Chapter 87: A Shift in Perception

Li Yuqing had been hiding in the darkness from the beginning and could recount the events following his departure to Pang Jian.

Pang Jian learned that Luo Hongyan attempted to chase after him when he escaped into the darkness. However, she could not withstand the murky energy and was forced to retreat.

After hearing Li Yuqing's account, Pang Jian stood in a daze, gaze fixed on Luo Hongyan. His emotions grew increasingly conflicted.

Scene after scene flashed through his mind.

He remembered the journey to Black Orchid Lake. Luo Hongyan had frequently requested meals from the Ning Clan and the He Clan for him, imparted her knowledge of cultivation realms to him, and educated him about the intricate details of breakthroughs of each realm.

She also explained the restriction and control the sects in the Third World exerted over the lower worlds, as well as their deep connections with the seven major clans and various factions.

On Central Lake Island, he had recklessly leaped into and ambushed Dong Tianze at the bottom of the deep hole.

The sudden collapse of the scarlet lotus and the Spirit Devil Luo Meng's timely possession of Dong Tianze enabled Pang Jian to heavily injure Dong Tianze and cause him to panic and retreat.

After that, she acquired many spirit stones from Zhou Qingchen and the others to aid him in opening up the remaining meridians connecting to his limbs.

In Eight Trigrams City, she gave him a spatial pouch and found a copy of the Earth Blaze Technique for him to cultivate.

These events flowed through Pang Jian's mind like a river of memories, backgrounded by Li Yuqing's account of what happened in the mansion,

Finally, his memories ended and he conjured up the image of Luo Hongyan charging angrily into the darkness, only for the tainted energy to force her to retreat into the mansion.

Pang Jian realized that his cold treatment toward Luo Hongyan was solely due to his preconceived notions.

Ning Yao had arrogantly fled without even sparing him a glance during the incident at Blackwater Pond, and he had subconsciously associated Luo Hongyan with her.

When he tried to view Luo Hongyan in a different light and perceive her as a separate person, he quickly realized that this "new" Luo Hongyan had never done anything against him.

She always looked out for him and considered his feelings in everything she did.

Every benefit she received was offered to him first.

Before this, Pang Jian had not been paying much attention to those in the City Lord's Mansion, but now, he started to take notice of Luo Hongyan.

He stared into the City Lord's Mansion, where the battle, which had briefly paused, had erupted once more.

Luo Hongyan and Qi Qingsong worked in tandem to attack Yuan Lengshan.

Colorful "Demon" characters surrounded Lin Beiye and Dong Tianze, making it look like a sea of butterflies engulfed them.

"What are you thinking about?" Li Yuqing asked curiously.

"Nothing." Pang Jian shook his head, gaze turning icy as he glanced at Yuan Lengshan.

Outside the City Lord's Mansion, they had kindly warned her to be careful of the anomaly lurking in the darkness. However, she turned out to be ruthless, using him and Zhou Qingchen as pawns and nearly causing them to die in the City Lord's Mansion.

Ironically, the person lurking in the darkness turned out to be a girl akin to Li Jie, merely wanting to observe the spectacle.

Whoosh!

A person suddenly appeared at the entrance of the tunnel.

The tall but slightly chubby figure of Li Jie stood before Pang Jian.

Li Yuqing had been standing shoulder to shoulder with Pang Jian and instinctively shrunk behind him at the sight of Li Jie as if she was afraid of him noticing her.

The darkness separated them from Li Jie.

Though a reed straw still dangled from Li Jie's lips, the absent-minded expression on his face and the innocent sparkle in his eyes had disappeared.

With a piercing gaze, he asked, "Who are you?"

The stark contrast between the man before him and the Li Jie that Pang Jian was familiar with was unnerving.

Li Yuqing seemed familiar with Li Jie as she quietly reminded Pang Jian from behind, "You don't have to be afraid. Your voice can't be heard beyond the darkness. He can enter the darkness like me but lacks a spirit artifact that allows him to see in the dark. Even if he comes in here, he won't be able to see you."

Pang Jian was surprised. "Can I tell him that the one in the darkness is me?"

"That's up to you, but don't mention me," Li Yuqing whispered.

"Okay." Pang Jian nodded.

Poking his head out from the tunnel, he answered Li Jie, "It's me. Don't stand here. You're blocking my view."

Pang Jian only stuck his head out for a brief moment and quickly withdrew back into the shadows.

The solemn expression on Li Jie's face vanished in an instant.

Staring into the darkness, Li Jie whispered in astonishment, "You're still alive! It seems your decision to send Zhou Qingchen away stemmed from your confidence in adapting to the corruption of the Fifth World. Since you're the one in the darkness, Pang Jian, and you're unharmed..."

Li Jie paused in thought. "You shouldn't reveal your presence if it's safe in the darkness. The disappearance of the Mirror Tunnel is only temporary. It'll reappear once everything settles down. When that happens, you'll be able to leave safely."

Li Jie did not linger in front of the tunnel after saying his piece, adjusting his recliner so Pang Jian had a clear view of the City Lord's Mansion.

He remained relaxed, sipping his green fruit juice while lazily observing the battles unfolding in the City Lord's Mansion.

