Xia Lan hid nervously behind Francis, her face showing a pitiful and frightened expression, but her mind was constantly calculating Durmville's possible reactions. Of course, it would be best if the two foolish vampires argued or even fought because of her, but Francis was, after all, a vampire count, and probably not that foolish. The two might argue over her, but the possibility of them fighting was not high. If they reconciled because of this, then what kind of response should be taken?
She glanced lightly at the thick black mist just a dozen meters away, so dense that no one could be seen. Faint golden sunlight and pale yellow earthy glow flashed by, clearly indicating that the four high-level experts were still locked in a fierce battle. She had to deal with these two infatuated girls as soon as possible before they could decide a winner. Although Francis and Demville were only vampire counts, their power was still not to be underestimated. Xia Lan was not confident that she could eliminate the two vampires in a very short time. Moreover, even if she took a step back, it would be the most unprofitable move to act now.
A faint sense of mental energy probed into the corner, and in an instant, Xiao Rou's perception returned to Xia Lan's mind. Xia Lan was slightly relieved. Xiao Rou's strength had only recovered a small part, but her injuries had been completely healed. This meant that even in the worst-case scenario, the two girls still had the strength to fight and should be able to hold out until reinforcements arrived. Thinking of the officer who had come with her, Xia Lan's heart was filled with determination.
Demville glared at Francis, seemingly in disbelief. A ferocious expression suddenly appeared on his pale face: "Francis, say that again! You actually said no to me for a whore? Are you even a vampire? She's just a lowly human, a lowly human. No matter how beautiful she is, she's just a human we can play with! Don't you really understand?"
An angry expression flashed across Xia Lan's face, but she gritted her teeth and thought to herself, "Damn vampire, how dare you insult me! I'll make you pay!"
Francis looked coldly at Demville: "Demville, don't forget that I am not one of your subordinates' playthings or vassals. You have no right to speak to me like that. Whether she is human or a vassal, she belongs to me and is mine. Please don't point fingers at me."
Although he was annoyed by Demville's attitude, Francis was not so rational as to offend a fellow count for the sake of a human girl. If Demville spoke politely, Francis might agree to play with Xia Lan and then give her to him after some hesitation. However, the more forceful Demville's attitude became, the more it fueled Francis's arrogant temper.
Just as Demville was about to say something, he pointed a finger at Xia Lan, wanting to further debate with Francis about the ownership of this beautiful human girl. He didn't want to strain his relationship with Francis over a vassal, but no matter what, it was this vassal who had caused him to suffer a great loss of face. If he didn't regain his dignity, how could Demville swallow this insult?
But something that shocked him happened immediately. Xia Lan suddenly leaped out from behind Francis and pounced on him angrily and urgently, shouting, "Great Lord Francis, your companion wants to harm you. I would rather give my life than let him hurt you!"
Francis and Demville shook their heads in unison, both amused and exasperated. This human girl was beautiful, but she seemed a little mentally unstable. She had mistaken a simple pointing gesture from Demville as harmful because she was overly concerned about Francis… Francis's heart was instantly filled with a sweet feeling. Satan above, this was the first time a girl had so willingly and selflessly shown such loyalty to her master. He had countless followers, but without exception, they all hated him. And today, finally, a beautiful girl who had conquered him with her charm alone, without even needing an embrace, was going to such lengths for him. Francis was ecstatic.
Then, Francis's smile froze. "Stop!" he suddenly roared, his shout even causing dust to fall from the ceiling of the underground bar.
Demville waved his hand dismissively, intending to gently push the ungrateful girl aside so she wouldn't interfere with his conversation with Francis. He deliberately used the lightest touch, afraid of hurting or damaging the delicate and lovely beauty, which would diminish the fun. Moreover, another fact seemed to be overshadowed by his current state of being both amused and exasperated: he had even forgotten that Xia Lan was a superhuman.
Just as Francis shouted "Stop!", Durmville suddenly felt time slow down. He could even clearly see each syllable coming out of Francis's bright red lips, forming arc-shaped sound waves that spread in all directions. The powerful sound waves stimulated the exposed concrete ceiling, and the smoke and dust, like the aftermath of an explosion, scattered down in great numbers.
