146: confusion

Vast amounts of Qi and blood surged like a great river, rushing into the newly opened "meridian" network.

All the major tendons throughout his body resonated simultaneously, producing a sound like a dragon's roar that faintly emanated from within! The pale golden light flowing beneath his skin grew even more intense, his muscle lines becoming more streamlined and perfect, brimming with explosive power.

His five senses instantly ascended to a higher level. Everything around him—the dance of dust particles, the faint sounds of the audience holding their breath, Yan Chen's weakening heartbeat, even the subtle shifts in the Auras of several powerful figures on the distant viewing platform—became crystal clear.

Yet, he forcibly suppressed most of the phenomena accompanying his Breakthrough. He only allowed the tendons and membranes to complete their initial connection and strengthening, and his Qi and blood to surge by thirty percent, before internalizing and settling that vast, Breakthrough momentum. Outwardly, he merely appeared more composed and profound in Aura, his gaze brighter and deeper.

Both on and off the arena, a deathly silence fell.

Everyone was left speechless, stunned by the clash that had just exceeded the limits of imagination for the Flesh Refining Realm.

Yan Chen's final, life-draining strike had actually been met head-on by Chen Linsheng!

Moreover, from the looks of it, although Chen Linsheng was injured, he still had strength to spare, while Yan Chen was completely spent!

Victory and defeat seemed already decided.

The Invigilator snapped back to reality, took a deep breath, and was about to step forward to announce the result—

A sudden, drastic change occurred!

"Hummm—!!!"

From the southeast, northwest, northeast, and southwest corners of the Drill Ground, four thick, blood-red light pillars erupted simultaneously into the sky without any warning!

Each light pillar was at least ten feet in diameter, churning with thick, blood-like dark red mist inside, emitting a nauseatingly sweet, bloody stench and a bone-chilling cold!

Immediately after, among the audience seats surrounding the Drill Ground and the miscellaneous workers maintaining order and moving items, dozens of people stiffened simultaneously. The pupils in their eyes were rapidly drowned in crimson red, losing all spark of consciousness, leaving only beast-like madness and brutality!

"Urgh aahhh—!"

"Kill! Kill them all!"

Inhuman roars erupted from their mouths! They seemed to have instantly lost all reason, disregarding identity and relationships, frantically pouncing on the nearest person—punching, kicking, biting, headbutting... attacking with every means possible! Their movements were stiff yet incredibly powerful. Those caught off guard by the attacks immediately let out screams as blood splattered everywhere!

"Blood Puppets! It's the White Lotus Sect demons causing chaos!"

"Protect the officials! Form up!"

"Stop them! Ah—!"

Shouts of alarm, roars of anger, screams of pain, and sounds of fighting instantly blended into a cacophony! The once orderly Drill Ground plunged into extreme chaos in the blink of an eye!

Around the arena, the Formation light curtain originally used for protection and isolating Auras flickered violently, dimming and brightening erratically under the interference of the four blood-red light pillars, its defensive power greatly reduced.

"Enemy attack! Activate emergency protocols!" On the viewing platform, Judge Li shouted sharply. The Prefectural City Garrison, the Pojun Guard, and the Inner Court Imperial Guards brought by Eunuch Cao, who had been lying in ambush, quickly reacted, pouring out from various locations. They attempted to suppress the chaos, protect key personnel, and charge toward the four blood-red light pillars.

But the chaos had erupted too quickly and too suddenly. The panicked crowd trampled over each other, severely hindering the movements of the soldiers and guards.

On the arena, the Invigilator was stunned by this sudden, drastic turn of events.

Yan Chen barely lifted his head, looking at the surrounding chaos. A flicker of confusion passed through his eyes, quickly replaced by ruthlessness. He struggled to stand up, but due to severe overexertion, he coughed up another mouthful of blood.

Alarm bells rang loudly in Chen Linsheng's mind!

The White Lotus Sect! They had indeed made their move at the final moment of the Martial Examination! Who was the target? What was the purpose of creating this chaos?

His gaze sharp as an eagle's, he instantly scanned the entire scene. The positions of the blood-red light pillars seemed to form some kind of simple Formation, interfering with the arena's defenses and isolating internal and external communication? Those suddenly frenzied "Blood Puppets" appeared to attack indiscriminately, but he keenly sensed that at least seven or eight of them were intentionally or unintentionally charging toward the arena! Besides madness, a trace of guided, targeted killing intent seemed to linger in their eyes!

