Lu Luo was in trouble? Luo Xuemin was taken aback. At this time, Lu Luo should have been on his way to the Church to discuss matters. He was there to represent the Fourth Ring, and furthermore, he held the status of Judgment Chief and was his son-in-law. Normally, even the Church shouldn't trouble someone like him, so what danger could he possibly be in?

Taking a step back, even if Lu Luo did cause trouble at the Church, the most they would do was harass him. At a time like this, with such tense relations, it was highly unlikely the Church would make a move against Lu Luo. At most, they would detain him to cause him some annoyance. So, the news of Lu Luo being in trouble seemed very strange.

"Tong Tong, did Lu Luo contact you? What do you mean by 'in trouble'..."

"Dad, Lu Luo is going to die! He's really going to die!"

Luo Xuemin, an old fox, naturally heard the sob in Bai Yuetong's voice. He first tried to comfort her, "Tong Tong, calm down first. Tell me, what happened to Lu Luo? How do you know he's in trouble?"

"Dad, don't ask anymore. There are some things you wouldn't understand."

Great... that kind of response again. He, Luo Xuemin, was a Sixth Tier Mechanical Master, for crying out loud! Why, in the eyes of you lot, was a Sixth Tier like a salted fish? Luo Xuemin particularly disliked it when women spoke to him so vaguely; how was a man supposed to guess a woman's thoughts? But what could he do when the woman saying these things was his own daughter? He was the most helpless when it came to seeing his daughter cry; the moment Dumb Hair started crying, Luo Xuemin immediately surrendered.

"Alright, alright, stop crying. I promise you, I'll give you a team to take to the Second Ring. But Tong Tong, you must remember, a person's life isn't just about their lover. There are also your relatives, family, and friends. The current situation in the Second Ring is very unstable, and it's dangerous. So, even if you go to the Second Ring, you must keep a clear head and not do anything that would put yourself in danger. Your safety is paramount, understand?"

At this moment, Luo Xuemin was like a nagging yet earnestly advising old father. He didn't know if Bai Yuetong would listen to his words, but as a father at this time, he could only support his daughter.

"I understand, Daddy. Thank you."

"What's there to thank me for? Just come back safely, that's all that matters."

"I know! I definitely will."

In the spatial corridor, Qi Xinzhu had no idea how long she had been adrift. The black speck from before was now clearly visible in front of her. This time, Qi Xinzhu truly and clearly saw Lu Luo's disc—the Doomsday Disc. Floating in space, the disc resembled a colossal clock. The blackish-purple disc was covered with sigils of the Sequences. Qi Xinzhu, who possessed Sequence S-05, Healer, felt a resonance between her Sequence Ability and the disc. This resonance wasn't strong, so she couldn't establish any more effective interaction with the Doomsday Disc.

However, Qi Xinzhu's thoughts were no longer on the Doomsday Disc at this moment, because in the center of the disc lay a monster! An Exotic Species! Previously, due to the distance, Qi Xinzhu couldn't determine the size and aura of this Exotic Species. But as she drew closer, she sensed it. This Exotic Species was Lu Luo. Lu Luo, transformed into an Exotic Species!

"Husband!" Even before touching the disc, Qi Xinzhu started shouting, but Lu Luo on the disc showed no reaction whatsoever.

As Qi Xinzhu approached the disc, the body of Lu Luo in his Exotic Species form began to shrink gradually. From his previous complete combat form of about three meters, he slowly reverted to his human appearance. But Lu Luo's current state was as if he had completely died. There was no vitality, no energy, only a profound desolation. Like a decaying tree trunk, or like parched yellow earth that hadn't seen rain in decades. Apart from the stillness of death, there was hardly any other presence. His condition frightened Qi Xinzhu; she was afraid Lu Luo was truly dead.

Slowly, Qi Xinzhu drifted onto the disc. Grabbing the sigils on the disc with her fingers, she began to crawl towards Lu Luo. When her trembling fingers touched Lu Luo, Qi Xinzhu's heart clenched violently, and she quickly withdrew her hand. It seemed as if something she couldn't believe, and didn't want to believe, had happened to the Lu Luo before her.

She bit her lip hard, quickly leaned over Lu Luo's body, and began to touch the wounds on him with her fingers. Dense palm prints covered Lu Luo's entire body. Qi Xinzhu could clearly feel the residual Life Energy beneath these palm prints. This Life Energy was somewhat similar to her Healer powers but also had some distinct differences. Is it from that headless woman from before?

