The Untimely Convergence of Battle Qi

Deboning was still in a daze—a rare sight for a peak Master. Du Chen's excited shout startled him, prompting him to ask, "Young Master, what grand good deed are you talking about?" Although he knew nothing of the Precious Scroll, having followed Du Chen for so long, he understood that performing good deeds had become a veritable obsession for his Young Master, almost to the point of madness. The moment an opportunity for altruism arose, Du Chen would invariably pounce on it, much like a politician eyeing a scepter or a famished rake spotting a courtesan!

"Nothing, nothing, it's just an idea for now!" Du Chen waved his hand with a chuckle. Yet, the thought had taken deep root in his heart—though it seemed somewhat unrealistic and incredibly difficult to execute, if he, Du Chen, were to succeed, it would undoubtedly be a monumental act of benevolence!

Pulling back his thoughts, Du Chen then pointed towards Mount Tianshan. "We'll discuss the details once Roxane's child is safe. Now, keep a sharp eye out; it's almost our turn to act!"

"Oh!" Deboning acknowledged, but his gaze didn't turn to Mount Tianshan. Instead, he looked down at his own hands, his eyes widening in a vacant stare.

Upon Mount Tianshan, Brockman, himself an Eighth-Tier High-grade Battle God, and Tendon-Severing, a contemporary grandmaster, were regrettably overwhelmed by the sheer number of their adversaries. Among them was Gode, Brockman's equal in power, and Hawkins, the Ninth-Tier Master from the Saint Baton Clan!

Gode's strategy on the battlefield was indeed cunning. His gaze never lingered on the Tyran Beast cradled in Brockman's arms; instead, it fixated on the two large crates that seemingly had no connection to him. From time to time, he even dispatched several capable subordinates to forcefully assault the enemies guarding the boxes!

This created an illusion for Brockman and his allies—that the Sea Clan's true objective was the two crates! Thus, it never occurred to Brockman to use Homan, the child in his arms, to threaten the Sea Clan. Instead, he exerted himself protecting the little one, fearing he might suffer even the slightest injury in the chaotic battle—he *had* to bring the child back safely; that was Marshal Philip's command!

"Huh?" From a distance, Du Chen, lying in wait for an opportunity to ambush Brockman and rescue the Little Tyran Beast, suddenly sensed something was amiss. He pointed at Tendon-Severing, who was currently suppressing Hawkins with a clear advantage but unable to secure a quick victory. "Deboning, your strength should be far superior to Hawkins', shouldn't it? Just moments ago, you defeated him in a short time without any effort! And you yourself admitted that if it came down to a life-or-death struggle, Tendon-Severing could kill you! But… now Hawkins is actually holding his own against Tendon-Severing, who is supposedly even stronger than you!"

Still in a daze, Deboning continued to stare at his hands, murmuring, "Young Master, I noticed this problem just now. In the Battle of Mount Tianshan, Tendon-Severing was indeed somewhat stronger than me. But just a moment ago, I could decisively defeat Hawkins, yet now Tendon-Severing and Hawkins… Could Tendon-Severing be injured, weakened?" He shook his head sharply. "No, that's impossible! From his moves, Tendon-Severing is virtually indistinguishable from his performance during the Battle of Mount Tianshan a year ago… That means…"

"You've grown stronger?!"

"I've grown stronger?!"

Du Chen and Deboning exclaimed in unison! It was a startling, almost terrifying, conclusion!

"I've grown stronger, but I didn't even realize it myself! What in the world is happening!?" Deboning nearly cried out in ecstatic shock. For peak Masters, even the slightest advancement required immense sacrifices and life-threatening risks. Yet, Deboning had paid no price, nor had he even felt the process, for his sudden surge in power. How could he not be astonished?! It was a miracle that defied all reason!

Then, he muttered in bewilderment, "Impossible. I hit a bottleneck ten years ago after reaching the Natural Primeval Soul realm, with no progress since. How could I suddenly grow stronger without even realizing it!?" Both fell into deep thought, replaying Deboning's experiences during this period. A spark ignited in Du Chen's mind: could Deboning have been influenced by his Lotus Sacred Artifacts? After all, he often stayed within the artifact!

No, Du Chen immediately dismissed his own hypothesis. Harry, Andy, and even Beibei, all had spent considerable time within the Lotus, yet none had experienced such a dramatic surge in strength as Deboning!

The most crucial point was that Deboning hadn't realized his own growth. If not for seeing Hawkins and Tendon-Severing as "reference points" today, he might have remained entirely oblivious… This, this was truly unbelievable! How could a Ninth-Tier Battle God be unaware of such significant changes within his own body!?

Nevertheless, Deboning's increased strength was a tremendous boon for Du Chen. He suppressed his questions for now, and with a grin, he asked, "You and Tendon-Severing are old rivals; he's suppressed you for many years. Now, wouldn't you like to trample him underfoot and let out a few triumphant roars?"

A cold glint flashed in Deboning's eyes, then he shook his head with a smile. "Tendon-Severing? If it takes him this long to deal with Hawkins, then I'd rather challenge Flaying!" It was clear that the usually stone-faced Deboning was now grinning with immense satisfaction and ease! His fingers trembled slightly; evidently, while he spoke of challenging Flaying, in truth, he was itching to test his newfound strength against Tendon-Severing and see just how far he had advanced!

