Volume Three: Rising Fame - Chapter Eighty-Seven: A Decisive Resolution

Lively? Not at all lively. In fact, everyone present felt a chill run through their entire body.

“Why are you two here?” the voice continued.

At the same time, the owner of the withered arm surfaced from the water, his body covered in mud, his features ordinary except for a pair of sharp, bright eyes that seemed to glimmer with a hidden light.

Li Yu, with a flicker of thought, summoned his spiritual energy to wash away the grime in an instant.

“Master, what happened to you?!” Wen Xiangxuan asked, puzzled.

Now, Li Yu looked like a desiccated corpse, skin stretched tightly over his bones, his joints starkly visible. His flesh seemed so fragile that a gust of wind might scatter it all.

“That’s a long story!” Li Yu did not answer her question.

The spiritual energy born from the heart of the Soul Devouring Tree had been locked in a tug-of-war within his body, constantly consuming his physical essence. Later, when he opened the Mud Pellet Palace, it drained him even further.

All these accumulative tolls had nearly withered his body away.

Yet, in the face of such a mortal crisis, the gains were unprecedented!

He closed his eyes and, with a thought, spread his spiritual energy outward like a third set of eyes, enabling him to clearly perceive everything within nearly a thousand meters.

From the smallest drifting dust to the breathing and heartbeat of every person present appeared vividly before his ‘vision’.

“Don’t move!” Li Yu said plainly, still with his eyes closed.

As his voice echoed in the cavern, the three groups immediately halted in their tracks.

‘Damn it! Why are they here?!’

Among them, Ning Ankang regretted the most. He had just landed a fatal blow on Wen Xiangxuan, only to run into Li Yu at this moment, cursing his misfortune under his breath.

If it had been at another time — say, after Wen Xiangxuan’s death — the current half-dead scenario would have been far better.

But of all times! It had to be when he had someone beaten to near death.

Under such circumstances, how could Li Yu let things slide?

If it had been his own men beaten half to death before him, he would certainly have fought back to regain face.

‘Wait… why did he hide and not come out earlier? Why only now?!’

“Could it be that he couldn’t bear to see his men suffer, so he risked intervening now?!”

Ning Ankang’s eyes flickered nervously, but the more he thought, the more assured he became.

If Li Yu knew what he was thinking, he would surely scoff.

He hadn’t appeared earlier because he was at a crucial stage of opening the Mud Pellet Palace and couldn’t move his body, so he was led underground by Can Yishuang to hide.

Now that he had appeared, it was partly because the Mud Pellet Palace was complete, and partly because of his confidence — confidence enough to suppress those before him.

Even severely wounded, he was fearless.

“Let’s all attack together!” Ning Ankang whispered. “He’s definitely bluffing!”

Upon hearing this, Ying Feiguang and Xiang Yadan beside him hesitated somewhat.

This man before them had single-handedly defeated a fifth-grade Soul Devouring Tree Spirit. Although admitting this was somewhat humiliating, they could not deny the overwhelming pressure Li Yu’s presence exuded.

“Done!” Ying Feiguang said grimly.

Ning Ankang raised an eyebrow, surprised it was so quick.

Ying Feiguang’s thinking differed from his. To him, Li Yu’s display indicated he would become a formidable royal adversary in the future. If they could deal with him now, he wouldn’t object.

“Then, let’s strike together!”

Faced with their gazes, Xiang Yadan nodded resolutely before shouting, “Attack together!”

At her command, the three launched their assault simultaneously.

Though their subordinates were momentarily stunned, they quickly followed suit, unleashing a dazzling array of attacks.

“Master, be careful!” Xing Chengping reacted swiftly. Seeing Li Yu’s eyes still closed, he darted forward to shield him, intending to buy time.

“No need!” Li Yu opened his eyes then, and with a thought, an inexplicable force swept the anxious Xing Chengping aside.

The unconscious Wen Xiangxuan in his arms was also lifted and moved to safety by this unseen power.

“What is this?!” Xing Chengping took Wen Xiangxuan, astonished. He could not comprehend this move at all.

The only thing he knew was that it was not the power of thunder.

“Boom!”

The three attacks struck fiercely but all missed their mark.

A cold smile curled on Li Yu’s lips. Such attacks were far too slow!

Under his spiritual energy’s coverage, these strikes were no better than a child’s clumsy punches. Their speed seemed snail-like to his eyes; even if they connected, the pain would be minor. But they didn’t even land, let alone exert true power.

“So fast!” The three were shocked, their eyes burning with determination, their attacks becoming even more intense.

Wind whipped fiercely as their blows struck the cavern walls, sending soil and stones flying.

Their subordinates’ attacks were even more chaotic, nearly hitting their own comrades several times.

