"Are you okay, Lu Luo?"

This was already the third time Qi Xinzhu had asked this question.

Was Lu Luo okay? He definitely wasn't. Lu Luo knew this very well himself, and Qi Xinzhu also understood it clearly. They remained silent, largely because their hearts struggled to accept certain realities.

But this time, Lu Luo chose not to conceal anything. After a moment of silence, he said, "My powers have completely vanished, and there seems to be some problem with my body."

Lu Luo then lifted his palm, which was missing two fingers.

Seeing Lu Luo's severed fingers, Qi Xinzhu quickly placed his palm against her chest. "Don't worry, I have a Healer. Such injuries can definitely be healed."

Am I lying to Lu Luo or to myself? Qi Xinzhu wondered. Ever since Lu Luo lay in the center of the Doomsday Disc, she had sensed that her Healer seemed to have repaired his body. Yet, the deathly stillness about Lu Luo showed no sign of improvement.

Qi Xinzhu didn't want to lose Lu Luo, so she had secretly resolved to take him with her.

"Husband, I'm going to take you away from here, away from the Inner Ring."

Seeing the determination on Qi Xinzhu's face, Lu Luo also showed a happy expression. Being cared for and protected truly was a very wonderful thing.

"Okay! Let's leave the Inner Ring."

The two stood up. Looking at the seemingly endless spatial passage, Lu Luo regained his confidence. It didn't matter if he no longer had his Sequence; it didn't matter if he had lost his powers.

If, just moments ago, Lu Luo had been unsure whether he was dead, now, he was almost certain.

He wasn't dead! Because of the Doomsday Disc, he hadn't died!

Although he had lost a lot of power, the connection between him and the Doomsday Disc seemed to have become even more intimate due to this battle. He could clearly feel the Doomsday Disc's existence. This was unlike before, when the Doomsday Disc had always been in a hazy, indistinct state.

Lu Luo let go of Qi Xinzhu's hand and put his nearly withered fingers together.

"Doomsday Disc, spin!"

Without the Observer, Lu Luo was trying for the first time to command the Doomsday Disc with his own strength and perception. The sensation was marvelous, like learning to walk for the first time—everything felt indistinct yet new.

But this sensation didn't last long, as the Doomsday Disc responded.

It began to spin, to twist. A beam of dark light descended from the sky, completely enveloping Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu.

Lu Luo didn't know what this power was, but he felt that it could take them away.

"Take us away, Disc!"

The Doomsday Disc beneath their feet started to rotate rapidly. Standing in the center of the Disc, Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu felt as if they were being dragged into some sort of energy storm. Their bodies began to contort with the violent surge of energy.

"Xinzhu, hold my hand."

"I know." Qi Xinzhu, standing with Lu Luo, also felt happy seeing him regain his confidence. They were still young, and they had many things to do. How could the man who would become the King of the Wasteland fall here?

"Healer!"

The light of the Healer and Holy Radiance enveloped them both. This was the protection Qi Xinzhu provided. Although she didn't know if it would be effective, at this moment, doing something was better than doing nothing at all.

"We're about to go."

"Yes, I'm ready."

Qi Xinzhu gave Lu Luo a sweet smile. In truth, as long as she could be with Lu Luo, safe and sound, it didn't really matter to her where they were or what kind of environment surrounded them. Living a happy and fulfilling life together was naturally a reason to be joyful. But if they were to endure hardships together, she believed that too would become a cherished memory. That was Qi Xinzhu's perspective.

"It will get better."

The space began to tear and collapse. Within this spatial passage, everything was instantly shredded, including Mo Fan's corpse, which had been left at its far end.

Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu were pulled together into the chaotic turbulence of space. Like two small sailboats adrift in a storm, they were at constant risk of capsizing.

At that moment, Lu Luo took the initiative to embrace Qi Xinzhu. If we're going to die, then dying together with the person I like is indeed something to be fortunate about. Unfortunately, Bai Yuetong and Han Shiyu would become widows.

CRACKLE!

The turbulent energies relentlessly scoured Lu Luo's body. Just when his ash-like form could no longer withstand the tearing force, a mysterious power pierced through the spatial passage, reaching out to them.

This power was very familiar to both Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu, a power Lu Luo even found somewhat irritating.

