Chapter 74: Ambush

A Cryptic Encounter

The girl slowly raised her head, her golden eyes devoid of any emotion, gazing coldly at the agitated Yu Li.

She seemed uninterested in answering Yu Li’s questions, instead speaking on her own terms. “You’ve done well.”

“Huh?”

“The erosion of the Child of God has been slowed… Please, continue.”

“What the hell are you talking about?! I don’t want riddles!” Yu Li’s patience was entirely spent, but the girl remained cryptic.

Yet the girl said nothing more, only watching Yu Li silently.

“You…!” Unable to hold back, Yu Li raised her arm, flames blazing, even knowing it couldn’t harm the girl.

Reality was stranger than imagination. Before Yu Li could touch her, the flames vanished.

Helpless, Yu Li lowered her hand. Against such a being, she was powerless.

“It was me.”

To Yu Li’s surprise, the girl spoke again.

“I brought you to this world. I replaced you with Yu Li… and I locked your spiritual power.”

As she spoke, her eyes glowed, just like before.

“I… am not a god. Gods are our enemies.”

As her words fell, Liuli, still asleep, suddenly fell from the void, landing on Yu Li.

Massive black flames gathered uncontrollably around Yu Li, and she couldn’t resist.

The flames enveloped both her and the fox.

“Wait, I’m not done asking!”

Yu Li reached out, struggling, but the black flames obscured her vision. She could only watch helplessly as the girl vanished before her eyes.

“I’m sorry… but for now, you shouldn’t know more. It’s for your future.”

Looking at the fiery cocoon, a faint trace of guilt flickered in the girl’s cold eyes, only to vanish as if it were an illusion.

The palace returned to silence, and the girl closed her eyes, as was her habit.

Tap—tap—

Footsteps echoed in a space that should have held only her. The girl opened her eyes and turned.

A girl with the same golden eyes stood there, her expression complex as she gazed at the fiery cocoon. She pursed her lips, seeming disappointed.

Without looking at the chained girl, her voice was cold. “Jerk…”

It seemed she came only to curse the chained girl before vanishing without a trace.

If Yu Li had been awake, she would’ve recognized the face as one she knew well.

A Painful Awakening

Heat, cold… Yu Li felt both at once, as if burned by icy flames. Indescribable pain consumed her body.

She slowly opened her eyes. The scenery was neither the shattered palace nor the park.

Pure white flames surrounded her, consuming everything in their path.

Struggling to support herself, she kept from collapsing immediately.

“What… is that?”

Perhaps due to her weakened state, she hadn’t noticed the anomaly sooner. She wasn’t alone.

A pure white girl with fox ears walked forward, step by step.

With each step, the white flames spread, leaving nothing behind her.

As if the space she passed through was burned away.

Noticing Yu Li, the girl raised her head, revealing lifeless, dark golden eyes.

Yu Li shuddered instinctively. Those eyes were numb, accustomed to despair.

Crack—

The moment their eyes met, countless cracks appeared before Yu Li, spreading until they filled her vision.

“Hah… hah… hah…”

Yu Li snapped her eyes open, gasping uncontrollably. The intense pressure she felt vanished, and as she looked up, she was back in the park.

She raised her hand to check herself… she was truly back in reality. No palace, no white-haired girl.

“I… reached mid-tier?”

Though mentally exhausted, her body felt surprisingly good. Fu Qingyue’s emotions no longer plagued her, and her spiritual energy flowed freely.

Thanks to the intensity of Fu Qingyue’s emotions, Yu Li’s ability had skipped a minor stage, advancing beyond early mid-tier.

But that wasn’t the point. Most importantly, her acting wouldn’t falter now.

The thought made Yu Li happy, but as she looked up, her smile faded.

“Strange…”

Yu Li had been unconscious for a short time, yet the park, which should have been lively, was empty.

“Really strange…”

A Sudden Attack

As she pondered, a whooshing sound came from behind. Yu Li reacted swiftly, leaping off the bench.

Crash—

The bench was smashed to pieces in an instant.

Yu Li had been attacked—by a grotesque, massive creature.

It looked like a malformed hybrid, stitched together from various monsters. Yu Li instinctively activated her vertical pupils, but she saw no trace of emotion in the creature.

This thing wasn’t alive.

Before she could think further, the monster charged at her, its stiff movements shaking the ground.

“A puppet, huh? Annoying things just keep coming…”

Yu Li recalled the red-haired girl’s warning, but she had no options now.

Liuli was still asleep, and her usual method of manipulating emotions was useless against a lifeless object. All Yu Li had left were her flames.

She conjured a fiery dagger, dodging the puppet’s heavy strikes while aiming for its joints during gaps in its attacks.

But the dagger’s flames were too soft, unable to sever the puppet’s joints quickly.

“Disgusting thing…” Yu Li muttered in disgust.

The puppet didn’t care for her complaints, roaring as it swung its fist again.

Determination flashed in Yu Li’s eyes. This time, she didn’t dodge. She stood her ground, gripping her dagger with both hands.

Boom—

The fist hit her squarely, but she didn’t flinch. Flames shielded her front.

“Got you.” Yu Li wedged her dual daggers into the puppet’s joints, slicing through its attacking arm with a burst of strength.

The puppet lost balance, and Yu Li seized the chance to leap onto its head, pressing her flaming hands against it.

In an instant, black flames engulfed the puppet. It struggled weakly but couldn’t escape the blaze.

“Phew… it’s over.”

Yu Li jumped down, brushing off her dirty clothes. Fighting one such creature was her limit. She needed to leave before more appeared.

But… it was already too late.

Thud—thud—thud—

Countless footsteps echoed from all directions in the park. Yu Li scanned her surroundings.

One… two… twelve…?