Who left their last words here?

Chapter 96 Jewel Tricks and the Mysterious Path in the Parchment
"Boom! Boom boom boom!"

Above the night market food street, a fierce, unseen battle is underway.

A purple field enveloped the surrounding area, and several artificial gems landed in the four corners, suppressing and sealing off this rooftop, preventing any commotion from spreading.

With a loud "boom," as if a missile had crashed and rocks were flying everywhere, the "old toad," who had landed on his bald head, was slapped back as if his feathers had been brushed off.

"Cough! Cough cough!"

It took Feng Xingyuan a long time to cough up the pebbles stuck in his throat, as if he were coughing up his lungs.

This notorious madman was completely disheveled in front of the [Gem Witch], his slippers were nowhere to be found, and his old man's shirt, which he had been wearing for who knows how long, was torn to shreds.

"We're both level 5, how could you be so strong!"

"Unless you are... the Chosen One?!"

He let out an incredulous growl, his eyes widening as he stared at the masked witch not far away, the rainbow-like glow dazzlingly bright.

I thought that even though the [Gem Witch] was infamous for her fearsome reputation, it was still uncertain who would emerge victorious, given that both were level 5.

...But the final result was an almost one-sided suppression.

As an extraordinary individual from the Blood Worship Cult, the path he took and the secret techniques he mastered were all of a high standard. There's no reason for this to happen when facing an extraordinary individual of the same level.

unless--

The other party is the legendary Chosen One!
"You're a [Trickster]? And you happen to have a [Nest] attribute in your destiny analysis?"

The twelve natal charts correspond to different sequences of destiny.

Considering the witch's unpredictable abilities and domineering fighting style, the knowledgeable Feng Xingyuan vaguely guessed her destiny.

"What nonsense... what are you babbling about?"

Faced with Feng Xingyuan's speculation, the [Gem Witch] remained noncommittal, her expression behind the hidden mask showing no change.

But this only confirmed Feng Xingyuan's suspicions.

【The Magician】 sounds unremarkable.

But if you delve deeper into this path, you'll find yourself becoming what people know as... a true "magician," or even a "divine being"!
—The kind of magician commonly found in fairy tales, epics, and even myths, who can do anything from poisoning apples and asking the magic mirror who is prettier, me or the village flower in the north of the city, to entering dreams, commanding lightning, making deals with death, and conversing with the starry sky!

Even though she's still far from that level, a gem witch who has mastered a few [tricks] is more than capable of easily crushing Feng Xingyuan, a notorious Level 5 Extraordinary!
No wonder the [Gem Witch] has been able to act as a vigilante and bounty hunter in Tinghai City, punishing evil and causing headaches for many notorious extraordinary individuals, yet she has always been able to live a carefree life.

—A Level 5 Chosen One! Of course, they have the right to act with impunity!
The most crucial point is that the sequence of destiny is either lost or incomplete...

Even though he was a Blood Robe Elder of the Blood Worship Cult, the path he followed was only the [Blood Frog] sequence, which was capped at level 6, and he was not among the ranks of those destined for heaven.

Its quality is about the same as the officially released standard serial number, or even slightly inferior!
The ability to find a destiny sequence that aligns with one's own astrological chart demonstrates in itself...

Behind the other party may stand an unknown behemoth!
"【Jewel Witch】...【Jewel Witch】, the answer is hidden in the riddle, I should have known it sooner!"

Feng Xingyuan was extremely annoyed.

If he had known the other party was the chosen one, he would have focused on escaping from the very beginning.

The toad that loved to eat geniuses ultimately met its end at the hands of the "genius."

Is this also a kind of destiny?
"Old toad, knowing too much... can also lead to your death."

The Gem Witch kindly reminded him, noticing that Feng Xingyuan's expression was becoming increasingly serious.

Admittedly, the other party guessed correctly.

Even the name of the [Jewel Witch]...

It's all because of her, the "magician," whose school of magic originated from "jewel magic," which stemmed from a certain ancient "jewel magic" of the Eastern Federation.

