Battle at Broken Bridge

Xie Bai did not dare delay for too long. After slightly neutralizing the medicine's effects, the four of them headed toward Xing County once more.

"Brother Tang!"

The sound of brakes rang out as Big Fei drove over. Seeing that Tang Yu and Meng Xuanxuan had brought along two others, he did not ask any questions. Once all four were in the car, he turned around and drove away.

"Brother Tang, who are these two?" Big Fei finally could not suppress his curiosity and asked Tang Yu.

"Two friends." Tang Yu did not elaborate further. Hearing that, Big Fei knew it was not his place to ask more, so he buried his curiosity and focused on driving.

"Should we go straight back to Xing County? I can have my master take a look at these two?" When they reached the fork in the road, Big Fei turned and asked Tang Yu, though his gaze rested on Wang Jing and Xie Bai in the back seat.

"No need. Could I trouble you, little brother, to take us to the station? The young master's wrists need treatment as soon as possible. Otherwise, I'm afraid there may be lasting effects."

Wang Jing's hands were twisted at an unnatural angle. For a martial artist, intact limbs were crucial to whether they could continue cultivating. If one became disabled, it would undoubtedly have a major impact on future training.

Hearing this, Tang Yu nodded, signaling for Big Fei to take them to the station.

"Big Fei, thank Old Black for me when you get back. Thank him for taking care of us. Lin Xi and I will be starting military training soon, so we have to return. Here's my number. If your master ever comes to Suhang City, make sure he calls me. I'd like to thank him in person!"

They had already spent quite a few days at the black market and had to return to prepare for military training. Old Black had also helped Tang Yu and Meng Xuanxuan a great deal in getting into the black market. He absolutely needed to thank him, but there was no time now.

Hearing Tang Yu say this, Big Fei did not try to keep him. He simply said, "Alright! Brother Tang, when I go to Suhang City someday, I'll definitely call you!"

Wang Jing had booked the tickets for the trip back, and they were in the premium VIP section, with exactly four seats for the four of them.

"How did Brother Tang know that the Shadow Star Pirates intended to harm the two of us?" Wang Jing's hands hung over the table in front of him as he looked up at Tang Yu. His expression did not change in the slightest, and no one knew what was going through his mind as he asked this.

Hearing Wang Jing's question, Tang Yu glanced at him. "That day, I happened to overhear a conversation between Old Six and Zhou Jiao. I originally planned to inform you this morning, Brother Wang, but I couldn't find you. So I specifically waited there for you. Didn't expect I'd actually catch you!"

"Old Xie and I are both injured, so we won't stay in Suhang City any longer. We have to report in on July 5, so I need to hurry back for treatment! We must have a drink together when we report in!"

As the train began to slow, Wang Jing spoke to Tang Yu and Meng Xuanxuan.

"Then we'll get off first." Tang Yu nodded. The train had already stopped at Suhang City Station. After saying goodbye, he and Meng Xuanxuan got off.

After arriving in Suhang City, the two parted ways. Meng Xuanxuan was in a hurry to return and continue her experiments, while Tang Yu planned to go to the Force Martial Arts Gym and spar with Wang Meng. The trip to the black market had greatly increased his strength, and naturally, he was eager to test it out.

However, when he arrived at the Force Martial Arts Gym, he found that Wang Meng was nowhere to be seen. Even the underground fighting arena was closed. Only a few scattered students were doing basic training.

"Brother Yu!"

"Brother Yu!"

The moment they saw Tang Yu enter, several students immediately gathered around him.

"What's going on? Where's Brother Wang?" Tang Yu asked in confusion.

"We don't know the details either. We only heard he went to Broken Bridge for a battle." One of the students hurriedly answered.

A battle? Hearing that, Tang Yu immediately sensed trouble. The opponents had to be Dukavi and Novich. If it were a one-on-one fight, Tang Yu believed Wang Meng would not lose to either of them. But Dukavi and Novich had a Mutant Corpsefolk leader under their command, a Level Four mutant creature. Wang Meng's gene count was only 300, and his combat power was around 3,000. Once they fought, he would definitely be at a disadvantage.

"When did this happen?" Tang Yu hurriedly grabbed a student and asked.

"Brother Wang left this morning. The battle was set for evening. It probably hasn't started yet!"

Hearing that, Tang Yu checked the time. It was past two in the afternoon. If he hurried, he might still make it in time. With that thought, he immediately turned and left, sprinting straight toward Ruins City.

Once a Force Awakened martial artist's gene count exceeded 100, their sprinting speed could surpass fifty kilometers per hour. Tang Yu's gene count was now over 150, so his speed was naturally not much slower than driving. However, he did not dare sprint at full speed, because he needed to save his strength in case a fight really broke out.

