NOVPUBYe Zhong's gauntleted hands tightened around the crumpled can as confusion and clarity clashed in his eyes. It was as if Lin Mo's question had stirred a buried ember within his fragmented memories.
The foreign energy cloaking him pulsed erratically, like a heartbeat caught between life and death.
"Him…" Ye Zhong's voice faltered, each word a struggle against the Tower's binding. "No… challenger. He… forged… paths. Gave… power. Then… war came… chasing after him. Martial World… shattered. I… fell."
His pale lips twisted, baring a hint of teeth.
Lin Mo parsed Ye Zhong's fragmented words. A supreme being who forged a path for the Martial World but also brought a war that shattered their world? It sounded like a myth, a legend from a realm beyond the Nine Heavens. But he could tell, the war he mentioned was the cause for the Fractured Planes near the realm. Their Martial World was just one of the many worlds or planes that fell during it. As for why his soul became locked inside the tower, he had no idea.
Because if that's the case, the divine being behind the formation of this tower would most definitely be related to that ancient war. As for which side they stood, he'd never know unless he uncovered more information.
Won't that be too much for a mere Shopkeeper?
"Sounds like quite the guy. Forging paths, handing out power, then engulfing your world with the fires of war that followed him. I wouldn't want that guy as a customer. Or maybe I do? Anyways…" He shrugged and then mirrored Ye Zhong's earlier gesture. "It's unfortunate that you got dragged into his troubles, but without him, your world will remain stagnant and pathless, don't you think so?"
Ye Zhong's eyes flared, the foreign energy around him spiking as if Lin Mo's words had struck a nerve. His voice cracked with a mix of rage and sorrow. "Indeed… He… promised… ascension. Unity. Gave… techniques… artifacts. We… rose. Then… we fought… and lost. I… swore… protect. Failed. Now… here. Eternal… fight."
A flicker of truth couldn't be hidden from the guardian's words. Even if he may just be a poor soul that got sucked in the tower with fragmented memories, he does have a story behind him. What he shared is not just a construct's script but a soul's lament. Whether Ye Zhong was a real person or a Tower-forged echo, his pain was raw, undeniable.
And if the realm failed to prevent the Outer Realms from creating those dimensional bridges through the Anchors, their realm would also suffer the same fate.
Lin Mo's lips curled into a wry smile, though his eyes softened with a trace of empathy. "That's rough, friend. Sounds like you got dealt a bad hand. But you caught that soda can like a pro. I wish we had met before you faced your demise, I could've treated you to far more than that soda can, you know?"
"Anyway, got any of that hero spark left? Maybe we can work something out. Skip the fight, have a chat over another drink? I can buy another one for you."
Ye Zhong's gauntlets unclenched, the crushed can falling to the chamber floor with a soft clink.
His intelligent eyes studied Lin Mo as if weighing his soul. "You… jest. Yet… sincere. Strange… shopkeeper."
He took a step forward, his stance shifting, the open-palm form now radiating a quiet menace. "No… escape. Tower… demands. Fight… or… fall."
Lin Mo sighed. So it still comes to this?
He twirled his spear before planting it into the ground, his free hand resting on the revolver's grip. "Figured you'd say that. Duty's a heavy chain, huh? Alright, Ye Zhong, let's make this quick. I've got a store to run in the morning and customers waiting. Show me what a Martial World hero's got."
The Tower panel chimed, the timer ticking down to [16:32]. At least, he bought a few minutes by conversing with him..
"Yes." Ye Zhong's foreign energy surged, his gauntlets glowing with a translucent sheen that warped the air around them.
His stance widened, the flowing palm form becoming a perfect blend of defense and offense, each movement carrying the weight of a master's lifetime.
Lin Mo knew he was totally outclassed here but he couldn't help but want to try. To learn something from this Fallen Martial Hero.
He readied his [Emergency Escape Talisman], ready to activate it the moment he sensed the helplessness.
The [Celestial Duel Gear] pulsed faintly on his wrist, its recycled foreign energy primed for action, and three new cards had already been drawn.
Unfortunately, they're two Level 1 and one Level 2 Units. They will not be able to hold Ye Zhong back at all. He had to hold off summoning them for now and use them to block any fatal strike.
Besides, he wanted to test Ye Zhong's strength himself first, to gauge the gap between a shopkeeper with borrowed power and a true martial hero, even one bound by the Tower.
Ye Zhong moved first, his body weaving through the air in a fluid arc. The foreign energy trailing his palms condensed into a shimmering crescent, slicing toward Lin Mo with the precision of a master's strike.
His heart skipped a beat as it was a technique honed to perfection, carrying the weight of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, perhaps even brushing the edge of Core Formation.
How could he, a mere Spirit Condensation Stage cultivator, cope with that?
He could only force himself to sidestep the crescent by exerting his movement technique to its fullest. The attack grazed the chamber floor, carving a clean gash through the surface.
Analyzing Ye Zhong's movements, the hero's form was flawless and devoid of weakness against someone like him.
"Not bad for a dead guy," Lin Mo quipped, acting unbothered. He thrust his spear forward, channeling spiritual energy into a [Powerful Thrust].
The spearhead glowed faintly, aimed at Ye Zhong's side, testing his reaction.
Ye Zhong's response was effortless. His left palm redirected the spear with a gentle twist, the foreign energy coiling around the weapon like a serpent. Lin Mo felt a jolt through his arms as the spear veered off course, nearly wrenching it from his grip.
Before he could recover, Ye Zhong's right palm struck forward, a burst of energy exploding from the impact point.
He summoned a Level 1 Unit to block, but it dispersed before it could even fully materialize.
So he had no choice but to activate his [Crystal Shell Technique].
The crystalline sheen absorbed the blow and instantly shattered. The lingering force sent him rolling back, full of bruises.
Pain lanced throughout his body due to the impact, but he gritted his teeth to keep his focus sharp.
"Alright, you're the real deal," Lin Mo muttered as he used the spear to regain his balance.
His free hand brushed the [Starshot Revolver]'s grip, but he hesitated. The strain was still in effect. He'd truly collapse if he used it again.
The revolver could probably end this in the same way it did the previous floors but the strain was still in effect. He wasn't sure he could fire more than a shot or two without collapsing. He had to time it at the moment he could be certain of his win. If that opportunity didn't arrive, he would escape.
Besides, something about Ye Zhong's story made him want to face the hero on his own terms, at least for now. This was his challenge. After leaving this place, he'd return to being just the Shopkeeper. The Convenience Saint who'd never lift his finger unless absolutely necessary.
Ye Zhong didn't press the attack immediately. His intelligent eyes studied Lin Mo as if puzzled by his resilience. "You… endure. Why… fight… with mortal… tools?"
Lin Mo grinned, wiping a trickle of sweat from his brow. "Mortal tools, divine artifacts, it's all the same in the end. I'm just a shopkeeper trying to keep up with folks like you. Gotta make sure the wares are worth selling, right?"