The extraordinary members of this school of thought believe that gemstones contain a pure, mysterious power of nature, untouched by human hands.

Later, this belief in nature gave rise to various secret techniques centered around gemstones, possessing incredible effects.

These secret techniques are often extremely powerful, but their only drawback is...the cost is too high.

expensive!
—But very few people know that the Jewel Witch is the Chosen One.

Because most of the people who knew about it were already dead.

"Hey, I'm definitely no match for you!"

With his back hunched over, Feng Xingyuan suddenly and slowly lay down on the ground, as if he had given up resisting.

"But if I were to fight you to the death... you wouldn't feel any better!"

Then, he slowly inhaled, his stomach bulging high, and his cheeks swelling up like two balloons at a visible speed.

His belly swelled and contracted, and finally this "qi" gathered at Feng Xingyuan's throat, contracting under his skin like a living creature wriggling.

"Quack... quack..."

The faint croaking of frogs echoed from his chest.

Feng Xingyuan, who was lying on the ground, transformed into a perfectly round ball with visible veins, poised to strike.

At the same time, the huge tumor on his back quietly ruptured, and a dark green mist surged out like a living thing, eroding the surrounding purple field.

In the blink of an eye, the withered old man transformed into a non-human, power-gathering toad, and a destructive sense of oppression silently spread.

Through the swirling green poisonous fog, only the most primal and cold hunting desire remained in those narrowed eyes.

"Coo...quack..."

Several muffled echoes, like the beating of drums, came from his chest.

Then--

Like a punctured balloon, the massive bulge at the throat contracted, and the bricks on the ground shattered.

There was a "boom"!
The old toad, having completed its charge, launched itself out like a meteor or a missile, hurtling straight at the witch.

"Cuck!!"

But in the very next instant!
The missile, flying in mid-air, suddenly changed direction and fled in the opposite direction with lightning speed.

—What era are we living in? Even missiles can change direction, let alone people?

To fight to the death with a chosen one? He's just gained the protection of the Bauhinia Group; he still has so much of his life to enjoy!
No one would have guessed that this was actually his escape route!

"You can't go anywhere."

But at the same time.

The Gem Witch silently took out a gem.

The red crystal, shimmering with a natural luster under the moonlight, was breathtakingly beautiful despite its slightly cloudy appearance, and was far larger than any man-made "marble".

To completely kill a Level 5 Extraordinary Being and ensure their escape, a half-baked artificial gem won't suffice.

A real gem...

"What a huge loss! What a huge loss!"

Muttering to herself incessantly, the [Gem Witch] seemed to be in great pain.

Hopefully, this old toad's head will be worth it.

The Gem Witch thought resentfully, then with a "click," she inserted the real ruby ​​into the buckle in the middle of her belt.

"Buzz!"

The belt vibrated, followed by a chilling low shout: "Celebrate!"

The belt suddenly shouted—

"Magician! Our Lord has descended!"

The next instant, a red field emanated from the masked witch, instantly covering the purple field from before.

Even under the witness of the moonlight...

The witch transforms herself into a human and begins to change her appearance.

The witch's black dress instantly transformed into a bright red long skirt, even its style changed.

Noble and elegant, yet imbued with a thick killing intent and the oppressive force of flames, as if a scarlet queen had descended upon the moon!
—In the blink of an eye, the witch's demeanor changed completely; anyone who didn't know better would think she had a split personality.

"What is this!"

Just as Feng Xingyuan was about to escape, he seemed to suddenly sink into a quagmire. The sudden increase in gravity around him was more than ten times stronger, and he was unable to break free for a while.

He turned to look at the masked witch who had made people appear out of thin air, and his eyes widened in fury at the sight of the belt encircling her slender waist.

Undoubtedly exceptional equipment.

Or perhaps something even more mysterious...

Even with Feng Xingyuan's discerning eye, he couldn't understand what it was...

But he vaguely sensed a familiar yet extremely subtle feeling, like...

