You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Chen Yang and Liu Yu found a relatively quiet corner to sit down and wait for the train to Yanjing.

"High-speed rail is convenient, saving you the attention and energy costs that flying might cause."

Liu Yu spoke softly, breaking the silence.

Chen Yang nodded slightly.

"Yes, the Special Administration Bureau headquarters is a mixed bag of people, so we need to keep a low profile on this trip. Taking public transportation will actually make it less likely for us to be targeted by special means."

Soon, an announcement came over the loudspeaker that boarding for their train had begun.

The two boarded the train with the flow of people and found their seats.

The high-speed train started smoothly and gradually increased in speed, the scenery outside the window turning into a blurry stream of light.

The scenery along the way changed, with plains, hills, and towns... everything seemed to be going smoothly.

However, just as the high-speed train entered a mountainous area and was not too far from Yanjing, the train suddenly began to slow down. Then a dull friction sound came, the train swayed slightly, and finally came to a complete stop in a relatively open area near the tunnel exit.

The lights inside the carriage flickered a few times, and the train conductor's slightly hurried voice came over the loudspeaker.

"Attention passengers, the line ahead is blocked due to a sudden landslide. Rescue workers are working urgently to clear the blockage. Trains cannot proceed at this time. Please remain seated and wait patiently..."

A slight commotion and murmur arose among the passengers, but it quickly subsided after being calmed down by the train attendant. Most people chose to take out their phones to check messages or close their eyes to rest.

Liu Yu looked out the window at the steep mountain wall and the faint traces of landslides, frowned and whispered.

"Sect Leader, this landslide... is rather coincidental. Although we did not make a big show of this trip, if the 'Heavenly Dao Alliance' is indeed as powerful as we expect, and if they do have spies within our ranks, it would not be difficult for them to track our itinerary and create some 'accidents'."

A cold glint flashed in Chen Yang's eyes, and his divine sense spread silently throughout the carriage, both inside and out, like mercury seeping onto the ground. After a moment, he withdrew his divine sense and transmitted his voice to Liu Yu.

“You’re right. The soil and rocks at the landslide site are fresh, but the traces of residual spiritual energy are very weak and deliberately concealed, making it more like a man-made disaster than a pure natural disaster.”

Moreover... the 'life' in the surrounding mountains and forests is too sluggish; even the chirping of birds, beasts, and insects is barely audible.

Liu Yuxin felt a chill.

"They moved so quickly? Are they trying to trap us here, or..."

"To trap us, or to create chaos and take advantage of the situation."

Chen Yang analyzed the situation calmly.

"The high-speed train stopped halfway, far from any village or shop, making it the perfect place to strike."

We don't know how long we'll have to wait for rescue; we can't just sit here and wait to die.

"What does the sect leader mean?"

"Since the railway is closed, we will proceed on our own as planned."

Chen Yang made a decisive decision.

"However, we need to find a reason to get off the bus without disturbing the ordinary passengers."

The two waited a while longer, and seeing that the rescue operation seemed to be progressing slowly, the train conductor informed everyone that they could get off the train in an orderly manner and go to the designated safe area for a short break, but not to stray far from it.

Chen Yang and Liu Yu exchanged a glance, and then some passengers got off the bus.

Standing beside the roadbed, Liu Yu looked at the majestic mountains and the obstructed railway and sighed softly.

"I was hoping for convenience and comfort, but it seems I'm not destined to have that privilege."

Chen Yang looked around and his gaze fell on the lush mountains not far away.

"It's too late to complain now."

"Elder Liu, let's go. Let's find a secluded spot and fly there directly; it's better than waiting here in vain."

Liu Yu nodded.

"Alright.

Just avoid crowds.

The two pretended to admire the scenery and walked along the railway embankment toward the nearby woods.

Their steps appeared casual, but were actually swift, and they quickly slipped out of the sight of the other passengers getting off the bus and ventured deep into the mountains and forests.

Chen Yang stopped in a secluded valley, hidden by trees and piled with rocks.

"There's no one here, we can..."

Before he finished speaking, his eyes suddenly sharpened, and he raised his hand to signal Liu Yu to be quiet. His gaze shot like lightning towards a cliff above the valley.

Liu Yu immediately sensed something was wrong, and her expression changed slightly as she scanned the area with her divine sense.

"Sect Leader, there's an ambush!"

More than a dozen figures appeared silently on the cliff above and the surrounding high slopes.

These people were all dressed in uniform black outfits, with masks covering their mouths and noses, revealing only pairs of indifferent or mocking eyes.

Their seemingly casual stance subtly blocked all possible escape routes through the valley, their auras blending together, carrying a chilling intent.

"It seems that this 'accident' was indeed not a natural disaster."

Chen Yang snorted coldly and whispered to Liu Yu.

