On my second playthrough, they were full of malice towards me.

Having closed off his inner world, Jiu You successfully became undisturbed by any external events. His swordsmanship became increasingly terrifying, surpassing Tang's and achieving a truly "flawless" strike.

Jiuyou's mother did indeed nod in agreement afterward.

And indeed, that was the case; Tang did just that, bringing Jiu You the "best" kind of grief.

Liao Ji said this in a rather unfriendly tone.

In the game, a single point of health might not seem to make much difference from the outside.

While answering Liao Ji's question, Tang did not stop fighting; he was simply gathering his strength.

“Since people must experience grief to grow, I am willing to create this environment for Jiuyou. Moreover, compared to the grief created by others, I have more faith in myself. I will bring the best to Jiuyou, even if it is grief.”

With just that one kick, Liao Ji experienced the pain that those gladiators felt; Tang was simply too abnormal as a warrior.

"You've seen what Jiu You looked like before. Do you think she could survive in this world? Before, when the tribe still existed, we could protect her, but now her future depends on her."

For some reason, Liao Ji felt a sense of familiarity with this scene.

And

Tang did not choose to tell his daughter about this ability or pass it on to her.

The "method" he mentioned didn't need to be explicitly stated; Liao Ji believed Tang understood what he meant.

Besides his arms being numb from the shock, Liao Ji's internal organs also felt as if they were being affected, causing a dull ache as if struck from afar.

"I regret that I only thought about letting Jiu You practice martial arts. No, in the end, most of our clans are like that, only obsessed with cultivation. Perhaps that's why we were isolated and helpless when the natural disaster struck, and even betrayed."

As Tang spoke, a sadness for the past was revealed in his eyes.

Seeing her mother die for her and the gladiator who was once her comrade die by her own blade awakened Jiu You completely, granting her immense power of turbidity and allowing the girl to break through to new heights.

The next moment, Long Niang suddenly sprang out again and threw a punch at Liao Ji. However, this time, after hitting the dark green barrier, the barrier was completely undamaged, absorbing most of the power of her punch, allowing the young man inside to defend himself easily.

She had considered every aspect of her daughter's life, even the growth brought about by grief, and planned to help Jiu You.

Liao Ji even suspected that the gladiators behind him, who hated Jiu You so much and wanted to avenge Tang by challenging Jiu You to the death, all had Tang's shadow behind them.

This mother is overly indulgent.

The arena and the gladiators who followed and trusted Tang had painstakingly created, perhaps from the very beginning, all for this day. Tang had dedicated all her forces, including herself, to assist Jiu You's growth.

nutrient.

But in reality...

If deliberately disguised, it will be no different from a lifeless corpse.

Liao Ji breathed a sigh of relief at this scene.

Fortunately, though.

Since Tang just said that she would answer any question he asked, then...

"Aunt Tang, do you really have to raise Jiu You in that way?"

"What, is that not enough? Didn't you want to fight Auntie?" Tang didn't pursue, but instead raised her beautiful eyebrows and asked the somewhat disheveled young man opposite her.

The reason is quite simple.

Liao Ji, witnessing this, revealed an expression of certainty.

"This is the best path for Jiuyou, and it's the last thing I can do for her."

Tang frowned upon seeing this.

From this day forward, no one could harm Jiu You, and no one could use Jiu You anymore.

Soon after, raging flames also ignited on Tang's body, and the extremely similar lava dragon pattern, as if born from blood and fire, began to appear on Tang's surface.

Jiuyou and Tang are of the same lineage. Since Jiuyou was able to comprehend the profound meaning of burning dragon blood, perhaps Tang, as her mother, could as well.

Clearly, Tang on the other side was the same.

“I feel very sorry for Jiuyou because I did not consult Jiuyou’s opinion and took it upon myself to turn her into the Jiuyou I wanted her to be.”

"But perhaps only in this way can Jiu You have the potential to become 'the power to save this world.'"

"Isn't that so?"

Chapter 256 I'll Take Care of You for the Rest of Your Life

While Tang was talking to Liao Ji, the bonus effect of the burning dragon blood had reached its maximum. The boiling dragon patterns gathered together, seemingly outlining a roaring fire dragon with outstretched wings behind Tang.

Then Tang used his familiar move, summoning the flaming longsword from his chest. He gripped it tightly in his hand, the blazing blade pointing directly at Liao Ji.

Tang closed his eyes, and when he opened them again, he had entered a state of no thought. All his mental energy was focused on this one strike. As the ultimate technique, the Crimson Eye Slash transformed into a line of red light and instantly killed Liao Ji.

hum!

In an instant, Tang's figure passed straight through Liao Ji. The flawless strike, enhanced by the burning dragon blood, was the pinnacle of Tang's power. Even the protection of the elves from Anno could not withstand this strike.

Looking around, the dark green barrier surrounding Liao Ji cracked inch by inch, and after a crisp "bang", it shattered completely. A large, bloody hole could be seen in Liao Ji's abdomen. Even though the elf's protection helped Liao Ji withstand most of the damage, even the aftershock of the slash had brought Liao Ji a terrible injury.

"call"

This attack also took a toll on Tang. After taking a deep breath, Long Niang finally steadied herself and turned to look at the heavily injured Liao Ji.

"It looks like you lost."

