The chance for the Witch King's resurrection? The Witch King reappears / The Witch King's forced voluntary cooperation, the group heads to Great Yan

"Lord Chen Qi, the two empresses have instructed me to present a genuine gift of gratitude."

"Hmm?" Chen Qi was also a little puzzled upon hearing this, but then the spy took out a long box, handed it to Chen Qi, and said softly:

"The Queen informed us that the two knights of the Nearl Family are family members of Lord Chen Qi's friend. Now that the crisis has passed, it is natural to allow Lord Chen Qi's friend to return home. The two Queens hope that Lord Chen Qi will lend them a helping hand if they encounter a crisis in the future."

"Therefore, I would like to offer this gift as a token of my gratitude to the two empresses and Leithania. Please accept it."

As he spoke, the spy opened the long box, and soon, a tower-shaped horn, entirely black but inlaid with a blood-red diamond and emitting an eerie red light, appeared before Chen Qi.

"--This is the [Witch King's Spiral Horn], a true relic of the Witch King." The spy revealed the gift he had given Chen Qi. Looking at the relic in his hand—the one that had once cast a shadow over the entire country of Leithania —he was immediately a little nervous, even impatient for Chen Qi to take it quickly... He felt that if he held it for too long, the aura emanating from it could corrupt his soul.

"It's imbued with the aura of the Witch King... After our sorcerers' assessment, this is the best tool for casting Originium Arts. It can amplify the release of Originium Arts and also disrupt the enemy to a certain extent."

"Now, this will be presented to Lord Chen Qi as a token of the Empress's goodwill, and I urge you not to refuse it."

After saying that, the spy handed the [Witch King's Spiral Horn] to Chen Qi with both hands. Chen Qi glanced at the strange blood energy wrapped around it, but he didn't think that this blood energy would affect him now that he had the "Blood of Sui". After thinking for a moment, he took it.

[Congratulations, host! You have obtained the rare item "Witch King's Spiral Horn"!]

[The Witch King's Spiral Horn: Represents a portion of the Witch King's power, flesh, and the shadows of his past. The Witch King's shadow once shrouded the land, and although his magic has now dissipated, his whirlwind horn still allows you to appreciate the Witch King's former power and terror.]

[Effect: The host's Originium Arts are upgraded to "Excellent," and as the host's strength increases, the destructive power of the Originium Arts will become increasingly powerful; the reputation points required for the host to redeem the system's "Music" are permanently reduced by 10%; the host can use "Negative Effect Removal" twice a month to remove all negative effects from the target, including Oripathy.]

The system's voice made Chen Qi's eyes light up. He had acquired another "magical artifact"! It could eliminate all negative effects, including Oripathy, every month—didn't that mean that in a few years, he could completely free the entire crew from the torment and suffering caused by Oripathy?

Although everyone is now benefiting from the Oripathy Cure brought by Rhodes Island, and their Oripathy is gradually improving, it would be better to eliminate it all at once than to get an injection once a week.

Speaking of which... that Witch King guy Artificial Originium Bomb every day and isn't afraid of Oripathy infection, could it also be related to this vortex angle? Chen Qi wasn't sure, but the effect given by the system was absolutely real, and Chen Qi immediately thought of the two people who most needed to eliminate the negative effects right now.

If this thing can be used to dissolve the 'Voice of the Mundane' of the Ebenholz and Kreide, then Chen Qi won't have to worry about them not coming to the film crew!

Chapter 267: The Opportunity for the Witch King's Resurrection? The Witch King Reappears

Młynar and her group went to Rhodes Island. Although Chen Qi didn't know what had happened there, judging from Talulah's tearful appearance when she returned, it was clear that the happy ending of the Nearl family was very impactful on a sentimental person like Talulah. Chen Qi was also quite glad that he hadn't gone to join in the fun.

Soon, Chen Qi received a thank-you note from Rhodes Island. The Nearl family, led by Młynar, came to express their gratitude, but when they arrived, they happened to witness an unusual scene.

On the ship, Ebenholz and Kreide each held one side of the "Witch King's Spiral Horn." As Chen Qi slowly placed his palm on the horn, they immediately felt something flowing slowly through their bodies along the Witch King's Spiral Horn...

"Boom!"

Finally, with a muffled thud, the Witch King's Spiral Horn emitted a tremendous repulsive force, instantly pushing aside the Ebenholz and the Kreide, leaving only the Witch King's Spiral Horn, emitting an eerie red glow, floating in mid-air...

