The people from the Ether Association are already at their limit; they shouldn't have been able to withstand that strike.

In the end, they fled.

The Ancient God's Blood is nowhere to be found.

"There's no sign of the Ancient God's Blood. It seems it's no longer here. As expected of Instructor Wan from the Omega Sequence, a Sixth Rank Dragon Slayer—his prowess is beyond doubt."

Hel said indifferently, "That's enough for now. It's time to move on to the next mission. Old Master Si, among us, you are the most skilled Divination Master. For this beheading mission, the higher-ups specifically designated you to lead. As for the Ancient God's Blood, Lord Youming will naturally arrange for personnel to pursue Wan Rentu and his group—no need to worry."

Crack.

The cane splintered under a strong grip.

Old Master Si restrained his aura and said gravely, "This time, I want the best people."

Hel chuckled, "Rest assured, the team heading to the Sea of Eternal Life this time is almost entirely comprised of Twilight Candidates."

She gripped a crystal ball tightly; eerie pure white glimmered in her pupils as she transmitted her mental thoughts outward.

Military helicopters screeched through the air, landing on the dust-ridden ruins, their propellers stirring violent winds.

The Twilight Candidates joining the pursuit sensed the pulse of mental energy.

Feeling compelled, they moved toward the helicopter cabin.

The Moon Princess sensed the mental energy. Ever since advancing to the Fifth Rank, she had naturally become a Twilight Candidate. Although she had yet to showcase her true strength, her mere talent was overwhelmingly sufficient.

In truth, due to certain constraints, she hadn't intended to reveal her strength so soon.

But the man who occupied her thoughts was en route to the Sea of Eternal Life, where he was about to face a You Ying Group ambush.

She knew she had to go.

She wouldn't be at ease unless she was at his side in this critical moment.

Especially since she had sensed the information embedded in the mental pulse.

"Boss, are you okay?"

The Butcher's complexion shifted. He hurriedly said, "Should we ask Third Master to intervene? You don't need to go. This time, there are Twilight Candidates—someone from the group may target you. What if they make a move against you?"

The Moon Princess replied coldly, "It's fine."

Miss Lan furrowed her brows and said patiently, "Don't act tough. You've been keeping a low profile for so long. Don't expose yourself now. I recently heard from friends in the Jiang Family that that vile woman has grown considerably stronger. Ji Han and Ji Ye couldn't hold their ground against her earlier—they say she's at least on par with the Crown Prince."

She paused, speaking earnestly, "Don't forget how you lost to her back then. If you reveal your strength, she'll inevitably leverage the family's resources to target you again."

The so-called Crown Prince referred to Ying Changsheng from the Omega Sequence.

Renowned as the foremost talent of the New Era.

The You Ying Group also had individuals of such caliber, though they rarely appeared.

"Don't act recklessly."

Mr. Liu coughed and said, "My aunt asked me to look after you. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to answer to your mother."

Whether it was bad luck or something else, the candidates under his care rarely proved exceptional.

Even the Moon Princess was ostensibly misplaced—she didn't belong to his group.

Rather, she was tied to the Jiang Family, the first Board Member.

If something were to happen to her, it'd be an immeasurable loss.

"I didn't have backing then, but it's different now."

The Moon Princess picked up her Tang Blade casually, leapt down from the jeep, and said icily, "Let me make myself clear—I got here by my own talent, not because of that woman's help. I've never acknowledged her as my mother."

Mr. Liu was startled. "Eh? Is the backing Miss Moon Princess mentioned me?"

"You should know your limits."

Miss Lan vaguely suspected the reason why the young woman was so resolute but refrained from voicing it.

Only the Butcher truly understood. He caught his boss's fleeting glance before departure—a look instructing him to continue the Supreme's mission, to monitor You Ying Group's movements and ensure the news of their plan to hunt in the Sea of Eternal Life got leaked.

After all, there was still the Supreme.

Nothing to worry about.

·

·

Nine helicopters roared amidst the ruins, their rotor blades slicing through the air.

Si Wei'an sat grim-faced in the cabin. Once a high-ranking Board Member, he had been reduced to madness after exhausting the power from three cycles of the Sorrowful Corpse Cycle.