“Our movements have been thoroughly investigated, and even our backup evacuation route and landing point have been predicted. The mole is probably of a high rank, and the surveillance along the way is more thorough than we imagined.”

Liu Yu had already secretly held several talismans in her hand, her expression solemn.

"What the sect leader says is absolutely right."

Regardless, we need to deal with the immediate problem first.

Chen Yang glanced at the dozen or so men in black above him and said loudly.

"Hiding your head and revealing your tail, setting up ambushes and launching sneak attacks—is this how the 'Heavenly Dao Alliance' treats its guests? If you're going to fight, then do it quickly and don't waste each other's time."

"Whoosh whoosh—"

The sound of air being cut rang out one after another. The dozen or so men in black, like bats swooping down to catch their prey in the night, leaped down from the height and landed lightly, surrounding Chen Yang and Liu Yu in the center.

Their movements were synchronized and uniform, clearly indicating that they were well-trained, far superior to the scattered soldiers who had attacked the mountain god temple earlier.

The leader, a burly man in black, had a steady demeanor and his gaze was fixed on Chen Yang, his voice hoarse.

"Sect Leader Chen, Elder Liu, my master invites you both to come with us to avoid suffering further pain."

The tone was polite, but it carried an unquestionable commanding tone.

Chen Yang stood with his hands behind his back and said calmly.

"Please? Invite me in this way? Your host is being far too insincere."

If you want me to go with you, first show me the strength that will truly convince me.

"strength?"

A thin man in black standing nearby sneered, his voice sharp and shrill.

"Chen Yang, do you still think you're the Qingwei Sect leader who stirred up trouble in the Northwest and no one could stop you? Open your dog eyes and see clearly, we're not those useless trash you encountered before!" "Exactly!"

Another man in black chimed in, his tone full of disdain.

"I heard you're quite skilled; even 'Golden Claw' Zhao Gang was defeated by you."

But that Zhao Gang is just a brute; how can he compare to us brothers? Be smart and surrender obediently, lest you suffer later when a fight breaks out, and perhaps… hehe, we brothers will certainly give Elder Liu a proper 'treatment'.”

The lewd intent in his words was made no attempt to conceal it.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yu's pretty face turned fierce, her almond-shaped eyes widened, and she scolded him.

"Shameless scoundrel! Your mouth is full of foul language!"

The leader of the men in black glanced at Liu Yu's cheeks, which were slightly flushed with anger, and a strange light flashed in his eyes. He chuckled hoarsely.

"Elder Liu, why get angry? You'll soon find out that following us is much better than following this Chen fellow, hiding here and there, living a life of constant uncertainty."

Chen Yang stepped forward, subtly shielding Liu Yu behind him. His aura began to rise slowly, and his voice was as cold as iron.

"Enough with the nonsense."

"If you want to take us away, come and do it your way! Do it!"

"Stubborn to the end!"
Since you're so ungrateful, don't blame us for being impolite!

The leader of the men in black glared at him and shouted sharply.

"Move! Capture them alive, the master wants to question them!"
But if the resistance is fierce, injuries or disabilities will not be considered!

"Order!"

The men in black around her responded in unison, and in an instant, five or six of them pounced on Liu Yu. Swords flashed, wind howled, and every move was ruthless, aimed straight for vital points.

There were seven or eight other people, including the leader, who clearly targeted Chen Yang, intending to use their overwhelming strength to take him down as their strongest fighter.

Chen Yang snorted coldly, neither dodging nor avoiding. He activated the "Qingwei Yuanjiang Great Law" within his body, and his pure magical power surged forth to meet the powerful palm strike from the leader of the black-clad men, which carried the sound of wind and thunder.

"boom!"

The two palms clashed, releasing a burst of energy that stirred up dust and grass clippings on the ground.

The leader of the men in black shuddered and involuntarily took three steps back, leaving deep footprints on the rocks beneath his feet. For the first time, a look of surprise appeared in his eyes.

He originally thought that his palm strike would be enough to make Chen Yang suffer a minor loss, but he did not expect that the opponent's palm force was so pure and powerful that he was at a disadvantage.

Chen Yang pressed his advantage relentlessly, his movements as swift as lightning. He unleashed the Qingwei Palm Technique, his palm shadows fluttering like butterflies flitting among flowers, yet containing a powerful force capable of splitting mountains and shattering rocks, completely engulfing the leader in black and his two henchmen.

In an instant, the wind from palms howled and the shadows of fists clashed.

Chen Yang fought against three opponents single-handedly, yet he appeared to be handling the situation with ease. His Qingwei Palm technique combined strength and gentleness, and was unpredictable. He would defuse the opponent's attacks at the last possible moment and launch a fierce counterattack.

In just over ten moves, the two henchmen were already struggling to defend themselves and were covered in wounds.

