C53 Revenge

The expected scene did not unfold. Lee Zi remained whole, not severed by the terrifying flash of cold light that had appeared so suddenly.

Yet, blood inevitably made its appearance.

The force of the blow sent Lee Zi flying, only to be caught in the arms of Chu Yi.

The Lee Zi of the past world, the former Lee Zi of this world, and even the Lee Zi of just moments ago, all exuded strength and a certain iciness to Chu Yi. Though she occasionally revealed a girlish demeanor, those moments were fleeting and solely in Chu Yi's presence.

Such instances were scarce in Chu Yi's recollection.

But now...

As Chu Yi gazed upon the vulnerable Lee Zi, bleeding profusely from her chest, a pang of pain unlike any before flickered in his eyes.

Teacher Zhao had arrived by their side in an instant, his eyes scanning the surroundings with heightened alertness.

Teacher Zhao was merely a guide, not omnipotent. Such a turn of events had caught everyone off guard.

They had checked the area thoroughly the previous two days, and it should have been safe.

Thus, even Teacher Zhao might have let his guard down. But who could have predicted such an unforeseen encounter?

Without a moment's delay, Chu Yi tenderly cradled Lee Zi and placed her onto the flying car.

Observing Teacher Zhao still on high alert, the icy resolve in Chu Yi's gaze remained steadfast.

"Move out..."

Teacher Zhao hesitated, somewhat displeased with Chu Yi's commanding tone, but considering the gravity of the situation, he stifled his discontent.

The flying car swiftly made its way back to camp.

This time was different from the last, when Teacher Cang had realized it was merely a scare due to Lee Zi's overconcern for Chu Yi.

Now, Lee Zi was the one injured, arguably the most crucial individual in this trial!

Even Teacher Cang was visibly shaken, his gaze towards Teacher Zhao filled with anger, and when he learned of the incident, his occasional glances at Chu Yi were laced with various grievances.

Teacher Cang deeply regretted not heeding Zhu Yu's advice to refuse Chu Yi's inclusion.

Had they done so, this incident might have been avoided.

But it was too late for regrets.

"Fortunately, Lee Zi was wearing a piece of defensive soft armor. That must be the reward she received from her last training session at Adirang Academy."

"If it hadn't been for that soft armor, this time..."

Chu Yi's complexion was ghastly pale, his eyes still haunted by a shadow of fear.

Had it not been for the soft armor, Lee Zi would have been sliced in half without a doubt!

The force behind that chilling blade was immensely concentrated, reaching its peak in a mere instant. Even with preparation, one would suffer grave injuries, but without any guard...

Chu Yi's thoughts were in disarray. He had never imagined that at such a perilous moment, someone would be willing to sacrifice themselves to protect him!

Chu Yi knew that Lee Zi wouldn't have considered whether she was wearing soft armor at that critical moment. She had positioned herself in front of him as soon as the cold light flashed; there was simply no time for her to think of anything else.

She had acted almost on instinct!

Reflecting on the previous events, Chu Yi's heart was shaking with remorse.

If only he hadn't been so careless, if he had unleashed his primordial spirit's power the instant he stepped out of the spaceship, then maybe...

No, this certainly wouldn't have happened!

"We're in the wilderness."

"I hope we won't have to face such a situation again!"

Teacher Cang had always regarded Chu Yi favorably, seeing him as a formidable genius, even potentially at a Genius Level. Should Chu Yi excel in the college entrance exams, the benefits for Cangmu would be innumerable.

But now...

Indeed, Chu Yi was extraordinary, suspected of being at a Genius Level, but he paled in comparison to Lee Zi.

Lee Zi wasn't just a Genius Level warrior; she was a genetic warrior who had truly embarked on the path of cultivation. She was destined to become one of humanity's most formidable pillars.

The activation of her genetic power had already made a significant difference. To the higher-ups, Lee Zi was beyond comparison, even against ten Chu Yis.

Upon hearing Teacher Cang's admonishment, Chu Yi didn't talk back but simply nodded earnestly.

Soon, Chu Yi was left alone in the medical cabin.

Gazing at Lee Zi, who lay there with her eyes tightly shut, deep in a coma, the intermingling feelings of remorse and chill in Chu Yi's eyes grew even more pronounced.

In the next moment, Chu Yi seemed to have come to a decision. He stood up resolutely.

Outside the room, Teacher Zhao stood with a pallid complexion. Upon seeing Chu Yi emerge, a strange hue crossed his face.