The blazing sun had little effect on Tang Yu. He could now slightly control his bodily functions, sealing his pores to prevent the loss of moisture and heat, keeping his stamina at peak condition. But there was a drawback: his perceived body temperature would become extremely high. If he maintained it for too long, he would eventually collapse from exhaustion and die.

"Huff..."

Three hours later, Tang Yu came to a stop. Ruins City was right before his eyes. In the sweltering heat of over thirty degrees Celsius, the breath he exhaled actually turned into white mist, as though the temperature were below minus ten instead. His previously dry body was instantly soaked in sweat. The moment he stopped, he opened all his sealed pores and released the heat and sweat trapped inside his body, creating this strange sight. His body temperature then gradually returned to normal.

It was nearly six in the evening. With no time to rest, Tang Yu took a few breaths and rushed straight into Ruins City. Entering Ruins City alone without a mecha or any protective equipment was extremely dangerous. Whether it was Three-Headed Hounds, Four-Clawed Fish, Colorless Pythons, or Two-Headed Falcons, these mutant creatures carried powerful viruses and bacteria on their bodies. Without protection, even if someone defeated them, any wound that became infected would be extremely troublesome. But Tang Yu could not worry about that now.

"I never expected you to have a Mutant Corpsefolk helping you!"

On the other side of Broken Bridge, Wang Meng was half-kneeling on the ground. The flesh on his chest and back had been torn open, and the sight of those wounds alone was enough to make one's scalp crawl. He had never imagined that this blue-eyed, blond-haired foreigner before him would have a Level Four mutant Mutant Corpsefolk as a helper. His expression was grim.

As for the Mutant Corpsefolk leader, it was nearly uninjured. Only its breathing was somewhat disordered, clearly from excessive exertion, and it had temporarily lost its combat ability. But none of that mattered. What mattered was that Wang Meng was now so badly hurt that even an ordinary adult could probably kill him.

At Wang Meng's words, a bewitching smile appeared on Dukavi's face. "Oh? Are you talking about this Mutant Corpsefolk leader? Come to think of it, it was a gift from your two dear disciples."

"They weren't fortunate enough to enjoy such a fine thing, so I could only reluctantly accept it!" Dukavi's voice carried a trace of mocking regret. At some point, a sharp dagger had appeared in his hand. He advanced toward Wang Meng step by step, remaining cautious. Even against someone with no combat strength left, he showed no intention of lowering his guard.

"Stop!"

A furious shout came from the other side of Broken Bridge. Tang Yu leaped with all his might, clearing the dozens of meters of broken bridge in a single jump.

"It's you again, brat! Are you here to die? Fine. Xia Linlin stopped me last time, but this time I'll kill you and avenge that sword strike!"

Whoosh!

Before his words had even faded, Dukavi had already hurled the dagger in his hand at Tang Yu.

Clang!

With a twisting side kick, Tang Yu sent the dagger straight into the river, causing countless Four-Clawed Fish to thrash and scramble for it, thinking some creature had accidentally fallen in.

Taking advantage of that brief instant, Dukavi dashed in front of Tang Yu. Less than three feet separated them. Dukavi kicked out, his heel nearly striking Tang Yu's jaw. Tang Yu hurriedly leaned back while swinging out his palm, striking Dukavi directly on the ankle and dissolving the force of the kick.

"You've got some skill after all!" As he said this, surprise flashed across Dukavi's face, and he could not help rolling his ankle. An ordinary Force Awakened martial artist with a gene count of 150 would usually have combat power between 1,500 and 2,000. Yet in that hurried moment, Tang Yu's casual palm strike had already carried 2,000 points of force.

"Shut up!"

Whoosh! Before his words had even fallen, a Full Moon Fatal Strike swept toward the center of Dukavi's face. Tang Yu slashed sideways with his palm, his hand forming a strange arc to ensure that no matter which direction Dukavi dodged, the strike would not miss. Unfortunately, Tang Yu had miscalculated. Dukavi had no intention of dodging at all. Instead, he extended his palm, intending to meet force with force and see whose strength was greater.

Bang!

Their palms collided with a muffled impact. Both men staggered back several steps, their faces flushing red. Dukavi's gene count was only 200, but his combat power had already reached around 2,700 to 2,800. That was only because he had not broken through long ago; otherwise, his explosive combat power would certainly exceed 3,000. Still, Dukavi had clearly not expected Tang Yu's explosive combat power to be so high.

Violent Force surged through his palm and entered his body. An ordinary martial artist would normally have to divert Force to suppress it, but Tang Yu did not need to do that at all, because the Black Crystal had already moved on its own. It absorbed all that Force, then slowly fed it back to him. In other words, Tang Yu's Full Moon Fatal Strike had not consumed even a trace of Force in that exchange. However, Dukavi knew nothing of this.