Starting as a Grandmaster, all of my cultivation techniques are at max level.

One day later.

A dark shadow fell like a meteor from the sky above the Third Heaven, crashing heavily onto the earth.

"boom!!!"

A loud bang was followed by a visible shockwave that spread in all directions, causing the earth to tremble violently.

The smoke and dust slowly dissipated.

A huge crater, about ten feet deep, appeared in the ground. The rocks in the crater were scorched red by the high temperature, and a figure slowly climbed up from the bottom of the crater.

It was a bald man.

He wasn't particularly muscular, but every muscle in his body was like finely forged steel, with distinct lines and explosive power.

The bald man's expression was rather unpleasant.

"I never expected... this alien team to be so powerful." He touched a scar on his bald head, a hint of fear flashing in his eyes.

"Especially that pretty boy, even I almost got taken advantage of."

Indeed, this bald man is none other than the Marquis of Chu.

Among the disciples of the Hun class in the third heaven of the Divine Temple, he is undoubtedly the eldest senior brother.

The moment Chu Hou appeared in the Third Heaven, Yang Qingxuan and the others sensed it almost simultaneously.

In the spirit field, a rare look of joy appeared on Yang Qingxuan's usually calm face.

"Senior Brother Chu is back!"

He dropped his hoe, took a step, and the ground beneath his feet folded and compressed, causing him to disappear from the spot in an instant.

In the valley outside the Yuanling Pool, Li Zhan was sitting on a large rock. He suddenly stood up, put down the wine gourd in his hand, and revealed a genuine smile that showed no signs of drunkenness.

"The boss is finally back."

He swayed and transformed into a streak of light, rushing out.

Four figures arrived at the huge pit almost simultaneously from four different directions.

"Senior Brother Chu!"

"Boss!"

"Senior Brother!"

The four voices rang out almost simultaneously.

Yang Qingxuan looked at Chu Hou in front of him and a smile appeared on his face. "Senior Brother Chu, you're finally back. The day to fight that alien race is coming soon, and I was worried that you wouldn't be able to make it back in time."

Li Zhan looked Chu Hou up and down, his gaze landing on the wound on his head. His smile vanished instantly: "Brother Chu, who did this to you on the head?"

"Boss, are you alright? Where are you hurt? Let me see..." Wu Feng, who had a butcher's knife at his waist, reached out his hand nervously after hearing Li Zhan's words.

Looking at his four junior brothers, a smile appeared on Chu Hou's resolute face.

"Don't worry, you won't die."

"However... this opponent is not easy to deal with. I happened to clash with that alien team while I was out here. Luckily, I'm strong enough, otherwise, whether I could have returned safely is another question!"

The Marquis of Chu made a few joking remarks, then waved to the group and walked toward a pavilion not far away.

"Come on, let's sit down over there and talk."

"Brother Chu, tell me quickly, what's the deal with that alien team you encountered this time!" The usually carefree Wu Feng quickly moved a stool behind Chu Hou and urged him on.

"It's a long story!" The Marquis of Chu didn't stand on ceremony and recounted everything he had learned during his recent investigations. He didn't say much, but every word he uttered was as heavy as a stone.

When he spoke of the strange young man in the alien group, his voice clearly carried a hint of apprehension.

"That person... is very strong." Marquis Chu touched the wound on his head, a cold glint in his eyes. "I only exchanged thirty blows with him, though it wasn't a true life-or-death struggle. But I didn't gain any advantage. Then the others attacked from behind, and I could only run. Luckily, I ran fast enough, otherwise, I would have suffered a great loss this time..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but everyone understood what he meant.

For a moment, silence fell over the stone pavilion.

The four people looked at each other in bewilderment.

Unexpectedly, someone in that alien army was able to match the Marquis of Chu without being at a disadvantage. In this light, the battles of the rest of them would become especially crucial.

Yang Qingxuan sat to the side, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly spoke up: "By the way, senior brother, there's something... I need to tell you."

The Marquis of Chu looked at him: "What is it?"

"We've got a new disciple at the Hun family," Yang Qingxuan said. "His name is Xia Jin."

"Oh?" Lord Chu raised an eyebrow. "A new disciple? How's his aptitude?"

Yang Qingxuan and Li Zhan exchanged a glance, then Yang Qingxuan slowly said, "He is very strong. When he first came to the Third Heaven, I tested his strength, and as a result... I ended up suffering a small loss."

"With your strength, you'd actually suffer a loss at the hands of this newcomer? Interesting." A glint suddenly flashed in Chu Hou's eyes. He stood up. "Where is he?"

"The Yuanling Pool," Yang Qingxuan said. "He's been soaking in it for over half a month now, and judging by the time, he should be awakening soon. With the help of the Yuanling Pool, Junior Brother Xia's strength will probably rise to another level!"

"Hmm? I have to go check it out. Who knows, this person might be the key to victory in this battle against that alien army!!"

......

Yuanling Pool.

The lake water shimmered with a faint bluish light.

The Marquis of Chu stood on the shore, his gaze piercing through the lake water and landing on the figure still sleeping deep in the lake.

At this moment, Xia Jin was enveloped in a dense, pale blue light. Even across the lake, Marquis Chu could sense the slowly awakening aura emanating from her. It was profound and unfathomable, like a dragon lurking in the abyss.

"Junior Brother Yang, is this the Junior Brother Xia you mentioned?" Marquis Chu asked with some surprise.

"That's right." Yang Qingxuan stood behind him and nodded.

The Marquis of Chu remained silent, simply gazing at the bottom of the lake.

The group had been standing by the Yuanling Pool for less than half an incense stick's time when

Deep at the bottom of the lake, Xia Jin, who was fast asleep, suddenly twitched her fingertips.

Immediately afterwards, the pale blue light became somewhat dazzling, and the water in the entire Yuanling Pool began to surge violently. At the center of the lake, a column of water shot into the sky, and at the top of the column, a figure slowly rose.

Xia Jin was shirtless, his long, wet hair cascading over his shoulders, water droplets sliding down his contours and glistening in the sunlight. He slowly opened his eyes, a lingering pale blue light still flowing deep within his pale golden pupils.

The first thing he saw was the Marquis of Chu on the shore.

That bald guy.

The man who stood at the very front of everyone, the center of attention at first glance.

Xia Jin had never met him before, but he sensed an unprecedented aura emanating from this man—a powerful presence that even he had to acknowledge. He narrowed his eyes slightly, his body slowly descending from the top of the water column, his bare feet landing on the grassy shore, standing face to face with the Marquis of Chu.

Water droplets slid off him and dripped onto the grass, making a soft sound.

The two stared at each other for a moment.

Then, the Marquis of Chu smiled.

He extended his hand, a smile on his face, and asked, "You must be Junior Brother Xia?"

Xia Jin was slightly taken aback. She looked down at his outstretched hand, then looked up at his resolute face, as if she had thought of something.

"That's right, I am Xia Jin. You must be Senior Brother Chu Hou!" He introduced himself and then extended his hand to shake hands with Chu Hou.

The moment their hands clasped, they both felt the weighty strength emanating from each other's palms—not a contest, but a silent recognition.

Yang Qingxuan stood aside, watching this scene, a slight smile playing on his lips.

Li Zhan leaned against a tree trunk, took a swig of wine, and smiled with his eyes narrowed.

It seems they have gained another powerful ally this time.