Chapter 142
"I hope these are just my imagination. Sigh, I hope everything goes well for Huo Huo... An earthquake?"
At this moment, the sound of pebbles bobbing came from the ground. The faint sounds attracted the judge sisters who were praying for Huo Huo. First, there were small, high-frequency vibrations, which then turned into exaggerated, undulating movements. They looked on in astonishment as they felt the small vibrations gradually expand into a powerful tremor that could shake the ground.
"Lady Xue Yi! Lady Hanya! The Suiyang in this area has suddenly rioted!"
The messenger from the underworld, panting heavily, rushed over to deliver the message and cried out in panic.
"The worst-case scenario is that those Suiyang bodies will spontaneously begin to converge and merge..."
The whisper escaped from the Hanya's lips.
Hanya's prediction and Xue Yi's intuition were correct. The situation was indeed developing in a bad direction. Sui Suiyang's rampage earlier was not without reason. Now we can tell that it must have been caused by the attraction of fusion.
In other words, the culprit behind the current chaos is now crystal clear...
"... Greater Suiyang."
Xue Yi murmured softly, taking Hanya's speculation as a starting point.
The Suiyang, whose scientific name is the Essence of Starfire race, have a history of causing chaos that has almost accompanied the development of the Suiyang Xianzhou in the recorded history of the Xianzhou. In contrast, the so-called Buli person have only existed for a few hundred years. In this respect alone, the Suiyang are far stronger than other races.
The reason lies in the extremely strong survival ability of the Suiyang. It is immortal and indestructible. As the number of humans it possesses increases and it devours more and more of its own kind, the knowledge and power accumulated by the Suiyang itself will also increase. These intelligent Suiyang often become troublesome "Greater Suiyang".
The Greater Suiyang possesses the collective consciousness that governs the Suiyang within its body, and also possesses a power far beyond that of ordinary Suiyang. Among them, the most outstanding Greater Suiyang, "Ignamar," was even able to fight the former Luofu General Teng Xiao for three hundred rounds without being at a disadvantage.
Although there are varying degrees of strength among the Greater Suiyang, and there are no Greater Suiyang that can be compared to "Ignamar" today, it does not mean that they should be underestimated.
When Xue Yi and Hanya arrived in the area with the reinforcements from Verdant Hill Terrace, all the underworld officials and military officers were immediately stunned into silence by the scene before them. Even Xue Yi and Hanya felt their scalps tingle.
The scene before us can only be described as tragic.
From the fallen trees to every corner of the area, the blue fire roared and spread everywhere, releasing heat waves. The raging fire snakes devoured the surrounding vegetation, and then ignited even more fierce flames. The flags specially arranged to subdue Suiyang were burned to ashes on the ground. The scene was like a boiling kiln.
Standing on the battlefield is a lava giant, five meters tall, formed from azure flames that rose out of nowhere, constantly emitting angry roars.
The sudden appearance of the Greater Suiyang plunged the other underworld officials and judges present into unprecedented panic. Faced with its unprecedented onslaught, the hastily constructed formations by the underworld officials and judges were completely ineffective. The whistling and rushing spells could not cause any substantial damage to the molten giant, but instead made the giant even angrier.
"Damn insects, you've ruined our plans time and time again! Do you really think we're afraid of you?"
The military officers who had tried their best to maintain the battle line were quickly routed, allowing the fire giant to rampage through the formation and smash all the judges and underworld messengers within it.
"Martial arts officers, quickly aid the wounded! Underworld messengers and I will remain in place to cast a spell. Judge in Xue Yi, go and hold off Greater Suiyang, buying as much time as possible."
Based on his past experience, Hanya quickly issued orders. His clear and reasonable instructions were like a powerful calming agent, which quickly calmed down the panicked underworld officials and military officers. Xue Yi immediately ran forward, kicking the ground as the battle began.
Unable to engage in combat of this level, the warriors stepped into the raging battlefield to rescue their unconscious comrades. Xue Yi rushed across the battlefield to stop the Greater Suiyang, who was worthy of being called the leader, while the underworld messengers, led by Hanya, jumped aside, temporarily leaving the battlefield, and chanted incantations to construct spells.
"Another swarm of bugs is coming, they're relentlessly bothering me, it's disgusting!"
Greater Suiyang noticed Xue Yi and the others pouring into the battlefield. It kicked the soft, muddy ground with a roar, and started running as it did so.
