Dragon Kingdom Arc, Chapter Thirty-Three: Extreme Instant Flash (Part I)

Mysterious Figure in Black Robe: "Good lad... You agreed quite readily. I like such promptness, hahahaha!"

The voice of the mysterious figure in the black robe echoed through the air, carrying a trace of elusive amusement. Shrouded in his dark cloak, his features remained hidden, yet he exuded an aura both powerful and enigmatic.

He continued, "What I want is the third divine artifact in your possession, also known as the National Guardian Artifact, 'Dragon Heart: Breaking Army.' This is the human artifact left behind by the Dragon Emperor to guard the Divine Dragon Clan! It possesses boundless power and mysteries."

Upon hearing this, Ye Heng felt a jolt in his heart. His eyes widened, his face filled with astonishment. This mysterious figure not only knew he possessed such an artifact but could accurately name it and recount its origin! This left Ye Heng deeply unsettled.

He pondered to himself, "How did he know there was an artifact inside? Does he possess some special ability or source of intelligence? And why is he interested in this particular artifact?" A flurry of questions flooded his mind, weighing heavily upon him.

He realized he might be caught in a massive enigma, and this mysterious figure seemed to be the key to unraveling it. Faced with this situation, Ye Heng decided to remain vigilant and plan his next move carefully. After all, this artifact was of immense significance to him, to the Martial God Kingdom, and indeed the entire world; it could not be handed over easily. At the same time, he felt a profound curiosity about the figure, wanting to uncover the secrets hidden behind that cloak.

Even though his possession of the artifact was exposed, Ye Heng showed no sign of panic. He maintained his composure, even putting on a facade of ignorance.

With an innocent look, he said, "May I ask if you have some misunderstanding? What divine artifact? All I have in here are some gold, silver, jewels, and high-quality Grade A Purple Gold Stones. There really is no divine artifact! If you don't believe me, I can empty my entire stash for you to see."

The mysterious figure let out a cold snort. "Stop pretending. The third artifact is right there among you. The aura it radiates cannot be sealed away by those spatial rings of yours!"

Ye Heng felt a tremor of alarm internally, but he forced himself to remain calm. "Senior, I truly don't have it..."

A sharp glint flashed in the eyes of the mysterious figure, a gaze as keen as a blade, as if it could pierce through the human heart. He spoke coldly, "Are you going to hand it over or not?" His voice was icy and biting, carrying an undisguised threat.

Faced with such an aggressive stance, Ye Heng’s heart sank, yet his expression remained fearless. Gritting his teeth, he replied, "And what if I don't?" His tone was firm, revealing a sense of resolve.

The atmosphere turned intensely tense, as if an invisible pressure was crushing down on everyone. The figure radiated a powerful aura, like a volcano on the verge of eruption—suppressed and scorching. Every subtle movement betrayed his inner anger and determination. Ye Heng gripped his own weapon tightly, focusing entirely on the figure, prepared to respond to any eventuality.

The air seemed to freeze, suffocatingly heavy. A thrilling standoff had begun.

Suddenly, the figure in the black robe flickered, charging toward Ashe with the speed of a ghost.

A deep and massive spatial crack appeared before them. It was only when Ashe regained her senses that she realized this casual strike from the figure possessed the terrifying strength of a mid-stage S-rank Martial God! She felt a surge of relief; had Ye Heng not flashed over to block the blow, she would have been severely injured and left unable to move.

The figure let out a wild laugh: "Hahahaha... A fine A-rank Martial God, a fine Child of Light! To block that so easily, you truly live up to the reputation of the Child of Prophecy!" His laughter echoed, tinged with sarcasm and admiration.

Ye Heng did not respond. He knew clearly that the enemy he faced was at least at the peak of the S-rank Martial God realm, perhaps even an SS-rank. Although battle was inevitable, the situation was dire given the opponent's power. It was well known that peak S-rank Martial Gods were terrifying; they could traverse the void at will and trigger natural disasters with a mere gesture.

Ye Heng turned to Ashe, saying earnestly, "Xi'er, although you have just stepped into the early stage of S-rank Martial God, your Martial God Armor is still at an elementary level. Our priority now is to escape back to the Martial God Kingdom. You must ensure this artifact reaches Sister Lisa safely. If Sister Kana can successfully tame it, our nation's overall combat strength will be greatly enhanced."

"No! We must leave together. If you die, I will never live on alone!" Ashe’s tone was resolute. She gently caressed Ye Heng's cheek and said tenderly, "Heng, having you is my greatest happiness. But you are not fighting alone. I cannot bear to watch you carry everything by yourself. I will follow your steps and face the enemy with you."

Amy nodded heavily from the side, agreeing, "My sister is absolutely right. This battle doesn't belong to you alone. Only by working together can we be invincible."

Seeing this, Ye Heng smiled in relief. He knew battle was unavoidable, but they needed to move toward the border as slowly as possible to ensure a smooth and safe retreat if necessary.

Ye Heng: "Very well, I shall command this battle!"

"What are you whispering about over there? Do you really have no regard for me?" The figure in the black robe raised his voice in a roar.

