Chapter 263

Chapter 263: Trying to Run Again?

Fang He stared at Wang Jie, face twisted. “You slandered me first!”

“It has nothing to do with me,” Wang Jie replied evenly.

“If it wasn’t you, who was it?” Fang He roared, then coughed blood again as his injuries stirred.

He truly was hurt from that outing with Song Yan—several places in his body were clogged and sluggish, visible under Qi Sight. But it hadn’t been severe.

What made it severe was the Chief Huntsman breaking his starforce and cutting off Rakshasa Dance mid-execution. The backlash had bitten hard.

Elder Luo stared at Fang He. “Wang Jie has been in seclusion for over ten days. He only came out today. How could he have spread rumors about you during that time?”

Fang He froze.

In his mind, it had to be Wang Jie. The “coward who flees” reputation started with him. And on the day Fang He left with Song Yan, Wang Jie had publicly said they’d return with only Fang He alive.

That single line was poisoning him now—turning him into a joke people whispered about.

But when Fang He returned, Wang Jie wasn’t even here.

Elder Luo’s gaze sharpened. “Enough. Go see the Chief Huntsman yourself later.”

He waved. “Leave.”

Fang He shot Wang Jie one last hateful look and stormed off.

Wang Jie bowed slightly to Elder Luo. “Thank you, Elder.”

Elder Luo didn’t respond, only looked at Wang Jie with a complex expression before walking away.

A star-breaking realm lockforce cultivator… holding off a Six-Path Roamer’s killing moves.

It was absurd.

The cultivators nearby stared at Wang Jie as if he were a legend.

Wang Jie exhaled slowly.

A Six-Path Roamer was still terrifying. The gap wasn’t a lie.

But Fang He’s life was about to become miserable.

Not because anyone could prove he fled today—there were no witnesses who mattered. Fang He could always argue, and no one could pin him down. Even the Chief Huntsman couldn’t punish him on rumors alone.

What would ruin him was something else.

A card.

During that palm strike—when Wang Jie hit Fang He’s abdomen—he’d planted a card on him.

A woman’s swimsuit.

This was the Cloudstream Domain. That didn’t mean anyone could swim. And who, in war, carried swimwear?

Now Wang Jie wanted to see Fang He suffer.

Cards had to be thrown away immediately; if you hesitated even a little, they vanished. The card on Fang He had already disappeared. Fang He still didn’t realize it had ever been there. He was probably thinking only about how to explain himself to Chief Huntsman Shuang Jin.

Wang Jie went out to explore afterward. A surprising number of people tried to follow and form a team around him.

He almost laughed. He was a traitor too.

At least he wouldn’t sacrifice them.

Xiao Rong came along as well.

Over the next stretch, Wang Jie explored the area repeatedly.

Edge Gate’s behavior grew stranger by the day—quiet, too quiet.

Fang He’s misery, on the other hand, blossomed immediately.

Rumor said the Chief Huntsman had scolded him. Rumor also said no one was willing to go out with him anymore. On the battlefield, people avoided him like plague.

Fang He couldn’t even cultivate.

His mind was flooded with one insane desire: find a woman’s swimsuit.

Why?

How could he want that?

Was he losing his mind?

And then it got worse—every time he saw a woman, his gaze shifted in ways that made people uncomfortable.

That was how the rumor started.

Then came the day the command hub issued a full muster.

Three elders rose into the sky. Ahead, planet after planet linked together into a moving chain, surging toward the fog.

Thousands of planets moved as one.

Across the cloudstream, the other side formed as well—over a thousand enemy planets gathering, charging in.

The battle of a thousand planets began.

Planets slammed into planets. The roar of slaughter shook the void.

A million cultivators collided, above and below, everywhere at once.

Wang Jie dove into the fight and immediately unleashed Rain Sword Art.

Rain washed the battlefield. Sword qi turned the air into blades. Even Black-White Heaven cultivators kept their distance—no one wanted to be “accidentally” cut apart. Edge Gate’s disciples avoided him entirely.

Wang Jie fought without restraint.

Far away, Luo Kui caught sight of the rain and recognized it instantly.

Wang Jie.

The bastard showed no sign of being a traitor. He slaughtered as if he belonged.

“Luo Kui,” Fang He roared, charging straight toward him. “Fight to the death!”

He needed to wash away months of humiliation. If he killed Luo Kui, everything would change. And he still had to drag Song Yan—traitor—out of the shadows.

Luo Kui laughed. “Fang He, you still dare come at me? Defeated dog.”

Blade light filled the space between them.

Wang Jie glanced over. Fang He was desperate enough to challenge Luo Kui head-on.

Edge Gate’s overall strength surpassed Black-White Heaven. The Three Swords of Edge Gate stood above the Six-Path Roamers.

Fang He beating Luo Kui was unlikely.

But if Fang He fought Luo Kui to the last breath—if he bled enough—people might stop whispering about cowardice.

Wang Jie’s eyes narrowed.

That couldn’t be allowed.

A familiar chill suddenly swept the air.

Sword Spine.

Wang Jie turned and saw Cheng Yi coming at him, blade thrusting. Beside her, Cheng Feng charged in with a downward strike.

Wang Jie extended a finger.

Myriad-Stars Finger.

Starlight seemed to turn as his finger shadow condensed. It met Sword Spine head-on.

The collision cracked the air.

Sword Spine shattered inch by inch.

Cheng Yi’s eyes widened. “Old Brother—be careful!”

Cheng Feng’s sword came down with full starforce behind it.

Wang Jie looked up and smiled.

Lockforce surged backward like a hurricane, slamming into Cheng Feng and forcing him off balance. Cheng Feng landed hard, breath catching, nearly vomiting blood.

