The sun was setting, and the ancient city of Suzhou was as bustling as ever, with people filling the main streets and alleys.
The area where the Su family's ancient residence was located was the quietest part of the entire ancient city. The owners of the surrounding several courtyards were all prominent families who had since moved away, leaving behind only their ancestral homes. They would occasionally return.
Under the setting sun, Jiang Wuming arrived at the entrance of the Su family's ancient residence at lightning speed. However, he didn't immediately leap into the courtyard but stopped, forcing himself to calm down.
Yes.
The previous Jiang Wuming had been burning with anxiety, but upon reaching the entrance of the Su family's ancestral home, he was no longer in a hurry.
This was because he could clearly sense two presences within the courtyard. One belonged to Dongfang Xiaoyao, proving that she was still alive.
The other presence belonged to the black-robed youth who had descended from the sky!
Jiang Wuming knew very well that the black-robed youth must have already sensed his presence. Yet, the youth had not left immediately, nor had he killed Dongfang Xiaoyao, which indicated that he was completely unfazed!
Facing such an enemy was extremely dangerous. Jiang Wuming had to clear his mind of negative emotions such as anxiety, anger, and hatred.
This was because negative emotions brought no benefits; instead, they caused a person to lose their reason.
And Jiang Wuming needed to face the enemy in his calmest state to unleash his full fighting power!
"Hoo…"
After stopping, Jiang Wuming exhaled a deep breath. His blood surged, and his true energy and secret power flowed, bringing his entire being to its peak state.
Having done this, he sprang from the ground and leaped directly into the Su family's ancestral courtyard.
Swish!
However, the moment he entered, Jiang Wuming saw Dongfang Xiaoyao lying not far from her room, her eyes closed, appearing to have fainted.
The black-robed youth stood with his hands behind his back, his right foot placed on Dongfang Xiaoyao's head, looking at Jiang Wuming with utter confidence.
Swish!
This scene caused Jiang Wuming's expression to change. The anger he had just suppressed flared up again as if doused with oil!
"It seems she is very important to you, otherwise, you wouldn't have calmed down outside and become somewhat agitated again now."
The black-robed youth keenly noticed the change in Jiang Wuming's expression and smiled faintly.
"Let her go!"
Jiang Wuming clenched his fists, glaring at the black-robed youth.
"Do you think that's possible?" the black-robed youth retorted.
Crunch!
Jiang Wuming's fists clenched with a cracking sound. Killing intent surged, locking onto the black-robed youth. It felt like a silent warning: if the youth dared to harm Dongfang Xiaoyao, he would be torn to shreds.
"A true powerhouse must possess a state of mind that matches their strength. It seems your position as the strongest among the younger generation in this world is not by chance but a certainty. You wish you could grind me into dust immediately, yet you are hesitant to act, holding back your anger."
The black-robed youth appraised Jiang Wuming from head to toe, as if examining a piece of art, his eyes flashing with brilliance.
"What do you want?"
Jiang Wuming narrowed his eyes, staring coldly at the black-robed youth.
Since entering the courtyard, he had not dared to act rashly precisely because the black-robed youth held Dongfang Xiaoyao's life in his hands!
If the black-robed youth were merely a ninth-stage one-star Battle God, Jiang Wuming could use his mental power to attack him, causing a moment of daze, and then kill him!
However, Jiang Wuming had learned from Yan Jun that the black-robed youth was the leader of the second batch of invaders from beyond the domain.
This meant that the black-robed youth's mental power cultivation was definitely above ninth-stage two-star Battle God!
Furthermore, the black-robed youth's ability to acquire Chen Yong's memories with such incredible ease proved that his mental power secret techniques were terrifying!
Under such circumstances, Jiang Wuming knew very well that his mental power attacks would have no effect on the other party.
"According to the information I extracted from her memories, you are not only a martial artist but also a mental power cultivator, just like me."
The black-robed youth spoke slowly, "I can give you a chance for a fair duel – we will compete in the mental power realm. If you win, you can kill me and save her. If you lose, then your lives will be under my control!"
"What if I refuse?"
Jiang Wuming's eyes narrowed into slits. His mental power cultivation was only tenth-stage one-star Battle God, while the opponent's mental power cultivation surpassed ninth-stage two-star Battle God. It was almost impossible to defeat him solely through mental power!
"Then I will kill her right now."
The black-robed youth said nonchalantly, as if discussing a trivial matter, but his tone was unmistakable.
"If you dare to kill her now, it proves you are not afraid of fighting me, yet you are using her as a hostage to threaten me. Don't you find that contradictory?"
A cold glint flashed in Jiang Wuming's eyes.
If he had been unsure of the black-robed youth's mental power cultivation before, he now had a judgment: the black-robed youth did not have absolute certainty of victory!
"—"
The black-robed youth was speechless.
After descending into this world, his strength had been weakened by the world's rules, and he was suppressed by these rules. His mental power cultivation was only fifth-stage three-star Battle God.
And Jiang Wuming had once killed Sean, a fourth-stage three-star Battle God!
This made the black-robed youth not entirely confident in his ability to kill Jiang Wuming, unless it was a pure contest of mental power!
This was also why he was using Dongfang Xiaoyao as a hostage.
"If you dare to kill her, I will kill you!"
Seeing that the black-robed youth remained silent, Jiang Wuming knew his judgment was correct. He immediately shifted from being defensive to the offensive, starting to exert pressure on the black-robed youth.
"Is that so…"
The black-robed youth's face turned cold. As he began to speak, his expression changed.
Whoosh!
From a distance, the moment the black-robed youth spoke, Jiang Wuming, channeling his true energy and secret power to the Yongquan acupoint on his soles, flashed forward as if teleporting, rapidly pouncing towards the black-robed youth.
"Hmph!"
The black-robed youth snorted coldly, and the golden crescent mark on his brow glowed intensely.
Then, a golden light flashed and shot towards Jiang Wuming.
Before Jiang Wuming could get close, the black-robed youth launched a mental power attack.
Swish!
Jiang Wuming sensed it, stopped his movement, sidestepped to avoid the whistling golden light, and then, with another spring, accelerated towards the black-robed youth.
Shu!
At the same time, a sharp whistling sound suddenly pierced the air.
On the ground, Dongfang Xiaoyao's dagger, under Jiang Wuming's mental power manipulation, suddenly flew up and stabbed towards the black-robed youth.
While rapidly approaching the black-robed youth with his martial prowess, Jiang Wuming used his own tactics against him, using his mental power to control the dagger for a counterattack!
However—
As soon as the dagger flew up, it was struck by a golden light and then rapidly shot back towards the charging Jiang Wuming.
The black-robed youth, leveraging his superior mental power, seized control of the dagger and retaliated against Jiang Wuming!
Jiang Wuming had already reached within three meters of the black-robed youth. Relying on his powerful combat instincts, he sensed the dagger stabbing towards him. He stopped his steps again, slightly shifted his body, causing the dagger to brush past him, narrowly missing.
However—
At that very moment…
"Mental Illumination!"
The black-robed youth uttered four words coldly, and then the golden crescent mark on his brow blazed with light, like a burning sun, its radiance illuminating every inch within a five-meter radius.
Jiang Wuming had no time to dodge and was enveloped in the golden light, his body instantly stiffening!
He had been invaded in his mental world by the black-robed youth's mental power!