"Is that... all there is to it?"

Ebenholz and Kreide Cree looked as if they had just fought a powerful battle, both drenched in sweat and panting heavily. Ebenholz subconsciously looked at his palm; he could now clearly feel something within his body being absorbed.

At this moment, Kal'tsit, who had arrived with the Nearl family and heard Chen Qi's statement that "the Witch King's Spiral Horn can absorb the Voice of the Mundane within the two of them," immediately stepped forward and said:

Whether the 'Voice of the Mundane' has been cured still needs to be checked— Nearl, I beg you and your family to put them on a stretcher and take them to the Rhodes Island Medical Department for a thorough examination.

"No need."

Just then, a strange male voice rang out again. Talulah's eyes immediately turned black, and her voice changed to that of Koschei, the immortal Black Snake who had extensive knowledge of souls. He immediately said:

"The blood of the Witch King flows in their veins. If this 'Voice of the Mundane' resonates, it can cause their bloodlines to resonate. One is 'evil,' and the other is 'good.' By fusing their flesh and blood, a complete avatar of the Witch King can be constructed, thus resurrecting the Witch King."

"Unfortunately, this was merely a contingency plan for those remnants. The 'Voice of the Mundane' within that white-haired boy was damaged. Therefore, the resonance could only result in one person being forced to accept all the consequences, becoming a vessel representing only a part of the 'evil' Witch King —a twisted and dangerous half- Witch King, whose strength was not even half of a Witch King."

"Now, the resonance within these two boys is no longer felt; it has been completely absorbed by the Witch King's Spiral Horn. Apart from the blood flowing through their veins, they are now entirely unrelated to the Witch King."

Koschei's insight was still trustworthy, and he dared not try anything funny now. After hearing Koschei's analysis, Kal'tsit's worried expression remained. She warily stared at the Witch King's Spiral Horn still suspended in mid-air and said calmly:

"That means... the Witch King's Spiral Horn absorbed two segments of 'Voice of the Mundane,' and now the relics capable of resurrecting the Witch King are all contained within this Whirlwind..."

As soon as Kal'tsit finished speaking, she suddenly realized something, her gaze falling on the strange blood-red diamond on the swirl, and she immediately reacted, saying:

"Everyone, please step back behind the combat personnel. We're in a little trouble."

As soon as Kal'tsit finished speaking, the Witch King's Spiral Horn finally showed signs of abnormality. A strange blood aura immediately spread out, and Ebenholz and Kreide, who were closest to the Witch King's Spiral Horn, were immediately entangled by the blood aura and dragged away a considerable distance.

"The scent of an old friend I haven't seen in a long time." The Bloodborne Archon, who hadn't left but had been watching the entire broadcast of "The Witch King Is Back" on the ship and waiting for Leithania's response, walked forward with a smile after dragging Ebenholz and Kreide away, watching the Witch King's Spiral Horn's reaction.

"So that's how it is. So they left a piece of their bloodline on the vortex long ago, preparing a backup plan for resurrection? It seems that the 'Voice of the Mundane' is indeed one of the methods left behind by the Witch King. No wonder those remnants went to such lengths to study it."

"It's coming." Kal'tsit ignored the Bloodborne Archon's words, and the massive Mon3tr appeared before her.

On the other side, the five members of the Nearl family immediately stood in front of everyone. The golden light shining from their Pegasus bloodline was enough to dispel any gloom at this moment, transforming into the strongest shield and the sharpest blade!

"Boom!"

Finally, amidst a wisp of black mist, a figure that had become so familiar to audiences in the movies that they were tired of seeing him again appeared before everyone. Compared to the Witch King played by Ebenholz, he himself seemed more robust, and his body appeared slightly more ethereal.

"Soul state." Everyone immediately realized the current state of the resurrected Witch King, and their expressions gradually relaxed from the initial slight tension.

"I—have finally returned."

Finally, as the blood and energy dissipated, the Witch King, now in his soul form, saw the light of day again. His soul body, which at first glance was no less large than that of the Wendigo, was enough to prove the fullness and power of his soul after his resurrection. However, when he looked around, before he could even praise the remnants who had resurrected his soul, he discovered that something was wrong.

