In the Grand Cloister space.
Reinhard had been watching a clock the entire time. Time passed minute by minute, until the minute hand and hour hand both pointed to twelve. At that moment, he carefully put down his display.
009 turned to look. "New Year."
That's right, New Year.
The two threads in Reinhard's hand trembled. Immediately after, one of the thread lines snapped.
Was this Yang Lin's thread?
"What was that?"
Reinhard was about to speak, but someone suddenly exclaimed, pointing toward the sky!
But it wasn't just him; everyone at this moment, by common accord, looked up. They all pointed towards the heavens, as if they had witnessed some kind of inconceivable event!
Reinhard turned to look at the sky. In this pitch-black, chaotic night, everything in the universe seemed dim.
However, at this moment, the dark night sky was ripped open by a blinding light!
The nine major planets of the Solar System coincided at this precise moment!
The rotational speeds of the nine great planets shifted, and they simultaneously deviated from their established orbits to a certain degree.
And this deviation, at this very instant, caused the nine great planets to align in a perfect row!
A celestial anomaly: Nine Stars in a Row!
When this marvel occurred, the nine great planets simultaneously emitted a dazzling radiance, instantly striking Earth!
Boom!
That light descended from the sky, illuminating the night as if it were day, resembling a sun encircled by layers of stellar rings!
At that same instant, the barrier separating the inner and outer worlds was completely shattered!
Reinhard quickly turned to look at Balance. "Where is Yang Lin?"
Old man Balance opened his eyes after a period of closing them. He pointed toward the ground, and Yang Lin, stained crimson with blood, instantly reappeared.
Reinhard knelt down, hastily reaching out to press against Yang Lin's chest.
Balance watched Reinhard, his gaze gradually becoming indifferent. He had already guessed Yang Lin's condition.
"My condolences."
"What condolences? Where is Byakuya?" Reinhard looked up at Balance.
Balance heard this and fell silent for a moment. "Dead."
Balance extended his hand, and a pendant appeared in his palm. "This is Byakuya's Grand Cloister. We can use it to depart this place."
Reinhard didn't care about any Grand Cloister. "Where is Byakuya's body?"
"I need to see his body."
Hearing this, Balance frowned. "Then you might have to wait a little while."
"What do you mean?"
...
Inside the Bagua space.
Byakuya was not deceased. His body floated, eight chains piercing his form, pinning him suspended in mid-air!
At that same instant, the Bagua turntable on the ground began to spin!
A pair of huge eyes materialized within the Bagua space.
Balance extended both hands, one upward, one downward. Between his palms was clearly Byakuya, suspended!
"It's a shame for such an ability to go to the grave with you. It's better to let this old man achieve fulfillment!"
"Bagua, Spirit Refinement!"
Balance's forbidden potion was named Spirit Refinement.
His new space wasn't called the Bagua space at all; it was the Spirit Refinement space.
The abilities Balance had displayed previously were merely derived powers.
His forbidden potion's true function was actually refinement! The ability to refine life essence, for his own use!
Byakuya was not dead. In several significant aspects, Byakuya had actually succeeded.
However, this was Balance's Spirit Refinement space.
And he was already powerless to resist, meaning the one who truly killed Byakuya was Balance!
Balance not only killed him but also extracted Byakuya's Taiji!
When Balance opened his eyes, they instantly turned one black and one white!
Short white hair began to grow wildly, transforming into long, flowing locks.
Balance exhaled a mouthful of black qi, then directly pointed a finger, casually tossing Byakuya's corpse to the ground like discarded refuse!
However, the very next second, Reinhard's Demon Blade was placed directly against his neck!
Why, you ask?
Balance's life level had directly reached the 4th Step!
Looking at Reinhard, whose eyes blazed with naked killing intent, Balance revealed a fleeting smile. "What? We just eliminated Byakuya, and you're already going to burn the bridge after crossing, intending to kill this old man?"
Reinhard's murderous intent erupted nakedly from his eyes!
"On the contrary, I was shortsighted. If one Byakuya falls, there will always be a second Byakuya."
Just as the two stood locked in confrontation, ready to draw blades, Jihen, who had been silently concealed in the shadows, suddenly appeared!
He abruptly reached out, seizing Byakuya's corpse, only to see a surge of black qi erupt from the body, which he absorbed into his palm!
That black qi condensed in his palm, forming the second petal of the Four-Leaf Clover.
"Ah ha ha ha ha, my most cherished Lord Seth, thank you for your unreserved assistance all this time!"