At this moment, Gode's First Legion, having abandoned their supplies, came into Du Chen's view. His other troops, laden with large sacred artifacts, were moving incredibly slowly and were unlikely to reach the battle in time.

As the First Legion drew near, Du Chen, concealed within his Lotus artifact, followed the large contingent closer to Mount Tianshan. Though his Lotus was visible to the naked eye, amidst the chaos of war, Brockman and his allies were solely focused on preserving their lives. Who would pay attention to a Lotus the size of a mosquito!?

On the mountaintop, Gode, fiercely pursuing Brockman, also noticed his reinforcements arriving. With a sharp swing of his long Blade, the Sea Clan army's advance quickened. Soon, they had Brockman and his allies surrounded near the two tarp-covered crates. Gode then fought and shouted, "Do you still wish to fight? You should clearly see the situation now: surrender, or die!"

As he finished speaking, his gaze, hidden beneath his beast-faced heavy helmet, furtively darted towards Tendon-Severing. *This is quite the Master too! Heh heh, good thing I learned from last time and always have elite bodyguards by my side when heading into battle. Otherwise, I might have been captured again today! Ha!*

Tendon-Severing felt an odd chill creep into his heart under Gode's stare, an inexplicable shiver. He had no idea that Gode's mental abacus was clacking away: *I must force him to surrender, then make him teach me a few moves… Still, while he's a top Master, his character is deplorable, brazenly stealing a newborn child. He's no match for Brook, Your Eminence. No, definitely not!*

Brockman and Tendon-Severing fought like cornered beasts, struggling to hold on. Of their initial twenty-plus subordinates, only seven or eight remained, and every single one was wounded without exception!

Brockman tore through an incoming Sea Clan warrior with a swing, but a fresh gash appeared on his right shoulder. This army truly lived up to its reputation as the elite Royal Sea Clan Guards; their performance was incredibly convincing. At the very least, Brockman couldn't detect any apprehension regarding the Little Tyran Beast. With his left arm cradling Homan, the Tyran Beast, he could only fight with one hand, severely diminishing his combat effectiveness! "Surrender!? Hmph, General of the Sea Clan, it's time you woke up from your dream!"

"Then you're seeking death!" Though Gode was confident of victory, he had his reservations. Brockman clung to the Little Tyran Beast, refusing to let go, and Gode couldn't explicitly state that the Little Tyran Beast was his target. If Brockman realized the child was the objective, a dagger at its throat would leave Du Chen and the others utterly helpless… *What a nuisance!*

As things stood, the only course of action was to force their surrender through overwhelming pressure. Only then could they ensure the Little Tyran Beast remained unharmed!

Brockman surveyed the Sea Clan army on Mount Tianshan with a cold gaze, a chill settling in his heart. The reinforcements were not due until midnight, and he absolutely could not last that long.

Suddenly, the Little Homan in his arms chirped in a milky voice, "Papa, behind you, bad man!"

Brockman was greatly alarmed. He instinctively ducked his head, Battle Qi erupting to form a shield behind him. With enemies closing in from the front, he had no time to look back. He only heard a "clink," as if something behind him had been deflected by his Battle Qi! Yet, a streak of light still grazed the side of his cheek, severing a lock of his hair and knocking away the Sacred Artifact Box held by the Little Tyran Beast—an incredibly close call!

*What potent Nature Sense! No wonder the Marshal listed him as the primary target for the 'Dazzle' plan!*

"Homan, my little darling, well done!"

Behind Brockman, Du Chen, steering his Lotus artifact erratically, regained his balance. He couldn't help but curse under his breath, "What is that Little Tyran Beast doing!? I'm here to save him! Damn it, knocking away the Beast Emperor's Seal is half the battle won. Deboning, next time, target Brockman's arm, but whatever you do, don't harm the Little Tyran Beast!" Du Chen then flew far away, searching for another opportune moment.

At this moment, Little Homan in Brockman's arms, seeing the Sacred Artifact Box knocked away, smartly wrapped both his arms around Brockman's neck, clinging tightly to him. "Papa, two hands, fight bad guys!"

"Haha, good boy, so clever!" Brockman's heart warmed. He glanced at the fallen Sacred Artifact Box but made no move to retrieve it—this was a fight for survival; an extra burden meant one less chance at life. The Sacred Artifact Box was, after all, only a secondary objective, not worth risking his life to protect! He shifted to test, finding Little Homan clung tightly and wouldn't fall. Brockman's left arm shook, and sacred artifacts materialized on the five fingers of his left hand. Finally, with both hands free to engage the enemy, he was able to unleash his full power!

Empowered by Little Homan's simple words, Brockman's combat strength surged instantly, making it impossible for his opponents to get close. He and Tendon-Severing stood back-to-back, leaving the Sea Clan army at a temporary loss!

