After entering the palace, everything seemed extremely simple.
The target palace was easy to find; simply follow the hierarchical order that the royal family valued most, and you would naturally find the magnificent new queen's palace.
With Gu Zhong's skills, it wouldn't be difficult for him to sneak into the inner palace without making a sound or alerting anyone, since apart from a team of guards at the palace gate, there were no other means of security.
There were quite a few people inside the hall. Gu Zhong leaned against the door and cautiously peered inside through the crack, plotting how to get rid of the irrelevant people in the hall.
"I'm tired and want to rest. You can all leave now. There's no need to guard the gate today."
As she wished, the palace mistress dismissed all the palace maids.
"But my lady, His Majesty today—"
Someone spoke up to dissuade them.
"He's not coming. Everyone get out."
The woman's voice became more resolute, leaving no room for doubt.
Knowing that their master was deeply favored by the king, the palace maids dared not offer any further advice and obediently opened the palace doors, filing out one after another.
After everyone had left, Gu Zhong straightened up and looked thoughtfully into the hall.
"Since you're here, why aren't you coming in?"
The people inside the hall spoke again, appearing very warm and hospitable.
—Could it be that every movement in this palace is under her control?
Holding the scabbard at his waist, Gu Zhong stood ready and pushed open the palace door that had been waiting for him for so long.
The woman inside the hall was sitting in front of a bronze mirror, her back to the mirror, and appeared to be doing her hair and makeup.
"Xia Xiange?"
Hesitantly, Gu Zhong called out softly. Even though their demeanor and temperament were extremely similar, she dared not make a hasty judgment.
"Gu Zhong, I've been waiting for you for so long—"
The woman in the mirror turned around. Her face was not the one Gu Zhong was familiar with, yet it was still stunningly beautiful, possessing a captivating charm.
Although she wore a polite smile, her words were full of malice, revealing a resentment that seemed to wish she could tear him to pieces.
"It really is you."
Without further ado, Gu Zhong drew his sword from his waist and attacked her directly.
To her surprise, this all-out sword strike was blocked by some force in front of Xia Xiange, and could not advance even an inch further.
"Is this all you've got right now?"
With a slight smile, Xia Xiange pushed the sword away from her, slowly stood up, and looked directly at Gu Zhong.
What did you do?
Gu Zhong was filled with shock and disbelief. She had never encountered such power in this world—the power of the Xuanhu was clearly even greater than that of her ancestor.
"After accidentally stumbling the first time, one should always think more carefully. No matter how brilliant the pieces are, the final showdown still depends on the players."
This time, I'm not as carefree as before. After meticulously planning and strategizing, how could I let you, the one who slipped through the net back then, escape again?
After speaking, Xia Xiange lightly flicked her sleeve, and Gu Zhong was immediately sent flying backward uncontrollably, crashing heavily into the beams and pillars inside the hall.
The heavy impact slammed into her spine, causing her to cough uncontrollably, and blood spurted out.
"Without the power of demons, you'll soon be buried—there was no need to see you again, but I'll always feel resentful if I can't kill you with my own hands."
Xuanhu moved with light, unhurried steps in front of Gu Zhong, clearly enjoying the moment.
It's like a cat catching a mouse; it always wants to play with it first.
"You...have regained your memories?"
Upon hearing this, Gu Zhong struggled to raise her head and chin, still maintaining her pride.
"What? Surprised? Terrified?"
I have to thank you all, if it weren't for the system being so badly damaged, my memories wouldn't have been so easily retrieved.
If it weren't for its own actions, you wouldn't have been able to escape so many times before—but you can't escape today.
Xia Xiange answered Gu Zhong's question with great kindness, her eyes fixed on Gu Zhong's face, searching carefully, seemingly trying to find something.
"So, you're willing to be that thing's tool this time?"
Gu Zhong's mind raced—Xia Xiange hadn't shown off enough yet, so she wouldn't kill him—she needed to stall for time to think of any other options—even with the determination to die, she couldn't give up so easily.
"When it comes to being a tool, who can compare to you?"
Xia Xiange looked down at Gu Zhong, gave a cold smile, and said with a hint of mockery, as if she were looking at a pitiful wretch.
"Since we share the same goal, we can stop being enemies for now. Besides, it can't control me anymore."
"Are you sure it really can't control you anymore? Are you really willing to let it continue to manipulate you, to wander endlessly through time and space, exhausting your energy to scheme and never find peace? If you help it achieve its goals, what will it gain? What will you lose? Have you thought about that?"
