https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-840-The-End-After-Meeting-Frey-Part-2-/12937104/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-841-Houbelia-s-Search-for-Her-Father-Concludes-Part-2-/12937106/
Chapter 841: Houbelia's Search for Her Father Concludes (Part 1)
Chapter 841: Houbelia's Search for Her Father Concludes (Part 1)
In the Blood King Palace, the dark sky above obscured all light, leaving only a blood-red moon as the palace's watchful eye, gazing down upon the underground world.
"Go to hell, you damned soul!"
Rahal channeled all his magical power, summoning a blood-colored magic mirror in front of him.
The mirror reflected Ran Chi's figure, but with a subtle difference.
The Ran Chi in the mirror had empty eyes, a lifeless complexion, and an ominous aura enveloping his entire being.
"Pope, this is the reflection of your inner self."
Rahal snarled,
"You appear righteous and pure on the surface, but within, you harbor endless darkness. You are no different from us!"
No matter how powerful Pope Holy Soul Lant was, once he was affected by this spell, he would start attacking himself. At that moment, Rahal was confident he could break through the Pope's defenses.
As long as the Pope was distracted, the dark Pope in the mirror would emerge, becoming a temporary summon under Rahal's control.
Ran Chi stared at the magic mirror, a hint of naturalness on his lips.
"Rahal."
He spoke softly, and the wind of Blood Moon City gently blew past, lifting his jet-black hair.
"If you only see one side of a goat from the side, you can only say that the side you see is black. But you cannot prove that the side you didn't see is white. What if there are goats in this world that are half-black and half-white?"
He gazed at the blood-colored magic mirror, unperturbed, not fearing that the reflection would come to life.
The next moment, the illusion in the mirror shattered into specks of light.
"..."
Rahal's pupils contracted, having tried almost all his magic, fighting with all his might.
Yet his opponent seemed to be toying with him.
No matter what kind of ninth-tier spell he cast, it had no effect on the white-robed man before him.
Currently, the only thing that seemed to have any effect was ordinary attack magic.
But this only made it seem like the Pope was humiliating him further.
Were all his proud spells inferior to even the most basic attacks?
"Why? Why?!"
Rahal roared in anger.
"Tens of thousands of years ago, when I realized that the Honing Empire was doomed, I discovered that all the citizens in the south had been infected by the Second Ancestor's blood poison. It was you who suppressed their demonization. Once you were sealed, the people of Honing would have all become demons, and even the territory of the Holy Soul Lant Pope in the north would have suffered. Despite knowing all this, I didn't waver. Do you think your mental magic can still shake me?"
The green eyes behind the white-robed Pope's mask seemed to ask Rahal—
"Are you not the evil ghost that our vampire race personally refined in that era?"
"Are you really Lanclos? You possess his strength and memories but have an immaculate state of mind. Who are you, truly?!"
The square in front of the hall resembled a tomb, with walls and floors made of pitch-black stones carved with twisted faces. All around, crimson ghostly flames flickered in the darkness, echoing Rahal's shouts.
The palace's exterior, constructed from countless rock cubes, reflected a cold glimmer in the gloom, as if formed from chaotic rules.
And Ran Chi stood beneath this palace, his back to the blood moon, his white robes pristine, gazing down at the Third Ancestor, Duke Rahal.
"I said I am Lanclos Saint Anastasius, and I returned after winning the resurrection tournament."
Ran Chi's answer remained unchanged.
"..."
The strongest evidence for Rahal that this guy wasn't Lanclos was his earnest yet nonsensical responses, always giving the feeling of a kindergarten teacher playing with a child.
But no matter how Rahal looked at him, he felt the other's gaze remained clear, a clarity that made Rahal uneasy.
The never-before-seen black centipede mark on the guy's right cheek was also eerie, and Rahal couldn't analyze the spell.
It wasn't the Undead Eternal Punishment, yet it resembled it closely and was even more lethal.
Suddenly, Rahal's pupils flickered with a hint of stupor, as if sensing a change in some part of Blood Moon City.
"Ulysses..."
His teeth gradually clenched, and his fists turned red.
He had learned of the situation in the Abyssal Palace; Migaya had been rescued by the enemy.
A dignified eighth-tier Ancestor couldn't handle four seventh-tier opponents.
The favorable situation they had, which could have ended this fierce battle, had suddenly turned, and the enemy was now holding their ground, dragging out the fight.
"Is that so."
Ran Chi also heard from his earpiece about the latest developments in the Abyssal Palace, as Abigail informed him.
