Douluo Unrivaled: The Beginning Materializes the Black Abyss and White Flowers

Chapter 368 Zhang Lexuan's Worries
The negative energy of fallen Servants is absorbed by the Holy Grail, purified, and fed back to the planet. Finally, the planet's will feed back faith, thus consolidating divine positions.

Lu Jingming could sense that the divine position within the Holy Grail, nurtured with the power of the planet's will, was rapidly taking shape, as if it were about to be fully revealed to the world through only a thin veil.

An uncontrollable smile crept onto his lips. This way, he wouldn't have to worry about the divine positions of those around him. Whether it was Zhang Lexuan, Xu Jiujiu, or Meng Hongchen, it would be extremely difficult for them to become gods without his help.

But with his help and the Holy Grail, he could mass-produce divine positions and create his own divine empire.

Just like the original Shrek Seven Devils ten thousand years ago, Zhu Zhuqing, Dai Mubai, and the others actually had no potential to become gods; they all just hitched a ride on Tang San's coattails.

The saying "When one person attains enlightenment, even their chickens and dogs ascend to heaven" perfectly illustrates this point.

The soft, vibrant white light slowly receded, and Lu Jingming let out a long sigh of relief. His face regained some color, but the deep-seated fatigue between his brows, caused by entering the divine mode, was difficult to eliminate immediately.

As soon as he opened his eyes, a slender figure, carrying a familiar fragrance, rushed towards him.

"Xiao Ming!"

Zhang Lexuan's voice was filled with undisguised anxiety and heartache. She didn't even care whether there were other people around. Her slender, icy fingers gently touched Lu Jingming's cheek, carefully examining his pale complexion and still somewhat unfocused eyes.

Those eyes, which were always as gentle as the moon, were now filled with worry and lingering fear.

"How dare you... how dare you do such a reckless thing."

Her voice trembled slightly, with a barely perceptible hint of a sob.

"That's the divine consciousness of a god-king. If anything were to happen to you, I..."

She couldn't continue speaking; she just bit her lower lip hard, her eyes slightly reddening.

Lu Jingming felt a warm feeling in his heart as he felt the cool, soft touch on his cheek and the slight trembling of her fingertips, mixed with a sense of apology.

He raised his hand and covered the back of her hand that was touching his face, gently holding it and stroking her smooth hand with his fingertips.

"Sister Lexuan, I'm fine."

He softened his voice, a reassuringly gentle smile on his face, "You know me, I never fight a battle I'm not sure I can win."

He deliberately spoke in a relaxed tone, trying to distract her, while gently squeezing her slightly cold hand in his palm to transfer his warmth.

Zhang Lexuan was not easily appeased. She gripped his hand tightly in return, her gaze still fixed on him, as if trying to confirm every subtle detail of his condition.

"Don't try to fool me. I can see how severely your mental energy is depleted, and as for your body, I've never seen you so weak before."

Her tone was unusually stern, but even more so, it conveyed an overwhelming sense of heartache.

She reached out her other hand, her fingertips swirling with the gentle, cool power of moonlight, and carefully touched his temples, trying to ease some of his mental pain.

Lu Jingming obediently closed his eyes, feeling the cool and soothing power seep into his sea of ​​consciousness, like parched land receiving sweet rain.

He savored this moment of tenderness, leaning his body slightly towards Zhang Lexuan, his forehead almost touching hers.

"A little risk is worth it to become stronger."

He murmured softly, his voice almost touching.

"And... Sister Lexuan, the power of the Holy Grail is becoming more and more abundant. Before long, you will be able to be like me."

He opened his eyes, his deep gaze reflecting Zhang Lexuan's concerned face, and his tone became incredibly earnest and expectant.

"Soon, very soon I will be able to use this Holy Grail to condense your 'Moon Goddess' position. At that time, you will no longer be bound by the laws of the plane and will possess true eternal life and the power to protect yourself."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lexuan paused slightly.

The Moon Goddess, with her eternal life, looked into Lu Jingming's eyes and felt a surge of emotion.

But soon, her expression changed, and she glared at Lu Jingming with annoyance, laughing sarcastically, "You're changing the subject again. Was I asking about the divine position? You know, you're more important to me than the divine position."

She raised her hand and gently brushed her fingertips across his still slightly furrowed brow and pale lips, her gesture full of tenderness.

