Chapter 139: Rescue

Chapter 139: Rescue

In the heart of the night, the two Moonlight Bodhisattvas seemed like shooting stars as they streaked across the forest. Both were on a singular mission: to eliminate the young threat before them. They couldn't fathom how someone barely in his twenties could match the might of two Grandmasters.

Fully alert, Wang Xuan tensed his entire frame, his skin shimmering with a subtle golden glow. He pushed his Golden Body technique to its limits, ready to test the true power of these renowned Grandmasters. The alloy blade in his hand gleamed brilliantly, quivering slightly, as if struggling to contain the potent force Wang Xuan was channeling through it.

Sensing that the blade might shatter after a few more uses, Wang Xuan swung it with immense force towards one of the Grandmasters. The resulting blade radiance seemed to meld with the stars above.

With a roar echoing like thunder, the targeted Moonlight Bodhisattva caused many to stumble backward, their faces turning ashen from the sheer force of the sonic wave. As he moved, he mustered all his strength into his fist and, incredibly, shattered Wang Xuan's alloy blade with a single punch. Fragments of the blade scattered in all directions, injuring bystanders and drawing cries of pain.

But the danger was not over for Wang Xuan yet. The other Grandmaster approached, unleashing a dazzling white-lit kick aimed directly at Wang Xuan's back.

Unexpectedly, before Wang Xuan could react, another force intervened. The Grandmaster-tier stallion counterattacked, positioning his hind legs towards the attacking Bodhisattva and delivering a powerful double kick. With a resonant thud, the Bodhisattva collided with the stallion’s counter. He was sent flying backward, and when he landed, he limped noticeably. While his bones weren't crushed, the pain in his foot was evident.

The potency of Grandmaster Ma's hooves was legendary, with the ability to shatter alloys and penetrate steel. Noticing this, one of the Moonlight Bodhisattvas became wary as the horse scraped its hooves against the ground, signaling its readiness to unleash a powerful blow.

Simultaneously, Wang Xuan, having let go of the remnants of his broken blade, squared off against his adversary with unshielded fists. Their collision echoed with a thunderous resonance, creating a maelstrom of displaced vegetation and airborne debris. The atmosphere grew tense with the thickening haze of dust and the chaos of the ensuing battle.

Even though Wang Xuan was technically still at a master's level, he effortlessly matched the Moonlight Bodhisattva's grandmaster strength. The Bodhisattva struggled to reconcile this reality, his hands bleeding from the force of their clash, the red droplets staining the earth beneath.

Nearby, a middle-aged man from the Qin family observed with growing concern. Quickly, he commanded his troops to encircle Wang Xuan, setting the stage for a coordinated assault.

Suddenly, the Moonlight Bodhisattva unleashed a brilliant, blinding ray of light. Having ascended to the grandmaster realm, he now exhibited semi-divine powers. Wang Xuan nimbly sidestepped the attack, which cleaved through an array of ancient trees, leaving devastation in its wake.

The falling trees created a cascade of destruction, snapping branches and showering the area with leaves.

Meeting the Bodhisattva's gaze, Wang Xuan evaluated his opponent's strength. While confident in his own abilities, he saw no advantage in dragging out their duel.

Without hesitation, the two warriors clashed once more in a fierce battle.

While most feared the opponent's unique ability to unleash beams of light reminiscent of sword strikes, Wang Xuan saw it as his only real challenge. A soft luminescence began to radiate from his forehead, signaling his mastery over the spiritual realm, which he unleashed upon the Moonlight Bodhisattva.

Wang Xuan had previously discerned the Achilles heel of such enhanced beings. Despite their physical prowess reaching grandmaster stature, they were spiritually vulnerable. While an ordinary grandmaster might overlook this flaw, against a formidable opponent like Wang Xuan, such weaknesses became glaring.

Gripped by pain, the Moonlight Bodhisattva let out an agonized cry, his hands clawing at his head. It felt as though his very skull had been shattered, his consciousness disintegrating.

Seizing this opportunity, Wang Xuan leaped, readying a deadly strike. However, at the last moment, he shifted his approach. Landing, he firmly pressed his hand onto the Bodhisattva's cranium, causing a visible indentation, heralding imminent demise.

Even the hardened mercenaries of the Qin family, typically unbridled by morals, were left stunned. Here was a grandmaster, effortlessly subdued by a young man not even in his prime. The spectacle was chilling.

Not far off, the second Moonlight Bodhisattva, who had been engaged with Grandmaster Ma, was in disbelief. Witnessing the swift defeat of his comrade, he became a blur of white light, choosing retreat over confrontation. His escape wasn't about pride but survival. In the face of such an adversary, valor had its limits. Without hesitation, he sped away, leaving even the Qin family's middle-aged man in his wake.

Wang Xuan had vowed to eradicate this group of ruthless assassins, ensuring none would escape his wrath, not even a grandmaster. He gave chase, his spiritual domain erupting with intensity, casting a radiant light across the shadowed woods.

The fleeing Moonlight Bodhisattva soon grasped the terrifying ordeal his comrade had faced. Overwhelmed by Wang Xuan's spiritual onslaught, his mental defenses shattered, leaving him screaming in torment. Disoriented, he almost stumbled and fell.

Catching up swiftly, Wang Xuan delivered a powerful slap, sinking the man's head partially into his chest. There was no hope of survival after such a blow. Wang Xuan had restrained himself just enough to avoid a gruesome mess.

