Chapter 8: The Gears of Fate
“Everyone, ugh~, welcome to, ugh~, my territory.”
Milvi, holding onto the bridge pillar with one hand, still couldn’t resist showing off that she had won the lottery and obtained the ownership of Sanctuary City Gran.
After resting for a moment, Milvi’s face was pale, but she no longer felt like vomiting from the earlier teleportation. She looked at the slowly flowing river and asked:
“A few of you, I got Sanctuary City Gran. What are the benefits?”
As Milvi said this, she grinned, showing her shark-like teeth.
“Of course there are benefits.”
Zuiyasi smiled meaningfully, and Milvi’s eyes lit up a bit as she eagerly asked:
“What benefits? Increased power, or all the wealth of this city belongs to me?”
“As for the wealth of this city, if I’m not mistaken, Dark Bishop Palmer wouldn’t be stupid enough to leave his assets in a large city that could abandon any area at any time. This great city itself, along with the residents he controls, is the source of his wealth. If it were me, I’d convert all resources into Soul Coins and keep them on me.”
Hearing Zuiyasi’s words, Milvi asked somewhat reluctantly, “So there are no other benefits? I got the grand prize, you know!”
“Of course there are.”
Zuiyasi rekindled the hope that was about to die out in Milvi, who looked at him expectantly.
“The benefit you got is that you can’t leave Sanctuary City Gran. If an enemy attacks, you have to control the city to immediately sink into the Dark Sea and then randomly teleport to a safe place.”
Hearing this, Milvi’s smile instantly froze.
“So, this isn’t a lucky draw?”
“Who said it was a lucky draw?”
A smile appeared on Zuiyasi’s face that made Milvi clench her fists, wanting to punch him. Seeing this, Ona sighed inwardly, glanced at her husband, and Zuiyasi stopped teasing his old friend’s sister. Instead, he whispered something to Wood, and the more they talked, the more serious their expressions became.
Ona came to Milvi’s side and whispered something to the demon girl. At first, Milvi looked wary, but by the end, she nodded repeatedly and turned her gaze to Su Xiao.
“Mr. Bai Ye, do you believe in my steadiness?”
“...”
Su Xiao didn’t speak, but the implication was that he didn’t. Therefore, he planned to find a place as soon as possible to upgrade his Azure Steel Shadow ability.
“Otherwise, should I transfer the ownership of this sanctuary city to Bubuteni?”
“No.” ×3
Wood, Zuiyasi, and Shenfu spoke in unison. What a joke. In this world, Sanctuary City was the only somewhat reliable foothold. If it turned into an insect nest or war fortress, even if it was a friendly structure, once the final enemy fell, that friendly structure wouldn’t be so friendly anymore.
“The Daughters of the Warm Bed can take over here.”
Su Xiao’s words made Wood, Zuiyasi, and Shenfu stop objecting.
“Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.”
Milvi nodded repeatedly, almost raising both hands in agreement.
“Since that’s the case, shouldn’t we agree on a time to gather here again?”
Wood spoke, meaning simply that there was no need to act together at this stage. Each person still had things to do. When it was time to face the final powerful enemy, they would regroup and prepare to deal with the Underworld God.
“And you two are really bold,” Wood said, raising his hand to point at an empty space. “Coming out to help the Night Mother while bringing your daughter.”
“?”
Ona looked at Wood suspiciously. “Daughter? Our daughter Yero Ilia is obediently staying in the Hidden City Argu. She’s been a well-behaved child since she was little. How could...”
Before Ona could finish, Su Xiao raised his hand and snapped his fingers with a crack. A slight gasp was heard, and a little girl of about twelve or thirteen, wearing a cream-white dress with smooth, flowing cream-white hair, suddenly appeared.
She crouched on the ground, holding her ears. Just now, she felt the whole world tremble. It was hard to imagine that such an ordinary snap could cause a regional world change.
Zuiyasi and his wife’s eyes twitched repeatedly. They never expected that their usually well-behaved daughter would use a causal-level talent to sneak out and follow them.
Ona instinctively wanted to say, “Just wait until I get home to deal with you,” but suddenly remembered that this time, the God Lord had issued a divine decree. After completing the negotiation with the Law Destroyer, they had to immediately go to the Mercy Cathedral to meet the Mother of Mercy as representatives of the Night God Cult.
Although Zuiyasi and his wife weren’t very devout in their faith, the God Lord’s decree had nothing to do with devotion.
Disobeying the decree would not only bring the judgment of the Mother of Dark Drowning but also the wrath of High Priestess Ululoi. This one was very likely to sacrifice family for justice.
