Chapter 188
Chapter 188
“You’re saying you took the Core of Darkness, and Reeves’s strength has fallen back to god tier?” Qianxuan still found the facts difficult to believe. His gaze toward Zhouyou Shijie became somewhat complicated.
Raiding the enemy’s base!
It sounded easy, but carrying it out was extremely difficult. If the enemy noticed in advance, the raiders would immediately be surrounded and beaten to a miserable death.
“More or less!” Zhou Ming nodded.
Without the Dark Magic Array’s enhancement, he refused to believe Reeves still possessed Saint-tier strength.
“The enemy will probably destroy the cross-domain teleportation array!” Qianying interjected. “Do we have any other way to attack the City of Darkness directly?”
“We do!”
Qianxuan nodded. “The various worlds aren’t completely isolated from one another. Naturally, we have ways to construct a new cross-domain teleportation array.”
“How long will it take?” Zhou Ming asked.
“If it’s only a temporary array, we can finish it by tomorrow, but it won’t last long.”
“Excellent!”
Zhou Ming nodded. “Tomorrow, we march on the City of Darkness!”
“???”
Qianxuan’s expression darkened. “Why don’t you take command?”
The way Zhouyou Shijie was boldly directing the campaign could have made an uninformed observer think he was the Lord of the City of Light!
“Of course you’ll be in command, Uncle!” Zhou Ming had no intention of usurping the host’s role. “I’m only passing through. I’ll be leaving the day after tomorrow.”
As he spoke, he could not help looking toward Qianying, who had quietly stayed beside him all this time without expressing much of what she felt. He hesitated, wanting to speak but stopping himself.
Honestly, from his own selfish perspective, Zhou Ming could not bear to let Qianying remain behind with her parents.
Yet they had not seen each other for more than a hundred thousand years. To reunite for only three days before separating again would be rather cruel to Qianying.
Therefore, whether she stayed or left would be entirely her decision.
“Wait. If you’re leaving, how will you return the Core of Light?” Qianxuan asked, finding it strange.
“Someone will return it on my behalf. You can rest assured about that,” Zhou Ming replied.
“…Fine. Then I have no objections.”
Qianxuan said nothing more.
Since he had already issued the quest, he naturally would not break his promise.
…
The next day.
The Light Domain’s elite forces mobilized in full.
Tens of thousands of Light Domain soldiers boarded a temporary teleportation array and set out for the Dark Domain.
When the army reached the city, however, they discovered that the City of Darkness had already been stripped of its defenders. Every god-tier powerhouse, Reeves included, had withdrawn.
“They knew they couldn’t win, so they abandoned the City of Darkness?” Qianxuan immediately understood and shouted, “By my order, search the entire Dark Domain!”
Zhou Ming thought for a moment. “If he stayed in the Dark Domain, it would be no different from defending the city. He most likely fled.”
In truth, Reeves was no fool.
He had only ended up in this situation because his confidence had swelled too far. Believing himself one step ahead, he had ultimately been outsmarted by his own cleverness.
Afterward, just as Zhou Ming expected, no trace of Reeves or the other powerful demons could be found in the Dark Domain.
The siege ended hastily, almost like a farce. The Light Domain took the opportunity to annex the Dark Domain and reaped an enormous harvest.
Ding!
[System Notification: Congratulations! You have completed [Siege of the City of Darkness] and received the following rewards: Level +2, Fame +500, Gold Coins +5!]
“Whoosh! Whoosh!”
Two rays of golden light descended, bringing Zhou Ming to Level 119.
His level had originally soared to 124 during the battle in the Dark Domain, but Flame Soul Art cost him 5 levels and Heaven’s Wrath cost him another 2, dropping him back to Level 117. Now he had risen again.
At this point, however, a level or two in either direction caused Zhou Ming no concern.
Players might once have been able to approach his level.
From now on, he was destined to leave them far behind within a matter of days.
“At last, we can welcome the peace we’ve been without for so long…”
After confirming that the City of Darkness had been successfully occupied, Qianxuan breathed a sigh of relief. He ordered part of the army to remain as a garrison while the main force returned to the Light Domain.
Along the way, Qianxuan looked up and saw the dark elemental energy gradually dissipating from the Dark Domain’s sky, allowing sunlight to break through the clouds.
