Lan's expression froze. He opened his mouth but said nothing.
Zero casually raised his hand and loosely gripped the Aeon's neck.
The smile on Aha's face gradually disappeared.
If his best friend killed Lan, what if he casually killed him next?
Aha could only hug the small box in his arms tightly, shrinking into a corner, trying his best to reduce his presence.
Zero knew very well that Lan was different from Aha.
Lan had knocked him unconscious before, so unlike Aha, he couldn't use his true body to gain his trust. He could only appear before him in a fragile human avatar.
Zero quietly locked eyes with Lan.
The Aeon remained relaxed, his expression unchanged, as if the place Zero was touching wasn't a fatal weakness that could kill with a single strike.
Zero instantly lost interest in continuing the conversation with Lan. He quickly withdrew his hand and turned his head to look at Dan Feng.
Dan Feng looked dazed, as if he hadn't yet recovered from his joy.
But… why was Dan Feng staring at him? Shouldn't he be looking at Yingxing?
Zero glanced at Yingxing, who had lost consciousness and was lying flat on the ground.
Thanks to Dan Feng's dragon-transformation technique, this short-lived species had transformed into a Vidyadhara.
Zero stepped forward and pressed a hand onto Dan Feng's shoulder, applying slight force.
Dan Feng's body wavered, and he obediently sat down on the ground.
He stared at Zero without blinking.
Zero crouched down.
"Alright, Dan Feng, give me your and Yingxing's jade communicators."
"I'll change your location data for you."
"Today, you never came to Scalegorge Waterscape."
"Next, you'll send Shuhu to the Ten Lords Commission. This matter ends here."
"You and Yingxing… that's an internal matter of the Vidyadhara. The Luofu won't pursue it."
Zero paused for a moment, his expression turning serious.
"But what should be said and what shouldn't, make it clear to him."
Dan Feng blinked slowly, his voice trembling, "Zero, what you just said… what did it mean?"
"What do you mean we don't need to go to the battlefield? What do you mean we don't need to face our comrades who have fallen into mara-struck madness with blades drawn?"
Zero frowned deeply and let out a long sigh.
He was used to leaving room for things.
Even if he planned to start over, he would still deal with the current situation properly.
He was cleaning up Dan Feng's mess, but what about Dan Feng?
Zero said irritably, "Dan Feng, is that the point?"
Dan Feng's trembling hand grabbed his collar.
"Tell me, what does it mean?"
Zero's expression remained indifferent. Without explanation, he slapped Dan Feng's hand away and stood up.
"Remember to handle the information on your jade communicator."
Dan Feng staggered and reached out to grab the hem of Zero's coat.
He clutched it tightly with both hands, forcing him to stop.
Dan Feng spoke in broken fragments, "What are you… going to do? Are you planning to… use your flesh and blood?"
"There are clearly… clearly other methods!"
Zero stood with his back to him and sighed, "Dan Feng, time is tight."
"If you keep this up… I won't be able to protect you."
Dan Feng understood the meaning behind Zero's words.
If someone the former marshal wanted to protect couldn't be protected, then there was only one possibility… death.
Zero could protect him for a while, but not forever.
Dan Feng and Yingxing bringing Shuhu into Scalegorge Waterscape was already a settled fact. If this dragged on… the entire Vidyadhara race could be implicated.
What the Vidyadhara High Elder should be doing wasn't sitting on the ground in a disheveled state, pulling at Zero's coat.
It was to follow his instructions, erase the records of himself and Yingxing, and send Shuhu to the Ten Lords Commission before General Tengxiao returned.
But… he had been the flawless Vidyadhara High Elder for hundreds of years.
Shuhu entering Scalegorge Waterscape was due to his momentary negligence.
It was a mistake he had made.
No matter who held him accountable, no matter what punishment, he would accept it without a word.
And now, what Dan Feng should do most was save his friend.
Save this god of the Xianzhou, who had saved countless people, yet in the end had no one to save him.
