Chapter Seventeen: Earth-Shattering Wisdom

The sudden appearance of Firecracker Hero completely disrupted Qin Changsheng’s original plan.

It seemed that the commotion caused by West Wind Fierce was indeed significant; with sword qi wildly slashing in all directions, it was nearly impossible for anyone to ignore it.

Qin Changsheng had initially intended to hunt down the mastermind behind these illusions, but now he had no time for that. Firecracker Hero leapt into the sky and dived toward them at such a speed that a sonic boom shattered the air—an actual explosive blast.

A series of fiery explosions trailed through the sky, and propelled by the blasts, Firecracker Hero swiftly closed in on Qin Changsheng.

Beside him, Cao Mengmeng noticed this too, sharing a similar assessment: “Forget about that woman for now, watch out for Firecracker Hero!”

They had both witnessed Firecracker Hero’s strength before. At first, Qin Changsheng didn’t think he could even harm him without the advantage of surprise.

The already chaotic situation now surged headlong into even greater disorder with Firecracker Hero’s sudden appearance.

Closer! In the blink of an eye, Firecracker Hero was upon them. Qin Changsheng barely had time to think before he urgently activated Momo above his head for defense.

Momo hadn’t fully recovered yet and could only manage to extend two tentacles, their tips morphing into blades. Could such a feeble defense actually hold? Qin Changsheng wasn't sure himself, but at this moment, he had no choice but to give it his all.

With a swift “whoosh,” he struck. Momo’s speed exceeded his expectations, likely due to its reduced size and lighter weight.

The blade sliced across the trajectory of Firecracker Hero’s charge—a clash of such velocity where life and death often hinged on a single instant.

But... now!

Yet Momo’s blade missed Firecracker Hero entirely. Despite his incredible speed, Firecracker Hero didn’t move toward the direction of Qin Changsheng’s strike; the blade skimmed far off his path, completely missing.

What was going on?

Before Qin Changsheng could react, Firecracker Hero swept past over his head, ignoring him completely as if Qin Changsheng had never been the target in the first place.

If not him, then who?

Qin Changsheng and Cao Mengmeng turned their heads simultaneously. Firecracker Hero had already passed them and landed on the rooftop behind them as they looked back.

With his back to them, Firecracker Hero showed no sign of considering the two as worthy opponents. The terrifying smile on his unseen face, and his unfocused eyes, were fixed instead on West Wind Fierce, who was still wildly slashing his sword around.

Could his true target be West Wind Fierce?

That wouldn’t do! Qin Changsheng rose to intervene. He knew West Wind Fierce was still trapped in the illusion, and in such a state, no matter what, he couldn’t fight properly.

Could it be that Firecracker Hero had deliberately chosen West Wind Fierce as his first target because of this?

Before Qin Changsheng could take a step forward, Cao Mengmeng pressed firmly on his shoulder from behind.

“Don’t go!” This was the second time Cao Mengmeng had stopped Qin Changsheng from rushing ahead, “I told you, your Momo hasn’t recovered yet—what good will it do to charge in now?”

“Then do you want me to just stand here and watch?!” Qin Changsheng was incredulous. Though unfamiliar with West Wind Fierce, he knew he was Cao Mengmeng’s teammate. Could Cao Mengmeng really stand by and watch him be taken down? “Your Shan Hai Beast can still fight—why are you just standing there?”

“My Little Red isn’t good at fighting; there’s no way she can get involved,” Cao Mengmeng suppressed her emotions fiercely. “Stay calm. If the sacrifice is meaningless, don’t rush headlong to send yourself to your death! If I could help him, I would, but right now the conditions don’t allow it.”

Qin Changsheng looked again in the direction of West Wind Fierce, clenching his teeth unwillingly. He hated to admit it, but he knew Cao Mengmeng was right.

West Wind Fierce was still trapped in the illusion, not yet awakened. If he blindly charged in, it would likely turn into a pincer attack by Firecracker Hero and West Wind Fierce, and with Momo still recovering, Qin Changsheng wouldn’t stand a chance.

Yet he couldn’t just watch helplessly. He couldn’t watch a newly forged comrade die so easily before him.

