Chapter 1: The Finale (7)
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The moment the Man in Black Robe appeared,
the whirlwind disappeared, the Black Snow scattered, and the Small Thousand World returned to warm, sunny spring.
The survivors were all dumbfounded, staring at the newly appeared enemy boss, a weighty aura pressing down upon them as if even speaking would drain all their energy.
Luo Ying instinctively drew her Dark Light Sword.
Though the Man in Black had yet to reveal his face, just his presence in the air gave off a feeling of overwhelming force.
Even simply gazing at his figure sent shivers down her spine, cold sweat trickling down her back.
Was the gap between her and the enemy really this huge?
For a brief moment, she nearly lost confidence in herself.
Just earlier, Li Hanbo had easily suppressed her, but when faced with Demon Empress Frost North Snow, he seemed like a stray dog running for its life.
This clearly showed the chasm between her and Frost North Snow.
But here she was, the only one left in the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Sect Leader and all the elders gone. Did she really have the capability to lead the Heavenly Sword Sect to survival in this chaos?
The sheer power contained within the newly emerged Man in Black was beyond her imagination.
Even if her master, Ling Xiaozu, showed up, he probably wouldn’t gain any advantage either.
What to do?
Was she really going to put her hopes in Frost North Snow again?
Luo Ying trembled as she continued to watch the standoff in the air, her mind a whirlwind of complexities.
What’s more, the whereabouts of the Male Character seemed to be in the hands of that Man in Black, with no clue about his life or d*ath.
As it stood, they could only hope that the Witch cleared the area fast enough to allow them to search for the Male Character; otherwise, with their current state, the enemy just needed to lift one hand, and they would all be toast.
This was the terror of their realms.
Even being Inner Door Disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, in the eyes of powerhouses, they were nothing more than ants.
“d*mn, just when we thought it couldn’t get worse, here comes another disaster!
The Witch almost dealt with that damned traitor, and now another even more has popped up!”
“Ahhhh… Is this never-ending? I can’t take it anymore!”
“If the Witch can’t take down that guy this time, we’re all dead meat.”
Hiding amidst the ruins, the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples dared not poke their heads out, knowing that the Witch’s earlier two devastating attacks of Black Snow didn’t differentiate between friend or foe. Exposed without any cover in the wilderness, they could easily be shredded into bits and pieces by a continuous onslaught of Black Snow.
Moreover, who knew what tricks this new Man in Black would pull?
In a heartbeat, the once confident and determined disciples of the Heavenly Sword Sect, who had steeled themselves for battle, now felt like old soldiers in a battlefield, finally understanding the importance of self-preservation before even thinking of how to tackle the enemy.
Sadly, many were gradually shifting from an optimistic mindset to one of pessimism.
“Master Sister, this time… do you think the Witch can win again?”
Luo Ying looked up at the Good Shiyuan, who had just pulled back his hood, shaking her head. “I don’t know either.”
If her guess was correct, that should be the last avatar of the Monster King. However, she remembered that Good Shiyuan was supposed to be sealed under the Sky Tower in Black Stone City. How did he end up here?
Could it be that something major had occurred over at Black Stone City?
The once fierce battles between the Monster King and the Demon Empress were unexpected, even shocking.
Had it been before the upheaval in the Small Thousand World, as a disciple of the Heavenly Sword Sect, she might have cheered for this turn of events against the Monster Race, even wishing for them to break each other’s skulls.
But now, her thoughts had changed.
No longer was she concerned with the divisions between factions. Even if Frost North Snow belonged to the Monster Race, when facing the world-ending intentions of the Divine Clan in the East Sea Underground Palace, she stepped up to confront them head-on, even sacrificing her own immunity to reap.
If she stubbornly insisted that those who weren’t from her own kind must have malicious hearts, that would be far too narrow-minded.
While Luo Ying was lost in questions, Lin Nan raised similar concerns.
Good Shiyuan smiled and said, “The Sky Tower in Black Stone City is merely a temporary residence for me. I come and go as I please; Black Stone City can’t dictate my moves.”
Lin Nan suddenly recalled the many messages she had received from the Male Character since she woke from her dream.
He summarized their experiences in the Animal World, of course he didn’t forget to add the backstory of the Heavenly Sword Sect at the end.
Having perused through it, Lin Nan immediately recognized the extraordinary nature of the Small Thousand World.
“So you’re saying you actually spent most of your time locked up in the Small Thousand World?” Lin Nan inquired.
Good Shiyuan replied, “Exactly. That blockhead, Evil Shiyuan, is far too simple-minded; his body was easy for me to take over.
What’s more…”
Good Shiyuan paused here, his gaze lingering on Lin Nan’s exquisite face for a moment.
“The spiritual world constructed from your memories, while I can’t step inside, I am well aware of where you come from. So how about a bet, wanna take a shot?”
Lin Nan snorted coldly, “Spill it.”
She had long suspected that Good Shiyuan knew she wasn’t the original Frost North Snow, so she didn’t let the slightest hint of surprise show on her face.
“It’s simple. If you can tell me where I come from, I’ll give you a chance to live.
In other words, I’ll unconditionally let you go.
Conversely, if you get it wrong, don’t blame me for scattering your soul and reclaiming Frost North Snow’s body. Though the Spirit is absorbed by you, a minute amount of consciousness survives, and she’ll take over your body; she may not be as capable as you but is obedient and dependable.
So, what do you say, will you accept?”
Lin Nan shot him a cold look, “Why are you so d*mn sure you can defeat me?”
With a trace of an enigmatic smile, Good Shiyuan’s eyes sparkled oddly.
“No need to ask why. I only want to know if you’re willing to accept this bet.”
After pondering for a moment, Lin Nan nodded, “I can give it a shot, but I have conditions too.”
“Oh, you have conditions?”
Good Shiyuan rubbed his palms together, seemingly a bit too excited.
“Go on.”
“If I guess right, you will release the few people you just caused trouble for. I don’t care whether you let me live or not.”
Lin Nan said coldly.
Good Shiyuan clapped his hands, laughing, “Looks like your escape from the Spirit’s mental prison wasn’t solely thanks to others.
Alright, I accept.
But with that, regardless of whether you win or lose, your body will be reclaimed by me and become my most loyal, most beautiful follower.
With the assistance of the Demon Empress, I’m sure my plans to benefit the Asking Dao Continent will be realized faster and more perfectly.”
