An unprecedented pain and rage surged within her. Stelle could no longer control her emotions, rushing forward, trying to grab you! But you swayed, easily dodging Stelle's pounce. You no longer paid attention to Stelle, who was collapsing from betrayal, nor to March 7th, who was equally shocked.
You looked at Jing Yuan, a hint of fear flashing in your eyes, but more than that, an unconcealed coldness. "You thought that Huan Long was the true body?"
"Too naive."
"That was just bait to distract you."
As your words fell, an aura and pressure similar to that Huan Long clone, but even stronger and more evil, emanated from you! This seemingly ordinary black-haired youth's body, at this moment, displayed a terrifying power far beyond everyone's expectations!
You did not choose to clash head-on with Jing Yuan. Instead, you violently waved your hand, and the illusion instantly erupted. The entire Ambrosial Arbor root system space was instantly distorted and shattered like a kaleidoscope. Terrifying illusions appeared out of thin air, targeting everyone present, striking their deepest fears.
Jing Yuan saw his proud Divine General suddenly lose control, a huge and icy phantom turning its direction, launching a fatal backlash against him.
Dan Heng saw the bloody sins of the past materialize, countless Mara-Struck Revenants affected by the power of the Imbibitor Lunae, wailing and fluttering to him, wanting to drag him into the endless abyss.
As for Stelle and March 7th, they saw a sight that chilled them to the bone. The Astral Express disintegrated and exploded in the universe, turning into cosmic dust. Himeko, Welt, Pom-Pom… all companions on the train, lost their lives.
"No…!"
"Sister Himeko! Uncle Welt!"
Stelle and March 7th cried out loudly, the pupils in their eyes suddenly constricting, their bodies trembling from extreme fear. The entire space was instantly filled with despair and madness!
And you, standing in the center of these terrifying illusions, had a smile of almost pathological satisfaction on your face. You reveled in the extreme negative emotions emitted by these prey on the verge of mental collapse. The greenish-black Heliobus Fire danced joyfully within your body.
You are the true body of the Emanator of Destruction Huan Long. And this body named "Orion" is just a disguise you personally created to infiltrate the Astral Express and the Xianzhou. This plan of destruction, aimed at the Xianzhou and all who hinder your revenge, has only just begun.
[After an unknown amount of time…]
The illusion faded, and the cold reality instantly pierced Stelle's consciousness. Her body felt weak, feeling something wrapped around her, fixing her firmly to a cold pillar. Her vision gradually cleared, and she found herself tightly bound, unable to even move her fingertips. She subconsciously searched for the figure that could make her feel safe.
"Ori…" The name almost slipped out. But suddenly, she froze.
No, that's not Orion! The pain in her heart was even greater than the physical restraint, like being stirred with a blunt knife through flesh and blood.
Suddenly, a voice sounded at the right time, with a familiar tone: "Even like this, you still can't forget me?"
Stelle suddenly looked beside her. She saw the black-haired, black-eyed youth, that face which was once gentle and handsome in her eyes, now bore an indescribable mockery, appearing so strange and terrifying in her eyes.
"You, what did you do?!" Stelle asked hoarsely, "March 7th… Where's Dan Heng?!"
"If anything happens to them, I…"
You didn't speak, but just extended a finger, gently touching her lips, making a shushing motion, signaling her to be quiet. Then, you slowly pointed behind you.
Stelle trembled, turning her head to look in that direction. There, she saw March 7th and Dan Heng, similarly bound to pillars by invisible ropes, unconscious. Their faces were pale, their bodies limply hanging, clearly also having suffered the torment of mental attack.
"You… what exactly do you want to do?!" Stelle looked at you, squeezing out that name through gritted teeth, "Huan Long!"
Hearing this, a smirk curled at your lips. Oh? As expected of the Trailblazer, you guessed my true body so quickly. You originally wanted to tease her a few more times, to enjoy the prey's desperate expression, but seeing the mixed pain and anger in her eyes, you finally just said indifferently:
"Hmm… just revenge."
"Revenge?" Stelle was puzzled, revenge? Is it related to the Xianzhou?
You saw her confusion, and inexplicably, began to tell her about your past. The origin of the Heliobus, the thousand years of imprisonment by the Xianzhou Alliance, that dark and sunless experience. The difficult survival after escaping, the lonely search for a host in the vast universe, until falling into the "War Furnace" filled with Antimatter flames. The slaughter and Devour in the War Furnace, and finally being chosen by the Aeon of Destruction Nanook, becoming an Emanator of Destruction.
Your tone was calm, without any drastic fluctuations, but the pain, humiliation, and deep-seated hatred contained within it were like a cold current, solidifying the surrounding air.
Stelle listened in silence, her expression gradually becoming complex. She couldn't fully empathize with the despair of being imprisoned for a thousand years, but she could understand the root of the pain, that bone-deep hatred.
"Huan Long," she spoke with difficulty, her throat somewhat dry, "Although I can't fully empathize with everything you've experienced, I understand your pain."
"The Xianzhou indeed did you wrong. But…"
"Stop." You immediately interrupted her, "Don't say 'but'."
"A thousand years of enmity, a revenge planned for thousands of years, nothing you say will be useful."
Stelle fell silent again, countless reasons to persuade you flashing through her mind. Using the bond of companions? Using the beliefs of the Trailblazers? Using the future of the universe? But every thought seemed pale and powerless before your dark eyes. She understood your hatred, but she couldn't agree with your methods, and even more, she couldn't accept your harm to her companions.
Just then, a huge tremor suddenly came! Accompanied by a roar, the entire space seemed to be shaking. Stelle suddenly looked up, realizing she was bound to the edge of a high platform, below which was the massive hull of the Xianzhou Luofu. She saw the giant Huan Long, your clone, now brandishing a giant fan, wantonly destroying the streets and buildings of Luofu. A huge shadow was cast, engulfing the city below, like the end of the world arriving.
"Huan Long," Stelle asked in astonishment, "Are you going to destroy Luofu?!"
You looked at the chaos below, a smile that Stelle found incredibly pathological appearing on your face.
"Destroy Luofu?"
"No, that's too simple."