Chu Yu is Kidnapped, Visitors from the Vast World

The sea soldiers behind Lan Ming were scattered by the icy wave, screaming as they crashed back into the sea, their bodies cracking the frozen surface with countless fissures.

Yet Lan Ming stood motionless, the corners of his lips curling into an eerie smirk.

He raised his head, his gaze tinged with admiration. "Such formidable power... far beyond those so-called 'Chosen Ones.'"

"Here, you must be the strongest human."

Su Muwan let out a cold snort, the killing intent in her eyes intensifying.

She raised her hand, summoning an ice spear, its glinting tip aimed straight at Lan Ming's chest. "Enough talk. Die!"

With a flick of her wrist, the spear shot forth like a meteor, tearing a white streak through the air as it hurtled toward him.

But just as the spear was about to pierce his chest, Su Muwan's movements suddenly froze.

"What's happening?!"

Her pupils contracted as she looked down at her hand.

The hand gripping the ice spear had stopped mid-air, as if bound by an invisible force.

She tried to channel her spiritual energy, only to find the flow of cold qi within her sluggish—even her killing intent refused to coalesce.

"Kekeke!! Realized you don’t want to kill me anymore?!"

Lan Ming’s laughter grew even more maniacal at the sight.

Slowly, he raised the trident bestowed upon him by the Abomination—its surface coiled with black-red tendril-like appendages, its tip adorned with half a pulsating fish heart still dripping black blood.

With a casual swing, a ring of sinister black mist surged from the trident, and the air seemed to hum with countless whispering voices.

"Human, your strength is indeed impressive," Lan Ming taunted, "but before the divine power granted by my father, you can only watch helplessly."

Su Muwan gritted her teeth, struggling against the restraint, only to feel herself grow weaker the more she resisted.

A sinking feeling settled in her chest—this trident could actually suppress her attacks!

At that moment, Lan Ming suddenly turned his gaze toward Chu Yu on the stage.

A flicker of greed flashed in his eyes as he murmured, "This scent... so delightfully chaotic."

In the next instant, his figure blurred into a dark-blue streak as he lunged for Chu Yu.

Chu Yu, still reeling from her self-destructive backlash, had no time to react before Lan Ming’s tendrils coiled around her waist, yanking her into the air.

"Senior Sister!"

Su Bailian gasped, instinctively shrinking back.

What the hell?!

Qin Luo, you bastard! You said this was just an act! You didn’t mention anything about this!

The sea tribe? Since when did they become like this?!

"Let her go!"

Someone in the audience shouted, but no one dared to step forward.

Su Muwan could only watch as Lan Ming carried Chu Yu away, her body still immobilized.

"Young Mistress! I’ll help you!"

Qin Luo leaped into the air, his eyes burning with feigned fury as he glared at the monstrous sea creature. "Monster! Release that girl!"

"Kekeke!!"

Lan Ming stood atop the surging waves, his shrill laughter piercing the air. "Human! Your aura is warm—so warm it makes us sick!"

"Want this Chosen One back? Too bad..."

With a thought, his trident pulsed with a dark glow.

In an instant—

BOOM!!

Every single person in the arena froze in place, completely immobilized.

Qin Luo, too, feigned shock. "Y-you... what did you do?"

"Kekeke!! This is divine power!!"

Lan Ming’s triumphant roar echoed as he glanced back at Su Muwan, arrogance and mockery dripping from his gaze.

"See? Even the strongest of humans are nothing but weaklings before the divine might granted by our father!"

Su Muwan: ?

Wait.

Su Muwan slowly blinked in disbelief. I was just playing along, and now you’re really getting into it??

Crack!

But... tch.

Why is the restraint getting stronger?

What’s going on?

Lan Ming raised his trident high, black mist billowing around him as his voice boomed across the arena:

"In three days, the sea tribe will rise onto land! This continent shall become my father’s hunting ground!"

As his words faded, the sea soldiers behind him let out a unified growl. The crimson tide receded, leaving behind only frozen corpses and a wrecked spectator area.

Silence.

Then, seconds later, panic erupted.

"Three days?! The sea tribe is coming ashore?!"

"Wait, just like that? A full-scale war?!"

"Can someone explain this madness?! How are we supposed to live like this?!"

The live stream exploded with terror and outrage.

[Those damned sea creatures! Coming ashore in three days? I’ll fight them to the death!]

[Hey, trident-wielding freak, don’t you dare run!]

[We’re doomed in three days! What do we do?!]

Su Muwan stood at the edge of the stage as the cold energy dissipated, her hand finally regaining movement.

She clenched her fist, murmuring, "It’s gone?"

She whipped her head toward Qin Luo, whispering, "That trident is strange. Is it...?"

Qin Luo shrugged, grinning innocently. "Exactly what you’re thinking—it’s Rule Authority."

So it was Rule Authority.

Su Muwan crossed her arms, her cold gaze sweeping over the retreating crimson tide.

She frowned, disdain lacing her voice. "The Abomination’s corruption has turned them into this mess, and they still dare show their faces? Planning to come ashore in three days?"

"Hah. I’ll freeze them into shards."

Now that she knew the enemy wielded Rule Authority, it was no big deal.

Didn’t she have a system?

She’d just ban them like the pests they were.

With that thought, she turned to Qin Luo, raising a brow. "By the way, aren’t you going after Chu Yu? She’s a top-tier protagonist—wasting her would be a shame."

Qin Luo’s lips curled into a deeper smile, amusement glinting in his eyes. "Go after her? No, no, Young Mistress. This is exactly what I wanted."

He paused, his tone turning cryptic. "Letting Chu Yu be tainted by the Abomination is the only way to lure out the big fish behind her."

"Just wait—you’ll see a good show."

Su Muwan: ??

"How many schemes are you hiding?!"

"Hmm... roughly..."

Qin Luo pinched his thumb and forefinger together. "Just this much."

Su Muwan relaxed. At least her brain could still keep up.

...

...

Meanwhile.

The Myriad Worlds.

Profound Azure Domain, Astral Divine Palace.

Deep within the palace, an elder draped in starry robes suddenly snapped his eyes open, his pupils reflecting the swirling light of countless stars.

This was none other than the Ninth Elder of the Astral Divine Palace—

Xuan Xingzi.

His face was a mix of shock and unease.

Because just moments ago, he had sensed it clearly—

A crucial "chess piece" he had planted in the lower realm years ago...

"How is this possible?!"

Xuan Xingzi muttered, his brow furrowed.

His fingers moved in a rapid divination gesture, trying to reconnect with Chu Yu’s soul lamp—but all he received in return was a murky void, devoid of even the faintest glimmer.

Instantly, his heart sank, and his expression darkened with uncertainty.

This [Game Piece] was crucial to his grand scheme in the vast world, even entangled in the power struggles among various factions—it absolutely could not be lost!

Xuan Xingzi took a deep breath, pondered for a moment, then a glint of resolve flashed in his eyes.

With a flick of his hand, a thin crack split open between his brows, and a wisp of pale golden soul energy, dotted with starlight, flew out and swiftly vanished into the void.

Downward, toward the lower realm—

He would see for himself just who dared to touch his piece!!