Chapter 111: Station 23: Cataclysm

Chapter 111: Station 23: Cataclysm

Amidst the crumbling mountains and splitting earth, countless crimson threads surged forth, intercepting the horrifying barrage of debris for everyone!

Fifty carried the bound Sibu forward, and the others immediately followed suit.

Fortunately, the collapse wasn't continuous. Although the fissures kept spreading, the tsunami-like madness eventually subsided.

However, when they all turned back, they discovered that the once-majestic White Manor had transformed into countless fragments piercing out from the ground, floating towards the skyward-split starry expanse.

Tiles, white walls, ornate beams, and painted rafters had all become a staircase of fragments ascending to the heavens, spiraling up and down in the air.

Ming Yiyang and Si Shuhao had both witnessed this scene before.

Si Shuhao was worried for Yan Qiling's safety.

On the other hand, Ming Yiyang knew that this signaled the beginning of Yan Qiling's consumption of space.

A sudden, ominous premonition welled up within him.

This foreboding wasn't about his personal safety but rather an unsettling distrust in the inexplicable bond between humans and spirits.

He reached for his ring finger.

The band, as pristine as new, snugly encircled the contours of his bone.

That peculiar sense of distance still fragmented into multiple directions, but to Ming Yiyang, who now understood the situation, it offered some relief to his currently strained nerves.

Ever since he entered this world, the tail ring had been reflecting the presence of several "Yan Qiling"s moving about in different locations.

That was why on the first day, he suspected Yan Qiling of concealing something from him.

But now he knew that Yan Qiling must have set up some sort of array for this world's Wujian Master.

Though he was unsure of its exact function, it seemed unlikely that this Wujian Master could escape.

Fifty placed sorghum cakes before the grave.

Due to the absence of paper money, the wind at the gravesite had turned ominous.

As if sensing something, Shiweng Guang fumbled in his bosom and presented the red cloth shoe tremblingly.

The red shoe slapped onto the ground, and moments later, a woman dressed entirely in red appeared before everyone's eyes.

Her face was covered by a damp piece of gauze, and her melodious voice, tinged with sorrow, echoed like a lament carried by the wind:

"The golden hairpin is a willow branch, the small box contains willow seeds... I, Chun Yufen, have finally awoken."

"In this mortal world, relationships between rulers and subjects, and ants, are no different. All joys, sorrows, and vicissitudes are but fleeting dreams in the Southern Apricot Kingdom. Where then can one ascend to heaven? I, a mere mortal, have always been captivated—"

With that, she transformed into a trail of fading red and flew away. Countless beams of golden light shot out, dispersing the malevolent spirits hovering around the gravesite. Instantly, the sky brightened, the gloomy atmosphere dissipated, and a sense of clarity washed over everyone.

The source of the golden radiance was a tiny, floating silk box.

Ming Yiyang gently set Si Shuhao down and retrieved the enigmatic golden hairpin from his chest. Inserting it into the lock of the silk box, he opened it.

A vivid red gemstone emitted a blinding glare that made it difficult for those nearby to look directly at it.

Ming Yiyang's eyes shimmered with the fragmented brilliance of diamonds.

The gem seemed to pulsate with a life of its own.

In this moment, Ming Yiyang witnessed the cycle of human emotions—joy, sorrow, anger, and pleasure—tangled and swirling around him like a carousel of memories.

This was the first time since unlocking the restrictions on his Qingdu Ziwu Yin-Yang Pupils that Ming Yiyang found himself trapped in an illusion!

He quickly realized that this must be the core of the Mystic Rank Wujian Lord, though he never imagined it would be hidden here!

But the Qingdu Ziwu Yin-Yang Pupils could penetrate all illusions in the world. How could he be ensnared by something like this?

"You think it's an illusion?" Fifty's voice rang out clearly from outside. Then, the gem was suddenly gripped by an outstretched hand and crushed fiercely.

The surrounding illusion dissipated, and Fifty looked at him with a smile. "It's true that the Qingdu Ziwu Yin-Yang Pupils can see through illusions. But what if it isn't an illusion?"

Without any warning, Zero swallowed the precious pearl whole!

Yao Kunrui's facade vanished instantly, and Yan Qiling's face reappeared. The lake-blue hue in his eyes slowly flowed, and even his voice returned to its crisp, jade-like tone:

"This object is called the Manifestation Pearl. A hundred years ago, that centipede ghost secretly consumed it and hid it away. Father was magnanimous enough to confine it within the Nineteenth-Level Lotus Pagoda without further restraint, but this is precisely what I need."

Ming Yiyang displayed an expression of disbelief for the first time:

"Yan... Qiling?"

"Ahh, no need to worry, you can certainly call me that. I was previously concerned about whether this Manifestation Pearl possessed the legendary power, but the fact that your Pure Capital Violets Yin-Yang Pupils couldn't penetrate it indicates that it indeed has remarkable effects."

The man with Yan Qiling's face gazed at the full moon hanging above, as his traditional Chinese attire danced suddenly with an unseen breeze:

"Well then, the sacrificial array has been activated. I must leave..."

A silver Spirit Binding Rope latched onto the man's wrist, with the other end held tightly by the youth with purple eyes.

Ming Yiyang stared directly at this figure and asked:

"How could you have opened my Yin-Yang Pupils just for today?"

"Why would you think that?"

Ming Yiyang had just let out a sigh of relief when the man with blue eyes chuckled softly.

