Alibuda Era Festival 24

page views:1 Publication date:2023-03-24

On this earth, all sorts of strange and wondrous things happen, a diverse array of bizarre and fantastical occurrences. Just because you haven't seen or heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist—this is a profound lesson I learned from my time as a tracker.
Every tracker knows one thing: there are definitely undiscovered life forms on this land. Leaving aside evil organizations like Ishtar and the Black Dragon Society, who use technology to constantly create those half-alive, half-dead monsters, even in the Southern Barbarians, new species of magical beasts are discovered and registered every year.
The world is truly vast and full of wonders. Sometimes, seeing those uniquely gifted creatures makes one marvel at how humanity has surpassed other races to rule this land—it's an incredible miracle.
In my journey as a tracker, traveling across the globe, I've encountered countless strange creatures and even hunted endangered species. However, there's one creature I've only vaguely glimpsed in ancient texts, discussing its possibility of existence, but never hearing any rumors, much less witnessing it firsthand… Until now, I've truly encountered the legendary gaseous life form.
An ancient text I once read mentioned that gods and demons are beings on a higher level than humans, possessing only spirit and no physical form, existing in a different dimension, looking down upon all living beings. If this is true, and purely spiritual life forms do exist, then the existence of gaseous life forms is even more logical, perhaps even a level lower than gods and demons.
Gaseous life forms, without fixed form, assimilate with heaven and earth, omnipresent, all-pervasive, shapeless, and infinitely variable. Before I had actually encountered them, I had never imagined the possibilities of this life form; it was an existence completely beyond human comprehension.
The Wal Forest is home to so many elves, all controlled by the High Priest. The number isn't hundreds or thousands, but tens or hundreds of thousands. Leaving aside the immense magical power required to control hundreds of thousands of elves at once, the very medium through which these elves are controlled is the greatest technical challenge.
To put it simply, even if you were to control puppets with strings, wouldn't the strings become tangled together if hundreds of thousands of puppets were to move simultaneously? How the High Priest managed to control the minds of hundreds of thousands of spirits at once, making them move with perfect precision, is something I find utterly baffling. I never imagined it would be such a mystery.
If the High Priest's true form is some unknown monster, a gaseous life form, then the existence of gas can manifest in many forms—clouds, fog, and smoke are all variations. No wonder the foggy weather in the Huaer Forest has been increasing in recent years; it's as if this monster is freely extending its body, going wherever the fog spreads.
If these mists are absorbed into a person's body by an elf, it's equivalent to the monster invading the body. Initially, there might be no harm, but as time passes, a part of the monster's body slowly assimilates with the flesh and blood of the invaded person. It can then use this to control others, seize their minds, and dominate their bodies.
The entire process takes a considerable amount of time, but it's very difficult to detect. Once it's combined with the flesh and blood of the invaded person, it's almost impossible to expel. King Grins was no ordinary figure; the supreme ruler of the elf kingdom, his cultivation was beyond question, and he had various forms of protection covering his entire body. Yet, he was still ambushed and controlled by the High Priest. Let alone the countless elves within the territory of Solancia.
[Hmm, but this method of intrusion and absorption must have limitations. Otherwise, how could Lunfiel maintain his sanity and not be controlled by the old monster? It can't be that the old monster is bored and deliberately keeps someone to oppose him and hinder him, right?] If it weren't for Hua Gengsha, I don't know how long it would have taken to discover this secret. She obviously saw through it before me. With a wave of her hand, the white mist in the sky was stripped of its disguise and turned into black mist, revealing the monster's true form.
Faced with such an evil situation, I did have the feeling of exorcising a demon and capturing a monster. However, this monster was too powerful and beyond our ability to subdue. Just the spirits it controlled were a problem for me to deal with.
Lun Fei'er and Ye Linglan's expressions changed. No matter how strong their individual martial arts were, they couldn't withstand the overwhelming human wave tactics of hundreds of thousands of elves swarming forward. Even with unparalleled martial arts skills, they would be exhausted to death, let alone these innocent elves who were being manipulated. I refused to believe they would dare to slaughter without restraint.
"What should we do? If we continue to stay here and waste time, we're doomed!" I said. "Even if you don't want to fight your own people, they're about to attack. Even if it's just to give your last words, say something!"
As I spoke, I left Ye Linglan and stood beside Hua Gengsha. She looked at me with confusion and asked, "Why are you here with me when you're perfectly fine?"
"Of all the people here, you're the most likely to disappear without a word. Even if the others had that thought, they couldn't do it. I need to survive, so of course I have to keep a close eye on you. Even if you suddenly fly into the sky, I'll drag you up with me."
Hearing this, Hua Gengsha herself didn't react much, just glared at me. On the contrary, the delinquent middle-aged man who was ten steps away, as soon as he heard that there was a safe zone here, immediately rushed over in a few steps and stood on the other side of Hua Gengsha. His cunning eyes were looking at the old woman, and everyone knew what he was planning.
At this moment, the spirits from all directions gradually approached. Leaving aside everything else, the sheer number of tens of thousands of spirits, united in purpose, exuding an intense killing intent and oppressive aura, was enough to make it hard to breathe. Looking around, besides the hazy black mist, all I could see were pairs of blood-red, malevolent eyes, radiating murderous intent.
It's strange, really; how can the eyes of living beings emit such red light? If I ever have the chance, I really should dissect a few spirits to study them, so I can learn the technique of emitting red light in my eyes, and maybe even use it to scare people. The
situation was critical, and finally, Lunfiel had an idea: "I think these black energies are all evil things. If we can defend ourselves with light magic and protect ourselves with holy energy, it is very likely that they will not be able to get close and we can escape smoothly."
This idea was indeed good, but looking around, it seemed that we did not have any powerful light magicians here. Hua Gengsha spread her hands, indicating that it was easy for her to dismember and skin people, chop bones and remove flesh, but she was a dark magician and did not know any light magic. She should not be given such a bad job.
Hua Gengsha was right. This kind of work couldn't be relied on. As for Leng Linglan and Lun Feier, although both came from the Cihang Jingdian, this princess and prince primarily practiced martial arts, with only a slight dabbling in magic. They could fool people occasionally, but in a serious situation like this, where real skills were tested, they were utterly useless.
If the four great monks Mao Yan'an had invited were present, they might have been able to try setting up a sacred barrier and breaking out. However, the four great monks had just been invited to escort important figures from the palace away, and their current whereabouts were unknown, let alone their sudden appearance.
"No matter what, we can't just sit here and wait to die." Leng Linglan waved her hand, blocking Ba Hai's path, and said, "If it really doesn't work, we'll have no choice but to fight our way out, even if it results in casualties ."
Before Leng Linglan finished speaking, a long sword was placed horizontally in front of her. A solemn and painful look appeared in Lun Fei'er's single eye. He said, "I will not let you harm my compatriots unless absolutely necessary."
"Naive. When did you become such a soft-hearted person? Do you think these compatriots will let you go if you don't take action?"
Leng Linglan gripped the hilt of her sword, her aura surging, and she pressed towards Lun Fei'er with the force of a god blocking the way. Her martial arts skills were originally on par with Lun Fei'er's, but after her breakthrough, Lun Fei'er was no match for her. If they were to fight, Lun Fei'er wouldn't last a hundred moves, and considering his lingering old injuries, he would most likely be killed by Leng Linglan within ten moves.
"Uh... everyone, please don't panic! Don't forget the formidable enemy is before us!"
These are the words I should have said, but they were stolen by that unruly middle-aged man. Mao Yan'an tried to ease the tension, but it wasn't so easy to back down now. Unless something more substantial came up, the conflict between Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er would still erupt.
"I have some magical artifacts and relics here, a gift from my old friend Xin Chan. I originally intended to keep them for myself, but given the current critical situation, I'm offering them up to see if they can help us escape the Huaer Forest."
Upon hearing this, Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er immediately turned around, abandoning their confrontation. With the blessing of the sacred artifacts and relics, they could indeed protect us for a while and allow us to leave safely. Master Xin Chan must have been worried about what dangers we might encounter, which is why he sent the artifacts and relics to protect us. I never expected that Mao Yan'an would keep them for himself. What's worse, he still looks righteous and doesn't feel that his actions are wrong at all, as if he is doing us a favor.
I don't know how many people, like me, secretly vowed to settle scores with this scoundrel after we escaped danger, but at least for this moment, everyone seemed very excited, watching Mao Yan'an take out those prayer beads, kasaya, wooden fish, and even a combination meditation staff. All these things together... hehe, good fellow, I didn't realize this scoundrel's carrying capacity was so excellent. In the future, if he doesn't become a pervert or an artist, he can also be a laborer or a pack animal; he definitely won't starve.
These ritual implements, having accumulated the sacred energy of high monks over the years, have become sacred objects for warding off evil. As long as they are infused with divine power and their sacred energy is activated, they can indeed repel all evil and keep demons away. Under normal circumstances, without a highly accomplished master or priest present to chant incantations, simply raising sacred objects casually might frighten some wandering ghosts, but it wouldn't have much meaning. Master Xin Chan considered this, which is why he added other valuable items besides these ritual implements.
"Uh... these are... relics?"
People's stereotypical view of relics seems to be that of round beads, radiating iridescent light like pearls. This view isn't entirely wrong; those are indeed the most valuable relic essences, containing the source of a master's lifelong cultivation and sacred power.
However, the broader interpretation of the term "relic" goes far beyond that. Basically, after a high-ranking monk passes away, the uncorrupted fragments of his body can all be considered relics. The relics closest to the dantian (lower abdomen) are undoubtedly priceless treasures, but the remaining bone fragments are also sacred objects for warding off evil.
If robes and prayer beads can become sacred objects because they have absorbed the sacred energy emanating from high-ranking monks over the years, then the bones of high-ranking monks themselves have undergone countless recitations of scriptures and mantras, absorbing even more sacred energy. When used as ritual implements, they are far more powerful sources of light than other sacred objects.
As Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er received the bone relics, they activated them using the Cihang Jingdian's mental cultivation method, infusing them with their own true energy. The relics immediately shone brightly, triggering the surrounding magical artifacts to activate as well. In an instant, a holy, bright white light shone from our side, dispelling the darkness and illuminating the area within a hundred feet as if it were daytime.
Wherever the white light reached, it was as if boundless celestial fire had descended, purifying and destroying evil. All the dark energy was dispelled and evaporated completely. The spirits controlled by the evil black energy were also afraid of this white light and dared not approach it again. But strangely, although we were inside the white light, we did not feel any glare or discomfort. This was indeed a phenomenon of the operation of the righteous law.
"Hey everyone, don't just stand there! There are limitations to using relics. If we don't leave before the Buddha's light disappears, we'll all have to be cremated. Then we'll see if anyone can still burn relics to save us."
I urged everyone to move, afraid that precious time would be wasted. If the relics run out of energy, they'll just be a pile of calcium powder. They won't be able to illuminating or exorcising evil spirits, and they probably won't even have any effect if poured directly into the mouths of those spirits. So we have to race against time and leave the Wal Forest while the holy light can still continue.
However, thinking about it carefully, I seem to have done something similar back on Fengling Island in the East Sea… Sigh, the more it's like this, the more I miss Famit's Sea God Palace. If I still had the Sea God Palace as my backing, why would I need these relics as life-saving artifacts today?
"I have a question," Leng Linglan frowned and said in a low voice, "Is it safe once we leave the Huaer Forest? If that guy is a gaseous life form, then even if we leave the Huaer Forest, he can still control the spirits to chase us!"
"Well said. Why don't you ask him that yourself?" I shook my head. "If gaseous life forms are truly without limits and without any scruples, then the entire Solancia would have been completely under his control long ago, not just limited to the Val Forest... I believe that as long as we leave the Val Forest, that old monster's control will be affected. Anyway, there's no other way now, so let's just make do."
This wasn't some profound insight, just an obvious fact that Leng Linglan herself was well aware of. So she nodded, said no more, and shared the relic with Lun Fei'er. Everyone else moved slowly around the two of them.
Protected by the holy light, we broke through the blockade and moved towards the outer perimeter of the Val Forest, surrounded by tens of thousands of elves. Although it's called breaking through the blockade, in reality, it's more like being surrounded by the enemy. Especially when you look around, there are layers upon layers of elves on all sides, completely encircling us. If the Holy Light suddenly fails... we'll definitely be torn to shreds by tens of thousands of crazed elves.
If I had to name one person I was most worried about among this large group, it would undoubtedly be Leng Linglan. The others were none of my concern; even if they all died, it wouldn't concern me. But Leng Linglan… I knew perfectly well that she was highly skilled in martial arts and capable of protecting herself, yet my gaze involuntarily lingered on her. I wasn't sure if it was concern for her or simply being captivated by her beauty… My eyes were fixed on her round, pert buttocks, unwilling to look away.
All masters are sensitive to the gaze of others, and Leng Linglan was no exception. As soon as I looked at her from behind, she immediately noticed, turned around, and met my gaze.
In the past, if a man had looked at her like that, the consequences would have been dire. But when Leng Linglan noticed me looking at her, she smiled sweetly, winked at me, and turned to walk away… I don’t know if it was my imagination, but as she walked, her round, pert buttocks swayed under her white military pants, as if engaging in some kind of silent seduction. [The saying is true: no matter what kind of woman she is, she can radiate a captivating charm after being nourished by love. Leng Linglan… uh, can our perverted relationship be called love?] Thinking of this, I couldn’t help but smile bitterly. Such an expression might not seem like much to others, but it couldn’t be hidden from someone who had been watching us the whole time. Mao Yan'an suddenly appeared beside me, his expression very strange, but his eyes were serious: "Hey! Why is Princess Leng looking at you like that? Between the two of you... could something have happened?"
"What happened? What could happen between her and me?"
I casually tried to brush it off. After all, getting involved with my own sister wasn't exactly something to be proud of, and there was no need to shout it from the rooftops. In the end, this matter would definitely not be able to be hidden from Mao Yan'an, but there was no need to honestly admit it now. Let him investigate and verify it himself if he has the ability.
"Hmm...you two don't look okay at all. The way she looked at you..."
