Black beetles swarmed over every inch of Leilin's body, as if wrapping him in a thick black coat.
Countless beetles gnawed at him, their mandibles clicking against his black scales in a crisp, unceasing rhythm.
A dark glow pulsed from Leilin's body and a layer of beetles was blasted off—only for them to extend their legs and crawl right back.
In the end, the beetles even began creeping toward the last exposed part of him—his eyes—intent on drowning him completely in a sea of insects.
"I miscalculated!" Leilin hadn't expected these black beetles to be so tenacious. Even if he wanted to use the Venom Gall now, it was already too late!
"AAAH!!! How can I die here???"
He roared frantically in his mind, and at that very moment, the Komoin Giant Serpent bloodline inside his body began to boil violently.
His pupils instantly shifted into amber vertical slits as he threw his head back and howled.
"ROAR ROAR ROAR!!!"
Horrifying! Terrifying! As though an ancient apex predator had been reborn, an aura of utmost malevolence and immense power erupted from Leilin's body in a torrent!
Black energy coalesced behind him, forming the phantom image of a Komoin Giant Serpent, equally howling toward the heavens.
BOOM!
With a deafening sonic blast, the black beetles clinging to Leilin were hurled away, disintegrating into black powder in midair.
Leilin's roar was far from over. The power and emotions within his bloodline surged forth without restraint.
Crack! Crack!
The surface of the Mirror World was covered in web-like fractures, then shattered apart with a thunderous crash, revealing a vast expanse of void.
"Hah… hah…" Leilin finally stopped roaring, gasping for breath.
At that moment between life and death, the Komoin Giant Serpent bloodline within him had fully erupted, placing an enormous burden on his body.
Now, all around him was nothing but deep, impenetrable darkness. The ground was strewn with the broken limbs and remains of black beetles.
Whoosh!!!
Suddenly, the dead beetles floated into the air, assembling into a black female face: "A Komoin Giant Serpent bloodline warlock? I can smell the nauseating scent of your soul!"
The lips of the face moved as it spoke in Ancient Byron Language.
"So it prefers pure human souls. A warlock's bloodline doesn't just affect the body—it taints the soul as well, which is why I'm not welcome here!"
Leilin was overjoyed internally, though his expression remained guarded. He replied in Ancient Byron Language: "I无意闯入 your domain. Please let me leave. I am willing to pay a price…"
Since this entity was no human, Leilin saw no point in being coy.
"Very well! I don't fancy a warlock's soul anyway!" the enormous face replied. "As ransom for your soul and the two ordinary mortals', I demand the green soul crystals in your pocket!"
"Green soul crystals?" Leilin paused, then raised his hand. A faint glow flickered, revealing several beautiful crystals that shone like brilliant green diamonds.
"That's them!" the giant face said.
"These are ancient, pure soul crystals—loot I obtained from slaying a resentment wraith in the Soul Slaying Secret Realm. I've heard they're a universal currency coveted by many otherworldly beings…" Understanding dawned in Leilin's mind.
"Take these as ransom for myself and the two ordinary mortals." Leilin nodded in agreement, then asked, "What happened to that old man from earlier?"
"He wallowed in the illusion and has become lost inside my body…"
The giant face answered.
Leilin had already suspected as much. He sighed and waved his hand. "Send me out!"
…
"Phew…"
Leilin opened his eyes. He found himself lying beside the carriage, with Weilin and Jenny nearby. As for Jemos—his body had vanished without a trace.
Also gone was the green soul crystal from Leilin's hand.
"This… is the original three-way crossroads!"
By now, the gray mist had thinned considerably. The three-way fork and the massive boulder had disappeared, revealing the original road.
Leilin oriented himself and immediately drove the carriage away from the area.
"That was genuinely dangerous!"
As he traveled, a lingering fear still gripped him. Had the entity not despised souls tainted by bloodline power—or more likely, feared the strength of his bloodline—he might have ended up like Jemos, trapped forever inside that beetle-formed giant face.
The farther he went, the thinner the gray mist became, until at last it vanished entirely, exposing the barren wasteland on either side.
"The Domain of Ghost Weeping! Truly a dangerous place!"
Only after completely leaving the boundaries of the Domain did Leilin glance back, his heart still pounding.
Behind him, the faint gray mist had condensed into a wall, barring all prying eyes.
"I wonder what rank those two wizards were, who left behind such terrifying battle remnants, and how their fight ultimately ended?" Leilin mused, then let out a long sigh.
Battling residual shockwaves alone could destabilize time and space and give rise to such eerie phenomena. The two wizards' power must have far exceeded anything he could imagine—far beyond even the Morning Star rank, into something still greater!
