Chapter 1358: Li Lingjing's Arrival
Chapter 1358: Li Lingjing's Arrival
That tiny ray of light had clashed headfirst with the black beam of light that had shot out of Shen Yunge's body. A black and gloomy energy tempest raged at that instant.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e hurriedly retreated.
"What is that?" Jiang Qing'e asked curiously. She could sense that that tiny ray of light also emanated corruption. However, she couldn't understand why it would block Shen Yunge's final blow at the brink of death.
In fact, that final act of retaliation was probably not of Shen Yunge's making, but rather laid down by the ones pulling the strings in the shadows, the one who had cursed his snake to begin with.
Perhaps anyone who had pushed Shen Yunge to the straits of desperation would have been hit by it.
Thus, it could be said that the ones plotting within the shadows were very vicious and cunning. Seeds of corruption were extremely evil objects, and it was impossible to know how they would affect the victim. If one were corrupted by it, they would still have to pay a significant price to rid themselves of it.
"It looks like a snake," Li Luo said after pausing for a moment. After the two were a distance away, their gazes were focused on where the corruption raged. They could clearly see that a vortex had formed and a pitch-black snake was forcibly opening its maw and devouring that seed!
This scene was shocking to the two of them. That seed of corruption was capable of ruining even Shen Yunge, and yet this strange snake was trying to consume it. Wasn't it afraid of being controlled by something else?
As the two watched on, the vortex began to churn even more violently. After a while, the snake became larger and larger, and it finally managed to consume the seed of corruption.
The pitch-black giant serpent coiled up in the sky. It then turned its head towards Li Luo and started watching him.
Jiang Qing'e then raised her sword, and sacred light resonant power swept out from her like a tempest. She lightly said, "Take a quick break. I'll handle the giant serpent."
Li Luo frowned as he locked gazes with the serpent. What surprised him was that he felt a sense of familiarity in its aura.
He hesitated for a moment before saying, "Sister Qing'e, please wait."
"Hm?" Jiang Qing'e was a little confused.
"I having a feeling that it holds no ill intentions towards us," Li Luo continued.
Jiang Qing'e replied, "Li Luo, you don't need to feel grateful towards it for taking action just now. It is an Other, and it even devoured the seed of corruption. It might very well have turned crazy."
Li Luo smiled bitterly. He knew that it was naive to assume that Others wouldn't have malicious intentions towards him. However, he had a feeling that it wasn't trying to trick him.
It was at this point that the giant serpent began to shrink, then it swam over through the air.
Jiang Qing'e tightly gripped the hilt of her sword and light resonant power flowed out of her hand. Her eyes were keenly focused on the snake as she could sense terrifying corruption emanating from it. It was frightening not because of how strong the snake was, but rather how intense the corruption was. It was like an agglomeration of many types of Others.
Under Jiang Qing'e's watchful gaze, the small snake stopped within a few dozen feet from Li Luo and opened its mouth to speak.
"Li Luo." It was a female's voice, one that was deeply familiar to him.
Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e were taken aback, especially the former. After being shocked silent for a few breaths, he composed himself and blurted out, "Cousin Lingjing?"
That voice definitely belonged to Li Lingjing!
"Li Lingjing?" Jiang Qing'e was reminded of the maiden whom she had met in the Fifth Minor Earthly Branch Realm. She and Li Luo had a deep relationship, though she was also connected to the Others.
"Cousin Lingjing, is that really you? Why are you here?" Li Luo asked in surprise.
The pitch-black snake began to speak with Li Lingjing's calm voice. "This is just one of my clones. The reason I came here was to warn you."
It then sought to get even closer to Li Luo.
Jiang Qing'e then raised her sword to block her, and she asked, "You've swallowed that seed of corruption that contained a curse. Aren't you being controlled by it?"
The snake's icy irises glared at Jiang Qing'e's enchanting face as she indifferently replied, "I devoured the All-Beings Devil King's strand of will before, so what does the Faceless Other King's venomous curse count for?"
"All-Beings Devil King? Faceless Other King?" Li Luo was struck by these bombshell revelations, and that was when he realized something.
"Was the Black Pupil Ghostly Curse created by the Faceless Other King?"
Li Lingjing nodded her little head. "The entire conspiracy to attack the World's End River Region was orchestrated by the Faceless Other King."
Li Luo took a step forward and stretched his hand, letting the snake that Li Lingjing had transformed into nestle in his palm.
When Jiang Qing'e saw this, she had to strongly resist the urge to use her light resonant power to completely purge the inauspicious and ominous creature. Despite how strange this entire situation was, she had clearly come to help Li Luo.
Although Jiang Qing'e didn't really understand it, it seemed that Li Lingjing may have transformed into an Other but had retained a hint of her humanity. Furthermore, she treated Li Luo exceptionally well and had even come all this way to deliver crucial information. In the end, she could only look at Li Luo with a complicated look in her eyes. His ability to capture the hearts of women was something that didn't make any sense whatsoever.