The supreme treasure he once glimpsed in the Blood Worship Cult was now being revered by the cult's higher-ups...

Forbidden texts?

Could the [Jewel Witch]'s belt be related to forbidden magic?!
"Who the hell are you!"

Breathing rapidly, Feng Xingyuan felt as if he had stumbled upon some unknown, enormous secret.

"A superhero who just happened to be passing by."

"At the same time, they are the most trustworthy and good neighbors for the residents of Tinghai."

The masked witch said so.

Overwhelmed by grief, the witch's heart hardened, and she lost all expression, looking at Feng Xingyuan as if he were a dead toad.

"Now, let me recount your sins."

"The first point! It caused me to lose a huge amount of money and violated the property security of federal citizens."

As the words fell.

The flowing flames blazed up from all directions of the red field, as if a toad had fallen into an alchemy furnace.

Feng Xingyuan looked around in alarm, only to be surrounded by flames.

"【Jewel Trick】Third Trick—"

"Ruby, [Ignite]!"

The masked witch lightly patted her belt, coldly declaring:
"Burn, heretics!"

"..."

It didn't take long.

The flames subsided, and the field disappeared.

When everything settled down, the toad had vanished without a trace, leaving only a few ashes that drifted away in the moonlight.

The old toad's last, unwilling thought before he died was—

I shouldn't have agreed to the Zijing Group's offer, and I shouldn't have followed that kid...

If it weren't for him, wouldn't it have been the other wanted criminal under her feet—Bai Zhou—who was discovered and arrested by the Gem Witch?

Rounding it off, he became a selfless sacrifice who shielded Bai Zhou from disaster?
In the end, it was actually that kid named Bai Zhou who didn't know how lucky he was and became the biggest winner.

How absurd, how ridiculous!

"clatter……"

Xiao Gao lightly touched the ground with her heels, and the witch, looking distressed, returned to the edge of the rooftop.

"What was that old toad muttering at the very end?"

"What do you mean by dying in his place, dying with regrets... Who is he?"

Unable to understand, the witch shook her head and bent down to pick up the small tasting bowls from the ground.

Picking at the toothpick, she put the last takoyaki into her mouth.

The filling burst open, incredibly elastic, easing the witch's melancholy expression and revealing a hint of happiness.

A fierce battle thus came to an end without anyone else knowing.

And after all that, the last takoyaki in the bowl...

——Shang Wen!
……

Completely unaware of what had happened, the innocent little black cat Bai Zhou, who had unintentionally accomplished the feat of driving away a tiger and devouring a wolf, was still staring at thin air with suspicion.

After wandering around for a long time, Bai Zhou, with the mindset of dealing with whatever comes his way, finally returned to reunite with Ya.

"Welcome back."

The crow appeared at the edge of the rooftop, turned to look at the white boat, and casually asked:
"A qualified hunter never leaves empty-handed. Did you get anything this time?"

After hesitating for a moment, Bai Zhou took out the sealed parchment scroll:

"It was found on [Anguisola], and I don't know what's inside."

...After the crow's ritual examination confirmed that there was no curse on the parchment scroll.

Finally, Bai Zhou, having calmed down, let out a long breath and carefully unrolled the parchment scroll.

The plan was exhausted, and then—with a crash—

One fell from the parchment scroll...

brush?

"what is this?"

At the same time, the contents of the parchment scroll came into view of both Bai Zhou and Ya:

"The Painter's Approach!"
The handwriting that appeared before them made Bai Zhou and Ya exchange bewildered glances and hold their breath in unison.

And appearing alongside the title, or even above it... are three lines of prose that resemble a prologue.

Each character is like an ancient painting, depicted with different colors and techniques, vibrant and colorful, yet carrying the ancient and weathered feel of history.

Behind every name lies a great soul; let lost greatness be reborn through your pen.

But be careful not to get lost in the paintings!

Otherwise, you will become yet another lost self-portrait in your own writing...

(End of this chapter)