Chapter 252: Chapter 236: Fairy Tale Kingdom, Straw Knight, City of the Underworld_2
"AHEM."
The Dragon Witch Mu Yun hesitated for a moment, then changed the topic. "Maybe there just aren’t many people on this road."
After speaking, she felt a bit guilty, patted her conscience heavily, and vowed, "However, we’re partners. Since you showed me the kindness of a meal, I’ll surely protect you."
"Let’s hope so."
Chu Yi was skeptical. I feel like a clown, entangled with a gluttonous food lover I can’t shake off, he thought. Though, this Dragon Maiden needs me, so at least she wouldn’t harm me... right?
"We should also head into the city," Chu Yi brushed off his clothes, stood up, and said slowly. "Let’s win this King’s Game and end it early."
Mu Yun also stood up, her whole body surging with overwhelming power. "Let’s go, let’s go!" she said eagerly. "I didn’t want to stay in this wretched place for long anyway."
With the supplement of Extraordinary Food, her stomach was forty percent full, enough for a big battle.
Having their own motives, the two set off immediately.
「Soon.」
Nearing the Ancient City, an ancient and weathered feeling engulfed them. This was a majestic city buried in the Nether River, exuding an ominous and eerie atmosphere that made one’s heart shudder. It felt as if something was lurking within the city, secretly spying on the living.
"Any discoveries?" Chu Yi instinctively asked. From his perspective, this city somewhat resembled the style of Dark Souls, a mixture of darkness, despair, deathly silence, and decay.
Mu Yun, munching on bread, narrowed her dark golden dragon eyes. "There’s an ominous aura here. This is a Cursed City, perhaps documented in the distant past."
This piqued Chu Yi’s interest. Could the Dragon Maiden recognize the origin of this city?
"Why are you looking at me?" Mu Yun asked, puzzled, then took another bite of her ash bread. "I didn’t bring any books; I’m just guessing."
Chu Yi was speechless. Soon after, as they drew closer, a faint sense of an aura locked onto him.
"Human?"
After a voice filled with doubt, a burst of joy followed. A curly-haired Werewolf emerged, burly in stature, with an identical shadow standing upright behind him, appearing even taller.
"This is the Shadow Wolf Race, a noble clan among the Werewolves, possessing a shadow-related bloodline talent," Mu Yun remarked indifferently, introducing the newcomer’s identity to Chu Yi.
Like the Blood Race Empire, Werewolves also divided their factions based on the proximity of their lineage.
BAM!
The Shadow Wolf sneered, its shadow rapidly expanding a hundredfold, transforming into a giant Shadow Werewolf. It spat out countless Shadow Arrows, shooting towards Chu Yi and Mu Yun.
THUD!
A Dragon’s Mark appeared on Mu Yun’s fist as she unleashed a Laser Cannon, shattering the rain of arrows and knocking the giant Shadow Werewolf to the ground. This clearly annoyed the Shadow Werewolf.
"They actually angered Luo Xin of the Shadow Family! Looks like we’re in for a show."
"Luo Xin is the most outstanding descendant of the Shadow Wolf Race in nearly three hundred years. His bloodline, originating from the shadow of a great being, has even mutated."
"Who is that? Is that the Dragon Witch?"
"..."
The pawns, along with the Divine War seeds who had entered via cards, gathered together, moving as a group. On their way, they had killed a batch of Blood Race pawns, reducing the Blood Race’s slots. Now, they encountered a strange pair, just two individuals. The mutual hostility between pawns’ cards was also a way to identify other pawns. Killing an opponent would free up another slot, significantly increasing the Werewolves’ ultimate power.
At this stage of the Divine War game, it wasn’t about achieving victory or not; it was about fierce competition before entering the city to reduce the number of slots for opposing factions, thereby increasing one’s own chances of success.
Luo Xin smirked coldly. His shadow swelled once more, but this time, it exploded like popcorn into countless small shadows, surging forward like a black tsunami, only to be intercepted.
"You think you’re worthy of being my opponent!?" the Dragon Witch sneered, stepping in front of Chu Yi. She unleashed power through Fairy Script, her draconic physique making her a formidable shield, allowing her to advance and retreat with ease.
"Shadow Blade!"
The fragmented shadows quickly morphed into scythes like those of a death god, appearing behind Mu Yun and slashing fiercely towards her jade-like neck!
BAM!
Mu Yun countered almost instinctively, upholding her promise to protect Chu Yi, keeping him safely behind her.
