Chapter 142: Conflict at the Stronghold

Central Region, Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground.

Northwest Sector.

A woman held a communicator, her elegant brows tightly knitted as she read its contents.

“Don’t worry, Junior Xue Han. Once my Spiritual Power breaks through to the Cave Heaven Realm, I will come to aid our Myriad Pottery Academy’s stronghold. I guarantee we’ll make the other factions too afraid to covet it!”

Sender: Yuan Tianjiao.

“Thank you so much, Senior Yuan (smile).”

Sender: Xue Han.

Her expression was grim, as the last message from him had been sent twelve hours ago.

“Did he forget… or is he standing me up?”

Restlessly, she tossed the communicator onto her cot and stepped out of the tent.

Immediately, a man in lightweight protective gear jogged over.

“Senior Xue Han, Starfall Academy next door has sent students to loiter around our territory three times today, each time brushing it off with excuses. I’m afraid their intentions are malicious~”

“They’re just coveting the large Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain we recently captured. And…

After last month’s brutal battles, many of our Myriad Pottery Academy students have announced their withdrawal from the Myriad Pottery faction. Starfall Academy has noticed our lack of core strength and is taking advantage of this moment to test us.”

“Then… what should we do? We fought so hard to capture that large Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain. Are we really just going to hand it over to others?”

The man spoke with despair and reluctance.

“Sigh, I’ve already called for reinforcements. Let’s wait a bit. The one coming is also a senior in the True Intent Realm. Perhaps he can give our Myriad Pottery faction a breather in this struggle for the treasure site.”

“Sigh, it seems that’s all we can do…”

The man sighed, clearly not believing a single True Intent Martial Artist could turn the tide of battle.

The center of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground was the site of the most intense battles in ancient wars, leaving behind countless legacies that have attracted countless Martial Artists ever since.

Those who can establish themselves and survive long-term in the central region of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground are all among the strongest of Tianyuan Star’s younger generation.

Resource contention is commonplace, and deaths are frequent. Last time, the faction established by their Myriad Pottery Academy suffered heavy losses while fighting for a large Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain.

Now, Starfall Academy, one of the academies beneath the Four Great Academies, dares to covet the territory of one of the Four Great Academies themselves.

Truly, a tiger on the plains is bullied by dogs!

But Starfall Academy couldn’t care less about that. If you show weakness now, you don’t deserve to monopolize the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain.

Thus, they presented two demands.

“Either we both suffer losses, only for other factions to swoop in and take advantage.”

“Or we share the Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain. In exchange, we join forces to defend against external enemies!”

“Hmph, our Myriad Pottery Academy is one of the Four Great Academies. Why should we share a Heroic Spirit Abundant Domain with a mere first-rate academy like them?”

A strong, stubborn sense of honor made Xue Han—and indeed, everyone in Myriad Pottery Academy—vehemently oppose Starfall Academy’s demands.

Starfall Academy, however, continued to press Myriad Pottery Academy relentlessly.

“Look down on our Starfall Academy? Fine, then none of us will have it easy!”

“This is the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground. Do you think we’re still in the outside world? The Martial God guarantees protection—no one may carry grudges from the Hunting Ground into reality. Your Myriad Pottery Academy may be impressive in reality, but do you dare go out and slap the Martial God Master in the face,

then arrogantly declare: ‘What do you think you are, Martial God? I’m going to kill Starfall Academy’s people no matter what!’”

Moreover, the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground could be considered a microcosm of competition among the younger generation. No influential force with any reputation would dare to break the rules or interfere in the battles—unless they were willing to lose all face.

Xue Han returned to her tent and glanced at her communicator once more.

There was still no message from Yuan Tianjiao. Most likely, he had stood her up.

Her expression grew increasingly agitated, and cracks began to form in the communicator gripped tightly in her hand.

“Sigh~”

Extreme fury gave way to deep helplessness.

“It seems we won’t be getting Yuan Tianjiao’s rescue after all.”

Late at night.

Boom!

A brilliant pillar of light shot up into the sky amidst the darkness!

The violent explosion jolted people awake from their slumber.

“Enemy attack!”

“Everyone, stay alert! Starfall Academy is launching an assault!”

Xue Han, who had not removed her battle attire before sleeping, flew out of her tent the moment she heard the explosion.

Outside the tent, dozens of figures stood suspended in the air.

“Does Starfall Academy only know how to resort to underhanded sneak attacks?”

“Hahaha, sneak attacks? Has Young Miss Xue perhaps studied herself into foolishness? The Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground has always been a place of deception and treachery. Our Starfall Academy is openly and honorably launching a sneak attack—how can that be called underhanded?”

“You!”

Furious, Xue Han’s cloak billowed without any wind, and a brilliant Battle Intent surged into the sky.

“If you want a fight, then let’s fight!”

“No, no, no. I believe war is not a wise choice for either of us.”

The man leading the Starfall Academy group shook his head with a smile. “If we engage in a large-scale battle here, both sides will be weakened afterward, and other forces will inevitably intervene. In the end, no one will benefit~”

“Hmph, isn’t this what you chose yourselves? Breaking into our camp in the dead of night—doesn’t that mean you want to fight?”

Xue Han’s gaze was sharp, her Aura fierce as she stared at the Starfall Academy representative.

“Hahaha, no, no, no. This precisely shows that we, Starfall Academy, have come with sincerity, doesn’t it?”

“If we hadn’t done this, Young Miss Xue would likely have kept delaying. Come on, everyone’s time is limited~”

“There’s nothing to discuss! Myriad Pottery Academy would rather stand and live or kneel and die—we will never stoop to the level of you scheming vermin!”

Xue Han’s tone left no room for doubt, as if Starfall Academy were something utterly filthy.

Such words…

“Young Miss Xue, you’ve gone too far—”

The man’s eyes darkened, a storm brewing within them.

“Since your Myriad Pottery Academy outpost remains obstinate, then…”

He made a gesture.

“Attack!”

Boom!

The battle erupted instantly. Flames rose from the tents, and countless dazzling effects filled the entire battlefield, making it look intensely fierce.

…

Jiang Yan was wandering through the night sky when he suddenly saw flames shooting up in the distance.

At the same time, a soaring Battle Intent appeared at the edge of his vision.

“What powerful Battle Intent!”

Jiang Yan exclaimed, his earlier intention to find a place to rest completely vanishing.

“I’ve reached the center of the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground. It seems what that fellow said earlier was true—this really is a ‘dangerous’ place.”

To encounter a battle as soon as he arrived—Jiang Yan couldn’t be happier.

His speed suddenly increased, transforming into an Illusory Image as he raced toward the battlefield.

“Myriad Ashes Trace Annihilation!”

A blizzard rose across the sky, covering the night in a blanket of pure white snow. A biting chill surged upward, and with a single phrase, the very heavens seemed to change. Such a technique could only come from the current representative of Myriad Pottery Academy in the Hundred Prisons Hunting Ground—

Xue Han.

True Intent Realm, and having opened eleven Apertures, only slightly inferior to some of the most top-tier prodigies in the academy.

“Heh heh heh, this move again, but…”

“Incinerating Ash Flame: Raging Smear!”

The earth’s magma churned, flames surged skyward, and the surrounding frost was instantly suppressed by the scorching heat that could incinerate the world.

The battlefield fell into a situation of ice and fire coexisting.