Faced with the approaching, enormous enemy, Xue Yi nimbly and deftly dodged to the side, instantly avoiding Greater Suiyang's attack route... or so it should have been.
Despite having left the enemy's path, the astonishing wind pressure struck the thin body of the Xue Yi- clad figure, leaving them no choice but to face the unavoidable storm head-on. Although the Xue Yi was blown several meters away, they managed to land safely by bracing themselves with their hands.
Having encountered such opponents before, Xue Yi hesitated for only half a second before rethinking her plan and attacking the giant formed from flames once more. Relying on her speed and agility, the short sword in her left hand moved like a snake, leaving marks on the giant's body.
The fire giant raised its head and roared, but its outstretched arm struck nothing.
However, this rhythm didn't last long before Greater Suiyang figured out how to deal with this annoying insect.
It stays in one place, moves around aimlessly, and that's about it.
This alone left more and more scars on the battle-hardened Xue Yi.
The earthquake shattered the posture, and the shockwave from the heavy stomping mercilessly blew away the Xue Yi. The scattered flames continuously scorched the Xue Yi's skin. Moreover, the ground, which was constantly melting and collapsing due to the flames, restricted the Xue Yi's speed and further amplified its fierce attack.
After another rapid attack, Xue Yi stopped moving and looked down at the weapon in her left hand.
In just a few attacks, the blade developed cracks, and the extremely high temperature of the opponent's body had brought the temperature of the hilt to an unbelievable level. Thanks to the doll's body's extremely high pain tolerance, Xue Yi listened to the sizzling sound of her palms against the hilt, like roasting meat, but her face remained expressionless.
She turned her head slightly to look at the Hanya in the distance; the spell over there was almost complete.
Since there was no longer any need to delay, Xue Yi threw away the short sword in her left hand. The scorching hot blade sizzled as it cut into butter as it pierced through the ground. Instead, she untied the chain wrapped around her waist and connected it to the end of the Demon-Breaking Awl.
Looking up at the molten giant attacking again, Xue Yi seized the moment the giant took a step and suddenly threw the Demon-Breaking Awl in her hand. At the same time, she stomped on the ground and shot it out like a fully drawn crossbow.
The Demon-Breaking Awl, tracing a path through the air, slammed into the giant's left heel. Using this as a fulcrum, the Xue Yi swiftly leaped and charged around the giant's right side. The rope connecting to the cone—a chain made of a special material—slithered at high speed, like a snake biting its prey, binding the giant's outstretched right leg.
Ping-- A sound like the air being suddenly cut rang out, and the chains binding the giant's feet instantly tightened, robbing him of his ability to move.
The lava giant, having lost its balance, collapsed to its knees with a deafening rumble.
On the flat ground not far away, all the conscious underworld messengers and judges were weaving incantations. Seeing that the time was ripe in the distance, the Hanya immediately shouted, "Now!" and ordered the underworld messengers to unleash the accumulated incantations on the fallen fire giant.
"... Paper soldiers, obeying my decree! One talisman, and all calamities are quelled!"
The spell talismans constructed from the array were thrown out, and immediately the world darkened. Dark shackles leaped out from the flickering and leaping blue light and slammed heavily into the front of the molten giant.
A terrifying tremor followed, and smoke and steam thick enough to obscure half of the fire giant's body filled the air, enveloping the surroundings in silence.
Just when everyone was hoping that everything could end--
"Are you tickling me, you bugs?!"
Another earth-shattering roar resounded, like an alarm bell ringing out, shattering the frozen moment everyone had been in.
Beyond the gradually dissipating smoke, flames, reaching a full five meters in height, continued to explode and rise.
The fog dissipated completely, and the fire giant rose from the ground as if unharmed, even appearing more powerful than before.
The molten giant swatted at Xue Yi as if she were a pesky fly, and the blow struck her squarely, sending her Xue Yi and crashing headfirst into the bushes.
"Elder sister--!!!"
The Hanya cried out in grief the moment it witnessed Xue Yi being struck hard.
Seeing Xue Yi, one of the leaders, fall into a slump, the morale of the other underworld messengers on the field also began to weaken.
The Xue Yi figure, struggling to its feet from the bushes, was crackling with leaking electricity as it looked up at the fiery giant who was looking down at it.
Wow, that's incredible... I can't use my right hand at all, is it broken?
With just one attack, Xue Yi was severely injured. She couldn't use her right hand, presumably due to serious structural damage. This was only thanks to the arm armor Bai Jun had made, which withstood most of the impact; otherwise, it probably wouldn't have been as simple as just losing an arm.
