Chapter 754

"Five!"

A thunderclap sounded from the sky; such a clear sound was the first time Xia De had heard it in the gap. And then, dozens of pitch-black beams of light fell straight down from the high altitude of the thick fog like light rain.

Xia De could not care about his injuries and dodged immediately, but the black light rain actually followed him and began to move.

"Four!"

His nose twitched, and Xia De smelled the floral scent in that bedroom; he was about to leave. The pitch-black scythe swept over from the front again. Because of the light rain following from behind, Xia De could not dodge at all. And once he stopped to defend, he would likely be continuously attacked by those light rains until he was powerless.

"There's no other way."

The power of the last red butterfly was completely absorbed into his body. Xia De's footsteps paused for a moment, and then his whole body exploded, turning into a swarm of red butterflies flying toward the high altitude.

"Three!"

But the red butterflies did not fly too far away. The labyrinth master suppressed high-altitude flight, forcibly pressing Xia De back to the ground and restoring him to human form. Xia De was actually very glad that Barton did this; for a moment, he almost thought he was really the collective consciousness of a swarm of red butterflies.

"Sure enough, one cannot rely too much on the power of relics..."

The black light rain followed closely, and at the same time, Joey Barton floated over slowly. He was holding a black sphere in his hand, and the sphere was expanding. Xia De had a premonition that once that black ball burst, the shield of the 【Soul Ring】 and the state of 【False Immortality】 combined would probably not be able to save his injuries.

"Two!"

Someone was shaking Xia De's shoulders; the semi-dreaming and semi-awake state made Xia De's consciousness seem to be divided into two parts.

"Mr. Watson, this is the power I realized in the gap. Touching death so deeply, touching death so much, I understand what the end is."

Barton's voice seemed to come from very far away, but he was so close. The special growth environment made him more talented than Yin Yi Yi Lu Na and Dac Dac Nisi, and coupled with the power of the gap, the danger of this battle was actually on par with the final battle with Dac Dac Nisi:

"Is it that every time one faces a Chosen One, it must be more difficult than the last?"

Xia De, who was running, put his hands together and then pulled them apart violently. A silver moonlight arc slashed toward the man flying at low altitude.

"Bestow upon you—"

The black ball burst, time seemed to stand still at this moment, darkness descended, and everything around seemed to be pushed toward the end, the end representing the finish:

"—The Predestined Death!"

"Wake up!"

The feeling of cold water pouring over his head made Xia De's stilled consciousness wake up from the dream:

"Oh!"

He gasped for breath and opened his eyes, breathing heavily, enjoying the joy of a living life. Then he coughed violently, coughing up blood from his lungs.

Cold water slid down his cheeks; someone had really poured water on Xia De's face.

He had returned to the basement of the Cassandra Auction House, supporting his body with one hand, sitting on a soft four-poster bed. The black gauze around him had been pulled open, Miss Afula was sitting sideways on the edge of the bed holding Xia De's left hand, and Madam Cassandra was clutching a red butterfly pendant with a nervous expression, presumably intending to ask Grace and Helen for help.

As for the old witch's apprentice, Miss Rita Swift, she was standing at the head of the bed holding an empty bowl, smiling at Xia De with some embarrassment.

She was the one who splashed the water.

The fireplace's bonfire was relit, and the shadow of the old witch on the side of the bed was projected onto the bed. The sound of the maids walking around made this world more vivid and also made Xia De's cold soul perceive the temperature of the real world again.

Xia De, who was breathing heavily, could still feel the feeling of the end of all things at the last moment in the dream. He believed that Joey Barton could not use that move without a price, but even he did not want to face that kind of scene again.

Looking down at his right hand, the doctor's black crystal amulet had shattered. Although the three relic rings on his left hand were intact, the chaotic whispering elements represented that they were on the verge of losing control.

Xia De hurriedly took off the rings in his hand, and the sorceresses waiting on the side took the rings and sent them to the containment room on the other side of the basement in an emergency.

"Xia De, how do you feel now?"

Miss Afula asked with concern, and Xia De shook his head:

"The situation is very bad, very bad. Without a targeted plan, I'm afraid the Church won't be able to take much advantage."

