When the Beautiful, Strong, and Tragic Meets the Unbeatable Protagonist | Chapter 73

Until the moment his partner's hand grasped his palm, beads of sweat the size of mung beans finally rolled down Lin Ji's forehead.

Lu Xiaobai looked at him with affectionate eyes, "I can't say it; I didn't mean to scare you."

Lin Ji replied, "…That's good."

Actually, it wasn't good at all.

Although Lin Ji had a premonition, he was still quite worried. However, after traversing through his past life to this moment, his resolve had strengthened significantly. He wouldn't easily shatter or collapse, nor would he give his enemies any chance to exploit him.

In his previous life, there were occurrences of rampant demons and cultivators falling into madness, but the evil god remained hidden in the shadows, never revealing itself.

The reason Lin Ji didn't panic was also based on his understanding of Lu Xiaobai. Some things didn't necessarily need to be spoken to be understood.

From the very beginning, he noticed that Lu Xiaobai only worried about the safety of his junior sister and master. His tension was only reflected in that aspect; when it came to demonic energy and evil gods, he handled everything normally without losing his composure.

Lin Ji knew that the world's big villain probably posed no threat to Lu Xiaobai, and he had already made plans in his heart.

After all, he was the protagonist Long Aotian, who had experienced three worlds and ascended! Plus, he was reborn; the villains he had fought before would just be fought again.

His worries shouldn't be about how to defeat the evil god, but rather how to perfectly resolve the situation without giving the evil god a chance to harm the innocent.

Moreover, Lin Ji had accidentally touched the letter paper that Lu Xiaobai had written in his cave, which listed all the events that would occur in this world, but notably, there was no mention of demonic energy or the evil god.

With such meticulous thoughts, Lu Xiaobai had everything planned out. The only reason he didn't write it down was that he didn't want to alert the snake.

Based on these two points, Lin Ji didn't panic when faced with problems, but he truly didn't expect Lu Xiaobai to use himself as bait and enter the fray.

Witnessing the evil god occupying his body and making a very confident villain declaration, even though he firmly believed that Lu Xiaobai had his own plans, how could he not worry?

Lin Ji looked at the jade pendant he was wearing, which had been left on the bed by Lu Xiaobai that night. He originally wanted to put it back on him, but Lu Xiaobai insisted he keep it for now and give it back after the big battle.

The evil god was shocked, pointing at Lu Xiaobai, "You, you actually didn't!"

Lin Ji looked at him, "I also want to know, when did you hide your primordial spirit in our token of love?"

Please don't tell him that after leaving the inn, he had been all lovey-dovey with the evil god; that would be too terrifying!

Lu Xiaobai saw right through him and whispered, "Of course not. Even if you were willing, I wouldn't be happy about it."

"Besides, if I were really replaced by the evil god right after we left the inn, and you couldn't tell the difference, I would be so mad."

Lin Ji: "…"

Here, he had to thank Elder Shuhua; he finally played his role.

After subduing Elder Shuhua, Lu Xiaobai had divided a strand of his primordial spirit and some of his consciousness for the elder to keep.

How did he keep it? Although the elder was a spiritual entity, his inner dantian still had spiritual emptiness, making it very safe to hide the primordial spirit there. He claimed it was because of his poor aptitude, and if one day he was beaten to the point of his primordial spirit collapsing, at least he could save his life and turn the tide.

Meanwhile, the elder usually slept in Lu Xiaobai's sea of consciousness and would only be separated when awakened.

When the demonic energy invaded the body, it naturally sought the cultivator's sea of consciousness to lure them into madness. In the sea of consciousness, the elder was just a mass of energy, and when the demonic energy sensed Lu Xiaobai's aura, it naturally assumed that was all of his consciousness.

The primordial spirit he had separated inherited his abilities and memories but had been refined by Lu Xiaobai. To be precise, it only retained the memories he specifically wanted the evil god to know.

It was likely that the evil god discovered he had traversed two lives and was probably overjoyed, thus letting down its guard, never expecting what would happen today.

Who doesn't have a dark side? Lu Xiaobai also had fears, worries, and even malicious thoughts. He allowed the demonic energy to find his weaknesses, giving the evil god a false impression.

The host's consciousness was resisting but gradually fell into the illusion of being devoured and assimilated.

The evil god thought that all his plans were to deceive the immortal sect, and the spirit-binding array would have no effect, instead gathering all the evil spirits into one, all to catalyze the birth of the evil god.

Indeed, it was a deception, but Lu Xiaobai and the evil god had the same goal; they were deceiving together.

"But if the evil god doesn't descend, how can I and A Ji kill you?"

Before setting up the array, Lu Xiaobai had quietly hidden inside the jade pendant to make the evil god think his consciousness had been devoured.

"You don't deserve to use my body!"

With that, Lu Xiaobai and Lin Ji instantly moved, surrounding the evil god from both sides.

Lin Ji trapped the evil god with a sword array, while Lu Xiaobai took out a withered branch, dripped blood on it, and suddenly, the withered branch burst into life, sprouting tender buds.

This was one of the highest-level techniques of the wood spiritual root, called "Withered Wood Revives."

