Power of Space

Power of Space...

The tavern's patrons were jolted by Hua Xiaoyun's anguished screams. The protector's eyes flashed, his instincts confirmed. Someone had indeed been spying on them, launching a potent will-based attack on Hua Xiaoyun.

However, within the tavern, no one appeared suspicious enough to warrant such suspicion. That could only mean one thing—the attacker wasn't physically present but was wielding a technique that amplified their will, transcending the confines of space. Such a technique left even the protector awestruck and on edge.

Shu Ruanyu's captivating eyes betrayed her astonishment. Who was this adept attacker, capable of such an assault from a distance?

"ARGHH…" Hua Xiaoyun's mournful wail reverberated, his face contorting in distress and agony. The onslaught of this lightning-like will-attack grew fiercer. In his mind's eye, the spectral form of a primeval beast materialized, radiating a Mandate's will, poised to shatter his consciousness.

Though Hua Xiaoyun had achieved a slightly higher cultivation status since his days in Chu, his recovery from grievous injuries limited his progress. Despite his ascension to the fifth level of Yuanfu, his foundation remained shaky.

His Mandate lingered at its early stages, making it challenging to defend against these insidious, opposing will-infused mental assaults. The pounding headache seemed worse than death itself, as if his mind were ready to splinter into shards.

"Let's go," his protector ordered, seizing Hua Xiaoyun and taking flight. A resounding "Boom!" punctuated their ascent, as the abrupt speed created a gaping hole in the tavern's roof. The protector had to retreat, or Hua Xiaoyun's shattered consciousness would leave him little more than a lifeless shell.

Shu Ruanyu's gaze fixed on the hole as she propelled herself into the sky. Just who was this mysterious mastermind?

With the protector's escape, a frigid blade cleaved downward from the heavens. The chilling edge sent shivers through onlookers' hearts.

Then, a colossal figure shrouded in voluminous robes plummeted. Its eyes emitted an icy malevolence, bearing no resemblance to human eyes.

"WHO?!"

The protector bellowed, responding with a flurry of upward strikes. Gales erupted, altering the blade's trajectory. The currents redirected the blade's descent, causing it to narrowly miss its mark.

"Bzzz!" The colossal figure remained undeterred, sweeping its legs forward, each limb radiating an ominous frosty gleam. The protector's eyes widened as he observed the blade-like sharpness of those legs. Fueled by fury, he summoned his Astral Nova, shaping it into a mammoth saber to intercept the colossal figure head-on.

A resounding boom reverberated as Hua Xiaoyun's protector hastily withdrew. Throughout the skirmish, he had clung to Hua Xiaoyun, yet the pain etched across Hua Xiaoyun's visage deepened. It was as though the ceaseless will-attack had spiraled into a relentless frenzy, halting only upon its completion.

The protector's complexion turned ashen. This signaled the presence of another hidden adversary. But if this foe was truly formidable, why hadn't they launched a direct assault?

Meanwhile, Qin Wentian found his mood slightly sour. Though his head remained bowed, his third eye remained aglow, steadfastly locked onto Hua Xiaoyun. Yet his senses warned him that the carriage driver and the silver-masked man were gradually edging his way.

Seems like they were targeting him in earnest.

With his pair of Puppets at the ready and his will-attack poised, he was confident he could make short work of Hua Xiaoyun. In fact, he could even vanish after the kill, leaving no trace. However, he hadn't anticipated that he would also be in someone's crosshairs.

"DIE!" A surge of Mandate-driven intent blasted from Qin Wentian's third eye, a relentless assault on Hua Xiaoyun's consciousness. Hua Xiaoyun's agonized screams echoed, each one diminishing in volume. Evidently, his endurance was waning. Even without a direct assault, death loomed as the killing energy surged through the confines of space.

Closing in, the carriage driver disembarked and shambled forward, a perfect disguise concealing his intent. If not for Qin Wentian's extraordinary perception, his demise would have been inscrutable.

A crystalline splatter sounded—a pang reverberated through Qin Wentian. "Dammit!" Time had run out. Just a few more breaths could have sealed Hua Xiaoyun's fate.

Regrettably, just as his will-attack peaked, the carriage driver seized the moment to act. Not only did this coincided with the will of the driver's Mandate, it disrupted his connection with Hua Xiaoyun. A stifling sensation enveloped him, the grip of the driver's will seeming to snare him in a suffocating web.

His third eye snapped shut as he inclined his head, but not before he caught a glimpse of the hunched-back driver straightening and vanishing from sight. A surge of chilling intent filled his gaze as he felt the driver's Mandate-driven will binding him in place.

Yet, in a blink, Qinger appeared before him. In that instant, a peculiar energy radiated from her, shattering the invisible shackles that held him captive. With a wave of her palms, a lotus materialized, hurtling toward the driver with remarkable speed. Simultaneously, she seized Qin Wentian and soared into the skies.

"Space Mandate? And at such a young age," the driver mused, astonishment in his eyes.

The Space Mandate was a formidable power, growing more oppressive with mastery. While the initial stages might not be overly potent, deeper understanding rendered it overwhelmingly strong. The driver had personally witnessed its might when an expert wielded it against foes.

To think that such a young maiden had comprehended this Mandate, using its spatial prowess to sever the bonds of his Mandate.

His reaction, however, was swift. In the blink of an eye, he ascended into the sky, pursuing Qinger. Three more figures burst forth from the carriage, trailing close behind.

Within the tavern, gazes were drawn to these abrupt aerial maneuvers. The assault on Hua Xiaoyun ceased, and he expelled a sigh of relief. Pale as a ghost, cold sweat clung to his body in the aftermath of his fearful ordeal.

