“And this unique ability is called—Ferrying!”
“Ferrying?”
“Precisely. Once Higanbana breaks through to the Brightmoon-tier, there will be a brief moment where he can unleash power far exceeding the Brightmoon-tier, even temporarily reaching the Sunwheel-tier. This will be your only chance to turn the tide, for Qian Moyu cannot hold on much longer.”
With those words, Gu Nian’s figure vanished from the spot, leaving the three of them to exchange bewildered glances.
****
“Wind Rise—Cloud Surge!”
“Aether—Ephemeral Dream!”
Above the celestial dome, the battle raged on. Both Qian Moyu and Motong bore wounds of varying severity.
Yet, the Cloud Whale was suffering equally, its massive body riddled with countless injuries inflicted by the two. Several of Qian Moyu’s arrows remained embedded in one of its eyes.
“The Cloud Whale is blocking him too effectively! We can’t land a single hit! And that mysterious Authority—our attacks simply vanish the moment they reach him.”
“Today marks your demise! Why not obediently surrender the key? I might even consider granting you a swift death! Hahahaha!”
As he spoke, the Man in Black’s aura surged once more. Death seemed to loom over everyone, and even the Cloud Whale felt a surge of panic, shaking its massive body violently, attempting to dislodge the Man in Black.
“Stay still, you beast! If Lord of Shadows hadn’t spared your life, you would have long since reunited with your kin. Do you truly wish to end up like the rest of your family? If so, I shall grant your wish!”
Black flames ignited in the Man in Black’s hand, and he slammed it down hard onto the Cloud Whale’s head. Instantly, a large swathe of the Cloud Whale’s flesh on its head was charred black.
Even after such a brutal strike, the Cloud Whale dared not move again, meekly prostrating itself there.
“This is the consequence of disobedience! Stay put if you wish to live!”
“Praise be to Lord of Shadows! His divine might shall eventually spread across the entire world!”
The Man in Black’s eyes now held nothing but intense madness. His hands flailed uncontrollably, and behind him, a mysterious phantom materialized.
The moment the phantom appeared, the entire sky above Xuan Guan was stained blood-red. Even the crescent moon, hanging high above, turned a ghastly crimson, like spilled blood.
“Do not look directly at that moon!”
Yan Qingzhu frantically warned the moment she saw the red moon. Though the brief exposure hadn’t caused her any actual harm, it had sent a shiver down her spine. For ordinary individuals, such a sight would likely induce instant madness!
Alas, despite Yan Qingzhu’s timely warning, some soldiers still caught sight of the red moon. They immediately went insane, launching indiscriminate attacks against their comrades.
Meanwhile, the demonic beasts, bathed in the red moon’s light, grew even more frenzied. Even with their limbs shattered by the city defense cannons, they continued to writhe forward, inching closer to Xuan Guan.
“That’s what’s behind him—a terrifying entity whose power surpasses the Sunwheel-tier! Bai Zhiqiu! We’re in trouble! We can’t win! Run!” Deep terror flickered in Yin’s eyes the moment she witnessed the phantom behind the Man in Black.
“I… I can’t run!” Bai Zhiqiu broke free from her daze, swaying as she spoke to Yin.
“Why aren’t you running?! We’re just dead weight here. As long as we survive, we can always rebuild! Hurry and run! I truly don’t want to see anything happen to you!” As she spoke, Yin began to cry, tears streaming down her cheeks and onto Bai Zhiqiu’s face.
“If we run today and Xuan Guan falls, it will be even harder in the future!”
Though she wasn’t a Spirit Controller, and defending Xuan Guan wasn’t her inherent responsibility, if Xuan Guan fell, the entire South Capital and even the whole Jiangnan Province would be reduced to ruins. And many people dear to her were here.
“Yin! That method Gu Nian mentioned! I want to try it!”
“It’s impossible! Even if Gu Nian’s words are true, how can we quickly break through to the Brightmoon-tier? Engage in a battle here? There’s no time!”
“Master also left me a Pure Crystal! We can use that.”
“That method takes even longer! I’ve already checked it for you. A Pure Crystal only releases the Demonic Core’s energy in batches, allowing for slow absorption. In our current situation, there’s no other way unless you directly consume an entire Demonic Core!” Only after Yin finished speaking did she realize her mistake, hastily clamping a hand over her mouth.
“See! You said there’s a way! Give me the Twilight Giant’s Demonic Core!”
“No! That’s incredibly dangerous. One wrong move, and you’ll explode!”
“I said, give it to me!”
“Bai Zhiqiu!”
“Give it to me!”
This time, Bai Zhiqiu’s hoarse roar startled Yin into submission. Seizing that momentary hesitation, Bai Zhiqiu snatched the Demonic Core from Yin’s grasp and swallowed it directly.
Instantly, it felt as though she were being consumed by infernal lava, simultaneously crushed by towering mountains. Her entire being teetered on the brink of utter collapse.
“Bai Zhiqiu! Bai Zhiqiu! Are you alright?! Don’t scare me! You… you’re bleeding! Hold on! Please, hold on!”
At this moment, Yin cast aside all other concerns. She channeled her Spirit Core with all her might, and her aura began to slowly recover. In no time, she reached the peak of the Brightmoon-tier, and even her physical form reverted to a size comparable to Bai Zhiqiu’s.
“You foolish Bai Zhiqiu! This time, I truly have nothing left!”
With that, Yin immediately leaned over Bai Zhiqiu, pressing her lips against the other woman’s.
“Idiot! Open your mouth!”
With a desperate effort, Yin managed to pry open Bai Zhiqiu’s lips. Her fragrant tongue slipped inside, intertwining, exchanging sweet nectar.
“Mm… No!”
Feeling an unfamiliar intrusion in her mouth, Bai Zhiqiu let out a soft whimper, her body unconsciously trying to pull away.
Yin wouldn’t let her escape. She reached out, gripping Bai Zhiqiu’s arm with one hand and pressing down on her chest with the other, holding her firmly in place.
As Yin infused her with magic, Bai Zhiqiu’s expression softened from agony to tranquility, and her breathing gradually steadied.
Soon, all of Yin’s magic was completely absorbed by Bai Zhiqiu. Bai Zhiqiu’s aura began to strengthen, subtly hinting at a breakthrough beyond the Brightmoon-tier’s limits.
“Hah! Hah! Hah!”
“I’m exhausted!”
Yin’s face flushed crimson as she gasped for breath, her limbs growing weak. She soon collapsed onto Bai Zhiqiu’s body.
The instant Yin fell, Bai Zhiqiu coincidentally woke up. She reached out to catch Yin, and in that very moment, Bai Zhiqiu’s entire aura surged. First, she stepped into the Brightmoon-tier, then Brightmoon-tier initial, mid, late, and peak stages, until finally reaching the Sunwheel-tier!
At this moment, Bai Zhiqiu felt incredibly powerful. In her wine-red eyes, two Higanbana flowers bloomed—one gradually unfurling, the other slowly withering.
“Rest well now! It’s my turn!” Bai Zhiqiu whispered softly into Yin’s ear.
“Mm-hmm!” Yin mumbled a dazed reply, and then, she merged with Bai Zhiqiu.