Chapter 16: Time
At the same moment, deep within the vast universe far beyond Blue Star, a celestial waterfall cascaded from the heavens, its waters spilling into a tranquil lake. At the bottom of this lake, images of the Blue Star trialists flickered—sixty-seven in total, marking the number of survivors left in the trial.
As Wen Zhao unleashed her technique, White Sword Edge Descends, an elderly man playing chess above the waterfall chuckled. “It’s over. The Green Peak Lineage has produced a fine talent. Her mastery of the Bridge-On Law is refined enough to qualify for this cycle’s Starry Sky Martial Gathering.”
However, the moment Wang Jie executed his single finger strike, the old man’s expression changed drastically. His gaze snapped toward the lake’s depths. “Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger!?”
Sitting across from him, a young girl with strikingly unreal beauty, her face framed by a pair of glasses, peered curiously into the lake. “A lost martial art?”
“The Martial Hall holds the recorded battle arts of our Armor One Sect, including those from ancient epochs,” the elder mused. “For a native to witness the Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger isn’t impossible. But heavens have mercy… to think one of our lost arts has resurfaced. I must inform the others. This child must be brought back.” With that, he vanished.
The girl withdrew her gaze, removed her shoes and socks, and playfully dipped her delicate feet into the waterfall’s flowing waters. Resting her chin on her hand, she sighed while watching the lake below. “Shame it’s not Starry Finger Technique.”
…
Within Wang Jie’s body, the execution of his strike had nearly drained him of his Seal Power. This technique could only be unleashed after a full recovery—it stemmed from the first Cultivation Field he had cultivated.
Countless cultivators stood frozen, witnessing this shocking spectacle. Even in the Doomsday Calamity Era, such a scene had never been seen before.
If the soaring sword aura stretching dozens of meters high was already impressive, then the two fingers merging together like the grasp of a giant crushing that very sword aura was utterly surreal.
Wen Zhao channeled her remaining power, straining to resist the closing fingers. Blood dripped from the corner of her lips, yet she could not prevent her White Sword from shattering.
Her pupils flashed as she suddenly lunged forward.
In the next moment, the two fingers clashed—a collision of heaven and earth—and a deafening explosion resounded outside Golden Hill City. The very ground quaked, and those atop the city walls felt as though they might be thrown off.
The White Sword was completely annihilated, not a trace remaining.
Panting heavily, Wen Zhao stood at a distance, her gaze locked onto the battlefield in sheer disbelief.
The earth had sunken by over ten meters, the shockwave of destruction spreading out across a hundred-meter radius. Such overwhelming force was beyond what a mere Seven-Seal cultivator should be capable of.
Her eyes settled on Wang Jie.
Even he had not anticipated the sheer magnitude of his attack’s power—it was absurd. The cost, however, had been just as great; he was nearly drained of Seal Power, teetering on the edge of exhaustion. This technique was anything but efficient—if he wasn’t completely emptied after using it, it would already be considered a success.
It was his first time executing it.
A heavy silence blanketed the battlefield.
Even Hong Sword was rendered speechless in sheer awe.
Had Wen Zhao been replaced by him, there would have been no chance of survival. That strike would have killed him instantly, without escape.
Lian Fei and the others had turned deathly pale. Could a mere human truly wield such destructive force?
“You’re telling me that technique also came from the Sky Projection?” Wen Zhao asked in disbelief. The purple veil covering her face had slipped, revealing an ethereal beauty.
Positioned opposite the Base’s Eastern Gate, most onlookers couldn’t see her face.
But Wang Jie could. And for a moment, he was stunned. In this era of calamity, such a woman was a rarity—her aura was otherworldly, unattainable.
“That’s right,” he admitted without hesitation.
Wen Zhao frowned. “The Armor One Sect has eighteen absolute techniques. I’ve never heard of this one. Are you truly from Blue Star?”
Wang Jie replied calmly, “Born outside Golden Hill City, one of the orphans rescued by the Leading Pillar Group. You can check the records.”
She fell silent. If he truly was a native of Blue Star, then what he had learned was something even the sect’s official disciples couldn’t grasp.
That technique was simply too terrifying.
“Do you still want to continue?” Wang Jie feigned composure, though he was secretly at his limit. He would not allow himself to collapse completely.
Wen Zhao gave him a long look before retrieving a wooden whistle. With a single blow, a streak of white shot toward them from the distance.
Wang Jie tensed, suspecting reinforcements.
Even Hong Sword gripped his blade tightly.