Lu Xiaobai placed the branch in the air, continuously catalyzing it, and used his sword to carve a wooden puppet on the spot.

Lin Ji immediately understood his intention and kept attacking, slapping the evil god's chest, forcing the gathered demonic energy out of Lu Xiaobai's body.

Lu Xiaobai cast a spell to guide it, "This is the body I prepared for you; go inside!"

He closed his eyes, transforming into spiritual light. After the feeling of weightlessness passed, when he opened his eyes again, he was already in Lin Ji's arms.

Lu Xiaobai touched himself, completely unharmed, "Hey, why doesn't it hurt?"

Logically speaking, Lin Ji's slap should have broken his ribs.

Lin Ji, displeased, looked at him, "I've made progress too; how could I use brute force?"

There was a martial art mentioned in the reviews called "Hitting the Cow Across the Mountain," and they had similar techniques in their cultivation texts. How could Lin Ji possibly hurt his beloved? "But what about that part of your primordial spirit?"

Lu Xiaobai looked at the puppet he had previously cast a spell on. At this moment, the evil god was struggling but was destined to escape. "As long as I'm alive and continue to cultivate, my primordial spirit will gradually be restored in the world."

That small part of his primordial spirit, he had no intention of taking back when he used it as bait. What if it came back contaminated with someone else's consciousness?

Lu Xiaobai reassured Lin Ji, "I only took one-tenth; it's very little." He couldn't bear to suffer a loss.

However, Lin Ji looked at his hair, his expression changing, and he flew up first.

Lu Xiaobai quickly followed, casting another technique, scattering the shards of the Dust Viewing Mirror, turning them into countless mirror surfaces.

The cultivators present saw with their own eyes that each mirror surface reflected different figures and life stories, including many they were familiar with or recorded in the history of cultivation.

They saw the paths of cultivators over hundreds of years, the hardships of cultivation, and the regrets of those who had fallen.

How to say it? They could also understand why the evil god would arise. But they lived in the Nine Provinces, and allowing the evil god to roam free would only lead to their own demise. So, regardless of right or wrong, this battle was about victory or defeat.

Lin Ji also discovered images of Lu Xiaobai's primordial spirit in the mirrors. Just as he was about to look closer, Lu Xiaobai retracted the mirror in advance and shook his head at him.

At that moment, Wen Ling arrived uninvited. With such a grand scene, of course, it had to join in the fun!

"Lord Lin Ji, do you want to know the whole process? I can transmit the content to you!"

Lin Ji glanced at Lu Xiaobai and smiled, "No need."

Lovers can be honest with each other, but they can also have their own secret spaces they want to keep, without needing to dig into everything.

After struggling, the puppet transformed into one of the figures.

When everyone saw it, they felt a chill in their hearts before the fight even began—Mo Shangxian, a shadow for their generations! They never expected to fight again a hundred years later!

Mo Shangxian sneered, "If it weren't for me being unable to leave, the fear each of you feels right now would be the best nourishment for the evil god."

He looked at Lu Xiaobai, "No wonder you are an ascendant who has lived two lives; you can be called a nemesis."

The cultivators who heard this were puzzled: What two lives? What ascendant?

Lu Xiaobai closed his eyes for a moment, "A rival is fine, but let's skip the nemesis."

"Do you know what a true nemesis is?"

In the end, he released the shards of the Dust Viewing Mirror, leaving images suspended in the air:

Everyone followed Lu Xiaobai's perspective and realized that beyond this world, there were still other worlds. Ascending in this world wasn't true ascension; one had to traverse three worlds to attain the Dao.

Becoming the strongest in this world, then going to a higher world meant starting all over again, a cycle that repeated endlessly.

Everyone was shocked, watching Lu Xiaobai continuously level up, feeling exhausted.

In the end, they even discovered that the evil god had followed Lu Xiaobai through three worlds.

All because Lu Xiaobai had picked up a bundle of sword tassels somewhere, and the evil spirit had attached itself to it. As he continued to improve, it absorbed the evil power from each world.

In the end, it became the greatest obstacle to Lu Xiaobai's ascension.

Lin Ji's body stiffened; that bundle of sword tassels was an accessory from his previous life’s Jueying Sword… it was his!

So, they were only fighting the initial version of the evil god, while Lu Xiaobai had fought the ultimate version in his previous life.

Wen Ling remarked, "The so-called rival's prestige also highlights the protagonist's prestige; they must be strong enough for a satisfying counterattack."

In his previous life, Lu Xiaobai's final counterattack had indeed been very difficult.

What was even more unbelievable was that in his previous life, Lu Xiaobai had also used a puppet to shape the evil god's body, and the person the evil god chose to transform into…

Was Lin Ji!

Lu Xiaobai let out a long breath, "A nemesis is one that completely restrains each other in terms of strength and spirit."

The evil god transforming into Mo Shangxian and into Lin Ji was entirely different for Lu Xiaobai.

Even if he knew it was an illusion, Lin Ji had long since died; the evil god was just the evil god, at most carrying a few remnants of Lin Ji's past obsessions.