The girl's expression of fear and terror remained unchanged. Combined with her flawless face and the icy silver blade that suddenly shot out from her slender hand, Demville felt an extreme sense of unreality. He seemed to see a glimmer of cold light hidden behind those dark, bright pupils. As the blade pierced his heart without a doubt and silently exited from his back, Demville suddenly understood the meaning behind the icy gaze. A faint fluctuation of mental energy suddenly rose in his heart, which was struggling desperately against the blade, transforming into a highly representative attack phrase: Die, you lowly, filthy bloodsucking creature.
Demville wanted to shout angrily, "Francis, she's faking it! Kill her! Kill her now!" But all his shouts and anger could only turn into a trace of blood, which he swallowed back down. It wasn't that he didn't want to speak, but the delicate beauty suddenly used the same weak mental field to seal all his last expressions. Although weak, it was enough to suppress him, who was only breathing. Moreover, the light blade that pierced his internal organs suddenly released a powerful electric current, which instantly stiffened the vampire's muscles and made him unable to move. He could only watch helplessly as his life rapidly slipped away, unable even to self-destruct.
"Either don't do it at all, or do it thoroughly." This is Xia Lan's life motto.
Demville fell straight down, his azure eyes staring blankly at the blood moon that had turned deep red. He hadn't even had a chance to enjoy his trip to Asia before he suddenly died in a dark underground bar. Before losing consciousness, Demville suddenly felt a pang of regret: Why did he have to rush out and get involved in this mess...
Francis's eyes were red as he strode toward Xia Lan.
Chapter 257 Curse
Ling Yun extended a finger and flicked it lightly in the air in front of his chest. After a flash of silver spiritual energy, a straight line of silver and gray emerged from his chest, while the other end disappeared into the faint void.
"What is this?" Mochizuki Nami looked at the thin thread in surprise.
With her keen eyesight, she could easily see that the silver-gray color was not the base color of the fine lines, but rather a layer of silver radiance wrapped around the surface of the gray lines. The aura of the silver radiance was familiar; it was Ling Yun's mental energy field. However, she had never seen the gray lines wrapped within the mental energy field before. Although the gray lines were less than the thickness of a hair and could even be ignored, they gave her a strong sense of unease, as if they were sentient beings, constantly radiating a sense of death and lifelessness, making the most subtle and somber mental suggestions in an incomprehensible way at every moment.
Fortunately, the silver mental field tightly suppressed the gloomy aura on the gray line, forcing it to frantically move back and forth along the line, unable to penetrate the mental field. Like the insulating rubber wrapped around an electrified copper wire, it provided strong protection. However, this restriction was temporary. Ling Yun had to maintain the same level of mental strength at all times to carefully envelop the gray line. If the mental field was too strong, the gray line would break; if it was too weak, the mental field would fail to conceal the aura.
Mochizuki Nami was suddenly extremely shocked. The intelligent girl immediately realized what this meant. To be able to maintain a stable shield of mental energy field on a gray line that is thinner than a hair, and to constantly adjust the shielding caused by changes in intention and aura, not only requires extremely high mental energy field control, but also means that the caster must be in a state of distraction, at least a small part of their attention must be on the gray line, otherwise it is impossible to maintain the right level of shielding.
This level of mental force field manipulation, which was already at the master level, made Mochizuki Nami feel extremely terrified in an instant. Gazing deeply at Ling Yun's ordinary face, Mochizuki Nami couldn't help but sigh in her heart: Ling Yun, what kind of existence are you that can make people feel so terrified? Are you really just an ordinary boy?
As a ninja, she underwent inhumanly rigorous training from a young age, and possessed exceptional talent, earning her the reputation as one of the most outstanding geniuses in hundreds of years. Although not arrogant in personality, under the numerous accolades, Mochizuki Nami naturally possessed the awareness and pride of a strong person. This was innate talent, something that could not be caught up with through later training. She had the capital and resources to be proud, and naturally, she also harbored a little vanity.
Having been defeated by Ling Yun twice in a row, Mochizuki Nami, though quite appreciative of him, also felt a hidden sense of disappointment and anger deep down. Ling Yun's talent was arguably inferior to hers, as was his diligence in cultivation; they were the same age. So why did she always lose to him? And even the Blood Sacrifice Technique was easily broken by Ling Yun? Could it really be, as Ling Yun said, just luck?
