Noctar's energy pressure filled the underground corridor like an invisible wall.
The air grew denser.
Heavier.
Yun Wu did not waste a single breath. As a former soldier who had long been prepared to die, he charged forward at full speed.
Within a single inhalation, his sword was already in his hand—a pale blade forged from the fang of a Taigu-level wolf. Its ivory surface gleamed faintly in the dim light.
Noctar narrowed his eyes.
Where had this man obtained such a weapon?
Yun Wu shot forward. His steps were low and swift, nearly soundless. The stone floor cracked beneath the force of his movement.
The sword thrust straight toward Noctar's throat—fast, precise, lethal.
But—
Noctar moved.
Not with explosive speed.
Not with a burst of energy.
He merely tilted his head half an inch.
The Taigu blade sliced through empty air.
Yun Wu did not pause. His wrist twisted, the sword arcing upward from below, aiming for the ribs.
Noctar stepped back half a pace.
The blade missed again, instead cleaving through the dungeon wall. The entire prison structure trembled violently.
Behind him, Lin Yuan had already moved.
His blue eyes burned coldly as he raised his hand.
Hundreds of blue spiritual swords materialized within the narrow corridor, filling the space like a suspended meteor storm.
They shot forward simultaneously—swift, sharp, sealing off every possible path of evasion.
Noctar did not retreat.
He did not even bother drawing a weapon.
One hand lifted slowly.
Dark brown energy condensed around him—not like mist, but like layers of ancient earth compressed over millennia.
Thick.
Heavy.
Unshakable.
The next instant—
Lin Yuan's hundreds of blue spiritual swords slammed into it.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Relentless impacts shook the underground corridor. Sparks of blue and brown light exploded like fireworks in the confined space. Several spiritual blades ricocheted wildly, embedding themselves into stone walls and piercing support pillars.
The entire structure began to quake. Cracks spread across the ceiling. Stones collapsed.
"Out!" Yun Wu shouted.
Without hesitation, he leapt—his leg strength erupting as he shattered the floor beneath him. Lin Yuan teleported in a blink, appearing at Yun Wu's side.
Together, they burst through the dungeon roof—
Stone exploded outward as their bodies shot into the air.
A heartbeat later—
The entire underground structure collapsed.
Thick dust billowed upward. The screams of prisoners who had not escaped were swallowed beneath falling stone.
Yun Wu and Lin Yuan landed heavily in the open courtyard of the fortress. The ground fractured beneath their feet.
Within seconds, rebel troops surrounded them. Spears, swords, and spiritual arrows aimed at the two figures.
The atmosphere turned suffocating.
Then—
A heavy, cold voice echoed across the courtyard.
"They are my targets."
The dust behind them parted.
Noctar stepped out from the ruins like a demon emerging from the earth's belly.
"No one is allowed to interfere with my amusement."
The rebels retreated instinctively.
They understood.
When their leader spoke in that tone—there would be slaughter.
Yun Wu did not wait.
He was a true battlefield soldier. His body might be bleeding, his ribs cracked—but facing a powerful opponent only ignited his fighting spirit further.
He charged.
The ground beneath him exploded.
The Taigu blade flashed like the fang of a god.
First strike—a horizontal slash toward the neck.
Noctar leaned half a step.
Second strike—a low spinning sweep toward the knee.
Noctar leapt lightly.
Third strike—a direct thrust toward the heart with the full weight of his body behind it.
Noctar caught the blade.
With his bare hand.
Earth energy hardened across his palm.
Yun Wu's eyes flared.
He twisted his wrist, yanked the sword free, smashed his elbow toward Noctar's joint, then pivoted to attack from a blind angle.
Noctar smiled faintly.
For the first time—
He felt a trace of interest in this mad wolf youth.
Noctar's counter came without warning.
His heavy fist slammed into Yun Wu's chest.
The air detonated.
Yun Wu's body flew dozens of meters, crashing into the fortress wall and carving out a massive crater. Fresh blood sprayed from his mouth. His ribs shattered further.
Yet he stood again.
Laughing hoarsely.
His adrenaline surged.
That was when—
Lin Yuan moved.