"Cousin Lingjing, how have you been?" Li Luo asked worriedly.
Li Luo's handsome face was reflected in her cold, vertical pupils. Truthfully speaking, she wasn't doing well at all. Her true body was being eroded by the strand of will from the All-Beings Devil King, and if she wasn't careful, her mind would be wiped out without a trace and she would become another incarnation of the All-Beings Devil King.
Anyone else trapped in such an abyss would have long gone insane, wallowing in the pits of despair.
However, Li Lingjing felt a perverse pleasure from the struggle between the two. It was like two beasts looking to devour each other, and the winner would take it all.
The All-Beings Devil King's strand of will was, frankly, terrifying. It was merely a single strand, but Li Lingjing currently wasn't capable of devouring it.
However, she felt no fear in her heart. Perhaps all of it had already been eliminated from her mind after spending years in a state of depression.
As she looked at him, she could feel a subtle yearning from the depths of her heart. This was the feeling that had allowed her to hold on to her name and mind all this time. She was Li Lingjing.
Li Luo was the one bright spot in her endless darkness. Without his guiding light, she would have truly transformed into a Soul Eater True Devil.
When had this spot of light come about? Perhaps it was during that late afternoon in Western City. The inner courtyard was filled with dried leaves, and it was one of those rare moments where she had a sense of clarity after being lost in her own mind. At that very instant, this young man had walked into her abode. He was as tall as a sapling and his handsome face was indeed a joy to look at. His eyes were bright and warm, resembling warm candles.
She was truly at her limit at the time, and without the glimmer of hope he had provided with his arrival, she might very well have disappeared from the world at that point. Li Lingjing's mind gradually calmed down. All of these emotions were also transmitted to her true body, which was currently experiencing untold torment in its chaotic state. Almost immediately, her suffering lessened.
Upon sensing this change, Li Lingjing's cold eyes turned warmer and she lightly replied, "Li Luo, you cannot die here. Otherwise, I'm done for."
She had a complicated relationship with him, though it wasn't love. He represented her last strand of humanity.
"What?"
Her words were too soft, so Li Luo simply couldn't hear her.
However, she didn't say anything else on that topic. She then glanced at Jiang Qing'e, who had remained wary all this time, clearly holding back her primed light resonant power. Li Lingjing knew that this was Li Luo's fiancee, and she was indeed beautiful and untainted. Conversely, she had been entrenched within the darkness, a strange abomination. She opened her mouth and spat out a golden pearl. "This is what remains of that last fellow. I think there are some Duke Arts within that might be helpful."
Li Luo was surprised when he received it. "Shen Yunge left this behind? There should be something from the Imperial Beast Hall here."
This was something he held great interest in. Furthermore, the Imperial Beast Hall had methods of controlling spirit beasts that would definitely be more wondrous than relying on Principal Pang's bracelet. Principal Pang's sealing bracelet had a lot of side-effects, and the only reason why Li Luo's mind had not been eroded by the Six-tailed Heavenly Wolf was because of his Heavenly Dragon bloodline.
He casually took it before asking, "Cousin Lingjing, could you please tell us more about this situation?"
Li Lingjing fell silent for a moment before answering, "Everything that has happened to the World's End River Region is due to the Origin Reversion Institute's machinations. They have been plotting for many years, and it was finally time to take action. The main conspirator is the one of the Origin Reversion Institute's Thirteen Other Kings, the Faceless Other King. Furthermore, the Faceless Other King has its eyes on you. It finds you very interesting."
Li Luo's eyes narrowed. Why would a Greater Heavenly Resonance Tier cultivator have attracted the attention of a King?
Perhaps it was because of the Genesis Seed?
How did the Faceless Other King know about it?
"However, Li Jingzhe is your biggest bulwark. Thus, the Faceless Other King will have to come up with a way to get rid of him before he can touch you."
Li Luo's expression changed. "Grandpa is a Quasi-Triple Crown King, so the Faceless Other King shouldn't be his match."
"The Faceless Other King does not plan to take action itself. This is because the Origin Reversion Institute plans to attract a terrifying existence to traverse the World's End River and completely destroy the Heavenly Origin Divine Continent's defensive lines."
Li Luo's eyes shrunk.
"Does this mean they plan to attract a Devil King?" His voice was filled with horror.
Devil Kings were equivalent to Triple Crowned Kings!
Li Lingjing then fell silent. What she said next caused both Li Luo and Jiang Qing'e to feel a chill run down their spines.
"I personally feel that that might not be the end."
Turbulent waves overcame Li Luo's heart. Not just a Devil King? Then what could it be?
A Grand Devil King! A single additional affix represented the world's most terrifying strength: the Heavenly Emperor Stage!