"The same way she looked at you? That perverted tomboy, she's got psychological problems. She hates men, and like Yu Ni, she's a lesbian. How could she...hmm, she and you should have a lot to talk about..."
Mao Yan'an, who was frowning, raised his eyebrows upon hearing this: "Why? Does she have more taste and prefer charming, successful middle-aged men?"
"Nonsense! It's because she's a lesbian, just like you, and they both studied abroad at the Golden Flower Federation. She's the most perverted overseas-educated gay man ever!"
"Hey, that's discriminatory. The gay world is wonderful, you can't discriminate against us like that... uh, I mean, them." Mao Yan'an's explanation didn't sound very convincing. The nearby spirits, upon hearing these words, fell silent and quickly distanced themselves from him, as if he were something extremely dangerous, more terrifying than the black mist outside.
"B-Everyone...it's a misunderstanding, it's a misunderstanding! I have nothing to do with those people..."
His frantic attempts to explain were largely ineffective. I was rather amused by Mao Yan'an's use of the term "those people." Just moments ago, he had been saying something wonderful, but now he had reversed his words and used "those people." This reminded me of a famous quote from a philosopher: "I hate two kinds of people the most in my life: those who discriminate against others and black people!"
However, I had been through thick and thin with this middle-aged scoundrel, and I couldn't bear to see him suffer such an injustice. I stepped forward, waved my hand, and said, "Listen to me, everyone. What you just heard was indeed a slip of the tongue, a misunderstanding. I swear on my life that this man with the two small mustaches is absolutely not involved in that kind of thing." As the saying goes, true friendship is revealed in times of trouble. Hearing me step forward in a moment of crisis and explain in front of everyone, the middle-aged scoundrel looked at me with teary eyes and a grateful expression. I nodded and proudly stated my reasons.
"...Because this filthy, perverted thing was famous in the East Sea for being a double-dealer. He would sleep with women and men too. How could someone like that be just a simple homosexual? He's practically on par with your High Priest!" Upon
hearing this, the elves paled and took several steps back. But the wicked middle-aged man, who had been slandered, let out a scream, leaped up, and pounced on me. Before I could even dodge, he grabbed my neck and tackled me to the ground.
"Nonsense, I'll strangle you!"
"...Tell me slowly...cough..."
It was a rare experience. In the past, nine times out of ten, I was the one strangling Mao Yan'an. Today, he strangled me instead, which was quite unexpected. The surrounding elves, seeing the two of us fighting each other, acted as if they hadn't seen anything and continued walking. Only Leng Linglan rushed to my aid anxiously.
However, before Leng Linglan arrived, I suddenly felt a violent tremor behind me. A faint golden light flickered slowly behind me, causing Mao Yan'an and me to stop fighting and deal with the important matter first.
"What's glowing?"
Mao Yan'an asked, puzzled, but I knew exactly what it was. After all, I couldn't possibly forget something I'd kept behind my back. I reached behind me and laboriously lifted the heavy object, moving it to the front.
"I was just about to ask you, Uncle. Don't tell me you don't know what this is!"
The treasure Narcissus had sent—that heavy, long object—had been entrusted to be delivered to Solancia by Mao Yan'an, so of course he'd seen it. Because it was so heavy, it was difficult to carry, so I had no choice but to tie it to my back, cover it with my clothes, and carry it around like that.
At that moment, under our gaze, the strip-shaped object began to shimmer. Looking through the tiny cracks in its outer crystal, we could see a bright and pure holy light, as if it had been touched by something, and it kept flashing.
"This... is that the one I had Wei Lai send you?" Mao Yan'an frowned. "It looks strange, but it seems like some kind of sacred magical artifact!"
"Yes, that's right, that's what I thought too, but the outside of this thing is sealed by this crystal. If the seal isn't broken, its power will be difficult to unleash. Do you have any ideas about this?"
"How would I know? When this thing was delivered to me, the outer shell wasn't cracked at all. I had no idea that the inside was like this!"
"Yes, you didn't know what was inside, and you just sent it to me like trash..."
"I'm too busy, aren't I? I'm surrounded by horny, resentful women and innocent girls, all clamoring for me to do it. I'm too busy embracing them to have time to figure out what this is. If you were there, you wouldn't be any better off. You'd still be completely out of it."
Mao Yan'an said with a hint of guilt. I nodded and said, "That's true. You perverted double-pronged guy, you were so busy inserting and being inserted back then, your mind was completely blank, so naturally you were..."
Perhaps the word was too stimulating, because before I could finish speaking, Mao Yan'an suddenly roared and grabbed my neck, shaking me violently.
"I'll strangle you! Don't spread false rumors!"
Being choked isn't so bad, but having your head slammed against the ground is really painful. I wanted to apologize to get away with it, but the golden light emitted by that long, thin object suddenly increased in brightness, so bright it hurt my eyes. Even Mao Yan'an stopped.
"What's going on? Why did it suddenly become so bright?" I wondered. "Could it be resonating with the surrounding holy energy?"
A high-level holy artifact like this wouldn't activate so easily; there must be something unusual. So Mao Yan'an also turned his attention to the glowing holy artifact, pondering to himself.
"Hmm...it looks strange, but it's hard to say exactly what triggered it. It might not just be a reaction to the surrounding holy energy. Maybe..."
Before Mao Yan'an could finish his sentence, a scream suddenly came from not far away. It sounded like someone had been killed. Judging from the distance, it should be at the very front of the group. If Mao Yan'an and I hadn't been arguing and bizarrely talking, we might not have escaped unscathed either.
However, regardless of where we were in the group, it was certain that we were protected by holy light. The fact that someone could suddenly be killed meant that the holy light shield had malfunctioned, or even... had been breached by the enemy!
My heart skipped a beat. Before I could speak, I heard a howling wind in mid-air, and a heavy object plummeted down. Mao Yan'an and I quickly rolled away to avoid it, letting the object crash to the ground with a loud "bang."
As the object hit the ground, my face felt hot, as if I had been touched by something. I reached up and wiped it, and was horrified to see specks of crimson—human blood. The heavy object that had fallen to the ground, though twisted and unrecognizable, was still identifiable as a human body covered in blood.
"Oh dear! How come someone dumped a body here? They didn't even warn us beforehand. The spirits of Solancia have no sense of public morality."
The sleazy middle-aged man shook his head, uttering a vague thought, but quickly changed to a greedy expression as he stepped forward to check the person who had inexplicably fallen.
"...Is it a man or a woman? Are the breasts big? Is she a virgin? Don't waste her..."
"Hmm, so it's a transvestite..."
My words startled Mao Yan'an, causing him to stumble back several feet, his face deathly pale. His sinister appearance was more terrifying than seeing the Black Dragon King arrive, probably due to the injury from the double-pronged attack earlier. However, I wasn't just saying it casually; this object that fell from a height was indeed not an ordinary person, and was even someone I knew.
Ever since he handed me that long, thin object, I haven't seen him again. I knew he must be hiding somewhere in the Huaer Forest, but with his ninjutsu concealment, finding him would be nearly impossible... But surprisingly, even the hardest person to find eventually gets caught.
I looked at the future; he had clearly been through a fierce battle. He had multiple complex fractures, his arm bone was broken into several pieces, and he looked like a broken toy, unnaturally twisted. His limbs were covered in wounds, bleeding profusely. Anyone else would have lost consciousness or even died long ago, but this kid, as expected of someone who had undergone rigorous training, hadn't fainted. His hands and feet were even twitching slightly, as if he wanted to stand up.
Mao Yan'an asked, "How did Wei Lai get injured like this?"
Leng Linglan replied, "It's not surprising. He's alone, while the elves number in the hundreds of thousands. Even a top-tier expert would be the same if caught in a crowd of hundreds of thousands... Hmm?"
I realized Leng Linglan had noticed something was wrong. Injuring Wei Lai wouldn't have been difficult; even if his martial arts were ten times better, he'd end up like this in a sea of people. But this kid is a member of the Black Dragon Ninja Army. No matter how many ordinary people there are, finding him when he's hidden is no easy task. In other words, he encountered an unexpected enemy.
"Hahahaha~~"
A sudden burst of laughter erupted, seemingly from all directions, as if hundreds or thousands of people were laughing simultaneously. The laughter was eerie, sometimes old, sometimes young, sometimes male, sometimes female, constantly shifting, making it unimaginable that such laughter could exist.
"...Hmm, hearing that laughter tells me...the pervert is here."
◆ Episode 2: Evil Soul Slays Immortal - The Four Elements Absolute
Formation. A scream came from the front of the formation, clearly indicating an attack. And just thinking about who could have injured Future like this, the answer became clear.
Even the most powerful and unpredictable ninjutsu only applies to ordinary people. If the enemy were that strange gaseous life form, even if Future was adept at hiding, he would still be found. The outcome was hardly surprising.
"Damn it, it really showed up..."
I muttered to myself, feeling regretful but not surprised. If we kept going like this, leaving the Huaer Forest was only a matter of time, and if the enemy didn't want us to leave, they should have shown up to stop us by now.
"So that's why this thing was flashing, not because it resonated with the holy energy, but because it was reacting to the gathering of evil energy!"
I said. At this moment, Leng Linglan told me that a message came from the front of the group. They were walking well when they suddenly encountered a black wall of energy. The holy light suddenly stopped, and several elves couldn't stop themselves and walked into the black energy. They immediately let out a terrible scream as the black energy corroded their flesh and bones, turning them into a pool of blood in the blink of an eye.
After the black gas eroded and killed several elves, it didn't expand further. The entire team dared not advance rashly. At Lunfer's command, the whole team retreated, adopting a defensive posture to assess the overall situation before deciding on their next move.
In the hazy darkness, the unpredictable, maniacal laughter continued to echo...
"Hahaha, little friend, you're leaving without even saying goodbye, that's really not very nice of you!"
The tone was like that of a high priest, but the unpredictable, shifting voice, sometimes old, sometimes young, was truly unsettling. I looked around, and although I could hear the laughter, I couldn't see anyone, let alone know where this monster was. Or perhaps... this monster was already right in front of us, but we just couldn't recognize it.
"Are you kidding? If I had greeted you, would I have been able to leave? Enough nonsense, show me what you've got!"
I boldly challenged, drawing surprised looks from Leng Linglan and Hua Gengsha. I spread my hands, saying helplessly, "Don't look at me like that. Even if I don't say anything, they won't let us off the hook. Just shouting a couple of times to show off and build up our strength isn't too bad, is it?"
Leng Linglan frowned and asked, "Where did your friend go? Why did he suddenly disappear?"
"What friend? I don't have any friends... Uh, this old bastard, he really ran away? He took Weilai with him but not me? Damn it! He really is a double-pronged scoundrel!"
I looked around, but I couldn't see Mao Yan'an anywhere. Even Weilai, who was just seriously injured, had disappeared along with the delinquent middle-aged man. This guy has survived in the underworld for so long. He's not the one who charges into battle; his skill at slipping away is truly exceptional. But no matter how fast he runs, he can't escape the Holy Light's coverage. He probably used some kind of illusion, hiding in the crowd, waiting for an opportunity to escape. If he didn't have this ability, he wouldn't have been able to escape the encirclement when he was surrounded by beasts in Jili.
Black fog gradually enveloped us from the outside. Outside the holy light, it was pitch black, so dark that we couldn't see our own hands in front of our faces. Everyone knew that the situation was bad. Leng Linglan winked at me, indicating that the holy power of the relic wouldn't last much longer. If we didn't come up with a solution soon, the holy light would disappear, and we would be at their mercy.
I wasn't unaware of this situation, but I couldn't think of any solution. At that moment, the strange laughter continued to echo from mid-air: "Leaving without saying goodbye is rather impolite. Considering our past acquaintance, if I don't give you a parting gift, how will you remember me in the future?"
"...A gift to take when you leave? I'm afraid it's not anything of value, is it?"
"Hahaha, I've said it before, I can offer a generous gift, but I'm afraid you won't be able to accept it."
Hearing this laughter, I suddenly realized something very ominous. This old monster could unleash a cloud of black mist in the palace that could devour everything indefinitely, even a master like King Grins couldn't escape it. If this was the so-called generous gift, and the black mist outside was overwhelming, even with the holy light shield as a barrier, given enough time, it could probably still devour us all.
Fortunately, the enemy's real gift didn't seem to be this. Or perhaps releasing a cloud of black mist to devour and explode things wasn't as easy as I imagined. My worries didn't come true, but suddenly a strange sound came from the black fog, like a whirlwind blowing sand and stones, rapidly approaching us from afar.
If it were just a whirlwind, it wouldn't be anything to fear, and we wouldn't be so scared as to wet our pants. But there was something in that whirlwind, and even from a great distance, it began to emanate an astonishing spiritual pressure.
"Little friends, don't be too afraid. At least for you, there's good news: I won't personally deal with you within the next seven days."
The voice continued from mid-air, and the black mist underwent a noticeable change, surging like a tide with each sentence.
"Years ago, I was harmed by that demon surnamed Bai, my soul and body were separated. That demon thought I was dead and sealed my body, hiding it in Solancia. I drifted in the void for many years, finally arriving in Solancia, possessing the body of this old spirit, and beginning my grand plan to restore my original body."
Hearing these words, I felt immense respect for Bin Laden. Even this great demon called him a demon; he was truly the most monstrous of demons, an incredibly wicked villain.
[Hmm, so after all this time, it turns out I ran into Bin Laden's old adversary. Now I've inexplicably taken the fall for him. I wonder if he knows that Solancia is hiding this old adversary... This must have happened many years ago, no less than ten years ago. Bin Laden's main sphere of influence is the East China Sea, and this demon claims to be His Majesty the Dragon King. Could he be the Black Dragon King? And what about my cheap master's Heart Lamp?] However, while it's true that Bin Laden was powerful enough to defeat this demon, on the other hand... I think this Dragon King also has a major flaw in his personality. Otherwise, why would he act like a villain in a third-rate opera, revealing his information to us and spouting so much nonsense?
"The restrictions in the waiting cave were placed by Famit back then, and later reinforced by that sorcerer surnamed Bai. Without more than two Creation Artifacts, it is extremely difficult to break through them. My child, do you know the excitement in my heart when you finally stepped into Solancia..."
