It was over!
Seeing Xia Xueqin's neck gripped by the purple-robed middle-aged man's true qi palm, Ren Xiaoyao and the members of the East Sea branch, led by Qin Linhai, watched with widening pupils, their hearts sinking into the abyss.
From the rooftop of the distant teaching building, Qin Xiaozhi also saw this scene through his sniper scope. His finger was on the trigger, but he ultimately did not pull it.
This was because Jiang Wuming had given an order not to open fire until the archer was killed!
Moreover, he was well aware that the special sniper rifle's most powerful bullet was the three-star round, which was incapable of posing a threat to a four-star War God.
The headquarters of the Martial Department and the combat command center of the Eastern Region Army were deathly silent. Qi Wufu, Qin Yuanzheng, and the others wore extremely grave expressions, a sense of despair filling their hearts.
That's right...
Despair!
This was because the purple-robed middle-aged man was even stronger than they had imagined for a second-stage four-star War God. In just a few moves, he had subdued Xia Xueqin.
More importantly, if Xia Xueqin died, how would Jiang Wuming and the others win?
Or rather, how would they survive?!
Was it over?
In the air, Xia Xueqin activated her forbidden technique, struggling desperately to break free from the true qi ropes and the man's grasp, but it was to no avail!
In an instant, she was pulled before the purple-robed middle-aged man by his true qi palm.
Then, the true qi palm on her body instantly dispersed, transforming into purple true qi, but it soon evolved into a cage, imprisoning Xia Xueqin within.
As for the rope, it was like an iron chain, tethering Xia Xueqin's neck, forcing her to kneel, curled up within the true qi cage.
The purple-robed middle-aged man did not kill Xia Xueqin, but he humiliated her in a deeply insulting manner!
As the Vice Dean of the East Sea Martial Arts Academy, Xia Xueqin was proud.
That pride made her fearless, even when leading a team to the Capital Martial Arts Academy, facing martial arts experts from the Land of the Rising Sun alone to protect Jiang Wuming!
As Jiang Zhan's former confidante, Xia Xueqin was also proud.
That pride had led her to implicitly reject many who had shown interest in her over the years.
However—
At this moment, her pride was trampled in the most brutal way by the purple-robed middle-aged man!
A wave of humiliation she had never experienced before instantly filled Xia Xueqin's heart, driving her to a frenzy of anger, and she continued to struggle wildly.
Seeing this, Ren Xiaoyao, Qin Xiaozhi, and the members of the East Sea branch led by Qin Linhai were also filled with extreme anger.
At this moment, they desperately wanted to rush over and rescue Xia Xueqin, but they were powerless.
Boom!
Just then, a loud explosion echoed.
The golden-armored warrior wielding twin axes charged at Zhang Guanzhong and the others. He swung his battle axes, unleashing two streams of true qi that morphed into two battle axes, cleaving towards Zhang Guanzhong and the three-star War God from the East Sea branch, respectively.
Zhang Guanzhong and the other man both employed the fifth stance of the God-Slaying Saber Art, 'God-Slaying,' to resist desperately. However, due to the vast disparity in strength, they did not fully neutralize the enemy's attacks and were sent flying back almost simultaneously.
Following that, the two battle axes formed from true qi, only slightly dimmed, slashed into the formation of the two-star squad. They instantly killed four teachers from the East Sea Martial Arts Academy, while the others were also sent flying by the impact.
This scene further enraged Ren Xiaoyao and the others. Qin Linhai and the members of the East Sea branch's eyes turned red, their sabers trembling—they could no longer suppress their anger and wanted to defy Jiang Wuming's orders and charge into the training ground to fight to the death!
It wasn't just them who were enraged, but also Jiang Wuming.
While dodging the arrows shot by Yan Que and rapidly approaching him, he observed the battle out of the corner of his eye.
He saw Xia Xueqin trapped within the true qi cage, a true qi chain around her neck, kneeling before the purple-robed middle-aged man, unable to move.
What kind of humiliation was that?
Jiang Wuming could not empathize.
But he knew that noble and elegant woman had once been his father's confidante.
She had remained unmarried all these years for his father and had even written a book, "Remembering Jiang Zhan."
After learning of his identity, she had treated him as her own, offering him help, care, and protection time and again.
To protect him, she had dared to confront Ye Zheng, the head of the Ye family, and face numerous experts from the ninja martial arts societies alone!
The moment she was trapped in the true qi cage, Jiang Wuming's heart felt as if it were being carved by a knife!
Jiang Wuming also saw Zhang Guanzhong and the three-star War God from the East Sea branch being repelled, and the scene of four teachers from the East Sea Martial Arts Academy dying tragically.
Back when Ren Xiaoyao made the unilateral decision to arrange for Jiang Wuming to serve at the East Sea Martial Arts Academy, none of them had raised any objections. Instead, they had provided Jiang Wuming with assistance in their daily lives and teaching.
Later, when Jiang Wuming left the East Sea Martial Arts Academy to represent Dragon Country in the Global Martial Arts Competition and participate in the genius group's matches, they were excited and proud of Jiang Wuming's performance!
