In his moment of defeat, Jia Sha relied on a bit of inspiration to find Zi Di’s flaw, allowing Zhen Jin to finally see her true intentions.
“I didn’t expect that a deadly viper was hiding at my side!”
“You wretched girl, you unexpectedly wanted to harm my life!”
Zhen Jin’s fright and anger mixed as he stabbed Zi Di with Silver Lightning.
At that crucial moment, Jia Sha cried out in alarm, preserving Zi Di’s life
“I don’t have enough divine power, with just myself, I can’t seize authority. But my spirit has always been entangled with Zi Di’s spiritual power. Her spirit received the tower spirit’s approval, I can adjust my spirit and pretend to be her. Only by doing this, can I control teleportation privileges and the like.”
“Of course, If Miss Zi Di coordinates with me, it would be the best outcome.”
Zi Di obstinately resisted, causing Jia Sha to malevolently shout: “Torment her for me, ruthlessly torture her!”
Zhen Jin kicked Zi Di down.
Silver Lightning thrusted down repeatedly, stabbing and breaking Zi Di’s limbs.
The tremendous pain made Zi Di’s body twitch, and she soon lay in a pool of her own blood.
Zhen Jin was a proficient martial artist, and even more skilled at torture. He understood the human body and how much pain Zi Di could sustain, for the moment, it wouldn’t kill her.
The pain interfered with Zi Di’s spirit, and she was no longer Jia Sha’s opponent as she was routed again and again.
Zhen Jin continued to torture the girl and wished he could flay her.
“You dare fool me, deceive me!”
“Who do you think you are? As a merchant daughter, it is a great blessing and opportunity to marry me!”
“You went as far as to fall in love with a body double and abandon me?!”
“Ahehehe, hahaha! As expected, dregs are dregs, they are best kept under the table.”
Zhen Jin constantly roared.
Zi Di lacked the strength to open her eyes.
Yet she still breathed.
“Beg for forgiveness, beg for forgiveness!”
“As long as you beseech me, I will stab you less, hahaha!”
However, Zi Di never planned on surrendering.
Even though she was too weak to resist, despite being trampled on and miserably sinking in her own blood, she never said a word and never intended on compromising or begging for forgiveness.
This made Zhen Jin angrier and Jia Sha somewhat restless.
“What’s going on?”
Despite the priest quickly seizing authority, he still felt Zi Di’s spirit withdrawing to a corner and tenaciously resist him.
Zhen Jin’s callous and sinister torture methods also chilled Jia Sha’s heart.
“With her injuries, she should be unconscious already.”
“No, to be more precise, she is already unconscious. But why?”
“Even though she is unconscious, why hasn’t her spirit been defeated yet?”
“How is she persisting?”
“How is she persisting? Don’t tell me she still feels hope?”
Uncertainty expanded in the priest’s heart and he quickly examined the entire situation.
On the fourth floor, he already controlled the situation. Zhen Jin and the four guardian templar knights were on his side, and although he nearly died by Zi Di’s hands, she had been utterly defeated.
On the third floor, chaotic lightning occasionally fell, only the area near the bloodcore was safe. Zong Ge, Cang Xu, and the others received Zi Di’s warning and crowded around the bloodcore, they didn’t dare to walk out lest they get struck by lightning like the body double.
On the second and first floor, as well as outside the tower, there were many artificial magic beasts. These magic beasts were fighting each other, and the scene was already bloody and disorderly.
Far away, in the lava battlefield, the seal on the flame dragon king was close to being destroyed.
Jia Sha couldn’t find the source of his heart’s uncertainty.
“Could it be that just before I succeed, I am instead worrying about personal gains and losses?”
Darkness.
A deep darkness.
After a beast roared, a youngster consciousness converged here again.
“Where?”
“What is this place?”
“Where am I?”
As the youngster’s mind grew clearer, he began to inquire.
An infinite and silent darkness enveloped him, there was no response.
