On the Star Moon, a luminous curtain formed from psychic energy projected a clear image. If Zhang Wen and his companions had seen it, they would have been utterly astonished, for the scene displayed was precisely the volcanic crater where their final match was taking place.
“Everything has been done as you commanded, my lord,” said Hassan, the wealthy merchant, standing respectfully to one side. He stole a glance at the powerful figure seated in a wide chair, intently watching the image, and quietly wiped a cold sweat from his forehead.
He had heard that this figure was one of the few top power brokers in the Empire, but why such a high-ranking individual had taken an interest in him was beyond his comprehension. One thing was certain, though—if he didn’t cooperate fully, his days in the Empire were numbered!
Initially, his plan had been to send his own people to compete in the Southland Champion Tournament, aiming to seize control of the underworld in the southern territories. But with this powerful figure involved, his ambitions were dashed. Still, if he played his cards right, perhaps the Empire would offer him some form of compensation?
Hassan glanced at the psychic mural again. When he saw Anthony defeat both Batengping and Batuli, two high-tier warriors, his face paled.
“That bastard! I told him to follow the plan, yet he dares to defy my orders and kill so many!!”
He nervously bowed toward the powerful figure seated above and stammered, “My lord, Anthony… he’s… he’s…” but even with his silver tongue, he couldn’t find the right words. After all, so many high-tier and saint-tier warriors had fallen to Anthony’s hands—this was going too far, even for the sake of the mission.
“It’s fine. Everything is under control… otherwise, I wouldn’t have entrusted you with the newly developed ‘Zero—Ancient Serum.'” The powerful figure waved a hand dismissively, and Hassan nodded rapidly like a bobbing chicken. Yet in his heart, he couldn’t help but wonder—why had the Empire gone to such lengths? Was sacrificing so many of its elite warriors truly worth it?
But that was no longer his concern. Though he was a billionaire merchant who dominated the Empire’s commerce, he was still insignificant before the might of the state. And this powerful figure would certainly not reveal the entire plan to him.
Hassan stole another glance at the figure. This time, he noticed an unusual intensity in the man’s eyes. Following his gaze, he saw Zhang Wen’s face clearly displayed on the psychic screen.
…
A sudden smile flickered across Leimiu’s lips, breaking the silence. His eyes narrowed slightly as he turned his gaze toward a certain direction.
“Finally, you’ve arrived!”
The blue glow of his battle energy flared once more, transforming from a cocoon-like shape into a massive, swirling vortex of lightning. It resembled a storm’s eye—terrifying and awe-inspiring.
Even Gaolong, who had silently risen behind Zhang Wen, couldn’t help but glance over.
Leimiu, the madman, was no joke when it came to strength.
Who was he about to face?
“Come out! Captain, I know you’re already here!” Leimiu’s muffled voice rang out from the storm of crackling lightning.
As the Empire’s Venom Fang Leimiu spoke with excitement, a mist gradually spread through the air like ink seeping into water. At the same time, a powerful presence began to emerge.
A high-tier warrior!
Silvery hair tied back, clad in a tight-fitting silver combat suit, a blue cape bearing the Empire’s emblem flowing behind, and a long sword hanging at the waist—her face was partially hidden behind a sleek, silver mask.
The Northern Sovereign of the Empire, the inheritor of the legendary sword techniques, Misaia!
The tight combat suit accentuated her graceful curves, the youthful body brimming with vitality and boundless energy. Yet, the aura she exuded was regal and imposing, like a sleeping lion—unfathomably deep.
Zhang Wen exchanged a glance with Asura without thinking.
“A female swordsman!”
It really was her. There was no doubt now—this woman before them was the same mysterious swordsman who had appeared at the underground arena in Casares!
Never in his wildest dreams had he imagined her to be the Northern Sovereign of the Empire! How could such a renowned figure end up in a place like that? Moreover, she had clearly concealed her true strength. The female swordsman—or rather, Northern Sovereign Misaia—had only unleashed a brief surge of saint-tier battle energy during their duel at the arena.
