"Anthony."
Pei Chiyao spoke: "Is this what you're looking for?"
He suddenly took something out of his pocket. Originally in a frenzy, Anthony was stunned after seeing this object, followed by immense joy.
"Dragon scales... Are those dragon scales?! How did you get dragon scales, give them to me!!! Give them to me!!!"
He lunged at Pei Chiyao like a madman.
Pei Chiyao didn't even look at him, dodging away, causing Anthony to stumble into empty space.
"So this was your goal."
Gazing at the dragon scales in his hand, Pei Chiyao curved his lips, "You must have found out some rumors about the Ji Family and dragons before returning to Xuanling Town, right?"
Dragons were an extremely mysterious species in the entire country. According to the Ji Family's records, one of their ancestors once found a dragon and obtained its power.
The rumor was that obtaining a dragon's power could grant longevity, endless spiritual energy, and combat prowess.
A single dragon scale could be forged into the sharpest weapon in the world, impervious even to bullets. Such a weapon could fetch an exorbitant price.
A dragon's entire body was a priceless treasure.
No one who saw these would be unmoved, and Anthony was no exception.
He was the descendant of that once glorious Demon-Hunting Family, yet he never imagined that after so many years, his family had declined, and he had become an ordinary commoner.
He could not bear it.
Anthony was clever. Even in this frenzied state, he could still guess, "You... You're Ji Qingpei... The ancestor recorded in the Ji Family's books who obtained the dragon's power, that's you?!"
"Mmhmm."
Pei Chiyao responded indifferently.
Anthony took a deep breath, "No wonder, no wonder I couldn't see through what you were thinking, no wonder I couldn't see through your true form."
As a Demon Hunter, when encountering demons, he could usually see through their true forms at a glance. When Zhi Yao appeared before him, he realized she was a fox spirit.
But with Pei Chiyao, he couldn't see through this man's species at all.
Until now.
"Anthony, what did you do to this illusion realm?" Pei Chiyao ignored Anthony's mutterings. "Are you absorbing the spiritual energy of this world?"
"Yes!" Anthony didn't hesitate. "This illusion realm was fake to begin with. I need spiritual energy. Only by possessing spiritual energy can I become a higher-level Demon Hunter and help restore the Ji Family's former glory!"
He looked at Pei Chiyao and shouted: "You're also from the Ji Family! You're my ancestor, shouldn't you help me too?"
Midway through, he suddenly realized something. "No, no, you were expelled from the Ji Family long ago. You're not one of us anymore!"
"Give me those dragon scales! I need spiritual energy! I need spiritual energy!"
Seeing Anthony in such a frenzied state, Zhi Yao couldn't help but say: "Get it straight, demons have been forced into hiding in the 21st century. There's no need for Demon Hunters in that world anymore, so what do you need spiritual energy for? If you go back there, this spiritual energy will be useless."
"Who says it's useless!" Anthony sneered. "It can turn stone into gold, defy the heavens and alter fates. With it, I won't have to be a commoner anymore! I can achieve my dream of transcending social classes!"
He absorbed the surrounding spiritual energy, and the figure of Ji Qingpei who stood silently grew increasingly transparent. Zhi Yao could also feel the white fox in her arms gradually growing colder.
No... No... Her consciousness hadn't returned to her body yet. She hadn't figured everything out, hadn't learned about the seal on her, hadn't remembered the things that happened between her and Pei Chiyao in her past life...
"Pei Chiyao, quickly, stop him! Ji Qingpei is about to disappear, and so is my consciousness!"
"Don't worry."
Pei Chiyao gently patted Zhi Yao's hand, then forcefully crushed the scale in his palm, instantly reducing it to dust.
"Anthony, nothing here justifies satisfying your selfish desires."
Watching the dragon scale vanish before his eyes, Anthony froze in his tracks.
"You... You actually..." He panted heavily, his eyes wide. "No matter, no matter, you must still have the dragon's power within you! Give it to me, quick! I'm also your descendant, don't you want me to live better?! You killed so many Ji Family members back then, don't you feel any remorse?"
"Now, my surname is Pei. The Ji Family's affairs are none of my concern."
Pei Chiyao sneered coldly. "Spit out that spiritual energy! If you don't, I'll kill you!"
He raised his hand, his palm brimming with immensely profound and powerful energy that struck fear into the heart.
"I've already absorbed this spiritual energy. Even if you kill me, it won't come out!" Anthony challenged defiantly. "Look at what this is!"
He suddenly took something out.
Before Zhi Yao could make out what Anthony was holding, the next second...
That familiar sensation came again...
The overwhelming pressure enveloped Zhi Yao once more.
Zhi Yao felt utterly uncomfortable, as if something inside her was loosening.
But at this moment, no one noticed her abnormality.
Many scenes flashed through her mind - when she met Ji Qingpei, when she and Ji Qingpei fled from the Ji Family's pursuit...
And... when Ji Qingpei died...
It was chaotic, and her head ached terribly.
Zhi Yao struggled to search for information about the seal.
But she couldn't find anything.
Why was this happening?
In her bewilderment, Zhi Yao opened her eyes to see Anthony holding a strange-looking knife covered in countless tiny silver needles. If stabbed into someone's body, they would be pierced through like a sieve in an instant.
She wanted to warn Pei Chiyao to be careful...
But not a sound came from her mouth.
At that moment, she heard a familiar sigh in her ear.
"It's over, I was here originally for you, but now that I see you two together, I should disappear."
Ji Qingpei's body had become transparent, leaving only a tiny speck remaining. He looked at the white fox spirit in Zhi Yao's embrace and suddenly smiled.
Throughout this long river of time, it was the lingering consciousness she left behind that had been keeping him company with this stubborn attachment, so that he would not feel so alone.
Now... it was time for them to disappear together.
"What are you, what are you going to do?"
