Chapter 1903 - 1902: Whispering Lock, Return to Yilan

In the deep, hollow black void, chains intertwined, countless intricate patterns flickered and dimmed on these chains, like some ancient sigh.

In this void, there was no space, no time, only these chains as the sole entity, twisting together, extending all the way to the center of the void.

At the intersection point formed by these intertwining chains, an elderly figure with a serene appearance floated there, eyes tightly closed.

Green arrays wound around the elderly figure, forming slender chains that extended from his body, sprawling out to the material chains outside.

Underneath these complex green glows, faint white glows flickered gently.

These white glows flowed through the elderly’s body like veins, finally gathering on the pocket watch at the elderly’s chest.

At a certain moment, the chains in the void quivered slightly, and likewise, the body at the center of the chains trembled.

Then he suddenly opened his eyes.

Countless green lights illuminated almost simultaneously in this void, with those slender chains shaken as if by some storm-like force, causing severe fluctuations.

A vast and lofty gaze pierced through countless time and space in an instant, reaching in front of the elderly figure.

Soon after, the vibrating green dust beside the elderly figure rushed towards him without hesitation, pouring into the elderly’s husks.

Buzz——

In the depths of the soul, a resonant humming seemed to arise, followed by a dense ticking sound resembling the operation of a clock.

The white pocket watch hanging around the elderly’s neck suddenly radiated brilliant white glow, enveloping his body, resisting that green brilliance, intertwining with the green dust.

At this moment, seizing the intertwining between the two glows, the elderly at the center of the chains trembled slightly.

Slender chains extended from behind him, clinging tightly like intertwined tentacles, quickly sketching a vague humanoid figure.

Immediately, these chains began to ’melt,’ distorting, and in an instant transformed into a figure resembling the elderly.

However, compared to the elderly himself, this body was considerably thinner.

The green dust seemed to realize what the elderly intended to do, quickly converging, rushing towards him.

Tick, tick, tick——

Amidst the crisp sound of the clock, the surging white glow swiftly swept away, blocking the green glow.

Simultaneously, those white glows slightly trembled in the void.

An invisible passage opened in the void.

The elderly figure formed by chains lifted its head, glanced at the intertwined green and white glows, slightly trembled its body, tore off the chains connected to it, and the entire body fell into the opened passage.

——

Yilan City

Levi lifted his head, looking at the surrounding pitch-black space.

"Ah~"

A certain distant melody came from the depths of the space, like guidance penetrating the soul, drawing him forward.

He bowed his head, looking at the slender road ahead.

Darkness flanked both sides, and the road stretched forward, reaching all the way into the deepest darkness, its end unseen.

"Guidance of the Netherworld?" Levi lifted his head, looking at the surrounding pitch-black space, slightly furrowing his brow, "Death God believers? Wasn’t the headquarters of the Church of the Grim Reaper destroyed?"

At this moment, his expression sank, "Do Death God believers want to interfere in the matters of Yilan City?"

He lifted his hand, green brilliance overflowed from his fingertips, forming intricate arrays that quickly overlapped, slightly trembling.

The whole void shook slightly at this moment, a few cracks opened in the darkness before him.

He lifted his hand, those green arrays overlapped in his hand, forming a slender dagger.

He lifted his hand, sliding downward, the darkness before him suddenly split open, revealing a dimly discernible pitch-black passage.

"Ah~"

But before Levi could step forward into the passage, a distant melody echoed from the depths of darkness, a great force emerged from the darkness, forcefully pressing the opened passage closed.

Soon, the wound that had been sliced open healed completely, disappearing into the darkness.

"Power of the Netherworld." Levi’s expression turned thoroughly somber at this moment.

His gaze lifted, sweeping across the surroundings.

He raised his hand again, the green dagger shattered, scattering into dense green brilliance, transforming into sharp spikes in the next instant, rushing in all directions.

These spikes pierced the darkness, carving stripes in it, but soon those stripes were rapidly mended closed.

But at this moment, Levi had already clasped his hands, green brilliance gathered in his palms, wrapping his body, constructing a complex array.

The patterns of these arrays overlapped, quickly layering, causing the surrounding time and space to distort at this moment, pulling his body, attempting to extract him from this space.

"Ah~"

And at this moment, the distant clear melody echoed again, the surrounding darkness gently surged, like layers of overlapping barriers, wrapping around Levi, pulling his body.

Green brilliance trembled slightly, flashing, but remained unable to transmit Levi’s body out of this darkness.

Levi lifted his head, looking around.

He could feel the space around him wasn’t stable, but the Death God believers designing this space cleverly utilized the power of the Netherworld, pulling him here.

This was a trap specifically designed for him, some combat-oriented Angels, relying on brute force, breaking points, could potentially destroy the foundation constructing this space quickly.

Yet he happened to be a pure Mage, while the power of the Netherworld itself was a high-level force in mysticism, naturally suppressing magic arrays and mystical arts, which effectively restrained his power.

Levi raised his hand, green brilliance wandered constantly in this darkness.

But the power of the Netherworld was not so easily utilized, those Death God believers likely paid a significant price, and by every passing second, these powers were dwindling.

As long as enough time passed, waiting for the power of the Netherworld to dissipate somewhat, he could directly break through the space to leave.

However, the dilemma lies here; the trap’s designer must be aware of this, too.

Hence, the fundamental purpose of this space isn’t to deal with Levi, but to trap him here with minimal cost.

During the period he is trapped here, the trap setter’s allies can naturally carry out some ’operations’ outside.

Levi’s thoughts rapidly churned; the Church of the Grim Reaper had previously suffered significant damage. Solely relying on it was unlikely for them to infiltrate Yilan City unnoticed.

Who’s helping them?

