Page 205

"A... Apu, you’re still alive?" In my astonished gaze, Apu, who should have been cut in half by me, was standing before me in all his majestic glory, holding that enormous bronze spiked club. The previous attack was his doing.

Chapter Eighty-Two: His Life Dream Broken, This Life Lacking

"No need to be surprised, I have served the Temple for a long time and was once granted a scroll of 'Great Resurrection' by the Pope." Apu Knight announced loudly.

"I see... no wonder, this peak is already extremely cold, and after the forbidden spell was cast, a large amount of ice elements gathered. As a master of the Temple, your battle qi naturally has miraculous healing effects. When I cut you in half, the wound was clean, and the cold froze the wound to stop the bleeding. Your cultivation is indeed profound to have remained conscious." It dawned on me, "Just now, Lansino deliberately stood between us, giving you the chance to retrieve the scroll, then triggered a massive Light God power to mask the magical fluctuations of the scroll’s spell."

The "Great Resurrection," together with the "Great Judgment" and the "Great Prophecy," are known as the three ultimate spells of the Light God. Though it cannot truly revive the dead, it can heal even a shattered body as long as there is a breath left. I had heard of it but never imagined it could heal such a severe injury as Apu’s; it rivals the regenerative abilities of a hydra."

"Don’t push yourself, Apu." I shook my head. "Although the 'Great Resurrection' is remarkable, using a scroll is ultimately different from the Pope casting it. You were in a hurry to save Lansino just now, and your wound hadn’t fully healed; you’re in no condition to fight."

Apu gave a bitter smile and wobbled, slowly sitting down. Blood seeped from the cracks in his broken armor at his waist, but it was quickly frozen. Lansino stood beside Apu, his curved blade "Crescent Moon" having fallen to the ground.

"Apu Knight, I made a great decision to kill you once, and now I don’t have the resolve to kill you again. So I hope you will choose to surrender. I guarantee that we will not disgrace your knightly honor, and the Temple will ransom you back, giving you a chance to return to human society, rather than dying silently here. This way, we won’t have to be at odds," I persuaded, feeling some relief at Apu’s revival and reluctant to kill again.

"I’m sorry, Feng Xuan, but we are human." Apu rejected my proposal lightly but resolutely, using the same words I had spoken to Lansino earlier, whose eyes showed no compromise.

"I see... then, do you have any last words?" I brandished my divine sword, my killing intent rising again. I knew there was a contradiction in my heart; my previous exchanges with Lansino had been indecisive, giving Apu the chance to recover. Now, with no room left for retreat, I had finally decided to end the conflict and remove all obstacles.

At that moment, Lansino said something strange: "Some things, if they cannot be avoided, must be faced bravely."

"Facing what, death?" I thought he was speaking to me, igniting the thunder on my sword, ready to strike. But then, a green light suddenly brightened nearby, right next to the "Ice Mark." I immediately understood Lansino’s trick. "Damn, it’s that blade."

When Lansino retreated earlier, my counterattack had knocked his blade from his hand, which he then directed towards the "Ice Mark." As the wind-based energy in the blade recovered, he skillfully triggered it, causing the mark to fly into his hand.

Seeing the "Ice Mark" land in Lansino’s hand, and as he was about to crush it, I had no intention of letting him succeed. I guided my divine sword, accelerating with the "Vitality Aura," my speed surpassing that of the leopard clan. As my sword rose, I reached Lansino’s vicinity, only to see Apu step in front of Lansino. My divine sword pierced Apu’s body without resistance and then penetrated Lansino’s wrist.

As Lansino’s grip loosened, the "Ice Mark" fell from his hand, and he reached out with his other hand to catch it. Tightening my grip, I couldn’t bear to cut Apu in half again and was about to withdraw my sword when Apu’s strong hands grabbed my wrist, preventing me from pulling free. I had to use my left hand to channel internal energy and draw the falling "Ice Mark" towards me. As the crystal mark was about to land in my hand, Lansino kicked it far down the mountain with a swift move.

"Does this have any meaning? That direction leads up the mountain; I’ll eventually find it... no, your people are still down there!" I suddenly realized Lansino’s plan. Apu and Lansino, true elites of the Temple, were still seeking opportunities for victory even in such sudden dire straits.

But this realization did not diminish my killing intent. With my right hand locked by Apu, I struck Apu’s chest with my left hand using the "Heart-Crushing Palm," causing him to spit blood and fall away. Lansino, with his uninjured hand, summoned his curved blade back, swiftly attacking me. But since he had already been no match for me and was now exhausted, I pierced his abdomen with one strike and sent him flying with a palm.

Apu flew to catch Lansino, just as my incoming divine sword met them. This time, I was determined to kill them both. But seeing Apu’s calm eyes, which resembled those of Dajiaxi, who had sacrificed himself when I stole the "Doomsday Horn," I hesitated. In that moment, they leaped off the cliff, beyond my reach, falling into the dense clouds below.