Chapter 228

Chapter 228: Captain

Liu Lin stood at the front of the harbor, waiting in silence. They should be arriving soon.

Before long, a ship appeared.

All eyes locked onto it.

The hatch opened, and one figure after another stepped out—drawing gasps across the docks.

Names spread through the crowd in stunned whispers. Names that shouldn’t have belonged anywhere near a battlefield.

The sect’s rule was simple: all disciples had to enter a Star-Cloud Battlefield at least once. But plenty found ways around it. Others came and never left the Command Hub.

Yet now, so many well-known disciples had arrived at once. It was unprecedented.

“No way… even him?”

“Who?”

“Shi Wei—one of the sect’s White Roamers.”

“What?”

“A White Roamer is here?”

“Forget Shi Wei—look behind him. That’s Young Master Yun Ju!”

“We’re in trouble. I offended Young Master Yun Ju before. I hope he doesn’t recognize me.”

“I heard Young Master Yun Ju caused trouble in the sect and got locked up. How is he here?”

“Which one is Wen Yuan?”

“The formation-path genius. Even he got sent to the battlefield?”

“I thought the three paths couldn’t be forced into battlefield service.”

“And who’s that woman?”

“I just saw Young Master Yun Ju smile at her like he was trying to please her.”

“Don’t know.”

“Never seen her.”

Dozens of cultivators disembarked. Some wore grim expressions, some looked openly annoyed, and some surveyed the dock with arrogant disdain.

Liu Lin watched them and exhaled slowly. Every one of these people was trouble.

“I’m Liu Lin,” he said, voice steady. “Welcome, fellow disciples, to the Ying Yang Battlefield.”

Young Master Yun Ju looked him over with a raised brow. “Senior Brother Liu? It’s been a long time.”

His smile was sharp. “Didn’t expect you to still be alive.”

The harbor crowd shuddered.

Liu Lin’s position here was second only to Senior Sister Yue Jian, and his own strength was high enough that few dared show him disrespect on the Ying Yang Battlefield.

Yet Yun Ju had just stabbed him with a smile.

Liu Lin didn’t even blink. “Luck. I hope your luck is as good as mine, Junior Brother Yun Ju.”

Shi Wei spoke up, calm but firm. “Senior Brother Liu, don’t worry. I’ll keep him in line.”

Yun Ju whirled on him. “Why are you everywhere? Even on the battlefield you follow me—are you sick?”

Shi Wei met his glare without yielding. “Master’s reputation cannot be stained. Yun Ju, correct yourself.”

His voice hardened. “Did you forget what happened not long ago? Master nearly expelled you.”

Yun Ju’s mouth opened, then shut.

Wen Yuan sighed, dragging a hand down his face. “Why am I even here? Someone give me a reason.”

He looked toward a tall, imposing man beside him. “Senior Brother Han, you have to protect me. I’m weak—I can’t even tie up a chicken.”

“Hmph.” Someone behind him laughed. “Brother Wen is too modest.”

Wen Yuan turned, deadpan. “Li Cai, you bring your dad with you too?”

Li Cai’s face darkened. “You’re asking for a beating.”

“Isn’t Elder Li Tong He here? Am I wrong?”

“You—”

The harbor onlookers stared as if watching a dream. When they came, they were thrown into missions like ducks shoved off a cliff. These people were chatting as if they’d come for a stroll.

Liu Lin cleared his throat. “Fellow disciples, I’ll keep it brief. The elders have issued instructions. You may choose missions as you like, but you must reach Battle Trooper at your realm before leaving the battlefield.”

He glanced over the crowd. “Those whose names I call will stay behind. The elders have other arrangements.”

“Yun Ju. Shi Wei. Li Cai. Wen Yuan. Han Song. Zhi Qing Po.”

Six names—also the six strongest Roaming-Star Realm experts in the group.

The others dispersed quickly. Guides appeared from nowhere. Plenty of people wanted to curry favor with the arriving elites.

Yun Ju stared at Liu Lin. “Why are we staying? Say it.”

Liu Lin’s expression didn’t change. “The six of you will form a team. You will obey your captain. No mistakes.”

He let the words settle like cold iron. “If the sect hears from the captain that any of you have been disrespectful, you will be severely punished.”

Wen Yuan blinked. “Who’s the captain?”

Liu Lin’s mouth curved faintly. He turned his head.

A figure approached.

The six looked—and collectively froze.

“Wang Jie?”

“Wang Jie?!”

“That guy?”

Only Han Song looked merely curious. The others all recognized Wang Jie instantly.

Li Cai. Yun Ju. Shi Wei. Wen Yuan. Each had memories from the star-devourer struggle that hadn’t faded.

And Zhi Qing Po—she’d been present during the Milky Way Defense Corporation tournament. Back then she’d been Full-Star Realm, top three in her realm. Now she’d broken through to Roaming-Star Realm, and she remembered Wang Jie too.

Wang Jie had won two fights—one against a Full-Star Realm opponent.

No one had expected him to be placed above all six of them.

Wang Jie hadn’t expected it either. The thought of leading this group gave him a headache.

How was he supposed to keep this from turning into chaos?

Yun Ju was the first to explode. “Are you joking? Him as captain? Captain over me, Yun Ju? Is he worthy?”

Han Song sized Wang Jie up.

So this was Wang Jie—the one who could refine star-refining pills, the one Senior Sister Mo praised so highly.

Han Song hadn’t participated in the Milky Way Defense Corporation challenge due to seclusion, but he’d heard Wang Jie won two matches and salvaged the sect’s dignity.

