Chapter 1085
was filled with disdain.
"Junior sister, your betrayal has deeply hurt me. I once thought our bond was strong enough, but now I see I was wrong." Shi Ji's voice was cold and resolute. "You must pay the price for your betrayal."
Sensing the killing intent emanating from Shi Ji, the junior sister looked up in terror, her eyes filled with pleading: "Shi Ji, please give me a chance! I can help you contact that man in black robes, I can provide you with clues, just please don't kill me!"
Shi Ji looked at her coldly, a mocking smile playing on her lips: "Oh? Now you're thinking of helping me? Too bad, I no longer trust you. Besides, I'd rather find out the truth for myself."
"Shiji, please, don't kill me!" The junior sister's voice was trembling with sobs; she was truly terrified. "I know I was wrong, and I'm willing to do anything for you to make up for my mistake!"
"Anything?" Shi Ji's tone was full of disdain. "Including betraying me again?"
The junior sister shook her head frantically: "No, I won't do it again! I swear!"
Shi Ji merely sneered, ignoring her vow. In his eyes, his junior sister's vow was utterly unbelievable. He turned to leave, leaving his junior sister slumped on the ground, tears streaming down her face.
"Shiji, I really know I was wrong..." The junior sister's voice echoed in the woods, but Shiji did not turn around.
Just as his junior sister's cries and pleas echoed through the forest, Shi Ji suddenly turned around, a resolute glint in his eyes. He swiftly drew a poisoned dart from his waist and aimed it at his junior sister.
The junior sister was still choking back tears and didn't notice Shi Ji's movements until the poisoned dart flew towards her. Her eyes widened in confusion and terror, but it was too late to dodge. The poisoned dart pierced her body accurately, her expression instantly freezing, before she collapsed helplessly to the ground.
Looking at his junior sister's face, which was gradually losing its life, Shi Ji felt a complex mix of emotions. He didn't feel relieved or satisfied; instead, he felt an indescribable heaviness. But he knew he couldn't stay here any longer; he had to return to the God Realm to find out the truth of the matter.
He took a deep breath, turned around, and transformed into a streak of light, soaring into the sky and returning to the realm of gods.
Shi Ji transformed into a streak of light, swiftly piercing through the clouds and returning to the realm of the gods. His figure appeared at the edge of the divine realm, and upon landing, he immediately headed towards the temple.
In the realm of gods, the gods looked at Shi Ji with curiosity and inquiry upon her return, but Shi Ji had no mood to talk to them. She went straight to the depths of the temple, the core area of the realm of gods and the place where information and intelligence converged.
"Shiji, you're back." An elder greeted him. He was a wise man from the divine realm, responsible for managing the divine realm's data and archives.
“Elder, I need to review all the information about the man in black robes,” Shi Ji said directly. “Also, have there been any unusual events or records of outsiders in the God Realm recently?”
Seeing Shi Ji's serious expression, the elder knew that things were not simple. He didn't ask any more questions, but simply nodded: "Come with me, I will help you find the information you need."
The two entered the temple's library together, a treasure trove of knowledge for the divine realm, housing countless books and documents. The elder skillfully guided Shiji, and they quickly found some records about the man in black robes.
Shi Ji carefully perused the documents, his brow furrowed. From them, he learned that the man in black robes was not from the realm of gods, but rather from a mysterious world called the "Shadow Realm." This world existed parallel to the realm of gods, but had always remained secretive and shrouded in mystery.
"Elder, do you know about the Shadow Realm?" Shi Ji asked, looking up.
The elder nodded: "That is a world of sword shadows and darkness, which has always kept to itself and its divine realm. But it is said that some forces in the Shadow Realm have been searching for a passage to connect with the divine realm, attempting to invade our world."
Shi Ji's eyes hardened: "I understand. Elder, thank you for your help. I must now go to the Shadow Realm to find out the truth of this matter."
The elder looked at Shi Ji with a hint of worry in his eyes, but he knew Shi Ji's abilities and responsibilities. He simply instructed her, "Be careful, Shi Ji. The Shadow Realm is not a benevolent place; it is full of dangers and unknowns."
Shi Ji nodded, and with a flash, she transformed into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon of the divine realm.
