The leader of the Observation Group let out a sigh of relief when the two arrived in time.
Lou Guanshan and Wan Lan were second only to Mu Bingge in strength among this year's examinees. With their support, even if they couldn't defeat the Wind-Thunder Cantor, they could at least escape.
Thinking of Wan Lan's stubborn streak, the Observation Group leader felt a headache coming on. "Let's hope she doesn't act up now."
The three fought amid howling winds and thunder. Green arrows provided cover from the flank, a mighty Mo Dao cleaved through the gales, and a supple whip struck straight at the core.
Yan You's temper flared. He yanked roughly at his collar, his facial muscles twitching unnaturally as though his patience had reached its limit.
"They really are looking down on me."
His swelling body stretched his black robes taut. The skin on his face cracked and peeled away, and white doves fluttered out one after another, beating their fleshy wings as they lunged at Wan Lan.
"What I hate most is people like you, always shouting about bonds and justice. Fledglings who know nothing-so stupid it's pitiful!"
"Listening to your bullshit is what's really polluting my ears!"
Wan Lan drew her longbow, bending it into a dangerous crescent. The taut bowstring creaked and crackled.
The breeze at her fingertips turned into emerald feathers, reflecting the green surging in her eyes. The next instant, ten thousand arrows shot forth, piercing the air with long, shrill whistles. They collided with the white flock, shredding it into scraps of paper that whirled across the sky.
Lou Guanshan coughed up black smoke after being struck by lightning. "I used to dream of cutting down a Gundam. Now that I've actually run into one, I can't even make a dent. No idea how much longer we can hold out."
The Observation Group leader's voice came through the terminal. "You've bought enough time. The other examinees supporting the retreat have set up some makeshift barriers. Withdraw along the route I'm sending you."
Still worried, the leader added, "Wan Lan, did you hear me?"
Wan Lan looked thoroughly annoyed. "Why single me out? I got it. I'm not some reckless brute."
She could be stubborn sometimes, but she wasn't brainless. Why keep charging in when she couldn't win?
"Retreat!"
Mu Bingge cast out three Water Mirrors, which appeared behind them.
Lou Guanshan and Wan Lan stepped into them without hesitation. Before entering, Wan Lan nocked another arrow and fired it at Yan You, then reluctantly withdrew.
The Wind-Thunder Cantor tore the Water Mirrors apart at once, but only lingering moisture evaporated in the wind. The three were nowhere to be seen.
Yan You ground his back teeth. "She actually mastered [Water Mirror]'s advanced skill, Water-Form Shadow Shift."
It allowed the user to leave a mark within a certain range in advance, then shift to that marked location within a set period.
Yan You closed his eyes, and the image of Ye Buyu being thrown out resurfaced. He looked darkly at the Wind-Thunder Cantor. "That little pest must have sent word ahead, letting them leave marks in advance. Why didn't you kill her then?"
The Wind-Thunder Cantor fell silent for a moment, recalling the bullet fired at him. It had clearly been an attack, yet it carried a healing ability. Most troublesome of all was the compulsory cost attached to it.
"Her ability seems to force me to pay a cost."
"What?" Yan You stared at the Wind-Thunder Cantor in disbelief. "You're a Blessed One, and you're telling me a first-tier ant can force you to pay a cost?!"
When the Wind-Thunder Cantor nodded, a chill ran through Yan You. What sort of ability could make a Blessed One pay a cost at just the first tier?
He searched his memory and found no such ability. That only piqued his interest further, until even the skin of his face began to twitch.
"Now this is a surprise."
Yan You gnawed at his nails, unable to suppress the excitement in his eyes. A special ability that worked across tiers-and she was only at the first tier.
He had to capture this student and study her ability. If he could put it to use for the Void Order, its value and potential would be undeniably immense.
An unnatural flush spread across Yan You's face, his facial muscles twitching incessantly with excitement.
"You deal with those ants. Leave that strange examinee to me."
Gales surged behind the Wind-Thunder Cantor like a jet engine, carrying him high into the sky as he pursued his targets at tremendous speed. "They won't get a second chance."
Several kilometers from the dense forest, a blue mark swirled and shattered. Three figures burst out of the water.
Lou Guanshan wiped his face and shook the water from his hair. "Nice. You saw it all coming and even left Water Mirrors ahead of time for our escape."
Wan Lan took out a candy, popped it into her mouth, and rolled her eyes. "When has she ever done anything else? She always makes all the preparations without saying a word."
Mu Bingge took out several potions and tossed a few to the other two. She opened one and poured it into her mouth, her gaze still fixed on the distant gale.
"Recover as quickly as you can. At their speed, we'll have to fight again soon. For now, let's head to the cave entrance and join the main group."
Inside the abandoned warship.
A scrawny figure was busy at work, uneven short hair lying in a messy fringe across the forehead as though a dog had chewed it.
Sweat beaded on the tip of Kou Ying's nose. That face looked far from healthy, and the slightly drooping corners of the eyes always carried a hint of misery.
One glance was enough to make anyone think life had been cruel to Kou Ying.
Hearing footsteps from behind, Kou Ying sighed without stopping work. "The signal here is password-protected. Please wait a little longer."
The examinees skilled in machinery and materials quickly stepped in to help.
"We know how to handle some of this, too. Let us help. I'll repair these devices."
"I'll help crack the password."
"Leave setting up the Teleportation Channel to us. We've studied this part."
Everyone divided up the work and quickly found something to do. Ye Buyu didn't stand around idly, either. She found a corner, took out her potions, and started chugging them.
She had a Strength-Enhancing Potion, a Recovery Potion, and some materials for advancing to the next tier, though the set was incomplete and they weren't the advancement materials [Life Breath] required.
But she couldn't worry about whether they matched. Rank Advancement came first.
Looking at the calamity remnant wreathed in lightning and wind in her palm, Ye Buyu swallowed.
"Little Whale, are you sure using this directly won't kill me on the spot? This is level-four material."
Little Whale gave a soft huff, full of that distinctive arrogance. "Of course it won't kill you. With me here, its corrosion is practically nonexistent for you. There won't even be any adverse effects.
"You should be thanking your lucky stars. Without me, you couldn't even dream of it. Still, why not just wait for the Teleportation Channel to be completed and leave? Why go to all this trouble?"
The corner of Ye Buyu's mouth twitched as she gripped the two level-four materials. "I don't want to sit around waiting to die, and I certainly don't want to become dead weight."
Vast energy flowed through her fingertips into the channels around her heart, scouring and battering the invisible shackles as it swept thunder and storms into her body.
Ye Buyu abruptly curled up, trembling as she bowed her head and clutched her heart. Cold sweat poured off her from the pain, and involuntary tears spilled from her eyes, striking the floor drop by drop.
She furiously cursed inwardly, "You damned whale! Didn't you say there wouldn't be any adverse effects?!"
Little Whale spread both fins, enjoying the spectacle without a care. "No adverse effects doesn't mean no pain."
Before you continue