"Now, it is my turn to offer repayment!"
Jihen spoke, his wrist flicking, directly releasing a torrent of black qi that transformed into a projection of Byakuya!
The pitch-black Byakuya, his eyes lifeless, waved his hand, condensing a black saber, and directly pointed the blade at Reinhard!
Jihen had been lurking in the shadows all along, waiting for this precise moment!
But he wasn't the only one anticipating this turning point!
A group of monstrous entities suddenly charged toward Byakuya's corpse!
They seized what they required, each taking an item from Byakuya's remains!
Seeing this, Reinhard suddenly resheathed his Demon Blade.
Reinhard: "You have persisted for a long time; you truly labored diligently."
Jihen: "Do not say that, My Lord. To be able to eliminate you, I wouldn't feel the effort as a burden at all."
Reinhard: "I wasn't referring to you."
With those words, a pitch-black soul entity suddenly materialized, rushing straight into Byakuya's body!
In an instant, Byakuya on the ground opened his eyes!
He stiffly crawled up, then clasped his hands together and faced Reinhard.
"You kept your promise."
Seeing Byakuya brought back from the brink of death, everyone's minds froze instantly!
But Jihen knew the reason. "Wait... He isn't dead? How is that possible? No, that's incorrect. You lied to me?!"
The "he" in Jihen's question was none other than the former possessor of the Number 069 Resurrected Soul potion!
Reinhard had executed a consciousness swap. He had claimed to have destroyed that person's soul!
Yet, here he was, appearing perfectly fine before him!
Resurrected Soul!
Jihen was resurrected, and the previously departed soul was an entity that had passed on!
The departed soul entered Byakuya's corpse, directly controlling Byakuya's body to stand beside Reinhard.
Seeing Jihen's expression, Reinhard displayed utter lack of emotion.
This was precisely his strategy.
Byakuya was erratic, but this world could not exist without the Kitsune lineage, so he needed someone to assume the Kitsune mantle.
The departed soul had always been maintained by Reinhard. He intended to eliminate Byakuya precisely so the departed soul could replace him.
But Nightmare was not calm either. Reinhard's reach was too extensive, and his audacity truly immense!
Dare to deceive the perception of everyone in the world, substituting the genuine article with a fake right here on the stage!
"Your ambition is far too grand, Seth. You aim to usurp the Kitsune? Where do you harbor such an enormous appetite?!"
Reinhard smiled. "Speaking so harshly, you didn't hesitate when destroying Byakuya, Fan Ye."
009, watching the sudden turn of events, stroked his chin thoughtfully.
This... something felt fundamentally incorrect?
The crusade against Byakuya seemed to have originated from his initiative, so how did the situation devolve into the scheming of these other factions?
004 Queen Bee walked over, a profound smile gracing her face. "So, who is the ultimate victor of this game? It remains truly unfathomable."
Each of these players harbored their own agendas. The moment Byakuya's life ended, they acted like a pack of hungry wild dogs, rushing in simultaneously to feast upon his power!
The plan was clearly pre-agreed upon, yet every participant held private motives.
"Crusade against Byakuya?"
"Ah haha, what crusade? It was merely a scramble for spoils, pecking at rotten remnants."
...
In a Kitsune auxiliary facility, under the close supervision of a contingent of Kitsune personnel, Byakuya's vital signs officially flatlined.
Everyone present was steeped in disbelief. They cried out in shock, as if the very firmament had collapsed.
A blind, stout man heard the pronouncements and silently bowed his head.
His name was Tang Yan, a former A-Class Kitsune operative, codenamed "Eye of the Future."
He reached out and covered his eyes, his body involuntarily trembling. "Dead... Chief, I followed your instructions. Byakuya is gone. Is this... good?"
Tang Yan's expression was somewhat contorted. Others might not grasp the true mechanism of Byakuya's demise, but Tang Yan understood it with chilling clarity.
Byakuya died by prophecy.
When Tang Yan informed him of his date of death, Byakuya was certain to face an inescapable end.
If Tang Yan had withheld the revelation of Byakuya's death date, then Byakuya's demise might not have occurred today.
The secrets of the cosmos must not be disclosed. If Tang Yan had remained silent, perhaps this fate would not have befallen Byakuya. But he spoke, and that fixed fate could not be averted.
Yet, this was not his own choice.
This was Zero's intent!
Many years prior, Zero had dispatched Byakuya specifically to meet Tang Yan. His meaning had been unequivocally clear: for Tang Yan to impart Byakuya's specific date of death!
