Qiqi’s True Nature

Sizzle!

A streak of golden lightning flashed through the air out of nowhere. Ruofeng Lin’s pupils contracted, and a Golden Dragon Phantom appeared behind him. Yet the bolt did not erupt. Instead, it vanished into the air the very next moment.

Only then did the clouds begin to churn, dense rain-laden air gathering overhead.

Ruofeng Lin had not lied. At this moment, he controlled the Dragon Qi of this shattered nation. Near the capital, he could even command the weather itself.

That slight change in the weather, beyond his control, immediately caught his attention.

The faint complacency and arrogance in his heart vanished in an instant.

"I misjudged you. Mercenary Tao, you… aren’t normal!"

The Golden Dragon Phantom behind Ruofeng Lin coiled above tier after tier of steps. He had indeed heard Mercenary Tao’s name, but he had assumed the man was merely one of those people who slaughtered Plot Characters in Derivative Worlds to build a Fierce Reputation.

Even if such people could be called "excellent" among reincarnators, forcibly obtaining information through that method and growing stronger was nothing much in the eyes of truly powerful reincarnators.

It was merely a cultivation method akin to an unorthodox path. Progress came quickly in the early stages, but it robbed one of the chance to keep fighting dangerous enemies and grasp one’s true power.

That was why Infinite Dimensional Space constantly recruited reincarnators. The number of intermediate reincarnators swelled every so often, yet the number of top-tier reincarnators remained exceedingly small.

The Space’s mechanisms indulged reincarnators in obtaining Singularities and rewards through cruelty in different worlds, allowing low- and mid-level reincarnators to grow rapidly.

Yet upon reaching higher stages, these reincarnators began dying in droves, unable to overcome true challenges.

But after just one encounter, one trace of aura, Ruofeng Lin realized that the man before him was absolutely not some hollow fraud.

A reincarnator who had appeared in this cycle, who could not possibly have undergone more than twenty deployments at most, had already reached this level…

Bai Cangshu let his hands hang at his sides, his chin raised slightly. He had grown used to looking down at others through his lower eyelids, especially when facing such "weak" people.

Step, step, step.

Bai Cangshu walked straight toward Ruofeng Lin. Every step covered exactly the same distance. As his body swayed from side to side, not the slightest trace of power leaked out.

Ruofeng Lin frowned and immediately said,

"Stop!"

His voice was majestic, seemingly carrying an irresistible pressure. It was a command rooted in the spiritual body.

But Bai Cangshu remained completely unaffected and continued forward. At the same time, he noticed something strange. A distance that should have taken only a few steps to cross still had not brought him close even after four or five steps.

This was the Black Emperor sequence’s power of chaos. It could throw an area into disorder, making even distance difficult to judge.

But the other man’s ability was at a rather high level. Therefore, Ruofeng Lin had most likely become a high-level transcendent of the Black Emperor sequence—a demigod, a saint, perhaps even… an angel.

Ruofeng Lin took two steps back and said to Bai Cangshu,

"Mercenary Tao, don’t be in such a hurry. Qiqi hasn’t come looking for us yet, so why don’t we first… have a chat?"

"This world is far bigger and more complicated than you imagine. Many times, we ought to broaden our horizons…"

Ruofeng Lin trailed off. He saw the mocking smile in Mercenary Tao’s gaze growing ever more intense, the sense of condescension becoming increasingly obvious.

Hahahaha… Hahahaha!

Wild laughter suddenly burst from the other man’s mouth. The sound carried a powerful force, whipping the miasma around them into motion with fierce winds. The forest trembled amid the laughter, branches and leaves flying everywhere.

The magnetic field beneath the earth began to rotate, making Ruofeng Lin instinctively clutch his forehead. A wave of discomfort washed over him, as though someone were turning the ground upside down.

Magnetic Field Rotation?! Mercenary Tao had this kind of enhancement!

He kept updating his assessment, while thunderclouds gathered in the sky and an oppressive aura descended.

Ruofeng Lin stood in place. As an emperor standing on his own land, he actually felt as though a vast army had reached his gates.

He watched Mercenary Tao standing there, laughing wildly, wind and clouds churning behind him. The man truly possessed abilities beyond imagination.

Was this the manifestation of someone who had already entered the Fierce-tier?!

Someone who had only become a reincarnator this cycle had already caught up to the ranks of the most elite reincarnators.

But…

That was no reason for him to mock Ruofeng Lin so brazenly!

Seeing that Ruofeng Lin still did not understand, Bai Cangshu became completely certain that the man had not grasped the essence of power.

He had clearly used his ability to interfere with Bai Cangshu’s attack, yet his first reaction had been to retreat. That meant that after just one exchange, he already feared Bai Cangshu.

And he did not believe his own ability could keep interfering with him forever.

If he analyzed it carefully, Bai Cangshu could roughly guess that Ruofeng Lin had become wary because Bai Cangshu’s immunity to mental suggestion abilities was simply too strong.

