Yu Siqing was acutely aware that while he had gained the upper hand over Jiang Wang in their prior chase and escape, even forcing him into a corner, this didn’t signify a vast superiority in strategic cunning. Within the Dingwei territory, where the Sea Clan held a decisive advantage, Jiang Wang’s options were severely limited, offering little room for maneuver. His range of choices was far inferior. In such a dominant situation, Yu Siqing didn’t need intricate schemes. Simply maintaining a posture of “stability” was enough to gradually corner his opponent.

In truth, for a cultivator of the Divine Abilities Inner Mansion to survive this long under the pursuit of a vast army was already enough to earn his respect. This individual’s talent might not equal that of Jiao Ming, but he was undoubtedly a Heaven’s Favorite in his own right. That Water Eagle Rong feared him like a tiger, and the White Elephant King made such a grand display of force, now seemed entirely justified.

In terms of sheer strength, Yu Siqing was confident in his absolute superiority. However, with the suppression of this realm’s laws and the fact that his Spatial Crack Divine Ability was now clearly guarded against, the outcome had become uncertain.

The reality was that if discovered by a Human Clan cultivator in this domain, he would undoubtedly perish. Whether he crossed the Boundary River and was discovered, or Jiang Wang left and returned with reinforcements, the result would be the same. Thus, he had no choice. He had to remain by the Boundary River and he had to keep Jiang Wang there as well.

Furthermore, his only chance of survival lay in the subsequent arrival of the main army, building a crystal bridge and coming to his aid – receiving him back. His initial decision to follow Jiang Wang’s footsteps without hesitation was precisely because the main army was right behind him, ready to provide support at any moment. He had believed that even in a strong Human Clan area, he could rely on his strength and speed to swiftly eliminate Jiang Wang and then leisurely return. He hadn’t anticipated such misfortune, stepping directly into an area completely controlled by the Human Clan.

A battle was inevitable, but there were two potential approaches. One was to unleash his full strength, engage in a life-or-death struggle, and eliminate Jiang Wang on the spot, then await the crystal bridge for extraction. The second was to rely on his speed advantage, contain Jiang Wang here, wait for the subsequent reinforcements to arrive, and then together eliminate him.

Yu Siqing chose the latter. This was, without doubt, the optimal choice under the circumstances.

However, Yu Siqing soon discovered something unexpected: Jiang Wang seemed to have absolutely no intention of leaving the Boundary River to summon aid. Wielding a long sword, his feet adorned with green clouds, he attacked relentlessly, step by step, as if utterly resolute in eliminating Yu Siqing right then and there! To Yu Siqing, this was undoubtedly a profound act of contempt and insult.

He suppressed his rising anger. Insult or contempt, it mattered not. Only life and death held true significance. Since Jiang Wang was willing to engage in this entanglement, he would gladly accompany him.

Yet, as the struggle continued, Yu Siqing soon made another startling discovery. He had underestimated one crucial factor. While his speed surpassed Jiang Wang’s, and this was even more pronounced in his Sea Lord True Form, allowing him to advance and retreat at will and slay according to his desires, Jiang Wang was able to consistently pursue him, applying immense pressure, forcing him into a fight for survival, granting him no quarter! Though Yu Siqing was faster, the escape technique exhibited by his opponent, marked by the green cloud, was not easily shaken off. He had to exert significant effort just to maintain a constant distance.

What deeply unsettled him was this: how could a cultivator of the Divine Abilities Inner Mansion possess such vigorous Dao Yuan? It seemed inexhaustible, endless!

After blocking another of Jiang Wang’s sword strikes, Yu Siqing was forced to abandon his Sea Lord True Form to conserve its immense energy cost. The rhythm of the battle seemed to be tilting towards an uncontrollable direction.

As for Jiang Wang, how could he not know that Yu Siqing’s followers, the Sea Clan’s relief force on the other side of the Boundary River, would soon arrive? Why did he not choose the more secure path, first leaving the Boundary River to seek the assistance of Human Clan cultivators in this domain? It was precisely his fear that the Sea Clan’s relief force would arrive and allow Yu Siqing to escape back to the Dingwei territory.