It was Zero who desired Byakuya's elimination!
Tang Yan had never harbored the desire to kill Byakuya. In fact, he secretly hoped Byakuya might survive.
But he no longer held the Future Diary. He could only perceive one type of outcome. This meant he could only witness, only observe the spectacle; he lacked the authority to actively steer the future.
He did not possess that right.
"Why wouldn't you allow me to perceive everything... Why..."
Tang Yan's fingernails dug deeply into his eyelids, forcibly tearing across his face, prying open his tightly shut eyes!
Puff, puff!
Blood splattered, but Tang Yan still could not clearly visualize the world before him!
His eyes were rendered sightless, turning gray-white and lifeless. Tang Yan roared in agony, but at that moment, a solitary gleam of light appeared before him.
That light was incredibly warm. Tang Yan dazedly raised his arm, attempting to grasp the illumination, but a pristine white hand reached out from within the light and seized his wrist.
"Who?"
Tang Yan stared blankly at the indistinct silhouette before him. In his trance, the blurry figure began to coalesce into clarity.
That was...
"Byakuya?"
"Is that... you?"
Tang Yan suddenly took a step back, and the figure remained still. "My death—you also played a part in that outcome."
Tang Yan began shaking his head violently. "No, it was Zero! He was the one who wished for your end, not me!"
What precisely was this apparition? A person, a spirit, or an elaborate illusion?
"Tang Yan, look at me."
"I, I'm not looking..."
"Look into my eyes, and then tell me: the version of me you are witnessing now, does it represent the future, or the past?"
Hearing this, Tang Yan's mind instantly seized up.
"Future?"
"Past?"
"What are you saying? I don't comprehend..."
"You understand perfectly."
"No... I don't understand!"
As Tang Yan spoke, the phantom before him flashed sharply, rushing directly toward his face. "Then tell me this: the vision you see right now, whose memory belongs to?"
With that, the phantom before Tang Yan dissipated.
His world reverted to darkness. Tang Yan slumped onto the floor until someone finally approached and helped him rise.
Tang Yan was escorted to a chair. At this moment, he was unusually silent.
He recalled the vision from years ago, the very first time he had encountered Byakuya.
He had bumped into Byakuya, and the scene of Byakuya's death had instantly manifested before him.
A pool of blood, a Yang Tree blooming before his eyes, New Year's Day, a world of absolute darkness, Nine Stars in a Row, tearing open the night sky.
That was the exact scene of Byakuya's death.
That's right—his so-called prediction of the future was, in reality, witnessing a specific segment of Byakuya's final memories.
And the prophecy he delivered was merely a description of that visualized scene.
...
Byakuya's reported demise had not yet spread, but the celestial marvel of the nine planets aligning was already known throughout the world!
A dazzling light streaked across the sky. This spectacle was utterly unprecedented. People all over the globe hastily pulled out their mobile phones and cameras, eager to capture this marvel unfolding before their very eyes.
But the moment they pressed the shutter, an indescribable entity immediately materialized in the resulting photograph!
"Hm?"
A man held up his camera, inspecting the picture he had just taken. Within the frame, there was a grotesque, centipede-like figure.
"What in the world is that thing?"
The man rubbed his eyes. He clearly hadn't seen anything else when he triggered the shot. Where did this centipede originate from?
The man looked up, giving it a quick thought. A centipede-shaped monster was hovering directly above him, staring down.
"Are you looking for me?"
...
On the other side, at Kitsune Headquarters.
The Grand Cloister lifted, and a group of monstrous entities returned to real space.
And as soon as they reappeared, they were greeted by the sound of a dragon's roar piercing the heavens!
"Roar—!!!"
Hearing that dragon's cry, everyone present looked up in unison, only to see a four-legged, five-clawed white dragon circling high in the sky!
The starry expanse flickered. Some never-before-seen objects descended from the heavens, sweeping directly across the entire world!
Nightmare looked at the scene unfolding, his pupils instantly contracting to pinpoints.
"The barrier between the inner and outer world... it's gone?"
Some were aware of the Reason World; others had absolutely no clue.
They could not comprehend what was transpiring.
Reinhard looked up at the sky, silent for a moment. "It is precisely as I predicted."
Reinhard had already anticipated the dissolution of the inner and outer world's shackles. For him, this brought a complex mix of elation and apprehension.
Joy, because Reinhard had attained the 4th Step. With the inner and outer world barrier vanished, he would not be forcibly dragged back into the Reason World.