“Stop!” Ying Feiguang shouted.

What use were these disorganized attacks? Without coordination, the chance of hitting allies far exceeded hitting Li Yu. Such liabilities were worthless.

Li Yu watched the three men’s eyes with great interest.

Except for Ning Ankang, the other two’s expressions changed similarly.

From ruthless at first, to doubtful in the middle, and finally to despair.

Under his spiritual observation, it was all laid bare.

“He hasn’t used spiritual energy yet. He must be at his last breath!” Ning Ankang exclaimed. “Push harder, victory is near!”

“You’re only half right!” Li Yu lightly dodged an attack aimed directly at his face.

His casual words made the two hesitate.

It was true he hadn’t used spiritual energy, but that made him even more terrifying!

To toy with them so effortlessly without spiritual energy, what if he unleashed it?

That thought alone filled them with despair.

“This ends now,” Li Yu whispered.

He paused midair, gathering a surging torrent of thunderous power from within.

Caught off guard, Xiang Yadan was paralyzed, letting out an irresistibly alluring moan as her body uncontrollably sank into the water.

Ying Feiguang stopped beside Ning Ankang, both grave-eyed.

“Where’s your Flame Body?” Li Yu raised his chin toward Ying Feiguang.

“I haven’t mastered it yet!” Ying Feiguang shook his head, about to speak when a tremendous force struck him.

“Pfft!”

A mouthful of blood spewed out as Ying Feiguang turned, glaring furiously at Ning Ankang’s retreating silhouette.

“Tsk, tsk. That was a slick stab in the back. Your Highness, you had no guard at all!” Li Yu sneered. “Of the three, you’re the slowest to react!”

“What?!” Ying Feiguang looked down, only to see Xiang Yadan had sunk beneath the water, vanished without a trace.

The three had fought together, yet now he was the lone one heroically holding the rear!

Angry, Ying Feiguang spat more blood.

His face was pale and sallow. Flames flickered in his eyes as he watched Ning Ankang’s departing back, snorting coldly but saying nothing more.

He could only blame himself for indecisiveness. He had long decided that if things were hopeless, he would rely on the other two to cover his retreat — yet in the end, he became the clown, working for the others.

“Winners take all. Kill or maim as you please!” Ying Feiguang said coldly.

“Boring!” Li Yu tossed the words over his shoulder, shooting past Ying Feiguang’s body in pursuit of Ning Ankang’s direction.

“Your Highness?!” The people on the island watched in stunned silence.

What began as a three-against-one, showcasing fifth-grade cultivators’ prowess, suddenly turned sour. Li Yu hadn’t even unleashed his spiritual power, yet one was already in the water, another wounded his comrade before fleeing alone.

Was the plan to say: “I can’t outrun the enemy, but I can outrun my team”?

Most strikingly, the once fearless Prince Ying Feiguang, upon Li Yu’s departure, reversed course without hesitation — not even bothering to take his men, showing the desperation of his flight.

“This mess—should we run too?” someone suggested on the island.

Before anyone could agree or act, Xing Chengping hovered menacingly above, “Whoever moves a step, I will kill on the spot!”

With this threat, no one dared make a move. If everyone ran simultaneously, it would be manageable. But if one stepped forward alone without others moving… that was a death sentence.

Xing Chengping’s face turned ashen. He had barely reacted before the royal prince had vanished from sight.

After waiting a moment, a strong figure approached from afar.

As it drew near, everyone realized it wasn’t a robust man but Li Yu, carrying someone in his arms.

“Ning Ankang!”

“Xiang Yadan!”

Eyes on the island immediately recognized the captured pair.

Li Yu tossed the unconscious duo onto the island and muttered, “Not honest at all, making me run again!”

With that, he vanished, heading after the fleeing Ying Feiguang.

After a short while, Li Yu returned once more, carrying the unconscious Ying Feiguang.

“Lively crowd, aren’t you?” Li Yu stretched lazily. “If you try to run, I’ll break a leg for each one I catch!”

At these words, those on the island shrank back like quail, not daring to utter a sound.

In no time, Li Yu had returned with these fifth-grade cultivators as if they were mere chicks — judging by his speed, their supporters had likely been knocked unconscious without resistance!

“Master!” Xing Chengping saluted.

“Not bad, lucky no critical hits,” Li Yu glanced at Wen Xiangxuan’s injuries, frowning. “So weak… why did you come in here?”

“…” Xing Chengping’s face was awkward, but seeing the power disparity, he chose not to argue and explained, “Master, there was a disturbance outside, revealing an entrance to this cavern. We thought you might be inside, so we came in…”

“A disturbance?” Li Yu’s gaze landed thoughtfully on the island.