Chapter 276: Second Descent into the Water
Zhong Siyu's words were blunt, and Yang Haoran's smile faltered into awkwardness.
Though a smile still graced his face, Yang Haoran's nerves were stretched taut, his heart on high alert. The merest hint of a move from Zhong Siyu would trigger his immediate reaction.
Yet, what transpired next was utterly unexpected.
"Though I know not why the urge to devour you has waned, know this: any shred of goodwill I once held for you has utterly vanished."
As her words faded, Zhong Siyu erupted into a fit of mad laughter, her spirit body dissolving into a wisp of Yin Qi that drifted swiftly into the distance.
"My objective here is accomplished. As for those few wretches who fled, let them flee. But should our paths cross again, Uncle, whether I'll consume you for the sheer loss of any regard I once held, that remains to be seen. You had best pray we never meet again."
Her voice receded, and the Yin Qi that was Zhong Siyu's spirit body vanished entirely from Yang Haoran's sight.
Zhong Siyu's abrupt departure, without a moment's hesitation, left Yang Haoran somewhat perplexed, yet it simultaneously brought a welcome release to his strained nerves.
For him, this outcome was more than satisfactory. Had a true confrontation with Zhong Siyu erupted, the repercussions would have been difficult to contain.
First, he extracted a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and inhaled deeply.
"Good heavens, just how formidable has Zhong Siyu's power become? Why does she exert such an overwhelming pressure on me? Since I opened my Heaven Soul, I've never felt such intense suppression from anyone, save for my superior."
Lost in the act of puffing clouds of smoke, Yang Haoran's face was etched with deep contemplation.
Zhong Siyu's alarming ascent in power far outstripped his imagination. In his estimation, her remarkably swift progress was somewhat linked to the several Death God Seals she had absorbed in the past.
Beyond that, Zhong Siyu must have consumed a multitude of powerful ghostly entities.
It was clear from her earlier remarks: her presence here today was entirely for the male Evil Spirit residing in the Blackwater Pool. Her objective was straightforward: devour the male Evil Spirit and augment her own power.
Why Zhong Siyu knew of an Evil Spirit's presence here, Yang Haoran couldn't fathom. Perhaps she had long been aware of the male Evil Spirit's existence, or perhaps she was merely scouting for prey, and the male Evil Spirit's sudden emergence from the Blackwater Pool allowed her to sense his presence, thus drawing her here.
Whether this was the truth, Yang Haoran couldn't ascertain. However, the male Evil Spirit had already been devoured by Zhong Siyu, and Zhong Siyu herself had departed, rendering that point moot.
What truly concerned Yang Haoran at this moment was that Zhong Siyu had, against all expectations, refrained from attacking him, choosing instead to leave directly, just as she had done previously.
On her previous departure, Zhong Siyu had chosen to leave because she was severely wounded and needed to find a secluded place to recuperate and refine the Death God Seals.
This time, her departure was prompted by her recent consumption of an Evil Spirit, a feat that similarly demanded time for refinement and absorption.
But in Yang Haoran's estimation, this was only a partial explanation; the true reason lay with the Enchantment Art.
The cigarette in his hand was nearing its end. Yang Haoran took one final draw, then ground the butt into the earth with his heel. As he exhaled the last wisps of smoke, his customary gentle smile returned to his face.
"It appears I still underestimated the potency of the Enchantment Art. If my hunch is correct, even should we cross paths again, Zhong Siyu will likely find herself unable to lay a hand on me."
The moment this thought surfaced, Yang Haoran hastily suppressed it. He deemed such speculation perilous, for Zhong Siyu's character and rationale had become utterly extreme. Her actions defied all normal human logic, and attempting to deduce her intentions by conventional means would surely lead to an unforeseen demise.
Reflecting on this, Yang Haoran shook his head with a wry smile, lamenting inwardly, "If I have any say in the matter, it would be best never to encounter her again. At the very least, not until my power has ascended to her formidable level."
A vibration emanated from his pocket, followed by a whimsical cell phone ringtone.
Yang Haoran retrieved his phone, glancing at the caller ID to see it was Zhou Fudui. After a brief hesitation, he answered the call.
"Emissary Yang, are you alright? " Zhou Fudui's anxious voice echoed from the other end of the line.
"I'm fine, no need to fret," Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, Zhou Fudui on the other end of the line visibly exhaled a sigh of relief.