The youngster’s hope decreased, he examined himself, but couldn’t find anything.
Bewilderment inevitably grew in his heart.
“So, who am I?”
“Who am I?”
Following this doubt, scenes suddenly came to the youngster.
A jungle riverside.
A purple eyed girl with impatience across her face: “You’re Zhen Jin, you are Baron Zhen Jin. My goodness, your Lordship, have you forgotten your own identity?”
“Zhen Jin, I am Zhen Jin? Why do I not remember anything?”
The girl replied: “Lord, we suffered a shipwreck a few days ago. There had been a violent storm, the ship capsized, and the survivors fled to this island…..
……
Night, next to a bonfire.
After careful consideration, Zi Di responded: “Lord Zhen Jin, I do not know much about you.”
“But based on the rumors, your Lordship was not close to women and was a loner. Even when something big happened you do not show emotions.”
“You spent most of your time at the temple as a serious and silent ascetic. Also, your food, your clothing, and even your every move was elegant and calm like a rich noble.”
“Although you had few friends you were very helpful, protected the weak, and helped the poor. The lower class admired you my Lord.”
“My Lord, when you suddenly moved your hand and successfully entered the White Sands City Lord’s competition you surprised the other templars.”
……
In a sultry cave.
A templar knight was charging to meet death.
After the bitter fight, the monkey tail brown bear died, and the youngster collapsed to the ground.
“Hehehe……” Looking at the huge bear corpse, he produced a weak laughter until his breath dissipated.
……
In the spider forest, Huang Zao cried for help.
The youngster and the girl discussed: “You are not wrong. But you have forgotten the most important point.”
Zi Di’s smile instantly vanished; she lowered her head: “Instruct me my Lord.”
“I am a templar knight, a knight amongst knights, it is my creed to assist the weak and to save the dying! Even in times of distress, I will not abandon my companions.” The youngster’s powerful words echoed in the tranquil forest.
For a moment Zi Di looked at the youngster blankly, then she smiled: “My Lord, I understand.”
……
Lan Zao and Huang Zao relied on Cang Xu to help them.
The youngster looked around, and with his body straight as a spear, his calm voice reached everyone’s ears.
“The light of the temple will cover every inch of land. The banner of the empire will shelter every person of the empire. Follow me and I will lead you all out of here alive.”
“Yes my Lord!” Everyone responded in unison as they half-knelt one after the other.
……
Lan Zao exclaimed from the bottom of his heart: “Master, you truly have formidable strength!”
“Lord Zhen Jin, your talent is amazing. Your bravery and accomplishments will certainly be praised far and wide.” Cang Xu also said.
……
“My Lord, as long as we have you here, there is absolutely nothing to fear! You are a knight, a templar knight! This time you are the one that saved us.” Bai Ya emotionally yelled and broke the silence.
“Master, we brothers have pledged our lives to follow you, regardless of when or where, no matter if even the sky falls to the ground.” Lan Zao also expressed his loyalty.
……
“This is truly worthy of being the Bai Zhen bloodline! In terms of accuracy, the Bai Zhen bloodline is strong enough to be ranked in the top five in all of the Shen Ming Continent. Lord Zhen Jin, you are the Bai Zhen Clan’s hope and are sure to bring back the entire clan into glory.
……
The exploration team exhausted their food and was in imminent peril.
Only by successfully hunting a flying squirrel group could they have a reprieve from death.
The battlefield.
The youngster shouted: “Today, if we defeat them, they will be our food. If we lose, we will be their food.”
“I, Zhen Jin, as a templar knight and the sole heir of the Bai Zhen Clan, will be with you all. I will lead you all in overcoming this dangerous obstacle and reaping victory. Follow me to glory!”
……
In the desert, the youngster charged out and led everyone in breaking through the lizard group’s encirclement.
“I have said that I will not abandon anyone.” The youngster said without hesitation. “Bai Ya is no exception!”
