What Exactly Are You?

This cry was not a physical pain—it was a violent reaction to the dual erosion of the soul.

The rift in the soul that the Sect Master had painstakingly suppressed for a month—with a hiss—expanded by a third.

The Sect Master's body swayed in front of Su Zhan.

His black pupils—those dark, hollow eyes without whites—began to display an unusual phenomenon.

The blackness is fading.

What was revealed below were a pair of Ordinary Grade, bloodshot, aged gray eyes.

His foundation is crumbling.

Black pupils are an outward manifestation of practicing the Black Demon Great Art. Faded pupils indicate a problem with the operation of the technique.

Su Zhan did not let go.

His left hand was still gripping the Sect Master's wrist, and his right hand was still pressed against his chest.

But he did not launch any further attacks.

Because his Thunder Emperor Divine Seat is also nearing its limit.

The previous Divine Soul Attack, combined with the depletion from the poison bullets, had reduced Su Zhan's Law Power reserves to below 40%.

The two people were standing face to face.

One was holding onto the other's wrist.

One was being held by the wrist by the other.

Neither of them let go.

In the distance, the two-hundred-foot-tall Demon Whale, having lost the Sect Master's control, began to move on its own. Its programmed instincts drove it to attack all living things in its field of vision—but without precise commands, its tentacles lashed wildly in the air, smashing the Main Altar building to pieces.

A trickle of black blood spilled from the corner of the Sect Master's mouth.

"You..."

His voice had changed. It was no longer hoarse and deep; it had become weak and breathless.

"What exactly are you?"

Su Zhan was also panting.

His ribs had been repaired before, but two more broke when he took the hit from the two tentacles. The Ancient Life Tree was desperately trying to repair them, but at a slower pace— its Law Power was running low.

The two people are looking at each other.

His gray eyes met Su Zhan's eyes.

"Let go." The Sect Master managed to squeeze out two words.

"You go first."

"If you don't release it... I'll detonate that whale."

Su Zhan's hand tightened.

"Detonate?"

"Its internal energy core can detonate. A self-destruction by a peak Martial Emperor at the third level—neither you nor I would survive."

Su Zhan looked into the Sect Master's faded eyes.

Is it the truth or just scary?

[Shadow Thousand Silk Lock]: (urgently) Boss, what it said is true. My threads scanned that core before. There is a self-destruct trigger mechanism inside. If the Sect Master forcibly activates it—within a radius of three hundred miles, not a single person will be left alive.

Three hundred li.

Su Zhan and the Sect Master are currently less than 500 feet away from the Demon Whale.

At a distance of five hundred zhang, a Martial Emperor at the third level self-destructed.

There's no escaping it.

"You will die too." Su Zhan's voice was flat.

"My soul is already half shattered. Even if I don't die at your hands, I won't live for more than a few years." The Sect Master's gray pupils showed no fear. "Taking you down with me is a win-win situation."

Su Zhan did the math.

Deadlock.

Neither side can kill the other—at least not in a mutually destructive situation.

His gaze swept across the surrounding battlefield.

The Main Altar was mostly demolished. The Demon Whale was out of control, smashing things everywhere. More than half of the Dark River's pipes were broken, and liquid Devil Qi was flowing everywhere on the ground.

The nearest Dark River branch pipe is still supplying power.

It leads to the foot of the Sect Master.

Su Zhan's hand was still gripping the Sect Master's wrist.

His foot moved forward two inches stealthily.

The soles of my shoes landed on a branch pipe of the Dark River.

It wasn't broken by stepping on it.

It was the Law-Eroding Poison from the "Myriad Poisons Divine Farmer's Canon," which seeped into the pipes through the soles of the feet.

The venom traveled down the pipe.

Five breaths later—the energy node connected to this pipe will be corroded and paralyzed.

The Sect Master's remaining eight energy links will become seven.

Su Zhan did not change his expression.

His mouth was speaking, discussing conditions, confronting the Sect Master —but his feet were doing something else entirely.

"Okay. Everyone, calm down." Su Zhan's voice softened. "If you don't detonate it, I won't pursue. Let's talk."

The Sect Master's gray eyes stared at him, searching for any signs of trouble.