"Seeing you like this is a thousand times more painful than if I were injured myself. More than a divine position, I want you to be whole, healthy, and able to laugh and play."

Lu Jingming caught a glimpse of heartache deep in her eyes, and the softest part of his heart was deeply touched.

He sighed, stretched out his arms, and gently pulled her into his embrace, resting his chin on the top of her head, which exuded a faint fragrance.

"Okay, Sister Lexuan, I promise you, I won't take any more risks."

His voice carried a mixture of doting affection and a hint of helplessness.

Zhang Lexuan nestled in his arms, listening to his strong heartbeat and deep voice, and her tense heartstrings gradually relaxed.

She knew that since Lu Jingming had agreed, he wouldn't take such a reckless risk again.

After all, for a mortal to fight against the divine consciousness of a god-king is far too risky and crazy, even if Lu Jingming is confident and has many trump cards.

But anything can happen, and if you walk by the river long enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet.

While Lu Jingming was comforting Zhang Lexuan, Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen were leading students from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy, some civilians, and Xu Tianzhen toward their stronghold.

Meng Hongchen had contact with Lu Jingming and knew that he could send civilians and students to safety, so she led her people towards them.

Just then, Xiao Hongchen, who was moving at top speed, stopped abruptly.

He raised the back of his hand in disbelief—there, the three bright red Command Seals that had been clearly visible were now fading and disappearing as if erased by an eraser, until they were completely gone, leaving only smooth skin.

As if a bucket of ice water had been poured over his head, Xiao Hongchen instantly understood what this meant.

“Young Master… Brother…” he murmured to himself, his usual pride and unruliness vanishing from his face, replaced by a sudden astonishment and deep disappointment.

Despite their brief time together, he and the martial arts fanatic executive from the Winter Solstice Kingdom got along very well. The executive's generosity and pure love for battle made him feel favorably toward him.

He hadn't even had a proper drink with the other person or discussed the martial arts of this other world before he was suddenly faced with his final farewell... without even a formal goodbye.

An indescribable sadness welled up in his heart, leaving him feeling somewhat lost.

Meng Hongchen, who was standing nearby, keenly noticed that her brother's mood was off. Following his gaze, she immediately understood the reason.

She glanced worriedly at Xiao Hongchen's dejected profile, then subconsciously touched the still-bright red three-stroke Command Seal on the back of her hand—a symbol of her intact contract with the Servant Hoshimi Miyabi. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but then felt a pang of sadness for her brother. She gently tugged at Xiao Hongchen's sleeve and whispered, "Brother..."

Xiao Hongchen took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her surging emotions. When she raised her head again, her face had returned to its usual appearance, but there was an inescapable gloom in the depths of her eyes.

He shook his head to indicate that he was fine.

Now is not the time for sadness. Let's get the person safely to Lu Jingming first. Along the way, they did encounter the antimatter legion, but the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy is not to be underestimated. They have quite a few level nine soul masters.

They were able to deal with even the trampling invaders, which was the source of their confidence in leading the students and civilians to safety.

In a quiet corner temporarily set up within the base, Lu Jingming had just calmed Zhang Lexuan down and was preparing to recover when a slight fluctuation came from the protective soul tool at the entrance.

Immediately afterwards, a series of slightly hurried but rhythmic footsteps approached from afar.

The first thing that catches the eye is Meng Hongchen's signature long white hair. Her originally delicate face is now filled with obvious anxiety. As soon as she entered, her eyes searched around anxiously, finally locking onto Lu Jingming, who was leaning against the wall with a still pale face.

"Ah Ming!"

She almost cried out in surprise as she hurried over, completely ignoring her brother Xiao Hongchen and a group of shaken and disheveled students from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy standing beside her.

"You're injured?! I saw the commotion over there from afar... I was terrified!"

Meng Hongchen's voice was choked with sobs, unlike Zhang Lexuan's restrained heartache; her concern was more outward and direct.

As she spoke, she couldn't help but lightly punch Lu Jingming's shoulder, the force so light it sounded more like a playful scolding: "What's wrong with you? How could you fight against an opponent like that?"

Xiao Hongchen, who followed behind, looked at his younger sister's appearance, then glanced at Lu Jingming and Zhang Lexuan beside him. His lips twitched, and in the end, he just sighed. He silently arranged for the surviving students and civilians to rest on the other side, distributing them clean water and food, pretending not to notice the subtle atmosphere here.

