Chapter 193: I’ll Help if You Accept My Pursuit

Chapter 193: Chapter 193: I’ll Help if You Accept My Pursuit

Si Jin’s gaze suddenly darkened.

The spiritual power around him surged violently, its oppressive force even making the distant Devouring Abyss Beast retreat half a step.

He didn’t move, but his killing intent was already a blade pointed straight at Xing Che.

But Xing Che merely raised an eyebrow, his posture casual. He even edged half an inch closer to Yun Sheng.

Yun Sheng’s heart tightened. She hurriedly took a few steps back, putting distance between herself and Xing Che, and even quick-walked over to Cheng Nian and the others.

Qi Yao glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his gaze sweeping back and forth between Si Jin and Xing Che, his brow furrowing deeper and deeper.

When Cheng Nian saw Yun Sheng approach, she quickly grabbed her hand and whispered, "Yun Sheng, does that friend of yours know Si... Si Jin...?"

’My mind is a tangled mess,’ Yun Sheng thought, but she could only feign a look of confusion.

"I don’t know. I’m not close with Xing Che. We just met back in the Eighth Star Zone."

Cheng Nian blinked, asking strangely, "You’re not close with him? But he said he came looking for you specifically."

Yun Sheng pressed her lips together and said nothing.

’Who knows what’s up with this Xing Che,’ she thought. ’We met just once, and ever since, he’s been clinging to me like glue.’

Seeing her expression, Cheng Nian’s eyes immediately sparkled. "He doesn’t like you, does he?"

Yun Sheng quickly shook her head. "I’m really not close with him!"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Cheng Nian immediately reined in her gossipy thoughts.

Though curious, she wasn’t someone who didn’t know how to read a room. After a bit of teasing, she saw Yun Sheng’s troubled expression and tactfully fell silent.

Just then, a thick, putrid stench drifted through the air. The mere smell of it was enough to make one’s throat tighten.

The Devouring Abyss Beast’s eyes gradually turned crimson. It suddenly grew agitated and charged violently at Si Jin!

Its massive body crushed the ground, sending rubble flying, but it was brought to a dead stop mid-charge by a surge of immense spiritual power.

Si Jin stood his ground, not having moved an inch, just staring coldly at it.

Pushed back half a step by the oppressive aura, the Devouring Abyss Beast pawed irritably at the ground, a low growl rumbling in its throat.

It watched Si Jin warily, its scarlet, vertical pupils filled with unwillingness.

Suddenly, it whipped its head around and charged toward the crowd!

"Stop it!"

Qi Yao had just started to speak, but someone was faster.

A figure darted over, planting himself in front of the Devouring Abyss Beast. His spiritual power coalesced into a thick barrier, blocking the creature completely.

Si Jin blocked its path. Without turning his head, he said coldly, "Fall back."

His voice wasn’t loud, but it hit the crowd like a stone, and everyone instinctively retreated a few steps.

Blocked by the barrier, the Devouring Abyss Beast roared in fury, its sharp claws frantically tearing at the wall of spiritual power. Each strike made the ground tremble.

Si Jin stood his ground, unmoving, but under the frenzied assault of the SSS-level pollutant, cracks began to spread across the barrier like a spiderweb.

Yun Sheng’s heart clenched.

She saw Si Jin’s fingers tighten slightly, saw the sweat bead on his temple, and saw the light of the barrier gradually dim.

"Zhao Heng, take your men, protect the cadets, and find an opportunity to break through," Qi Yao’s voice rang out, calm but with a note of decisiveness.

Zhao Heng’s expression flickered. "Junior General, we’re surrounded by pollutants. Where do we break through?"

Qi Yao’s gaze swept over their surroundings.

Behind them was a dense horde of pollutants. In front was the SSS-level Devouring Abyss Beast, which could break through the barrier at any moment.

Their retreat was cut off, and death lay ahead.

