C12 A Paradise

"Bang!"

A muffled sound erupted as Zhang Lieh's body emitted a flash of blue light, and a sphere of glazed water burst open, forcefully repelling the people who had encircled him.

In full view of the onlookers, Zhang Lieh was propelled out by the powerful elasticity of the sphere formed by the Insect King Soul Jade.

Qin Xiaotian watched in amazement. Despite being at the bottom of the Combat Power Board, this man didn't grovel for mercy; instead, he managed to respond with such composure.

It appeared that the so-called waste of the rumors wasn't so useless after all. Moreover, that recent display of the water sphere seemed to be a rather impressive Soul Jade.

"Interesting. Follow him, but don't kill him too quickly. I want to have some fun with him!"

A flicker of intrigue sparkled in Qin Xiaotian's eyes as he took an interest in the fleeing Zhang Lieh.

"Swoosh, swoosh!"

As the wind howled, at their master's command, his followers swiftly surged forward, fueled by their Origin Power.

Yet, they had clearly underestimated Zhang Lieh's agility.

Using the Super Soul Jade's elasticity, Zhang Lieh, still airborne, activated the Wind Soul Jade and sped forward at an incredible velocity.

For a time, not even Qin Xiaotian's team members, with their fully enhanced mutated genes, could keep up, despite using all their abilities and Soul Jades.

"Not bad at all. He's got some tricks up his sleeve!"

In light of the unfolding events, Qin Xiaotian was far from displeased; his excitement only grew. He casually took Wang Xiaohua by the hand and followed at a relaxed pace.

The more extraordinary Zhang Lieh's actions were, the more secrets he likely held. A functional Mutated Level Soul Jade in the Void Realm was of considerable value.

Zhang Lieh was certainly quick, but Qin Xiaotian's men were no slouches. They might not catch him immediately, but they were not so easily shaken off.

Eventually, both parties blurred into a series of shadows and vanished at the base's entrance. The spectators at the base's entrance were completely astounded.

"Holy shit, am I hallucinating? Did the bottom-dweller just force Qin Xiaotian's Team to retreat with a single move and make a getaway?"

"Haha, who was it that said the king of the bottom ranks was a goner? I knew that kid was just a wolf in sheep's clothing!"

"Oh my, the king of the bottom ranks sure has some tricks up his sleeve. That glassy liquid has got to be at least Mutated Level Soul Jade, right? He's kept it well hidden!"

"Doesn't that thing look kind of familiar to you?"

"The soft shell of a White Liquid Jade Worm!?"

"Holy crap! Now that you mention it, it does bear a resemblance. Could it actually be that?"

"Could it be that the king of the bottom ranks was on a rampage killing White Liquid Jade Worms just to get this thing?"

"Haha, you fools were mocking him for being an idiot, and now who's looking foolish?"

"Bullshit. Do White Liquid Jade Worms even carry a Mutated Gene? Have any of you seen one?"

"No way, I'm heading over to the White Liquid Jade Worm Cave to check it out later."

"Hehe, calling me an idiot? You believe that? I'm more interested in whether the king of the bottom ranks can make a getaway this time."

"Damn, who are you calling an idiot? With Qin Xiaotian in pursuit, how could the king of the bottom ranks possibly escape? If he manages to get away this time, I'll livestream myself eating crap at the base entrance!"

"Eating crap is revolting. How about we place a bet instead?" suggested a man with a full beard to the incensed youth beside him.

The youth, undeterred, tilted his head back and retorted, "A bet? You're on. I'm not scared. Name your stakes."

The bearded man smirked, "A friendly wager to lighten the mood. How about ten thousand points?"

Ten thousand points!? That was no small sum.

Taken aback, the young man saw the bearded man's scornful expression and couldn't contain himself any longer. "Screw it, who's pretending? Let's bet. I'm not afraid of anyone!"

Their voices were loud, and with a crowd already gathered around, the small bet quickly escalated into a major event, drawing in even the three major financial conglomerates of the Void Realm.

Most people were betting against Zhang Lieh's survival, particularly the big financial groups who were well-acquainted with the movers and shakers of the Void Realm.

Qin Xiaotian might not have been on their radar, but they were familiar with Qin Xiao—a domineering figure known for fiercely defending his allies. It stood to reason that Qin Xiaotian was in possession of many valuable items.

Just a month and a half prior, the lowest-ranked king in the Void Realm wouldn't have stood a chance against Qin Xiaotian, even with a stroke of luck on his side.

The Void Realm is nothing like the Modern Realm. Outside of the bases, there's no law in the wilderness; strength and power dictate leadership.

Qin Xiaotian wasn't alone; he had a team with him. It seemed a foregone conclusion that the lowest-ranked king was doomed.

As a result, the betting odds quickly skewed, eventually settling at 1:100.

Unaware of the events transpiring back at the base, Zhang Lieh would have likely bet everything on himself if he had known.

With a burst of speed and a glint of ferocity in his eyes, Zhang Lieh raced forward.

Despite being explored for decades, the vast Void Realm still harbored many secrets.

Having evaded immediate capture, Zhang Lieh had essentially escaped danger.

Given his extensive knowledge of the Void Realm, outsmarting his pursuers and making a clean getaway would be a piece of cake.

In fact, he was already contemplating his next move, which involved more than just toying with them.

He was acutely aware of Qin Xiaotian's intentions to deplete his Origin Power and take him alive. Under these circumstances, Zhang Lieh's merciless response was justified.

After covering several hundred kilometers, his Genetic Origin Power was more than half depleted, and his chasers were closing in. Yet, his demeanor grew increasingly calm.

