Fu Zhi watched as the little black puffball disappeared from sight. All that remained in his view was a sea of lush green. The color that once symbolized vitality now seemed so unbearably harsh to the eyes.

His expression changed. If he had been taking this battle seriously before, then now he had gone completely feral. His movements pushed to the limit, leaving only faint afterimages in the air. It was hard to believe a human could reach such speed.

He discarded all unnecessary movements. With both hands gripping his long blade, Fu Zhi fixed his gaze on the spot where the black puffball vanished. He only had one goal.

A violent aura surged from his body. There were no fancy sword techniques, only the most basic slashes, chops, and thrusts. Yet, every strike he made resulted in large swaths of plant life withering away.

The vines lashed out quickly, but they couldn't catch up to him. With one sidestep, Fu Zhi hacked clean through a massive root.

That severed root writhed madly. Its edges began turning black, and the corruption quickly spread, devouring the rest until nothing remained.

Eventually, all the roots were swallowed up by the darkness and vanished.

The trees around him started to tremble. Like a retreating tide, they pulled away as if sensing the danger of Fu Zhi's blade. They cleared a path, revealing a dark figure beneath.

Fu Gui's eyes lit up. "I found Ruan Xing!"

Fu Zhi saw him too. His slashing became more cautious, carefully avoiding the figure.

Stepping carefully over the surrounding plants, Fu Zhi approached and gently picked up the bundled form, as if handling something fragile.

But the moment he touched it, a strong sense of unease surged through him.

His vision blurred. The endless sea of green disappeared and was replaced by a pitch-black ceiling.

"Feeling better?"

A strange voice echoed. It sounded oddly familiar and yet unfamiliar at the same time.

Standing in front of him was a black-haired boy.

The boy seemed puzzled by Fu Zhi's dazed look and muttered, "What, did he turn stupid? Didn't think changing the outcome was possible?"

His voice sounded very much like the man Fu Zhi had heard in his dream, only younger.

"I…" Fu Zhi opened his mouth but had no idea what to say. Seeing someone from a dream appear in front of him like this made everything feel absurd, as if time and space were jumbled.

This was clearly a younger version of the man from his dreams. But why was he here?

Fu Zhi was confused. And why did this boy look so much like Ruan Xing?

"You're really dumb now, huh?" the boy said and handed him a green potion. "Here, drink this and see if it helps."

Fu Zhi took it but didn't drink right away. Instead, he looked at the boy and grabbed his hand. "Ruan Xing."

His voice was full of certainty.

"You remember my name, so I guess you're not completely out of it." The boy let out a breath of relief and didn't pull his hand away.

"The Temple shouldn't be able to track us here."

Fu Zhi looked around. The room was made of stone walls and looked a bit like something out of a medieval TV show. Even the boy's clothes matched that vibe.

He had on a beige linen top with lantern sleeves that tightened at the wrists, flaring out like flower petals. Below that were straight khaki trousers and a pair of small leather shoes. He was lying on the bed, watching Fu Zhi.

The boy sat up and knelt on the bed. "This is my teacher's Mage Tower. Mine is… temporarily unavailable…” He trailed off, sounding a little embarrassed.

"The League?" Fu Zhi asked.

Ruan Xing nodded. "The Temple's nemesis. You must have heard of it."

Fu Zhi pretended to know and nodded.

He wasn't sure what exactly was going on, but seeing Ruan Xing like this was not a bad thing.

Ruan Xing looked at the silver-haired knight in front of him, slightly puzzled. This guy felt… a little different.

But he didn't dwell on it. His heart was filled with quiet excitement.

Everyone had imagined it at some point. If they could go back and do things differently, maybe they could change someone's fate.

The knight's death had always been a thorn in his heart. Even though he'd tried to make up for it later, that regret never really went away. Now, even if it was all memory, this opportunity was hard to ignore.

Ruan Xing said he needed to talk to his teacher first and told Fu Zhi to come over later.

Fu Zhi lay alone on the soft bed, still deep in thought. He could smell the sunlight in the sheets. Everything felt so real, but he clearly remembered what he had been doing before arriving here.

