It's Okay If You Can't Repay It, You Can Work Off the Debt

"Lord Little Black, why must you stand in our way?"

The military lord's enormous figure blotted out the sky. This time, what had come was no longer an avatar, but his true body. Yet now, not the slightest trace of human form could be seen in him. He was entirely a vast shadowy monster; only the upper half emerging from that immense black shadow retained a faint semblance of his former human appearance.

"Yes, yes. This world is already riddled with holes and scars. Why continue to obstruct us? I guarantee that once we obtain that treasure, we'll withdraw immediately and absolutely won't interfere with you in the slightest..."

At the same time, Beishan Lie's strange, hollow voice drifted over from afar.

The current Beishan Lie bore no resemblance whatsoever to the handsome, refined youth he had once been. He was nothing but a disheveled old man, his eyes blood-red, beastlike growls occasionally rumbling from his throat. He looked much like the military lord, Gu Chen: only his upper body was exposed, while his lower half connected to a boundless shadowy monster.

The auras they radiated had far surpassed those of ordinary Heavenly Star Realm experts.

Little Black's eyes were filled with gravity.

It did not spare Beishan Lie so much as a glance. Its slightly sorrowful gaze fell upon the military lord as it said in a low voice, "Gu Chen, I never thought you would become like this... With your pride, even death would not have made you willing to bear such power and turn yourself into neither human nor ghost. You..."

"Heh heh, what foolish words. Who would ever dislike having great power?" The one who spoke was not the military lord, but Beishan Lie.

"Even if you have gained power, you will never be able to