Chapter 673 - 666: Suppression
BZZZ!!
A miniature Sacred Lotus formed around Zhou Yuanjue’s finger. Countless fine tendrils extended from it, winding around the crimson mark on Ji’s forehead. At a glance, it looked as if a pristine white Sacred Lotus was growing right there.
Right now, facing Ji’s True Spirit Mark, Zhou Yuanjue was about to implant a part of his own will structure into it. The goal was to create something akin to a triggered explosive. If Ji ever acted in defiance of him, he could use this mark to detonate the implanted will structure, inflicting severe damage upon the very essence of her life.
In a mild case, the damage to her life structure would severely wound her, crippling her cultivation realm and level of existence. In a severe case, it could cause her life structure to collapse entirely, resulting in death.
The moment he made contact with the crimson mark, the terrifying curse carried within Ji’s life structure instantly spread, beginning to affect Zhou Yuanjue.
In an instant, a blood-red world seemed to flash before his eyes.
The sky wept as the earth fractured. Countless buildings on the surface crumbled while a dense mass of living beings struggled, their faces twisted in agony. Yet their eyes were locked on the sky, seeming to pierce through the illusion to stare directly at the essence of Zhou Yuanjue’s life.
An endless torrent of pain and hatred washed over him.
This was a curse born from the collective will of an entire, massive planet—the concentrated resentment of countless beings at the moment of their deaths.
Even a True Realm Life would likely be unable to withstand it easily.
Countless shouts and hysterical roars echoed in Zhou Yuanjue’s mind.
"Traitor! Executioner! We hate you!! We hate you all!!"
"We curse you!! A curse for all eternity!!"
"May black and white be reversed, may day and night be overturned, may right and wrong be undone!"
"May sweet dreams become nightmares, may abundance become desolation, may peace give way to the flames of war, and may order devolve into chaos..."
"May you suffer unceasing torment for the rest of your days!!"
"..."
The terrifying roars battered Zhou Yuanjue’s Spirit, causing his pupils to contract slightly. But his will was as solid as bedrock, allowing him to remain perfectly clear-headed and rational, completely unaffected by the endless tide of resentment.
’What terrifying willpower. Is this the curse formed from the collective will of tens of billions of lives and the planet itself? Anyone else would probably have been consumed the moment they touched it...’
Zhou Yuanjue frowned slightly. While he could remain lucid amidst this terrifying will, he had no way to eliminate it completely. It touched upon the very essence of life and the mysteries of planets—realms where his own knowledge was still far too limited.
About three minutes passed before Zhou Yuanjue’s implantation of will was complete. He slowly withdrew his finger, pulling back his power. As he did, he could clearly feel a subtle, invisible connection form between himself and Ji.
"Alright, it’s done."
Zhou Yuanjue said.
Ji sensed the foreign presence within her life structure and slowly opened her eyes. She was met with Zhou Yuanjue’s gaze, which was as calm and deep as a still well.
’He directly touched the curse with his life structure and will, yet he wasn’t affected in the slightest?’
Ji was inwardly astonished. She had originally thought that even if Zhou Yuanjue could resist the curse, he would at least experience some emotional turbulence.
Now, she even suspected that if her curse were transferred to Zhou Yuanjue, it probably wouldn’t be able to affect him at all.
"I’ve just had a feel for it. As it stands, I don’t have the ability to completely purge this curse for you. However, I should be able to temporarily suppress it."
Zhou Yuanjue said slowly to Ji.
"I’ll share a piece of my will with you."
Zhou Yuanjue gazed into Ji’s eyes. The Sacred Lotus Structure suddenly activated, and the connection between his will and her life structure was fully established.
BOOM!!
In that instant, Ji felt as if her mind had exploded. A terrifyingly vast will surged through her consciousness.
Within the space of her consciousness...
Red light pulsed amidst a web of twisted, crisscrossing chains formed from condensed resentment. In the center of this mental space, a naked woman, her skin like white jade and glowing faintly, was curled into a tight ball.
This woman represented Ji’s own sanity. She huddled tightly, resisting the invasion of the endless curse and its resentment, which allowed her to preserve a sliver of her rationality.
Just then, with a deafening roar, a burst of pure white light erupted within this space of consciousness. As the light flashed, the surrounding crimson chains were violently pushed back. The white light then coalesced, forming a white, lotus-shaped canopy of light that enveloped the huddled woman.
Sheltered by this lotus mark, the woman slowly lifted her head from her curled position and tentatively tried to stretch her body. Where before she could only cower, she now had some room to move.
This meant she could now suppress the curse’s influence to a certain degree and reclaim a large part of her sanity.
A stunned expression appeared on the woman’s perfect face. She slowly reached out a hand to touch the boundary of the Sacred Lotus mark, an unreal feeling washing over her as an inexplicable emotion filled her eyes.
「In the real world.」
A faint white, lotus-shaped mark about the size of a fingertip slowly appeared on Ji’s forehead. The blood-red hue of her pupils gradually faded, revealing their natural, jet-black luster.
The violent, murderous, and bloodthirsty aura that constantly surrounded her slowly dissipated. Her entire demeanor softened immeasurably, her very presence transformed.
Before, she was the high and mighty Empress who presided over slaughter and war.
But now, she was more like a person again, having recovered some of the aura she had as the Saintess of Peace during her time on the Holy Star.
She never imagined Zhou Yuanjue’s suppression could be so effective.
"Thank you."
Ji said slowly to Zhou Yuanjue.
"This also serves to reduce the risk of you losing control. Otherwise, I wouldn’t dare show my face with you in public."
Zhou Yuanjue looked at Ji’s current appearance and nodded slightly. ’It seems her sanity has indeed recovered a great deal. At least as long as I’m around, she won’t easily descend into chaos and cause any unnecessary trouble.’
"Let’s go," Zhou Yuanjue said. "We can discuss the rest of the intelligence slowly once we’re outside. For now, I need to arrange a plausible identity for you. It’s also necessary to inform certain people of your existence and condition."
...
...
「Meanwhile, on Zixiao Mountain.」
The Chief Commissioner and the others had just concluded the first day’s agenda of the large conference and returned to Zixiao Mountain Peak.
More than a dozen top Martial Artists, including Chen Qingmu, Lei Yi, Ji Yunzhou, and Zhang Zhizhen, were all present. Although the first day’s agenda had ended, they still needed to discuss solutions for the issues that lay ahead. After all, at their level of cultivation, sleep was merely a waste of time.
BANG!
As the group was deep in discussion, the faint sound of a sonic boom suddenly echoed from the sky. Everyone paused and looked toward the source of the sound.
They saw two figures, a man and a woman, striding through the empty air toward them.