Especially since Zuiyasi and Ona already had a direct descendant, Yero Ilia. With a suitable heir, putting the couple into eternal slumber was something High Priestess Ululoi could do.
In fact, High Priestess Ululoi had never loved her daughter that much. What she valued was the continuation of the family’s power through bloodline. If it weren’t for the bloody battle with the spawning monsters after giving birth to Ona, which consumed over 90% of her reproductive causality, she wouldn’t have only one daughter, Ona.
Ona’s expression wasn’t good. Sending her daughter back to the Hidden City was undoubtedly the best choice, but only she and her husband could freely enter and leave the Hidden City.
“Mom, can you and Dad protect me and my brother forever? I’m already twelve. When you were my age, Grandma sent you to the Ancient Insect Domain. You told me that we were born in Doom Star, and if we can’t protect ourselves, we’ll die sooner or later.”
Yero Ilia used the most timid tone to say something Ona couldn’t refute. In fact, when she was ten, her mother sent her to the southernmost Ancient Insect Domain of Doom Star. Even though she was crucial to the family’s inheritance, this was Doom Star. Any reason for weakness was a source of suffering.
Ona opened her mouth but couldn’t say anything. She came to her daughter, crouched down, and let her daughter lean half-sitting in her arms. She whispered to her:
“Ilia, do you see that kind-looking grandfather?”
“Mm-hmm. This grandfather must be very trustworthy, right?”
“Don’t believe a single word he says. Not a single one.”
“Mm!”
Yero Ilia nodded very seriously and memorized Shenfu’s kind face, warning herself to stay away.
“Do you see that diamond skull uncle?”
“That’s Uncle Wood. I know him.”
“Mm, right. Believe half of what he says. Hmm~, your dad is cooperating with him, so believe most of it.”
Ona’s expression was unusually serious.
“Being plotted against like this face-to-face is certainly unique.”
Wood spoke with a hint of a smile.
“Ilia, do you see that uncle with a long sword at his waist, who looks very, very strong?”
“Mm, that’s Uncle Bai Ye.”
“Ilia, so smart. So what should you do?”
“Trust Uncle Bai Ye!”
“I take back what I said about you being smart. What Uncle Bai Ye says should be put in the same category as that kind-looking grandfather.”
“Why? Uncle Bai Ye looks very trustworthy.”
“Uncle Bai Ye, sometimes, can trick that kind-looking grandfather. Ilia’s little piggy brain can’t understand what they say, understand?”
“Mom, why do I feel like you’re not praising me?”
“Of course not. Not only am I not praising you, but when you get home later, I’ll use the same rattan I use to spank your brother Griffin to spank you. Is Ilia happy?”
“Ha-happy.”
Feeling her mother’s love, Yero Ilia began to be afraid.
“You have to live, Ilia. You were born on Doom Star. That’s your fate. Look at Uncle Bai Ye. His luck is astonishingly bad, yet he reached the peak. If you work hard, the peak powerhouse of the next era will be you, Ilia.”
After successfully feeding her daughter a fantasy, Ona stood up and walked with her husband toward the teleportation tower in the city center. When they were out of Yero Ilia’s sight, Zuiyasi suddenly darted behind a building, peeked out to look at his daughter, and asked:
“Can our daughter handle this? What a terrible idea. Maybe we should forget it.”
“I entered the Insect Domain when I was ten. Ilia is already twelve.”
Ona’s gaze was calm, as if no change could alter her decision.
“Back then, were there over a dozen peak powerhouses on Doom Star? I’ve never heard of so many peak powerhouses in my lifetime. Even the Lord of the Underworld, a living fossil from legends that time had buried, has appeared. This matter is too insane.”
As Zuiyasi spoke, his wife grabbed him by the back of the collar. Ona’s attitude was firm: her daughter was already a mature witch and it was time for her to gain experience.
Sanctuary City Gran, Front District, inside an accessory shop.
Milvi was picking out earrings, her frown deepening. Suddenly, she turned to look behind her, then looked down at the little witch, and angrily said:
“How long are you going to follow me?”
Demon girl Milvi stared at Yero Ilia, who firmly said:
“We have to act together.”
“Huh?”
Milvi looked at Ilia as if she were an idiot. Ilia remained unmoved and firmly said:
“We will be the best of friends in the future, and also, also...”
As Ilia spoke, her fair little face twisted into a pained expression. She pointed to the end of the street:
“And her. The three of us will be close friends in the future.”
In the direction Yero Ilia pointed, a figure approached. She had deep blue hair that reached her ears, a diamond mini war scythe earring on her right ear, a tube top under a white shirt, the loose white shirt unbuttoned and completely open, and extremely short shorts.
