Chapter 268
Chapter 268: Traitor
Fang He’s gaze darted rapidly, and with a swift leap, he dashed into the distance, searching constantly.
Along the way, none of the Black White Heaven cultivators dared block his path; everyone recognized him, even those who had fought in the battlefield between the Wuchen and Haoqian Domains.
Wang Jie, unaware that Fang He had turned traitor, was also searching for him.
At this moment, he encountered a powerful expert.
Surprisingly, this opponent did not wield a sword technique but used an unusual imprisoning art instead.
Ever since entering the Yunxi Domain, Wang Jie had only faced sword-wielding cultivators—this was the very first exception.
This adversary was an elderly man, his wrinkled face lined heavily, his eyes calculating sharply as they rested on Wang Jie.
The man’s battle strength ranged from three hundred thousand to four hundred thousand. He possessed a unique star force. Each attack began by broadly unleashing his imprisoning technique, forcing Wang Jie back before launching a direct strike.
Even using Armor Eight Steps, Wang Jie could not pierce through that imprisoning barrier.
His only option was to use Sword Rain Technique in wide-ranging attacks to steadily drain the man’s star force.
Seeing Wang Jie’s surprising resilience, the elderly cultivator decisively turned and left, abandoning the fight immediately.
Watching the man’s swift and resolute retreat, Wang Jie knew at once he was experienced and cautious. Indeed, as intelligence had revealed, the reinforcements for Edge Sect came entirely from cultivators outside the Three Great Powers. Suppressed and struggling under the Three Powers, they seldom climbed upward, but those who managed were truly formidable.
Just as Wang Jie thought this, another enemy attacked.
An array of sword qi swept methodically from east to west, like turning gears of destruction.
Wang Jie raised his sword beneath the falling rain; streaks of sword qi slashed diagonally, cleaving the gigantic sword-gear neatly in two and forcing the attackers back in fright.
A sudden chill fell upon him.
Wang Jie immediately leaped away from his spot as a cold light flashed past, splitting a meteorite in half.
That attack felt terribly familiar.
Wang Jie lifted his gaze into the distant stars and saw, standing tall among the cosmic void, Fang He.
“Fang He?”
From afar, Fang He’s face twisted in a cruel smile, “I’ve finally found you, Wang Jie.”
Wang Jie never expected to encounter Fang He here. During the retreat from the Three Domains, he’d asked around about Fang He, but no one had seen him. Rumors said Fang He had been expelled from the Central Command by Tong Shou, perhaps missing the withdrawal entirely.
At that time, Wang Jie’s heart had sunk deeply, knowing such a situation could easily push Fang He toward betrayal.
And now, openly attacking Wang Jie on the battlefield, Fang He had clearly turned traitor.
Wang Jie’s brows knitted tightly. [Trouble.] Fang He’s first target upon betraying would undoubtedly be himself, and he surely wouldn’t relent.
Drawing near, Fang He’s eyes sparkled with murderous excitement and the thrill of vengeance as he spoke, “Wang Jie, it’s time to settle our old grudges and new hatred,” he declared, lifting his blade and slashing down.
Wang Jie’s expression darkened. In true combat strength, he was no match for Fang He, and so he hurriedly dodged.
The blade flashed again, cleaving through yet another meteorite.
Wang Jie sprang away, Sword Step at his feet, carrying him swiftly toward the nearest drifting asteroid. Behind him, blade lights flashed continuously; Fang He laughed heartily, savoring the thrill of hunting Wang Jie down.
Streams of blade energy streaked across space, gradually weaving into a deadly web.
Wang Jie gritted his teeth. If that net formed completely, escape would become impossible. [I have no choice.]
Qi surged and merged.
Lock Force erupted upward, shaking the void. Four swords appeared suspended in space, layering Sword Rain Technique.
Countless sword qi surged forth, slicing outward to block the blade energy streaming across space. Even more sword qi surged directly toward Fang He. Simultaneously, Wang Jie gripped the Thunder Pattern tightly, striking ferociously.
Thunder Pattern slammed into the blade energy from the side, distorting the web momentarily.
Holding his weapon with both hands, Fang He swung down viciously at Wang Jie. Wang Jie unleashed his full strength, unable to reserve anything now.
Clang!
With a deafening roar, Fang He’s blade forced Wang Jie violently into the meteorite below, instantly shattering the giant rock to pieces.
Wang Jie struggled desperately against Fang He’s overwhelming strike, his arm splitting open from the immense pressure, blood seeping through his torn flesh. Roaring in pain, he turned sharply, kicking sideways.
