Chapter 631: Storm Approaches

The thick, rolling smoke gradually dispersed, and light and heat converged in the void.

Several Level 7 mages from the Witchcraft Association were scattered around in disarray, seemingly still processing what had just happened. They simultaneously turned their heads toward the explosion's epicenter.

The hard golden ground had been blasted into a massive crater, with shattered flesh and blood splattered across every corner. A charred, unrecognizable corpse lay among the rubble.

The entire church fell silent.

The Level 7 mages of the Witchcraft Association stared at the scene in disbelief. Then, they stiffly turned their heads, their gaze fixated on the figure in the white research coat standing nearby.

It was well known that both Hall masters from the Transient Painting were Level 7 experts... yet Lord Wuji had simply raised his hand and instantly obliterated them?!

Killing Level 7s as easily as slaughtering dogs—was this truly a Monarch??

At this moment, everyone's perception of Lord Wuji and Brand had completely transformed. Some among them might not have fully trusted Brand before, or perhaps they had merely succumbed to circumstances and aligned themselves with the prevailing tide. However, within thirty seconds of Lord Wuji's descent, all their preconceived notions were shattered.

Lord Wuji needed only to lift a hand to slay a Hall master from the Mortal Realm. How difficult would it be for him to kill a group of Level 7s like them?

Or rather... did their lives, as Level 7s, truly matter to Lord Wuji? Even if the Infinite Realm had no Level 7s at all, Lord Wuji alone would be enough to throw the nine human realms into complete chaos!

Before this, some of them had even attempted to negotiate with Brand, seeking greater personal gains. However, Lord Wuji's single move shattered all their illusions. No one was qualified to negotiate with Lord Wuji; such was the overwhelming pressure exerted by absolute power.

His white coat swayed gently in the breeze. Lord Wuji's gaze fell upon the center of the massive crater, and his eyes narrowed slightly as if he had discovered something.

“One actually got away... Is the power contained within two Philosopher's Stones still insufficient...?”

“Lord Wuji, should we pursue them?” Brand asked respectfully.

“...There's no need.”

Lord Wuji said calmly, “The Transient Painting has already become suspicious. Even if these two don't return, they will still take defensive measures... The subtle game of strategy has concluded. From now on, it's simply a matter of whose fist is harder.”

“Lord Hongchen has not yet awakened,” Brand said with a smile. “In this Mortal Realm, who could possibly have a harder fist than yours?”

Lord Wuji did not reply. He simply gazed calmly towards the distant Mortal Realm in the void and spoke evenly:

“The anomaly in the Infinite Realm will soon spread to all other realms. We must eradicate the Mortal Realm and refine the remaining Philosopher's Stones to restore me to my peak state, all before the other major realms can unite to encircle and suppress us. Gather all our forces. It's time for us to... lay waste to the Mortal Realm.”

Guernica.

This was an empty, void space. There was no sky, no ground, no burning sun. Only occasional massive black entities floated through the emptiness, like predators drifting through the cosmos.

Black and white dominated the palette here. The monotonous colors and silently drifting behemoths made the space even more desolate, resembling a bouncing ball on an old television screen or meaningless black and white static.

At this moment, a figure clad in red floated silently in the void, motionless like a corpse.

He drifted silently in this void for an unknown duration. Then, his eyelashes twitched slightly, and a pair of bewildered eyes slowly opened.

“Where... am I?”

Chen Ling frowned, trying to recall. He remembered speaking with the Second Hall Master just moments ago, and before he could finish, something had dragged him into the painting frame...

His gaze swept his surroundings, and he recalled a term the Second Hall Master had mentioned earlier:

Guernica.

He didn't understand what it was, but based on the Second Hall Master's description, it was supposed to be some kind of advanced prison.

Putting other matters aside, the Second Hall Master had indeed not killed him, which showed a degree of trustworthiness. Moreover, if Chen Ling understood correctly, Plum Blossom 8 should also be trapped here.

Chen Ling looked around; there was nowhere to gain a foothold. The space was like outer space—no ground meant no walking on two feet. If most other people were here, they would likely float isolated in the void, much like an astronaut adrift from a space station, until death.

The good news was that Chen Ling was not like “most” people.

He stepped out into the air, and a cloud-like step seemed to materialize beneath his feet, supporting his body as he moved in a particular direction. The Cloud Step had become Chen Ling's sole reliance in this situation.

Chen Ling walked upon the void, slowly progressing through the empty world. Without any reference points, he had no idea how far he had traveled. The vast darkness surrounding him made it feel as if he were walking into an endless abyss.

“Is this truly a cage?” Chen Ling muttered to himself, puzzled.

Chen Ling had previously assumed that "Guernica," the supposed prison for Twilight members, would be a considerably cruel and dangerous place. He had even braced himself for suffering. However, with the Blood Robe, physical pain would not be overly agonizing for Chen Ling.

However, he hadn't expected it to be merely a vast, boundless void. Could the Second Hall Master intend for them to experience loneliness, thereby enduring psychological torture? But if that were the case, why would he also throw himself and Plum Blossom 8 into this place?

Chen Ling pondered for a long time but found no answers. He could only continue moving forward in this world of nothingness.

Chen Ling didn't know how long he had walked or how much distance he had covered. He only felt an increasing sense of monotony and boredom. The next moment, a line of characters suddenly floated before his eyes:

Audience Expectation +1Current Expectation: 44

Chen Ling froze, an ominous premonition washing over him...

If this truly was the kind of cage he had envisioned, it might only be boring and monotonous for others, but for him, it was deadly!

However, Chen Ling found himself utterly helpless. It hadn't been a month since he last used the Era Archive, so he couldn't re-enter it. His only hope now was for other Twilight members to find him quickly and rescue him before he died of “boredom.”

No sooner had this thought crossed Chen Ling's mind than he suddenly sensed something and instinctively stopped.

The next moment, his surroundings suddenly faded and disappeared. Night enveloped him, and a seemingly unreachable star hung in the sky, flickering silently like a distant lamp. A twisted and eerie divine path extended from beneath his feet, stretching all the way to the edge of the firmament.

A new performance was about to begin.