Chapter 95: High-Rank Energy User

Upon hearing Lu Yan’s remark, the silver-suited youth let out a chuckle and replied nonchalantly:

“Your deal with Scott only involved the transport route of the Paradise convoy and the advanced compiler knowledge. He never promised he wouldn’t have someone take action against you.

Besides, this was never a fair trade from the start—it was coercion. I don’t see how any rules were broken.”

Lu Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, a scrutinizing glint flashing across his gaze.

Two days ago, when he had struck a deal with Scott, Lu Yan had never truly trusted him. After all, they stood on opposing sides, and both were naturally guarded.

Scott likely knew that He Dongsheng didn’t actually possess advanced compiler knowledge, yet he still provided information about He Dongsheng’s transport.

And Lu Yan, for his part, hadn’t arranged for Shack to cooperate in the staged performance until after the knowledge was in hand. Their “partnership” was nothing more than a surface alliance driven by necessity.

Lu Yan had considered the possibility that if everything went smoothly, he could plant a seed inside the Enforcer Bureau—a piece on the board for future plays. Deeper collaboration wasn’t out of the question.

But in the end, Scott couldn’t resist. He brought in a High-Rank Energy User, hoping to eliminate Lu Yan and redeem himself for the loss of his cerebrain.

Scott had likely kept the loss of his cerebrain quiet. But for the silver-suited youth to know this much about their deal, he clearly shared a deep connection with Scott.

With strength at the High-Rank Energy User level and Scott’s trust, the truth was obvious.

This was Scott’s father, the regional manager.

His youthful appearance didn’t matter—someone at this level of energy transformation had long shed their human form. Maintaining a young look was trivial.

After grasping the full picture, Lu Yan asked flatly:

“You’re here to clean up your son’s mess?”

The silver-suited man sighed, a hint of weariness flashing across his handsome face.

“As a father, I couldn’t just sit back and let my son walk into disaster.”

“How about this—we each take a step back. Hand over the cerebrain soul you took, and I’ll pretend I never saw you. You’ll be free to return to the catacombs.”

“You don’t have a cerebrain terminal. Without that, the soul core is wasted potential.”

Lu Yan’s lips curled into a cold sneer.

“I also suggest we each take a step back: you turn around and walk away, and I guarantee I won’t kill you—or your son.”

The smile on the silver-suited youth’s face faded. He looked down at Lu Yan, eyes cold as ice.

“I’ll admit you’re unusual. That flame of yours… it disrupted a three-dimensional projection. I’d wager it came from a top lab’s latest spiritual-energy tech.”

“But do you really think that alone is enough to let you challenge a High-Rank Energy User?”

As his words fell, a surge of spiritual energy roared to life like a tsunami. The pressure warped reality, sweeping across the earth like a violent storm.

Lu Yan remained still. As he stepped forward, the powerful mana within his body burst forth.

Though his twelfth-layer Qi Refining mana was far less in raw volume than a High-Rank Energy User’s spiritual energy, a cultivator’s true strength lay in control.

He formed a Five Thunder Seal. Mana poured into it, rapidly forming a spell:

Mid-Grade First Rank Spell – Thunder Summoning!

Dark clouds gathered above. Thunder crackled. Bolts of lightning rained down under Lu Yan’s command, each one slamming into the ground.

This spell, though common and found in the Compendium of First Rank Spells, was known for its offensive power—and with Lu Yan’s abnormally vast mana reserves, its might far exceeded expectations.

The wild storm of lightning tore through the wave of spiritual energy, shredding it instantly.

The silver-suited man’s pupils contracted sharply. The arrogance in his heart vanished. Blue spiritual light flickered across his body as the coded patterns embedded in his flesh began to race.

With a single step, he vanished.

A shockwave burst outward in a ring, and his body shot toward Lu Yan like a falling star.

Lu Yan didn’t flinch. He activated a divine ability—the Xuanhuang Meritorious Fire exploded from his body, golden flames engulfing him like a blazing sun as he met the attack head-on.

The silver-suited man’s energy-infused punch slammed down—but Lu Yan, empowered by Lightweight Art, dodged in a flash of fire.

The blow crashed into the ground, splitting it open in all directions. The sheer force carved a pit several meters deep.

Lu Yan formed a seal, and the ground erupted in a forest of stone spikes. Yet these granite-hard spears shattered instantly against the man’s skin—they couldn’t even pierce his silver “suit.”

If ordinary energy users in the Cyber version had weaknesses due to flawed body mods, then High-Rank Energy Users, enhanced by the pinnacle of cybertech, were nearly perfect in physical form.

Strength and defense—both were now on full display.

Brushing dust from his chest, the silver-suited man grinned savagely.

“Not enough.”

Then, he exploded forward again, spiritual energy bursting like a comet.

Lu Yan’s pupils narrowed. He flicked his finger, summoning the Xuanhuang Meritorious Fire into a swirling vortex to block the charge.

But the silver-suited man punched straight through, shattering the flame vortex!

Fiery shards scattered. The intense heat scorched the earth, turning it to blackened ash. The man’s body burned—his silver suit riddled with holes, his skin charred and cracked.

But with a wave of his hand, the burned flesh tore away, revealing fresh, twitching muscle beneath. The spiritual code glimmered as his tissue regenerated at visible speed.

“A fine flame. But useless against me!”

Lu Yan’s expression grew grim.

The Xuanhuang Meritorious Fire was a divine ability—exceptionally effective against evil beings and soul-cursing arts, but less so against ordinary supernaturals. It simply couldn’t reveal its full power here.

He glanced toward a corner of the ruins—at He Dongsheng, who was still hiding—and shouted:

“Leave this to me. He Brother, run!”

He Dongsheng hesitated for half a second, then turned and bolted.

He was just a regular energy user—he couldn’t even withstand the shockwaves of such a battle, let alone help. Staying would only be a burden.

“Running?” the silver-suited man sneered, spiritual energy surging once more as he launched toward He Dongsheng like a beam of light.

“Your opponent is me.”

Lu Yan poured mana into his legs, stepping between them and unleashing another blast of Xuanhuang Meritorious Fire—a miniature sun devouring everything within tens of meters.

Moments later, the divine fire faded.

The silver-suited man stepped from the blaze again, tearing off another layer of burnt flesh. He smirked.

“Pointless struggle. I’m curious… just how many times can you use that fire?”

Lu Yan ignored him. He turned and looked toward the path He Dongsheng had taken.

Once he confirmed He Dongsheng was out of sight, Lu Yan finally let out a quiet sigh.

Then, his eyes grew cold.

“The unnecessary distraction is gone. Now…”

“…we can begin for real.”

“Begin for real?” The silver-suited man looked confused.

That’s when he noticed—a black banner had appeared in Lu Yan’s hand.

It was long and tattered, covered in simple yet haunting strokes that formed a tapestry of hundreds of ghosts writhing in hell.

Even just glancing at it stirred an inexplicable dread.

“You think that—” the man began, but stopped abruptly.

The moment the banner fluttered, an indescribable cold aura spread from Lu Yan.

Billowing ghost fog rose from the earth, swallowing the sky and blotting out the sun.

The battlefield was consumed by a sea of darkness.

(End of Chapter)