63: madman

Chen Ze and the other two had slowly woken up due to Jiang Tianlong's spiritual stimulation just now, and Jiang Chen and Feng Qingyi seized the final opportunity to launch an attack.

But ultimately, they were a step too slow. Chen Ze had already woken up first and immediately pushed the person next to him out.

That Squad Leader of the Fusang Dark Guards was engulfed by monstrous, scorching flames before he could even react. Without the defense of the beast taming armor, he was reduced to charcoal in just a moment.

However, Chen Ze was completely unharmed, which meant the situation remained extremely grim. The enemy still had two high-level combatants.

Chen Ze looked around, still slightly shaken. He was now unsure whether he was still inside the dream realm.

He exchanged glances with the other Squad Leader beside him, seeing the same confusion and fear reflected in the other man's eyes.

He understood immediately that the other man must have experienced the exact same dream.

The man now seemed completely deranged, muttering continuously, "How about that? Didn't I tell you? The Dream Realm! Everything is the Dream Realm! Who among you can guarantee that we aren't dreaming right now?"

In truth, the dream realm is fundamentally not the real world and contains many illogical aspects.

For instance, just now he clearly had burns on his body, yet he felt no pain.

However, the dream realm also numbed their brains, preventing those within the dream from noticing the illogicalities.

But the pain from the wounds now is undeniably real. This must be reality... right?

"This time... it must be reality. The pain from the wounds... it can't be fake..." Chen Ze said, lacking confidence.

He subtly took a step back, hiding himself behind the other man.

If Jiang Tianlong hadn't shouted to wake them up just now, they probably would have been easily killed while still asleep in the dream realm. The feeling of defenseless death within a dream was truly unbearable.

He finally understood the terror of that Dream Demon and why the higher-ups in Fusang were so wary of it.

What he didn't know was that the power Lin Xi had left on Su Ze had already been exhausted when so many people were simultaneously drawn into the dream realm; now, they were merely being wary of thin air.

"One of them is dead and the other is crazy. Now only I remain, yet the enemy has two combatants of equal rank: Jiang Chen and the Golden Feather Phoenix Bird. It seems today's mission cannot be completed..."

But what made Chen Ze feel deeply uneasy was that with only one person left, even attempting to retreat would be extremely difficult now.

After all, the Mirage Beast's mist still surrounded them. Even the Dark Guards' Shadow Evasion Technique would get lost in the fog; they only managed to enter by utilizing Jiang Chen's shadow.

"It seems I am destined to fall here today. I never expected my first mission after revealing my identity to end in failure... I have failed His Majesty the Emperor!"

Su Ze and his companions were unaware that the opponent had one deranged member who was out of commission, and they still feared having to face two high-level combatants.

It was precisely because Jiang Tianlong's actions had made them miss the perfect opportunity that this happened. Guo Linshan turned around and angrily rebuked Jiang Tianlong, who was struggling to get up from the ground: "Jiang Tianlong! Do you know what you are doing?!"

His bloodstained face carried a crazed smile: "What am I doing? Naturally, I'm dealing with you!"

Jiang Chen, standing nearby, loudly advised him: "Young Master Tianlong, stop! These guys are Fusang Dark Guards. Helping them is useless to the Jiang Family. Moreover, if you let them steal the Diamond-rank Demonic Beast, the consequences will be unimaginable!"

Jiang Tianlong glanced at him and said indifferently: "The Jiang Family? My current thoughts have nothing to do with the Jiang Family. I just want him dead!"

Jiang Tianlong glared fiercely at Su Ze.

He was the genius of the Jiang Family, a favored child of heaven, yet he was knocked down by a peasant born from humble roots. He could not tolerate it!

What made it even harder to accept was that he could feel his contracted beast, the Aurora Unicorn, had been crippled by Su Ze in the recent battle!

His contracted beast being crippled meant that he, as a Beast Tamer, would also stop here, and from now on, there would be no place for him in the Jiang Family.

He would become a marginalized figure, just like Jiang Chen, humbly flattering other family members until he grew old.

Therefore, Jiang Tianlong's goal was no longer to seize the Demonic Beast for the Jiang Family or for himself, but simply to kill Su Ze. It didn't matter who he cooperated with!