But worry, because of those monstrous entities originating from the Reason World.
If his calculations were correct, this location had now become their primary focal point. He needed to vacate this area swiftly.
Reinhard flickered away. The others exchanged knowing glances.
"Let's depart too."
Over here, 009 was about to leave when a figure suddenly materialized before him.
It was a black-haired man, enveloped in a chilling, white mist.
"Four years, five years—how long exactly, I no longer recall."
"But one thing, I will never forget."
Frost King!
Damn it!
009 ground his teeth, and without a word, spun around and fled!
"Do you think you can escape?"
Frost King spoke, and an invisible white mist was released, instantly freezing time itself!
He rose and walked step by step toward the immobilized 009. 009 remained utterly motionless, maintaining his posture of flight.
Frost King seized 009 by the neck, then violently slammed him onto the ground!
The time freeze lifted.
009 regained consciousness, feeling the bone-chilling cold invading his limbs. Unless he was utterly foolish, he could deduce that Frost King had utilized time-freezing.
"I possess an immortal body. What good does freezing me do? If you are truly so capable, then kill me! Can you accomplish it?"
009, pinned down, began to taunt Frost King. Absolute Freeze was difficult to bypass, but his body was inherently immortal. What if he was frozen for an entire year?
Frost King gazed down at 009 beneath him, his expression unnervingly composed. "Immortal body? Even you don't fully believe those words anymore, do you?"
This concept of an immortal physical form was indeed rather intriguing. If the body is eternal, what about the soul?
The answer was clearly evident.
"Release him."
The Master of Flesh took a forward step, charging directly toward the Frost King!
His right arm split open, swelling into a bulging, fleshy giant hand that swung down like a siege hammer, aiming squarely at the Frost King!
The Frost King simply clapped his hands together, and the Master of Flesh was instantly stabilized in place!
"I have observed your ability from within, Absolute Decay. It is significantly more potent than Arthur's absolute characteristic. But when did you develop the delusion that you could actually touch me?"
The Master of Flesh was frozen solid. Old man Balance stood to the side with his hands clasped behind his back, silently observing.
The Frost King had naturally not forgotten him. "Do you wish to try as well?"
Balance shook his head. "Trying it is unnecessary. This old man's ability isn't an absolute characteristic, so I won't bring shame upon myself."
"But I want to ask you, how do you plan to eliminate him?"
How to kill?
The Frost King said nothing. A massive amount of blood suddenly cascaded from the sky, converging like a waterfall!
That blood writhed and condensed into a white-haired man.
It was 008, the True Ancestor.
"My physical body is merely one step away from the 5th Step. Like him, my weakness lies in mental strength."
"What a coincidence, indeed."
The True Ancestor looked down at 009 beneath him and sneered. The immortality characteristics of the two were almost identical: incredibly strong physical forms, yet mental strength as fragile as paper.
The Frost King looked toward the True Ancestor. "His immortal body originates from you. Can it be broken?"
The True Ancestor heard this and directly grabbed one of 009's hands. "Although his immortal body isn't an absolute characteristic, breaking it is still not simple, but it is certainly not impossible."
"Give me some time, and I will help you dispatch him. And you, you must assist me in dealing with Sea King. This is our pact; do not forget it."
The True Ancestor had always desired to acquire the Frost King's absolute characteristic over the years, but as previously explained, this was unattainable.
So the True Ancestor adjusted his perspective. Since he couldn't analyze the absolute characteristic, cooperation was the next best route.
The True Ancestor aids the Frost King in defeating 009, and the Frost King assists the True Ancestor in managing Sea King.
The two had reached a firm accord.
But at this precise moment, 009 suddenly disintegrated!
His body instantly splintered into countless pieces, scattering directly in all directions, reaching the ends of the earth!
Seeing this, the Frost King clapped his hands, and those scattered fragments were instantly suspended in mid-air.
This ability of absolute containment remained troublesome. His time freeze had limits; 009 should be able to slip away.
And once 009 escaped, recapturing him would prove difficult.
Moreover, those other entities were also observing, so they needed to conclude matters swiftly.
Watching the two, old man Balance clasped his hands together. "This old man still wishes to seek out some old companions. I shall not trouble the two of you further."
With that, Balance took a step and quickly exited the area.
True Ancestor: "He is quite sensible."
Frost King: "He is not sensible; he is calculating. But that is irrelevant; let us address the primary objective first."
After the Frost King descended, the surrounding monsters, sensing the shift in the situation, had already dispersed immediately.
