Aether felt as if his throat were being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it difficult to breathe.
Cold sweat soaked his back, sliding down his spine and bringing a bone-chilling cold, as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.
He had once faced the majesty of the Heavenly Principles, felt the murmurs from the deepest parts of the Abyss, and clashed with many powerful existences.
But never for a moment had he realized as clearly as he did now—
I will die!
If I dare to make a move... I will definitely die!
The man before him had already surpassed the scope of what the word "powerful" could describe!
That was another dimension, another concept entirely!
All of his trump cards would likely not even qualify as a joke in front of the other party!
He remembered his categorical declaration of "I will win" from just a moment ago, and his face burned as if it had been slapped hard.
As it turned out, he was the clown all along.
At the same time that Aether's mind was reeling and he was nearly unable to grip the longsword in his hand—
"Roar... woo?"
On the sea, the Corrupted Ocel, which had been raging wildly and fighting fiercely with Dainsleif just a moment ago, also suddenly froze in all its movements.
The Inverted Statue embedded in its head flickered wildly with purple-black light, trying its best to analyze this scene that surpassed understanding.
Even if it was completely contaminated by the Abyss, with nothing left but the desire for destruction.
Osial's survival instinct was also screaming madly!
Danger! Danger! Danger!!!
I will die! I will definitely die!
If I take a single punch from him, never mind gods resentment, not even a trace of residue will remain!!!
Osial's cessation of movement caused the pressure on Dainsleif to decrease sharply.
Taking advantage of the moment Osial was frozen, he retreated rapidly, pulling away.
Then, Dain subconsciously turned his head and looked toward Liyue Harbor.
Then, his gaze met that of the pale-faced Aether.
Time froze at this moment.
Dain's deep eyes contracted sharply.
Although he had long known of Aether's choice, and knew that this former close friend had fallen into the Abyss to become the "Prince" leading the Abyss Order.
But seeing him standing here personally to start a war, standing on the side of the Abyss... Dain's heart felt a dull, stabbing pain.
They were once comrades-in-arms, confidants, companions who stood back-to-back facing despair in the twilight.
Their relationship.
Was just like the current relationship between Paimon and Lumine, perhaps even closer.
But the path had diverged.
Aether chose the Abyss, choosing to use deeper darkness to "save" Khaenri'ah and seek revenge.
While he, Dainsleif, chose to remain, chose to remember, and chose to spend long years lonely hunting those fallen compatriots, preventing them from dragging more innocent people into deeper nightmares.
Five hundred years of time were enough to grind any warmth into a sharp blade, tempering their disappointment and disagreement with each other into cold hostility.
The gazes of the two met in the air; there were no words, yet it was as if countless fragments of the past were flying and being annihilated.
"Aether..."
Dain's voice was very low, with a raspiness like the grinding of sand, almost inaudible in the chaotic storm.
But he knew Aether could hear him.
Aether's lips moved almost imperceptibly, as if he wanted to say something.
But in the end, he only gave Dain a deep, deep look.
That look was so complex it was hard to describe.
After a few seconds of silence, Aether turned around without hesitation!
"Retreat!"
He issued a short command to the still-dazed Abyssal Mages, Messengers, and the frozen Osial on the sea.
They couldn't stay any longer!
King's existence turned all plans into a joke!
Capture Barbatos?
In the face of that kind of power, all of them added together probably couldn't withstand a casual wave of the other's hand!
"But Prince, Osial..."
The Abyssal Flame Chanter shouted anxiously.
"Retrieve the cultivation machine core and abandon Osial!"
Aether's answer was categorical, with an unquestionable decisiveness. "Open the portal immediately, all personnel retreat! Retreat immediately!!!"
He slashed the longsword in his hand through the space in front of him once again!
This time, the torn spatial portal was even larger and more unstable, the purple-black energy flowing at the edges like a boiling oil pot!
Aether was the first to rush in, not daring to look at Lumine below again.
The execution capability of the Abyss Order was beyond doubt.
Following Aether's command, despite their reluctance and the countless resources spent on that Corrupted Ocel.
"Retreat! Retreat quickly!"
"Take the 'eye'! Abandon the shell!"
The Abyssal Flame Chanter was the first to react, the Codex in his hand flipping rapidly as lines of fire swept downward, turning into a temporary barrier to block pursuit.
Black water surged beneath the Abyss Herald: Wicked Torrents's feet, forming a whirlpool that swept up over a dozen core Abyssal Messengers and rushed toward the rift.
Then, after the Abyss Lector: Violet Lightning took the most critical cultivation machine core.
All Abyssal Mage sorcerers instantly turned into streaks of black light and rushed toward the spatial rift.
Dainsleif's eyes sharpened, and he was about to step forward to stop them.
He had been entangled with the Abyss Order for five hundred years and knew all too well the consequences of letting these madmen leave with the "cultivation machine eye" and that corrupted statue.
It meant they would soon be able to create a second monster like Osial!
However, just as Dain was about to reach the edge of the spatial rift—
"For Khaenri'ah—!!!"
A sorrowful and indignant shout exploded!
A black-robed figure rushed out in the opposite direction from the retreating group!
He was deathly clutching that corrupted Anemo Archon Statue in his arms.
Injecting his entire body's Abyss energy into it without reservation, he was like a Burning black meteor, crashing straight toward Dainsleif!
"You—!"
Dain's pupils shrank; he recognized this distorted face hidden under the black robe, belonging to a certain Khaenri'ah Court Mage.
Once, they had consulted star charts in the same library and debated the principles of elemental power.
Now... "Boom—!!!!!"
Without a moment's hesitation, that Abyss Mage self-detonated in front of Dain!
The purple-black energy was like a volcano that had been suppressed for ten thousand years, erupting with a roar!
The darkness, thick as a solid substance, expanded, turning into a foul barrier spanning heaven and earth, completely swallowing Dain!
Even with Dain's great strength, facing such a scale of corrupted eruption, he was forcibly blocked for an instant!
And it was this very instant—
"Buzz!"
The spatial rift suddenly collapsed inward, making a tooth-aching distorted sound, and then closed completely!
The main force of the Abyss Order, along with that critical "cultivation machine eye," had successfully evacuated.
All that remained was the foul smoke cloud from the self-detonated Abyss Mage that was slowly dissipating, and the Corrupted Ocel on the sea which was rapidly withering and letting out wails due to the loss of core energy.
And the army of Abyss monsters that had fallen into confusion because their master had fled and commands were interrupted!
Mitachurls roared as they swung giant axes, Hilichurl Mages chanted profane incantations, Rifthounds tore through space to pounce toward Liyue Harbor, and tens of thousands of "Ruin Grader: Abyss Modified" units marched with heavy steps, the red light in their eyes flaring as their cannons began to roar!
Liyue Harbor had once again fallen into crisis!
-------------------------
If you enjoy this story, you can read 70+ advanced chapters on Patreon!
Webnovel will keep getting 1 new chapter every day but Patreon readers can stay far ahead.
Maybe it's not a big deal now… maybe it will be later.
[email protected]/Greyhounds
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"