The next moment, just as Mu Yun was preparing for a major confrontation, shadows radiated across the ground, forming a special domain. This domain began to drag all visible creatures into the world of shadows, where they would gradually decay and become part of the shadows themselves. This was the Bloodline Power of the Shadow Werewolf: to devour all things with shadows.
Legend had it that the Night Goddess’s original form was a World Destruction Demon Wolf. The Shadow Werewolves proclaimed themselves descendants of this Demon Wolf, believing shadows would envelop all heavens, devour world after world, and ultimately usher in an Era of Shadow!
"Stop pretending. Come out," Chu Yi said with a faint smile, drawing his Blood Spear and impaling a Shadow Snake that lunged at him.
He had figured it out, Chu Yi thought. This is the pawns’ way of intimidating outsiders. If one’s strength isn’t sufficient, they’re directly eliminated. Otherwise, they’re considered equals, qualified to explore this Ancient City alongside them.
"Heh, interesting. You’re indeed not simple," a voice sneered.
The shadows swirled, and the Shadow Werewolf Luo Xin emerged from behind them, his entire being enveloped in Shadow Power. He looked at Chu Yi with unconcealed, lofty disdain.
He had witnessed Chu Yi severely injure the Lantern Girl outside, Luo Xin recalled. And Chu Yi had also killed Fusai, a follower he had intended to recruit. For either reason, this human deserved to die. Alien Races and humans were inherently hostile. Killing an enemy Demon was a commendable achievement.
"Speaking of which," Luo Xin began, "I particularly enjoy slaughtering Beast Tamers from your borderlands. Hearing your pleas and wails every day is what helps me sleep soundly at night."
"Especially so-called prodigies. In my eyes, they’re just slightly larger ants."
"I haven’t killed a hundred, but at least eighty or ninety have died at my hands. And you will be next," Luo Xin stated calmly, a sneer he couldn’t hide playing on his lips.
Countless shadows intertwined, forming a cage that concealed all traces; even the Dragon Witch Mu Yun couldn’t locate them. This was his Shadow World; within this Bloodline Domain, he was the sole king!
Chu Yi remained expressionless, calmly looking at Luo Xin.
"Oh, by the way, allow me to introduce something," Luo Xin said, his eyes glinting with a playful malice, as if he was about to flaunt a prized possession. He removed a string of about ten skulls from around his neck.
"This one," he began, holding up a skull, "belonged to a so-called ’Holy Light Messenger,’ a Beast Taming Genius. His Pet Beasts were a Bright Bird and a Peace Dove. Hilarious, right? All that talk about ’justice cannot be defeated by evil,’ and in the end, he died at the hands of a group of ignorant villagers."
Luo Xin chuckled. "Do you know? All I had to do was offer those villagers a few benefits, and they wagged their tails like dogs, begging for more. They didn’t hesitate to backstab the ’Holy Light Messenger’ who had saved them time and time again. Isn’t that laughable?"
"..."
He went through his collection, recounting the origins of each skull. Most were from human Beast Tamers. He even boasted about an entire Thousand-Man Battle Group that he had single-handedly annihilated – his masterpiece, he called it. He slandered them gratuitously, spewing filth, disparaging Beast Tamers as utterly worthless.
"You’ve said so much. You want to snatch the forbidden item in my hand, don’t you?" Chu Yi asked with a slight smile. He aimed his Blood Spear and thrust it, impaling a writhing patch of shadow beneath Luo Xin’s feet, making Luo Xin’s body tremble. "So, you truly are one with the shadows."
Seeing this, Chu Yi activated his Golden Body Power, fearless of ghosts and malevolence. He thrust his spear, a crimson gleam streaking out, piercing through the shadow as a Soul Seal rapidly spread.
"Courting death!" Luo Xin roared, his purpose exposed. His entire figure transformed into a deceptive black mist. Countless shadows swirled chaotically, twisting and intertwining into sharp blades that surged to engulf Chu Yi.
But bizarrely, a sphere of golden light flared, repelling Luo Xin’s attack. This is why he primarily used psychological tactics before, Luo Xin thought, this Beast-Controlling Demon is too uncanny!
"That’s about enough," Chu Yi said, raising a hand and snapping his fingers softly.
"What?" Luo Xin had a bad premonition.
The next instant, numerous Soul Seals swiftly materialized, surrounding him, glowing with a crimson light.
BOOM—