Eldritch Horror Theatre

How did that saying go again? Hearing thunder in utter silence?

In this dark, dilapidated ruin, the blind woman in the Shroud stood behind him, suddenly making a wildly out-of-place expression in the Mirror. The sight was truly heart-stopping.

But Fu Qian didn't think this was some secret signal for a private exchange, because in that moment, the sound of Excellency Ji Ning's eyelids opening and closing was deafening.

A sensory experience that defied common sense swept over him. Complete and total Dislocation.

What else could it be but Excellency Ji Ning's Great Sensory Distortion Art?

Although the power output was much higher than the previous trap, coming in an endless, continuous wave rather than a single burst, this unique sensation was simply too easy to recognize.

As for her purpose in doing this so suddenly, it certainly wasn't a feigned cooperation meant to lower his guard for a sneak attack.

Old Man Li was right beside them. Dealing with someone in the Demigod Realm didn't require such a convoluted approach, especially when everyone was so pressed for time.

Fu Qian's footsteps didn't hesitate for a fraction of a second as he continued forward.

The ancient bricks and stones overhead posed absolutely no obstacle, as if the moonlight were flowing through a channel beyond the dimension of Transcendence.

Since he had already recovered his Sage's Might, how could an academically inclined ability like Insight be missing? There was also the fruit of his past studies—Quiet Reflection and Wandering.

Besides, under that explosive sensory distortion, his own eyes were now about as useful as Excellency Ji Ning's.

But just as he had mentioned before, he had real experience with giving up his vision in dangerous situations, so the impact on his accuracy wasn't nearly as severe as one might think.

So now, witness the glory of the ancient moon.

Silently, the radiant light fell with pinpoint accuracy onto Ji Ning, who had just finished blinking, splashing out into a dreamy, mesmerizing spectacle.

...

Ugh—

He had to admit, the name Quiet Reflection and Wandering was quite fitting.

As the moonlight illuminated this decaying land, the splashing radiance scattered like fireflies. From within that gorgeous encirclement, a soft gasp finally echoed out.

"Just what are you..."

A mere beam of moonlight certainly wasn't enough to cause much harm to someone in the Demigod Realm, but it was obvious that Excellency Ji Ning was indeed wandering in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

Her sudden halt, combined with the overly exaggerated light effects, instantly shocked their teammates.

The one who spoke up was Aike, who had already been on edge.

Even Old Man Li, who was responsible for bringing up the rear, suddenly had a Silver Longsword in his hand.

Although the color scheme was different, in Fu Qian's eyes, it seemed to be of the exact same nature as the Golden Halberd.

Taking apart the lamp stand earlier had indeed been a convenient misdirection; this short weapon could clearly be summoned at a moment's notice as well.

"A member of the Blood Clan. Didn't I say that earlier?"

Amidst his admiration, Fu Qian—undoubtedly the center of attention—gave a slight nod to Ji Ning as she looked over. He spoke as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"Makes sense. You did indeed say that earlier... just as you are indeed a demigod..."

Fu Qian's posture seemed to calm Excellency Ji Ning's emotions slightly, though her gaze remained profoundly meaningful.

"Was it him just now?"

Before Fu Qian could share his thoughts, Aike clearly picked up on some information regarding the recent commotion from their exchange.

Her tone of disbelief showed that this realization hadn't brought sudden enlightenment; instead, she was even more confused.

They had just barely managed to maintain a delicate balance, allowing this team—which could fall apart at any second—to press on. That was obviously the optimal solution for both sides, so why had they suddenly started fighting again?

It made absolutely no sense.

"It wasn't him. It was me."

Shaking her head to signal that Aike didn't need to be overly nervous, Ji Ning finally let out a long sigh.

...

"Excellency Anke, I am deeply sorry for the offense just now."

Given their past experiences, Aike clearly still had a considerable degree of trust in Ji Ning.

And just as Aike genuinely followed her advice and slightly relaxed her combat stance, Ji Ning's apology was extremely sincere.

"My reason for doing so was very simple. Ever since we entered this place, perception hasn't seemed entirely reliable."

"And I didn't want to make the same mistake I did earlier, so I had to confirm it with my own hands... the facts prove that Your Excellency is even more honest than I imagined."

Was that really how it was?

Earlier, due to a misjudgment in her perception, she hadn't realized that he was in the Demigod Realm.

And right now, after he had 'laid his cards on the table,' she similarly refused to trust her perception completely. To avoid being misled again, she struck out directly to test his mettle.

He had to admit that Excellency Ji Ning had maintained her mental state quite well; she still possessed a bit of youthful sharpness.

Fu Qian didn't doubt the sincerity of Ji Ning's apology; he even praised her inwardly.

In the moment he was attacked, this was also the most likely explanation he could think of. Why else would he choose to return the favor with only a single beam of the Progenitor's Glory?

That counterattack brought more than just visual effects. For Excellency Ji Ning, who had struck first, it carried at least three layers of meaning.

First, being able to endure a full-force sensory distortion head-on and activate an ability at the very first moment was undoubtedly incredibly strong evidence of his Demigod Rank.

Second, the moon-related concept contained within that elegant and dazzling strike was also universally recognized as a symbol of the power of the Progenitor of the Blood Clan.

And after providing such clear proof of the vampire demigod claim, this counterattack, which demonstrated different tunes played with equal skill and similarly lacked lethal force, ultimately proved one final point.

That was: he knew she was just testing him, so he had held back his strength in the counterattack as well.

Of course, even so, Excellency Ji Ning still chose to formally apologize, which showed a degree of refinement.

"It truly is a power different from the existing Blood Clan... Excellency Anke is indeed an honest person. I also apologize for my previous suspicions."

Even at this moment, Old Man Li, having similarly relaxed his posture beside them, had clearly sorted out the reasoning and even made his own stance known.

Look at that. He could even casually ask the academic guest for their opinion on the ancient Blood Clan Progenitor Annalise once again, with the process feeling incredibly natural and seamless.

Killing four birds with one stone.

...

Compared to the others, the level of skill Old Man Li displayed was indeed quite a bit higher.

Even in terms of knowledge.

When he established his Blood Clan persona and discovered that the gains from the Original Sin Sage's Insight had also been restored, Fu Qian thought that this seemed like a great opportunity to consult a highly educated scholar about ancient secrets.

Learning must never cease, no matter how harsh the environment.

And Excellency Ji Ning's cooperation had neatly provided an opening.

"Honesty is merely a personal choice. It would be far too rude to forbid others from being suspicious."

Waving his hand, Fu Qian played the part to perfection in that moment.

He didn't even ask how it differed from the existing Blood Clan, directly reminding them that it was time to get down to business.

"Shouldn't we keep moving?"

Knowing when to advance and when to retreat relied on Residing in a Single Mind; the art of communication had always been profound and vast.

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