Just a bit further and he would enter the perilous Shadow Forest of the Void Realm.

"Kid, if you're brave enough, stop running!"

One of Qin Xiaotian's team members called out as Zhang Lieh neared the forest's edge.

"Childish," Zhang Lieh scoffed, dismissing the taunt with a chuckle as he burst into the dense foliage.

The pursuit team briefly halted, and from behind them came the low whisper of Qin Xiaotian.

"Chase him down. This kid's nearly depleted his Origin Power. He won't make it much further!"

With that, the team wasted no time and pressed on closely behind.

As Qin Xiaotian's team ventured into the woods, Zhang Lieh couldn't suppress a cold smirk. If they were bold enough to follow, he'd lead them to an uncharted gem of a place.

With the aid of the Wind Soul Jade and transforming the Insect King Soul Jade into two supple whips, Zhang Lieh navigated the forest with the agility of a spry monkey, eventually guiding everyone to the edge of a secluded pond.

The roar of a waterfall echoed as it cascaded into the pond at the forefront.

"Moonlight Pool!"

Qin Xiaotian exclaimed in surprise upon seeing Zhang Lieh halt at the base of the waterfall.

He and his cousin, Qin Xiao, had visited this notorious spot within the Shadow Forest before. Rumors spoke of a dreadfully powerful Moonlight Flood Dragon residing in the depths of the pool—a Gene Life of rare distinction. Many had coveted its power, but the creature hadn't been sighted in a decade, and the tales had faded into legend.

It seemed this kid had run here out of sheer desperation, resorting to a last-ditch effort.

"Boom!"

Just as Qin Xiaotian was about to consider Zhang Lieh an easy catch, the latter plunged into the waterfall with a dull thud and vanished from sight.

"Huh?"

Qin Xiaotian was taken aback, not anticipating Zhang Lieh to have an escape route up his sleeve.

"After him, quickly!"

For Qin Xiaotian, it didn't matter what contingency Zhang Lieh had; he was determined to pursue him to the end today.

Like Zhang Lieh, he believed in nipping danger in the bud.

"Young Master Qin, there appears to be an entrance here!"

Following a thorough search, Qin Xiaotian's men discovered a man-sized cave hidden behind the waterfall.

"Watch out for ambushes, and go in!"

At Qin Xiaotian's command, amidst the chilly surge of the water, his team swiftly charged into the cave entrance.

The cave was pitch black. Leading the way at the front, a figure ignited a flame in one hand while wielding a saber in the other to clear the path. His name was Faang Qiong, the deputy captain of Qin Xiaotian's team. He was adept in a high-tier fire element gene cultivation technique, had maxed out both ordinary and mutated genes, and possessed three Mutated Soul Jades. The saber at his waist was of B rank.

In about three minutes, the group emerged from the cave into a completely different world. A breathtaking paradise unfolded before their eyes, where everything was tinged with a noble and mysterious purple hue. The grass underfoot and the various plants all bore shades of purple.

"Purple Essence Flower, Soul Fusing Grass, Purple Crystal Vine!" Qin Xiaotian, with his extensive knowledge, instantly identified several rare and valuable Spirit Plants.

"Spirit Plants, so many Spirit Plants! Xiaotian, we've struck it rich!" exclaimed one of the team members.

"Absolutely, Captain! We've hit the jackpot!" another chimed in with excitement.

It wasn't just Qin Xiaotian; Wang Xiaohua, Faang Qiong, and the rest of the team members also recognized many Spirit Plants, and their cheers filled the air. For a moment, they had all but forgotten their initial reason for venturing into this place.

Unbeknownst to them, Zhang Lieh, coated in purple powder, watched them with a sly grin. "What's there to be happy about? All these Spirit Plants won't matter to you soon enough!"

Zhang Lieh's eyes held a cold detachment, as if he were looking at several dead bodies. It was only now that Qin Xiaotian and the others finally took notice of Zhang Lieh on the distant hill.

In their defense, it was hard to spot him; Zhang Lieh was completely covered in purple powder, blending seamlessly with the environment. Plus, their attention had been captivated by the Spirit Plants, so it was understandable that they hadn't spotted him immediately.

Observing Zhang Lieh, covered in purple dust, and recalling his previous actions, Qin Xiaotian sensed something amiss. This guy had intentionally led them here, so he must have an ulterior motive. For safety's sake, they couldn't allow him to stay any longer.

"Haha, Zhang Lieh, you do have some cunning, but against overwhelming strength, your little tricks are simply not enough!"

"Considering you've led us here, I'll grant you a swift end. Faang Qiong, go ahead and make it quick!"

"Yes, sir!"

To prevent any further complications, Qin Xiaotian changed his mind and commanded the execution of Zhang Lieh.

"Xiaotian, wait, don't kill him just yet! I still have some questions for the guy," Wang Xiaohua interjected with a flirtatious frown, clearly eager to extract some information about the Zhang family's inheritance from Zhang Lieh.

Indeed, Zhang Lieh had left a significant impression on her today. She was convinced that he must have secured the inheritance left by the patriarch of the Zhang family.

Her father had mentioned that the old man from the Zhang family possessed quite a collection of valuable items.

"Sha Sha... Sha Sha Sha!"

However, before Qin Xiaotian and Wang Xiaohua could reach an agreement, and as Faang Qiong had barely taken a step forward, an unusual rustling noise suddenly emanated from the cave behind them.

The group immediately whipped around to face the source of the sound. In that instant, their eyes widened in sheer terror, stricken with extreme horror.