Chapter 194
Chapter 194: The First in Lock Force
After concluding his conversation with Du Xian, Wang Jie directly contacted Zong Cheng Ping.
Zong Cheng Ping did not expect him to return so soon.
“Bring Lie Qiu, Fu An, and the others with me to a place. I’ll let you all see a show.”
Zong Cheng Ping did not refuse.
News of the Devour Star competition had not reached the Lock Path interval. Messages from the Four Great training fields could be transmitted to Black White Heaven in an instant, but news from Black White Heaven would not easily reach the Four Great training fields.
He was willing to listen to Wang Jie because, at the moment, Lock Path interval had no strong cultivators who could restrain Wang Jie.
They were like reeds in the wind, swaying whichever way the wind blew.
The wild winds flattened the grass, and the dim yellow sky was often pierced by the passing of gigantic creatures, occasionally letting out eerie shrieks.
Inside a wooden cabin, Wu Yun furrowed her brows, staring at the sky above. With a subtle movement of her fingers, the enormous creature that had been soaring overhead plummeted to the ground with a loud crash.
“Annoying… I don’t know when I can leave.”
She stepped out of the cabin, gazing at the vast starry sky.
She had been here for a long time. Since the failed attempt to kill Wang Jie and the subsequent bounty on her head, she hadn’t left. No news from the outside world reached her, and her own messages couldn’t get out. It was unbearable to live like this.
All she needed to do was kill Wang Jie.
Once Wang Jie was dead, she could atone for her sins in front of Lady Zhi Shuyoung and use the Zhi family’s power to escape the Fourth Star Cloud. At worst, she would never return.
Where was Wang Jie?
Meanwhile, outside the planet, in the deep expanse of space, the Devour Star slowly approached. Farther away, several other ships drew near, carrying Zong Cheng Ping, Fu An, and the others.
He had called upon the current masters of Lock Path interval to watch this “show.” He intended to make it clear that Lock Path interval was still under his control.
Wu Yun was inside that dim yellow planet. The methods of Star Dome’s vision were truly shocking. How had they tracked Wu Yun’s whereabouts? He couldn’t quite figure it out.
After a while, three ships arrived.
It was time.
Wang Jie stepped out of the cabin and leaped with force, his body shooting toward the dim yellow planet. In no time, he had entered its atmosphere, where the surrounding fiery flames grazed against him, but they had no effect. As he neared the cloud layers, strange flying creatures appeared, and he grabbed one to forcefully alter its course and fly farther away.
On the mountain’s foot, outside the wooden cabin, Wu Yun suddenly turned her head to the distance, sensing approaching cultivators. Without hesitation, she shot into the sky, fleeing toward space. She could not be found by anyone now and had no intention of entangling with any cultivators, regardless of their power.
She shot through the cloud layers at high speed, but behind her came a voice shouting, causing her to stop instinctively.
“Wu Yun.”
She turned around, staring in disbelief. Wang Jie?
The very person she had dreamt of finding—Wang Jie.
Wang Jie stood on the back of the flying creature, steadily approaching her. The dark yellow clouds around him exuded a pungent, irritating smell. With a leap, he stepped forward, his feet light as he advanced with the Sword Step technique. “Let’s finish this.”
Wu Yun’s eyes locked onto Wang Jie, torn with hesitation. Should she attack or not? This young man, clearly not her match, had the audacity to come after her.
Where did he get this confidence?
Did he have help?
Without another thought, she turned and fled. She had no intention of fighting.
Wang Jie had anticipated her escape. Anyone capable of reaching the Black White Heaven deacon rank had to be extremely cautious, even if their combat strength was not overwhelming.
But it was too late to run now.
Though the Wandering Star Realm was fast, Sword Step’s speed was no less impressive.
With a convergence of Qi, invisible energy surged, and Wang Jie pointed his finger—Starry Finger technique.
Stars moved, and a flurry of finger shadows fell from the sky, bombarding Wu Yun. She unleashed Black Snow Star Force, wielding the Darkstar Umbrella and performing the Thousand Snow Umbrella Dance.
The finger shadows rained down, crashing against the umbrella. The overwhelming pressure forced Wu Yun closer to the planet’s surface.
Wu Yun was stunned. Impossible! How could Wang Jie become so strong in such a short time? Her Black Snow Star Force was completely ineffective against him.
Sword Step swirled through the air, crashing into the umbrella handle.
Wu Yun flung the umbrella aside, breaking the Sword Step, only to be met by Wang Jie’s fist, aimed at her with tidal earth energy.
Tidal force crashed into Black Snow Star Force, pushing its way through Star Dome’s high skies, turning the dim yellow planet pitch black in an instant.
The tidal force was overwhelming, stronger with each wave. Wang Jie retracted his fist, releasing the Thunder Pattern.
The red Thunder Pattern clashed against tidal earth.
Wu Yun’s pupils constricted. “Red Thunder Pattern?” She had never imagined that Wang Jie would cultivate the Red Thunder Pattern in such a short time. It required immense wealth and time, both of which he seemingly had in abundance.
From what she knew, only Li Cai, another Wandering Star Realm cultivator, had mastered the Red Thunder Pattern, and even then, Li Cai’s combat power surpassed hers.
Tidal Earth continued to hammer the Red Thunder Pattern, but the pattern held firm, resisting the force without breaking.
In contrast, Han Ling’s effortless destruction of the Red Thunder Pattern seemed even more terrifying.
Wu Yun knew she couldn’t win.
The Red Thunder Pattern itself could withstand an attack of over 100,000 combat power. Wang Jie, able to form the Red Thunder Pattern, must have extraordinary physical strength, which explained his confidence to come at her alone.
