“Bai Zemin, instead of defeating me for the privilege of obtaining what is hidden in the last ruin, I will change the plans for the sake of our motherland and our people, as well as for the greater good of mankind.” Kang Guiying said in an indifferent voice.
Then, Bai Zemin noticed how the man who had once been the ruler of millions and an existence that definitely no one would dare to disrespect closed his eyes and for several seconds there was no movement on his part.
Just as Bai Zemin and the others were wondering what was happening, Kang Guiying opened his eyes again. However, when his black eyes opened, it was not difficult to notice a fatal change in his person.
The previously deep eyes now looked tired, the firm stance inside that green-colored armor wavered, and clearly against his will to look weak he took two steps back before he could stand his ground.
Bai Zemin frowned slightly and was about to say something but Kang Guiying seemed to see through his thoughts so he beat him to it.
“Come on, come over here and attack with everything you have… or otherwise, I’ll attack you.” Kang Guiying said in a voice lower and more hesitant than usual. “My current self has only 500 seconds in this world before what’s left of my soul disperses forever. If you manage to withstand two attacks from me or persist for those 500 seconds…. Whichever comes first doesn’t matter, if you succeed, this will be your victory.”
Actually, from many points of view, the 500 seconds option was better when compared to taking 2 attacks from a frighteningly powerful being like Kang Guiying head-on, and that was the precise reason why he mentioned it.
The sudden turn naturally caught Bai Zemin off guard and he subconsciously shook his head and said in a heavy voice, “Elder, there really is no other way? Besides… You really are dead?”
This was the first time Bai Zemin hoped that he would not have to raise his weapon against a living being. Although Kang Guiying and he had only known each other for a few minutes so far, Bai Zemin really appreciated the kind of person Kang Guiying was.
Kang Guiying had created these ruins and had locked part of his soul in a Fourth Order Soul Stone using a forbidden spell; all for the sake of finding a worthy successor to what had been the once glorious Kang Kingdom that Kang Guiying himself had raised from the ground with his own efforts. However, that same Kang Guiying was willing to go against his dying wish for the sake of supporting the evolution of his race and helping to save as many human lives as possible.
Bai Zemin not only did not want to fight against Kang Guiying but despite knowing that such a thing was not possible, in some corner of his heart he hoped that the old man in front of him was actually alive and that what he was seeing was not a remnant of what he had once been.
“But what nonsense are you spouting, brat?” Kang Guiying’s expression hardened and the atmosphere around him changed. His green boots suddenly began to shine as he roared, “No matter who the enemy is, an enemy is an enemy and for you to live your enemies must fall!”
Suddenly and without warning, Kang Guiying’s body seemed to disappear from its previous position causing Bai Zemin’s pupils to shrink to the maximum degree possible as every hair on his body stood on end as when a cat sensed mortal danger hovering over it.
There was no sound of whistling wind and no afterimage, Kang Guiying actually disappeared from his previous position; even Bai Zemin saw no shadow of him!
But considering how high the Agility of Bai Zemin was, even if he was not able to keep track of a Fourth Order existence he should be able to see at least a flash of light moving for a second in his direction. Therefore, it was not difficult to conclude that Kang Guiying had used some teleportation or similar skill.
[Overlap Regeneration!]
Bai Zemin didn’t even have to think about it as his instinct and body moved first than his mind. In record time, he activated the only skill that at this moment could get him out of the trouble he was in, and without hesitation, he took directly 1200 points of his natural Stamina and changed it into 1200 points of pure Strength.
With no time to activate any more skills and unable to retreat, Bai Zemin raised his greatsword until the tip of Crimson Thunder Dragon’s Last Words pointed skyward before using his now over 2000 points of pure Strength to slash downward without hesitation causing the space around him to rumble slightly.
It was just at that moment when Kang Guiying punching his right fist forward appeared only a meter far away from Bai Zemin.
Surprisingly, when the fist covered by a pair of green gloves matching the armor met the heavy giant sword head-on, there was no terrifying explosion and in fact, for a few moments, everything seemed silent and calm.
However, no one was foolish enough to think that this was the end. Everyone knew in their hearts that it was merely the calm before the lashing of the storm.
