"Regardless, the beetles don't concern us. We simply have to find Fang Yi," Zhang Lie said. When the golden beetles swarmed toward them once more,

Zhang Lie extended his pointer finger like a sword, and water-attuned genetic energy coiled around it like a snake.

"[The Boundless Blade: Yawning Wave]!"

Zhang Lie swung downwards with a heavy blow, and a shark swam forth.

After killing the golden beetles, pinpricks of light gathered by the back of Zhang Lie's palm as his seal continued to grow.

There was a large, weathered cave in the cliff that rose up before them. A dark golden bug crawled out, about the size of an arm. It sprayed out golden light that turned rock and wood into nothing more than powder.

A huge crash resounded from the cave as tens of thousands of dark golden bugs emerged. As they spat out a golden breath, everything before them was destroyed.

The layered golden breaths from the entire swarm of bugs shot forward in a devastating wave so strong that even Zhang Lie had to retreat in surprise.

Suddenly, silver light flashed from within the cave. A silver bug monarch had appeared, also only about the size of an arm, but it glowed with silver light that manifested in the image of a qilin.

The qilin was composed of runes. The silver qilin hung suspended in the air, mysterious and powerful.

The dark gold bugs treated Zhang Lie like prey. They buzzed threateningly as they swarmed over, led by their silver-colored bug monarch.

Their golden breath morphed into tens of thousands of sword beams, decomposing the environment around Zhang Lie to powder.

"[Ninecarp Transformation]!"

A black serpent materialized behind Zhang Lie, by now so large and so developed that it resembled the world-swallowing serpent Jormungandr. It let out a threatening hiss as its scales clicked together.

Pitch-black genetic energy revolved around Zhang Lie like dark clouds, then exploded forth in his vicinity, swallowing up the golden breath.

Yang Ze's body shone with traces of [Mirrored Refraction]. Shrouded by dark clouds, he drifted through the golden breath and reached out for the silver bug monarch.

Suddenly, a purple arc shot toward Zhang Lie's hand. It was a shining arrow that released a demonic hum as it flew.

His gaze cold, Zhang Lie counterattacked."[Fists of the Silent Sea: Fade]!"

He punched forward, and the serpent behind him intercepted the arrow.

"You can go now. I've had my eyes on this bug monarch for some time." A young man approached with a purple longbow in his hands. He was tall and slender, his gaze like the stars themselves.

He glanced coolly at Zhang Lie, confident in his strength.

Another young man appeared in a burst of rainbow light with a confident air about him. The young man's gaze swept over Yang Ze, then focused intently on him.

"You?"

Zhang Lie turned to Yang Ze. "Do you know him?"

Yang Ze shrugged. "Why would I?"

The young man laughed coldly. "We might not know each other, but my junior brother knows you."

"Who's he?" Yang Ze asked.

"Chang Sheng."

Yang Ze blinked. "Oh, him? He really bears grudges for quite a while, doesn't he?"

The young man said, "My junior brother vowed to defeat you in the official competition. I'm surprised you've lasted so long."

Yang Ze shrugged. "He had some skill, but I've eliminated him already."

The young man seemed taken aback. "You eliminated my junior brother?"

"I suppose you must not know. It just happened."

The young man narrowed his eyes at Yang Ze.

The skies shimmered with rainbow light as a young woman dressed in radiant gold appeared. She was tall and svelte, her features elegant, her black hair scattered around her back. Her eyes were limpid, her face veiled.

She stood proudly. When she blinked, lightning flew out of her eyes. She seemed to be a being freed from the constraints of the mortal world, and a deific aura surrounded her.

"Ah, you?" Zhang Lie remarked.

Upon seeing Zhang Lie, her divine appearance suddenly became all too mortal."You! You, what are you doing here?!"

Despite the veil covering her face, it was clear that the young woman had turned pale.

Zhang Lie smiled. "It means that we're bound by fate. We had vigorous exercise, but then you suddenly departed and left your dudou with me."

The young woman gritted her teeth. "Nonsense!"

Zhang Lie retrieved the dudou from his soulspace, causing the woman to grow furious. She blushed red all the way to the tips of her ears.

Yang Ze teased, "You've made a move on the lifeforms here this quickly, Captain?"

The young man was taken aback. "Who would have expected that the very image of purity herself, Feng Xian, would have fallen for a man's wiles? I'm sure many young proteges of Starbright Academy will be drowning their sorrows in wine tonight."

The young woman was none other than the first opponent Zhang Lie had encountered in this world—Feng Xian.

Feng Xian gnashed her teeth as she glared at Zhang Lie, as though she wanted to eat him whole.

"I have to admit, I'm a cultivator in my prime, but there's no need to look at me so, is there?" Zhang Lie asked, smiling.

Feng Xian seethed. She turned to the young man with a smile. "Senior Brother Chang Ming, you must be mistaken. I'm sure this fellow has the wrong person in mind. I've never seen that dudou before."

"Is that so?" Zhang Lie stored the dudou away again.

Feng Xian bit her lip as she addressed Zhang Lie. "Would you be willing to let me have this silver bug monarch? I promise to compensate you."

"I won't. I need it myself," Zhang Lie refused firmly.

The archer stared at the cultivators that had suddenly appeared with killing intent. He had already nocked a purple arrow and was pointing it at them. In terms of looks and aura, he was no inferior to the other two cultivators from Starbright Academy.

He revealed snowy-white teeth as he asked, "Do you know who I am?"

"Why should I care?"Feng Xian introduced, "This is a successor of the Hall of Immortals, the alternate to the current ninth-generation Immortal King. He once fought for the position with the current king, and his name is Chen Feng."

Zhang Lie considered the information. "In other words, he lost to the current Immortal King."

"You'll regret this!"

Chen Feng seethed. His body began to glow as the runes on his arrow shone brightly. Killing intent surrounded him; he was just about to strike.

Zhang Lie suddenly thought of something. "Hold on. You're from the Hall of Immortals?"