But now, the energy radiating from her was clearly at the peak of the high-tier realm. Could anyone who became a Sovereign of a region ever be weak?
Precisely because of this, her actions left both Zhang Wen and Asura puzzled.
Just as Zhang Wen, Asura, and Xiaoxi were fully focused on the newly arrived Northern Sovereign Misaia, Gaolong, standing over thirty meters behind Zhang Wen, finally made his move. Ever since Misaia’s appearance, he had felt something was off. According to the Black Viscount’s plan, the Northern Sovereign shouldn’t have been involved. This unexpected variable could jeopardize the entire operation.
So, eliminating Zhang Wen before she could react would at least clear one obstacle for the Black Viscount.
“Roar! Blood Hell Slaughter!”
In an instant, Gaolong became a charging beast, lunging toward Zhang Wen from behind. At the same time, a viscous, blood-red glow of battle energy erupted from his body.
Time, space—everything seemed to freeze in silence.
It all happened too quickly. Asura, Marien, Rofelai, and Xiaoxi barely had time to turn around before Gaolong’s blood-chilling, dark battle energy came crashing down.
A devastating surge of killing energy, like a falling meteor, aimed directly at Zhang Wen’s vulnerable neck.
The killing machine Gaolong’s fatal strike!
“Zhang Wen!!”
Asura’s face flushed red with fury as his battle aura flared. He threw a desperate punch to intercept, while at the same time, Rofelai and Xiaoxi unleashed their psychic energy in a last-ditch effort to save Zhang Wen. Even Marien, after a brief hesitation, released her battle energy and lashed out with a silver whip to aid him.
But it was all too late. Gaolong, known as the killing machine, possessed battle energy with terrifying destructive power. Even warriors of the same tier would be reduced to dust upon contact! These ordinary saint-tier warriors were barely more than ants in his eyes—how could they possibly stop him? They were simply outmatched!
In the blink of an eye, as the blood-red battle glow was about to strike Zhang Wen’s neck, his body suddenly vanished from the spot.
Ghost Step! Super speed!!
A cold sweat broke out on his back. If he hadn’t instinctively sensed Gaolong’s killing intent and reacted in time, Zhang Wen would have already been struck by the ambush.
Even so, his danger was far from over.
Gaolong’s blood-red battle energy erupted violently, spreading out like a massive crimson spiderweb. The four who had tried to stop him—Asura, Marien, Rofelai, and Xiaoxi—were simultaneously ensnared by the web and then brutally hurled away by Gaolong’s psychic energy. They soared through the air, spitting blood and clearly suffering grave injuries.
Gaolong didn’t stop. His right foot slammed into the ground with a thunderous boom, causing the earth to crack and shatter. Using the recoil, he lunged forward, his right hand forming a blood-red claw aimed at Zhang Wen’s back.
Zhang Wen’s heart sank. He had long suspected that the Black Viscount had plans for the final match, but he never imagined it would involve Gaolong hiding among the corpses. Wait—Gaolong must have replaced one of the competitors. Given the Black Viscount’s ambitions, Gaolong was unlikely to be the only hidden agent, nor was the plan solely aimed at him.
He had no time to think further when a chilling coldness crept up his back, like a venomous snake slithering across his skin. The prickling sensation warned him that Gaolong’s deadly strike was closing in. Just as Zhang Wen prepared to unleash his full speed to evade, he suddenly felt a heavy pressure envelop him, as if sinking into a slow, sticky swamp. It was Gaolong’s psychic binding!
Not good!!
Zhang Wen had no choice but to act. Twin swords appeared in his hands as the Spring Water Technique surged forth violently.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!!”
