Chapter 69: Fierce Battle (Part Two)

"Golden Warrior Palace," those five words were squeezed out between the Fire Mouse's clenched teeth. Its blood-red eyes narrowed as it gazed at the blue barrier. Within the barrier, countless golden rays shimmered, illuminating the entire third level as bright as day. Violent sound waves reverberated against the barrier; but unlike the previous rage, now the waves carried a note of anguish.

"Fifth Brother," the Green Giant Lizard and Fire Mouse burned with even greater fury. Flames erupted from the ground, forming a storm that pressed down the four water jets of the Hidden Dragon, which were forcibly suppressed by the Fire Mouse's breath of fire.

The Hidden Dragon, nimble as a swimming dragon, deftly retreated three feet. The flow of energy within its body surged endlessly; two fingers joined, transforming the water source into a sword's edge. A transparent blade shot out from its fingertips like lightning, piercing the flames and breaking through the fiery waves, sweeping the Fire Mouse aside.

"Not just the Golden Warrior Palace—there are also experts from the Martial God Hall, Sea God Hall, and Scarlet Flame Palace. If you can escape alive under these circumstances, I'll call you father next time I see you," he jeered.

With both hands joined, the suppressed water jets swirled together at the center, merging into a towering wave. The Fire Mouse's face, covered in fine fur, twisted into a ferocious expression; its body trembled and curled into a ball, flames whooshing up to its crown. It rolled in midair, no longer entangling with the Hidden Dragon, but instead darting fiercely toward Ye Ran and the others.

"Get down," Ye Ran called, having already thoroughly explored the first three layers of the underground nest. He kept a close eye on the battle, so as soon as the Fire Mouse curled up, he warned them, pressing Sinclair down just as he was locked in combat with a mutant spider.

A terrifying wave of fire roared over their heads, and both felt the dreadful heat, followed by the stench of burning flesh.

"Brother Ye," Sinclair exclaimed as he climbed to his feet, only to see Ye Ran nonchalantly rubbing his neck. Ye Ran pointed at a red axe lying on the ground. "This axe suits you—give it a try, see if it fits your hand," he said.

While ducking moments ago, Ye Ran had casually dispatched the mutant spider, which dropped this axe.

The others—Yun Meng and the rest—also stood up. When they saw Ye Ran had only a small burn on his neck, each breathed a sigh of relief.

Yun Meng especially; when she heard Sinclair's shout, she feared Ye Ran had been badly hurt, her face turning pale. Ye Ran glanced back just as her worried expression faded. Their eyes met, and they exchanged a quiet smile, saying everything without words.

Suddenly, agonized cries rang out from the Red Leaf Academy's team. Ye Ran's group occupied the southeast corner, while Red Leaf's team was in the southwest. Just as Ye Ran's group narrowly avoided the Fire Mouse's assault, the Fire Mouse, unimpeded, crashed into Red Leaf Academy's ranks. Several students were pierced through the chest, their bodies reduced to ashes under the scorching fire.

"Mouse, do you only dare bully the young?" Hidden Dragon's face flushed with anger. The water within his body converted to earth; his hands formed seals, raising walls of soil. Yet his strongest element was fire, followed by water; earth was his weakest. Though earth's defense was sturdy, its speed lagged, and soon he found himself struggling.

"Hahaha, how many of our descendants have your kind killed? Sixth Brother, well done!" The Green Giant Lizard's booming laughter shook the cavern. Initially, Zhang Mu from the Warrior Palace had him suppressed, but his physical strength was formidable. Their head-on battle left neither with the upper hand.

Zhang Mu wasn't aiming for a quick victory. Seeing the Fire Mouse force the Hidden Dragon into difficulty, he activated his internal energy and flung his curved blade. It spun through the air in two arcs, slicing toward the Fire Mouse.

The curved blade and the earth walls—one sharp, one solid; one swift, one slow—worked perfectly in tandem. On its first pass, the blade grazed the Fire Mouse, opening a gash.

"Hmm?" Though only lightly wounded, the Fire Mouse snorted and charged at the earth walls below.

But the blade, guided by currents of energy, spun half a turn in the air and swept across again.

Those truly skilled in manipulating internal energy excelled at controlling air currents; masters of the Warrior Palace, lacking elemental sources, focused solely on cultivating energy and force, elevating this technique to a sublime art.

Under Zhang Mu's control, the energy rivaled telekinesis. No matter how the Fire Mouse dodged, it could not escape the blade's edge.

Beset from the front by the blade and the rear by Hidden Dragon, the Fire Mouse was overwhelmed. Its rage blazed higher; its body spun high in the air. Its eyes swept across and suddenly spotted Ye Ran's group, aligned in a straight line with Red Leaf's team. Grinding its teeth, it let out a cold laugh, igniting flames as it shot once more toward Ye Ran and his companions.

"Damn it! Scatter—get down!" Ye Ran's group was already on the defensive; the place was thick with metal-eating ants and spiders. With only five of them, even defense was difficult, and now the Fire Mouse returned—making their plight all the worse.

Sinclair and the others dropped instantly. Yun Meng crouched with her bow, hands drawing the string into a full crescent, clearing monsters around Ye Ran. Yet seeing Ye Ran, her heart clenched.

He stood alone, about two meters from the group, head raised to face the incoming Fire Mouse, his expression resolute.

"Ye Ran, hurry—" she cried.

A "whoosh" and a "swish" sounded almost simultaneously. Yun Meng saw the Fire Mouse pass silently through Ye Ran's body.

No flames erupted, no burning sounds, no stench of scorched flesh—only the thunderous crash as the Fire Mouse slammed into the ground, sending up a cloud of dust.

At the moment it collided with the earth, Ye Ran, who had already dropped to the ground leaving only an afterimage, used the force to leap up, dashing through the dust toward Hidden Dragon.

"Hmph, brat," snarled the Fire Mouse. It leaped from the ground with a "pop," its blood-red eyes sweeping over everyone. Some had scattered; others were shielded by earth walls and the blade. It could no longer wreak mass destruction—only the boy who had tricked it with an afterimage was still moving, enraging it further.

Driven by fury, it intended to incinerate him, but Ye Ran had already reached Hidden Dragon's side in that brief moment. Hidden Dragon patted his shoulder with a smile. "Kid, you're quick-witted."

He stepped forward, his internal element shifting from earth to water. Pressing his palms together, two crystal-clear spheres formed.

"Mouse, won't you admit defeat?"

He raised his hands; with a press, the two spheres infused with powerful water energy would be launched.

But just then, the Fire Mouse suddenly turned and charged straight toward the weakest among them, Meng Qi. Meng Qi, who had just stood up, struggling to fend off a giant monster, saw a flash of fire shooting toward him.

The blazing light illuminated his entire body; facing the oncoming flames, his life seemed about to flicker out like a dying candle.