Chapter 655: Element of Destruction (Please Refresh)

"Yesterday, an unidentified Ascended caused some commotion in the area around Zi Yin Mountain and Jin Ling City," Yin Ya attempted to strike up a conversation with Ai Qing, who sat on the edge of the windowsill gazing into the distance.

"The Bureau's reports suggest it might have been a fourth-rank Ascended, with some signs pointing to fifth-rank."

Ai Qing merely nodded.

The Astral Society's resident inspector in Xin Hai was not particularly concerned with work matters at this moment.

Yin Ya studied her cheeks, then sighed softly: "The guests have arrived in sufficient number."

"Alright, I'll change clothes," Ai Qing turned her wheelchair in another direction.

Upon the bed lay an exquisite ceremonial gown.

Beneath the gloomy sky, leaden clouds, the chilly room, and the sparse conversation all felt suffocating.

Yin Ya stepped outside; the door was pulled open by the butler.

Classical music from the banquet hall, the festive atmosphere, the guests' chatter and children's laughter seeped into the room through the cracks.

He hated himself for being the heir, powerless to interfere with the old patriarch's decisions, unable to shield Ai Qing from the storm.

Today was the birthday of Yin Liangji, the patriarch of the Yin family of Jin Ling—and the day Ai Qing, as a pawn, was to be wed to a blind man.

Ai Qing had nothing to say about this great-grandfather.

The door closed; the servant entered.

She did not look at the gown; instead, she picked up a box, and on the central velvet pad inside lay a brilliant crystal the size of a pinky joint.

Sacred Grace, an expensive Consumable of a high-tier Sacred Mark—a miracle gem that, when worn close to the skin, unquestionably grants an extra life.

"Happy birthday, Great-Grandfather," Ai Qing smiled as she handed the gift box to the servant, preparing to make her entrance.

"Do you think I should send something?"

Huai Shi held a cup of coffee, peering toward the villa adorned with lanterns and festoons, brimming with joy.

"Like in Wu Xia novels, you should send a bell."

Due to yesterday's incident, some official personnel were still visible among the guests.

Never mind how unpleasant it was to have your showboating interrupted halfway—Huai Shi felt as if he'd done a hundred sets of anaerobic training; the exhaustion had not yet faded.

The story of the manga "Legendary Cooking Demon" also required strength to manifest.

Otherwise, he'd be stuck inside the manga, recovering while killing time with group chats, mocked by a bitch calling him a five-second man.

"I'll ask my sister if Emperor Jun has been reincarnated yet—if not, I'll have his big brother Taiyi lend you the Donghuang Bell," said the crow.

Huai Shi thought it better not to disturb them over such a trivial matter.

If the Donghuang Taiyi from the Journey to the West world found out it was this beast's "psychological counseling" that turned divine brotherhood into forbidden sibling romance, the bell would likely end up being sent to him.

He wiped the sweat from his brow and downed the remaining coffee in one gulp.

Caffeine life-extension protocol complete.

"Tastes like hot pot broth," Huai Shi walked toward the main gate.

"So, are we showboating first or slapping faces first?" The crow flipped through the Book of Fate's "Apocalypse Forecast."

"You could've just slipped in quietly and killed the old man—but no, you've got to stage some noble prince snatching the mob boss's daughter."

Huai Shi couldn't help correcting him: "Aren't you reading the wrong book?!"

This is clearly a white knight and a runaway princess in a deadly escape.

But as the crow said, he didn't need to appear so ostentatiously—stealth and assassination would've saved him a lot of trouble.

Ai Qing wouldn't cause trouble, nor would there be any grand escape through the rainy night.

Sorry, got off track again.

"So you're just reluctant to skip this chance to raise your icy female superior's favor?" asked the crow.

Huai Shi stopped, tilting his head to gaze at the distant grand archway, then carelessly tossed his half-drunk paper cup onto the ground.

"Ai Qing will act shortly—she'll kill the Yin patriarch under the guise of presenting a gift, then I'll flee with her, and finally get caught by the Astral Society's preferential policy."

"Actually, this ending isn't bad."

Huai Shi scratched his head, his confusion deepening: "But that doesn't make sense."

Cars streamed by, people bustled about, Ascended were everywhere; the luxury vehicles parked around were ones he could never afford in a lifetime.

If he had the money for even one car, he wouldn't have been tricked into becoming a male escort to pay for tuition and living expenses.

"The Yin patriarch and my grandfather were close friends."

"He embezzled the Huai family's assets, reduced me to poverty so severe I nearly had to sell my ass—nearly."

"He destroyed my family, sent men to kill my parents—even though they never liked me much."

