In the public hall of the Government Affairs Hall in Jibei Dao Center City, loud noises rose from below in intermittent waves before quickly quieting down again.
Waiting here, Qi Weizhao and the others had received the message Chen Chuan previously transmitted through the field vessel, reporting that the target had been eliminated. Along with it came several fragments of intermittent footage.
Yet out of sheer prudence, they did not let down their guard right away, sending an inquiry back to seek reconfirmation.
As for the footage, they could not decipher the contents displayed on the screens. Fortunately, Yao Zhiyi was present, and he would surely understand it, so everyone was waiting on his judgment.
Looking at the opening footage, Yao Zhiyi's expression grew solemn. It was the moment the two collided. While ordinary people might fail to make sense of it, he could tell that the Flames of Spirituality of both fighters were expanding outward to a degree that left him alarmed, violently crashing against one another.
Yet the further he watched, the more astonished he became. If his eyes were not deceiving him, the radiance representing Chen Chuan appeared to be on the offensive from beginning to end, relentlessly pressing the other side down. Even though he had already known the outcome in advance, witnessing the spectacle still felt somewhat unbelievable.
After all, the oppressive aura Zhao Zhenye had projected in the earliest footage still lingered vividly in his mind; even without being on the scene, watching it had made his breath hitch and his muscles tense involuntarily. How had the actual fight unfolded so differently from what he imagined?
Unable to wait, he hurried to look further ahead. When he saw Chen Chuan plunge his blade into the opposite figure, and finally leap free of the ocean to hover suspended in midair, his eyes went wide, his thick eyebrows trembling.
Deep down, he had felt no certainty about this battle. But he knew that so long as Chen Chuan dared to take the field, he had to possess at least some measure of confidence—because every past battle had proven him right. Even though reason told Yao Zhiyi that Chen Chuan was outmatched in raw power and this clash would be extraordinarily perilous, he had never imagined in his wildest dreams that it would turn out to be a total blowout.
After replaying it several times, he confirmed that the footage and scenes had undergone no alteration whatsoever. It had truly taken place right there on the battlefield; anyone who lacked the required understanding could never have fabricated it. Overjoyed, he immediately exclaimed, "Good, good, good!" Casting aside all restraint, he turned toward the outside and hollered, "Strike up the music!"
At that order, the band waiting outside at the ready immediately launched into their performance with beating drums and blaring horns, playing a brisk, stirring triumphal march.
Hearing the music drifting from the field screen, the other members of the Security Decision Group present wore rather subtle expressions.
Yet it was plain to see that, judging by Principal Yao's reaction, there could be no doubt about the matter, or he would never have acted this way.
Just then, a verified message arrived confirming that the initial report was true. Furthermore, someone had already observed the field ship steaming toward the nearest island; had the enemy not been dealt with, such an outcome would never have occurred.
The committee members exchanged glances, faint smiles appearing on their faces as their previously taut expressions relaxed.
Barring any unforeseen developments, it seemed the Skyline had been successfully held this time.
At this moment, Qi Weizhao spoke up: "Gentlemen, I dearly hope this will be the enemy's final harassment. But there are still several days before the Skyline is officially connected. It is not yet time to lower our guard. I hope all departments will coordinate closely and see us through this crucial juncture together."
The gathered officials solemnly chorused their agreement, and even Yao Zhiyi, listening to the music, was no exception. An overt frontal assault by a martial artist as formidable as today's might not happen again, but there was no guarantee that covert agents lurking in the shadows would not stir up trouble. Constant vigilance was required; carelessness could not be afforded.
Meanwhile, out on the ocean, a surge cleaved through the water. Fenghe Shou gripped his long saber, skimming across the waves.
Ever since receiving word from Center City, he had rushed toward Zhuoya Island without a moment's pause.
When he set out, he had not yet received detailed intelligence, only knowing that Zhuoya Island had come under attack and that the encroaching raider was exceptionally strong, having already defeated a martial artist sent to intercept him. Nevertheless, since it was an order from above, he would not disobey.
As a martial artist now incorporated into Haidong Dao Center City, defending the nearby Skyline was his duty.
Mid-stride, he suddenly sensed something. Looking into the distance, he saw a streak of light flash across the sky, followed by a rolling rumble.
The newcomer appeared to spot him. Pausing in the air, the figure drifted down to hover over the sea, greeting, "Hall Master Fenghe."
Fenghe Shou quickly held his long saber and bowed respectfully. "Section Chief Chen!"
Chen Chuan asked, "Is Hall Master Fenghe rushing toward Zhuoya Island?"
