.
It was a pity they had ultimately failed. Otherwise, everyone might have had a brighter future. Being with the man they loved, even if there were a few more sisters, would have been fine.
Zhang Wen’s battle energy continued to accumulate and surge, his aura rising steadily. His current level had far surpassed Raym’s expectations.
“Wow… it’s actually transcended the high-level threshold. Unknowingly, he has crossed this line. Zhang Wen, you truly are the fastest person I’ve ever seen in terms of power growth. Your potential is so immense that even I feel envious…” Raym’s eyes sparkled as he watched the swirling storm of starlight energy thickening around Zhang Wen.
That was the transformation from a quantitative to qualitative change in surging battle energy.
But soon, all the experts present, including Raym, were once again shocked.
Zhang Wen’s aura continued to soar past the high-level threshold.
That realm was—beyond high-level, infinitely close to the domain of divinity!
In a brief moment, Zhang Wen forcefully elevated his cultivation level from above Saint-tier to nearly the level of a world-dominating ruler, his aura nearly matching Raym’s unleashed power.
How did he manage to do this?!
In that moment, all the experts’ eyes flickered with uncertainty, simultaneously exclaiming in their hearts: No wonder he’s the experimental subject that drove the Empire mad. Just this mysterious method of instantly enhancing one’s cultivation level is enough to drive anyone crazy.
Many high-level experts with inferior strength even displayed fervent desire in their eyes, craving to possess Zhang Wen’s method of power enhancement.
Including Raym, no one noticed that countless silver threads emanated from Zhang Wen, rippling outward in all directions. These were not offensive battle energies but a mutated combination of mind energy and the Spring Water Technique—purely defensive.
Like an expanded domain, its sole function was to foresee the movements of all enemies within its range.
Like a calm, ripple-free surface of water, anyone inside would have their actions predicted by Zhang Wen in advance.
Moreover, the classical longsword in Zhang Wen’s right hand was crawling with serpentine arcs of silver lightning.
Anyone who showed the slightest hostility within Zhang Wen’s domain would receive a fierce counterattack.
The ultimate realm of the Spring Water Technique—A Sudden Thunderclap Over A Tranquil Lake! Hearing thunder amidst absolute silence!
Winter thunder rumbled, shattering stones and startling the heavens!
This was the power Zhang Wen had only recently attained, reaching the same level as Raym. However, this power was unstable because it was still borrowed.
At Zhang Wen’s current level, he could only stably maintain high-tier power. To deal with the current crisis, he once again borrowed energy from the native stones.
As a transit planet for the Empire, Tenuis was filled with various spatial instruments, starships, and mind-energy storage stations. All of these made the planet rich in native stones and mind energy.
Naturally, Zhang Wen borrowed them without hesitation!
“Amazing! Truly amazing! You’ve made me incredibly excited!” Raym clapped his hands in delight, not hiding the fervor in his eyes. This was the first time in many years that he had seen a tiny shrimp leap over the Dragon Gate and transform into a dragon.
Such potential was beyond Raym’s expectations. Originally, he thought he had overestimated Zhang Wen.
This man was worth his effort.
A pity.
If it were just Zhang Wen alone, with the power he displayed now, he might actually have a chance. Unfortunately, he had two women with him, leaving him vulnerable and sealing his fate.
Smiling, Raym threw his last white glove to the ground. In a single step, he seemed to cross the distance like folding space, appearing in front of Zhang Wen.
His right hand, radiating with countless electric battle energies, struck toward Zhang Wen’s chest.
As if signaling the start, all the experts who had reached agreements with the Empire—whether from the Alliance, the Consortium, or other factions—rushed toward Zhang Wen like hungry wolves. Instantly, Zhang Wen’s figure was engulfed.
No matter how strong Zhang Wen was individually, he was still just one person.
Before so many experts, he was destined to stand alone.
“Boom!” Various types of battle energy beams, from different angles and intensities, indiscriminately bombarded Zhang Wen’s starry river of battle aura. Instantly, his painstakingly constructed “domain” was shattered.
Zhang Wen, who had finally reached the realm of Spring Water Technique’s A Sudden Thunderclap Over A Tranquil Lake, could now only desperately hold onto a one-meter square area, pouring all his strength into protecting Noriya and Melissa from harm.
