Chapter 876: Unsealing the Seal (Thank You, Mr. Aurora Society O, for Becoming a Gold Patron)

After a while, Vazan Sansong no longer passively waited for the fate exchange to complete; he actively deployed various strange abilities, suppressing Lu Mi'an's assault instead.

On the other side, Harrison increasingly used the "Paper Doll Substitute" to escape the mystical plague spreading through the ruins of this town.

He had little spare capacity left to interfere with Lu Mi'an, constantly trying every method he could think of to purge the air of mystical pathogens, but with minimal effect.

Lu Mi'an sensed the fate exchange drawing near completion; though unafraid, he decided to take a gamble.

He mimicked the "Warrior" path's release of "Wind of Light," gripping the "Sword of Courage" backward and driving it downward with reckless expenditure of spirituality.

Centered on himself and the "Sword of Courage," a sphere of blazing white-and-blue fire expanded layer upon layer, engulfing the entire ruined town.

Boom!

Amid flashes of fire, violent explosions shattered the already collapsed ancient buildings and ignited every corner of the ruins.

Harrison used the "Paper Doll Substitute" once more; since he had remained at the town's edge, his figure instantly detached from the scene, reappearing within the dark tunnel they had just pursued through.

Vazan Sansong, closer to Lu Mi'an, was inevitably caught in the blast; his attempt to activate "Teleport" was violently interrupted by the raging shockwave.

Parts of his body ignited again, but his injuries were not yet fatal; relying on the "Penitent Monk's" endurance, he merely twisted his face instinctively.

Seizing this opportunity, Lu Mi'an "Teleported" directly before Vazan Sansong.

Vazan Sansong's eyes immediately glowed with a deep green light.

Almost simultaneously, Lu Mi'an, recalling the pattern and method of the enemy's previous terrifying ray, half-turned the "Sword of Courage" and held it horizontally across his chest.

The deep green ray, the moment it fully formed, shot toward Lu Mi'an at an undodgeable speed, striking the "Sword of Courage" dead-on—flames coating its iron-black blade instantly extinguished, its metallic luster significantly dimmed.

Having successfully blocked Vazan Sansong's ray, Lu Mi'an released his left hand, ready to deliver a fatal strike.

He sensed Vazan Sansong's "Circle Man" effect was nearing its end; triggering two or three more instances might force the enemy toward his destined end—possibly killing him.

At that moment, Lu Mi'an's body hairs stood on end, his mind nearly blanking out.

The negative effect of the "Black Tear" forehead ornament had activated.

Had it not been for the "Sword of Courage" absorbing part of the burden, he would have been utterly overwhelmed by euphoria—not merely briefly dazed.

Seizing this moment of daze, Vazan Sansong "Teleported" out of the cleared ruins, yet did not extend the distance beyond the fate exchange's limit.

Lu Mi'an snapped back to awareness, ready to pursue Vazan Sansong.

Suddenly, his thoughts slowed, froze, as if struck by rapid freezing.

His body instantly stiffened; even moving a single finger became excruciatingly difficult.

The fate exchange was complete.

Plop—the "Sword of Courage" dropped straight to the ground, for Lu Mi'an no longer had the strength to hold it.

Lu Mi'an slowly slumped to the ground, eyes vacant, expression blank, leaning against a pile of rubble.

No longer under the control of "Courage," he instinctively sought to activate the residual "Blood Emperor" imprint on his right palm, hoping its chaotic energy might help him break free—but he could not complete the action.

His ability to think, even in fragments, was rapidly fading.

This was precisely the outcome Vazan Sansong's fate fragment had intended.

Vazan Sansong smiled, "Teleported" back before Lu Mi'an, and whispered:

"Had you not possessed the false angelic rank, the fate exchange would have completed long ago.

"You probably didn't know—the maximum cyclic limit of 'Circle Man' is nine times; you're still several cycles short of inflicting real harm upon me.

"You are not a true half-god; you are fundamentally inferior to me, who possesses divinity."

As he spoke, Vazan Sansong pulled out an incomplete ritual parchment, barely large enough to cover his head, intending to transform Lu Mi'an into a sheep and fully subjugate him.

The next instant, Lu Mi'an felt his bodily stiffness and mental dullness lessen slightly—their effects seemed distorted.

Opportunity! Lu Mi'an immediately prepared to activate the black mark on his right shoulder, hoping to "Teleport" directly out of the special mirror world.

Vazan Sansong's expression changed instantly; he then activated a contract mark and barked:

"Lu Mi'an Li!"

Lu Mi'an's fading form trembled in his mind, his head spun violently, and he could no longer sustain the "Teleport" effect.

Immediately after, Vazan Sansong placed the parchment over Lu Mi'an's head and chanted in Hermesian:

"Sheep!"

