Chapter 350: Wang Yan
"Hey, Song Yun, do you think Wang Yan will take the bait?"
Two figures walked openly through a mountain forest in the Blood Rock Grounds. One of them scanned the area cautiously, whispering as he glanced around.
"Don't worry. Thanks to Su Qi spreading word of our movements for the last few days, our presence is well known in these parts," Song Yun replied in a low voice. "If Wang Yan hears of it, he'll undoubtedly strike. After all, his sister died at the hands of the Gate of Origins. There's no way he'll pass up this chance."
Their brief exchange confirmed the Fire Division's plan: to use Song Yun and Pang Yan as bait to lure Wang Yan into the open.
"Even if Wang Yan does show up, do you think Senior Brother Lin has the strength to take him down?" Pang Yan asked, nodding as he voiced his concern.
Song Yun's brow furrowed slightly. He didn't have much confidence either. Wang Yan's rank as the second most wanted criminal by the sect was well-earned. With extensive combat experience hardened by his time in the Blood Rock Grounds, capturing him would likely require at least two or three Spirit Generals working together. Although Lin Langtian had proven his strength as the new Fire Division Spirit General, whether he could handle Wang Yan alone was another question.
But before Song Yun could reply, he and Pang Yan suddenly sensed a chilling presence. They halted, gazes fixed on a large tree directly ahead. Emerging from behind it was a lone figure.
Seeing this person, Song Yun and Pang Yan's expressions grew tense. "Wang Yan…"
The figure wore a long gray cloak with disheveled hair hanging loosely down his back, and a massive black sword was strapped to his shoulder. The sword measured nearly ten feet long, exuding a sinister aura that seemed to pulse from its blade. Though his face wasn't particularly striking, it was his dark, emotionless eyes that sent a chill through anyone who met his gaze.
Most unsettling of all, Song Yun and Pang Yan felt an intense, dangerous energy radiating from his body—a tension only experienced warriors recognize in each other. This was the aura of a ruthless wolf, honed by countless battles. Even in the brutal environment of the Gate of Origins, it was rare to encounter someone this dangerous, and Wang Yan's presence made Song Yun and Pang Yan swallow nervously.
The cold gaze in Wang Yan's eyes flared blood-red as he looked at them. "Two Gate of Origins disciples... What luck. Today, you'll join my sister underground." His voice, as he spoke, was emotionless, yet a hint of bloodthirst burned through.
The sheer force of his words sent a shiver through Song Yun and Pang Yan, who struggled to keep their composure. "Wang Yan, you've killed countless members of our Gate. Do you have no fear of death?"
"Fear of death?" Wang Yan sneered, his expression as cold as ever. "Since the day your sect killed my sister, my life has been solely about killing, about hunting down and destroying every last one of you Gate rats. Death? That's not even a concern. If I can destroy every one of you, I'd gladly pay with my life."
This declaration, filled with relentless fury, made Song Yun and Pang Yan's skin crawl. Seeing no way to avoid a fight, they prepared themselves and retorted, "Arrogant words, Wang Yan. Today, you'll witness the strength of our Gate!"
The next instant, both unleashed their powerful elemental energy, the immense force indicating that they were both at the peak of the Eight Essence Nirvana stage. In a flash, they charged, wielding blazing long spears that emitted an intimidating energy as they aimed straight at Wang Yan's face.
Wang Yan moved only as they drew near, unleashing a surge of killing intent that exploded around him, transforming him into a lone predator ready to strike. He quickly stepped back, gripped his massive black sword, and raised it to meet the oncoming attacks.
"Dark Demon Slash!"
With one swift, brutal movement, Wang Yan swung his black sword. A massive arc of dark energy erupted from the blade, slicing through the air before clashing head-on with the fiery spears.
The sound of impact resounded across the mountains, as the black and fiery energies collided, sending waves of chaotic energy in all directions, shredding the surrounding forest.
Song Yun and Pang Yan's expressions darkened as they felt the immense power in Wang Yan's attack. It far exceeded their expectations.