He briefly talked about what happened in the dream in the gap, focusing on the fact that Joey Barton was gradually merging with the Unknown-level relic 【Gap of Life and Death】 by relying on his Chosen One talent and the knowledge he obtained from the Truth Society:

"He can even open the labyrinth 【Gap of Life and Death】 in the gap. With the two superimposed, it is hard to imagine how to defeat him. And that last move, the Predestined Death... an indiscriminate large-scale attack; within the coverage area, even if one has the ability to avoid instant death, one will be pushed to the end... It's really terrifying; I can't imagine a mortal being able to do this to such an extent."

Miss Rita Swift handed Xia De a towel, and Xia De wiped the water off his face. Miss Afula's hand was transmitting temperature to Xia De, and he felt a little better:

"But what is certain is that Barton does indeed want to enter the real death through one of the three channels, and then find the soul of his beloved in death."

"The channel on the mountainside is guarded by us and Miss Feilian together, and the mountaintop has the Church and the Phoenix. Could it be that he wants to pass through that door at the foot of the mountain?"

Miss Afula guessed:

"After all, you met him near the natural church in the gap."

"That might just be to distract the Church's attention. He just used the labyrinth, and the souls guarding the church can also notice it, not to mention the Church you mentioned that entered the gap to find him. I think we will soon get news from the Five Gods Church. So, the possibility of him using the three channels exists..."

Hesitating for a moment, he added:

"The Balanced Chosen One is staying at the church at the foot of the mountain. In addition, the Church has three Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers locally, and the three major magic academies also have one. Even if they are dispersed, there is one Thirteen-Ring Ringed Ringed Shushi at each channel."

"No, the Church's three Thirteen-Ring Sorcerers should all be on the mountain; the ritual needs them."

Madam Cassandra said. This old witch, who had always been smiling, also had a worried expression on her face at this time:

"No matter what, the final moment is finally about to arrive. It seems the ritual is not today, Tuesday, but should be tomorrow, Wednesday evening... Xia De, what are you going to do tomorrow?"

Xia De blinked:

"Since Midhillburg is so dangerous tomorrow, I plan to stay in Tobesk and wait for your good news."

"This lie is very clumsy."

Miss Afula hummed and laughed:

"In short, no matter what you want to do, be careful."

She would never have guessed what Xia De's goal was.

In the short hour that Xia De entered the dream, most of the day had passed in real time.

It was noon on Tuesday. The witches invited Xia De to have lunch together, but Xia De, who still had things to do, declined the invitation. Before he left the Cassandra Auction House, Madam Cassandra handed a somewhat rusty red butterfly pendant to Xia De. This was a complete pendant with whispering elements attached to it:

"The teachers are still in the room and are expected to be able to walk around freely tomorrow or the day after. Now the gap is on the verge of collapse, and they dare not risk catalyzing a disaster by going out. Xia De, this is an item made by the teachers; it can allow you to temporarily use a portion of the red butterfly's power. But unless it is a last resort, do not use it easily; the power attached to it is too powerful."

"Grace and Helen..."

Madam Cassandra could not have known what Xia De wanted to do, but the twin girls probably guessed that Xia De would enter the gap again tomorrow.

Bidding farewell to the two witches, Xia De went to the Sun Church in the Midhillburg parish again and spent a lot of effort to see Yin Yi Yi Lu Na.

He told the seventeen-year-old girl about the situation in the dream, emphasizing the labyrinth and the Predestined Death, and reminded her to be careful. At the same time, Xia De also learned that the team sent by the Natural Church into the gap today had an average level of 8.

It's just that neither Xia De nor Yin Yi Yi Lu Na thought much of their actions.

He wrote a letter to Sister Miss Feilian at the Blind House and then returned to Tobesk. When he returned home, it was already evening that day. Xia De held someone else's cat and waited for Luweiya to get off work on the first floor of the Divination Association, and then the two went to a restaurant on Silver Cross Avenue for dinner together.

Luweiya listened quietly as Xia De recounted what happened today, and only asked softly after he finished speaking:

"So after you get home, you will prepare your travel equipment and then go to Midhillburg to wait for the Church's ritual to start tomorrow?"

"Yes, when the Church ritual begins, it is when the defensive power of the three channels is most dispersed, and Joey Barton is most likely to act at that time. I will go deep into the gap, using this body instead of going deep into the gap through a dream. In the gap, I will witness Joey Barton's end."

Xia De was cutting the meat steak on his plate:

"Since he doesn't want to turn back and is unwilling to turn back, I can only regard him as an enemy. Fortunately, with 【Night Watchman】 in hand, I have confidence in facing the labyrinth again. Plus Yin Yi Yi Lu Na, there shouldn't be much of a problem this time."

