Helping each other with countless me.

Chapter 583 Annihilation
Starlight enveloped the two like a veil, silently gliding across the quiet night sky, eventually settling on a remote border town that was still asleep.

Li Zhongren carefully maintained the starlight barrier to ensure that Liu Ruyan in his arms would not be exposed.

They were like two ghosts of the night, appearing in a quiet, deserted alley.

"Wait here."

Li Zhongren said in a low voice, "The starlight barrier is as stable as a bell."

Liu Ruyan smiled slyly and gently poked at the seemingly invisible yet substantial starlight with her finger.

"No, I want to go too. You have to give me some advice."

She was in a great mood, with a playful intimacy that came with the establishment of a new relationship.

Helpless, Li Zhongren could only maintain a small area of ​​starlight obscuring the view, like a mobile dressing room, as he accompanied Liu Ruyan to the only small clothing supermarket in town with its security lights on.

Using a little magic to affect the surveillance cameras and door locks, the two entered the store silently.

The store lights automatically turned on, illuminating rows of clothes.

Liu Ruyan seemed to have forgotten the urgency of capturing Mo Yuan and began browsing with great interest.

She picked up a fitted women's blouse and held it up in front of Li Zhongren.

"How about this one?"

Li Zhongren stood with his arms crossed, leaning against the shelf, his face expressionless, but his eyes held a subtle gentleness.

"You're going to fight, not to walk the runway."

"Hmph, even a fight should be presented in a beautiful way."

Liu Ruyan rolled her eyes at him, but still put down the slightly cumbersome shirt and picked up a set of black sports bra and tight-fitting elastic vest that were easier to move in.

She then walked to the shoe and sock section and deftly picked out a pair of soft, close-fitting tactical boots and several pairs of pure cotton socks.

Throughout the entire process, she showed no embarrassment whatsoever; on the contrary, she appeared natural and poised. Occasionally, when she picked up two pieces of underwear, she would deliberately ask Li Zhongren's opinion with her eyes. When she saw him shift his gaze slightly away, she would let out a low, sly laugh, like a triumphant little fox.

Li Zhongren watched her busy figure. The starlight blurred her specific outline, but outlined her tall, lithe, and stunningly curvaceous silhouette.

An unprecedented, vibrant, and warm feeling quietly enveloped him.

No longer is it the eternal solitude overlooking the Milky Way, no longer is it the indifference and alienation of billions of years, but the real woman in front of me, who can laugh and joke, with a touch of wickedness yet full of charm.

There was a slight movement in his heart.

If one has an endless lifespan but merely observes the changing of eras with indifference, how is that any different from being a stubborn rock?
He once possessed the highest perspective, yet he also tasted the deepest loneliness.

Now, by a twist of fate, I've been reborn in this young body. Perhaps experiencing this kind of life, full of everyday joys, ties, and even a little "trouble," is the true warmth that life should have.

He didn't see it as a burden; on the contrary, he quite liked it.

Liu Ruyan quickly selected the complete outfit, from underwear to coat, and even a simple hair tie to hold her long hair back.

Under the cover of starlight, she changed her clothes extremely quickly, carefully folded the oversized Secret Service jacket, and placed it on the cashier's counter.

Li Zhongren walked over and placed cash, far exceeding the value of the clothes, under his coat.

"Let's go."

Liu Ruyan looked completely different. Her black tactical outfit accentuated her perfect figure, and her long hair was tied into a neat ponytail, making her look both heroic and sexy.

She naturally reached out and took Li Zhongren's arm.

The two walked out of the store like an ordinary couple, and the door lock behind them was gently closed.

At this moment, the eastern sky was already turning a pale white, and the faint light of dawn dispelled the chill of the night.

Just as they walked side by side into the gradually brightening sky, Liu Ruyan suddenly sensed something and turned her head slightly to look at the man beside her.

His profile was exceptionally clear in the morning light, still bearing the handsome features of a young man. But for some reason, the ethereal feeling that seemed as if he might vanish into the wind at any moment, detached from the world, had faded considerably, replaced by a more solid and real... "presence".

It's like a distant star that suddenly dimmed its brilliance, fell to earth, and became tangible.

This feeling was subtle, yet it made Liu Ruyan's heart tremble slightly.