She turned and fled.
Black Snow Star Force surged into the sky, threading through Star Dome like a black rainbow. Those watching from outside the planet—Zong Cheng Ping and his team—watched in stunned silence.
They had no idea that the show Wang Jie had planned for them was actually the death of Wu Yun.
Not long ago, Wang Jie had hidden away because of Wu Yun, and now, in such a short time, he was daring to take her down?
Red Heaven Thunder tore through Black Snow Star Force, breaking the sky open.
Above, Wang Jie’s Thunder Pattern shone brightly, and behind him, countless swords slashed toward Wu Yun. She gripped the Darkstar Umbrella tightly, swinging it furiously. As each sword shattered, her hands bled, and each strike drained her energy. The swords seemed endless, striking in unison toward her.
Finally, a sword shattered, knocking the umbrella from her hands.
Wang Jie used Armor Eight Steps, closing the distance between them quickly. Black Snow Star Force had not replenished much from their last battle, which showed how much she had been abandoned. Hiding here, unseen, was the greatest mercy from the Zhi Qing line.
A surge of power, combined with Lock Force, spiraled around him like a vortex, unfurling across the skies. Wang Jie emerged from it and punched toward Wu Yun.
Wu Yun’s pupils shrank. She pushed all of her Black Snow Star Force forward, but it vanished in an instant beneath Wang Jie’s fist.
With a resounding thud, the punch landed, sending her crashing through the cloud layers, her body streaking through the dim yellow sky.
Wu Yun spat blood, the force traveling through her entire body, leaving her powerless. She stared dully at Wang Jie above her, her energy fading away.
Why? How had he grown so strong in such a short time?
A mere Star Breaking Realm cultivator was now more powerful than her, a Wandering Star Realm deacon. It was laughable.
This man, standing tall in the sky, made her feel trapped, unable to escape. In that moment, she saw the same power that had once overwhelmed the best of her peers, those who had ascended to Six Dao Wanderer.
This man was undefeatable.
With a crash, the mountain shattered.
Wu Yun crashed into the earth, crushing a massive mountain beneath her, her body buried deep within.
Wang Jie landed, observing the dissipating energy beneath the earth. His strike had severely wounded her—now, she couldn’t even resist.
He raised a hand toward the starry sky.
On the ship, Zong Cheng Ping and the others were uneasy, sensing Wang Jie’s summons.
They did not hesitate and descended on the planet, converging toward the shattered mountain where Wu Yun had fallen.
Wang Jie looked down. “So, this is the Wu Yun deacon you’ve been bowing to all this time. How does it feel?”
Fu An and Lie Qiu exchanged glances before turning to Zong Cheng Ping, unsure how to respond.
Zong Cheng Ping spoke respectfully, “Compared to the older generation, Brother Wang, Wu Yun is no match.”
The term “younger brother” now seemed inappropriate.
Cui Four smiled obsequiously, “Indeed, Lord Wang is truly the first in Lock Force history. He can even defeat a deacon. In the future, he will surely lead Lock Path interval to greatness in the Fourth Star Cloud.”
Fu An coughed lightly, “I think so too.”
Wang Jie glanced at Lie Qiu.
Lie Qiu pursed her lips and saluted. Though she didn’t speak, her respect for him was evident.
The Wind family also gave a respectful bow.
Wang Jie nodded, then turned his gaze back to the ground. “Come out. Stop playing dead.”
Wu Yun crawled out from the earth, her body stained with blood, looking utterly defeated, on the verge of death.
Wang Jie stepped closer, “Do you regret not killing me back then?”
Wu Yun glared at him coldly, her voice laced with resentment and regret. “If I had known, I would have risked everything to kill you.”
“But who would have guessed you’d improve so quickly?”
Wang Jie laughed lightly. “Consider it a compliment.” He stopped in front of her, “It’s over now.”
With that, he struck with a single palm. Wu Yun’s eyes turned cold as her body hurtled toward the earth. At the same time, her umbrella fell from the sky, unleashing the Black Snow Star Force in one final surge.
Wang Jie had already noticed and easily dodged. He struck with a soft snap.
The Black Snow Star Force exploded against the ground, tearing the planet apart.
But it couldn’t change Wu Yun’s fate.
Her body lay half-buried in the ground, her eyes full of unwillingness.
A proud Black White Heaven deacon, with a bright future, all destroyed by the very Lock Path interval she had once looked down upon.
The planet cracked, and the earth trembled as the winds picked up.
The Black Snow Star Force dissipated into black snowflakes, falling gently.
Wang Jie eyed the storage ring on Wu Yun’s hand. Why not take it? He opened it with her blood, finding only a few useful items. But one item caught Zong Cheng Ping’s attention.
“Steward token?”
Wang Jie turned and shook the token in his hand. “Do you recognize it?”
The earth cracked, and lava erupted.
The planet teetered on the brink of collapse. The Black Snow Star Force’s final blow had been too powerful. It had been aimed at killing Wang Jie.
“Lord, we should leave now,” Cui Four suggested.
Wang Jie nodded. None of them were in the Wandering Star Realm. If they were left stranded in space, things would end badly.
Soon after, on the Devour Star, everyone gathered again.
Zong Cheng Ping held the steward token with admiration. “This token can command millions of disciples in the Full Star Realm. It’s a symbol granted to important figures in the sect. It not only shows authority over disciples, but also indicates the powerful backing of the one who holds it.”
“Otherwise, ordinary people couldn’t possibly obtain it.”
“Wu Yun’s token must have come from the Zhi Upper Realm.”