Celestial Human Diagram

Onstage, the Shepherdess finally arrived at the Royal Court to confront the actress playing a noblewoman. The two then began a formal duel before the court.

By this point, all the security personnel, both in the private boxes and throughout the theater, were on high alert.

A battle between two Third Limit Fighters—even one confined to a stage with prior preparations—was not something to be taken lightly.

For one thing, both were clad in armor. Any debris sent flying during their fight could easily injure someone in the private boxes. The audience was filled with people of status; even a single injury would constitute a major incident.

Onstage, the Shepherdess and the noblewoman clashed violently. Even without the simulated collapsing walls on the periphery, the sheer force of their battle was palpable from the sound of their long spears striking and armor crashing together.

The audience could clearly tell: these two were truly locked in a fight to the death.

At this point, the theater’s Realm Token adjusted the perception of their combat speed, allowing the audience to follow the entire process.

Ordinary people could never follow the movements of a Third Limit Fighter in combat; this fight alone was worth the price of admission.

However, every Third Limit Fighter on the security detail was staring intently at the two combatants’ every move, terrified of the slightest mishap.

The melody of the song swelled in time with the action, becoming fierce and soaring.

The theatrical effect was pushed to its absolute limit.

Chen Chuan still couldn’t understand the lyrics, but as the resounding music grew impossibly grand, he felt the melody driving some unknown emotion toward a crescendo.

Meanwhile, the movements of the Shepherdess—or rather, the suit of armor—grew faster and fiercer. The fight was so intense it was breathtaking.

After about three minutes of combat, she thrust her spear into the noblewoman’s chest. The noblewoman, looking genuinely stunned, collapsed to her knees on the stage.

At that moment, the music came to a sudden, jarring stop.

Chen Chuan could sense it—the emotion the actress was showing was real, not an act. But the audience, completely engrossed in the story, noticed nothing amiss.

He rose from his seat. At the same time, many excited audience members, swept up in the drama, also stood and applauded, clearly satisfied with how the plot was unfolding.

The Shepherdess drew the Rusted Sword and pointed it toward the sky. Then, the majestic, stirring music resumed, surging relentlessly like an ocean tide.

The audience erupted in even more fervent applause. But it wasn’t over; there was still one final act to come.

The true ending of the original tale was lost, as the site of the final battle had been reduced to ruins. In the version passed down in the Western Lands, the Shepherdess cleared the Knight of false accusations. The King immediately enfeoffed both her and the Knight, making them his Feudal Lords. The Shepherdess also found a cure for the Knight’s wounds, and the two walked away together as the curtain fell.

In the Eastern Continent, however, a different version had long been told—the Slaying of the King!

The King dispatched his Court Swordsmen to recruit the exhausted Shepherdess, but she refused him outright.

The King had to pay the price!

The Shepherdess cast aside her broken Riding Spear, drew the Rusted Sword, and cut down every Court Swordsman—and the King himself!

And now, onstage, she raised the sword in her hand high into the lights, then slowly lowered it, pointing it forward—a blade aimed at the throne.

The music, too, surged to its climax, the rhythm becoming immense, like crashing waves and a torrential deluge.

Chen Chuan glanced over. Whether by coincidence or not, her sword was pointed directly at Chairman Quan’s location.

He looked back at Chen Bitong and saw that the older man was looking at him as well.

He suddenly understood. ’Chen Bitong saw this coming. Or he knew about it all along. He deliberately kept me here to give me the job of saving Chairman Quan.’

’This must be payback for helping Xiaojin. And he knows Chen Bitong is more than capable of handling it if I fail.’

’But this move might also be a way of forcing me to pick a side. Saving Chairman Quan will undoubtedly lead to speculation. However, as someone with a mission to carry out, I’m not afraid of acting openly.’

He gazed at the suit of armor. Driven by the music and the resonating emotions in the theater, he could feel intense fluctuations from its Domain, which were steadily growing stronger.

As the music hit its peak, the Shepherdess suddenly launched herself from the stage, leaping directly toward Chairman Quan’s private box with the Rusted Sword aimed straight ahead.

Chen Chuan made a swift judgment. ’After "killing" the noblewoman, her power, fueled by the Divine Song, has reached its absolute peak. This strike is far beyond what it should be. A direct block will be difficult.’

’Chen Bitong probably anticipated this and will step in if I make a mistake.’

’You might be stronger in terms of raw power, but this isn’t a simple contest of strength. The root cause is an abnormality. So please, just watch from the sidelines.’

His eyes narrowed, his focus absolute. He crouched slightly, then with a BOOM, he shot out of the private box, drawing the Snow Monarch Blade from its Sword Scabbard in the same motion.

The two figures hurtled toward each other high above the theater floor. Just as they were about to collide, Chen Chuan spun in mid-air, thrusting the Snow Monarch Blade through a slit in the Shepherdess’s helmet.

