Chapter 20: Encountering Enemies on a Dangerous Path

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue felt a chill in their hearts, a coldness shooting from the soles of their feet to the tops of their heads, like prey targeted by a venomous snake.

They accelerated their pace, wind rising under their feet, trying to shake off that faint sense of being watched.

The surrounding scenery retreated rapidly, and the street, which was still quite lively, turned gloomy and terrifying in the blink of an eye, as if splashed with a layer of ink.

The streetlights flickered, making creaking noises, as if mocking their embarrassment.

The air was filled with a smell of decay, making one feel chills, and even breathing became heavy.

"Damn! They're like ghosts!" Ji Chen cursed inwardly. He could feel that aura getting closer, like a maggot on a tarsal bone, impossible to shake off.

Suddenly, three black shadows darted out from ahead, moving as fast as ghosts, instantly blocking their path.

Sword light and shadows, accompanied by harsh whistling sounds, fierce attacks came like a storm.

Ji Chen pulled Ceng Yue behind him, dodged the attacks nimbly, and simultaneously condensed Supernatural Ability in both hands. With two "bangs," two fireballs left his hands, heading straight for the black shadows, drawing two red trajectories in the air.

Ceng Yue did not show weakness either. She waved both hands, and several Ice Blades broke through the air, making sharp whistling sounds, cooperating with Ji Chen's attack to counterattack the black shadows.

However, the black shadows were clearly prepared. Their attacks were not only fierce but also coordinated, like well-trained killers.

Every confrontation made Ji Chen and Ceng Yue feel immense pressure.

"Tsk tsk, truly a pair of star-crossed lovers, why struggle?" A cold voice came from behind the black shadows, carrying a hint of mockery and disdain.

A man wearing a black cloak and a strange mask walked out slowly. He crossed his arms, as if watching a wonderful performance, a cold sneer hanging on his mouth.

Ji Chen felt a strong anger burning in his chest. He clenched his fists tightly, his nails almost embedding into his flesh.

This guy is really damn arrogant!

"I want to see what skills you have!" Ji Chen roared, his body muscles instantly tensed, and like a cheetah, he charged toward the man in black.

"Heh, overestimating your capabilities!" The man in black sneered, raised his right hand, and snapped his fingers lightly.

"Bang!" The surrounding black shadows suddenly accelerated, and their attacks became even more fierce.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue's situation instantly became even more difficult. They could only grit their teeth and desperately resist the tidal wave of attacks.

Just as Ji Chen intended to use his ultimate move, Ceng Yue suddenly grabbed him.

"Don't fight hard, retreat first." Ceng Yue's voice remained cold.

Ji Chen and Ceng Yue gradually became overwhelmed under the fierce attacks.

Although they tried their best to dodge, the frequency and intensity of the black shadows' attacks seemed endless.

Suddenly, a sharp blade wind grazed Ji Chen's shoulder. He gasped in pain, his body swaying violently.

Despite this, he still gritted his teeth, refusing to retreat.

"Done!" Ji Chen swung his fist to counterattack, fire wrapped in anger drawing a fire dragon in the air, but the black shadow seemed to have predicted his move, dodging easily. The blade light approached again, this time pointing straight at his chest.

Seeing this, Ceng Yue's heart tightened. She reacted quickly, waved both hands, and the Ice Blades instantly formed a barrier, blocking in front of Ji Chen.

The blade edge collided with the Ice Blade, making a harsh metallic clashing sound, sparks flying everywhere.

"You two are really tenacious, but unfortunately, this is just delaying time." The man in black laughed coldly. He slowly raised his right hand and whispered: "Shadow Barrier!" The surrounding black shadows suddenly accelerated, as if pulled by some force, forming a giant trap, completely surrounding Ji Chen and Ceng Yue.

As the battle continued, Ji Chen and Ceng Yue's stamina gradually depleted.

Their movements slowed down significantly, and every counterattack seemed increasingly powerless.

The mysterious man's Supernatural Ability clearly had a significant restraining effect on them. Every collision of Supernatural Abilities made their bodies shake, as if the energy in their bodies was being gradually drained.

Ceng Yue's... Ji Chen also felt an unprecedented fatigue. His breathing became rapid, and every step felt like walking hard in a swamp.

"Can't go on like this." Ceng Yue said in a low voice. She clenched her fists tightly, preparing to use her last bit of strength.

Just at this moment, Ji Chen suddenly stopped. He stood straight, closed his eyes, as if sensing something.

Everything around seemed to stand still at this moment, with only the sound of his and Ceng Yue's breathing echoing in the air.

"Ji Chen, what are you doing?" Ceng Yue's voice carried a hint of anxiety, but Ji Chen didn't answer, just standing quietly, as if waiting for something.

A few seconds later, Ji Chen opened his eyes abruptly, essence light shooting out, like two lightning bolts piercing the night sky.

"It's time to end this!" He roared, a powerful energy fluctuation erupting from his body, and the surrounding air trembled because of it.

Seeing this, the mysterious leader's face changed drastically. He discovered in terror that the surrounding Supernatural Ability energy, including the "Shadow Barrier" he released, was actually flowing away rapidly, as if swallowed by a giant black hole.

"What's going on?!" He exclaimed, looking at everything happening in front of him in disbelief.

Ji Chen ignored his shock. He clenched his fists, feeling the surging power in his body, and a cold sneer hooked the corners of his mouth.

"I said, it's time to end this!"

Before the words had even faded, his figure flashed, appearing in front of the mysterious leader like a ghost, and he threw a punch. Fire wrapped in powerful energy erupted like a volcanic eruption.

"Bang!" With a loud bang, the mysterious leader flew backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily to the ground, vomiting blood, and his mask shattered, revealing a terrified face.

"You... what kind of monster are you?!" He asked with a trembling voice.

Ji Chen didn't answer. He walked toward the mysterious leader step by step, every step feeling like it was stepping on his heart, giving him a suffocating sense of pressure.

"Speak, who sent you?" Ji Chen's voice was cold, like a judgment from hell.

The mysterious leader struggled to stand up, but his body was completely out of control, and he could only lie on the ground powerlessly.

"I... I'll talk..." He said intermittently, "It... it's..."

"Who is it?!" Ji Chen asked sternly.

"It's..." The mysterious leader spat out a word with difficulty, "Black..."

Suddenly, he widened his eyes, his body twitched violently a few times, and then he stopped breathing.

Ji Chen frowned, looking at the mysterious leader who died with his eyes wide open, a sense of unease rising in his heart.

"Black..." Ceng Yue walked to Ji Chen's side, repeating the word the mysterious leader said before he died in a low voice, her eyes also filled with doubt.

Ji Chen squatted down slowly and searched a black token from the mysterious leader's body, on which a strange symbol was carved, exactly the same as the symbol found in the abandoned factory before.

"It seems that things are far more complicated than we imagined..." Ji Chen said in a low voice, his gaze falling on the token in his hand, his eyes deep and heavy.

He gripped the token tightly, his knuckles turning white, as if he wanted to crush it.

"Black..." He muttered the word again, his heart filled with doubt and unease.

What kind of background did this faction have? ===== CHAPTER 21 =====