Chapter 76: Jiang Ten Departs
The only one who showed no reaction to Chen Liexia was the disheveled Jiang Ten.
Although she had survived the thunderous blade arc that could destroy the heavens and the earth, the right half of her body had turned completely charred and was clearly crippled. Even with her exceptional combat talent, she could not fully evade the attack of a Foundation ssenger.
Even if she could defeat four Third-Stage ssengers and instantly kill thirty-six soldiers from the Divine Crossbow Battalion, she still could not withstand a single blow from a Foundation ssenger.
“No more chances.” Jie Yuanshao's voice trembled. When Jiang Ten truly encountered danger, she couldn’t help but worry for her. “She should have run earlier… it’s over.”
Shang Xinlei tightly held Qian Gongyu, but her own legs gave out as she collapsed. However, Qian Gongyu was not as impulsive as imagined—perhaps not as fearless of death. The remnants of her beast transformation constantly urged her to flee the mont she saw Chen Liexia.
Before an existence that could crush her with a flick of a finger, neither humans nor beasts could remain rational.
Except Jiang Ten.
“Heh.”
Everyone’s face was filled with horror. They could not fathom why Jiang Ten could laugh aloud—even a lunatic should know fear in the presence of a Foundation ssenger’s might, shouldn’t they?
“Thunder King of the Underworld Prison, Thunder King of the Underworld Prison…” Jiang Ten laughed with delight, tears nearly streaming from her eyes. Even Qian Gongyu had never seen such a wild expression on her face. Pointing at Chen Liexia, she laughed, “You, just a re Fourth-Stage ssenger, dare to call yourself the Thunder King of the Underworld Prison? Hahaha, hilarious, absolutely hilarious!”
The oppressive aura around Chen Liexia receded, but his presence beca even more terrifying, like a storm of thunder lying in wait. He spoke calmly and even responded seriously, “I, too, think the title Thunder King of the Underworld Prison is an exaggeration. It's rely what others praised with. I felt a bit pleased and accepted it, hoping to one day live up to the na. You're the first to call this out. Linchuan said you were extrely gifted and proud to your bones. He wasn’t wrong.”
Jiang Ten stopped laughing and said, “Looks like anyone who can reach Fourth-Stage Foundation isn't a waste.”
“Although I don’t know what secrets you hide, or what your origins are, you will reveal them all.” Chen Liexia swept his gaze around. “As the price for your rebellion, and for murdering the Court's Left Xiaoqi Guard, Zhou Ye, and Chen Linchuan, I will first cripple your limbs.”
Before the words finished, the guandao had already slashed down. Qian Gongyu and the others closed their eyes, unable to bear witnessing the bloody scene that was about to unfold.
Yet what rang in their ears was not the sound of flesh being torn, but a resonant clang like a golden bell.
Chen Liexia’s guandao had stopped right in front of Jiang Ten. A golden shield enveloped her entirely. In her left hand, she held up a plaque, on which two grand characters were inscribed.
Return.
A thought stirred in Shang Xinlei’s heart. She vaguely rembered that among the three options in Jiang Ten’s treasure chest earlier, the one on the far right was a peculiar item—could it be this?
But hadn’t Jiang Ten chosen the Secret Technique Book?
“Return?”
Perhaps Jiang Ten’s mocking smile was too provoking, for Chen Liexia’s voice turned cold in an instant. His hair and beard bristled with rage, showing that the fury of this Foundation ssenger had reached a boiling point. “You think that token alone can keep you safe?”
“Let show you what it ans to be a Fourth-Stage, what it ans to be Foundation!”
In an instant, countless bolts of thunder fell. The entire grassland turned into a field of calamity. Chen Liexia beca the executioner, the warden, and the harbinger of disaster! Wielding his guandao, he unleashed heaven’s thunder and earth’s flas—lightning engulfed all!
At this mont, everyone understood why he bore the title Thunder King of the Underworld Prison.
Truly a na well-earned, the crowd was in awe.
But gradually, their gazes shifted from the Thunder King of the Underworld Prison to the radiant golden light standing unmoved before him. Despite the Foundation ssenger’s relentless and unrestrained assault, even with the ground excavated three feet deep, the golden light remained untouched, floating in mid-air without the slightest shift!
