C149 Heart Demon Words

The bronze monument led the way for Yu Yuan, closely followed by the Terra Fiend and the White Walker.

Qin Yun, Lee Yuchan, and Lee Yu remained where they were.

Yu Feifei was also there, trembling with fear after landing from midair. The chilling white diamond-shaped mark on her forehead branched out into countless soul threads, intertwining with her three souls of heaven, earth, and man.

She was constantly aware of the presence of the Terra Fiend and White Walker.

She believed that the White Walker could perceive her every thought and movement.

Confronted with such ancient and enigmatic beings, and with only her Soul Awakening Realm abilities, her youthful mind, untested by life's harsher trials, was overwhelmed with terror.

Her fear was bone-deep and impossible to conceal.

"Whoosh!"

A figure appeared abruptly, extending a luminescent finger and pointing sharply.

Yu Feifei initially flinched, but upon recognizing Lee Yuchan, she stood still.

Pop!

Invisible soul threads burst forth from Yu Feifei's forehead, scattering tiny fragments of thought.

Within the diamond mark, three delicate, translucent lines visible to Yuchan briefly flared with light.

Then, a wave of consciousness from the White Walker and Terra Fiend pierced through the void.

Lee Yuchan's finger cracked open, and blood surged within like crimson lightning racing through her bones.

Suppressing a groan, she withdrew her finger, her voice icy, "Yu Feifei, I'm sorry, but I can't assist you. The mark left by the Terra Fiend and White Walker is tightly bound to your three souls. With my level of cultivation, any attempt to remove the mark would shatter your soul first."

Yu Feifei nodded, her eyes brimming with tears, "I understand."

Qin Yun of the Midnightshields, looking dispirited, approached and gazed intently at the stark white mark on her forehead. "If the Terra Fiend and White Walker honor their word, the mark, created from a refined remnant soul, will integrate with her three souls."

Yu Feifei's expression was mournful. "He won't keep his word, I'm certain of it. I'm going to die."

"If your elder brother Yu Yuan has the ability to keep his promise, it will benefit you for the rest of your life," Qin Yun said, without any particular intention of offering comfort. "But if Yu Yuan lacks the ability, you could be killed by the White Walker in an instant."

At this point, the sect master of Midnightshields' eyes conveyed a sorrow and helplessness that mirrored Yu Feifei's own. They were both in the same predicament.

After all, didn't Yu Yuan control his four life-linked Dawn Arrows, following their Blood Oath? If Yu Yuan wished for his death, a mere detonation of the four Dawn Arrows would suffice. With his life in Yu Yuan's hands, how could he possibly concern himself with Yu Feifei's fate?

"Auntie, Mr. Qin, have you truly never heard of the fourth upper sect mentioned by the White Walker and the Terra Fiend?" Lee Yu asked with a grave expression. "According to the White Walker, many of Boulderdawn's experts had their souls merged into the Soulforge Pool, which is why the Soulforge Matrix has been operational for so many years. Yet, it seems Boulderdawn has never been recorded in history."

Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan fell into a heavy silence.

Both gazed into the distance, toward the vanishing point of the bronze monument and the Terra Fiend, feeling an overwhelming sense of oppression.

They were well aware that if Boulderdawn had indeed existed and was now absent from the historical record, there was only one plausible explanation – Boulderdawn had been annihilated by a coalition of forces.

The three major upper sects of Euwrea, along with the Devil Palace and Shadow's Keep, might all be complicit or even directly involved in the act. The silent obliteration of a once-thriving upper sect, with every trace of its existence erased, could only be the work of a united front of powers.

This realization cast a dark shadow over both Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan.

"Are you planning to visit the Soulforge Pool?" Qin Yun finally inquired after a considerable pause, having used the Psicrystal to rejuvenate himself.

Lee Yuchan was about to respond when something caught his attention. Soon after, he saw Zhan Tianxiang, Su Yan, Han Hui, and a group of younger members approaching hastily.

Yan Lu was grievously wounded by Zhao Jian, who also managed to wrest away his Soul Splitting Staff!

Zhao Jian even abducted Lin Zhuyun, along with Yu Yuan's sister.

"Huh? Fei Fei, are you around?"

The newcomers fixed their indignant gazes on Qin Yun, who sat on the ground, deep in meditation.

Qin Yun squinted her eyes, undisturbed by their stares.

Lee Yuchan, steeling herself, began to explain, "The elder from Midnightshields has been overtaken by an alien soul from this forbidden area. This entity, known as White Walker, is a Terra Fiend from the Everlands. Currently..."

She calmly sought to clarify the situation, urging everyone to remain calm and not to act rashly.

"Was Lin Zhuyun taken by the Terra Fiend, White Walker, to coerce Yu Yuan?" Zhan Tianxiang's gaze held a peculiar gleam, "It seems that Lord White Walker is not privy to the full story."

His tone betrayed a hint of schadenfreude.

"Lin Zhuyun might be..." Han Hui began, but immediately regretted speaking and fell silent.

Yet, the implication of her words did not escape the group.

They feared Lin Zhuyun might be readily sacrificed by Yu Yuan.

...

Indeed, Lin Zhuyun, held captive by the White Walker, shared the same sentiment.

"You've got it all wrong. Using me as leverage against him is utterly absurd." Lin Zhuyun, soaring amidst the turbulent spiritual energy, gazed at the colossal bronze monument in the distance, resembling a vast ship cutting through the wind and waves. Biting her lip, she said, "He'd rather see his fiancée dead sooner rather than later."

