Chat group, if you have anything to say to my Holy Sword,

His eyes snapped open, and what met his pupils was not Xiling's humble face, but a rapidly inverted, blurry scene: mud, weeds, the astonished faces of the crowd, the azure sky... everything was spinning and turning upside down!

My vision was suddenly plunged into complete darkness, as if splashed with thick ink! A violent impact and an unimaginable sense of oppression surged through my body!

The pungent smell of the soil and the cold, stinging sensation of the pebbles on her face instantly overwhelmed all her senses!

She felt...like...something...inserted...upside down...into...the ground?!

Silence, a silence more complete than before.

Only the faint rustling of the wind through the wilderness, and... a human-shaped object stuck upside down in the ground, its feet protruding from the fresh mud pit, still twitching slightly unconsciously.

Xiling slowly straightened up and gently patted non-existent dust off her hands.

Then, a slightly embarrassed voice came from Xiling's mouth: "Oops, sorry, my hand slipped, Goddess."

-

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Fujimaru Ritsuka is practically a superhuman; she can be hit like a speed bump and still be completely unharmed.

I tried so hard!!

Chapter 74 The cruel reality still ignites

Ishtar's cheeks were pressed against the cold, damp earth, and her nostrils were filled with the pungent smell of the soil.

Xiling's casual "Sorry, my hand slipped" was like a spark that ignited the volcano of goddess dignity in her heart!

Confusion? It lasted only a moment! A surge of rage rose within him! This arrogant fool! Not only did he dare refuse the condescending blessing of the great goddess Venus, but he also dared to commit such a blasphemous act against her—planting her upside down in the ground like a radish?! It was utterly incomprehensible! A heinous crime!

A terrifying burst of magic caused the ground that imprisoned the goddess to shatter like a fragile biscuit! Countless pebbles and dirt were carried away by the violent magic and shot in all directions like cannonballs, blasting open a huge crater!

Ishtar shot straight into the sky like an arrow released from a bow! She forcefully shook off the dirt and debris clinging to her hair, her chest heaving violently—not from exhaustion, but pure anger. She needed to open her eyes wide and see clearly whether her recent behavior had been too accommodating, causing these ant-like creatures to completely lose sight of who the true ruler was and who should grovel before them!

Those eyes, burning with rage, snapped open, their sharp gaze sweeping downwards—

However......

The cold touch was pressed against her neck.

A sword was held to her neck.

Xiling, seemingly out of nowhere, hovered in front of her at the same height, and the holy sword in Xiling's hand was the source of the coldness on Ishtar's neck.

"Huh?" Ishtar's mind went blank.

No... this script is wrong! Shouldn't she be the one with divine might, intimidating everyone below, leaving them terrified, sweating profusely, and practically begging for mercy on their knees? Even if the other side is a bit tough, they should at most adopt a defensive stance and be ready for battle, right?

How can a BOSS be in the middle of a lightning-fast attack animation, just as he's about to unleash his ultimate move, only to be teleported to his face and have a knife to his throat?

Is this reasonable?

Is it in this river?

Seeing Xiling's gradually softening expression.

"Shh—" Ishtar forced a smile that looked more like a grimace, her voice trembling slightly: "Um...can we...make peace?"

Xiling's expression of confusion deepened. "Oh?" Xiling's lips curved upwards even more, but it made Ishtar feel as if she had fallen into an ice cave.

"At this moment..."

"Are you... joking?"

Seeing Xiling's radiant smile, Ishtar's last bit of stubbornness made her weakly struggle: "Then...then at least...go easy on me?"

"hehe"

......

The team resumed their journey. The atmosphere was somewhat eerie.

Leading the way was Ishtar, the goddess of Venus, who looked dejected and full of grievance. She would occasionally steal glances back at Xiling behind her, her eyes filled with suppressed anger and resentment.

Looking at Ishtar, who was walking ahead with a wronged expression, Penglai Temple Jiuxiao felt no sympathy. Instead, she asked Luo Tianyi with some confusion, "I thought I was going to see a river of blood." She was quite looking forward to Xiling teaching this arrogant goddess a lesson.

"Huh? Surely not?" Luo Tianyi thought Xiling wouldn't do that.

Elena looked around, her brows furrowing deeper and deeper: "This area... is so desolate and dilapidated!" The sights that came into view along the way were shocking: vast expanses of cracked, parched, lifeless brown earth; abandoned and collapsed houses reduced to ruins, their dark doors and windows like the eye sockets of a skull; shards of pottery half-buried by sand and dust scattered everywhere... There was not a single person in sight, not even a trace of life; only deathly silence and desolation pervaded the area.