Shi Ji crossed the border between the realm of gods and the realm of shadows, stepping into that land shrouded in darkness and sword shadows. His divine power was suppressed here, but he remained vigilant and calm, venturing deeper and deeper into the heart of the realm of shadows.
In the Shadowlands, he encountered all sorts of strange creatures and dangerous traps, but with his extraordinary wisdom and strength, he escaped danger time and time again. Finally, he arrived at the core of the Shadowlands, where a majestic dark castle stood, where the black-robed man was said to be hiding.
Shi Ji did not act rashly, but first lay in wait nearby, observing the castle's movements. He discovered that the castle was heavily guarded, making infiltration difficult. Therefore, he decided to use strategy, employing the characteristics of the creatures of the Shadow Realm to blend into the castle.
He transformed into the form of a shadow beast and successfully infiltrated the castle. Inside, he cautiously searched for the black-robed man's trail while keeping a close watch on his surroundings.
Finally, he spotted the figure of the man in black robes in a grand hall. The man in black robes had his back to him and was talking to a mysterious figure. Shi Ji quietly approached, trying to hear their conversation.
"How is the situation progressing?" the man in black asked in a low voice.
“Everything is going according to plan,” the mysterious figure replied. “The gods are starting to get suspicious, so we need to speed things up.”
Shi Ji's heart skipped a beat. He realized he had to act immediately, or the consequences would be unimaginable. He silently approached the man in black, preparing to launch a surprise attack.
However, just as he was about to make his move, the man in black suddenly turned around, revealing his face, which had been hidden by the black robe. Shi Ji was astonished to discover that the man in black was someone he once knew—a former traitor to the divine realm!
"Shiji, you've arrived," the man in black said coldly. "I've been waiting for you for a long time."
Shi Ji's eyes widened: "You... how did you get here?"
"Haha, you think you can find me so easily?" the black-robed man sneered. "Shi Ji, you're too naive. I've been using my junior sister to lure you in, but I didn't expect you to see through her scheme and even kill her. You're ruthless, just like you." Shi Ji's eyes instantly turned cold. He clenched his fists, his voice filled with undisguised anger: "You used my junior sister, making her your pawn? She... she kept your secret until her death!"
The man in black robes sneered, "Oh? That foolish woman, she thought she could gain something, but she was nothing more than a pawn in my game. And you, Shi Ji, have also stepped into the trap I set for you."
"You are truly despicable and shameless!" Shi Ji roared, his divine power surging around him, clearly enraged by the black-robed man's words.
"Despicable? Shameless? Haha, those are just evaluations made by you gods bound by hypocritical morality." The man in black robes laughed dismissively. "In the Shadow Realm, these are merely means of survival. Shi Ji, you should understand that our struggle has never been a contest between justice and evil, but a clash of power."
Shi Ji took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. He knew this was not the time to let anger cloud his judgment. He had to calmly confront this former traitor, find his weaknesses, and defeat him in one fell swoop.
"So, what exactly do you want?" Shi Ji asked in a deep voice.
"What do I want? Haha, is that even a question?" The man in black robes spread his arms as if to embrace the entire Shadow Realm. "What I want is power, control, and the thrill of making even the God Realm submit at my feet!"
"Don't even think about it!" Shi Ji said firmly. "The divine realm will not yield to your ambition."
"Then we'll wait and see." The man in black robes turned around with a cold smile. "Shi Ji, I look forward to our next contest. But before that, you'd better figure out how to unravel the other traps I've set for you."
After speaking, the man in black robes vanished into the hall in a wisp of black smoke, leaving Shi Ji standing alone in the empty hall, his expression grave. He knew that this struggle was far from over, the man in black robes' conspiracy was still ongoing, and he had to do everything in his power to stop it.
Shi Ji turned and left the Dark Castle, embarking once again on the path back to the realm of the gods.
On his journey back to the realm of the gods, Shi Ji was filled with doubt and anger. He couldn't help but recall the days he spent with his junior sister, the laughter and vows they once shared, which now became a source of pain in his heart. He blamed himself for not seeing through the black-robed man's conspiracy sooner, and he grieved for his junior sister's betrayal and sacrifice.
