Chapter 840: Reunion

Author: Sanyin YuyinWord Count: 1265

Chen Ling pulled the trigger.A muffled thud—The bullet of judgment silently pierced Kongwang's skull, instantly shattering most of it.Having lost all spiritual power, Kongwang could no longer use any supernatural abilities. In the instant before being hit, his Yin-Yang eyes showed no anger, only an indescribable chill... It was as if he was deeply engraving Chen Ling's image into his mind, an unforgettable memory.

The barriers of the Hall of Judgment gradually dissipated. As Chen Ling walked slowly forward, the black marble ground transformed into the shattered terrain of the old district.

With Kongwang's death, the chains binding the spirits completely vanished. They, already almost drained by the original host, scattered across the battlefield, becoming invisible nothingness once more. Chen Ling knew they hadn't dissipated but were still trapped in the Land of the Lingering. However, it seemed spirits could only be observed by this world when the Yin-Yang eyes were open...

But among them, only one soul was an exception.

Chen Ling walked up to the original host, who was wearing a gray padded jacket, and stopped. "It seems you didn't need my rescue after all."

"I still did," the original host replied helplessly. "After all, I'm just a spirit without a physical form. Although I could temporarily control these chains by borrowing the aura of the Sacrificial Land, I couldn't harm Kongwang himself... If he had taken the time to focus all his efforts on me, I wouldn't have lasted long."

The original host paused. "But it's also fortunate that he seized me... If I hadn't absorbed a large number of souls, my soul probably would have been utterly scattered."

This was Chen Ling's first time conversing with the original host in this manner; previously, their encounters had either been in fragmented memories or during struggles for the stage in the theater... He pondered for a moment: "So what will you do now?"

"Without the blessing of the Ghost-God Path, I can't exist in the outside world as a spirit for long... I'll probably have to return to the theater."

"No problem." Chen Ling nodded slightly. "Come in first; we can discuss other matters later."

The original host hummed in acknowledgment and stepped towards Chen Ling. The two figures overlapped for an instant, and then the original host's form vanished without a trace...

Buzz—!!With a deafening rumble, the black bowl covering the old district began to vibrate violently. After Kongwang's death, this foundational secret treasure seemed to have lost its power source. People outside, sensing this, were continuously bombarding its surface, and dense cracks were spreading across it!

"The bowl is about to break," Sun Bumian said, walking over to Chen Ling with a solemn expression. "This is troublesome..."

On the other side, Jian Changsheng had also reached his limit. After the Infinite Purgatory dissipated, both the ancient killing intent and the black divine halo began to scatter. He walked towards them listlessly, like a deflated ball. He scratched his ear. "Huh? What's wrong?"

"Look over there. What do you think is wrong?" Sun Bumian said, pointing to the side speechlessly.

Not far from the shattered battlefield, Pu Xiachan, Li Shengmen, and others stood together as if facing a formidable enemy, cautiously observing the trio, their expressions complex. In addition, several surviving referees stared intently at the three, holding walkie-talkies and rapidly reporting something...

"Our identities have been exposed," Chen Ling said gravely, looking up at the precarious black bowl. "Such a huge commotion in the old district means the outside must be on high alert... If I'm not mistaken, top experts from the five major realms have probably surrounded this place completely."

"...Damn it, we're trapped like turtles in a jar," Jian Changsheng said, his face full of worry.

"?" Sun Bumian seemed to have been poked in a sore spot, gritting his teeth. "Who are you calling a turtle?? Who?!"

"Even though we're from the Twilight Society, we just killed Kongwang and helped them save those young prodigies! We did them such a huge favor; they wouldn't turn on us and kill us on the spot, would they?"

Chen Ling and Sun Bumian exchanged a glance and fell silent.

"No, you two, say something!" Jian Changsheng's eyes widened. "How can the three of us possibly break through the encirclement of those Seventh and Eighth Realm experts... We're not really going to be stuck here, are we??"

"Ahem..."

Just as the trio were speaking, an awkward cough came from nearby. The three turned their heads simultaneously. They saw four or five "participants" who had huddled together and hadn't seemed to play any significant role throughout the entire event, standing silently nearby... They nonchalantly glanced at Chen Ling and his companions, then naturally averted their gaze.

"Is that him?" Jian Changsheng mused, spotting Plum Blossom 7 in the crowd. "I remember him... He's the guy who pretended to be Jin Fugui and escaped from the underground palace."

"Jin Fugui?" Hearing that name, Sun Bumian was startled.

"Yeah, a beggar who looked like he was about to die of poverty. Not very strong, but good at faking death... Anyway, Red Heart and I used a few tricks and killed him. Heh heh."

Sun Bumian was utterly bewildered.

Sun Bumian scrutinized the group for a moment, and a myriad of emotions crossed his face.

The next moment, a voice echoed in the ears of Chen Ling and the other two: "I want to buy a sliver of hope."

Chen Ling and Jian Changsheng froze simultaneously. They looked around in confusion, their gaze finally settling on the group who had coughed earlier. After exchanging another glance with them, Chen Ling cautiously whispered: "Human civilization..."

"Shall never be extinguished." This time, they clearly saw Plum Blossom 7's lips tremble slightly. The latter, with a somewhat complicated expression, spoke again: "Hello, Diamond 6, Spade 6... and Heart 6."

Chen Ling's mouth involuntarily fell open... Jian Changsheng's eyes widened in disbelief, his jaw almost hitting the ground!

"H-h-h-he... They're also from the Twilight Society??" Jian Changsheng instantly recalled the Red Heart 7 they had taken care of. "Then the one we just killed..."

"...While the Twilight Society has always been prone to internal discord, you two are the first to personally dispatch a senior member."

The Twilight Society members around Plum Blossom 7 couldn't help but chuckle, eagerly watching the unfolding drama, while Plum Blossom 7's expression grew even stiffer. As a senior, nearly being played to death by two juniors – such a thing would be ridiculed in the Twilight Society for three years... And someone like Red Heart 7, Jin Fugui, who was *actually* played to death, would be ridiculed for a lifetime, probably unable to lift his head every time he met other members.

Chen Ling and Jian Changsheng both stiffened, cold sweat instantly breaking out on their backs.Damn it,They'd taken things too far!

"Let's set aside our grievances for now..." Plum Blossom 7 paused, glanced at the precarious black bowl above, and said gravely, "Once the five major realms open the black bowl, you must immediately flee into the Gray Realm. Don't look back..."

"We will cover your retreat."