186: Chapter 186 The Divine Thorn Displays Its Power Once Again

"Team Leader Li!"

"Senior Brother Li!"

Exclamations exploded above the fortress.

Ling Feng and all other garrisoned God Realm experts were completely stunned by Li Wen's incredibly reckless, almost suicidal move.

They never expected that at a moment when the disparity between enemy and ally was despairingly vast, Li Wen would not only refuse to retreat or seek any possible chance of survival but instead choose the most direct and dangerous method: drawing his blade and charging head-on!

"Hmph! Overestimating yourself, seeking death!" Li Wen's actions completely shattered the playful mindset of the Leader of the Snake Department; this naked provocation instantly ignited his fury.

Facing the incoming sharp blade light, he no longer held anything back.

With a cold snort, the terrifying power of a Top Tier Marquis erupted. Substantial black energy currents coiled around his arm, and he slammed a palm toward the blade edge.

Boom!

Blade and palm collided, and blinding energy light erupted at the core. The violent shockwave spread outward like a ring-shaped tsunami.

The sturdy alloy ground of the fortress cracked inch by inch, and the defensive barrier flickered violently, emitting an unbearable humming sound.

As the light dispersed slightly, Li Wen's figure was shaken back more than ten meters. Every step left clear indentations on the alloy floor. His face was slightly pale, and the arm holding his blade trembled slightly.

But those deep eyes of his became cold and sharp at the moment of collision, as if all emotional fluctuations had frozen—[Absolute Focus], activate!

Not only that, his Primordial Spirit Power surged suddenly, like galloping lava, injecting into his vast ocean of true energy without reservation.

True energy and Primordial Spirit Power were forcibly fused, compressed, and sublimated under this extreme state!

A brand new, completely different powerful aura suddenly rose from Li Wen, instantly breaking through the shackles brought by the Top Tier Marquis's pressure.

"What?!"

"This—this power—"

Not only did the pupils of the Leader of the Snake Department shrink suddenly, revealing an expression of disbelief, but even Ling Feng and the others within the fortress clearly felt the drastic change in Li Wen's aura.

That was a kind of power fluctuation that had stepped into the true Marquis Level Domain!

Although they could feel that this power was full of explosive force and seemed difficult to sustain, at this moment, Li Wen had indeed reached the level of a "normal Marquis" in terms of energy hierarchy.

"Late Stage Great Sun Realm—actually possessing normal Marquis Level combat power? How is that possible!" The shock in the heart of the Leader of the Snake Department was beyond measure.

He knew Li Wen was strong; intelligence indicated he had strength on the edge of the threshold marquis level, but the scene before him completely overturned his perception.

A Great Sun Realm God Realm expert being able to touch the threshold marquis level was already a mythical existence, and possessing normal Marquis Level combat power—that was simply an unimaginable monster.

A trace of extremely subtle apprehension quietly sprouted in his heart for the first time.

Li Wen did not pause at all and attacked again with his blade.

Driven by the true energy fused with Primordial Spirit Power, his blade light became more condensed, faster, and its trajectory even more elusive.

He displayed the exquisite Blade Techniques of the "Profound Vault Rainbow Silence Chapter" to the limit, sometimes like a sudden thunderclap, sometimes like drifting clouds.

The Leader of the Snake Department was, after all, a Top Tier Marquis, and his underlying strength far exceeded Li Wen's at this moment.

After the initial shock, he quickly adjusted. Black mist churned around his body, and his methods were ruthless and tricky.

Every collision left Li Wen looking quite strained; he was clearly at a disadvantage, and the wounds on his body were constantly increasing. Under absolute power suppression, technique could hardly fully compensate for the gap.

But Li Wen was not flustered at all. He fought and retreated, and as his blade light crisscrossed, he intentionally led the battlefield toward the desolate area far away from the Changning City urban area.

He was not trying to escape, but to create a place that was spacious enough and would not affect the city.

"Trying to lure me away? Hmph, no matter what tricks you play, you will definitely die tonight!" The Leader of the Snake Department saw through Li Wen's intention, a cold sneer appearing at the corner of his mouth.

He was indeed shocked by Li Wen's combat power, but the self-confidence of a Top Tier Marquis made him fearless.

He had come on the orders of Great Demon King Fu Yan, and the most important task was to kill Li Wen and avenge Fox Demon Fu Ye.

As for whether Li Wen was resisting or trying to lure him out, the outcome would be the same.

His offensive became increasingly fierce, following closely. The two were like two meteors, rapidly moving away from the brightly lit Changning City while fighting fiercely.