Looking at his two lovers, so different in style yet equally stunning, one gentle as the cool moonlight, the other passionate and direct like the dazzling aurora, both surrounding him with eyes full of worry and reproach, Lu Jingming suddenly felt a headache coming on.

He was about to speak to comfort Meng Hongchen when Zhang Lexuan acted first.

She looked up at Meng Hongchen as if she had found an ally, nodded slightly, and spoke with a sense of shared sorrow and helplessness.

“Meng is right, he really acted recklessly this time.”

After they finished speaking, their gazes simultaneously focused on Lu Jingming, one gentle and the other coquettish, yet they formed an unprecedented united front.

Lu Jingming: "..."

He suddenly felt that his injuries seemed to have gotten worse.

With Zhang Lexuan's support, Meng Hongchen became bolder and said indignantly, "That's right, Sister Lexuan is right. You went on a dangerous adventure without considering our feelings. We can't let you off easily."

Zhang Lexuan nodded in deep agreement, her voice still gentle but with a smile, saying, "Yes, Xiaoming, you need to reflect on your actions. Mengmei and I are very worried about you."

As she spoke, she exchanged a glance with Meng Hongchen.

In that instant, the two women formed an alliance, deciding to properly discipline the disobedient and worrying Lu Jingming.

Thus, Lu Jingming was plunged into an unprecedented 'sweet torture'.

The two worked in perfect harmony, one applying pressure silently and the other launching a verbal offensive.

However, Lu Jingming was no pushover. He reached out and grasped Zhang Lexuan's and Meng Hongchen's hands simultaneously, placing their slightly cool palms on his heart, his tone sincere yet somewhat ingratiating.

"Alright, alright, I know I was wrong. I made you worry this time. It was my fault. I promise I'll cherish my life more in the future and think things through more carefully, okay?"

Feeling the warmth from his palm and the strong heartbeat, and hearing his softened apology, Zhang Lexuan and Meng Hongchen's hearts instantly softened.

Meng Hongchen snorted and sniffed, but didn't pull her hand back: "Hmph, all you do is say nice things to coax us..."

Zhang Lexuan gently grasped his hand in return and whispered, "Remember what you said."

A joint interrogation of Lu Jingming was temporarily halted by his skillful reassurance.

The two beauties stood guard on his left and right, one in each other. Although their methods differed, their deep care and love were like the warmest healing light, gently nourishing his weary body and mind.

Not far away, Xiao Hongchen silently turned his face away, feeling that he and the group of students were somewhat superfluous.

The other students, meanwhile, kept their eyes down, pretending they hadn't seen or heard anything.

Only Xu Tianzhen seemed to have recovered, becoming curious and lively again, looking at Lu Jingming and the other two with great interest.

"Sister Lexuan, you, Meng, and Xiao Hongchen should leave together. The Holy Grail War is coming to an end. What happens next has nothing to do with you."

Lu Jingming gently squeezed Zhang Lexuan's hand, his gaze sweeping over the still raging, divinely powerful core battlefield in the distance, and said in a deep voice.

His implication was clear: once Jingliu completely resolved the spiritual clone of the Sea God Tang San, everything should be over.

Without the slightest hesitation, Zhang Lexuan immediately nodded: "Okay."

She knew the limits of her own strength compared to Meng Hongchen and the others. Forcing herself to stay here would not only be of no help, but would also become a burden and a source of worry for Lu Jingming.

Her gaze lingered tenderly on Lu Jingming's face for a moment.

"Be careful, we'll be waiting for you in Abyss City."

Her decisiveness and understanding made Lu Jingming smile slightly. Sure enough, Zhang Lexuan was very understanding.

However, Xiao Xiao, who was standing nearby, panicked upon hearing this news.

She and Jiang Nannan did not evacuate through the spatial gate with the main force because they held onto a sliver of hope that they could wait for Elder Xuan and other commanders, or see if they could be of any help.

Upon hearing that Haiyuan City was to be completely evacuated, they were at a loss.

"Huh? Are we...we're leaving?"

Xiao Xiao instinctively gripped Jiang Nannan's sleeve, her face filled with confusion and anxiety.

"What do we do? Elder Xuan and the others are still fighting over there. We... we can't just leave like this!"

(End of this chapter)