Fang He had never imagined Wang Jie could endure such a blow. This wasn’t sparring; it wasn’t like the time at Central Command when Fang He had been wounded and unable to fully exert himself. Wang Jie was merely at Star Breaking Realm—how could he withstand such power?
Immediately Fang He reversed his blade, forming another miniature blade net around them.
Wang Jie hadn’t expected the net to close so swiftly. Using Bone Motion Art, he forcibly wrenched himself backward, swiftly pointing outward—Starry Finger.
The pointed force surged forward, striking Fang He squarely.
Fang He quickly raised his blade horizontally to block, but the finger strike still knocked him back several steps.
Wang Jie’s power had broken through its second limit, surging swiftly toward ninety-nine times his original strength. His combat prowess rose once more; though still weaker than Fang He, he was no longer powerless. He simply wished to avoid wasting precious energy confronting Fang He on the battlefield.
Yet Fang He saw nothing but Wang Jie.
He cared not for any other battle—he only wanted Wang Jie dead.
[He’s already so powerful at Star Breaking Realm—unheard of! If he breaks through again, he’d surpass even the Six Dao Wanderer realm.] Fang He thought, slashing more fiercely with desperation.
Every stroke was full strength, and each blow forced Wang Jie to endure overwhelming pressure, causing him to cough blood continuously. Thankfully, Wang Jie’s qi had grown substantially, and his Thunder Pattern had reached an azure glow. Though he kept retreating, his life wasn’t yet in imminent danger.
Occasionally, Wang Jie even managed to counterattack using his Observational Qi and wristguard, slightly injuring Fang He.
Injuring a Six Dao Wanderer in full-strength combat—news of such a feat would surely send shockwaves throughout Black White Heaven.
Thinking back to the fight over the Devour Star, Wang Jie recalled how Han Ling had sent him flying with a casual strike. That feeling of powerlessness was now gone. If Fang He didn’t have stronger techniques, prolonging this battle would give Wang Jie the chance to find a weakness using Qi Observation. Even mutual destruction wasn’t impossible.
Hiss.
Blade-light slid across Wang Jie’s wristguard, striking heavily against him. Wang Jie used the wristguard and his Cloud Strand Robe to forcibly block the slash, then smoothly thrust out a finger, striking Fang He’s elbow. Instantly, Fang He’s arm went numb, nearly causing him to drop his blade. This move had once injured Luo Kui. Taking advantage, Wang Jie swiftly released the Middle Tempering Sword Threads, aiming to pierce Fang He’s body.
Yet Fang He, after all, was a Six Dao Wanderer—not easily fooled. Facing the invisible threads, he retreated for the first time.
Wang Jie had never expected him to retreat. Quickly summoning flying swords from his storage ring, he hurled them toward Fang He. [Since you chose to retreat, let’s widen the distance.] Sword Form Technique—Single Line to Heaven. At the same moment, he expanded the rain curtain, overlaying it with the Sword Rain Technique.
Fang He spun his blade swiftly, deflecting the incoming sword qi, only to discover Wang Jie had already stepped away with Sword Step, escaping.
Immediately, Fang He chased after him: “I won’t let you get away!”
Wang Jie glanced back in frustration. Fang He was proving endlessly troublesome. Wang Jie coughed, blood staining his lips. Suddenly, from another direction, a star artifact took on a strange form and surged toward him. [It’s him again—the expert with the imprisoning technique.]
Urgently, Wang Jie swallowed a Swift Movement Pill, accelerating his escape. If surrounded now, it would be the end. He hastily swallowed both a Body Protection Pill and a Revive Pill.
Two streams of starforce closed in from both sides. Wang Jie had no choice left but to use his debt slip. Yet at this critical moment, black flames soared skyward, crashing toward Fang He.
Fang He was startled. Turning swiftly, he cleaved the black flames apart with his blade, then stared in shock: “Han Ling?”
Wang Jie turned as well, calling out in surprise: “Senior Brother Han?”
Han Ling descended, casting a brief glance at Wang Jie before glaring coldly at Fang He: “As a Six Dao Wanderer, you dare betray the sect, Fang He? Do you know your crime?”
Fang He sneered: “It’s not your place to lecture me. Besides, wasn’t my Six Dao Wanderer status stripped away?”
Han Ling raised his Great Sun Halberd: “You abandoned your position on the battlefield—who else can you blame?”