Creation Artifacts are scattered in every corner of the earth. Let alone seizing them, even determining their location is not an easy task. The Golden Flower Federation and Ishtar mobilized national-level forces to search for them, but to no avail. Ishtar even set up a large warehouse specifically for storing suspected artifacts, which became a laughing stock when word got out. My ability to obtain so many Creation Artifacts was purely by chance. No wonder that sorcerer coveted them and tried every means to lure me here.
What the monster was saying was a crucial clue. Everyone present, knowing the situation was critical, listened intently, afraid of missing any important information. Lun Fei'er, in particular, not only listened attentively but also tried to pinpoint the enemy's exact location, though his furrowed brow suggested he hadn't gained anything.
During the time we listened, the strange spiritual pressure grew increasingly intense. The so-called spiritual pressure refers to the pressure formed when magical energy is highly concentrated; it can also be called magical pressure. The more powerful the magician, the greater the spiritual pressure they emit when casting spells. This principle can also be applied to some special artifacts and divine beasts, such as the Creation Relics, which emit spiritual pressure simply by being displayed, even when not in use.
However, the spiritual pressure we are feeling now is stronger than anything we have ever seen before. To put it more realistically, it's like a colossal mountain, towering into the clouds, hurtling towards us at an extremely fast speed, with strong winds swirling and the world changing color.
Such immense spiritual pressure seemed beyond the reach of flesh and blood; even the spiritual pressure emanating from that demon himself paled in comparison.
Closing my eyes, I couldn't discern the nature of this energy. It was like nothingness, yet also all-encompassing, containing water, fire, earth, and wind—a myriad of phenomena, ceaselessly circulating. It wasn't ordinary magic or a divine artifact, but rather a complex and colossal super-magic array.
But… what was at the center of this magic array?
I couldn't quite imagine what could possess such powerful spiritual pressure. This energy was strong enough to float the entire city of Sala into the sky, and could form a massive barrier defending several cities. What had that demon done to create such overwhelming power?
[Beyond flesh and blood… could it be a divine summoning technique?] The true art of summoning spirits was lost five hundred years ago during the Warring States period. But with this old man's abilities, it's not impossible that he developed it through other means. So, are we facing some kind of evil god? My heart pounded. I looked around and saw that even Hua Gengsha's face was grim, which made me even more alarmed. Ordinary archmages can summon gods using the art of summoning spirits, but due to the limitations of the vessel, the gods cannot unleash their true power. But this demon is proficient in energy conversion and physical modification, and has been preparing for over ten years. No one can say for sure what he might create.
"...Now I have retrieved the sealed body. After seven more days of fusion, it will return to the world. This is a great achievement for you, little friend, and I am truly grateful..."
If telling me this is considered a reward for my great service, I would rather he reward me with something more tangible.
"Before possessing Bernanke, I used countless temporary bodies over the years, none of which could last more than five days. As a result, I developed many unique techniques. You are very fortunate to be able to experience them firsthand..."
I didn't quite understand what he meant. How could I experience his techniques for manipulating bodies and guiding energy? Could it be that this demon has a discerning eye and has taken a liking to my body, wanting to take it for himself?
Although this thought was somewhat presumptuous, I really couldn't understand what extraordinary qualities my own body possessed that would be so coveted... Well, I must be mistaken.
At this moment, although the sounds from mid-air continued to come, we could no longer hear them clearly. The astonishing spiritual pressure pressed closer, and because of the obscuring black fog, we couldn't see what it was, but the enormous magical fluctuations were almost tangible, shaking the heavens and the earth, causing everyone present to have a buzzing in their ears and a splitting headache.
"Boom!"
A deafening roar, whether it was a real sound or simply an explosion in our ears, shattered the clear holy light that enveloped the hundred or so people around us. Under the immense spiritual pressure, all the sacred objects maintaining the holy light barrier burst into flames. The relics in Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er's hands exploded, turning to ashes.
I saw several elves spitting blood from their mouths and noses, their bodies seemingly struck by a tremendous force, flying into the air. The two who fared the worst were torn to pieces in mid-air, their limbs becoming a rain of blood and flesh that showered down from below, eliciting gasps of alarm from below.
This wasn't an attack from the enemy; it was simply a massive surge of magic that crashed down. Certain areas within the holy light barrier borne the brunt of the force, and the elves standing in those locations were the first to be hit, becoming victims of the magical impact and dying instantly.
I was luckier; I wasn't so unlucky, and with Leng Linglan protecting me, this misfortune didn't befall me. However, there was nothing to be happy about, because compared to what was to come, this was merely a small opening act.
So far, we only know that the enemy has unleashed a magical attack of unimaginable power, but we remain completely ignorant of its true nature. This is truly terrible, especially since the enemy is already upon us.
All we could see was a vast expanse of black fog. Although everyone strongly sensed something within it, no one could make out anything concrete. Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er had sustained minor injuries to their hands when the relic exploded, and drops of blood were trickling down their sides. All eyes were on them, pinning their hopes on them, but judging from their expressions, those hopes were likely unrealistic.
The pressure in the atmosphere suddenly tightened. I knew the enemy's first wave of attack had officially begun. Before I could say anything, a powerful shockwave swept in from all directions. The wind elements in the atmosphere roared and howled, and the swirling wind pressure made us feel as if we were caught in a tornado.
Elves are the race most adept at resonating with the wind. Faced with this kind of battle, all the elves instinctively wanted to use magic to defend themselves. However, with such a huge difference in magical power, inducing wind elemental resonance was tantamount to offering their heads as bait to be smashed by a hammer. Before I could even issue a warning, I heard several muffled groans nearby, and a dozen elves, like balloons being blown up, instantly swelled up and then exploded with a "bang."
I wasn't foolish enough to cast a spell, nor did I have the ability to. Facing the raging wind, my situation was equally dangerous. Fortunately, being near a powerful figure always increased my chances of survival.
"Watch out!"
Leng Linglan shouted, raising her arms to unleash a swirling, invisible blade energy that created a three-dimensional array of blades, shielding us both amidst the raging winds. The wind was sharp as knives, powerful yet unable to harm experts above level six; Leng Linglan's level seven strength was more than enough to handle it.
However, the elves outside weren't so lucky. Lun Fei'er might be safe, but his men would certainly suffer casualties. Leng Linglan understood this, so she wanted to launch a counterattack before the enemy's second wave of attacks, but finding the enemy's true location was the biggest challenge at hand.
The sky was filled with black fog. We couldn't just attack every cloud we saw; that would be a waste of energy and make us an easy target for the enemy. Leng Linglan looked at me expectantly, but the trouble before us was beyond my control. However, I firmly believed that there was still a sliver of hope, because there was a major variable within our ranks.
"Hmph! Playing tricks, do you really think there's no one else in the world? Don't underestimate everyone."
In this chaotic situation, I suddenly heard such a cold laugh, and my heart immediately felt at ease. The enemy's fierce attack had finally provoked her. As long as she was willing to fight with all her might, our chances of victory would greatly increase.
Not many people have the ability to remain undisturbed in such an environment, and Hua Gengsha is one of them. In fact, we often suspect that she might be the most powerful among our group. Although this woman has a strange temper and is difficult to persuade to do anything, she has never been a pacifist who would simply stand by and watch. Since the enemy's attack included her, how could she possibly not retaliate?
At this point, both Leng Linglan and I expected Hua Gengsha to do something, but judging from what happened later, our thoughts were undoubtedly too naive. Although this woman was not our enemy, we shouldn't have considered her an ally...
Hua Gengsha made her move.
Protected by a black light shield, Hua Gengsha remained calm and unaffected by the howling wind. However, when she waved her hand, two elf warriors who were stumbling towards the black light shield were suddenly sucked into it. Hua Gengsha grabbed them by the throats, one in each hand. We then heard two terrifying soft sounds as the necks of the two elf warriors were bent unnaturally, broken off by Hua Gengsha like tree branches, leaving gashes from which blood gushed out.
"You!"
Lunfiel roared, sounding extremely grief-stricken, as if he had lost a close relative. The other elf warriors probably felt the same way. However, on a brighter note, at least these two elf warriors had not sacrificed themselves in vain.
Ordinary blood flows naturally, gathering and dripping. But the two elf warriors were different. Their blood, stimulated by Hua Gengsha's magic, transformed into specks of purple-green light, swept into the gale, scattering in all directions, and instantly swallowed by the black mist, leaving no trace.
At first glance, Hua Gengsha's move seemed ineffective, but we all knew that the evil curse power formed from her blood had merged with the surrounding black mist and was taking effect; it was unlikely to be in vain.
Sure enough, the gale suddenly subsided, and a series of muffled explosions echoed from the surrounding black mist. Before even pinpointing the enemy's true form, Hua Gengsha successfully launched a counterattack, rendering the enemy's offensive ineffective.
"That dark magic is amazing! It even hits enemies whose exact location isn't clear." I exclaimed in admiration, "If possible, we should also target Mao Yan'an. If we can blast him out, we'll be incredibly grateful."
"What time is it? You're still making jokes like that?" Leng Linglan glared at me, but I wasn't sure if it was because of that remark or because of my lewd joke of touching her round, pert buttocks with my left hand.
Suddenly, the black fog surged and rolled like a tide, revealing an opening to our south. At the same time, the immense spiritual pressure became more pronounced, gaining a more tangible presence, causing us to instinctively turn our gaze south, wanting to see the enemy's true face.
Within the pitch-black fog, a four-circle array appeared, consisting of four small halos forming a larger array. The astonishing spiritual pressure we sensed emanated from this larger array, confirming my earlier suspicion that it was indeed a magic circle.
The key to this magic circle was the four small halos of red, blue, yellow, and white light. The energy supplied by these four halos kept the entire magic circle functioning continuously. Judging from their elemental attributes, the four halos respectively controlled the four elements of water, fire, earth, and wind. Through the fusion and resonance of these four elements, a power a hundred times stronger than the four halos themselves was unleashed.
Water, fire, earth, and wind are the four elements that constitute the world. The power of a single element may not be strong, but as long as they are properly configured and in balanced proportions, and continue to operate, the four elements will intertwine and generate the power of creation. This is something every magician knows. Of course, actually doing it is another matter entirely. As far as I know, there are only two or three magical arrays on earth that can successfully intertwine the four elements to form a perpetually generating power. No one has succeeded in the last hundred years. His Majesty the Dragon King should be very proud of this.
The most difficult part of this technique is the container that holds the four elements. Previous magicians tried all sorts of methods, countless natural and compound substances, and even various biological sacrifices, but none of them succeeded. After everyone present saw the situation clearly, what they wanted to know most was what was at the core of those four small circles of light.
"...How could this be...that is..."
Not too surprising, the objects at the core of the four small circles of light were human bodies. This was very much in line with that sorcerer's style, but those four human bodies looked strangely familiar. They were all people I knew.
The blue Water position features a female warrior with wings on her back, clad in blue armor, her hands clasped in a gesture of respect, her face expressionless. A large amount of water elemental energy gathers around her, vaguely forming a dragon shape, like a graceful water dragon circling her, creating a water shield.
The red Fire position features a unicorn-like elf girl with a horn on her forehead, wielding a long spear. Blazing flames surge, illuminating her bright face in a crimson glow. Behind her, the flames form a bird-like totem, constantly radiating intense heat and light, almost blinding to the eye.
On the yellow earthly platform, a completely naked woman, radiating a golden glow, swayed her graceful limbs within the yellow light. Every sway of her breasts and hips was indescribably sensual and alluring. Beneath her feet was a large, clay-shaped tortoise, and each time the tortoise raised its head, an invisible ripple was generated, causing the earth to tremble.
Yu Ni had been missing for a long time, and I had long suspected that she had fallen into the enemy's hands, but I didn't expect to encounter her under these circumstances. Bianca had long been a puppet of that demon and would be sent to ambush us, which was not surprising at all; otherwise, I would have been wondering when she would finally show herself. Charlotte's appearance was not within my expectations, after all, she was hardly a combatant, so how did I end up on the battlefield? This shows that the sorcerer really put a lot of effort into modifying the body. During the time he and Charlotte were locked in the carriage, besides their frenzied sex, he must have also used that opportunity to modify the body, right?
[Damn it, it seems that the old monster was collecting candidates and making preparations in secret just to set up this magic circle... But Yu Ni and Bianca are one thing, but why use Charlotte to support the magic circle? She doesn't know anything about martial arts or magic, she's just an ordinary person. Any other candidate would be better than her, right?] In the midst of the chaos, I thought about this absurd question. The question itself was indeed suspicious, but I might just be using this question to deliberately avoid the fact in front of me... the last pillar of this four-element magic circle.
Bianca, Yu Ni, and even Charlotte were all sent up. Of course, the last and most important position, the White Wind Position, was also present. A beautiful woman in leather armor and trousers stood proudly. Although her leather attire was all deep black, her presence was exceptionally clear under the surrounding bright white light. Another reason why it was hard not to notice her was her two surging breasts, fair and full, H-cup round and beautiful breasts, more imposing than the spiritual pressure emanating from the magic circle. In comparison, even the white tiger beside her was insignificant.
These four beauties appeared at the same time, four different kinds of beauty, shining brightly under the illumination of the magic circle, dazzling and mesmerizing. If this were a beauty pageant stage instead of a battlefield, how wonderful would that be?
"Damn it! That guy actually used such despicable means!" Leng Linglan said angrily, "He sent Xue Qiong to deal with us, how vicious!"
"Well... he used Bianca to deal with Lun Fei'er before, and that trick worked. I can't think of any reason why the enemy wouldn't use it again. But you... you get so excited just seeing your good friend. If that monster made your good friend kneel down and swallow his semen in front of you, wouldn't you go crazy with anger?"
"Can't you say something serious? At a time like this, you're still joking!"
Leng Linglan's reaction left me speechless. Actually, I was very serious, and this reminder was very much in the spirit of being prepared for a rainy day. She wouldn't listen. If it actually happened, the blow would be huge.
However, if we're going to talk about something more serious, since we're going to be fighting anyway, I'd rather these four beauties were all naked. At least dying under the peony flower would be an orgasm even as a ghost. That's my serious thought.
