Chapter 131 Sister Yi and Lost Memories
He Jianzhu's cold fingertips touched his forehead, and Xia Feng felt a stream of information pouring into his mind, slowly forming an imprint.
At the same time, his brain seemed to ignite with a sharp sting, and countless images flashed through his thoughts like fleeting slides.
"Xiao Feng!"
"Sister Yi, it hurts—don't pull my ears~"
"Tell me, where did you go to play this time?"
"I went to Sister Xue's house, didn't I tell you this morning?"
In the memory, a girl with a blurred face tugged unhappily at the little boy's ear.
Xia Feng's pupils dilated in shock. What is this? Why don't I remember this person from my childhood?
He recalled being adopted by a manor owner as a child, then later taken in by Wei Shutong around the age of fourteen. It was around that time his brain fully developed, awakening memories of his past life—and the realization that his heart was unusual.
But memories before fourteen… Xia Feng froze. He suddenly realized he had forgotten much of his childhood.
He only remembered living in a place called Willow Manor, where he was a naive kid who often played at Cha Naxue's house. Beyond that, his memories were veiled—the harder he tried to see, the thicker the fog became.
Whether it was the girl called Sister Yi or the owner of Willow Manor, their faces remained indistinct.
"Excuse me, you three~"
The man chuckled lightly. He Jianzhu didn't turn around, continuing to tap Xia Feng's brow with her fingertip. Xia Feng ignored him too, frowning as he strained to uncover the past buried deep within.
But an enigmatic force blocked him. Everything about Willow Manor lay hidden in the depths of his mind—the further he reached, the stronger the resistance, the sharper the pain.
"Tsk, I said—are you deaf?"
The pink-suited man's smile faded as the trio ignored him. His gaze turned icy, settling on the plain-skirted woman's back. He licked his lips and reached for her shoulder.
"Little beauty, show me your—"
"Really… annoying." A soft, weary sigh.
Hiss—
The man's forearm dropped to the ground, severed cleanly. Blood gushed from the fresh stump like a burst pipe.
He paused, stunned—then clutched his elbow and screamed.
Beside him, his three companions collapsed, heads detached, dead before they hit the dirt.
He Jianzhu turned slowly.
What the hell?! The pink-suited man's terror spiked. He glared up—then recoiled, scrambling backward in panic.
But as he leaped into the air, an invisible blade sliced his legs off mid-flight. Blood sprayed.
"AHHH!!" His shrieks tore through the sky.
Under the Spirit-Flesh Fruit Tree:
"Seems these lowlifes aren't afraid of us?" The bald man smirked down at the seven spirit masters below.
Someone scoffed. "Pathetic. They've given up."
Then—a bloodcurdling scream ripped through the air.
Everyone spun around.
Their boss—the pink-suited man—now had only one arm left, writhing on the grass like a terrified maggot. His face twisted in horror as he clawed at the dirt, screaming for help.
Twenty-odd young nobles stared, baffled.
"He—He Jianzhu! That's He Jianzhu!"
A panicked finger jabbed toward the distance.
"Damn it! How is she human again?!"
"RUN!"
The moment the words left his mouth, the speaker's limbs and head separated from his torso, collapsing into a heap.
Pandemonium erupted. The nobles scattered—but it was futile.
Wherever the plain-skirted woman's gentle gaze fell, bodies disassembled. A scarlet rain of limbs and heads showered from the sky.
"Art! This is art!" Yuan Zhoulu's crimson eyes gleamed as he marveled at the macabre downpour. "Is this the boss? Incredible!"
"Damn, sis—are we really just gonna clear this Nightmare Realm like this?" The remains muttered, awed. "The reward's a Seven-Eye Relic. Feels like cheating."
Relics—also called Divine Artifacts—were remnants of gods or near-divine beings. Upon death, fragments of their power materialized into objects with limited uses.
"Dream on, idiot." Yuan Zhoulu scoffed. "You think Divine Artifacts grow on trees? There's only one. And Nightmare Realms always have hidden conditions."
"AHHH—"
Screams continued to tear through the air.
"Sky God! Are you just watching?! DO SOMETHING!"
In their despair, they cursed, waiting for aid that never came.
The pink-suited man still squirmed in the grass, teeth gritted, howling helplessly.
"Sky God, I draft a—"
The naked, muscular man sat before a black-and-white piano, his fingers dancing across the keys like falling beads, playing a lively battle tune that grew increasingly intense.
