First Arrival in the Abyss (4), Victory Decided!

Soon.

News spread that two suspected Tier 3 ferocious beasts were locked in a life-or-death struggle within the Level 1 Abyss. Small guilds and novice hunters still lingering inside scrambled to evacuate, terrified of being caught in the crossfire.

Little did they know that what they mistook for Tier 3 beasts were merely two high school students who had entered the Abyss for the very first time.

In the central zone, an area spanning a thousand meters had been frozen solid. It was filled with towering icebergs and pillars, and even the gray sky had taken on a faint, icy blue hue.

Lin Qingyan, her three thousand strands of dark hair dancing in the wind, stood atop an ice pillar. Surrounded by pale, frigid mist, she looked cold and noble, like a goddess of ice.

Yet, her expression was grim as she stared intently at the figure opposite her.

"Bang!"

An ice prison composed of over a dozen pillars shattered with a violent tremor, and a handsome youth wreathed in crimson flames stepped out from the opening.

"First a healing-type, then something like a Cursed Speaker, and finally this kind of nature-type ice talent capable of altering the weather... I'm guessing you awakened a second talent."

Every step Jiang Yuan took caused a hiss as his scorching, blood-infused feet touched the ice, sending steam rising into the air.

"To think you could break an ice prison with your bare hands... I have never seen a physique like yours. What exactly is the talent you awakened?!"

Lin Qingyan said, her expression heavy.

She had expected the battle to end quickly once she unleashed her talent, but she hadn't anticipated such a troublesome opponent.

Her cold air, which could freeze all things, was being held at bay by the flames formed from his blood-energy ripples. At her current level, she couldn't even extinguish them!

Furthermore, her God-Speaker control skills were completely ineffective against him!

It was inconceivable!

She could guarantee that such a monster had never existed in her past life. Could her rebirth have triggered some kind of butterfly effect?

"Thud!"

Jiang Yuan didn't answer; he simply took another step forward.

"Boom!"

His aura suddenly surged several times over, the violent wind pressure scattering the ice shards across the ground!

In Lin Qingyan's stunned gaze:

"Crackle!"

Jiang Yuan's entire body was engulfed in roaring, scorching flames. Crimson arcs of electricity surged around him, his black hair whipped about, and his eyes glowed with a searing golden light. A terrifying wave of air and pressure radiated from him, the intense heat preventing the surrounding cold from drawing near.

[Star Explosion State]: Explode all blood energy to enter the Star Explosion state. In this state, consume 1% of stamina per second, remove all negative effects, ignore all control, increase defense by 1000%, increase attack speed by 500%, increase critical hit rate by 300%, and remove all cooldowns.

"To be honest, before we started, I didn't think anyone my age would be this strong."

Jiang Yuan raised his head, his golden eyes fixed on Lin Qingyan like candles in the dark.

"To force me to use Star Explosion—I have to admit, you're quite impressive."

Watching Jiang Yuan in this state and hearing his calm words, the sense of crisis in Lin Qingyan's heart spiked, accompanied by a flicker of panic.

But...

How could this be?!

She was a reincarnator, a legendary-class dual-talent martial artist, the Empress Qingyan who had once reached the peak of the King Realm!

How could she feel fear toward someone of the same age?!!

"I don't believe it! I cannot lose!"

Lin Qingyan gritted her teeth.

She couldn't admit it, and she couldn't accept it!

Having lost her composure, she ignored the side effects of overusing her talent and spat out four words in succession.

"Gravity!"

"Slow!"

"Shatter!"

"Thunder Strike!"

As the four commands were issued, blood began to flow from her eyes and nostrils.

Four forces of law, each carrying a guaranteed-hit effect that could not be dodged, descended upon Jiang Yuan. Yet, both the gravity and slow effects were completely nullified. The Shatter and Thunder Strike landed on Jiang Yuan—who was protected by a 1000% defense boost from his Star Explosion state and his aura ripples—without causing any pain or damage; they couldn't even break his defense.

Ignoring the toll on her body, Lin Qingyan unleashed her ultimate move.

"Ice God Domain!"

Centered on Jiang Yuan, a hundred-meter radius instantly transformed into a world of ice and snow. Countless sharp, hardened ice thorns erupted from the ground, while snowflakes in the air condensed into ice spears, all surging toward him in a synchronized assault!

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!"

Jiang Yuan punched the ground.

"BOOM!!"

"BANG--!"

The terrifying force of the punch pulverized everything, blasting a massive hole ten meters in diameter into the ground!

Crimson ripples spread and surged from the surface, tearing the entire Ice God Domain apart!

In the face of absolute power, all other methods were nothing but flashy tricks.

"My Ice God Domain... it was broken so easily..."

Lin Qingyan could not believe it.

The next instant.

"WHOOSH!"

Jiang Yuan flashed again, using [God Speed] to teleport in front of Lin Qingyan, and threw a punch downward!

"STILL..."

Lin Qingyan tried to use a skill to resist, but her body could no longer hold up, and she couldn't manifest it.

"VOID!"

Jiang Yuan's fist stopped right in front of her, the violent gale from the punch whipping her hair into a frenzy and completely shattering an ice pillar behind her.

"You lost."

This sentence from Jiang Yuan completely crushed the pride of the reborn Empress, echoing incessantly in her mind.

I lost?

Did I really lose?

How could I possibly lose?

Her past glory, the superiority of a reborn soul, the responsibility of becoming the savior... everything had been shattered by this single punch!

Unable to bear the blow, Lin Qingyan's vision went black. She spat out a mouthful of blood, her body swayed twice, and she fell straight forward.

Like a light, drifting willow catkin, she collapsed against Jiang Yuan's chest.

Jiang Yuan froze.

In the blink of an eye, he had a stunning school beauty in his arms.

"Hey, hey, hey, are you trying to scam me?"

"It's just one loss, and you're already fainting? Is the blow really that big?"

"Wake up, you're going to affect my monster-killing and leveling."

Jiang Yuan pinched her small face as he spoke. He had to admit, she was worthy of being the school beauty; her skin was so crystal clear and tender it felt like it could drip water, and the texture was incredible.

Jiang Yuan couldn't help but play with it a little longer, treating the face of the school beauty—whom everyone at school regarded as a celestial being—like a toy. He squeezed it toward the center, stretched it to the sides, and didn't forget to make her pull a funny face before using his camera to take a selfie of the two of them.

If Lin Qingyan were to see that she, a dignified Empress, had one day fallen into such a humiliating state, she would probably be angered into fainting all over again.

"No reaction at all. It seems she really is unconscious."

"Her willpower is way too fragile."

Jiang Yuan was speechless.

There was no help for it.

He couldn't just leave her behind...

"I guess I'll have to take her with me."

Jiang Yuan hoisted the unconscious Lin Qingyan onto his back. A pleasant, delicate fragrance wafted toward him, and the soft sensation pressing against his back made Jiang Yuan's blood surge uncontrollably.

"Mmm-ungh..." Lin Qingyan let out a soft moan that was enough to make anyone lose their composure.

Oh, oh.

I didn't expect that even though she looks slim and unassuming, she's surprisingly well-endowed.