Dan Feng clenched his teeth, gripping Zero's coat tightly, refusing to let go.
The dragon and the man remained locked in a stalemate for a long while.
Zero lowered his head and swiftly took off his coat.
Dan Feng's eyes widened in disbelief. He stared blankly at the black coat falling to the ground, still clutching a piece of it in his hand.
Aha's eyes rolled, and an idea immediately came to him.
The Aeon first stuffed the box into Lan's hands, then plopped down on the ground and grabbed onto Zero's pant leg with both hands.
Zero, "..."
'Damn it.'
'Aha, are you insane?!'
He instinctively reached for the dagger in his coat pocket, only to grab empty air.
Under Zero's gaze, as if looking at a corpse, Aha chuckled.
Now his best friend had no weapon and no jade communicator.
Find a chance to slip the ring box he took from his best friend's house into the coat pocket.
Then get the jade communicator and contact that subordinate he favored the most.
Worst case, even if it failed… Aha would still get some fun out of it.
He knew his best friend too well.
Proud and obsessed with saving face.
Even if the sky collapsed, that mouth of his would still hold it up.
If he could take off his coat, then… what about his pants?
Aha was truly too clever.
The Aeon felt quite pleased with himself. He even waved at Dan Feng, inviting him.
But the descendant of "Permanence" wasn't on the same wavelength. He didn't step forward to grab the other pant leg, only stiffly shook his head.
Aha clicked his tongue in disappointment, shaking his head and sighing.
Dan Feng felt lost.
What should he do?
Dan Feng awkwardly gathered the coat and draped it over his arm.
He took out the dagger from his pocket, pressed it against his neck, and raised his voice, "Dan Feng knows his sins are grave... only…"
Everyone present, gods and humans alike, knew this was just a delaying tactic.
Zero turned back, his expression freezing instantly.
Aha immediately let go.
As if afraid Dan Feng might act rashly, Zero stopped a few steps away.
He looked at Dan Feng, his gaze gentle, his tone very soft, "It will be very painful."
Lan's breath caught, and Aha's smile faded.
Zero seemed to recall something and continued, "After cutting your carotid artery, you won't die immediately."
"You'll feel intense pain."
"As time passes, the pain will gradually lessen, and you'll completely lose consciousness."
Dan Feng seemed to realize something. His pupils trembled, and even the hand holding the knife began to shake.
Zero walked closer step by step, crouched down, and directly grabbed the blade.
Afraid the sharp edge would hurt Zero, Dan Feng could only maintain his original position while slowly loosening his grip.
Zero effortlessly took back his dagger.
He paused, then said with a smile, "This way of dying is very painful."
Dan Feng opened his mouth but couldn't say a word for a long time. He only looked at him, his back trembling uncontrollably.
Zero suddenly thought of the hat he had given to Akivili.
He and Dan Feng were very similar.
They would never allow themselves to show weakness or embarrassment in front of others.
When his emotions were on the verge of collapse, Akivili had used that hat to cover his face.
Zero thought for a moment, then picked up the coat draped over Dan Feng's arm.
He brushed off the dust in a hurry and covered Dan Feng's face.
Under the cover of the coat, Dan Feng's expression instantly fell apart.
He clutched the fabric tightly, his knuckles turning white.
Dan Feng thought, 'What exactly am I doing?'
'The god who answered every request of the Xianzhou people died alone in a place no one knew.'
'And when he came back to life and was about to fall again, what was I doing?'
'I didn't save the god.'
'The god held onto me.'
'Even when he had already exhausted all his strength…'
'Even when his last drop of blood was spent…'
'He still tried, still fulfilled my wish.'
'He still soothed my emotions.'
'"Imbibitor Lunae" once secretly despised the greedy masses who devoured everything, mocking those who forgot the god's contributions and acted arrogantly.'
'But now, what difference is there between me and those people who consumed his flesh and blood?'