Liao Ji, kneeling on the ground, felt waves of excruciating pain from the wound that pierced his abdomen, causing him to grit his teeth.

With the defeat of the evil dragon, the dragon's dream naturally began to collapse, and the turbid pollution that permeated the entire region began to recede rapidly and be purified.

The first time, she lost her mother; the second time, she lost Lord Ash.

But soon, as a beam of holy light shone down, the wound that had been bleeding profusely healed rapidly in just a few breaths, much to the astonishment of the dragon mother opposite.

"Aunt Tang really went all out." Liao Ji still felt lingering fear as he recalled that stab.

This is the power of Reina, the strongest mage of the psychic class—[Annihilation].

She was much taller than the clingy little girl she used to be, and the pair of dragon horns on her head had changed from being small and cute to being like her mother's, even more flamboyant and majestic, showing the domineering and powerful aura of a dragon.

From another angle, Tang, who was secretly watching his daughters, took in all the details of their appearances.

She knew that within the Zero Dream, the Ash Lord was opposing the evil phantoms from their past.

The "Gurasai Base," which served as the vessel for the dragon's illusion, also began to disappear rapidly. Naturally, all the illusions within it also ceased to exist, including Tang's.

Liao Ji, understanding Tang's meaning, nodded. While Tang's illusion was still intact and had not yet dissipated, Liao Ji immediately activated the power of the brand.

"After all, I've already promised Aunt Tang."

In her final moments, Tang wanted to see her daughter more, not a daughter who was grieving and in pain for her, but a dazzling, strong, and handsome daughter.

At this moment, Tang finally met Jiu You's gaze, gazing at his true daughter from five hundred years in the future.

No one wants to expose their dark past to their loved one.

"It's over, Aunt Tang is really gone. This is the last one."

That is

thank you.

"Just taking a beating won't defeat your aunt. Or do you have some other abilities you haven't used yet?"

This time, the brand of the evil dragon burned away the turbidity of the sky with karmic fire, and patches of crimson fiery clouds appeared before Tang's eyes as he looked up at the sky.

Although Tang didn't speak, Jiu You could read her mother's pride in Tang's eyes.

Although Tang couldn't utter a sound, Liao Ji understood those three words without any awkwardness.

In the next transformation of the dream, the "evil dragon," one of the five great evil kings of the world and the boss of the evil dragon dream, appears.

After taking a deep breath, Liao Ji activated the fourth skill icon in the skill bar, a skill that looked like a star black hole. This was the first time Liao Ji had used this skill since he transmigrated.

Faced with such a "dark history" of hers, Jiu You made the same choice as Styutia: not to engage in prolonged combat, but to use her strongest ability right from the start.

Liao Ji couldn't fathom how complex Jiu You's heart was at that moment. All he could do was hold Jiu You's hand tightly, just like now, to tell her that he was still by her side.

Jiuyou gripped Liao Ji's hand even tighter, like a little girl afraid of getting lost.

"You flatter me, Aunt Tang. It's always good to have more skills." Liao Ji replied modestly without any hesitation.

Upon seeing her mother's eyes, it was as if a certain seal within Jiu You's heart was broken, and she could no longer suppress her emotions.

The dragon that Styutia had struggled against was instantly killed by Jiuyou with a single strike, the phantom torn into nothingness by the flames of the blade.

The calamity-level flawless strike, with its soaring flames seemingly reaching straight to the heavens.

Tang gasped for breath for several minutes before finally recovering a little thanks to the powerful physique and regenerative abilities of the dragon race.

Tang didn't seem to want Jiu You to find out about her, because she could imagine her daughter's reaction.

"This young man is quite capable."

That was the feeling of satisfaction and pride of seeing that frail little girl, who was afraid to be alone in the arena and always clung to her mother, grow into one of the world's top fighters, or even a savior who saves the world.

After all, her wish was fulfilled; she saw her daughter, a powerful and independent daughter, and also a…

A daughter who has someone to take care of her.

"cough cough"

Tang's illusion completely vanished, and the mother, even in her final moments, still looked so relieved and happy.

She had longed to see her mother again and had countless things she wanted to say, but now that the moment had come, Jiu You found herself speechless, as if something had blocked her throat, and she couldn't say anything.

For so long, Liao Ji had not used Lena's abilities, partly because he was not prepared to meet the succubus, and partly because the destructive power of Annihilation was simply too great, no less than a small nuclear bomb once unleashed.

As he spoke, Tang took out a ball of light radiating intense flames from his bosom. Within the ball of light, three dragon-shaped marks could be seen floating and rotating. These were the marks that Liao Ji was looking for, the marks left after clearing the Evil Dragon Dream.

Jiuyou raised one hand slightly towards the phantom of her mother, but quickly lowered it again.

In her final moments, Tang Yiyi reluctantly shifted her gaze from Jiu You, finally focusing on the young man who had always been by Jiu You's side, whose fingers had intertwined with hers at some point, and who had become Jiu You's pillar of support, ensuring her continued existence.

Tang seemed to have a lot to say, but in the end it all turned into a sigh, and she was very decisive afterwards.

It's like at first you were looking at a son-in-law, but now you're looking at a lover who's deceiving his daughter.

It should be said that it was because the burning of dragon blood could lock blood that Liao Ji dared to unleash an annihilation attack on Tang, his mother-in-law.