Ishtar, who was walking ahead and still feeling aggrieved, heard Irena's question but didn't turn her head. She replied casually in a matter-of-fact tone, "Isn't this normal? The entire Uruk is already on the verge of extinction under the combined onslaught of the Three Pillar Goddesses and those overwhelming magical beasts! There are probably almost no living people left. Only in that annoying, glittering, dilapidated city are there still a few people hiding. As for the rest of the place? Hmph, they're all dead by now!"

As soon as Ishtar finished speaking, it was as if a huge stone had been thrown into a calm lake! The expressions on the faces of the chattering crowd froze instantly, then were replaced by immense absurdity, shock, and disbelief!

Along the way, they didn't see anyone, but those endless abandoned villages, collapsed houses... every ruin was once a home.

They originally thought the residents had fled, perhaps with a glimmer of hope... but they never imagined the truth would be so cruel—extinction!

Ishtar sensed something was amiss. She stopped in her tracks, puzzled, and turned around. "What... what's going on?" Her eyes swept over the grim faces of the crowd, her expression a mixture of confusion and innocence. "Did I say something wrong?" In her view, it was just stating a fact; what was there to make a fuss about?

Xiling walked at the front of the group, so he naturally took in everyone's reactions. He knew the tragedy hidden in those ruins earlier and more deeply than anyone else.

Tragedy is happening all the time, and he is not indifferent, but... all he can protect is what is in front of him and the hope for the future that has not yet been extinguished.

It was not his wish to expose this heavy truth to his companions, but facing reality was also an inevitable path forward.

"Speaking of which, why hasn't that guy shown up yet?" Xiling's senses couldn't find the person he was looking for. He and the others had been walking for a long time, and logically speaking, Enkidu, or rather Jingu, should have appeared long ago.

However, not only has the other party not shown up, but the other two people have also failed to appear.

Merlin and Anna.

Xiling was unaware that the person he was looking for had actually come by, but only glanced at him before turning away.

If there are too many people, then going on is either stupid or foolish.

Just as Xiling was pondering the butterfly effect, she felt a slight, cautious tug at the hem of her dress. Xiling turned her head and saw Luo Tianyi with a somewhat sad expression.

"Xiling..." Luo Tianyi's voice trembled with a barely perceptible sob, "Are all the people here... really... gone, just as she said?"

Unlike the borderlands, death in the Dharma Ring world still has a destination and the possibility of reincarnation.

But here... the scattered skeletons and empty villages on the Uruk plain represent a complete and irreversible extinction. They are truly all dead.

Everyone knew this, which is why their expressions were so somber.

Faced with Luo Tianyi's sorrowful question, Xiling did not avoid it, but nodded affirmatively.

“Yes,” Xiling’s voice was deep and clear, like a bell striking everyone’s hearts, “Everything… is in the past.”

Xiling's gaze swept over the somber or bewildered faces. "And we... cannot undo it, but..."

Xiling looked at Fujimaru Ritsuka seriously and said, "The flame is still burning."

"The spark?" Fujimaru Ritsuka was taken aback by the sudden call to name and the serious look in his eyes, and subconsciously repeated the question.

Mash also subconsciously took a step closer to her Master.

Xiling didn't explain immediately, but simply smiled at Fujimaru Ritsuka.

Xiling turned around, took a step forward, and continued walking. Her voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears: "We cannot undo the past, nor can we bring the dead back to life, but... we can create the future. Let's go, there are still people waiting for us."

Looking at the figure walking at the very front.

Everyone looked at each other, their initially somber expressions eventually turning into shrugs and helpless smiles.

This is indeed the case.

No?

Even in sadness, we still have to move forward, because there are people waiting for us ahead.

“He installed it again,” Kevin said with a smile, following Xiling’s footsteps first.

Next up were the Faded One, Remy An, Dan Heng, Penglai Temple Jiuxiao, and Luo Tianyi.

Finally, only Elena remained, standing still, mourning the lives lost on this land—a basic human empathy.

However, she felt a deep sense of unfamiliarity and alienation from the "sense of mission" and "sense of responsibility" that the group members were instantly ignited with, as if they were shouldering some grand mission.

Tinder?

future?

These words were too heavy and too distant for her.

She was just a traveler, a witch riding a broomstick.

