Tryston’s hand shot forward with impressive speed, slapping the back of his flying companion to arrest the montum before the youth could crash into him.
Sothing audibly cracked from the impact—possibly ribs or internal damage—but finally the residual force dissipated. The aggressive youth managed to stabilize his footing, though he swayed unsteadily.
He stared at Vogue with absolute disbelief written across his face, his expression carrying genuine shock mixed with dawning fear.
When had this dual-talent student beco so monstrously strong? the youth’s thoughts were practically visible in his stunned expression. He was supposedly from a poverty-stricken background in the outer districts, barely scraping by before his trial. How could soone like that develop this level of combat power?
The entire bus had fallen into complete, heavy silence. Every single passenger was staring at Vogue with newfound wariness and calculation.
They had just witnessed a 5th level Stellar Knight—soone with genuine combat experience and cultivation advancent—being effortlessly overwheld in a single exchange. Vogue hadn’t even stood up from his seat to accomplish this.
Tryston Bane’s cold blue eyes narrowed dangerously as he assessed what had just occurred. His gaze moved from his injured companion to Vogue, then down to his own palm where he’d absorbed the residual impact force.
Then he raised his head and stared directly at Vogue with sharp, calculating intensity. A glint of sothing dangerous—perhaps killing intent, perhaps genuine interest—appeared in his expression.
This dual-talent is far more capable than intelligence suggested, Tryston’s thoughts were clearly working through rapid calculations. He’s soone who requires serious preparation to handle. Attacking him impulsively would be foolish.
Vogue could see the barely contained killing intent in Tryston’s eyes—the young man wasn’t even trying particularly hard to hide his hostile intentions. But apparently, despite clearly wanting to attack, Tryston was exercising self-control and restraint.
He’s not ordinary, Vogue amirked in thought. To hold back even when provoked at such a critical mont of potential dominance establishnt... this guy has genuine discipline and strategic thinking. He’s dangerous specifically because he won’t act rashly.
Vogue imdiately felt his own killing intent surge in response to recognizing a genuine threat. His instincts were screaming that he couldn’t allow soone this dangerous and hostile to remain alive—better to eliminate potential enemies before they could fully prepare and counterattack.
However, after a mont of cold calculation, Vogue suppressed his murderous impulses. Starting an all-out death battle inside this sealed bus before even reaching the examination would be strategically foolish, regardless of whether he could win.
The entrance exam and getting into War-Star University is more important right now, Vogue reminded himself firmly. I can’t jeopardize that opportunity just to deal with one hostile student, no matter how dangerous he might beco later.
Besides, this Tryston wouldn’t die easily anyway. If I attacked him here, it would turn into a prolonged battle that would attract intervention from whatever authorities are monitoring this transport.
So Vogue deliberately forced his killing intent to recede, though he made a ntal note to remain extrely vigilant regarding Tryston Bane going forward.
His gaze swept across the rest of the bus passengers, eting multiple sets of eyes with calm but unmistakable warning in his expression.
Every single person present was extraordinary in their own way—these weren’t average students but genuine survivors and combatants. Among the lone passengers not affiliated with any obvious group, several of them even made Vogue feel genuine threat through their concealed auras.
This was precisely why he had acted so decisively and overwhelmingly when provoked. Growing up in the slums, Vogue had learned young that there were both advantages and disadvantages to hiding one’s true capabilities.
Sotis, concealing strength prevented unnecessary trouble. But other tis—like now, when surrounded by predators searching for vulnerable prey—hiding weakness could invite exactly the kind of dangerous attention one hoped to avoid.
Being ambiguous about capabilities made people want to test boundaries. But demonstrating overwhelming force imdiately and decisively sent a clear ssage: attacking will cost you more than you’re willing to pay.
Hence, Vogue had revealed his fangs through that violent display, using bloody demonstration to intimidate everyone present into reconsidering any plans to target him.
The ssage was simple and clear: Don’t provoke .
Vogue deliberately retracted his gaze from scanning the other passengers and settled back into his seat with casual indifference. He raised his right hand and made a subtle gesture, causing a faint blue electromagnetic field to ripple outward from his body in a sphere approximately two ters in radius.
