Yanwei stood still, gazing at the cold moon. He exhaled a soft breath, a wry smile playing on his lips as his hand tightened around Jiang Yu’s neck.
Yun and Jiang Yu were frozen in place, their eyes wide with shock. Yanwei’s grip tightened, a single drop of blood splattering across Yun’s face. She didn’t flinch. Her expression remained unreadable, cold as the night air around them. The blood, the cold, it didn’t matter. What mattered was the unspoken truth between them—Yanwei wasn’t bluffing. He had no reason to.
Yanwei squatted, gently cupping Yun’s face in his hand. His voice dropped to a whisper, yet it held an edge of finality.
“I’ll let this go—for now. I understand your position. But disobedience…” He paused, his smirk deepening. “I cannot stand it.”
And then, without a word, he vanished.
…
A few days later, Linglong arrived at the agreed meeting place.
The silence was thick as she stood, waiting. She had heard the rumors. Jiang Yu—along with those who were eyeing him—had gone missing. Was that Yanwei’s doing?
Linglong didn’t wait long to ask.
“Is this your doing?” Her voice held an edge of suspicion.
Yun, ever the master of her emotions, arched an eyebrow. “Me? Am I really that strong?”
Linglong narrowed her eyes. “If it is you, you wouldn’t need to team up with me. After all, you could just take control of this entire realm by yourself.”
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Yun smirked. “Is that so? I think you’re overestimating me. Besides, are your preparations complete? What about your subordinates? Ready to move?”
Linglong’s lips curled into a wry smile. “The same subordinates who treat me like prey? You really think they’d lift a finger to help? Let’s go. At least, you and I can rely on each other.”
And with that, they set off, heading towards the place where everything was about to change.
….
Elsewhere in the realm, three figures gathered.
“There’s only ten days left before the secret realm closes. The geniuses will make their move soon enough.” The burly man’s tone was confident, as if he had already won.
The teenage woman with the sharp eyes nodded. “Exactly. All three of us are rank 1 peak, each armed with a rank 2 weapon. I’d say we’re well-equipped to deal with any geniuses unlucky enough to cross us.”
The pale, lanky man spoke with a cautious tone. “Don’t get too cocky. These geniuses come from powerful sects. I wouldn’t underestimate their tricks and hidden cards.”
The woman scoffed. “Fair enough. But remember the plan. We don’t move until the cannon fodder clears the way.”
The burly man chuckled, a dark glint in his eyes. “Obviously, there’s no shortage of fools. People will throw themselves at a treasure even the greatest geniuses would kill for. The bird seeks food to survive, while man—and woman—seeks gold to destroy themselves.”
The other two were silent, each lost in their thoughts.
…
Back in the shadows, Yanwei stood alone, contemplating.
He had just killed Jiang Yu—a genius. But that wasn’t enough. It wasn’t about blood or essence anymore. It was about merit, something far more valuable. He thought about what he had learned from Jiang Yu’s death. It was too little, too weak. The merit he had gained barely scratched the surface of what he needed.
Yanwei’s voice was barely a whisper to himself.
“Merit can be devoured. But this—this is only the beginning. Jiang Yu? He was a genius, but far from the peak. If this is all I can get from him, then… what will happen when I hunt someone far stronger?”
He paused, considering. His thoughts wandered.
“Should I keep these two alive for longer? Milk them for what they’re worth?”
But as soon as the thought crossed his mind, a deeper question emerged. “Let’s see how this plays out… But if I keep targeting these ‘sons of the heavens,’ would the heavens take notice? After all, they’re their chosen ones…”
The thought lingered, an unspoken tension in the air.
Suddenly, Yanwei froze, a glimmer of surprise flashing in his eyes. Without a word, he turned inward, slipping into the space within his body.
“I knew it,” he muttered to himself. “It’s the only way. Only by taking in a living being—something that breathes, something that fights for its survival—can I truly begin to evolve.”
Yanwei’s expression darkened. “But how? How do I create a living creature within me? A beast? Or perhaps…” His voice trailed off, his thoughts racing. Despite having reached Rank 9 in his past life, he had never created an organism—only this container-like body he now inhabited. It had taken him over a hundred years of experimentation just to create it. How could he possibly create something even more complex?