Fang He roared angrily: “I didn’t!” He glared furiously at Wang Jie, shouting, “It’s you! All because of you! I swear I’ll slaughter you!”
Han Ling stepped forward, blocking Fang He’s path: “Leave Fang He to me. This matter is between us Six Dao Wanderers.”
“Thank you, Senior Brother Han,” Wang Jie sighed in relief. With Han Ling holding off Fang He, things became simpler.
Fang He growled: “Han Ling, are you determined to fight me to the death?”
Han Ling replied firmly: “When enemies meet on the battlefield, it’s naturally a fight to the death.”
“Considering our old ties, let me kill Wang Jie. You don’t need to protect him.”
“Sorry, but I can’t allow that.”
“Then die!” Fang He unleashed an attack, his blade-light stretching endlessly. Han Ling swung his Great Sun Halberd, causing black flames to surge as their strikes collided fiercely.
Meanwhile, Wang Jie turned, pursuing the expert who wielded the imprisoning power. [This guy has been targeting me from the shadows—he even attacked when Fang He was chasing me. How despicable. I must eliminate him.]
But Wang Jie couldn’t find him. That man had fled the moment Han Ling appeared. Wang Jie sighed in frustration. [Being targeted by someone like a dagger bearer is the worst on a battlefield. I must be more cautious from now on.]
Glancing briefly at the battle between Six Dao Wanderers, Wang Jie moved away to avoid being caught in the crossfire.
The situation looked grim for Black White Heaven.
After just moments, Wang Jie realized he had retreated far from his earlier position, along with Han Ling. It wasn’t just them—the entire battlefield had shifted backward. Black White Heaven was being Force fully suppressed.
The enemy had too many powerful experts. Previously, notable enemies had been the Three Blades from Blade Gate, along with Cheng Yi and Cheng Feng. Now, however, countless unfamiliar powerhouses had appeared, each with a terrifying combat power of three to four hundred thousand. Many from Black White Heaven had perished miserably.
Even the senior brother who had been stationed here for centuries was dead. Wang Jie had personally witnessed him pierced by ice crystals emitting cicada-like cries, freezing him instantly before shattering him into pieces.
The battlefield retreated further.
Warships exploded continually.
When Elder Luo’s corpse fell from the heavens, Black White Heaven’s morale utterly collapsed.
Han Ling deflected Fang He’s blade strike and turned to escape, pulling Wang Jie along. Wang Jie hadn’t expected Han Ling to care so deeply about him. Though puzzled, Wang Jie certainly wouldn’t refuse being taken away from danger.
Edge Sect pressed forward fiercely.
“Senior Brother Han, have we completely lost this battle?” Wang Jie asked.
Han Ling glanced back, answering: “Not entirely. There’s still one last move left.”
“What?” Wang Jie wondered.
In the next instant, vast ripples surged forth—the power of Star Refining Realm. Wang Jie saw several Star Refining experts rush onto the battlefield, standing firmly to block Edge Sect’s pursuit, cutting off their path to massacre fleeing cultivators.
He understood now—this was their final move. By using the Star Refining battlefield as an impassable abyss, Edge Sect wouldn’t dare advance further. To pursue meant entering the Star Refining Realm’s battlefield, certain death. Black White Heaven cultivators were temporarily safe.
Han Ling breathed a sigh of relief: “As long as our Star Refining experts haven’t fallen, we haven’t truly lost.”
Wang Jie frowned slightly, observing countless Black White Heaven cultivators scrambling away in panic. Many who weren’t Wandering Star Realm frantically jumped across asteroids to reach safety.
“The enemy certainly has more than three Star Refining experts,” Wang Jie murmured.
Han Ling nodded: “So, how long we hold depends entirely on when their other experts make their move.”
Wang Jie couldn’t help but wonder—if the enemy had additional Star Refining experts, why hadn’t they already acted to destroy everyone? Han Ling seemed to read his mind, explaining calmly: “Star Refining Realm experts have already transcended ordinary cultivation. It’s incredibly difficult for them to reach this stage. When they fight, they carefully observe their opponent’s methods to ensure a flawless victory.”
“Otherwise, they risk being dragged down to their deaths.”
“Our three Star Refining experts are quite powerful. Even if the enemy has hidden Star Refining experts, their true aim is waiting for the perfect moment to kill ours in one decisive strike. Cultivators like us have no real value to them.”
“Besides, even if the battlefield shifts forward, Big Dipper Bridge Pillar’s reinforcements would push it back again. It’s a tug-of-war. Killing a Star Refining expert is far more impactful.”