Because it was Holy Radiance!

The Holy Radiance guided Lu Luo, preventing him and Qi Xinzhu from losing their bearings in the spatial turbulence.

Eventually, they arrived at the edge of this space and plunged into a thin membrane wrapped in Holy Radiance.

They crashed heavily onto the ground.

The pain and the air around him made Lu Luo realize that he and Qi Xinzhu had finally escaped the spatial turbulence. They had arrived in the real world. However, they still had no idea where they were.

"Xinzhu, Xinzhu, are you still awake?" he asked.

"I'm here." Qi Xinzhu, groggily awakening, quickly grabbed Lu Luo's fingers, signaling her presence. At this time, she truly feared Lu Luo would succumb to despairing thoughts. They hadn't survived the spatial turbulence with such difficulty only to falter now; there was still so much to do.

Although the place was pitch-black, the feel of the air and the walls beside her assured Qi Xinzhu of one thing.

They had finally returned. She wept with joy.

"We're back!"

Lu Luo also nodded. It was too dark to see. He felt around and discovered they seemed to be trapped in a very cramped space. Walls surrounded them on all sides, and the two were crowded together, their bodies pressed close.

"Yes, we're back, but this place seems a bit... Mmmph!"

Lu Luo hadn't finished speaking when Qi Xinzhu hugged him tightly and began to kiss him passionately.

"Huff, huff! Wait, Xinzhu... Mmmph!"

Although Lu Luo felt it was very unreasonable to engage in such activities when they had yet to clear the crisis, he couldn't resist Qi Xinzhu's emotional outburst and stress release at this moment. The cramped, confining space ignited their passion like tinder to a flame. Plus, Lu Luo had no strength now, absolutely no way to resist Qi Xinzhu. So, he could only offer a show of resistance as Qi Xinzhu took the lead.

Hmm, how should I put it? It wasn't bad, actually.

「Much later.」

Lu Luo entered a contemplative mode, his mind finally clearing somewhat.

"Alright, alright, what needed to be done is done," he said. "We can now properly discuss where we are and how we're going to get out."

Qi Xinzhu did not speak, perhaps out of shyness, or maybe something else.

Without the Observer, Lu Luo couldn't even perform the most basic scan of their surroundings. The area was pitch-black; they needed to make a quick assessment to plan their next move.

Lu Luo rubbed his ring, thankful it was still there. He took out a Dark Energy lamp from it and turned it on, barely illuminating their surroundings.

Only then did Lu Luo realize that he and Qi Xinzhu were in a stone pit. Standing up, he could reach the steps above. After climbing up, Lu Luo confirmed that this was a stone passage. If he had to say what was special about this passage, it would probably be its walls. They were already filled with various sinister-looking runes and marks.

"If only the Observer were here." If the Observer were here, he might have been able to analyze what these runes and marks signified. But now, Lu Luo felt as helpless as a blind man. Though he often called the Observer useless, Lu Luo now keenly felt its absence.

Am I the useless one?

"Lu Luo, the Holy Radiance here is so rich!"

Qi Xinzhu looked at Lu Luo somewhat embarrassedly. The emotional outburst had come so suddenly. It felt like an uncontrollable desire. I just wanted it.

As a Transcendent, Qi Xinzhu considered herself quite rational most of the time. Even though she cared about Lu Luo a lot, under normal circumstances, she wouldn't act like this. She knew she had been influenced by the surroundings, but she couldn't identify the specific power affecting her.

"Lu Luo, I just..."

"Okay, okay, it's all in the past. Who doesn't have a (asterisk) craving every once in a while?" Lu Luo said nonchalantly. He thought what he said was true. Normal people have moments like that, isn't that perfectly normal? Men need to vent, and women do too. If neither of us do, what's to become of 'the girls' out there? So, Lu Luo was very understanding of Qi Xinzhu's behavior.

But as soon as he said this, Qi Xinzhu's face turned the color of eggplant.

What does he mean, an '(asterisk) craving'? I don't have any such thing! It was obviously the influence of the energy radiation here...

"Lu Luo, listen to my explanation."

"Alright, I get what you mean..."

"Hey, you rascal."

