With a shriek that tore through the air, the massive broadsword flashed upward from an incredibly awkward angle.
PFFT!
A spray of blood erupted.
That powerful Elite Believer was neatly cleaved in two from head to toe by a single slash.
From the moment he launched his attack to the moment he was slain, the entire process took no more than three seconds.
A formidable foe who had mastered a Fourth-level Killing Technique was instantly killed by the two of them working together, almost effortlessly.
Wen Muyun and Qin Feng both froze, a hint of shock in their eyes.
"Do you understand?"
Dragon Jade retracted his Long Saber, his gentle voice echoing in the comms channel as if he were conducting a battlefield lesson.
He looked at Wen Muyun and Qin Feng and continued, "In truth, our Mental Power has long since reached the standard for promotion to Sixth-Level Soaring Martial Artist. The only reason we remain at the fifth level is to earn more prestige and resources for the Warband in the Fifth Level Division of the ranking tournament."
"And because our Mental Power meets the requirements, the mental shock that comes with a nascent Fourth-level Killing Technique like his is like a gentle breeze to us. It’s not a threat at all."
Dragon Jade paused, then changed the subject, critiquing each of them in turn.
"But your Mental Power is still insufficient... hmm."
His gaze lingered on Qin Feng’s power armor for a moment. "Qin Feng, your situation is special. Your Mental Power foundation is exceptionally solid—more than twice as strong as Wen Muyun’s—and you’re very close to the promotion standard. You should go back and learn a basic Spiritual Manipulation Technique. Once you’re familiar with how to project and interfere with it, you should be able to advance to the sixth level seamlessly."
"As for you, Wen Muyun,"
Dragon Jade’s tone remained gentle. "Your Mental Power still has a long way to go. You must work much harder on your Meditation techniques. Otherwise, even if your vitality index is high enough, you won’t be able to sense or break through that threshold."
His words made Wen Muyun nod solemnly. "I understand, Captain."
Qin Feng, however, was slightly surprised.
’My Mental Power is more than twice as strong as Wen Muyun’s? And I’m already close to the standard for the sixth level?’
This was the first time he had received a clear assessment of his Mental Power’s strength from a truly top-tier expert!
He had been quietly practicing the *Great Sun Visualization Technique* and the *Emperor Meditation Technique*. At this moment, he finally had a crystal-clear frame of reference for just how powerful his soul and Will had been forged!
It turned out that in an area he hadn’t even been aware of, he was already far ahead of most of his peers.
He glanced at the still-humming Dragon Koi in his hand, then looked toward the deeper part of the fortress, a shadowy area reeking of an even thicker stench of blood.
"Let’s keep moving."
Qin Feng’s voice was low and firm, brimming with soaring Battle Intent.
Dragon Jade gave him an approving look and nodded.
"Move out!"
The stench of blood from the outpost hadn’t yet faded, and their power armor was still spattered with the warm fluids of their enemies, but they set off again without a moment’s rest.
Dragon Jade led the way, his figure flickering like a Shadow moving through the ruins. He controlled his power armor’s servo systems with such skill that they were completely silent.
Nissan followed close behind. His burly frame should have been incredibly heavy, yet his steps were soundless. Only his ever-watchful eyes glinted with a dangerous light under the dim red sky.
Wen Muyun and Qin Feng flanked them on the left and right. The four formed a diamond-shaped assault formation, infiltrating the core territory of the "Blood Saber" gang with extreme efficiency.
The deeper they went, the more chaotic and crazed the surrounding environment became.
The ground beneath their feet was completely covered in dried blood scabs, which produced a teeth-grinding CRUNCH when stepped on.
The foul stench in the air—a mix of rust, sulfur, and blood—was so thick it was almost tangible. Even after passing through the power armor’s multiple filter layers, it stubbornly seeped into their olfactory sensors, grating on their nerves.
Remains were scattered carelessly along the way: armor plates from starships, ribs from giant Exotic Beasts, and, most numerous of all, skulls belonging to humans or other sentient species.
They were crudely fixed to dilapidated metal walls with iron nails and wire, forming blasphemous and twisted totems. Their empty eye sockets stared numbly out at this land shrouded in the shadow of the Blood God.
In front of a massive fortress haphazardly built from stacked shipping containers, Dragon Jade suddenly raised his right hand, making a tactical signal to halt.
The four steel figures instantly froze in the shadows, blending in with the twisted metal wreckage around them.
From within the fortress’s open, dilapidated gate came a clamor of voices, filled with fanaticism and paranoia, accompanied by the CRACKLE of a bonfire.
"...so what I’m saying is, why does the great Blood God just sit on that Skull Throne all the time? He is the Master of War and Slaughter! He should be on the Battlefield of Ten Thousand Races personally, chopping off the heads of all those cowards, not acting like that useless, motionless Pseudo-Emperor!"
A coarse, grating voice said loudly, his words filled with confusion and disrespect.
"Shut your mouth! You idiot! What do you know!"
Another, sharper voice immediately rebuked him. "Are you questioning the great Will of the Blood God?"
"That ain’t what I meant... I just don’t get it."
The first voice immediately lost half of its bluster.
At that moment, a third voice, one that sounded relatively calm and seemed to hold some status, spoke up with an air of condescending superiority: "Hmph. I told you all to read the *Blood Scripture Meaning* the Boss hands out, but you’d rather go sharpen your pathetic little blades. Listen up, this is the supreme Truth, spoken by the Boss himself."