Jax, his fighting spirit surging, held his staff in front of him with one hand and his other behind his back, facing the yellow sand below.
Xia Er and the others were completely baffled. Logically, Rek'Sai should have been half-dead by the Lord of Zaun and was lying there groaning in pain, so why were Li Ke and Jax acting as if they were facing a formidable enemy?
Just as he was wondering, Xia Er suddenly felt the sky turn deep purple, as if something had appeared in the sky and blocked out the blazing sun. Then, a purple hue appeared in the sky, followed by a reflection.
The reflection showed an unusual sea, a pale purple city emitting a faint Shimmer, and the edges of each door and window were covered with strangely shaped, swirling, glowing objects.
Then, a colossal, elegant phantom appeared, enveloping the city, which, beneath her, accentuated her immense size and grandeur.
The scene was truly bizarre, but what was even more bizarre was that when Xia Er shifted his gaze from the sky, he saw a purple figure tens of meters tall appear before him.
The figure was that of a woman, with a strange yet beautiful face bearing a blank expression, extremely rigid and dull. Upon closer inspection, the hair falling to one side was actually a fish fin, and a huge purple gem was embedded in the center of her pointed forehead.
Its head was lowered, and its upper body was dressed in grotesque and bizarre clothing. The chest and abdomen were covered in a hard, purple carapace, but calling it clothing was less accurate than describing it as a living, eerie entity, like a living suit of armor?
Because on her chest and abdomen, slightly below her shoulders, extending outwards towards her armpits, there are two pairs of small spheres that resemble pupils.
Xia Er stared at the small ball, and saw it move for a split second, looking at him as well. For a moment, Xia Er was stunned, his mouth slightly agape, as countless sounds and images flashed through his mind.
"Wake up!" A loud shout rang out beside Xia Er, awakening the sand people who, like Xia Er, were trapped in that bizarre world.
Xia Er awoke with a start, drenched in a cold sweat. He had just seen himself transformed into a purple crucian carp, swimming with countless other crucian carp into a purple ocean. There, there was no struggle, no profit, only peace and tranquility—it was like a beautiful utopian world!
But once he regained consciousness, he instantly realized what had happened.
If you've turned into a fish, how can there be any beauty in that?!
He looked around and saw that the Lord of Zaun was already protecting them, staring intently at the strange being.
The man named Jax had already charged towards the tall, purple-clad female phantom, swinging his baton.
"Please don't misunderstand, I didn't do anything to them."
The purple-clad woman made a sound, but the mouth on her face never opened. Instead, as the sound rang out, the white bone spurs on the living armor on her chest and abdomen twitched up and down.
"Shut your mouth, Void," Jax roared, as Eternal Flame slammed into her body.
She simply sighed, while a group of small purple fish swimming beside her proactively blocked Jax's attack.
However, the Eternal Flame was a sacred relic left behind by Icathia, and coupled with Jax's powerful strength, this attack was not so easy to block. The purple ocean surrounding her rippled, and the tiny flame, which seemed to be extinguished in an instant in the wind, ignited the seawater and burned and devoured the group of small purple fish.
"Saijax Kayu-Rains Kohari Ekason." The woman was not surprised by this, but calmly uttered Jax's real name. She gathered the purple feathers on her body, and her huge body swayed lightly in the ocean. Many asymmetrical tentacles appeared on her back, rising and falling in the purple ocean, and then stood on her back.
"I know you hate the Void, but I am not the Void you know."
My name is Bel'Veth.
Jax's forward thrust faltered. Upon hearing the name, he instantly looked up at Bel'Veth's face, a thought flashing through his mind, but Jax instinctively dismissed it.
A flicker of emotion appeared on Bel'Veth's usually expressionless face—a look of admiration for Jax.
"Just as you thought, my name comes from a city that sank into the earth countless years ago, a city far older than Shurima, and even older than Icathia."
Bel'Veth's body shrank instantly, her head shaking mechanically as she looked at Li Ke. She glanced at him, but a hint of doubt appeared in her pale pupils, which then vanished in an instant.
She said, "I know why you've come, but I must tell you, you're wasting your time. Li Ke, my world will inevitably emerge, and therefore your world will inevitably end."
"Neither the Old Gods of Freljord nor the united humans, neither demons nor Celestials can stop its emergence. Do you know that you are bringing destruction to this world ahead of time?"
"Yes, you know that, but you still chose to do it. For that, I have to pay my respects." Even in his shrunken form, Bel'Veth's body was still larger than that of an ordinary person. But at this moment, he bent slightly, his purple wings embracing his body, and gave Li Ke a salute.
At this moment, she was noble and mysterious, much like a refined aristocrat, and her words were filled with respect for Li Ke.
In her view, Li Ke's behavior was like a moth using its last bit of strength to try to embrace a flame, to try to extinguish it.
But like moths drawn to a flame, all they do is fan the fire, doesn't it?
That courage is admirable, but that choice was utterly foolish!
