Chapter 42: Not a Moment to Mourn Gu Che—Next to Appear

Lin Ruoxi shook her purple hair, stepped forward two paces, and regarded Ye Xuan with piercing eyes, a smile curling at her lips.

“Pleased to meet you, Ye Xuan. I’m sure you’ve already guessed my identity.”

She tapped the Lightning Element God’s Eye at her waist.

“Holder of the Wangquan Hegemony template, mastered the Wangquan Sword Intent through innate talent, suspected of possessing rapid self-healing abilities.”

“Though I never ruled out the possibility that someone stronger than us might be hiding among the populace, you’ve truly exceeded expectations.”

“Can you tell me how long it took you to knock this guy into this state?”

Lin Ruoxi pointed at Gu Che lying on the ground, her eyes gleaming with curiosity.

She had already reviewed Ye Xuan’s data and knew his strength far surpassed theirs; yet with Gu Che’s monstrous defense and recovery after dragon transformation, he should have held out longer.

How did he end up in such a state while Ye Xuan looked completely unharmed?

Ye Xuan kept his hands in his pockets, his tone calm:

“You’d better ask him yourself.”

Lin Ruoxi’s gaze settled on Gu Che.

“.”

“Less than three minutes.”

Gu Che felt Lin Ruoxi’s stare and didn’t want to admit the answer.

But he lost—he wasn’t someone who couldn’t accept defeat; he’d just work harder to catch up later.

So he reluctantly spoke.

“Less than three minutes?”

“Have you become that weak?”

“Even as a punching bag, you shouldn’t collapse in under three minutes.”

Lin Ruoxi, hearing Gu Che’s words, found it unbelievable.

She had fought him many times—she was among the few who truly understood his strength; she’d assumed that even if Ye Xuan was stronger, Gu Che could at least last half an hour. Yet it was only three minutes?

Did Ye Xuan use Heaven and Earth Sword? Or the Wangquan Sword Intent?

But these wounds clearly came from punches.

Gu Che glared at her, furious: “If you’re so good, you go first!”

Weak? What weakness?!

He couldn’t beat Ye Xuan, but he could still beat Lin Ruoxi; he held out nearly three minutes against Ye Xuan—how long could she last?

Lin Ruoxi instinctively touched the Lightning Element God’s Eye at her waist, suddenly uncertain.

She’d prepared to lose before coming, but if she lasted less time than Gu Che, it would be humiliating.

Would he mock her with this forever?

Still, she had to fight—fear of losing wasn’t who Lin Ruoxi was.

“So? Want to fight?”

“Don’t be fooled by my ranking being one spot lower than his—that’s just because he’s tough. In true combat power, I’m far stronger than him.”

“I’ll last longer than he did.”

Lin Ruoxi turned to Ye Xuan, dangerous lightning flickering around her, her eyes brimming with battle lust.

Ye Xuan sensed the surge of spiritual energy around her—it was hard to say if she was stronger or weaker than Gu Che; in his eyes, the difference was negligible.

Still, he didn’t refuse, only nodded calmly.

“Fine.”

One minute later.

With a thud, Lin Ruoxi collapsed straight beside Gu Che, the lightning surging around her instantly extinguished, her eyes vacant as she stared at the sky, her beautiful face etched with existential doubt.

“How could he be this strong?”

“Hahahaha, you claimed your true combat power surpassed mine, yet you lasted only thirty seconds?”

“Didn’t even make a minute.”

Gu Che couldn’t help mocking her, his psyche instantly balanced after being crushed by Ye Xuan.

After all, he lasted nearly three minutes—Lin Ruoxi didn’t even make a minute, outright obliterated.

By that calculation, he could take on three Lin Ruoxis.

And yet he still had the nerve to claim he won her before just because he was tough? That her true combat power was superior?

So what if I’m tough? If your damage is too low to do more than scratch me, is that my fault?

Lin Ruoxi wanted to curse, but any movement sent sharp pain through her.

She still couldn’t fathom how her prized speed hadn’t even grazed Ye Xuan’s sleeve, only for him to casually slap her, shattering all her lightning, then spinning her into oblivion.

“Great, another one.”

“Can’t you two just let me have some peace?”

Jiang Qingyao, seeing Lin Ruoxi’s state, couldn’t help sighing.

Though saving lives and healing the wounded was a physician’s duty, since joining the Tian Shu Bureau, she’d spent most of her time treating these two—only occasionally treating high-ranking officials whom conventional medicine couldn’t cure.

If they vanished, her workload would drop by more than half.

After all, the Double Complete Hand wasn’t just for healing—it could also alter memories and perceptions.

Unless absolutely desperate, no one would ever ask her to treat them; she certainly had no such intentions, but what could she do? She possessed this ability.

Only Lin Ruoxi and Gu Che didn’t care about any of this.

Still, Jiang Qingyao’s hands moved swiftly, her Double Complete Hand’s healing energy instantly enveloping Lin Ruoxi’s body, mending broken bones and damaged muscles.

For Gu Che and Lin Ruoxi to both lose combat capability in such a short time, Ye Xuan’s strength was truly absurd—no wonder the Tian Shu Bureau’s internal database labeled him “The Strongest Beneath the Gods.”

The thought flashed through Jiang Qingyao’s mind; she instinctively looked up, her gaze meeting Ye Xuan’s.

“You’re next?”

Ye Xuan asked, puzzled.

Though in his view, the Double Complete Hand held no advantage in direct combat, if Jiang Qingyao truly wished to test it, he had no objection to seeing how one of the Eight Marvelous Techniques performed in actual battle.

“.”

Jiang Qingyao fell silent for a second, then gave a cold, humorless smile as she pointed at the two injured figures on the ground.

“Do you think I have time right now?”

Gu Che lifted his hand.

“Actually, you could fight first, then heal. I wouldn’t mind.”

“Shut up!”

Jiang Qingyao and Lin Ruoxi, barely recovered, shouted in unison.

Ye Xuan, witnessing this, was unexpectedly amused—he hadn’t expected such harmony among these three; he’d assumed they, as supporters of different factions, would be in competition.

It made him look forward to Blue Star’s future.

Though the Heavenly Treasures now appearing—Devil Fruits, God’s Eyes, Eight Marvelous Techniques, Zanpakuto, Sharingan—seem numerous, they are but a tiny fraction compared to the ocean of human fantasy creations.

More people will surely gain recognition from these Heavenly Treasures in the future; how will they choose to treat this world after obtaining them?

When things from human fantasy appear in the hands of real humans, will they shine with a brilliance different from their original forms?

(End of Chapter)