As she uttered a series of questions, Gu Zhong secretly and forcefully invoked the power of a true god within her that did not belong to this world—it couldn't end so easily. As Xia Xiange spoke and her attitude changed, she had a premonition that if she died here, it would truly be the end.
Even if one is rejected by this world, one should not perish here.
"Hmm? You still want to fight for a chance to survive? Don't worry, I'll consider the same things you're thinking about, so you don't need to bother."
Alright, that's enough catching up. Goodbye, Gu Zhong—
A monstrous demonic aura erupted from Xia Xiange's body, instantly engulfing the entire palace. Interspersed within it was a faint aura of imperial auspiciousness—this was the reason she resided in the palace; imperial fortune was a powerful and useful tool in every world.
Just as the black mist was about to engulf Gu Zhong, a golden figure suddenly appeared in front of her, erecting a golden barrier that completely repelled the fierce attack.
"Gu Zhong, have you adopted a dog?"
Gu Zhong looked up and saw the familiar voice coming from above her, as if she were a guardian angel, standing in front of her as always.
"Ayan—what happened to you—"
"I knew you were going to sneak away. Just wait, I'll settle the score with you after I've dealt with Xia Xiange!"
"Little Smoke—get out of the way!"
Upon seeing the figure that suddenly appeared, Xia Xiange stopped what she was doing, stared at Ling Yan for a moment, then called out to her, shouting somewhat impatiently.
“Xuanhu—you know I won’t let you get away with this. I will absolutely not let you suffer even the slightest harm.”
Ling Yan's tone was firm yet gentle, filled with unwarranted protectiveness and a hint of familiarity.
"Ayan?"
Gu Zhong was even more surprised that her Ah Yan had woken up at this moment.
“I don’t want to hurt you—Gu Zhong, are you sure you want her to be my enemy? Look at her soul, it’s already so weak. If it continues to burn like this, she might be destroyed before you.”
Xia Xiange seemed unable to look Ling Yan in the eye, so she turned to Gu Zhong below and tried to persuade him.
"Xuanhu, you don't need to manipulate Gu Zhong. I live, she lives; she dies, I die. That's all. And what happened back then, all the outcomes, the revenge you seek—isn't that enough?"
Lingyan interrupted her directly, giving Gu Zhong no chance to think.
"—It's never enough."
Xuanhu gave her a deep look, stopped trying to persuade her, and the surrounding demonic energy surged again, sweeping over the two of them in an overwhelming manner.
Lingyan's golden light, amidst the darkness, resembled a flickering flame, barely enough to ignite, and seemed destined to be swallowed up soon.
Suddenly, another, even more dazzling silver light burst forth from beside her. Gu Zhong stood up, his eyes brimming with boundless fighting spirit.
She drew her sword and, in a simple and straightforward manner, slashed towards the center of the black mist.
A sense of crisis suddenly rang in Xuanhu's mind—Gu Zhong before her was the God of War from ten thousand years ago, someone she could not deal with.
—How could this be? How could she awaken again? Her soul was clearly partially locked by the blood pact; could it be that she has completely merged with it?
Even with a thousand questions in his mind, Xuanhu had no time to ponder them.
She tossed a purple, bud-shaped object from her sleeve to block the sword light that swept across the heavens and earth.
The sword blade struck the flower bud, and a dazzling array of colors burst forth from within, revealing mist, starry skies, the Milky Way, and the heavens and earth, before everything turned into a vast expanse of white.
Everything returned to nothingness, including them and their consciousness, which vanished with it.
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Author's Note:
This world is ending. See you in the next world! Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it will open tomorrow!
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#Ragnarok
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Chapter 141 The Supreme God and the God of War (Part 1)
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The sky was incredibly dark, with thick clouds floating overhead. A chilling wind swept across the battlefield, bringing a touch of cold.
The desolate sand and gravel danced in the wind, swaying the necks of the soldiers guarding the border as they climbed the mountain.
A luminous barrier separates the two starkly contrasting sides: on one side lies a bottomless abyss, utterly silent; on the other, camps stand tall, a scene of bustling activity and vibrant life.
The light screen rippled intermittently, with tiny, scattered rays of light shimmering on its surface, creating a dazzling display of vitality.
Two armored soldiers stared intently at the barrier. Their postures were firm and upright, clearly indicating they had undergone extremely rigorous training.
However, even the most vigilant hunting dogs have moments of complacency. After a long period of alertness without noticing anything unusual, they unconsciously lose focus.
One person glanced to the side, while another person happened to close their eyes and yawn.
A wisp of black mist slipped through the gap and entered this side of the light screen, stealthily crawling on the ground, attempting to head towards the camp.
A sharp sword light suddenly appeared, instantly cleaving the mist into ashes.