Chapter 150 – Divine Messenger vs. Divine Messenger? Battle, Battle, Battle!

In a spacious room on the top floor in Jiaoyan City.

Gao Qing, dressed in casual attire, stood facing a large floor-to-ceiling window, her expression dark as she stared at the patch-style communicator on the back of her hand.

She had called to check on him out of kindness, only to be met with a curt response before she could finish her sentence.

The last time she called him, it seemed to be a similar experience.

“Has Lu Yuan gotten all high and mighty after his trip to the Crane Style?” Gao Qing ground her teeth in frustration.

She wanted nothing more than to call him back and tell him off—

Do you know what risks I took to get you this super detailed assessment guide?

How much it cost me?

I spent several months’ salary on this, just hoping you would do well in the assessment…

And this is how you repay me?!

Despite her anger, Gao Qing knew she had to keep her cool and continue worrying about Lu Yuan’s situation.

It was partly her fault for being too hasty, not fully understanding the changes in this year’s new blood assessment system before submitting the evaluation report.

Losing her bonus wasn’t the worst of it.

The main issue was that a reprimand would affect her future promotions, and she had kept Zhou Ling in the dark about it…

If this blew up, their friendship would be over, and her reputation in the White Bear Guard would take a hit.

Gao Qing had to find a way to make up for this oversight.

“Should I get Lu Yuan a set of micro exoskeletons? He just got back from receiving the Core Legacy of the Sky Water Stream Crane Style, so his strength must have improved significantly. With the assistance of an exoskeleton, achieving a level S rating might not be impossible…”

“Though exoskeletons don’t require the long adaptation period that new martial arts modifications do, and they don’t cause the rejection reactions that mechanical modifications might…

But is this within the rules as an allowed auxiliary means?”

Gao Qing rested her chin on her hand, pondering the question.

The Yellow Bear previously did not mind new blood wearing exoskeletons during the mobile assessment.

In addition to personal connections and financial status being part of the assessment criteria, the new blood’s talent for using new combat weapons was also a crucial standard.

This is similar to the old firearms used by the armed forces in the Old City Circle.

The same firearm can have vastly different effectiveness in different hands.

Some people can only graze the target, while others can become sharpshooters with pinpoint accuracy.

During combat, what the intelligent assistance system can do is very limited. Talent and aptitude are always the primary factors that determine the ultimate heights a person can achieve in a particular field.

However, the new assessment format after the reforms seems to focus more on the basic qualities of the new blood in a “naked” state.

Previous body modifications might be overlooked, but as for bringing equipment… that’s still uncertain.

Gao Qing flipped through the expensive assessment guide she had bought, but couldn’t find the answer she was looking for.

She was just about to call the person who sold her the guide to ask for clarification.

At that moment, the door to the room was forcefully pushed open, and two men with hurried footsteps quickly walked in.

“Team Leader Gao!”

Gao Qing turned around to see two tall men with serious expressions walking towards her.

“What’s going on?”

“Emergency situation!”

One of the men, who had a buzz cut and one eye glowing intensely blue, spoke in a deep voice, “The mission has changed.

Sky Eye just detected an extremely strong Evil Energy Wave heading our way…”

“What?!”

Gao Qing’s expression changed, and she quickly said, “What’s the situation? Explain in detail.”

This time, Jiaoyan City experienced a large-scale Crow Deity sect massacre of civilians for a ritual, and they had dispatched four White Bear teams to carry out the cleanup operation.

There was a small mishap in the middle, with Zhou Ling’s team almost “completely wiped out,” and they had to return early to recuperate.

The remaining three teams continued their operation in Jiaoyan.

Everything had been going smoothly, and they were just about to wrap up the final cleanup work.

But now, with the discovery of a new Evil Energy Wave, complications had arisen.

The crew-cut man lightly tapped his temple. The eye emitting blue light projected a three-dimensional virtual map into the air before the three of them.

It was a real-time map of Jiaoyan and several nearby cities.

Clearly visible on the map was a red dot rapidly moving toward Jiaoyan City at a speed visible to the naked eye.

“…According to the Sky Eye monitoring data sent from headquarters.

This Evil Energy Wave appeared at 7:20 AM today, three and a half hours ago.

Its starting point was in the Tiger Yao District of Pingyao City. In just over three hours, it crossed nearly 700 kilometers, appearing near the mountainous area of Jiaoyan City…

Analyzing its trajectory, it’s highly likely heading towards the urban area…”

Gao Qing’s eyes narrowed as she asked, “How strong is this Evil Energy Wave?”

The crew-cut man remained silent, but the other man, who had shoulder-length hair, answered, “Sky Eye estimates the Evil Energy Wave’s strength to be between Level A and A+.

Most likely…”

The man paused and then said in a deep voice, “It’s a Divine Messenger level figure from the Crow Deity sect, possibly even a Powerful Divine Messenger.”

“Hiss.”

Gao Qing couldn’t help but take a sharp breath.

“A Powerful Divine Messenger?! How dare they? Aren’t they afraid of triggering the Zenith Sword?”

“That’s just a possibility… we can’t be certain.”