"Whether it was guiding you to unlock your Yin-Yang Pupils or agreeing to accompany She Lingshuang into the Profound Realm, all of this was for today. I've laid so many groundwork, why do you only mention the Yin-Yang Pupils?"

A tremor flickered across Ming Yiyang's expression before it faded entirely.

He still held the man's wrist tightly, refusing to release the Spirit Shackles.

"You couldn't possibly have predicted everything so precisely. Although there are few Voids of the Profound Realm, how could the Prison Train coincidentally deliver you right to your target?"

"The Prison Train couldn't, but I could."

The man revealed a wry smile, as if mocking Ming Yiyang's naive innocence.

"Do you truly believe that the night sky beyond the Prison Train is the work of a Void of the Profound Realm? If they possessed such abilities, none of you would have survived until now."

"That veil of darkness is what I use to direct the Prison Train's trajectory. Since it's taking us to a Dark Rank Infinite Lord, why can't it be the one in the space I desire?"

"Oh, you must be wondering why I didn't use this method before."

The man gave a standardized smile as he answered his own question:

"Because the time was not ripe."

"Didn't I mention that I hope our next encounter with certain individuals will be more pleasant? For that, I've prepared various tactics and means. However, these techniques need to be tested, and besides, there are treasures I need to acquire. Like this Manifestation Treasure Pearl, for instance."

"There's no need to reveal myself before I'm fully prepared," the man said with a soft chuckle. "But now, everything is perfectly timed."

The Spirit Binding Rope suddenly loosened without any warning. In an instant, the man transformed into a vortex of swirling red threads and vanished without a trace, leaving only an echoing residue of sound behind.

"Sesame is at your mercy, and furthermore, take note, the sky is falling!"

Suzhuo's face was deathly pale. The wound on the back of her neck, which had been left untreated, had started bleeding profusely during the frantic escape, soaking through her collar and the shirt on her back.

As the recent victim of an attempted assault, Si Shuhao merely cast her a glance, paying no attention to the other's emotions. Instead, she looked towards Ming Yiyang.

What did Wuliao just mean by those words?

Ming Yiyang was also unable to respond.

For that ring, which was famously claimed to be obtainable only by venturing to Mount Sanqing.

When Fifty departed.

Shattered.

It fell like stardust and silver flakes, showering the tiny world with a ruthless meteorite rain.

Within Ming Yiyang's heart, there was a contrasting dichotomy of ice and fire.

In his memory, the unique Yan Qiling who had always treated him differently overlapped with the one who just smiled ruthlessly, creating a conflicting image that tore at him.

This left him experiencing an unprecedented sensation, akin to acute pain.

The agony came swiftly and fiercely, leaving no means of respite.

If possible, he wished he could handle this situation like a throat-slashing emergency, pressing down on the bleeding point on the major artery to at least slow down the pace of his own demise.

But now, he was inexperienced and had no reference materials to consult.

No one had ever taught him what to do in a situation like this.

Yet, reality didn't afford him much time for contemplation.

The heavens and earth suddenly trembled violently!

As the full moon above their heads tilted, they all abruptly realized that the sky was genuinely collapsing upon them!

All thoughts of trivial details were abandoned as everyone frantically dashed forward in a desperate bid for survival.

In this tilted world, no one could remain untouched.

Yet, as they ran further down the slope, the path ahead gradually turned into a steep decline. With time passing, the incline grew steeper, and the crescent moon hanging upside down drew closer with each step they took.

Liao Xinya swiftly grasped the key to their escape:

"The moon! The moon is the exit!!!"

Hope flickered back into everyone's eyes—except for Ming Yiyang, who remained silent.

Struggling through the rolling gravel, they managed to reach the moon's edge before the slope became a perpendicular ninety-degree drop.

A train roared into view, stirring excitement within them all.

Ming Yiyang reached into his inner pocket, only to find it empty, mirroring the emptiness he felt inside.

He sensed that something had pierced him somewhere, causing a dull ache.

It wasn't until Si Shuhao let out a startled cry that...

"Ming Yiyang, your leg!!"

He looked down and saw blood oozing from the calf of his left leg. The warm liquid had already soaked through his pants and into his shoes, yet he hadn't felt anything before.

"Hurry, get in the car!"

The girl reached for him, concern etched on her face as she gazed at his wound:

"Oh no, what do we do now? If only Yan Qiling were here... Why hasn't he returned? Is 50 really part of Yan Qiling's team? If so, why have I never seen them both appear together?"

Ming Yiyang merely stared at his injured leg.

Of course, he knew the right thing to do was to get in the car immediately, then disembark in five minutes and return to reality. He should promptly open his first-aid kit, tend to his injury, and seek medical treatment.

There was no need to worry about Yan Qiling; this man was an unparalleled master at the Heavenly Rank, capable of holding his own against an opponent at the Mystic Rank within their shared space.

Moreover, everything that had happened was part of the other person's plan. As the pawn in this game, did he have the right to be concerned about the strategist?

Ming Yiyang took two steps towards the train, each stride tugging at his calf and sending jolts of pain through his nerves.

In a sudden impulse, he reached out to touch the bandage covering his face.

For a moment, he was startled, then he regained his expressionless demeanor and turned to push Si Shuhao into the car:

"Get in first, don't get out."

Before Si Shuhao could respond, she witnessed Ming Yiyang rip off the bandage from his face and run backward without any hesitation!

Her eyes widened! It was as if she was witnessing madness reminiscent of Yao Kunrui in another world all over again.

But this time, the one who had lost his mind was Ming Yiyang.

Ming Yiyang had gone mad!!!