That was human nature. It was a rational decision. Yet it was not a choice a truly powerful person would make.

Bai Cangshu would not make such a move. The Mad King would not make it. Life of Silence would not make it either.

"Also, I figured something else out. You didn’t choose to appear here and run into me, did you…?"

Bai Cangshu’s eyes burned as he pointed toward the sky with one hand. Dull thunder boomed continuously. Amid the lightning and thunder, arcs of electricity began bursting from his body. More than that, golden qi began wrapping around Bai Cangshu’s body like a garment.

Ruofeng Lin’s scalp tingled faintly. The five-clawed Golden Dragon Phantom behind him had already coiled around his body.

He felt his heart contract again and again.

"You deliberately led Miss Qiqi into that city, then escaped in advance through some means to avoid being killed. It was just very unfortunate that… you ran into me."

Bai Cangshu had initially assumed Ruofeng Lin was like the Mad King, someone confident in his own power who had taken the initiative to seek him out. But after seeing the man’s "frail" nature, he changed his mind.

Ruofeng Lin had not deliberately chosen to encounter him here. This was Bai Cangshu’s luck!

His Strong Luck was still influencing him. In this world, it was guiding him toward ending this mission as quickly as possible.

Ruofeng Lin’s body suddenly began to enlarge. At the same time, he used a gift on himself, greatly enhancing his physical abilities before preparing to distort reality and establish new rules.

But all that greeted him was a torrential eruption of qi.

"Haha, this little girl is quite a beauty. Shame her eyesight is so bad that she fell into our hands!"

Within a convoy entering the city, two men dressed as guards rode bare-chested as they drove the carriage, laughing and joking.

The soldiers guarding the gate were already accustomed to the insignia on the carriage. It belonged to a convoy specially tasked with searching for spiritually gifted children for the Imperial Advisor.

This convoy could travel unhindered throughout the Great Gan Dynasty.

Qiqi sat inside the carriage, her gaze calm and utterly unlike the terrified expressions of the other young men and women.

Through the carriage curtain, she saw that the golden Buddha in the sky had disappeared. She knew an attack of that level could not do much to Mercenary Tao.

This was probably another quest line. This world was extraordinarily vast and possessed numerous quest lines. If reincarnators could peacefully carry out missions here without being threatened by the Heavenly Dao, a single deployment would likely be enough to yield gains close to an S-rank Singularity.

The instant she entered the city, a mirror upon the wall swept over her. Qiqi remained motionless, like a dead object. Her personal style allowed her to perceive and control her aura and the flow of energy with perfect precision. Clear Sword Heart was also the product of such techniques.

Yet there was still an unresolved knot in her heart, someone she had to kill before her spirit could finally settle.

After entering the city, the increasingly noisy and bustling sounds around her made the irritation in Qiqi’s heart grow stronger. She frowned, a vague suspicion forming in her mind.

The next moment, she abruptly rose and lifted the curtain. The people inside the carriage cried out in alarm. The two thugs in front clearly possessed some external martial arts training as well. Sensing the movement, they turned around. When one saw the silver-gray-haired girl, he frowned and was about to berate her.

But with a soft pfft, he collapsed limply. A thin line of blood ran down from his neck.

The other man was horrified. He instinctively reached for his blade, but before his hand could touch the hilt, it fell onto the carriage.

Blood sprayed from his wrist, and then a crimson line stained the center of his brow.

Pfft!

The burly man split apart down the middle, his intestines and organs spilling out at once. The pungent stench of blood could no longer be concealed, assailing the young men and women inside the carriage.

"Ah!"

Amid terrified screams, blood red sword light flashed.

Ring!

Then the sound turned into dead silence. Qiqi leaped down from the carriage. Bloodlines spread across the several-yard-wide stone road, as well as the taverns on either side draped in red cloth and lanterns, before everything abruptly collapsed.

Boom!

A blade of Battle Aura condensed from blood slowly appeared in Qiqi’s hand. Expressionless, utterly ignoring the horrifying slaughter she had just committed, she moved step by step along the broad main road toward the imperial palace.

"How dare a mortal commit murder in broad daylight!"

First came a furious roar, followed by a sudden burst of Buddhist light. Within the imperial palace thousands of meters away, Pudu Cihang formed a hand seal, and the sky naturally changed color.

The imperial capital, which had been beneath a clear sky moments ago, was instantly engulfed by black clouds as though night had fallen.

Amid the deathly silence, a gigantic golden Buddha manifestation appeared, seated directly above the imperial palace.

"Amitabha. Lay down the butcher’s blade, and turn back to shore."

The three Buddhist verses arrived in rolling soundwaves. Qiqi said nothing, merely looking up at the massive golden Buddha manifestation. The next moment, she raised her blade and slashed.

Pudu Cihang shuddered all over, then let out an uncontrollable scream.

A scarlet bloodline extended downward from the top of his head. That strike had nearly killed him outright.

He thrashed wildly within the imperial palace. Then a massive centipede suddenly burst through the palace roof and plunged into the black clouds.