A flash of dark light—Lu Mi'an transformed into a sheep with gray-white wool.

Most of his abilities were sealed; the earlier state of mental dullness and bodily stiffness returned, preventing him from using the "Black Tear" forehead ornament or the "Demon Whispers" bone ring.

Seeing this, Vazan Sansong sensed his own weakness and dwindling spirituality; he judged he could still endure the mystical plague for a while, waiting for the "Circle Man" effect to trigger passively.

A paper doll with grotesque facial features and an eerie aura stepped from the tunnel into the ruins, where flames still burned quietly; its surface rusted visibly faster.

It gazed at Lu Mi'an and spoke in Harrison's voice:

"Your companion doesn't seem to have escaped either."

As it spoke, the paper doll's light right hand swept through the air.

The edge of the dark world, illuminated by fire, gradually turned transparent, revealing the state of Francia and the others—this was not because Harrison's paper doll possessed such a spell; it had merely made a gesture, intending to summon the unseen "Mirror Dwellers" for aid.

Within the mirror-like scene, Francia, along with the others except Ludwig, seized the moment of distorted order and fled through the boundary of the special mirror world.

Above them, a figure suddenly appeared—a woman clad in a black dress, wearing a golden crown.

White mist swirled around her, and ahead, a faint point of light seemed to glow.

She glanced downward once—and Francia and the others were flung back into their previous location, unable to escape the special mirror world.

Two split versions of Higton, coated in greenish-yellow slime, appeared in the scene, blocking Francia's escape route.

Having used three more instances, Francia's "Ice Amulet" now held only one remaining "Mirror Transit."

She did not attempt to flee again; from "The Traveler's Satchel," she drew out a full-body silver-white armor, placed it before her, facing herself, while Anthony also retrieved "The Winter Is Coming" revolver.

In another scene, the second Higton searched for Ludwig.

Seeing this, the increasingly tattered paper doll of Harrison chuckled to Lu Mi'an:

"Your companions will all die before you; their 'Mirror Substitutes' won't outnumber my paper dolls. You still have time to mourn them.

"Actually, you've performed quite well. Without me, without Higton, your team alone facing Vazan Sansong might have escaped—or even won."

Lu Mi'an, under dual control, had nearly lost the capacity for deep thought; only emotion still echoed within him.

His heart burned with a fire named anger, resentment, and hatred—his sheep's eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins.

Vazan Sansong turned his head and asked Harrison's paper doll:

"Can I kill him now, to bring Lord Themipolos back?"

The paper doll slowly shook its head:

"The Celestial's decree is to imprison."

Vazan Sansong thought for a moment:

"Indeed, this waste carries many high-tier powers; killing him directly might trigger an anomaly, potentially affecting the entire Vortex Plan.

"Can I attempt to unseal the imprint on his chest, to bring Lord Themipolos back?"

The paper doll fell silent for two seconds, then replied:

"Yes."

This did not violate the Celestial's decree.

Vazan Sansong laughed:

"I'll need your help using that Celestial's blessing for the final step; otherwise, I'd have to bring Lu Mi'an Li to the brink of death to unseal it—too risky."

The method to unseal Lu Mi'an Li's "Fool" seal was not Vazan Sansong's own idea—it was granted by the Great "Cycle of Fate" through ritual.

"Fine," Harrison did not refuse.

Vazan Sansong immediately pulled out a black metal box and opened it.

Inside lay numerous mercury beads, each the size of a thumb, their surfaces stained with black, engraved with intricate patterns and symbols that induced the deepest terror merely by being seen.

Vazan Sansong's voice grew deeper, yet his words sounded strangely ethereal.

The mercury beads, each marked with black, floated upward, drawn by invisible force, spinning rapidly in midair like a river looping upon itself.

Lu Mi'an, barely capable of forming thoughts, heard Vazan Sansong and Harrison's conversation, witnessed the scene—but felt no despair or regret.

At this point, despair and regret meant nothing!

Lu Mi'an now felt only anger, only resentment, only hatred—his sheep's eyes bulged outward with sheer force.

You fucking sow!

Within ten to twenty seconds, Vazan Sansong completed his incantation; the silver-black river hovering before him surged toward Lu Mi'an's chest.

Standing in the tunnel, Harrison had, at some point, lit four candles and placed a loaf of bread before each.

He chanted a spell, accompanied by specific steps and gestures.

Lu Mi'an rapidly sank into a dim, shadowy state; his thoughts gradually freed themselves from dullness.

But before he could form another thought, he felt his chest grow searing hot—then that familiar heat dissipated, swiftly turning cold.

In an instant, streams of silver-black light erupted from his body, intertwining before him to form a figure.

ps: Thank you, Mr. Aurora Society O, for becoming a Gold Patron. As per your request, the bonus chapter will be released at a special moment—not soon.

(End of Chapter)