Chapter 1692 - 1687: Time Cage
Chapter 1692: Chapter 1687: Time Cage
"The effect is indeed weak."
As Fu Qian pondered, Chief Yuan was also engaging in self-analysis, quickly arriving at the same pessimistic conclusion.
Her expression revealed that the rippling waves had dispersed into invisibility within moments.
"What should we do next? Simply waiting and watching isn’t a good idea. I’m afraid the changes will soon become irreversible."
Before Fu Qian could respond, Yuan Shan was already scanning her surroundings.
"In contrast to this abstract time loop, it seems there are no physical barriers around us, and you can even feel people moving outside. How about trying to leave here first?"
Despite the urgency of their conversation, her manner of inquiry was remarkably amicable.
"Indeed, there seems to be no spatial restriction."
Fu Qian’s response mirrored her demeanor almost exactly.
"But honestly, without being able to lock onto a target location, hoping to escape by changing places seems to have a low success rate."
Despite his pessimistic view, his expression remained peaceful and serene.
"Indeed."
Free from emotional interference, this more objective judgment was readily accepted by Yuan Shan.
The one who dropped the feather just now couldn’t possibly be an Earth-bound Spirit.
Without being able to find and deal with it, moving anywhere doesn’t make much difference, as the other party could easily follow.
"So what do you think we should do? We can’t just do nothing, right?"
"Why not?"
Regrettably, facing Yuan Shan’s inquiry after her contemplation, Fu Qian waved his nonexistent robe sleeves, standing with his hands clasped behind his back.
The next moment, through a window in the wall, he looked up at the dimming night sky.
"What joy is in life, what bitterness in death, joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness are all illusions. To the one lurking in the shadows, my heart at this moment is only filled with gratitude."
"I see that the two laywomen also possess great potential wisdom. Why not let go of your obsessions together and achieve great liberation, attaining perfect freedom."
...
Sincerity can overcome even the hardest of stones.
In that moment of Fu Qian’s heartfelt demeanor, it seemed even more effective than the skills Miss Wen tried her hardest to display.
In contrast to Wen Li, who was focusing on her repose, Chief Yuan’s face unexpectedly showed a hint of astonishment.
He was so professional; the guy seemed perfectly natural doing this!
Finding it difficult to express her thoughts, Yuan Shan didn’t refute the next moment.
She couldn’t possibly believe that this Poison Master had truly achieved enlightenment. This behavior could only be explained by him thinking that waiting and watching posed no serious consequences.
Considering past results and the disparity in strength, Yuan Shan decisively chose to believe him.
Having made this decision, she instinctively glanced at Wen Li next to her.
The latter was taking a deep breath and opening her eyes, having just regained her composure.
Clearly having heard their conversation, Yuan Shan sat quietly, not speaking a single extra word.
It really was complete and unsurprising trust.
Yuan Shan gave a slight nod.
"Once more."
But unexpectedly, Wen Li, who hadn’t spoken, was approached by Fu Qian again.
Seeing her regain her composure, Fu Qian signaled for the same move to be repeated once more.
"Alright."
Without asking why, Wen Li took another deep breath.
...
Isn’t he afraid of exhausting her?
Though there were no emotional fluctuations, the question inevitably arose in her mind.
Knowing well the demands on Wen Li, who needed to exert significant effort to influence two High-level Extraordinaries under such circumstances, repeating the move a few more times might indeed exhaust her.
And even if it had significance, the effects seemed insignificant.
"Here it comes again, how is it managing that?"
Without actually asking, Yuan Shan nodded slightly the next moment, reminding them they’d gone through another cycle.
"Good question, it’s hard to say if it’s an ability like Time Retrospection because in the constant repetition of the same time period, apart from continually dissipating humanity, nothing else markedly changes."
Turning his gaze away from Wen Li, who was powering up, Fu Qian calmly analyzed their experiences.
"If one had to use a metaphor, it feels more like a special kind of will cage."
A cage...
This concept obviously sparked Yuan Shan’s thoughts; she didn’t express interest because she couldn’t feel such a thing.
Upon recalling quickly, she easily acknowledged that the notion was surprisingly precise.
It’s more like trapping the will in that segment of experience, using it as a ground for torment, rather than true time looping.
Thinking this way, perhaps the situation is not that incomprehensible.
But here lies the problem—understanding it doesn’t seem to help.
There’s still no way to stop it, and it looks like the three of them are genuinely about to come to an understanding of human nature here.
As she pondered, familiar negative emotions surged, and Wen Li opened her eyes again, visibly weary.
It was still futile, as Yuan Shan clearly felt like a sieve, with negative emotions pouring out without a second’s pause—BOOM!
Just as she was about to become a mindless puppet, Yuan Shan suddenly felt a shocking change—but she felt shocked.
And rage, resentment, pain...
The dark aspects of human nature, which seemed disconnected before, suddenly surged forth, rocking her rationality and rendering her pristine self unreachable....
Screech!
The soft whip she had already recoiled almost slipped from her grasp, cutting her hand as it tore free...
"What’s going on?"𝓯𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶
Using all her strength to restrain the impulse to release her grip and lash out at everything around her, Yuan Shan stared at Fu Qian, asking in a hoarse voice.
Without even looking, she knew that her face must be contorted, and Wen Li was similarly struggling to control herself.
"Good question."
Faced with her inquiry, the Chief Poison Master seemed remarkably well-adapted to this change, even having the presence of mind to offer praise once more.
"It seems, regretfully, we haven’t transcended humanity. The darkness of the self hasn’t disappeared, it’s just been separated out... and under Wen Li’s repeated provocations, it’s now having its turn to dominate."
Human nature was merely separated, not annihilated...
Both Yuan Shan and Wen Li were clearly taken aback by this conclusion.
Ignoring them, what flickered in Fu Qian’s mind was the switching between Kelson and his cohorts in the dungeon, between being Saints and Thugs.
It turns out they really are remnants of Angel faith.
Even with appreciable ranking, capable of generating the dungeon’s separation effect.