"Are you afraid of him?" Pang Jian asked Li Yuqing, turning around to shoot her a puzzled look. "He doesn't seem to harbor any ill intentions toward anyone. He even gave us some of his green fruit juice. I don't think he'll harm anybody as long as they don't provoke him. Why are you afraid of him?"

Li Yuqing tilted her head back, placed her hands on her hips, and smirked. "Me? Afraid of him?"

She appeared to have something to say, but after a few cold chuckles, remained silent

"Do you two know each other?" Pang Jian asked suspiciously.

"Yeah...yeah, you could say that."

She gently bit her lips and said with exasperation, "Why are you asking so many questions? I've already given you the Startling Slaughter Spear. You better familiarize yourself with it!"

"Okay." Pang Jian said, stopping his line of questioning.

Following her advice, Pang Jian started to examine the spear that Li Jie had previously referred to as the Startling Slaughter Spear.

Both its shaft and spearhead were forged from the same refined steel. The shaft was filled with an intricate network of lines in place of the dragon scale patterns on the Dragonwood Spear.

The network of lines resembled human blood vessels and extended throughout every part of the silver spear.

Pang Jian gauged the weight and found that the Startling Slaughter Spear was significantly heavier than the Dragonwood Spear.

Despite having advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Realm, he found the spear surprisingly heavy. If he had attempted to wield the spear before making a breakthrough, it would have been shockingly heavy for him.

Seeing his confusion, Li Yuqing explained, "The spear is inscribed with seven arrays. Most of the arrays are aimed at fortifying the shaft, amplifying the circulation of spiritual power, and enhancing the sharpness of the tip. But you probably wouldn't understand these things so I won't go into the details.

"The Startling Slaughter Spear comes with three spear techniques. First is the Explosive Dance, which combines your spiritual power into an explosive force capable of covering a wide area. This is a form of wide-area offensive technique. The denser your spiritual power is, the larger the area the Explosive Dance can cover.

"The next technique is the Silver Crescent, where you swing the spear to draw a circular arc that resembles a round moon. The Silver Crescent is a spear technique that can both defend and attack.

"Finally, there's the Edge of Startling Slaughter, where you gather your strength to deliver a piercing thrust. When the force reaches its peak, it can even cause the spearhead to detach from the spear shaft.

"The shaft and spearhead of the Startling Slaughter Spear may appear seamlessly integrated, but they can actually be separated. A chain connects the spearhead to the shaft, allowing the spearhead to retract back to the shaft."

Despite only touching the spear for a brief moment, Li Yuqing seemed to have comprehended every intricate detail about the Startling Slaughter Spear. It was as though she had delved into its very core.

She even demonstrated to Pang Jian how to unleash the three spear techniques of the Startling Slaughter Spear, leaving Pang Jian in awe.

After her demonstration, she concluded, "That's about it. Just remember what I showed you. You can take your time to practice in the future. The Startling Slaughter Spear is a few levels above your previous spear, so it should serve you well for quite some time."

Pang Jian stared at her dumbfoundedly.

"What are you looking at?" Li Yuqing asked, puzzled.

"You only touched it briefly. How do you know so much about it?"

"I've seen many spiritual artifacts like this before. I may not be able to inscribe those arrays, but I've known about them since I was young." Li Yuqing tilted her head back, voice tinged with pride. "In my family, every generation has individuals devoted to mastering the craft of forging extraordinary spiritual artifacts. Those uninterested in such pursuits focus solely on their cultivation.

"I fall into the second category. However, since childhood, I've been acquainted with various methods of crafting extraordinary spiritual artifacts found throughout the world.

"Alright now, go and familiarize yourself with the Startling Slaughter Spear. I have a feeling you'll be leaving the darkness regardless of Li Jie's advice, so it's best to familiarize yourself with the spear as soon as possible."

Leaning against the tunnel wall, she held an exquisite little jar in her hand, taking occasional sips as she eagerly observed the battle unfolding within the City Lord's Mansion.

"Explosive Dance. Silver Crescent. Edge of Startling Slaughter," Pang Jian muttered, committing every detail of her explanation to memory. He then turned to Li Yuqing. "Could you please keep an eye on that evil—I mean, the woman from my group? If she's in danger, please let me know."

The only person Pang Jian was concerned about among all those battling in the City Lord's Mansion was Luo Hongyan.

The others were all his enemies.

However, she was not the real Ning Yao. She was full of mysteries, and Pang Jian's intuition told him she would not be so easily defeated.

"Mmm," Li Yuqing responded half-heartedly.

She could tell that the one Pang Jian was worried about was certainly no saint. Unless something significant happened, there was no real need for her to pay attention.

Pang Jian left the tunnel.

The tunnel was not spacious enough to swing the Startling Slaughter Spear, so he went outside to practice.

Outside the main entrance of the City Lord's Mansion, Pang Jian practiced the three spear techniques of the Startling Slaughter Spear.

Neither a single corpse nor a drop of blood remained in the vast plaza.

The energy circulating in my meridians is no longer spiritual power, but the tainted energy of the Fifth World. I wonder...

Although uncertain of its feasibility, Pang Jian attempted to infuse the Startling Slaughter Spear with the black murky energy.

Surprisingly, it flowed without resistance!