He forcefully manipulated his heavily injured contracted beast, slowly pulling away from Su Ze and the others, forming a pincer attack formation with Chen Ze's group.

Only then did he shout loudly: "Elder Chen, let's cooperate! Although one of your men died, adding me means it's still three against two. They have no chance of winning! I only want to kill this boy; the rest belongs entirely to you!"

Chen Ze was stunned for a moment. He was just worrying about finding someone to cover his retreat, and unexpectedly, Jiang Tianlong delivered himself right to their doorstep.

This was truly a pillow delivered when one was sleepy. He quickly nodded and agreed: "Fine! You hold back that Phoenix Bird, and we'll deal with that old fellow Jiang Chen. Once we defeat him, we'll come and help you!"

Although the Golden Feather Phoenix Bird was much harder to deal with than Jiang Chen.

But precisely because of this, Chen Ze and the other man could quickly dispose of Jiang Chen and come to his aid, so Jiang Tianlong nodded without suspicion.

The battle resumed. Just as Chen Ze had said, Jiang Tianlong propped up his injured body and actively sought out Su Ze and the Golden Feather Phoenix Bird.

He shouted loudly: "Boy, you used outside help to defeat me just now. That's dishonorable! If you have the guts, let's go again!"

Su Ze ignored him, tossing the platinum egg in his hand to Feng Qingyi, who was flying overhead, and she snatched it with her massive claws.

"Haven't you always wanted to eat this platinum egg? I'm giving it to you now. Eat it quickly to replenish your strength. After dealing with this guy, we'll go help Jiang Chen. He won't last long fighting two people!"

Jiang Tianlong's eyebrow twitched upon seeing this. He had just been defeated by Su Ze using this exact tactic. Was it going to be replayed now by Su Ze's contracted beast?

But Feng Qingyi tossed the egg back. A clear, girlish voice, tinged with anger, came from her sharp beak: "I don't need it. Was it you who locked down my Weaponization just now and then bullied my master?"

"Fine, I will defeat you right now without relying on external help, so you lose willingly and completely convinced!"

Feng Qingyi breathed fire and began fighting Jiang Tianlong. Although her consumption was high, Jiang Tianlong was, after all, severely injured, so Feng Qingyi held the advantage, but couldn't finish the fight quickly.

The problem was, how long could Jiang Chen hold out under the pincer attack of two opponents?

Once he was dealt with, it would be too late when all three opponents attacked Feng Qingyi together.

Su Ze was about to stop Feng Qingyi's willful behavior when he realized that Jiang Chen's situation didn't seem as dangerous as he had thought.

Only Chen Ze was fighting him. As for the other man, he was standing still, muttering to himself about something unknown.

"Has he still not woken up? Is he sleepwalking now?"

Su Ze was confused, and Jiang Tianlong started cursing loudly: "Chen Ze, what are you doing? You promised to quickly deal with Jiang Chen and come help me?!"

Chen Ze did not reply. During his fight with Jiang Chen, he was constantly trying to retrieve the mirage pearl from the Mirage Beast's shell.

As the saying goes, where there's a snake's nest, there must be an antidote plant nearby.

The best tool for dispelling the Mirage Beast's mist was the mirage pearl inside its shell. As long as he got it, Chen Ze could escape by slipping into the shadows.

And Jiang Chen, who was fighting him, finally understood.

"Chen Ze, you tricked Young Master Tianlong! That Fusang Dark Guard is somehow compromised and is no longer a combatant, so you realized you had no chance of winning and never planned to fight to the end? You intended to steal my mirage pearl and run away from the start?"

His voice was extremely loud, and Jiang Tianlong, who was struggling desperately under Feng Qingyi's flames nearby, heard it clearly.

"You... dare to deceive me?!"

He let out a full-throated roar, but simultaneously, relying on his superior combat experience, Chen Ze finally pried open the Mirage Beast's shell and grasped the mirage pearl inside.

Just as he was about to pull it out.

The deranged Fusang Dark Guard Squad Leader, whom he had forgotten about, suddenly muttered to himself: "The Dream Realm, it's all the Dream Realm... This is a dream that has trapped me for over ten years. I must break it..."

Following this, the armor formed by his contracted beast suddenly burst forth with dazzling light, and beneath the light was terrifying power about to erupt!

"Lunatic! Are you going to self-destruct?!"