But what was strange was that Yang Lin's body was nowhere to be seen.
...
The celestial anomaly of Nine Stars in a Row concluded. Inside a Serpent's Hand underground stronghold.
Yang Lin's body lay upon a table. Countless black-robed figures surrounded him, Reinhard being among them. In his hand, he held a book.
This book also originated from 024, but he hadn't stolen it; he had borrowed it from the Great Serpent.
Reinhard held the book and recited a peculiar passage. Immediately after, characters began to leap out of the book, pouring directly into Yang Lin's body.
Yang Lin's injuries gradually healed, and his soul was also being recalled to his physical form.
This was a volume capable of resurrecting the deceased. It was structured around two separate rites: an Upper and a Lower ritual.
The Upper ritual had to be performed while the subject was alive; the Lower ritual was executed after death.
Prior to this expedition, Reinhard had already completed the Upper ritual for Yang Lin: the Seven-Day Soul Lamp.
If Yang Lin perished within those seven days, his physical form could be restored and his soul recalled by performing the Lower ritual.
Reinhard set the book down. The ritual was complete, yet strangely, Yang Lin did not awaken.
Hm?
"Did something go awry?"
Reinhard reached out his hand and pointed at Yang Lin's forehead. He attempted to release his mental strength into Yang Lin's mind to establish communication with Yang Lin's consciousness.
But the moment his mental strength was projected, it was forcefully repelled!
Boom!
Reinhard's body suddenly recoiled sharply. His mind seemed to suffer a heavy impact; his consciousness became bewildered and disoriented!
He covered his forehead with his hand. It took a long moment before he regained full composure.
"A mental shield?"
Yang Lin's mental strength was not nearly as potent as Reinhard's; he certainly shouldn't be able to block Reinhard's mental strength. Now, with a dimmed consciousness, the possibility of any mental defense was even lower.
Therefore, this mental shield certainly was not erected by Yang Lin.
Who established it then?
Reinhard already knew the answer residing in his heart: 002, Sea King.
This power, simultaneously maddening and corrosive to mental strength, could only belong to Chino.
Considering this, before Reinhard could act, Yang Lin suddenly opened his eyes!
His eyes were a clear shade of blue. His body, without requiring support, floated directly upward, and he turned his head in an unnatural posture to look at Reinhard!
"Long time no see, Reinhard. Do you still recall me?"
Yang Lin spoke, letting out a deep, hoarse, layered sound!
That voice!
Before Reinhard could respond, a mental wave akin to an ocean suddenly swept outward, instantly shattering the souls of every Serpent's Hand member present!
Thud!
The mental sweep passed, and a group of Serpent's Hand personnel successively lost consciousness and collapsed onto the ground.
Only Reinhard, relying on his extraordinary mental strength, managed to withstand the assault.
Yang Lin, with eyes now green, grinned. "Mental strength has reached the threshold of the 5th Step. Not bad, not bad at all."
"Reinhard, I've actually always held you in high regard. You are a talent. Rather than struggling painfully in this quagmire alongside those lowlifes, why don't you and I join forces to terminate this chaotic era."
Reinhard frowned beneath his mask. "Emerge fully before we discuss terms."
"While the barrier between the inner and outer worlds is breached, the barrier of the Dream World remains perfectly intact."
Yang Lin smiled and extended his right hand. "You are correct, but am I not demonstrating the lesson right before you now?"
Reinhard: "It is merely a sliver of consciousness."
Chino: "And yet, that is sufficient to sweep this world."
These words were undeniably true. Chino utilized a mental system, and even a mere trace of consciousness retained 5th Step mental strength.
Was that not enough to deal with these 4th Step operatives?
But the critical issue was that this was Yang Lin's body.
Reinhard: "Vacate his body."
Chino: "I'm afraid that isn't an option. This is a contract between him and myself. It has nothing to do with you."
Reinhard: "He belongs to me."
Chino: "Or perhaps, your chess piece?"
"You perceive him merely as a pawn. Now that you've achieved your objective, does it truly matter who occupies this vessel?"
Reinhard: "It matters."
Chino manipulated Yang Lin's body to float directly before Reinhard. "Let me hazard a guess. This physique is a Lesser Formless Body."
"You wish to cultivate Byakuya's technique, but in this world, aside from Byakuya and Zero, no third party knows the details of that specific art."
"So you intend to utilize his Lesser Formless Body to replicate Byakuya's technique for your personal advancement. Am I mistaken?"
"Reinhard."