"What?" Tang Sui stared blankly as another pair of copper-bell-sized red eyes lit up in the darkness. An oval, jade-white mask emerged from the void, its golden patterns resembling decals wrapping around its brow bones and cheekbones. It looked like the face of an ape, its animalistic features conveying a sliver of intelligence and an ominous aura.
"You are..."
As if looking into a mirror, in those wide, staring eyes, Tang Sui saw her own lingering fear and resentment hidden deep within her heart.
'I am the embodiment of what you fear—the Ape Mask.'
As soon as the words fell, Tang Sui's mind suddenly went blank. Ink spread across her pupils. Under the gaze of those two red, round eyes, the dormant demonic power within her surged violently, shattering the mental cage that had been confining her!
"Boom—!"
Black and purple light converged into a majestic beam. The approaching figure in the black robe felt as if they had struck an incredibly hard reflective wall, being violently repelled. The backlash of mental energy sent the recoiling figure spewing a mouthful of blood mid-air.
[Beep—Congratulations to the host for awakening the second mask—Ape Mask.]
The long-missing system finally came online. On Tang Sui's character panel, the grayed-out lowest skill sphere had lit up at some point, emitting a black-red mist.
[Attack form successfully switched.]
The fragile aura surrounding the little girl, whose eyelashes still held bloody tears, vanished. The small face, stained with blood, lost its panic and unease. Her dark eyes, as if reflecting the deepest night, gazed impassively at the repulsed figure in the black robe. Her expressionless visage added a touch of the bizarre and serene to the surrounding darkness.
The air instantly solidified, and the temperature plummeted. Despite it being the sweltering month of June, it felt as if they were in a frozen wasteland. The wind that blew was chilling and piercing, raking across his face like a blade, exacerbating the pain of his already injured face. Sudanshuwang.
"Brat, you—"
The black-robed figure's menacing voice abruptly cut off as he met those silent, indifferent eyes.
The black and red within them mingled, yet they failed to outline any semblance of life, like a bottomless abyss with dark currents churning within.
At this moment, the being standing before him seemed not like a child, but a phantom that only appeared in the dead of night. Despite a youthful exterior, the aura he exuded felt as though he had lived for many years, carrying the heavy stillness of twilight.
"What's with this girl?"
Why did she feel like she had suddenly transformed? It was as if a docile, defenseless lamb had suddenly become a dangerous monster.
The black-robed figure stared at Tang Sui, who stood alone beneath the tree, with a mixture of apprehension and disbelief.
Even in his fury, the black-robed figure hadn't lost his wits; otherwise, his Spirit Emperor-level strength would be for naught.
"Swish—!"
The sound of air being torn reached his ears. The black-robed figure alertly turned his head, swinging his arms, and collided head-on with the Fox Mask that attacked from the side.
"What? The Martial Soul changed color?" The black-robed figure's eyes flickered with surprise as he looked at the entirely black Fox Mask.
His guess was indeed correct!
This girl must have undergone a tremendous change, one that she herself was unaware of!
Perhaps, this was why this seemingly frail little girl could withstand the violent power of a thousand-year spirit ring!
The excitement of nearing the answer he had long sought made his heart burn anew, his breathing quickening.
"Whoosh—"
The moment the Fox Mask touched the black-robed figure's arms, a silent ripple spread out behind him. The black-robed figure concentrated his spirit power in his pincers, forcefully repelling the Fox Mask before him. He turned his head with vigilance, his gaze locking onto those crimson round eyes.
"It's over."
Tang Sui spoke softly. Her ink-black eyes seemed to transform into a deep vortex, as if unseen hands were pulling the black-robed figure's consciousness into chaos.
"Ahhhh—!"
The fear in his heart was amplified infinitely, and the nightmares hidden within the black-robed figure were brought forth by the Ape Mask.
Recalling the traumatic experience of the poisoned cauldron, the black-robed figure forgot he was in a battle. His emaciated fingers clawed painfully at his pus-oozing face.
—Author's Notes—
If there are any issues in the future, single updates will be made up after I'm done. Similarly, if Mo Li doesn't see many comments, the chapter will be shorter (devilish whisper .jpg).
There's one more update today~