The Consortium Alliance, and those Angels backing them.

Perhaps even some Federation Angels intervened, assisting these Death God cultists in disrupting his perception.

Levi’s brow slightly furrowed as he looked at the surrounding darkness.

Outside, it seems something big is happening.

Just at the moment Levi’s thoughts were swirling, the surrounding darkness suddenly writhed intensely.

Immediately afterward, an aged hand sliced through the darkness like cutting through tofu, tearing open a slender pathway in the darkness.

Levi lifted his head, looking toward the newly torn-open passageway, gazing at the figure standing within it.

Then his body suddenly froze, "Linen?"

"Long time no see." He Ao looked at him, a slight smile curling at his lips.

"What’s going on?" Levi looked at He Ao, speaking with some shock, "Did you sneak out from the Netherworld?"

"It’s complicated," He Ao began slowly, "I did not enter the Netherworld, let’s leave here first."

"Ah~~"

As He Ao’s words fell, a distant song started up again in the depths of the void.

The silent darkness quickly warped, pressing against the cut open rift, trying to close it completely.

"It’s the power of the Netherworld," Levi immediately raised his hand, with strands of green light emanating from his palm attempting to hold the cut open rift.

"No need." He Ao shook his head, lifting his gaze to sweep over the surrounding darkness.

Subsequently, he extended his hand through the rift, reaching into this pitch-black space.

Whirr——

The crisp sound of chains clashing resonated in the darkness.

Then, as if sensing something in the void, he extended his hand, lightly grabbing.

Boom boom——

The sound of chains entwining came from the depths of the darkness, subsequently, the hollow darkness, like grabbing the corner of a black cloth, was fiercely tugged and lifted.

Piles of desiccated corpses revealed themselves from behind the pulled open darkness.

These corpses had their flesh and souls seemingly completely extracted, yet their mouths were curled in some form of happy smile, appearing as if they had fulfilled some long-held desire.

Levi turned his gaze toward these desiccated corpses, quickly discerning their identity, "They are Death God believers,"

He swiftly scanned over these corpses, "They sacrificed themselves as mediums to draw the power of the Netherworld here; these cultists are truly insane."

"Perhaps to them, it’s just a necessary means to enter the ’Heaven’ of their faith," He Ao said naturally.

Boom——

Explosive sounds resonated in the darkness, as He Ao tore through it, revealing those Death God believers, the entire dark area began to rapidly collapse.

In front of Levi, the long path leading into the depths of darkness also started to rapidly collapse.

Levi lowered his head, glanced at the slender path, then lifted his gaze again to look at He Ao.

He Ao did not rush him, instead quietly waiting there.

After a brief pause, Levi stepped forward, crossing into the darkness he had torn open.

"Where are we going?" Levi lifted his head, looking at He Ao.

"The Undead Legion is attacking the city outside." He Ao quickly said.

"Church of the Grim Reaper," Levi’s face darkened, "These guys have already started collaborating with the cult."

"Do you angels have some sort of treaty against intervening?" He Ao hastily moved with Levi through the passage.

"We do, angels cannot participate in internal Federation wars," Levi quickly replied, "But since they’re already colluding with the Church of the Grim Reaper, it shouldn’t be a problem for me to deal with the undead."

"The problem isn’t there," He Ao shook his head, quickly spoke, "There are several Federation angels watching outside."

"Damn short-sighted idiots." Upon hearing this, Levi took a deep breath.

"If you ’break’ the rules, regardless of the soundness of your reasons, they’ll use it as an excuse for your violation," He Ao said quietly, "Their numbers are more."

"These fools," Levi took a deep breath, "They want to intervene themselves."

When He Ao mentioned these angels, he had already guessed the intentions of the Federation and Consortium Alliance.

On the angelic level, the Federation had more angels than Dawn City Alliance, but they were restricted by the alliance formed at the Federation’s inception.

If the angels could intervene, given their combat power, they could quickly rout Dawn City’s army and end the civil war.

Even if the restriction were lifted in certain regions, such as Yilan City battlefield, it would be enough to give them overwhelming advantage.

This was their ’backup plan’, if Levi managed to break through, they could use it to intervene.

"These guys have a kind of uneducated beauty, acting without considering consequences," even Levi had to curse a few words at this moment, "Once angelic warfare starts, war and death will spiral out of control."

"Surely some still don’t want to see these events unfold," He Ao quickly said, "You hold them off, I’ll deal with the Undead Legion."

"But you now..." Levi looked at He Ao.

"I’m not a Federation angel," He Ao laughed, "It’s you who signed the agreement, not me; they can seek aid from the Church of the Grim Reaper, can’t you enlist a few ’external allies’? When both sides commit minor infractions, it practically negates any rule-breaking."

"Alright," Levi lifted his head, looked at He Ao, nodded slightly, and smiled, "I’ll follow your plan."

He Ao breathed a soft sigh of relief.

Levi was amenable to communication; though a bit of a scholar, he wasn’t inflexible.

By now, the two had completely stepped out of the rift, the city under a shadowy cloud appeared in their field of view.

"Then let’s act separately." He Ao quickly stated.

"Linen."

At this moment, Levi suddenly lifted his head, stopping He Ao.

He Ao turned, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

"No matter how you accomplished all this," Levi looked at He Ao and smiled, "welcome back."

"Thanks." He Ao took a deep breath, smiling and nodding.

He knew Levi had always been suspicious of his identity, wondering if he might be an angel adept at disguise, pretending.

But at this moment, Levi must’ve confirmed his identity.

Turning around, his form seemed like a stream of light, crossing the city, rushing toward the towering walls.

As his figure disappeared, Levi paused slightly, his entire body like being erased with a rubber, vanished from the original spot.