The bright smile, so out of place amidst the bloody battlefield, looked at Bai Ran with great amusement.
"And you, although difficult to get along with on the surface and appearing cold, are actually quite full of yourself behind closed doors,"
"Foolishly trying to be strong all by yourself. Now look, you're in trouble."
Bai Ran's brows furrowed, killing intent gradually surfacing. "Who are you? What nonsense are you talking about?"
The figure waved a hand, his expression helpless. "I'm not talking to you, but to the woman inside you."
Long Jinhan's eyes darkened, his expression somewhat astonished. Such a countenance, such an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy.
Could he be the divine beast rumored to control time? Wu Shi?
"But fortunately... I encountered you..."
Wu Shi beast smiled, his eyes sparkling with tears.
The next moment, a huge formation appeared around him, expanding continuously.
Crystal-clear light ignited. Wu Shi beast stood at the center of the formation, smiling sincerely. "Woman, I actually kind of hoped you'd remember me..."
"But forget it..."
The formation's light flared, the Nine Heavens, the Upper Realm, the Middle Realm, the Lower Realm.
Everyone's feet were enveloped by the formation, and the ticking of a clock echoed in the air.
"This is! Reversing time!!!" At this moment, Bai Ran finally realized what this person was going to do!
But it was too late. Wu Shi beast's body began to disintegrate, scattering with the wind.
Only a faint image of him smiling at Bai Ran could be seen.
Tick-tock, tick-tock, tick-tock—
Time reversed, all memories flowed backward—
...
"Kid, what did you see?" Xiao Zi asked worriedly, looking at Bai Ran with extreme nervousness.
Had she seen something unpleasant in the Heavenly Revelation Leaf? Why was she crying?
Bai Ran's consciousness returned, and tears flowed uncontrollably from her face. "What's going on? Why am I... crying?"
Her fingers moved from the golden leaf to wipe away the tears that wouldn't stop.
"It truly is the Heavenly Revelation Leaf," Xiao Zi's expression turned grave as he watched the golden leaf gradually dissipate.
There was no Heavenly Revelation Leaf at all...
The middle-aged man stood not far away, his lips pressed tightly together, his vision blurred by tears.
This leaf was formed from Wu Shi beast's very life, an accelerated flow of time...
The middle-aged man sighed deeply, turned away with a bitter smile, and left. "Child... you've worked hard..."
Xiao Zi's nerves were taut, staring intently at Bai Ran. "What scene did you see?"
Upon hearing this, Bai Ran, with tears in her eyes, broke into a smile. "A very strange scene."
In the vision, Bai Ran held the Phoenix Cry Sword, holding it to the throat of someone who looked exactly like her.
Hearing this, Xiao Zi breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't something that would break her heart or soul.
In an instant, a gust of wind swept through. When she opened her eyes again, a man with green hair stood behind Bai Ran.
"You are... Azure Dragon?" Her eyes held surprise. "Why are you here?"
Azure Dragon's eyes reddened. Without answering, he reached out and placed his hand on Bai Ran's forehead.
A torrent of memories flooded in. Bai Ran's heart stopped instantly. What were these scenes...?
Her body trembled uncontrollably. Xiao Zi, watching from within the space, grew anxious. "What is this green-haired freak doing?"
Shi Tian was peeling an orange segment by segment, happily popping it into his mouth. "Don't worry unnecessarily. Azure Dragon would never harm the Mistress."
Bai Ran, having received the memories, collapsed onto the ground, her clenched fist trembling terribly.
Azure Dragon's expression was mournful. Wu Shi beast, forgive me for not erasing your memories...
"He left without a word..."
Bai Ran's heart felt heavy, making it difficult to breathe. "He still remembered to curse me before he died... truly..."
Utterly foolish...
"I've accepted the memories," Bai Ran stood up, a smile of relief on her face. "I will also avenge this."
Occupying her body? Killing all her loved ones?
A blood-red glint flashed in her pupils, her eyebrows chilling. "That depends on whether she's qualified."
Azure Dragon smiled faintly, watching Bai Ran's departing figure, and silently disappeared into the air.
"What? What did that green-haired freak do?"
Xiao Zi asked curiously. Why did the kid seem to have such strong killing intent?
Bai Ran curled her lips into a smile. "I said the heart demon within me is the king of demonized humans, and he will eventually take over my body and destroy the entire world. Would you believe me?"
Shi Tian, who was eating an orange, choked and coughed several times.
Xiao Zi stared blankly at Bai Ran, blinking twice. "No way? You're messing with me, right?"
Bai Ran did not answer. Xiao Zi's expression also turned grave. "It won't happen..."
"Yes, it won't happen—"
Bai Ran's expression was fierce, killing intent uncontrollably erupting from her body. "I will not let this happen—"
She left the training grounds and rushed towards Black Crow City at full speed.
"My child... run quickly..."
The thin child stubbornly shook his head. "No... I don't want to..."
"You old fool, you won't shed a tear until you see the coffin!"
The man gripped his sword and slashed at the Su family head. Just as he was about to chop off his other intact leg.
A figure in fiery red slowly approached, her expression cold and detached.
"Starting with you—"
"Pfft!" The Phoenix Cry Sword plunged into the man's body. He trembled and fell to the ground.
"Who are you! Why are you interfering with me!" The man gnashed his teeth in fury. He knew it! This person must be here to steal the crystal ore vein from him!
Yao Er fearfully hid in her embrace, his small hands cold. "Sister..."
The Su family head's face lit up with joy, smiling in relief. "Benefactor, you have arrived."
"Who am I? If I say... I am the City Lord of Black Crow City?"
Her crimson eyes narrowed slightly. The man shivered involuntarily. "City? City Lord? You are the new City Lord of Black Crow City?"
Impossible! They had specifically chosen to come when the City Lord was away!
Without giving him a chance to speak, the fiery red sword pierced through his heart.
He convulsed, spitting out a few mouthfuls of blood, and then fell down, lifeless.
"Su family head, Black Crow City still needs you."
A hand reached out. The Su family head looked up and saw Bai Ran looking at him with a light smile.
"Then, old man, I shall linger a while longer."
The Su family head also smiled and extended his aged hand, clasping Bai Ran's.
...
"Huh? Miss Bai? Weren't you training? Is the training over?" Jing Feng asked in confusion, looking at Bai Ran in front of him.
Bai Ran, however, gazed at the sky, lost in thought.
In her memory, Lin Ze had died in the Divine Realm also due to a demonized human. And at this time...
—He was still in the academy.
"Jing Feng, after you have settled Black Crow City, return to the academy immediately."
Before Jing Feng could ask more, Bai Ran vanished from the spot.
"What's wrong with Miss Bai? Why is she in such a hurry?" Jing Feng scratched his head in bewilderment and continued to kill the cultivators in front of him.