Chapter 322: Bravely Breaking the Barrier and Exploring a Strange New Realm

The golden light vanished into the energy barrier as if devoured, and the barrier grew even more solid instead, rippling with an unsettling halo.

Xingji Xiake swung his massive energy axe and struck the barrier fiercely. With a loud "Clang—," the axe rebounded, and a powerful counterforce numbed his grip and sent him stumbling back several steps.

"What is this damn thing made of!" he roared, rubbing his numb arm.

The psychic Li li waved her slender hands, and beams of psychic energy shot toward the barrier like spirit serpents, but they were like clay oxen entering the sea, unable to stir up the slightest ripple.

A faint ripple washed across the barrier's surface, absorbing all of Li li's attacks, and then a counterforce sent her stumbling back several steps, her face turning slightly pale.

The mechanic A li operated his modified mechanical arm and fired a specially made armor-piercing round, but the result was the same—the round was deflected the instant it touched the barrier, without leaving even the faintest mark.

A li hung his head in frustration and muttered in a low voice, "It seems ordinary physical attacks are useless against it."

Even the usually calm Zhang Cheng could not help frowning. He drew his particle blade, and a dazzling blue flash swept past as the blade struck the barrier fiercely.

The result was still disappointing—the blade was deflected, Zhang Cheng was sent back several steps by the counterforce, and the particle blade's energy was significantly depleted.

"This barrier's defense mechanism is extraordinary," he said in a deep voice. "We must find its weakness."

The Star Warrior Mark, seeing this, strode forward. "Let me try!" The muscles in his arms bulged as he gathered all his strength and threw a punch at the barrier.

With a muffled boom, Mark was sent flying by a powerful force and crashed heavily to the ground, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth.

He struggled to his feet, his eyes filled with shock. "This... how is this possible!"

Xingji Xiake sneered at the sight. "You think you can break this barrier with that meager brute force? Let me do it!" Saying that, he raised his massive energy axe again, preparing for another attempt.

"Wait!" Mark wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and bellowed indignantly. "I should go first! My strength is greater than yours!"

"Greater? Everyone saw the result of your punch just now!" Xingji Xiake mocked. "Brute force is useless—what's needed is skill!"

Neither man would yield, and it looked like they were about to come to blows again.

Xingyun Zhizhe, uncharacteristically, did not intervene to mediate. He simply stood quietly to the side, his gaze deep as he watched the energy barrier flickering with golden light...

Xingyun Zhizhe's eyes flickered, and a mysterious smile crept onto the corner of his mouth.

"Since both of you wish to try, how about this—we hold a contest, and whoever wins goes first. What do you say?" His calm voice was like a stone cast into a still lake, sending up a thousand ripples.

Everyone was taken aback, looking at one another in bewilderment—this was not Xingyun Zhizhe's usual style at all.

Mark and Xingji Xiake were also stunned, but then blazing fighting spirit ignited in both their eyes.

Mark was the first to break the silence, his voice muffled: "Fine! We'll do as the Zhizhe says!" Xingji Xiake was not about to be outdone and sneered, "Exactly what I had in mind! I'll show you what true power looks like!"

The contest would take place right here in this strange space. The others consciously formed a circle, making room for the two.

Mark launched the first attack. The muscles in his arms twisted and coiled like poured steel, and with a howling wind, he threw a punch at Xingji Xiake.

Xingji Xiake flashed to the side, nimbly dodging the strike, then countered with a palm chop aimed at Mark's chest.

Mark did not dodge or evade—he took the palm strike head-on, his body swaying only slightly.

The two traded blows back and forth, fists and feet clashing, each collision erupting with massive energy fluctuations that made the surrounding space tremble.

Mark's strength was astonishing—every attack was heavy and forceful, as if he intended to crush Xingji Xiake to dust.

Xingji Xiake was more agile. His figure drifted unpredictably, ghost-like, maneuvering with ease through Mark's attacks while watching for an opening to counter.

The battle went on for a long time, and both men gradually began to tire, but neither was willing to concede.

Just then, a glint flashed in Xingji Xiake's eyes. He seized a gap in Mark's assault, leapt sharply backward, and simultaneously his energy blade traced a dazzling arc...

"It's over!" A cold smile appeared on Xingji Xiake's lips.

The energy blade sliced through the air, straight for Mark's throat.

Mark's pupils contracted sharply. He tried to dodge but it was already too late—he could only watch helplessly as the energy blade bore down on him.

In the nick of time, a blinding ball of golden light suddenly appeared, blocking the energy blade.

The light faded, and Xingyun Zhizhe was standing in front of Mark at some unknown moment. He caught Xingji Xiake's energy blade with one hand, a faint smile on his face: "The contest should stop at the point—no need to take it so seriously."