He had entered an illusion. But strangely, this scene was not part of his memory.

Fragments of memories that did not belong to him kept surfacing in his mind, intertwining with his own. He could no longer tell whose memories they were.

As he accepted these memories, he also began to understand his current situation.

Maybe this world had formed from twisted recollections of his own mind. After all, he really didn't believe that Ruan Xing was a mage.

He sat up and tried to use his power. To his surprise, the pollution entity that had dragged him in had somehow preserved his abilities.

This surprised Fu Zhi. He had been trapped in illusions before, but they were rarely this vivid.

After a brief rest, Fu Zhi opened the door.

A bouncing frog with an unknown object balanced on its head passed by and shouted, "Move it!"

Fu Zhi stepped aside quickly but still earned an eye-roll from the frog.

"Sorry," he said.

When he looked up again, his pupils reflected a bustling sight.

He seemed to be inside a massive tower.

Across from him, separated by a large gap, a seven- or eight-year-old child was teaching a chicken a strange incantation. A bizarre flame burst from the child's hand and singed the chicken's feathers, turning it into a small fireball.

A long staircase connected Fu Zhi's position to the child's. He stood on a central landing of the spiraling black stairs, which wound upward inside the tower. Along the walls were many doors like the one he had just come through, leading to countless rooms.

Children and odd creatures in robes walked the stairs, chatting or going about their business.

The whole interior was lit by glowing flowers arranged neatly on the walls. In the tower's center, where there were no stairs, jellyfish-like lights floated in the air, illuminating the darkness.

Above them all, a glowing orb the size of a basketball hovered, acting as the tower's brightest light source.

So many colors danced before his eyes—the glowing jellyfish, warm flower lights, and robed students in every color—blending into a dazzling, vibrant scene.

A tiny winged fairy in a green skirt flew up to him and hovered. "Hey, handsome, Ruan Xing said you should head to the 188th floor when you wake up. You can take a flying carpet. It only takes three minutes, and it's easy to catch."

Fu Zhi nodded. "Thank you."

The fairy giggled and blew him a kiss. "You're welcome!"

He went to the "bus stop" the fairy mentioned. Waiting there was a teenager in a black robe, about fifteen or sixteen, carrying a leather satchel. The teen looked at Fu Zhi curiously. "Are you the teacher's guest?"

Fu Zhi thought for a moment, then nodded.

"Wow," the teen said. "We haven't had guests here at the Mage Tower in years!"

"Mage Tower?" Fu Zhi repeated. He remembered Ruan Xing talking about his own Mage Tower.

"Yeah, we're in our teacher's tower right now. He's the greatest mage in the world!"

Fu Zhi asked, "How does he compare to the Holy Son?"

The boy looked unimpressed. "Those Temple losers? They are nothing compared to our teacher."

Fu Zhi nodded again. "Do you know Ruan Xing?"

The boy blinked. "Nope. Who is that? A new student? What level is he? Has he passed the entrance exam yet?"

Fu Zhi replied, "I am not sure. But he can apparently summon your teacher."

The teen froze, looking stunned. "That means… he has to be at least a high-level mage…"

Three minutes later, Fu Zhi saw a black carpet zip down from the sky. Tassels dangled from its four corners, and it drifted in midair like a sports car showing off. It leveled out and stopped in front of them.

Fu Zhi was fascinated. The carpet was big enough for seven or eight adults and was covered in intricate embroidery.

They both climbed on, and the carpet rose quickly.

Fu Zhi realized the tower was much taller than it looked. As they rose, the space became brighter and quieter. There were fewer people, and they all seemed older.

The glowing jellyfish became scarcer. Was it because the orb above provided enough light?

Fu Zhi looked up at the bright orb at the top of the tower.

"Hey! Don't stare at the Tower Spirit! It will hold a grudge," the teen warned. "And don't say anything bad about it either, or you'll not be able to open your door tonight."

Fu Zhi was surprised. "Tower Spirit?"