Just as the figures of Li Wen and the Leader of the Snake Department were about to disappear into the distant skyline, Ling Feng suddenly came to his senses, his expression grave to the extreme.

He did not hesitate, pressing the red distress button that represented the highest level.

The distress signal was instantly transmitted through the encrypted communication channel to the Kindling Hall headquarters and the higher-level command hub.

The potential Li Wen displayed was too shocking; such a Genius must absolutely not fall here.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of miles away, at the back mountain of Wudao Peak of Kindling University.

Under a rustic pavilion, the white-haired Principal sat cross-legged, appearing calm.

But floating in front of him were dozens of light screens made of pure energy, on which real-time battle reports, energy readings, distress information, and friend-or-foe identification signs from Interstellar Gate fortresses all over Blue Star flowed like waterfalls.

More than a dozen God Realm officers with calm auras surrounded him.

Fingers tapped rapidly on virtual keyboards, and they reported, analyzed, and proposed suggestions in low and fast voices; the atmosphere was tense to the extreme.

This was one of the "nerve centers" for the strategic command of the entire Human Race defense line.

"Report to the Principal, highest-level distress from Changning City fortress, confirmed appearance of Top Tier Marquis combat power. Garrison Captain Li Wen has erupted with Marquis Level combat power and is luring him away from the fortress area, requesting emergency King-rank support."

A God Realm officer in charge of information aggregation immediately distilled Ling Feng's distress information and reported it at a very fast pace.

The white-haired Principal's gaze swept across the light screen representing the Changning City area instantly.

His eyes flickered imperceptibly, then returned to calm.

"Li Wen? Lured him away?" the Principal muttered to himself in a low voice. Almost at the same time he heard this news, he quietly sensed the sword imprint he had left deep in Li Wen's Sea of Consciousness years ago as a life-saving trump card in the depths of his mind.

The sword imprint was still silent, safe and sound, and had not been activated.

This discovery gave the Principal confidence.

He understood this Disciple's combat style and trump cards. If not for absolute certainty of a comeback, with Li Wen's caution, he would never do such a thing by luring a Top Tier Marquis away.

And this "certainty," the Principal guessed almost instantly—it must be that "God-Shocking Sting" Primordial Spirit secret technique that had been nurtured to the seventh layer of Perfection.

This kid was probably planning to use this trump card in a deserted place to avoid exposing his hand.

"No need to dispatch additional support." The Principal's steady voice rang out in the pavilion, clearly reaching every officer's ears. "My Clone will personally go over there to ensure nothing goes wrong."

He said this sentence decisively, both to reassure the officers in the command hub and as a strategic declaration.

However, only the Principal himself knew that the "Clone" he said would "personally go over there" was currently sitting firmly in the most critical, high-pressure Shanyu Pass.

He dared not mobilize it at all.

Once there was a vacancy in the top combat power at Shanyu Pass, and it was discovered by the Yao Race Great Demon Kings and they took the opportunity to break through, the consequences would be catastrophic, and the entire Blue Star defense line might collapse because of this.

His so-called "Clone is heading there" was merely to provide cover for Li Wen's subsequent actions, continuing to keep Li Wen's Primordial Spirit trump card a secret.

Let outsiders think that it was his Clone who killed the Leader of the Snake Department, not Li Wen of the Great Sun Realm.

However, even with this deduction and plan, the Principal could not help but feel strong waves in his heart.

After just a few years of training down the mountain, from a little guy in the Bright Moon Realm to now, he actually had the confidence to face and plan the killing of a Top Tier Marquis alone? This speed of progress was even more terrifying than he had expected.

"It seems—this kid not only has the seventh layer of 'God-Shocking Sting' completely perfected and nurtured," the Principal's deep gaze seemed to pierce through space, landing in the distant south, "but his Primordial Spirit Realm has probably also successfully broken through to the fourth layer, the Day-Roaming Realm."

Only with such a powerful Primordial Spirit as support could it carry the might of the seventh-layer God-Shocking Sting and grant him such unreasonable cross-Realm combat power.

The Principal's thoughts surged, but his surface remained as calm as an ancient well. His gaze refocused on the huge array of light screens in front of him representing the smoke of war everywhere on Blue Star, continuing to calmly handle the battle instructions concerning the fate of the entire Human Race.

Fine rain twisted and evaporated in the energy-agitated air.

In the desolate valley on the outskirts of Changning City, two figures moved at high speed, carrying violent air currents; every collision caused the rocks to shatter and the ground to tremble.

