Stelle suddenly looked to her side.
She saw the black-haired, black-eyed young man. The face she had once found gentle and handsome now bore an indescribably mocking expression, seeming so unfamiliar and terrifying in her eyes.
"What... what did you do?!" Stelle rasped. "March 7th... where's Dan Heng?!"
"If anything happens to them, I..."
You said nothing. You merely raised a finger and gently touched her lips, making a shushing gesture to signal for her to be quiet.
Then, you slowly pointed behind you.
Trembling, Stelle turned to look in that direction.
There, March 7th and Dan Heng were likewise bound to pillars by invisible ropes, unconscious.
Their faces were pale, their bodies hanging limply. They had clearly suffered the torment of mental attacks as well.
"What... exactly are you trying to do?!" Stelle stared at you and forced out that name through clenched teeth. "Phantylia!"
Hearing that, the corners of your lips curved upward.
Oh? As expected of the Trailblazer. She had guessed my true identity so quickly.
You had intended to tease her a little longer and enjoy the despair on your prey's face, but seeing the pain and fury mingled in her eyes, you ultimately just said flatly:
"Mm... it's only revenge."
"Revenge?" Stelle was confused. Revenge? Did it have something to do with the Xianzhou?
You saw her confusion, and on an inexplicable impulse, began telling her about your past.
The origin of the heliobi, the thousand years spent imprisoned by the Xianzhou Alliance, that lightless existence.
The struggle to survive after escaping, the lonely search for a host throughout the vast universe, until you fell into the War Furnace, filled with antimatter flames.
The slaughter and devouring within the furnace, and finally being chosen by Nanook, the Aeon of Destruction, to become a Lord of Ruin.
Your tone was steady, without any intense fluctuations, yet the pain, humiliation, and bone-deep hatred contained within it were like a cold current that froze the surrounding air.
Stelle listened in silence, her gaze gradually becoming complicated.
She could not fully empathize with the despair of being imprisoned for a thousand years, but she could understand the source of that pain, that hatred etched into one's bones.
"Jiang... Phantylia," she said with difficulty, her throat dry. "Although I can't completely understand everything you went through, I do understand your pain."
"The Xianzhou truly wronged you. But..."
"Stop." You cut her off immediately. "Don't say 'but.'"
"A thousand years of hatred, revenge planned for millennia—nothing you say will matter."
Stelle fell silent again, countless reasons to persuade you flashing through her mind.
The bonds between companions? The Trailblazer's conviction? The future of the universe?
Yet every thought seemed pale and powerless before those pitch-black eyes of yours.
She understood your hatred, but could not agree with your methods, much less accept what you had done to her companions.
Just then, a tremendous tremor suddenly struck!
Accompanied by a deafening roar, the entire space seemed to shake.
Stelle abruptly raised her head and discovered that she was bound near the edge of a high platform. Below her lay the enormous hull of the Xianzhou Loufu.
She saw the gigantic Phantylia—your clone—wielding a massive fan and wantonly destroying the streets and buildings of the Loufu.
A huge shadow fell over the city below, as though the end of the world had arrived.
"Phantylia," Stelle asked in shock, "are you going to destroy the Loufu?!"
You looked at the chaos below, that sickening smile appearing on your face once more.
"Destroy the Loufu?"
"No, that would be too easy."
"Destroy the Loufu?"
"No, that would be too easy."
Your smile deepened, as though you were preparing to enjoy a play about to begin.
A deeper chill rose in Stelle's heart. She did not know what you were plotting, but her instincts told her it was absolutely nothing good.
She tried to struggle again, but her body remained weak.
She looked at her unconscious companions behind her, frantic with worry.
"If you want revenge against the Xianzhou, why bind us? Why not just kill us?!"
You withdrew your gaze from the city and looked at Stelle again.
"You still have value."
"What value?"
Stelle was startled, a faint hope flashing through her heart—perhaps there was still a chance to turn things around?
"How about this? I'll offer you a condition."
"If you agree, I'll let your companions go."
"What condition?" Stelle's heart tightened. She had a premonition that it would not be simple—perhaps even more terrifying than death.
"It's very simple..."
You looked at Stelle, your voice soft as an intimate whisper, but the words you spoke were utterly cruel:
"Help me use the flames of Destruction to burn the entire Xianzhou Alliance to ashes."
Stelle's pupils abruptly contracted, all color draining from her face.
Destroy the entire Xianzhou Alliance? How could that be possible?!
As she stood there shocked and hesitant, a weak groan came from beside her.
"No, Stelle... don't agree to him!"
It was March 7th! She struggled, her eyelids barely opening a slit. Though her voice was hoarse, she still shouted at Stelle as loudly as she could.
Almost at the same time, Dan Heng roared from the other side, "Don't believe his temptations!"
Dan Heng tried to break free from his restraints, but his body had no strength.
"March! Dan Heng! You're awake!" Seeing her companions awaken, light rekindled in Stelle's dim eyes.
March 7th gave her a weak smile. "This young lady... isn't so easy to bring down! So, who are we fighting this time?"
