Chapter 1216: ' Turn Around' Game

"Do you have anything else to say?"

"Or if you have nothing to say, just hand over the items."

Huang Quan stared at the Yu Ling Di inside the bronze ding, unmoved by the words of outsiders, sticking to his own established order. Yu Ling Di's gaze swept across the entire scene.

The unconscious body of Si Tu Yong Ren, the incomplete Er Hao consciousness, and Jiang Bu Yi's consciousness... these were his own people.

The trembling but capable Xiao Bai You, along with Mei Si Ren and Xu Xiao Shou who seemed to be in good condition, Tian Ren Wu Shui whose aura was gradually recovering, and Huang Quan at full strength... these were the enemies.

He could see no hope at all.

It was as if light had never shone into the Sin One Hall.

"I want to live." Yu Ling Di made a humble but sincere request.

"You have no right to negotiate terms." Huang Quan shook his head.

"I do. The Ci Mian Zhi Men is my bargaining chip. If you kill me, you'll get nothing." Yu Ling Di responded calmly, displaying the unflappable demeanor of the Ling Bu leader.

"Is that so?" Huang Quan said abruptly, then reached out and shattered Yu Ling Di's head with a blow. Crack!

A crisp sound rang out, and blood splattered everywhere.

The people present were shocked. Xu Xiao Shou's eyelids twitched wildly—this was the umpteenth time, and even he felt Yu Ling Di's fate was too tragic. The headless body quickly reformed a head.

Yu Ling Di's face turned purple and twisted in pain, but he bit his lip and refused to speak. Huang Quan laughed, took out a handkerchief, and elegantly wiped the blood from his hand.

"You can live, but it will be very painful."

"But I will still live! And as for my pain, I don't need you to give it to me—I've endured plenty already!" Yu Ling Di said defiantly.

"Heh, what a stubborn boy..."

Huang Quan chuckled, then nodded helplessly. "Very well, I agree. Give me the Ci Mian Zhi Men, and you can live."

"Yu Ling Di!" Jiang Bu Yi's consciousness roared.

"Either provide intelligence or offer your value. Any more pointless shouting, and I'll kill you first." Huang Quan turned his head to look.

Jiang Bu Yi's consciousness trembled and faltered, stitching together a follow-up. "...Give it to him. Give him everything." Everyone fell silent, the tension so thick you could hear a pin drop.

With no way out, Yu Ling Di reached into his heart and pulled out a drop of golden water.

"You deserve to die..."

Jiang Bu Yi gritted his teeth but didn't dare voice his thoughts aloud.

Seeing that drop of golden water, he immediately recalled the scenes where he had been deceived by the giant statue in Zhen Huang Dian. He had once carried something similar, rushing to save Ye Xiao, only to lose the golden water without realizing it. Instead, he smugly took the fifty worthless items that Tian Ren Wu Shui had thrown out like scraps to chase away a dog. He returned to Zhen Huang Dian and exchanged them for nothing, forcing him to bind his life to Yu Ling Di's. Then he was intercepted by Huang Quan and Mei Si Ren, ending up in his current wretched state.

That drop of golden water clearly had no special taste or power.

Yet, Jiang Bu Yi saw the word "foolishness" written all over it, along with mocking faces from various groups.

I'm like a complete idiot... Jiang Bu Yi's thoughts reached this point, nearly driving him to a mental breakdown.

"Is this the Ci Mian Zhi Men?" Huang Quan reached out to take the golden water drop.

"You promised me." Yu Ling Di clenched his palm, refusing to let go, though he had no grounds to make Huang Quan swear an oath—he could only confirm repeatedly.

"If it's real, you can live. If it's fake, you'll wish you were dead." Huang Quan said indifferently. Only then did Yu Ling Di nod and open his palm, letting the golden water split apart.

Ancient and profound power emanated from within the drop, a faint illusory golden light blooming and transforming into a translucent door that slowly floated upward and expanded.

Xu Xiao Shou widened his eyes.

This Ci Mian Zhi Men looked different from the one he had seen in the weak spatial area of Sin One Hall.

It had a more solid feel, even in its translucent state, carrying a heavy, substantial weight.