This was a basic defensive technique—not particularly powerful, but sufficient to detect any attacks or hostile movents entering his imdiate personal space. It would wake him instantly if anyone attempted sothing while he appeared to be resting.
After establishing this basic protection, Vogue closed his eyes again and returned to silent ditation, deliberately presenting an image of soone completely unconcerned with his surroundings despite having just engaged in violent confrontation.
The ssage was clear: I’ve warned you. What happens next is your choice.
Vogue had indeed achieved his primary goal. Everyone in the bus was now extrely wary of him and treating him with cautious respect. While they barely acknowledged his right to be present among such elite candidates, they were also genuinely vigilant about provoking him further.
The hostile atmosphere hadn’t disappeared—if anything, it had intensified—but now it was tempered with healthy respect and fear. That was precisely the balance Vogue had been aiming for.
The uncomfortable reality was that students of prestigious cultivation academies, especially those from backgrounds of genuine combat and survival, barely trusted each other under the best circumstances. Competition for resources, rankings, and advancent opportunities created natural antagonism.
If any of these people encountered each other outside academy grounds in unsupervised circumstances, many of them would absolutely attempt to kill each other—absorbing blood essence, stealing treasures and techniques, taking everything of value from the defeated.
This was simply how the cultivation world operated at its most fundantal level. Kindness and cooperation were strategic choices, not natural defaults.
But at least now they know that attacking won’t be easy or profitable, Vogue thought with grim satisfaction. They’ll look for easier prey first. And by the ti we reach the examination grounds, maybe so of them will have eliminated each other and reduced the overall threat level.
With that cold comfort, Vogue settled into genuine ditation, letting his consciousness turn inward to monitor his slowly regenerating cultivation foundation while remaining peripherally aware of his physical surroundings through his defensive field.
Ti passed in this uncomfortable but stable equilibrium. Hours slid by as the convoy of armored buses traveled through the city’s outer districts, gradually approaching the massive walls that separated the third outer ring from the wilderness beyond.
None of the passengers spoke much. The tension remained thick enough to cut with a knife, but no further confrontations erupted.
Finally, as afternoon sunlight filtered through the treated windows, the bus convoy reached the outer wall checkpoint.
The vehicles slowed to a crawl as they approached the massive reinforced gates—towering structures easily a hundred ters tall, designed to withstand attacks from enormous spirit beasts and protect the city from wilderness threats.
Ard guards in military-grade armor patrolled the walls, and powerful defensive formations were clearly active, creating visible ripples in the air around the gateway.
The convoy was waved through after brief inspection, the gates grinding open with a trendous chanical rumble.
And then, for the first ti in his life, Vogue found himself outside the protective walls of civilization—entering the true wilderness that covered most of the world beyond human settlents.
The landscape imdiately changed dramatically. The paved roads gave way to rough terrain. Buildings and infrastructure vanished entirely, replaced by dense forests, rocky outcroppings, and wild vegetation that grew without any human cultivation or control.
The energy in the air was noticeably denser. Vogue could actually feel it pressing against his skin, carrying hints of danger and unknown threats.
This is what most of the world looks like now, Vogue realized with a mixture of awe and trepidation. Vast wilderness filled with sun fiends, unclaid territory, natural treasures and deadly dangers. This is where real cultivators hunt and gather resources.
And we have to cross this to reach the Inner City.
The armored buses increased speed once they cleared the gate checkpoint, their enhanced engines roaring to life as they accelerated across rough wilderness terrain. Whatever route they were following had apparently been cleared previously, allowing the massive vehicles to travel at impressive speeds despite the lack of proper roads.
’Crack!’
The sickening sound of his spine and ribs shattering rang out. Igris was violently blasted forward, crashing into the dirt like a ragdoll.
The Lizard hissed in triumph, raising its hamr to finish the job.
But as Igris lay in the dirt, a crimson aura flared around his body.
[ Asura Physique: Soulful Regeneration Activated! ]
[ 1 Soul consud. ]
Before the monster could even swing, the shattered pieces of Igris’s spine violently snapped back into place. His broken ribs reconnected like a jigsaw puzzle, and his torn flesh knit together instantly.
Igris slowly stood up, rolling his perfectly healed shoulders. His eyes glowed with a demonic crimson light.
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