Chapter 257: Mid-Battle Promotion (Thanks to 'I Am a Reader' Again)

Chapter 257: Pre-Battle Enhancement (Thanks to ‘I Am a Reader’ for Another Alliance Leader Reward)

Just as Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen struck together, sending Wang Yin flying backward, and continuously pierced through layers of the Nether Blood Shadow Shield with the Magnetic Oscillation Swords in their hands, the tips of their blades drawing closer and closer to Wang Yin’s brow—

The many corporate observers monitoring the battlefield immediately sprang into action, rushing forward in a frenzy of urgency.

“Boss Wang!”

“Quick, cover Boss Wang!”

“Charge! Capture those two beasts!”

Seeing Boss Wang in danger, the employees of Oasis Group were genuinely frantic, wishing they could instantly shield him and take the blow in his stead.

“Boss Wang raised my salary three times! A warrior dies for the one who increases his pay!”

“These two wretches! The company nurtured them so well, and this is how they repay it?”

“Hahaha, as long as I can catch Boss Wang’s eye, even going bankrupt in this battle is worth it! Eight Directions Platform, max out my immortal potential! I want to rent a Combat Heavenly Spiritual Root!”

As the Oasis Group employees surged forward, charging toward the battlefield in a wave of fervor, groups of experts with varied auras emerged, blocking their path—these were the numerous outsourced personnel dispatched by Deng Bingding.

Meanwhile, the Songyang City Director of Xianyun Group shifted his steps lightly; in just a few moments, this Foundation Establishment expert could cross several kilometers and enter the fray.

But the next instant, his steps halted as he gazed at the silver-haired woman before him.

“Li Xuelian,” the Director said calmly. “You’re supposed to be neutral, aren’t you?”

Li Xuelian smiled at him, raising both hands to show she meant no harm, then said with a gentle smile, “I’m just here today to earn an extra paycheck. Let’s avoid fighting if we can.”

The Director replied coldly, “How can I explain it if someone harms Wang Yin right in front of me?”

Li Xuelian curled her lip. “Xianyun Group answers to the Myriad Laws Sect, not the Nether Palace. Why are you so anxious?”

She continued, “If the higher-ups haven’t given you orders, maybe they want you to let things take their course and not interfere in Oasis Group’s affairs? Earn money when you can, avoid trouble when it arises—isn’t that better?”

“Besides, the money Wang Yin gave you isn’t enough to cover a fight with me, is it?”

The Director remained silent, knowing Li Xuelian was right.

The profits Wang Yin offered him couldn’t compensate for the potential losses from a battle with Li Xuelian.

But it was enough to keep him here, locked in a stalemate with her.

Watching the two “mutually restraining” figures, Deng Bingding thought to herself, “Two wage thieves, paid just to stand around.”

Then she turned her gaze to the entire battlefield, where countless Oasis Group employees, outsourced workers, and security team members were already charging toward Wang Yin’s location.

The outsourced personnel dispatched by Deng Bingding actively intercepted the Oasis Group forces.

At the same time, the Divine Power Network, affected by the clash between the two True Gods, had descended into chaos.

Spells malfunctioned, accounts were frozen, tax discrepancies appeared—all sorts of phenomena occurred one after another among the individuals involved.

Although the great battle before them had only just begun, with most participants yet to truly engage, for a True God like Deng Bingding, this brief moment was enough to analyze the entire situation.

“There’s still too little time. Too few outsourced personnel have arrived to stop most of Oasis Group’s forces.”

“If the full-scale battle continues, more people in Songyang City will join the fight and support Oasis Group. The few outsourced personnel who’ve arrived won’t hold out for long.”

“But at least the key figures are here.”

Just then, a blinding flare of firelight erupted in the sky above, streaking down like a meteor and landing directly in front of Oasis Group’s main force.

Gazing at the Starfire True Immortal enveloped in the soaring flames, all the Oasis employees charging toward the battlefield came to an abrupt halt.

Starfire True Immortal swept a calm glance over the crowd, saying nothing, yet his mere presence was enough to block thousands of cultivators.

From the moment Oasis Group’s forces surged forward, to the outsourced personnel intercepting them, to Starfire True Immortal’s descent—though the commotion was great and many had moved, given the speed of these cultivators, the entire process had unfolded swiftly, taking only a few seconds.

But in those few seconds, the situation at the center of the battlefield had reversed.

The longsword that pierced the Nether Blood Shadow Shield shattered upon impact with Wang Yin’s brow.

Unharmed, Wang Yin roared, his arms slightly bent as he formed fist seals, unleashing a powerful surge of fist energy.

Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen had just expended their full strength to thrust the sword forward; now, with their old energy spent and new energy yet to arise, they were left wide open.

Boom!

Wang Yin’s fists struck Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen squarely in the abdomen.

Bai Zhenzhen’s stomach caved in deeply, and she spat out a mist of blood, her body instantly flung dozens of meters away.

Zhang Yu’s bones reverberated with a series of cracks, his internal organs violently compressed by the blow. Dragging two long trails across the ground, he was forced back several meters.

Feeling the fractures in his bones and the internal bleeding, Zhang Yu knew that without sufficient time to heal, continuing high-intensity combat would only lead to shattered bones and incinerated organs—a matter of time.

But seeing Wang Yin striding toward him, Zhang Yu mustered his spiritual energy and stood in his path.

Because he knew that behind him lay the more severely injured Bai Zhenzhen.

Wang Yin advanced step by step, his cold gaze sweeping over Zhang Yu. “A newly established Foundation and a mere Qi Refiner—you thought you could harm me?”