Now, he resembled a rabid dog, attacking whoever he encountered.

Si himself was aware of this flaw but remained powerless against it.

Especially after suffering monumental injustice, his fury and loss of reason reached an apex.

Currently, he had been demoted to Twilight Candidate.

"Is this Si Wei'an? The demoted Board Member?" A Twilight Candidate sitting in a neighboring cabin eyed him with malevolence, his gaze filled with greed and jealousy.

The man's code name was Poison Scorpion, a Fifth-rank Star Lord on the Divine Path. Known for his extreme and unhinged methods, his favorite pastime was stealing others' most cherished possessions right before their eyes.

A Twilight Candidate backed by Second Master.

"Yes, they say the Qilin Wedge fragment is in his possession."

Can Jian sneered. "Yet he denies it."

A practitioner of the Sword Sect Path, this man had once escaped the Sword Tomb. Later, he pledged allegiance to Master Five and remained a constant on the Ether Association's bounty list, never dropping out of the top ten.

Even Omega hunters seeking his head would either find themselves eluded or killed.

"I feel like challenging him right now—what do you think?"

Another person licked their lips, smirking. "Shouldn't be an issue, right?"

"Heh, if you want to fight, fight. We're all competitors anyway."

Someone incited further tension.

Suddenly, everyone fell silent simultaneously.

A tall, imposing woman in a trench coat strode against the fierce wind, cutting a haunting figure.

Her forehead bore a pair of gruesomely purple Qilin Horns, her face etched with ominous black Demon Runes. Her exposed arms were clad in durable Dragon Scales, exuding an aura of horrifying malice.

Evolutionary State!

This was Evolutionary State!

Displaying traits of the Qilin Clan!

Though most present were Twilight Candidates, their hearts raced uncontrollably upon seeing her.

Evolver!

This was an Evolver!

It was widely known that Twilight Candidates belonged exclusively to the Evolver organization.

Dominating the top echelons of the Dark World.

And their status as candidates stemmed from their lack of mastery over the Evolution Path.

And this woman had evidently left them all behind.

Of course, her power was secondary.

Her lineage was what truly terrified everyone.

Jiang Hanyi, a direct descendant of the Jiang Family and heir to the Red King.

"Insignificant pests."

She glanced coldly around before scoffing.

Suddenly, she seemed to sense something and turned her head.

A young girl wearing a cat-like mask stood there, dressed in a pink down jacket and a black pleated skirt. Her long, slender legs were encased in black stockings, her thick-soled black shoes striking the dust below.

In her hand, she gripped a long Tang Blade, emanating a chilling murderous aura.

"Bastard child, so it's you?"

Jiang Hanyi seemed momentarily surprised, narrowing her eyes with icy indifference. "You dare show yourself before me?"

The Moon Princess stared coldly at the woman. She had mentally prepared herself on the way here, telling herself to remain composed no matter what, to avoid revealing her strength, that future happiness required her to curb her temper.

Her husband was what mattered most.

But at this moment, another voice reverberated in her mind.

No, you must not endure!

A gift from the Qilin Venerable—the influence of the Candle Dragon Forbidden Curse!

For a fleeting moment, she felt invincible, the dragon roar in her mind resonating through heaven and earth. The people before her seemed like mere ants, ones she could crush with a single step.

And her patron was an Ancient Supreme.

These people—worthless trash—had no right to act brazenly before her.

"Bitch, flaunting protection from a few decrepit relics—does that make you proud?"

The Moon Princess involuntarily spat out the words, "Keep barking, and I'll sever your head like a dog's."

After speaking, she felt the seething rage from across the room.

Along with the attention of everyone present.

Even the You Ying Group's higher-ups were casting glances.

This… wasn't good.

·

·

A loud explosion echoed.

Lord Youming was startled and looked around. "What's happening?"

The youth known as the Think Tank grinned and said, "Oh, it's not much. The offspring of two Kings just started a fight. I specifically came today to observe that child. It hasn't been long since we last met—how did she grow so arrogant already?"