Chapter 438: Imperial Civil War, and Survivors
Losing control of the Spirit Artifact left Huaze Tuo in a state of panic, a void opening up in his heart. While he hadn’t completely lost the “Eye of Misjudgment,” its control had now fallen into Yi Nanxi’s hands. This meant he could only use it when Yi Nanxi wasn’t, and only with her permission. This was the terrifying power of a Spirit Face Supreme, allowing a Nightmare Clan member below four eyes to forcibly obtain a Spirit Master’s Spirit Artifact. The cost, however, was that their life would forever be tied to the Spirit Master, making the Spirit Master their greatest weakness.
Because of this, Huaze Tuo wasn’t overly disheartened. After all, he knew that from this day forward, the Mei Ling Tribe would be his strongest backing, ensuring he would never be harmed.
“Knock, knock—”
The woman in the wedding dress put down her long legs and stood up. Her veil trailed on the ground, and her pure, elegant white crystal high heels made a crisp sound on the dark stone floor. She lifted her delicate neck, her beautiful phoenix eyes gazing into the infinite distance outside. The black and white vertical eye between her brows flickered, as if she were testing her newly acquired Spirit Artifact abilities.
Huaze Tuo stood at the foot of the stairs, his peach-blossom eyes narrowing as he looked at Princess Mei Ling. Beneath the intricately sparkling crystal crown, her high-bunned black hair complemented her sacred wedding dress, her shoulders smooth and fair. If not for the pair of red goat horns on her forehead, Huaze Tuo would have almost forgotten she was a member of the Nightmare Clan.
After testing the Spirit Artifact’s abilities, Yi Nanxi cast a sideways glance at the entranced Huaze Tuo, a mocking tone in her voice, “Useless thing, stop staring. This Spirit Sealing Ground is about to shatter, step back.”
Huaze Tuo automatically ignored the insult. A smile played on his lips as he bowed like a gentleman, “Yes, my honorable Princess Highness.”
The so-called Spirit Sealing Ground referred to the place where Nightmare Clan members fused with Spirit Artifacts. Although the authority of a Spirit Face Supreme could allow Nightmare Clan members to fuse with Spirit Artifacts, the fusion process took a very long time, ranging from thirty to over a hundred years. During this fusion period, if the barrier of the Spirit Sealing Ground was broken, the fusion would fail, and the souls of both the Nightmare Clan member and the Spirit Master would be damaged.
This was also one of the reasons why Spirit Face Calamity Solution was more difficult to achieve than Bone Mask Calamity Solution. Of course, while difficult, the resulting strength enhancement was far greater than that of Bone Mask Calamity Solution; risk and reward were directly proportional. Princess Mei Ling had spent a full one hundred years fusing with the “Eye of Misjudgment,” and today, the fusion was finally complete.
Yi Nanxi’s white crystal heels trod on the jade-paved royal steps, her wedding dress trailing behind her. She descended one step at a time. As her heels crossed the final step, she passed through the transparent barrier.
“Boom—” The three-dimensional oval barrier, including the dark throne, shattered with a roar, transforming into countless spirit flows that surged into Yi Nanxi’s goat horns. Waves of air spread out, the wind like knives, and Huaze Tuo shielded his face, stepping back a few paces.
“Click—click—” Yi Nanxi walked out, her voice calm, “Let’s go, useless one, it’s time for the Calamity Solution ritual.”
A Spirit Artifact blessed by a ‘Spirit Face Supreme’ and fused with a Nightmare Clan member becomes a Calamity-eaten Spirit Artifact. This was known as the first stage of Calamity Solution. As for the Calamity Solution ritual, it was a method to strengthen the ‘Calamity-eaten Spirit Artifact.’ After completing the ritual, the Spirit Artifact would undergo the second stage of Calamity Solution, acquiring new abilities. It was similar to a Spirit Artifact’s Holy Solution, although Holy Solution’s effects were stronger, and only S-grade and some A-grade items could achieve it. The “Eye of Misjudgment” could not undergo Holy Solution, but after becoming Calamity-eaten, it could achieve the second stage of Calamity Solution. Although its effects were much weaker than Holy Solution, it was still a good way to optimize a Spirit Artifact.