The frameless door contained layers of folded space, like an abyss embedded in darkness. When one gazed into the abyss, the abyss gazed back.

Xu Xiao Shou's vision blurred, and suddenly he saw specks of red light flickering inside the Ci Mian Zhi Men, as if countless eyes of Ban Sheng and Sheng Di were staring at him, making his scalp tingle.

"Whoa."

He jolted awake, his spiritual awakening triggering, realizing he had been influenced and his consciousness nearly sucked into the Ci Mian Zhi Men. But this wasn't the evil power emanating from the Ci Mian Zhi Men itself—it was...

Xue Shi Zhu?

The Xue Shi Zhu that guides people toward death?

After snapping back, Xu Xiao Shou realized that everyone present, including Mr. Yi Ren and Huang Quan, had been affected.

The source of this influence was the indiscriminate, harmful Pseudo Ban Sheng, Tian Ren Wu Shui!

"Hah."

Tian Ren Wu Shui let out an unconscious murmur, the crimson in his eyes fading, and everyone regained their senses.

"You..."

Huang Quan immediately sensed that the force that had nearly trapped him came from Tian Ren Wu Shui.

This was precisely why he had never liked working with Tian Ren Wu Shui—there was no other reason.

Now, this menace combined with the even greater menace of Xue Shi Zhu, forming a super threat!

Instinctively, he turned to glance at Tian Ren Wu Shui to assess the situation, but...

"Ci Mian Zhi Men, shatter!"

The instantly sobered Yu Ling Di, without a moment's hesitation, summoned the power of the Ci Mian Zhi Men illusion and directed it toward Mei Si Ren's Luo Ying Jie.

Only a Ban Sheng could fully control the Ci Mian Zhi Men.

But as its master, Yu Ling Di could already borrow part of its illusory power.

Just as before, he had used this immense power to pull the supposedly doomed Ye Xiao back from Tian Ren Wu Shui's grasp to Zhen Huang Dian—though in the end, he couldn't save the Dark Bu leader.

A beam of illusory light flew toward Luo Ying Jie.

Mei Si Ren reacted almost simultaneously.

He raised his Tai Cheng Jian, but catching Huang Quan in his peripheral vision, he gently lowered the sword.

At the same time, he reached out to hold back the instinctively resisting Xu Xiao Shou, then winced and pulled his hand back in pain.

"Er Hao, predecessor!"

Yu Ling Di let out a piercing cry.

As he ducked into the bronze ding, he regretted that the lid had been knocked away earlier and couldn't fully cover him. He manipulated the bronze ding to swiftly flee from Huang Quan.

The Ci Mian Zhi Men illusion opened above Luo Ying Jie and then closed, as if swallowing something inside. Boom!

The scattered red plum blossoms of Luo Ying Jie vanished.

Along with it, the entire consciousness world constructed by sword techniques disappeared.

Mei Si Ren and Xu Xiao Shou underwent a double transformation, shifting from their true forms back to ideological states and then to true forms again.

Mei Si Ren showed no changes.

Xu Xiao Shou's black hair, black eyes, black clothes, and black sword vanished, like an expensive flashy outfit expiring, leaving him in his humble state, empty-handed.

Jiang Bu Yi's consciousness vanished—not truly gone, but returning from its visible form in Luo Ying Jie to its naturally invisible state.

Si Tu Yong Ren's consciousness was freed, returning to his zombie body, his eyes snapping open—his physical body had always been intact, with his consciousness extracted under Er Hao's protection by the Tun Shen Whip.

As for Er Hao...

This Tian Ji Shen Shi, in whom Yu Ling Di had placed the greatest hope, was instantly freed, his remaining consciousness returning from the "Xia" character.

"I awaken in chaos..."

"I am born in ruin..."

"I am the Tian Ji not of this world..."

"I am the divine envoy meant to eradicate all sins!"

A voice that was indifferent and aloof, yet laced with a touch of second-rate passion and underlying helplessness, echoed from the heavens once more.

With a hum, the world lit up with holy and radiant white light.

"Order has shaped me."

"The Dao principles have chosen me."