The eyes of Kang Guiying widened slightly and a flash of amazement flashed in his dark pupils as he gazed in awe at the golden aura around Bai Zemin.
Although the current Kang Guiying was nothing more than a remnant soul thread, his conscience was still the conscience of a powerful Fourth Order existence so his mind could process colossal amounts of information in record time.
Kang Guiying could feel how the weight of the weapon seemed to be multiplying as it met his right fist, he could also feel how at astonishingly fast speeds the weight of the weapon and its terrifying physical attack power in conjunction with a titanic amount of Strength that should not belong to a First Order existence began to race throughout his arm.
Kang Guiying felt all that in less than a split second and a trace of a smile appeared on his progressively more and more wrinkled face.
“Double Strength!”
Kang Guiying’s voice hadn’t finished falling when what everyone knew would happen soon finally broke loose.
BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Followed by an explosion of proportions never before seen by anyone except Shangguan Bing Xue who had witnessed Bai Zemin’s most powerful Crimson Blood Judgment in Oblon World, a huge shockwave over ten kilometers in diameter swept across the square.
The ground rumbled as if the end of the world was approaching and the stone square, as well as the pagodas that until now had not suffered the slightest damage, began to crack violently as if they were going to collapse at any moment.
90% of the people present fainted at the mere sound of the explosion and all of them had blood coming out of their ears.
Just when everyone expected to be hit by the shockwave that was approaching at lightning speed with pale faces as they knew well what it meant to be hit by the aftershock of an attack of such a magnitude, the magic circle drawn around the entire stone square released a powerful white radiance that surprisingly absorbed the remaining energy from the result of the clash between two terrifying powerhouses.
Bai Zemin had no idea what had happened after he swung his weapon as in just a second the entire world around him suddenly became a blur, and all he knew was that at some point the grip on his weapon had loosened.
However, for those who were still up and awake, what they saw made their hearts sink to the bottom of the abyss.
Especially Lilith, Shangguan Bing Xue, Zhong De, Nangong Lingxin, and Cai Jingyi who upon seeing Bai Zemin being sent flying backwards like a kite whose string had been cut their faces turned white as ghosts.
Shangguan Bing Xue was the first one to react and her instinct immediately led her to run after the human body that like a rag doll hit by a truck was being sent flying until it finally stopped after hitting what seemed to be a huge light-colored glowing cocoon.
BOOOOM!!!
The energy dome that was meant to ward off unintelligent beings, mitigate incoming damage, and prevent the challenger from escaping so easily, shuddered ferociously when Bai Zemin’s body hit it straight on.
Pffffffffftt!!!
Just at the moment of his back against the wall of energy, several spurts of dark red blood flew out of Bai Zemin’s mouth, and among them, there was no shortage of fragments of broken organs.
But far from feeling pain, he felt nothing at all as he fell to the ground like a dead body.
He, despite feeling no pain, knew that his present condition was so miserable that it could not be worse. His consciousness, surprisingly, had not shut down even though his eyes were trying to close and trying to force him to rest as if they were telling him that he had already given enough.
He could even feel someone shouting his name but Bai Zemin could not see the other person because his eyes were covered with blood and all he could see was a red world in front of him….. Still, it was not difficult for him to decipher who that someone was since there was only one person in the world with a jasmine scent as pure and rich as hers.
This was the second time Bai Zemin experienced the power of a Fourth Order soul evolver, the first time being when Emperor Jack easily created a hole in his chest with a single blow. At that time, Phantom Emperor Jack clearly had not intended to kill Bai Zemin or else he would not be here today to tell the tale.
However, it was clear that Kang Guiying did not hold back when he attacked.
Without any benefit of titles or skills like God of War’s Will, Bai Zemin was no different from an ant before the power of a Fourth Order existence. He believed that even if Kang Guiying had given him time to trigger Crimson Flame the result would have been the same.
Bai Zemin did not know but it was actually a miracle that he was still alive and what had saved him was his Health comparable to that of an early stage Third Order mutant beast, as well as his rushed attack that managed to mitigate a great deal of Kang Guiying’s attack.
Even so, the bones of his arms had broken into countless pieces, more than 8 of his ribs had fractured into at least 4 pieces each, and his internal organs suffered severe damage due to the power of the impact… The current him could not get up on his feet again even if he wished to.