When the song ended:
"I must say, humanity's artistic achievements far surpass those of the Malevolent Ones."
The naked man sighed appreciatively. "I quite enjoyed that piece. What's it called?"
"The War of Ants," Geng Gui answered lazily from where he leaned against the corner.
"An excellent title. I've always been fond of the word 'ant.'"
The naked man's solemn face softened with reminiscence. "Before the Unification War and the founding of the Imaginary King's Court, I was merely an ant myself."
"Fortunately, this world operates on the law of the jungle."
He smiled faintly and rose, walking to the palace's edge to gaze below the clouds. Curious, Geng Gui followed, standing beside the Sky God.
"I hear the cries of the weak... the pleas of ants."
Though the Sky God heard the desperate calls from the world below, he remained still. His calm voice held only mild puzzlement. "This strange woman, He Jianzhu... I didn't anticipate her regaining human form ahead of schedule."
"And that man... is unusual as well."
"What?" Geng Gui reacted slowly, blinking in surprise. "He Jianzhu recovered early? Aren't those noble children in danger down there?"
"They're not in danger—they're nearly extinct." The naked man's eye sockets flooded with inky blackness as he focused through the clouds, observing the carnage below with detached clarity.
"All dead?" Geng Gui showed no shock, instead curling his lips in gleeful contempt. "Good. Those useless nobles have annoyed me for ages."
Whoosh—
Space split open behind Geng Gui, revealing a towering crimson eyeball that rolled left and right before booming:
"This works. Since He Jianzhu has awakened prematurely, we'll capture her early. Sky God, do you require my assistance?"
The naked man glanced at Scarlet impassively. "Unnecessary. In her human form, He Jianzhu is no threat—just an ant."
BZZT!
The entire palace shuddered abruptly.
Geng Gui looked up, frowning. "What was that?"
The Sky God closed his eyes briefly. "A Venerable One is attacking Entrance No. 1."
"Likely the White Dragon Walker from the Shadow Dragon Legion," Geng Gui mused, chuckling. "Impatient fellow. Ignore him."
...
Outside Entrance No. 1
Four figures stood before a craggy mountain wall draped in ivy, its center housing a decayed wooden door. Above the frame, glowing silver letters read:
[Welcome to First Harmony Orphanage]
Three wore pitch-black military uniforms adorned with dragon motifs and tactical boots, watching their leader with resigned expressions.
The man at the front sported flip-flops, a vest, and blue-white beach pants, his shoulders draped in a pristine white military coat bearing a black-and-gold dragon emblem. His square jaw was shadowed with stubble, a cigar clamped between his teeth, exuding weary authority.
"Damn it!"
The middle-aged man raised his foot and kicked the wooden door with his flip-flop. The door didn't budge, but he refused to give up, continuing to kick with increasing force.
Each strike carried some form of power, making the palace within the Nightmare Realm tremble.
"You don't want me in, huh?!"
BANG! BANG! BANG!
His hairy legs hammered the door relentlessly.
"Kick your uncle to death!" The man seemed to relish the act, his foot moving faster and faster—BANG BANG BANG—without pause.
The three behind him facepalmed in unison.
"Master Walker… just let it go," a woman stepped forward, sighing. "The intel suggests this place is treacherous. Acting recklessly won't help."
A bespectacled man added gravely, "The forces here are deeply entrenched. Even if the disciples intervened, uprooting them would be near impossible."
BANG BANG BANG—
After a prolonged assault, the White Dragon Walker finally slowed, landing from his flurry of kicks with a grunt.
The woman exhaled in relief. "This Nightmare Realm is at least Seven-Eye tier—borderline Divine. Survivability is zero. Even as a Venerable, you'd risk being trapped indefinitely."
"Since the Nightmare Beasts inside refuse entry, forcing our way is pointless."
The uncle took a long drag from his cigar, squinting at the wooden plaque above the door. White smoke curled from his lips as he exhaled slowly.
"Besides, our primary mission in King's Landing is investigating the Peach Organization," the glasses-wearing man adjusted his frames. "Master Walker, we should focus on—"
"Persistence wears through resistance."
The Walker cracked his knuckles, stretching with a grin. "Tsk~ You won't let me in? Fine. I'll kick this shitty barrier for a month—see if it holds!"
His leg blurred into motion again, a relentless barrage of BANG BANG BANG shaking the door.
The trio behind him could only sigh, hands clamped over their faces.
(End of Chapter)