The entire underground drainage ditch instantly collapsed. Zhang Wen’s body endured battle energy impacts far beyond his capacity. Even with the entire planet’s native stone energy supporting him, countless blood splatters burst forth, instantly draining all his energy and vitality.
In the chaos, the only thing Noriya and Melissa could do was cling tightly together, watching Zhang Wen pour out his last drop of blood.
Tears streamed from their eyes.
Although they didn’t intend to kill Zhang Wen, what would be the final outcome of such a frenzied bombardment?
Zhang Wen’s silver battle aura finally shattered, like a giant cocoon breaking apart. Countless silver-white fragments splintered, eventually scattering upward as specks of glowing light.
Zhang Wen’s body had also reached its limit. He fell to one knee, supporting himself with his sword in reverse grip.
A faint trickle of blood seeped from his nostrils and mouth.
His breathing was rapid and labored, his internal Spring Water Technique in disarray, like a river nearing desiccation, struggling desperately.
It was an unprecedented severe injury. Such a grave wound might be difficult for him to recover from.
Zhang Wen’s mind, fatigued from overexertion, slowed down. Vaguely, he felt Noriya and Melissa tightly embracing him from behind, one on each side.
Vaguely, he saw Messaya, the Northern Ruler, step forward from the crowd, casually waving her hand to deflect some of those who couldn’t stop themselves. She approached Zhang Wen with calm, leisurely steps, standing before him and looking down at his battered form.
Beneath the silver mask, a flicker of pity passed through her eyes.
“Why put yourself through this? Just cooperate with us…”
“I refuse!” Panting, Zhang Wen suddenly lifted his head. His eyes seemed to contain flickering soul flames. An unbelievable willpower; no one could imagine what force was sustaining him within that drained, exhausted body.
“You don’t understand,” Zhang Wen wiped the blood from his lips, a calm smile on his face.
No one understood his yearning for freedom. His long-standing low-profile strategy was precisely to avoid interference from other forces in his free life. For freedom, he was willing to pay any price to resist. He would never easily bow his head.
Perhaps it was laughable, perhaps immature. But that was Zhang Wen’s belief.
“Whoosh!”
Countless silver threads expanded from Zhang Wen’s body, like crisscrossing ripples of silver waves. Each wave was more violent than the last, eventually forming a fierce eruption of battle energy.
The Spring Water Technique finally lost control, going into a frenzy.
If one were to look down from high above the planet Tenuis at this moment, one would see the various structures on the planet’s surface, made from native stones, gradually losing their glow, as if being swallowed by an invisible black hole. Within just a few minutes, 60% of the planet’s native stone energy mysteriously vanished.
At this moment, Zhang Wen was like an energy conversion device, his body desperately absorbing the vast native stone energy of Tenuis. Within him, it converged into the Spring Water Technique’s battle energy, erupting in endless silver-threaded battle auras.
As magnificent and dazzling as a nebula eruption.
Including experts like Messaya and Raym, everyone was forcefully pushed backward by this unexpected energy eruption. The protective battle auras of the high-level experts successively erupted, competing in brilliance, like suddenly lit nebulae.
Colliding electric arcs and spilling energies enveloped an area spanning several kilometers, continuously raining down silver-purple lightning bolts.
The ruins of the underground drainage ditch were flattened once again by the violent energy, forming a massive crater.
At the very center remained Zhang Wen, still kneeling on one knee, with Noriya and Melissa tightly hugging his back.
The violent eruption lasted for several minutes before suddenly ceasing. Messaya and Raym exchanged glances, surprised to find that Zhang Wen had already fallen into a coma.
Shaking their heads, both were puzzled about how things had turned out this way. However, there was no doubt that Zhang Wen had suffered severe injuries. Although the previous confrontation was brief, it was Zhang Wen, alone, fighting against over a dozen high-level and Saint-tier experts. Among them were even formidable beings like Raym.
Even if the King himself were here, it would be impossible to withstand such a relentless barrage alone. Of course, if it were the King, he would never have been trapped here in the first place.
Although Messaya and Raym were powerful, they couldn’t fathom that Zhang Wen had borrowed the immense energy stored in the planet’s native stones. Hence, they were at a loss.