However, at this moment, Qi Xinzhu could no longer dwell on who was responsible for these palm prints. Her tears, unbidden, streamed down, falling like raindrops onto Lu Luo's body. She hadn't wanted to cry, because she knew she should be doing something, regardless of whether it would be effective. Qi Xinzhu took a deep breath, managing to hold back her tears. Even as despair spread through her mind, she maintained the composure a Transcendent ought to have.

Qi Xinzhu began to tend to Lu Luo's wounds, the glow of the Healer continuously seeping into his body. The power of the Healer was indeed formidable. The areas on Lu Luo's chest where vitality had been severed by Life Return were gradually recovering under Qi Xinzhu's treatment. Especially since the Healer ability was inherently focused on healing, even the tenacious energy left by Mo Fan couldn't withstand Qi Xinzhu's efforts. This would have been a reason to rejoice, if only Lu Luo could be revived...

However, as Qi Xinzhu released more and more Healer energy, she gradually realized that her efforts were fundamentally useless. Because Lu Luo... he was already...

She broke down!

SOB SOB SOB...

Qi Xinzhu knelt beside Lu Luo, collapsed on his chest, and began to wail. She was a very strong person, but most of the time, with Lu Luo around, she didn't need to show that strength. But now, all her psychological defenses shattered in an instant.

Because Lu Luo was dead!

WAAH! AAH!

Qi Xinzhu couldn't stop her tears, her fists pounding on Lu Luo's chest.

Just as she was overwhelmed with grief, a metallic, raspy voice reached Qi Xinzhu's ear. The voice, as if crushed by a tank, sounded on the verge of fading away at any moment.

"What are you crying about? Did your husband die?"

Qi Xinzhu abruptly lifted her head. Hearing those words, she instinctively wanted to nod. Yes, yes, my husband is truly dead.

But now… My husband has suddenly reanimated!

WAAAH!

Qi Xinzhu burst into tears again, this time even more violently than before.

"Hey, hey, stop crying! It hurts!"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Hearing Lu Luo say it hurt, Qi Xinzhu immediately lifted her head, put some distance between herself and Lu Luo, and then looked at him obediently. In her eyes, there was confusion mixed with bewilderment.

"Lu Luo, are you okay?" Qi Xinzhu could sense Lu Luo's current state; according to her perception of life, Lu Luo was indeed already dead. Utterly and completely dead. His life force had been entirely severed, and his body had begun to return to a state of stillness. These were the unmistakable signs of complete death, and they were very apparent on Lu Luo. Under normal circumstances, he was dead. Yet now, he had suddenly come back to life, which is why Qi Xinzhu had the feeling that Lu Luo had reanimated.

Seeing Qi Xinzhu's hesitant eyes, wanting to say something but not daring to be sure, Lu Luo smiled. He roughly understood what Qi Xinzhu was feeling and worrying about. He also knew why she had been crying earlier. He had died. The fact that he had died had deeply affected Qi Xinzhu. But thankfully, it seemed he had come back to life. Speaking of which, this does indeed bear some resemblance to reanimation.

Right now, Lu Luo couldn't explain his own specific situation either. He also felt that he should indeed be dead. As for why he had come back to life, he still hadn't figured it out. Perhaps he didn't even have a clear concept of whether he was truly alive at this moment.

"Alright, alright, I'm fine, aren't I?" Lu Luo's expression was a bit strained as he spoke. He had been calling out to the Observer repeatedly in his mind, but the Observer hadn't responded at all. Moreover, this situation was different from the Observer being asleep or in hibernation. He simply couldn't feel the Observer anymore.

Ever since he arrived in this world, the Observer had always been by his side. One could say the Observer was a partner even more intimate and inseparable than his own wife. Although it was usually quite annoying and sometimes spoke cryptically and sarcastically, now that it was gone, Lu Luo felt an emptiness in his heart, and he wasn't entirely sure about his current condition. If the Observer were still here, it would probably spell out my detailed information, right?