But the overall situation remained unchanged. Before long, the twenty-plus men who had been moving the crates were all dead or wounded. Brockman and Tendon-Severing were forced to the very peak of the mountain, their situation precarious. The two large crates and the Beast Emperor's Seal were confiscated by the Sea Clan warriors and dragged to the seabed.

Seeing the two crates secured, Gode's eyes glinted as he roared with laughter. "Gentlemen, our objectives are in hand! However, to prevent future troubles, you cannot leave this place alive! So, it would be best if you surrendered. I guarantee your safety and that you will receive treatment befitting your status and power!" He was cleverly masking his true intentions!

"If you want to fight, then fight! What's with the endless blabbering!?" Brockman bellowed fiercely. He glanced again at the Little Tyran Beast clinging to him, his eyes dimming. One hand fended off an enemy, while the other gently gripped the Little Tyran Beast's lower back…

*It seems I am destined to die here tonight. But, Marshal Philip, I, Brockman, will surely fulfill your command! The 'Dazzle' plan will succeed, and your Undead army will face no obstruction from the Tyran Beast when it moves out!!!*

*The little one called me "Papa"… Then let us, father and son, fall together on Mount Tianshan. Forgive me, child!*

…

The night deepened, a black curtain descending over land and sea. Beneath the silver moonlight, a faint mist of blood subtly veiled Mount Tianshan. Shouts, clashes, the roar of crashing waves… a cacophony of sounds converged. Mount Tianshan was destined for a restless night!

Near the summit, "That brat, are you insane?! Why are you helping Brockman?!" Du Chen fumed, stamping his feet in his Lotus artifact. But the Little Tyran Beast's Nature Sense was simply too formidable; even Deboning's close approach would be detected. Unless he risked the Little Tyran Beast's life, exposed himself as the "mastermind," and revealed his true objective to force Deboning into a direct confrontation with Brockman, Du Chen couldn't think of a better plan for the moment!

Suddenly, he heard a strange sound, exceptionally clear amidst the myriad noises on Mount Tianshan!

*Thump, thump, thump…* The rhythm of the sound was incredibly rapid, as if someone were running swiftly.

An anomaly suddenly occurred!

Mount Tianshan began to tremble!

Du Chen was abruptly startled. He had experienced this situation once before; it was quite familiar! "Mount Tianshan Battle Qi Convergence?! How is this possible? It's not March Third yet!"

As his words fell, Mount Tianshan, shrouded in darkness, suddenly burst forth with dazzling brilliance. Black, green, blue, red, and yellow five-colored Battle Qi radiance bloomed from the summit. However, this time, the light was far less powerful and much dimmer compared to what Du Chen had witnessed previously. The surging Battle Qi, after erupting from the mountaintop, only ascended a mere ten meters before abruptly losing its momentum.

With a resounding *boom*, the Battle Qi exploded. Mount Tianshan's summit resembled a geyser, as five streams of colored Battle Qi shot towards the sky, their afterglow scattering downwards like a colossal pot inverted over the peak. The summit of Mount Tianshan was instantly enveloped in a shimmering, multicolored barrier of light. The Sea Clan army surrounding Brockman and Tendon-Severing had their formation forcibly shattered, and many weaker individuals were blasted into the sky! It was as if fireworks had erupted!

Hawkins and Gode, caught unawares, were also blasted into the air.

For a moment, only Brockman and Tendon-Severing remained within the multicolored barrier of light, along with the Little Tyran Beast held by Brockman.

Brockman's eyes lit up. He turned to Tendon-Severing, disbelieving, and asked, "Our reinforcements… they came early!?"

Others might not know, but he was acutely aware that this was a sign of Mount Tianshan's "lifeline" opening! And simultaneously… their path to retreat!

Tendon-Severing's face was equally bewildered. "This, how is this possible!? The Marshal's military orders are absolute; his army is always punctual. They would neither be late nor arrive early!"

"No matter!" Brockman's spirits soared, and he burst into hearty laughter. "Mount Tianshan's 'lifeline' can only be opened from our side, so it must be our people!"

Seeing the Battle Qi on Mount Tianshan growing increasingly dense, ordinary Sea Clan warriors were already struggling to bear it. Gode, isolated outside the barrier, couldn't help but roar, "Fall back! Retreat!"

In truth, his shouts were unnecessary; the surging Battle Qi had already sent the Sea Clan warriors flying. But Brockman suddenly felt something was amiss. According to past conventions, Mount Tianshan's "lifeline" should have whisked him and Tendon-Severing away the moment it opened, shouldn't it? Yet now, though enveloped by the light barrier emitted by the lifeline, he was still at the very summit of Mount Tianshan!?

The five-colored Battle Qi intensified further. But unlike the previous Battle of Mount Tianshan, Du Chen was not in danger this time and could observe the five-colored Battle Qi more calmly. "Deboning, what do you see above that green Battle Qi?"

Above the green Battle Qi, a cluster of white light was faintly attached. This was the first time Du Chen had consciously noticed it, though in truth, this white light had appeared during the previous Battle of Mount Tianshan; no one had simply paid attention then!

The white light intertwined with the green Battle Qi, seemingly nourishing each other and growing, yet also appearing to contend. Suddenly, the white light broke free from the green Battle Qi and shot abruptly into the sky…