A loud explosion reverberated through the air as Wang Yan's black sword energy cleaved through their spears. Before they could react, the dark energy barreled toward them, cutting through the air at blinding speed.
"Not good!"
Realizing they couldn't avoid it, Song Yun and Pang Yan tried to brace themselves, but the dark energy struck their chests with devastating force.
"Agh!"
The two of them were thrown back like broken kites, crashing into the ground with enough force to leave deep craters. Crawling out of the impact zones, they were pale, their breathing labored. Each bore a deep, bloody gash across their chest, the wounds bleeding profusely, creating a chilling sight.
Holding his massive black sword with an icy expression, Wang Yan didn't rely on any flashy techniques. His vast energy surged wildly, and he swung the sword downward in a fierce slash.
Swish!
A massive arc of black energy shot out from the sword's tip, tearing through the air as it descended with brutal force on the two blazing spears aimed at him by Song Yun and Pang Yan.
Boom!
A low, heavy sound burst through the air, as the black light and fire exploded upon impact. Fierce, uncontrolled sword energy radiated out, tearing the entire mountainside into ragged, jagged pieces.
Facing Wang Yan's powerful move, Song Yun and Pang Yan's faces shifted with concern. His strength was far beyond their expectations.
With a loud blast, the black sword energy, unstoppable as it was, sliced through the flaming spears in their hands with precision, then continued toward Song Yun and Pang Yan in a flash.
"Not good!"
They felt a jolt of fear, but before they could respond, the black sword energy struck their chests directly.
"Ah!"
Two cries echoed as Song Yun and Pang Yan were sent flying like kites with severed strings, crashing into the ground and creating deep craters upon impact.
Climbing out with great effort, their faces were pale and their breathing weak. Each of them bore a long, narrow gash across their chests, with blood streaming from the wounds in a gruesome sight.
"Cough… Send the signal, quickly," groaned Pang Yan, setting aside his pride in desperation as he called out to Song Yun.
Nodding solemnly, Song Yun reached into his robe and pulled out a small, red cylinder. Infusing it with his energy, he activated it, sending a massive red beam shooting up from his hand, breaking through the forest canopy and piercing the sky.
The crimson beam illuminated the forest, casting a brilliant red glow visible for miles around.
Seeing the signal released, Song Yun breathed a sigh of relief and glared at Wang Yan with a smirk. "Wang Yan, you've fallen into our trap. The reinforcements from the Fire Division will arrive shortly, and today, you'll have no escape!"
Wang Yan's cold, detached eyes didn't flicker with the slightest reaction to Song Yun's words. Perhaps contemplating something, he slowly lowered his black sword and replied in his hoarse voice, "In that case, I'll wait right here. Whoever comes from the Gate of Origins, I'll kill them one by one."
"Hah, such arrogance!"
Just as he finished speaking, a cold scoff echoed through the air. An instant later, a streak of red light flashed in, solidifying into a figure. It was a striking young man with a graceful presence, his long hair flowing in the breeze and his refined appearance marking him as one of the East Xuan Region's elite.
It was none other than Lin Langtian, the Fire Division's newly appointed Spirit General.
Swish!
Swish!
Swish!
Following Lin Langtian, a series of sounds of rushing air announced the arrival of dozens of figures, led by Su Qi and the stationed forces of the Fire Division in the Blood Rock Grounds.
The crimson signal had attracted many powerful figures in the area, drawing the attention of various curious bystanders who watched from a distance without interfering, recognizing the Gate of Origins by their emblems.
"Are you all right?" Lin Langtian asked, his gaze lingering on the wounds across Song Yun and Pang Yan's chests as he looked them over carefully.
"No serious injuries," Song Yun and Pang Yan said, shaking their heads and adding in a low voice, "but he's no easy opponent. It's no wonder he ranks second on the Sect's Most Wanted list."
