Chapter 85: Waiting for Return

As the world of the Path of Life collapses, there's no longer any external power to announce Chen Zijin's completion of the world task, nor what he has gained.

He could feel the power of the devouring world flowing into his body, forcibly boosting his five main attributes by dozens of points.

He could distinctly feel his body becoming stronger, every cell, every blood vessel, and meridian brimming with power.

Chen thought that if he were to face a Sovereign-class Devourer now, he might be able to kill it with a single explosive attack.

Amidst the surging energy entering his body, Chen saw the remnant souls gradually being freed from the collapsing flesh.

Soon, Chen saw a blood-red chain appear before him.

He guessed this was a token of gratitude from the remnant souls of this devouring world.

When he touched the blood-red chain, he knew its name—[Chains of Fear].

[Chains of Fear: This chain can immobilize any exile or Devourer with a lower or equal power level to oneself, rendering them unable to move.

The immobilized individual will randomly think of their greatest fears. If they cannot break free, they will descend into madness within an hour.

If they break free from the fear, the duration of the immobilization depends on the energy level of the exile or Devourer.

After being broken free from, the Chains of Fear become ineffective until they can be used again the next day.]

Chen looked at the chain in his hands and raised his eyebrows; this was indeed a trophy befitting this world.

But does this chain have an automatic retrieval feature? If not, I'll have to specifically call it back.

However, it's undeniable that this is a very practical Sovereign-class trophy, perfectly paired with the [Silence Card].

Then, Chen saw another card.

He thought it was a character card belonging to that tailcoat spirit seen in every world, but upon taking a closer look, it turned out to be another trophy item card—[Shortcut].

[Shortcut: The journey of life may be long, but sometimes shortcuts can be found.

Introduction: A token of gratitude from the manipulated souls of the Path of Life world. Since those damnable Devourers always manipulate others' lives to take shortcuts, they must accept the consequences of being backfired upon someday.

Come on, let's all take a shortcut!

Ability: This card allows you to travel instantly to a place you've been before and have left an energy mark on. One round trip per day, one shortcut a day, not too excessive, right?]

Chen laughed upon seeing this card.

This is quite a nice tool. Using this card, he wouldn't need to sneak around with the Earth Dragon Fortress to abduct people.

Using the shortcut card once a day could make for a significant impact outside, couldn't it?

At this moment, one can't help but marvel at the benefits of defeating super creatures. Devouring worlds of lower strength levels hardly leave any special energy items when backfired.

But those higher-level and special Devourers always drop some rare and useful items.

If he continues to hunt down high-level and Sovereign-class Devourers for counter-kills, one can only imagine how many powerful items he'll accumulate, truly something to look forward to.

After acquiring these two items, Chen Zijin turned to look at Le Yue, who had already approached him. Without saying a word, but merely raising an eyebrow, the other seemed to understand his intention.

"I wouldn't hang around with those useless, joyless folks. If you come with me alone, I could show you..."

Le Yue's words halted midway.

He chuckled before continuing, "Show you my lair."

"I wonder what expression you'll have then? Hmm, maybe we should wait a bit longer."

"After all, I think I will... eventually take you there."

Having said that, Le Yue's figure began to fade away.

Chen Zijin couldn't help but ponder what Le Yue's hideout would be like. However, as he was contemplating, he suddenly felt a pain in his neck.

Before he could retaliate, that damned Le Yue had already vanished with a loud laugh.

Chen Zijin touched his neck, grinding his teeth.

Compared to the blood drawn and the slight sting, the involuntary shiver from the touch of lips on his skin was harder to articulate and calm.

“……tui！”

That Le Yue just has to rub up against him!

The young man chuckled, thinking he'd address it the next time they met.

With that thought, Chen Zijin quietly awaited his departure from this world, soon to be completely devoured by him.

Suddenly, he sensed a fluctuation of energy from his storage ring, causing him to pause, and moments later, the character card belonging to Yao Yan appeared in his hand.