He did not attack the body.
He attacked the mind.
An invisible mental pressure swept across the courtyard like a deep-sea tidal wave. Noctar's consciousness was invaded—dragged into a fleeting illusion.
Noctar's steps halted.
His eyes dimmed briefly.
Disoriented.
Lin Yuan saw the opening.
His hand lifted high.
A massive spiritual sword formation formed in the sky above, poised to strike.
Within a single breath—
Thousands of blue swords descended like a meteor rain.
The night sky blazed with dazzling blue light.
Noctar snapped back to awareness.
His brows furrowed slightly.
He had not expected the merfolk youth to wield such high-level mental power.
Taigu energy exploded from his body.
The ancient earth shield formed again—this time thicker, denser.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
The sword rain crashed down.
The ground lifted.
Shockwaves tore across the courtyard.
But when the dust settled—
Noctar still stood.
Not a single blade had pierced his shield.
Lin Yuan fell silent.
For the first time, tension surfaced on his face.
This man…
His mind was like a thousand-year tombstone.
Nearly impossible to penetrate.
Noctar looked at him.
"You two possess interesting talent. What a pity you stand on the wrong side," he said with genuine interest.
"Tch. Even if I die, I will never join filthy beasts like you!" Lin Yuan snapped sharply.
"Then I have no choice but to end your lives."
The officers and rebel soldiers had retreated as far as possible.
No one was foolish enough to remain too close.
The clash of the three powers made the fortress courtyard tremble without pause. Cracks spread across the ground like black serpents.
The dust had not yet settled when—
Noctar moved.
His steps were calm.
Yet with every footfall, the ground sank half an inch.
Yun Wu had already lunged forward, Taigu blade unsheathed, his body lowered like a hunting wolf. He knew his opponent stood at the Taigu level.
He knew his chances were slim.
But Yun Wu had never fought for chances.
He fought to win.
Noctar's fist came.
It did not look fast.
Yet it was unavoidable.
BOOM!
The air between them exploded. A shockwave swept outward, forcing nearby rebels back several steps.
The punch struck Yun Wu's chest at the exact moment his blade nearly touched Noctar's throat.
His body shot backward like an arrow.
BANG!
He crashed into the fortress wall with a deafening impact. Cracks spread in all directions as stone collapsed around him.
Several of his ribs shattered.
Blood streamed from his nose and the corner of his lips.
And yet—
Yun Wu laughed softly.
Hoarse.
Unhinged.
He wiped the blood away with the back of his hand.
"Not bad," he muttered.
On the other side, Lin Yuan had already summoned a dense blue mist. It expanded like a spiritual ocean, shielding his body while suppressing the Taigu pressure pressing down on them.
His mental force lashed toward Noctar's consciousness, attempting to fracture his focus.
The air trembled again.
But Noctar was a war veteran.
He did not rely on strength alone.
He observed.
And he saw Lin Yuan's weakness.
In a split second—
Noctar vanished from sight.
A body that large moved like a shadow.
Lin Yuan only caught a glimpse of a massive silhouette before—
FIST!
The blue mist cracked like glass struck by a hammer.
His spiritual shield shattered.
"You possess exceptional mental and spiritual talent," Noctar's voice was low and cold,
"but your physical aptitude… is far too weak."
He grabbed Lin Yuan and slammed him into the ground.
BOOOOM!
The stone floor caved in, forming a massive crater. Cracks spread like a spider's web.
Lin Yuan felt his shoulder bone fracture. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth.
Noctar truly stood on an entirely different level.
But—
The air shifted again.
Yun Wu stood up.
The aura around him turned savage.
Wild.
His desperate battle state had activated.
His muscles tensed, veins bulging along his neck. His amber eyes were no longer clear—they burned like flames. He stopped calculating.
He stopped holding back.
He let the pain consume him.
With one explosive step, he shot forward. The ground shattered beneath him.
He no longer attacked like a soldier.
He attacked like a beast.
Every strike carried the full weight of his body.
Every swing abandoned defense.
At last, Noctar had to truly move.
A dark brown spiritual blade appeared in his hand, parrying Yun Wu's assault. Collision after collision sent bursts of energy exploding through the air.