Leng Linglan was clearly not good at handling this situation. She looked around, hoping someone could offer some advice, but most people were nervously looking ahead and didn't notice her gaze, except for Hua Gengsha…
“…If it’s about naked women, from my professional perspective, perhaps…”
“Enough, we don’t need your professional opinion here, next!”
If the word “professional” hadn’t been mentioned, the situation might have been a little better, but as soon as that word was used, Leng Linglan’s expression changed immediately. She probably remembered Hua Gengsha’s strengths, and dared not ask her anything, otherwise, her good friend might accidentally become a flesh doll.
In fact, Leng Linglan wasn't the only one anxious; Lun Fei'er was in no better shape. When Bianca appeared, I noticed he was also stunned, likely pondering how to save them. Lun Fei'er had been injured by Bianca last time and had been in seclusion recuperating, so he must have thought about this seriously. Unfortunately, judging from his appearance, I think he hadn't found an answer yet.
Issues involving human conflict cannot be resolved simply by reason. If Lun Fei'er had a few more days and nights, I don't know if he could come up with a solution or make a decision, but the obvious fact is that we don't have many days and nights left.
"Watch out! The enemy is attacking!"
Leng Linglan's warning was presented to everyone in the most practical way. The magic circle advanced towards us, and in an instant, it was like a towering mountain pressing down, approaching with unparalleled force.
◆ Episode 3: Xuan Turtle's Hidden Treasure.
Although the old monster Zhuque Liaoyuan was evil, the four-element magic circle he set up was not something that was overwhelmingly evil. On the contrary, it was a masterpiece of magic that transcended good and evil, and conformed to the natural order of the universe.
The Four Elements Array, based on water, fire, earth, and wind—the four elements that constitute the world—is essentially a world in itself. As long as its trajectory is correct, the four elements flow and rotate ceaselessly, ultimately forming a creation that encompasses everything, containing all phenomena, all-knowing and all-powerful.
These effects, though seemingly mysterious, are quite simple in practical application. In short, nothing in the world can break through it, because all things in the world are contained within the creation of the four elements. Whatever attacks, the magic array will inevitably generate a corresponding defense; and before the Four Elements Array, no defense is impenetrable. No matter how strong the defense, the magic array can always find the appropriate interaction to destroy the target.
Nothing can break it, nothing can defend it—this is the power of "all things"! That Dragon King didn't just set up a magic circle; he created a "world." As long as one doesn't leave this world he created, within the circle… he is a god!
Even from an opposing perspective, we cannot help but admire him. Developing such magical technology requires far more than just ambition and extraordinary talent. Without hard work, countless days and nights of dedicated research, repeated attempts, and a massive investment of time, manpower, and resources, such a breakthrough and achievement would be impossible. The success of this magic circle alone makes that old monster a truly outstanding magical scholar, his academic achievements worthy of heartfelt praise.
However, no matter how much I admire it, I'm not so impressed as to be willing to die without resistance. As a junior, the only way we can express our respect is to try to find the flaws in this magic circle. Because... the perfection of the theory is one thing, but can the effect be truly achieved after turning the theory into reality? This is where our hope for survival lies. Otherwise, this Four Elements Magic Circle, which is theoretically impossible to break, would be better off just committing suicide.
"...Where are the flaws? What makes it so imperfect?" I stared at the white light in the black fog before me, frowning in deep thought. Within a short quarter of an hour, Lun Feier led his men, cooperating with Leng Linglan to launch an attack, several waves of attacks, one after another, with overwhelming momentum.
Leng Linglan, giving it her all, was no ordinary woman. She unleashed her seventh-level power without reservation, wielding the giant sword Ba Hai and slashing continuously, creating wave after wave of sword energy in mid-air. It was like the ocean surging and the sky trembling, with earth-shattering power that directly attacked the pillars of the Four Elements Array.
Lun Fei'er was no ordinary man either. He made a good judgment of the situation and knew that with his current strength, if he joined forces with Leng Linglan head-on, he would only be a burden. Therefore, he chose to play the role of an assistant and help Leng Linglan in offense and defense. Since the two of them were from the same school and practiced the Cihang Jingdian martial arts, there were no obstacles in fighting together. Their cooperation was also very good. As soon as they started fighting, the sky was filled with waves of blades and rain of swords, like a raging tide, surging towards the Four Elements Formation.
This prince and princess duo, working together, were not only incredibly powerful, but also exceptionally handsome, like dragons and phoenixes among men. Dressed in military uniforms, they were radiant and captivating, drawing all eyes to them, more dazzling than any star on stage, leaving everyone in awe.
"What a perfect prince and princess combination," Hua Gengsha said coldly, looking up at the battle. I didn't expect her to be so passionate as to rush in and fight alongside Leng Linglan; I only hoped she would use her professional skills to observe the enemy's weaknesses and launch a surprise attack. But her mouth was moving constantly, as if she were chewing something.
At times like this, a normal person wouldn't be in the mood to eat. I guessed it might be some kind of potent poison or antidote. As I was pondering this, Hua Gengsha noticed my gaze, took a package from her sleeve, and tossed it to me.
"If you're nervous, you can eat some; it's quite effective at stabilizing your emotions."
"You're so nervous that you're taking tranquilizers?" I was worried, not expecting Hua Gengsha to be so anxious. I opened the package and almost collapsed to my knees. In this situation, I wouldn't be surprised even if Hua Gengsha ate human flesh or gnawed on an infant's finger bones, but this package was crispy and golden—it was clearly seasoned potato chips! That twisted witch, at this critical juncture of the fierce battle, instead of eating human flesh and drinking human blood, was leisurely eating potato chips. It's not hard to imagine her mindset…
"You…you're eating potato chips? Are you really addicted to watching the show?"
"Anyway, even if you all die, I can survive. So…isn't watching the show perfect?" Hua Gengsha glanced at me and said, "You don't need to worry. Although that man is very handsome, the things you subconsciously fear won't happen."
"…What the hell? What do I have to fear? Please be serious, the enemy is already at our doorstep!" I said angrily, but Hua Gengsha wasn't even a tenth as agitated as I was, still calmly saying:
"Aren't you always afraid of women being taken away and not being able to stay by your side? Don't worry, for a special reason, the relationship between Her Highness the Princess and you is rock solid, and no one else can break it." This is not a topic suitable for discussion at this time, and I really shouldn't have asked back, but driven by an irrepressible curiosity, I still asked.
"...What reason?"
"Because you two are unparalleled, perverted siblings despised and trampled upon by all the owners of rental bookstores. This kind of relationship that crosses the line is something Lun Fei'er can't penetrate." "
...What does Leng Linglan and I have to do with the owners of rental bookstores?"
"Who knows. But...they don't seem to think so." While Hua Gengsha and I were having a meaningless conversation, Lun Fei'er's subordinates weren't idle either. They also did their best to provide various forms of support and attack.
If it were monks or wizards, this support work would be easier. Light magic users could pray and bless their allies, greatly increasing their strength, eliminating fatigue and poison, and boosting morale. Dark magic users also had some harmful spells that could increase their allies' strength, but in actual combat, dark magic users were better at ambushing from the sidelines, using a variety of insidious and ruthless tactics. If they weren't careful, the tables could turn, and they could kill the enemy before the warriors could.
But basically, these are all human skills. Light and dark magic were developed by humans. For elves who worship nature, there is no distinction between light and darkness. So in Solancia, there's no need to expect monks or wizards to help. Besides shooting arrows from a distance, the elves' greatest skill is wind magic.
When used well, wind magic can not only injure enemies with wind but also speed up or slow down surrounding objects, giving it a significant advantage in close combat. However, when used for support, the options are limited. Lunfil's guards unleashed magic, firing invisible wind arrows and wind scythes, attacking the enemy formation from the front and sides.
In an instant, the air was filled with the whooshing sound of wind breaking through the air, the wind elements in the atmosphere roaring, and hundreds of wind arrows and scythes shooting wildly towards the enemy formation. The elves launching these attacks were all royal guards, possessing formidable strength. While their attacks appeared simple, their power was extraordinary. Furthermore, with the two commanders, Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er, leading the frontal assault, this barrage of attacks, even against the Stone Statue Legion, could likely annihilate a large portion of the enemy.
However, after a quarter of an hour, the result of several waves of attacks could be simply summarized as "futile." No matter the type of magic or martial arts attack, the Four Elements Array could generate corresponding defenses, responding to every attack with equal force, easily shattering the repeated combined attacks of the two masters, Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er.
Most bystanders probably couldn't understand why Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er's attacks, which were so sharp, were ineffective.
But the facts were staring her in the face. Leng Linglan's blade, surging with power, cleaved through the air towards the Four Elements Array. Perhaps out of a sense of kinship, she avoided Tianhe Xueqiong and Bianca, aiming directly at Charlotte, who should have been the weakest.
The blade's power, unleashed at the seventh level, was something few in the world could withstand with true skill. Seeing this imposing force, almost everyone assumed Charlotte would be cleaved in two, or even pulverized.
However, the disappointing truth was that the blade didn't even touch Charlotte's hair; it vanished without a trace the instant it struck the outer edge of the Four Elements Array.
This happened in quick succession. Leng Linglan's all-out blade strike and Lun Fei'er's combined wind blade wave with his guards both vanished without a trace the moment they touched the outer edge of the Four Elements Array.
I wasn't surprised by this outcome. Judging from the immense spiritual pressure I had sensed earlier, it would have been illogical for Leng Linglan and Lun Fei'er to have easily breached this barrier. However, the elven guards around me all wore expressions of utter shock, as if they had never imagined encountering such a situation. This, in turn, frightened me. I wondered what these elves were thinking.
(There are many kinds of magic that can make physical attacks disappear instantly. Is this... dimensional teleportation? Those blade strikes and combined wind blades were all guided into another dimension, so... um, it's still hard to tell...) There isn't enough data to make a judgment yet, but Leng Linglan and the others have been attacking with all their might for a while now. Such a strong offensive will probably be difficult to sustain and they will soon show signs of fatigue. Leng Linglan herself is not unaware of this. Just look at her cold eyes, she leaps into the air, her whole body's strength flowing into her arms. You can faintly hear the muffled popping of bones from her arms. At the same time, brilliant golden light radiates from her Overlord Blade, illuminating all directions, dispelling the darkness, and making it almost impossible for people to look directly at her.
(Sigh, that silly girl, she always likes to fight recklessly, always using this technique of hurting herself first and then the enemy. If she keeps fighting like this, she'll die sooner or later...) No matter how worried I am, there's no point in thinking about it now. The golden light on the sea of power surged to its peak, and Leng Linglan's all-out attack was unleashed without reservation.
The Compassionate Journey Technique. Six Yang Thunderbolts!
The Demon-Slaying Technique, imbued with innate pure Yang energy, was unleashed with seventh-level power. Even the strongest experts couldn't easily withstand it. Coupled with the harassment and support from the surrounding spirits, when this brilliant golden light pierced the wind and tore through the sky, fiercely slashing towards the black evil energy, my heart skipped a beat. I felt that this attack might break through the Four Elements Defense Barrier and cause the formation to collapse.
Unfortunately, hope remained just hope, and it didn't become reality. Faced with Leng Linglan's Six Yang Thunderbolts, the Four Elements Formation could no longer cope as easily as before. Therefore, the moment the brilliant golden light on the sea of power sliced through the black energy and struck directly at the Four Elements Pillar, the Four Elements Formation suddenly "moved."
Leng Linglan's initial target was Charlotte, but suddenly, everything blurred, and the figure before her transformed into Bianca, wielding a spear. The elven girl's eyes snapped open, her aura turning malevolent, and with a swift movement, her spear swept across the battlefield, meeting the mighty blade of the Overlord.
In the clash, Leng Linglan should have secured an overwhelming victory, but she wasn't facing Bianca, but one of the Four Pillars. At the moment of impact, a gentle power emanated from the spear, bearing the overwhelming destructive force of the Six Yang Thunderbolts. Then, a blazing flame erupted from within the spear, swirling around it. In the blink of an eye, the spear's size and volume increased dramatically, transforming into a fiery red dragon. The pinnacle of
fire magic. Super Spirit Body!
Bianca, wielding the Super Spirit Body, unleashed power like a raging torrent. Ten dragons, ten tigers… even unparalleled strength comparable to a world, transformed into scorching flames that swept in all directions amidst the shrill cries of the crimson fire dragon. It directly shattered the weakened Six Yang Thunderbolts. Before the residual force subsided, the flames directly attacked Leng Linglan's body, easily shattering her protective true energy. Leng Linglan spat out a mouthful of blood, which immediately transformed into strange blue flames and burned away.
The elves who were supporting the attack were shocked to see this and tried to come to the rescue, but since the Four Elements Formation had changed, the subsequent attacks were continuous and difficult to stop. Tianhe Xueqiong, who was in the Wind position, still kept her eyes closed, her towering, snow-white breasts rising and falling silently, but her palms suddenly clasped together, and an invisible force blew through the wind. I felt dizzy, and if it weren't for a hand supporting me from the side, I would have almost fallen to my knees.
"Watch out!" Hua Gengsha slapped my shoulder, and the instant chill almost froze my blood, but it also kept me conscious, preventing me from collapsing like the other elves... Every elf that fell immediately had a purple-green ball of light emanating from its body, slowly floating into the air, its soul forcibly extracted, dying silently.
I was startled, and then saw Leng Linglan's body smoking as she fell in this direction. Instinctively, I wanted to catch her, not letting her fall to the ground, but then a kick flew from the side.
"The Azure Flame is poisonous and has already entered my internal organs; you cannot catch it!" Hua Gengsha's eyesight was sharp, and her reaction was quick. This warning was tantamount to saving my life, and I should have been grateful. However, her kick sent me flying seven feet before I hit the ground, almost causing my internal organs to spit out of my mouth. This made it impossible for me to express my gratitude.
Leng Linglan was caught by Hua Gengsha. This old hag moved her fingers with lightning speed, instantly striking more than ten vital points on Leng Linglan, and then slapping her forehead with a palm. The icy palm force entered her body, and a bluish-white mist emanated from Leng Linglan's body, forcing out the high fever and poison from her body. I struggled to crawl back and saw that Hua Gengsha's expression was solemn, no longer as relaxed as before, which made me extremely uneasy.