She couldn't explain why, but subconsciously, she tightened her grip on Li Zhongren's arm, as if afraid that this newly captured reality would slip away again.

Li Zhongren seemed to notice her movement, glanced down at her, said nothing, but gently patted the back of her hand that was wrapped around his arm with his other hand.

The two fell silent, hand in hand, walking side by side towards the edge of the town, towards the direction where Mo Yuan had fled, bathed in the gradually brightening morning light.

Their shadows stretched long behind them, gradually merging together.
Dividing line

On the outskirts of Youzhou, in a secret stronghold of the Beiming Cult, hidden deep underground and transformed from an ancient mine.

The stench of blood was so thick it was almost impossible to dissolve, making the already foul air even more nauseating.

Mo Yuan stood in the center of the enormous altar, which was covered with devouring runes. His originally pale face now had an eerie rosy glow.

The black energy at the site of his severed arm writhed wildly, and most of it had already regenerated. The skin of the new arm appeared exceptionally pale and tender, creating a bizarre contrast with the other arm.

Around the altar were hundreds of elite followers of the Northern Darkness Cult.

They were no longer fanatical believers, but lambs to the slaughter, their faces filled with extreme fear and despair. Powerful restrictions bound them, preventing them from escaping, leaving them only to let out mournful howls and curses.

"Mo Yuan! You demon! You deserve to die a horrible death!"

"Master! Spare me! I am utterly loyal to the Holy Church!"

"You have devoured your fellow disciples; you will surely be punished by Heaven!"

Mo Yuan listened to the wailing and curses, but his face remained unmoved. Instead, he revealed a mocking sneer.

He opened his arms as if embracing this bloody feast, and activated the Northern Darkness Devouring Technique at full power, emanating a terrifying suction force from his body.

"Divine retribution? Doctrine?"

His voice was cold and mocking.

"Fools! The Way of the Northern Darkness is the law of the jungle, the ultimate truth of heaven and earth! When you devoured others, did you ever think of this day?"

"Those who eat others will always be eaten! Your ultimate value is to become resources for me to restore my strength and climb to higher levels!"

Before the words were finished, the runes on the altar suddenly lit up, emitting a dim light.

The bodies of hundreds of followers withered away at a visible speed. Their flesh, blood, essence, and even souls turned into streams of blood-red and black energy, screaming shrilly as they were forcibly extracted and flowed into Mo Yuan's body like rivers flowing into the sea!
The scene was extremely cruel, like a living hell.

Mo Yuan's aura surged wildly, and his severed arm was completely restored in an instant. Not only was the foundation damaged by using the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique and the severed arm fully replenished, but he also broke through the barrier and reached the peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining in one fell swoop. He was only one opportunity away from being able to try to form the core!
The feeling of being filled with power made him almost want to roar to the sky.

However, just as he was carefully experiencing this new power, his expression suddenly darkened.

He keenly sensed that deep within his newly formed meridians, there were a few extremely faint black sparks that were almost integrated with his own magical power—those were Liu Ruyan's black flames!
They were like the most concealed trackers; if it weren't for his greatly improved cultivation and extremely sharp spiritual senses, he would have had no way of detecting them!
"What a treacherous woman!"

Mo Yuan broke out in a cold sweat. If he hadn't acted decisively and immediately sacrificed his entire sect to restore his strength, his opponent would probably have been able to find his hiding place by following the black flames soon enough. Given his previous condition, he would have been dead without a doubt!

"Fortunately... it was discovered early."

A ruthless and cunning glint flashed in Mo Yuan's eyes. "Since you think you can find me with this, then I'll give you a 'big gift'!"

Without hesitation, he used the Northern Darkness Secret Technique once again.

This time, he forcibly expelled the most filthy and violent karmic poison from his body, which he had just devoured from hundreds of people, along with the few wisps of black flame that served as coordinates!

Vast and malevolent energy gathered, compressed, and deformed before him, eventually condensing into an avatar that was seven or eight parts similar to his original body, but was entirely composed of pitch-black karma and resentment!
This clone's aura was violent and chaotic, and it happened to be around the fifth level of Qi Refining. The black flames of Liu Ruyan within its body were as prominent as a lighthouse.