"One day! I will reach that level too!"
This encounter had only strengthened a certain conviction deep within Leilin's heart.
"Hm! Where am I?"
After leaving the Domain of Ghost Weeping, Weilin finally came to, clutching his head.
"How are you doing? Do you remember anything before you passed out?" Leilin cracked the whip without looking back.
"Not really. I think after we passed through a patch of gray mist, we encountered a woman—am I right?" Confusion filled Weilin's face.
Then a whip was thrust into his hands.
"You woke up at just the right time. Take over driving!"
Leilin pressed the whip into Weilin's grasp and began making use of this free labor.
Weilin was already a Great Knight physically, so he had awakened before Jenny. Jenny, being a First-rank Apprentice in her own right, followed shortly after.
"Quite the quick recovery."
Leilin noticed Jenny, who was still pretending to be unconscious on the carriage floor with one hand secretly resting on her ring. He offered a faint word of praise.
"So it's you, Lord Leilin!" Jenny's body trembled and her eyes snapped open. "I thought it might be a bad person!"
She then drew back the carriage window and saw that the gray mist outside was gone.
"Have we left the Domain of Ghost Weeping? What about Jemos?"
"We have. This is already the Oliver Plains, and according to the map, we'll reach the capital of the Eastern Dark Extreme Domain in at most two days."
Leilin nodded slowly. "As for Jemos—you'd best prepare yourself…"
A moment later, while Weilin was driving outside the carriage, he heard Jenny's anguished cry: "No! That can't be! You're lying!!!"
The carriage door burst open, revealing Jenny's tear-streaked face.
"Jenny! You…" Weilin stared at her grief, feeling at a loss.
"Waaah…" Jenny threw herself into Weilin's arms and sobbed uncontrollably.
…
The Dark Extreme Domain could be broadly divided into five regions: east, west, south, north, and central. The Capital of the Eastern Domain was the most prosperous city and the political and economic heart of the entire Eastern Dark Extreme Domain.
Numerous noble houses had established their headquarters here, forming the Noble United Council that wielded most of the region's power.
What was less publicly known was that wizard research societies and academies also thrived here in great numbers, making it a critical gathering point for wizards.
At the center of the capital stood a sunstone the size of a small hill, bathing the entire region in eternal light and warmth!
"What enormous walls!"
On this day, a wide-eyed country bumpkin arrived before the capital's towering fortifications, mouth agape in awe.
"Enough!" Leilin rapped the pommel of his sword against Weilin's head, silencing his clamoring.
The Capital of the Eastern Domain was indeed massive, but after having seen the Sleepless City, Leilin found it nothing particularly special. Weilin's display, however, made Leilin feel a sting of embarrassment.
"You're practically dragging my reputation through the mud!" he scolded, exasperated.
Rubbing his head, Weilin glanced at the surrounding residents who were still staring and pointing, then gave an sheepish grin. "My lord! Since the day I was born, I've truly never seen walls this big. My apologies…"
Leilin was rendered speechless. Were it not for the crowd, he might have seriously considered killing Weilin right then and there.
"Hehe… Lord Leilin, Weilin has only ever known the small town of Borte. It's perfectly natural for him to be this amazed!"
Jenny, who had been immersed in her grief, couldn't help but smile at Weilin's antics. She stifled a laugh behind her hand while speaking up in his defense.
But seeing Jenny like this, Weilin actually grew awkward and stood off to the side with his head lowered, refraining from any further unseemly behavior.
After all, in front of the girl he loved, Weilin still wanted to maintain some dignity.
"Well then! Now that I've safely escorted Miss Jenny here, it's time we parted ways!"
The carriage had fallen into a somber silence, but Leilin smiled faintly at Jenny.
"What?" "What?" The two exclamations came in unison from the young man and woman.
"How… how can this be? It's too sudden!" Something felt off to Weilin, though he couldn't quite put his finger on it.
"Lord Leilin! Please do visit our August Family. My father would certainly be delighted to meet you—and Weilin as well!"
Jenny bit her lip.
"I told you from the very beginning when I got into the carriage—I was only heading to the capital because it happened to be on my way."
Leilin's expression was gentle yet resolute. "As for Weilin, you're welcome to accompany Jenny back home. Besides, someone is already coming to pick you up." A faint smile tugged at his lips.
Clip-clop!!
The moment Leilin finished speaking, the rhythmic sound of hooves rang out from within the city gates. A squad of knights in pristine white armor rode forth, their mounts pure white steeds not marked by a single blemish. Tall white plumes stood erect atop their helms, and their armor gleamed without a speck of dust.