The leader of the men in black also had a solemn expression. He realized that even if he used all his strength and cooperated with his two subordinates, he could not do anything to Chen Yang. Instead, he was being suppressed by Chen Yang's exquisite moves and powerful magic, and could only barely maintain his undefeated status.

"As expected of someone who could take down the Northwest stronghold, he certainly has some skill!"

The leader of the men in black gritted his teeth, a fierce and resolute glint in his eyes.

"But do you think that's enough?"

He suddenly took a step back, dodging Chen Yang's diagonal slash, and quickly reached into his robes with his left hand, pulling out a transparent crystal bottle about the size of a thumb, filled with a dark red viscous liquid.

Without hesitation, he bit off the bottle stopper and swallowed the liquid inside in one gulp!
"Gudong!"

As the medicine entered his throat, the leader of the men in black suddenly stiffened. Then, his skin turned an abnormal crimson color at a visible speed, veins bulged out like dragons, his eyes instantly became bloodshot, and a beast-like growl came from his throat.

A violent, chaotic, yet incredibly powerful aura erupted from his body like a volcanic eruption!

This aura was far stronger than before, instantly breaking through the shackles of the Pseudo-Core Formation and reaching a level comparable to the initial Nascent Soul stage!

Moreover, it was filled with a sense of violence and destruction, and the surrounding air seemed to become thick and scorching.

"Roar--!"

The leader of the men in black let out a roar that sounded inhuman, and a heavy, massive sword as wide as a door had appeared in his hand, its blade wreathed in dark red energy.

He stomped his foot, creating a shallow crater in the ground. He transformed into a blood-red afterimage, moving several times faster than before, and with the force of splitting mountains and seas, he slashed at Chen Yang with his sword!

Before the blade even arrived, the incomparably sharp blade wind had already made Chen Yang's breath catch in his throat, and the protective spiritual light around his body fluctuated violently.

Chen Yang's expression changed. He dared not take the attack head-on. He quickly dodged and drew his sword, a clear sword light meeting the blade.

"clang--!!!"

The deafening clang of metal against metal was so loud it hurt people's eardrums. A violent shockwave spread wildly outwards from the point of their clash, scraping away a layer of the ground and shattering and tumbling several boulders in the vicinity.

Chen Yang felt an irresistible force coming from the sword, his tiger's mouth was in excruciating pain, the Xuan Sword almost slipped from his hand, and his whole body felt as if it had been hit by a heavy hammer in the chest, his blood and qi churning.

He spat out a small mouthful of blood with a "pfft," and his body flew backward uncontrollably, crashing into two trees as thick as bowls before barely managing to regain his balance. His face was already pale.

"Hahaha! Can you feel the power?"

Chen Yang!

The leader of the men in black laughed wildly, his voice becoming hoarse and strange due to the surge of power. He swung his giant sword, creating a whistling sound.

"This is true power! You think your Qingwei Sect's techniques are so great? Before absolute power, everything is vain! Just obediently accept your death!"

He pressed his advantage relentlessly, transforming into a blood-red whirlwind once more. As he swung his giant blade, dark red sword energy crisscrossed, sealing off all of Chen Yang's escape routes and forcing him to take the blows head-on.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!"

The swords clashed repeatedly, and with each exchange, Chen Yang was forced back, his blood and qi surging even more violently, blood continuously spilling from the corner of his mouth, his arm gripping the sword aching and numb, and the clear light emitted by the Xuan Sword dimmed considerably.

The surrounding mountains, rocks, and trees suffered greatly, shattering and collapsing in the aftermath of their battle, leaving behind a scene of utter devastation.

The leader of the men in black, however, grew stronger with each battle. His aura not only did not weaken due to the intense fighting, but seemed to become even more ferocious. His attacks were like a storm, showing no signs of stopping.

Chen Yang was horrified.

'This gene serum is so potent? Not only does it instantly boost his strength by such a huge amount, but it can also maintain this berserk state continuously? How can his body and meridians withstand it?'

Just then, Li Rou's voice rang in his mind, carrying a hint of solemnity and realization.

“Master, what he took was not simply a gene serum.”

It contains the medicinal power of the 'Power Gathering Pill'!

"Power Gathering Pill? A spiritual medicine from a blessed land?"

While struggling to withstand the ferocious attacks, Chen Yang also had to communicate with Li Rou.

"good."

Li Rou quickly explained.

"The 'Gathering Power Pill' is a kind of pill that can stimulate potential and unleash power far exceeding normal levels in a short period of time. Its effects are powerful, but it puts a great burden on the body and will leave a severe period of weakness afterward, and may even damage the foundation of one's health."

They combined this pill with the so-called gene serum, likely using gene technology to forcibly increase the body's tolerance to the drug's potency, and may have added other stimulating ingredients to enhance the effect. Side effects... may have been temporarily suppressed or redirected in some way. (End of Chapter)