"Mr. Chen Feng!"
"Young Chen Feng!"
Seeing Chen Feng's sudden appearance and how he rescued Hu Tao, who had one foot in the Gates of Hell, everyone and the Adepti were startled. But soon, a sense of natural acceptance took hold.
Chen Feng carried a massive secret. They all knew this. It was just that he had acted so ordinary for so long that they hadn't quite adjusted yet.
In the distance, Zhongli retracted the hand he had half-extended and returned to silently observing.
At this moment, Chen Feng's figure filled her entire field of vision. Hu Tao looked into his deep eyes and broke into a brilliant smile.
"Consultant Chen Feng, you're here!"
"Mm."
Chen Feng nodded and spoke softly.
Hearing Chen Feng's words, the smile on Hu Tao's face deepened. Then she leaned forward, intending to bury her head in Chen Feng's embrace just like her previous fantasy, but she heard Chen Feng speak again.
"Director Hu Tao, you haven't received this month's salary and bonuses yet. If you die, who will I ask for this money?!"
Hu Tao's body froze instantly, and the expression on her face completely broke. Immediately after, Hu Tao snapped out of it, lowered her head, and the aura on her body became incomparably terrifying. Her small fists clenched and unclenched.
"Where's my Staff of Homa?"
Hu Tao crouched on the ground, feeling around for it.
"Director Hu Tao, what are you looking for the Staff of Homa for?"
Although he was asking, Chen Feng had already turned around and bolted.
"You stand right there! I, the Director, guarantee I won't beat you to death!"
Hu Tao finally found her Staff of Homa. Then she raised her weapon and chased after Chen Feng in the direction he had fled, though she didn't use her full speed, of course.
"Director Hu Tao..."
The people who wanted to ask how Hu Tao's body was doing completely lost their words after seeing this scene.
In the distance, Ningguang, who saw Chen Feng appear, breathed a slight sigh of relief. Then she once again controlled the Jade Chamber with Keqing to provide aid from above.
"Alright, Director Hu Tao, I think it's time we got down to business!"
Chen Feng suddenly stopped and turned around, raising his hand to block the Staff of Homa.
However, the Staff of Homa didn't strike Chen Feng's body after all. Hu Tao took two deep breaths, then slammed the Staff of Homa hard into the ground, instantly creating a hole in the floor along with countless cracks.
"I'll teach you a lesson when we get back!"
After saying that, Hu Tao kicked the Staff of Homa, then picked it up again, and then dashed toward the remaining spirits. At the same time, the Pyro Element Vision on Hu Tao's body once again emitted a dazzling light.
Seeing this scene, Chen Feng breathed a sigh of relief, then turned to face Qi Shu, who had a look of apprehension on his face.
"This power doesn't belong to you, it's time to return it to its original owner."
"Don't even think about it!"
Qi Shu's aura suddenly surged again, and he glared resentfully at Chen Feng.
"Someone as high and mighty as you could never understand the suffering I've endured!"
"This power is mine, and no one can take it away!"
"No, you're wrong!"
"You have never truly mastered this power!"
Chen Feng looked at Qi Shu with a complex expression, finally letting out a soft sigh.
"Now, it's time to wake from the dream."
"Since I have appeared here, you can no longer do anything."
"You are far too arrogant!"
Seeing Chen Feng act even more arrogantly than himself, Qi Shu felt extremely displeased.
"Under my mighty power, you cannot stop me!"
After saying this, Qi Shu raised his hand again, writing other people's names in the black notebook.
However, just as he did so, Chen Feng's left eye seemed to become even deeper and more profound, quickly scanning the surroundings, then suddenly raising his hand to point at a Millelith soldier nearby and speaking.
"You can still live for thirty-six years and four months!"
Just as these words fell, the Millelith soldier clutched his chest and gasped for breath. Just now, he had suddenly felt a suffocating sensation, and even his heart seemed to have stopped beating, as a dense aura of death filled his heart. However, after Chen Feng announced his remaining lifespan, the discomfort in his body vanished instantly.
He was saved!
When the Millelith soldier realized this, he immediately looked at Chen Feng with a grateful gaze. However, Chen Feng did not have time to respond to his gaze at the moment.
