Time is Running Out

Fang Huang, along with the other students from Irexerra University, moved swiftly away from the wandering stairs. They ran with a sense of purpose, their footsteps light yet determined. The wind howled, carrying with it a chill that sent shivers down their spines.

Qiao Da spoke up, breaking the eerie silence. "Are you not afraid that the students who beat you will retaliate with what you did?" he asked.

Fang Huang turned to him, his eyes blazing with confidence. "He did not beat me, I simply underestimated him," he replied, his voice dripping with arrogance. "The next time we meet will be a different story. You all witnessed earlier how he refused to attack me."

One of the students chimed in, "Regardless of whether they seek vengeance or not, they can no longer return the life of that student. With the poison from the Alchemy Union, that one is a goner."

The group fell silent, the weight of their actions settling heavily on their minds. They continued to walk, unsure of where to go next.

"Where should we head next?" one of the students finally asked.

Fang Huang turned to the other students and said, "I received a map from the Empire and they told us that before the closing of the Xuanwu realm, we should head to the northern part. Not a lot of people will be aware of this place. 50 years ago, one of the alumni from Irexerra University has found a door that leads to a treasure throve. We should head to that location and loot everything. Then we'll go out."

The other students looked at each other in amazement. "A treasure trove?" Qiao Da exclaimed. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

Fang Huang shrugged. "I wanted to make sure we were safe first. Besides, it's better if we keep it a secret from others. The less competition we have, the better our chances of getting all the loot."

With a burst of energy, the group took off, their bodies moving so quickly they were little more than blurs. The wind whistled past them as they darted through the winding pathways of the realm, their footsteps echoing loudly in the vast space. They moved with such grace and precision that they seemed to be gliding across the ground, their bodies almost weightless as they leaped over obstacles and hurdled past obstacles.

Meanwhile back to the Wandering stairs, the student with the short bent blade charged towards Li Bai with swift and deadly strikes. Li Bai dodged and parried every attack with his meteor hammer. The sound of the clashing weapons echoed through the wandering stairs. Li Bai noticed an opening and took his chance. He twirled his meteor hammer and landed a blow on the student's arm, causing him to drop the blade.

The student grimaced in pain but he was determined to take down Li Bai. He kicked the blade with his foot and caught it in his left hand. He charged once again towards Li Bai, this time with more ferocity. Li Bai braced himself for the impact and met the student head-on with his meteor hammer.

Their weapons collided, creating a spark that illuminated the dark stairway. The student tried to overpower Li Bai, but he was no match for the skilled warrior. Li Bai took advantage of the situation and spun his meteor hammer around, striking the student's leg with tremendous force.

The student fell to the ground, clutching his wounded leg. Li Bai towered over him, ready to deliver the final blow. But to the surprise of the Nevermore students, Li Bai showed mercy and spared the defeated student's life.

As the fight between Li Bai and the student with the short bent blade came to a close, the scene shifted to the woman with the whip, who was now attacking Liu Xie with vicious ferocity. She lashed out with her whip, striking the ground with incredible force and creating small craters. Liu Xie remained calm and patient, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.

The woman continued her assault, moving with lightning speed as she attempted to whip Liu Xie into submission. However, Liu Xie's years of training had taught him how to remain focused even in the most chaotic situations. He dodged and weaved, blocking her attacks with ease.

As the two fighters continued to exchange blows, the woman's attacks started to become more frantic and reckless. Liu Xie saw an opening and seized the opportunity to strike. With a lightning-fast movement, he used the Ethereal Blade technique, a move that he had been perfecting for the last couple of weeks.

The woman was caught off guard, and the force of Liu Xie's attack sent her flying through the air. Her hair was disheveled, and she lay on the ground, unconscious and defeated.

On the other hand, Zhang Heng was like a raging tiger, relentlessly attacking Ren Jianjun with his fluid and powerful moves. Ren Jianjun was struggling to keep up, his martial moves not as fluid as he thought they were. He had trained for years, but it seemed like it was not enough. Moreover, as he saw his two other companions defeated, a sense of panic rose in his heart.

The sound of clashing blades and fists echoed throughout the wandering stairs. Ren Jianjun was gasping for breath, his movements sluggish. He tried to retreat, but Zhang Heng was quick to catch up.

"Where do you think you're going?" Zhang Heng taunted as he launched a series of punches towards Ren Jianjun.

Ren Jianjun tried to defend himself, but he was no match for Zhang Heng's strength. He was pushed back, stumbling over the debris left behind by the previous fights.

"Please, spare me!" Ren Jianjun begged as he struggled to get up.

Zhang Heng halted in his tracks, his eyes glancing back at Ren Jianjun. The man looked desperate, his face contorted with anguish and fear. Zhang Heng could almost hear the man's heart racing, could see the sweat beading on his forehead. A part of him wanted to show mercy, to forgive Ren Jianjun for his mistakes and let him go.

But then he remembered how he had taken advantage of them a while ago. If they were not strong enough, these students are more than ready to kill them. He knew he couldn't let Ren Jianjun go. As he turned around to face his opponent again, a flicker of hope crossed Ren Jianjun's face. Maybe Zhang Heng had changed his mind.

