Chapter 626: Why Is My Career Panel in a 2D Art Style? Chapter 297

'Strange. I clearly remember that I was supposed to meet Master by now?'

Something seemed off; his memories appeared to have shifted.

'Could I have remembered wrong?'

'Wait. What master? Isn't Master back at the Wu family?'

Somewhere in the back of his mind, Little Green Ball sensed something was off.

Just then, an extremely violent explosion suddenly grabbed his attention.

Boom—!

Watching the thick black smoke swirling with fire in the distance, Little Green Ball froze in place: 'Did this happen before?'

Before he could figure out what was going on, Gao Haoguang had already quickened his pace toward the hill outside the town.

At this moment, the gray-haired boy's expression was grim.

The commotion in the distance was undoubtedly his master and the others acting—though he didn't know who their opponent was.

But no matter who it was, he had to get those talismans as soon as possible.

Thinking this, Gao Haoguang sped up even further.

As the distance to the small hill outside the town narrowed, he felt a slight sense of relief.

Yet the moment he reached the foot of the hill, he saw a young man with peculiar eyebrows standing right in the middle of the path, watching him coldly.

The man sized up the gray-haired boy before speaking: "I've been searching for you for quite some time—if not for that little girl's intel, I might never have found you."

He paused there.

A flash of crimson light swept over him, and his previously calm face twisted into a monstrous snarl.

"I am Zhao Yan, here to take your life."

At these words, Gao Haoguang's eyes widened in shock.

Zhao Yan?! He's the great transcendent seeker from the Wangchuan Academy?!

And judging by his appearance, he's clearly become a talisman corpse!

With no time to think further, Gao Haoguang immediately rolled to the side.

The next instant, a streak of crimson light flashed past the spot where he had just stood.

Zhao Yan, blood-red blade in hand, stared at the gray-haired boy unharmed a short distance away and muttered, "Quick reflexes—but it won't save you."

Before he finished speaking, he lunged forward again, slashing with his right hand.

Having barely dodged the first strike, Gao Haoguang gritted his teeth and activated the talisman in his hand as the second attack closed in.

As he poured more spiritual energy into it, the talisman began glowing with golden light.

Instantly, a bone-chilling cold spread from the talisman, coalescing into two long needles that shot toward Zhao Yan.

Faced with this sudden attack, Zhao Yan's face twisted in utter shock: "Illusory Frost Needle Talisman?!"

Given his connection with the Immortal Lord Chang Shi Wan Fa, he had seen this powerful talisman before—crafted by the Immortal himself.

But how could this kid possibly have this talisman?!

Worse still—he's activating it with 100% efficiency? That's impossible!

With no time to ponder further, Zhao Yan leapt backward—he couldn't afford to take this attack head-on in his current state.

Seeing he'd successfully driven back his enemy, Gao Haoguang exhaled in relief.

These powerful talismans were obtained by him on the hill where he buried Bai Xiaoxiao after her death.

Though he didn't understand why that damn Immortal Lord had left them behind, he was grateful—otherwise, he'd be dead today.

Unfortunately, after using the Illusory Frost Needle Talisman, he only had one left: the Dragon King's Wind Summoning Talisman—and relying on that alone to defeat Zhao Yan was too risky. He needed to find more powerful talismans here.

Thinking this, Gao Haoguang ignored the youth now struggling with the ice needles and sprinted toward the mountaintop.

Seeing this, Zhao Yan clenched his teeth and swapped positions with his Return-to-Life Blood Body.

Puff—!

Watching his Return-to-Life Blood Body frozen solid up to half its body, Zhao Yan let out a quiet breath.

Even after shrinking its form and merely grazing the ice needles, it was half-frozen—if it had taken a direct hit, he'd be dead or permanently crippled.

But as Zhao Yan recalled the incident, he furrowed his brow: "This kid's talent with talismans is… strange."

Honestly, if not for their opposing sides, he'd seriously consider taking him as a disciple.

Compared to that little girl he'd met recently, this boy's talent was far more terrifying.

Too bad—

Their loyalties are fundamentally opposed.

He is my enemy's hero.

For the sake of his own and his sister's future safety, this boy must die here today.

With that thought, Zhao Yan raised his blade and charged after him.

The forest terrain was complex, but it posed no real obstacle to him.

Swish—

As crimson blade-light slashed through the air, trees began falling in massive waves.

Meanwhile, Gao Haoguang, seeing the trees collapsing behind him, grimaced.

Clearly, the Illusory Frost Needle Talisman had barely affected the talisman corpse behind him—he'd catch up soon.

Realizing this, the gray-haired boy didn't hesitate—he activated his other powerful talisman.

Dragon King's Wind Summoning Talisman!

In an instant, a violent gale erupted, summoning a colossal dragon woven from swirling storm.

