One-Eyed Monster

All the vanishing souls had dissipated completely, and everything returned to tranquility. The sentimentality also quickly subsided, much like the calm after a heavy rain—unexpected and quiet. Thus, the mental attack from the Dark Force ended amid a wave of sentimentality. It seemed a bit ridiculous, but it had really happened, regardless of the process. The result was now before them: the Dark Force’s control was gone. They were free, and soon they would return to the real world. Everything in this Spirit World was collapsing.

Those souls devoured by the Dark Force were redeemed in this Spirit World, having experienced so many hardships. Once they exited this Spirit World, they would return to their original place: the familiar Guru Mountain, the familiar Moonflow Stream.

The severe winter still brought snow, but the cold did not defeat them. They had stayed in the Spirit World for so long that, in reality, they had virtually become snowmen. Kevin brushed the accumulated snow off himself. In the darkness, he saw Milo nearby. Although he still harbored strong resentment toward the Alchemy Workshop, the memories of fighting alongside Milo were still vivid.

Kevin nodded to Milo in acknowledgment. They would never forgive the Alchemy Workshop, but they would still honor the comrades who had fought alongside them.

Everyone from the Alchemy Workshop had gathered around Kuyi Tulan. They knew their mission, and only by staying close to their chief could they hope to complete it.

The Great Mentor was within reach, but despite the excitement in their hearts, these Golden Seats restrained themselves. The chief had not yet given an order, so they would not act rashly.

Kevin, Simon, and others gradually gathered around the Great Mentor, the factions clearly defined. However, the Great Mentor remained seated and motionless, as if he had not yet emerged from his spiritual meditation. Simon and the others knew the Great Mentor was attending to his own matters and were not anxious; their trust in him needed no words.

At the familiar Moonflow Stream, there was now no moonlight. Consequently, the joyous running water could no longer sing, rendering the area quiet.

This eerie silence sent chills down the spine, giving the impression that something lurked in the shadows, waiting to strike the moment one lowered their guard.

The standoff re-formed in the darkness of Moonflow Stream, with the Alchemy Workshop and Guru Mountain’s monsters confronting each other. Their grievances were complex and unspoken, and no one could definitively say who was right or wrong.

The awkward ones were those uninvolved individuals who stood still, uncertain of what to do. It seemed that regardless of their connection to the matter, their discomfort was undeniable.

Whether Stan Sol or Estev, they both stood there awkwardly, unsure how to proceed. Hustace, an outsider ignorant of the situation, huddled behind Stan Sol. In his view, something unstoppable was about to happen.

Meanwhile, Kadi ran over to Igor’s side, seemingly unconcerned with the overall situation; he just wanted to check on Igor. Igor, like the Great Mentor, sat quietly and motionless. The Great Mentor’s situation was complex, whereas Igor’s was simple: he was in the Inner World, which he had created to guide the lost spirits back.

The atmosphere was palpably tense; it felt as if a single spark could ignite a fight between the two confronting sides. The situation looked dire, with both groups just one step away from a showdown. A major battle seemed ready to erupt if anyone from either side made the first move. Everyone was on edge, the current crisis feeling far greater than the one before. Friends who once knew each other might now become enemies—a realization that was hard for anyone to bear. They could fight side by side or turn against each other; their relationships were too complex to fathom.

Perhaps Kadi was the only calm person on the scene. He knew Guru Mountain faced many enemies, and they were right in front of him. But compared to the previous Dark Force, these enemies don’t pose much of a threat, he thought. After all, we once fought side by side, and our conflicts aren’t irreconcilable.

But Kadi wasn’t concerned about this right now; his sole focus was Igor. He wanted to know when Igor would return.

Kadi had a vague feeling. Something isn’t quite right, he mused. It all ended too easily. Previously, so many of us joined forces and couldn’t even budge the Dark Force. How did Igor manage to dismantle its entire attack single-handedly? This simplicity makes me suspicious; something dangerous must be hidden... That’s why I’m waiting for Igor. With his perceptive eyes, he’ll surely uncover what’s really going on. As for the others, let them do what they want. When a real crisis hits, they’ll unite again anyway! Kadi seemed to understand these people well. His only concern now was Igor.

The atmosphere grew slightly awkward as silence reigned during the standoff between the Alchemy Workshop and Guru Mountain’s monsters. In the darkness, everyone simply looked at one another.

They didn’t sense anything unusual. Perhaps it was because they had just emerged from the Dark Force’s spiritual attack and returned to a familiar place; this made them somewhat relaxed and less vigilant. Consequently, even though they were masters, they failed to realize that the surrounding darkness was abnormal.

They didn’t know that by being in this darkness, they had already fallen into a vulnerable position. Unaware, they were already caught in a new crisis.

Yes, this darkness was Wizard Reed’s masterpiece. He now had many ways to control the forces of nature and could attack these people completely by surprise. But I don’t want to deal with them so easily, he thought. I want to torture them properly.

This unnatural darkness deprived the entire Moonflow Stream of moonlight, rendering it gloomy and lifeless, as if the souls that had just vanished had truly met their final end here.

Wizard Reed was about to confront these people again, ready to settle both new grudges and old scores.

The extreme winter cold was unbearable, but the fire in Wizard Reed’s heart burned fiercely. His mind, consumed by hatred, had long ago lost all reason.

Taking advantage of the extreme cold, he conjured a volley of Ice Arrows.

WHOOSH! The volley of Ice Arrows shot towards the people from the Alchemy Workshop and Guru Mountain’s monsters. Nothing could be seen in the darkness; only the sound of their passage, like a sudden gust of wind, echoed. This volley of Ice Arrows could undoubtedly riddle them with holes.