Li Ke calmly looked at Bel'Veth, Li Ke no reaction to Jax's gaze.
Li Ke knew better than anyone how terrifying the Void's true form was. Ancient Shurima did indeed defeat the Void head-on, but Shurima paid a heavy price for that victory.
On their home turf, Empress Setaka perished, and the Ascended fell to the Darkin. But what about the Void?
It failed to invade Runeterra, but the Void was not fundamentally damaged as a result.
However, avoidance is never a good option; only by facing it can we find the real solution to the Void.
Compromise?
Li Ke is from Zaunite.
So he won't compromise, screw compromise.
Jax glanced at Li Ke, then turned his gaze back to Bel'Veth and said in a deep voice, "You chose this name yourself?"
"Is that so strange?" Bel'Veth asked rhetorically.
"Isn't that strange? You fucking chose a city as your name? And when did you Void creatures start naming yourselves?" Jax laughed and cursed, pointing a finger at Bel'Veth's face.
Rek'Sai's name comes from the Shurima. Void creatures shouldn't think names have any value; names are merely Material Realm, a pretentious invention of the real world, words created by humans, and not something they should crave.
But Bel'Veth has his own name?
Why would it do that?
Jax didn't want to think about those things, so he yelled, "If you want to fight, then fight; if not, then get lost and stop talking nonsense."
"I have lived for thousands of years, and my will is unwavering. My hatred for the Void cannot be changed by your few words!"
Jax is indeed a martial arts fanatic, but having lived for thousands of years and seen countless people, he's not brainless; he just doesn't want to use his brain.
Bel'Veth had been subtly implying to Jax that Li Ke hadn't told him something, which was a test of the trust between Li Ke.
Jax knew that what Bel'Veth said was true, but how long had he known Li Ke? How could Li Ke possibly tell him everything?
As long as his interests align with Li Ke's, they can be enemies!
Besides, how could he possibly believe the words of the Void?!
"You've misunderstood me," Bel'Veth shook his head, his voice calm.
"I know you far better than you realize."
"I came here not to fight you. You are very powerful, especially you, Li Ke. The power behind you makes me wary, but it is nothing in the face of the true Void."
"You captured Rek'Sai simply to expose the Void, to let your people know of Void existence, and to prepare for a war against Void. But that's a foolish choice." Bel'Veth didn't care about Jax's provocation; she simply looked at Li Ke and said indifferently.
"Humans are complex beings. You cannot guarantee that all your fellow human beings will stand with you. Those who crave power, change their status, and seek personal gain will become weapons of the Void, a medium for the Void to invade Runeterra."
"So?" Li Ke suddenly asked.
Bel'Veth paused, seemingly not expecting Li Ke to interrupt her.
Then she said, "So your decision is wrong, because for you, your enemy now shouldn't be the Void, but the Celestials. The Void is trying to devour Runeterra, but aren't they also treating Runeterra as a toy in their hands?"
"You're overreaching yourself by trying to get something far ahead," Bel'Veth said.
"How did you know that I captured Rek'Sai to reveal the Void?" Li Ke asked a different question.
He was genuinely curious about this, because it was something that should only be known to people within the Twin Cities; even Yi didn't know about it. So how did Bel'Veth find out?
Does she have an inside contact in Twin Cities?
Li Ke subconsciously thought so, but then Li Ke rejected the guess.
With Janna around, it's impossible for Bel'Veth to create his own inside presence in Twin Cities without anyone noticing. Li Ke might not be able to smell the scent of the Void, but in Twin Cities, which is full of his own scent, in his own home, Janna would definitely be able to smell and distinguish it.
It's true that Bel'Veth is powerful; she's at least a Demigod, and as a Void creature, her potential is unfathomably high. But Janna is no pushover either.
She might be stronger Janna, but she couldn't possibly cause trouble under Janna's nose.
It's not what you think.
Bel'Veth shook his head at Li Ke and said, "I will not deliberately develop my own followers, because I have no need for it. In the end, we will all become you."
With wings raised and sharp bone spikes pointed at his own head, Bel'Veth continued, "I only figured out your reasons for doing this using your way of thinking. Of the dozens of motivations I've come up with, I believe this answer best fits your current position, your actions, and your future goals."
The purple ocean writhed, coming alive with the sound of Bel'Veth.
Looking at the writhing, artificial ocean world and the school of purple carp surrounding Bel'Veth, Li Ke suddenly thought of something.
He understood what Bel'Veth meant, so he nodded and said, "So, you've devoured the memories of countless people? You possess the wisdom and ways of thinking of tens of thousands?"
"Yes." Bel'Veth nodded, answering Li Ke's question.
Li Ke smiled.
Look at LeBlanc, that's what you call resourceful and clever. Someone like you, who can't think straight and can't do anything right, dares to call herself the Trickster?
Jax fell silent after hearing Bel'Veth's words.
How fast can a person think? How fast can they react?
Jax didn't know, but he did know that this Void creature before him, having gathered the minds of countless people, what kind of intellect would she possess?
Even the smartest person can't guarantee that everything they do is right. Even the smartest person needs time to think, and the answers they can arrive at for each question are only vague approximations. But what about Bel'Veth?
When a question is presented to her, countless possibilities flash through her mind. The people and events that existed in this city, which she devoured and which became her nourishment and name, provided her with countless memories and experiences.
Among these people are politicians, househusbands, husbands, hunters, heroes, businessmen, and so on.
Therefore, every question that Li Ke and Jax posed to Bel'Veth would be instantly categorized and analyzed by Bel'Veth, who would find countless possibilities.
"Release Rek'Sai, or you can kill it directly, but I will not allow you to take it away. I have already said before that I am different from the Void you know."
Long before I did, the Watchers noticed this world. They arrived here before me, and to them, my existence was an insult. Because of a betrayal, the Void was furious and began to reject all voices, including mine.
The Creator has scorched them like a raging fire; they are eager to obliterate Runeterra, to cleanse and devour you, including me. Therefore, what you are about to do has a high probability of allowing them to escape their prison prematurely. In that case, there will be no chance to turn the tide, time will come to an end, and all things will return to nothingness."
"That's not what I want, and it's definitely not what you want."
Jax had fallen completely silent.
He had expected a fierce battle, but the Void creature displayed its nobility from the moment it appeared.
Unlike other Void creatures, she was not driven by instinct; she had her own way of thinking, her own name, and her own ideas and decisions.
Her words left Jax feeling powerless. Having witnessed the power of the Void, Jax knew that Bel'Veth was right.
Looking back now, Li Ke's actions were indeed playing with fire.
The Twin Cities did indeed connect the world and prevent wars between powerful nations, but this was only on the surface. Beneath the surface, the struggle of humanity would never cease.
This was true of Icathia and Shurima thousands of years ago, and it is true of Demacia and Noxus thousands of years later.
Jax even believes that as long as humanity survives, internal strife will never cease once the population grows!
Li Ke couldn't guarantee that everyone would follow him and fight against the Void together. What would happen if a traitor appeared within his own ranks, and the Void emerged?
Bel'Veth looked at Li Ke and continued:
"I'm not saying this to try and recruit you to my side. I know we're mortal enemies, and we'll eventually have a showdown. But I don't think now is the time. At least for now, our interests are aligned."
"Please look at this issue rationally and don't make the wrong choice because of your personal emotions."
Li Ke was silent for a moment, then he suddenly laughed, looked at Bel'Veth, and said softly, "You just told me that because of a betrayal, the Void has silenced all voices, including yours. So I want to know, do you, who possess the thinking ability of millions, know now that the person who betrayed the Void, the person who froze the Watchers, is on their way here?"
"!"
The usually calm Bel'Veth suddenly became agitated. The fish swam wildly, and the shell on her chest and abdomen moved as if she were breathing heavily.
"You made the wrong choice," she said coldly.
Seeing that Bel'Veth was emotionally affected, Li Ke laughed and said with a loud laugh:
"Bel'Veth, in my eyes, you are nothing but a cancer of Void. Yes, you may be right, but do you know what? The way of thinking you are using now is nothing but a blind imitation!"
"You can never truly become human. You tell me to make rational choices? But in your mind, are the memories that led you to make those choices necessarily rational?"
"You don't understand humanity, and you will never become human."
Li Ke took a step forward, his gaze meeting Bel'Veth's pair of false eyes.
Jax gripped the Eternal Flame tightly, feeling ashamed of his earlier hesitation and confusion.
He was almost convinced by Bel'Veth, but now that he thought about it, no matter what, Bel'Veth was Void creature. What she said might be true, but she was still Void creature.
From the moment she emerged, she made no secret of her desires: to control everything and devour Runeterra.
Isn't she, who aspires to become the new master of the Void, far more dangerous than the Void?
Because resistance now would cause trouble, they stopped resisting and chose to cooperate with another person who might become an even bigger problem.
All these years, I've truly, truly wasted my life!
Aatrox was the same; he had just been persuaded by Bel'Veth because Aatrox Bel'Veth once before.
It was precisely because of Icathia's foolishness that the Void was able to invade, which is why he was just thinking about trying to persuade Li Ke.
You should know that when Aatrox came to Shurima, he was the most ferocious one, shouting that he wanted to kill the Void, and he was the one who slew the Celestials.
Saijax probably felt the same way; returning to his homeland, he couldn't possibly remain calm.
Now, Li Ke, who seems to be the most composed, has made an even more reckless choice?
Facing Bel'Veth, Li Ke raised Aatrox with one hand, the crimson aura solidifying into lines, accompanied by dark green light, colliding with the purple sea.
"My choice is naturally my own decision, Bel'Veth. I don't need your advice at all."
"And now, I will tell you my choice."
I will kill you.