I Can Do Anything

At that moment, Jin Ping wore the unmistakable air of a victor. In his eyes, Lu Su, merely a Diamond Grade Card Master, could not possibly have any means of stopping what was about to happen.

Even if that strange method had truly delayed the secret realm’s arrival by a few seconds.

He was not the only one who thought so. Most of those present shared the same belief.

Yet Lu Su merely glanced at Jin Ping before silently raising his head to look at the crack in the sky.

Seeing this, Jin Ping immediately wanted to continue mocking him.

But before he could speak, he discovered that faint ink stains had somehow appeared on his body.

It was not just him. The other three Master Grade figures from the City within a City faction also bore light ink stains.

In an instant, they realized that the card beside Lu Su had launched an attack.

The next moment, Jin Ping and the others went weak, feeling as though a substantial portion of their strength had been forcibly stripped away.

Aside from the newly appeared Master Grade Demon, the other three had already been seriously wounded by Ye Zhou’s attack.

Now that nearly half their strength had vanished out of nowhere, they were truly not far from death.

"What kind of bizarre ability is this?!"

Jin Ping was utterly shocked. He could not understand how that Great Monk card on the other side had accomplished this.

Of course, Ichibe Hyosube beside Lu Su had no intention of explaining his ability as he had when fighting Yhwach.

As long as he said nothing, those people would never guess that he could use his brush-shaped Zanpakuto to erase the names of things, causing them to lose their original power.

Just as he had done now, erasing the title "Card Master" from Jin Ping and the Skin Peeler.

Unfortunately, Blue Star was not like the world of Soul Reapers, where names possessed peculiar powers.

Thus, although it should theoretically have erased all their power, the two humans and two Demons only lost part of their strength.

Of course, that might also have been because they were all Master Grade powerhouses.

Even so, it was enough to send chills down Jin Ping and the others’ spines. They had never seen such a strange ability.

Crack—!

At that moment, accompanied by a crisp shattering sound, the crack silently widened a little more.

Jin Ping’s face instantly filled with wild delight.

A contract ignited in his hand, and his figure immediately vanished.

With success only one step away, the old man naturally had no intention of staying behind to clash head-on with Lu Su.

As long as that being successfully descended, he would have all the time in the world to settle accounts with this traitor.

"Lu Su!"

"If I were you, I would have fled long ago!"

"Is this really necessary? Going this far for these weaklings!"

His hoarse voice echoed repeatedly across the battlefield.

Hiding in the shadows, Jin Ping began waging psychological warfare, attempting to shake Lu Su’s resolve.

Because he had discovered that even after hiding, the ink stains on his body continued spreading across him.

Like him, the Skin Peeler and the others each used their own methods to conceal themselves and observe the situation from the shadows.

The plan had reached its final stage. No one wanted to risk their life fighting Lu Su.

At this time, Great Ming’s three Master Card Masters also appeared beside Lu Su.

Looking at the silent young man, Bai Yueming hesitated before speaking in a dry voice. "Xiao Luo, you’ve already done very well."

"But at this point, Great Ming may truly be beyond saving."

Judging from the aura leaking from the crack in the sky, there was at least a Hall of Fame Grade Demon behind it.

Without question, that was one of the so-called Four Calamity Gods.

And after losing Ye Zhou, Great Ming clearly had no power to resist it, unless Hall of Fame Card Masters from other Blue Star nations were willing to intervene.

But if that were the case, they would never have allowed Jin Ping and the others to carry out their plan so recklessly from the beginning.

In the end, everyone was in a difficult position. All they could do was look after themselves.

With a sigh, Bai Yueming continued, "Xiao Luo, we have already prepared a list. You and Xiao Ji should return to Great Ming immediately, take the people on it, and then seek out Her Majesty Catherine."

"She should be willing to take you in."

"Most of Great Ming’s materials are also in North Capital. Go and collect them directly."

Naturally, Great Ming had always maintained emergency plans. The list of those to evacuate had not been drawn up just now, but long ago, based on Card Masters’ character, integrity, and talent.

Lu Su had previously demonstrated the ability to bring others into another space, which was clearly convenient for carrying out the emergency plan.

The same applied to Ji Weirui.

As for why they were to seek Catherine’s protection, it was naturally because Bai Yueming and the others had already seen through Tsardom of Russia’s intentions to recruit Lu Su during their previous joint operation.

They were all old foxes. Why play games with each other?

Moreover, while Lu Su could survive if he followed Bai Yueming’s instructions, the price would likely be serving the Tsardom of Russia in the future.

There was no such thing as a free lunch.

But everyone present understood the simple principle: preserve the people and lose the land, and both people and land may yet remain; preserve the land and lose the people, and both will be lost.

With the talent the young man before them had displayed, revenge might not be impossible in the future.

Just then, Lu Su suddenly dismissed Ichibe Hyosube.

Seeing this, Bai Yueming relaxed inwardly, believing his student had chosen to follow the arrangement.

But immediately afterward, he heard Lu Su, who had remained silent since appearing, speak. "Teacher, don’t worry."

"Great Ming will be fine today."