"Ulysses, a name that evokes nostalgia. I never forget any opponent I've defeated."
Ran Chi once again recounted the past to Rahal.
This caused Rahal to cover his ears.
He had endured enough of this guy's post-match analysis, from the history of Blood Moon's destruction to the culture of the Kreth Empire in the present world.
"In my life, I've encountered many strong enemies, and Ulysses might be one of them. But if I had to name the only one who gave me a headache..."
Ran Chi trailed off, lowering his head to look at his palm, as if remembering many things and a certain person.
If given the chance, Ran Chi would choose him again.
"Are you still thinking about Askasan?"
Talia asked him, surprised that he was thinking about that man even at this critical moment.
"You know I had no choice."
Ran Chi replied to Talia through his thoughts.
"Just go with your teacher, Laosan, for the rest of your life!"
Talia wondered if this guy had any women by his side.
"The peak of the day brings forth false followers, while twilight reveals true believers. Askasan's figure has long been a part of my life, and I have no reason to abandon him. Moreover, he was like a ray of light, illuminating my dull existence.
"Lan Chi's heart voice is sincere and heartfelt."
"I've had enough! Ever since I could hear your heart's voice, I realized you've become so integrated that you're practically one with it."
Talia didn't want to speak anymore.
Lan Chi didn't even keep the Black Sun Tyrant's Eternal Punishment Edict active all the time. He only activated it when Rahal attacked him, and even if he made a mistake, it wasn't a big deal. With his resistance, most of Rahal's mental magic had little effect on him.
Talia even suspected that Lan Chi wasn't making mistakes but intentionally wanted to take the hit from Rahal's mental magic to demonstrate his error tolerance.
His obvious disregard for his opponent had long been noticed by Rahal.
"Lanclos... no, you imposter, do you really think you can win this time?"
Rahal's voice was icy as he clenched his fist, then turned to face the white-robed Pope across from him, ready to send him to his grave.
This time, it was different from the Honing Empire.
The blood clans wouldn't make the same mistake again.
As long as they could hold out until the War Gods' blessing ceremony ended, they would emerge victorious.
These damn invaders had already committed all their forces to Blood Moon City, but what they didn't know was that many War Gods on the ground were also under Rahal's control! With the invaders already battered and nearly collapsing, he didn't believe there were any more tricks up their sleeves.
"Rahal, you can run all you want, but you can't escape forever. I will always be watching you."
Lan Chi adjusted his mask, allowing the eyes beneath the hollow to see Rahal more clearly.
"Lan Chi, your speech is strange."
Talia had already arrived, and since she was there to watch, she might as well keep Lan Chi company, whether he paid attention to her or not.
"What's strange about it? Do you find it odd?"
Lan Chi asked Talia in his heart, puzzled.
"Uh."
Talia imagined for a moment.
If Lan Chi told her, "You can run all you want, but you can't escape forever. I will always be watching you" ...
That domineering governor vibe was back, unexpectedly making her heart race.
"No, do you want to film a second season with me?"
Lan Chi read Talia's lively heart, and she was already rehearsing the script.
"If we achieve a complete victory today, I might reward you when we return."
Talia paused, then responded nonchalantly.
Abigail had been looking for actors for the Half-Mage Arc for a long time, and Talia hadn't decided whether to agree to Abigail's request yet. If Lan Chi wanted to continue their game, she would also try her best to accommodate him.
"I can't say who wants it more."
Lan Chi's head ached just thinking about the Gray Princess Arc in the Holy War Romance.
If there was a sequel to the Half-Mage Arc, he might not be able to handle it, and he would definitely be the one suffering.
"Today, I will destroy Blood Moon City. Without its protection, where can you blood clan ancestors escape to on the ground, no matter how hard you try?"
He returned to the topic, gazing at Rahal across the square and speaking.
"You're the one who should be running away!"
Rahal clenched his fists in anger, controlling the blood mist. Countless deep red tentacles emerged from the fog, sweeping towards Lan Chi like venomous snakes once more.
...
At the northernmost part of the Fade Temple.
As the Ice Maiden Armis and the Withered Bishop Nedochika clashed, the air within a radius of several li underwent a dramatic transformation.
The once-dilapidated courtyard now looked completely different.
Vines and thorns grew wildly, intertwining and covering the ruins, forming an endless plant maze.
At the same time, the Ice Maiden's cold aura raged, freezing everything green. Ice pillars and tree branches crisscrossed, reflecting a dim blue light.
The ground cracked, and a bottomless chasm tore through the courtyard, resembling a giant beast with gaping jaws. Even water vapor would freeze instantly, only to be shattered by vines the next moment.
