Upon learning the evil being had achieved its advancement, Tian Yu’s fighting spirit completely drained away.

“Senior Yu, I… I truly can’t handle this. I’ll help evacuate the citizens instead.”

Though phrased as a question, his heart had already decided.

Old Yu didn’t bother turning around, merely giving a slight nod.

Relieved by this response, Tian Yu immediately turned to flee the dangerous scene.

He hadn’t gone far when realization struck – Gao Hui remained rooted in place.

Both were only at the fifth level of Gathering Qi without any spiritual treasures. Challenging a seventh-level evil being meant certain death.

“Aren’t you leaving?” Tian Yu finally blurted out.

Gao Hui answered with a quiet smile and one deliberate step forward.

Whoosh—

This step held years of anticipation.

Tian Yu froze until sensing the sudden surge in Gao Hui’s cultivation level. “You’re forcing a breakthrough? Have you gone mad? Just wait ten more years! Why risk your life?”

As Gao Hui’s power stabilized at the sixth level, Tian Yu screamed hysterically. The Yang Family’s promised rewards couldn’t justify this insanity. Why court death when patient waiting brought guaranteed success?

“Absurd! Stupid! You—”

“Mayor Tian,” Gao Hui interrupted calmly, eyes fixed on Sanglu Valley’s churning dark energy. “Better focus on evacuations. I’ll hold this creature back even if it costs my life.”

“You? A freshly ascended sixth-level? Delusional fool!” Tian Yu spat bitter words, finding strange comfort in his insults. But when Gao Hui’s cultivation kept rising, his voice died mid-sentence.

Gao Hui’s vacant stare focused inward as his power climbed steadily, pausing only at the sixth level’s peak.

Tian Yu gaped silently at the other mayor’s back, finally understanding their fundamental difference. Not talent or courage, but Tian Yu’s own resigned acceptance of mediocrity – believing himself doomed without powerful backers.

Because of his mediocre talent and average comprehension, he slacked off in his cultivation, no longer focused, just waiting for the dynasty’s promotion.

After obtaining a petty official position, he grew smug, daydreaming about a laid-back life with easy duties.

By abandoning the perseverance and resilience required to defy the heavens, he’d reached the end of his Path of Cultivation.

At this moment, Tian Yu felt sudden urge to attempt an immediate breakthrough, standing equal with Gao Hui.

But this was Gathering Qi at the seventh level!

He truly feared – feared years of accumulated effort vanishing instantly, feared losing his life over this gamble!

“Hah, hahaha… How laughable! How pitiful!”

Tian Yu ultimately gave bitter laugh and fled backward.

Though seemingly mocking Gao Hui, all three present understood – Tian Yu was ridiculing his own resigned self.

Old Yu gripped magic disc, turning to solemnly salute Gao Hui: “It’s good to see Friend. The talent and foundation you’ve shown today earn this old man’s respect.”

“Old Yu flatters me. Let’s keep our original terms.” Gao Hui smiled.

“Very well.”

Their gazes shifted to Sanglu Valley as shadow burst from valley’s mouth, radiating malice while charging toward Qinghe Town.

“Mayor Gao, shall we confront this evil being together?”

“With pleasure!”

Whoosh!

The two individuals shot forward, flanking the seventh-level Gathering Qi evil being.

Zhang Tianfeng had transformed – no longer shriveled and grayish, his body now glowed crimson with terrifying vitality.

He shot two dark energy arrows at them, attempting to bypass combat while rushing toward Qinghe Town.

Old Yu and Gao Hui blocked swiftly. Gao Hui’s technique was demanding Path of Blazing Sun.

Counterpart to ice path, it required greater mastery and stricter conditions.

Its advantage lay in potent suppression of evil beings. When fully mastered, its power neared orthodox thunder technique.

“Extreme Yang!”

Gao Hui summoned white radiance to block arrows, then conjured golden light ribbon with spiritual power to entangle creature’s left leg.

“Going nowhere! Burn!”

Hiss!

“ARGH!!”

The ribbon’s sudden heat scorched evil being, its shrieking echoing as movement slowed.

Old Yu seized opening, spinning forward to press magic disc against pinned creature.

“Crushing Weight!”

“Solar Strike!”

The two individuals seized the chance to strike hard. Crushing gravity and blazing beams of light hammered the evil being, slamming it into the ground.

“Rrroar!”

But this was a Gathering Qi at the seventh level evil being. The earth bulged upward before exploding outward as the creature burst free with an angry bellow.

Shaking its head, it glared at the two humans with clear disgust in its eyes.

Boom!

Old Yu and Gao Hui scrambled back to regroup. They knew better than to think ordinary attacks could subdue such a powerful evil being. Their initial assault had only been meant to distract it.

The plan failed. The creature ignored them completely, charging toward the town where mortal flesh awaited. Old Yu and Gao Hui rushed to block its path again, but this time it spewed a cloud of dark energy that clung to its body like armor.

Old Yu cursed as his techniques weakened under the dark energy’s interference. Only Gao Hui’s Blazing Sun technique remained effective.

“Not enough!” Gao Hui growled as his Extreme Yang Rope snapped again. The evil being picked up speed, closing in on Tian Yu and Yang Lingrui’s group. If it reached them, none would survive.

“Old Yu! Divine movement talisman – now!”

The old man instantly tossed a superior-quality talisman from his storage bag. Gao Hui’s eyebrows rose at the rare item’s quality. This elder never ceased to impress.

Crushing the talisman in his fist, Gao Hui’s speed exploded. As he shot forward, Old Yu felt violent spiritual power erupt from the man.

Gao Hui’s Twelve Qi Nodes glowed like bursting springs. The Blazing Sun technique ignited his spiritual power, making it boil around him.

“The Spiritual Manipulation method!” Old Yu gasped. This forbidden technique forcibly amplified power beyond safe limits – one mistake meant agonizing burns or losing cultivation levels entirely.

“TRUE SUN!”

White flames engulfed Gao Hui’s body. He became a blazing comet, slamming into the evil being mid-leap and smashing it to the earth.

True Sun’s protection!

Evil’s destruction!

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep