Never Give Up

"No."

Xiao Fan's gaze suddenly sharpened. Without a second thought, he directly refused, his tone showing no hesitation.

At present, Zijin is on the verge of death, having exhausted all his strength, and is already in a state of near collapse.

Forcibly terminating the contract will likely result in injuries not only to him, but also to Zijin.

Given her current condition, she might just suddenly pass away.

That won't do.

"There must be another way. Let's think about it again."

Xiao Fan raised his head and looked up.

High in the sky, the Black Cloud continued to churn and surge, and lightning roared and thundered; the tenth divine lightning bolt had only just begun to gather.

"According to the rules of Lightning Tribulation, it takes a long time for the tenth divine lightning bolt to condense. We still have time; we're sure to find another way."

He gritted his teeth, with only one thought in his mind.

He will absolutely not give up on Zijin.

Since signing the Life Bond, let's not even talk about how many benefits Zijin has brought him or how many crises it has helped him resolve.

More importantly, after spending so much time together and fighting side by side, Xiao Fan had come to regard Zijin as his most trusted and relied-upon close partner.

Xiao Fan would never easily abandon any of his partners.

When the contract was signed, his strength was vastly different from Zijin's.

Zijin showed no disdain and forged a life- Life Bond with him.

Now that disaster is imminent, how could he possibly selfishly abandon the other person?

Upon hearing Xiao Fan's words, Zijin weakly lifted her heavy eyelids, almost exhausted even to look up at Xiao Fan.

But it was Xiao Fan's unwavering determination not to give up that, like a ray of warm light, pierced through her nearly lifeless heart, giving her body, which was on the verge of collapse, a faint sense of support.

She understood the shackles of the Life Bond better than anyone else.

The two, one human and one bird, signed Life Bond; if she dies, Jiu Chen cannot live either.

Even now, Jiu Chen has never considered giving up on himself.

A surge of intense emotion welled up inside Zijin; it would be a lie to say he wasn't moved.

In a daze, Zijin suddenly remembered the story about the pure-blooded Spirit Sparrow he had heard in his clan when he was a child.

Ten thousand years ago, the Spirit Sparrow clan had a pure-blooded ancestor with unparalleled talent, who also triggered the world-renowned tenth Lightning Tribulation.

In fact, that ancestor formed Life Bond with a Human Race genius in his childhood. The two cultivated side by side for several years, with perfect tacit understanding, sweeping away their peers and enjoying boundless glory.

But just before the tenth world-destroying divine lightning strike, that Human Race genius did not hesitate at all. Without hesitation, he took the initiative to terminate his Life Bond, sever all ties, and completely abandon his contractual partner who had been with him for several years.

The Human Race's choice to seek advantage and avoid harm is something that later generations of the Spirit Sparrow clan can understand.

Faced with a life-or-death situation, everyone has the instinct to protect themselves. Yet, as a thousand years have passed, the chill and resentment in their hearts have never dissipated in the slightest.

How could I not feel disheartened?

You should know that their clan has only produced one pure-blooded Spirit Sparrow in ten thousand years, and that ancestor is one of them.

With noble bloodline and extraordinary talent, he is a top genius among all races, in no way inferior to the strongest genius of the Human Race.

If that Human Race genius had hesitated even slightly back then, their Spirit Sparrow Clan wouldn't have held a grudge for so long.

But the other party's decisiveness and straightforwardness were like an ice spike, piercing the hearts of all the Spirit Sparrow Clan.

Since then, the Human Race has been wary of the dangers of the Spirit Sparrow's tribulation and has been unwilling to form a contract with it.

But no one knew that the Spirit Sparrow clan was also completely disheartened and would never again easily bind themselves to the Human Race in life and death, or form a bond of kinship.

Zijin's decision to sign Xiao Fan was purely out of necessity, without any willingness whatsoever.

At that time, she was entering her growth period and just wanted to find a safe place to sleep.

After much thought, I realized that apart from the Contract Space, there is almost no truly safe place in this world.

To escape the dangers of the outside world, she had no choice but to sign Life Bond with Xiao Fan.

Only after facing this desperate situation did Zijin truly see the young man's true nature.

Xiao Fan may seem carefree, unrestrained, and unreliable, but his sincerity and loyalty far surpass those of ordinary people.

Despite his negligible strength, he still stood firmly in front of her in this life-or-death situation, refusing to abandon her.

A warm feeling welled up in Zijin's heart, and the stinging in his eyes grew even stronger.

She knew she couldn't escape it today. Although she had many regrets, she had no regrets.

At least, compared to that predecessor, she wasn't blind.

"Jiu Chen... I knew I hadn't misjudged you."

Its Zijin wings trembled slightly, and its voice was choked with sobs and hoarseness. The faint sounds were particularly weak amidst the booming thunder, yet they struck the depths of people's hearts.

Seeing this, Xiao Fan quickly composed himself, suppressed the turmoil in his heart, and spoke up to comfort him.

"Now is not the time for sentimentality. Don't waste your energy talking. Just rest and recover first. I'll think of something."

Zijin struggled to slightly raise her head, her slender neck tense with a hint of stubbornness, and gently shook her head at Xiao Fan.

She knew her physical condition best: her blood vessels were damaged, her spiritual power was dissipating, and her soul was on the verge of collapse.

The power of the tenth divine lightning bolt... in her current state, there was absolutely no chance she could survive the Lightning Tribulation.

"It's no use... I know my situation perfectly well. I can't survive this final Lightning Tribulation."

Zijin's voice was as soft as a candle flickering in the wind, as if it could be extinguished by thunder at any moment, yet his eyes were filled with relief and tenderness.

"Jiu Chen, I've never regretted forming Life Bond with you. Thank you for accompanying me on this journey. But I want you to..."

Before she finished speaking, a faint resolute glint appeared in her eyes. Jiu Chen refused to terminate the contract, then she would terminate it herself.

She was willing to give her life so that Xiao Fan could live.

Before Zijin could finish speaking, Xiao Fan knocked him unconscious with a single blow. He was genuinely afraid that Zijin would get carried away with his emotions and secretly break off their Life Bond, killing himself.

A warm touch came from his palm, Zijin's petite body fell into a deep sleep, finally relaxing Xiao Fan's tense body.

Holding the sleeping Spirit Sparrow in his palm, Xiao Fan looked at her dull and faded wings and shook his head.

"We finally managed to contract such a powerful and reliable Magic Beast partner; we absolutely can't let it go like this."

"I still have many tasks that require Zijin. Unsealing the Dragon Token requires hunting a large number of high-level Magic Beast, which is extremely dangerous. Without Zijin, I simply cannot handle it alone."

"And there's the Magic Cube that the Li Family Mirror City gave me. It requires hunting Magic Beast that are 200 levels higher than my own level. Without the Zijin, I would have a hard time killing even one."

"Therefore, Zijin absolutely cannot die, and our contract absolutely cannot be broken!"

Xiao Fan's brows were furrowed tightly, and his deep eyes revealed anxiety.

The thunderclouds overhead rolled endlessly, the lightning grew ever more intense, and the destructive pressure piled up layer upon layer, making it difficult for him to breathe.

Looking at the faintly breathing, peacefully asleep Zijin in his palm, Xiao Fan felt only Fa Chou and helplessness.

"This damned Lightning Tribulation is practically driving people to their doom!"

He couldn't help but look up at the churning Black Cloud and thunder above him, angrily giving the middle finger, his heart filled with helplessness and frustration.

Xiao Fan had never encountered such a crisis since entering the game.

There must be a way.

In the midst of his anxiety, a flash of inspiration suddenly struck him, and Xiao Fan's eyes lit up, a glimmer of hope appearing on his tense face.

"That's right! There's also the Contract Space!"

"As long as Zijin can be sent into the Contract Space for protection, isolated from the external pressure of the Lightning Tribulation, she won't have to endure the tenth Lightning Tribulation."

Whether Zijin can successfully overcome the tribulation is no longer important.

The most important thing right now is to save her life.

So what if they failed this time? They can try again when they are better prepared.

Thinking of this, Xiao Fan was eagerly preparing to send the Zijin into the Contract Space, but the next second, a cold, mechanical system notification sounded mercilessly in his mind:

[We're sorry, your Contract Beast cannot be included in the Contract Space in its current state.]

The game's warning completely shattered Xiao Fan's last hope.

"Depend on."

The light in Xiao Fan's eyes dimmed instantly, all his hopes dashed, and he couldn't help but mutter a curse under his breath.

Is this an attempt to drive him to his death?

"No, we can't give up like this."

Xiao Fan suddenly thought of Luo Yi. As a player with an advanced version, he might have a solution.

Thinking of this, he quickly sent a message to Luo Yi, who replied instantly.

Seeing his recovery, Xiao Fan's anxiety finally subsided.

"Huh? We can even contract with Magic Beast?"

Xiao Fan:...

Luo Yi's homeworld version is ahead of its time, but clearly, not by much.

"What to do?"

Xiao Fan then thought of the people in Mirror City.

"Since they know about the Monster Region, they might know something else as well."

The only Mirror City players Xiao Fan knew were Dong Hu and Muzi's team, whom he encountered in the Monster Region.

But according to them, they were just ordinary players in Mirror City with limited knowledge.

Left with no other option, Xiao Fan sent a message to Zhou He.

Since the country and Mirror City have a partnership, Xiao Fan had no choice but to ask Zhou He to inquire with the major families.

It was only at this moment that Xiao Fan realized the importance of connections within the gaming world.

When Zhou He received Xiao Fan's message, he was taken aback. He wanted to ask him what had happened, but seeing Xiao Fan's anxious tone, he didn't say much and went directly to find the people in Mirror City.

Unfortunately, Mirror City had limited access to information about the game.

One is their movie theater storyline; sometimes the movie scenes they participate in involve plot elements related to the game.

Later, through verification, they found that these plots were basically true, which is why Mirror City players knew some things about the Dragon Nation Server even without entering it.

Another way is through the prophets of Mirror City.

This person's name is Wuji. It is said that after participating in a mysterious movie, he gained the identity of a prophet and could predict future events.

Wuji is not only the prophet of Mirror City, but also its strongest being.

Unfortunately, after the game servers were merged, he disappeared without a trace, and no one knows where he went.

The things Xiao Fan asked about were things that the families cooperating with the government had never even heard of.

After receiving Zhou He's reply, Xiao Fan was utterly devastated.

Xiao Fan lowered his eyes, his gaze fixed firmly on his palm.

Zijin lay dormant in his palm.

He slowly raised his head and looked up at the sky.

Amidst the churning clouds of tribulation, a brand new divine lightning bolt has already taken shape.

Unlike the previous nine divine lightning bolts, which were pitch black and ferocious, carrying a violent pressure that could destroy everything, this tenth divine lightning bolt was actually clear and golden all over, with golden light rolling and flowing. Its aura was solemn and heavy, without the slightest suffocating oppressive or violent energy. It looked peaceful to the point of being eerie.

But Xiao Fan's heart suddenly clenched at this moment, and all the nerves in his body were stretched to the limit, without the slightest relaxation.

He knew better than anyone that this peace was merely a facade to deceive others.

Even the exceptionally talented pure-blooded elder of the Zijin Clan perished under this tenth golden divine lightning, demonstrating its power.

Xiao Fan swallowed hard, his Adam's apple bobbing, his fingertips trembling slightly.

An extreme crisis loomed over him; the shadow of death was imminent.

Even after he resigned, he never once entertained the thought of giving up Zijin.

It's not that he's great, nor that he's particularly kind.

But as a human being, he has his own inviolable bottom line, his own unwavering commitment, and his own deeply rooted, unshakable beliefs.

In this life, only by holding firm to one's beliefs and not fearing the hardships ahead can one overcome thorns, travel to distant places, stand higher, and go further.

Above the sky, the golden divine lightning grew increasingly solid, and the light of tribulation trembled faintly.

The moment the divine lightning completely solidified, it meant that the time for its fall was not far off, and they only had a few moments left.

During this time, Xiao Fan exhausted all means, searching for everyone around him who could help or inquire, but ultimately found nothing, unable to find any way to avoid this ultimate Lightning Tribulation.

They had no way to avoid or retreat from this inevitable cataclysmic Lightning Tribulation; they could only grit their teeth and endure it.

A fierce wind whipped at his robes, making a rustling sound. Calamity clouds pressed down overhead, and the world fell silent, with only a heavy, oppressive aura binding all around.

Xiao Fan took a deep breath, all the weight and anxiety accumulating in his chest turning into a low curse, tinged with a desperate and helpless resignation. "Damn it, I don't care anymore!"

"Damn it, whatever. At worst, I'll just die. Maybe everything that's happening now is just a dream, and after I die, I can go back to Earth and continue being a beast of burden."

Xiao Fan was truly at his wit's end.

He glanced at his mana pool.

During this period, his mana pool had approached one million.

This was a concept Xiao Fan dared not even imagine. Yet he still lacked confidence that he could survive this Lightning Tribulation.

When Xiao Fan first acquired the skills <Halo of the Saint> and <Stealing Heaven and Changing Day>, he thought he would never have to worry about anyone killing him again.

No one else could kill him, but Divine Thunder could.

"Sigh." Xiao Fan sighed.

Currently, he has no other means besides this million mana.

With this in mind, Xiao Fan activated the skill <Wine of Blood Brewing>.

A Big Iron Pot appeared in front of him, and at the same time, Xiao Fan's health dropped by half.

Half-Blood War God activated.

"Give it a try, what if it holds up?"

Thinking of this, Xiao Fan carefully protected the Zijin beneath him, just as it had protected him during the previous Zijin Lightning Tribulation.

This time, it's finally my turn to protect you.

He paused, gazing at the increasingly heavy golden tribulation lightning above his head, and added softly, with a hint of self-mockery and composure. "Although... I don't know if I can actually protect you."

Even though the road ahead seemed hopeless, he had no regrets.

Once I understood this, all the unease, fear, and anxiety that had been building up in my heart vanished.

Take life and death lightly, without fear or regret.

Boom--!!!

A deafening thunderclap suddenly erupted, the clouds churned violently, golden lightning shone brilliantly, and the overwhelming power of heaven suppressed the eight directions, as if the Dao of Heaven was issuing its final countdown.

The wind howled, the light of calamity shone brightly, and only extreme solemnity and majesty remained between heaven and earth.

Xiao Fan straightened his back and slowly stood up. His clothes fluttered wildly in the wind, and his eyes were clear and firm, without a trace of fear, only an unwavering determination.

He looked up at the dazzling golden lightning bolt in the sky, his voice steady and resounding, each word powerful and clear, echoing through the wind and rain.

"Come forth, divine thunder!"

"Smash me!"