No, true strength doesn't make excuses for failure, and Mochizuki Nami understood this principle long ago. Besides, luck is also a part of strength, and a very important part at that. No matter how much difference there is in the actual strength of the two sides in a battle, as long as one side has luck, the scales of victory will always tip in their favor.
Mochizuki Nami had been somewhat confused, but now, upon seeing the mental energy field enveloping the gray lines, she finally understood why Ling Yun was so powerful. In terms of controlling mental energy fields alone, she was far inferior. In an instant, the slight regret and resentment that Mochizuki Nami had felt vanished.
"Ling Yun, I'm not a genius, you're the real genius!" She looked deeply into Ling Yun's eyes, her words coming from the bottom of her heart, and thus filled with a warm sincerity. Ling Yun looked at her, and a smile involuntarily appeared on his face.
"This gray line that I wrapped with my mental energy field is what I call luck. If it weren't for it, I wouldn't have been able to find my coordinates, let alone escape from the Blood Sacrifice Illusion Technique. I've said before that I broke through the illusion by luck, not by my strength. But luck isn't something bestowed upon me by heaven. In my opinion, perhaps it shouldn't be called luck, but rather ** (a euphemism for something else). " A deep affection, unlike anything I've ever seen before, appeared in Ling Yun's eyes, as if he were reminiscing about someone he missed. Even his tone became unusually soft.
Mochizuki Nami stared at him in surprise. This was the first time she had seen Ling Yun display such a gentle and affectionate side of him since she had known him. The deep affection on his face and the brilliance in his eyes made the girl feel a pang of sadness. She knew clearly who Ling Yun was talking about, but unfortunately, that person was not her...
Mochizuki Nami felt a complex mix of emotions welling up inside her. She gently turned her head away, not wanting Ling Yun to see her eyes, which were brimming with tears. In that instant, the young genius ninja girl, who had never experienced the taste of love before, finally tasted a bitter flavor that was hard to describe.
...So, the elder was right. Love really is a torment... Mochizuki Nami thought blankly, her heart in turmoil.
Ling Yun's voice spoke softly in her ear, but although she could hear it clearly, Mochizuki Nami seemed not to hear a single word. It was as if her ears were stuffed with soft cotton, filtering out all irrelevant sounds: "It's easiest to lose yourself in the illusion. I saw countless identical Ling Yuns. If it weren't for Xiao Rou as my reference point, I think I would have turned into a bubble at any moment, just like the demon god in the illusion... Huh, what's wrong with you?"
Ling Yun looked at Mochizuki Nami with some confusion. She was fine just a moment ago, so why did her complexion suddenly turn so pale? Was she feeling unwell? He didn't recall ever hearing about ability users getting sick...
Mochizuki Nami remained silent and did not answer Ling Yun. Instead, she sighed deeply, wondering what was wrong with her. She seemed to have lost her usual composure. Was she jealous? No, that shouldn't be the case. She was a ninja, a powerful expert who pursued strength. How could she have such inexplicable feelings like an ordinary person?
She closed her eyes and pondered for a while. Suddenly, a layer of pink spiritual energy radiance appeared on her beautiful and hot body. This was different from other superpowered individuals. Even in her outward appearance, her every move was full of infinite charm.
The sea of consciousness, filled with all sorts of chaotic emotions, suddenly churned violently. A small purification technique flashed through the sea of consciousness like a cleaner, instantly sweeping away all the complex feelings unrelated to Mochizuki Nami's will. Mochizuki Nami's consciousness regained its tranquility and serenity. A faint blush appeared on her face, and in the blink of an eye, she regained her charming and composed expression, as if her slight loss of composure in front of Ling Yun had never happened. She had once again become that charming and alluring Japanese female ninja who showed no signs of scheming.
Ling Yun stared in astonishment at Mochizuki Nami. His mental perception revealed that she seemed to be using a purely mental technique. This technique wasn't offensive; like the copying ability, it was primarily supportive. However, at certain moments, it could prove incredibly effective. It felt similar to self-hypnosis and self-suggestion, forcing the brain to forget emotions or events the user didn't want to remember—a symptom of amnesia. However, under the user's control, this technique had become fully applicable to advanced medical technology. If users weren't fighting each other but instead focusing on medical and biological applications, human civilization could be accelerated by hundreds of years.
