Chapter 158: The Black-Eyed Boy

In the subterranean space.

"Oh, this little fellow looks rather amusing," Zhi said, watching the video of Mu You's battle. "That S-tier is a recent promotion, isn't she? So weak, heehee, but she has the fire attribute, which I like."

With that, Zhi licked his lips just like Mo Han, wearing an expression of eager anticipation.

"What realm has your Meridian-Severing Soul Insect reached? It's at the Monarch Insect stage, isn't it? What tier—low or intermediate?" Mo Han withdrew the light screen and looked at Zhi with utmost care.

"Father should know that I am a practitioner of true strength. No matter how formidable the Meridian-Severing Soul Insect might be, I still focus primarily on the cultivation of my physical vessel, so my full emphasis is on physical conditioning," Zhi said, his mouth splitting into a grin as he drooled.

"Work hard. In half a month, the Corpse-Fragrant Snow Lotus will transform into a lotus root. That is a peak S-tier medicinal material. When the time comes, Father will let you out once, and you can consume it. It will be immensely beneficial to your body."

"Yes, thank you, Father." Zhi gnawed on his fingernails and chuckled. As he watched his father's departing figure, Zhi raised his middle finger.

"The Meridian-Severing Soul Insects are divided into Male, Minister, Monarch, and Sovereign tiers. Both my male and female insects have reached the peak of the Sovereign tier. Just a single step remains before they evolve into the Insect Emperor and Insect Empress, yet you assumed they were merely at the Monarch Insect stage. Someone like me who pursues absolute perfection in strength—how could I possibly progress so slowly?"

Zhi muttered to himself, the faint trace of blood in his eyes beginning to dissipate.

"However, your timing is truly dreadful. My Sovereign Insects have already been implanted into Black-Eyed Child; otherwise, I nearly would have been exposed just now. Once the Meridian-Severing Soul Insects evolve to their ultimate form, I, too, shall play the role of a father—becoming my own father's father. Someone who pursues perfection as I do—how could I ever tolerate someone else acting as my father?! Even if I am your biological flesh and blood!!"

Zhi pressed his entire body flat against the ground, attentively sensing the distant combat, his legs crossing in a bizarre intertwining.

...

"Cough, cough..."

Mu You staggered to his feet, his gun-wielding arm completely fractured. Looking out over the charred expanse before him, he said calmly, "You lost."

The Princess was covered in festering sores, her machinery completely ruined. Staring blankly into the pitch-black void, she remained silent.

Mu You limped forward, using the Romantic Artillery to support his body as he approached the Princess. Gazing at her ulcerated form, he let out a helpless sigh.

She could no longer be saved.

"You won," the Princess finally spoke.

Mu You did not answer, still watching her calmly.

"Heh..." The Princess smiled despondently. "Forget it. Defeat is defeat. This S-tier Scorching Flame Artillery is yours. Combined with your SSS-tier Romantic Artillery, your Imperial Instrument might just evolve to the SSS tier."

With that, the Princess extracted the Imperial Instrument—the Scorching Flame Artillery—from within her body. Surprisingly, it too took the form of a sphere resembling both gold and jade. As it pressed against the chassis of the Romantic Artillery, it gradually melted into it.

"Legend has it that in ancient times, there was a composite Imperial Instrument whose rank exceeded the SSS tier. Later, to resist the catastrophe of sixteen years ago, it completely disintegrated, and its various constituent parts scattered, becoming the Imperial Instruments of today. At first, I thought this was merely a myth, but looking at it today, Imperial Instruments can indeed fuse with one another."

The Princess's voice grew fainter and fainter. Though her life was slipping away, she continued to engage in this trivial conversation.

"Are you leaving?" Ignoring the new Imperial Instrument in his hand, Mu You looked down at the robot at his feet, whose red warning light had dimmed to the utmost limit, sending a dull ache through his heart.

"Can I ask a favor of you?" the Princess inquired.

"Speak," Mu You replied.

"Cough, cough... C-can you be my friend? If you agree, then please kill me. In the end, I want to die at the hands of a friend."

Mu You's arm had already restored itself to its original state; the physical fortitude of a peak S-tier being caused his wounds to heal exponentially. Yet, the pain within his heart continued to tear open anew with every word the Princess spoke.

Mu You knew he had done nothing wrong, but the melancholy in his heart grew as thick as ink dropped in water.

"I'm sorry, I can't do that."

Mu You took a deep breath and said.

He could not do it. He could not be friends with someone he had killed with his own hands, and even less could he bring himself to end the life of someone who wished to be his friend.

"I'm sorry..."

Mu You closed his eyes and said once more with excruciating agony.

"Pardon the interruption, but the target is about to die, and I'm taking her away. Please step aside."

There was no sound of footsteps, no friction in the air, not even light to capture the arrival. Even the voice seemed to be a joint vibration of the entire space itself.

"Who is it?!"

Mu You raised the Romantic Artillery. At this moment, the Romantic Artillery had already been upgraded to the S-tier peak; all it needed was to absorb one more Imperial Instrument to break through to the S-tier Great Perfection.

"Forgive me, can you really not see me?"

Black-Eyed Child stood right in front of Mu You. She squatted down, carefully examining the Princess, and opened her mouth. A Meridian-Severing Soul Insect, shining with ninety-nine parts gold, crawled out, preparing to burrow into the Princess's body.

"What are you doing!" Mu You was startled. How had this person appeared right before him? What was she trying to do? Seeing that the Black-Eyed Child in front of him remained silent, Mu You raised the Romantic Artillery directly and fired at her.

Bang, bang, bang.

Clang, clang, clang.

The figure did not dodge, letting the bullets strike her body. Yet the moment the bullets reached her, they lost all momentum and crashed uselessly to the ground.

"You!" Mu You was horrified. Seeing the insect about to burrow into the Princess, he prepared to fire once more.

"You talk too much. Fall!"

At the stranger's single word, Mu You instantly felt as though a myriad of heavy mountains pressed down upon his entire body. He crashed violently to the ground, the gravity continuing to mount, rendering him increasingly unable to move.

The Black-Eyed Child hoisted the Princess over her shoulder and slowly stood up. Without even glancing at Mu You, who had been completely stripped of his combat capability, she turned and walked away.

"Heh, if we cannot be friends, then being acquaintances will do."

The Princess's mechanical gaze gave Mu You one final look before it finally went dark and extinguished. Simultaneously, a surge of S-tier soul power poured into Mu You's body, and the instant it merged into his soul sea, it burst forth directly.

And bursting forth along with it was Mu You's entire aura, which erupted wide open!

S-tier, breakthrough!

"Nine Tribulations Heavenly Phenomenon, Two Modes Giving Birth: Chaotic Primordial Spiritual Mother Breath."

Behind Mu You, nine pairs of wings abruptly manifested—the externalized spiritual power formed from nine strands of primordial force. Mu You soared straight up into the heavens with a deafening roar. Behind his nine pairs of wings, the phantom of a nine-colored demonic lotus hung across the sky. Heaven and earth dissolved into a primordial mist, dim and obscure, resembling the very dawn of creation and the origin of all things.

"Divine Edict: Creation Divine Lotus."

Mu You gazed at the person carrying away the Princess's corpse. For reasons unknown, the intent to kill in his heart was beyond compare.

"Put my friend down!!"