"That power... it's from the same source as my 'world.' He must also possess some incredible ability. I can't afford to be careless!"
Seeing the black markings on Tian Ji's heart, Ye Ling immediately realized that Tian Ji had also mastered a special script.
It was likely that Tian Ji's extensive hunting of main gods in the virtual world, coupled with the Original Wisdom King's prolonged absence, was all connected to those black markings on Tian Ji's heart!
"The brand of the chains is still fresh, with bloodstains on it. It looks like it was left not long ago... Before fighting Kui Ling and me, Tian Ji had clashed with someone else. It was that person who drove Tian Ji to such madness."
"Someone who could suppress Tian Ji, and used chains at that... Could it have been Master?"
Ye Ling mumbled, and the image of Shan immediately flashed in his mind.
"But if it was him, why would he spare Tian Ji's life, and not suppress Tian Ji's power?" Ye Ling murmured, countless questions swirling in his mind, but unfortunately, he didn't have enough time to analyze them.
While Ye Ling was contemplating, the completely garbled Tian Ji instantly appeared before him, his right hand transforming into a long sword made of garbled code, slashing towards Ye Ling's throat with incredible speed!
"So fast!"
Ye Ling's pupils contracted sharply as he saw the incoming sword. He immediately retreated, but the tip of the sword still managed to cut through the skin of his throat.
Blood flowed from the tiny wound, but the blood Ye Ling left behind also turned into garbled code, and a swarm of data bugs crawled out from his blood cells.
"Tian Ji's attack is infectious!"
Ye Ling felt data bugs invading his body through the small wound. He immediately used the White Emperor Flame to cauterize his wound, burning the data bugs, his own flesh, and even that part of his soul into ashes.
"You're quite ruthless to yourself!"
Seeing Ye Ling self-immolate without flinching, Tian Ji grinned and said, "But I want to see how much flesh and soul you can burn away!"
As he spoke, Tian Ji's other hand transformed into a saber. With one saber and one sword, he launched a fierce assault on Ye Ling.
Tian Ji's speed was astonishing. Even as Ye Ling constantly retreated, he couldn't create any distance.
Despite Ye Ling dodging most of the attacks, he still sustained several minor wounds from Tian Ji's onslaught.
In a normal fight, these injuries would be insignificant, and Ye Ling wouldn't even need to tend to them, as they would heal instantly.
But now, it was different. Tian Ji's saber and sword could assimilate Ye Ling's body into garbled code, and the data bugs that formed Tian Ji's body could infect Ye Ling's blood and soul...
Even a mere graze was equivalent to a fatal wound for Ye Ling, requiring him to scrape the bone to remove the poison!
"Hahaha! Ye Ling, let's see how long you can last!"
Seeing Ye Ling completely enveloped by the White Emperor Flame, Tian Ji burst into laughter, his eyes filled with madness!
"You are far inferior to that person! The wounds I sustained are still aching, and the despair he inflicted upon me is still vivid in my memory..."
"But you... you can't even make me use half my strength! How can the gap between people be so vast?"
Tian Ji shouted, as if speaking to Ye Ling, but also to himself.
Ye Ling did not respond to Tian Ji, merely passively evading his attacks and using the White Emperor Flame to cauterize himself, preventing the data bugs from infecting him.
However... even in such a perilous situation, Ye Ling's gaze remained unchanged, as if he didn't care about his injuries at all.
In reality...
Ye Ling truly didn't care.
Upon learning that Tian Ji's attacks could infect him, Ye Ling began to break down everything within his body into basic matter, and then reassemble that matter into data bugs.
To defeat the garbled Tian Ji, Ye Ling had to become garbled himself!
The White Emperor Flame that burned his body and soul was merely a diversionary tactic to mislead Tian Ji!
Tian Ji was aware that Ye Ling possessed the Devouring Domain and Ink Within, and he had been guarding against these two abilities. Even the heart he exposed was specifically designed to counter the Devouring Domain and Ink Within...
It was precisely because Tian Ji was focused on the Devouring Domain and Ink Within that he completely overlooked the power of "world."
As Tian Ji's assault intensified, Ye Ling sustained more and more wounds. If the White Emperor Flame continued to burn, it would threaten Ye Ling's life. Ye Ling could only withdraw the White Emperor Flame, allowing the data bugs to infect him.
"See! You've given up!" Tian Ji laughed, "Without the Devouring Domain and Ink Within, you're so vulnerable!"
As he spoke, a spike shot out from Tian Ji's chest heart, piercing Ye Ling's chest!
A large number of black markings coiled around Ye Ling along the spike, and Ye Ling's entire body began to garble.
"These black markings are sealing my six senses..."
Ye Ling saw the black markings wrap around his body and realized that his perception of the outside world was constantly weakening.
His five senses of sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste, as well as his soul force's perception of the external world, were all disappearing.
Ye Ling found himself sinking into darkness.
Realizing these were Tian Ji's abilities, Ye Ling abruptly looked at Tian Ji, only to see Tian Ji grinning, his eyes filled with mockery.
He opened his mouth and said something, but Ye Ling could no longer see or hear him.
Endless darkness, endless silence...
Ye Ling couldn't even perceive his own body, unsure if he was dead or alive!
"This method is too terrifying. Fortunately, I had already digitized my body in advance. Even if Tian Ji tried to kill me, he wouldn't be able to do so immediately..."
Ye Ling did not lose his sanity in the infinite darkness. Instead, he activated the Devouring Domain to spread outwards, while using the White Emperor Flame to protect himself.
To be honest, Ye Ling didn't even know if he had activated the Devouring Domain and the White Emperor Flame. He couldn't perceive anything from the outside, so he could only act according to his imagination to deal with Tian Ji.
"The power of those black markings originates from special script... If I want to reclaim my lost six senses, I can probably only rely on 'world'."
"However, recomposing won't get me out of this predicament... To break through this situation, I'll have to use that special ability to customize the future, won't I?"
Ye Ling pondered, then hesitated.
Customizing the future, while a powerful trump card, also came with immense consumption...
Previously, Ye Ling had already expended considerable energy just controlling Barton, and controlling a Seven Pillar had instantly cost him thirty percent of his strength. Now, facing Tian Ji...
Ye Ling wasn't sure if he would be instantly drained.
More importantly... Ye Ling didn't know if he would be drained. If he overexerted himself, he might die on the spot without Tian Ji needing to lift a finger...
"If I don't use it, I can preserve my life. If I use it, I might die instantly. Should I... should I gamble?"