The card of the all-around laborer vibrated incessantly, then astonishingly transformed into a person on its own.

The familiar figure of the all-around laborer in a tailcoat, Yao Yan, materialized before him. Yao Yan's gaze upon Chen Zijin was laden with complexity. He first bowed slightly, then reached out to fiercely grasp at the collapsing world.

Thus, a cluster of scarlet energy, a remnant soul, was captured from the air into his hand.

Chen Zijin noticed that upon capturing this energy remnant, Yao Yan's form became a bit more tangible.

"Have you found another piece of yourself?"

Yao Yan sighed and twisted his mouth, "Sort of. I never expected you to be able to counterattack even the Path of Life."

"The survival rate in the world of the Path of Life was once less than one in a hundred thousand. Only exiles with exceptionally unique self-preservation skills could survive in this world."

"The Path of Life collaborating with Fear makes this world almost as perilous as a King-level domain."

Yao Yan didn't doubt that someday a human might destroy this world and counter the devourer that rules it.

Yet, he found it hard to believe that the one to achieve it would be the person before him, a human who has only been in the exile land for half a year.

Other humans might still be struggling to find their footing between level one and two after half a year in this place.

This one, on the other hand, has been counterattacking since his first devouring world.

In novels or TV shows, this would surely make him the chosen one.

While Yao Yan was caught in his complex emotions and thoughts, Chen Zijin facing him suddenly raised an eyebrow and asked, "So, did you die in a King-level world?"

"What was that world like?"

Yao Yan snapped back to reality.

After a moment of silence, he shook his head, "King-level domains in the land of exile don't just intervene at will. Even among devourers, there are only four at the King level."

"The world where I died was named [Disease]."

"It's an indescribable world."

"Although it was a ruler-level world, its level of danger might well have been King-level."

"At least, before my demise in that world, no exile had ever come out alive."

[Disease]

Just the name alone is enough to make one feel uneasy.

Chen Zijin's gaze was fixed on Yao Yan: "So, your last piece is in that [Disease] world? Do you want me to rescue you?"

Yao Yan's gaze remained steady.

Yet, he wasn't as eager or desperate.

"...Honestly, I'm quite surprised myself."

"Even I wasn't fully prepared."

The man in the tailcoat, appearing so orderly and cultured, seemed to be reminiscing: "It was merely a precautionary measure I took, one I almost believed impossible to achieve."

"When I employed it, I hardly believed such a tactic would actually work."

"After all, the land of exile is vast, the devourers endless. Even if I managed to preserve a sliver of my soul across the various worlds I traversed, the likelihood of reversing all these worlds for the best outcome... I calculated it once.

It was almost zero."

Yao Yan looked at the young man opposite him, his expression complex.

Yet, it was this very young man before him who shattered that nearly zero probability.

"The first time I saw him in the City of Mobiles, I thought he was just another reckless newcomer. But I soon realized this thorn was indeed prickly."

"Seeing him again in the Gourmet Capital, I found the coincidence amusing, and it's rare for someone to leave such a lasting impression on me."

"The first and second times might not count, but upon encountering Chen Zijin in the third world, the possibility I had never considered suddenly, and without warning, jumped into my mind."

"Then, this possibility became a nightmare that, no matter how hard I tried, would occasionally flit through my mind."

"I began to look forward to the fourth world."

"After meeting him in the fourth world, I eagerly awaited the fifth."

"How interesting."

"How fated."

"He almost traversed every world where I had left a significant part of my soul."

"And reversed them all."

"Thus, my fragmented soul was finally gathered, and once again I could truly see and feel this...damn land of exile, which hasn’t changed even after so long."

"And now, I actually see a possibility of destroying [Disease]."

Yao Yan looked at Chen Zijin and suddenly bowed very politely and respectfully:

"You broke that nearly infinite zero."

"If possible, I would eagerly anticipate and yearn for your salvation."

"I've been dead for too long, yearning to return and reshape the world with you."

"To walk once more the path where I once failed."