Just as the brilliant and majestic platinum dragon shadow was about to reach the shrinking rift.
A sudden change occurred!
A sliver of eerie light seeped out from the closing rift.
It shuddered violently as if alive. The churning mist inside abruptly solidified and materialized, transforming into a massive ghost hand covered in strange runes—withered, yet incomparably solid.
It didn’t dodge or evade, ramming head-on into the Jade Dragon’s claws!
BOOM!
A muffled roar, born from the violent distortion of space and the brutal clash of different fundamental powers, echoed throughout the arena.
Visible ripples of blackness and shattered platinum light exploded from the point of impact, causing the protective light barrier above the arena to undulate violently, flickering in and out of existence.
The aftershock of the blow made countless spectators below feel a tightness in their chests, as if they’d been struck by an invisible hammer.
Everyone thought this sudden collision was a direct confrontation between the True Dragon Master and the old crone.
However, the crone’s ruthlessness and cunning far exceeded anyone’s expectations.
Under the cover of the terrifying energy turbulence and spatial instability generated by the clash with the Jade Dragon, her stooped figure, which seemed to be giving its all to counter the dragon’s shadow, executed an incredible feint in an instant no one noticed!
The ghost hand fighting the Jade Dragon was just one part of her attack.
Her true body—or rather, some other, even stranger, mysterious hand—used the cover of the energy turbulence to lash out once more from another fold in space!
This time, her target was crystal clear. It was no longer the dueling arena, nor was it Gu Ming and his success with the Evolution Method. Instead...
It shot straight for Lu You, who had been seen in the audience just moments before, standing frozen by the sudden turn of events, tightly clutching her Mouse Treasure and Star Spirit!
The massive hand, wreathed in an ominous aura and carrying a pressure that could freeze the souls of Low Tier Beastmasters, seemed to tear through the barriers of space and time, appearing just three feet above Lu You’s head.
Its five fingers, like hooks, suddenly snatched downward!
This was the very fatal scene the Star Spirit had foreseen—a scene that had been temporarily obscured by the recent turn of events, but had now arrived, unavoidable.
...
「Just ten seconds earlier.」
In the arena, unable to interfere in a duel between High-star Pet Beasts, Gu Ming used the brief interval—when the Jade Dragon appeared, the crone recoiled, and the rift was about to close—to quickly read the system messages only he could see.
"The ’Guiding Granny’ of the Thousand Coffin Sect—a harbinger of death who walks the Ghost Gate—has suddenly appeared at the league tournament."
"You are witnessing a catastrophe of epic proportions."
"An expert from the Demon Purification Court has summoned a dragon to fight, but the Guiding Granny’s true intention is not the battle. Her target is the ’Star Container’—the Star Spirit."
"As the battle reaches its climax, she will suddenly extend her unstoppable ’Mysterious Catcher’ and snatch at your classmate with severe social anxiety and her Star Spirit..."
’Huh?’
’How did things turn out like this?’
Gu Ming’s heart pounded.
The timeline observed by the system originated from 32 years in the future.
’It’s understandable that there would be variables. After all, most of the people present don’t match the original timeline.’
’But why would the Guiding Granny choose this exact time and place to risk exposing herself just to seize Lu You’s Star Spirit?’
Star Spirits were certainly rare.
But in the "Sea of-stars" where they were nurtured, new Star Spirits were born every day.
’Why would she take such a huge risk at a high-profile league tournament?’
This unexpected discovery made Gu Ming instantly tense up.
He had no time to ponder the logic or authenticity of the system’s prophecy.
A strong, undeniable intuition seized him.
"Cyan Treasure!"
He shouted the moment he finished reading.
The telepathic command was sent in a flash.
"Use ’Rootless Wood’! Take me to Lu You!"
Cyan Treasure, coiled around his neck, didn’t hesitate or question for even a second.
Their long-standing rapport allowed it to instantly grasp its master’s urgent intent.
It didn’t understand why its master was so certain Lu You was in danger.
But its master’s will was its one and only command.
The next moment, the space beside Gu Ming rippled like the surface of water.
A dark-colored branch sprouted from thin air. It had no source, yet it instantly spread and grew, gently but firmly wrapping around Gu Ming—
SWOOSH!
Like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, Gu Ming’s figure vanished on the spot, pulled by the miraculous "Rootless Wood" into a faint, brief, almost imperceptible void rift.
...
Time returned to the present, to the instant the fatal claw snatched toward Lu You.
The unreserved malice and pressure of a ritual-empowered Seven-star Beastmaster crashed down like a physical iceberg, enveloping the small area where Lu You stood.
The air turned as thick as glue. Ordinary spectators couldn’t even move, their breathing nearly stopped, and their minds froze.
Lu You felt like an insect frozen in amber, boundless terror gripping her heart.
The Mouse Treasure in her arms trembled uncontrollably, the Star Spirit’s light dimmed, and even the Tri-color Pupa in the jar beside her seemed to sense the impending doom, its shifting colors coming to a halt.
It desperately wanted to break out of its cocoon to help its master, but the enemy’s power was so overwhelming that it couldn’t muster even a shred of strength.
The cold touch of death seemed to crawl up her spine.
Yet, in the midst of this extreme terror...
For some reason, Gu Ming’s image suddenly flashed into Lu You’s mind.
Not him right now, but him on the dueling stage on any other day—his calm eyes holding a strange courage as he faced powerful enemies, unafraid of risk.
’Is that the scorching Spiritual Power known as "courage"?’
And her awakened Divine Sense Sword Body had the willpower of "courage" as its core.
’I... I can’t just let this happen...’
A faint but tenacious warm current surged from the depths of her trembling soul, and the Sword Body representing her Spiritual Power began to hum.
At this moment, the power of courage created a miracle.
Within the Domain of almost-solidified pressure, her stiff fingers twitched slightly!
Then her arm, and her body—she had miraculously, under the aura-lock of a Seven-star expert—no, it would be more accurate to say, in the face of Eight-star Level Power—struggled to create a sliver of room to move!
But this tiny struggle was painfully slow, pathetically futile, before the giant hand.
She could see the dark patterns on its fingertips and feel the destructive suction force within it.
She wanted to run, but her body felt like it was filled with lead. Her mind was screaming, yet time seemed to stretch on and flash by all at once.
’It’s too late...’
The thought surfaced with absolute clarity.
In her despair, her first reaction wasn’t to save herself. Instead, she used what little strength she had just regained to try and shove her Mouse Treasure, the Star Spirit above her head, and the Pupa Jar beside her... pushing them away from the giant claw.
She didn’t know why her attacker had come.
Even if she knew it was for the Star Spirit, she would never abandon her partners.
At this moment, she even mistakenly believed the enemy was after her.
A sense of resolve, a feeling of ’Let my babies go, come for me,’ gave her the urge to throw herself in front of them as a shield.
In the final instant before she threw them...
Perhaps it was instinct, or perhaps it was reluctance to part.
Her gaze subconsciously, rapidly swept toward where Gu Ming had been in the dueling arena—
’Where is he?’
The spot was empty.
She didn’t know why she looked there in what she thought was her final moment.
’Maybe without Gu Ming, I wouldn’t be who I am today.’ A thought like that probably flashed through her mind.
But just then!
"I’ve got you!"
A deep, urgent shout exploded in her ear like a clap of thunder!
At the same time, a strong, warm hand shot out from the Space Ripples behind her without warning, firmly grabbing the arm she was using to throw her Pet Beasts, and yanked her backward!
Lu You’s heart seized up for a moment, then was swept away by a massive, unbelievable wave of shock.
It was Gu Ming!
He was here!
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