“How—?” Cheng Feng staggered.

Wang Jie closed the distance with Jia Eight Steps.

Before he arrived, rain fell.

Cheng Feng felt the sword intent in the rain and tried to retreat—but it was too late.

Rain Sword Art spread wide. Sword qi tore his skin open in a dozen places.

Cheng Yi shot forward and blasted starforce upward, twisting the rain aside. Her eyes locked on Wang Jie. “You broke through?”

Wang Jie’s gaze turned sharp. “I’ve been waiting. Come together.”

He surged in with Sword Steps, sword drawn. A horizontal slash rang out.

Steel met steel. Cheng Yi was knocked back.

Lockforce, starforce—Wang Jie didn’t yield.

With qi and strength reinforcing him, Cheng Yi nearly failed to hold her ground. She grabbed Cheng Feng and retreated.

Cheng Feng tried to strike again, but Cheng Yi stopped him. “No. You’re not his match anymore. Fall back.”

Behind Wang Jie, a second sword formed—then a third.

Three swords stacked within Rain Sword Art and plunged down.

Cheng Yi’s pupils contracted. “Retreat—now!”

Cheng Feng didn’t hesitate. He wanted to fight, not die.

Wang Jie started to pursue—

And a bright, smiling figure landed in his path.

“We should play,” she said cheerfully.

Wang Jie’s scalp tightened.

Hou Xiao.

She looked at him, eyes sparkling, then laughed. “Rain Sword Art never said it could stack.”

Wang Jie frowned. “It never said it couldn’t.”

“You hid a trick. Let me test it.”

Her sword quivered.

A crane’s cry rang through the void—and sword qi appeared so fast it barely existed.

Wang Jie threw himself backward.

The space he’d occupied split, the scar cutting clean through the planet and dropping into the cloudstream.

Wang Jie’s face hardened. He hadn’t even seen the sword qi—only its trace in qi. Without Qi Sight, that strike would’ve been lethal.

Hou Xiao smiled sweetly. “Careful. That’s Sound Sword Art.”

She laughed again and flowed through the void like a drifting flower. The crane cry returned.

Wang Jie felt pressure similar to Fang He’s.

This girl had Six-Path Roamer strength.

He’d never known.

“Why are you chasing me?” Wang Jie snapped, darting away.

“Because you hid it,” Hou Xiao said brightly.

“I didn’t hide anything. You didn’t understand it well enough. That’s not my problem.”

“You never said it could stack,” she said, eyes narrowing. “Teach me.”

“Are you insane?”

“We’ll see if your mouth is hard or my sword is hard.”

“I’m a traitor,” Wang Jie shot back, still dodging.

Hou Xiao blinked. “You’re proud of that? What does it have to do with me? I’m not from Edge Gate.”

Wang Jie was speechless.

Hou Xiao’s sword qi tore open the battlefield wherever it passed. Black-White Heaven and Edge Gate cultivators avoided them both, giving them a wide, empty corridor. No one could hear what they were saying.

She wasn’t truly trying to kill him—he felt no killing intent—but she suppressed him so thoroughly it was humiliating.

At last, she paused, sword half-raised. “Still not talking? Then I’ll use more strength.”

“I can’t teach you,” Wang Jie said, breath tight. “Everyone’s understanding of Yi Sword Art is different.”

Hou Xiao snorted. “So you’re saying your sword dao comprehension is better than mine?”

Wang Jie exhaled and lowered his voice. “You want to get me killed. Above us is the hundred-star realm battlefield. If they notice something wrong with me, how am I supposed to teach you afterward?”

He forced a calm smile. “I’m a traitor. I’ll join Edge Gate sooner or later. We’ll see each other all the time. Plenty of time to teach you. Don’t ruin yourself.”

Hou Xiao froze, then nodded. “That’s true. No need to rush.”

Wang Jie loosened his grip on his breath, then flicked his eyes toward the distance—toward Fang He still fighting Luo Kui like a madman.

He looked back at Hou Xiao. “Do me a favor.”

Hou Xiao raised a brow. “Not killing you is already generosity, and you still want help?”

“If I finish my business sooner,” Wang Jie said smoothly, “I return to Edge Gate sooner. Isn’t that good?”

Hou Xiao tilted her head. “Say it.”

“I want Fang He beyond redemption.”

In the distance, Fang He’s hands were torn, the skin at his grip split open. His aura shook, bloodshot eyes fixed on Luo Kui.

Luo Kui panted, grinning despite the strain. “You’re really insane.”

Fang He swung One Blade with pure desperation—trading wounds for wounds. He wanted everyone to see him fighting, to see that he was a Six-Path Roamer.

Then the crane’s cry rang out.

Fang He’s hair stood on end. He dodged instinctively.

Sound Sword Art cut the air, a distant slash that still shook his bones.

Hou Xiao’s voice carried, bright and merciless. “Fang He. Die.”

Luo Kui’s eyes widened. “Junior Sister—he’s mine.”

Hou Xiao laughed. “Senior Brother, today we kill a Six-Path Roamer together and earn merit. He has to die.”

Luo Kui didn’t understand her sudden interference, but on a battlefield, you didn’t waste gifts.

Now Fang He was caught between them. Luo Kui already pressed him. Hou Xiao’s strength was just as terrifying.

Fang He began to retreat.

This wasn’t the time to trade wounds. Not when death was within reach.

He scanned the skies wildly.

Where were the sect’s roaming-star realm elders? Not a single one had stepped in.

As the swords closed in, Fang He turned—fleeing.

And Wang Jie’s voice rang out across the battlefield, loud enough to be heard by everyone.

“Fang He—trying to run again?”