Yes, it was Demon Scythe Ena. Seeming to sense someone pointing at her, Demon Scythe Ena glanced over, looked at Yero Ilia, then at demon girl Milvi, and clicked her tongue. Not her type. She was sure that her relationship with these two would be limited to friendship. They weren’t her preferred type at all, even though both were very good-looking.
“What nonsense are you talking about? Me, you, her, the three of us will be close friends in the future?”
Demon girl Milvi pointed at herself, looking at Yero Ilia with a mix of amusement and disbelief.
“Mm, that’s right.”
Yero Ilia nodded very seriously. Demon Scythe Ena, who had already noticed them discussing her, stopped beside them, reached back to scratch her lower back, and deliberately crossed her eyes at them:
“What are you two suspicious types whispering about?”
Among the three, Demon Scythe Ena was naturally the strongest. Even among the Supreme ranks, Demon Scythe Ena was quite formidable. Otherwise, the Archbishop of the Abyss wouldn’t have chosen to cooperate with her as an equal back then.
“I’m saying,” Yero Ilia took a deep breath and continued, “The three of us will be the best of friends in the future. Friends who would risk their lives for each other’s safety.”
Hearing this, Demon Scythe Ena was stunned for a moment, then burst into laughter, bending over:
“Ahahahaha! Me? Risk my life for others? Hahaha, little sister, you’re hilarious.”
Seeing Demon Scythe Ena like this, Yero Ilia gritted her teeth and lowered her voice: “You two, one of you, 2 years and 5 months ago, secretly... (rare divine language), and the other, 3 years and 4 months ago, almost... (rare divine language)”
While Yero Ilia spoke in common Void language, she replaced the main content with a rare divine language. However, upon hearing these two time points, both Demon Scythe Ena and demon girl Milvi were shocked. These were their ultimate dark secrets. If revealed, while it wouldn’t be a matter of reputation, it would certainly be extremely embarrassing.
The two exchanged glances, instantly communicating. Each used one left hand and one right hand to cover Ilia’s mouth, grabbed her, and ran toward a distant dark alley.
On a three-story building a hundred meters away, Su Xiao sat on a rooftop water tank, having witnessed everything. Although he wasn’t a causality user, when Demon Scythe Ena, demon girl Milvi, and Yero Ilia met, he faintly felt the gears of fate beginning to spin wildly.
As a peak powerhouse, he vaguely sensed that if the Star Realm didn’t perish in the Abyss calamity, these three might very well be three of the “protagonists” of the mid-Third Era.
The inner side of the entire Sanctuary City was like a huge cave, with a spreading, half-giant eggshell-like black rock substance. Observing carefully, Su Xiao realized this was the black rock substance corresponding to the Abyss spreading zone. According to Abyss studies, this was called World Rock.
World Rock was extremely hard. This half-giant eggshell shape covering the inner side of the Sanctuary City was clearly built with great effort by this world’s Dark Bishop.
Speaking of which, Dark Bishop Palmer died very miserably. Simply put, this guy, who craved immortality and was cautious, had maxed out both physical and magical resistance. The problem was, this wasn’t an attack. To some extent, it was a boost for him. He just couldn’t handle it.
If Palmer weren’t the Dark Bishop, no one could banish him into the Abyss. He believed in the Abyss and craved its ultimate power. Su Xiao and the others were just kindly helping Dark Bishop Palmer get what he wanted.
The safest place in Sanctuary City was naturally the Gloomy Cathedral on the inner side. Su Xiao arrived in front of the Gloomy Cathedral. The double metal doors were tightly shut. Blood energy spread, like the claws of a massive blood beast, tearing the metal giant doors open with a bang.
The first floor of the cathedral was shrouded in gloom. Su Xiao walked in. Mist dispersed, and the air seemed to carry whispers. A man in a white bishop’s robe, sitting on a high seat inside, slowly raised his head. His mouth and chin were stained with blood, not from injury, but more like bloodstains from a fierce devouring.
“The Bishop was ambushed by you despicable outsiders. I can only gather everyone’s strength to avenge him.”
White Bishop Yegper looked at the newcomer, his long-held anxiety finally easing. He had been very worried that the Underworld God had schemed against Dark Bishop Palmer. Now it seemed that neither the Slaughter Richmond, one of the Four Original Sins, nor the Underworld God he feared had come.
The corners of White Bishop Yegper’s mouth almost couldn’t be suppressed. In Sanctuary City, he was actually stronger than Dark Bishop Palmer. Unfortunately, the city was under Palmer’s control, so he had to take a secondary position.