Blinding starlight transformed into a vast silver sea, surging with overwhelming force. This was Zhang Wen’s ultimate trump card. Through recent training and the stimulation from Gaolong’s previous assassination attempt, along with the intimate encounters with his lover, the Spring Water Technique had undergone a qualitative leap.
Approaching the high-tier realm from the saint-tier!
The silver glow rained down like a storm. Zhang Wen spun around instantly, his left sword slicing an arc to deflect Gaolong’s blood-red battle energy, while his right sword flashed like lightning, unleashing a thousand points of silver brilliance—like shattered jade and falling stars—targeting Gaolong’s vital points. This counterattack aimed to force Gaolong to defend, if only slightly.
Because Zhang Wen knew full well that his left sword alone couldn’t neutralize Gaolong’s battle energy. Gaolong, the butcher of slaughter, had a record of annihilating entire small planets. The Empire and the Federation had repeatedly sent elite warriors to hunt him down, only to be slaughtered by him in return.
Gaolong’s power, even if not reaching the level of a King, was at least on par with Leimiu and the Sovereigns—capable of immense destruction!
Even if Zhang Wen wanted to move the Earth with a lever, he still needed the strength to lift it. With such a vast disparity in power, there was only one possible outcome—
Annihilation!
A terrifying shriek rang out as Zhang Wen’s silver battle glow was instantly devoured by Gaolong’s crimson energy. His left sword shattered.
At the same time, Gaolong raised his left hand to protect his face and eyes without even glancing at the sword energy from Zhang Wen’s right. His right hand extended into a blood-red claw, growing rapidly into a massive vortex aimed directly at Zhang Wen.
The space roared and exploded as if the entire realm was being torn apart by Gaolong’s overwhelming energy. The scorching heat and nauseating stench of blood attacked Zhang Wen’s senses like a living hell.
Before absolute power, all techniques were futile. This was nothing like the time in Casares, where Iron Mask and Agate had aided him.
The shadow of death loomed over Zhang Wen’s eyes.
I’ll fight!
No matter what, he refused to be slaughtered helplessly. Even if he couldn’t win, he wouldn’t give up!
Suddenly, the sword in Zhang Wen’s hand erupted into a dazzling silver rainstorm. The blade spun rapidly, transforming into a silver dragon spiraling toward Gaolong’s heart. No thoughts, no hesitation—only the endless flow of the great river, all his life force condensed into a single, breathtaking strike!
At that moment, Zhang Wen’s Spring Water Technique, sword art, psychic energy, and battle energy all erupted to their absolute limits, momentarily brushing the threshold of the high-tier realm!
Yet before Gaolong, the ultimate warrior, it was all in vain.
Shattered!
In a burst of bloodlight, the silver rain vanished!
Zhang Wen felt himself struck by an immense force, his body flying backward like a train had hit him, tumbling uncontrollably through the air. The only thing he could do was grip his sword tightly—it was the last anchor of his will.
From the corner of his eye, he saw Gaolong soaring like a bird, ready for the final blow.
I’m out of strength…
Zhang Wen smiled bitterly in his mind as his body slammed heavily to the ground, rolling several times. He struggled to rise to one knee, his back and arms scraping against the ground, leaving trails of blood. He wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and tried to lift his sword.
A massive shadow loomed over him as Gaolong descended.
Though it seemed slow, in reality, it all happened in the blink of an eye.
Just as Zhang Wen was about to be killed by Gaolong—
Boom!!
A blazing dragon of flame roared from behind, slamming into Gaolong’s back.
Agate the Flame Demon! He had finally arrived!
“Hmph!!” Gaolong’s fierce eyebrows twitched. His right hand continued to deliver the blood-red battle energy toward Zhang Wen, while his left hand lashed backward without even turning, attempting to block Agate’s attack with one hand while finishing off Zhang Wen.
Zhang Wen’s vision blurred slightly. As he gazed at Gaolong’s unstoppable battle energy, a series of memories from his arrival in this world flashed through his mind like a movie reel.