"They even planted the Soul-Draining Seed on me. Logically, slaughtering his entire clan wouldn't be excessive."

Huai Shi frowned: "So it doesn't make sense—this old bastard's head is mine. This is my own business."

He stared at the house, every brick and tile worth more than his bank balance, stretched his limbs, and stepped forward again.

"As for Ai Qing," Huai Shi smiled shyly, "like I said when I was in kindergarten—I want to be friends with Xiao Qing Sister."

The crow sighed: "Just to hold onto the last warm hues of childhood memory?"

"Actually, it's because she's a beautiful girl."

Huai Shi's smile widened; his pace quickened.

The polite butler ahead had intended to ask for an invitation, but upon seeing the Virtue Sword unsheathed beside his trench coat, his face paled; the guards and bodyguards around him reacted instantly.

"Yes."

CRACK!

His heel crushed the cement pavement into a spiderweb of fractures.

The Spear of Compassion coalesced from radiance, hurled forward; endless blood of the Azure Crowned Dragon dripped from its tip, sprouting pure white irises along its path.

The white steed answered the call, its body shimmering with enhancements from a cocktail of Marvel-grade serums.

A roaring sound erupted in an instant!

Boom—!

The solemn, cold door, crafted from some expensive wood, shattered.

The elegant, warm atmosphere of the hall was shattered; guests stared in shock at the figure riding a white horse as he charged into the hall through the dust.

"All eyes on me—I have an announcement!!!"

Huai Shi pulled the Spear of Compassion from the ground, surrounded by countless chills and killing intent.

He pulled out a suona and played it randomly, blending it into the classical music playing at the banquet.

Drip-drip, drip-drop~~~

Huai Shi looked at Ai Qing, who still held the gift box, her expression shifting from surprise to anger and confusion.

He put down the suona and smiled: "The Huai family of Xin Hai wishes the old master a happy anniversary of his death."

Yin Liangji, leaning on his cane, laughed; a sharp gleam appeared in his cloudy eyes—he believed this was the best gift!

A menace threatening the Yin family would, given time, grow into an incurable plague!

He came to us himself—how perfect.

Darkness churned; shadows intertwined, forming a cage that sought to strangle the suona player atop the white horse.

From the Grave of the Unreturning, the Yin family's prearranged shadow guards—third-rank peak Transcenders—struck.

Swish-swish-swish!

Blood sprayed.

Blades, spears, swords, axes—alchemical products—fell from nowhere, wrapped in lightning-like spiritual light, as if they were Consumables.

Several unrecognizable corpses lay on the ground; around Huai Shi, more weapons floated suspended by telekinesis.

All bought by him before his return!

"I spent real money," Huai Shi said seriously.

"Big brother!"

The instant Ai Qing spoke, Huai Shi released the reins—this moment, a cold premonition of death crept up his spine.

Third-rank Transcenders could still be dealt with by technology; fourth-rank was a leap into another realm entirely.

Facing the overwhelming hostility of the fourth-rank Transcender, molten-gold flame spread again over his entire body, a terrifying yet majestic phantom myth enveloping him.

In a flash, Yin Ya saw the boy swallowed by the sun raise a smile toward him: "That's how it should be."

Intense light.

Scorching gale winds.

In the swirling vortex, as a single thread of true essence pierced heaven and earth, the gloomy, deep sky burst open like sooty cotton ignited by flame.

Seconds later, the phantom tale ended as the comic book closed.

Everyone remained unharmed; even the ceiling was intact. They had felt themselves consumed by the terrifying, world-rending blaze.

Except Yin Ya, lying on the ground.

His skin glowed red as if boiled lobster; his clothes, hair, even the carpet beneath him were gone—but he still lived, his chest heaving violently.

The actual manifestation of reality extended only this far; the rest was cinematic special effects.

One can only say—Hollywood truly lives up to its reputation.

"Sorry, I'm cheating."

Huai Shi looked at Yin Liangji and the others, their smiles frozen; the source-axe forged from anger and killing intent appeared in his hand as he stepped forward.

The cold, contemptuous, dismissive stares vanished, replaced by shock, fear, and confusion.

They didn't understand.

How could a Transcender with even the most outstanding records and data accomplish such a thing?

"You've always been worried I'd retaliate against the Yin family," Huai Shi said, raising the axe toward him: "So tell me—should I kill your entire family now?"

Yin Liangji seemed distracted; he didn't remain silent long before speaking:

"Kill me or make me kneel like a dog—you may do as you please with everyone except Yin Ya—but for Xiao Qing and Huai Guang's sake—"

Even now, he was still calculating.