Hearing those words, Bai Yueming and the other two froze in place, unable to comprehend Lu Su’s meaning for a moment.

They simply could not imagine what other means the young man possessed to stop the situation from continuing to worsen.

Meanwhile, unable to hear the Great Ming group’s conversation from his hiding place, Jin Ping assumed Lu Su had given up resisting and was preparing to flee when he saw him dismiss his card.

Though he was extremely unwilling to admit it, the Hook-nosed Elder had to acknowledge that he truly feared Lu Su would stubbornly refuse to run and fight them to mutual destruction.

At that thought, Jin Ping could not help but sneer from the shadows, "Run. The farther, the better."

"Xiao Liu."

"…"

"…"

"??"

Before Jin Ping could finish his taunt, he became like a duck with its throat gripped, unable to utter another word.

He stared in utter confusion at the figure that had suddenly appeared on the battlefield.

It was not just him. At that moment, whether Demon or Card Master, everyone stared in astonishment at the man who had suddenly appeared beside Lu Su.

Lu Su let out a long breath and said calmly, "I’ll leave the rest to you."

"Adonai."

Adonai was a variation of "adhonay," the god revered by Christianity—the so-called "God" and "Lord."

Among all of Lu Su’s cards, the only one connected to that concept was the Soul King summoned through the Three Realms ability unlocked after all three Field Cards had advanced to their highest level.

Without question, the man named Adonai was the Soul King.

After hearing Lu Su’s words, he silently nodded, then raised his head toward the enormous crack in the sky, which had already stabilized.

And the half of a terrifying giant palm that had emerged from it at some unknown point.

It was the hand of one of the Four Calamity Gods. This Hall of Fame Grade Demon, which had coveted Blue Star for centuries, had finally managed to force its way through the world’s barrier with Jin Ping’s assistance.

It was only half a palm, but how could the Great Ming Card Masters present possibly withstand a Hall of Fame Grade being at full strength?

The mere pressure leaking from it caused the Card Masters in the air to fall like dumplings into the seawater that had begun accumulating once more.

Seeing this, the Soul King lightly flicked a finger, and the falling Card Masters instantly froze in midair.

By then, Jin Ping had also recovered his senses. Forcibly suppressing the sense of foreboding in his heart, he could not help consoling himself. "Impossible. How could a mere Diamond Grade Card Master possess a method capable of stopping a Hall of Fame Grade descent?"

"That brat is just bluffing."

"That’s right. That has to be it."

The old man neither dared nor wished to believe that his long-laid scheme could possibly fail.

Unfortunately, he was destined to be disappointed.

At that moment, the Soul King slightly closed his eyes. Nothing could be read from his tranquil, emotionless face.

Then, under everyone’s stunned gaze, the enormous arm that had been continuously extending from the sky suddenly stopped in place.

At the same time, the scar-like crack ceased expanding.

Seeing this, Jin Ping’s face was instantly overcome with panic, and he muttered instinctively, "No, no, no, no, no…"

"How is this possible?!"

He had never expected Lu Su’s trump card to truly seem capable of stopping the Four Calamity Gods’ descent.

Bai Yueming and the others, however, felt the exact opposite of Jin Ping.

After witnessing this scene, the three Master Card Masters of Great Ming could not help but feel a faint spark of hope rise in their hearts.

It seemed…

There was still a chance to turn things around.

Crack—!

But just as they thought that, another crisp shattering sound sent their hearts plunging back into the abyss.

The Four Calamity Gods were Hall of Fame Grade beings after all. Even if it was now stuck in an awkward position, it was still not something an ordinary Master Grade could resist.

Lu Su sighed softly. In the current situation, it was clearly unrealistic to stop the other side’s descent without paying any price.

Receiving his will, the Soul King no longer held back. Azure Spirit Pressure instantly swept out in all directions.

The gale unleashed by the immense Spirit Pressure sent everyone’s hair flying wildly.

Feeling that suffocating aura, Demons and Card Masters alike instinctively held their breath.

This was overwhelming power, power that should never have appeared in a card created by a Diamond Grade Card Master.

At least, in Bai Yueming and the others’ understanding, the newest card Lu Su had summoned was likely not much weaker than Hall of Fame Grade, even if it had not quite reached that level.

But if that was all it had, it would still not be enough to oppose the Four Calamity Gods.

Yet Lu Su had never intended to confront this Hall of Fame Grade Demon head-on.

Do not forget that, in the original Soul Reaper setting, the Soul King had contributed his power to divide chaos into the Three Realms.

And now, all he needed to do was repeat what he had once done.

At that moment, the blood-red crack tearing through the heavens was gradually dyed blue by the Soul King’s Spirit Pressure.

Sensing that its descent was being obstructed, the Four Calamity Gods thrust its giant palm from the crack and viciously swatted at the Soul King.

The roaring wind pressure devastated the seabed in an instant, carving out an enormous underwater canyon.

Boom—!

Materialized Spirit Pressure firmly blocked the Four Calamity Gods’ palm, while azure spiritual power shot out endlessly in every direction.

