Her anger still bubbled in her heart. Jian Li felt numb all over.

She glanced down at the ground, trying to find something to focus on as she struggled with the pain and anger inside her.

"You should stop fighting yourself. You won't win." Zhang Yan said, his eyes flashing.

His hands were still behind his back. Jian Li could sense that he wasn't holding anything.

"I know I shouldn't be alive..." Jian Li muttered.

For now, her emotions had returned. But she was still struggling. The still burning mansion. The dead bodies by the tree. The flesh pile Meng. It was all too much.

"I want to get out of here. I can't take it anymore," she said, her voice shaky.

Zhang Yan let out a long sigh and took a bold step forward. Then, with one smooth motion, he grabbed the hilt of Jian Li's sword.

Jian Li's eyes widened as she saw the sword's tip pointed towards her, gleaming like the sun.

She tried to dodge and turn her head, but there was no time for anything.

Jian Lihad let down her guard after killing Meng, so there was no defence at all.

And her movements were clumsy since her limbs felt numb.

Within moments, the blade was already thrust within a centimetre of Jian Li's face when a small silver light shot between them and erupted.

Jian Li gasped in relief. The light had blasted her away from the attack.

She stumbled a bit, landing next to a rock wall with a thud.

Suddenly she heard a voice call out her name.

"Jian Li..."

That voice hadn't been there moments ago, though she recognized it immediately. Jian Li slowly turned around and saw the person behind her.

His skin was deathly pale, and his black hair was slicked back. He wore a black robe and a silver ring on every finger.

A black greatsword glistened on his back, its tip dripping with fresh blood. The scene he had left behind was nothing but gruesome.

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Zhang Yan was on the ground, his body cut to ribbons.

His body had been turned to nothing more than a pile of meat.

The familiar man smiled at her, looking satisfied with himself.

"Finally... we meet again."

Cor sounded as if he was speaking from far away, yet somehow still audible. It echoed in Jian Li's ears, sending chills down her spine.

He stepped closer, smiling gently as he spoke again.

"I am not going to kill you or anything, unlike that unfortunate man over there. You will be fine."

His voice was gentle and soothing, but Jian Li still felt odd. Somehow, she didn't seem too disappointed by Zhang Yan backstabbing her.

"I do not plan to hurt you either.", Cor's smile grew wider as he continued.

"In fact, I will give you a gift and some advice.", he paused for a moment before continuing.

"I have seen people like you before, those who are strong enough to survive in this world but too weak enough to change anything."

Cor gave Jian Li a pitying look as he was mere inches away.

"You're just like me, right? We both survived because of our luck, even though neither of us wanted to."

Cor reached for the greatsword on his back and pulled it out, wiping the blood off it.

"This sword isn't mine, but I think you'll appreciate it much more than me."

He then handed her the sword, and Jian Li took it hesitantly. Her eyes widened in surprise as she examined it carefully.

"You are ready for it now. Now that you have faced some of your darkness, get ready to embrace the light.", he said.

It was her weapon that she forged from her soul many months ago. But unlike last time, it seemed safe to hold it.

The dark blade seemed to be made of Darksteel, but when she touched it, there was an unusual sensation. It felt warm and soft against her fingertips, almost like flesh.

The sword itself was also surprisingly light, despite being so large. It felt perfect.

Jian Li stared at the greatsword in her hand, then at the blood-drenched remains of Zhang Yan.

"Thank you.", she muttered, bowing her head slightly to Cor.

He chuckled softly, amused by her reaction.

"Don't thank me yet. The near future doesn't look too bright for you. And please, don’t be too trusting of others again…", he said cryptically before turning around and disappearing into thin air.

As his figure began to vanish, Jian Li saw the burning house and the bloodied corpses around her faded too.

Everything started to go back to normal again as her inner world was restored to its former glory.

Staring at the calm lake that was her inner world, Jian Li heard Cor’s distant voice again.

"Prepare yourself."

———————-

When Jian Li opened her eyes again, she found herself being attacked by Zhang Yan.

She had thought that he was killed by Cor so unsurprisingly Zhang Yan did not look happy to see her.

He had taken up a stance with his sword drawn, ready to swing it down on her head. She could see a savage look in his eyes.

But something was wrong with him, and it wasn't just his expression; his entire body seemed strange and unnaturally stiff.

He looked different somehow than how she remembered him last time they met as if he had lost his humanity entirely and became soulless instead.

As Jian Li raised her wooden sword to block the strike, a cold chill ran through her body.

Zhang Yan seemed to expand in size as dozens of cuts started covering his body. In an instant, his clothes were ripped apart and the sword fell to the ground with a clang.

Jian Li could smell the blood on the air as she watched him unravel into ribbons of meat before her eyes.

She blinked several times as her mind finally caught up to what happened. The whole arena had devolved into chaos.

Zhang Yan truly was dead.

Her eyes widened in shock and fear, but a strange feeling came over her. His fate was set the moment he decided to invade her inner world.

That was why she hadn't felt any sense of loss or regret. Instead, she felt strangely relieved.

She glanced at the spectators around her and saw that everyone was frozen in their seats. Most of them were staring at the spot where Zhang Yan once stood and were unable to move.

Some even looked as if they might burst into tears. Others were furious.

Jian Li couldn't blame them for acting this way after witnessing such a horrifying scene.

"WHAT!", a thunderous voice suddenly roared.

Her heart skipped a beat as she recalled what Cor told her earlier.