… I lose…? I see… I really did lose.
Bai Zemin felt himself slowly falling further and further into what seemed to be a thick dark fog that drew him in second by second.
… But, I’m really not willing after all….
There was something in him that still clung to the thin pin thread that remained to him as life. Bai Zemin wanted to believe that as long as he was alive there was hope to win; hope to survive and defeat his enemies.
He was not aware of what he was doing, maybe he did it by instinct or who knows the real reason, but subconsciously or not, Bai Zemin activated Overlap Regeneration and turned each of his Agility points into Health.
The characteristic golden radiance that appeared with each activation of Overlap Regeneration once again enveloped his body and with now more than double the Health of before his body began to recover several times faster in comparison.
Shangguan Bing Xue’s face was pale and her beautiful lips had become so discolored that even with her natural beauty it was scary to look directly at her. She didn’t even know she was crying but as she held the gradually getting colder body of Bai Zemin she felt that her own inner self was about to collapse.
Even though that wonderful warm golden light covered Bai Zemin’s body, and even though she could feel that at least his condition was not getting worse anymore, Shangguan Bing Xue was still deathly pale and scared to death.
Only those who valued a friendship from the bottom of their heart and cherished it as much as their own life would be able to understand how the current Shangguan Bing Xue felt but even then they would only be able to understand a part of it.
“Don’t worry, Shangguan Bing Xue. My man has not lost.”
That extremely annoying voice and the voice that Shangguan Bing Xue was slowly beginning to hate more than anything else echoed in her mind and for the first time, it didn’t sound mocking or disdainful.
Shangguan Bing Xue had never been so happy to hear Lilith since she met her and had never wanted to see her as much as she did now so she hurriedly raised her head trying to call out to her to ask her to help Bai Zemin.
She was willing to even throw her pride away at this moment, nothing mattered more to her!
However, before Shangguan Bing Xue had a chance to utter a single word, Lilith spoke again:
“Quickly search for that Xia Ya woman to use her skill on Bai Zemin. We must take advantage now that his consciousness remains awake and the effect of Overlap Regeneration is going latent.”
“I- Understood!” Shangguan Bing Xue nodded, somehow feeling more relieved after hearing the calmness in the voice of Lilith.
After laying Bai Zemin carefully on the ground, Shangguan Bing Xue activated all her movement skills, disappearing like a ghost from her position. She was going to bring Xia Ya in drag if necessary and even though she didn’t understand what Lilith meant Shangguan Bing Xue only cared about holding on to the hope before her.
After all, if Lilith really loved Bai Zemin and if he was about to die, there was no way for her to keep calm, or was there?
But in fact, Shangguan Bing Xue did not know that in reality, Lilith’s face was even paler than hers and the red of her seductive lips had disappeared at this point. It was just that in contrast to Shangguan Bing Xue, Lilith had seen each and every person she ever loved dying in some way or another before her without being able to do anything about it, so she could somehow think with clarity even when her heart was in chaos.
Besides, the current Lilith was not going to let Bai Zemin die regardless of the consequences. In the past, she had no choice and no one gave her the privilege to choose because she was weak compared to her enemies, so she could only watch as those she loved got devoured or fell under the blade of the swords.
But the current her had more than enough strength.
If the worst came to the worst…. Then she would simply interfere and as punishment, she would fall to the Fourth Order.
She was still young, she would not die even after being punished by the Soul Record.
The only reason Lilith had not yet moved was because she believed in Bai Zemin. One of the most important parts of a couple was trust, and Lilith, that had witnessed how that little college student who reacted with fear and shock when he saw his first zombie slowly grow to become one of the most brilliant warriors and mages, believed that he would get back on his feet no matter how crazy it seemed.
Maybe it was stupid, but somewhere in her heart, Lilith really hoped that Bai Zemin could stand up and handle this on his own.
Because even if he survived, the shock would probably be too hard for such a proud person such as Bai Zemin that walked the path of the undefeatable.
For Bai Zemin, the fact that for his sake the woman he was in love with would have to fall from a proud Higher Existence to a Lower Existence and lose so many hard-earned levels, would probably be worse than death… and even if he lived, Bai Zemin would definitely not be the same person he was before.