Was this what death felt like?
Silence reigned. He could see nothing, hear nothing—everything seemed to vanish from his senses. The only thing Zhang Wen could feel was the Spring Water Technique within him, which, under the threat of death, surged wildly and violently through his body, roaring like a flood.
Silver light coursed through his body, connecting acupoints like stars forming a mysterious pattern.
What did it mean?
Zhang Wen didn’t have time to observe further when a strange, piercing shriek pulled his consciousness back to reality.
The sharp tip of a sword struck the center of Gaolong’s right palm, halting the surging crimson flame-like battle energy in its tracks.
Northern Sovereign Misaia!
At this moment, Misaia’s graceful figure stood like an unshakable mountain before Zhang Wen. Within her slender frame lay unimaginable power. With just a single rapier, she had blocked Gaolong’s attack. The faint glow of her battle energy suggested she still had reserves to spare.
“Northern Sovereign!” Gaolong’s scarred face twisted grotesquely as he spat out the words through clenched teeth. His left hand clenched, and the blood-red claw tore apart the flame dragon behind him.
Facing Gaolong’s murderous intent, Misaia did not yield an inch. Her gaze swept over the kneeling Zhang Wen, and her voice was calm. “Zhang Wen is a very important person to me. Step back now, or you will regret it.”
“Ha ha ha!” Gaolong laughed as if hearing the funniest joke in the world. He had slaughtered entire planets on a whim, ending thousands of lives. Now a woman dared to tell him not to kill Zhang Wen?
No one could save someone marked for death by the Killing Machine!
As he laughed wildly, Gaolong’s body erupted with a crimson pillar of light, preparing to unleash his full power recklessly.
“A very important person to her?”
Zhang Wen looked at Misaia’s graceful silhouette and felt a stir in his heart. He turned his gaze to see Flame Demon Agate charging up the crater. Further behind him stood Thunder God Omega and his disciple Ge Luo. That they had survived this long was already a miracle.
As soon as Agate arrived, he rushed to the side of the wounded Xiaoxi and the others. After confirming their injuries weren’t fatal, his fury turned toward Gaolong. He approached from behind, subtly forming a pincer formation with Misaia around Gaolong.
Even with Gaolong’s immense strength, how could he possibly face both Flame Demon Agate and Northern Sovereign Misaia together?
Zhang Wen took a few deep breaths, suppressing his injuries as he stood up. The blood-red battle energy Gaolong had inflicted on him earlier had seeped into his body. Fortunately, from the previous attack, he had already learned to use the Spring Water Technique to suppress the foreign energy, so for now, he was safe.
Zhang Wen planned to check on Xiaoxi and Asura while Gaolong was occupied by Misaia and Agate. Just then, his eyes caught movement from the group of fallen warriors. Seven figures rose from different places.
Each exuded a deadly aura, and all bore the insignia of the Black Viscount on their left chest.
This was Gaolong’s true trump card. The Black Viscount had long prepared agents hidden among the competitors. They had feigned death from the start, waiting until this critical moment to strike.
Their objective was clear—to kill all enemies alongside Gaolong!
All of the Black Viscount’s enemies!
Gaolong roared with laughter, clenching his fists as blood-red battle energy thickly enveloped them like crimson gloves. “Misaia, I have three high-tier and four saint-tier warriors under me… Do you really think you’ll be the one to regret this?”
“Of course—it will be you!” As Misaia spoke the last word, her rapier suddenly erupted with dazzling, colorful battle energy, dazzling Gaolong’s eyes like a peacock spreading its tail.
This was…
Zhang Wen narrowed his eyes in astonishment. He recognized the sword technique Misaia was using—it was the same one from that night—but combined with the seven-colored battle energy, its power had doubled!
In a sky filled with dazzling lights, her rapier moved like the most delicate of bee stingers, silently and swiftly piercing toward Gaolong’s heart—fast, precise, and ruthless.
