While Jing Yuan was lost in thought, Dan Heng had finished his preparations.
"This sanctuary, is but a vision... Break!"
Dan Heng moved.
Jingliu could feel the immense power radiating from him, but upon seeing the attack itself, she spoke.
"If this is all you've got—"
Even as she spoke, her entire focus was locked onto Dan Heng.
But in that instant—
Dan Heng suddenly appeared right in front of her.
And at the same time, part of the pink fluffy bunny in his hand had already pierced into the flesh of her shoulder.
She stared at the pink fluffy bunny, half-embedded in her body.
At that moment… it felt as if the bunny was mocking her.
"Surprised? This grandpa here can teleport!"
Jingliu felt like she was seeing things.
Since when could Dan Heng's weapon effects… taunt people?!
Meanwhile, Dan Heng, realizing that his strike hadn't seriously injured Jingliu, let out a breath of relief.
"Sorry, first time using this combat technique… My control isn't great yet."
He wasn't lying.
When he had launched that strike, he had fully expected to impale Jingliu straight through.
Fortunately, Dan Heng had an exceptional level of control, and Pei Guang's teleportation ability was absolutely reliable—wherever he wanted to teleport, he arrived without the slightest deviation. That was the only reason his attack hadn't seriously harmed Jingliu.
Jingliu: "I... lost? Hahaha! I lost!"
Jingliu had really lost.
The light in her eyes had dimmed, and pearls of tears were rolling down her face like they cost nothing. Of course, it wasn't that she wanted to cry—she simply couldn't control herself.
But strangely enough, this sudden outpouring of tears made her spirit surge sky-high. Jingliu found herself caught in a dilemma: should she cry, or should she not?
┗ | ｀O′ | ┛ Wuuuu~~
Then again, after so many instances of social death today, one more didn't really make a difference. If these tears could boost her spirit and help her resist the effects of Mara, then maybe this wasn't such a bad thing.
Watching Jingliu cry, Dan Heng fell silent.
He knew Pei Guang's effects were potent, but this was way too potent! That cold, detached aura of hers, paired with those tears—it was lethal. Completely irresistible, regardless of gender.
As long as one had emotions, they would all fall.
Jing Yuan, observing the scene, couldn't help but mutter, "Looking at this, I can't help but feel like you're some heartless bastard who toyed with her feelings, Dan Heng."
He was trying to lighten the mood, because this—this was an absolute disaster.
Dan Heng was still jabbing Jingliu's shoulder with that ridiculous pink fluffy bunny, while Jingliu just sat there, lost in thought, her red eyes brimming with grievance. And the way her tears kept falling… even Jing Yuan didn't know where to start commenting on this absurdity.
His biggest regret right now? Not having Pei Guang here. If he were around, he could have recorded this moment for eternity.
And just as the pink fluffy bunny continued poking Jingliu, as her tears continued falling, and as Jing Yuan's mind continued to wander—Blade, who had been killed by Jingliu and left unconscious, finally woke up.
Jingliu's sword was just as familiar as ever: so familiar that it actually brought Blade a rare sense of tranquility.
Not to brag, but the effect of this strike on him might have been even greater than Kafka's ability to suppress his Mara-struck state.
At the very least, Blade's mind felt incredibly clear right now, his whole body much more at ease.
So, lying on the ground, Blade silently climbed to his feet. And the moment he did—he witnessed a scene that completely crashed his brain.
Dan Heng had… made Jingliu cry? With a pink fluffy bunny???
Unforgivable!!!
…Wait, why was that unforgivable?
Blade's already not-so-sharp brain felt like it was about to overheat. His body, which had finally calmed down after getting slashed, was suddenly burning up again.
Mara: I CAN'T CONTROL MYSELF!!!
But thanks to Dan Heng, Blade had at least developed some psychological resilience. Plus, Silver Wolf had recently taught him a couple of tricks in casual conversation.
Recalling Silver Wolf's teachings, he took another look at the scene before him… then promptly lay back down and shut his eyes.
For the first time in a long while, he felt truly relaxed. Hugging his weapon close, he suddenly felt much more confident in himself.
He wasn't sure how much time had passed before he finally got up again.
By then, Jingliu's expression had returned to normal.
Turning his gaze toward a nearby table, he saw her sitting there, wearing an eyepatch, beckoning him over.
"You're awake. Come, have a drink. It's time for us to part ways."
Blade rose to his feet and glanced at her. "Your eyepatch… keep it on."
Jingliu smirked. "That's exactly why I'm wearing it now."
This battle had left her thoroughly disgusted by Dan Heng's pink fluffy bunny, but at the same time, it also made her realize something: her cute expression effect was absolutely vile.
Just imagining herself wearing that expression in battle and using it to finish off opponents… she felt a chill run down her spine on their behalf.
And then she thought about how all of their effects had come from Pei Guang.
At that moment, Jingliu made up her mind: she would never make an enemy of Pei Guang!
Just imagining Pei Guang using these effects in a fight against her made her feel like her "cute overload" syndrome was about to relapse.
Dan Heng: "Speaking of which, Jing Yuan, aren't you going to get a special effect too? You're the only one who doesn't have one. I happen to know Ah Guang has an unused one—it's a toilet plunger, though."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Blade and Jingliu, both completely still, were now picturing it.
Jing Yuan, wielding a toilet plunger.
And even more horrifying—imagining the Lighting Lord holding a toilet plunger instead of its usual weapon.
Just the thought of it made even Blade crack a smile.
Jing Yuan raised his drink and said, "Alright, alright. I'll talk to him when I get the chance. You all have one—I wouldn't want to be the odd one out, would I?"
With that, he downed his drink in one go.
Jingliu, meanwhile, turned to Dan Heng.
"Dan Heng, pass my thanks to this Nameless one. Thank him for letting me… for letting me experience this, even if just once. The past cannot be changed, but in him… I see the possibility of a different future."
Blade, too, looked at Dan Heng. "We'll leave it at this for now. But next time we meet… it'll be the day you die."
Dan Heng pulled out the pink fluffy bunny.
Blade immediately roared, "Fight me fair and square! Don't use that thing!"
Dan Heng: "Ah Guang gave it to me~ Why wouldn't I use it?"
Blade: "DAN HENG! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW PUNCHABLE YOU LOOK RIGHT NOW?!"
Dan Heng: "Oh, I know. I'm doing this on purpose. I want to see the frustration in your eyes when you think I deserve a beating but can't do anything about it."
Blade: "YOU'RE ASKING FOR IT!!!!!"