The Calamity Solution ritual was generally related to the innate abilities of the Nightmare Clan members. For him and Princess Mei Ling, their Calamity Solution ritual involved holding a grand wedding ceremony witnessed by at least one hundred thousand of their kin, followed by the consummation of their marriage.
Huaze Tuo’s peach-blossom eyes flickered as he followed Princess Mei Ling’s footsteps to the castle entrance. The wedding venue outside the castle was already fully arranged. Under the gaze of thousands, Yi Nanxi walked slowly down the red carpet in her high heels. Huaze Tuo remained in the shadows behind the door, not moving. The Mei Ling Tribe’s weddings were different from those of the Human Race; it was not yet time for him to appear.
“So this is Princess Mei Ling.”
Spider Man quietly appeared beside Huaze Tuo, staring intently at the receding figure of the woman in the wedding dress. Envy flickered in his eyes, and he couldn’t help but curse, “Damn it, Huaze Tuo, you’ve got some serious luck with the ladies!”
Hearing this, Huaze Tuo glanced at him and smiled without speaking, his peach-blossom eyes alluring, making everyone seem like a lover. “Why is it that we’re both traitors, yet you get to become a son-in-law of the Mei Ling Tribe, while I have to rack my brains every day to feed this idiotic spider Nightmare Beast!”
Comparing oneself to others was infuriating. Jealousy had distorted Spider Man’s features. He looked at Huaze Tuo’s handsome, half-smiling face and genuinely wanted to punch him. Huaze Tuo continued to smile mysteriously, a hint of haughty disdain in the corner of his lips.
In fact, he and Spider Man were once walkers of the Empire’s Second Gate Pillar. However, after the “Imperial Civil War,” the entire Second Gate Pillar collapsed. Under the siege of the other three Gate Pillars, Pillar State Xia Hou Nian was severely injured and went missing. His legions were either dead, disabled, or scattered. He and Spider Man were fortunate enough to escape into the Gray Realm together. Although the Empire still spoke of the Four Gate Pillars, the Second Gate Pillar was in reality long gone.
After surviving in the Gray Realm for some years, he and Spider Man stumbled upon a treasure trove two hundred years ago. Inside were two God Relics. The first was infected by the Bone Mask Great Calamity, and the second by the Spirit Face Great Calamity. Spider Man chose the first. Perhaps this was fate; Spider Man became a believer of the Bone Mask, while he became a believer of the Spirit Face.
After being infected by the Spirit Face Calamity Poison, he had to find a Nightmare Clan member with less than four eyes to fuse with a Spirit Artifact, otherwise, he would never have hope of promoting to the Venerable realm. Initially, he was unwilling to give away his Spirit Artifact, especially since it was A-class! Even if he could still use it afterward, being controlled by a Nightmare Clan member always unsettled him. Because of this, he spent nearly a hundred years desperately searching for a way to dispel the Spirit Face Calamity Poison. Alas, he found nothing.
It wasn’t until a hundred years ago that he unexpectedly arrived in the Mei Ling Calamity Realm and met the proud Princess Mei Ling, which led him to change his mind. He demonstrated his value to Queen Mei Ling, showcased the power of his A-class Spirit Artifact, and declared his love for Princess Mei Ling. Queen Ilena, unlike Princess Yi Nanxi, harbored no prejudice against humans or Calamity Eaters and gladly accepted his offer.
Yi Nanxi, of course, initially refused. But she was just a princess, not the Queen, and thus had no right to refuse. Before Yi Nanxi ascended to Saint King, Queen Ilena’s word was law, absolute and beyond question. Thus, Princess Mei Ling was forcibly confined to the Spirit Sealing Ground, commencing a hundred years of Fusion Device cultivation. For these hundred years, Huaze Tuo visited the Spirit Sealing Ground daily, chatting with the arrogant and condescending Princess Mei Ling, flirting with her.
This proved that any woman Huaze Tuo desired could not escape his grasp. This incredibly arrogant little wildcat had ultimately captured his heart! Next, he only needed to complete the second stage of Calamity Solution, and then conveniently eliminate the little mouse lurking in the shadows and seize the Heart Calamity Demon Blood from them. This hundred-year wait would then be perfected! And he was confident that the Heart Calamity Demon Blood in the hands of that overconfident little mouse would be substantial! It was truly something to look forward to.