As the fire giant rapidly approached, and the distant Hanya cried out in terror, Xue Yi tried to move her legs, only to find that the flickering electricity around her restricted her movements. Just as she quietly closed her eyes, thinking that it was nothing more than destroying a puppet body—
"—Gah!?"
The terrifying roar suddenly turned into a bewildered wail.
"Xue Yi, are you alright?"
Xue Yi opened her eyes in surprise, only to see Bai Jun gracefully wielding his sword sheath. He appeared at the critical moment, deflecting the Lava Giant's attack and swiftly severing the giant's entire right arm.
"Bai Jun? What are you doing here?"
"I sensed you were hurt, so I came here. Sigh, don't forget what I told you last time: remember to take care of your body, don't always treat a doll's body so carelessly... Don't always make me worry so much."
As if in response to this confusion, Bai Jun turned to the side, sighed, and gave her a helpless smile that was half distressed.
"Why don't you rest here for a bit? I'll handle the rest... You agree, right?"
After speaking, Bai Jun turned his gaze to the center, the scabbard resting on his shoulder and swaying gently. He looked up slightly at the lava giant in front of him, which was constantly emitting painful howls. However, he did not give off any sense of humility that comes with looking up to someone. On the contrary, his eyes seemed to say that he was the one looking down.
The molten giant, whose right hand had vanished from its fist to its shoulder, let out a roar far more devastating than the one it had just endured from the spell.
It pressed its left hand against the wound that was constantly smoking due to the high temperature, and painfully stomped on the ground, the rumbling sound of the earth filling the entire area.
"You, you, you damn it, it's you..."
The lava giant immediately recognized Bai Jun as the culprit who had just destroyed the other half of its body.
Admittedly, reason and instinct told it to run away at all costs or surrender on its knees, but its pitiful dignity wouldn't allow it to do so. It would rather die here as a fragment of "Ignamar" than face defeat again.
For the Suiyang, failure is tantamount to death, no, it is far more terrible than death. What awaits them is eternal punishment. For the immortal flame, losing freedom and being trapped in an empty void prison is more terrible than the end of its existence.
The molten giant roared and charged towards the enemies in front of it.
Then came its end.
Without any change, just like its other half before, it was unsurprisingly shattered into pieces by a single blow from the sheath.
Everyone present, including Hanya and Ming Cha, was stunned by the sight before them, while Guinaifen and Sushang, who had just arrived, were genuinely impressed and awestruck by the absurd and exaggerated scene.
"Sigh, what a monster. But no wonder I smelled a familiar aura just now, it turns out to be that guy, Furynox. No, this aura isn't just Furynox's, it seems to be mixed with the aura of other Suiyang as well. Who exactly is it...?"
"Lady Xue Yi! Lady Xue Yi! Are you alright?"
Huo Huo didn't notice Mr. Tail's mutterings. Instead, she quickly went to Xue Yi's side, helped her up with concern, and hurriedly treated her injuries. Sensing her junior's worry, Xue Yi's expressionless face showed a faint smile, and she shook her head to indicate that she was alright.
Just then, Hanya rushed over and threw herself into Xue Yi's arms, embracing her tightly.
Bai Jun stood quietly to the side, not disturbing them, but watching this heartwarming scene of sisters with a gentle smile.
After a while, Bai Jun, who was staring at Xue Yi's injured arm, seemed to suddenly remember something. He quickly stepped forward and, amidst Xue Yi's bewilderment, Han Hanya's confusion, and Huo Huo's puzzled gaze, grabbed Xue Yi's hand.
"Xue Yi, I'm sorry to take up your time, but I need to confirm a few things. Could you please come with me for a moment?"
"Huh? Uh, uh-oh?! I-I know..."
Without explaining to the astonished Hanya and the pale-faced Huo Huo, Bai Jun pulled Xue Yi's hand and walked into the woods.
Staring blankly as the two figures gradually disappeared into the woods shrouded in night, even Guinaifen and Sushang, who were outsiders, couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Huh?" Moreover, whether it was Hanya and Huo Huo's imagination or not, they seemed to hear Xue Yi utter a shy, girlish voice.
No, that's not right, it can't possibly be that simple... right?
After all, even a normal expression on Xue Yi doll body is impossible to perfectly convey. Most of the time, it is in a cold and expressionless state, so how could it possibly blush like a normal girl and make shy sounds full of girlish charm?