"How is she? Hag, is she badly injured?"
"Not badly? That would be strange. You were just a little bit away from adding another corpse prostitute to your collection." Hua Gengsha said, "Her life is temporarily safe, but she absolutely cannot fight anyone for the time being."
"That's nonsense. In her current state, everyone knows she can't continue fighting. It's your turn. You should be no weaker than her. Even if not for others, for your own life, you should fight!" As I spoke, Lun Feier mustered all his strength and fought against Bianca's super-spiritual fire dragon. But even Leng Linglan couldn't withstand the moves before, so how could Lun Feier, whose strength was even a level below, possibly withstand them? If it weren't for his guards risking their lives to protect him, Lun Feier would have been dead long ago.
As things reached a critical juncture, these elves unleashed their last trump card. They sacrificed themselves, casting spells and pouring their souls and final strength into Lunfil's body. Although this caused them to collapse and die instantly, Lunfil's power temporarily increased with each soul point he absorbed. Holy light emanated from his longsword as he desperately resisted Bianca's super-spirit.
"...The situation is hard to explain, and I don't have time to spout nonsense. Believe it or not, my power is limited and I can't use it effectively. Against that ghost formation, I'm doomed..." Hua Gengsha frowned.
"The appearance of this ghost formation was unexpected... I increasingly feel like I've been tricked. Anyway, forget about me taking action to defeat the enemy; at worst, I'll be defeated by them, and we'll all die together."
"What? You don't have the ability to turn the tide? Then why are you so relaxed, watching people fight while eating potato chips?"
"I wanted to eat something before I died, and I just happened to have potato chips with me. I had no choice; if I had steak or roast chicken, I wouldn't be eating potato chips!"
"You... God! How can there be a woman like you in this world!"
"...I've been mentally disturbed for many years. If you can't stand it, you can stay away, or I'll just send you on your way." When you encounter such an extreme person, you can't judge whether her words are true or false, but from my feelings, I feel that what the old hag said is probably true. In other words, it means that we are really doomed.
Hua Gengsha said: "The situation is very bad, but we are not necessarily doomed. If reinforcements arrive in time, we still have some hope."
"Reinforcements? What reinforcements do we have?" As soon as these words were spoken, a loud explosion was heard. The source of the explosion was inside the Four Elements Array. It seemed that some extremely powerful force suddenly attacked and directly hit the Four Elements Array.
It must be said that the timing of this attack was extremely precise. It occurred precisely at the moment the Four Elements Array shifted, with Yu Ni replacing Bianca and instantly blasting Lunfer into the air. The gap in the array's rotation was less than a hundredth of a second. To seize such an opportunity, the attacker must be a master.
Another very strange thing is that such a powerful attack, a direct clash with the Four Elements Array, should have caused a terrifying backlash that would have affected the surrounding area. However, apart from that not-so-strong explosion, I didn't hear any other sound. This means that the attacker's power was exceptionally concentrated, and the technique used could only be described as "precise." It was extremely accurate and precise, with almost no unnecessary force. Otherwise, there might not have even been that explosion.
Such masterful power generation technique is something I've only witnessed a handful of times in my life. If I had to say, the last time was probably just a few days ago… (Uh! Really? If so, what stage of the game is this?) My mind was in turmoil. Leng Linglan, who had briefly lost consciousness due to her severe injuries, awoke at this moment, letting out a soft murmur of pain. Opening her eyes, she saw the several dark figures descending from the sky and stared in astonishment.
At this point, I roughly understood what Hua Gengsha meant by "reinforcements." The Dragon Tooth Chess set that Bin Laden gave me certainly has special significance. This guy had an old grudge against that old monster. After discovering that the old monster was hiding in Solancia, he sent me with special tools to eliminate him completely. The Dragon Tooth Chess set must have hidden instructions. As soon as the Dragon Tooth soldiers are released and sense the old monster's presence, they will hunt him down.
This plan is killing two birds with one stone. It can deal with the uncontrollable, useless piece of equipment and take the opportunity to eliminate a powerful enemy. Even if it fails, there will be no loss. If there is any miscalculation, it is that Bin Laden may not have calculated that his old enemy has changed form and become a gaseous life form.
The Dragon Fang Warriors sensed the presence of the Old Monster and began to attack. However, the Old Monster was omnipresent, its gaseous life form transforming into black mist that could reside in anyone or anything in the Huaer Forest. The Dragon Fang Warriors then began a massacre, indiscriminately eliminating anything bearing the Old Monster's aura. Innocent elves suffered greatly, while the loyal Dragon Fang Warriors, following orders, were utterly bewildered.
If it were only this, it wouldn't be so bad; after all, the Dragon Fang Warriors weren't made of flesh and blood and wouldn't tire from overtime. But while the Dragon Fang Warriors were wreaking havoc, the Old Monster figured out the rules of the game, and later directly attached its identity to the Dragon Fang Warriors, causing them to fight amongst themselves… This is truly regrettable; artificial intelligence is still a bit too stupid.
Fortunately, not every Dragon Tooth Warrior is of equal intelligence. When they were about to be wiped out, the "Commander" made a decision, led the remaining warriors away from the battlefield, flew away, and waited for the right opportunity to avenge their defeat and complete the assigned mission.
(While the princess and the elf prince were fighting, these wargame pieces must have been watching from high above. Their timing in jumping down to play the victim was impeccable! They were basically using us as pawns. I wonder who the real pawns are…) After a brutal infighting battle, the Dragon Fang soldiers suffered heavy losses, leaving only the commander, strategist, knight, and two Black Warrior soldiers—a total of five. Compared to before, their strength was significantly weakened. Basically, the Dragon Fang soldiers are emotionless, but when the few remaining ones descended from the sky, I sensed anger emanating from them, and… a chilling killing intent so intense it made onlookers' hearts tremble.
The outcome of this revenge battle was highly anticipated. In reality, this group of pawns who had been used as expendable forces also achieved results. Their precise strike from high above seized the opportunity of a fraction of a second, breaking through the black mist barrier that Leng Linglan had been unable to breach despite her best efforts, and penetrating into the Four Elements Array. I don't know exactly what damage it caused, but the dense black mist suddenly dissipated considerably, and the intense light emanating from the Four Elements Array dimmed slightly, even revealing the core of the array.
Originally, at the center of the four pillars representing water, fire, earth, and wind, there was a hazy mist, sometimes radiating bright light, sometimes shrouded in black fog. We knew that the key to the operation of this magic circle was the four pillars, but we couldn't see what the core of the four pillars was. But now... we can see it very clearly: a fist-sized black flame flickers and burns in the air.
(...So gaseous life forms do have a core? Everything in the world has its limitations and weaknesses. There is no invincible advantage that can take you anywhere. Although gaseous life forms are formless and indeterminate, they will still be destroyed if you attack their core, right?) This is a very important discovery. The Dragon Fang Warrior's attack not only struck first but also caused considerable damage. If he had been lucky, he might have severely injured or even killed the old monster... Since that explosion, the old monster has not spoken. Perhaps... he is in the seven-day vulnerable period and has been seriously injured.
At this moment, the Dragon Fang Warriors clashed with the Four Elements Array. Neither side possessed any emotion; words were superfluous. The moment the Dragon Fang Warriors appeared, the battle erupted.
The half-decayed, alluring female strategist stretched out her arms, summoning the Yin energy and spirits from all directions. In a place recently ravaged by massacre, such an act was incredibly easy. Instantly, the surrounding temperature plummeted, and countless vengeful spirits, summoned, circled the Four Elements Array.
The vengeful spirits arrived in a swarm, a sight reminiscent of a locust plague—truly astonishing. However, these spirits were unable to penetrate the range of the Four Elements Array. The magic array, a harmonious blend of the four elements of water, fire, earth, and wind, possesses a power that is neither holy nor evil, but a chaotic primordial force transcending light and darkness. This barrier... even thousands upon thousands of vengeful spirits cannot breach it.
The fanged black knight and the centaur warrior also launched their attack, targeting three corners of the array and charging forward in one breath. The black knight's giant axe and the centaur warrior's steel sword slammed heavily into the human pillars ahead. The sheer force of these heavy weapons, capable of shattering monuments and breaking rocks, was blocked by an inexplicable force just as they were about to reach within two feet of their targets, unable to penetrate.
My joy was dashed, but upon further reflection, I realized it wasn't so strange. Leng Linglan, who was leaning against me recovering, bluntly stated, "Even I have to take the risk and unleash the full power of the Six Yang Thunderbolts to break through effectively. It would be strange if they could cut through like that." Her judgment was correct, but... there was a slight variable.
Standing outside the Four Elements Formation, facing Tianhe Xueqiong from afar, the War Chess Commander, though small in stature, possessed an extraordinary presence. I was absolutely certain that the earlier attack that directly struck the core of the Four Elements Formation was launched by it. Now, it had taken a further step. With a flick of two fingers, the numerous Yin spirits circling the Four Elements Formation suddenly seemed to be drawn by some force. The purple and green demonic clouds in the sky transformed into three swirling dragons, piercing directly into the bodies of the three Dragon Fang Warriors.
The Dragon Fang Warriors were extremely evil beings. With this influx of countless vengeful spirits into their bodies, merging and absorbing them, their combat power surged dramatically. Their heavy weapons broke through the chaotic barrier and blasted towards the human pillars in front of them.
A brilliant tactical maneuver, but based on my assessment, while the Dragon Fang warriors' combat power has increased significantly, it's still inferior to Leng Linglan's. The reason they achieved such a result is likely due to their numerical advantage, attacking from multiple directions, and the fact that their earlier attack did indeed damage the Four Elements Array, which is why it's weakened now. With
the simple defensive barrier breached, the three pillars can no longer be as composed as before. The black flame at the core of the Four Elements Array flickered, and Charlotte, Yu Ni, and Bianca's eyes simultaneously lit up—not with reason, but with a raging flame of battle intent. A blinding light
shone brightly within the Four Elements Array, and the earth trembled, water surged, and fire scorched the wilderness—three different elements unleashing their power.
Charlotte swirled her hands, drawing circles in the air, gathering earth elements within them. This not only formed a defensive barrier but also reversed gravity, preventing enemies from easily approaching. In terms of combat tactics, even if she wasn't the weakest link in the Four Elements Array, she was undoubtedly the most defensive.
Yu Ni manipulated water power, her snow-white wings unfurling. With a single flap, hundreds of water droplets shot like arrows towards the enemy in front. This move itself wasn't particularly remarkable, but the element of water is known for its fluidity. Yu Ni's figure appeared and disappeared within the water curtain, instantly shifting from her original position to directly behind the Black Knight, drawing her sword and slashing down, a stream of icy blue water accompanying the strike.
Bianca, who had previously repelled Leng Linglan and Lun Feier, was certainly not the weakest member of this group. She brandished her spear, transforming into a phoenix this time, and launched a direct attack on the centaur general.
The Xuan Turtle lay hidden, the Ice Dragon roared furiously, and the Vermilion Bird unleashed its wings to devour the world—the dazzling battle that erupted in an instant almost blinded us…
◆ Episode 4: Yi Shoots Down Nine Suns. A Shocking
Battle. The fierce battle between the Dragon Fang Warriors and the Four Elements Array exploded head-on, leaving me only able to watch helplessly. Even with my demonic consciousness intact, a battle at the level of a patrolling species was beyond my ability to intervene. Leng Linglan, however, was very excited and wanted to get up and join the fight, but I restrained her by pressing her shoulder.
"You're seriously injured. What can you do now? Can't you just stay put?"
"Don't I want to lie down? The battle between these two sides might not be evenly matched. If we don't participate now and break through that ghost formation, and those chess pieces and soldiers collapse, we'll really have no chance." "
I'd be more at ease if you prioritize your safety over chance. Of course, chance is important, but those dragon tooth soldiers don't distinguish between friend and foe. If you recklessly join the battle, the chance of them killing you as an enemy... you haven't thought about that at all, have you?"
These words made Leng Linglan fall silent. She seemed to sense that I was trying to enlighten her, and judging from Hua Gengsha's nodding reaction, it proved that I was right. Just as I was thinking this, I suddenly heard Leng Linglan's voice.
"...Do you want to have sex with me right now?"
This question was so intense. Not only was the timing wrong, but the location was also strange, and the way it was asked was so assertive, without any whispering. I didn't know how to answer for a moment. After a pause, I replied, "Even if I wanted to, I wouldn't choose now. You're not so thirsty that you want to right now, are you?"
"...If not, then what do you mean by holding onto my breasts so tightly?"
While pressing on Leng Linglan's shoulders to prevent her from rushing forward, I didn't hold her properly, and my hand slid down to her chest. I hadn't noticed how round and soft her breasts were, and I was pressing them particularly hard. Now that I've been reminded, I'm embarrassed, but I really want to ask, "You knew I was holding your breasts, yet you remained silent for so long. Did you enjoy it?"
However, considering the disgraceful impression that would follow if I said that... "Hmph," I chose another answer: "Sorry... I've been a psychopath for many years. If you don't like it, I'll just stay away next time."
Now I understand why Hua Gengsha often calls herself a psychopath; it makes some sense. A psychopath can do anything rationally, just like many murderers claim to be insane. However, if another psychopath grabbed Princess Leng's breasts, the consequences wouldn't be as simple as just saying they're mentally unstable.
Anyway, if we continue to harp on this, we'll really become a pair of psychopathic siblings. At times like this, there are only two options: positive or negative. Since we can't participate in the battle, what we should do... is stay away from it?
When this idea was first proposed, Leng Linglan initially disagreed, but upon closer examination, she realized it made perfect sense. If it weren't for the bizarre appearance of the Dragon Fang Warriors, we would all be dead by now. Linglan was seriously injured, and Lun Fei'er on the other side was even worse off, with his elf guards scattered and killed. I was a useless cripple, unable to fight, and Hua Gengsha… she was a completely unreliable bird-woman.
Under these circumstances, even if we wanted to help the Dragon Fang Warriors fight the old monster, we were powerless. Therefore, running away was the best option we could make.
"I'll carry you. The Elf Prince has his men to carry him, and the Witch can walk on her own... uh, I mean, Ms. Hua can walk by herself."