In the four battles at the Loulan Ancient City, Hanshan Temple, Putuo Temple, and the War God Pharmaceutical Research Institute, the students of the East Sea Martial Arts Academy went wild for Jiang Wuming!
Jiang Wuming became the students' idol!
Were they not the same?
They all eagerly awaited the day when their former colleague, Teacher Xiao Wuming, would fully mature, lead the soldiers of Dragon Country, defeat the enemies from beyond the border, and win the future war!
However—
They would not live to see that day, nor would they witness that scene.
"Ah!!"
All of this caused Jiang Wuming to completely lose control. He roared with all his might, burning his true qi frantically, and rushed towards Yan Que at the fastest speed.
"What are you yelling about? Die!"
Yan Que sneered, taking out another arrow made of special materials and drawing his bowstring.
Whoosh!
The arrow, enveloped in golden true qi, whistled towards Jiang Wuming once more.
However—
This time.
The youth did not dodge. Instead, he fiercely threw the battle saber in his hand!
Boom!
Subsequently, the saber accurately struck the arrow. It did not break the arrow but was directly repelled.
The arrow was still wrapped in golden true qi, but its trajectory had slightly changed.
Jiang Wuming neither dodged nor flinched. His speed exceeded the limit, and he passed by the arrow almost grazing it!
"Heh... you think getting close can threaten me?"
Yan Que instantly saw through Jiang Wuming's intentions, but it was too late to draw another arrow. Instead, he sneered, suddenly gripping his black great bow, using it as a saber, and his bowstring as a blade, slashing at Jiang Wuming.
In the extraterrestrial world, martial artists of the same generation knew of his excellent archery, but few knew that his saber techniques were also quite formidable.
Swish!
In an instant, true qi surged, manifesting a golden crescent moon that slashed towards Jiang Wuming.
Half-Moon Slash.
With this strike, Yan Que employed the Half-Moon Slash, which was relatively common in the extraterrestrial world.
Facing this slash, Jiang Wuming still did not dodge or flinch. Instead, he charged towards Yan Que against the golden saber light, his speed undiminished.
"Rumble~"
At this moment, Jiang Wuming's true qi burned madly, his mystical power surged, and the two fused, causing resonance in his bones, blood, and internal organs. Thunderous sounds emanated from within his body.
Swish swish swish...
As the thunderous sound erupted, Jiang Wuming moved his hands, formed hand seals, and a gust of wind swirled around his body. The winds converged, forming a tornado ten meters high and three meters in diameter.
Within the tornado, flashes of lightning, manifested from the fusion of true qi and mystical power, crackled, emitting terrifying energy fluctuations!
The Sixth Stance of the "Lightning Treasure Art"—
Lightning Storm!
As the battle was one-sided, as Xia Xueqin's dignity was trampled by the purple-robed middle-aged man, as teachers from the East Sea Martial Arts Academy were brutally killed one by one, the youth, facing the whistling saber light, used the forbidden technique of the Lightning Treasure Art to fight with all his might!
"Rumble~"
An even louder thunderous sound echoed. The golden saber light was instantly engulfed by the Lightning Storm, dissipated, and vanished into nothingness.
How could this be?!
Yan Que's heart was shaken. He had not expected that the saber light he had unleashed would be so vulnerable to Jiang Wuming's attack.
While shocked, Yan Que, relying on his combat instincts, dodged sideways, attempting to evade the Lightning Storm.
However—
It was too late!
Yan Que's body was instantly engulfed by the terrifying Lightning Storm, and he was sent flying backward!
"Pfft—"
While in mid-air, Yan Que's protective true qi dimmed, his golden armor appeared covered in dense cracks, and his bones felt as if they were broken. He was in excruciating pain, and simultaneously, he spat out a mouthful of blood mist, his vital energy in turmoil, and his true qi disordered.
Even with his true qi and armor protecting him, he had still suffered unimaginable severe injuries!
"Sir, save me!!"
At this moment, Yan Que had lost all his previous arrogance. His face was pale as he roared, calling out to the purple-robed middle-aged man for help.
This was because his injuries were too severe. If left untreated, he would be unable to circulate his true qi, rendering him vulnerable, like fish on a chopping block, to be slaughtered by Jiang Wuming!
Swish!
The Lightning Storm stopped moving, and the youth reached out and grabbed an arrow that had fallen from Yan Que's quiver behind him.
"You dare?!"
The purple-robed middle-aged man had noticed Jiang Wuming's battle with Yan Que. He was also shocked by Jiang Wuming's displayed combat prowess and understood what Jiang Wuming was about to do. He let out a low roar.
Whoosh!
His response was a sharp whistling sound.
The youth's right wrist flicked violently, and the arrow transformed into a beam of light, shooting towards Yan Que.
"Pfft—"
Blood splattered. The severely injured Yan Que was unable to offer any resistance or evasion and was struck by the arrow.
An arrow to the throat.
Yan Que, deceased!
...