After Bai Zemin heard Shangguan Bing Xue's words, he somehow felt that continuing to deny her the opportunity to accompany him to that other world might end up causing more harm than good.
Bai Zemin might not know how a person's soul worked, but if his theory was correct, then it was best to prevent something from being born inside Shangguan Bing Xue that might in the future hold her back. Considering that the paths that the Soul Record presented amidst each great evolutionary leap between each Order came mainly from the records recorded in the soul of each existence, he believed that his thoughts were on the right track.
Besides, it was not as if he planned to go to another world for a long period of time. Bai Zemin only planned to fight for as long as it took for the enemy to be forced to close the spatial rift they had opened using unknown methods. Therefore, there shouldn't be too much trouble either.
"All right." He said after a moment of silence.
Shangguan Bing Xue's eyes immediately lit up when she heard him agree and a beautiful smile bloomed on her previously remorseful face. However, Bai Zemin had not finished his words yet:
"You can come with me. But you will have to listen to me. We can deal with the First Order together, as for the Second Order, I will deal with them for the most part. If you agree to these conditions then fine, otherwise I won't let you cross that rift even if I have to put you to sleep for a while."
Bai Zemin knew well how powerful Shangguan Bing Xue could be if she got serious. First Order existences would not be a challenge considering that her Soul Power was the purest he had felt so far and only Second Order existences above level 70 could probably raise problems against her.
Previously, while they were still in the North Camp, Shangguan Bing Xue had defeated a level 71 mutant beast that even though it had already been injured by Bai Zemin was not easy to deal with as mutant beasts possessed robust bodies and were probably one of the most difficult existences to deal with as they were generally more powerful than those at their level.
Not to mention that the current Shangguan Bing Xue had far higher stats than when she faced the Second Order Explosive Flame Ape. Bai Zemin estimated that she could fight head-to-head against an asura below level 70 without any problems; let alone facing Unclassified or First Order existences.
Then, it also didn't hurt to let her go with him so that she would absorb more Soul Power and become more powerful quickly.
"Okay. I'll listen to you." Shangguan Bing Xue nodded in an extremely cute manner, leaving Bai Zemin and Wu Yijun dumbfounded.
What was wrong with her today? Did she wake up emotional? Maybe it was the war and mass death that awakened her dormant feminine instincts or something? Bai Zemin could not find the right answer to the peculiar behavior of the woman in front of him.
As for Wu Yijun, she seemed as surprised as he was as she looked at her best friend up and down several times as if to confirm that she had not been replaced by some alien clone.
"What's wrong?" Shangguan Bing Xue asked blankly.
Even she hadn't noticed the anomaly in her behavior.
"… It's nothing." Bai Zemin shook his head. He looked at Wu Yijun and said in a serious voice, "Wu Yijun, join with Evangeline and the rest. Make sure that everything is in order. If anyone tries to cause trouble while I'm away, just do whatever needs to be done regardless of how cruel it is. I'll take care of everything once I get back."
Wu Yijun looked him straight in the eyes for a few seconds before nodding slowly but firmly, "It's okay. Leave it to me. I won't allow anyone to tear down what you've built so far, and whoever dares to do that…. I will ensure that those people pay the price."
Bai Zemin smiled bitterly in his heart to see Wu Yijun act in such a way. Finally, he reached out his hand with the intention of lightly patting her head as a sign of thanks, however, his movements stalled in mid-flight.
He looked at his hand covered in blood and couldn't help but feel a little self-conscious. Therefore, he silently began to retract his hand back.
However, as if understanding his heart, Wu Yijun reached out her hands and caught his. Then, she leaned forward slightly and put his hand still covered by his battle gloves on top of her hair.
Neither of them said anything and simply stayed silent for a few seconds before she finally released his hand to allow him to step back.
Seeing Bai Zemin return to his original position, Shangguan Bing Xue looked at Wu Yijun with hidden bitterness and said in a slightly jealous voice, "And what about me? No farewell hug or something? Did you forget this old sister of yours?"
Wu Yijun rolled her eyes and said in a loud voice, "Bah! No farewell or anything. You'd better come back quickly or else watch this old lady drag you back to Earth by the hair when I find you!"
Before Shangguan Bing Xue could say anything, Wu Yijun jumped towards her and hugged her tightly before whispering softly, "Go and come back safely."
Shangguan Bing Xue froze for a few seconds, not expecting such a sudden show of affection. However, she soon smiled slightly and returned her childhood friend's hug with the same intensity.
Bai Zemin watched as the two girls hugged and his mind could not help but drift back a month and a half.
Back then, a scene very similar to this one had unfolded. After he defeated that First Order zombie with the help of Chen He, Liang Peng, and Shangguan Bing Xue; the group finally arrived at the female dormitory and rescued the girls inside, including Wu Yijun.
Bai Zemin could still remember how back then he felt slightly envious of the friendship Wu Yijun and Shangguan Bing Xue proved to share when they were reunited several days after the Soul Record showed up unannounced. Back then, it was Lilith who filled that emptiness that ironically weighed on his heart.
"I wonder what that naughty girl is doing now…?" Bai Zemin muttered under his breath as he looked up at the sky and appreciated the beautiful but at the same time terrifying crimson sunset formed from the bloody rain refracted by the rays of sunlight.