I gave the order to my remaining allies. Lun Fei'er and Leng Linglan were powerless to resist and were carried away by their respective subordinates and relatives.
Meanwhile, on the other side, the monster battle beyond human knowledge also took a new turn. A very important problem had been overlooked until now, and I realized that the Dragon Fang Warriors were in dire straits.
The damage caused by that infighting was enormous. In the intense light emanating from the Four Elements Array, I discovered countless tiny cracks on the bodies of every Dragon Fang Warrior. Dragon teeth are inherently hard and not easily destroyed, but if the Dragon Fang Warriors clashed with each other at the same level of power, that would be a different story.
In that chaotic battle, although these Dragon Fang Warriors were able to soar into the sky and escape, their injuries were irreparable. They simply remained high in the air, waiting for the opportunity to complete their mission, waiting... for the chance to engage in the final battle.
As the battle progressed, the cracks on the Dragon Fang Warriors' bodies deepened, and even parts of their bodies began to disintegrate. This revealed a major weakness of the Dragon Fang Warriors: although their offensive and defensive capabilities were strong, once injured, they could not heal. After all, they were just lifeless, ferocious, and inanimate objects, unable to heal naturally like living beings... Repair should be possible, but in this situation, it was impossible.
Discovering this flaw will greatly benefit my future battles against these monsters, but... right now I'd rather the Dragon Fang Warriors were flawless, because if they're destroyed, we're doomed.
In a full-fledged fight, the two Black Warriors and one Centaur War Beast could put up a fierce battle against Yu Ni, Bianca, and the others. Unfortunately, these three Dragon Fang Warriors were already on the verge of collapse before the battle even began. Absorbing a large number of Yin Souls into their bodies, their resentment and malice intensified, allowing them to maintain peak combat power for a period. But as time went on, what's ineffective ultimately becomes ineffective.
With a flap of her snow-white wings and a sharp cry, Yu Ni unleashed a water dragon that soared into the sky. She stood atop its head, rising with the momentum, her icy blue light swirling in her hand, condensing into a broken blade imprinted with tiger scales. The blade sliced through the air, reflecting a dazzling, rainbow-like light as it struck the black warrior before her.
Under the immense chaotic power of the Four Elements Array, Yu Ni's Shattered Dream Blade transcended its previous limitations, unleashing a breathtaking blade light that would even ignite the blood of its creator, the Blood God.
Invincible once, she dared to challenge the heavens!
Under this invincible blade of light, even a super warrior as valiant as the Black Knight could only suffer a crushing defeat. His massive body was cleaved in two by the Shattered Dream Blade, shattering and falling to the ground.
Yu Ni's side achieved victory, as did Bianca and Charlotte's. Another Black Knight, the centaur warrior, was also killed one after another. In the blink of an eye, the outcome was clear: the Dragon Fang Warriors suffered a complete defeat.
However, it wasn't entirely a complete defeat. Aside from the alluring female strategist who constantly summoned ghosts, the Dragon Fang Warriors still had one commander remaining. In the battle just now, although the commander-in-chief did not participate in the battle, it kept a close watch on Tianhe Xueqiong, and it could even be said that it had her pinned down.
Tianhe Xueqiong and the commander-in-chief of the chess game faced each other from afar. At first, Tianhe Xueqiong smiled strangely, as if everything was under control, but soon after, this unpredictable and wicked smile began to stiffen, and in the end... Tianhe Xueqiong, who did not directly participate in the battle, was sweating more than anyone else, showing the pressure she was under.
If the Dark Knight and the Centaur General could have held out a little longer, perhaps the entire Four Elements Formation would have collapsed starting from Tianhe Xueqiong's side. Unfortunately, this hypothesis is now meaningless, because the collapse of the Dark Knight and the Centaur General has allowed the Four Elements Formation to regain its balance. The endless power of chaos is about to be unleashed, and Dragon Fang Chess has no chance of recovery.
"Ah..."
A strange groan came from the mouth of the beautiful female advisor, whose body was also covered with cracks. She was about to collapse, so she stopped wiping herself and bowed to the commander-in-chief. Her half-naked, intact body emitted an ivory-white light, exquisitely sculpted, with graceful curves, so beautiful that it inspired heartfelt admiration.
This bow was filled with an ominous meaning, and I had a bad feeling. I guessed that the Dragon Fang Warriors might be about to launch a self-destructive tactic of mutual destruction. The thought had barely flashed through my mind when the beautiful female strategist let out a sharp howl, and her whole body quickly changed shape.
Dragon teeth are an extremely hard material, not easily damaged under normal circumstances, let alone reshaped. However, if they are purely energized, that's a different story. The glamorous female strategist, amidst screams, glowed brightly, her body growing increasingly slender until she lost her human form, transforming into a streak of light that shot towards the commander's hand.
The light entered his palm, and with a pull and a draw, it transformed again into a blood-red ruler-shaped bow, its string formed by cyan rays of light. Under the commander's pull, it slowly unfurled.
He drew the bow, the bowstring was drawn, but the arrow was not on the string. I was puzzled; was it going to shoot without an arrow?
The answer appeared in the next moment. Although the centaur general and the black knight were dead, they had inflicted considerable damage on the Four Elements Formation. Yu Ni, Charlotte, and others were showing signs of fatigue. At this moment, the shattered dragon tooth chess pieces emitted a faint emerald light and began to condense into pure energy.
First, the pile of fragments belonging to the centaur general underwent a transformation. As if summoned by a command, the pure energy dragon teeth condensed into light and shot towards the azure light string more than twenty feet away. They quickly transformed into arrows, and then the already fully drawn bowstring emitted a silent vibration, and the dragon tooth arrow flew out.
This arrow, from the moment it was released, was extraordinary. The bowstring twanged, and the surrounding space trembled violently, causing everything to sway and twist like ripples on water. The recoil from the arrow was already so powerful; one can only imagine the immense power contained within the arrow itself. It was estimated that this was many times, even several times, the destructive power of the Dragon Fang chess pieces—a ruthless and vicious attack, draining their essence and unleashing a devastating, all-consuming strike.
Those chess pieces had truly given their all, prepared to sacrifice themselves, yet still fighting valiantly, depleting the defensive power of the Four Elements Array, only to launch an even more terrifying annihilation attack with the remnants of the Dragon Fang after completing their mission. White Lantern's design... could only be described as utterly devouring them.
But the destructive power of this arrow was truly earth-shattering. The arrow collided with Bianca's Fire Phoenix Spear, exploding instantly. The earth shook, dust billowed into the sky, and everything around was destroyed. At the point where the two forces exploded, a supernova-like explosion of intense light and heat occurred, then a black rift appeared, frantically absorbing and tearing at everything around it, even the drifting black mist.
Renfell must have been very worried about his sister's condition, but at this moment, worry was useless. Bianca was touched by the rift, and her figure slowly faded until she disappeared completely, leaving only a black void.
The seemingly invincible Four Elements Formation was finally breached by the wailing, annihilating arrow. Just as Yu Ni and Charlotte were about to react, two more arrows struck, detonating in front of them. Amidst the violent shaking, the shattered space sealed them both away, and they vanished without a trace. The Four Elements
Formation was now ineffective. If another arrow were fired, given its earth-shattering power, Tianhe Xueqiong would surely be unable to withstand it. Forget being sealed; she would likely be pulverized on the spot.
Thinking of this, not only was Leng Linglan anxious, but I also broke out in a cold sweat, wanting to immediately turn back and stop the arrow from being fired. However, we quickly realized something else.
(Two Dark Knights and a Centaur: "The first arrow has already been fired, so... what will it use to fire the fourth arrow?")
This was a significant question, but the Wargame Master seemed to be prepared. After firing three arrows in succession, its own body began to glow brilliantly, as if it were about to become pure energy. In other words, it itself was the fourth arrow?
"Not good! Run!"
Hua Gengsha looked very anxious: "The structure of the surrounding space has become extremely unstable after those three arrows. If the fourth arrow is fired, its power will far exceed that of the first three. It will be a devastating disaster. We must get away as soon as possible, or we will suffer as well."
"Ah? Then Xueqiong, she wasn't..."
Hearing that her old friend was in trouble, Leng Linglan naturally refused to leave, but Hua Gengsha's reaction was even more resolute. Before Leng Linglan could finish speaking, she raised her hand and chopped Leng Linglan on the back of the neck. The already seriously injured Princess Leng didn't even groan before fainting on my back.
This was somewhat of a warning shot, but thinking that Tianhe Xueqiong might just die like this, I couldn't just run away. So I stopped and glared at Hua Gengsha.
"If you're so capable, then knock me out too."
"You don't really think I don't have that ability, do you?"
Facing the old hag's sneer, I was about to answer when I suddenly realized something was wrong. The three annihilating arrows fired in quick succession not only breached the Four Elements Array, but the recoil also damaged the archer himself. The chess mastermind, who was gradually transforming into pure energy, now had many cracks appearing on his familiar, cold face, indicating that his power had reached its limit. Even without sacrificing himself to become an arrow, he wouldn't last much longer.
What would have been the result if this magnificent arrow had actually been fired? This was indeed intriguing, but before the arrow could even take shape, the black fireball at the core of the Four Elements Array suddenly throbbed violently. Then, a massive amount of black mist was instantly released, blotting out the sky and spreading outwards.
Previously, the black fog's movements had given an impression of order, but this time… the black fog was like a runaway tsunami, spreading wildly in all directions. Tianhe Xueqiong, who was closest, was the first to be hit: she cried out, her face showing a look of utter despair, and was swallowed by the black fog.
The black fog that swallowed Tianhe Xueqiong came on even more fiercely, and its speed was astonishing. Before the arrow could be fired, it surged forward and swallowed the commander of the chess pieces. At first, a glimmer of light could be seen flickering in the black fog, but it was quickly surrounded by the thick fog, and nothing could be seen except for the deep darkness.
This sudden turn of events was completely unexpected. We hadn't anticipated the old monster could launch such a powerful counterattack, even though it seemed like a desperate, last-ditch effort. It succeeded; the black mist that had swallowed the powerful enemy continued its relentless spread.
Previously, Zhao had some reservations about leaving, but now there was no time to think. He turned and ran. A single step slower would mean certain death. If he were swallowed by the surging black mist, who knew what the consequences would be?
Hua Shisha was also quick to escape. Although she repeatedly claimed she couldn't fight, she was certainly capable of running away. They even had the ability to give me a hand and pull me along to run faster. Otherwise, it would be truly doubtful that I could have escaped the surging black tide alone.
The elves were more unlucky, especially those who were injured and unable to run; they died instantly. But since they were able to cover Lunfer's successful retreat, they must have died in peace, without any regrets.
Everyone ran for their lives, but the situation didn't improve. The surging black fog was still approaching us, getting closer and closer. We only had a group of wounded soldiers here, no long-distance runners. If this dragged on, the consequences would be certain death. Leng Linglan woke up from the shock of running. After realizing the situation, she asked me several times to put her down and let her run on her own to lighten her load. But I didn't have the time for that. I was afraid that if I stopped even for a moment, the black fog would catch up with us and we would both die.
"Put me down! Put me down!"
Leng Linglan urged urgently, but I ignored her. She even tapped me on the head twice, but the force was so weak that it was just a light touch before I slid away, showing that she was in terrible condition and incapable of running on her own. Her words about putting me down and running were just bravado, or...
"Shut up! If you keep bothering me, neither of us will survive."
"You... you're too busy escaping to carry anything heavy, it hurts so much against my chest!"
In the chaos, Leng Linglan's voice reminded me of something very important. Indeed, high-level treasures are very valuable, priceless, but what use are they if you're about to lose your life?
The sacred artifact that Ishtar sent, regardless of its functionality, was undeniably a heavy object. Normally, I would find it difficult to hold it with both hands, but unexpectedly, in this urgent escape, I kept it tucked behind my back and ran like the wind, completely forgetting its existence. This sudden burst of superhuman strength during the fire escape was something I had to admire myself for.
Thinking of this, I suddenly felt my body become much heavier, almost unable to run due to the weight of these dozens of pounds. Even if I wanted to take it off and throw it, I couldn't free my hands for a moment. Leng Linglan was also weak after her injury and didn't even have the strength to hit my head, let alone lift this heavy object.
As soon as I slowed down, the black fog surged up behind me. I turned my head to call for help, but found that in those few seconds, Hua Gengsha was already more than ten feet away. The other elves, including Lun Fei'er, were also busy escaping and no one noticed what was happening here. I couldn't even call for help.
(I really can't believe it. Are my brother and I going to die here together today for such an absurd reason?)
Although I found it absurd, there are many heroes who live brilliant lives, only to leave in a ridiculous way at the moment of their death. Life is unpredictable; what's the use of complaining?
However, to my surprise, a section of dead tree not far ahead suddenly exploded at that moment, splitting the tree in two, and something seemed to fly out from the trunk.
(What happened? Why did that tree suddenly explode? And... why does this scene seem somewhat familiar?)
It is indeed a strange thing, but the scene in front of me is indeed familiar. It seems like I have seen it somewhere before. In my memory, someone was extremely good at this kind of invisibility method, always hiding in haystacks, dead trees, or under rubble, making the enemy ignore him and thus avoiding disaster.
I'd witnessed his ability to hide like a turtle before, so it wasn't surprising. But what truly puzzled me was, what was he trying to do by suddenly appearing out like this?
"Uncle, you..."
The situation was too chaotic; before I could even finish a sentence, the figure burst forth from the withered tree, speeding towards me, completely ignoring the approaching black mist, and in the blink of an eye, he was in front of me... no, he passed right by me.
The night was too dark; even at such close range, I couldn't clearly see Mao Yan'an's face or expression. But in that fleeting moment, this delinquent middle-aged man did two things.
First, Mao Yan'an suddenly threw the future he had been holding into my arms. It's hard to imagine... in this critical moment of life and death, he actually disregarded his own safety and protected this handsome young man all the way until now. Who would believe that he didn't have any special intentions towards this kid? Could it be that what I said before was true, and that Bu Liang Zhong Wu really is a large-scale double-pronged person?
