The canyon had become a grotesque painting of three colors.Green : the vegetation clinging stubbornly to the canyon walls.Brown and grey: the rocky walls and mud on the ground.And red —like paint poured by a mad god.
No corpse remained intact, limbs, torsos, and heads were scattered in impossible patterns, as though torn apart by invisible blades.Entrails hung from branches, twisting lazily in the breeze.Even the most morbid imagination could not tell which organ belonged to which man.
The veterans of the Angel Corps, had watched comrades die by hands of evil soul masters, had never seen such precise brutality.It was as if a divine executioner had descended, coldly dissecting sin from flesh.
Far ahead, Qian Renxue, who had not yet gone far from the canyon, paused for a brief moment.
Through her sharp spiritual perception, she caught the wave of shock, fear, and awe from the soldiers behind her.A faint, almost imperceptible smirk touched her lips
Her purple eyes cooled again, expression returning to that calm, indifferent mask.She reached into the pocket of her armor, pulled out a white handkerchief embroidered with the insignia of Spirit Hall's Seraphim line, and slowly wiped away the blood from her face and gauntlet.
By the time she finished, not a trace of blood remained on her flawless skin or armor.Only the faint fragrance of the handkerchief lingered in the air — an elegant contrast to the nightmare she had left behind.
Then, she continued walking toward the village, her golden hair glinting under the sun — an angel leaving behind the ruins of her judgment.
----
Within Qian Renxue's Spirit Sea
Qian Renxue smirked. "How's my acting? I've become the very image of a brutal and cruel destroyer."
Her voice rippled through the Sea.
The lazy drawl of Tianmeng Ice Silkworm echoed,"I bow to the great actress herself! No one in this world , mortal or god , can tell when you're faking."His translucent form floated beside a coral-like pillar of mental light, his tone half in awe, half in jest.
"Enough flattery," came Electrolux's calm, aged voice. He gazed at Qian Renxue's second Spirit Sea, where an ethereal projection of her , the virtual persona —amidst tendrils of purple-black aura.
Electrolux's expression darkened. "It's a good solution, but not a long-term one. The more you let this shadow grow, the more it will take from you."
Qian Renxue glanced toward the corrupted duplicate — her false self, a puppet meant to deceive gods."I know," she said softly, a note of weariness beneath her cold tone. "But it's the only way to mislead them."
She turned her gaze upward, where invisible threads of fate stretched from the Sea into the heavens — each thread humming faintly, tinted with divine intent."These so-called gods are really pissing me off. If I had more strength, I'd slaughter these troublemakers myself."
Her lips curved slightly, the faintest trace of amusement flickering in her purple eyes.'Still… if they think they can plant dark thoughts in the mind of a Manipulator. He..He.. If they truly knew what I am, even a thousand guts wouldn't be enough to face me.'
Tianmeng shivered. "Ehhh… I think your true nature is showing, Renxue."The silkworm's attempt at humor faltered when Qian Renxue's eyes snapped toward him, her stare cold enough to freeze his soul.
Her gaze returned to the second Spirit Sea — to the phantom Qian Renxue bound in purple aura, who now looked up with a twisted smile, whispering inaudible words.
'Even if the Rakshasa's intent lingers,' Qian Renxue thought, 'she will only see what I allow her to see, hear what I permit her to hear. Let her think I am being corrupted… while I quietly consume her will instead.'
Her spiritual thought deepened with confidence.'If I must sacrifice one virtual persona to maintain this illusion, so be it. Better to lose a mask than reveal the truth.''After all, you gods are not the only ones I must keep acting for.'
'After draining both Angel Statues, my power is equivalent to a Level 68 Soul Master… but that's a meaningless comparison now, with normal soul masters.'
'Three years of growth… and I can already feel it.''My strength has probably reached Grandfather's level. I might not be able to defeat him head-on yet, but I can definitely stand my ground.'
----
Outside, the afternoon sun was already dipping behind the trees when Qian Renxue stepped into the temporary tent of Angel Corps' that was made hastily in the wilderness.
As she walked, the soul masters spotted her figure and immediately straightened their backs.
"Look, the Young Master is back!" one shouted.
Another soul master almost dropped his spear in excitement. "Young Master, thank the heavens you're safe!"
"Young Master, we were worried something happened to you!"
The shouts spread through the camp like ripples on water. Many members of Angel Corps emerged from their tents, saluting her respectfully, their tired eyes brightening with renewed morale.
Qian Renxue paused in the center of the camp and gave a small nod, her purple eyes softening slightly. "I'm fine. You all did well," she said, her voice calm yet authoritative. "Rest and tend to your wounds. You have my acknowledgment."
Her words were brief, but to the soldiers, it was enough.
However, as she looked around, her brow furrowed. The Angel Corps' tents were set up far faraway from the village.
"Why are we camped so far away from the village?" she finally asked, her tone laced with mild irritation.