As he crossed the border between the realm of gods and the realm of shadows and stepped back onto the land of the gods, a strange sense of familiarity welled up within him. The light of the divine realm warmed him and strengthened his resolve to protect this land.
Instead of returning directly to the temple, Shi Ji chose to travel to the Well of Wisdom in the divine realm. He believed that ancient wisdom and power resided there, capable of helping him unravel the black-robed man's conspiracy.
Beside the Fountain of Wisdom, Shiji encountered its guardian—an elderly man. A wise light shone in the elder's eyes; he seemed to see through Shiji's inner doubts and pain.
"Shiji, you've arrived," the elder said gently. "I sensed the turmoil in your heart. Have you encountered some difficulties?"
Shi Ji recounted her experiences in the Shadow Realm and the story of the man in black robes to the elder. After listening, the elder frowned, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The man in black robes' ambition should not be underestimated. He wants more than just power; he wants to overthrow the entire order of the divine realm. You must find his weakness as soon as possible in order to defeat him completely."
Shi Ji nodded and asked eagerly, "Elder, do you know what the black-robed man's weakness is?"
The elder shook his head: "Only the man in black robes knows his weakness. However, you can start with the power he pursues. He craves control over everything, and that may be his Achilles' heel."
After listening, Shi Ji seemed to understand. He understood the elder's meaning: the man in black robes sought absolute power and control, which was perhaps his greatest weakness. As long as his thirst for power could be broken, he could be defeated.
“Thank you, elder,” Shi Ji said gratefully. “I will find a way to exploit the weakness of the man in black robes and protect the safety of the divine realm.”
After saying this, Shiji bowed to the elder to express her gratitude and then turned to leave.
After Shiji left, the elder watched his retreating figure and murmured to himself, "Shiji, you are the hope of the divine realm. May you overcome all difficulties."
On the way back to the temple, Shi Ji pondered the elder's advice. He understood that to find the black-robed man's weakness, he first needed to deeply understand his desires and goals. The black-robed man pursued power and control; was it possible to break his obsession with power in some way, thereby exposing his weakness?
After returning to the temple, Shi Ji immediately summoned the wise men and warriors of the divine realm and recounted to them everything she had seen and heard in the Shadow Realm, as well as the advice given by the elder.
“We must act as soon as possible.” Shi Ji said firmly, “The black-robed man’s ambition is now completely undisguised. He not only threatens the divine realm, but may also endanger the balance of the entire universe.”
A wise man stepped forward and said, “Shiji, you are right. We must devise a meticulous plan to find the black-robed man’s weakness while ensuring that our actions do not bring greater disaster to the divine realm.”
After lengthy discussions, they devised a preliminary plan. Shi Ji decided to carry out the mission herself, because she knew that only she could truly understand the thoughts of the man in black.
On the eve of the operation, Shi Ji stood alone on the temple's terrace, overlooking the star-studded divine realm. She took a deep breath and silently vowed, "For the sake of the divine realm, for the sake of all innocent lives, I must not fail."
Several days later, Shi Ji led an elite team and once again embarked on the journey to the Shadow Realm. This time, their goal was clearer, and their confidence was stronger.
At the entrance to the Shadow Realm, Shi Ji looked back at her comrades, their eyes shining with unwavering determination. She knew this battle would be extremely difficult, but as long as they were united, no difficulty was insurmountable.
"Let's go!" Shi Ji shouted, taking the lead as she stepped through the gates of the Shadow Realm. Behind them, the radiance of the divine realm faded into the distance, while ahead lay endless darkness and unknown trials. But they did not retreat, for they all shared the same belief: for the divine realm, for justice.
Upon entering the Shadow Realm, Shi Ji and her team immediately sensed a cold and malevolent aura. They cautiously ventured deeper, remaining constantly vigilant of their surroundings.
"Everyone, keep your formation and don't get separated," Shi Ji commanded in a low voice.
One of the warriors in the group, named Hou Yi, approached Shi Ji and asked softly, "Shi Ji, what exactly is our mission this time? Are we going to confront the man in black robes directly, or should we first find his weakness?" (End of Chapter)