Meanwhile, Mo Yuan himself quickly activated another life-saving secret technique, the Northern Darkness Breath Concealment Technique.

His aura instantly became extremely restrained, like a stubborn rock or withered tree. All life fluctuations and traces of energy disappeared without a trace, silently hiding in the darkest corner beneath the altar, merging with the earth's turbid energy, and perfectly concealing himself.

The clone formed from karmic toxins and black flames stood motionless on the altar, emitting the "fragrance" of bait.

Mo Yuan held his breath in the darkness, like the most patient hunter, waiting for his prey to follow the trail and step into the deadly trap. A cold and cruel smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
-
Dividing line

The moment Li Zhongren and Liu Ruyan stepped into the cave, they were met with an overwhelming, suffocating stench of blood and death.

Along both sides of the passage, and even deeper inside, twisted and shriveled corpses could be seen everywhere, their faces frozen in extreme fear and pain, as if all life had been drained from them.

Clearly, the followers of the Northern Darkness Cult became the "food" for their leader's restoration.

Upon seeing this scene, Liu Ruyan couldn't help but turn her head and glance at Li Zhongren with a hint of resentment, then transmitted her voice.

"See? He must have used a devouring technique to recover... If we hadn't... hadn't delayed things, maybe he wouldn't have recovered so quickly..."

'we?'

'It was clearly your own inability to control yourself…'

He silently complained in his heart, but seeing the woman beside him with an expression that said "It's all your fault" but also had a hint of coquetry, he ultimately just replied telepathically.

"Yeah, my bad."

What else can you do with your woman besides pampering her?

The two ventured deeper into the cave, their feet treading on sticky blood grime, until they finally arrived at the enormous altar space at the bottom of the cave.

In the center of the altar, "Mo Yuan" sat cross-legged, his aura fluctuating, as if he was doing his best to heal his injuries and consolidate his newly enhanced power.

Enemies are extremely jealous when they meet.

Liu Ruyan immediately drew her long, sharp battle sword, her murderous aura rising, and was about to charge forward.

"and many more!"

Li Zhongren grabbed her and said loudly, his voice echoing through the cave.

"Be careful, there might be a trap! He's incredibly cunning and has definitely prepared a backup plan. You lead the attack, and I'll be responsible for tracking and locking onto him to prevent him from escaping again. With me here, he definitely won't be able to escape this time!"

These words, seemingly spoken to Liu Ruyan, were actually meant for Mo Yuan, who was hiding in the shadows.

At the same time, Li Zhongren's telepathic message accurately reached Liu Ruyan's ears.

"That thing on the altar is a fake form made of karmic toxins and your black flames. Your true form is hidden in the shadows in the lower left corner of the altar, fused with the earth's veins. Attack the fake form directly, then use your transformation to protect yourself. Pure karmic poison is no longer effective against you; it will only arouse your desires. Take this opportunity to familiarize yourself with controlling your desires."

Liu Ruyan instantly understood, and her face showed a cooperative "I will follow your instructions" expression, even deliberately raising her voice.

"Good! Your Starlight Escape Technique is incredibly fast, exceeding Mach 10, comparable to his Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique. We absolutely cannot let him escape again!"

Upon hearing this, Mo Yuan, who was hiding in the shadows, was greatly shocked!
'The Starlight Man? This man is actually the Starlight Man who possesses profound sword intent?'

He couldn't believe it. The energy fluctuations were clearly only at the fourth level of Qi Refining, yet the manipulation of spiritual energy was incredibly precise, far surpassing that of an ordinary fifth-level Qi Refining cultivator! Just who was he? The immense astonishment and doubt made Mo Yuan even more cautious. He instantly made a decision to remain still. If this karmic clone couldn't harm them, he would never reveal himself!
Just then, Liu Ruyan let out a sharp cry, channeling all her power into her longsword, transforming it into a wicked, fiery blade that tore through the darkness, and fiercely slashed towards "Mo Yuan" on the altar!
"It's now!"

Mo Yuan, who was hiding in the shadows, was overjoyed. All his attention was drawn to Liu Ruyan’s earth-shattering attack!
Boom——! ! !
Just as he expected, "Mo Yuan" on the altar suddenly exploded! The overwhelming karmic poison, which gathered the resentment and the most filthy power of hundreds of people, was like a black tsunami, instantly engulfing Liu Ruyan who was rushing over!
"Success!"