"Yeah," the teen said. "A powerful spirit that manages everything in the Mage Tower. If we were in the kingdom, people would probably compare it to a butler. Except it is not human. I wish I could become a Tower Spirit. Then I wouldn't have to take exams."

Fu Zhi nodded. What a strange world.

"Alright, this is my stop. Don't forget to visit the teacher," the teen muttered and reached for a door handle, but it wouldn't open. His expression changed.

Fu Zhi noticed the door was labeled "Library."

"I don't really want to become a Tower Spirit! I just don't want to take the test!"

The door shut even tighter. The teen started to panic. "I don't want to fail either! Please open up!"

The library door sprouted a mouth. "No loud noise outside the library. Your library access is suspended for one day."

The teen muttered, "But my exam is tomorrow…"

As they rose higher, the boy's expression slowly shifted from utter despair to something more neutral. When the flying carpet landed, Fu Zhi stepped off and found the 188th floor. There was only one room.

Knock knock

"Come in."

Inside the room, there was another person.

A man with a monocle looked over at him kindly. "Feeling better?"

Fu Zhi nodded.

Ruan Xing was sitting nearby, holding a cup of water. When he saw Fu Zhi enter, he said, "I asked my teacher to check your condition. I can't do it in my current state, but he can."

Fu Zhi walked forward and looked at the man with the monocle. Suddenly, a memory surfaced in his mind, and he remembered the way Ruan Xing had summoned this man. What did the Holy Son call him again?

"Grand Magus of the League?"

The man with the monocle nodded. "That was me. But now, it is Ruan Xing's title."

Fu Zhi didn't quite understand, and the man didn't seem to expect him to.

He reached out, placing his hand gently on Fu Zhi's forehead. A soft light glowed from his palm.

Before Fu Zhi could feel anything strange, the check was already over.

The man turned to Ruan Xing. "Recovery looks good. His soul is well protected."

Ruan Xing didn't say anything, and the two quickly took their leave.

As they were heading out, the man with the monocle handed Ruan Xing a slip of paper and said gently, "You might want to review your potion-making class."

Ruan Xing's expression shifted immediately.

Fu Zhi didn't expect this dream to last so long.

He tried to leave before but couldn't find a way out.

"You're spacing out again."

Ruan Xing looked up from his potion textbook.

Fu Zhi apologized casually, "Sorry."

He didn't want to linger in an illusion, but given the current situation, it seemed difficult to escape without some kind of breakthrough.

Ruan Xing closed the book and got up to head back to his own room.

Fu Zhi followed right behind him.

"Why are you following me? Go back to your own room."

Fu Zhi just wanted to keep looking at him. This version of "Ruan Xing" made him reluctant to let go. Maybe it was the influence of the knight's original feelings.

He pursed his lips, staring at the boy's soft, pink lips that looked like jelly, smooth and bouncy.

The black-haired boy muttered to himself, "This illusion is such a pain."

Fu Zhi's ears twitched.

Illusion?

The person inside the illusion knew it was an illusion? Was this the work of the pollutant's main body? Or...

A wild thought struck Fu Zhi.

What if this illusion was not his own? The plants could extract memories, but none of these scenes were from his memories. What if the memories extracted were not his, but someone else's?

And the only one who entered the plant zone with him was that little black puffball.

Flashes of all their interactions came to mind: its subtle reactions, how naturally Fu Gui got along with it, and his own unnervingly accurate instincts.

After eliminating all other possibilities, the least likely answer was actually the right one.

Once he confirmed it, Fu Zhi's heart suddenly began to race.

"Ruan Xing."

His voice was dry. "Are you a mage?"

"Yeah, didn't you already see that?" The boy looked up from his book again, his messy bangs slightly sticking up.

Fu Zhi had so many thoughts swirling in his mind, but in the end, all his questions condensed into one sentence.

"You're still alive. That's great."

If he were a mage, then it made sense that he could survive a massive explosion.

If he were a mage, it wouldn't be strange if he transformed into something bizarre.

If he were a mage, it wouldn't be surprising that Fu Zhi ended up inside his memory.

Ruan Xing saw the silver-haired knight go silent again and started feeling annoyed. Could it be that the pollutant couldn't simulate how his personality would develop later? Why was this guy acting so weird after being saved?