"You can't do any real damage to me, so stop attacking me."
As the Ice Maiden's assault continued, Nedochika emerged from the defensive giant tree, stretching her arms and yawning leisurely.
As soon as she finished speaking, a slender staff appeared in her hand.
The top of the staff was wrapped in vines, and in the middle, a gem as green as jade was embedded. Nedochika waved it gently, and the vines shot towards the Ice Maiden from the ground like arrows released from a bow.
The Ice Maiden reacted swiftly, forming an ice cone around her body to sever the approaching vines.
However, more giant trees and vines surged like a tidal wave, unstoppable.
The Ice Maiden had no choice but to retreat while continuously creating ice walls to block the onslaught.
The vines wrapped around the ice walls, shattering them instantly.
Nedochika smiled, and with a lift of her hand, vibrant thorns sprouted from the ground, encircling the Ice Maiden and trapping her tightly.
The Ice Maiden struggled, and shards of ice shot out, freezing and shattering the thorns around her.
But Nedochika merely smiled, and the withered thorns revived, becoming even more lush and resilient than before.
These thorns even absorbed the Ice Maiden's life force, transferring it to Nedochika.
The night sky above the Fade Temple was as dark as ink, with thick clouds obscuring the once-cool Blood Moon.
Thunder and lightning flashed, emitting a blinding white light that illuminated the scarred courtyard.
A blizzard howled, sweeping through the area, carrying ice chips and withered leaves.
The Ice Maiden was forced to use her most potent environmental spell to break through the thorns quickly.
"Your control over demonic magic is truly admirable."
Nedochika praised sincerely,
"But in the face of life magic, everything will eventually return to nature."
As Nedochika spoke, a warm current flowed through the Ice Maiden's body. The wounds on her skin, previously inflicted by the thorns, miraculously healed, but at the same time, toxins began to reduce the effectiveness of her healing spells.
"..."
The Ice Maiden realized something.
This excessive healing would reject her own healing magic, indirectly reducing the effectiveness of her treatment.
"Please don't doubt me, I don't have any strange fetishes."
Nedochika seemed to see through the Ice Maiden's thoughts, winking playfully.
"I just find it boring to keep hurting you, and prolonged battles are tedious. Don't you agree?"
She asked the Ice Maiden.
"..."
The Ice Maiden bit her lip, and crystal-clear ice blades formed around her body, ready to slash at the approaching demonic plants.
Victory seemed almost impossible, but she couldn't afford to lose quickly.
"Since you're in the mood, I'm happy to keep you company until the end."
The Ice Maiden glared at the Withered Bishop.
In an instant, a mountain-like ice cone shrouded in frost descended from above, bound by gravity, and rushed towards Nedochika.
Nedochika smiled slightly, spun lightly, and vines encircled her like a shield, blocking the ice mountain.
Before the Ice Maiden could react, a verdant beam shot out from Nedochika's finger and pierced the Ice Maiden's chest.
The Ice Maiden felt a warm current surge through her body, followed by a bone-chilling cold that quickly spread.
She realized that Nedochika's wood magic was directly eroding her magic power!
She exerted all her strength to extinguish the magic seed that Nedochika had planted in her body. If she were to endure too many such spells, she feared she wouldn't last long.
Vines and ice cones intertwined, beams and cold air collided, and the entire courtyard was filled with intense yet strangely quiet combat, with only the occasional sound of shattering ice and piercing vines.
Gradually, the Ice Maiden felt her stamina wane, and her breathing became more rapid.
In contrast, Nedochika remained calm and unhurried, full of enthusiasm.
"It's been a long time since I've encountered an opponent as gentle as you. The battle itself is as relaxing as having afternoon tea."
Nedochika praised sincerely.
"I don't find fighting you very interesting at all."
The Ice Maiden forced a cold smile, barely managing to maintain her fighting stance.
"Aramis, don't worry. You just need to hold off Nedochika, and we'll stabilize the situation for now. Once Sigrid breaks through, we'll have a chance!"
Just as the Ice Maiden was losing hope, Abigail's voice came through the communicator, showing her the view from the Abyssal Palace.
The Ice Maiden, dodging Nedochika's magic, glanced at the image from Abigail.
A glimmered in her nearly silver, light blue eyes.
"Houbelia, I knew you could do it."
A relieved smile appeared on the Ice Maiden's lips. Since her disciple was fighting so hard, she, as a teacher, couldn't afford to fear a formidable opponent.
(End of Chapter)
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