"What?" The Wizard looked utterly bewildered.
Chen Nuo had already raised his hands, and with a grasp in the air…
From a distance outside the mine pit, a sound vaguely reminiscent of the thunder on a summer evening began to echo. Mixed within the thunder were sounds like a herd of galloping horses... a roaring tidal wave...
BOOM!
The horizon revealed a surge of silver-white waves, overwhelming the sky!
From Yulong Lake in the distance, a burst of water erupted, pulled by an invisible force, rushing like a high tide, pouring into the mine pit with the weight of Mount Tai, directly sweeping the Wizard away!
"Fuck!!"
The Wizard, seeing hundreds of tons of water falling from the sky, quickly lifted his hand. Airwaves rose against the torrent in a forceful attempt to hold back the water dragon in midair!
SPLAT!
The Wizard spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes blazing with golden light, with more and more Runes appearing on his body!
But the sound of the tidal waves became increasingly urgent, and the Wizard seemed more and more hard-pressed to sustain his defense. His telekinetic control of the invisible airwaves finally crumbled inch by inch…
"You... what power is this?!" The Wizard gritted his teeth in anger.
Chen Nuo's face was stern. "This move is called, 'Who Built the Dam Haha!'"
"???"
BOOM! The air wall collapsed, the waves surged down, engulfing the Wizard...
Chen Nuo's body floated up, landing on a rock, watching the waves sweep over the entire mine pit. Suddenly, his body also shook, and he knelt down on the ground.
Blood flowed from his nose...
Uh... at the limit...
Not yet advanced to Controller, fighting to this extent was already the limit of Chen Nuo's capabilities...
Hundreds of tons of water drawn from the nearby Yulong Lake had flooded the mine pit...
But soon, a massive vortex appeared in the water! The current grew more turbulent!
Afterward, countless streams of water were seen swiftly circling the vortex, then gradually being swallowed up...
The Wizard stood in the middle, raising his left hand high. The ring on his finger acting like a magical black hole, sucking in all the water!
The hundreds of tons of water in the mine pit formed a vortex around his ring, then rapidly drained away...
The Wizard was now not much better off than Chen Nuo.
Injury was secondary; the mysterious ring was inscribed with numerous peculiar Runes, swiftly repairing and replenishing his drained strength.
The main issue was...
His damn morale was shattered!
He had thought he was coming in like a force from another dimension, ready to rub a small, unripe telekinetic youngster into the ground.
Turned out, this kid was full of tricks. Clearly less powerful, yet he managed to turn the fight into one where both sides were heavily injured.
Chen Nuo gasped for air, his strength completely drained, his light extinguished.
To trick the Wizard into closing in, he had forcefully lain on the ground and taken a couple of hits after being injured.
The last two moves had been an overcharged burst of power, at the current stage of Chen Nuo's strength level.
After the outburst, Chen Yanluo was thoroughly depleted.
However, looking at the Wizard in front of him, who had sucked all the water into that magical ring... the Wizard's momentum was rising again, slowly recovering.
Chen Nuo's expression remained calm.
"Kid, what other tricks do you have?" The Wizard asked through gritted teeth.
Injuries on his body were enshrouded by those miraculous Runes, seemingly recovering eerily.
Raising his head, the Wizard stared at Chen Nuo. This time he was cautious and did not approach rashly, but in his heart, he had already made a judgment.
This time, this guy must be out of strength... Chen Nuo's feeble breath and the fluctuations of his power were now undisguised under the Wizard's telekinetic exploration.
"If I say I have a trump card left, would you be scared?" Chen Nuo asked with a weak smile.
"Then bring it out!"
"Then come over here!" Chen Nuo raised his middle finger.
"..."
Shit, the Wizard was truly hesitant, not daring to take a step forward.
It wasn't that he was really afraid of the kid.
But this kid's methods...were just too disgusting!
And what about that... "Who built the dam, huh?"
You think I've never watched Naruto!!
The Wizard's face turned ashen. Suddenly, with a flick of his finger, Chen Nuo, who was sitting on the ground, flew up into the air!
Fortunately, the Wizard was a bit afraid that the kid might play more tricks, so he didn't dare to pull him close, but instead smashed Chen Nuo far away.
Chen Nuo hit the mountain wall, blood spurting from his mouth. When he landed on the ground, he coughed a few times, then suddenly raised his head and shouted, "That's enough! I really have no more tricks! If you don't take action now, you'll end up a widow!"
The Wizard, after hearing Chen Nuo's nonsensical words, frowned and coldly snapped, "Hmph, calling for your companion, are you? You should know that for Controllers of the Mentality Series, sneak attacks are useless... FUCK!!!!!!"
Before the words could fade, there was a sudden clap of thunder in the sky!
With a loud BANG, a bolt of lightning struck down from above!
The Wizard only had time to curse before raising his ring high, just to see that bolt of lightning strike directly on his left fist. Amidst the explosion, the Wizard was sent flying again!
On that ring, a faint crack had also appeared!
In the night sky, Lu Xixi's figure slowly emerged from the darkness.