Hearing this, Lin Langtian nodded slightly, shifting his gaze toward the gray-clad figure before him—the man known as Wang Yan of the Dao Sect. Lin could sense the boundless hatred radiating from Wang Yan, as though he were a machine driven purely by revenge, chilling to the core.
Lin Langtian recalled the sect competition from the original timeline. Had Lin Dong not intervened, the Dao Sect, led by this man, would have suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of the Gate of Origins, possibly even a complete annihilation. Wang Yan had indeed become a creature consumed by vengeance.
"This is the backup you've brought to capture me, Wang Yan?" Wang Yan's hollow, emotionless gaze shifted to Lin Langtian and his allies. With a harsh laugh, he said, his voice as rough as sand, "Other than you, who seems a bit mysterious, the rest look like ordinary Fire Division disciples. I'm almost disappointed. I was hoping for more of you here so I could kill more Gate scum in my sister's name."
"Such disrespect! You're speaking to Fire Division's Spirit General, Senior Lin Langtian!" Song Yun, seeing Wang Yan's dismissive look, couldn't hide his irritation and promptly scolded him.
Pang Yan also sneered, "Wang Yan, with Senior Lin here, this place will be your grave!"
"Spirit General of Fire Division?" As Song Yun and Pang Yan's words echoed, dozens of eyes focused on Lin Langtian.
Even across the East Xuan Region, the Gate's Eight Spirit Generals were widely recognized. The Gate of Origins held a powerful position as the region's dominant force, and the Eight Spirit Generals and the Three Princes of its younger generation were renowned as some of the strongest talents in all of East Xuan.
"Huh, wasn't the Fire Division Spirit General someone named Ling Chi? This Lin Langtian doesn't ring any bells."
"I have a cousin in the Gate who told me that Lin Langtian's a rising star in the Fire Division. He joined less than half a year ago and already defeated Ling Chi to take over the Spirit General position."
"What?! Becoming a Division Spirit General in less than six months after joining the Gate? His talent must be terrifying."
"Indeed, though Wang Yan's strength is also no joke. Not only is he one of Dao Sect's top talents, but he's also ranked second on the Sect's Most Wanted list. Sending only one Spirit General from the Gate may be a bit too bold."
"Well, whatever happens, we're here for the show. The rivalry between the Gate and the Dao Sect is common knowledge. Who wins or loses doesn't concern us."
"Yes, Brother Jia, that's exactly it. It's rare to witness a Gate Spirit General fighting the second-most wanted in the Sect. We're in for quite a match…"
A flurry of murmurs filled the air as onlookers' gazes flitted between Lin Langtian and Wang Yan, anticipating the clash.
"Oh, the new Spirit General of the Fire Division…"
Among the whispers, a faint change appeared in Wang Yan's otherwise expressionless face. His cold, empty gaze settled on Lin Langtian as he rasped, "The last Spirit General of Fire Division was named Ling Chi, wasn't he? I see you took his place. It's typical of the Gate to show no mercy, always survival of the fittest."
With that, Wang Yan pulled out his black sword again. A flash of cold light reflected in his eyes, hardening his face back to its detached, emotionless state.
"If you could beat Ling Chi, then you must have some skill. So, tell me—are you ready to die?" Wang Yan said, staring at Lin Langtian as if he were already a corpse.
Lin Langtian's brow twitched slightly at Wang Yan's ominous declaration. Though losing one's sister could indeed stir a boundless hatred, this man had reduced himself to nothing more than a machine of vengeance. What an extreme personality—one that almost seemed worthy of the name "Uchiha," Lin thought dryly to himself.
He shook his head; despite feeling a trace of sympathy for Wang Yan, he couldn't forget his own mission.
"If you want to kill me, then show me what you've got," Lin Langtian replied coolly.
Wang Yan remained expressionless. With his grip tight on the black sword, a trace of melancholy appeared in his otherwise empty eyes as he looked at Lin Langtian.
"If I could kill a Spirit General of the Gate, my sister would be overjoyed, even in death…"
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