An Evil Deity with a power rating reaching Level A or even A+, a Powerful Divine Messenger.

This was far beyond what their ordinary White Bear Guard could handle.

At least a Red Bear, or even a Golden Bear level expert would be needed to manage this.

The three of them, combined, wouldn’t even be a match for the opponent.

“Have you contacted the organization?”

“Yes.

A Red Bear Guard is already on their way to Jiaoyan, but we don’t know when they’ll arrive…”

“So what do we do now…”

Gao Qing silently looked at the two men in front of her.

All she saw were two faces filled with bitter smiles.

“We can only pray.

Hopefully, this Crow Deity Divine Messenger won’t recklessly charge into the urban area.

Otherwise…”

The crew-cut man looked at Gao Qing, sighed softly, and said in a low voice, “Be ready to sacrifice at any moment.

I’m a full cyborg, with my consciousness already backed up… if necessary,  I will do my best to cover for you both.”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became particularly heavy.

The three of them didn’t speak further, falling into a somber silence.

“Here we are. Thirty-seven yuan and eighty cents. You can just pay thirty-seven.”

Lu Yuan scanned the code to pay and got out of the taxi.

At this moment, he was standing at the entrance of a mid-tier community located in the east district of Jiaoyan City.

But this wasn’t his destination.

The place he wanted to go was still some distance away.

He began walking east along the sidewalk outside the community.

His pace quickened, transitioning into a jog, and then a run.

When he reached a secluded, unmonitored spot, Lu Yuan leaped into the nearby greenery and continued running further.

About twenty miles east of Jiaoyan City lies a mountainous area.

A reservoir has been built there.

Years ago, the tourism bureau developed it into a scenic spot, and Lu Yuan had visited it once with his family.

He remembered the place was called Tiger Head Mountain, resembling a tiger’s head, with rugged terrain.

In addition to being sparsely populated, the mountain was dense with ancient trees and even had a small stone forest.

Lu Yuan had chosen this place as his battlefield.

Firstly, the dense forest could limit his opponent’s flying abilities.

Secondly, if things went south, he could hide in the woods or the reservoir, making it hard for his opponent to catch him.

Lu Yuan covered the twenty-mile distance in just over ten minutes.

The mountainous terrain was especially suited for Crane Style Movement Techniques, making him feel even faster here.

Like a monkey, Lu Yuan darted and leaped through the forest.

His No. 4 Middle High School uniform was ripped by branches along the way, leaving cuts and tears.

However, his skin remained unscathed.

He naturally entered a state of Lv3 [Absolute Concentration], feeling as if the fighting spirit in every part of his body, every corner, every cell, was gradually awakening.

“Thump-thump—”

“Thump-thump—”

Lu Yuan’s heart pounded rapidly, each beat pumping blood and energy far beyond that of ordinary people.

He began to crave this battle.

This sudden, unpredictable life-and-death battle.

Lu Yuan suddenly remembered a line he had read in a book in his previous life—

“Life is like walking in an endless wilderness. Sometimes, a sudden downpour catches you off guard… so just enjoy it.”

This thought churned in Lu Yuan’s mind as the wind howled past his ears on both sides.

His martial artist’s resolve was like a continuously polished mirror.

The dust covering it was gradually wiped away, turning from blurry to clear until it finally gleamed brightly, radiating brilliance!

“Bang!”

Lu Yuan’s feet landed heavily on a moss-covered boulder, creating two shallow depressions.

He looked around and then sat down on the rock, satisfied.

This spot was far from the scenic area, with no one likely to come here.

Moreover, the location was quite strategic.

Above him were towering ancient trees, their age unknown, wrapped in thick vines and dense foliage.

Only faint rays of sunlight filtered through, barely illuminating the sky above.

Behind him was a naturally formed rocky forest.

Together, these elements created a cage-like barrier.

As long as he could pull his opponent down from the sky, Lu Yuan was confident he could keep them grounded.

“Rip—”

He casually tore off his school uniform, already tattered from the branches, revealing a body of fair, well-proportioned muscles with a streamlined beauty.

Lu Yuan took out the “Seize the Moon” and a crow mask, placing them gently in front of him.

The temperature in the forest was low, with heavy dew and a chill that felt just right for Lu Yuan.

Sitting on the large green stone, he thought for a moment and then removed his shoes, feeling even more unrestrained.

“Caw, caw—”

The sound of crows cawing reached his ears.

Accompanied by the flapping of wings, the crow flock that had been chasing Lu Yuan arrived.

They perched among the trees and on the rocks, waiting quietly.

Clearly, their presence today was equally significant.

They symbolized a noble will.

They were the audience, referees, and witnesses to today’s internal battle within the Crow Deity sect.

Lu Yuan ignored them.

While the evil presence sensed through his spiritual perception hadn’t arrived yet, he could still make some preparations.

Black death energy began to emanate from Lu Yuan’s body, morphing into various shapes at his will.

Lu Yuan’s idea was—

Since the Crow Deity’s Divine Servants could transform death energy into tentacles or other forms for attacks,

Why couldn’t he utilize this as well?