But what arrived was not a person.
It was a Snow Steed—a magnificent beast with flawless white fur that shimmered faintly with light.
“Snow Steed?” someone gasped in recognition.
The beast halted beside Wen Zhao, who mounted it gracefully. She cast Wang Jie one final glance. “Congratulations. You’ve protected your homeland. But I will return.”
With that, she and the Snow Steed vanished into the distance.
No one dared to stop her.
No one knew how much power she still had left.
As she disappeared, the gathered crowd turned their eyes back to Wang Jie, their expressions still filled with lingering shock. That strike—the one that connected heaven and earth—was imprinted in their minds.
Hong Sword stepped forward. “Thank you.”
Wang Jie responded, “I want the Three-Eyed Wolf King’s eyes.”
Hong Sword nodded. “Consider it done.”
Without another word, Wang Jie departed. Under the gaze of countless onlookers, he returned to the Base, needing no further arrangements. Hong Sword’s authority alone ensured that his request would be fulfilled.
Upon reaching the Sewage District, he shut his door and began absorbing Cataclysm Materials, restoring his Seal Power.
Now that he had stepped onto the stage, he had to be even more cautious.
The news spread swiftly across Golden Hill Base.
The consequences were immediate. Lian Fei and her group fled without delay, unwilling to linger.
The Zhao Clan convened in urgency, scrambling to find a way to resolve their conflict with him.
Outside Wang Jie’s home, curious onlookers gathered in growing numbers. Many were Hong Sword’s men, stationed there to ensure he wasn’t disturbed.
They knew he was recovering his Seal Power.
A pile of Cataclysm Materials accumulated outside his door, waiting for him to use.
Even Hong Sword himself arrived an hour later, standing silently outside.
Within his consciousness, Wang Jie found himself in his Dimensional Field, once again practicing Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger. The sensation of being drained was unbearable, but as he refined the technique, its imprint took root in his Cultivation Field, causing five new green sprouts to emerge—just like when he first cultivated the technique.
This time, however, he needed five materials.
Will of the Loser, Evil Person’s Severed Palm, Sweet Tears, Ten Sealed Proposal Letters, and… Snow-White Canine Tooth.
Ten Sealed Proposal Letters? What nonsense was this?
Snow-White Canine Tooth? The first thing that came to mind was the Snow Steed.
He needed all five to cultivate the technique Starry Finger Technique.
Stepping outside, he invited Hong Sword in.
Hong Sword chuckled. “No need to look at me like that. I’m not testing you—I truly can’t hold on anymore. That Wen Zhao is far too powerful. Forget her—even Flame Four alone is beyond my ability to withstand. And there are many more trial takers like them.”
“Even the Tactician, one of the Three Gods, was slain. I don’t believe I can surpass the Tactician.”
Hong Sword’s gaze was open and forthright. Wang Jie could see that clearly. “I have something to take care of.”
“Is it related to Zuo Tian?”
“If he isn’t killed, humanity will have no foundation to stand upon.”
“What do you mean? What grudge do you have with Zuo Tian?” Hong Sword asked, puzzled.
Wang Jie didn’t answer. “Take down the top bounty from the list.”
“With your strength, Zuo Tian is no match for you. It makes sense for you to step forward, but unless this is an irreconcilable vendetta, you should hold back. After all, our true disaster isn’t the mutated creatures—it’s Armor One Sect.” Hong Sword advised.
Wang Jie looked at him seriously. “You’re underestimating Zuo Tian.”
He didn’t continue the discussion and instead inquired about the status of the other bases.
Only Hong Sword knew the truth.
Although firearms had been destroyed a decade ago, the communication infrastructure had largely collapsed due to the rampant mutated flora and fauna. Transportation was cut off, and news from the outside world rarely reached the common folk. Only someone of Hong Sword’s standing had access to such knowledge.
Hong Sword’s expression darkened. “Flame Four didn’t lie to us about one thing. The night we hunted Moon Plant was indeed the Ten-Year Molting Cycle. After that night, all wild flora and fauna evolved, advancing at least one full stage. The wilderness is currently impassable. There are now numerous Seven-Seal Level Mutated Beasts, and even creatures rivaling Moon Plant in power.”
“That night, by slaying Moon Plant, we secured the survival of the base. Many smaller bases, however, were annihilated.”
“Among the Five Great Bases, the Southern Base and Frontier Base survived thanks to trial takers, much like us. Upper Capital City endured because of Bai Yuan. Heavenly Prefecture Base was defended by Zuo Tian.”