He sensed the turmoil of combat nearby, shifting his gaze to witness the spectacle. His heart pounded at the sight of Qinger. The earlier will-based attack on him, he now realized, must have come from her.

Rage contorted his features. Never had he anticipated that Qin Wentian would also be on his tail, a predator in pursuit.

"Kill him, KILL HIM IMMEDIATELY!" Hua Xiaoyun's voice thundered madly. He understood that the battle unfolding was between Qin Wentian and the killers he had engaged from the Shadow Pavilion.

"You fools, you bunch of incompetent fools!" Hua Xiaoyun seethed. The killers he had hired had allowed their target to turn the tables, transforming the prey into the hunter. It was an outrageously cunning maneuver.

Qin Wentian's eyes bore a glacial intensity, locked on a sinuous vine winding around him. As Qing`er's palms emanated a faint golden luminescence, she slashed through the vine. Yet, the vine multiplied instantly, surging forward in a relentless assault.

Furrowing her brows, Qing`er found her adversary's assault rather troublesome to contend with. While it might not pose an issue for her, she recognized that Qin Wentian wouldn't have such an easy time thwarting the attacks.

A hiss cut through the air as a cluster of malevolent serpents manifested behind them, hurtling toward Qin Wentian's back. The initiator of this assault was the female Heavenly Dipper Sovereign—none other than the wife of the aforementioned driver.

A tempestuous gust swept through the surroundings, heralding the sudden appearance of a golden-armored Puppet. Initially devised as a trap for Hua Xiaoyun, Qin Wentian was now compelled to summon it back.

The serpentine onslaught disintegrated as the Puppet clashed with Madam and her serpents. In the split second before the impact, the Madam extended her palm, conjuring a colossal python out of thin air.

The Heaven's Destruction group consisted of two Yuanfu cultivators and a pair of Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns. According to their scheme, the master and the Madam would effectively engage Qing`er and the two fourth-ranked Puppets. This would grant their disciples ample opportunity to dispatch Qin Wentian. The plan seemed like a veritable stroke of luck.

Qinger's capabilities, however, transcended their expectations. Her mastery of the Space Mandate enabled her to manipulate its form, thwarting the intrusion of foreign Mandates and safeguarding both herself and Qin Wentian. To eliminate Qin Wentian, they needed only to restrain Qinger for a fleeting moment.

"Come here!" The python snapped its massive jaws open, exuding a formidable suction force that threatened to draw Qin Wentian in its direction.

Despite the minor setbacks, Hua Xiaoyun's protector had effectively neutralized one of the fourth-ranked Puppets, providing ample leeway to eliminate Qin Wentian, a task they believed had been simplified.

Qing`er's striking eyes shifted the moment she registered the unfolding events. Subsequently, a golden lotus blossomed beneath her feet, whirling into rapid motion. As it expanded, an enigmatic energy radiated from its core.

"I can handle them," Qinger asserted calmly, her tone unwavering. The burgeoning lotus enshrouded the space, and Qinger clasped Qin Wentian's arms, propelling them in the opposite direction.

"Allow the golden-armored Puppet to assist you," Qin Wentian whispered, prompting Qing`er to cast him a brief contemplative glance. Her response, while chilly and composed, held a clear melodious ring.

"Trust me, I'll be fine."

Her voice, cool and distant, resonated for a fleeting moment before she propelled Qin Wentian out of the expanding lotus. Once he was safely out, the lotus petals converged, enveloping Qing`er in a breathtaking display.

The golden lotus exuded a faint translucence, allowing an unobstructed view of the unfolding events within its confines. Within the expansive petals, the two Heavenly Dipper Sovereigns found themselves ensnared.

"Mastery of the Space Mandate, Qing`er's prowess is astounding," Qin Wentian marveled. Yet, his contemplations were abruptly cut short as the two assailants who had earlier been concealed within the carriage entered the fray. Their arrival heralded an onslaught of overwhelming hostility, as suffocating as the clutches of death itself.

A dazzling radiance erupted, materializing a formidable lance in Qin Wentian's grip. Meanwhile, a blood-hued stone monument hovered above him.

These assailants were far from weak. One stood at the eighth level of Yunfu, while the other boasted the sixth level. Qin Wentian sensed a pressing undercurrent of peril from both combatants.

"You're as good as dead, Qin Wentian," Hua Xiaoyun seethed, his visage contorted with animosity. The prospect of escape seemed futile, even with wings.

Engrossed in combat with the bladed Puppet, Hua Xiaoyun's protector could have effortlessly disengaged to eliminate Qin Wentian. However, this course of action was untenable. Were he to withdraw, the fourth-ranked bladed Puppet would undoubtedly seize the opportunity to target Hua Xiaoyun. The protector, dedicated to his charge's safety, prioritized shielding Hua Xiaoyun at all costs.

"Him, Qin Wentian?" Shu Ruanyu inquired Hua Xiaoyun in a frigid tone. Her fiery red attire billowed in the wind, her gaze narrowing with a venomous intensity aimed at Qin Wentian.

Zhu Sha, her aunt's spouse, had reportedly perished in the secret realm, a casualty attributed to the youngest fourth-ranked Grandmaster on the Moon Continent—none other than Qin Wentian.

"Yes, that's him. Lady Shu, is there a feud between you two?" Hua Xiaoyun chuckled. Yet his mirth was short-lived as Shu Ruanyu fixed him with an icy glare, her voice laced with scorn.

"As a young master of the Hua Clan, your ineptitude is remarkable. A stark contrast to your elder brother. You lacked the means to personally slay him, so you resorted to hiring a band of assassins?" Shu Ruanyu's gaze bore into him, her words dripping with disdain.

Hua Xiaoyun's smile faltered, yielding to a menacing scowl as fury etched his features.