As Li Wei and his group drew closer, the atmosphere around the crater grew tense. They had clearly come prepared: not only were they numerous, but they were also well-equipped. A sinister glint flickered in Li Wei's eyes. He was clearly determined to claim the "spoils of victory" that were about to fall into his hands.
Liu Yun had been lying in wait, though, as dangerous as a venomous snake. Killing him would be no easy task.
"Hmph, Liu Yun, did you think you could escape? I'm blowing up the volcano. Let's see where you can hide then!" Li Wei shouted. At the same time, he waved to Kalon and Pan Ya, signaling them to get started.
It seemed they were still wary of Liu Yun, hidden in a corner, suddenly attacking them. So instead of splitting their forces to search for him and giving him an opening, they had chosen to use explosives to force him out.
The two Advanced War Generals took small C4 charges from their backpacks and carefully placed them at key points around the crater. The charges wouldn't be set off by flames, and they had been specially designed for maximum destructive power. Once detonated, they could not only cause a partial collapse of the crater but also trigger a powerful volcanic eruption. The flames and shockwaves would leave any hidden enemy nowhere to hide.
Liu Yun crouched behind a boulder, watching it all through a gap. His heart sank. They were willing to destroy everything, leaving nothing behind!
As his subordinates hurried around the crater, the ticking of the C4 charges gradually merged into an ominous rhythm, heralding the coming crisis. Liu Yun's heart began to race. He knew the explosives were powerful enough to reduce the entire area to ashes, and the enormous Undying Bird Egg in front of him, though priceless, had become a heavy burden.
"Should I give up? I never thought I'd die here." Liu Yun asked himself over and over, but then he firmly shook his head. This wasn't just about a treasure. It was about his dignity and convictions as a warrior. He couldn't simply hand his hard-won victory to someone else, and he certainly couldn't let Li Wei and the others get away with their scheme.
"I have to find a way out!" Liu Yun gritted his teeth, his gaze sweeping swiftly around as he searched for a possible escape route. He noticed that although the crater was surrounded by explosives, there were still gaps in their arrangement.
If he made the most of them, he thought, he might still survive even if the volcano erupted.
Just as Liu Yun was silently weighing his options, Li Wei's voice rang out again, tinged with smugness and mockery. "Liu Yun, stop struggling for nothing. We've completely sealed off your escape routes. Come out quietly, and maybe we'll let you live."
Liu Yun heard him and curled his lips into a cold smile. He knew Li Wei was testing his hand and trying to put him under psychological pressure. But Liu Yun had never been one to give in easily.
"You want my life? Then let's see if you've got what it takes to take it!" Liu Yun sprang to his feet, revealing his position to the others. At the same time, the Scale-Reversing War Blade remained hidden in a crack in the rocks, waiting like a venomous snake for the perfect moment to strike.
They were still in the crater, so they wouldn't detonate the C4. After all, the resulting eruption would be like thousands of nuclear weapons going off at once. Even they couldn't withstand the power of nature; they would be reduced to dust in an instant.
At the sight of Liu Yun, Li Wei's lips curved into a cruel smile, as if he could already see Liu Yun's defeat.
"Haha, Liu Yun, you finally gave yourself away! Today, I'll teach you that people who get too arrogant are bound to die for it sooner or later."
His words brimmed with the delight of a plan coming together, as though victory were already in his grasp.
But perhaps he should have said that to himself. People who were too arrogant were bound to meet a bad end.
Kalon and Pan Ya were fired up by his words, bloodlust gleaming in their eyes. Now that Liu Yun had shown himself, things would be much easier.
They swiftly adjusted their positions, one on each side, and lunged at Liu Yun in a pincer attack. Their movements were quick and coordinated. They had clearly honed their teamwork through countless battles.
Liu Yun, however, showed no sign of panic. Just as Kalon and Pan Ya were about to reach him, he suddenly moved, darting from behind the boulder like a phantom. His movements were so quick they were almost impossible to follow.
The Scale-Reversing War Blade, hidden nearby, traced a dazzling arc through the air and shot straight toward Kalon. The attack carried all of Liu Yun's strength and resolve, meant to land a decisive blow.
Kalon's expression changed, but he was a battle-hardened warrior and reacted swiftly. He twisted aside, barely dodging Liu Yun's deadly attack. Even so, the blade's fierce aura wounded him, leaving a shallow gash across his chest.
"What a despicable coward!"
Meanwhile, seeing Liu Yun attack Kalon, Pan Ya refused to be outdone. With a roar, he swung the heavy weapon in his hands and brought it crashing down at Liu Yun. It whooshed through the air, as if it could tear the very air apart.
Liu Yun gave a cold snort and moved again, this time dodging the attack. Using his agility, he weaved freely through the crater's rugged terrain, evading Pan Ya's heavy blows while searching for a chance to strike back.
As time passed, the battle between the three grew more and more fierce. The clang of clashing metal echoed through the crater, mingling with the roars of both sides. Every exchange was fraught with the thrill and tension of a fight where one's life hung by a thread.
But as the battle raged, a plan suddenly occurred to Liu Yun. He noticed that although Li Wei and the others had planted C4 charges, they were now completely focused on him. That gave him a perfect opening.
"If I use my Psychic Power to snatch the detonator and set off the charges, they'll all die!"
The thought flashed through Liu Yun's mind, and his gaze hardened at once. He knew this was a gamble with his life at stake, but he had no choice. He could only go all in.
In a Lightning Flash, Liu Yun summoned the War God Level Psychic Power hidden deep within him. He rarely used this power, as it was too strong and could easily get out of control. But to turn the situation around, he had to give it everything he had.
Liu Yun's eyes flew open. Stars seemed to swirl in his pupils as an invisible force instantly enveloped the entire crater. Li Wei, Kalon, and Pan Ya all felt the sudden pressure. They were horrified, and their attacks faltered.
"Young Master, watch out!"
Kalon and Pan Ya shouted together. They guessed Liu Yun's target and thought he was going to kill Li Wei.
But it was already too late. Drawing on the immense power of his Psychic Power, Liu Yun broke through Li Wei's defenses and seized the detonator.
"Beep!"
Liu Yun pressed the button without hesitation. In that instant, the air inside the crater seemed to freeze. Everyone held their breath. Then came the violent explosions, followed by the eruption of the entire volcano—a force that shook heaven and earth, one that would make even a War God turn pale.
The volcano erupted violently. The force blew away half the crater, and countless lightning bolts and a powerful shockwave swept across everything above the volcano. No one in the crater could escape.
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