“Tell me...”
The smile on White Bishop Yegper’s face finally couldn’t be contained. Combined with his bald head, it gave him a fierce look.
Seeing this, Su Xiao inwardly felt that Supreme Charm, this Supreme passive, was unexpectedly useful.
[Supreme Charm.X (Supreme Level Passive).]
Skill Effect 1...
Skill Effect 2: The suppression/invasion power of your released aura (blood energy) +3.
...
When the aura completely suppressed the opponent, if it wasn’t an aura clash but aura perception, there would be a very strong misleading effect, making them feel as if this enemy was of similar strength to themselves.
Of course, this was based on Su Xiao using an induction method, combined with releasing his aura like watching prey fall into a trap. If he released his full aura, the blood energy of a peak powerhouse would be overwhelming.
That said, Sanctuary City Gran indeed had many talents. Not only did it produce Dark Bishop Palmer, a master of survival, but this White Bishop Yegper in front was a notch stronger than the Death Bishop Erqi, whom he had casually killed earlier.
And, Su Xiao wanted to test how much stronger he was now that all his Supreme attributes were raised to over 300 points. First, he needed to make the opponent bristle.
Boom!
Crimson blood energy spread. White Bishop Yegper, who had been barely suppressing his smile moments ago, suddenly felt his hair stand on end. The metal seat behind him shattered with a bang. He leaped backward. Mid-air, he activated all kinds of abilities, causing horns to grow on his head, his body to swell to over five meters, and eyes of various sizes to sprout on his chest.
Suddenly, White Bishop Yegper’s vision went dark. The eyes on his chest restored his sight, but he felt something strange. A baffling feeling confused him. He instinctively reached for his head, but grasped nothing. Above his neck was empty.
This surprised him. With his monster-like vitality, losing his head was nothing. He could regenerate it in the next second...
With a thud, White Bishop Yegper fell. His last sight was the man with the long sword, who had somehow already struck and passed by him. After his body fell, his severed head hit the ground with a thud.
White Bishop Yegper’s final thought was that as a super-top-tier Supreme, how could he die like this? In the past, when his enemies blasted him until only a few drops of blood remained, he still managed to revive. But today, with just a casual decapitation, he was going to die.
“Peak...”
After uttering these two words from his severed head, White Bishop Yegper completely lost his life force, and his causal existence dissipated.
Su Xiao habitually flicked the long sword, which wasn’t stained with blood, and sheathed it. He had just reached the peak realm. Previously, he thought that if a super-top-tier Supreme, against a peak powerhouse who wasn’t serious and hadn’t activated Peak Domain, might last two or three rounds before dying. Now it seemed he had underestimated the power of the peak realm.
Although White Bishop Yegper was killed so effortlessly by Su Xiao, this White Bishop was actually very capable. Even against the Underworld God Temple’s Archbishop Saul, he could hold his own.
But facing Su Xiao, in an instant, White Bishop Yegper couldn’t even see when the enemy had drawn his sword. Not to mention anything else, the disparity in physique was too overwhelming.
However, there was a problem that made Su Xiao frown. The White Bishop he killed was, after all, a minor boss. Why didn’t he drop a treasure chest? This was very unreasonable. Could it be due to the overwhelming power difference?
Mm, it must be so. As for his luck being -13 million, that certainly couldn’t be the reason.
Su Xiao, with Bubu Wang and Baha, began to explore the Gloomy Cathedral floor by floor. The result was that there wasn’t even a living creature, let alone a living person.
All the Abyss believers in the Gloomy Cathedral had been devoured by the White Bishop. This guy clearly didn’t intend to continue operating under the Dark God Cult’s name but wanted to establish his own faction. The result was that his ambition was extinguished just as it began.
There was nothing valuable in this Gloomy Cathedral, except that the building itself was sturdy enough. Su Xiao estimated that the Dark Bishop had spent at least 40% of his wealth on this Gloomy Cathedral.
With all its formations activated, the building’s defense was extremely strong, second only to the Lord’s Train. The Dark Bishop died miserably, directly banished in terms of causal existence. This showed how terrifying Shenfu’s power system was.
Bubu Wang began to modify the building, while Su Xiao went to the third floor of this seven-story building. He placed one hand on the ground, and Aoge crystals spread, forming a large array. As the array formed, the atmosphere in the room became dark.
Soon, a space door made of thick darkness appeared ahead. After the dark space door hardened, it opened. The Daughters of the Warm Bed, holding hands, walked out. They were Ayesha/Delona. Delona had silver hair and a black dress, while Ayesha had black hair, a white dress, and pitch-black eyes.
