Chapter 446: A Test of Speed and Might

A long, suffocating silence filled the air.

After what felt like seven or eight long seconds, Li Dafu—who’d nearly passed out in fear—finally “awakened” amidst Yinglong’s anxious waiting.

Swallowing hard, Li Dafu mustered what felt like the courage of his entire life and resumed his dramatic act.

“Mmph…”

“I’ve got a bit of strength…”

“But if that’s all it takes, it’s far from enough.”

With a harsh snort that almost sent his snot flying, Li Dafu sneered and looked skyward:

“Do you know what rank the Otherworldly Ghost King is?!”

“A measly Peak Third-Stage isn’t worth more than cannon fodder!”

“Unless you’re fast enough, you might barely play a role in my battle with him!”

As he spoke, Li Dafu covertly glanced at Yinglong’s expression, then at the stunned crowd around him, deliberately building suspense.

This was the critical moment!

Once Yinglong was hooked, he’d immediately have an excuse to demand the Renmane!

“Fourth Stage?!”

Sure enough.

Upon hearing Li Dafu casually mention the Otherworldly Ghost King, a heaviness darkened Yinglong’s eyes. The surrounding Third-Stage Awakened members all gasped in unison.

Even though no one really knew how terrifying the Fourth Stage was, standing at the peak of humanity, he understood it was an overwhelmingly fearsome force.

Sure enough! For a Dungeon that hands out Legendary Suits, the difficulty was off the charts!

Heart pounding wildly, Yinglong’s gaze fixed on Li Dafu as a thought suddenly crystallized in his mind.

“That’s it!”

“If this Dungeon’s final difficulty is truly as the mighty NPC claimed, and the Otherworldly Ghost King is Fourth Stage, then no one stands a chance of clearing the mission!”

“Thus, this suddenly appearing NPC must be the helper the system arranged—just as I suspected!”

“Like the guide who met us upon entering, or the Third-Stage Ghost Hunter who later joined my team! All these aids are provided by the system!”

“But unlike the previous assists, this one, being the ultimate boost, must be earned by my own efforts! It’s a true test of the mission’s difficulty!”

Lost in wild conjecture, past examples flashed through his mind.

Before he knew it, Yinglong suddenly felt like he had mastered the Dungeon’s secret to victory!

At that thought, his eyes burned with renewed intensity.

“Speed?!”

“Sir! My top speed reaches Mach 3! Trust me—I’ll definitely make a difference in battle!”

“Not only that, I’m an expert at swift maneuvers! I won’t let you down!”

Swish!

In one fluid motion, he drew the Blood Dragon Spear from his back and, with a flick of his wrist, unleashed a resounding dragon’s roar.

Almost as if to prove his point, Yinglong took a deep breath. His lightning-fast thrust sent the spear barreling like a comet, instantly blasting through four layers of concrete overhead.

Boom!!

The spearhead blazed with brilliant light, piercing through every obstacle in its path.

Its sleek trail lasted but an instant.

Yet its impact was undeniable—the ensuing spray of red blood tore through the twelfth level, and with a thunderous explosion, massive chunks of rock tumbled down like a heavy rain.

The sheer force of the strike was unmatched, slicing cleanly through the very fabric of the level!

After this display of martial prowess, even the other Third-Stage Awakened knew of Yinglong’s formidable power. They could only gape at the spectacle before them.

So fast—it was unbelievable!

That spear thrust, landing right on them, left no chance to dodge. One shot would have taken them all out without question!

Of course, Zhang Yuan might barely escape with his life…

That’s the terrifying might of Peak Third-Stage! That strike wasn’t just packed with compressed Spirit Energy—it showcased Yinglong’s absolute mastery over his power!

No exaggeration here—this seemingly simple shot was truly the pinnacle of martial art!

But…

Floating midair, Li Dafu, utterly baffled by the brilliance of the strike, could only blink in confusion.

He didn’t understand its significance—only that it looked flashy…

The fearless often charge ahead, and from his perspective, Yinglong could crush him with a single move—making it even less impressive than before.

“Doesn’t that concern you at all?!”

“Truly, that NPC is terrifyingly powerful!”

After reholstering the Blood Dragon Spear, Yinglong’s anxiety deepened. In his eyes, that perfected strike, though controlled, clearly showed what a Third-Stage attack was capable of!

Yet this mysterious NPC—so inscrutable that even he couldn’t fathom its depths—remained completely unruffled…

Its implication was obvious!

“I can’t possibly be so weak as to not even qualify to complete the mission, right?!”

For the first time, Yinglong found himself doubting his own strength.

Fortunately, Li Dafu’s feigned critique was followed by a lazy remark:

“Not too shabby… You’re not half bad.”

“But what’s the point of your strike? I need speed!”

“Unless you can prove that you’ve once taken down a monster renowned for its speed, I might just consider your help.”

As he spoke, Li Dafu’s gloved hands concealed beneath his wide robe suddenly began to tremble.

It was happening—this was his chance to fool them with just a few words!

Meanwhile, far away, Yenir—monitoring the scene from 40 kilometers out—held her breath tightly.

Everything seemed to be going smoothly; even Yinglong hadn’t suspected a thing.

But no one could predict if an accident was about to occur.

“If I secure the Renmane, then after slaying two Third-Stage Otherworldly Ghosts, I can upgrade the system!”

Under rare tension, Yenir issued no orders, letting Li Dafu act naturally as events unfolded.

Seconds ticked by, feeling as long as an eternity.

When Li Dafu hinted he needed to prove himself, Yinglong paused—he hadn’t even figured out how to demonstrate his prowess.

Take down a high-speed monster?

Speed?

Could he perhaps dart around like a monkey? Or find a lightning-fast mutant to take on right here?

Wasn’t his very last strike proof enough of his speed?

Suppressing his impatience and unable to read Li Dafu’s true ability, he furrowed his brow.

Yet his mind was racing with ideas on how to prove himself. Neither he nor the Third-Stage Awakened of the Bloodshadow Legion noticed the silent presence of Blood Nightingale standing aside.

There, Blood Nightingale stood frozen as if she’d just recalled something horrifying. Her striking eyes were locked on Li Dafu.

Did Yinglong need to prove himself? Was the fast mutant from before even in question? Had Yenir sent her people here?

Even a fool would have realized what Li Dafu truly was!

This NPC…

Was it a trap set by Yenir?!

Was that bastard planning to use the NPC to lure away Yinglong’s cherished Renmane?!

Realizing this, Blood Nightingale nearly couldn’t hold herself back—it was all she had to do to message Yenir immediately.

In the next second, as Yinglong pondered how to prove himself, a flash of white light danced in his hand as if inspiration had struck.

“Sir, can my past feat of slaying a Renmane prove my speed?!”

“Back then, I wasn’t even this fast when I took down that beast!”

He said, a trace of pride in his tone.

Yinglong then held aloft the dissected corpse of a Renmane with one hand. Along its spine, a silver fluid shimmered as if it were the very essence of the creature—still glimmering softly even after its long demise.

That was the Renmane’s spine fluid.