Although his tone was relaxed, Luweiya knew how dangerous this was.

The purple-eyed girl had even put on light makeup to go out to dinner with Xia De. At this time, she pursed her lips:

"You chose to go to the church at the foot of the mountain instead of the mountain? Why?"

Xia De used the fork in his hand to arrange three pieces of steak in parallel on the plate, and Mia the cat looked at him expectantly:

"Priest Ao Gu Si is now on the mountaintop, Sister Miss Feilian followed the witches to the mountainside, isn't the remaining answer obvious? Moreover, Yin Yi Yi Lu Na is at the foot of the mountain; even if it is to protect her safety, I cannot go anywhere else."

"Does she need you to protect her?"

Luweiya said in a low voice, shaking her red wine glass under the gas lamp, the wine-red liquid presenting a blurry luster:

"I really hate this feeling of waiting, waiting for you to return from an adventure."

"Since the Star Whale didn't appear tonight, it must appear tomorrow night. While you are waiting for me to return, you can also complete the big event of the Astronomical Academy this autumn; this process is not boring."

Xia De sighed:

"Actually, I also really want to see this legendary creature, but unfortunately, tomorrow night, I will most likely be in the gap."

"You know, that's not what I'm talking about."

Luweiya shook her head, lowered her head to find divination cards from her handbag, and pushed them to Xia De, signaling him to draw one:

"Same old rules, before you leave, let me divine for you, my knight."

Xia De nodded, first patted away the paw Mia stretched out, and then drew one from the middle:

"The Ferryman."

On the card was an endless river surface, and the huge moon was only half floating on the water. The ferryman in robes was shaking the oars and sailing toward the moon.

He placed the card face up on top of the deck and then handed the cards back to Luweiya:

"So, what does this card mean?"

"You will become an important guide, pointing the way for an important person, and thus receive a reward—this is the most basic meaning of this card."

"Then what are the other meanings?"

Luweiya shook her head and said nothing. Xia De could see that her mood was very bad, but he also understood her thoughts at this time. Clearly, the three of them had agreed to witness all this together, but this time, it was Xia De and Yin Yi Yi Lu Na who had to face it, while Luweiya could only wait silently.

"Yin Yi Yi Lu Na told me today that she would be back in Tobesk on the weekend, and she also invited us to have dinner and watch an opera together. When the time comes, shall we still go to the Deraerion King's Opera House? Maybe we can change to another place this time."

He smiled and changed the subject, while the waiter pushed the dining cart and brought clam soup. Xia De loosened the buttons on his formal cuffs and signaled Luweiya to look over:

"Look."

He pierced his fingers into his cuffs and then "plucked" a somewhat wilted red rose from his sleeve:

"For you, Luweiya."

The young waiter on the side thought this was magic, while the purple-eyed girl saw that this was the effect of the spell 【Toy Making】.

She took the flower and barely showed a smile. Xia De leaned back, leaning slightly against the back of the chair, his gaze moving away from the beautiful girl at the same table as him, looking at the crystal chandelier above this high-end restaurant.

The light was very beautiful, very pretty.

【How many flowers did you buy from that flower-selling girl?】

A whisper came to his ears.

"Eight."

Xia De remembered very clearly.

【How many have you given away now?】

"Yin Yi Yi Lu Na, Queen Diana, Miss Miss Jia Lin Na, Miss Difa, Luweiya, five have been given away."

He thought for a moment:

"Oh, and Princess Lei Lei Qianya and Duo Luo Qian, they took one together. So, there are two flowers left now."

【Who do you plan to give the remaining ones to?】

The light made Xia De's eyes shine, and many noble ladies around were secretly looking at him. Luweiya also held the flower and looked at the handsome young man with a smile on his face across the table.

Sometimes, the purple-eyed girl couldn't believe her luck in meeting this young detective who liked cats.

"Those flowers aren't just roses. As for who I plan to give them to..."

His right hand stretched toward his chest unconsciously, tapped it lightly, and then took out a handkerchief. This movement was very natural, and no one could see anything wrong with it.

Only "she" was smiling gently; "she" was always like this.

PS: After finishing this plot, I realized that I didn't introduce the story of the "Seven-Colored Flower," which is really a waste... However, the wish-making of the Seven-Colored Flower overlaps with the Match Girl, so it doesn't matter.

The story of the third volume has now officially entered the final battle of the finale, so please look forward to it!