“My Lord!!” In Bai Ya’s most desperate hour, seeing Zhen Jin come to him had moved him greatly. He gratefully looked at Zhen Jin with admiration, respect, and affection.
Carrying Bai Ya, the youngster once again killed his way back and succeeded in converging with the others.
“Follow me closely out of here.” The youngster flatly said as he charged ahead once again.
“Yes my Lord!” Everyone echoed together as their morale increased sharply.
……
After breaking away from the scorpion group, the youngster returned to the desert, only four people were left now.
“I already said that I would do all I can to save everyone and would never abandon a single man. This is my promise and also my responsibility.” The youngster said to Zi Di and Cang Xu.
“My Lord, your noble character is like a bright star in the darkness of the night sky! Cang Xu lamented internally, “You are a paragon among the templar knights.”
……
In the oasis, Bai Ya regain consciousness.
With red eyes and hot tears, he emotionally said: “Lord Zhen Jin, I know you have carried me all this way. You are a noble templar knight, yet you bravely risked your life to save such a lowly person. Lord Zi Di and Scholar Cang Xu informed me that you also gave me precious water to drink.”
“Assisting the weak and saving the good is in itself a part of the templar knight creed.” The youngster smiled.
……
“Lord Zhen Jin, you are indeed amazing! You are young yet you have the power of the spirit. Compared to the storm sword spirit, you have a more outstanding bloodline. Among the templar knights, you are the most extraordinary. I am indeed honored that I could meet and follow your Lordship!” Bai Ya’s heart lamented.
Cang Xu laughed and said with positivity: “Lord Zhen Jin’s innate skill is extraordinary; it is absolute that his future is even brighter than the storm sword saint’s. But the thing I admire most about you Lord Zhen Jin is your moral character. With you, the Bai Zhen Clan will surely rise once more.
……
Meeting and confronting Zong Ge for the first time.
The youngster immediately grabbed his sword hilt, his brows deeply wrinkled, his complexion sunk, his gaze became as chilly as ice, and he growled: “Zong Ge, pay attention to your words! You have the audacity to scorn the gods! My body sustains the gaze of Emperor Sheng Ming, this is the blessing of the gods. Divine spells are the gods giving more favor, they are not something to show off or used to proof status. Apologize to me at once! If not, you invite a templar knight’s fury!”
……
“Come, we are returning to camp together.” The youngster took the initiative to invite Zong Ge and the others.
“We were all on the same ship, and we were all victims of the shipwreck.”
“We come from many places and we have different identities, but here, we are all impoverished victims on this island that want to escape.”
“Our objective is the same. We must unite together, any doubts, coldness, hatred, opposition, and other ill feelings will make our cooperation difficult, thus lessening the chance of our escape from this place.”
“I am the templar knight Zhen Jin. This is my promise to everyone, I will treat everyone fairly, regardless of their background, race, or bloodline. I will also punish criminals and the culprits; no crime will evade my retribution. I will do my best to fight on the frontlines and lead everyone together in the hope of rescue.”
……
After the camp battle, the youngster, Zong Ge, Tripleblade, and Lan Zao pursued the escaping magic beast corps together.
The half beastman was startled by the youngster’s appearance, after a long time, he opened his mouth and used a tone laced with confusion, exasperation, and a trace of indignation: “Hey, Zhen Jin, is a youngster like you really……a divine scion knight?”
“A divine scion knights?” The youngster’s nice looking brows perked up, “I am a divine scion knight? Can I be considered one? I don’t understand.”
……
In the ravine, the youngster’s team finally converged with the larger group.
Lan Zao stood on the second highest rock and loudly proclaimed: “Listen with open ears! What stands before you is my master——Lord Zhen Jin. He is the Bai Zhen Clan’s sole heir, a noble templar divine scion knight, and White Sand City’s inevitable future lord!”
The youngster proclaimed: “Regardless of whether it is the mountains, ocean, swamps, or island, my master’s holy light shines over it all. The imperial flag flies eternally in the wind and will never fall!”
