TDU Chapter 533
Chapter 533 New Mark
{Celestial Horse} crossed the hundred meters in just a few strides and arrived before them, just in time to see Qian Five emerge from the prison.
“Oh my, {Conjoined Identity Bloom}, is it?” {Celestial Horse} came to a stop and thumped her lower back with a hand. “I’m old now, past my prime. I nearly arrived late…”
“You’re not late,” Qian Five replied evenly. “Your timing is perfect.”
“Then…” {Celestial Horse} glanced at the two young men standing behind Qian Five and smiled pleasantly as she spoke. "Yesterday's agreement should be in effect now, yes? Either you hand them over, or I activate {Celestial Horse’s Hour}. Between those two men, who exactly is the one with the {massive Reverberation}?”
Qian Five reached into his pocket and took out a battered cigarette case, slipping a cigarette between his lips. Luo Eleven stepped forward and lit it for him.
“Celestial Horse.” Qian Five exhaled a cloud of smoke and gave a cold chuckle. “There’s no chance I’m handing anyone over. So tell me, when is {Celestial Horse’s Hour} coming?”
“What?” Celestial Horse froze slightly, the feeling of being toyed with rising in her chest. “{Conjoined Identity Bloom}, you’re not playing games with me, are you? Do you have any idea how many people across the entire {End Point} would die if I were to activate {Celestial Horse’s Hour}?”
“Oh, all too well.” With the cigarette still between his lips, Qian Five slid both hands into his pockets and advanced a few slow steps, stopping within arm’s reach of her. “Celestial Horse, have you considered this? That {massive Reverberation} may not have awakened yet. If you activate {Celestial Horse’s Hour} now, there’s a chance you’ll sweep him up in it.”
“Wouldn’t that be ideal?” The wrinkles on Celestial Horse’s face gradually smoothed as she broke into an unsightly smile. “If he dares to trigger his {Reverberation} during {Celestial Horse’s Hour}, I will appear before him at once and take him to meet {Celestial Dragon}. That way, my task shall be complete.”
“I see…” Qian Five nodded thoughtfully and took another deliberate step forward.
Watching from a distance, Qi Xia’s tension was mounting. Qian Five was close enough to seize Celestial Horse, yet he did not move immediately. Clearly, he was wary of something.
It made sense, if he failed to secure her in the first instant, attempting to kill her afterward would be nothing short of a fantasy.
“Qian Five, in that case, our agreement has fallen through,” Celestial Horse said with a resigned shake of her head. Though she appeared to be an ordinary elderly woman, her words carried a chill that made the spine stiffen. “Since you failed to value this opportunity, I will have no choice but to unleash a full-scale slaughter.”
“By all means.” Qian Five nodded. “Unleash it.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, he expelled the cigarette from between his lips with sudden force, aiming it straight toward Celestial Horse’s face. A burst of heat washed over her, and her eyes instinctively snapped shut for a fraction of a second.
In that instant, and sensing the situation had turned, Celestial Horse instinctively reached for Celestial Tiger. But just as her aged hand was about to make contact, Qiu Twenty’s brows furrowed, and a violent wind erupted around them.
The sudden chaos left Celestial Horse momentarily disoriented. In that fleeting hesitation, Qian Five stepped forward and gripped her wrist with merciless strength.
At that very moment, a tremendous tolling of bells rolled in from afar. {Conjoined Identity Bloom} no longer suppressed its {Reverberation} and was unleashed completely.
“Now!!” Qian Five shouted.
From behind him, Luo Eleven and Chou Twenty drew their daggers simultaneously. One aimed at Qian Five’s heart from behind, the other at the carotid on his left side, and both stabbed decisively.
Their gazes were resolute and unflinching. Any onlooker would have thought they were killing a sworn enemy.
They knew that whoever managed to pierce Qian Five would drag Celestial Horse to her death along with him.
This marked the {participants}’ first act of true defiance against the {Earthly Branches}.
Yet, just as their blades were a mere centimeter from Qian Five, an instant gust of wind, far stronger than Qiu Twenty’s, erupted. The force was so fierce that it sent everyone staggering, bodies thrown off balance.
Even Celestial Horse and Celestial Tiger struggled to maintain their footing.
Qi Xia furrowed his brows at this scene. Their plan had failed.
The difference between {Celestial-grade} and {Mortal-grade} treatment was vast. A {Sacred Guardian} would never wait for a {Celestial-grade} being to be entirely slain before appearing; they strike the moment they sense lethal intent.
When the fierce wind finally subsided, Qian Five, Luo Eleven, and Qiu Twenty rose to their feet, only to realize that between them and Celestial Horse stood a woman with hair flowing to the ground. It was impossible to tell when she had appeared, as if she had been standing there all along.
“I bear the name of {Black Tortoise},” The woman spoke slowly. “You’re treading the path of illegality. Discard thy weapon and embrace the torment of death."
Qi Xia, Qiao Jiajin, Chen Junnan, and the all remaining members of {Cats} all peered through the narrow gap of the prison’s iron gate, unable to look away. The scene before them was utterly terrifying.
Each side had three individuals, yet the difference in their auras was staggering.
Beside Qian Five were {Affliction Dismissal} Luo Eleven and {Mighty Gale} Qiu Twenty.
Opposite them stood {Black Tortoise}, {Celestial Horse}, and {Celestial Tiger}.
In these conditions, what {participant} could successfully bring about the other’s death?
“Tsk, there’s no way we can win…” Zhou Six’s lips moved slightly, despair etched across her face. “{Celestial Horse’s Hour} will happen no matter what. We need to get ready to run…”
“No…” Qi Xia narrowed his eyes. “There’s still one last method, if Qian Five can think of it…”
Qian Five stared at the icy, unyielding woman before him and swallowed hard.
“Heh… {Black Tortoise}…” He forced himself to calm his racing heart. Now that he had broken the rules and angered this woman, escape was no longer an option.
Since that was the case… was there any other countermeasure left?
Behind him, Luo Eleven and Chou Twenty showed no fear at all. From the moment they stepped out of the prison gates, they had already anticipated this outcome. Even if Qian Five truly succeeded in killing {Celestial Horse}, as accomplices, they would never escape {Black Tortoise}’s retribution.
After several seconds of silence, an idea suddenly surfaced in Qian Five’s mind. At present, this might be the only path remaining…
He did not retreat. Instead, he stepped forward once more. “{Black Tortoise}, I want to kill you.”
The moment his words fell, Luo Eleven and Chou Twenty both looked toward Qian Five’s back.
Indeed. The possibility of killing {Celestial Horse} was now zero. But what about killing {Black Tortoise}?
“Kill… me?” Black Tortoise raised her ashen hand and brushed aside a narrow strand of hair before her face, revealing a single, frost-laden eye.
Though only one eye was visible, Qian Five could clearly sense the barely restrained anticipation within it.
“Ah… glorious… truly glorious… come and end me…”
Qi Xia clutched the doorframe, his grip white-knuckled.
Would the structure of {End Point} be altered starting today?
The bizarre {killing} was about to begin. What awaited them all: {hope}, or despair?
Qian Five let out a slow breath, inclined his head slightly toward Black Tortoise, then gradually extended his hand before her, like a gentleman inviting a lady to dance.
“Black Tortoise, my apologies,” Qian Five remarked in a low voice. “Entrust your life to me.”
Black Tortoise nodded upon hearing this. Without the slightest hesitation, she extended her own hand and lightly clasped Qian Five’s.
TL Note: Rant goes here ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)
