Chapter 960: Chapter 716: The Swindler’s Victory (Part 2)
Imagine, in a confrontation between two sides, what would happen if you suddenly swapped the opponent’s key person into your own camp; in an ambush, what would happen if you suddenly exchanged places with the target into a trap; in a chase…
The tactical value of this Technique Spirit is immeasurable. Although Mercury Wooden Horse has never heard of this Technique Spirit, everything is possible in the Void Realm, especially since Igula is from another country. Perhaps this is the outcome of a magical achievement from another nation.
If we could obtain this Technique Spirit, it would be akin to gaining the combat power of a Holy Domain!
However, Igula sneered and said, “Such promises, more fragile than toilet paper, are best left unsaid.”
“Then hand over all your other Technique Spirits,” Mercury Wooden Horse immediately said, “If there’s something I want, I might be inclined to let you go in my delight.”
“Not all of them, at most I can give you just a portion.”
“Then tell me what Technique Spirits you have…”
Black Crow watched their negotiation quietly from the side, thankful for the cover of the Raven Mask, which concealed his astonishment from everyone.
In his view, it was Igula who was injured and sitting on the ground, while Gwen was standing!
Igula and Gwen hadn’t actually swapped positions at all!
The Swindler likely imposed some Illusion Technique Miracle on himself and Gwen, so in the eyes of others, he and Gwen appeared to switch positions in an instant. Yet, Black Crow wasn’t influenced by any direct Technique Spirits, and with such Spirit-influencing Miracles, he was nearly immune!
Black Crow was puzzled about why Igula would do this until he saw the latter secretly digging a hole in the earth wall barrier, behind which was the Fog Gate leading to the upper level—Igula intended to flee!
Indeed, with no hope left to defeat Mercury Wooden Horse, why not leave? From the beginning, Black Crow wished only he would die here, and Igula and Gwen were dragged into this by him, so their departure was justified.
Black Crow looked at Gwen, who was gradually approaching Mercury Wooden Horse, and pressed his lips tightly without a word.
He hadn’t expected Igula, to buy time for digging the tunnel, to turn Gwen into a bait to distract Mercury Wooden Horse.
But upon closer consideration, Black Crow couldn’t blame Igula. Gwen was their captive, and previously, she had been Mercury Wooden Horse’s vessel of evil, meant to die long ago in the Dead City. Igula and the others spared her life.
Igula using her as bait to earn a chance to survive for himself was what Gwen should do.
Yet, Black Crow’s mind was a chaotic mess, torn between wanting to kill Tanomu and Igula—didn’t Igula know why Gwen was willing to be bait for him!? Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel※fire.net
She usually said nothing, silently staying by his side, doing all the things he didn’t want to do, preparing everything he was too lazy to get ready. She was like an unobtrusive blade of grass, wanting only to be by his side, not needing a glance, just thriving in the sunshine he let slip.
But he couldn’t do anything, couldn’t say anything, could only silently watch events unfold because this was what Igula wanted and Gwen was willing to be.
“…Three three-winged Technique Spirits, that’s my limit.”
“Alright, deal.” Mercury Wooden Horse said pleasantly, “Hand over the Technique Spirits.”
Gwen looked at the black-feathered mages before her, her body trembling in fear. Suddenly, she pressed down on her wounded arm, took a deep breath, and unfolded her Void Wings to take flight.
She should have died long ago, during the Four Pillars God Sect’s invasion, during the time in the Dead City. All her life, she wandered in confusion, only knowing to obey the sect, to obey Mercury Wooden Horse, without knowing why she lived or died, living like livestock.
But at least this time, she chose how to live and how to die.
As livestock, she lived far too long; as a star, her brief brilliance was just right.
She unfurled her Void Wings and took flight, shouting according to Igula’s last command, “Black Crow, get ready—”
With Mercury Wooden Horse’s command, the black-feathered mages once again let loose the Thunder Water Arrow Rain! But their target wasn’t the ‘Igula’ flying mid-air, it was ‘Gwen’ who was digging a tunnel in the distance!
Even Black Crow noticed ‘Gwen’ digging, so how could Mercury Wooden Horse not see? But her thoughts differed greatly from Black Crow’s—as she believed, once the tunnel was ready, ‘Igula’ would swap positions with ‘Gwen’ to escape back to the upper level!
The negotiations with ‘Igula’ were merely to buy ‘Gwen’ time for digging!
Thus, apart from a small portion aimed at ‘Igula,’ the majority of the arrow rain surged towards ‘Gwen’! So that even after ‘Igula’ and ‘Gwen’ swapped places, the resulting barrage of arrows wouldn’t spare them!
In that split second,
Gwen thought she was the bait,
Black Crow thought Gwen was bait,
Mercury Wooden Horse also believed ‘Gwen’ was bait!
Even though the Spiritual Scream echoed through the hall, many Thunder Water Arrows still pierced through the figure beside the earth wall!
“Who are you attacking?”
Amid Igula’s mocking voice resonating in the hall, the black-feathered mages were horrified to discover, pierced by the Thunder Water Arrow Rain on the wall, bleeding profusely, coughing a mouthful of filthy blood, was none other than…
Mercury Wooden Horse!
The Swindler had swapped Gwen’s position with the Honorable Seat?
They had slain their Honorable Seat?
In that instant, the black-feathered mages released their weapons, knelt on the ground, as the room’s light seemed to dim, with overwhelming darkness engulfing their world.
Every black-feathered mage saw a Blood Crow pecking at their conscience.
Gwen watched the scene in shock, unharmed because the Holy Domain was protecting her.
It was Igula’s Holy Domain.
He used the Holy Domain to protect Gwen, while he bore the brunt of the Thunder Water Arrow Rain, an inevitable cost. Only this way would the black-feathered mages fully believe his crafted tale’s ending.
The story began when he and Gwen exchanged identities.
The Exchange Technique Spirit was the story’s core. He needed the black-feathered mages to believe he genuinely possessed a Technique Spirit capable of swapping two individuals’ positions, compelling him to create a chance to swap places with Gwen, like switching with her the moment before being injured.
Then, during the next injury, he only needed to disguise himself as Mercury Wooden Horse, making the black-feathered mages believe Igula exchanged places with Mercury Wooden Horse, leading them to harm their Master.
In any other place, this trick would be meaningless. But in the Ya Sha Jin Trial, Igula’s scheme could be deadly!
The guilt of killing Mercury Wooden Horse would crush the black-feathered mages’ mental defenses, utterly stripping them of combat capability! Three Holy Sanctuary Mages, unable even to maintain their Holy Domains!
Igula almost coughed blood as he shouted, “Tamasi!”
Before he spoke, Black Crow’s Dance of Death had already unfolded. Heads flew off, bodies collapsed, and blood sprayed everywhere; wherever the Harbinger Black Crow passed, people were mowed down like stalks!
Three Holy Sanctuary Mages.
Thirteen Two-winged Mages.
Twenty One-winged Mages.
In mere three seconds, Black Crow utterly destroyed Mercury Wooden Horse’s last assets. Throughout it all, Mercury Wooden Horse watched dumbfounded as if unable to comprehend or perhaps realizing her helplessness.
She looked up, seeing the shadow of Harbinger Black Crow looming over her.