Then he saw the silver-haired knight step forward and hug him.

"Sorry. I just wanted to say… I came too late."

Ruan Xing's heart skipped a beat. That tone…

He shook the thought out of his head and patted Fu Zhi on the shoulder with his book. "Stop distracting me from my research. Once I finish, I'm going to take down those Temple bastards."

The silver-haired knight stepped back, gripping his arms. "I'll go with you."

Seeing that, Ruan Xing tensed. Did he mess up his basic potion formula again? Took the wrong medicine?

He couldn't know what the man was thinking. He couldn't feel that overwhelming joy of recovering something precious. It was like the heavens had taken away what mattered most to you, only to give it back in a different form. It was joy doubled by rediscovery.

Ruan Xing finally put down his potion. In this illusion, his "injuries" had finally recovered.

Not far away, Fu Zhi watched. After drinking the potion, Ruan Xing looked even more like the long-haired man in his memories.

For some reason, the deeper he understood Ruan Xing, the more questions he had. He even began to doubt his own memories. Was this not just another layer of illusion created by the pollutant?

If it was an illusion, then maybe death was the only way out.

"Why are you staring at your sword?"

Ruan Xing's voice cut in. He had just removed the bandage from his eye, revealing a distinct beauty mark under his right eye.

Fu Zhi asked, "When are we leaving?"

"I am going alone. You're not coming."

Ruan Xing smirked. "I'm afraid you might hesitate."

It sounded like a joke, but Fu Zhi felt uneasy. "I'll follow your orders. I can swear it."

From what he recalled, a knight's oath was a serious matter. It was essentially a vow of allegiance. He didn't care what the original owner of this body was like. He just did not want to suppress his feelings here.

"Even if you swear, the answer is no."

"Why not?"

"What if you die?"

"I will not. I'm strong."

The boy's dark green eyes narrowed. "Is that the only reason?"

Fu Zhi nodded seriously. "I'm afraid you'll get hurt."

Knights rarely asked for anything. In the end, Ruan Xing relented.

After all, the way Fu Zhi stood there pleading reminded him of a particularly loyal animal.

The Temple and the League, one chases religious authority, the other pursues practical power. They fought for territory all across the continent.

When Ruan Xing transmigrated, the League had gained the upper hand. In the end, pragmatism won. His goal this time wasn't necessarily to destroy the Temple, but if the opportunity arose, he wouldn't mind wiping them out completely.

Ruan Xing and the silver-haired youth moved under the cover of night.

He could draw the Temple's layout with his eyes closed, the Holy Son's quarters, the cathedral, the library, the patrol rotations.

While hidden in the shadows, they watched as patrol knights changed shifts. Ruan Xing even took the time to adjust Fu Zhi's armor. Despite the tense situation, Ruan Xing handled it with practiced ease, like he had done this countless times before.

In truth, after escaping the Temple in his last life, he often came back to stir up trouble. Even his teacher said he had gone off the rails back then. After joining the League, he focused on improving his power and building his influence, all to spite the Temple. Thanks to him, the Holy Son's "glorious deeds" were rewritten into scandalous tales spread by bards across the continent, severely damaging the Temple's reputation.

And the Holy Son? Ruan Xing scratched his chin. If he remembered correctly, the guy was personally delivered by his own father in the end.

Because they had provoked the League too much, the Temple stripped the Holy Son of his title. When the Temple was being beaten down, the king of the Kingdom of Seir had no choice but to offer his youngest son to the League as a peace offering.

"If he likes being a dog so much, then let him be the League's dog." At the time, Ruan Xing had already become a Grand Magus. The emerald magic circle in his eyes spun coldly and mercilessly.

He still remembered the Holy Son's look of pure fury and humiliation.

As for what happened after that? Ruan Xing made him repay everything he suffered in full. Then he made sure that the Holy Son personally watched the fall of the royal family and the Temple's desperate groveling.

After delivering that final blow, the golden-haired youth lost his mind and became a silent ghost in the League's prison.