At the same instant, his Second Self flickered and grew intensely incorporeal, but his gaze remained locked. A hidden consciousness within the Long Blade stirred, seemingly absorbing something, but he paid it no mind and simply flicked his blade upward.

The helmet was sent flying high into the air as if he had sliced it clean off. A cascade of platinum-blonde hair spilled out, and for a fleeting moment, a look of confusion crossed the actress’s face.

Chen Chuan shot past her and landed steadily on his feet, perfectly positioned in a spotlight at the front of the stage. With a light flourish, his Long Blade cut through the air with a sharp WHOOSH.

The actress, her leap interrupted, plummeted from the air. She landed with a THUD, half-kneeling on the stage. A moment later, her helmet fell with a CLATTER onto the aisle behind her.

The audience stared, stunned. It had all happened so fast they couldn’t tell if this was a new, unscripted part of the play or if something had gone wrong.

The security personnel in the private boxes reacted instantly, moving to the front to shield their employers with their bodies. They watched the stage below with grave expressions.

Tan Zhi and his two companions stared, dumbfounded. When Chen Chuan had said he was staying outside, they hadn’t thought much of it, assuming he’d run into a superior or a friend. They never imagined that in the blink of an eye, he’d be facing off against the actress playing the Shepherdess.

Chen Chuan glanced at the helmet on the floor. ’Just as I thought. The armor is controlling the actress’s mind. She probably still thinks she’s in the middle of the play. This proves the abnormality needs a host to exert its power.’

’That makes things simple.’

He raised his blade, hilt forward, the flat of the blade resting on his shoulder as he lowered his center of gravity. He stamped his foot, and his figure flickered. For a split second, the frequency modulation of the Domain signal seemed to blur, as if unable to fully process his movement.

He appeared before the "Shepherdess" in an instant and slashed downward. Her Rusted Sword rose precisely to parry, but with a sharp CLANG, it was cleaved in two. The momentum of his Sword Stance carried through, and his blade came to rest on the actress’s forehead.

Yet the edge of his blade left not so much as a scratch. His perfectly controlled Power seeped into her, freezing her movements. He held his stance, his blade held steady in a two-handed grip.

The "Shepherdess" froze for a moment. Then, the shabby armor she wore suddenly cracked and fell to the ground in pieces. Her hand went limp, the broken half of the Rusted Sword clattering to the floor, and she collapsed, unconscious.

Only then did Chen Chuan slowly sheathe his blade and stand up straight. ’The armor required a host. Without a body to possess, it’s now completely useless.’

Of course, the most important thing was that he had defeated the Shepherdess in a direct confrontation.

Based on his experience with dispelling supernatural abnormalities, he believed this was the key. By defeating her, he had brought the "play" to its conclusion and changed its ending.

He looked up. With the danger averted, the security guards parted ways. Chairman Quan stepped forward to look down, while Chen Bitong appeared on the other side of the box and gave him a nod.

Chairman Quan seemed to have anticipated this. He spoke into his Realm Token, "Assistant Bao, you handle this."

Bao Yun, the assistant director of the Security Defense Department, immediately stepped forward and addressed the crowd below. "As many of you know, the Divine Song has unique properties. It can sometimes have... an effect on the performers, a possibility we were briefed on beforehand."

"After careful consideration, we decided that we couldn’t let a potential risk deprive you all of this spectacular production, so we made thorough preparations. We implemented extensive security measures. And this gentleman... Captain Chen, is a decorated veteran. With him here, I assure you, everyone was perfectly safe."

"My only personal regret is that we were unable to see the play reach its intended conclusion."

"No, not at all," Chairman Quan called down. "That strike from the ’Shepherdess’ had the true spirit of a kingslayer. It was the most brilliant performance I have ever witnessed."

He then turned to Chen Chuan. "And you, Captain Chen. Thank you for your intervention, and for holding back. You ensured the actress wasn’t seriously harmed, preventing a true tragedy. On her behalf, I thank you."

With that, he began to applaud lightly. The other dignitaries in the box immediately followed suit, which in turn prompted the entire theater to join in. A tidal wave of applause washed over the hall.

Medical personnel quickly entered and carried the unconscious actress from the aisle.

Chen Chuan glanced up at Chairman Quan and Chen Bitong, then at the applauding crowd in the boxes above and all around him. He calmly averted his gaze, held his Snow Monarch Blade, and walked slowly down the central aisle through the roaring applause.

A short while later, he was back in the private box. Chen Bitong handed him the Sword Scabbard for his Snow Monarch Blade. He took it. "Thank you, Teacher Chen."

Chen Bitong said, "After the holiday, I’ll be stationed at the training center full-time. Captain Chen, feel free to come find me when you have time."

Chen Chuan nodded. "I will." He paused, then looked at Chen Bitong. "Teacher Chen... about the play. May I know what was really going on?"

Chen Bitong was silent for a moment before replying, "You may."

...

...