Familiar Faces Meet

The Human Race was fragile. Once upon a time, it had been the ruler of the world.

Twenty billion members of the Human Race had ruled the world, but ever since the Mutant Beasts evolved...

Governments around the world had been forced into retreat after retreat in the face of the Mutant Beasts' invasion.

That Evil Flood Dragon King in the East Sea, the Roc in the West...

Beneath the glaciers at the world's northern and southern extremes, in the vast oceans, countless ruins emerged...

Countless nations were destroyed in this catastrophe...

Now, only the Great Xia Federation remained—the last country in the world.

That was because Great Xia had produced a god... who had protected the Human Race's peace for several centuries.

Of the twenty billion members of the Human Race, only a little over one billion remained.

Countless races had gone extinct. Of those remaining in the world, the yellow race was the most numerous.

Everyone thought the Human Race's nightmare had already passed.

But only a handful of people knew...

The situation at the front lines was deadlocked, while Mutant Beasts ran rampant within the borders.

There were Mutant Beasts outside, and human traitors of the Beast God Cult within.

"It's time for today's draw. Advanced Sage Body, I'll give it to you."

The system's voice drifted over leisurely, and Ye Chen froze.

How long had he dreamed of obtaining this?

Nearly two-thirds of Hashirama Senju's chakra had come from his Sage Body. Otherwise, he wouldn't have needed to activate Sage Mode to use True Thousand Hands.

In other words, even if Ye Chen's Spiritual Power couldn't compare to Hashirama's, using a big move... and maintaining it for several dozen seconds shouldn't be a problem.

But Ye Chen wasn't happy because of that. The various things happening in the city before him were what worried him most.

He silently crushed the golden ball and muttered,

"Whenever I want to become stronger, you give me something good. That's how it is, right?" Ye Chen gave an exasperated, bitter smile.

The system couldn't be bothered to respond to Ye Chen.

Zhang Daosheng was helpless as well. These were the only things he could teach Ye Chen.

Besides, just how strong could a support-type cultivator become?

Zhang Daosheng silently turned and left, his heart unbearably heavy.

After all, for an eighteen-year-old child, the cruelty of war far exceeded his imagination.

How far had things really gone? He had merely been roared at by a Mutant Beast.

"Enter the Mountain-Moving Realm as soon as possible. Only then will you possess this system's true authority..."

"You're only in the assessment period right now."

Ye Chen remained silent, apparently calculating something.

Zhang Daosheng went to the City Lord of Zanghai City, intending to ask whether there was anything he could help with.

Unexpectedly, he encountered Bai Zhan on the way.

"Teacher, I want to... ask you for a favor."

Zhang Daosheng closed his eyes. "I'll go with you."

Bai Zhan froze. He hadn't even said what he wanted to do yet...

"But that Lion King has probably grown much stronger... It will be dangerous..."

Zhang Daosheng shook his head slightly. "It's fine."

Right now, he only wanted to find that Lion King and demand an explanation.

Bai Zhan nodded and said nothing more, preparing to leave.

"Go check on Ye Chen. That kid is worried about what's happening in the city."

Bai Zhan was utterly confused. What did his teacher mean by that?

But he didn't ask further. His teacher must have had a reason for telling him to go.

Meanwhile, Dong Shizhang was in a furious rage.

Xu Shen below was so terrified he was nearly mad, and Zhou Zixuan was no exception.

Zanghai City had been managed perfectly by a single Black-Robed Envoy. Suddenly, a Red-Robed Envoy had arrived...

After venting his fury, Dong Shizhang glared coldly at Xu Shen.

"Where is that kid named Ye Chen?!"

Xu Shen hurriedly kowtowed and replied, "At Zanghai No. 1 High School..."

"Let's go. You're coming with me! Capture Ye Chen!"

Zhou Zixuan was utterly baffled. Why capture Ye Chen? Wasn't he just a freshman at Firmament Academy?

Before the two of them could react, Dong Shizhang grabbed Xu Shen by the collar.

He flew toward Zanghai No. 1 High School, leaving Zhou Zixuan behind to question his life in utter misery.

The city had been thoroughly paralyzed. At that moment, Dong Shizhang flew through the sky without anyone noticing.

As for Ye Chen, after obtaining the Advanced Sage Body, his Spiritual Power's healing ability had grown even stronger.

Through Ye Chen's efforts, most of the people had basically regained consciousness.

The entirety of Zanghai No. 1 High School erupted in uproar. No one had expected this so-called "arrogant freshman" to expend his Spiritual Power treating so many people.

"Ye Chen... seems pretty decent. Why were there those rumors about him before?"

"I don't know. People fear fame like pigs fear getting fat. Maybe someone was unhappy with him after he awakened an SSS-rank talent..."

"That isn't impossible."

When Bai Zhan saw Ye Chen nearby, earnestly channeling Spiritual Power into the students, he couldn't help feeling delighted.

It seemed his junior fellow student was a kind person...

If Ye Chen heard that, he definitely wouldn't have been able to hold back his laughter.

He wasn't a good person at all. It was merely a simple favor. If anyone provoked him, they would already be on his kill list...

Kind? Give me a break.

"Xiao Chen, take a break," Bai Zhan said as he walked over to Ye Chen.

Ye Chen suddenly turned around. "Senior Brother, what brings you here?"

"I came to see Teacher, but he told me to come check on you."

Bai Zhan shrugged, indicating that Zhang Daosheng had sent him.

"Old Zhang..."

Ye Chen muttered.

Bai Zhan patted Ye Chen on the shoulder. "Don't call me Senior Brother anymore. Call me Big Brother Bai. Calling me Senior Brother always feels too formal."

"All right, Big Brother Bai." Ye Chen smiled slightly and didn't refuse.

After all, judging from the current situation, Bai Zhan's attitude toward him was indeed extremely friendly.

"Come on, let's take a break first and have a chat." Bai Zhan put an arm around Ye Chen's shoulder and led him outside.

They looked almost like good brothers who had known each other for years.

Everyone nearby gaped, afraid to make a sound.

Only after the two had left did someone speak.

"Um... that wasn't Senior Bai Zhan, was it?!"

"It... should be, right?"

"I actually got to see Senior Bai Zhan! I heard he's already a Major General, and he manages Zanghai City's Border Defense Force!"

"Ye Chen is... way too lucky, isn't he? Senior Bai Zhan is actually treating him so well..."

The noisy voices rose, then gradually fell silent.

Bai Zhan and Ye Chen also stopped walking.

Many students looked at Bai Zhan in confusion as he suddenly came to a halt.

Why had he suddenly stopped?

Bai Zhan merely raised his head to look at the sky, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

Ye Chen froze. He glanced at Bai Zhan, then followed his gaze upward.

In an instant, Ye Chen shuddered.

Flying?!

Could this... be the Myriad Stars Realm!?

"Well, well, isn't this Bai Zhan? We haven't seen each other in years, and you're already about to enter the Myriad Stars Realm. I really didn't misjudge you back then. You have extraordinary talent~"

The newcomer was none other than Dong Shizhang. Standing in the sky, he looked at Bai Zhan with a teasing expression and mocked him playfully.

"What are you here for?!" Bai Zhan's tone turned several degrees colder.

He was far too familiar with the man before him!

If Zhang Daosheng was his teacher, then Dong Shizhang was his senior!

That senior... who had protected Zanghai City for several decades!

But...

He had betrayed Great Xia and joined the Beast God Cult!