The White Walker, residing within Zhao Jian's body, had eyes that turned a frosty silver, seemingly scanning her, "Is that so?"

Lin Zhuyun responded, "My family, the Lins, have always regretted the engagement and have been nothing but trouble for the Yus. Our supposed marriage agreement has long been a farce."

"Really?" The White Walker's silver eyes suddenly emitted a sinister glow that seemed to pierce the soul.

Lin Zhuyun's forehead throbbed with pain as sorrowful memories from her past were involuntarily dredged up in her mind, becoming vivid once more.

These memories, always painful and suffocating, now resurfaced with unbearable clarity.

She realized in an instant that the Terra Fiend and White Walker were using an arcane technique to probe her deepest memories.

Lin Zhuyun and Yu Yuan had been entwined in each other's lives since childhood. Her inner turmoil, filled with sorrow and helplessness, had been effortlessly discerned by him.

Every detail was laid bare, with nothing concealed.

She remained composed. Once the chaotic images in her mind faded, she spoke again, "I suppose a being like you has already seen through it all."

The White Walker kept silent, its sinister gaze still fixed on her face.

"I want to live," Lin Zhuyun hesitated, then pleaded, "You've seen that my life or death won't sway his decisions. Being your captive will only hinder your fighting, becoming a nuisance. Holding onto a worthless chip, Yu Yuan is probably mocking you internally."

"Though I inhabit Zhao Jian's body, the gender of a Terra Fiend like me is clearly defined; I am, in fact, a female Terra Fiend," the White Walker said with a chuckle, amusement dancing in its eyes. "Young lady, attempting to outwit me is a mistake. Don't you realize that your value lies in your ability to pose a threat to him?"

Lin Zhuyun's face drained of color as a new possibility dawned on her.

"If you can't even threaten him, what purpose does your existence serve to me?" the White Walker asked coldly. "You're too weak to harness my power; all you have is a decent human appearance."

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhuyun's despair deepened.

"A self-proclaimed clever woman like you is certainly not a match for him," the Terra Fiend White Walker scoffed, unapologetically belittling her. "And you're mistaken about something else. He does care about whether you live or die. He wouldn't want you dead because you truly don't understand him."

Lin Zhuyun exclaimed in disbelief, "That's impossible! He couldn't possibly care for me. He's indifferent to whether I live or die!"

Facing the threat of death, Lin Zhuyun was close to collapse. The White Walker's words were like a lifeline to someone drowning, making her question her own identity.

"He certainly doesn't care for you, so stop deluding yourself," the White Walker said coldly. "He wants you alive to ensure that you and the Lin family realize the sheer folly of the shame you once brought upon the Yu family."

As soon as he steps out of the forbidden area, his future will skyrocket within your Silvermoon Empire! Without you alive to bear witness, he'll miss out on so much pleasure and live with considerable regret."

"Just for that reason alone, he prefers to keep you alive so you can watch with your own eyes."

"Watch as he humiliates the Lin family, humiliates you, and even Winter's Bite that stands behind you."

Each word from the White Walker pierced Lin Zhuyun's heart like a frigid blade.

Lin Zhuyun finally collapsed, pleading, "Kill me, please, just kill me!"

"What a foolish woman you are, to have played your hand so poorly," the White Walker taunted with a tone dripping with scorn. "At the first council of the Yu family, you and your father suffered a major setback. Had you not been so fixated on revenge and instead worked on repairing the relationship, you might have had a sliver of hope."

"Knowing his extraordinary nature, and that neither you nor your father could gain an advantage, you should have changed your approach instead of obsessing over his death."

"Yet one mistake led to another, irreparable, turning him into an enemy. It's a pitiful, laughable, and tragic sight."

The White Walker, having glimpsed Lin Zhuyun's memories, continued to shake his head in mockery, relentlessly crushing her spirit.

Before even reaching the Soulforge Pool, this so-called new moon of the Silvermoon Empire had lost all will to fight. The aura he radiated was a desolate gray, the color of a man longing for death.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted from afar, the shrill screams piercing the air as if to rend hearts within a hundred-mile radius.

Yu Yuan, seated upon the bronze monument, rose abruptly, his gaze fixed on the horizon.

"It's nearly time," he murmured to himself.

From the distance, an aura that even he found alarming approached, the sword light from his arms causing him discomfort.

"Hu!"

The Terra Fiend, White Walker, carrying Lin Zhuyun, suddenly drew near, coming into view. "You must act quickly. The battle between the Stormcrowned Emperor and the Indigo Wraith within the monument is nearing its end. If it concludes, the victor will claim the bronze monument. Then, the seals of this world may no longer bind the monument, allowing it to sink into the Soulforge Pool."

Yu Yuan nodded, his brow furrowing as he gazed at Lin Zhuyun. "She's not dead, is she?"

Lin Zhuyun's eyes conveyed a lifeless chill, and a slow-burning hatred seemed to envelop her, leaving Yu Yuan feeling both perplexed and repulsed.

"Don't worry, she's not going to die," the White Walker assured with a smile. "Her being alive only serves to highlight your achievements. As long as she lives, the Lin family remains, and you, Yu Yuan, will stand tall at the empire's pinnacle. That's how it should be, right?"

Yu Yuan chuckled in resignation. "You make a compelling point. It appears you've figured it all out."

"In that case," the White Walker continued, "once you've brought the bronze monument to its knees and I take my leave of this realm, I'll present you with an extra gift." He grasped Lin Zhuyun firmly. "I'll create a soul mark that will bind her to you in deep, unyielding love. It will be the kind that's incredibly difficult to break. Now, wouldn't that be amusing?"

​