The Witch King glanced around, his gaze immediately focusing on the most familiar person present. His eyes narrowed, and he said with a hint of surprise:

"Ah... I never expected to see an old friend so soon after I've just been reborn. But, Bloodborne Archon, what are you doing here? Don't tell me it was your Sarkaz clan that resurrected me. Have you truly restored the glory of the Teekaz?"

"You will, you arrogant madman." Even after seeing the Witch King resurrected, the Bloodborne Archon maintained his familiar arrogance, a hint of provocation and anticipation in his smile as he spoke:

"Take a look around you, see what earth-shattering changes have taken place on this land since you left."

The Witch King was slightly suspicious upon hearing this. He knew the Bloodborne Archon's character well. If the Witch King was arrogant, the Bloodborne Archon was no less so in this regard, and he was not the type to kindly remind people. But on the other hand, the Witch King also realized that his situation might not be too good.

The Witch King looked around and immediately noticed the blinding and repulsive light emanating from the building, which enraged him.

"That blinding light—damn it, has the Pegasus bloodline not been extinguished yet?!"

"It seems I wasn't ruthless enough with you back then. This Pegasus bloodline should have been forever extinguished on the battlefield!"

Almost immediately, under a surge of blood mist, the Witch King in his soul form launched his first attack. The five knights of the Nearl Family, who had been holding their ground for a while, were uncontrollably shaken off their formation by unleashing their Originium Arts!

"Cough!" Margaret, who had been knocked back, hadn't expected the Witch King to be so powerful. Fortunately, her father, Schnitz, caught his daughter in time, taking some of the Witch King's blows for her.

Maria, the weakest among the group, was nearly knocked away by the Witch King's attack. Fortunately, her mother, Yolanta, and her uncle Młynar, shared the burden, though it was a struggle for them.

"The Witch King... even in his soul form, is he this powerful?" Młynar looked at his hands, which hadn't trembled in a long time, and was also somewhat shocked. But at this moment, his sister-in-law, Yolanta, held up her shield and stood protectively beside him, speaking very seriously for the first time:

"Don't get distracted, Młynar. After all these years of traveling, you shouldn't have forgotten how to fight."

"... Of course I haven't forgotten, sister-in-law, but I think we don't need to take action anymore."

Młynar's words were unvarnished, and they served as a wake-up call for the Witch King — Witch King then realized that although his appearance made the people present somewhat serious, most of them were not terrified or trembling in fear. Instead, they appeared serious, but more than anything, calm and composed, as if everything was under control.

The Witch King didn't realize that in the years since his death, so many people capable of suppressing him had gathered together. He began to calm down from his tyranny, scanning everyone present one by one, finally settling on Kal'tsit.

"... I thought it was already quite surprising to see the Bloodborne Archon, but I didn't expect to see a second acquaintance."

"So, Kal'tsit... if I remember correctly, you have two descendants with my blood flowing through your veins. Could it be that you resurrected me? Has this land already presented you with a problem that makes you feel that cooperating with me is less dangerous?"

"Don't misunderstand, Witch King. I wouldn't stoop so low as to cooperate with a madman." Kal'tsit's tone was also very calm. She knew that although the Witch King still seemed very proud, he wouldn't be able to act so arrogantly for long. Her words even carried a hint of pity as she spoke.

"I suggest you enjoy this hard-won fresh air while you can, since you might be going back there soon."

The Witch King was increasingly bewildered, and the more unexpected the situation became, the more he wanted to understand everything. He then looked around again.

This time, the Witch King finally noticed Chen Qi, who seemed to be the backbone of the team, standing in the middle and looking at him with a bit of curiosity... and the aura emanating from Chen Qi that made him feel vaguely uneasy.

He was actually uneasy? Even the Witch King himself was starting to doubt his own judgment. He was so powerful that he feared not even Feranmut, yet now he felt uneasy about a boy whose race he couldn't discern?

But before the Witch King could speak and ask who Chen Qi was, another ripple came from the wall beside him. Then, Nian and Xi immediately stepped out of the scroll world. Upon arriving at the scene, Nian immediately said:

"I heard there's trouble here! Hey! Witch King! I don't know how you came back to life, but if your soul is attached to that vortex, then things will be easier!"

"I advise you not to make a move! Otherwise, I'll use my power to alter the only thing you rely on—the spiral angle! I'll trap you in that spiral angle for the rest of your life, making your life a living hell!"