Wu Yijun and Shangguan Bing Xue disengaged and looked at each other for a moment before looking at Bai Zemin. The two girls had heard that unconscious murmur from him, but what surprised both beauties the most was the expression they saw on his face.
Bai Zemin might not know it or might not have noticed it but the expression on his face at this moment was really gentle and tender. It was clear that whatever he was remembering or whoever he was thinking about was of utmost importance as this was probably the first time both women had seen him put that kind of expression on his face.
Considering what he had just muttered, it was clear that he was thinking in a woman. Shangguan Bing Xue and Wu Yijun looked at each other and their eyes seemed to communicate silently as both women realized that they both had the same doubt.
Was that woman the same woman he had mentioned before? Wu Yijun had heard from Bai Zemin's own mouth that if at some point he were to fall in love then it was highly likely that his heart would be taken by a person whom she presumably did not know. As for Shangguan Bing Xue, she knew that he had some sort of "long-term contract" with a woman so she correctly estimated who he was thinking of at this time.
"Done with the temporary goodbyes, ladies?" Bai Zemin finally came to his senses and looked at the two women before him. "Don't be so dramatic, we'll only be gone for probably a couple of days at most."
Shangguan Bing Xue chuckled and Wu Yijun said nothing despite the complex look in her eyes.
They all knew that this was an extremely dangerous journey regardless of how confident they were. After all, none of them knew what would be on the other side; but it will definitely be dangerous. Both Bai Zemin and Shangguan Bing Xue were well aware that they might die and never come back.
It was just that they both had the same thought in their minds.
'I will survive no matter how cruel I need to be.'
They both might have different reasons, but at the end of the road, they would end up meeting since the destination was the same.
The two looked at each other with serious eyes and then walked towards the space rift without looking back.
Then, under the anxious and worried eyes of the beautiful Wu Yijun, they both disappeared after plunging deep into the gloomy darkness that that spatial fissure exuded with just its presence.
* * *
In a giant castle whose walls stood more than 500 meters high and surrounded by strange towers with giant war crossbows pointing outward, giving it the appearance of a sleeping but dangerous mythological beast.
-Imperial Hall.
The imperial hall was the place where the emperor and ruler of a world rested or received his guests. Unlike Earth customs, on most worlds, one could only call himself 'Emperor' when he ruled an entire world or else you would have to settle for the title 'King'.
While the king ruled small countries in the name of the emperor due to the impossibility of being everywhere at all times, the emperor ruled everything from the shadows and his word was absolute law.
The imperial hall was a large room of about five hundred square meters. However, it currently looked quite empty as the entire imperial guard was nowhere to be seen and there were only four people inside.
However, these four people were the most powerful people in this world, and among them was naturally the emperor.
"Your Majesty, I have just received a report from one of our Generals. It seems that the first army was annihilated when they crossed the gate into the new world and among them, one of our Generals fell in combat."
Announced a handsome man who appeared to be no more than 30 years old but had actually lived for more than four centuries. This man's name was Jennan and in the asura race, he was considered a Commander, which meant that his strength had already broken into the Third Order!
Jennan was not the only one, leaving aside the emperor, the other two were also terrifying Third Order existences!
As for the emperor of the asura race…. He was a terrifying Fourth Order existence! Emperor Thannath's power was enough to bring destruction anywhere he wanted and just one of his attacks was enough to annihilate an entire kingdom!
If Emperor Thannath, whose strength had entered the Fourth Order a couple of decades ago were to visit Earth at this time and let loose completely, then the entire planet would suffer damage that would take decades and even centuries to repair! After all, Earth was still a world that had only recently begun to evolve so its natural laws could not contain a terrifying beast such as Thannath was.
"Is that so?" Emperor Thannath judged in a deep voice. "In that case, send more Sergeants and a couple of Generals to attack the other side. According to the aura coming out of the gate, that world should be a First Stage world so in theory there shouldn't be much of a problem if we send a couple of Generals there."
His appearance was that of an extremely handsome man with red hair and red eyes. His hair was so long that it fell like a waterfall down his back and the ends even gently caressed the ground. His muscles were compact and the jade staff in his right hand showed that this powerful emperor was a great mage of the Fourth Order.
One could only try to imagine how destructive the attacks of such a being could be!
"Roger," Jennan replied respectfully before making several strange sounds with his mouth.
A ten foot tall eagle whose plumage appeared to be made of steel waited outside the large window, when it heard Jennan make those sounds its eyes flashed with intelligence before it flapped its wings and soared into the sky, flying off into the distance and disappearing within moments.
"Let us continue. To keep the door to the other world open I need the three of you to support me. That world seems to be quite tenacious, even I cannot defeat it despite the fact that its defenses had been weakened from the inside for unknown reasons."
"""Yes, Your Highness!"""
The three Third Order existences nodded in unison and the mana of the three began to slowly flow towards Emperor Thannath, who stood in the middle of a large magic circle and continuously chanted weird syllables.
* * * * * * *
Really thank you very much to all those who send gifts to the novel and support with valuable Golden Tickets. I hope we can all keep it up <3