Chen Feng raised his hand several more times in succession, pointing to people in different directions, and spoke one by one.
"You can still live for forty-three years and ten months!"
"You can still live for sixty years and five months!"
"You can still live for ten months!"
At first, everyone present did not know what Chen Feng was doing, suddenly acting as if he were Yama calling out names.
But as Qi Shu's expression grew more and more unsightly, and no new deaths occurred, everyone faintly understood something.
Chen Feng was snatching people from the hands of Yama!
First it was Hu Tao, and now it was Chen Feng. The people present thought of their many previous dissatisfactions and prejudices against the two of them, plus their final act of spreading unfavorable rumors about the Wangsheng Funeral Parlor. They wished they could sit up at night and slap their own faces.
Even though they had treated Hu Tao and Chen Feng this way, the two of them put aside past grievances to save them without regard to their previous faults. They truly deserved to die!
However, it seemed that one unlucky person named by Chen Feng had managed to slip in.
At this moment, that unlucky person kept expressing his infinite gratitude to Chen Feng, yet soon, when he realized that even if he were saved, he would only have ten months of life left, his mind instantly broke down and he immediately began to wail in despair.
The people around cast sympathetic glances toward him; unlike before, this time, everyone no longer felt any fear due to Chen Feng's abilities.
"What did you do?!"
Finally, discovering that he could no longer execute even a single person, Qi Shu stopped his actions and furiously questioned Chen Feng.
"Isn't it obvious? I simply told them their destined fate," Chen Feng replied calmly.
"I told you, the moment I appeared, you would no longer be able to do anything."
Hearing Chen Feng's words, the expression on Qi Shu's face instantly turned even more hideous, but then he heard Chen Feng speak again.
"Talking to me from so far away must be very tiring for you.
How about you come closer?"
Just as Chen Feng finished this sentence, Qi Shu froze for a moment, but very soon he discovered with a face full of terror that his Prime had actually arrived at the location of his projection in this world!
Just then, a Frostflake Arrow flew in. Without a second thought, Qi Shu raised his hand to block it. However, the arrow erupted with astounding chill upon impact, instantly covering Qi Shu's body in a frosty glow.
Seeing this, Xiao seized the perfect opportunity. He immediately unleashed all his remaining strength, channeling it into the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear gripped in his hand, and thrust it violently toward Qi Shu's position!
At this moment, Xiao's body radiated an irresistible cyan light and a terrifying aura.
Faced with Xiao's resolute strike, Qi Shu tried desperately to dodge, but he was still severely injured.
Immediately, Qi Shu let out a piercing scream. Although he managed to teleport dozens of meters away at the last moment, when he reappeared, his entire right arm was nearly transparent!
"Yes!"
Seeing this, the crowd shouted in immense relief. Qi Shu's previous actions had already infuriated everyone, and there were virtually no supporters left for him.
At this moment, Qi Shu's gaze fixed on Chen Feng with intense wariness and a hint of fear. He couldn't understand why the Black Notebook's power had failed, even though it had granted him strength rivaling that of a god!
"No, this is impossible!"
Qi Shu could not accept his defeat, for he had yet to complete his revenge against the Liyue Qixing!
"Just this much pain isn't enough, far from enough!"
"I must not have fully mastered this world-changing power. Yes, that must be it!"
"Once I fully master this power, no one will ever be able to stop me again!"
"You won't get that chance."
Chen Feng shook his head and spoke slowly.
"As long as I am here, you cannot escape."
"If you don't believe me, feel free to try."
Qi Shu glared at Chen Feng with a dark, unstable expression, and then his body began to fade into a ghostly transparency.
"He's trying to escape!"
Seeing this, Moon Carver immediately warned everyone; in his senses, Qi Shu's presence was continuously weakening.
However, in the next second, Qi Shu's body solidified once again, and he met another of Xiao's attacks.
After narrowly dodging Xiao's attack this time, the injuries to Qi Shu's soul became even more severe, making it difficult for him to even maintain his physical form.
"Damn it, do you really have to be my enemy?!"
"Do you think doing this will make these people accept you?!"
