The Ethereal Domains

Chapter 413: You Have an Assistant!

You Have an Assistant! . . .

As Cha Eun Xiao invoked his Yin Yang Eyes martial art, a surge of exhilaration coursed through his dantian. An array of vibrant, colorful spiritual qi flowed upwards, flooding into his eyes in an instant. This dazzling qi emanated from the Heavenly Destined Tea and wrought an almost magical transformation. The haziness that had previously obscured his vision dissipated with astonishing speed.

Clear and unobstructed, his eyes now unveiled a remarkable sight concealed within the enigmatic gray fog. There, he beheld a young girl of utmost innocence, her eyes glistening like polished gemstones, her smile bright and her teeth as white as pearls. She watched him with a mixture of concern and curiosity, tucked away within the strange mist. When she cast her gaze upon Zhao Pingtian, it transformed into a look of profound tenderness, brimming with affection.

A delicate mole adorned her visage, resting charmingly in the center of her forehead, further accentuating her beauty.

Cha Eun Xiao stood awestruck by this unexpected revelation. [What in the world is happening?]

– Clang! –

Abruptly, Zhao Pingtian unsheathed his sword, and it moved through the air with the fluidity of a serene brook. The blade glimmered with an icy light as it was aimed squarely at Cha Eun Xiao. Zhao Pingtian, with a tone of weariness, spoke, "Feng Monarch, allowing oneself to become distracted in the midst of battle is a sure path to self-destruction. It is time to draw this battle to its conclusion, one way or another."

Yet Cha Eun Xiao's attention remained firmly fixed on the mysterious gray fog. The little girl within exuded an air of anxiety, and her gaze was laden with vulnerability and distress as she cast her eyes upon Zhao Pingtian.

Moved by her plight, Cha Eun Xiao quipped, "Zhao Pingtian, we are engaged in a duel. Why bring an assistant? Does that not tarnish your moniker as the 'killer king'?"

Zhao Pingtian, his eyes half-lidded, replied coolly, "I have always lived a solitary existence, with my sword as my sole companion. I've never had an assistant. Feng Monarch, your words are an affront."

With a sneer, Cha Eun Xiao continued, "No assistant? Do you take me for a blind man? That gentle and sweet girl, marked with a beauty mole on her forehead, is she not your companion?"

"The soft, sweet, gentle girl with a red beauty mole on her forehead, what is she then? Isn't she your girl?"

These words struck Zhao Pingtian like a bolt of lightning. The ever-resolute and collected assassin found himself overwhelmed by a rush of emotions. It was as though his world had been upended, and he was adrift in a sea of confusion. He could feel a whirlwind of sensations—dizziness, thirst, and nervousness—as he grappled with an inexplicable and complex mix of feelings. A sensation he had never experienced before coursed through his being.

He was no longer burdened by boredom, cold detachment, or the desire to embrace the void.

Instead, he stood there, transfixed, staring at Cha Eun Xiao for an extended moment before trembling. The sword he had once wielded fell from his grasp.

– Clang! –

A weapon that symbolized his very existence, his lifeline, had been relinquished without him even realizing it. Zhao Pingtian's gaze remained fixed on Cha Eun Xiao as he inquired with a quivering voice, "What... What did you say?"

In the enigmatic gray fog, the girl's gaze shot upwards, her astonishment evident. She opened her pretty mouth, her eyes reflecting disbelief. [He... He can see me?]

As for the bystanders, they were left entirely bewildered by the bizarre exchange unfolding before them.

[What is transpiring between them?]

Ji Mengzhang's outburst reverberated with anger, "Feng Monarch, a battle is a battle! What kind of trickery are you attempting? Why the mystery? You underestimate our senses. Do you believe we are blind? Can you think that you can deceive us?"

'You think we are all blind,' Ji Mengzhan's warning was implicitly directed at Zhao Pingtian. It was as if he were saying, 'We are here, watching intently. There's no one else with you! Just finish him already!'

The others joined in the chorus, their voices raised in protest. "Nonsense! We're all witnessing this clearly. He has no assistant!"

"Deceptive ploys, that shameless scoundrel!"

"Assistant? In broad daylight, under the clear sky? How do you expect us to believe such absurdities?"

"Merely stalling, trying to eke out a few extra breaths! Shameless tactics!"

...

Regardless of the clamor and the urgings, Zhao Pingtian seemed ensnared in a trance, his gaze locked onto Cha Eun Xiao, immobilized and bewildered. While to others, Cha Eun Xiao's words appeared absurd, they had the opposite effect on Zhao Pingtian, unleashing a maelstrom of emotions within him. He was on the verge of breaking down.

In that moment, he was the only person who comprehended the significance of the phrase, 'the soft, sweet, gentle girl with a red beauty mole on her forehead.'

Even if it were a chance occurrence, ordinary individuals would describe a girl with a mole, red or not. Such a coincidence ascribed an inexplicable depth to her qualities.

Though Cha Eun Xiao's knowledge about her was limited, it was more than enough.

"What now? You should confess to having an assistant! Even if it's a girl and can't do much, she's still on your side. Are you brave enough to deny it?" Cha Eun Xiao inquired, confronting Zhao Pingtian.

"No! I won't deny it! I confess!" Zhao Pingtian's voice quivered with urgency, and his eyes betrayed a sense of anguish. In his frantic plea, he asked, "Where is she? Where is she now?"

His tone bore the weight of a profound sentiment. What he was willing to divulge was akin to ripping his heart out, a testament to the feelings buried deep within.

He admitted to having a clandestine assistant, a claim bordering on the absurd, but he admitted it nonetheless. He was apprehensive that Cha Eun Xiao might withhold information about the girl's whereabouts.

Inside the grey fog, the girl trembled upon witnessing Zhao Pingtian's reaction, tears streaming down her cheeks. Yet, when the tears descended, they transformed into grey mist, merging with the enigmatic fog. She gazed intently at Zhao Pingtian, her heartbreak evident, capable of moving and captivating those who observed.

"Zhao Pingtian!" Ji Mengzhan interjected, his voice urgent. "In the martial world, we've ended countless lives. How can you place your trust in the words of such a liar? Act now! Finish him off! His lie will perish with his death! Don't listen to him! Don't sully your reputation!"

Zhao Pingtian retorted with an infuriated shout, "Shut up! You shut your mouth!" His eyes locked onto Ji Mengzhan with an intense and quivering glare. His facial muscles contorted, exhibiting signs of a convulsion. A fierce anger surged within him as he lowered his voice and threatened, "Ji Mengzhan, you wretch! Speak one more word to disrupt us, and I'll end your life! I will end it! Let my vanishing arse be the least of your concerns!"

With a fierce burst of potent killing qi, Zhao Pingtian's menacing words reverberated, the threat in his tone palpable and overwhelming.