Regardless of the truth, the weight on my back was already heavy enough when Mao Yan'an threw him into my arms at this time. I'm not born to do hard labor, how could I bear that weight? So the direct result was that my knees buckled and I knelt down. Mao Yan'an took the opportunity to do the second thing.
The moment I knelt down, Mao Yan'an reached behind me and pulled out the long, heavy object that was stuck in my back. Strangely enough, the long, heavy object, as heavy as a lead bar, had only gleamed faintly for so long. Aside from being so heavy it nearly broke one's back, it served no other purpose. But when it fell into Mao Yan'an's hands, he swung it around, and as it came into contact with the black mist surging from all directions, the object suddenly shone brightly, radiating
brilliant golden light, like the midday sun, illuminating everything in all directions as if it were daytime. Wherever the light reached, all the black mist was completely dispelled, leaving not a trace behind.
"This, this is..."
I stammered, instinctively searching for Mao Yan'an's location. Before, it was too dark to see him, but now the light was too dazzling, making it impossible to discern his figure. I could only hear his voice slowly approaching.
"I can't hold on much longer. You guys take this opportunity to run. I'll buy you some time..."
Although his words were vague, I could roughly understand the meaning. I never dreamed such righteous, heroic words would come from Mao Yan'an's mouth. Given this delinquent middle-aged man's usual style, he should be cowardly, always running away when trouble arises, or even more despicable, willing to betray his companions while sending them to hell—that's the kind of behavior he'd be.
Out of sheer disbelief, I opened my eyes wide, trying desperately to see the man clearly, to see what expression was on his face. Perhaps… perhaps he would soon, as usual, scream in despair and scramble away, because being a hero was so unlike him.
However, the light was too bright; I couldn't see his eyes, his expression, or even the outline of his features. I couldn't see what I wanted to see, only a faint, serene smile.
"...You're outstanding. In my heart, you've always been the son I never had. The rest is in your hands... This time traveling with you... has been very enjoyable..."
The surrounding energy was intense, and the wind was strong, making the latter part of Mao Yan'an's words intermittent and difficult to understand. My first reaction was to tell him not to play the hero or show off. This image was so out of character for him, and I felt embarrassed for him after seeing it for a while.
However, I didn't get a chance to say those words until the very end. Mao Yan'an smiled, then suddenly took off running. Whether this could be considered running for his life, I wasn't sure for a moment, but he was definitely rushing towards the place where the black fog was the thickest.
Mao Yan'an still held the sacred object in his hand, its intense light sweeping in all directions, driving away all the black fog. The farther he ran, the farther he could drive the fog away, truly buying us precious time to escape. The problem was, he himself said he couldn't hold on for too long. He probably used some unknown method to force the sacred object to emit light and barely maintain it. When this supporting force was lost, the sacred object would stop shining, and he would be instantly swallowed up by the counter-attacking black fog.
"Uncle! Are you crazy! What are you doing running that way? Come back!"
I shouted hoarsely, my emotions running high. My body, which had been exhausted to the point of having no strength left, forgot its fatigue and stood up again. A cold voice suddenly rang out nearby.
"Are you crazy? Even if you catch up, what can you do? Do you want to be buried with me?"
Hua Gengsha, who had run far away, suddenly came back and grabbed two reluctant elf guards to help me carry Wei Lai and Leng Linglan, easing my burden.
"You don't need someone to carry you, do you? I brought an extra elf to carry you, but it turns out you have an extra person here. If you can still walk, just run yourself."
Hua Gengsha frowned and said, "I'm not here to be a babysitter. Why am I always here rescuing people, again and again? Can't you be a little more self-aware? Last time in the Trial Cave, I caused so much trouble. I had to kill all the sacrifices outside to cast a spell after rescuing you from outside. This time it was another near-death experience. Be smart and cherish your life, otherwise, when the black fog counterattacks, no matter how many people I kill, I won't be able to save you a second time."
Leng Linglan gently patted me, which calmed me down. I knew this wasn't the time to be sentimental, so I nodded and continued running outside with Hua Gengsha and the others.
This is already the edge of the Val Forest. If we don't encounter any obstacles, we can escape the Val Forest after running for a while. If it weren't for the appearance of the Dragon Fang Chess, we would probably have been wiped out long ago. Although the Dragon Fang Chess is powerful, it ultimately couldn't hold out until the end, and the desperate tactic of mutual destruction failed.
When we finally left the Val Forest, we looked back and saw that the once bright light had vanished without a trace, shrouded in a surging, violent black fog. The fate of those who maintained the light was self-evident.
Staring at the black fog in the Val Forest, I unconsciously clenched my fists, and my voice trembled slightly as I whispered.
"...Damn it, that damn double-pronged guy, I told him long ago that doing things that are out of character can be dangerous..."
◆ Episode 5: Hasty Escape and Recuperation
As we left the Wal Forest, the black fog behind us surged like a tidal wave. Although it looked astonishing, it ultimately did not overflow the boundaries of the Wal Forest.
Perhaps this was just some kind of deceptive tactic by the enemy, but I was more convinced that my earlier judgment was correct. The Wal Forest, having been occupied and transformed by the old monster for a long time, may have undergone some kind of mutation, greatly increasing the old monster's magical power within the forest, making it his exclusive advantage. If he left the forest, losing this advantage, his power would decrease significantly, so he was unwilling to pursue us beyond the forest's boundaries.
If this inference were invalid, Lunfield would have been wiped out long ago while hiding in that Valley of the Dead; how could he possibly have survived until now?
However, the situation is still quite unfavorable for us. The losses in this battle have been too great. Not only are our casualties severe, but the enemy's casualties are also attributed to us.
The four members of the old monster's Four Elements Formation are all related to us. Apart from Charlotte, who perhaps no one cares much about her life or death, the importance of the other three is extraordinary.
Bianca and I had a fling, but nothing serious happened. Basically, her life or death was none of my concern. However, she was Lunfer's most beloved youngest sister, and Lunfer couldn't possibly be indifferent to her situation. Since we left the Wal Forest, Lunfer's expression had been constantly somber, which I believe was largely due to Bianca.
Of the two Neon sisters, I definitely value Yu Hong more, but I didn't disregard Yu Ni to the point of casually discarding her. To say I liked Yu Ni would be nonsense; to say I had no feelings for her at all would also be nonsense. At least… I would feel a great loss if she died. After all, losing an absolutely obedient and easy-going sex slave would cause any man a pain akin to losing a fortune.
If Yu Ni was in such a state, then Tianhe Xueqiong was even more so.
I dared not reveal my own emotions and said nothing about it, but Leng Linglan was very agitated and extremely worried about Tianhe Xueqiong's safety. She wanted to rush back to Huaer Forest several times to check on her, but I persuaded her to stay.
The final arrow that the Dragon Fang Warrior unleashed in self-destruction was incredibly powerful and truly possessed earth-shattering might. Otherwise, it would have been unable to break the Four Elements Array. Although this Four Elements Array was not perfect and had flaws in its operation, it was still helpless against anyone except for a powerful enemy like the Dragon Fang Warrior.
Charlotte, Yu Ni, and Bianca disappeared after being hit by arrows. The destructive power of those arrows was not the traditional piercing or tearing, but rather an explosion of enormous energy that shook space, destroyed everything around them, and was impossible to defend against. The three of them were not only physically injured, but were also sucked into the rifts of spacetime, and their fate was truly uncertain. On the other hand, Tianhe Xueqiong, before she was hit by the arrows, the old monster had already stirred up the black mist and launched a counterattack. We don't know how badly she was hurt.
Thinking about it carefully, the chances of Tianhe Xueqiong being unharmed are not small. It is too early to worry about her now. It is more realistic to worry about ourselves.
In the Huaer Forest, we've lost too much. Abandoning everything and escaping is impossible, so a counterattack is the only option. But the old monster is no ordinary opponent; he's invincible in both wit and strength. If it weren't for the sudden appearance of the Dragon Fang Warriors, he would have wiped us all out long ago. We're now severely weakened and outmatched; what can we possibly use to fight him?
"Where...are we going?"
Leng Linglan asked this question. I had already guessed the answer. I heard Lun Feier reply, "Let's go back to my original base first. I left some men there. Resupply won't be a problem. We'll rest there first and then plan a counterattack."
This answer was expected. Lun Feier was cautious and wouldn't leave himself no way out. Before he came out this time, he must have thought about how to retreat and save his life if the attack failed. The Ghost Canyon had sheltered him for a long time. Even the old monster couldn't break into it. Its defensive power was naturally not weak. It was the best place to retreat and resist the enemy. Although it was a bit far from here, given the current situation, being far away from the Huaer Forest was not a bad thing.
The old monster's strength will weaken after leaving the Wal Forest. This is just my speculation, without any real evidence. Moreover, even if his strength weakens, it doesn't mean he can't leave the Wal Forest and hunt us down. After all, he once personally led an army to attack the Valley of the Dead. If we were really naive enough to think that he would stay in the forest forever and couldn't come out, then we would be incredibly stupid.
Upon leaving the Wal Forest, we were personally blocked by the old monster. The Four Elements Formation nearly wiped us out—a truly unfortunate event. However, another group was much luckier. Prince Lehman and some important figures, escorted by troops, escaped safely. Although they encountered some obstacles along the way, the four holy monks of the Cihang Temple were no pushovers. While not qualified to challenge the Four Elements Formation, they easily dealt with other minor disturbances, advancing unscathed.
On the way to the Valley of the Dead, we met up with Lehman and his group. They appeared safe and sound, unlike our side, which had suffered heavy casualties. The elf guards who followed Lunfield repeatedly risked their lives to protect him, fighting bravely for their superior. When we escaped the Wal Forest, only three or four survivors remained; the rest had all perished.
The deaths of loyal subordinates, the unknown fate of his sister, and the near-death experience of his brother—these events could not have been unaffected by Lunfield. He appeared extremely dejected throughout the journey, barely uttering a word, mostly lost in thought. If this continued, the battle would be lost. Fortunately, he knew how to pull himself together. After several hours of despondency, he forcefully suppressed his emotions with reason and returned to his command post.
"Now we're all in the same boat. To avenge our grievances, we must unite against our common enemy,"
Lun Feier said as he approached us. Although I couldn't think of any reason why I should be considered on the same side as him, Leng Linglan nodded vigorously in support of his words, so the fact that we were all in the same boat was confirmed.
"Since we're going to cooperate, it's best to first confirm our current combat strength. This will make resource integration and deployment easier,"
Lun Feier said, glancing at Hua Gengsha. Among our current forces, Hua Gengsha's identity is the most peculiar, even more so than that of the Bai family members. At least the Bai family members were ordered by Osama bin Laden to come to Solancia to assist us in our mission. Hua Gengsha, on the other hand, was merely invited to work as a professional corpse prostitute. Even when there are no more corpse prostitutes to work with, she still wanders around aimlessly, which is truly baffling.
If Hua Gengsha were really just a technician, that would be one thing, but this woman's martial arts skills are frighteningly high. While I wouldn't dare say she could easily defeat Leng Linglan, she could at least easily overpower Lun Feier. With such high combat skills, yet he never actually fights, always letting others take the lead. No one can accept this kind of behavior, and Lun Fei'er has probably been dissatisfied for a long time. He was previously wary, and now, taking advantage of his bad mood, he's brought up the issue all at once.
However, Hua Gengsha is no ordinary character. If we could just pressure her into submission, we wouldn't be in such a mess.
Faced with Lunfield's questioning, Huagensha rolled her eyes and sneered, "Others feign madness under the influence of alcohol, but are you trying to act tough just because your sister is dead? Your sister's body is gone, so you can't be a corpse prostitute anymore, but if you want me to take pity on you and send you to see her, that's easy enough. Are you ready to go?"
These words were very impolite, and Lunfield's expression immediately changed. But I tried to wink at him from behind, letting Lunfield know that this witch wasn't just talking casually. If he angered her, he might be heading straight to hell. In addition, with Demetrius's experience being a warning not far off, Lunfield displayed the composure of a mature politician: able to bend and stretch.
"Alright, I understand. Then let's exclude Ms. Hua from our available fighting force. Even if we can't fight together, as long as we're not enemies, that's fine."
After saying that, Lun Feier looked at me and Leng Linglan. I can't use magic, so I'm practically useless. Leng Linglan is highly skilled in martial arts and should have been a major fighting force, but her injuries are severe, and she can barely walk. It's unrealistic to expect her to fight.
With Leng Linglan gone and Lun Fei'er himself seriously injured, looking at this group of defeated soldiers before me, I could only shake my head. With this force, what could we possibly do besides throw our lives away in a challenge against the old monster?
"I suggest we hurry,"
I suggested, and both Lun Fei'er and Leng Linglan nodded. Everyone had heard the old monster's words clearly: after reclaiming his original form, he needed seven more days to merge with his original flesh dragon. Once the merging was complete, no one could say for sure what the outcome would be.
Generally speaking, if the old monster doesn't have a mental illness or go crazy, then after he merges with his original body and becomes one with his spirit, he should be no weaker than he is now. He is very likely to break through the geographical limitations of the Wal Forest and come out to slaughter us. At that time, we will truly be at our wits' end. If there's any miscalculation, it's the damage inflicted by the Dragon Fang Warriors. If the old monster's injuries are more severe than expected, his recovery period might exceed seven days, giving us more time to prepare...
"Of course, we shouldn't be too happy yet. This speculation also includes another possibility: the old monster's injuries are more severe than expected, so he might just give up and abandon his grand plan of achieving unity of body and spirit, and simply charge in to wipe us all out..."
This possibility isn't out of the question. Lun Fei'er's expression wasn't good after hearing this, but his reaction made me realize something strange.
This is, after all, Solancia, the territory of this elf prince. His understanding of all the timing and circumstances far surpasses that of us outsiders. To put it more bluntly, even if a legend suddenly emerged that a king of Solancia, fearing the fall of his kingdom, left behind resources or treasures to protect his descendants, and that opening the treasure would grant legendary power… it wouldn't be surprising.
History, seemingly serious and cruel, neither interesting nor funny, often contains absurdities that make one unable to help but laugh… if one hasn't been driven mad by the absurdity and ridiculousness before laughing out loud.