Qi Xinzhu, unable to argue with Lu Luo, had no choice but to resort to force. At this point, Lu Luo did not have the strength to resist. When Qi Xinzhu pinned him down, pressing his face into her ample chest, he felt a wave of mock despair.

"I can't breathe."

"Uh, I just..."

Qi Xinzhu still didn't manage to explain, as their attention was drawn to a light in the distance. That light came from the end of the corridor!

"Lu Luo, it's Holy Radiance."

"Yeah, I feel it."

The two stopped their playful antics. After everything that had just happened, their once-heavy hearts felt considerably lighter.

"Let's go check it out, see where exactly we are."

"Okay."

The two walked side by side. Lu Luo was very weak, so Qi Xinzhu needed to support him. He didn't let Qi Xinzhu carry him on her back. It wasn't that she couldn't, but rather Lu Luo himself had some psychological hang-ups about it.

They walked for a long time before finally reaching the end of the corridor. What glowed was a white stone door; this was the only place in the corridor that had light.

"This door..."

Qi Xinzhu tried pushing the door, but it didn't budge. She released Lu Luo's hand and began to channel her Holy Radiance, pushing with all her might against the door.

The door, still, did not respond.

"Strange. I clearly feel that it's calling us here."

What Qi Xinzhu referred to as a call, Lu Luo had felt it too. It was a very vague sensation. He could faintly sense that this might have something to do with the Doomsday Disc. Could the Holy Radiance calling to me be from the Dawn Disc?

Arriving at the Inner Ring and seeing the Dawn Disc had been one of my goals for coming here. Only, this trip to the Inner Ring has involved too many unexpected events. I was supposed to live my days in peace and stability. Things were still manageable with the Council, but after arriving at the Church, I found myself in constant conflict. Fighting so much has left me utterly drained. I'm suffering, too. After arriving at this strange place, I really don't want to fight anymore. In the battle with Mo Fan, I used up all the resources I had accumulated over a long time. The Disc's usage count has been depleted, and both my Sequence and strength have completely vanished. Now, I'm like a salted fish. I just want to find a safe place to lie down...

"Xinzhu, let me try," he said.

"Is that okay?" Qi Xinzhu wanted to say that Lu Luo was now completely powerless. How could he possibly move this door? But she feared that speaking this truth might hurt Lu Luo's pride, so she could only nod.

"Alright then. Be careful."

"Hey, don't say that. I'm not that useless yet."

Lu Luo pressed his palms against the white door. As soon as he touched it, the Holy Radiance on the door, as if finding an outlet, poured directly into his body through the cracks on his fingertips.

At that moment, Lu Luo truly felt the power of dawn! This power, in its essence, was full of vitality and light. The Holy Radiance gradually condensed within Lu Luo, acting like glue, reassembling his body, which had been on the verge of disintegration.

"This feeling... it's not bad at all."

Feeling a bit more strength than before, Lu Luo pushed against the white door once again. The white door, as if sensing Lu Luo's presence and welcoming his arrival, swung inward.

RUMBLE!

Lu Luo and Qi Xinzhu exchanged a glance.

"Lu Luo, you..."

"I don't know what's going on."

Holding the lantern, the two of them walked into the hall at the end of this passage. What caught their eyes were the lifelike murals on the walls.

"This mural looks like a lump of flesh. What does the writing say?"

Hearing Qi Xinzhu's question, Lu Luo was slightly stunned.

"You can't understand it?"

"You can?"

They looked at each other in amazement, but Qi Xinzhu immediately sensed something was amiss. "The writing, symbols, and marks on this are completely different from any known human language. Where did you learn to read this?"

Hearing Qi Xinzhu's question, Lu Luo was also slightly stunned.

Right, why can I understand these things? And so effortlessly? I've never learned these writings and symbols... so why do I instantly understand them upon seeing them?

"Forget it. It's best not to dwell on things I can't figure out. Otherwise, the few brain cells I have left will probably die off. That would be too much to bear."

Although the mural was very vivid, its main subject was a single entity: a monster. More precisely, it was a lump of flesh with tentacles.

[The Second Calamity, World Devourer - Xu.]

I have a strange feeling. I'm clearly human. But I always feel that this piece of flesh... looks quite similar to me...

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