Chapter 60 – Now This Is What an Opportunity Looks Like

“Wait, there’s a situation.”

The first to notice something was wrong wasn’t Su Ming, but Xu Qianqian.

Xu Qianqian seemed to have exceptionally good eyesight. She immediately detected something amiss, abruptly stopped her running figure, and grabbed Su Ming who couldn’t stop in time, pulling him into the shadows.

“What’s wrong?”

Only then did Su Ming react and ask aloud. Immediately after, his heart stirred as he raised his head to look at the sky.

“Whoosh!”

Under the night sky, a faint sound of something cutting through the air echoed as a figure enveloped in mist sped past.

Wherever the mist-wrapped figure passed, faint ripples of water would appear in the air, creating a rather pleasing sight.

Unfortunately, for those driven solely by tangible gains, such beauty couldn’t suppress the greed and ferocity in their hearts.

“【Thirty-Third Form: Stasis Lock】.”

Invisible chains suddenly appeared around the mist-wrapped figure, coiling around it like agile pythons, seemingly intending to bind it.

“—!”

The figure in the mist reacted promptly, abruptly halting its movement before twisting away. It began gliding through the air as if swimming, creating wave after wave of water ripples to evade the incoming invisible chains.

The invisible chains continued to chase and encircle, yet frustratingly couldn’t catch up with the figure in the mist.

But the pursuing assailants clearly weren’t limited to just this one Sorcerer.

“【Forty-First Form: Bubble Mine】.”

With a burst of Spiritual Qi, bubbles began appearing in the air.

The bubbles drifted down from above, looking light and utterly harmless.

However, when the mist-wrapped figure accidentally touched one of the bubbles, it exploded like a triggered landmine.

“Boom!”

Flames erupted in mid-air, generating shockwaves that swept through the surroundings.

The figure in the mist was blasted backward, its protective mist seeming to dissipate considerably.

Seizing this opportunity, the invisible chains finally caught up with the mist-wrapped figure.

Some wrapped around its arms, others around its body, firmly restraining it in mid-air as they successfully captured it.

The figure immediately struggled, straining the invisible chains taut to the point of nearly breaking.

“Prepare the Demon-Binding Ropes!”

Yi Junchuan’s voice rang out promptly, causing the Hunters among the Underground Professionals to retrieve sets of ropes from their backpacks.

These weren’t ordinary ropes but peculiar cords woven from unknown hairs.

The ropes appeared to have been treated by an Alchemist, covered in patterns brimming with spirituality that seemed to stir the Spiritual Qi in the air.

“Demon-Binding Ropes, ready.”

An Underground Professional shouted accordingly.

“Fire!”

Yi Junchuan commanded coldly.

“Fire!”

“Fire!”

“Fire!”

One after another, the Underground Professionals raised their ropes without hesitation, triggering the hand crossbows attached to them to launch the Demon-Binding Ropes tipped with steel spears.

“Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” “Whoosh!”…

For a moment, steel spears trailing ropes shot through the air, the sounds of them slicing through the atmosphere continuously echoing.The ropes known as Demon-Binding Cords coiled around the misty figure one by one, binding it securely.

The misty figure struggled desperately, but for some reason, the intensity of its struggles was suppressed this time.

This was because what bound it was no ordinary rope, but an alchemical magic rope specifically designed to restrain Phantom Demons, capable of suppressing their ferocity and power.

“We’ve caught it!”

The Underground Professionals shouted in unison, engaging in a tug-of-war with the misty figure suspended in mid-air, pulling fiercely on the ropes in an attempt to drag it down.

“Be careful not to harm it, or it won’t be worth anything,” Yi Junchuan sneered, but still reminded them.

To extract the Bloodline from a Phantom Demon, the integrity of its Bloodline must be preserved—no injuries or loss of Bloodline could occur.

Otherwise, the extraction would inevitably fail.

This was precisely why this cub held such immense value in people’s eyes.

In the present world, there were indeed Hazardous Species capable of evolving into Nightmare Species, or even Phantom Demons that were already Nightmare Species. However, such beings were overwhelmingly powerful. Capturing one alive without damaging its Bloodline was likely impossible, even for the highest-starred Professionals.

This was why Nightmare Species Bloodlines were so scarce in the human world.

It was only through various Opportunities and coincidences—such as encountering a Nightmare Species cub or under special circumstances—that they had managed to capture a Phantom Demon with Nightmare Species Bloodline and successfully extract it.

Otherwise, obtaining a Nightmare Species Bloodline would be as difficult as ascending to heaven.

Given this, the appearance of a Phantom Demon Cub capable of evolving into a Nightmare Species was enough to drive many major factions into a frenzy.

If such a precious cub were injured, leading to Bloodline loss, it would be troublesome.

Therefore, Yi Junchuan would not easily harm this cub.

Perhaps this was also why the cub had managed to evade capture for over a month.

But this time…

“You won’t escape again.”

Yi Junchuan watched as the misty figure struggled desperately in mid-air, only to be gradually dragged down by the Underground Professionals pulling on the magic ropes. The ambition in his eyes could no longer be suppressed.