"Grandmaster Ma," Wang Xuan called out, "the seven on that side are yours to handle, while I'll take care of the fourteen here. Let none escape!" He gestured for the young horse, Grandmaster Ma, to join the pursuit.

Wang Xuan was on a relentless mission. Any survivor could inform the Qin family, forcing him into hiding and preventing his return to the New Star. As for the middle-aged man from the Qin family, Wang Xuan had already incapacitated him, breaking his legs to ensure he remained for questioning.

During the chase, Wang Xuan picked up a blade from the ground. Initially using it for decapitation, he swiftly dispatched seven or eight men. Then, snapping the blade into segments, he hurled the shards, piercing and eliminating the rest.

It was clear that Wang Xuan's speed was unmatched. While the furthest runners managed barely a hundred meters, the closest barely took a few steps before meeting their end.

Using a sturdy tree branch, Wang Xuan managed to pull him out of the mire. Covered in mud from head to toe, Zheng Rui presented a pitiful sight. Nearby, another expert, Yang Lin, was also found hiding within the sludgy waters.

Continuing his search across the marsh, Wang Xuan rescued six more 'mud men.' To his surprise, the seventh individual he found was Zhong Qing. Her once-beautiful hair was now coated in mud, and she was almost completely submerged. Given more time, she would have been completely buried. Snakes swam nearby, and Zhong Qing, with an innate fear of such creatures, was paralyzed with terror.

Rescuing her proved challenging as her strength had waned considerably. But with effort, Wang Xuan managed to pull her to safety, her limbs limp from exhaustion.

Looking at Zhong Qing's mud-drenched form, which resembled a muddy monkey, Wang Xuan felt a pang of distaste. Not wishing to carry her himself, he nonchalantly placed her on Grandmaster Ma, the esteemed horse Grandmaster. However, in a swift act of rebellion, Grandmaster Ma bucked, flinging Zhong Qing back into the mud with a splat.

Zhong Qing was on the verge of tears, both shocked and hurt. Throughout her life, she had never felt so rejected. It was one thing for Wang Xuan to act this way, but now even a horse deemed her unworthy?

After pulling her out of the mud once more, Wang Xuan tried to hold his breath against the pungent smell of muck and attempted to carry her. But no sooner had he touched her than he recoiled, tossing her aside again. "What on earth do you have on you? It's not just hard but prickly too!" he exclaimed. He had mastered the art of the impenetrable golden body, so he wasn't genuinely hurt – he merely feigned it for effect.

Zhong Qing, usually so eloquent, was rendered speechless in her embarrassment. It dawned on her what was causing the discomfort. She sheepishly removed two spiky steel plates hidden within her clothing – one from her chest and another from her back.

Wang Xuan was taken aback. He'd only ever used thick steel plates for protection, yet here was Zhong Qing with spiky ones! Everyone else, too, stared in disbelief.

Reflecting on their past, Wang Xuan recalled a time when, in the Old World, he had unintentionally struck Zhong Qing. The impact had almost knocked her out then. Had she equipped these steel plates as an extreme self-defense measure since that incident?

This time, when Wang Xuan placed her on Grandmaster Ma's back, the horse, though still visibly irritated, refrained from throwing her off.

The mood turned somber as Wang Xuan proceeded to discover several other expedition members in the vicinity. Tragically, they were lifeless, succumbing to grievous wounds.

"Where is Wu Yin?" Wang Xuan inquired.

"She probably fled further in," Yang Lin, a Master of the New Arts, suggested.

Ahead, the landscape was no longer marshy. Instead, it was riddled with fissures, craters, and a plethora of rocky caves.

Shortly after their search commenced, Wang Xuan pulled a pale-faced female explorer from one of the crevices. She was known to be a companion of Wu Yin's.

"Where is Wu Yin?" Wang Xuan pressed.

Tears streamed down her face as she uttered, "Wu Yin... she was taken by a monster!"

"What did you just say?!" Wang Xuan stared at her in disbelief.

Zhong Qing, having gathered some of her strength, was equally shocked by the revelation. "That's impossible!"

The woman sobbed, "A creature, radiating a dark light, grabbed her and soared into the sky. Blood rained down... I was paralyzed with fear."

Indeed, there were traces of blood on the ground, as well as splatters on the woman's clothes.

Wang Xuan sighed deeply, rendered momentarily speechless. He spent considerable time searching the area but came up empty-handed. The group remained silent; the weight of the losses they had suffered that day bore down on them heavily.

"Did Wu Yin leave any last words?" Zhong Qing asked. Even though she and Wu Yin had been rivals, the probable news of Wu Yin's demise was heart-wrenching.

"We hid separately in different crevices," the female explorer replied, her voice choked with emotion. "Wu Yin mentioned that if Qin's people found us, she'd end her life. I never imagined a monster would..." She trailed off, holding back tears. "She carved something where she was hiding. It looked like a last message."

Wang Xuan entered the said crevice and indeed found inscriptions. Zhong Qing leaned in, confirming, "These are Wu Yin's handwriting."

The majority of Wu Yin's message conveyed her deep longing and concern for her family, fearing she might never see them again. Yet, one final line stood out, initially scratched out but later rewritten: "Deliver the scripture I found to Xiao Wang of the Old World. His name is Wang Xiao."

Upon reading this, a deep pang of emotion welled up in Wang Xuan. Wu Yin's last thoughts had included him, and now she was gone forever.