He still couldn’t imagine how a lockforce cultivator did it.

And his Master had said Celestial Master Bai Ye had her eyes on this man.

Wen Yuan grimaced. “I don’t agree.”

Li Cai echoed, “Me neither.”

Liu Lin looked at them, unimpressed. “I’m announcing a sect order. I didn’t ask whether you agree.”

He turned to Wang Jie. “They’re yours.”

Then he left quickly—like a man fleeing a fire. Even standing near this group gave him a headache.

He also dispersed the gathering crowd before things could get uglier.

Wang Jie stepped in front of the six. His expression was mild, almost friendly. “Hello. We meet again.”

Yun Ju’s gaze was sharp as a knife. “What dirty trick did you use to become our captain? Let me tell you—undo it yourself. Otherwise, if something happens on the battlefield, don’t blame me.”

Blatant threat.

Wang Jie didn’t even flinch. He’d never expected Yun Ju to show up here after the pill-assembly incident. Qi Xue Yin had once said she’d handle him, but the skeleton clan’s appearance must have swept that aside—Yun Ju was still breathing.

Wang Jie ignored Yun Ju and looked at Zhi Qing Po. “You broke through to Roaming-Star Realm?”

Zhi Qing Po nodded, surprisingly neutral toward him. “Not long ago.”

Wang Jie nodded and turned to the one with the strongest aura. “You must be Expert Artisan Han Song. Senior Brother Han.”

Han Song’s features were rough, but his voice was steady. “That’s me. I’ll be relying on you out here, Junior Brother.”

Wang Jie smiled. “Then don’t blame me if I end up dragging everyone down.”

He looked at Li Cai and Wen Yuan next. Before he could speak—

Yun Ju stepped forward, blocking his view. “Wang Jie. I’m talking to you. Do you hear me?”

Wang Jie looked down at him, expression cooling. “If you don’t want to be here, then get lost.”

Yun Ju’s face twisted. He struck with a palm.

Wang Jie met it head-on.

A sharp impact. Starforce and lockforce collided, and in the next instant prison flame surged toward Wang Jie—only to be blocked by the thick lockforce surrounding him.

Wang Jie pressed down. His fingers curled and seized Yun Ju’s palm, forcing it back.

Yun Ju watched in disbelief as his wrist bent the wrong way, pain flashing white behind his eyes. He tried to burst his starforce, but Wang Jie’s lockforce was vast—overwhelmingly vast.

Crack.

Yun Ju’s wrist snapped.

His eyes went feral. “Wang Jie! You’re courting death!”

Wang Jie’s gaze remained cold. He flung Yun Ju aside with a casual backhand.

Yun Ju fought to keep his footing, stumbling back several steps. Rage exploded in him—he surged forward again.

“Stop.”

Li Tong He appeared, voice like a hammer.

Yun Ju froze, face twisting through anger and restraint. He glared at Wang Jie as if he wanted to tear him apart.

Wang Jie stood with his hands behind his back, unmoving.

That brief exchange had rattled Li Cai and the others.

They knew Yun Ju’s strength. If Yun Ju had been broken that quickly, they wouldn’t fare much better.

It wasn’t a full battle, but it proved one thing: Wang Jie had the power to lead.

“Greetings, Elder Li.”

“Greetings, Elder.”

“Father.”

Li Tong He’s gaze swept the six. “You have objections to the sect’s appointment?”

Yun Ju lifted his chin. “Elder, what right does Wang Jie have to be our captain? He’s just a lockforce loser who disguises himself as a woman and uses dirty tricks to compete.”

Li Tong He looked at him calmly. “Is that so? Then why is your wrist broken?”

Yun Ju’s jaw tightened. “I was careless. His strength is strange. In a true fight, I wouldn’t lose.”

Li Tong He shook his head. “If all of you think like that, then the sect made the right decision.”

He didn’t raise his voice, but it carried weight. “You’re the sect’s elite. You’ve entered a Star-Cloud Battlefield before. Do you truly not understand what matters here?”

“Realm, fairness—none of that saves you. Surviving does.”

His eyes narrowed. “Just now, if Wang Jie wanted to kill you, you couldn’t have escaped.”

Yun Ju wanted to argue, but he couldn’t. He hated Wang Jie, but he wasn’t stupid.

Wang Jie’s lockforce could withstand his prison flame starforce. Even ordinary starforce cultivators at the same realm couldn’t do that.

That meant Wang Jie’s cultivation power was genuinely comparable to Roaming-Star Realm.

And his physical strength was even more frightening—Yun Ju’s wrist had snapped before he could even mount a defense.

Li Cai blurted, “Father, I don’t want to be in his team.”

Li Tong He’s expression turned thunderous. “Shut up. If I tell you to join, you join. Stop talking.”

He wasn’t nearly as patient with Li Cai as he was with Yun Ju.

Wen Yuan threw Li Cai a sympathetic look.

Li Tong He’s gaze returned to all six. “Did you miss what Liu Lin said?”

“If the sect hears from the captain that any of you have been disrespectful, you will be severely punished.”

His voice hardened. “That isn’t a joke. It was jointly set by the sect’s Black-and-White Realms Realm Lord, the Elder Council, and Zhi Upper Realm.”

He paused, letting the implication settle. “Severe punishment has no upper limit. It can include execution.”

The six went pale.

Execution? Over team discipline?

Wasn’t this just… joining a squad?

Why had it been raised to this level?