Yet in the face of the world-shaking scene beside him, the Soul King merely gazed quietly at the crack in the sky.

They remained locked in stalemate for some time. Seemingly realizing that it could not descend today, the Four Calamity Gods had no choice but to retreat, its enormous hand slowly withdrawing.

For the people of Great Ming, everything appeared to be moving in a favorable direction.

But if anyone found this result most impossible to accept, it was undoubtedly Jin Ping.

He had invested so much effort and paid such a price. How could he allow that traitor to ruin everything just like this?!

Unable to endure his emotions any longer, the old man appeared before Lu Su and the others.

"Lu Su!"

"Stop this right now!"

Before his words even fell, Hermes raised the Caduceus and pointed it at the Soul King.

But Bai Yueming and the others, now that they could see the tide had turned, naturally would not stand by and watch Jin Ping interfere with the Soul King.

And Jin Ping was not the only one. The two Master Grade Demons present also could not accept this outcome. Only the Skin Peeler remained hidden in the shadows, observing the situation.

But Jin Ping and the two Demons had subconsciously overlooked one fact: even without Bai Yueming and the others, they clearly could not break through the Soul King’s defenses—which even the Four Calamity Gods could do nothing against—in a short time.

Thus, the Soul King merely glanced at them from the corner of his eye, causing the already heavily wounded Jin Ping and Flesh King to freeze in place.

"Pfft!"

Mouthfuls of blood instantly sprayed from the human and Demon’s mouths.

That attack also restored a measure of Jin Ping’s sanity.

But even so, he could not accept that the scheme he had plotted for so long had ended in failure.

"This ending… this ending…"

"Even if I die, I will not accept this ending!"

His furious roar rang across the battlefield.

But unfortunately, Jin Ping was not the protagonist of a shonen manga. No matter how enraged he became, it was nothing more than impotent fury.

As for Bonds…

Ever since Jin Ping created Hermes, such things had never appeared around him again.

Ignoring the barking of a defeated dog, Lu Su merely watched the crack in the sky in silence.

He could sense a cold gaze from beyond the crack meeting his own.

"Four Calamity Gods…"

"I’ll remember this debt."

Lu Su knew that one day, he would face the Four Calamity Gods again.

As time passed, the wound in the sky that had once torn open the world was completely dyed azure.

Under the Soul King’s Spirit Pressure, the enormous crack gradually began to close.

A moment later, the crack completely sealed shut before dissolving into the air.

The crisis that could have overturned Great Ming had been resolved.

And the price, naturally, was the Soul King.

Every Card Master present stared blankly as the card that had pulled Great Ming back from the abyss dissipated into the air.

"W-We won?!" A disbelieving murmur echoed across the battlefield.

Hearing these voices, Jin Ping’s ugly face twisted with venomous resentment. "Lu Su, stopping the descent of the Four Calamity Gods must have cost you dearly!"

"I want you dead!"

Though rage had clouded Jin Ping’s mind, his judgment was not wrong.

Lu Su had indeed paid a considerable price. The Seireitei’s three Field Cards had now entered a month-long cooldown.

Without the Field Cards’ support, the strength of the Shinigami-type Cards had fallen drastically.

At that moment, Bai Yueming and the others immediately wanted to shield Lu Su behind them. After everything that had just happened, youth had become an indispensable pillar of Great Ming.

However, Lu Su merely waved his hand, signaling for them not to be nervous. Then Madara Uchiha appeared at his side.

Fang Wenlong had seen this crack-faced man before, so he naturally realized what Lu Su was preparing to do.

Just as he had expected, Madara Uchiha formed the "Snake" hand seal and growled, "Outer Path: Samsara of Heavenly Life Technique!"

As green light rose, Lu Su sensed that Madara Uchiha’s Card had entered cooldown.

In exchange, the cooldowns of his other Cards had been refreshed.

He took a light breath, then said calmly, "Come, Adonai."

As Lu Su’s words fell, the Soul King, who had only just dissipated before everyone’s eyes, appeared at his side once more.

That was right. Although the Reincarnation Technique could only resurrect the dead in the original work, it could now refresh the cooldown of Field Cards.

Lu Su attributed the reason to the Card’s abilities.

"??"

At this sight, both Jin Ping and the Skin Peeler hiding in the shadows were instantly left speechless.

Then—

They fled!

The farther, the better.

These people opposed to Great Ming did not believe they could possibly be a match for a Card that had briefly contended with the Four Calamity Gods.

Unfortunately, they were destined to be disappointed.

Though the Soul King could only be considered pseudo-omniscient and omnipotent, even so, Jin Ping and the others had no chance whatsoever of escaping alive beneath those cross-shaped eyes that seemed capable of seeing through fate itself.

With a slight flicker of his figure, Jin Ping, the Skin Peeler, and the two Master Grade Demons reappeared before Lu Su.

Looking at the two humans and two demons unable to break free from the Soul King’s control, Lu Su’s expression was cold.

After a moment of silence, he walked up to Jin Ping, stared at the crazed Hook-nosed Elder, and said softly, "There’s one thing you got wrong."

"That is—"

"There is nothing I can’t do."