"Reason, reason..." Xia Bu called out his name, only to be knocked unconscious by Tianyuan Li Zi.
"Just give me a moment. Let me hold you for a while." Tianyuan Li Zi's voice was laced with pleading and reluctance.
"From now on, you can hold me every day if you want. But first, let me get you out of here."
Xia Bu comforted her patiently, a faint, gentle smile appearing in his eyes.
"How could I have forgotten? Wait, what did you just say, Tianyuan?"
A hint of confusion crept into Tianyuan Li Zi's voice.
"That's right. You have a Soul Force. I've already figured out how to resolve the contract with Lord Tianyuan, so there's no need for you to assimilate with me. You're free."
"I figured it out while I was sinking into unconsciousness. Unfortunately, I didn't want to alert the enemy, so I kept quiet. As a result, I dragged things out until now. What a waste of time."
Xia Bu patiently explained it all again, his eyes revealing a trace of regret and resignation.
Of course, he had used the secret technique of the Jia Meng Family. He knew too much, and the fewer people who knew what had really happened, the better.
As Xia Bu explained, Tianyuan Li Zi's face gradually broke into a smile. She seemed to see hope and light returning to her life.
Hei Lu Meili's face also softened into a relieved smile. She held Tianyuan Li Zi's hand tightly, wishing she could pour every blessing and ounce of strength she had into her.
"So I don't have to be Lord Tianyuan's sacrifice anymore? I don't have to die? Hehe, Hei Lu, I don't have to die!"
Tianyuan Li Zi's voice brimmed with joy and disbelief. Her eyes sparkled, as though a long night of despair had finally given way to dawn.
Her face flushed faintly with emotion, like peach blossoms blooming in spring, their petals glistening with dew.
Hei Lu Meili's eyes glimmered, too. She held Tianyuan Li Zi's hand tightly, hoping to merge all her love, affection, and reassurance into that warm touch.
Her voice trembled with emotion, filled with relief. "That's right, Li Zi. You don't have to die. We can all leave here together and live on."
"Why are you crying?"
Xia Bu's voice suddenly rang out, tinged with helplessness and pity.
He reached over and patted Jia Ruo on the shoulder, signaling that she should give Tianyuan Li Zi and Hei Lu Meili some time to calm down.
Jia Ruo smiled faintly. She understood Xia Bu's nature and knew Tianyuan Li Zi and Hei Lu Meili needed time to process their feelings.
She turned to Xia Bu, a hint of concern in her eyes. "What did you mean when you said you had to go back to town? Did something happen?"
Xia Bu's expression darkened. He nodded. "Yeah. I ran into a troublesome fellow who was hard to read. His abilities and fighting style were unusual, and he had some strange tricks."
"I don't know how many people could withstand his strange, powerful Soul Force Palm."
Xia Bu sounded confident, but there was a hint of worry beneath his words. "I didn't dare let my guard down. The situation is complicated."
Then Xia Bu began describing how he had won over the others, how he and Wu Mei had split up, and the strange techniques of the gods they had encountered. He told Jia Ruo everything in detail.
Meanwhile, in the underground passage beneath Star Realm, Mo Hei Shen Zai's figure moved like a ghost.
He had finished explaining things to Wu Mei, and was now quickly pursuing Tianyuan Li Zi.
Suddenly, a figure in a black uniform appeared from around the corner, blocking his path.
Mo Hei Shen Zai reacted instantly, sizing up the situation with a cold gaze. "Jia Meng? Wu Mei's classmate, the divine child of the Jia Meng Family. This so-called Heaven's Chosen really is a pain. Another one keeps showing up just to die."
Jia Meng gave a faint smile, confidence showing in his eyes.
"You're warning me? Then that's fine by me. Go back. Lord Tianyuan has already summoned Star Realm to begin the assimilation ceremony. Your mission has failed."
Mo Hei Shen Zai didn't hesitate. He ignored Jia Meng's warning and charged straight at him.
"Whether I've failed or not, I'll know once I've killed you."
His figure shot forward like a bolt of lightning. The blade in his hand flashed with icy light as he aimed straight for Jia Meng's throat.
"Xia Bu has already delayed Wu Mei for quite some time. I have to deal with Jia Meng quickly, or I might not make it in time."
Mo Hei Shen Zai thought to himself, his gaze turning even colder as he gathered all his strength for the attack.
Jia Meng's expression turned serious. He lunged forward to meet Mo Hei Shen Zai's assault.
"If you don't believe me, then come and see whether you can get past me."
The two figures collided in the passage, and a fierce battle erupted.
In the dim, winding underground passage of Star Realm, Mo Hei Shen Zai's figure was like a demon in the night. His left hand wielded a Heaven-Defying Halberd, its blade gleaming with a frigid light. In his right hand, he held a dagger, its edge shimmering with strange, powerful magic.
Like a ferocious beast that had been lying in wait, he charged straight at Jia Meng. Every step landed with crushing force.
Jia Meng responded calmly. He used blood magic to quickly conjure a shield and spear in his hands. Scarlet light flashed in the darkness as he unleashed a series of fierce attacks against Mo Hei Shen Zai.
The two figures clashed again and again in the passage. Every exchange rang out with bone-shaking impacts, and sparks burst wherever their weapons collided, illuminating the dark tunnel like flashes of starlight.
"He uses blood magic. Why is he trying to match me in close combat?"
Mo Hei Shen Zai thought to himself. He had assumed his superior physical strength and powerful weapons would let him finish Jia Meng quickly, but the reality was brutal.
Jia Meng's strength was on par with his. Every clash filled Mo Hei Shen Zai with an indescribable sense of pressure.
They clashed once more. Mo Hei Shen Zai took the initiative to retreat, creating some distance between them. The mark on his shoulder released a massive amount of dark spiritual energy. He tried to use Soul Force Palm to disrupt Jia Meng's blood magic and create an opening for himself.
But Jia Meng showed no sign of panic. He sneered coldly.
"Just because I'm fighting you with brute strength doesn't mean I can't use blood magic. You used your spiritual energy to attack me first, so don't blame me for returning the favor."
At Jia Meng's words, the blood spear in his hand quivered. "Blood Magic: Thousands of Blood Needles!"
With a flick of his wrist, countless blood droplets gathered into needles and shot out like a storm, aimed straight at Mo Hei Shen Zai.
The needles were extraordinarily fast and powerful. In an instant, they tore through the spiritual barriers, leaving them utterly shattered.
Mo Hei Shen Zai had originally planned to rely on Soul Force Palm to conceal his presence, then seize an opportunity to launch a surprise attack on Jia Meng. To his surprise, the Soul Force Palm had no effect at all.
Worse still, Jia Meng's thousands of blood needles came down on him in a dense barrage, leaving him no choice but to brandish his blade and fend them off.
But there were far too many needles. Mo Hei Shen Zai could only protect his vital areas. His body was still pierced in countless places, and fresh blood streamed down, staining his clothes.
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