Ruan Xing didn't kill him. In fact, he even instructed the apprentices to take good care of him. Death was not enough to atone. Living in suffering was the harshest punishment.

"What are you thinking about?" the knight whispered close to his ear.

Ruan Xing turned his head, tickled, and dodged away. This didn't feel real. He dreamed of going on missions with Ruan Xing, and now, he had done it twice.

Once with the black bundle entering the city.

Now, in this illusion, side by side with Ruan Xing.

His happiness was written all over his face. Ruan Xing caught him and shot back, "What are you thinking about?"

Fu Zhi replied, "Thinking about you."

Even under the night sky, the red creeping up Ruan Xing's cheeks was visible.

"You should be thinking about how to make a move right now."

Fu Zhi answered seriously, "I already did. That's why I am thinking about you."

Ruan Xing gave him a shove. "Move it. Don't waste time."

Fu Zhi nodded. "Okay."

They split up. Ruan Xing concealed his presence and snuck into the Temple's library.

Whoosh! A small flame sparked from his fingertips and was thrown into the bookshelf.

The books here were all protected by fire-resistant spells. But the flame he developed was specifically for this, so it could burn right through those weak enchantments.

He set several key spots ablaze and snapped his fingers, causing flames to erupt into a blaze.

Outside, the sound of clanking armor rang out.

"Quick! The Knight Commander has appeared!"

"What Knight Commander? That's the traitor!"

"Oh, right, right, the traitor is here! Sound the alarm!"

Chaos erupted, and smoke rushed out from the library.

The knights ran to fight the supposed "commander," while the temple mages rushed to put out the fire.

"This is black magic! Someone from the League snuck in!"

"Be vigilant!"

The scene descended into pure disorder again.

Ruan Xing cast a concealment spell and strolled leisurely toward the Holy Son's chambers.

Inside, a barefoot golden-haired youth gazed out the window. His long hair hung in soft waves, and he wore a white night robe.

Without a word, Ruan Xing raised his hand and hurled a death curse at him.

A faint light shimmered over the Holy Son's body, clearly the result of some enchanted item that blocked the attack.

At the same time, he also spotted that reckless young man.

"Ruan Xing, you actually had the guts to come back?!"

The Holy Son was both furious and shocked. Then, a pale glow gathered on his hands.

Ruan Xing let out a laugh, countering the attack with a black spell. "You had the guts to kill, but don't allow others to get revenge?"

Both of them were mages. They quickly pulled apart while reciting a string of lengthy incantations, which caused the entire sanctuary to rumble.

As Ruan Xing blocked the Holy Son's attacks, he couldn't help thinking, if only he had a gun. Or an RPG. One shot would be enough. If not, then another shot. No need to chant spells. Fast, efficient, and completely unexpected. He could probably blow the whole sanctuary into the sky.

After recovering in the illusion, not only did Ruan Xing regain a body at this age, but he also carried centuries of battle experience and power. Even the Holy Son, who had reached the level of Grand Magus by burning through countless resources, was just a spoiled brat in his eyes.

The Holy Son was knocked to the ground. Without mercy, Ruan Xing stepped on that handsome face. A wave of negative magic followed, trapping the golden-haired youth and sealing off all his power.

The Holy Son's voice shook with disbelief and rage. "Impossible! You are just a kid! How could you be a Grand Magus?!"

Ruan Xing pressed down harder with his little sheepskin shoe, distorting the Holy Son's face. "Take a guess."

"AAAHHHHHHHH!" the Holy Son screamed.

Despite being propped up by mountains of resources, he still couldn't win. And now, he was being humiliated by the very person he once mocked. It was unbearable. He screamed from the pit of his chest, but it was useless.

A group of mages rushed in and froze at the scene before them.

No one expected the noble Holy Son would be stepped on like a defeated dog by the filthy devil child.

Ruan Xing rubbed his fingertips together. "Hey." His voice echoed through an amplification spell that was magnified thousands of times. Even he had to turn his face away at the volume. The amplification spell was inspired by Mayor Rabbit. The moment his voice rang out, those outside who were still attacking Fu Zhi stopped and turned toward the two of them.