Even if either Messaya or Raym alone had to endure the continuous onslaught of battle energy like before, there would be no way to withstand it. The only possible outcome would be disintegration.
Putting the inexplicable aside temporarily, just as Messaya gestured for her guards to come forward and retrieve Zhang Wen, an unexpected incident occurred!
No one had anticipated that the Federation’s assassin expert—Shazen—would suddenly emerge from the crowd. His movement was as fast as a phantom, and no one had expected him to strike suddenly.
In fact, Shazen’s motive for assassination was very simple. It was because of the Federation’s high command’s orders.
As the only nation capable of rivaling the Empire, the Federation and the Empire had long been engaged in open and covert conflicts. Naturally, the Federation also wanted to possess the ancient experimental results of the Empire. But if that was impossible, then destroying the experimental results would be a decent alternative.
To put it bluntly: “If I can’t have it, neither can you, the Empire.”
The second-ranked assassin king in the galaxy, striking suddenly, his speed even surpassed Zhang Wen’s Ghost Step! No one could stop his assassination attempt, not even Messaya, who was unprepared and thus unable to prevent the inevitable.
Even Raym, the fastest among all the high-level experts, couldn’t keep up this time because Shazen’s burst speed was no less than Raym’s.
Everyone could only watch as the shadow of Sha Chan tore through space, the shrill screech of air being ripped apart echoing in their ears. White waves of energy boiled and erupted. As Zhang Wen, on the verge of unconsciousness, was about to be killed by Sha Chan, Lienora and Melis could only cling tighter to him, desperately trying to shield him with their own bodies. Yet, their movements were as slow as snails to Sha Chan.
Time seemed to freeze in that moment. In the next second, as Sha Chan’s sharp fingers, wreathed in black battle aura, were about to pierce Zhang Wen’s skull—
“Boom!”
A violent and overwhelming surge of battle energy, like a thunderbolt from the heavens, struck Sha Chan’s body with pinpoint accuracy.
At that instant, the tip of his battle aura was just a hair’s breadth away from Zhang Wen. Yet, that minuscule distance seemed like an insurmountable chasm.
In the next second, the second-ranked interstellar assassin, Sha Chan, was instantly reduced to ashes under the overwhelming force of the battle energy.
The rapid succession of shocking events left every powerhouse present, including the super-tier members of the Assembly and the Alliance, as well as the realm dominators like Messiah and Remiu, momentarily speechless.
Even Remiu wouldn’t dare boast of being able to instantly kill the assassin Sha Chan. The only one in the world capable of such a feat was one person.
The King!
The supreme powerhouse standing at the pinnacle of the pyramid.
Just as this thought arose, the King’s overwhelming, majestic aura crashed down like a collapsing mountain, his towering figure stepping between the crowd and Zhang Wen.
He was an unshakable colossus, a peak powerhouse in his prime.
At that moment, even Remiu couldn’t muster the courage to challenge the King.
It was said that the King had sealed half of his power due to the grief of losing his wife. Now, it was clear that the legend was true.
With a domineering gaze that overlooked the world and a mane of hair as fierce as a roaring lion, the King swept his eyes over everyone present and uttered just one sentence.
“Zhang Wen comes with me. Any objections?”
…
Half a month later.
In the dark expanse of space, the King’s personal battleship glided smoothly and swiftly.
Its destination was the Throne, the King’s private planet.
In a dedicated room aboard the ship, Zhang Wen, wrapped in white bandages and looking not much different from a mummy, was being attended to by Lienora and Melis, enjoying a treatment fit for an emperor.
Melis held a silver bowl in her left hand and a small spoon in her right, carefully blowing on the food and testing its temperature with her lips before feeding it to Zhang Wen.
Lienora gently massaged Zhang Wen’s shoulder muscles by his side.
“Where does it hurt? Here?” she complained softly. “Why did you have to fight so desperately that day? If it weren’t for the King saving you, do you know what could have happened…”
Zhang Wen slowly raised his hand and lightly patted her fingertips, his face, the only part not wrapped in bandages, wearing a faint smile.
In truth, by the end of that day, Zhang Wen had been fighting purely on instinct, having long forgotten that he could have negotiated with Messiah. But perhaps it was for the best, as it had moved Lienora and Melis to tears. The two once fiercely independent women had now become Zhang Wen’s devoted lovers, willing to give up everything for him, including their pride.