All these complex qualities were seamlessly fused into Misaia’s rapier.
At the same time, Flame Demon Agate’s eyes burned red as he unleashed a torrent of blazing battle energy, even turning the sky crimson. Without hesitation, he swung his massive sword toward Gaolong’s back.
Even if it cost him his life, he would avenge his father!
“Boom!!!”
The three battle energies collided. Gaolong was clearly at a disadvantage, letting out a muffled grunt as he leapt backward. At the same time, the seven warriors hidden by the Black Viscount moved like lightning, scattering in different directions. One high-tier warrior lunged toward the injured Asura and the others, while three of the remaining six targeted Empire’s Venom Fang Leimiu, and the final three charged toward Zhang Wen.
From the beginning, the Black Viscount had known that the Southland Champion Tournament was far more complicated than it seemed. To seize control of the underworld in the southern territories under the Empire’s watchful eye? It sounded good, but the Empire was a vast machine that would never tolerate discord. Moreover, the Black Viscount had already clashed with the Empire’s upper echelons multiple times, and those elites would never allow his influence to spread within the Empire.
Another factor was the near-capture by the Empire in their last operation, which had alerted the Black Viscount to the danger—
Was someone in the Empire’s upper ranks after his head?!
No matter how brilliant or cunning a person might be, they could not resist the will of an entire Empire.
If seizing the Empire’s southern underworld failed, how could he maximize his profit from this event? The Black Viscount eventually turned to the Federation. As the only power capable of rivaling the Empire, the Federation was locked in irreconcilable conflict with it. Though the two maintained a fragile peace on the surface, their covert battles were frequent.
The Black Viscount secretly lobbied the Federation’s leadership, persuading them to support his plan.
His plan was to use the Southland Champion final to eliminate the Empire’s elite warriors and weaken its strength. It was a mad plan precisely because it was so insane that no one would suspect it.
It was also a gesture of loyalty—a “letter of allegiance”—to the Federation. After all, under the Empire’s deliberate suppression, the Black Viscount’s forces were becoming increasingly strained. This was the perfect opportunity to make a bold move and then defect to the Federation.
The Federation’s leadership agreed to the plan, promising the Black Viscount at least the position of planetary governor if he succeeded.
The final stage of the battle had arrived.
One high-tier and two saint-tier warriors—this force was more than enough to kill Zhang Wen. But the moment they charged forward, Zhang Wen’s figure blurred and vanished mysteriously.
An afterimage!
In the blink of an eye, Zhang Wen activated Ghost Step, moving at superhuman speed toward Asura. In a flash, he covered the dozens of meters, his remaining sword glowing with silver battle energy as he arrived just in time to intercept the high-tier warrior aiming for Asura.
“Die!”
The man’s face was hideous—missing an eye, half his face scarred by burns. He was a terrifying sight!
Tyrant Galliar! Another infamous killer, a butcher among high-tier warriors. Twenty years ago, he had fallen into the interstellar abyss during a chase by the Empire’s Eagle Guards, but in truth, the Black Viscount had rescued him long ago, turning him into a killing tool.
Zhang Wen’s battle energy might be slightly stronger than that of an ordinary saint-tier, but the difference was minimal. Seeing such a “small fry” daring to challenge him, Galliar laughed in disdain.
With a cold sneer, he extended his fingers, each tip glowing with sharp, purple battle energy like tiny knives.
“Violent Art—Cross Kill!”
With a swipe of his hands, he formed a massive purple cross of battle energy, a reverse cross aimed at Zhang Wen at the speed of sound.
Galliar had once used this technique to instantly kill three saint-tier warriors and sever the right arm of the former Eagle Guard captain, Kasar, forcing him into early retirement.
Kasar had been the predecessor of Leimiu, ranked among the top five in his generation of Eagle Guards. If even such a formidable warrior had fallen to the Tyrant, how could Zhang Wen possibly stand a chance?
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