Time Battlefield

"What?"

Chen Chong was shocked into a sudden halt, feeling the air throughout the entire area twist and heat up. He hurriedly increased his speed again and said in disbelief:

"The Dread Demon is dead! What the hell are we intercepting them for?"

Cheng Shi shouted an explanation:

"Perhaps the Isle of Hope doesn't know the Dread Demon army is dead. I was wondering why we encountered the trial's enemy so quickly this time. This must be the real Song of Blood and Fire!

Survive for twenty-four hours amid the Dread Demon army's rampage and the Meteor Fire Rain!

We encountered the Dread Demon ahead of time, which led us to misunderstand the trial!"

Cao Sansui was utterly stunned. He said incredulously:

"How is that possible..."

Then he thought of something and became even more shocked.

"You mean the Bone Legion learned of the Isle of Hope's interception plan, so they sent out troops early to avoid the attack?"

"Exactly!" Cheng Shi said through clenched teeth. "And we just happened to run into them! The Isle of Hope's destruction might not have been a defeat in war. Something went wrong internally!"

"Damn it, stop talking! Heal me! I'm running out of mental power!"

Cheng Shi hurriedly cut himself off and casually slapped a fierce Healing Art onto Chen Chong's stomach.

As for why it was his stomach, don't ask. The answer was that it happened to be within reach. It definitely wasn't some twisted hobby.

At a life-or-death moment, every twisted hobby had to be put aside.

They were not very lucky this time. The attack struck home, and Chen Chong's stomach bulged slightly. Fortunately, his speed increased by another thirty percent.

"We're out of time. The fire meteor's attack range is too large. Chen Chong, how many hits can the Holy Light Great Wall withstand?"

Chen Chong blurted out, "Three. I lack an A-rank defensive talent. The fourth will definitely break it!"

Cheng Shi frowned and calculated rapidly. Beside him, Cao Sansui immediately shouted:

"That's enough! According to the meteors' descent speed, they won't be too fast at first. It'll be enough to hold out until I activate the Time Battlefield!"

The Time Battlefield!?

That's right! How could I forget that?

An exaggerated look of realization appeared on Cheng Shi's face.

It seemed that from this point on, they would have to find a true way to survive within the time loop.

"Everyone! Get over here!"

Chen Chong shouted, dropped the two people he was carrying, pulled out his greatshield, and raised his arms, his veins bulging as he forcefully drove the shield's tip into the soil.

Looking up at the meteor flames raining down from the sky, he shouted:

"Order Endures!"

The radiance of Order erupted once more, transforming into a wall that enveloped all six people beneath it.

Beyond the bright yellow Light Screen, the air grew hotter and hotter. Space warped from the heat, while the earth cracked beneath the scorching flames.

Everyone looked up. The sun burned with towering flames, and meteors shrieked down from the sky. One charred trail after another slashed across the heavens like a carving knife, tearing the sky like thin paper. The sight was so shocking that it seemed like the end of the world had arrived.

If they had not been beneath the meteors but outside the attack range, this might have been a breathtaking scene they would never forget.

"Chen Chong, hold steady! One minute and twelve seconds left!"

Chen Chong held the shield firmly, gritted his teeth, and shouted:

"Attention! It's coming!"

The instant his voice fell—

"Boom—"

Everyone's vision went dark as a massive meteor fireball exploded against the Light Screen.

Immediately afterward, blinding light flooded their eyes. Exploding flames sprayed everywhere like splashed magma, instantly enveloping the Holy Light Great Wall.

Even the Light Screen, which had withstood countless assaults from the Dread Demon, began rocking violently from side to side under the impact of this tremendous force.

Chen Chong's entire body trembled, and his skin began turning red.

It was too hot!

"Priest, heal!"

Without a word, Nangong began casting small Healing Arts and Cooling Arts.

Cao Sansui clutched the Pocket Watch in his hand, his face taut with anxiety.

"Hold steady! Forty-eight seconds!"

"It's coming again! Two of them! Dispel the heat!"

"Boom—"

"Boom—"

The two meteors arrived one after another this time. Fortunately, one did not hit the Holy Light Great Wall directly, instead landing beside the Light Screen. But the flames that splashed over still sent the Light Screen swaying dangerously.

"No, we can't hold on! There's still one above us! Cheng Shi, think of something!"

Cheng Shi's expression darkened. He was just about to move when Song Yawen swiftly took a piece of pure-black cloth from his personal space.

"What's that...?" Nangong asked, somewhat startled.

A pained look flashed across Song Yawen's face, but he still said firmly, "I'll handle this!"

Cheng Shi raised an eyebrow as he recognized the object.

The Assassin's A-rank profession item, the Gate of All Realms' Shadows.