Li Wen's body was surging with the Fusion of True Qi and Primordial Spirit Power, and the long blade in his hand unleashed brilliant blade beams that tore through the night, each strike carrying a heart-stopping weight and sharpness.

His opponent, the new Leader of the Snake Department of the Shadow Organization, had his face hidden beneath a hood, his movement technique as eerie as a slithering viper, and a pair of hands covered in scale patterns flying about.

Whether parrying or counterattacking, his fingertips exuded a condensed, jet-black sharpness that struck at the nodes of Li Wen's Intent, neutralizing the attacks while simultaneously seizing opportunities to strike back.

The strength of a Top Tier Marquis Level was fully displayed; even though Li Wen's Fusion state erupted with the combat power of a standard Marquis Level, he was still suppressed by his opponent's pure power and seasoned techniques, and could only grit his teeth to hold on.

The battle between the two was like an intense tug-of-war, with Li Wen fighting and retreating, skillfully using his speed advantage to lead the Leader of the Snake Department away from the core area of the fortress.

In just over a minute of high-intensity confrontation, nearly thirty percent of the vast Primordial Spirit Power in Li Wen's Sea of Consciousness had quietly evaporated; maintaining this Fusion state that exceeded the limits of his Realm consumed far more than imagined.

Finally, at the moment of a violent clash between blade and claws, where the air waves ground the rubble below into powder, Li Wen used the force to drift backward dozens of zhang, landing on a relatively open boulder platform.

The position was right.

The Leader of the Snake Department followed like a shadow, his cold voice piercing through the rain: "Li Wen, why struggle? Join us, and perhaps I can spare your life."

He did not notice anything unusual, assuming this was merely a sign of Li Wen's exhaustion.

Li Wen's gaze remained icy, without the slightest response.

Just as the Leader of the Snake Department crossed his claws, preparing to pounce again to deal a heavy blow—there was no warning, no fluctuation.

It was as if with just a thought, an invisible, condensed sharpness shot silently from between his eyebrows.

It restrained all outward momentum, moving faster than thought, piercing directly toward the Leader of the Snake Department's Sea of Consciousness between his brows.

The expression of contempt on the Leader of the Snake Department's face instantly froze and shattered, replaced by extreme shock and terror!

An ice-cold aura of death, enough to freeze the Soul, appeared out of thin air and gripped his heart tightly.

His hair stood on end! A fatal warning screamed wildly in the depths of his Primordial Spirit!

He didn't even have time to think about where this sense of crisis originated; pure combat instinct drove his Primordial Spirit Power to surge wildly toward his brow, attempting to construct a defense.

But, it was too late!

That God-Shocking Sting, which condensed Li Wen's Level 4 Day-Roaming Realm Primordial Spirit and had been nurtured to the seventh level of Perfection, had reached a terrifying level of speed and stealth.

The moment the Leader of the Snake Department's Primordial Spirit defense had just begun to form, this invisible sting had already stabbed in fiercely!

"Shhh—!"

A strange sound, perceptible only on the Primordial Spirit level—like a red-hot iron rod piercing into ice—exploded within the Leader of the Snake Department's Sea of Consciousness!

"Argh—!!"

The Leader of the Snake Department let out a shrill, distorted scream, his body convulsing violently as if struck by lightning.

His hood was blown away by the violently dispersing Primordial Spirit fluctuations, revealing a middle-aged face twisted and pale from extreme pain and terror.

His eyes instantly became bloodshot, his eyeballs bulged, and thin lines of blood seeped from his seven orifices.

His Sea of Consciousness felt as if it had been pierced and stirred by a red-hot iron rod; his Primordial Spirit suffered heavy damage, his gathered offensive collapsed, and the powerful aura around him withered rapidly like a punctured balloon.

"Primordial Spirit—Secret—Technique?!" He squeezed out a few words hoarsely, his eyes filled with unbelievable terror.

He could not understand how a Late Stage Great Sun Realm God Realm expert could possess such a terrifying and stealthy Primordial Spirit Secret Technique.

Li Wen did not give him any chance to breathe or think.

Strike while the enemy is down!

This was the creed engraved into his bones from countless life-and-death battles.

While releasing the God-Shocking Sting, Li Wen's figure had already shot out like a cannonball, shattering the boulder beneath his feet.

Primordial Spirit Power continued to pour into that invisible sting, firmly pinning down the Leader of the Snake Department's damaged Primordial Spirit, making it impossible for him to gather effective defense or evade.

His hands gripped his long blade tightly; on the blade, terrifying thunder True Qi and incomparably condensed Saber Intent gathered and compressed crazily, emitting a low hum like a dragon's roar.