They were in a near-fatal trap. The only way out was for him to team up with Si Jin, but Si Jin was a Dark Sentinel, a wanted criminal of the Star Alliance...

The cracks on the barrier grew denser.

The Devouring Abyss Beast let out a low roar and slammed its claws down again.

BOOM!

The barrier shattered.

Si Jin was thrown back several steps before he steadied himself.

He didn’t retreat any further, standing as a shield between the crowd and the Devouring Abyss Beast, the spiritual power around him still churning.

The Devouring Abyss Beast didn’t pounce immediately.

It stared at Si Jin, a low growl rumbling in its throat as if sizing up how much strength its opponent had left.

Standing in the crowd, Yun Sheng’s palms were slick with sweat.

Behind her, the shrieks of the pollutants grew closer and more numerous.

Veins bulged on the back of Zhao Heng’s hand as he gripped his blade. Guo Kai herded the cadets toward the center, while several A-level Sentinels formed a defensive perimeter.

But everyone knew this line of defense wouldn’t hold for long.

With an SSS-level threat in front and countless low-level pollutants behind, they were completely trapped, unable to advance or retreat.

The air was thick with the stench of decay, mixed with the bitter scent of earth and sweat, so heavy it was hard to breathe.

Yun Sheng’s gaze instinctively flickered toward Xing Che.

’I know he’s no weaker than Si Jin,’ she thought. ’He’s probably an SSS-level Sentinel, too.’

’If he and Si Jin teamed up, they should be able to handle that Devouring Abyss Beast, right?’

But Xing Che stood a few steps away, arms crossed, posture relaxed, as if watching a drama that had nothing to do with him.

Si Jin wasn’t looking at him either, showing no intention of teaming up.

She opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn’t know where to start.

The tense, confrontational atmosphere between the two was still palpable. If she spoke up rashly, she would probably just make things worse.

’Besides, with so many people here, if I rashly say that Xing Che could team up with Si Jin, implying his Level is very high, it would be inappropriate!’

Yun Sheng bit her lip, swallowing her words. Her clenched fists relaxed and tightened again.

The putrid smell in the air grew stronger. The crimson in the Devouring Abyss Beast’s eyes deepened, and its body radiated a savage aura.

It stared at Si Jin for a moment, then, without warning, it lunged!

Si Jin sidestepped, his spiritual power coalescing into blades to meet the attack head-on.

The man and the pollutant were once again locked in combat. Blades of spiritual power surrounded the Devouring Abyss Beast from all sides, slashing fiercely at its carapace.

The Devouring Abyss Beast swiped its claws to defend itself. The impact of blades on claws knocked it back half a step. Roaring in fury, it charged forward again.

At the same time, the shrieks of the low-level pollutants from behind grew more intense as they surged forward like a tide.

Qi Yao’s eyes sharpened. He drew his blade and charged forward. Zhao Heng and the few A-level Sentinels formed a perimeter, defending the corners, and quickly joined the fray.

Guo Kai and Ma Yu protected the cadets in the center, their hands gripping their blades tightly, not daring to relax for a second.

Blades flashed. The cacophony of roars, shrieks, and the whistle of blades slicing through the air was deafening.

Yun Sheng’s gaze was fixed on Si Jin, the worry in her eyes deepening.

She quietly moved to Xing Che’s side and lowered her voice. "Can you... can you go help Si Jin? I know your Level is very high. If you two team up, you can definitely handle that Devouring Abyss Beast."

’All those pollutants behind us are running wild. If we can’t take care of the Devouring Abyss Beast, we’re all done for!’

Xing Che looked down at her, a half-smile on his face. "Don’t worry, these pollutants can’t hurt you. I can get you out of this encirclement at any time."

Seeing that he clearly had no intention of helping, Yun Sheng didn’t want to waste time arguing. She asked him directly, "What will it take for you to help?"

Xing Che raised an eyebrow, leaned down, and whispered close to her ear, his voice so low only she could hear.

"Shengsheng, agree to let me court you, and I’ll help."