But Noctar was still stronger.
He twisted his body and released a spiritual slash straight toward Yun Wu's face.
Yun Wu ducked—the blade only sliced his cheek.
Suddenly, the ground beneath Yun Wu trembled.
Earth element.
Cracks split open.
Sharp stone spikes erupted upward.
He was a fraction too slow.
One spike pierced through his left arm, tearing flesh apart. Blood sprayed outward.
Yet Yun Wu did not scream.
He did not even slow down.
With his arm impaled, he forced himself forward, ripping his own flesh deeper as he tore his arm free from the stone.
Blood poured onto the ground.
But his sword still aimed for Noctar's throat.
Noctar looked at the wolf youth still standing despite blood flowing freely from his arm.
His power was far beneath his own.
Yet stubborn.
Hard to kill—like a cockroach crushed over and over.
"Very well," Noctar's voice dropped colder, devoid of emotion,
"I will end your lives now."
He raised his hand.
Ancient earth energy gathered in his palm, condensing into a dark brown spiritual blade. Thick. Heavy. As if forged from the core of a mountain aged thousands of years.
Taigu pressure expanded.
The ground beneath Yun Wu's feet cracked.
"Die."
The blade descended.
The air hissed.
But—
A golden vine shot through the air.
Fast.
Sharp.
It wrapped around Noctar's wrist before the blade could strike Yun Wu.
Golden energy flared, halting the Taigu strike for a split second.
Noctar paused.
For the first time, his brow furrowed.
That…
Was plant-element energy.
And not ordinary plant energy.
Noctar turned toward its source.
Beyond the fortress wall, atop the tallest tree in the surrounding forest, a girl stood against the wind.
Her black hair fluttered.
Her gaze was calm.
Xue Yunxue.
From that position, she could see the entire battlefield. She had not arrived recklessly. Since coming here, she had analyzed every movement Noctar made.
This man wielded the earth element.
He could detect ground vibrations within a certain radius.
That was how he had sensed her earlier through the soil.
So she did not attack from below.
She used the forest.
The roots and vines behind the fortress became extensions of her will.
A second golden vine lashed out, striking Noctar's side.
A third coiled around his leg.
Golden energy blazed brightly beneath the sunlit sky.
In the distance, Moa stood in his human form—a boy around thirteen, with pale golden hair and dark green eyes—watching everything.
He looked irritated.
Yunxue had forced him out of her body. Since earlier, the little golden tree spirit had urged her to flee this cursed place, but she was more stubborn than stone. After arguing fiercely, Xue Yunxue had ordered Moa out so she could concentrate.
She also did not want him detected.
Moa was the last being from the world of Fleur.
She would not allow her "little brother" to be directly involved in a battle against a Taigu-level beastman.
No matter what, Moa was something special.
And he could not fall into anyone else's hands.
Xue Yunxue leapt from the treetop.
Her body descended lightly, supported midair by golden vines.
She landed within the fortress like a falling petal—
Calm.
Yet heralding a storm.
Yun Wu paled.
"What are you doing here?!"
Lin Yuan clenched his teeth. The aura around him trembled with emotion.
This stubborn girl!
If they survived today—he swore he would chain her ankle like a wolf so she could never recklessly run off again.
------
Xue Yunxue stood in the center of the cracked, dust-choked fortress courtyard.
Without Moa, she could not fully unleash her power. But the thought of what would happen if Moa fell into the rebels' hands made her shudder. She had witnessed what they had done to that parasitic plant before.
She would never allow Moa to suffer the same fate.
She had not come here to win.
She had come to buy time.
To search for an opening.
Noctar watched her with sharp eyes filled with interest, Taigu aura flowing heavily around his body.
"A bold little girl," he said softly.
His lips curved faintly.
"But… I like it."
A dark brown spiritual blade formed in his hand. The earth energy beneath Yunxue's feet trembled violently.
Without hesitation, Yunxue raised her hand.
Golden vines burst forth from the ground and from the trees beyond the fortress walls, weaving together into a protective dome around her.
Noctar's blade struck the dome.
A deafening boom shook the air.