"Yes," Fenghe Shou replied. "A martial artist launched a raid to destroy that section. I was ordered to go and provide reinforcement."
Chen Chuan gave a slight nod. "Thank you for coming to our aid, Hall Master Fenghe, but there is no need. I have already eliminated the intruder. You may head back."
Fenghe Shou was taken aback. He looked up at Chen Chuan. Truth be told, because the adversary this time was so immensely powerful, he had envisioned countless battle scenarios on his way here, even believing this might very well be his final fight.
He had never anticipated an outcome like this.
After a brief silence, he bowed. "Section Chief Chen, then I shall take my leave."
Chen Chuan nodded. "However, the Skyline is not yet stable. I will still have to trouble Hall Master Fenghe to remain attentive over these next few days."
Fenghe Shou replied solemnly with another bow, "I will do my utmost."
Chen Chuan gazed into the distance, recalling the fissure that had carried Zhao Zhenye away. If the other party could tear open a fissure at any moment, theoretically they could appear anywhere.
Next, he would patrol along the Skyline once more and remain outside until the day the Skyline was formally linked, ensuring no one would come to sabotage it again.
Somewhere within the Confluence, amidst the flickering rupture of a fissure, Zhao Zhenye's mangled, headless corpse dropped onto the ground.
A long time later, an ethereal female figure faded into view. Gazing upon the mutilated torso, she noted that while certain tissues still retained vitality, by every standard, he was already dead.
Reduced to this state, not even a martial artist of the Longevity View could possibly revive on his own.
After staring for a moment, the female figure murmured softly, "If you die, there will be no one left to push the plan forward. It seems this is the only way."
With those words, her body suddenly dissolved, scattering into countless crystalline fragments that drifted down onto the broken corpse.
Before long, the mutilated body began to glow. First, within the cleaved wound, sticky crystalline threads sprouted forth, gradually stitching the two halves back together, and the half-missing heart began to beat once again.
At the severed stump of the neck, a crystalline brightness manifested, taking the shape of a complete head. Deep within it, internal tissues could be faintly seen regrowing.
She was using her worldly embodiment to fill the void and restore Zhao Zhenye's body. Yet even once fully restored, because the crucial head had been destroyed, his original memories no longer existed. What resulted would be nothing more than an empty shell.
Yet that did not matter. She could fill the void with her own memories of Zhao Zhenye. So long as this body could eventually see the plan through, it made no difference whether he was truly the original person.
Or perhaps it was even better this way. Zhao Zhenye had always possessed a mind of his own, constantly disagreeing with her, forcing her to spend time persuading him. Now, she would obtain a Zhao Zhenye fashioned entirely after her own design, allowing her to execute the plan far more smoothly.
After roughly several hours, as the majority of the crystalline essence settled, the body was at last restored to completeness. By now, the phantom had vanished entirely, leaving behind only a gleaming crystal the size of a rice grain.
The crystal dropped downward, about to sink into Zhao Zhenye's forehead between his brows. Yet at that precise moment, sprouting granulations of flesh pushed out from inside the body and tightly snared the crystal.
The entity struggled violently, but more and more granulations emerged until it was completely swallowed up.
Much later, it ceased moving altogether.
Moments later, Zhao Zhenye suddenly opened his eyes. He rose from the ground. Though he had not yet had time to organize the memories in his mind, he was fully conscious that he had been revived after being killed.
Glancing at the residual crystalline ashes on the ground, he understood that the entity had transferred the energy of her worldly existence into him, trading it for his rebirth.
In doing so, even if her true body remained in the world on the other side, the next time they met, she would no longer be the person she had been before.
With a faint sigh, he closed his eyes, but when he opened them again, they were chilled with icy resolve.
Was this not precisely the outcome he had sought?
His plan had succeeded.
For a long time, that presence had latched onto him and shadowed him. He had always wanted to rid himself of her, but conventional methods were useless. The sole path was to suffer injuries so grave that his life would be lost without rescue. Because her overarching prerequisite was the completion of the plan, and accomplishing it without him was near impossible, she was certain to sacrifice her worldly embodiment to revive him.
The only problem was that even if rescued, he would likely become nothing more than a walking corpse. He knew full well that she would take advantage of that moment to seize total control over him, erasing whatever memories remained in the process.
Hence, he had previously obtained an object in trade from the former imperial house. On the surface, it was meant solely for cultivation, but in reality, it could store his own memories. Relying on this, he had regained the upper hand at the final moment, thoroughly appropriating everything she left behind for himself.
Yet now, an exceptionally important question remained.
"Just how on earth did I die?"
Chapter 993