Chapter 31: The Radiance of Xia Yan

"So, the move is finally being made!" Gong Kui’s eyes flickered. "I never expected that such a minor figure as Chai Guan would be used to initiate the first battle. To think he could achieve this much using the intelligence I gave him."

"Lord Gong Kui, this man..." Xia Yi looked at Chai Guan with disdain.

"A small pawn I cultivated years ago. He lacks growth in raw strength, but he certainly has a knack for petty schemes," Gong Kui narrowed her eyes. "Miss Lan Xin has a severe psychological knot. Before she set out on this mission, I gave him a copy of the intelligence as a precaution. To think he managed to utilize it so perfectly!"

"Such methods are despicable," Xia Yi muttered, her expression hardening.

"As long as the outcome is what we desire, it is not despicable," Gong Kui shook her head. "Xia Yi, in this world, one cannot survive by being too upright, especially those who bear the responsibility of an entire race as a leader. To secure victory, even resorting to unscrupulous means is justified."

Xia Yi did not agree, but she would never dare to contradict Lord Gong Kui.

"Who do you think will win?" Gong Kui asked with a smile.

"Based on the intelligence you provided, Xia Yan’s brain development has barely reached thirty percent, and his physical development is roughly the same," Xia Yi pondered. "Miss Lan Xin’s 'Limit Amplification' allows her body to reach nearly twenty-three percent. The gap is quite significant, but..."

"Yes?"

"Miss Lan Xin’s technique is superior to Xia Yan’s. Her secondary ability, the 'Underworld Night Sword,' can manipulate gravity to a certain extent, which poses a significant obstacle for Xia Yan. I believe that even if Xia Yan manages to win, he will have to trigger his 'Devil Ability,' otherwise, he will be under immense pressure."

"Is that so?" Gong Kui chuckled. "I’m curious, too. What will Xia Yan do? Will he counterattack? Or will he just stand there, letting himself be slaughtered by Lan Xin?"

As Xia Yi predicted, Lan Xin activated her Limit Amplification. Her physical development began to climb steadily. While her base was seventeen percent, the amplification brought her close to twenty-three percent. This might have been an impressive figure, but for the current Xia Yan, it was far too low. Xia Yi’s intelligence was outdated; Xia Yan’s physical development had already reached thirty-six percent.

The disparity was glaring. Whether in speed or strength, the gap was as vast as heaven and earth, far beyond what technique alone could bridge. In fact, Xia Yan’s technique was arguably no less refined than Lan Xin’s. The effects of the Underworld Night Sword were indeed annoying, but Xia Yan’s overall capabilities far exceeded hers. The battle should have ended in an instant. Even the four members of the Scorching Tooth Squad had questioned Lan Xin’s presence here, viewing her overall strength as a burden to the team.

Yet, the battle did not end quickly because Xia Yan did not fight back.

He simply weathered the storm, bracing himself. Three seconds passed, then five, then ten. His eyes were clear, tracking every one of Lan Xin’s movements and using his footwork to dodge. He appeared precarious, like a small boat on the verge of capsizing, but in reality, he was perfectly composed, not in danger of taking a single scratch.

Lan Xin’s fury surged in tandem with the ferocity of her sword strikes, but her loss of reason did not make her stronger; it only made her reckless, which posed no threat to Xia Yan.

The five humans behind Lan Xin were fueled by the conviction that she would create a miracle and slay Xia Yan. To them, killing him meant rich rewards and the favor of the high-ranking lords.

Meanwhile, Tao Lu radiated a murderous intent, though it was unclear toward whom it was directed. Between the Chain of Purity, the hundred-fold bounty, and her past ties with Xia Yan, which held more weight? She toyed with her laser pistol as if it were a child's trinket, her eyes showing profound boredom. Four Winged-race warriors stood behind her, not daring to utter a word.

Zhen Shi rubbed his eyes, still unable to believe what he was seeing. He, like the other three members of the Scorching Tooth Squad, felt a sense of disbelief. The gap in the battle defied their understanding.

Chai Guan looked at Xia Yan with confusion and a flicker of intense competitiveness. He didn’t think the boy was all that strong—after all, he believed himself to be the strongest present, or else why would Lord Gong Kui have granted him command? But at this moment, he no longer dared to be so certain.

"To dodge all her attacks using nothing but footwork..." Tao Lu narrowed her eyes. "Xia Yan, you’ve grown so much stronger since I left. It’s simply incredible."

Among four-star ability users, Xia Yan was surely invincible. Killing everyone present would be an effortless feat.

Lan Xin, fully amplified, stood in stark contrast to the nearly motionless Xia Yan. The extreme gap between them was breathtaking. Everyone present felt dazzled, unable to believe their own eyes.

Lan Xin was strong, at least at the veteran level of a four-star ability user. Anyone else would admit they could not withstand her current onslaught without fighting back. Yet, that man was doing it with ease, strolling as if in a garden, making the combat feel like a mere leisure activity.

How terrifying was his physical strength? How profound was his footwork? How calm was his mind?

It was no exaggeration to say that, at this moment, Xia Yan made every outsider present feel a chill of dread. The humans, the Angels, the Werewolves, the Winged-race—and even the slightly astonished leader of the Free Zone, Wen Zhe.

"How is this possible?" Xia Yi gasped. She had judged that the gap between them was narrow, and that Xia Yan could not win without his Devil Ability. She now realized she was wrong; the disparity was soul-shaking. With such a gap, Xia Yan could have ended this fight in five seconds—no, in three.

"What is it?" Gong Kui asked, amused.

"The intelligence was completely wrong!" Xia Yi said, panicked. "Lord Gong Kui, Xia Yan’s physical strength must have surpassed thirty-five percent."

"I see," Gong Kui smiled. "He must have used another bottle of high-grade potential potion and high-grade limit potion. Xia Yan, who gave them to you? And why?"

Gong Kui sighed softly. Once, she had believed Xia Yan would never become an enemy of the human side. Now, she was no longer certain. Perhaps one day, Xia Yan would do exactly as he was doing today: slaughtering every human who stood in his way, leaving none alive.

Would it be better, then, if Xia Yan died here today?