The dome cracked—
But did not collapse.
In a single breath, Yunxue reversed the attack.
A massive vine shot out from every direction, coiling around Noctar's arms, legs, waist—
Even climbing toward his neck.
The vines tightened, compressing the Taigu powerhouse with full force. Golden energy pulsed wildly.
For the first time, Noctar grimaced slightly. The pressure at his throat hindered his breathing for a split second.
But it was only a split second.
A spiritual blade reformed in his hand.
One slash.
Brown light split the air.
All the golden vines were severed in a single clean line.
Fragments of plant energy scattered like falling leaves.
Xue Yunxue watched, her heart growing colder.
She already knew.
Her power was nowhere near equal to Noctar's.
The gap between them was too vast.
The next instant—
Noctar was in front of her.
A large hand seized her throat.
Her body lifted into the air. Her feet dangled helplessly.
"Let her go!" Lin Yuan's voice roared across the courtyard.
Yun Wu stared at her in alarm. Noctar was infamous for his cold cruelty—he showed no mercy, not even to women or children.
Air was cut off.
"Such rare power," Noctar murmured, staring deeply into her eyes.
He no longer looked at her as an opponent.
But as a treasure.
"I will take you to my fortress… after I dispose of those men."
His grip tightened.
Her vision blurred.
Yet she did not panic.
Suddenly, small fox fangs appeared in her mouth.
She bit down on Noctar's wrist.
Blood sprayed lightly.
Noctar froze for a fraction of a second.
His expression darkened.
He flung her aside.
Her body rolled across the ground, lungs burning as she gasped for air.
But Noctar had already turned toward the bleeding Yun Wu to finish him.
Without hesitation—
Yunxue pulled out a small bottle from her storage space.
A strength-enhancing potion.
She drank it in one gulp.
Heat exploded through her veins. Her plant element surged violently.
The earth trembled.
Golden vines erupted once more—this time thicker, sharper.
She bound Noctar again.
But now—
Sharp, venomous thorns grew along the vines.
The thorns pierced Noctar's skin.
Blood flowed.
Plant poison seeped in.
Noctar grimaced—not from pain.
He simply found this girl as stubborn as the wolf.
That was when Yunxue moved.
She dashed toward Yun Wu and Lin Yuan. Two teleportation tokens pressed against their bodies in a single motion.
White light flared.
In an instant—
Yun Wu and Lin Yuan vanished.
She had purchased those tokens using the "inheritance money" given by Lu Xiao.
She had bought them from the black market, just in case.
She never imagined she would use them now.
Noctar realized the girl had been stalling—searching for a weakness.
Taigu aura exploded outward.
The golden vines were forcibly torn apart.
In the next second, Yunxue grabbed a token for herself—
Before she could activate it, the ground beneath her shifted.
Thick black mud erupted from the cracks in the earth.
It surged upward, binding her ankles.
Climbing to her knees.
Her waist.
Her chest.
Her neck.
In a single breath—
The mud hardened into black stone.
She was completely immobilized.
The token slipped from her fingers.
Noctar stepped forward and crushed it beneath his boot.
"Cheap toy," he said darkly.
She had allowed the two men to escape—but Noctar found her far more interesting.
Not only did she possess the rare plant element—
She was far more valuable.
A cold smile curved across his handsome face.
"You troublesome girl," he said softly.
"But in the end… I have you."
The wind drifted gently across the courtyard.
Xue Yunxue stared at him without blinking.
There was no fear in her eyes.
Only pure, blazing hatred.
Her gaze was sharp—like a thin blade trying to flay him alive.
Noctar noticed.
And that was precisely why the corner of his lips lifted.
Most people trembled beneath his pressure. Their knees weakened before he even touched them.
But this girl—
Trapped in hardened earth mud, breathing uneven—
Still stared at him like a wounded predator.
Interesting.
His interest deepened.
He studied her face more closely. She was undeniably beautiful and captivating.
But it was not her face that intrigued him.
It was her power.
Her resolve.
He raised his hand.
From his storage space, a large cage materialized—crafted from thick transparent crystal, dark runes flowing across its surface. The walls shimmered faintly, reflecting light like frozen water.
