[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-facing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year":3,"chapter-facing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year-facing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year-chapter-1280":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Facing an Ancient God for a Year",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":20,"prevChapterSlug":21,"totalChapters":22,"novelImage":23},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":16,"volume":17,"translator":18,"content_hash":19},969156,1268,"Chapter 1278: 1276: Loss of Image (20)","facing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year-chapter-1280",1280,"\u003Cp>Chapter 1278: Chapter 1276: Loss of Image (20)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not entirely dull-witted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lord Orintel, the Sect envoy, while far from being sharp-sighted, at least cooperated reasonably well with the guidance provided.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looking at Jane lying on the ceiling, Fu Qian let out a word of praise, greatly pleased by this development.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Admittedly, today had been rather unfortunate for the noblewoman.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But on the bright side, her exquisite silk nightgown, which was clearly affected as part of the whole anomaly, now also hung “suspended” on the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Otherwise, with everyone gazing upward, the scene would have been quite indecent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This incident further substantiated his earlier observations—the effect of the decree acted upon a conceptual target rather than the mundane physical definitions of flesh and blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Qian was reasonably confident that even under such supernatural circumstances, if a blood sample were taken from Jane for Insight, the results would be entirely normal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile, faint intricate markings similar to those appearing on Orintel earlier began surfacing on Jane’s exposed feet, intertwining and linking together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, one distinct difference was apparent: these markings did not shimmer as brightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They carried a faint metallic sheen amidst dark-red tones, resembling whirlpools extending from her flesh to her skin—a blend of malice and elegance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, this assessment was purely Fu Qian’s subjective aesthetic opinion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Clearly, most people in the bedroom felt far more horror than appreciation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among them was Lord Orintel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could it turn out like this… It’s supposed to resemble a decree…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was evident that his worldview had taken a hit.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“My Lord!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the ceiling, Jane was clearly losing her composure, struggling as she bent her head downward and called out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reaction could hardly be blamed on her; gravity, as an innate experience, when manipulated and inverted, engendered a near-total loss of any sense of security—as though the whole world had abandoned her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Empty your mind and try severing that connection.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This suggestion snapped Orintel out of his muttering, prompting him to instinctively shout back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Alright!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jane immediately accepted the advice, summoning her willpower to force her gaze away from her feet and, moments later, shutting her eyes entirely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s not working…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>About ten seconds later, still pinned firmly to the ceiling, she finally succumbed to exhaustion and, once again, pleaded for help with her eyes directed at Orintel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She didn’t even wait for further guidance; as if sensing something, she suddenly yanked her sleeve upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A streak of dark-red markings was snaking its way along, nearly reaching her wrist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If it had spread this far, one could only imagine the state beneath her nightgown.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orintel’s suggestion had clearly failed to control the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Orintel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight was too much for Mrs. Winslow to bear; she finally rushed forward, attempting to pull her daughter down directly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Don’t pull—get ready to catch her.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orintel’s expression turned increasingly grim, but he still issued a cold reminder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, radiant markings flared up in his hands, quickly converging into a unique pattern before exploding into a dazzling halo upon formation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire bedroom seemed to shudder as the halo swept through, cleansing the dark malignancy and dispersing all the anomalies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This ability bore a striking resemblance to Amila’s earlier invocation, though differing in scope and intensity—akin to the distinction between the Purifying Benevolence Charm and the Alchemy Technique.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Qian, watching unobtrusively, silently offered his comment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now responding to Orintel’s directive, the Winslow couple stepped aside, preparing to catch their falling daughter. Yet they froze in place, gazing upward with shocked expressions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the imposing halo surged through the room, Jane, still suspended on the ceiling, remained entirely unscathed. Neither a free fall nor even a flutter of her clothes occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How could this be…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The room fell momentarily silent. Amid the complicated gazes of the anxious parents, Orintel’s rationality was visibly strained once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This isn’t Star Law!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nonetheless, he was a decisive figure. Gritting his teeth, he promptly reached a conclusion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How is that possible?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mrs. Winslow looked on, nearly passing out—these abrupt twists and turns were fraying her nerves to the brink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Could it be a mistake? Let’s try again?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I might make mistakes, but Star Law doesn’t.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Orintel shook his head firmly. His tone was resolute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Under that previous effect, all anomalies—including decrees—should have been purged completely—”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She defies the influence of decrees?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Natalie gasped sharply from the side, as though realizing something dreadful.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Qian naturally knew what she was hinting at—those forsaken by the mist, to some extent, could defy decrees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For her, the situation seemed to have turned in her favor, a glimmer of hope amid despair.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Indeed…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As expected, Orintel’s expression shifted immediately following Natalie’s remark; he swiftly turned his gaze to the Winslow couple.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Step aside!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Lord Orintel?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mr. Winslow not only refused to move but took a step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was evident he had quickly deduced Orintel’s intentions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sadly, his cleverness held no weight here. Flames were already igniting in Orintel’s hand—a metallic-colored blaze swirling into existence.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fu Qian instantly recognized it: the Lead Flame, wielded earlier by both the Sect Hunter and Reginald—a weapon tailored for vanquishing supernatural entities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t a negotiation; regardless of the family’s objections, Orintel proceeded without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Moments later, the Lead Flame coiled itself into a serpent shape, locking onto the stunned Jane.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Run!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Instinctively thrust into action by her father’s desperate shout, Jane’s shock broke. Trusting her father implicitly, she scrambled up amid fear, somehow even managing to walk a few steps across the ceiling.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The grotesque transformation unfolding upon her form evidently didn’t impair her mobility much. After a brief adjustment, her gaze swept the room; eschewing the doorway, she bolted toward a distant window instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Her reaction was swift, but she had no chance to shatter the less-than-transparent glass.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Amid Mrs. Winslow’s shrieks, the Lead Flame Python lashed toward her like a guided missile, coiling and striking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A dense, muffled explosion ensued, followed by agonized cries and screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jane wasn’t obliterated outright; the serpent seemed meticulously controlled, striking precisely at her legs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the blast subsided, everything below her knees was gone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The horrific translucent flesh stripped from her body dissolved into ashes, scattering around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crashing to the ceiling with a truncated silhouette, Jane still struggled to rise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It seems even the clearest-headed can act irrationally at times.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Deliberately pausing instead of striking again, Orintel glanced at Mr. Winslow, who supported his wife with one hand, clenching the other into a fist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You never considered that letting me purify whatever is afflicting Jane might be her only chance of survival?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Even if she escapes this place, what about after sunrise? Do you really think she’ll have any chance of eluding the Sect Hunter’s inexorable pursuit?”\u003C\u002Fp>",1123,"2026-06-03T07:51:03.908Z","2026-06-03T07:51:07.656Z",1,"novelbin.me","fceff4c09850221122919add3fd5f26ba36bfcf79da8fe329579d22c04a68a98","facing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year-chapter-1281","facing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year-chapter-1279",2389,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Ffacing-an-ancient-god-for-a-year-cover.jpg"]