"The elements are new life."

"Protection is the eternal creed!"

Each word carried real power.

Under this decree-like summons, the rules of the Dao, the elements of life, all transformed into chains of order, bringing new vitality from all directions to Er Hao's remaining consciousness.

Dazzling white armor formed, twelve wings of light emerged, the sword of holy judgment was grasped, and a divine halo crowned above. The liberated state of Tian Ji Shen Shi descended once more!

Xu Xiao Shou's skin erupted in goosebumps, his entire body trembling. It was over.

Everything was over.

Mr. Yi Ren had only just managed to control the Tian Ji Shen Shi, and now Huang Quan had let it loose again? This creation of Tian Ji was utterly incomprehensible!

Given time, it could draw on the power of Tian Ji rules to instantly restore to its peak strength!

Xu Xiao Shou had previously jokingly regretted not seeing the full power of the liberated Tian Ji Shen Shi.

Because as soon as it transformed, his teacher had hung it up and beaten it, suppressing it on the consciousness level. Now, upon seeing it again, his only feeling was...

Better not to see it at all!

This was the epitome of curiosity killing the cat.

"Er Hao, predecessor, save me first! Save me!"

Si Tu Yong Ren shouted the moment his eyes opened. He had already anticipated that if the six Ban Sheng here started a large-scale brawl, even the aftermath could wipe out someone as insignificant as him.

Naturally, he was in complete panic.

Six Ban Sheng... what did that mean?

How many years had it been since Sheng Shen Continent saw so many Ban Sheng gathered for a fight?

When Si Tu Yong Ren had landed in Dong Tian Wang Cheng and participated in the Tai Xu-level Wang Cheng night battle, he had felt exhilarated. Compared to this, that battle was nothing.

Er Hao, now free, didn't need reminding. With a casual beam of Tian Ji light, he enveloped Si Tu Yong Ren.

Then, in a flash, he reached Yu Ling Di's position in the retreating bronze ding and enveloped both the person and the ding in another beam of light.

"Run!"

The scene wasn't immediately sealed by Er Hao.

Jiang Bu Yi didn't care about the deranged Tian Ren Wu Shui who was still eyeing him threateningly.

His consciousness rippled through the void, clearly gathering some power as he fled desperately. As far as possible!

Xu Xiao Shou saw the situation was hopeless, grabbed Mei Si Ren, and roared at the trembling, frozen Han Ye, who looked like a block of ice:

"Retreat!"

"You go first!"

He didn't dare open the spatial passage to his Yuan Fu world in front of so many Ban Sheng. If these experts suddenly all flashed into his world to take refuge, that would be disastrous!

Just thinking about the wounded like Lei Xi Er, Zhu Yi Ke, experts like A Bing and A Huo, the sleepy Long Xing in Shen Nong Drug Garden, and the ten thousand Dan Ding with the refining cat Xiao Tan Shen... they would all be stunned!

Xu Xiao Shou didn't want to imagine it further. He grabbed Mei Si Ren's hand and prepared to activate the spatial Dao Pan to escape.

Chaos!

Total chaos!

Forget about the backup plans with the eight Zun An; Xu Xiao Shou had completely lost track of how things would develop next!

"Stay calm."

Mei Si Ren, a veteran from ages past, had seen more storms and eaten more salt than Xu Xiao Shou could in a lifetime.

With that composed word, his Heart Sword technique cut through all of Xu Xiao Shou's panic. Xu Xiao Shou wasn't stupid; he had just panicked temporarily.

Once steady, he realized why his teacher was so unfazed and hadn't stopped the Ci Mian Zhi Men illusion from interfering with Luo Ying Jie.

Moreover, Huang Quan, who controlled everything, was just watching as people and events spiraled toward collapse.

Wait!

How could Huang Quan not react?

A flash of insight hit Xu Xiao Shou like lightning, and he stiffly turned to look at the space-time attribute Ban Sheng, Huang Quan.

Huang Quan seemed detached, watching everything unfold with a light smile.

In his palm, a chaotic sphere radiating space-time power had appeared unnoticed.

Xu Xiao Shou's pupils contracted.