Right now, the Holy Son was like a lowly slave, struggling under the boy's foot, completely powerless.

Pity, resentment, anger...

The gazes of the crowd felt like the most poisonous brew that the Holy Son was forced to swallow. His eyes were bloodshot with hatred as he glared at Ruan Xing, like he wanted to tear him apart and drink his blood.

"I know you're hiding among the crowd," Ruan Xing said. "But hiding is useless. As you can see, you cannot kill me in my own memory."

There was a stir among the crowd. They had no idea what the boy was talking about. He sounded completely mad.

Was he here to find someone? But why cause such chaos? And why treat their Holy Son like this?

Only Fu Zhi was staring in the direction of the Holy Son's chambers with shining eyes.

"If you don't come out," Ruan Xing said, "I'll end this fight myself."

Nothing happened. Ruan Xing lowered his hand, a bit puzzled. Was the pollutant not among them?

Fu Zhi arrived, and behind him, a group of knights followed timidly, not daring to challenge him. They trailed him like ducklings behind their mother.

Fu Zhi stormed into the chamber, scanned the surroundings, then drew his longsword and stood protectively in front of Ruan Xing like a guardian.

"Traitor! Traitor! How could you do this to the Temple?! Do you not care about your parents' lives?!" a bishop shouted.

When the Holy Son came to them before, he had made little noise. But now that the place was in chaos, even the bishop had been awakened. He pointed at Ruan Xing and Fu Zhi, cursing them out.

"You are disloyal, ungrateful, and unfilial! You have broken your code of conduct!"

Fu Zhi wasn't really a knight, so he felt nothing. Instead, he immediately rushed over and stabbed the man through the chest.

That really blew the roof off. A flood of priests and knights charged forward.

"Kill them! Save the Holy Son!"

Weapons clashed, and the sound of blades rang out.

"Even if you kill me, it is useless! The League will fall eventually! This is the revelation from the gods!" the Holy Son shouted from beneath Ruan Xing's foot, his face twisted in fury.

Ruan Xing crouched down, placing all his weight on his right foot. "Did the gods whisper that in your ear?"

The Holy Son choked on his words. That was impossible!

"Did they also tell you that you would end up under my foot today? How does it feel? Does it refresh your soul?" Ruan Xing mocked.

"I will kill you!" the Holy Son screamed.

Ruan Xing looked away from the still-struggling golden-haired youth and glanced at the silver-haired knight, narrowing his eyes.

Was that the same sword movement Fu Zhi used before? It was different from the technique Ruan Xing had taught him. This style of slashing looked more suited to using a saber...

Ruan Xing focused his gaze. Yes. His swordsmanship had changed. If he had a blade instead of a sword, it would be a perfect match.

What caused this change?

Just then, a dark green shadow crept closer.

Noticing Ruan Xing had let his guard down, the figure accelerated, aiming straight for Ruan Xing's chest!

Ruan Xing grinned. "Found you."

A massive firewall erupted in front of him, casting flickering light across his face. The Holy Son, beneath his foot, was not so lucky. His golden hair was instantly scorched and curled.

The scorching heat made the dark green vines sizzle and scream. The Holy Son's tone changed, his face pale with fear. "Let me go! Let me go! I'll pretend this never happened!"

Pretend it never happened.

Ruan Xing pressed down harder. "Still dreaming?"

Suddenly, another vine struck from behind.

Before it could reach Ruan Xing, Fu Zhi's sword intercepted it.

Layer upon layer of protection spells wrapped around Fu Zhi, blocking the others who were trying to break in.

"That is enough. Let us end this." Ruan Xing did not want to waste more time.

"Ruan Xing! You cannot kill me!" the Holy Son screamed. "If you do, the kingdom and Temple will never let you go!"

Ruan Xing stood above, looking down at the weeping Holy Son, eyes utterly calm.

In his last life, this man had roared the same way. But soon after, Ruan Xing had personally delivered the king's severed head to him.

Ruan Xing's expression was full of cold pity. "Don't worry. Here, I'll grant you death."

