Hess City

Wushan Town had long since been deserted.

While Haoyue held back the magical beast army alone, the remaining townspeople had already followed the arrangements to evacuate the town and flee north.

With the battle over, Haoyue wasted no time. Taking the Earth Violent Bear and the Thunder-Winged White Tiger with him, he raced north in pursuit.

After traveling dozens of li, he finally caught up with the refugees from Wushan Town on the road.

When the fleeing townspeople looked up and saw two terrifying Saint-level magical beasts, each as large as a mountain, following the black-robed young man, they all froze in an instant, their faces deathly pale. The entire group came to a halt, their hearts filled with fear.

Haoyue stepped forward and spoke to reassure them.

"There's no need to be afraid."

His voice calm, he explained openly, "I'm Linley's distant cousin. When the magical beast tide struck, I stayed behind in Wushan Town alone to hold off all the high-level magical beasts. That's why I arrived late."

Still shaken, the townspeople turned to Haoyue, both astonished and respectful.

But Haoyue soon noticed something was wrong.

Linley was nowhere to be seen among them.

Old Potter hurried forward and said anxiously, "Young Master Haoyue! On our way here, Linley suddenly ran into a group of suspicious people fleeing the area. In his haste, he left the group alone and chased them northeast!"

He suppressed his feelings and gave the townspeople his solemn instructions.

"The magical beast tide has overrun the south and east, leaving no way through. Only to the north is there still a safe route to a city."

"These two Saint-level magical beasts are under my control. They'll escort you north and protect you all the way to a safe area. You'll be in no danger."

As he finished speaking, the two Saint-level magical beasts beside him restrained their vicious auras at the same time and stood docilely, accepting his instructions.

The townspeople were both surprised and delighted, and their worries finally fell away.

With all the townspeople taken care of, Haoyue had nothing more to worry about.

He looked up at the vast wilderness to the northeast, his gaze suddenly sharpening.

He had to find Linley as quickly as possible!

Without further hesitation, Haoyue moved, abruptly picking up speed as he raced northeast in pursuit.

He remembered that in the original story, Linley would go to the safety of Hess City in the northeast.

There, he met people from the Violetflame Clan, had the Black Jade Heavy Sword forged, and killed Clayde.

Then he encountered six special-class deacons of the Radiant Church.

It was in that battle that Doehring Cowart forced himself to use Saint-level magic to save Linley, causing his soul to disperse entirely.

It was the most tear-jerking, heartbreaking scene in the original story.

It was also a source of everlasting pain in Linley's heart.

Haoyue clenched his fists.

In this life, he was here.

He would never let that happen!

Never!

"Linley, wait for me."

Haoyue's figure turned into a streak of light as he sped northwest.

Meanwhile, elsewhere.

Fenlai Royal Capital.

It had already become a hell on earth.

Dylan, the Deity-level expert who had escaped from Gebados Planar Prison, had led dozens of Saint-level magical beasts and a beast tide millions strong to utterly overrun this central city of the Holy Union.

Heidens, the Pope of Light, had brought seven Saint-level experts of the church to talk, but after seeing the humanoid magical beast among them, he knew their opponent was Deity-level.

Yet before a Deity-level expert, even a Saint-level expert was nothing more than a slightly stronger ant.

So he chose to compromise.

The Fenlai Kingdom existed in name only.

The new king, Kale Fenlai, had slipped out of the city with members of the royal family and a vast amount of treasure before it fell.

The new king, who had ascended the throne only a few days earlier, had become the ruler of a fallen kingdom without having enjoyed even a single peaceful day.

He fled northeast with the remaining members of the royal family and his guards.

Only by going north would he have a chance to rise again.

But he did not know.

A pair of eyes had already fixed on his trail.

The sun sank in the west.

Twilight shrouded the land.

On the main road to Hess City, a bedraggled group was traveling in a panic.

There were about a dozen people in the group, all clad in armor and armed with swords, their auras formidable.

In the middle of the group was a luxurious carriage.

Inside sat a sinister-looking young man.

It was Kale Fenlai.

The new king of the Fenlai Kingdom.

"Your Majesty, we've crossed the border of the Fenlai Kingdom. In another two days, we'll reach Hess City," an attendant said respectfully.

Kale Fenlai nodded, and the gloom on his face eased a little.

Hess City was a neutral city, beyond the jurisdiction of any country.

Once he got there, he would be safe.

"Pick up the pace," Kale said gravely. "We'll travel through the night and try to reach Hess City before noon tomorrow."

"Yes!"

The attendant left to carry out his orders.

But just then-

Whoosh!

A black shadow darted out of the woods by the road and swooped toward the carriage like a phantom.

"An assassin!"

"Protect His Majesty!"

The guards reacted swiftly, immediately raising their weapons to meet the attacker.

"Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!"

But before the shadow, the guards might as well have been made of paper.

A sword flashed, and several heads fell.

Blood sprayed out.

"Who is it?!"

Kale Fenlai turned pale with shock and hurriedly scrambled out of the carriage.

The next moment, he saw the shadow.

It was a youth.

A youth who looked no more than fifteen or sixteen.

But his eyes were as cold as ancient ice.

A small black mouse stood on his shoulder.

It was Linley and Bebe!

"Y-you... who are you?" Kale asked in a trembling voice.

Linley did not answer.

His gaze was fixed firmly on Kale.

The flames of vengeance burned in his eyes.

The Fenlai royal family.

Clayde's son.

They were all his enemies!

"You... you're Linley Baruch?!"

Kale suddenly realized who he was, and his face turned deathly pale.

Linley Baruch!

The Dragonblood Warrior who had assassinated his father!

How could he be here?!

"Now that you recognize me, that makes things easier."

Linley's voice was bitterly cold.

"Kale Fenlai, your life is mine!"

