Chapter 1162: The Successor
Xuanwu looked around, feeling that the situation before him was rather strange.
Aside from the corpse whose neck he had just snapped, only the short, fat man was kneeling off to the side.
Turtle worked hard to clear his mind, then slowly sat down on the ground, lifting his head to gaze at the woman before him, who seemed like a vast universe.
After a moment, a bitter smile forced its way onto his fat face.
"Smile...?" Xuanwu hesitated. "Why do you smile?"
"That whistle just now was truly interesting," Turtle said. "I've never heard such a simple, violent, yet interesting plan."
"But they all seem to have left," Xuanwu said again. "Leaving only you here alone. What are you going to do now?"
"I'm not going to survive anyway," Turtle said in a low voice. "Being able to witness the transfer of a Sacred Beast here is already a fortune in three lifetimes."
"Transfer is not so easy..." Xuanwu said softly. "There are very few in the entire Paradise who are stronger than me, not even White Tiger or Vermilion Bird."
"You mean... if we were to attack, Vermilion Bird and White Tiger would be easier to kill than you," Turtle said with a light laugh. "Is that what you mean?"
Xuanwu seemed to realize he had said something wrong, then shook his head, causing his long hair to sway. "I didn't say that."
As soon as the words fell, Xuanwu suddenly sensed an extremely familiar aura coming from not far away. He turned his head, staring blankly at the corner of a short building.
A moment later, he involuntarily took a step back.
A pitch-black, frail figure, shimmering like a brilliant universe, was now emerging from the thick smoke.
Looking closely, the figure wasn't walking on the ground at all—it floated out, feet dangling in the air.
His hands were spread out to his sides, and a strange ring floated in front of him, as if a true god had descended.
Xuanwu looked at him curiously, seemingly trying to determine just who this person was.
"Xuanwu, lay down your weapon and enjoy the kill..." The figure paused. "No, enjoy the slaughter."
A similarly ethereal, intangible voice came from the figure, causing Xuanwu to tilt his head in confusion once more.
...
Inside the short building behind Jiang Shi, almost all the Cats were crouched by the windows, watching carefully.
They had begun gathering toward the short building after hearing the whistle just now.
The whistle was short, just one sentence—
"All Cats urgently avoid combat. Channel all belief onto Shi."
Everyone looked at Jiang Shi's pitch-black back. Although Jiang Shi seemed fine, Luo Shiyi was already drenched in sweat.
"I really hope Tenth Brother isn't in pain right now..." Luo Shiyi said, his face pale.
"Don't worry, Eleventh Brother," said Ma Shi'er, the Shifter. "You're already this fucking exhausted, so Tenth Brother's pain must be completely Obliviated."
"That makes sense..." Luo Shiyi nodded blankly, but then felt something was off and snapped back, "You're the fucking exhausted one."
Song Qi watched Xuanwu and Jiang Shi begin talking, then turned to issue orders to Ma Shi'er the Shifter, Wu Shisan the Hover, and Cui Shisi the Pierce, telling them to be ready to unleash their Echoes at any moment.
Officer Li saw this and quickly walked to the window, his right hand slipping into his pocket.
At this moment, only Su Shan stood apart from the group on the rooftop, looking down at this astonishing scene.
Jiang Shi's current state was exactly the same as Xuanwu's. The Undying Ripples flickered on both of them continuously.
However, the Undying Ripples on Xuanwu were far stronger than Jiang Shi's, not even on the same level.
Xuanwu's Ripples were like vast ocean waves, surging outward with him at the center. Some ripples were about to collide with each other, vast and fierce, as if they would never end.
But the Ripples on Jiang Shi were like clear drops of water falling into a pond, one faint ring of ripples slowly spreading after another. These Ripples seemed gentle and delicate, as if they could vanish at any moment.
The words "flickering out like a lamp running dry of oil" had already appeared in Su Shan's mind. She didn't know what the final plan Song Qi and the others had decided on, only that Jiang Shi couldn't hold on much longer.
Maybe three minutes, maybe the next second, this child named Jiang Shi would have all his Ripples dissipate and collapse to the ground, never to stand again.
Su Shan looked closer. Besides the Undying Ripples radiating from Jiang Shi himself, there were several strange Ripples surrounding him.
The outermost layer was a powerful Ripple called Oblivion. This Oblivion intertwined with the Undying, but even as it was strong, it was also teetering on the verge of collapse.
Beneath him, Jiang Shi stood on Hover. The ring floating before him contained not only Hover but also Pierce.
Amidst the chaos of numerous Ripples, there was an order. All of them revolved around Jiang Shi, like satellites orbiting him alone.
Xuanwu finally couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
"I am the one who has come to uphold the rules for you," Jiang Shi replied. "With me here, you can die in peace."
Hearing this, Xuanwu clearly didn't understand. This person before him did look exactly like himself, but how could he replace him just like that?
"You say you want to replace me... How are you going to do that?"
"Xuanwu, I am far stronger than you," Jiang Shi said. "Even stronger than the Bodhisattva you speak of."
"Bold words," Xuanwu said. "Can you be greater than the Bodhisattva?"
"You are the one being bold!" Jiang Shi sneered. "How dare you doubt me?"
Whether provoked by anger or competitiveness, Xuanwu extended his only remaining left hand into the air. A heart suddenly appeared in that hand.
Jiang Shi was stunned. He wanted to lower his head and feel his own chest, but remembered there was no heart inside his chest anymore.
If so, then this heart was...?
Turtle instantly frowned beside him, his remaining left hand also covering his own chest.
"Eighth Brother..." Jiang Shi was startled, his featureless face turning towards Turtle.
"Don't worry about me..." Turtle gritted his teeth. "Do what you have to do. I was already..."
Before he could finish, Xuanwu crushed the heart in his hand. The blood inside sprayed out in all directions, like squeezing water from a wet sponge.
Turtle's mouth fell open at that moment, and the light in his eyes died in an instant.
Without even a final word, he died silently at Xuanwu's hands.
"Eighth Brother... go in peace." Jiang Shi was silent for only a second before turning back to Xuanwu. "Xuanwu... what a despicable trick..."
"Despicable...?" Xuanwu dropped the crushed heart on the ground and asked in confusion, "Then what would you suggest?"
Hearing this, Jiang Shi slowly turned his head to look at the corpse of Luo Shiwu on the ground.
Then he extended his hand, pointed at the corpse, and moved his lips slightly—
"Heart, come."