Mo Yuan roared inwardly, almost unable to contain his excitement.

However, just as his mind was completely captivated by the explosion and the sight of Liu Ruyan being "swallowed up," his instincts alerted him to danger. In the nick of time, he twisted his body and dodged an attack from a sword.

Starlight People.
In that moment of distraction, he had already reached his side and even deciphered his Northern Darkness Absorption Technique!
Mo Yuan was both shocked and furious. He retreated frantically, his hands moving rapidly at the same time!
The subtle control of the fifth level of Qi Refining was on full display at this moment!

Countless dark lightning bolts, poisonous fires, bone spears, ice spikes... all sorts of vicious spells were casually unleashed, raining down on Li Zhongren like a storm, instantly covering every inch of space! His precise control over power greatly compensated for the disadvantage of a mage being caught in close combat, and his transitions between offense and defense were incredibly smooth and seamless.

Li Zhongren moved with his sword, a starlight sword curtain swirling around him, precisely blocking, shattering, and annihilating all attacks.

His movements were concise and efficient, without a single superfluous movement. His use of psionic energy was also exquisite, always able to neutralize the strongest attacks with minimal consumption.

In the midst of the fierce battle, Mo Yuan became increasingly alarmed, but he gradually confirmed one thing: he really was only at the fourth level of Qi Refining! His total energy was far less than mine! It was just that his control over it was too abnormal!
A crazy idea sprouted in his mind: in the contest of energy and soul, he held a firm advantage! If he could break through his soul and devour the secret of this star-man, he would gain immense fortune!

"You forced me to do this! Northern Darkness Soul-Searching Hand!"

Mo Yuan grinned maliciously, taking a direct hit from Li Zhongren's sword energy. He spat out blood but ignored it, his right hand suddenly shooting out, his five fingers pitch black, aiming straight for Li Zhongren's crown! This strike contained an extremely vicious soul-shaking force; he intended to crush this strange opponent on the soul level with an absolute difference in strength!
then…

There's no after that.

When Mo Yuan's soul power surged into Li Zhongren's sea of ​​consciousness like a burst dam, ready to wreak havoc and devour everything, what he saw was not the fragile ball of soul light he had expected, but rather…

A boundless, cold, and eternally unchanging vast starry sky.

His consciousness, his supposedly powerful soul force, was so insignificant in the face of this starry sky that it was not even a speck of dust. A fear and despair originating from the very foundation of life instantly seized over all his thoughts.

"No... what is this...?"

This was his last thought.

Outside, Mo Yuan's outstretched arm froze in mid-air, his sinister smile solidified, and the brilliance in his eyes dimmed and vanished instantly, like a candle flame extinguished by a gale.

He fell straight backward and landed on the ground with a thud, lifeless.

He had no new external injuries, but his soul had completely dissipated, swallowed and assimilated by that starry sky.

Just then, the churning karmic poison cloud was forcibly torn apart from the inside by a powerful force!

Transformed into a demonic form, Liu Ruyan, her body ablaze with even more condensed black flames, took a step forward! The karmic poison had no effect on her; on the contrary, it made her aura even more profound. Her scarlet vertical pupils immediately locked onto the direction of the altar, preparing for a fierce battle.

However, what she saw was Mo Yuan's fallen corpse, and Li Zhongren, who slowly sheathed his Starlight Sword with a normal expression.

The cave was deathly silent.

Liu Ruyan was stunned. Her demonic form slowly faded, revealing her face filled with astonishment.

"The battle...is over?"

Mo Yuan, a cunning demon at the peak of the fifth level of Qi Refining, just like that... died? In the short span of a dozen breaths she was enveloped by karma?
She looked at Li Zhongren with a complex expression. She knew that this man had a great secret, but she never expected it to be so great that he could so easily kill Mo Yuan, who was launching an attack on the soul level. This was definitely not something an ordinary "possession" monster could do.

Li Zhongren felt her gaze, but simply looked back calmly and smiled slightly.

"It's resolved. I told you, he can't escape."

Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, temporarily suppressing all her shock and doubt, and smiled brightly.

"Yes, my man is really amazing."

(End of this chapter)