The domain-outer golden-armored warrior holding a black greatbow was named Yan Que. He was once a renowned martial arts prodigy in the domain-outer world, wielding a bow and arrow for long-range attacks, a rare divine archer in that realm.
Though Yan Que, along with the purple-robed middle-aged man and the golden-armored warrior wielding twin axes, were perplexed by Jiang Wuming and his group’s annihilation of the second wave of invading enemies, he was extremely arrogant. Upon arrival, he brazenly spoke and shot an arrow directly at Jiang Wuming, intending to kill him.
The arrow, crafted from special materials and enveloped in golden true qi, moved at extreme speed, emitting powerful energy fluctuations and stirring up a terrifying air current. It charged towards Jiang Wuming like a cannonball.
Yan Que attacked before the purple-robed middle-aged man could speak, appearing quite sudden, but Jiang Wuming sensed it immediately.
In the morning light, Jiang Wuming did not evade.
This was because people stood behind him. If he dodged, the arrow would strike those behind him, causing death.
Whoosh!
However, just as Jiang Wuming prepared to swing his battle saber to cleave the whistling arrow, a tearing sound echoed through the air. A willow-leaf sword energy whistled past Jiang Wuming's side, striking the golden true qi-enveloped arrow.
Xia Xueqin had made her move.
She had sensed Yan Que's attack immediately and acted to help Jiang Wuming counter the arrow.
Firstly, although Jiang Wuming possessed the combat power to kill a peak Nine-Stage Battle God, his martial cultivation was only at peak Two-Stage Battle God, unable to project true qi externally. He could only counter the arrow once it was close.
Secondly, she remembered Jiang Wuming’s command to find a way to make the purple-robed middle-aged man, who had the strength of peak Four-Stage Battle God, consider her an opponent.
Boom!
Immediately, a deafening roar resounded across the training ground.
The willow-leaf sword energy collided with the golden arrow, as if an explosion had occurred. Energy waves swept outwards, and air currents raged.
"Aren't you afraid of the wind blowing your tongue off?!"
After shattering Yan Que's fired arrow with her sword, Xia Xueqin flickered and appeared beside Jiang Wuming, glaring coldly at Yan Que.
"Seeking death!"
Yan Que flew into a rage and prepared to nock another arrow.
However—
This time, before he could act, the purple-robed middle-aged man waved his hand, signaling Yan Que to stop.
Upon seeing this, Yan Que immediately withdrew his hand and did not reach for another arrow.
"Although your strength is close to peak Nine-Stage Battle God, you could not possibly kill three Nine-Stage Battle Gods by yourself, not even with that brat helping. You also couldn't have annihilated all my subordinates without any casualties—how did you do it?"
After stopping Yan Que from attacking, the purple-robed middle-aged man, his expression unreadable, stared at Xia Xueqin and voiced his doubts.
"After I kill you and send you to the Underworld, the King of Hell will tell you the answer!"
Xia Xueqin replied coldly, her attitude supremely overbearing.
"Seeking death!"
Yan Que and the golden-armored warrior wielding twin axes simultaneously roared in anger at Xia Xueqin and attempted to strike her down.
However—
Before they could act, the purple-robed middle-aged man spoke again:
"Since you refuse to speak standing, then kneel before me, massage my legs, and tell me!"
Whoosh!
As the words fell, the purple-robed middle-aged man waved his right hand through the air, lunging towards Xia Xueqin with a fierce grab. True qi roared forth, evolving into a purple palm that reached for Xia Xueqin.
Though the palm evolved from purple true qi, it was incredibly realistic, akin to the purple-robed middle-aged man's own hand, radiating terrifying energy fluctuations.
A Four-Stage Battle God could not only evolve all things using true qi, but also imbue them with form and meaning.
The casual grab from the purple-robed middle-aged man was far more terrifying in power than Yan Que's previous arrow!
Boom!
The purple palm arrived instantly, crushing the afterimage left by Xia Xueqin and Jiang Wuming into dust. A pit was gouged in the ground, and dust flew everywhere.
Shua! Shua!
Xia Xueqin and Jiang Wuming, almost simultaneously, dodged sideways, evading the whistling purple palm.
"Don't struggle, you can't escape my grasp."
The purple-robed middle-aged man smirked and then coldly issued an order to Yan Que and the golden-armored warrior with twin axes, "You two, kill the others, especially that Jiang Wuming. He must die!"
"Yes, sir!"