She was a witness to the story, an observer of history, not a participant—a promise she had solemnly made to her mother.

Elena looked ahead, puzzled as she stood behind her group members, wondering why they hadn't followed.

Luo Tianyi and Penglai Temple Jiuxiao, who were walking at the very back, were still waving to her.

Watching this scene...

"Heh..." Elena suddenly chuckled, shook her head, and mounted the floating broom, her gray hair fluttering in the wind. "Never mind, I'll deal with it when the time comes..."

......

Far from the desolate plains where Xiling and her group were, they ventured deep into a dense forest that was equally filled with an ominous atmosphere.

There is no desolate silence here, but it is filled with another kind of suffocating killing intent.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—!" Countless silver chains, like a swarm of venomous snakes with their own consciousness, tore through the air, emitting sharp, piercing whistles! They easily pierced through trees that required several people to encircle, the tough trunks as fragile as tofu in front of the chains, leaving hideous through holes.

These deadly silver snakes ignored all obstacles, with only one target—two figures fleeing at top speed ahead!

"Oh dear, this is really... incredibly troublesome!" A complaint rang out, carrying a peculiar, nonchalant tone, yet unable to conceal a hint of urgency.

The speaker was a tall, handsome man with an almost otherworldly appearance—Merlin, the Flower Magician.

His original plan was quite simple: to proceed along the planned route and meet the group from Chaldea, including Fujimaru Ritsuka.

This was supposed to be his responsibility as a guide, but it was also a fun encounter.

Who could have predicted that a Cheng Yaojin would suddenly appear out of nowhere—he was leisurely strolling through the woods humming a tune when he bumped right into Jin Gu, who had returned empty-handed and exuded an aura of icy indifference!

The moment their eyes met, Merlin realized he was in deep trouble!

As a result, he not only failed to pick up the person, but also became the prey being hunted, and had to flee for his life with a little burden in tow—under his strong arms, he steadily carried a petite figure, a little girl named Anna, wearing a deep hood that almost completely hid her face in shadow.

Anna now pressed her lips tightly together, her eyes beneath the hood fixed on the silver light that was relentlessly pursuing them.

Merlin seemed distracted, either contemplating an escape route or criticizing Jingu's stubbornness, causing a slight, almost imperceptible, hesitation in his movements. That instantaneous opening! Several cunning silver chains, as if anticipating his hesitation, had somehow and mysteriously bypassed the trees in front of him, appearing like lurking vipers less than three feet in front of him!

A deadly glint tore through the air, carrying an aura of piercing everything, and stabbed fiercely towards him and Anna in his arms! The angle was tricky, the speed was extremely fast, and it almost sealed off all room for evasion!

The chains pierced through the two as expected, however—no blood splattered from Merlin and Anna's bodies, and they didn't even utter a painful groan.

Their figures, like popped soap bubbles, transformed into countless pale pink petals the moment the chains touched them, fluttering and disappearing into the cold air.

The real Merlin and Anna had already appeared out of thin air in another woodland several kilometers away! As soon as they appeared, Merlin continued his mad dash forward without stopping!

"boom!!!"

Almost the instant he left his spot! Dozens of chains shot out from nothingness and slammed into the ground where he had just landed! Dirt and rubble were blasted everywhere!

A cold snort echoed through the air.

A figure formed from pure light particles appeared out of thin air! Long emerald green hair fluttered in the wind, and cold pupils were locked onto the fleeing Merlin.

With a blank expression, Jingu raised one hand and pressed it into the air in front of Merlin's escape route!

“Long——!”

A thick earthen wall, several meters thick and covered with sharp rock spikes, rose up from the ground like the spine of a giant beast, blocking the way in front of the plum grove and completely blocking the way!

However, Merlin did not slow down! He even smiled and slammed Anna into the earthen wall... Countless dreamy pale pink petals drifted down, gently brushing against the cold rock spikes.

"Tsk—!" The pursuer's rage was like a tangible shockwave, causing the surrounding leaves to tremble!

Kingu was clearly enraged by Merlin's incredibly slippery and toy-like escape. "You troublesome magician who only knows how to run away like a rat!"

A chilling voice echoed through the woods, filled with contempt and murderous intent, "Is this all you've got?!"

Perception, like an invisible root system, centers around him, capturing any subtle magical fluctuations and vibrations, sensing the sensations transmitted from the earth. Jin Gu's figure vanished instantly.

These are the three people Xiling was looking for.

The three are currently engaged in a chase.