The Empress's hair danced in the wind, her beautiful face clouded over with stormy rage. Suddenly, she reached out her hand, and a bolt of lightning flew into her palm!
At this moment, it was as if the coffins of Faraday, Newton, Franklin—indeed, all the great physicists—were rattling!
The bolt of lightning had actually been firmly grasped in Empress Lu's hand!
The lightning turned into a glittering golden Lightning Whip. With a flick of Lu Xixi's wrist, it viciously lashed towards the Wizard.
The Wizard was struck by the Lightning Whip again and burst into flames as he tumbled out. He hadn't yet touched the ground when he already made out the face of the woman in the sky...
"Star Sky Empress?! What are you doing here!!"
Lu Xixi gritted her teeth and let out a shrill, furious scream at the Wizard.
"You! Dare! Hit! My! Husband!!!!"
"...What, what husband?"
The Wizard was flabbergasted!
What husband, huh!
Say something I can understand, you crazy woman!!!
BOOM!!
As the woman shrieked, the Lightning Whip in her hand struck the Wizard like a poisonous snake, again and again and again...
The Wizard tried to employ his full speed to dodge left and right within the mine pit!
However, Lu Xixi's emotions were also exploding. Seeing Chen Nuo lying there, barely breathing, felt like a surge of emotion in her head suddenly burst open!
Flames of rage seemed to burn in the Empress's eyes as her power unleashed fully. Amidst the barrage of Lightning Whips, the Wizard managed to protect his body with the Runes on his ring, but he was still being lashed and sent sprawling...
Just like Boss Guo a few days prior, he seemed like a top tormented under the whip.
With each streak of lightning, the Wizard felt the Runes in his ring increasingly unable to resist the Empress's might. He faintly sensed his ring wailing in distress!
The Wizard gritted his teeth and braved another two lashes—the electrifying agony sent sparks over his body, but he shot into the sky. Midair, Runes emerged from the ring held in his clenched fist, swirling around him in a gigantic pattern, enveloping him as if he were a meteor shooting up to the heavens!
Lu Xixi raised an eyebrow, bit her silver teeth, and charged headlong to meet him!
The two Controllers clashed, one from above and one from below.
Their burst of power collided mid-air, instantly whipping up a violent wind that scattered the clouds!
And above the sky, Lu Xixi and the Wizard had already flown apart.
Lu Xixi, clenching her teeth, gave her wrist a flick, and the Lightning Whip once again coiled around the Wizard's ankle, pulling him back.
The Wizard, covered in electric sparks, cursed out loud, "Crazy woman! Do you really want us to die together!!"
Lu Xixi snorted, swung her fist, and smashed it onto the Wizard's shoulder. The Wizard's face contorted, a cloud of blood spraying from his mouth, but he too gritted his teeth and swung his fist to meet the blow.
This punch landed on Lu Xixi's wrist that held the Lightning Whip. With a pained cry, she finally let go of the whip, which turned into a flash of lightning, fell to the ground, and disappeared into the earth.
The Wizard swiftly grasped Lu Xixi's wrist. Runes wildly spewed from his ring, sinking into Lu Xixi's wrist one by one!
The eerie light seemed to climb up her arm.
Lu Xixi turned pale but bit down hard, clenched her fist again, and delivered another punch to the Wizard's chest.
PUH!
The Wizard spat blood once more.
The two Controllers were caught in a stalemate mid-air.
The Wizard's ring Runes were desperately trying to devour Lu Xixi's body, while Lu Xixi had no intention of breaking free. She just kept pounding punch after punch like a sledgehammer onto the Wizard's body.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
In midair, each punch felt like a muffled thunder!
Eventually, the Wizard couldn't take it any longer. Seeing Lu Xixi throw another punch toward his face, he quickly released her hand and retreated backward, then fell from the air and crashed onto the ground.
Lu Xixi's hand was freed, but her right arm dangled limply. She too plummeted to the ground.
Both of them lifted their heads to look at each other.
The Wizard shouted angrily, "Are you crazy? If you keep this up, I'll fight back with everything I have! Do you want us all to die here today?!"
"You hit my husband! I will beat you to death!"
"..." The Wizard nearly spat blood!
Husband?
This crazy woman, where did she get a husband from?!
How did this cunning little bastard become this crazy woman's husband?!
Lu Xixi had already leaped at him again! The winds rose and the clouds churned in the sky, and once more, a bolt of lightning streaked directly down!
The Wizard cursed, retreating rapidly, but countless bolts of lightning converged in midair...
The Wizard now truly felt a chill rise in his heart!
Between Controllers, there had long been an unwritten rule to not trigger wars lightly. Even if there were occasional conflicts, they always held back somewhat.
The woman before him was now clearly ready to fight to the death!
If they continued fighting like this... Given that his and the Star Sky Empress's powers were almost evenly matched, if it came to a fight to the death... he really didn't know if he would die here today!
The Wizard had no interest in having his bones buried in this foreign land of Huaxia!
With that thought, the desire to retreat surged in his heart.
Seeing more bolts of lightning striking down from the sky, the Wizard shouted loudly and actually took off the ring from his hand!