It spiraled through the air, its body wreathed in razor-sharp winds that sliced through the atmosphere like blades.

A storm of qi surged in all directions, and as it swept across the land, trees bent under its force, grasses rustled, and the heavens and earth rang only with the deafening roar of wind and dragon cries intertwined.

Seeing this, Zhao Yan's expression was as if he had seen a ghost.

Another great divine technique talisman?!

Without time to ponder, he immediately activated his innate divine technique: 【Great Sin Blood Body】.

In the span of a single breath, a colossal crimson humanoid figure stood before Zhao Yan, towering to the heavens.

Facing the wind dragon hurtling toward his face, the crimson figure roared and swung its blood-red longsword with brutal force.

Swoosh—

Amid a deafening explosion, boiling air erupted from the epicenter and blasted wildly in every direction.

Gao Haoguang was violently thrown back, caught off guard.

Yet he paid no mind to his pain, scrambling to his feet and staring at his opponent's position.

But when he saw the scene before him, his face turned grim.

The wind dragon was slowly dissolving into the heavens, replaced by the crimson figure, now missing nearly half its body.

Yet despite this, it still stood firm in place.

Gao Haoguang had not expected that even two great divine technique talismans had failed to defeat him.

More critically, he had no third great divine technique talisman left, and the talisman left by Wangba Immortal Lord was still far away.

'Is today my end?'

At this moment, the future Wu Dao Ji Fa Demon Lord felt a flicker of despair rise in his heart.

Just as he believed all was lost, two golden-red talismans drifted slowly down from the sky and landed before him.

"."

Heaven does not abandon those who strive!

Without time to wonder why this had happened, Gao Haoguang lunged forward, snatched up the two talismans, and immediately poured his qi into one of them.

As blood tears spilled from his eyes, one talisman blazed with brilliant golden light, and the surrounding earth and stone surged together to form a giant.

Great Divine Technique Talisman: Heavenly General Soldier Talisman!

Now, Gao Haoguang knelt half-bowed atop the earth-and-stone giant, gasping for breath.

Using three great divine technique talismans in succession had pushed him to his limit—indeed, he was entirely draining his qi reserves.

But to survive, to protect his Master and the others, he must slay the demonic corpse before him.

And on the other side.

Zhao Yan, upon seeing this scene, froze in stunned silence.

". Is this kid really just a beginner seeking the Dao?"

After living so long, he had never encountered such a thing—after all, who among beginner seekers flings great divine technique talismans like they're free?

Glancing at the dying 【Return Heaven Blood Body】 beneath his feet, Zhao Yan let out a faint sigh.

He had already exhausted himself blocking the Long Wang Wind Call Talisman; blocking another 【Heavenly General Soldier Talisman】 was clearly impossible.

'I wonder if that one will intervene… otherwise, today should be my end.'

'I never got to see my Senior Sister after all.'

Thinking of this, Zhao Yan instinctively gazed toward San Chuan Town.

Alas, with his current strength, he could see nothing.

The good news was that with that hidden reserve, Wangchuan Art Academy would not be wiped out.

As for now—

Let him settle matters with Sanzhenfa Sect here.

"Senior Sister… I go first."

As his whisper scattered on the wind, the Return Heaven Blood Body marched forward, charging toward the earth-and-stone giant.

Yet, in a place neither Gao Haoguang nor Zhao Yan noticed, a small green ball quietly observed their battle.

History had deviated.

He was certain of it now, for the two talismans that had appeared before Gao Haoguang had been thrown by him.

Of course, it was thanks to the Long Wang Wind Call Talisman—he wouldn't have managed this otherwise.

Who else but Wangba Immortal Lord would leave talismans inside a cave? The wind blew them away—reasonable, isn't it?

But then, the divergence must have begun back in Hei Shan Village.

After all, in his original memories, he had never encountered the Illusion Form Cold Needle Talisman or the Long Wang Wind Call Talisman at this time.

'So where exactly did things go wrong?'

So far, every outcome matched the small green ball's memories—but the process was wildly different. He didn't believe for a second that nothing was amiss.

Unfortunately, with too little information, he couldn't pinpoint the issue in the short term.

'Enough… I'll just take it one step at a time.'

With this thought, the small green ball turned its gaze once more downward.

…

The massive commotion outside San Chuan Town naturally drew the attention of all the seekers within the town.

Datou, watching the two giants brawl, muttered under his breath: "Damn! Where the hell did these monsters come from in this backwater?!"

As the designated heir of a major power, his horizons should be the broadest among all the seekers present.

Of course, this was also because Sanzhenfa Sect had fallen into decline—if not, the other side would know far more than he did.

Just as Datou wondered silently who was fighting outside the town, the old man beside him seemed to recognize one of them.

More precisely, the earth-and-stone giant radiated an aura he found strangely familiar.