This was no ordinary item. It could only be obtained from Ladder rewards in segments above 1,600 points, and its drop rate was extremely low.

Once unfolded, it could throw any object into the shadow plane, regardless of size, location, or time, without being subject to control.

It was also a one-time-use item, making it extremely valuable.

This was the item most suited for an Assassin's Shadow Shuttle. The fact that Song Yawen was willing to take it out meant that he had truly been driven to desperation.

"Not bad, Little Song. It's not easy to get this thing from 1,636."

Song Yawen smiled proudly, thinking, I finally get to show off for once.

"I stole it."

With that, he leaped high into the air. His hands and feet clung to the inner side of the Light Screen like a spider hanging upside down. Counting the seconds in his mind, he agilely threw the Gate of All Realms' Shadows out before the fourth meteor descended.

This operation required extreme precision. Because the Holy Light Wall cut off everything, he had to risk his life by using the Shadow Shuttle formed through the smoke's concealment to pass outside the Light Screen, unfold the black cloth, open the Gate of All Realms' Shadows, and then shuttle back inside instantly.

Any millisecond of error in any step would have left him melted outside on the spot.

Fortunately, Song Yawen was a qualified Assassin.

In the blink of an eye, he had completed everything and sent the meteor that was about to break through the Light Screen into the shadow plane.

The Gate of All Realms' Shadows dissipated along with it.

But qualified was still only qualified. He was still more than halfway from a perfect score.

"Quick! Healer, save me! My ass is on fire!!!"

Song Yawen wailed as he sprawled on the ground. His entire back, along with his buttocks and thighs, had been burned away in a layer. He kept thrusting his two red-hot buttocks toward the healer, desperately seeking treatment.

Yet even after being injured this badly, he faced Nangong instead of Cheng Shi.

Nangong stared in shock and raised her hand, sending a Healing Art into his buttocks.

Cheng Shi's smile vanished. He felt utterly humiliated.

What, my healing doesn't taste good?

"Careful! There's still one above us! Mage, how much longer?"

The Holy Light Great Wall had been maintained for less than a minute, yet the entire plain had already turned into a sea of fire. Thunderous tremors rang out without pause, and the surrounding temperature continued climbing.

As terrifying meteors fell one after another, Chen Chong truly could not hold on any longer.

"Ten seconds! Everyone, get ready! There are fewer meteors falling in the one o'clock direction. Break through as soon as the time is up!"

"Don't spread out too much, or we won't be able to confirm the casualties and end the Time Battlefield. I'll say it again: don't spread out too much!"

"I hope every one of us can survive!"

Cao Sansui held the Pocket Watch in one hand, sweat faintly forming on his palm, while raising the other hand high, ready to activate the Time Battlefield at any moment.

This would be their only way to escape alive—provided they did not loop too many times.

"Three!"

"Two! Everyone, get ready!"

"One! Run!"

At Chen Chong's response, he withdrew the Holy Light Great Wall. In the blink of an eye, he stored the Shieldsword in his space, shouted, and charged madly toward the one o'clock direction while carrying Nangong and Cao Sansui.

Xia Wan followed close behind, with the small and fragile Cheng Shi on her back.

Song Yawen needed no mention. With smoke filling the surroundings, there were passages everywhere despite the flames filling the sky. He had disappeared long ago and run ahead of everyone else.

However, luck did not last forever.

Although they had seen from within the Light Screen that fewer meteors fell in the one o'clock direction, it was only after charging a distance that they discovered the dense meteors overhead were impossible to dodge.

A massive fireball crashed down in front of Chen Chong. He braked to a halt, drew the Shieldsword, transformed it into a greatsword, imbued it with divine power, and swung it outward.

The meteor exploded on impact, but before he could advance again, another one crashed down above them.

"Damn it!"

Cao Sansui's expression changed drastically. He timed the second precisely and shouted:

"Time, rewind!"

The entire world suddenly froze, then rapidly retreated as though someone had pressed the rewind button on a film.

The flames drew back, the meteors rose, the figures retreated, and the Light Screen reappeared.

Everything returned to the moment the Time Battlefield had been activated.

"One! Run!"

The instant the Light Screen shattered, everyone put all their strength into their legs and ran, heading toward the three o'clock direction.

Only Cao Sansui remained in Chen Chong's grasp, panting heavily as he shouted frantically:

"Chen Chong! Xia Wan! Change direction—the three o'clock direction! Hurry!"

The believer of time was unaffected by the Time Battlefield's rewind and still retained his memories. Cao Sansui was now their eyes.

After hearing him, the two did not hesitate in the slightest and immediately changed direction.

Cheng Shi hugged Xia Wan's neck tightly as Healing Arts struck her without pause. He frowned in thought.

"The second time."

As he thought this, he flipped over the Dice in his arms.

Two faced upward.