Blue sky, white clouds, and brilliant sunshine.
The breeze against their faces felt refreshing.
It was beautiful weather. The fact that it had appeared in the Dark Domain, however, also proved that the Core of Darkness was gone.
With that thought, Qianxuan gave Zhouyou Shijie a long look.
In only two days, Zhouyou Shijie’s involvement had completely rewritten the Light Domain’s fate!
This man’s methods were even more formidable than Qianxuan had imagined.
“Lord Qianxuan, if you encounter trouble in the future, I can come help resolve it as well.” Noticing Qianxuan observing him, Zhou Ming smiled in greeting.
“Thank you!”
Qianxuan was sincerely grateful.
From an enemy’s perspective, Zhouyou Shijie was terrifying. As an ally, however, he felt remarkably dependable, the kind of person one could safely rely on.
“There’s no need to be so polite, Uncle.” Zhou Ming turned toward Qianying, who was speaking with her mother Zihong, his gaze softening. “Everything I’ve done is merely to repay Qianying for all the support she has given me.”
Under normal circumstances, he had no interest in running off to some unfamiliar world and joining a war between two sides while the conflicts on the Destiny Continent remained unresolved.
It was because of Qianying that he had stood unconditionally with the Light Domain.
To put it bluntly.
None of his present actions had anything to do with good or evil. Most factions in the world did not concern themselves with such empty concepts either. Everyone made decisions based on where they stood.
He helped the Light Domain solely because that was where his position lay.
“…”
Qianxuan fell speechless.
Zhouyou Shijie’s words amounted to saying that the Light Domain had won because Qianying belonged to it.
If Qianying had instead been some demon princess from the Dark Domain, the outcome would have been completely different.
It was very pragmatic.
But it also expressed how deeply he cared for Qianying.
…
After returning to the City of Light, Zhou Ming did not disturb Qianying’s rare reunion with her parents.
They might not have seen one another for countless years, and their memories of each other might have grown hazy, but they remained bound by blood. Some things were difficult to let go.
Night fell.
The streets outside were filled with excitement.
A day of great victory naturally deserved celebration.
For the first time, the Light Domain’s sky grew dark. Many residents beheld the deep night sky and its countless stars for the first time.
Zhou Ming rested in the place Qianxuan had arranged for him. An exceptionally precious item now sat in his inventory.
The Core of Darkness that Yun Wuyou had brought him.
This was a priceless treasure!
And he was about to obtain a second treasure just like it.
That was precisely why the Light Domain’s environment had returned to normal.
“Rustle…”
Footsteps approached.
Zhou Ming turned and saw Qianxuan walking toward him with a solemn expression. In his hand was another diamond-shaped crystal, this one white and gleaming brilliantly. It was clearly no ordinary object.
“Take it!”
Qianxuan handed over the Core of Light with great solemnity.
“Thank you, Lord Qianxuan!” Zhou Ming accepted it.
Ding!
[System Notification: Congratulations! You have completed [Core of Light] (Difficulty: S Rank) and received the reward [Core of Light]!]
Mission accomplished!
Zhou Ming was delighted.
He had made one trip to Qianying’s homeland and ended up holding both worlds’ most valuable treasures, the Core of Light and the Core of Darkness. That was certainly greedy enough.
“You’re greedy, brat, but I have to admit you’re capable enough to match it!” Qianxuan laughed and cursed.
Zhou Ming chuckled without taking offense. “I’ll take that as a compliment!”
“I’m only telling the truth.”
Qianxuan shook his head. He gazed at the man before him, hesitated for a moment, then asked, “You and Qianying, are you…?”
“Not at present,” Zhou Ming answered frankly.
At present?
Qianxuan immediately understood. He took a deep breath and said seriously, “I want to ask you a question, and I hope you’ll answer honestly!”
“Go ahead!”
Zhou Ming’s spirits rose.
This was an excellent opportunity to make a good impression.
Whatever Qianying herself thought, her parents’ opinion was also extremely important.
“If Qianying marries you, how much bride price will you offer?” After a moment’s thought, Qianxuan stared straight at Zhou Ming and asked with great interest.
Zhou Ming: “…”
What the hell!
That question was way outside the syllabus!
…