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Zhang Heng said firmly as he charged towards Ren Jianjun.

Ren Jianjun's face twisted in anger, and in a sudden, desperate move, he lunged at Zhang Heng from behind. But Zhang Heng had anticipated the attack, quickly spinning around to block Ren Jianjun's strike. With a swift movement, he delivered a final blow that knocked Ren Jianjun to the ground, defeated.

Breathless and shaken, Zhang Heng looked down at his opponent, feeling a mix of relief and sadness. He knew that Ren Jianjun's fate was now sealed, and that he had no choice but to turn him over to the authorities. But in that moment, he also realized that there was a part of him that had wanted to

...

Ban Zhao's hands shook as she continued to channel her qi towards Yan Shenqing's body. She could feel his life force slowly slipping away, his breathing becoming shallow, and his pulse weaker with every passing second. She closed her eyes and focused on the Frostfire Aura that Juanxiu had taught her, but her control was faltering.

She heard Juanxiu's voice in her mind, "Breathe, Ban Zhao. Let your mind be at peace, and your qi will follow."

Ban Zhao took a deep breath, and as she exhaled, she felt Juanxiu's pure and peaceful qi flow into her. The Frostfire Aura responded, and Ban Zhao felt it under her control. Her hands stopped shaking, and she felt the qi in Yan Shenqing's body start to stabilize.

She began to feel the last sliver of poison move, and she knew that this was the moment. With a burst of power, she finally managed to distrub it. Juanxiu then captured it, pulling it out of Yan Shenqing's body. The poison came out as a black, oily substance, and Ban Zhao quickly disposed of it.

Yan Shenqing's breathing and pulse slowly returned to normal, and his color started to come back. Ban Zhao let out a sigh of relief as she opened her eyes. She could see the gratitude in Yan Shenqing's eyes, and she knew that they had saved his life.

She turned to Juanxiu, who smiled at her. "Well done, Ban Zhao. Your control over the Frostfire Aura is impressive."

Ban Zhao smiled back, feeling a sense of pride and accomplishment. She had saved a life, and she had done it using a technique that had once seemed impossible for her to master.

…...

The grand hall was filled with the most esteemed Commanders of the Shaoying Empire, each standing at attention in front of the Queen Regnant's throne. They all wore their formal military uniforms with crisp creases, their medals shining in the light of the torches lining the walls.

However, one position was conspicuously empty. The Queen's eyes narrowed as she scanned the room, her sharp gaze finally landing on the empty seat reserved for Commander Li Jian. "Where is Commander Li Jian of the 8th Squad?" she demanded, her voice echoing throughout the hall.

The generals shifted, casting glances at one another. The plump general spoke. "Him again. He's constantly causing trouble for all of us,"

"I thought every commander has been summoned since we will move to the blank continent to subdue the Karma Order," the Queen continued, her voice rising with each word. "This is a rare chance for us to strengthen our ties with the Grand Echo Continent and we shouldn't lose face against them."

The generals nodded in agreement, but their eyes were filled with apprehension. They knew that the Queen was not one to take failure lightly, and the absence of one of their commanders was sure to displease her.

As the tension in the room mounted, the Queen's expression became more and more impassive, revealing nothing of her true feelings. It was as if she was not a part of the Grand Echo, but rather an impartial judge of the situation.

This was all part of their plan, some of the generals knew; others have a hint. They would make the Grand Echo appear to be the hero that subdued the Karma Order, and they would gain favor in the eyes of the people from the Shaoying Empire. This will make it easier for the people to accept the new ruler of the empire.

One of the Commanders approached the throne and greeted her royal highness with a bow. "Your Majesty, I have a report to deliver," she said, her expression serious.

The Queen Regnant nodded, her eyes fixed on the Commander. "What is it, Commander?" she asked.

"Commander Li Jian will not answer his talisman communicator. We have sent a messenger to his territory and the servant said that it has been more than a month since he went home," the Commander reported, her voice steady.

The Queen Regnant's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "When was the last time he was seen?" she asked.

"More than a month ago, with his entire fleet, passing the mountainous expanse of the north" the Commander replied.

The Queen Regnant's eyes widened in shock. "The entire fleet? What direction are they heading?" she asked, her voice tense.

"To the Forgotten Land," the Commander said, her voice echoing in the silent chamber.

As the Queen Regnant contemplated the situation, her mind raced through the possibilities of what could have happened to Commander Li Jian and his fleet. She knew that this was not the first time he had left his territory without notice, but every time he had done so in the past, he had returned with something fruitful for the empire.

Despite this, the Queen Regnant knew that she could not take any chances. The success of their upcoming mission to subdue the Karma Order and the strengthening of their ties with the Grand Echo Continent were too important to risk losing face over. The Queen Regnant's face was a mask of determination as she issued her orders.

"Send a scout fleet to the Forgotten Land immediately," she commanded. "We need to find out what happened to Commander Li Jian and his fleet. We cannot take any chances with this mission."

The Commander who had delivered the news bowed deeply and then quickly turned to relay the orders to her subordinates. The Queen Regnant watched as her commanders quickly moved to carry out her orders, her mind still racing with possibilities of what could have happened to Commander Li Jian and his fleet.