"You are Duan Chen?"
The man cracked his knuckles.
"And you are the heretic?"
Duan Chen sneered, mimicking his tone, provocatively.
"You're quite arrogant. The fool Feng Wei, you killed him, didn't you?" The man's eyebrows rose, displeased. He wanted to see what this kid had to be so bold.
"Who are you?"
"My name is Wu Shan. My identity... you don't need to guess, do you?"
Duan Chen realized, then smiled, "Then what business do you have with me?"
"To kill you, of course!"
Wu Shan's eyes turned ferocious, and he threw a punch, stopping inches from Duan Chen's face. The force of his punch ruffled Duan Chen's short hair, radiating power.
"Go over there."
Duan Chen's mind wasn't on Wu Shan. He lazily pointed to an empty space nearby and told the people behind him, "Don't follow me, I can handle this."
"Mm."
Yan Qiu tilted her head in confusion. She felt like Duan Chen was deliberately avoiding them… could it be?
After spending so much time together, she understood Duan Chen's character. He was more serious than anyone when needed, and could make very interesting jokes when not. He was a good person, loyal, and wouldn't abandon friends in crucial moments. She couldn't help but wonder if her absolute sense was mistaken.
On the wide beach, the two stood facing each other.
Duan Chen suddenly spoke.
"You and that Feng Wei, are you truly heretics?"
"What are you talking about?"
A flash of surprise crossed Wu Shan's eyes.
Did this kid discover something? Impossible!
"Never mind, it seems talking won't work. In that case, come at me."
Duan Chen put away his other thoughts, his gaze suddenly sharpening.
"Hmph! Let's see how long your arrogance lasts!"
Wu Shan stomped his foot, his fist striking with the force of a collapsing mountain!
Duan Chen's fist, also imbued with spiritual energy, met his head-on!
"Bang!"
"Why isn't Duan Chen using his eye techniques?"
Du Qingyi frowned.
"Is that all the strength you have? Where is your ability?"
Wu Shan sneered, pressing his attack. Duan Chen was at a disadvantage under his fierce assault.
Duan Chen remained unfazed.
"Sequence 033: Shadow Clone Jutsu!"
In an instant, over a dozen Duan Chens appeared around Wu Shan, launching a barrage of attacks. Wu Shan's expression changed. He had the will but not the strength. Within minutes, he was covered in wounds.
Duan Chen's true body was hidden among them.
"Are you really a heretic?"
"What nonsense are you spouting?!"
Wu Shan's face was panicked. He was starting to feel that something was wrong, but the dazzling array of Duan Chens made it impossible for him to find the real one.
"What about your race? Don't tell me… you haven't found a suitable race for yourself?"
Duan Chen's eyes flashed as he continued to attack Wu Shan's psychological defenses.
Wu Shan could verify his suspicions. If he missed this opportunity, it would be difficult to find another heretic.
"You…"
"Oh—I see. Feng Wei was a blood-drinker because he found a suitable heretic race for himself. But you didn't, so you have to rely on your original human abilities. Let me guess, your ability is…"
Duan Chen suddenly appeared before Wu Shan, his eyes chilling.
"Heavy Fist!"
"Bang!"
Wu Shan was hit hard in the jaw, staggering back several steps. Blood trickled from his nose. He no longer cared about his injuries, his eyes staring at Duan Chen in horror.
"How… how could you know?!"
Impossible! No one should know this. Not even those old guys from the Spirit Hunter Guild!
"Why do I know?"
Duan Chen chuckled. "Don't you find it too strange? The last feast was thirty years ago. At that time, there were Spirit Hunter agents, or Spirit Hunters, within the barrier. But when the barrier disappeared, they all vanished without a trace. No one saw them, dead or alive. When I heard this story, I had a vague suspicion, but it was so far-fetched I didn't believe it myself, until I saw you."
"What?"
Duan Chen continued to activate his shadow clones.
"When I killed Feng Wei, I had no doubts. But after seeing you, my doubts reached their peak. Why, why can't I discern your race? Even your energy is similar to spiritual energy. Now I know, you so-called 'leaders' are actually the spiritual energy users who were trapped within the barrier during the previous feast!"
By the end of his speech, Duan Chen's expression had turned incredibly grim.
Wu Shan was drenched in sweat.
"I'm truly curious, what benefits did that top heretic give you, to make a Spirit Hunter agent, or rather, a spiritual energy user, willingly become a heretic? I'm even more curious about how you became heretics!"
"You… you've actually deduced this far!"
Wu Shan had no more heart for fighting.
"Now, tell me, where is your base?"
"You're dreaming! Do you really think I'll tell you?!"
"Oh—it doesn't matter, you don't have to tell me."
Duan Chen sneered. The moment he asked that question, Wu Shan had already answered in his heart.
[The underwater palace!]
No wonder that heretic used Void Domain back then, trying every means to lure him and Niya underwater. The goal wasn't to kill them, but to assimilate them, to turn them into heretics.
A truly cunning plan.
"Sequence 016: Fairy Law!"
A golden light flashed, piercing directly through Wu Shan's temple!
"No—!"
The sound cut off abruptly!
Duan Chen had verified his suspicions. Keeping this guy around was meaningless.
He glanced indifferently at the corpse on the ground, his eyes icy.
"Kid, why did you take so long?"
Qi Qing had long lost patience. He could have finished it quickly, but insisted on using shadow clones, delaying the outcome.
Duan Chen smiled, "Just wanted to conserve some spiritual energy."
"We have so many people here, you don't need to be so thrifty. Let's go, work is done, let's go eat!" Bai Ye slung an arm around Duan Chen's shoulder and led him into the seafood restaurant.
In the evening, while everyone else was resting, Duan Chen secretly slipped out of the seafood restaurant. He saw a familiar figure at the entrance.
"You're coming too?"
"Of course, I also noticed…"
"Taking you to such a dangerous place, I feel…"
"I'm better than them, and besides…"
Seeing the familiar figure, Duan Chen smiled helplessly.
"Alright."
"Hmph… Remember, I'm not doing this to help you, it's because…"
"Enough nonsense, if we don't leave now, they'll be woken up by you."
"...Let's go!"