As Zhang Wen enjoyed their attentive care, his mind couldn’t help but drift back to the condition the King had proposed to him.
That day, after being rescued by the King and waking up under his care…
“I never do anything without purpose. Saving you wasn’t a free gift. You must agree to one condition…” The King’s majestic face seemed shrouded in an endless glow of battle energy, both hazy and mysterious.
As the King spoke, Zhang Wen finally understood his goal. Just like the first time Zhang Wen had encountered the King during the academy trials, the King’s sole purpose was to find the experimental subject of an ancient experiment—Zhang Wen himself.
Because the King’s beloved wife had mysteriously fallen into a deep slumber for fifteen years. A prophet had once foretold that the only person who could awaken her was a traveler from another world—Zhang Wen.
That was why the King had appeared at the academy trial grounds, even lowering himself to compete with Agat the Flame Demon and Remiu. As for why the King had retreated just as victory seemed within reach, it was because the founder of the Infinite Arena, the Overlord, had appeared—the only being capable of countering the King.
The Overlord’s power wasn’t necessarily stronger than the King’s, but his abilities naturally countered the King’s. At the time, the King had yet to unlock his self-imposed power seal due to a vow to his wife, so he had temporarily retreated.
Regarding the troubles Zhang Wen now faced, the King promised that as long as Zhang Wen pledged allegiance to the King’s domain—the Throne—he would ensure Zhang Wen’s freedom and safety. Of course, this wasn’t limitless. Even the King couldn’t promise Zhang Wen a lifetime of protection. Eventually, Zhang Wen would have to face the empire on his own. But that was a concern for the distant future.
Moreover, the King wasn’t making unreasonable demands. Whether Zhang Wen could awaken his wife or not, the King would fulfill his promise. This finally put Zhang Wen at ease.
Zhang Wen remembered the King telling him that he would show him “sincerity.” Over the past half month, the King had yet to appear, and Zhang Wen was still puzzled by what that meant. All he knew was that the battleship’s final destination was the King’s domain, where his wife would be treated.
But soon, he would see the King’s “sincerity.”
With a few rhythmic knocks, the door opened, and several of Zhang Wen’s confidantes—Inel, Amelith, Calit, Rofrey, and Leria, even the shy Marian—entered in a rush, eagerly gathering around Zhang Wen. Countless hands caressed him, some tenderly, others with curiosity, causing Zhang Wen both pain and delight.
Nearby, one of the King’s subordinates gave Zhang Wen a knowing smile that only men could understand.
“The King has asked me to convey his sincerity to you. He said that he, too, is a man and understands what a man cannot lack. He wishes you a pleasant evening.”
With that, the tactful man wisely exited, closing the door behind him.
The room was soon filled with the lively chatter of women. It was a noise of happiness.
Before this, Zhang Wen had never considered gathering all his confidantes in one place. But with the King’s help, he had managed to bring them all together.
The happiness he had sought since coming to this world—low-key, free, enjoying his women and his life—was now right before his eyes.
Beneath Zhang Wen’s calm smile, a torrent of spring water surged.
His severely injured body suddenly felt incredibly light, and with an agility that surprised the women, he pulled Rofrey and Inel onto the bed.
“Let’s all do it together!!”
A chorus of women’s screams and complaints intertwined into a melody.
“Ridiculous!”
“Lewd!”
“Shameless!”
“You’re wronging me. I just want to quickly boost my strength so we can enjoy greater freedom and happiness together…” Zhang Wen spoke earnestly, genuinely considering this joyful method to accelerate his power growth.
After all, only by mastering absolute power could one enjoy absolute freedom, just like the King.
“Who would believe you… Mmm…”
The girls’ complaints turned into helpless moans. Soon, the sounds of blushing passion filled the room, as a lewd performance began to unfold.
Zhang Wen gave in to his desires, his hands roaming over the beautiful bodies of each of his confidantes, listening to their shy and urgent moans, their clenched teeth unable to stifle their gasps of pleasure.
An overwhelming sense of satisfaction filled his heart: This was the life he wanted—
Unrestrained, indulging in boundless pleasures.
(The End)
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