Chapter 79 Success and Failure
"Li Hongdou?"
The prince stared in surprise at the girl in Xia Feng's grasp.
The light-green-haired girl had her mouth sealed with tape. The prince quickly stepped forward and yanked her hair up.
The girl glared at him, her limbs bound, yet she still lifted her feet together in an attempt to kick him.
The prince retreated slightly, effortlessly dodging, and grinned.
He paid no mind to his daughter's anger, simply nodding before turning to Xia Feng.
"Mr. Ba, you've done well. The Divine Evil Society has my gratitude. Once this matter is settled, I'll do everything in my power to meet your organization's demands!"
"Heh~ Just luck."
Xia Feng chuckled. "I was heading for the cat-faced people's camp. After killing that fool, I didn't expect to stumble upon your daughter."
With a faint smile, he added, "But Your Highness should be cautious. Once the cat-faced people realize Li Hongdou is missing, they'll undoubtedly return."
"Heh~ Let them come." The prince shook his head, amused.
Before he could finish, a deafening rumble shook the ground, the walls trembling violently.
Zhao Jie's deep voice crackled through the intercom on the table: "Enemy attack! Seven third-tier spiritual masters, over a dozen second-tier, and—a fourth-tier! No! These bastards are from the Holy Department! Damn it! Send reinforceme—zzt—zzt—"
Only static remained.
Wang Jue's expression darkened, a sneer curling his lips. "That old man… He actually showed up?"
He showed no surprise, calmly turning to his subordinates. "The Holy Department isn't to be underestimated. Move out to reinforce them."
"Yes!"
The group responded firmly.
Xia Feng took a few steps, tossing the bound girl to the ground, then swiftly followed the others.
Nearly everyone from Pingshan Hospital had mobilized—over a dozen second-tier fighters, six third-tier, and Xia Feng spotted a black-robed man in a blood-stained "4" mask soaring into the sky, joining Zhao Jie to confront the Xuanwu Bureau.
As the earth quaked, Xia Feng subtly fell to the rear of the group before halting entirely.
The seven-faced man ahead glanced back, puzzled, when an ancient, thunderous voice boomed across the sky like a divine decree:
"Xuanwu Domain—"
Dark ripples instantly spread through the forest's canopy, a massive half-dome shield stretching a thousand meters enveloping them all.
Xia Feng glanced down at the inky barrier line just a centimeter from his toes, nodded, and turned back toward Pingshan Hospital.
The Xuanwu Domain was like an impenetrable tortoise shell—harder than the Infinite Barrier. Those outside could enter, but none within could leave. The only way to break it was to kill Xuanwu himself.
Of course, the domain had one critical flaw: it lasted only ten minutes.
Which meant Xia Feng had ten minutes to kill Wang Jue.
The Holy Department's original plan was simple—if he and Mushroom breached the Infinite Barrier, they'd signal for an immediate assault on Wang Jue.
Xia Feng had been prepared for that. But now, he had a better idea.
With a thought, he shapeshifted into the likeness of the prince's high-ranking confidant.
"Minister! What's happening outside?" a guard blurted as Xia Feng re-entered.
"No time for questions! Go! Reinforce them now!" Xia Feng barked, storming down the hallway. "The prince is safe inside the barrier—you're useless here! Move!"
"Yes, sir!"
Over twenty guards snapped to action, rushing toward the battlefield.
Unhindered, Xia Feng reached the operating room and burst in.
Wang Jue stood by the table, adjusting equipment. He whirled around, face darkening.
"Why are you back?"
Xia Feng ignored him, charging forward with a sword in hand. But as expected, he struck a thick, transparent barrier and was thrown back several steps by the recoil.
Seeing the murderous intent in the eyes of the middle-aged man Xia Feng had disguised himself as, Wang Jue didn't bother to understand why this subordinate had suddenly betrayed him. He merely sneered and shook his head.
"How pathetically stupid."
Just as Wang Jue focused on Xia Feng, Mushroom—whose hands and feet had been bound—had somehow already freed herself. She tore the tape from her mouth and spat out a gleaming steel bead.
Wang Jue spun around, but the red-faced Mushroom had already lunged toward the center of the Infinite Barrier formation nearby.
The core of the small Infinite Barrier was unmistakable—the Infinite Stone at its center emitted a vivid crimson glow, impossible to overlook.
Mushroom pressed the magnetic explosive-laden bead against the formation's core and triggered the detonator.
Bang—
A ripple of light-blue electricity spread outward. The Infinite Stone at the formation's center dissolved as if melting, leaving Mushroom's palm seared a blistering red. The searing pain shot through her nerves, but she choked back a scream, biting her lip hard as tears welled in her eyes.
Simultaneously, the outer barrier shattered instantly.
"It… it worked?!" Mushroom's eyes widened in disbelief as she stared upward.
Xia Feng's gaze sharpened slightly, but he didn't react—because the prince had pressed a button the moment Mushroom made her move.
A brand-new small Infinite Barrier flickered to life, another Infinite Stone nearby pulsing with red light.
Wang Jue's expression remained cold, the ghost of a smirk playing on his lips.
"What? Did you think I collected so many Infinite Stones just to erect a single barrier?"
He pointed at the ground, his tone mocking as he glanced between the two.
"Care to guess how many layers of barriers this place has?"
Mushroom's mouth fell open, her brief elation freezing into dismay. Her face fell. There was truly nothing more she could do.
No sooner had Wang Jue finished speaking than the woman in the red dress—who had been drifting silently around the Colored Glaze Pavilion—suddenly stilled.
The three of them had dismissed her earlier as little more than a specter, but now, her abrupt halt forced their attention onto her.
The woman in red slowly lifted her fox-like face. Her delicate nose, framed by ink-black ribbons tied over her eyes, wrinkled slightly. She tilted her head, her voice a haunting blend of sweetness and innocence.
"Xia Feng… when did you get here?"
Xia Feng's pupils contracted. As she spoke, the sensation in his chest grew more pronounced—as though some intangible bond was materializing between them.
"Xia Feng?"
The prince turned his head sharply, frowning at the middle-aged man nearby before glancing back at the woman in red.
He couldn't tell if the princess was sleep-talking or if she truly meant that his subordinate was Xia Feng in disguise.
"No… wait!" A realization struck him. Xia Feng's known ability was to replicate spirit weapons—but that was only what he'd shown publicly. What if his power wasn't limited to that? What if he could also mimic appearances?
If so, it would explain his confidant's sudden betrayal.
Understanding dawned. The prince studied the man and let out a low chuckle.
"So it's you—Wei Shutong's adopted traitor of a son. What now? Did you really think you could stop me?"
(End of this chapter)