He could see clearly that the sphere reflected everything happening: the liberated Tian Ji Shen Shi, the fleeing Jiang Bu Yi, Han Ye unfolding his Chao Sheng Dun...

Huang Quan wasn't detached; he was outside the boundary!

"The Kingdom of Time."

Huang Quan raised the other-dimensional realm in his hand high, as if pausing the current space-time at a certain point and diverting future developments into the illusory realm in his palm.

As an outsider, he viewed everyone's fates through this future space-time.

"So, this is the development you wanted?"

Huang Quan smiled knowingly, no longer playing games. He flipped his hand and crushed the sphere.

Crack!

Xu Xiao Shou felt something like a bubble illusion shatter in his mind.

He snapped to attention and realized he still had black hair, black eyes, black clothes, and black sword—they were still in Luo Ying Jie.

Everything that had just happened felt fake, like it occurred in a different space-time, with no impact on the present world!

Beside him, Mr. Yi Ren remained unmoved, the steadiest of all.

Jiang Bu Yi retreated back to his consciousness form, Er Hao to before his liberated state, and Han Ye lost his Chao Sheng Dun state...

Everyone returned to their original time node.

—Right after Tian Ren Wu Shui's Xue Shi Zhu had influenced everyone's will, but before Yu Ling Di suddenly acted to shatter Luo Ying Jie with the Ci Mian Zhi Men illusion.

Xu Xiao Shou looked over and saw the Ci Mian Zhi Men illusion hovering in mid-air, not advancing further. A chill ran down his spine.

"Impossible!" Jiang Bu Yi's shrill voice echoed as his consciousness exploded, collapsing on itself.

"How is this even possible?" Er Hao's voice could no longer stay steady, filled with shock—his knowledge base had no record of Luo Ying Jie or the Kingdom of Time.

"Ah..."

Inside the bronze ding, Yu Ling Di let out a low sound.

He lowered his head to see the golden water drop in his palm and lifted his eyes to see Huang Quan right in front of him. His expression was completely blank.

"Was it fun?" Huang Quan leaned down, his golden mask revealing eyes as deep as an abyss, nearly driving people mad with despair.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, light appeared from afar.

Yu Ling Di's eyes reignited with hope. Ignoring Huang Quan's presence, he waved frantically: "Yan Lao!"

"Over here! Yan Lao! Look here!"

Huang Quan smiled and snapped his fingers with a crisp sound.

"Go back."

Whoosh. The light retreated.

The Ci Mian Zhi Men illusion popped back into the golden water drop in Yu Ling Di's hand. Thump!

Yu Ling Di's heart stopped.

The spark of light that had just appeared in his eyes extinguished.

"I gave you a chance."

Huang Quan slowly extended his hand, placing his left on Yu Ling Di's shoulder and his right on Yu Ling Di's head. Yu Ling Di felt his neck stretching.

Xu Xiao Shou frowned and stepped behind Mei Si Ren.

"Heh heh uh..."

Yu Ling Di's teeth chattered, his body convulsing uncontrollably as he trembled wildly in the bronze ding.

Why isn't he pulling it off?

Why aren't you pulling it off? Why aren't you doing it?!

One breath, three breaths, ten breaths... it felt like an eternity!

"Ahhhh!"

Yu Ling Di's eyes bulged, unable to hold back the flood of fear in his heart, screaming in agony.

This scream made Mei Si Ren sigh and turn away, Xu Xiao Shou unable to watch, and Han Ye's knees shake as he clutched his hands, his liver and gallbladder twisting in fear.

Suddenly, Huang Quan released his grip and laughed.

"The game is for you to play a bit, and for me to play a bit. If you dare to play, don't be so afraid."

Yu Ling Di's near-mad scream stopped abruptly.

His eyes widened, lips parting and closing, saliva dripping unconsciously from the corner of his mouth. Realizing his head was still on his neck, he was overjoyed.

"Thank you! Thank you!"

"Thank you, Huang Quan, for your mercy..."

Smack!

Huang Quan backhanded him, sending Yu Ling Di's head flying.

"No more games. Time to settle accounts."