In short, it's quite obvious that Lunfield possesses something powerful enough to contend with the old monster, and might even be able to launch a stunning counterattack and achieve a reversal of fortune. This is something that can be gleaned from his words, but it's impossible to determine what it is, because this guy seems to have something to hide, speaking evasively.
(Strange, could it be something dark and shameful? Why does Lunfield look so embarrassed?)
I had my doubts, but it wasn't convenient to confront him directly. We suffered a crushing defeat in this battle, and everyone's morale is currently low. We need some time to rebuild our spirits, and this isn't a good time to start a conflict.
The journey to the Valley of the Dead was an extremely arduous march. The elves, who cherished nature and its creatures, didn't ride horses even at this time of year. Everyone walked, relying on their own strength. Although I really wished someone could carry me, judging from the elves' eyes, asking them to drag me away and bury me wasn't a big deal, but asking them to carry me... forget about that.
However, despite the exhaustion, it wasn't all bad. At least there was one thing that brought a smile to my face, something that made me smile whenever I thought about it.
When we were fleeing for our lives in the Huaer Forest, Leng Linglan had hit my head hard more than once, telling me to put her down so she could escape on her own. Her injuries were severe; even if I put her down, she wouldn't be able to run, which would be suicide. I refused to comply with her request and almost got my head smashed for it. Unexpectedly, after leaving the Huaer Forest and being clearly safe, this cold-hearted princess, who kept insisting on coming down, changed her mind and refused to come down.
"...I'm badly injured and need to use this opportunity to circulate my energy and recover. If you carry me for a while, and I can regain some of my fighting strength, it will be a safety guarantee for everyone." "
That sounds reasonable, but I'm also suffering from back pain, weak legs, and shortness of breath. Why don't you two, the Cold Heroines, show me some consideration and get down and walk around yourself? Carrying me on your back to heal my injuries is just aggravating them. How can you bear to
do that?" "You're yelling and screaming even when carrying someone for a short distance? Are you even a man?"
"That's strange. Don't you consider yourself stronger than all men? Why are you distinguishing between men and women? Besides, if I'm not a man, then how can you be considered a model woman?"
I retorted habitually, purely out of instinct. I didn't think too much about it until after I said that. Then I suddenly realized that the usually strong-willed and averse to men, the Cold Second Princess, was now stubbornly clinging to a man's back and refusing to get off. This... this... wasn't she just being coquettish?
Realizing this, I immediately understood. I didn't say anything more, just chuckled twice, took a deep breath, and carefully carried the woman behind me. But the hand that was holding her legs quietly moved up and touched the Cold Second Princess's round and perky buttocks, and even slapped them.
Leng Linglan, never one to back down, slapped my bottom, and she retaliated with a hard knock on my head—it really hurt! But after that, the beautiful Princess Leng adjusted her position, making it easier for me to carry her, and even gave me an unexpected, alluring reward. Especially when her two round, beautiful breasts pressed against my back, that sweet pressure seemed to lighten even the weight I was carrying.
"This is your reward. Focus on carrying me, don't be sad."
After all that, she was making me carry her while walking. Besides being affectionate, she was actually trying to comfort me, but why should I be sad?
"You and that Mao Yan'an, you must have been on good terms, right? When he heroically sacrificed himself just now, your fists were clenched, and the expression on your face..."
"Wait, what heroic sacrifice? How could someone as cunning as that middle-aged scoundrel possibly run off to sacrifice himself for us? Whatever we saw, we must have assumed it was an illusion. He must have been fully confident before running off to play the hero. Maybe he's already successfully escaped and is hiding somewhere enjoying fine wine and beautiful women, waiting for us to regain the upper hand before showing his face."
The more she talked, the more she felt she was right. Recalling that scene in the Huaer Forest, she still felt a strong sense of unreality. With that cunning middle-aged scoundrel's shrewdness, how could he, who was hiding in a safe place, suddenly jump out and sacrifice himself? He's always been the kind of person who pushes others to their deaths so he can escape unscathed. He consistently followed this pattern back in the Southern Barbarian lands and the East China Sea. The scenes from those times are still vivid in my mind. I simply can't believe that Uncle really sacrificed himself like that.
(Impossible. That's not his style. Besides, he always had many hidden skills. If he used some trick to deceive us, that would be quite reasonable. Back in the Southern Barbarian lands, a sharp knife was plunged into his stomach so many times, yet it didn't kill him. Later, he still appeared before us, alive and kicking. How could this small-scale battle kill him?)
I only saw Mao Yan'an surrounded by black fog; I didn't witness his death. I can't believe it's true. In fact, even if I had seen his death with my own eyes, I don't think I would have accepted it. The impressions accumulated over the years were too strong. Even if I believed the sun would be square, I still couldn't believe Mao Yan'an's death. Unconsciously, this delinquent middle-aged man had become an immortal, invincible, even unbeatable figure in my mind.
Because I believed this, Mao Yan'an's death didn't affect me much. After leaving the Huaer Forest, I was able to quickly adjust my mood, rethink, and try to find the enemy's weaknesses.
Hua Gengsha walked with the Bai family members without bothering me. I wondered if they were taking the opportunity to contact Bai Laden. Given the current situation, if Bai Laden could give us some help, it might have a miraculous effect. After all, the Dragon Fang Chess that severely injured the old monster was his doing.
The old monster was undoubtedly a formidable character, but encountering Bin Laden was like meeting his nemesis. Not only did he suffer a heavy loss in the Dragon Fang Chess game, but he was also killed and dealt with by Bin Laden back then, his soul separated from his body, almost leading to his utter annihilation. He died cleanly and thoroughly.
Ling Wen whispered in Zhao's ear, "You should find out how that 'White Bin Laden' you've been talking about killed the transvestites. If it was just a simple killing, there shouldn't be any need to go all the way to Solancia to dispose of the body, right?"
I agree with that. Especially considering what Bin Laden did, it wasn't just simply disposing of the body; it was sealing the old monster's body. This... is very strange. Generally speaking, if you successfully kill an enemy, beheading, mutilating the corpse, or scattering the bones to ashes are all typical acts of revenge. But to go so far as to seal the enemy's body and then throw it in a special location is very unusual, as if you're guarding against something, planning something.
Guarding against what? When a person dies, the lights go out, and that's the end of it. Are you afraid that the dead will rise from the dead? Can a resurrected dead person be considered human?
This question would be ridiculous if asked about someone else, but when asked about the old monster... it seems like he can't even be considered human. On the way out of the Huaer Forest, I began to ponder a question: what exactly is this old monster? A gaseous life form—did he cultivate this form after his soul was separated? Or did he possess this special life form from the beginning? Besides that, there's another mystery…
Leng Linglan whispered, “The great demon calls himself His Majesty the Dragon King and is fighting against Bin Laden. Bin Laden's sphere of influence is in the East Sea. Could this great demon be related to the Black Dragon King? Or… is he the Black Dragon King?”
I smiled bitterly, “Theoretically, that's a good deduction, but there's no evidence to support it, and it can't be proven. Even if we went and grabbed Bin Laden by the neck, he wouldn't tell us the truth.”
This is obvious, but it's not like there's no one to ask. Bin Laden sealed the old monster's body in the trial cave of the large prison. Of course, he didn't just throw it anywhere. Considering the many strange objects inside the cave, the secret it holds is a crucial key to the whole affair, and might even allow us to turn the tide.
Since that cave is so mysterious, it must be a major secret of Solancia. Perhaps others don't know, but Lunfer has held military and political power for many years, so he must know something.
"Amitabha!"
Deep in thought, a Buddhist chant suddenly came from ahead, startling me, especially since I was reaching out to grope my sister's buttocks. Suddenly, I saw four solemn-looking monks lined up in front of me. My guilty conscience almost made me jump.
Cheng, Zhu, Huai, and Kong—these four are all highly respected monks of the Xin generation, the four great monks Mao Yan'an invited this time. As high-ranking monks of the Xin generation, their martial arts skills are naturally very strong, and their magical power is not weak either. Without their assistance, the enemy would not have been so easily defeated. The four great monks came before us, indicating that Leng Linglan's injuries were severe. However, since they are all from the same Cihang lineage, if they were to treat her, her injuries could improve.
Seeing that these monks had a refined and virtuous appearance, and didn't seem like lecherous men trying to take advantage of her, I cooperatively put her down, allowing Leng Linglan to face these four senior monks and discuss the treatment.
Long ago, Mao Yan'an told me an analogy: Cihang Jingdian was the most powerful force on earth, filled with countless masters, including highly skilled monks and powerful figures. Its overall strength was unmatched on earth, yet it was often defeated by the most powerful figures of certain evil sects. The mystery behind this was worth pondering.
"These monks devoted themselves to rigorous training for many years, achieving superior levels in Buddhist studies and martial arts. Their hearts were like withered wood, their bodies like diamonds. The result of their repeated training was that they transformed themselves into an incredibly solid rock. It was extremely difficult for anyone to break through it, but… the way of martial arts is ever-changing. While a rock may be impenetrable, it cannot be invincible." When Mao
Yan'an said this, to make it easier for us to understand, he specifically asked a question: when going to the battlefield, would you prefer to carry a solid boulder in a charge, or would you choose another weapon? As a result, even the slowest-witted A-Xue and the less intelligent Yu-Ni chose swords and knives, not boulders.
This is a perfectly normal choice; otherwise, humans would have already carried bricks to the battlefield and smashed them against enemies, why would they need swords and knives?
"No matter how hard or impenetrable a boulder is, it's never as useful as swords and spears in battle." The high monks of Cihang Jingdian (Cihang Temple) focus on cultivating their inner energy (qi) rather than studying various combat techniques, as this would negatively impact their meditation and Buddhist practice. Therefore, while their martial arts skills are formidable, they rarely produce unparalleled masters who dominate the world. "
No matter how hard a piece of refined steel is, if it isn't sharpened, it cannot cut through objects." Thus, although Cihang Jingdian has many skilled fighters, they consistently lose in actual combat. Even a strong ox cannot defeat a tiger—this is the principle.
However, behind this principle lies another truth. If refined steel is polished, it can become a weapon stronger and sharper than an ordinary blade. These high-ranking monks with profound internal energy may not be strong in combat, but if a brave and fearless warrior receives the blessing of their profound internal energy, he will be like a tiger with wings, invincible.
In the legends of the martial arts world, in addition to upholding justice, these high-ranking monks of Cihang Jingdian are also known as "transmission elders," responsible for imparting their life's cultivation to the protagonist, sacrificing themselves to make the protagonist invincible after receiving the infusion. To put it bluntly, they are no different from refill packs of dish soap or shampoo.
The four holy monks came to heal Leng Linglan's injuries, so they probably weren't planning to sacrifice themselves as reinforcements. They just wanted Leng Linglan to regain her strength to defend against the enemy's ambush; otherwise, with their current formation... they would be easily beaten.
I originally wanted to take this opportunity to see Lun Fei'er and question him, but Lun Fei'er was also being healed, surrounded by a group of elf guards, sitting on a stretcher. The elf guards glared at me angrily, so it seemed impossible to get close. I gave up on that idea and continued on alone.
The journey was relatively uneventful; the old monsters in the Hua'er Forest didn't launch a pursuit, and we arrived safely at the Valley of the Dead.
Last time, the old monster and Tianhe Xueqiong joined forces and almost completely wiped out the demons in the canyon. After such heavy damage, the canyon was devoid of life for a time. Even the undead demons were eliminated. Looking into the canyon from outside, it still felt gloomy and dark, but it was a completely different matter compared to the eerie and terrifying atmosphere before. The
long and arduous march finally came to an end, and we could finally rest. I saw Lun Feier get off the stretcher, and his complexion was much better than before, indicating that his injuries had improved. I was about to go and talk to him when I saw him walk towards me on his own. A flash of inspiration struck me, and a key question suddenly became clear.
Lunfer seemed to have something he couldn't tell us along the way, as if he had something extremely important he couldn't explain, which I found very strange. But now I finally understood. When Lunfer came to me with a slightly apologetic expression, before he could even speak, I grabbed his collar and said,
"Well, you coward, have you finally come out of your shell? Talking about chivalry, talking about chivalry all the time, is this what you call chivalry?"
The question was reasonable, but in this situation, it seemed ill-considered. The nearby spirits were very angry and surrounded me.
With the help of the four holy monks, Leng Linglan's injuries had greatly improved, and she was now able to walk independently. Seeing the conflict erupting here, she rushed over, grabbed my hand, and separated me from Lun Fei'er.
"With a formidable enemy in front of us, what are you doing? This shouldn't be a time for infighting, should it?"
Leng Linglan's reaction displeased me, but it was understandable. Moreover, I believed that soon, the one who would need to suppress her anger would not be me, but Leng Linglan.
"Internal strife? That's not quite right. Why don't you ask this comrade you consider a friend, how's your good sister doing now?"
Since meeting Lun Fei'er, Leng Linglan had asked him about Zhi Zhi's condition several times, but the answers were always vague. Lun Fei'er assured us that Zhi Zhi's condition was a little abnormal, but not serious, and there was no danger to her life. Because we were busy with other things at the time, it wasn't appropriate to ask too much, so we didn't delve into it. But now... Leng Linglan was awakened by my words and looked at Lun Fei'er in shock.
Outsiders all thought Leng Linglan was a loner with few friends, but she was actually just discerning, only befriending those she respected. Once she considered someone a friend, she would do everything in her power for them. Therefore, when Tianhe Xueqiong was in trouble, she was more anxious than anyone else, searching tirelessly for her friend's whereabouts for years. Even when she witnessed her friend being manipulated in Solancia, she deliberately held back, her sole purpose being to rescue Tianhe Xueqiong.
Now, upon learning that Zhizhi might be in serious trouble, she was greatly alarmed. She immediately looked to Lun Feixing for reassurance, but her hopes were dashed.
"...I'm so sorry, Second Princess, I couldn't protect Miss Zhizhi properly. She...she's in trouble."

URL 1:https://www.sex3p.com/htmlBlog/191973.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=191973&aspx=1

Last access time:

Previous Page : The Green Hat Servant: The Xiao Family Mother and Daughter Chapter

Next Page : Alibuda Era Festival 25

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Alibuda Era Festival 24

comment Open a new window to view comments