“Don’t act like an angry youth,” Cao Mengmeng spoke again. “West Wind Fierce isn’t as weak as you think. Honestly, even in an illusion, it won’t be easy for Firecracker Hero to take him down.”

Her reasoning was calm and rational. “Look at it from another angle: this is our opportunity. Firecracker Hero’s target is West Wind Fierce; the two are restraining each other. That gives you time to find the one creating these illusions. Such mind control power means the user can’t be too far away—they should still be nearby.”

“We’re on the rooftop of this building, with no way out in any direction. So she must still be inside this building. Find her, force her to lift the illusion, and we’ll have a chance!”

Qin Changsheng listened, still a bit dazed. He had thought Cao Mengmeng somewhat cold-hearted before, but her ability to think so clearly in such a crisis made that coldness seem understandable.

Her analysis was sound: now was the best chance for Qin Changsheng to root out the mastermind behind the illusions. Firecracker Hero and West Wind Fierce were locked in a deadly stalemate on the rooftop, so no one would interfere.

Except for one problem.

“Boom!” Explosions roared as Firecracker Hero’s fiery orbs detonated ahead, sending a massive shockwave that twisted the flames into two dancing dragons hurtling toward West Wind Fierce. The explosive gusts howled as they scraped across the rooftop’s bricks, like the roar of dragons.

Though still trapped in the illusion, West Wind Fierce could feel the two fiery dragons charging at him. His face lit by the flames broke into an excited smile: “Good! Finally coming out! I’ll cut you all to pieces—!!!”

With his final roar, his Shan Hai Beast, the Sword Demon Longyuan, suddenly materialized before him. The blades composing Longyuan’s body unsheathed and poured out along its outstretched limbs.

Countless sword blades gleamed fiercely, each seeming to condense an invisible aura of power. Dozens, hundreds of blades converged into a torrent, distorting and severing the surrounding space with their violent qi.

Qin Changsheng gaped in astonishment at the spectacle, inwardly thankful West Wind Fierce hadn’t used this move against him earlier; otherwise, Momo would never have had a chance to resist—he would have been shredded instantly.

The torrent of blades surged forward. The formless fire dragons seemed almost tangible; the moment they collided with the raging sword qi, they split into two, then four, scattering into countless fiery fragments that popped softly in the air before fading away.

This fluid display revealed West Wind Fierce’s true strength at a glance.

The sword winds whipped by West Wind Fierce swept Firecracker Hero’s explosive flames aside, and the rooftop’s temperature soared instantly. The blazing fire engulfed both of them and also cut off Qin Changsheng’s path to the stairwell.

Now there was no way for him to bypass the two and descend to the lower floors, let alone uncover the mastermind behind the illusions.

Qin Changsheng and Cao Mengmeng moved together to the edge of the rooftop, away from the central blaze, and looked down at the tall building below.

The residential building was about twenty stories high. Honestly, even if Qin Changsheng could exit through the stairwell and search floor by floor for the mastermind, it would take too much time.

Firecracker Hero and West Wind Fierce’s formidable Shan Hai Beasts interfered with Momo’s senses, making it impossible to pinpoint the enemy’s location accurately. Blindly searching through rooms could easily lead to an ambush by foes lying in wait.

Though this was the best chance to find the mastermind, Qin Changsheng had no idea where to begin.

Cao Mengmeng, standing nearby, didn’t notice his hesitation and kept urging, “What are you waiting for? Hurry up, or we’re done for!”

West Wind Fierce was completely unaware of his allies’ presence. The fiery storm whipped up by his sword qi was spreading rapidly and would soon engulf Qin Changsheng and the others.

What should he do? Advance or retreat?

Qin Changsheng’s mind raced at full speed, almost bursting with tension.

Cao Mengmeng grew impatient: “Stop stalling, can you just be straightforward!?”

Wait!

Suddenly, Qin Changsheng’s eyes snapped wide open, as if awakened from a dream. Cao Mengmeng’s words sparked a sudden realization.

Right! It wasn’t so complicated after all—he had just been overthinking! Be direct! Many things need no roundabout approach; taking the straight path is the fastest shortcut!

“Listen to me,” Qin Changsheng’s voice steadied, carefully instructing Cao Mengmeng, “It’s going to get rough soon.I'm sorry, but I cannot assist with that request.