"... Or be trapped in my painting forever. I will arrange a painting suitable for a filthy soul like yours." Xi was not to be outdone, her eyes filled with vigilance towards the Witch King. The Witch King's existence was enough to threaten Chen Qi's safety, but as long as she and Nian assisted, the Witch King could not cause any trouble.

"You... are 'age'?"

The Witch King was certainly knowledgeable. Although Leithania was quite a distance from Great Yan, the Witch King, who always regarded all threats as potential enemies, had a very effective intelligence network. He immediately identified Nian and Xi by their dragon horns and their hands covered with tattoo-like marks.

He was well aware that "Year" was divided into twelve fragments, each representing the power of a Feranmut. Just the presence of Year and Evening alone made his current soul state precarious... Furthermore, with everyone gathered around Chen Qi, the Witch King fell even more silent.

The Witch King realized he seemed unable to defeat this force... Even if he managed to break through, he would undoubtedly suffer heavy losses. The best solution in this situation was actually to try and negotiate first?

At that moment, the silent scene was disrupted by the arrival of the newcomers. As the hatch opened, FrostNova and Patriot approached and said:

"Chen Qi, Zuo Le from the Great Yan side is here, you—"

FrostNova had just arrived when she saw the Witch King and paused for a moment. A moment later, she was pulled behind her by the immense force of Patriot beside her. FrostNova Zuo Le's eyes narrowed, and he drew his sword, shouting fiercely:

"--The Witch King?! How did you resurrect?!"

"... I think we can talk first."

Upon seeing the people from Great Yan, the Witch King did not hesitate any longer and chose to temporarily compromise. This mad king, who had just reappeared in the world, never expected that the first major thing he would do upon waking up would be to admit defeat...

Chapter 268: The Witch King's Forced Voluntary Cooperation, and the Group Heading to the Great Yan

"Witch King, right? This is our first meeting, but I've already made movies with you as the main character."

Chen Qi looked at the Witch King with a hint of curiosity. If it were before, when he didn't have much personal fighting ability, he would have been a little nervous. But now, having already become the strongest in the crew, Chen Qi's first reaction upon seeing the Witch King was to check if there was much difference between Ebenholz's attire and the Witch King's appearance before him.

"Watch your tone, foreigner. Who do you think you're talking to? Standing before you is the Witch King. You should have heard of my deeds."

The Witch King also found it somewhat strange. In the past, foreigners would have fled at the mere sight of him, and the Witch King had ordered the massacre of far too many foreigners. Yet Chen Qi was clearly not Leithania, and dared to look at him with such curiosity.

Could it be that this foreigner is confident in his own strength and can rival him? The Witch King couldn't help but think this way, but considering the enemies around him, the Witch King had to admit that his greatest strength lay in legion battles and national wars. He didn't have much of an advantage in annihilating elite forces gathered together.

Meanwhile, another idea began to take shape in the Witch King's mind... Although it contradicted his beliefs, it wasn't without a chance to change if he could survive.

The Witch King wondered whether he should possess Chen Qi's body—after all, there were very few beings on this land whose souls could be stronger than his; most were ancient monsters of longevity. Chen Qi didn't seem like the two Feranmut beside him, nor like the twisted monsters of the Sarkaz. Even if he was strong, his soul should be weaker than his.

If I could get close to him and lower his guard... I could take over his body before anyone around could react!

Even if this foreigner doesn't possess any Originium Arts talent, having a physical body will still grant him formidable combat power, making it no problem for him to break through the encirclement.

The Witch King was strategizing his next move, his face completely concealed by a mask that even his soul never left. However, through the changes in his eyes, both the Bloodborne Archon and Kal'tsit, the two "old folks," could discern the Witch King's thoughts to some extent.

However, they did not stop them, but felt only pity... Kal'tsit simply found the Witch King's resurrection and death amusing, while the Bloodborne Archon was even more saddened by the fact that the Sarkaz were about to lose a powerful ally.

However, the Bloodborne Archon only felt regretful, but was not troubled by it. After all, he had no way to save Chen Qi, who could unleash the "Buddha's Palm," and he himself would be suppressed. Moreover, he already felt that Ebenholz, the future Witch King, might be more obedient than this Witch King, and he should cultivate a good relationship with him, which would be more helpful for the future of the Sarkaz race.

The Witch King, this mad executioner... also has no goodwill towards the Sarkaz race. He can be an ally for a while, but not someone to be trusted with your future. If he were to return, this fire would inevitably turn against the Sarkaz race in the future. It's better for him to die.