It was no ordinary glass.
Noctar grabbed Yunxue's mud-encased body and tossed her inside.
Her body slammed against the crystal wall with a heavy thud.
The runes ignited.
The black earth binding her slowly dissolved—
But a new layer of suppressive energy pressed inward from all sides, restricting her movement.
She could move slightly.
But she could not break free.
Noctar stood before the cage, looking at her like a man who had just acquired a rare treasure.
"I will take you to my headquarters."
His tone was flat.
Moments later—
The night sky split with the roar of engines.
Noctar's black aircraft descended outside the fortress, wind blasting outward as it landed. The rebel emblem was carved into its hull—a symbol feared across many territories.
The crystal cage lifted and was loaded into the cargo hold.
The metal doors shut with a heavy clang.
Engines roared.
The aircraft ascended into the night sky like a black shadow devouring the stars.
Inside the transparent cage, Xue Yunxue slowly knelt, her hand pressing against the cold crystal surface.
She closed her eyes briefly.
The strength-enhancing potion had begun reacting within her body.
-----
Two flashes of white light ignited in the courtyard of their residence.
Lin Yuan and Yun Wu were hurled out of the teleportation vortex and crashed hard onto the grass.
The neatly trimmed green lawn was instantly stained red.
Blood poured from Yun Wu's arm and side. The metallic scent spread through the damp night air. The former soldier tried to prop himself up on one elbow, but the sharp pain from his fractured ribs made his breathing rough and uneven.
As for Lin Yuan—
there were no major external wounds on his body.
But his face was deathly pale.
The blue mist that usually flowed steadily around him now trembled irregularly. His mental energy felt like fine cracks spreading through glass—barely visible, yet ready to shatter at any moment.
They waited.
One second.
Two seconds.
Ten seconds.
There was no third flash of light.
No sign of Xue Yunxue.
Yun Wu slowly turned to look at Lin Yuan. Lin Yuan looked back at him.
No words were needed.
The fear was real.
Had Xue Yunxue been captured?
Yun Wu tried to stand.
His muscles tensed, but pain shot from his ribs to his spine. He forced himself upright anyway, teeth clenched tightly. For a battle-hardened soldier like him, pain was never an excuse to stop.
"She…" His breathing was heavy. "What happened to her…?"
Lin Yuan did not answer.
But his fingers slowly curled into fists.
A cold aura spread from his body.
Suddenly—
Several small glass bottles materialized out of thin air.
They dropped lightly onto the grass in front of them.
Healing potions.
High-grade ones.
Both men froze.
Yun Wu immediately grabbed one without hesitation and drank it. Warm liquid spread through his body, sealing part of his internal injuries.
Lin Yuan did not move at once.
He closed his eyes briefly.
He felt something.
That energy…
Familiar.
Extremely faint, but unmistakably not from an ordinary human.
He had sensed it before—when he stood close to Xue Yunxue.
Was she here?
The blue mist around him stirred slowly, then expanded like a thin tide.
It spread across the courtyard.
Sealing the space.
Then in a single breath—
the mist narrowed, compressing one empty point in the air.
Space rippled.
Like the surface of water struck by a stone.
A small figure tumbled out of the void.
A child.
Soft golden hair.
Bright green eyes like polished emeralds.
A beautiful face—too beautiful for a boy, too sharp for a girl.
Androgynous.
The blue mist bound the small body tightly.
"Let go of me, you stinking fish!" the child shouted, struggling under the spiritual pressure.
Yun Wu frowned.
Lin Yuan narrowed his blue eyes.
"Who are you?" Yun Wu's voice was low and cautious. "Where did you come from?"
The child stopped struggling for a moment.
His green eyes flared brightly.
"My name is Moa," he replied irritably.
"I am Sister Xue's younger brother."
"Where is Xue Yunxue?" Lin Yuan demanded.
Moa looked at them darkly. The blue mist binding him slowly dissipated.
"And you still dare to ask?" he said coldly.
He glared at the two men before him, anger burning in his eyes.
Because of their incompetence—
Xue Yunxue had been captured by Noctar.