Chapter 65: Astonishment Beyond Words

Kong Youyue walked out of the Wizard Tower with great confusion. Outside the tower, a large crowd had already gathered.

“They’re fighting! Title-level warriors are battling!”

“Two of them!”

The young wizards were all very excited.

Kong Youyue also looked afar. Under the moonlight, far in the distance, massive crimson energy waves and another invisible force field were continuously colliding! The distant scene appeared distorted, and the area affected by the collision of heavenly and earthly powers spanned two to three hundred meters. The thunderous booms reverberated like roaring thunder, and the sheer might of the battle made Kong Youyue’s heart tremble. As a wizard, she possessed extensive knowledge.

She immediately recognized that this was a battle between Title-level warriors wielding the power of heaven and earth!

“Title-level warriors?” Kong Youyue stared disbelievingly at the two battling figures. “Two of them! Such existences are at the pinnacle of Qinghe Prefecture. Why are they fighting on the summit of Xueshi Mountain? Could they just be passing through?”

Although the two terrifying warriors moved at incredible speeds, they would occasionally halt abruptly during combat, even being pushed backward from the force of the impacts. Soon, Kong Youyue could clearly see their general appearances.

Xiang Pangyun—she didn’t recognize him!

But the other figure was a young man in black holding a silver-gray spear, surrounded by swirling snowflakes.

She knew this man all too well!

“Dongbo Xueying!” Kong Youyue’s eyes widened. “He—he’s a Title-level warrior? How is that possible? He’s only twenty-two years old!”

In her youth, her father, Kong Hai, a shrewd merchant, had insisted she find a way to marry Dongbo Xueying. Deep inside, Kong Youyue had always felt resentful because her father never valued her, believing that girls would eventually marry out of the family. Previously, he hadn’t even been willing to hire a good wizard as her teacher. It was only because he wanted to get closer to Dongbo Xueying that he sent her to study under the wizard Bai Yuanzhi.

After becoming a wizard, Kong Youyue worked diligently, and her perspective gradually broadened.

She learned more about the vastness of the world.

Dongbo Xueying, who reigned supreme in the remote small city of Yishui, was nothing in the grand scheme of the entire world! Yet, before a better opportunity arose, she had always remained patient, considering Dongbo Xueying a decent backup option.

Finally—

Sichen, the gifted prodigy of the prestigious Si Clan, arrived. The Si Clan was a family that held absolute power in Qinghe Prefecture and wielded significant influence throughout the Anyang Province. If she could enter such a family, she might have the chance to climb to a higher position…

In her eyes, compared to the Si Clan, Dongbo Xueying was insignificant!

Sichen was the stepping stone that would lead her to a greater destiny, and when Dongbo Xueying discovered her true intentions, she didn’t care in the slightest.

After all, he was just a martial arts fanatic from a small town—what was so special about him?

“This… this…”

Kong Youyue stared at the two figures battling like gods and demons in the distance. Boulders crumbled and rolled down the mountainside. One of those figures was someone she had once known intimately.

“You lot, hurry up and hide!” The great wizard Bai Yuanzhi trembled with rage as he roared. “Quickly! The one wielding the blade is Xiang Pangyun! Xiang Pangyun himself! Are you all still standing there like fools? Do you want to die? If you get caught in the crossfire, you’ll be dead in an instant!”

“Xiang Pangyun?”

“The strongest warrior in Qinghe Prefecture, Xiang Pangyun?”

“The same Xiang Pangyun who’s even more formidable than the Si Clan’s patriarch?” The wizard apprentices all gasped in shock. Their teachers had often discussed the most powerful figures in Qinghe Prefecture during lessons, especially highlighting Xiang Pangyun and Si Lianghong as the twin pillars of the region—each capable of easily slaying ordinary Title-level warriors, their strength beyond imagination.

“Get inside—now!” Bai Yuanzhi roared.

The other apprentices quickly retreated into the Wizard Tower.

…

However, with a wave of his hand, Bai Yuanzhi caused a massive black sculpture beside the tower to stir with a thunderous rumble. It was an alchemical creature resembling a centipede, its flat, winding black body edged with flexible membranes.

“Brother Sichen, the situation is extremely dangerous, and even the Wizard Tower isn’t entirely safe. Let’s ride this ‘Black Moon Centipede’ and fly into the sky first. Up there, we won’t have to worry about being caught in the battle,” Bai Yuanzhi explained.

“Thank you, Brother Bai,” Sichen, who was quite handsome, replied earnestly. “If possible, please also bring Youyue along.”

“Alright.”

Bai Yuanzhi glanced at Kong Youyue and another girl, Ji Rong, and ordered, “Youyue, Ji Rong, come over here. Later, we’ll also go to Xueying Castle to pick up Qing Shi!”

Bai Yuanzhi had his own considerations.

Witnessing the earth-shaking battle between Xiang Pangyun and Dongbo Xueying, he was equally awestruck. Goodness, Dongbo Xueying was actually capable of facing off against the notorious Xiang Pangyun head-on? Although he believed Dongbo Xueying’s chances of victory were slim, there was still a possibility he might win—or at least survive.

Such a powerful warrior must be befriended!

In his view, Kong Youyue had been close to Dongbo Xueying, and Ji Rong was also very close to Qing Shi. It would be better to bring these two women along.

“Yes, Master,” Kong Youyue and Ji Rong obediently replied.

Another of Bai Yuanzhi’s favored disciples had already graduated and left to seek his fortune elsewhere.