A faint glow formed on his fingertips, like a firefly in the dark. But everyone knew that once the spell was cast, everything would change.

"Ruan Xing!" the Holy Son roared, eyes bulging. "I curse you! I curse you to struggle in agony forever! I—"

The spell activated before he could finish.

The gentle glow fell on him like a drop in the ocean. His sapphire-blue eyes lost focus. His contorted face relaxed, and his lips curled faintly, as if he had received eternal salvation.

[Eternal Bliss]—a beautiful name. If the soul were pure, the spell would lead it to eternal peace. But if the recipient's heart was wicked, then the spell had another name: [Hymn of Hell.]

The soul would be trapped forever in its most painful memories, looping endlessly until it was destroyed.

Ruan Xing stepped back, eyes cold as he looked down at the Holy Son's now ruined white robe.

The Holy Son's body began to change. His once serene expression twisted even more grotesquely than before. His limbs contorted, his muscles withered, and his body shriveled like a skeleton.

Black spots spread across his white robes, which turned tattered and hung loosely over his gaunt frame. He looked like a ghoul that had crawled out of hell.

Clearly, the golden-haired youth had triggered the second effect.

The knights and divine servants stared at the Holy Son's transformation with horror, anger, and dread as their eyes turned red.

Green fleshy growths sprouted from their bodies, stretching and intertwining until everyone was merged together like fruits hanging from a tree.

A massive creature formed from their bodies. No limbs. No head. Just a wide, flat mass of fused humans. It moved stiffly, and two adult-sized limbs slammed down, trying to crush Fu Zhi.

At the same time, a thick vine shot out from the bishop's mouth, aiming at Ruan Xing.

Ruan Xing activated his protection spells and raised his hand toward the slow-moving creature.

A complex spell burst from his palm, locking onto the beast.

He focused on it, unaware that he was also being targeted.

Fu Zhi's eyes widened. "Watch out!"

Ruan Xing released his spell. A powerful orb of light engulfed the monster. At the same time, another thick vine burst from the Holy Son's corpse, hurtling toward Ruan Xing.

Everything moved in slow motion.

A silver-haired figure flashed before Ruan Xing's eyes. The knight's bloodied face appeared for just a moment before he shoved Ruan Xing aside and collapsed.

Clang! His sword clashed, then shattered. Something silver flew through the air.

A shard of the broken sword sliced Ruan Xing's cheek, leaving a deep, bloody cut. He turned quickly to find a sight that chilled his blood.

A long vine had pierced straight through the knight's heart. Blood gushed from his lips. He looked at Ruan Xing and moved his lips.

Ruan Xing rushed over, instantly killing the vine with a spell, and carefully laid the man on the ground.

Healing spells poured from his hands.

But no matter how much he tried, the gaping wound in the knight's chest wouldn't close. It was as if death were his destined fate in this illusion.

"Don't die!"

The silver-haired youth coughed, bits of broken organs spilling from his mouth. "Ruan Xing…"

Ruan Xing held his hand, vision blurring.

That night, the knight had died in front of him just like this.

He leaned down. The young man's lips gently brushed against the corner of his lips, cold and burning. "Live on…"

The monster, though damaged, didn't vanish. It struggled forward with what little strength remained, locking its sights on the only living person left.

Creak… creak… Its joints groaned as it lunged at Ruan Xing.

But the black-haired boy stood up. His long hair veiled his face, hiding his expression.

The monster tilted its head, sensing danger, but proceeded anyway.

As it neared, a strange force twisted its limbs like a pretzel. The force spread upward, wringing its entire wooden body into a tangled knot.

Then the boy raised his hand and pressed downward.

It was like a hydraulic press dropped from the sky. The monster exploded into pieces, splinters flying. His eyes glinted darkly.

With such overwhelming power, the illusion created by the pollutant could no longer hold. It was like an overloaded machine, wheezing and groaning.

The air around them began to warp.

The illusion peeled away, revealing the silent night sky and a chaotic sea of mangled plants.

Then, a pair of ice-blue eyes appeared in front of him again. "Are you all right?"