He crushed it with force in his hand!
BOOM!
The ring disintegrated between the Wizard's fingers! But as the ring shattered, a storm of spiritual power burst forth from the Wizard's body, mimicking the ferocity of his peak condition!
The storm swept over, and Lu Xixi's skyful of lightning bolts descended...
Brilliant bursts of light blinded those who tried to see through them.
In his desperation, Chen Nuo shouted, "Don't be reckless! Lu Xixi!"
Amidst the blinding light, Chen Nuo felt like a leaf caught in a storm, being whirled into the air, with nothing but howls and buzzes echoing in his ears.
He didn't know how much time had passed, but suddenly, Chen Nuo felt his fall slow down. Upon opening his eyes, he saw Lu Xixi holding him with one hand...
The Empress's mouth was covered in blood, making her already pale face seem even whiter.
Lu Xixi managed a weak smile. "Husband... I caught you..."
They landed gently. Chen Nuo struggled to rise, but before he could steady himself, Lu Xixi's body softened, and she fell into Chen Nuo's arms.
Chen Nuo hurriedly wrapped his arms around her. Lu Xixi let out a breath, coughed twice, and frowned tightly. "Husband... that guy... too powerful... I couldn't hold him back..."
The mine pit was now eerily empty; the Wizard's figure was nowhere to be found.
That sly fox had already fled.
Chen Nuo supported Lu Xixi, helping her to lie down, resting her head on his lap.
"It's alright, you were very impressive... forcing the Wizard to crush his own Soul Device. The injuries he sustained today will take at least a couple of years to recover from."
Upon hearing this, a faint smile appeared on Lu Xixi's face, her voice weak. "So that means... I'm very impressive, right, husband...?"
"Yes, you're very impressive."
Lu Xixi wanted to say more, but suddenly her brows furrowed tightly, and she groaned, "Husband... my right hand, it hurts so much..."
Chen Nuo quickly unrolled the sleeve of Lu Xixi's right hand. The sleeve was already torn to shreds. Upon opening it, he saw her once snow-white arm now clear and translucent, with faint golden Runes flickering beneath the skin, still furiously damaging Lu Xixi's body.
The Empress took several deep breaths, and waves of power flowed along her arm, gradually suppressing those Runes...
"Husband... I, I'm so tired..."
"It's okay, take a rest," Chen Nuo sighed. "The innate power of your body will slowly heal itself. The Runes from that cunning fox, once separated from his Soul Device, will dissipate soon."
Lu Xixi's eyelids drooped. "I..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Lu Xixi had fallen asleep.
「Night.」
「Wilderness.」
「Inside the mine pit.」
Amidst the debris left by the battle between the two powerful contenders, Chen Nuo cradled Lu Xixi in his arms, sitting on the ground, allowing Lu Xixi's head to rest on his legs.
Chen Nuo took a deep breath. The faint, intense pain in his mind was forcibly suppressed as his fingertips gradually released a stream of mysterious power, seeping into Lu Xixi's forehead...
Initially breathing rapidly in her sleep with an expression of pain on her face, Lu Xixi began to relax as the power from Chen Nuo's fingertips entered her. The wisps of Runes were forced out from beneath her skin. Chen Nuo inhaled deeply, gently pulling each Rune into the palm of his hand...
Lu Xixi's breathing eased, and her facial expression gradually softened.
Looking at the woman quietly sleeping in his arms, Chen Nuo couldn't quite identify the feeling in his heart.
He looked up at the starry sky, then down at the beautiful face of the Star Sky Empress...
"Hey, woman..."
Chen Yanluo sighed softly. "I'm sorry, I've been deceiving you these past few days... Actually, many times I wanted to wake you up and then send you away from here.
"Deceiving you for so long... Actually, I was deceiving myself...
"I... I suppose I just can't bear for you to leave...
"It's not that I'm afraid you'll hit me when you wake up.
"I just... can't bear to wake you up.
"I just... am a bit infatuated with this feeling, of keeping you by my side.
"Just like... in our past life...
"Yes, if I count carefully, this is the second time you've fallen asleep with your head on my legs.
"The last time...
"Was also...
"in a past life."
In a past life...
Yes, that time, it was the same scene.
Amid ruins, holding this woman, her sleeping on his legs...
Chen Nuo looked down.
Yama's face seemed without a trace of expression, yet his reaching hand was unbelievably tender.
His fingers gently caressed Lu Xixi's face, tenderly brushing stray hairs from her forehead.
"Lu Xixi... in this life, I'll never get angry at you again, okay?
"Lu Xixi... in this life, I'll never again call you a crazy woman, okay?
"Lu Xixi... in this life, I'll even take you out to sea to catch sharks, okay?
"Lu Xixi... this life...
"You...
"...please don't die again, okay?"
A tear slid down from the corner of Yama's eye, falling on the face of the Star Sky Empress.
A tender smile appeared on Yama's face as he gently gazed at the sleeping Star Sky Empress in his arms.
The starlight spilled over them both...
Just like.
In a past life.