The illusory Buddha manifestation immediately blazed with radiant light. Rings of golden Buddhist light behind it became almost tangible as they shone down upon the imperial palace.

"Amitabha!"

The Golden Buddha pressed its hands together, and the Buddhist light instantly illuminated the entire night.

In that instant, Qiqi’s body stiffened as well. She felt the still lake of her heart being disturbed. Clear Sword Heart vanished first, followed by the desires in the depths of her heart beginning to stir one by one.

Scenes from the past seemed to appear before her. When she had first become a reincarnator, she had been quite weak. Yet because she fought like a madwoman with no regard for her life, she received rather good rewards.

But every time, she narrowly escaped death. Many people believed she would soon die in some battle.

Yet she survived every time through sheer luck. Slowly, she began to gain fame, and more and more people began following behind her.

Many of them merely wanted her protection, or rather, wanted to survive by relying on her power and reputation.

But there were also some who always showed her a great deal of concern.

Qiqi blinked, and one after another, shadows that had already grown unfamiliar appeared before her once more.

"I really am a heartless person."

Qiqi laughed at herself. She raised her scarlet Battle Aura blade, blocking every burst of golden light with horizontal and vertical slashes. She did so with effortless ease, yet at the same time, she allowed the Buddhist light to shine upon her.

To drag herself into even deeper emotions.

After the people following her had died one after another, a man who always wore a warm smile finally suggested that those who remained should form a permanent team.

Everyone would perform their own duties. They could no longer let Qiqi fight alone.

That person called himself Ruofeng Lin. He said he would become someone specializing in control and special attacks, responsible for helping Qiqi keep her enemies pinned in place.

What was the name of that woman who had given her so many game consoles? Qiqi no longer remembered. But she still remembered that person’s embrace. It had been warm.

Even under Pudu Cihang’s attack, Qiqi had the spare strength to stroke her own heart. It was as though whenever she remembered those people at such moments, this heart would always beat especially hard.

"All living beings have emotions!"

Pudu Cihang no longer concealed his Demonic Power and unleashed it completely. At the same time, countless demons within the imperial palace burst through the palace grounds.

Today had originally been a feast. Although he did not know Ruofeng Lin’s true hidden purpose, he could no longer wait.

He had to consume this feast of human flesh that had gathered the nation’s last remnants of fortune, then flee beyond the Hundred Thousand Mountains before those from the upper realm arrived.

"Ah~"

Pudu Cihang’s Demonic Power completely distorted the Buddhist Dharma. The desires of those illuminated by the Buddhist light began multiplying beyond their control.

This Imperial City had been prepared specifically for these people. Ruofeng Lin had emptied the dynasty’s treasury, allowing the humans who came to the Imperial City to feast, drink, and indulge every night.

At this moment, large numbers of humans sang and reveled, coupling where they stood and eating frantically. Some casually picked up butcher’s blades and hacked directly at those beside them.

The most primal Evil Intent in human hearts began to breed and spread in a frenzy.

Beneath the skin of the golden Buddha overlooking everything from the sky, Pudu Cihang’s Demonic Power swelled ever greater. He took immense pride in his "blasphemy." As a great demon, he deliberately disguised himself as one of those hypocritical Buddhas of the Western Heaven, then made the people of the world reveal their ugly natures completely.

"Quick, let the feast begin~"

The voice echoed through the sky. Yet the next moment, two even more terrifying powers erupted simultaneously from within and outside the city.

Within the city, scarlet killing intent swept up Battle Aura and surged into the clouds like a tornado.

Outside the city was even more terrifying. Golden qi shot into the heavens with unstoppable force, clearing away everything.

Qiqi’s entire body was wrapped in killing intent. She no longer resisted, allowing Pudu Cihang to draw out even the deepest killing intent hidden within her.

"Ruofeng Lin, I see you~"

The girl’s voice gradually changed, becoming as terrifying as an evil ghost’s.

She suddenly raised her hand. Nourished by killing intent, the raised Battle Aura blade seemed to connect heaven and earth, then slashed down violently the next moment.

The golden Buddha in the sky and the imperial palace thousands of meters away were pierced by bloodlines at the same time.

Boom!

A terrifying punch struck from tens of thousands of meters away. Before that shockwave, a twisted figure warped into the form of a demon.

Boom!

The imperial palace exploded violently, and the shockwave swept across the entire royal city. Within the enormous crater, a figure slowly emerged.

The newcomer had a face like polished jade and wore black armor, yet terrifying demonic qi surrounded him.

"The two of you have smashed open the gates of my Yin Moon Dynasty without cause. What is the meaning of this…?"

Qiqi did not even look at the Seven Nights Demon Lord who had suddenly appeared. She stared fixedly at one spot. Behind Seven Nights Demon Lord, a half-male, half-female figure was smiling at her.

Half of its body looked like Ruofeng Lin, while the other half had the appearance of a woman with features as beautiful as a painting.