Sizzle—!

The axe swung; a flash of iron light.

A head, spewing hot blood, rolled to the ground.

"I've never heard such an insane request in my life," Huai Shi turned to the crowd, innocently saying:

"You all heard it—he asked me to do it."

He sheathed the axe and met Ai Qing's gaze, catching her momentary stiffness.

"I'm heading to the border. We've worked together—won't you turn me in to the Astral Bureau now?" Huai Shi said, lowering his voice.

"Just remembered—you're getting engaged today. Wonder who's so unlucky."

"Forget it—I'll be a good man to the end."

He grabbed Ai Qing's wrist, ignoring her token resistance, lifted her onto the horse, took back the Holy Radiance, and mounted up.

"Don't call the Astral Bureau— if you do, I'll answer the phone!"

He warned the crowd, then rode the white horse away into the distance.

Along the way, Ai Qing stared blankly at Huai Shi, her confusion unresolved.

Huai Shi seemed to know her intentions—he'd already done everything she planned to do, and taken all the blame onto himself.

After the two left, the Yin family posted a bounty on Huai Shi on the darknet—this time, it reached 600 million U. S. dollars!

"Do you prefer tangerines or purple pomelos?" Huai Shi asked.

Ai Qing looked at him calmly and said, "The Astronomical Society will give you a fair judgment; you'd better stop now."

"I think Ziyou is better, but it needs bullets."

Huai Shi seemed to have fully unleashed himself, happier than Ai Qing, who was now free of restraints.

Along the way, border mercenaries and bounty hunters he encountered watched as he pulled out a vast array of heavy weaponry and unleashed direct fire, mowing them down like cutting vegetables.

Instant kill of a fourth-rank Sublimator? Iron Man armor? Floating cannons? Tank mines? Missiles? Laser guns?

When Big Cousin and Mo San and others saw the report concerning Huai Shi, they were stunned.

They stood atop the gray wall, countless blinding lights shining down, converging on the criminal no less than a kilometer from the border.

The Astronomical Society's emblem hung cold and high, hoping the criminal would reconsider.

"Huai Shi, what exactly are you still trying to do?" Ai Qing asked, puzzled. "It's enough. Stop now—the Astronomical Society won't punish you."

Huai Shi looked at Ai Qing and asked, "Do you feel free now?"

There was no answer; he could only see the furrowed brow of the other.

So

He rode his white horse toward the border.

From the wall, a chilling aura spread in all directions, terrifying every reckless soul daring to harbor ill intent.

A solemn warning had been issued.

But the man on the horse continued forward without looking back, smashing through layer after layer of defenses.

"Are all these things, all these secrets you've exposed, for me?"

A question came from behind.

Ai Qing continued, "Do you actually like this cripple of mine?"

"I'm in high demand now—you should get on a waiting list and wait for notification," Huai Shi said without turning back. "We can start as friends."

"Stop," Ai Qing said softly.

"I can take you somewhere else—not the border."

"I'm staying."

Hearing her reply, Huai Shi halted the white horse, set Ai Qing down, but remained seated on the saddle.

"Once you cross the border, it's officially treason," Ai Qing said.

"I'm seeking freedom too," Huai Shi replied, extending his hands. "Do you want to put the handcuffs on me yourself?"

Ai Qing nodded. "If necessary."

Huai Shi smiled, urged the white horse forward again, and glanced back. "Don't worry about me—it'll be fine."

A sparse curtain of rain began to fall.

The Astronomical Society naturally triggered its alarm and launched an attack.

"Hope it doesn't hurt too much."

Death erases debts; combined with the resurrection artifact recovered by the Crow, he'll be revived.

Why do this?

Naturally, because he wants to change something—this was the new plan he and the Crow devised yesterday.

All defensive measures have been deactivated, including attacks from Sublimators, now lowered.

Soon, under the confused gazes of others, Huai Shi was completely swallowed.

A resurrection coin fell, meant to be transferred elsewhere at the moment of revival, using a trick to deceive heaven and earth.

A chill ran up his spine.

A roaring surge of air, rapidly spreading flames, dozens of cold, luminous circular arrays rose between heaven and earth; after a few breaths, beams of light plummeted.

【Detected fluctuation in the Current Realm】

【Detected Destruction Element: The Shepherd】

【Detected the descent phenomenon of the Destruction Element—】

Huai Shi opened his eyes again and found himself floating in the sky, with six luminous wings behind him.

"." He fell silent for a moment, then asked, "Where did you get this resurrection artifact?"

The Crow also fell silent for a while, then replied, "It's free."