“For now, the Five Great Bases remain stable.”
As Hong Sword relayed the external developments, Wang Jie absorbed the information.
For the past two years, he had been working as a Guide, deliberately avoiding Hong Sword and his group, and refraining from investigating the outside world. His knowledge had been limited to Golden Hill Base, as reported by Four Eyes. Now, he realized that the world had changed significantly in just two years.
The Five Great Bases had grown larger, absorbing the remnants of fallen minor bases.
Meanwhile, the removal of the top bounty on the list was swiftly noticed across the land.
At Heavenly Prefecture Base, deep in an underground cavern, a young man who appeared to be in his late twenties stood motionless. At his feet lay two corpses, their garments completely different from those of Blue Star, marking them as trial takers.
Further into the shadows, another body lay crumpled in a corner—a third trial taker.
The young man kept his head bowed, his face devoid of emotion.
From outside, a voice called out, “Minister, the top bounty has been removed.”
His eyes snapped open, flashing with a chilling light. “Who?”
“Hong Sword. A man named Wang Jie appeared at Golden Hill Base. His age matches the Minister’s earlier estimation, and he defeated an Eight-Seal Trial Taker.”
The young man’s gaze deepened. “So, it was him. Golden Hill Base, is it? No wonder.”
“Minister, should we contact Hong Sword? After all, the bounty was originally issued by you.”
“No need. Announce to the world—Armor One Sect’s second wave of Eight-Seal Level Trial Takers will arrive the moment someone on Blue Star breaks past the Eight-Seal Level. I, Zuo Tian, call upon all of Blue Star—do not advance beyond Eight Seals, or no one will be able to stop the second wave.”
“Understood.”
Zuo Tian’s declaration spread across Hua Xia in an instant. As one of the Three Gods, his every action drew the world’s attention.
The announcement sent shockwaves through cultivators everywhere.
No one had expected a second wave of trial takers. Zuo Tian’s words not only confirmed the reality of Armor One Sect’s trials, but also served as a dire warning. Whoever broke through to Nine Seals would be branded as a traitor to Hua Xia, for their actions would summon an even greater catastrophe.
With this decree, the public finally understood why trial takers had been assassinating the Three Gods and Five Extremes. The first wave of trial takers didn’t want the second wave to arrive too soon. They sought to monopolize Blue Star’s resources, delaying the arrival of reinforcements until they themselves had advanced beyond Eight Seals and could contend with the newcomers.
Not long after Zuo Tian’s proclamation, one of the Five Extremes, Bu Qiao, was slain in Frontier City. His killers were a five-man squad of trial takers, each at the Seven-Seal Level. The five of them combined left Bu Qiao no chance to resist—he died without putting up a fight.
His death was another stark message to Hua Xia: No one on Blue Star was permitted to surpass Eight Seals.
This was an ironclad law.
After their grim work, the assassins vanished from Frontier City. No one knew their next destination, but their targets were clear—the Three Gods and Five Extremes, or at the very least, every Seven-Seal Level cultivator.
At Golden Hill Base, Wang Jie sat in silence, his brows furrowed as he examined the stream of photographs arriving before him.
Each image depicted scenes of death and destruction wrought by the trial takers. Their actions were precise, calculated. And from the very beginning, their goal had never been to deal with mutated creatures—their first priority had always been Blue Star’s cultivators.
“If this is a trial, then there must be a goal. Did Flame Four ever mention it?” Wang Jie asked.
Hong Sword shook his head. “No.”
Behind him, Feng Yu stood quietly by his side. The group was at Mysterious Lake.
Wang Jie gazed at the still waters. “Logically, we’re all human. Our common enemy should be the mutated creatures. But these trial takers have focused entirely on cultivators. Even Flame Four—he only led the hunt for Moon Plant to obtain Cataclysm Materials. But clearly, those materials are secondary to preventing Blue Star’s cultivators from surpassing Eight Seals.”
He moved toward the lake, crouched down, and extended his hand into the water. Despite the blazing summer heat, the lake was icy cold beneath the surface. As he channeled Seal Power, it spread through the water, seeking something hidden.
Then, he turned to Hong Sword. “Use instruments to locate the coldest part of the lake.”
He had nearly forgotten—why waste Seal Power when a simple thermometer could solve the problem?
At his command, Hong Sword signaled his men to begin scanning the lake.
It wasn’t long before they found it—the southwestern corner of Mysterious Lake.
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