“Nothing can obstruct my path. I will gain glory, and by following me, it will be your glory too.”
“Beginning now, this place follows my commands.”
“Any objections?”
……
As the new ship was being built, the ravine was constantly attacked by magic beast corps.
The youngster raised his voice slightly: “Everyone has a place on this ship, no one will be left behind.”
“In other words, we are all in the same boat.”
“I know, differences exist between us.”
“There are all kinds of differences between our statuses, bloodlines, appearances, and temperaments.”
“But these differences should not become doubts, antagonistic, or reasons for internal conflict. We must tightly unite, only by doing so can we have the greatest chance of escaping.”
“We are all……one of us!”
Against his expectations, his impromptu speech won everyone’s acclaim.
……
Bai Ya’s unconsciousness attacked the youngster.
In the corridor, Zi Di threw herself into his arms.
My Lord!” She embraced the young knight and tightly hugged him, “Lord Zhen Jin, you are absolutely qualified, no, you are an outstanding leader. You are a knight, my……knight, please don’t doubt yourself.”
……
The ravine collapsed, the new ship couldn’t sail, and an earthquake, in the blink of an eye, formed a new river.
“Just now, Emperor Sheng Ming illuminated me!” The youngster pointed at the river.
Everyone blankly stared.
“Could it be, did Emperor Sheng Ming make this river?”
“It's no wonder no one died.”
“The gods have insurmountable willpower!”
“Divine scion knight……” Cang Xu deeply bowed to Zhen Jin, and sighed endlessly, “Perhaps this is your heroic journey. My Lord Zhen Jin!”
Almost everyone’s scalp felt somewhat numb.
They seemed to feel they were witnessing history!
This was a heroic epic!
……
In the darkness, the youngster’s consciousness condensed and came close to forming.
“So, I am Zhen Jin.”
“I am a noble, a knight, and a hero!”
Suddenly, the youngster’s consciousness became chaotic.
After killing the monkey tail brown bear, he recuperated in the cave. The fear of dying made him pray, confess, and appeal to Emperor Sheng Ming for pity.
No response.
During the exploration team food shortage, hunting the flying squirrel group was very risky. Helplessly pacing back and forth, he prayed to Emperor Sheng Ming.
No response.
When killing the flying squirrels, the youngster prayed silently.
No response.
Trapped in the desert, the youngster helpless prayed to Emperor Sheng Ming.
No response.
When helping Lan Zao in the oasis, the youngster sank into self-doubt and appealed to the gods.
No response.
During the camp battle, the youngster deliberately prayed aloud to deceive his comrades.
Because the gods never responded.
When the beastification secret was nearly exposed, the youngster prayed.
Suspecting the bloodcore was leading him astray and engrossing him in the lust for power, the youngster prayed.
After the ravine collapsed, his companions beastified, and he was trapped in desperate straits, the youngster prayed.
No response.
No response.
No response!
……
In the spider forest.
“This, what is this?!” His hands transformed and killed the blade spider leader.
During the flying squirrel hunt.
His arms grew dramatically, allowing him to kill the iron level flying squirrel chieftain with a throwing dagger: “How can I have a blood red magic crystal in my heart?!”
The volcanic area.
He killed the spear scorpion leader and routed the rest: “My carapace. My tail. Oh, I can actively control the magic crystal now!!”
Outside the small ravine.
As a man slaughtered a magic beast corps, the youngster completely transformed into a monster and was content with himself: “Hahaha, even if there are more magic beast corps, how can they take me?”
……
Rain shrouded a training ground.
Qing Kui stomped on a youngster’s head, after humiliating him, he swaggered off with the other youths.
“Strange, I feel calm as if I am a bystander.” This humiliating memory now reappeared in his heart, but it didn’t produce anger or hostility in him.
……
After fighting the monkey tail brown bear, the youngster teetered between life and death.