"It's a relief you're unharmed. If anything truly dire had befallen you, I'd carry that guilt for a lifetime. By the way, what became of that Blood-Clad Evil Spirit? Did you manage to subdue her? " Zhou Fudui inquired.
A hint of awkwardness touched Yang Haoran's smile as he chuckled, "Zhou Vice-Captain, you credit me too highly. Even I am no match for such a ghostly entity. If I truly possessed the power to subdue her, I wouldn't have torn space to allow your escape moments ago; I'd simply have contained her, wouldn't I?"
Yang Haoran's gentle reminder caused Zhou Vice-Captain to concede the truth of his words.
"So, have you successfully escaped? " The words had barely left his lips before Zhou Vice-Captain recognized their impropriety and hastened to explain, "Emissary Yang, please don't misunderstand; I meant no disrespect. What I meant was, are you safe now?"
"It's fine, I'm not so petty. I'm still by the Blackwater Pool; the Blood-Clad Evil Spirit has departed. While I may not be her match, I possess something she fears. Furthermore, she just consumed an Evil Spirit and needed to find a place to refine and absorb it, which is why she left."
Yang Haoran, naturally, had no intention of revealing the Enchantment Art to Zhou Fudui, so he simply concocted a convenient excuse.
Upon hearing Yang Haoran's words, Zhou Vice-Captain's heart instantly swelled with joy, and he swiftly declared, "I'll be there immediately! Wait for me!"
"The male Evil Spirit has already been consumed by the Blood-Clad Evil Spirit, and he even confessed to being responsible for everything. Why are you still coming? " Yang Haoran asked with a chuckle.
"While the male Evil Spirit did confess to everything, this matter is far from concluded. We still haven't investigated the dilapidated temple on the mountain. Last night's streamer first encountered trouble at the mountain peak. To eliminate this menace, we absolutely must make a trip to the summit. Moreover, the bodies of three of our brothers remain in the Blackwater Pool; I must bring them home!"
Zhou Vice-Captain's tone was resolute. Yang Haoran pondered for a moment, then inquired, "Are you still at the location where I transported you?"
"Indeed, this place is quite remote, seemingly near Nine Dragons Slope. I called you immediately after emerging from the spatial rift; I haven't moved an inch. " Zhou Vice-Captain replied.
"That location was my choice, as it's not easily stumbled upon. Wait there for now; I'll send your three brothers' bodies over. As for the summit, I'll go ahead and clear the path for you, but I advise you to contact Captain Luo beforehand and consult his opinion. " Yang Haoran stated.
Hearing that Yang Haoran intended to proactively return the bodies of the three Spirit Police officers, Zhou Vice-Captain was inwardly overjoyed. He had harbored the same thought but had been too hesitant to voice it.
"Thank you, Emissary Yang, and thank you even more for recently saving the lives of the four of us! " Zhou Vice-Captain expressed his sincere gratitude.
"There's no need for formalities between us; we are friends, and it was but a small favor. I'll hang up now; wait there."
Ending the call, Yang Haoran's gaze fell upon the three corpses beneath the large tree, his smile receding as he shook his head with a sigh.
"Few may know of your sacrifice, yet those who do will undoubtedly feel immense pride and honor for you. Go well on your journey."
As his words faded, Yang Haoran once more tore open space, then released his Spirit Power to gently lift the bodies of the three Spirit Police officers, slowly guiding them into the spatial rift.
As the spatial rift rapidly coalesced, the bodies of the three Spirit Police officers gradually vanished from Yang Haoran's sight.
Having seen off the bodies of the three Spirit Police officers, Yang Haoran lit another cigarette for himself, one hand tucked into his pocket, the other holding the smoke. His gaze fixed on the Blackwater Pool, and he began to walk towards it, step by deliberate step.
Without venturing deep into the Blackwater Pool, merely standing at its edge would reveal nothing more than a murky expanse of black water. Beyond that, it would be difficult to discern any other peculiar attributes.
However, once one ventured within the depths of the Blackwater Pool, its true peculiarity would become strikingly evident.
Yang Haoran had previously delved into the Blackwater Pool, thus he was keenly aware of its strangeness. Now, standing at its edge, he prepared to descend once more into its depths, determined to unravel the Blackwater Pool's secrets!
Spirit Power once again coalesced into a protective shield around his body. Today, for the second time, Yang Haoran stepped into the Blackwater Pool.
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