However, this kind of self-hypnosis is also deceptive. The essence of this kind of deception is not real change, but rather creating an illusion. It is either deceiving the enemy or deceiving oneself. But the truth cannot be covered up. It is a temporary fix. Mochizuki Nami has not truly forgotten her feelings for Ling Yun. She has only forced herself to ignore them temporarily. Like wild grass on the plain that cannot be burned out by a wildfire, as long as the spring breeze blows, the complex emotions will grow back and may even become more luxuriant due to suppression.
"I'm fine, Ling Yun," Mochizuki Nami said calmly, a hint of pitiful sadness surfacing between her brows. She carefully avoided looking into Ling Yun's eyes, instead focusing on the gray line, and slowly frowned as she spoke, "This gray power is very unsettling. I feel like I've seen it somewhere before; it's eerie, without warning, and impossible to defend against. If I'm not mistaken, it's not a technique used by ordinary ability users. And if you hadn't used your mental field to shield the gray line, you might have suffered negative effects. What exactly is it?"
Seeing that she had returned to normal, Ling Yun felt a slight sense of relief. His gaze returned to the gray line. "Have you ever heard of the power of the Witch Clan?"
"Witchcraft?" Mochizuki Nami repeated involuntarily, a thoughtful expression in her beautiful eyes. "You mean the indigenous witch doctors of Africa?"
“Yes.” Ling Yun stared blankly at the gray line, then gently pinched the silver-gray thread between his thumb and forefinger, causing it to vibrate violently. “You may not have seen this before, but this thread is the curse of the Witch Clan.”
"A curse?" Mochizuki Nami was instantly shocked. She looked at the gray line cautiously, her eyes suddenly filled with a solemnity and astonishment completely different from before. No wonder even with the protection of her mental field, she could clearly feel the empty aura of death emanating from the gray line. She suddenly had a feeling that even if she had no contact with the power of the curse, she would still be affected by the infection from those nearby, and might even suffer a terrible disaster.
Superpowered individuals don't believe in the ethereal concept of fate. Possessing immense power, they can generally achieve their desires, as long as they aren't too outrageous. The most powerful superpowered individuals, or those with extremely special abilities, like Ling Yun, can even vaguely sense the laws governing the world's operation, allowing them to prepare in advance and avoid misfortune. However, the essence of these laws is the most difficult to grasp and the most mysterious.
In a sense, the most powerful and mainstream superhumans in the world haven't deciphered the essence of the laws. Instead, it's the isolated and self-contained witch clan that has gained a deeper understanding of these laws. Curses are clearly the concentrated external manifestation of this understanding, a process of concentrating all negative and harmful methods and then imposing them on a specific target. However, even masters of curses only know the phenomenon but not the underlying reasons, while other superhumans, lacking communication and understanding, have very little knowledge of witches. Therefore, they perceive curses as extremely mysterious and terrifying, like Mochizuki Nami in the present situation.
However, Ling Yun was different. Possessing the ability to copy and the Eye of Illusion, he had already glimpsed the essence of the operation of witchcraft in the core space. Although he did not obtain information about witchcraft, it did not prevent him from understanding mysterious witchcraft such as curses or sorcery. It was precisely because of this that he was able to suppress the power of the curse. Although the curse was still connected to him and Xiao Rou, the infectious power of the curse itself had been completely shielded. The mental field responsible for shielding contained the analysis of the ability to copy, constantly analyzing the essence of the curse, so as to better allow the mental field shielding to adjust at any time to play the best protective role.
The curse had lost its intended purpose and instead became a link between Lingyun and Xiaorou. What was originally a cursed thread that was meant to bring misfortune was, in Lingyun's skillful hands, used to break the illusion of the Blood Sacrifice Technique. Lingyun couldn't help but feel a little emotional. He didn't have the ability to predict the future; he left this cursed thread purely to find out his lover's whereabouts. He never expected that it would bring him such a predicament. It was truly a cruel twist of fate.