He clearly remembered the promise made to him: if he completed this mission, he would be assisted in breaking through his current limits and advancing to Four-Star.

At that time, Yi Junchuan would become an Upper-Rank Professional, his status in Sin would rise significantly, and he might even form a top-tier team of Upper-Rank Professionals.

With that, his influence and authority in the entire underground world would be countless times greater than now.

For this goal, Yi Junchuan suppressed his greed for the Nightmare Species Bloodline and obediently carried out the mission assigned to him.

Compared to a Bloodline that had not yet evolved into a Nightmare Species—requiring a troublesome extraction ritual, the need to find a skilled Alchemist to brew the Phantom Demon Potion, and the uncertainty of the potion’s success rate—Yi Junchuan preferred the easily attainable benefits before him.

“Just obediently become the stepping stone for my ascent.”

Yi Junchuan’s heart burned with fervor.However, as the mysterious Phantom Demon Cub was about to fall into the hands of the Underground Mercenary Group, Xu Qianqian, who had been hiding in the shadows, could no longer remain still.

“Swish!”

A sound abruptly shot out from the darkness, streaking past with astonishing speed.

“What…!?”

Yi Junchuan’s face stiffened, his expression shifting wildly.

All he saw was a blur before his eyes as a shadowy figure darted in front of him. A cold gleam erupted from the figure, swift as lightning, and stabbed straight out.

The target was Yi Junchuan’s throat.

Danger had descended so abruptly.

At the critical moment, Yi Junchuan violently yanked one of his subordinates beside him.

“Thud!”

The dagger, flashing like cold lightning, instantly pierced the man’s throat, causing blood to spurt out.

“Urgh…”

The man didn’t even have time to react, his eyes wide with disbelief as he stared at Yi Junchuan. He tried to speak but found it utterly impossible.

“Bang!”

Yi Junchuan didn’t even spare a glance at the subordinate he had used as a human shield. Instead, he kicked the man in the back, sending him stumbling toward the attacker.

“Hmph!”

Xu Qianqian snorted coldly, yanked out the dagger, and swiftly retreated, covering nearly ten meters in an instant. The unfortunate man collapsed to the ground, staining the earth beneath him crimson.

“What?”

“An enemy attack?”

“There’s an attacker!”

The surrounding Underground Professionals only then realized what was happening, their faces a mix of shock and fury.

“Who is it!?”

The two Sorcerers, the only ones of their kind in the group, could no longer stay idle and shouted at Xu Qianqian.

But Xu Qianqian paid them no mind. With a flicker of movement, she glided out like a ghost, silent and swift, charging straight at Yi Junchuan.

“Seeking death!”

Yi Junchuan was enraged. Instead of retreating, he advanced, raising the full-length blade in his hands high and sweeping it out with the force of a thousand jun.

This sweep was overwhelmingly powerful.

Yi Junchuan unleashed the full strength of a Three-Star Hunter, the blade in his hand cutting through the air with a terrifying sonic boom as it slashed toward Xu Qianqian.

The sheer force and momentum made Xu Qianqian’s gaze sharpen, a strong sense of danger rising within her.

A Three-Star Hunter was already at the Peak among lower-tier Professionals.

Even though Xu Qianqian was a Genius, possessing Professional-level strength before graduation and capable of outmatching even a One-Star Professional, she was still just a student. To face a Three-Star Hunter head-on, she would have to fight with everything she had.

Fortunately, the alchemical potion in her system was still in effect, making her figure appear indistinct and her movements utterly silent, like a phantom. Combined with her exceptional speed, she wasn’t entirely without the ability to contend with Yi Junchuan.

So, Xu Qianqian darted into the shadows and vanished, causing Yi Junchuan’s heavy slash to lose its target and crash violently into a shipping container, shredding the metal sheets to pieces.

Only then did Xu Qianqian emerge from another patch of shadow, continuing her assault on Yi Junchuan.

Clearly, this Young Miss intended to capture the ringleader first.

“Boss!”

“Boss!”

The surrounding Underground Professionals were startled and instinctively moved to assist.”Stay back!” Yi Junchuan stopped them, speaking coldly, “Just a petty thief—they’re no match for me. Keep capturing that thing; that’s our primary target!”

With that, Yi Junchuan hefted his blade and advanced toward Xu Qianqian.

The surrounding Underground Professionals, witnessing this scene and heeding Yi Junchuan’s command, halted their movements, deciding not to intervene.

As Yi Junchuan had said, seizing the cub was indeed the most crucial task.

Immediately, the group of Underground Professionals resumed pulling the demonic rope, restraining the Phantom Demon Cub in midair. Only the two Sorcerers exchanged a glance, their eyes fixed on Xu Qianqian.

Unbeknownst to them, there was more than one person watching from the shadows.

Su Ming observed the restrained Yi Junchuan and the Underground Professionals, a faint smile curling at the corners of his lips.

“Now this is what I call an opportunity.”

(End of Chapter)