Her gaze moved toward you with difficulty, her eyes filled with undisguised hostility.
Dan Heng stared at you coldly. "You must be Jiang Mo... no, perhaps calling you Phantylia would be more appropriate?"
"Phantylia, right? Let us go already! Otherwise, you'll regret it!" March 7th shouted.
You looked at the two prey struggling in their restraints, your face filled only with mockery.
"Just the two of you?"
You ignored them and locked your gaze onto Stelle once more, your voice like the sweetest poison, half temptation and half coercion:
"What do you say, Stelle? My patience is limited... which side will you choose?"
A fiercer explosion erupted from the city below, thick smoke billowing into the sky.
The fate of the Xianzhou Loufu and the safety of her companions weighed heavily on Stelle's heart at that moment, nearly leaving her unable to breathe.
You waited with great interest for Stelle's answer.
Yet, to your surprise, Stelle bit down hard on her lower lip. Those eyes that had once panicked because of you, eyes in which ripples had once stirred, now shone with a light you had never seen before.
It was the conviction of a Trailblazer, and a complete rejection of your path of destruction.
She looked directly at you, her voice exceptionally clear. "No. I can't help you."
You froze slightly. Then, the anger of being defied was quickly replaced by an even more twisted expression.
"Is that so?" You chuckled. "You've got backbone. In that case, you... all of you, can enjoy the show. Watch how this Xianzhou marches toward destruction bit by bit before your very eyes."
You said nothing further. With a thought, the gigantic Phantylia below received your command, and her rampage became even more frenzied.
The giant fan that had once merely swung about at random now began striking the Loufu's key areas with clear purpose.
Buildings collapsed in swathes, streets split apart, and faint screams drifted through the air.
"No! Stop!" Stelle struggled with all her strength, invisible restraints digging red marks into her wrists.
March 7th and Dan Heng also fought with everything they had, trying to free themselves, but it was futile. They could only watch helplessly as the once-prosperous Xianzhou Loufu was dragged step by step into the abyss of destruction by your will.
As the Loufu suffered devastating attacks, its distress signal spread through the universe at top speed.
You sensed those signals being sent and smiled in satisfaction.
You turned around, facing away from the three bound captives, and said with some pride:
"You're probably wondering why I'm not in a hurry to kill you."
"Of course, it's because the real show has only just begun."
"The Loufu's distress signal will draw in more Xianzhou fleets, more Xianzhou powerhouses."
"I will make this so-called Xianzhou Alliance gather all its strength, and then... wipe them all out in one sweep! Only then can the hatred accumulated over a thousand years burn hotter and more thoroughly!"
"And you will be the best audience for this show."
"You will witness with your own eyes how all of this comes to an end in my hands."
In the distant sea of stars, several enormous warp lights tore through the darkness. A massive Xianzhou fleet appeared at the edge of the Loufu starfield—it was the Yaoqing Xianzhou.
In the fleet's command room, the Foxian woman wearing a general's uniform, the Yaoqing General Feixiao, received the Loufu's emergency battle report. Upon learning that a Lord of Ruin had appeared, her expression instantly turned grave.
Without the slightest hesitation, she immediately gave the order:
"All personnel, prepare yourselves! Follow me to the Loufu!"
As the fleet warped, General Feixiao led Yaoging's most elite Cloud Knights and swiftly descended upon the Loufu.
The moment Feixiao landed, she directly locked onto the rampaging gigantic Phantylia.
"Lord of Ruin!" Feixiao's eyes sharpened, and two gleaming gunblades instantly appeared in her hands.
"Oh? Another one here to die." The gigantic Phantylia's voice rumbled as she swung her enormous fan down at Feixiao!
"Die!" With a sharp cry, General Feixiao charged in!
General Feixiao moved with astonishing agility, forming a stark contrast to gigantic Phantylia's massive body.
The twin guns in her hands were like two venomous dragons, constantly seeking openings in gigantic Phantylia's defenses. Her attacks were precise and fierce!
Whenever she needed to unleash greater power, she drew the heavy axe from her back, striking with mountain-splitting force and landing devastating blows on gigantic Phantylia!
Feixiao's strength made gigantic Phantylia feel pressure, forcing her to go all out. The Loufu collapsed even further beneath their clash.
The ground split open, buildings were reduced to dust, and terrifying force swept in every direction.
Meanwhile, you watched Feixiao battle your clone from the high platform with great interest.
"This fox from Yaoging has some skill. She handles those gunblades well, and her physical conditioning is acceptable too."
"Unfortunately... she's still too inexperienced."
Stelle, March 7th, and Dan Heng remained bound where they were. They could only watch the brutal battle raging across the Loufu and listen to your mocking commentary. Their hearts clenched, yet they could do nothing...
Phantylia: Stelle, All I Want Is You
After dozens of exchanges, General Feixiao gradually gained the upper hand.
Under Feixiao's relentless assault, gigantic Phantylia's power began to show signs of decline.
Before you continue