"Looking for revenge?"

Chu Yi glanced at Teacher Zhao and, after a moment, nodded.

"It's likely a highly agile Demonic Beast with formidable attack power."

"Yet, its body is probably fragile. If you can overpower it, it should be easy to kill."

His assessment was accurate. Typically, agile Demonic Beasts have poor defenses, and a direct hit could seriously injure them.

"So, you think you can take it down?"

Chu Yi faced Teacher Zhao, his eyes devoid of any emotional turbulence.

"If it needs to be killed, kill it. If it seems unkillable—"

"Kill it anyway!"

Chu Yi's voice was eerily even-toned.

No one could have imagined that Chu Yi, who was seething with rage just seconds before, could stabilize his emotions in such a brief span.

If Chu Yi had been an ancient being, having lived for centuries, Teacher Zhao wouldn't have been surprised.

But Chu Yi was merely a young student, eighteen years old at that!

Yet, he managed to regain his composure in no time, which was quite unsettling.

Teacher Zhao believed that those outside had underestimated Chu Yi, assigning him a rating far too low.

"So, are we departing now?"

Even though Teacher Cang had instructed them to wait until Lee Zi was completely healed before taking action, Teacher Zhao was not one to heed such directives; he and Teacher Cang were not of the same mindset.

Without a word, Chu Yi headed towards Teacher Zhao's flying car. Teacher Zhao, with that peculiar smirk still on his lips, followed suit.

Shortly thereafter, the two were once again hovering above the dense forest.

In this place, Chu Yi and Lee Zi had effortlessly slain the Steelback Bear, and the following day, they quickly dispatched the lizard beast.

But on the third day, they were ambushed by an unidentified Demonic Beast.

Had it not been for Lee Zi's bravery and sacrifice, Chu Yi might have had to bid farewell to this world.

Chu Yi maintained a calm exterior, betraying no hint of emotion, yet beneath the surface, a towering rage burned within him.

"Alright, this is the spot!"

Only half a day had passed, and Chu Yi was convinced that the Demonic Beast that had attacked them hadn't left the area.

Teacher Zhao gave a slight nod, pondered for a moment, and then offered, "Do you need my help?"

Chu Yi gave Teacher Zhao a frosty glance and replied, "I can handle it myself."

With those words, Chu Yi leaped from midair.

In that instant, a glint of cold light flashed once again...

Had he been unprepared, the best Chu Yi could hope for was to be severely wounded.

Even with preparation, a sudden and immensely powerful surge of cold light would likely still result in injury.

But...

Teacher Zhao, watching from the flying car, squinted his eyes.

He had witnessed Chu Yi in combat before. Though his experiences were limited, he had seen enough to recognize Chu Yi's formidable prowess.

From previous battles, Teacher Zhao had noted Chu Yi's exceptional agility and his sharp tactical sense on the battlefield.

Yet, Teacher Zhao realized he had still underestimated Chu Yi.

He mused that if he were in Chu Yi's shoes, he could evade the attacks unscathed, but only by exerting his full strength.

What was his level of power compared to Chu Yi's?

A General versus a warrior – was there even a comparison to be made?

And yet, right before his eyes, a mere warrior had achieved what he, a General, could only do at full capacity!

This completely redefined Teacher Zhao's perception.

What astounded Teacher Zhao even more was not merely Chu Yi's evasion.

He watched as Chu Yi, having landed safely, wasted no time and immediately unleashed a thunderous punch into a nearby thicket.

A twentyfold burst of power!

Teacher Zhao inhaled sharply from his position in the flying car.

A twentyfold burst was something even a prodigy like Lee Zi needed time to build up to.

But Chu Yi, without even steadying himself upon landing, had effortlessly executed it!

There were only two possible explanations for the scene unfolding before him: either Chu Yi's true limit far exceeded twentyfold, making such a burst trivial for him, or...

Teacher Zhao immediately dismissed the thought from his mind.

It was impossible.

Such a thing was inconceivable.

Even someone with terrifying potential like Lee Zi, who had activated their genetic power, could only achieve a twenty-fold increase in power before its activation. So how could Chu Yi, a young man from an ordinary family who hadn't even tapped into his genetic power, possibly do the same?

Thus, the first scenario was out of the question.

That left only the second possibility.

It meant that this young man named Chu Yi had attained a level of bodily control that was downright astonishing!