Ye Heng was not intimidated. He stepped forward and said calmly, "Wait a moment, Senior. Please allow me to make a small request."

The figure paused for a moment before bursting into laughter: "A request? Boy, do you know what you are doing? You dare make a request of me?"

"Those who have made requests of me in the past met miserable ends—they died most wretchedly!" the figure threatened with disdain.

Yet, Ye Heng showed no fear. He stood tall, looking steadily at the figure. "Whether I die sooner or later makes little difference to me, but before I die, I hope to die with a bit more dignity."

"Rather than living like a coward, I would choose to face death bravely; at least that way, I can leave behind some beautiful memories." Ye Heng’s words were filled with determination.

The figure pondered for a moment before saying, "Hmm... Very well. Since that is the case, I will grant your request."

Ye Heng felt a surge of secret joy but remained calm. He took a deep breath and continued, "I ask that you give us one day to escape. After one day, you may begin your pursuit. If you catch any of us by then, we will be at your mercy, to be killed or disposed of as you see fit."

The figure’s lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile. "Oh? A 'hunter's game'? That sounds interesting. Very well, let me be the hunter and see how far you prey can run." With that, his deep eyes locked onto Ye Heng, as if he were already his prize.

Ye Heng smiled faintly. "Thank you, Senior." Before the words faded, he moved like lightning, grabbing Ashe and Amy and fleeing into the distance.

The figure stared at Ye Heng’s retreating back with shock. He had never expected that Ye Heng’s stunning teleportation ability was not the forbidden Martial God technique "Flash God Dash," but a unique mechanism inherent to his own light-attribute power. This rapid, continuous flashing allowed him to vanish in the blink of an eye.

The figure muttered to himself, "Damn it, I’ve been tricked! I thought he was using the 'Flash God Dash,' but it was his own unique mechanism."

"Even an S-rank Martial God cannot use 'Flash God Dash' more than four times before becoming exhausted."

"Damn, the more I think about it, the angrier I get. I noticed it when he flashed twice earlier."

The figure felt regret, but more so, a re-evaluation of Ye Heng’s strength. He realized he had underestimated the young man and developed a keen interest in his unique light-attribute mechanism.

"Hahahaha, I truly underestimated him!" He shook his head helplessly, sighing to himself. But even if he had been tricked, so what? Perhaps Ye Heng could escape, but the other two would certainly not be able to return to the Martial God Kingdom within a day.

"Hahahaha, he is a man of sentiment and loyalty; naturally, he will wait for them." The figure crossed his arms, wearing a playful smile as if watching a good show. He seemed confident, already anticipating what was to come.

...

Ashe looked at Ye Heng with doubt and worry. "Heng, are you truly certain we can reach the Martial God Kingdom in one day?"

Ye Heng’s expression was firm yet tinged with uncertainty. He took a deep breath and said, "While I am not entirely certain... this is indeed our only chance."

Ashe frowned, her tone anxious. "But, with the current speed of my sister and me..." She trailed off.

Ye Heng comforted her, "Don't worry, I have the Mystic Jade Pot! This is the life-saving treasure Sister Lisa gave me before I set out." He produced an exquisite small pot from his consciousness.

Ashe’s eyes widened. "The Mystic Jade Pot? That is an S-rank treasure. To think you brought this—the Martial Lord truly planned for this mission with the utmost care!"

Ye Heng nodded, urging, "Enough talk. Quickly, get into the Mystic Jade Pot! Time is of the essence; we cannot delay any longer."

Ashe looked at Ye Heng, gritted her teeth, and stepped into the pot. With a flash of light, she vanished.

Ye Heng gently stroked the Mystic Jade Pot as if it were a precious treasure. His eyes showed resolve as he whispered, "If I truly cannot hold on, I will pour my Martial God strength into this pot. That way, it can carry you both safely back to the Martial God Kingdom."

With that, Ye Heng’s eyes flashed with brilliant golden light, and his body radiated a powerful aura. His combat state was reactivated as he prepared to face the impending challenge. His expression was stern and focused; he was ready for anything.

At that moment, he held only one belief: to protect those around him and complete his mission. No matter the obstacles, he would pay any price to overcome them. He knew that only through his own struggle could he safeguard what was most important to him.

The effective range of his Extreme Flash was normally 30 kilometers, but carrying Xi'er and Amy reduced it to 20 kilometers. Furthermore, each use required a full half-hour of meditation to recover. At this rate, I could only perform two Extreme Flashes per hour, moving 60 kilometers. In a 24-hour day, without eating, drinking, or sleeping, I could move at most 1,140 kilometers, which is clearly unrealistic.

Fortunately, I have Sister Lisa’s Mystic Jade Pot, which allows me to push my flashing ability to the limit. However, the terrain—mountains, ridges, and slopes—greatly restricts my speed. Unless I manifest my Martial God Armor, I cannot fly while flashing.

Yet, manifesting the armor consumes a vast amount of my Martial God energy, reducing my flash distance to 25 kilometers. Thus, how to skillfully utilize the armor while conserving energy is the dilemma I must face.