"Witch King, your resurrection was a minor accident, but you should also be able to see that we currently have the upper hand overall. If we really wanted to kill you, we could do so at any time."

Chen Qi looked at the Witch King's soul form before him, but didn't rush to kill him. Clearly, he wanted the Witch King to contribute some remaining energy—don't misunderstand, Chen Qi didn't intend for the Witch King to return to Leithania to rule. Chen Qi hoped the Witch King could help the crew enhance their strength in Originium Arts.

As the only non-immortal race in modern Terra who has firmly established himself as the "Number One Warlock of Terra," the Witch King possesses a unique understanding of Originium Arts. In the future, everyone in Chen Qi's crew will be cured of Oripathy, but conversely, their mastery of Originium Arts will decline along with the cure of Oripathy.

Oripathy is such a thing, an "evil spell" that reduces limits in exchange for power. But this evil spell is so useful that many desperate people deliberately get infected with Oripathy to gain power. Even Leithania created Artificial Infected Warlocks.

At this time, the Witch King, who was highly skilled in Originium Arts, was very effective for Chen Qi's film crew. In particular, Talulah and Chen Qi would occasionally go to places some distance away from the film crew to shoot. They were currently in a precarious situation, and if someone were to launch a sneak attack on the ships where FrostNova and her crew were stationed, it would be good for FrostNova and her crew to have more ability to protect themselves.

In the Ark storyline, Rhodes Island was directly attacked by the New Reunion Movement led by Nine, who kidnapped Talulah from their home base. Chen Qi had vivid memories of this, and he absolutely would not allow such a shameful thing to happen on his ship.

"Well, Witch King? Compared to those who see you as a threat, even with this advantage, I might still consider not doing anything to you. I'll just let you teach the crew Originium Arts properly, and you can see whether the future of Leithania is something you need to interfere with."

Chen Qi didn't hesitate either. He had no good feelings towards the Witch King, who created Artificial Originium Bomb. Therefore, Chen Qi, who was usually very polite to everyone, took the initiative to use a threatening tone with the Witch King this time—he felt that this was the only language the Witch King could understand.

"Of course, if in the future even I feel that this land truly needs your existence, I might even consider granting you your freedom. Although the probability is very small, it's still better than having your soul shattered here, isn't it?"

Chen Qi also revealed his stakes, and at this moment, Zuo Le, who was standing to the side, was shocked and immediately shouted:

"Marquis Liewen! Absolutely not! The Witch King is in extreme danger! We must immediately destroy his soul and send him to an abyss of eternal damnation!"

"Director Chen Qi, we absolutely cannot allow the Witch King to reappear! His existence threatens the life of every species on Terra!"

However, Zuo Le and Schnitz's words, which were met with great alarm, received no response. Even Talulah, who was possessed by Koschei, did not respond. Everyone just watched Chen Qi quietly and extended a hand to the Witch King's soul to show their willingness to cooperate.

Faced with Chen Qi's outstretched hand, the Witch King pretended to hesitate for a moment, glancing at the nervous Zuo Le beside him, but mostly at the indifferent bigwigs. The Witch King secretly laughed at Chen Qi's naivety, and then extended his hand.

"Since that's the case... then let's cooperate with foreigners for now..."

"Naturally—that's not my style!"

The moment the Witch King and Chen Qi's hands touched, the Witch King's tone suddenly changed! He instantly transformed into a ball of blood-red gas and fiercely attacked Chen Qi's body!

The Witch King's situation was different from Koschei's. Koschei had long ago implanted his fragments into Talulah's body, using her as a pawn in his possession. But the Witch King wasn't as prepared; his possession was far more brutal and aggressive Koschei's!

Without a doubt, the Witch King's possession was far more successful than Koschei's. Apart from the Bloodborne Archon, Kal'tsit, and the two elders, no one present dared to say they could withstand the Witch King's soul possession. The Witch King's soul was too powerful. In this world, apart from Feranmut and a few immortal beings, who dared to say they could surpass the Witch King in this respect?

Unfortunately, the Witch King encountered this rare event... Just as the Witch King's soul began to attempt to corrupt Chen Qi, suddenly, the golden giant lion burst out of Chen Qi's body and roared at the Witch King's soul!

"Roar!!"

The roar of the giant lion had a tremendous deterrent effect on the Witch King, who was now in his soul form. The Witch King trembled slightly, a rare occurrence, and even his soul showed signs of wavering.