But the person the evil god chose to transform into had the best conditions in every aspect, putting the greatest mental pressure on Lu Xiaobai.

He personally killed the evil god and attained the Dao to ascend.

But what happened after the ascension? It seemed he went to the immortal realm, but the immortal realm, while beautiful, looked like a paradise, was only inhabited by him.

Because the storybook also ended at the moment of his ascension, it didn't describe the world after his ascension.

Lu Xiaobai traversed the entire immortal realm, not knowing how long he stayed, but he was trapped.

It was like climbing over a high peak after crossing mountains and rivers, only to find that there was nothing on the other side; all his imaginations vanished in an instant, and the eternal day after day represented endless suffering.

Until one day, feeling frustrated, Lu Xiaobai slashed through the nine layers of clouds with a sword, destroying the immortal realm.

He wanted to break free; if he couldn't, he would die, seeking true liberation.

When he opened his eyes, he found leaves falling from the tree, holding a broom, and he was still a young man with his hair tied back.

When his master personally called him to dinner, Lu Xiaobai saw that glance, and suddenly tears wet his blue shirt.

Great! He was back, back to when they were all still here.

The cultivators present couldn't understand the cause and effect, but they seemed to empathize with this overwhelming sadness of the world.

Meng Wanqiu was already in tears.

Lin Ji, however, lowered his gaze, lost in thought.

Was there any difference between the Lu Xiaobai after ascension and him in Guixu?

No wonder Lu Xiaobai felt so guilty in his heart, unwilling to admit his identity from two lives.

Lin Ji rushed over and hugged Lu Xiaobai without thinking. The latter gently touched his face, "In the past, I was somewhat concerned, but now I have come to understand."

"I can face all of this calmly now; otherwise, I wouldn't let you see it."

Lu Xiaobai knew that although A Ji's thoughts were a bit strange, he wouldn't randomly say incomprehensible things.

That night, he earnestly asked in his ear, definitely not on a whim.

Afterwards, Lu Xiaobai reflected and seemed to understand that the world they were in might be under the control of some unknown deity.

A Ji didn't know how he knew, but he also understood.

Perhaps Lu Xiaobai had awakened; he planned to let go of himself and resist the predetermined fate with Lin Ji, forging a new path that belonged to them!

Lin Ji's eyes turned red, and he quickly said, "That wasn't me; you didn't kill me! If I were to commit such heinous acts, I would deserve to die!"

Lu Xiaobai: "…"

There was no need to comfort him like that; it seemed he still couldn't understand A Ji's way of thinking!

The evil god transforming into Mo Shangxian meant that Mo Shangxian's consciousness was the main guide, along with the consciousness of many fallen cultivators, all stunned.

These were memories that Lu Xiaobai had not opened to the evil god, and it was his first time seeing them.

After a hundred years, Mo Shangxian had died, yet he never expected that his remaining consciousness would be so impacted, shaking the original intention of his Dao attainment.

"How is this possible?"

"How could ascension be like this!"

"You are deceiving the masses with your demonic words! You are weaving false memories to trick us, aren't you?!"

The evil god Mo Shangxian once again erupted in anger, gathering the evil spirits of hundreds of years, now possessing the power of a great ascendant.

Yet the cultivators of the Nine Provinces were unprecedentedly united. After regaining their senses, they lined up and attacked the evil god together.

In fact, for the current evil god, Lu Xiaobai found it easy to eliminate him, but with all the cultivators present, wouldn't it be better to have everyone participate?

Lu Xiaobai and Lin Ji exchanged glances, using the Hidden Light Stone to set up a barrier, and sat down to project their primordial spirits.

Their primordial spirits were stronger than their physical bodies in this world. It was Lin Ji's first time projecting his primordial spirit, and everyone was terrified to discover that he actually had the cultivation level of the peak of the Nascent Soul stage!

Under the joint ambush of everyone, the evil god was eliminated, leaving not a trace of ash.

The two returned to their bodies, and Lin Ji bent down to tug at Lu Xiaobai's clothes, noticing that the mark on his shoulder had already disappeared.

Lu Xiaobai shot him a glare, gritting his teeth, "There are so many people here."

Everyone: "…"

In fact, the impact of today had already been enough for them. As long as they weren't blind, they could see that these two gods had a strange relationship!

What they didn't expect was that the next moment, Lu Xiaobai flew back a distance of ten feet, facing Lin Ji.

A battle notice flew into his hand.

Lin Ji caught it and looked, "What is this?"

Lu Xiaobai replied, "A challenge."

Meng Wanqiu: "?"

Everyone: "??!"

What kind of operation was this?

Lu Xiaobai's lips curled up, "Fifteen days later, let's have a duel."

"Weren't we supposed to decide the victor when we reached the peak?"

Lu Xiaobai sighed slightly, recalling something, "In my previous life, you didn't come; no wonder I lost."

Lin Ji's brow relaxed, and he understood in his heart.

He raised the challenge notice, his high ponytail swaying in the wind, full of spirit, just like in the past: "In this life, I will never break my promise again."

"Fifteen days later, we will fight until the end."