“So much so that you left yourselves wide open, letting a single punch rupture your internal organs.”

“Do you have any idea how much a single piece of my skin is worth compared to the two of you combined? What makes you think you can fight me?”

Just as Wang Yin was about to strike Zhang Yu again, his clenched fist slowly relaxed, and he said coldly, “Old man, what do you mean by this?”

Starfire True Immortal had appeared on the battlefield unnoticed, standing between Zhang Yu and Wang Yin.

Hearing Wang Yin’s question, he chuckled softly, first glancing at Zhang Yu, who still held a combat stance, traces of residual Formless Cloud Energy being forcibly drawn from his body.

“This kid… really reminds me of my younger self.”

“Just as reckless, just as spirited, just as talented.” “It’d be a shame for a young man like this to fall here.”

Starfire True Immortal shook his head, thinking, “Hah, I really don’t like hiding behind youngsters like this.”

“Well then, if even a high school student can stand up…”

“How can this old bone keep playing the coward?”

“I… might as well help shoulder half the burden.”

Starfire True Immortal’s fiery hair drifted slightly as he looked at Wang Yin and said, “Do me a favor…”

Wang Yin snorted coldly. “Do you still think you’re the Golden Core Peak expert you once were? The Doctor of Myriad Laws?”

“A half-Golden Core who’s been optimized out—what kind of favor do you think you’re owed?”

“Young man, don’t be so hot-headed.” Starfire True Immortal smiled helplessly. “If you won’t do me a favor, at least respect the company’s profits.”

“Agree to this one request of mine, and for the next year, I won’t interfere with your affairs on the first level.”

“How about it?”

Wang Yin didn’t answer immediately, for the other was right—he might not owe Starfire True Immortal any favors, but he had to consider the company’s interests.

Lately, Oasis Group’s progress had been consistently hindered by Starfire True Immortal. If he stayed out of the way for a year, Oasis Group’s plans on the first level would advance by leaps and bounds, bringing immense profits.

So Wang Yin asked, “What’s the request?”

Starfire True Immortal replied, “Pause your battle for three hours. Resume it after three hours. How does that sound?”

Wang Yin frowned. “What are you planning?”

Starfire True Immortal said, “During these three hours, let this kid receive some treatment, and let me teach him a few moves. Then you can fight again. How about it?”

Wang Yin's brow lifted slightly as he thought to himself, "This old man... thinks three hours will be enough for Zhang Yu to defeat me?"

After a quick mental calculation, Wang Yin knew it was utterly impossible.

Yet he still said, "At most, an hour and a half."

Master Xinghuo frowned, turning to look at Zhang Yu, who still brimmed with fighting spirit behind him.

Zhang Yu then felt a voice directly enter his ear.

"My good disciple, I am now transmitting my voice to you. Just nod or shake your head slightly—do not speak aloud."

"I ask you, from observing your recent battle, have you already mastered the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force?"

Master Xinghuo had just observed the final outburst of power from Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen.

However, with their forces overlapping and the barrier of the Nether Blood Shadow Shroud in the way, and given his considerable distance, he could only vaguely discern that Zhang Yu had indeed mastered the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force—and likely beyond the first level.

Zhang Yu glanced at the feather scroll, which showed the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force at level five, and gave a slight nod.

Master Xinghuo asked again, "Level two?"

Seeing Zhang Yu nod, Master Xinghuo suppressed his inner shock and continued, "Level three?"

When Zhang Yu nodded once more, Master Xinghuo's face remained expressionless, but inwardly he was utterly astonished.

Unlike wealthy individuals who preferred office work, investments, or finance, Master Xinghuo, a practical-minded doctor by training, was deeply knowledgeable about many martial arts techniques. Even for military-grade techniques he couldn't practice himself, he had sought out materials and studied them meticulously.

In his memory, the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force was notoriously difficult to learn and master.

Though its movements were simple, it could interact with various martial auras, and the intricacies of its energy circulation were profound and vast.

Master Xinghuo thought to himself, "The Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force involves creating void cavities within one's aura to accumulate power—a superior martial art that mimics the human body through aura. Its cultivation methods are said to be wildly unconventional, defying martial principles and differing greatly from most other techniques."

"Even a genius in the Foundation Establishment stage would need two or three days to master this art and open the first void cavity."

"Each subsequent advancement, each additional void cavity opened, increases the difficulty exponentially, requiring doubled time and effort."

"And this kid, who just reached Foundation Establishment today, has already cultivated the Nine Heavens Cloud Void Force to the third level?"

"Could this be the legendary Martial Saint Body?"

At this thought, Master Xinghuo sighed inwardly, "Ah, if only I hadn't met Yu Xinghan back then."

Though countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant, Master Xinghuo's face betrayed nothing. He simply looked at Wang Yin and said, "An hour and a half it is, then."

Thus, under the astonished gazes of Zhang Yu and Bai Zhenzhen, Master Xinghuo and Wang Yin signed a contract right before the eyes of numerous deities.

Watching this scene, Deng Bingding thought to himself, "I knew it..."

"A Golden Core Master, even a half-step Golden Core, would never easily lower himself to such a level."

"Perhaps his descent was part of a larger plan from above, meant to assist Zhang Yu at a critical moment."

Just then, Wang Yin turned to Master Xinghuo and said, "By the way, for the upcoming battle, tell your deities not to randomly block the divine power network. It'll interfere with my live stream."

"I won't use talismans."

"After all, fighting him makes no difference whether I use them or not."

Thanks to '2~12 Characters' for sending Le Mulan 5 Zhang Yus.

(End of Chapter)