"Stop dreaming. They will never accept you!"
"Do you know how many people the Liyue Qixing have sent to watch your every move this whole time?"
"Hahahaha! No matter how much they seem to admire you, they've never once let down their guard around you!"
Realizing he was backed into a corner, Qi Shu tried to turn Chen Feng against them. However, after hearing his words, Chen Feng merely replied coolly.
"None of that matters."
"I don't care if my every move is monitored, as long as they don't restrict my freedom. In my eyes, the Liyue Qixing have already shown me enough respect."
"The only reason I'm attacking you is because you harmed Director Hu Tao. That's all."
Faced with Chen Feng's utterly cold gaze, Qi Shu finally realized that deciding to attack Hu Tao was his biggest mistake.
Upon hearing these words, Hu Tao, who was working hard to send souls to the world of death one by one, suddenly paused. Then, the flames on her body surged, the orange-red fire illuminating her profile in a bright glow, and her movements became even more energetic!
"Hahaha, how laughable, truly laughable!"
"A being like you would actually... for a mere mortal..."
"What's wrong with being a mortal?"
Hearing Qi Shu's words, Cloud Retainer looked at him with disdain.
"Don't forget that you are also just a mere mortal!"
"No, I am a god! I am a god of the new age!"
Qi Shu retorted desperately.
"Even if you refuse to acknowledge it, the fact that you are a mere mortal will not change," Mountain Shaper declared.
"To compare yourself to Rex Lapis is simply to overestimate your own abilities!"
Yelan spoke with a cold expression, her arms crossed over her chest.
"Once all your tricks have lost their power to intimidate, you are nothing more than a clown performing for a crowd in my eyes!"
These mocking words completely drove Qi Shu to the breaking point.
"What right do you have to judge me?!"
"Even if my end is already sealed, I will make all of you pay a terrible price!"
"Besides, you cannot decide my fate; I alone will decide it!"
At this moment, Qi Shu's expression turned hideous and frenzied. He opened the black notebook again, flipped to a blank page, and raised his hand to write a name.
After finishing, Qi Shu clutched the black notebook and began to laugh wildly.
Xiao, sensing something was wrong, instantly appeared beside Qi Shu, channeling his last shred of strength to attack. However, Xiao's attack once again passed through Qi Shu's body without resistance, failing to make any real contact.
Xiao's expression remained unchanged as he reached out to seize the black notebook from Qi Shu.
However, the moment his hand touched it, he felt an irresistible force surge from the notebook, causing him to instantly abandon the thought and recoil. He stumbled back dozens of steps on the ground before finally steadying himself.
At that moment, the mask on Xiao's face shattered. As the primary combatant tasked with keeping Qi Shu in check, every single one of his attacks had required his full strength. Now, he had almost no power left and even had to lean on the Primordial Jade Winged-Spear just to stay on his feet. His condition only slightly improved after Madame Ping transmitted some Adeptal Energy to him, but he had already completely forgotten about such things, his mind continuously replaying the name Qi Shu had just written in the black notebook.
The name Qi Shu had written this time was actually his own!
Clearly, it was impossible for Qi Shu to simply be acting out of desperation. He had done this for a specific purpose!
"This is bad. He has offered himself as a sacrifice to the Death God!"
Suddenly, Chen Feng's expression changed as he explained.
"This object is known as the Death Note. It is something I brought from another world, and its owner is the Death God of that realm."
"After he offers himself as a sacrifice to the Death God, his final wish will be granted depending on the Death God's satisfaction with the offering!"
Just as Chen Feng finished speaking, Qi Shu spread his arms wide, threw his head back, and shouted.
"Didn't you say I was just a mortal?"
"Now I have summoned the true Death God. I'm sure he won't disappoint you!"
"Hahaha, let me put an end to all of this..."
Qi Shu's voice cut off abruptly, and his figure gradually turned ethereal until he vanished completely.
The moment Qi Shu disappeared, everyone present felt a faint chill creep over their bodies, as if they were being watched by some terrifying existence. Panic immediately seized them once more.
Then they saw the people around them collapse one after another, lifeless. Screams erupted through the crowd again, and the scene descended into complete chaos.