Zi Di happily said: “My Lord, your body is great. It is actually astounding. This kind of body essence is absolutely not at the silver level.”
……
He discovered a camp being attacked by bat monkeys.
“My Lord……this camp seems like something I would set up.” Zi Di’s declaration was unexpected.
“Did you come here?” The youngster blankly stared.
Zi Di shook her head.
“I led the others through the rainforest to find you my Lord. Your Lordship was in a coma and could not wake up. I decided to build a camp nearby. I planned to heal you there and cure you as early as possible.”
Speaking of this, Zi Di once again looked at the camp and nodded with confirmation: “Not bad. I have a deep impression of this wooden house and camp. In order to keep your Lordship safe and to have a suitable place for medical treatment, I wanted to stay there for a while.”
Bai Ya was amazed: “How is this camp here……ah, I know, teleportation!”
As the one who lifted the siege and beat back the beast groups, the youngster granted an interview to Mu Ban.
“Yes Lord Zhen Jin, I designed this rapid fire crossbow.”
“What does this 8 stand for?” The youngster pointed at the arrow box, “Is this your eighth work?”
Mu Ban shook his head: “No. The lumber used to make the rapid fire crossbow was from the highest quality wood I could find around camp. The lumber had the 8 written on it.
The underground alchemy factory.
In the plaza, there were many small and large boxes. The large boxes were bigger than a gigantic lava turtle, while the smallest box was three meters long, two meters wide, and one meter tall.
The boxes seemed to be made of iron, however they were in fact made from a type of iron wood.
Em-096Sg-734ID5D-VR-862
The iron wood boxes also had red paint on their surfaces that displayed letters and numbers such as: Em-096, Sg-734, ID5D-VR-862, and so on.
……
The control hub.
The youngster sensed a call.
“Why is this hidden thing calling to me?”
“Why does the control hub seem somewhat familiar?”
“Don’t tell me I have been here before?”
“Impossible, how could I come to this place?”
When he entered the third floor, he discovered a second blood red magic crystal.
“War Merchant also has a core!”
“Did he make this core?”
“He put it on the third floor, that must mean he feels its value exceeds that of the Green Jade Golden Coffin and the Mermaid Fairy Tale!”
“But why am I attracted so strongly to it?”
Inside the youngster’s heart, strange red lights emitted from the core, and each flash of light seemed to shout to Zhen Jin: “Eat it! Eat it! Absorb it now!!”
……
Jia Sha sighed: “Divine artifacts cannot be misused; they are too important. The tower spirit was wounded too heavily, it was not my opponent. I will succeed soon. After the teleportation door is formed, we will teleport the two divine artifacts first.”
This proposal was resolutely vetoed by the youngster: “No, teleport the people first, then the divine artifacts!”
Jia Sha was impatient, and he promptly roared at the lower floor, “Zhen Jin! Go up and do your best. I know your misgivings, those are unimportant! Be at ease, with me, I will purify everything in you.”
The youngster hesitated, soon after he clenched his teeth and charged.
He charged towards the fourth floor’s stairs.
“Stop!”
“Zhen Jin, what are you doing?”
“If you don’t stop, you will suffer the consequences!”
The youngster turned a deaf ear and sped up.
Kakaka!
A few lightning bolts fell and struck the youngster, killing him on the spot.
……
In the darkness, the youngster’s consciousness suddenly stabilized.
He recalled everything.
“So, I am not Zhen Jin……”
The next moment, he slowly got up and opened his eyes.
Notes
It's rewind time, also known as the chapter that forced me to scan through the work I’ve been doing over the last year. Death seems to be a minor inconvenience to 866, for because of War Merchant’s designs, it seems he can come back to life. Too bad War Merchant never got any field data from 866, because he could have really used that when a spear stabbed into his back. Of course, the spear’s powers might have sucked out all of the magic and killed him anyways, just goes to show learning from the Prometheus school of running away from things is a bad idea.