“Hu!”

Under Bai Yuanzhi’s control, the Black Moon Centipede twisted and soared into the sky in an instant. On its back rode Bai Yuanzhi, Sichen, Kong Youyue, and Ji Rong. The centipede flew hundreds of meters into the air and headed toward Xueying Castle.

“Xiang Pangyun is actually here!” Sichen gazed down at the titanic clash below, still trembling with awe. “And Dongbo Xueying is actually holding his own against him? How is that possible? Xiang Pangyun is on par with my family’s patriarch. From what I know, when Xiang Pangyun acts as an assassin, he kills Title-level warriors in a single strike. He’s never engaged in such a prolonged battle!”

“Brother Sichen, you lack experience,” Bai Yuanzhi commented. “Look at the destruction they’re causing below, the shattered boulders? Based on my calculations, the force of their attacks far surpasses that of ordinary Title-level warriors.”

“Hmm,” Sichen nodded slightly.

“Xiang Pangyun has dominated Qinghe Prefecture for so long because he possesses formidable techniques,” Bai Yuanzhi continued. “In this battle, Dongbo Xueying is still in grave danger. However, the fact that he can fight Xiang Pangyun to this extent is already extraordinary. At just twenty-two years old, it’s utterly inconceivable! If he had another five or six years, his strength might surpass both Xiang Pangyun and Si Lianghong, making him the strongest warrior in Qinghe Prefecture!”

Sichen was reluctant to believe, but the facts were before his eyes.

“Truly remarkable,” Sichen admitted. “Absolutely incredible. At twenty-two, he’s already this powerful. Such talent is extremely rare even in the entire Longshan Empire. He might even have the potential to reach the legendary Transcendent realm!”

The two of them marveled in awe.

Nearby, Kong Youyue and Ji Rong were equally stunned.

Ji Rong’s face was pale.

She realized her previous thoughts were wrong! The real treasure of Xueying Castle wasn’t its wealth, but Dongbo Xueying himself—the most terrifying and powerful existence!

Kong Youyue was equally shocked.

“He’s actually fighting against Xiang Pangyun?” Kong Youyue felt dazed.

Xiang Pangyun?

The strongest warrior in Qinghe Prefecture?

Dongbo Xueying could already fight him to this extent at just twenty-two years old? In the future, he might even reach the legendary Transcendent realm!

Kong Youyue felt a hollow ache in her heart, a mix of anxiety and helplessness.

Once, an opportunity for instant glory had been right in front of her, but she had missed it!

Why hadn’t she endured a little longer? If she had waited just a bit more, she would have witnessed this epic battle. Why had she decided to abandon him back then, even telling her younger brother those words? Now she understood why Dongbo Xueying had known about her secret conversations. As a Title-level warrior in harmony with heaven and earth, how could anything she did in secret remain hidden from him?

“Hu,” Kong Youyue exhaled slowly, feeling a deep sense of loss.

If she had devoted herself completely to Dongbo Xueying, she might have climbed to unimaginable heights, even reaching the pinnacle of the entire Longshan Empire—a level she couldn’t even fathom now.

Suddenly, she realized.

She might have already missed the most important opportunity of her life. Such a chance might never come again.

“Oh no, Xiang Pangyun is unleashing his full power!” Wizard Bai Yuanzhi suddenly cried out in alarm.

“Boom! Boom! Boom!”

Below, the intensity of the battle abruptly escalated.

Whether on the Black Moon Centipede high above or at Xueying Castle, everyone’s hearts clenched. The sudden surge in the battle’s intensity was visible to all.

Dongbo Xueying was blasted backward, crashing into the mountainside. The entire mountain trembled, and massive cracks spread across the rocks. Dongbo Xueying hastily dodged.

A fierce blade of light descended from the sky.

Boom!

Dongbo Xueying staggered backward repeatedly from the impact.

“Hahaha… Dongbo Xueying! Just now, I was merely toying with you. A plaything like you is something I might encounter only once or twice in my entire life. But now, I’m done playing. It’s time to send you to your grave!” Xiang Pangyun’s laughter echoed across the sky. His strength and speed surged dramatically, completely overwhelming Dongbo Xueying.

Dongbo Xueying desperately defended with his spear techniques but was driven into a disheveled state. With a thunderous roar, a massive cliff broke apart and tumbled down the mountainside.

“Fighting against such a powerful opponent has been a great honor. I had hoped to continue this battle for a while longer. Alas, you no longer wish to play,” Dongbo Xueying said, rolling awkwardly backward and leaping onto a large rock. His eyes showed no panic—only wild excitement. “Then let us truly decide this battle with life and death!”

A faint crimson energy surged across Dongbo Xueying’s body, and his life aura suddenly skyrocketed.

Bloodline power—activated!

“Here goes!”

Boom—

A terrifying spear strike, sweeping with the might of heaven and earth, spanned over a hundred meters and lashed toward Xiang Pangyun. Xiang Pangyun snarled and slashed his blade downward. With a deafening explosion, Xiang Pangyun was shocked to find himself pushed back six staggering steps. Each step shook the mountaintop, and finally, his body slammed into a large tree behind him. Boom! The tree exploded into splinters.

Even Xiang Pangyun couldn’t believe it—he had been forced into a disadvantage!

“What!” Above in the night sky, Bai Yuanzhi and the others atop the Black Moon Centipede stared in disbelief with wide eyes.

“Great!” Qing Shi, Zong Ling, Tong San, and others watching anxiously from Xueying Castle were elated.