In the boundless void, within the endless black emptiness that stretched beyond sight, Tao Ran flew on his sword, pursuing at full strength a rapidly fleeing figure ahead.
At this moment, "starlight" rays shooting from the surroundings continuously burned his soul, while the chaotic elemental storms nearby caused the true essence and magical power within his body to gradually collapse and become disordered.
Yet Tao Ran paid no heed. His will was as hard and unshakeable as an eternal, unmelting iceberg, impossible to move or shake.
After an unknown period, the Nine Heavens Desire Demon Dugu Tianyi fleeing ahead finally slowed down. This one had obviously reached the end of his rope, his body and limbs disintegrating inch by inch. He simply turned around, looking back at Tao Ran with eyes full of venomous hatred.
"Sword-Questioning Tao Ran!"
Dugu Tianyi's face, which should have been jade-like, fresh and handsome, supremely beautiful, was now twisted and hideous beyond recognition.
"It seems today you're determined to kill completely, leaving no mercy?"
"Isn't this only natural?"
Tao Ran smiled slightly: "I never do anything as foolish as letting a tiger return to the mountains! The Demon Lord stirred up demonic calamity in the Original Dome Realm, causing countless millions to suffer and die - now it's time to give them an accounting."
As the distance between them grew closer, his long-accumulated sword momentum surged and billowed, gradually building toward eruption.
Deep despair couldn't help but appear in Dugu Tianyi's eyes, yet he didn't get angry but laughed instead, his eyes showing mockery: "Don't speak so righteously - what good thing are you, Sword-Questioning Tao Ran? These past twenty years, borrowing this demon's blade to kill, how many dissidents have you eliminated, Tao Ran? Cold Profound Sect, Transformation Light Sword Sect, and those three thousand court mages of the Langya Celestial Dynasty - we both know the count."
"Whatever the Demon Lord says, I have a clear conscience and can face myself with equanimity."
Tao Ran's expression was indifferent, without the slightest emotional fluctuation: "The Demon Lord is at least a generation's hero - now facing death, you should show some heroic spirit. Don't let me look down on you—"
Before his words finished, a magnificent hundred-refined silver light swept across the black void. The supremely sharp sword light directly split Dugu Tianyi's entire being in two, followed by thousands upon thousands of flying swords, surging and flying in waves, beginning to bombard, annihilate, and devour the last remnants of this peerless demon lord.
Throughout the entire process, Dugu Tianyi made no resistance, still gazing at the swordsman opposite with crimson eyes.
However, all his fragmenting and separating body parts transformed into blood flames, converging toward his eye pupils.
"Are you joking with me? When people die, it's like a lamp going out - nothing remains, so what heroic spirit is there to speak of? But ah, this game between you and me is far from over. As they say, cornered rats will bite cats, and trapped beasts still fight - the same goes for this seat! Listen clearly, Sword-Questioning Tao Ran! In the future you will inevitably sink into endless desire, while this demon will be reborn from your corpse - it's not over between us—"
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The next morning, Tao Ran suddenly awoke from his dream, gasping heavily. Only after three minutes did he calm the alarm in his chest, then frowned deeply, falling into contemplation.
After borrowing this body for rebirth, he had actually forgotten this most important matter.
"You will inevitably sink into endless desire, while this demon will be reborn from your corpse" - meaning, the abnormality he experienced yesterday was caused by you? Dugu Tianyi?
Tao Ran's eyes showed cold intent, but he then shook his head, turning to look toward the alarm clock, finding it was already nine in the morning.
At this moment from his right arm came a sudden aching, swollen sensation, as if this limb was about to no longer belong to him.
Tao Ran knew what was happening and could only smile bitterly without sound. This was the aftereffect of yesterday's sword strike - such sword speed had obviously exceeded this body's tolerance range.
Although he had done some simple treatment afterward, without proper acupuncture tools, the effect was limited.
He had been confused at the time, thinking this was still his original body.
Tao Ran tapped his head with some regret, then got up from bed and walked heavily to the bathroom, carefully examining "himself" in the mirror.
Regarding the original owner's situation, Tao Ran had actually figured it out mostly yesterday on the school bus, and roughly understood his own circumstances.
The body he now occupied was not only far from "lucky," but belonged to someone who had lost both parents just six months ago - an unlucky wretch pitiful enough to draw tears of sympathy.
Worth mentioning was that the original owner's background was also somewhat complex - extremely "melodramatic" in this world's terms.
This related to both sides of André's parents. First was his father Li Chunchu - the original owner's memories knew little about his father, only that he had once been a disciple of some famous great sect in the Eastern world. Over twenty years ago he was expelled from his sect and thereafter immigrated to the United States of America.
André's mother Elena Wiltonstein also came from extraordinary origins.
She had once been a member of the Wiltonstein family and was a direct descendant of the current family head, holding the noble position of fourth heir to the Wiltonstein Holdings Group.
The so-called Wiltonstein Holdings Group was one of the Wiltonstein family's most important enterprises.
The latter was a prominent noble family ranking at least in the top fifty of the United States of America, with a long heritage spanning nearly nine hundred years, being one of the original pioneers of the New World. They wielded enormous influence in both today's business and political circles.
However, this didn't mean the original owner could gain any benefits from this background, because his parents' union hadn't received the blessing of his mother's family.
André's mother Elena Wiltonstein had been stripped of her inheritance rights by the family twenty-five years ago due to this marriage.
Although André himself remained in the Wiltonstein family's line of succession for unknown reasons, the Wiltonstein family had always maintained an indifferent attitude toward him. The original owner had barely seen any relatives from his mother's side throughout his life.
So the current André was essentially isolated and without support, having no relatives to turn to.
Actually, it couldn't be said he had no relatives at all - André still had an older sister, and his father's side also had a few relatives in America.
However, judging from the original owner's memories, those so-called "relatives" were as good as nonexistent.
As for his sister who had already returned to the family—
Thinking of that Jennifer Wiltonstein, some images suddenly flashed through Tao Ran's mind, causing him to frown deeply, with a trace of displeasure flickering in his eyes.