Chapter 2465: I wonder who said that?

Lex’s brain froze because he was trying to figure out what he was seeing. Considering she waved at him, he was pretty certain he was looking at Eclipse. No, scratch that. Based solely on the fact that no one would have the guts to impersonate Eclipse, Lex was sure that was Eclipse.

So if she was outside her realm the entire time, did that mean that the story about the evolution of the universe connected to her was a lie? Or was there more to it?

Lex didn’t have time to figure that out because Eclipse looked from him towards Jack with an unusual expression on her face, as if she had just realized something. Of course Lex couldn’t keep a secret from her.

Jack waved meekly. Eclipse chuckled and waved back with a dagger in her hand before turning her attention back to Bourdow.

In the fog, there were very few Dao Lords, but many Celestials and even more Heaven Immortals. These were not all the races that had their luck stolen by Bourdow - these were the races that had their luck stolen, and the ancestors entered into an agreement with Eclipse.

Romulus also appeared in the fog, uncertain of what was happening. He seemed to spot Lex in the fog, though, and calmed down. It was too bad he couldn’t move, or else he’d gone and sat next to him. Was that powerful looking guy next to him the Innkeeper?

He would have loved to ask, but he was unable to do so.

Eclipse waited, standing above Bourdow’s body until, at last, all the representatives appeared. A little over one thousand three hundred races had appeared - which was quite sad because originally over ten thousand had entered the pact. Those were the races that had died... to become a part of this story.

"Guardians, protectors, leaders of these various races, you are here today because once, long ago, your ancestors entered a pact, and I made an oath," said Eclipse, her voice carrying to each and everyone in the fog though she spoke calmly. "For two ages you have suffered, but today I will fulfil my oath, and deliver you from the chains imposed upon you by someone else’s design."

Bourdow just looked up at Eclipse. It was so unfair. If he had faced anyone but her... anyone but her...

Without explaining further, and without any further delay, Eclipse stabbed Bourdow in the forehead with the dagger, instantly killing him and shattering his Dao. Yet his body did not disintegrate due to the force of the attack.

Instead, it began to morph into someone else entirely. Something happened that Lex had experienced before. Eclipse was so powerful that Lex could not actually see her. The figure he ’saw’ when he looked at her was merely an image his mind projected knowing that there was a powerful figure there. Her actual appearance was unknown to him.

The figure that was stabbed in the head was a Dao Lord, but once it began to morph, Lex sensed that he was no longer seeing the real body. Instead, he was seeing a projection conjured by his brain so that he was saved from the real sight.

Yet while he was saved from the sight, he was not saved from the sounds - though for some reason he felt no pressure from them. Maybe the fog was protecting him somehow.

"Huh? What the hell?" said Destiny as her actual, main body suddenly appeared in place of Bourdow, wrapped in chains, covered in characters written in blood, with a dagger stuck in her head.

How was it possible? How could she be moved from her place without her noticing, let alone being able to resist?

She looked up to see Eclipse, and was even more shocked!

"Eclipse? What the hell are you doing outside your realm?" she asked, unable to process what was happening.

She tried to move her hand to her forehead - tried to remove the dagger - but found she could not. The weight of the chains... the weight was too great!

Shock! Disbelief! Horror!

"How is this possible?" she asked, trying to lift her hand once again, only to discover that she was not mistaken. She, Destiny, was being constrained by simple physical force. Such a thing could not be. Such a thing could never be! She was no mere Dao Lord! She could not be contained!

Destiny was suddenly infuriated, and she activated her power - her true, genuine power - without concern over the fact that the universe would immediately punish her for revealing her strength.

Yet there was no thunder - no calamitous roar of the sounds of chains breaking and the realm rupturing. Nothing happened. The chains... they bore even her full strength, and all they did was move slightly, allowing her to lift her hand towards the dagger. Yet she could not reach it.

"Destiny, why are you in such a hurry to leave? I put in so much effort to host you," said Eclipse as she held the woman’s chin and turned her face towards her. The two ladies locked eyes - with Destiny’s eyes burning with uncontrollable fury, while Eclipse’s held nothing but an untouchable calm, the kind born only from absolute confidence.

"Eclipse, why the hell are you outside your realm?" Destiny demanded once again, her voice filled with a madness that threatened to destroy reality itself. "Why can you exit the realm without affecting the universe?"

Eclipse raised a single eyebrow, as if curious.

"Oh? Why would my location be any concern to the universe?" she asked oh so innocently.

Lex had no idea who this Destiny was, though he could guess. The only one worthy of Eclipse’s attention - the only one confident enough to even call out her name like that - would be a being above the Dao Lord realm. That was a kind of entity Lex could not even imagine challenging, and here Eclipse was, casually teasing her. It felt so... great!

Although Lex personally had nothing against Destiny, he decided that if Eclipse was teasing her and treating her like this, she probably deserved it.

"What do you mean why is it the universe’s concern? Everyone knows that your realm is the only thing keeping your power in check. The moment you leave your realm, the universe should be affected and begin its transition!"

Eclipse showed an exaggerated look of surprise upon hearing that.

"Everyone knows? I wonder how everyone found out such a thing," she said, almost as if she was musing to herself.

"Your told everyone yourself-"

Destiny just paused, and looked at Eclipse with a shock that rocked her to her core as she realized something. Why did she believe this rumor, just because Eclipse herself claimed it to be true? Wasn’t it possible she lied, or misled everyone? Yet for billions of years, Destiny had never questioned such a thing.

It obviously wasn’t because Destiny was incapable of spotting such an obvious flaw. It was much more likely because... she, like everyone else, was affected by Eclipse, making her incapable of thinking otherwise.

"Oh? Did I say it? Then I guess it must be true," Eclipse said with a nod. "It’s a good thing, then, that I never left the Dream realm, my seat of power, for so long. Right?"