"Profound Vault · Thunder Strike!" The cold, low shout rang through the rainy night.

The blade light was like a thunderous punishment from the Nine Heavens descending, tearing through the darkness, carrying an overbearing will to destroy everything, slashing fiercely toward the Leader of the Snake Department, whose body was stiff and whose defenses were completely lost due to the intense pain in his Primordial Spirit.

Under heavy injury, the Leader of the Snake Department only had time to barely raise his scale-covered arm to block, his eyes full of unwillingness and madness.

Puchi!

Where the blade light passed, the tough scales covered in dark energy and the arm bones were easily severed like rotten wood! Blood sprayed wildly.

"Ah—!" The pain of the severed arm superimposed with the pain of the Primordial Spirit being torn apart caused the Leader of the Snake Department to completely lose the ability to fight back.

Li Wen's offensive did not stop; his Blade Technique turned, slashing horizontally at his neck.

At the same time, the sharpness of the God-Shocking Sting exploded violently in his Sea of Consciousness, conducting the final harvest.

The madness in the Leader of the Snake Department's eyes was instantly replaced by endless fear and bewilderment, his Primordial Spirit completely pierced and torn apart.

Swish!

The cold blade passed through his neck without any resistance.

That head, which belonged to a human and had once wielded great authority and power, flew high into the air, carrying a frozen expression of extreme unwillingness and shock.

The headless corpse swayed for a moment before crashing heavily into the cold mud; blood gushed from the severed neck, quickly spreading into a glaring dark red in the rainwater.

The rain continued to fall, washing away the violent energy and heavy scent of blood remaining on the battlefield.

Li Wen stood beside the corpse, panting heavily; the feeling of weakness after the Fusion state was lifted surged in like a tide.

But his gaze remained sharp as a blade, looking at the lifeless head on the ground, confirming that the opponent's Primordial Spirit had been completely extinguished.

He lowered his long blade, blood droplets mixed with rainwater dripping from the tip.

He quickly retracted his aura, using his Primordial Spirit Power to perceive the surroundings; only after confirming there were no other immediate dangers did he slightly relax his tense nerves.

In the distance, explosions and energy fluctuations in the direction of Changning City were continuous; the beacon fires of the "Year-End" were burning everywhere.

A gentle, yet carrying a hint of imperceptible surprise, consciousness quietly brushed over this space.

It seemed to just pay attention to the battle situation before quickly disappearing; it did not linger, nor did it cause any energy ripples in the outside world.

Shanyu Pass.

Under the pavilion, the white-haired Principal's Clone slowly opened his eyes.

The vast consciousness that had just obscurely swept across the battlefield on the outskirts of Changning City was exactly his doing.

After confirming that Li Wen had successfully killed the Leader of the Snake Department of the Shadow Organization, a flash of astonishment crossed his eyes, which then turned into deep relief.

This young man had once again exceeded expectations.

Without the slightest hesitation, the Principal's Clone tapped his finger in the void, and a condensed message instantly crossed space, arriving at Li Wen's communication terminal.

Li Wen, who had just reduced the Leader of the Snake Department's head and corpse to ashes, felt his terminal vibrate slightly.

He quickly read the content of the message—the Principal asked him to announce to the outside world that the Leader of the Snake Department had been killed by his Clone personally.

After reading the message, the last trace of concern in Li Wen's heart dissipated.

He had been wondering how to explain this seemingly impossible victory; the Principal's arrangement undoubtedly saved a lot of trouble.

He bent down and searched quickly among the scorched earth; after confirming that the Leader of the Snake Department had not left any valuable special items, he flicked two bolts of thunder fire containing a destructive aura from his fingertips.

The thunder fire landed, burning away any remaining traces completely.

After doing all this, Li Wen did not linger; his figure turned into a rainbow light hard to discern with the naked eye, and he sped toward the Changning City fortress at a speed far exceeding when he came.

Inside the fortress, the battle situation had reached a critical juncture.

The human defense line formed by Ling Feng and the remaining God Realm warriors was teetering in front of the elite Yao Race forces that were constantly attacking like a tide.

Many God Realm warriors had already fallen, and the energy shields were flickering with unstable light, nearly extinguished completely.

The hideous roar of the Yao Race leader drowned out the roars of the human warriors and the humming of energy weapons.

Just at the moment when the defense line was about to collapse completely, a tremendously powerful aura suddenly descended upon the center of the battlefield.

"It's Li Wen!"

"He's back!"

The human side instantly erupted with unbelievable surprise and the excitement of surviving a disaster.