The thunder ceased. The lightning vanished. Chen Liexia, too, stopped.
He stared solemnly at Jiang Ten. “What is that item?”
“A Return Token. It allows to return to a safe place. When it’s activated, not even immortals or gods could shake ,” Jiang Ten calmly said. “So, farewell.”
Shang Xinlei, Qian Gongyu, and Jie Yuanshao felt a stir in their hearts. They understood this farewell was ant for them.
Farewell, Mansu Woodland.
Farewell, teammates.
“If you’ve escaped this ti, then you’d best never step foot in the Liang Kingdom again,” Chen Liexia said coldly. “The Liang Kingdom has no place for lawless madn like you.”
“If I ever set foot in the Liang Kingdom again, I will ask you all once more.” The golden light around Jiang Ten grew ever more intense. Her figure had already disappeared from sight, leaving behind only her final words:
“Will you stand against ?”
The golden light turned into a streak of gold and lted into the night. Mansu Woodland returned to its previous calm. Everyone stared blankly at the scene, as if trying to imprint the image of that woman deep into their mory.
Dominating Mansu, slaying Third-Stage, provoking Foundation.
Though she passed like a teor, the lives of many present were forever changed because of it.
“What are you all dazing for?” Chen Liexia shouted sternly. “Hurry and treat the wounded, clean up the corpses!”
Everyone woke from their stupor and the camp resud its usual bustle. Jie Zilong and Shang Yue had intended to speak with Chen Liexia, but upon seeing him gazing at the starry sky, tightly gripping his guandao, they realized that the Thunder King of the Underworld Prison was not at peace within.
…
…
anwhile, a thousand miles away at Pingcheng Military Camp.
Ye Si, who had been eating, suddenly stood up, put on his helt, grabbed his weapon, and walked toward the stables. The soldiers in his unit quickly followed, “Captain, where are you going this late?”
“To pick soone up.”
“Ah, such a small task, just tell us—we can—”
“I’ll go personally. You all don’t need to co.”
“No way. How can the captain travel alone?”
Thus, the group arrived at the camp gate. Before Ye Si could speak, the soldiers ordered the gate guards to open it. Although leaving camp at night violated military rules, the one requesting was Ye Si—currently in the lilight and favored by Supervisor of Building Construction Gai Louxian—so the guards dared not cause trouble and opened the gate without delay.
Inside Pingcheng, Ye Si rode at a slow pace. The soldiers, anxious but silent, followed. Once outside the city gate, Ye Si spurred his horse to a gallop. The group rode along the road, torches held high. Soone curiously asked, “Captain, who are you picking up? Your parents?”
“A friend.”
“A friend from your hotown? How strong are they?”
“Stronger than .”
Stronger than the captain? In their minds, the soldiers pictured a fierce, towering northern warrior with a leopard head and round eyes. They wondered if the Secret Realm Madman was about to beco a Secret Realm Duo.
Soon, they reached a deserted village near Pingcheng. Following Ye Si’s lead, they dismounted. With the help of torches, they spotted Ye Si’s ‘friend’ almost imdiately.
It was hard not to see—after all, a half-charred, blood-soaked, yet breathtakingly beautiful woman appearing in a desolate village outshone even the moonlight.
The two exchanged no words. The beauty appeared severely wounded, staggering as she walked. Ye Si draped a coat over her, picked her up, and carried her toward the warhorse. The soldiers couldn’t help but whistle and cheer, but one glance from Ye Si silenced them completely.
What confused them more was that after placing the beauty on the horse, Ye Si himself went to another steed. “Gao Liuhun, I’m riding with you.”
The beauty clearly could not ride a horse, so her pace was slower. Ye Si slowed his as well to ride alongside her. The soldiers behind watched, curiosity about to explode.
They exchanged glances, prompting Gao Liuhun to ask, “Captain, why... don’t you ride with your friend?”
They expected to hear reasons like the woman was of noble status, already engaged, his sister-in-law, or that the captain turned into a beast when touching won—but Ye Si’s reason was even more ridiculous than they imagined.
“She’s practicing horseback riding.”
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