Beside him, Qi Xinzhu sensed Lu Luo's strangeness and watched him cautiously. "Lu Luo, are you okay now?" Qi Xinzhu was still very worried. Even now, holding Lu Luo's fingers, she couldn't feel any life force from him. Is Lu Luo really still alive? Even now, Qi Xinzhu didn't dare to confirm it; she even wondered if she was hallucinating. Was it because I miss Lu Luo so much that I'm hallucinating, mistaking a dead person for someone alive?

"Yes, I'm fine." Lu Luo's expression was somewhat forced. By now, he had discovered something else. It wasn't just the Observer that had disappeared; his other Sequences had vanished as well. The only thing that hadn't vanished, or rather, that still had a connection to him, was the Doomsday Disc beneath his feet.

So, the question is, am I dead or alive now? Lu Luo stole a glance at Qi Xinzhu's ample bosom... her thighs... and... Well, judging from my own reaction, I should still be alive. After all, being a lecher and getting an erection are things a dead man would find rather difficult to achieve.

"Let's go. We need to find a way out of here."

"Rest a bit more. Let me treat you again," Qi Xinzhu said, looking at Lu Luo carefully.

Lu Luo nodded. "Okay."

While Qi Xinzhu was mending his body, Lu Luo began to contemplate the situation of this trip to the Inner Ring. Complex and dangerous. Lu Luo knew that the battle between the Pope and the Judgment Chief had likely concluded by now, or was at least in its final stages. The situation in the Inner Ring was far more complicated than he had imagined. The Life Return ability Mo Fan had used earlier was almost identical to the power of the Bridal Sacrifice. And her ability was even more outrageous than a typical Bridal Sacrifice. At least, it was far more outrageous than that of the old Priest Wu En whom Lu Luo had encountered before.

Even the highest echelons of the Church have decayed to this extent. Are others truly unaware of this?

"Lu Luo, what are you talking about?"

"Qi Xinzhu, if your teacher, His Holiness the Pope, were using some terrible methods to obtain life, what would you do?"

"Obtain life?"

"Yes, just as you imagine—the Fruit of Life."

Hearing Lu Luo say this, Qi Xinzhu immediately thought of the Fruit of Life. In the Fourth Ring, they were already very familiar with it, and they knew its source lay in the Inner Ring. Seeing Lu Luo's current state and expression, could it be that the Fruit of Life was really created by my teacher?

"If it truly is Teacher's doing, I will immediately take you away from the Inner Ring and return to our base. If that's still not possible, then we'll go beyond the Wall. To the Fifth Ring, to a place where the Church can't find us." Qi Xinzhu's expression was serious and resolute, her thoughts clear. Even though she was a devout believer, the Church today truly wasn't worth it. She knew what she wanted. If the Church was indeed thoroughly corrupt and they lacked the ability to change such corruption, then leaving the Inner Ring and distancing themselves from this place of conflict was naturally the best choice.

Lu Luo smiled after hearing Qi Xinzhu's words. He then stroked Qi Xinzhu's head, intending to kiss her forehead. This was originally a very intimate gesture. However, just as Lu Luo was about to kiss Qi Xinzhu, he suddenly discovered that his fingertips were disintegrating into ash, as if due to some dissipating force, and vanishing into this space.

Clearly taken aback by this sight, Lu Luo paused.

Qi Xinzhu, nestled in Lu Luo's embrace, had expected him to kiss her. But when she didn't feel his lips after a moment, she found it a bit strange.

"Lu Luo?"

"Ah, sorry, I got distracted." Lu Luo pulled his hand back. He didn't know how to explain his current state to Qi Xinzhu. He began to doubt himself once more. Am I really still alive? Or am I already dead? If I'm still alive, why would my fingers turn to ash like this? If I'm dead, why do I still have consciousness?

"Let's go. We've rested enough."

"Okay."

Lu Luo stood up, intending to pull Qi Xinzhu up. But as soon as he exerted the slightest force with his palm, his entire arm felt as if it were about to snap. Lu Luo wasn't particularly surprised. He even sensed that if he continued to exert force like this, his arm would end up like his fingers. It would completely break off, then turn into embers and dust, dissipating into the air.

What was even more outrageous was that his attempt to pull Qi Xinzhu up hadn't even succeeded. His Constitution and strength were both as high as 200! This was a physique comparable to a Lord-level Exotic Species. How could such a physique fail to even pull up a delicate girl?

If Lu Luo had only felt weak before, now he was almost certain.

My strength... has disappeared!

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