Even if it wasn’t his main offensive technique, it could still assist in combat.

Despite having already prepared for a ground-to-air battle,

What if he could fly, or at least hover momentarily?

That would be even better.

“They’re here!”

In the room, Gao Qing and her two companions, fully equipped for battle, kept their eyes fixed on the real-time map projection.

The glaring red dot on the map was getting closer to their current location in the urban area of Jiaoyan City.

“Thump-thump—”

“Thump-thump—”

Their faces were tense, almost able to hear their own heartbeats clearly.

Once the Crow Deity’s Divine Messenger entered the public safety zone,

It would mean… it was time for them to sacrifice themselves for the Xia State.

Finally… the red dot entered the urban area of Jiaoyan City.

Their faces darkened as they prepared to lead the team to confront the threat.

But in the next second…

The red dot suddenly veered away, bypassing the urban area and speeding towards the east district’s outskirts.

“Whew—”

The three of them sighed in relief.

But in the next moment, their brows furrowed again.

“He’s being so reckless and ostentatious, not causing trouble in Jiaoyan City. What is he planning to do?”

“Maybe he’s scared, too. The Zenith Sword can easily slay Divine Messenger Level beings like him…”

“Can we use the Sky Eye to get a live feed of the scene?”

The Long-haired Man asked the Crew-cut Man.

The latter shook his head, “The Sky Eye can only monitor evil energy waves of a certain intensity. This area is part of the Old City Circle and is beyond the Sky Eye’s surveillance range. We can only rely on the satellite surveillance of the Old City Circle… but the satellite surveillance there is easily disrupted by the evil energy field.”

“So, we can’t see anything?”

“Yes, even the evil energy fields of general Divine Servant and Powerful Divine Servant levels have a significant impact, let alone those of a Divine Messenger or Powerful Divine Messenger level.”

Gao Qing stared at the red dot on the map as it moved farther away.

She glanced out the window at the increasingly overcast sky, which looked like it could rain at any moment.

“Let’s go after them,” she said.

The two White Bear Guards were somewhat shocked by Gao Qing’s decision, but they quickly nodded in agreement.

“Alright.”

This was, after all, their duty as White Bear Guards.

The three of them quickly boarded a shuttle.

The silver-gray shuttle shot out from the heart of the city.

Standing inside the shuttle, they could clearly see.

Above Jiaoyan, numerous crows were all flying in the same direction.

Was this all due to the influence of that Crow Deity’s Divine Messenger?

Just by the fluctuations of his evil power, he could cause such an unusual phenomenon, drawing so many crows out of their nests…

It seemed that this Crow Deity’s Divine Messenger was far more formidable than they had anticipated.

The three of them looked slightly grim.

“Tracking the target, heading towards the Tiger Head Mountain scenic area and the reservoir in the east district, speed appears to be decreasing…”

“Move closer.”

“Yes!”

The three of them peered through the shuttle’s windows, keeping a close watch on the scene ahead.

The shuttle left the urban area and quickly approached the target location.

Finally…

The being that had filled them with dread was fully exposed in their sight.

A dark cloud!

A dark cloud entirely composed of death energy, slowly creeping towards the summit of Tiger Head Mountain.

It was as if… it intended to engulf the forest below.

Crows were circling everywhere…

Meanwhile.

Lu Yuan, who was exploring the deeper uses of death energy, suddenly paused.

As if sensing something.

He slowly raised his head, squinting slightly.

He saw a dense dark cloud approaching from afar, gradually blocking out the already sparse sunlight.

The countless crows perched in the forest began to stir, their calls growing increasingly chaotic.

“They’re here…”

Lu Yuan’s face remained calm.

At this moment, he was in a peculiar state, both body and mind reaching an unprecedented peak.

This unexpected battle… had finally arrived.

Unhurriedly, he put on the Seize the Moon gloves and donned the crow mask of the Crow Deity sect.

Slowly, he stood up.

“Crack, crack.”

Accompanied by a series of crisp bone-cracking sounds, he entered a shallow state of [special exertion], controlling his muscles.

His entire body expanded slightly.

He grew from his original height of 1.87 meters to 1.9 meters.

His fair, well-proportioned, tall, and slender body became fuller and more robust.

Veins faintly appeared beneath his skin.

He stood barefoot on the green stone.

Then…

He took a deep breath.

“Boom!”

A large amount of black death energy surged forth, enveloping Lu Yuan entirely, like a black smoke plume rising straight up.

In an instant.

Countless black crows in the mountain forest took flight in a frenzy, leaving the surrounding area empty!

Gao Qing and her two companions were still reeling from the formidable display of power by the Crow Deity’s Divine Messenger and puzzled about the purpose of his long journey here.

Suddenly.

“Boom!”

A black pillar of death energy shot up from the Tiger Head Mountain forest in front of them.

Their pupils contracted instantly.

They exchanged glances, bewildered.

What they saw… were faces filled with shock, bewilderment, and horror.

Another Crow Deity’s Divine Messenger?

So…

This was actually a battle between two Divine Messengers, or even Powerful Divine Messengers, within the Crow Deity sect?!