Yan Que and the golden-armored warrior wielding twin axes acknowledged the order.
Shua!
Seeing that the purple-robed middle-aged man had made her his target, Xia Xueqin’s plan had succeeded, but she dared not delay, continuing to dodge sideways.
This was because the purple-robed middle-aged man possessed the strength of peak Four-Stage Battle God, far beyond Xia Xueqin’s ability to contend with. Even a moment's slowness in her evasion could be life-threatening.
Furthermore, Xia Xueqin was currently too close to Zhang Guanzhong and the others. She had to distance herself from them.
Otherwise, even if she evaded the purple-robed middle-aged man's attack, Zhang Guanzhong and the others would be caught in the crossfire.
"Native brat, how many arrows do you think you can dodge from me?!"
At the same time, after receiving the order, Yan Que let out a low cry, drew an arrow crafted from special materials from his quiver, and nocked it again.
Whoosh!
The sharp sound of tearing air echoed again. Golden true qi enveloped the arrow, shooting towards Jiang Wuming once more.
Whoosh!
Facing the whistling arrow again, Jiang Wuming did not stand still as before, nor did he dodge sideways. Instead, he directly slashed out with his saber.
At this moment, he had not moved away from Zhang Guanzhong and the others.
With his strength, he could evade the arrow, but the people in the Two-Stage team behind him, except for Zhang Guanzhong and the peak Three-Stage Battle God from the East Sea branch, were all at the Two-Stage Battle God realm and could not evade at all.
And once they were hit by the arrow, they would surely die!
At this moment, Jiang Wuming had activated the forbidden technique of the Daoist sect’s internal energy cultivation method, burning his true qi. He unleashed a saber strike, true qi surging forth, converging at the front of the battle saber, forming a white saber energy.
Boom!!
Subsequently, the saber energy collided with the golden arrow, like two cannonballs crashing, exploding simultaneously. Terrifying energy waves, with the center of the explosion as the origin, swept outwards in all directions.
Jiang Wuming, being too close to the explosion's center, was directly sent flying.
"Two-Stage squad, scatter, retreat! Qin Xiaozhi, do not open fire until I kill that archer!"
While airborne, Jiang Wuming shouted, issuing new orders.
Yan Que's arrows possessed immense power. Jiang Wuming could not continue to withstand them directly, as it would put him in a passive position and stall the battle, which was detrimental to the smooth execution of the combat plan.
This was because, for Xia Xueqin, every second was a race against death; any delay meant greater danger for her.
Furthermore, Jiang Wuming realized that Yan Que's arrows could potentially hit Qin Xiaozhi, who was on the rooftop of the distant teaching building.
Whoosh!
Just as Jiang Wuming spoke, another sharp whistling sound pierced the air.
As one of the renowned martial arts prodigies in the domain-outer world, Yan Que possessed rich combat experience and was adept at seizing opportunities. He took advantage of the moment Jiang Wuming was blown away by the energy wave, nocked his bow for the third time, and his target remained Jiang Wuming!
The golden arrow once again whistled through the air, incredibly fast!
In this moment of crisis, just as he was about to land, Jiang Wuming violently twisted his body, spiraling like a screw to narrowly evade the golden arrow.
Boom!
The golden arrow missed Jiang Wuming, but it struck a member of the Two-Stage squad behind him.
In an instant, that teacher from the East Sea Martial Academy, who possessed the strength of a Two-Stage Battle God, was instantly killed, his body exploding, leaving no trace of bone or flesh!
Two other teachers from the East Sea Martial Academy beside him were also caught by the terrifying energy wave, sent flying, spitting blood, and severely injured.
All of this caused a gap to be torn in the formation of the Two-Stage squad, completely disrupting their battle array.
"A bunch of ants, perish!"
The golden-armored warrior wielding twin axes lunged forward with a sinister grin, preparing to embark on a mad slaughter!
This scene drove Jiang Wuming to the brink of madness, but he did not attend to the two injured teachers from the East Sea Martial Academy, nor did he help the Two-Stage squad engage the golden-armored warrior with twin axes. Instead, he sprang from the ground and rapidly moved towards Yan Que.
He intended to kill Yan Que first!
Swoosh!
However, at this very moment, the purple-robed middle-aged man made his third move. A rope evolved from purple true qi bound Xia Xueqin, rendering her immobile.
Then, the purple-robed middle-aged man waved his hand again, and the true qi palm reappeared, seizing Xia Xueqin by the neck.
The battle instantly turned one-sided!
...