The Creatures that We Are

The self-incineration had worked according to plan. The hostages died instantly, painlessly. They would return without injury.

But Qilin and Surnamed Li stood unscathed.

Qilin rose gracefully on the charred wasteland, cane in hand, while Surnamed Li hovered above the ground. Both had turned translucent green, like spirits caught between worlds. Qilin had prepared well—he'd given Surnamed Li a ring enchanted with Unreachable, and before Gao Yang's double ignited, he'd activated the Talent himself.

Gao Yang wasn't surprised. If Qilin could be killed so easily, the civil war would have ended long ago.

This, too, was part of the plan.

[Nine Frost: Team Heavenly Dog, move!]

[Right!]

The fierce determination in Heavenly Dog's response caught Gao Yang off guard.

Moments before Gao Yang's double ignited, Heavenly Dog had positioned themselves a thousand meters up with Hong Xiaoxiao and Wandering Tune. Now they plummeted toward the Green Lotus Lake, cutting through the air like a missile.

“Portal!”

Wandering Tune conjured a portal the size of a compact mirror before Hong Xiaoxiao's eyes. An identical portal materialized at the razed pavilion five hundred meters away.

“Time Reset!”

Hong Xiaoxiao channeled all her gathered energy through the portal. The moment she sensed the Mobius Strip on the other side, white energy strands burst from her fingers and poured through the opening.

Qilin felt the strange energy materialize behind him. Like ghostly seaweed, the white strands grew from the ground, weaving themselves into the shape of a pavilion. Inside, four figures took shape—two girls, one man, and one woman.

The energy strands reached for Qilin and Surnamed Li, trying to drag them three minutes into the past. Qilin wouldn't allow it. He raised his hand, pulled the spirit-state Surnamed Li to him, and leaped clear of the reset zone with a push of his cane.

Eight seconds slower, and they would have been trapped.

The moment they landed, their expressions darkened. Gao Yang had materialized above Qilin.

Though still protected by Unreachable, Qilin wouldn't risk whatever tricks Gao Yang might attempt. He needed control. He deactivated Unreachable briefly and narrowed his left eye, unleashing Psychic Shackles on Gao Yang. Previously, this would have immobilized Gao Yang for five seconds.

But things had changed. Enhanced by multiple buffs, Gao Yang felt only mild discomfort. His slowed body and mind remained within tolerable limits.

Still, Gao Yang wouldn't take chances. The death of his double had already drained thirty percent of his power.

As he fell, Gao Yang anticipated Qilin's next move—Brain Formatting the moment Gao Yang came within range. He wouldn't give Qilin that opportunity.

He unleashed Wave of Serenity.

Rumble. Sacred white energy rippled from Gao Yang. Zhuang Mei's Wave of Serenity had countered Edmond's Unreachable, and Gao Yang followed her example.

Qilin's face darkened. Not only was he temporarily silenced, but the Unreachable within him splintered like startled insects, scattering through his energy pathways to cower in hidden corners.

Reaching for the Talent, Qilin calculated he wouldn't access Unreachable for the next two minutes.

His defense stripped away, Qilin pivoted from controlling Gao Yang to trying to kill him as soon as possible. His left eye blazed brilliant green, unleashing a wave of crushing psychic pressure.

Midair, Gao Yang felt his body stiffen and sink as negative emotions rose in his mind. Like seeds of decay, they sprouted throughout his body.

Forcing himself to calm down, Gao Yang channeled his energy into a medium-power Fire Punch aimed below.

Growl. A fire dragon rushed toward Qilin.

Boom! A great pillar of flames soared into the sky, turning the Green Lotus Lake into a boiling cauldron. The sky blazed bright as day, the scene from afar resembling an upside-down golden bowl.

Seven seconds passed.

In the charred pit below, Qilin and Surnamed Li stood untouched, protected by level 7 Phantom. Countless water droplets hovered around them—a defensive skill of God of Water.

Qilin had effortlessly endured the strike while protecting Surnamed Li.

Gao Yang had expected as much. The move was meant to buy time for his teammates to converge on the scene.

“Above, Spatial Dissection!”

“Back, Tang Dao and Lightning!”

“Front, air cannon and talismans!”

“Below, God of Firearms!”

Protected by shadow, Surnamed Li saw the ten-second future and called out the four coordinated attacks headed their way.

Even without her warning, Qilin sensed the danger. He noticed the subtle distortion of space around him, betraying the incoming Spatial Shards.

He grabbed Surnamed Li and leaped away.

Almost simultaneously, hundreds of cold weapons rained down. Among them were the Black Gold Xiu Dao, Butterfly Twin Blades, two darts, and four additional Black Gold blades—the disassembled parts of Amon's giant boomerang.

Qilin clenched and loosened his right fist, freezing the deadly hail with Telekinesis before it could pierce through them.

Pzzt. But the threat remained. Lightning elements jumped between the suspended weapons, forming a complex cage of crackling energy.

Whoosh. A long-haired girl with Tang Dao emerged from a portal, launching herself toward the lightning cage.

Qilin's eye widened. He used Psychic Shackles to forcefully halt her movement.

Qing Ling froze mid-flight like a bird shot from the sky. She fell.

Qilin started. Something's wrong! That Qing Ling's too weak!

It was merely a substitute created by Quiet Book. The real Qing Ling had hidden behind it, carrying Nainai and preparing a stealth attack while invisible—Nainai gained access to a weakened version of Invisibility from Hong Xiaoxiao through Shapeshifter.

The moment the substitute was exposed, Qing Ling and Nainai materialized.

Qing Ling's long black hair spread like seaweed, electric tadpoles dancing around her. Her brows furrowed as a golden “mole” appeared on her forehead.

Gripping her blade with both hands, she raised it high. Lightning concentrated at its tip, sending arcs of electricity crackling through the air.

"Lightning Slash!"

Qing Ling brought the blade down. Pearls of pale lightning, shrouded in cold cyan blade aura, streaked toward the lightning cage below.

The strike hit like a whip against a bell.

Ring, ring, ring—

Shockwaves of lightning erupted from the cage. The resulting tsunami shattered the Telekinesis barrier and engulfed Qilin and Surnamed Li. For a moment, the flood of crackling energy filled the space between heaven and earth, drowning out everything in its brilliant light.

Visit and read more novel to help us update chapter quickly. Thank you so much!