The Hanya and Huo Huo denied this countless times in their hearts, yet deep down, even more confusion and doubt arose.
"Why haven't Lady Xue Yi returned yet? Has something happened to them?"
"Yes, yes, my sister and Bai Jun shouldn't have wasted so much time. They must have run into some trouble!"
Huo Huo and Hanya, members of the united front, began to fabricate clumsy excuses for their despicable desires. Unable to suppress their curiosity, or perhaps driven by some unknown emotion such as jealousy, they finally let their emotions overcome their reason and began to act under the banner of justice.
"Miss Huo Huo, you left something behind. Let me bring it to you!"
"Little Gui, you forgot something too! Let me bring it to you!"
Guinaifen and Sushang, who were standing nearby, whistled and joined the group. The group quietly approached the woods, wanting to see what secret Bai Jun and Xue Yi were talking about.
However, what they saw next completely shattered their psychological defenses—
"Your waist is so slim in the Xue Yi, I'd roughly estimate it to be around... **?"
Bai Jun squatted in front of Xue Yi, his hands holding Xue Yi slender waist, deep in thought. Xue Yi's delicate and aloof face held a shy expression that Hanya Huo Huo had never seen before. Her left hand rested limply on his shoulder, and her adorable appearance almost pierced the hearts of Huo Huo and Hanya.
"I... I... I don't know either. These were Huo Huo and my little sister's responsibility."
Clang-- Huo Huo and Hanya's psychological defenses were completely shattered. The two clutched their hearts and collapsed with tearful expressions.
Upon witnessing this scene Sushang Chang froze like a pale sculpture, while Guinaifen gently supported her slender waist, pondering that Bai Jun shouldn't mind the data.
Chapter 178 Don't Talk About My Father (Six Chapters Combined)
If we move the timeline that caused the chaos forward a few minutes, we can switch the perspective to Bai Jun's side.
Having dealt with the fire giant composed of countless Suiyang, Bai Jun casually brushed the dust off his sleeves as if nothing had happened, waved to the other shocked underworld officials, and gave them the order to clean up the battlefield with practiced ease and a reasonable tone.
"The scattered Suiyang individuals will be temporarily incapacitated. Don't just stand there, act quickly! Otherwise, once they realize what's happening and escape, the blame will fall on you. You don't want to lose your jobs, do you?"
"Huh? Ah, ahhh... I understand!"
The belatedly aware underworld messengers were both shocked by what they had just witnessed and terrified by Bai Jun's terrifying strength. Their minds were in turmoil due to the mixed emotions. They subconsciously ignored the fact that the other party was not their superior and acted almost instinctively according to the other party's familiar instructions. They all carried the Moon-Gathering Gourd to the battlefield to collect the Suiyang fragments that had been shattered.
Breaking the deathly silence shrouded in the vast night, and reactivating the underworld messengers on the field, Bai Jun finally turned and left with peace of mind.
He had intended to go and check on Xue Yi's condition, but he happened to witness the long-awaited warm and intimate scene between Xue Yi and Hanya. He couldn't help but stop and stand not far away, gazing tenderly at the lively scene centered around Xue Yi.
After a while, Bai Jun's gaze was drawn to Xue Yi's severely damaged right arm.
Thankfully, Xue Yi was wearing the arm armor he had given her. The arm armor he had made for her withstood most of the impact and absorbed and neutralized the burning damage from the flames, preventing a worse situation from occurring.
Bai Jun's attention wasn't actually on that. He suddenly remembered his agreement with Herta, which was that Herta Bai Jun promised to provide him with a perfectly crafted doll without any conditions. He remembered that Bai Jun had specifically asked Hanya about this last time.
Although not only did I not get the answer, I also got scolded by the other party...
Xue Yi usually has a heavy workload, and Bai Jun couldn't bear to bother her during her rare free moments.
After observing the current situation, Bai Jun decided to take advantage of this excellent opportunity to temporarily avoid Hanya and Huo Huo's gaze and ask Xue Yi herself for her specific measurements. He figured that if he explained the situation clearly, the simple and reliable Xue Yi wouldn't refuse him!
After making up his mind, Bai Jun first explained his purpose to Xue Yi, who looked completely bewildered, in a serious manner. Xue Yi's delicate face showed no emotion; she simply nodded obediently in response. However, when Bai Jun stepped forward and grabbed Xue Yi's right hand, her expression changed slightly.
Simply put, it's a subtle emotion of being both happy and shy.