Chapter 827: Dawn's Martial Contest: Testing the Edge (82)

Hu Lei's silhouette vanished, but his voice continued to linger in her ears.

As she stepped forward, those phantoms continually emitted heart‑rending wails; she could only watch these fox people die beneath the claws of the Bu Li people, unable to change anything.

"Familiar death aura, like a vulture…… These familiar scenes, the Immortal Vessel people should have shown you countless times. But all this is merely what they want you to see. They let you fight to save the weak. Yet they never told you that, stripping away all warm pretenses, this is how the universe ought to be."

"When the Immortal Vessel was weak, they disguised themselves as victims to gain your sympathy; when the Immortal Vessel grew strong, they labeled you an avenger, demanding you uphold justice."

"I have found… this is your 'doubt'."

——

A Mortal's Journey to Immortality.

"His divine sense retracted, his outward form manifested…… Could it be that after Fei Xiao just drove that great celestial fox spirit pet to devour the Red Moon, triggering Moon Madness, damaging his mind, and arousing his heart devil?"

Han Li's eyes flickered slightly; he had walked the immortal path for over two hundred years, endured hardships, and understood the peril of the heart‑devil trial during his Nascent Soul stage better than anyone. Yet Fei Xiao could become a Patrol Envoy—her resolve was already extraordinary—how could an ordinary heart devil bewitch her?

"No, Master." Yin Yue furrowed her brows, "This is not a heart devil, but a wisp of Hu Lei's remnant soul residing in the Red Moon; surely the Shou Wen Hui Ji and that old wolf have merged too long to be distinguished, and after her celestial fox swallowed the Red Moon, this remnant soul also invaded Fei Xiao's body!"

"Oh? The remnant soul entering the body…… So this is Hu Lei attempting to seize Fei Xiao's body?"

Han Li hated anyone seizing another's body more than anything, but Hu Lei could think of using the Red Moon to seize Fei Xiao, and he had to admit it was a clever move.

His strength was far inferior to Fei Xiao's; if the seizure succeeded, it would mean gaining a Patrol Envoy‑level physical cultivation, and even that celestial fox spirit pet could be turned to his own use. Not to mention reviving the Bu Li people's prosperity—Fei Xiao, possessing the Shou Wen Hui Ji, could likely defeat even the 'Eternal Lord' phantom that Huan Lang disguised as.

"He probably just wants to seize Fei Xiao; even if he doesn't succeed, he aims to drive her mad and turn her against the Immortal Vessel."

"Turn against?" Han Li curled the corner of his mouth in a cold smile, "If he intends to seize Fei Xiao, that would be a clever move. But if he aims to lure her into opposing the Immortal Vessel, he greatly underestimates her resolve. She is a fox person who fortunately escaped the wolf pack; how could she ever turn against the force that saved her?"

"Having escaped the wolf pack, possessing her present cultivation and abilities, and commanding the Yaqing forces—if I were Fei Xiao, I would surely demand an explanation from the Bu Li people, even exterminating the whole clan would not be strange. Opposing the Immortal Vessel? Heh… how could that be?"

——

"Your so‑called law of the jungle is merely sophistry." Fei Xiao said coldly, "You cannot sway me, Hu Lei."

"From farther within the illusion came the voices of the two generals, Huai Yan and Jing Yuan:"

"In the fury of Moon Madness you wantonly slaughtered, causing allied troops to die in vain… Heaven‑Striking General, you have betrayed the alliance's trust! Your conduct is no different from those fiends."

"She is essentially flowing with fiend's blood… given time, she will surely become the alliance's enemy. Cloud Cavalry, form ranks!"

Hu Lei's voice drifted over like a ghost, echoing in her ears: 'You selflessly threw yourself into the new master's army, believing you had gained freedom, respect, and recognition. But you are wrong; they well know that wolves remain wolves. Now your greatest fear is about to come true: becoming an enemy of the Immortal Vessel.'

Hu Lei finally could not restrain himself and burst into wild laughter.

"This place… is your 'fear'."

"You wish to plant fear in my heart……" Fei Xiao glanced back at the illusions of Jing Yuan and Huai Yan, then continued forward without looking back, "but these are merely… phantoms."

Ahead were two rows of Bu Li people's formations, they bowed and knelt on the ground to welcome her arrival.

"You have returned… Lady Fei Xiao! The war chief has returned!"

"Long live the war chief! Lady Fei Xiao will grant us a future!"

Fei Xiao passed through the Bu Li people's formation, and Hu Lei said calmly, 'It is time to return to the nest, Fei Xiao. No matter how deep your hatred for the Bu Li people, no matter how much enmity lies between us, I will show you a path you never imagined, for you have made a choice——'

"You have swallowed the Red Moon, and you are qualified to become the Bu Li people's war chief."

——

Naruto.

Fei Xiao had devoured the Red Moon and liberated Moon Madness; now she is only a nod away from becoming the Bu Li people's war chief.

Tobirama Senju crossed his arms, coldly gazing at the two rows of Bu Li people kneeling in the sky: 'How dare they rely on Fei Xiao to grant them a future…… Even if it's merely an illusion, this bunch of Bu Li people is truly disappointing. If the Bu Li people lacked a specific leader, they would face decline, and they deserve to be chased everywhere by Fei Xiao.'

"The gap between being qualified and being willing is wider than that between a genin and a jonin." Hashirama Senju sat cross‑legged on the ground, hands braced on his knees, brow furrowed…… but speaking again, if Fei Xiao truly nodded her assent, with her dual status as Patrol Envoy and Bu Li war chief, could she become a possibility of peace between the two?

"Hah?" Tobirama Senju lifted his forehead, sighing helplessly, "Big brother, your naive peace fantasy is truly…… alas, the Bu Li people are a disaster across the cosmos, their peoples numerous, the planets they enslave countless—how could they possibly wish peace with the Immortal Vessel?"

"Even if the Immortal Vessel desires peace…… do you think the Patrol deity would agree?"

"So, is there absolutely no chance for coexistence between the Abundance people and the Immortal Vessel?" Hashirama still found it hard to believe, "Since the Abundance people are also wise and capable of communication, there ought to be some among them weary of war; accepting only those Abundance people who wish for peace…… could that not be done?"

"Big brother, you oversimplify peace." Tobirama shook his head and sighed, "... the hatred between the Abundance people and the Immortal Vessel originates from the deities. As long as the Patrol deity ceaselessly hunts Abundance, those two peoples will never know a day of peace; should the Abundance people one day truly meld with the Immortal Vessel…… I suspect the deity would strike them down with a single arrow, slaughtering the Abundance people together with countless Immortal Vessel folk, leaving none."