When he realized a fight was possible, his objective had already shifted. His goal now was not survival, but to eliminate Yu Siqing! Chu Mi was forced to build a bridge with his life, and before his death, besides his plea to “cross the river,” his final words were a curse upon Yu Siqing, wishing him a terrible end. Since he lived because of Chu Mi, he should fulfill Chu Mi’s last wish and truly ensure Yu Siqing… did not meet a good end!

Thus, he pressed on, step by step, attacking relentlessly. He knew, of course, that Yu Siqing’s speed was greater than his, allowing him to cope with his entanglement with ease. But he also possessed an advantage that Yu Siqing could not match. His speed was based on the immortal technique, Flat Step Green Cloud. The consumption of Flat Step Green Cloud lay primarily in the Fortune Green Cloud within the technique. And this resource was abundant within the Cloud Top Immortal Palace!

How long could Yu Siqing maintain his Sea Lord True Form? How long could his peak speed be sustained? Therefore, Jiang Wang pressed forward desperately, solely to intensify Yu Siqing’s consumption, using the continuously generated Fortune Green Cloud from the Green Cloud Pavilion to counter Yu Siqing’s physical exhaustion. This would allow him to gain a greater advantage in battle.

One could say both sides had their calculations, and neither could be accused of making a wrong move. However, at this moment, Yu Siqing was indeed in a difficult situation, unable to dismount from the tiger. He had not chosen to fight to the death at the outset but had opted for a war of attrition. As time passed, his consumption intensified, making a fight to the death less likely to succeed than it would have been initially. Thus, he could only grit his teeth and continue the entanglement and consumption.

But he had no idea when the relief force would arrive. In his agonizing wait, he even began to suspect that the relief force might not come at all! Could Water Eagle Rong, that fellow, be holding a personal grudge and deliberately delaying? Or perhaps, citing the need to preserve the main army’s strength, would he absolutely refuse to advance until the details of the connected area were thoroughly investigated? What terrified him was the distinct possibility that these things were indeed happening.

What Yu Siqing did not know was that the same predicament of being unable to dismount the tiger also afflicted Jiang Wang. Compared to Yu Siqing, Jiang Wang was even more uncertain about when the Sea Clan’s relief force would arrive. He was expending all his energy in a fierce struggle against Yu Siqing, aiming to eliminate him before the Sea Clan’s reinforcements could arrive. However, Yu Siqing was an incredibly difficult opponent to entangle. Despite suffering suppression, a broken leg, and immense consumption, he stubbornly maintained his defensive line, denying Jiang Wang any opportunity for a swift victory.

And once the relief force arrived ahead of schedule, his decision to engage in a fierce battle by the Boundary River would undoubtedly appear foolish. But at this moment, he could not afford to let go! He was using his utmost speed to force the fight against Yu Siqing, who was also intensely consuming himself in his escape. As soon as he retreated, he would face Yu Siqing’s most desperate counterattack. He, whose speed was originally inferior to his opponent, would immediately fall into a disadvantageous position. Therefore, he too could only continue!

At this critical juncture, both combatants were actually gritting their teeth and enduring, yet they wielded ruthless hands against each other, not showing the slightest hint of weakness. This was a battle of strength, strategic wisdom, luck, and, even more so, willpower. Before the true division of life and death, no one could declare victory.

One saw the continuous emergence and dissipation of the green cloud markings, while Yu Siqing’s form seemed to overlap even more heavily. In the variegated hues of the Boundary River, black tides, fiery waves, claw winds, and sword qi crisscrossed. The killing seemed to have no end.

“You shall perish today!”

Jiang Wang finally found an opening. From the void, he summoned two Prisoner Body Chains, blocking Yu Siqing’s retreat. One foot crushed the green cloud, while the sword before him, radiating youthful arrogance, sealed his possibility of evading left or right. Simultaneously, he spat out a mouthful of the Three Flavors True Fire! This was indeed Yu Siqing’s moment of weakness. Under the consumption of his peak speed, he ultimately could not outlast Jiang Wang, who relied on techniques that conserved his energy. Failing to connect a single breath, he directly fell into the realm of death.

But instead, he displayed a triumphant smile: “Is that so?”

Falling backward, he actually allowed the Prisoner Body Chains to bind him, choosing the least lethal attack among all of Jiang Wang’s onslaughts. And at the same moment, across the variegated hues of the Boundary River, a crystal bridge spanned the distance.

Reinforcements had arrived!