Xingji Xiake withdrew his energy blade and shrugged. "Alright, it seems I've won." Mark, though somewhat unwilling to accept it, knew he had indeed lost. He took a deep breath and clasped his fists: "I lost. Xingji Xiake, your strength truly surpasses mine." The onlookers also praised Xingji Xiake's exquisite techniques, their admiration for his strength growing even deeper.

"Alright, now it's time to figure out how to break through this barrier." Zhang Cheng clapped his hands, pulling everyone's attention back to the matter at hand.

Xingji Xiake put away his smile, walked up to the barrier, and began examining it closely.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up. He pointed at a fine pattern on the barrier and said, "A li, take a look at this—doesn't it look a lot like the energy circuit you studied before?"

A li hurried over to examine it closely, and after a moment shouted excitedly, "That's right! It's this kind of energy circuit! If we can find its energy node, we might be able to destroy this barrier!"

Xingji Xiake and A li immediately began studying the path of the energy circuit, trying to locate the energy node.

After careful analysis and deduction, they finally found the energy node's location.

"It's here!" Xingji Xiake pointed at an almost imperceptible tiny dot on the barrier.

"Good! Let me try!" Xingji Xiake took a specially made energy amplifier from A li and connected it to his own energy blade.

The amplifier blazed with dazzling light, pushing Xingji Xiake's energy to its absolute peak.

He took a deep breath, concentrated all his power into the energy blade, and then struck with full force, slamming it fiercely against the energy node on the barrier.

"Boom—!" With a tremendous crash, the barrier shook violently, and a dazzling golden light erupted from the energy node.

A tiny crack appeared on the barrier—small, but enough to give everyone hope.

"It worked!" Everyone cheered.

Guangming Shizhe watched tensely from the side, her hands clenched tight, her eyes fixed unblinking on Xingji Xiake.

That tiny crack in the barrier seemed, in her eyes, to hold the hope of the entire world.

The instant the crack appeared, she leapt up excitedly. After a cheer, she threw herself at Zhang Cheng and grabbed hold of him, her eyes brimming with joy.

"We did it! Zhang Cheng, we did it!"

Zhang Cheng was startled by the sudden embrace, but then a smile appeared on his face as he gently patted Guangming Shizhe on the back.

"Yes, we did it." He looked up at the crack, his heart filled with excitement and anticipation.

Xingji Xiake withdrew his energy blade, let out a long breath, and wore a trace of smugness on his face.

A li excitedly circled the barrier, muttering to himself as if calculating something.

The Star Warrior Mark and the psychic Li li also smiled—they knew that breaking through the barrier was only a matter of time.

However, just as everyone was immersed in joy, a sudden change occurred.

The crack on the barrier did not continue to widen; instead, it began to slowly heal.

At the same time, a powerful energy fluctuation emanated from the barrier, pressing down on everyone until they could barely breathe.

Xingling xue zhe's expression changed drastically. "Not good! This barrier is repairing itself!"

"What?!" Xingji Xiake's face darkened. He raised his energy blade once more, preparing to continue the attack.

However, before he could strike, the crack on the barrier had already vanished completely, replaced by a slowly rotating golden vortex.

At the center of the vortex, a blurry figure gradually emerged, radiating an energy fluctuation that made one's heart palpitate.

It was an entity composed of pure energy, with no facial features and no limbs—just a mass of light that constantly shifted shape.

It hovered in midair, looking down at everyone like a deity, exuding an invisible pressure.

"Who dares trespass in my domain?" A deep, majestic voice resonated in everyone's minds like a thunderclap, leaving them dizzy and dizzy.

Xingyun Zhizhe's expression turned grave as he slowly stepped forward. "We are—"

"Silence!" The energy entity let out a furious roar, and a powerful psychic shockwave swept forth, cutting off Xingyun Zhizhe's words.

Xingyun Zhizhe grunted and staggered backward, his face instantly turning pale.

Zhang Cheng hurried forward to support him, his eyes full of worry.

The energy entity slowly turned, casting its gaze over everyone, its voice cold and merciless: "Trespassers, die!"

Xingji Xiake roared, "Playing tricks! Let me deal with you!" He raised his massive energy axe and charged forward.

"Xiake, wait!" Zhang Cheng grabbed hold of him and said in a low voice, "Don't be rash! This fellow is very strong!"

The energy entity let out a disdainful sneer. "Strong? You ants have no idea what true strength is!" It slowly raised its "hand," and a dazzling golden light gathered in its palm, exuding an aura of destruction.

"Dodge, quick!" Zhang Cheng roared, shoving Xingji Xiake aside.

The golden light flashed past... "No—" Guangming Shizhe let out a terrified scream.