Once the affection level is maxed out, the rivalry begins!

The river seemed to have turned into boiling water, with ripples spreading out in circles.

Villagers, houses, and bridges gradually disappeared like hazy phantoms. Butterflies of the underworld fluttered about, erasing the streetscape like an eraser. Crimson red spider lilies seeped into the earth, blooming wildly in the wind.

In an instant, the entire village revealed its illusory nature like a mirage, leaving only Bai Ze and his companions, these alien beings from the outside world, standing still.

He withdrew his hand from the girl's chest, picked up the hat that had rolled off the ground, and put it back on Xia Xingzhi's head.

Even though they weren't petrified like the other cult members, these two sisters were also frozen in place, which was quite interesting.

"The true nature of the anomaly is likely to be revealed soon, so Miss Detective, please take them to safety."

Upon hearing Bai Ze's request, she snapped out of her daze, opened her mouth as if to say something, but first grabbed her younger sister who was excitedly rushing towards her.

"You bastard—you already have an older sister, and you still cheated on her right in front of everyone!"

Is this the kind of place you care about?

Xia Xingzhi, who understood the reason for his actions, was better. She kindly took her sister's arm from behind and forcibly dragged her away from the sedan chair. The remaining three girls from the band also quickly followed.

But in the midst of the struggle, the "Lord of the Underworld," who had reached his limit, finally appeared.

The rising mist parted as if to create a path, and a slender figure stepped out from the depths of the white mist, traversing the crimson flowers.

The mournful sobs and sorrowful sighs, along with the wailing that evokes all images of death, eventually combine to form a phrase that can be understood by humankind.

Give it back to me.

The girl opened her wine-red pupils and stared coldly in Xia Yunli's direction.

The master of this other world was revealed to be a girl in a plain white bathrobe with waist-length black hair.

The spider lilies she stepped on bent and broke off, melting into blood that clung to the girl's white dress and bloomed anew, like red beans scattered on paper.

"Hand it over...hand over the bride, and we'll let you leave."

Logically speaking, it is indeed difficult to apply the same human marriage relationship to the relationship between gods and the offerings made in ghost marriages, and the anomalies reflected in mythology are also difficult to define in terms of gender.

But Bai Ze still found it hard to remain composed as he looked at the red-eyed girl who was trying to negotiate to get her bride back.

"If you want it, come and get it yourself."

He stepped forward, crushing the red spider lilies at his feet into pieces of flower mud, blocking the Lord of the Underworld's view.

"I don't want to marry you!"

Supported by her older sister, Xia Yunli, facing the inhuman creature radiating oppressive power, surprisingly dared to protest, "It's because of people like you that everyone thinks girls in bands are lesbians!"

The Lord of the Underworld glanced at her silently and raised his white palm.

A streak of blood pierced the air, shooting towards the Xia sisters, splitting into spiderweb-like threads along the way, as if trying to capture its prey in a cage.

—Until it was cut off by the silvery-white sword light.

Bai Ze gripped the Judgment Blade that had grown from his hand, and grinned:

"You heard it too, the person involved didn't want to. Although I respect all sexual minorities and have watched no fewer than five yuri works, it's not right to impose my will on others."

"Even though you say that, you still forcibly attacked me just now!"

The girl's complaints came from behind; I guess I was just imagining things.

The Lord of the Underworld's attention was now completely focused on him, his crimson pupils revealing naked hatred.

"Only you... only you can't be let go!"

She clapped her hands lightly, as if giving a high five.

Sensing impending danger, Bai Ze abruptly stepped back.

A swarm of burning crimson fire butterflies suddenly appeared from where he had just stood, biting down fiercely like the gaping maw of a wild beast!

The land seemed to have vanished into a huge depression, the red spider lilies stained with sparks withered rapidly, and even the air itself was briefly wiped away, creating a vacuum.

That was an attack that signified death.

Teleportation and instant death—just hearing about these two characteristics is enough to understand how troublesome these Crimson Butterflies from the Netherworld are.

The Lord of the Underworld clearly had no intention of giving up.

Completely disregarding the others who were retreating from the battlefield, she opened her arms and more fire butterflies rose from the land where the red spider lilies bloomed, dancing as if in response to the call of the ruler.

What a grand scene! Let him unleash his ultimate move too.

Bai Ze pressed one hand to his chest, following his instincts to perform the ritual of possessing the deity within himself, chanting powerful incantations.

"Swords, famine, and death descend from heaven; therefore, all beings with blood and breath are like grass and trees—grass must wither, and flowers must fade!"

The light burst forth, instantly forcing back the surrounding Death Fire Butterflies.

The horse's hooves stepped out from the almost pale, holy light, and the spider lilies it touched withered and died.

A crowned knight took the reins and rode in on a white horse.

He raised the golden longbow in his hand, drew several arrows from the quiver beside the saddle, and drew the bowstring forward.

The Crimson Butterflies of the Underworld also rallied their forces. The Lord of the Underworld, like a conductor performing music, lightly touched his fingertips and summoned a swarm of butterflies to surround them, engulfing everything like a tsunami!

The moment seemed to stretch out in segments, the bowstring trembled and returned to its original position, and the arrow shot out like lightning!

The crimson waves were split in two by the lightning, and the swarm of butterflies along the path vanished silently, like a suddenly collapsed void.

The sound barely caught up with the speed of the arrow, and the whistling sound gradually grew louder until it was deafening. The storm that followed spread along the direction the arrow was traveling, swirling up countless stones and soil!

"So what?"

The Lord of the Underworld coldly watched the broken arrow, its energy finally exhausted by the reckless fire butterfly, fall before him.

"My strength is inexhaustible, but how many more arrows can you shoot?"

As she said, within her own otherworld, these ghostly butterflies representing her power can regenerate and replenish themselves at any time.

However, Bai Ze put down his longbow instead.

"Actually, one arrow is enough."

The vanished Death Butterflies were not replenished.

The composure on the girl's face vanished like sand in an hourglass.

"What did you do?!"

They just poisoned her.

The Pale Knight, which is merely a physical destroyer, is not frightening. Its true power lies in its ability to cast curses and poisons, taking away a quarter of the lives on earth.

Even more unfortunately for the Lord of the Underworld, the compatibility of this battle was extremely unfavorable.

Her otherworld is a reflection of the myth of the afterlife, and the prototype of the abnormal power that resides in Bai Ze also possesses elements that symbolize death—she is even colleagues with the knight who represents death.

As a result, the Fire Butterfly, which originally had an instant-death nature, became much less of a threat.

The curse, powerful enough to kill the dead again, spread among the butterflies. Bai Ze pulled on the reins and charged towards her!