“Brother.” ×2
Ayesha/Delona bowed to Su Xiao. Ayesha closed her eyes, while Delona’s eyes roamed restlessly.
“This place belongs to you from now on.”
Hearing Su Xiao’s words, Delona had no reaction, but Ayesha seemed to want to say something. She, who rarely showed expression, smiled slightly and bowed again.
Compared to the lively Delona, the cold Ayesha had no real sense of anything. Having such a sanctuary city would undoubtedly serve as an anchor for her heart, greatly alleviating her lack of connection to everything around her, or even temporarily suppressing it.
Ayesha/Delona becoming the city lord was like a gift from heaven for the residents of Sanctuary City Gran. Not to mention that the Daughters of the Warm Bed wouldn’t restrict their freedom, Ayesha/Delona, as this generation’s Fate Advance, were already formidable existences in the Star Realm.
Not long after, demon girl Milvi was brought back by Baha. Upon learning that she didn’t have to guard the Sanctuary City, she immediately agreed to transfer the ownership.
Soon, Milvi walked out of the Gloomy Cathedral very happily. Outside, Demon Scythe Ena was waiting, grinding her teeth audibly. She looked at the cathedral ahead:
“Finally found you, Law Destroyer Bai Ye. No one has ever taken such a huge sum from me. No one!”
Demon Scythe Ena walked into the Gloomy Cathedral. Milvi hesitated, then asked Yero Ilia beside her:
“In the future, will we really be close friends with her?”
“Mm.”
Ilia nodded very firmly, her pure eyes showing no trace of lies.
“Tsk~, I feel like she’s going to die here.”
“No, she’ll come out of there soon.”
Yero Ilia pointed to the third-floor window of the Gloomy Cathedral. The next second, Demon Scythe Ena leaped out of the window and landed beside them. Milvi asked with a mischievous smile:
“How was it, Lady Demon Scythe? Settled the score?”
“Wrong person. Let’s go.”
Demon Scythe Ena turned and left. As for why, from rushing upstairs, to seeing Su Xiao, to determining through her demon scythe intuition that he was a peak powerhouse, and then leaping out of the window, the entire sequence was as smooth as flowing water.
...
Southeast of the Mercy Cathedral, on a barren, scorching Gobi desert.
Drip, drip.
Golden divine blood dripped from Deer God’s chin. Crimson Beast Dilo held Deer God’s head with one hand. With a squeeze, Deer God’s head was crushed, and the headless body fell.
Deer God was dead.
“This...”
Spider Lady frowned at the scene. She had been trapped in the Soul Library for too long but had heard of Deer God. She looked at Crimson Beast Dilo, whose left arm hung limply and whose body was covered with sunburn marks, and felt that the rumors were unreliable. The famous Deer God had died like this.
“Spider Lady, I have a question.”
Crimson Beast Dilo spoke with a cruel smile.
“Speak.”
“If all space and teleportation abilities are unusable, can you run fast?”
“What?”
As Spider Lady spoke, she noticed that Deer God’s headless corpse had turned into golden blood, forming a large pool of golden blood on the ground.
“Literally. Escape from Deer God’s pursuit.”
Crimson Beast Dilo laughed even more heartily. Suddenly, a claw reached out from the golden blood pool, slapped the surface as if pressing on a solid plane, and Deer God, covered in faint golden-red flames, stood up from the blood pool.
The Star Realm honey badger was not just for show. Deer God didn’t have immortality. He could die, but he could stand up from his own blood pool through sheer will, and become stronger.
The only way to kill Deer God was to completely crush his strong will. When he felt he had truly lost, he would truly die.
Rumble!
The earth trembled. Deer God, who had stood up again, suddenly appeared beside Spider Lady. The war club in his hands, carrying a terrifying wind sound, swung horizontally at Spider Lady. At that moment, all of Spider Lady’s abilities failed. She could only rely on her most basic physique to counter this attack.
Bang!
Spider Lady’s human-like upper body flew off. Mid-air, her pupils turned emerald green. She was already an Abyss descendant, so she wasn’t afraid of dying once. However, the re-risen Deer God was indeed terrifyingly strong.
Deadly poison corroded Deer God’s left arm with a hissing sound. In an instant, more than half of his body was reduced to bones. The golden-red flames on Deer God’s body flared up, and his regeneration skyrocketed. When he recovered to the point where only his left arm was being continuously corroded by the poison, he smashed his entire left arm with a war club. Spider Lady’s deadly poison was indeed powerful.
Deer God shifted his gaze to Crimson Beast Dilo and found that Dilo had already run off without a trace.