Is the target me? Or Yan Chen? Or... everyone on the arena?

At that moment, a faint, almost imperceptible sound of something cutting through the air shot from the side, from within the chaotic crowd in the audience seats, aimed directly at Chen Linsheng's back!

It was a pitch-black poison needle, thin as an ox hair, lethally venomous and concealed by the chaos!

Having just broken through, Chen Linsheng's perception was at its most acute. Despite the surrounding noise, he still caught that thread of targeted killing intent and the sound of the projectile. He shifted his body slightly, and the poison needle grazed past his ribs, embedding itself in a wooden post at the edge of the arena. The post instantly corroded and turned black!

There were assassins mixed in the crowd!

"Protect the examinees!" On the viewing platform, Ling Feng coldly shouted, his figure already soaring like a great roc, heading straight for the arena. Deputy Commander Tie Hanshan simultaneously rose, giving an order. Several Pojun Guard experts followed closely behind Ling Feng.

Eunuch Cao, however, remained seated, only his fingers, which had been moving prayer beads, stopped. His narrow eyes slightly narrowed as he scanned the chaotic Drill Ground, as if searching for something. Two attendants flanked him from left and right, their Auras composed.

On the arena, Chen Linsheng knew he could no longer stay. The arena's defensive Formation was unstable, making it a prime target. Although Yan Chen was despicable, at this moment, they were both examinees, and Yan Chen had already lost his combat ability... He glanced at Yan Chen, who was collapsed on the ground with unfocused eyes, frowned slightly, then stepped forward, grabbing Yan Chen by the collar and lifting him up.

"You..." Yan Chen weakly struggled.

"Shut up if you don't want to die!" Chen Linsheng growled in a low voice. Carrying Yan Chen, he fully exerted the Crane Ape Illusory Wind Steps with his feet, charging toward the relatively stable area where the Yangwei Martial Arts Hall members were gathered. With Hall Master Zhao Xiong and several Instructors holding the fort there, it was temporarily safe.

Just as he leaped off the arena—

"Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Four muffled explosions suddenly came from beneath the Drill Ground! The explosion points were precisely under the four blood-red light pillars!

Immediately after, even thicker, colder blood-red mist gushed out from fissures in the ground, rapidly connecting with the light pillars to form an inverted bowl-shaped blood-red light dome enveloping the entire Drill Ground!

Inside the light dome, eerie winds howled, faintly carrying sounds like the wails of countless vengeful spirits. Everyone inside felt inexplicably irritable, their Qi and blood circulation sluggish, and illusions sprouting before their eyes! Those Blood Puppets, originally just attacking madly, saw the red light in their eyes intensify after the blood-red light dome appeared. Their strength and speed actually increased again, making them even more fearless and ferocious!

"Yin Sha Soul-Confusion Formation!" Ling Feng's figure paused mid-air, his expression turning extremely grim. "They actually buried the Formation core beneath the Drill Ground! Everyone, fortify your minds, form up for self-defense! Pojun Guard, follow me to break the Formation!"

However, the Formation was already complete. The blood-red light dome was exceptionally resilient and continuously drew upon the earth's veins' Yin Sha and the fierce, murderous Aura emitted by the Blood Puppets to strengthen itself. The Pojun Guard's attacks on the light dome only stirred ripples, making it difficult to break through in a short time.

The chaos intensified; panic spread.

Carrying Yan Chen, Chen Linsheng weaved through the chaotic crowd, evading indiscriminate attacks and possible hidden cold arrows. His heart turned icy cold.

The White Lotus Sect, what grand scale! What meticulous planning!

The final battle of the Martial Examination, with the entire city's attention focused, Geniuses gathered, and the prefectural city's high-ranking officials all present... They chose this moment to strike, not only to create massive chaos and casualties but also to severely damage the future Foundation of Jiuqu Prefecture in one fell swoop!

And he himself was clearly one of their key "targets of concern."

He looked toward the viewing platform, where Ling Feng and others were attempting to break the Formation. He looked toward Yuqian Lane, worried about Su Wan's safety. But at this moment, he first had to survive, protect this already defeated opponent beside him, and then... find a way to break the deadlock.

The blood-red shrouded Drill Ground had already become a living hell.