As he finished speaking, Linley's body abruptly swelled.

Azure dragon scales emerged from beneath his skin and covered his entire body.

Dragonblood Warrior transformation!

A terrifying aura burst from Linley.

The Ninth Rank!

After more than a month of fleeing and training, Linley's Dragonblood Warrior transformation had reached the mid-stage of the Ninth Rank!

"N-no... don't..."

Terrified out of his wits, Kale turned and ran.

But before Linley, his speed was no better than a snail's.

"Die!"

Linley's figure flashed, and he appeared behind Kale.

He swung the Purple Blood Soft Sword in his hand.

"Pfft-"

A head shot into the air.

Blood sprayed out.

Kale Fenlai, the new king of the Fenlai Kingdom, died by Linley's sword less than three days after ascending the throne.

After dealing with Kale, Linley did not linger.

He found a spatial ring on Kale, then turned and left.

The entire process had been astonishingly fast.

By the time the guards reacted, Linley had already vanished into the vast darkness.

"His Majesty... His Majesty has been killed!"

The guards fell into chaos.

But Linley had long since fled far away. Where could they even look for him? Besides, they no longer dared to pursue him.

The night deepened.

Linley sped northeast.

Killing Kale was only the interest.

His true enemies were the Radiant Church and Heidens.

Sooner or later, he would settle that debt.

"Boss, you were so impressive just now!" Bebe said with a grin, standing on Linley's shoulder.

Meanwhile.

A thousand li away.

Haoyue was traveling at full speed.

On the morning of the fourth day.

Haoyue finally reached Hess City.

The neutral city had been spared the magical beast tide and retained its former prosperity and order.

Mercenaries, mages, and exiled nobles mingled within the city, a mixed crowd of all sorts.

News also traveled especially fast there.

"First, I'll find somewhere to ask around."

Haoyue spoke to himself.

He found a tavern and walked in.

The tavern buzzed with voices, filled with people from all walks of life.

It was just the place to gather information.

Haoyue found a seat in a corner, ordered a drink, and quietly listened to the conversations around him.

"Have you heard? The Fenlai Kingdom is finished!"

"Finished? What do you mean?"

"What else could I mean? The magical beast tide swept through it! I heard even Fenlai Royal Capital was flattened!"

"What about Clayde? Wasn't he assassinated before that?"

"Ah, that's old news! The new king Kale had been on the throne less than three days when the beast tide hit. Nobody even knows if he's dead or alive now!"

"What about the Radiant Church? Weren't they always powerful?"

"Powerful, my ass! I heard the Pope of Light personally took action and was still soundly beaten. Nobody knows where he's fled to now!"

"No way! Even the Pope of Light couldn't stop it? Just how powerful is that beast tide?"

"I don't know the details either. I only heard that the leader of the beast tide was a Deity-level existence!"

"Deity-level?! My heavens..."

Inside the tavern, people were talking all around.

Shock and fear were written on every face.

A Deity-level expert had appeared.

For the entire Yulan Continent, this was a calamity.

Haoyue listened quietly without speaking.

He had known this news for a long time.

What he wanted to know now was Linley's whereabouts.

"Brother, let me ask you something."

Just then, a bearded mercenary came over and sat down across from Haoyue.

"Did you flee from the Fenlai Kingdom too?"

Haoyue lifted his eyes, neither confirming nor denying it.

The bearded man didn't mind and went on talking. "My name's Cook. I'm a mercenary."

"You carry yourself like no ordinary man, brother. You must be a cultivator too, right?"

"I just came over to tell you that Hess City hasn't been peaceful lately. Be careful, brother."

"Not peaceful?" Haoyue raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"What else could it be? The people from the Radiant Church." Cook curled his lip. "A king of the Radiant Church died recently, and they're hunting for the assassin everywhere."

"They say a Dragonblood Warrior named Linley Baruch did it."

"Now the Church is searching high and low for him, throwing everything into chaos."

Haoyue's heart stirred.

Had Linley come to Hess City too?

Had the people from the Radiant Church all come here?

"How many of them are there?" Haoyue asked without betraying his reaction.

"A lot." Cook lowered his voice. "I heard there are six Ninth Rank experts alone!"

"Six?!" Haoyue's pupils contracted.

Six special deacons!

They had indeed come!

And they had come even faster than he had expected!

"Then where are they now?" Haoyue asked hurriedly.

"I don't know about that." Cook shook his head. "I heard it from someone else too."

"Brother, do you know that Linley?" Cook looked Haoyue over curiously.

Haoyue didn't answer. He simply stood up.

"Thanks."

Haoyue tossed down a gold coin, turned, and left.

An ominous premonition had already risen in his heart.

Six Ninth Rank experts.

With Linley's current strength, he couldn't possibly match them.

No!

I have to find Linley as soon as possible!

Haoyue suddenly remembered something.

In the original story, Linley had first met the people of the Violetflame Clan, then forged the Black Jade Heavy Sword with their help.

Only afterward had he encountered the six special deacons of the Radiant Church.

And that battle hadn't seemed to take place inside Hess City.

It had been...

Outside the city!

"Damn it!"

Haoyue's expression changed.

He remembered now.

That battle had taken place in a forest outside Hess City.

Doehring Cowart had died completely there!

"Linley!"

Haoyue hesitated no longer. His figure flashed, and he rushed out of Hess City.

He pushed his speed to the limit.

He raced toward the forest outside the city.

And at this very moment.

Outside Hess City.

A fierce battle was underway.

Six elders in white deacon robes had completely surrounded a young man.

The young man was covered in blood and wounds.

But his gaze remained resolute.

It was Linley!

Across from him, every one of the six elders exuded the terrifying aura of a Peak Ninth Rank expert.

The Radiant Church's six special deacons!