Volume 5
314 You have No Choice but to Accept Me
Li Wen"s arm regenerated at the speed of light, as if she had taken some regeneration drug straight out of a science fiction movie. She was still staring at me coldly. That calm expression of hers was rather disconcerting.
When her arm regenerated immediately after it was cut off, Jie Pa, who was beside me, said, "Her body is definitely built differently from ours. It wouldn"t have been able to regenerate so quickly if it was. Such speed seems to belong only to monsters in the Split Zone."
Yes, a monster in the Split Zone. But it wasn"t the time for discussion or daydream. I had to take this opportunity right now.
Holding up the circular bow with my left hand, I aimed it at Du Yue who was still on the ground as I said, "Stab."
Countless thin arrows shot out from the bow, aiming for Du Yue.
Du Yue continued staring at me as she struggled to get up. It was difficult for her to maintain her balance on the uneven surface, and it was made even more difficult when she only had one arm.
I thought I would be able to immobilize Du Yue at least for a short while, but I didn"t expect Li Wen to interfere. Li Wen commanded, "Drop."
The sky immediately darkened as a giant cross appeared in the air. A s.h.i.+eld in the form of a giant cross glowed with a white light and it landed right in front of Du Yue, protecting her.
She"s helping Du Yue out this much?
A wave of anger washed over me as I struck out with my left hand using all my strength.
Clack, crack, smack.
Scorpion Ray"s bow disintegrated and turned into a staff of light as I waved it in front of me.
Boom!
I aimed my staff at that giant cross, attempting to smash it. "Piercer!"
Piercer nodded as I called out to her. She shot towards Li Wen in a trail of violet light before turning into rings of violet light as she entrapped Li Wen within.
Li Wen"s eyes widened.
Huu…
The wind ruffled her pale yellow dress as Li Wen"s expression remained cold and frigid.
Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh.
Countless rapiers descended from the sky.
"Although it isn"t very gentlemanly to interfere in a fight between four women, but if the fight is uneven, one would still have to step in." It was Jie Pa who said so. He might have intentionally said this for Nie Zun.
Nie Zun remained motionless, hands in his pockets as he observed us all.
Jie Pa then did something with his hands. I was familiar with this movement. It was what he did when he used the barrier technique.
However, instead of a transparent barrier, the barrier was made up of countless tendrils that trapped everyone in it.
Li Wen and Du Yue were both trapped in it too. With a quick wave of her hand, Li Wen changed the direction of the rapiers.
The rapiers did exactly what Li Wen wanted them to do as they began searching for a point of entry in the tendrils.
The rapiers flew around the tendrils one after another. Jie Pa"s hands did not move. He maintained that position as he stared calmly at Li Wen.
Li Wen scoffed, "Barrier techniques are considered one of the top-tiered ones in the Split Zone, but you haven"t mastered it yet. Such a weak barrier would not be an effective counter against my rapiers." Those rapiers moved with greater speed as she spoke, and I heard countless tearing and splitting sounds.
Jie Pa"s palms, which were placed against each other, seemed to be slowly pried apart by an unknown force. Even when the tendrils were breaking apart, Jie Pa"s face remained calm.
Jiao S and I had both landed on the ground. Li Wen was beside her as Du Yue had already stood up, wiping the blood from the corner of her lips.
We missed the best opportunity to immobilize Du Yue. From Du Yue"s calm expression, I knew it was going to be an uphill battle from now on.
We were up against opponents who were stronger than both Jiao S and I. Furthermore, Piercer told me that Jiao S"s power was largely sealed, and my current power was actually borrowed from another personality. I wasn"t confident at all. I might also just end up losing my power in a moment"s notice.
I s.h.i.+vered as I felt a pair of icy hands wrap around my neck. I didn"t turn around even though I knew it was her.
She crept closer to my ear. This was her favorite method of communication, and she"d always disappear suddenly after she spoke. She was just this willful.
"Are you suspicious of me? You"re suspecting that the power I"m providing you isn"t enough to protect you?"
I didn"t speak. I didn"t even have any thoughts in response to this.
Her voice then turned gentle and soft, almost to a point where it was inaudible. "I"m the very last person you should be suspicious of. How could you doubt me? There"s a chance that everyone here can betray you, and there"s a chance that they"ll all leave you, but I won"t. I"m the only exception. I"m the one who"d be with you forever.
"Because we are one and the same."
That feeling of suppressed rage found me again. This time, I couldn"t tamp down the emotion even after taking a few deep breaths.
But I told myself I had to bear with this. I needed her right now.
"That"s right, just like that. Accept me slowly. You won"t be able to use my power if you reject it. You won"t be able to save your friends if that"s the case. If you accept me and use my power, we"ll be able to merge into one. You"ll still have to accept me eventually. If there"s a tiny part of you that isn"t sincere in accepting me, you won"t be able to use this great power. What will you do, Li Shen?
"Accept me like this, let me accompany you. Let me see how you push everyone away and end up with no one but me in the end." This low voice was filled with darkness.
I wanted to run away from this voice, but I had to keep telling myself that I couldn"t hate her.
I couldn"t reject her. I had to accept her if I wanted power.
Crack.
The rapiers were slas.h.i.+ng through the tendril barrier. I couldn"t stand watching anymore as I shouted in my heart, "Give me power!"
At the same time, I seemed to be able to see her enchanting smile right behind me.
Piercer descended from the air and wrapped around Li Wen. In anger, Li Wen"s rapiers suddenly turned toward Jiao S and I.
Tapping my feet against the ground, I leapt into the air as I stretched my hands out. Scorpion Ray turned into two bracelets of light on both my wrists.
I looked down at Du Yue, who was staring at me coldly. "Come down," Du Yue said with a smirk.
I felt that restriction technique wrap itself around my heart in the very next second.
I heard her voice beside my ear just as I was about to sink towards the ground. "Does she think she can trap me with this tiny trick of hers?" She then moved behind me, pressing a hand behind my back, where my heart was.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
My heart seemed to stop before it started beating again in the next second. The restriction technique seemed to be rendered ineffective as well.
Overjoyed at this, I aimed at Du Yue with the light from my bracelets.