The Almighty Ring

“That’s right. This girl was once Jenny. Right now, It’s just that the current conscience that resides within her body is not,” said Jiang Fei. He did not know how to properly explain how he managed to get Ariel into Jenny’s body.

“I don’t care whether she is Jenny or Phoenix. I just want to know where is Jenny right now,” said Shroder. His voice was breaking. He did not care about who or what resides in his sister’s body. All he wanted was to meet his sister!

“She’s… gone.”

Jiang Fei averted his gaze away from him. When Shroder finally calmed down, Jiang Fei proceeded to explain what Jenny had told him and how she wanted to Shroder to live. He had also explained about how Phoenix had given the body to him in order to revive Ariel.

“She… She still cares for me… even when she was dying…”

Shroder eyes locked on Ariel, tears rolling down like a waterfall.

“She did. Even though I had thought her conscience was lost, she managed to regain her memory and love for you. You have to forgive her for since when she was experimented upon, her new alter-ego was hell-bent on having her revenge on those who had made her suffer.”

Shroder was only hearing words coming out of Jiang Fei’s mouth. He was not truly listening since he was fully focused on Ariel. He had only just accepted the fact that Jenny was gone. Before this day, he never gave up looking for his sister. Besides looking into Japan, he did not fell short of searching throughout the world. But alas, the one man that had saved his life had to deliver the depressing news about his sister’s death.

Shroder walked over to Ariel and gently stroked her hair.

“Live a full life. For my sister’s sake.”

Even though he knew that Jenny was not in there, there was still a powerful feeling of familiarity.

“I will. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you and your sister,” said Ariel.

“Shroder, this is not a place for you to dwell in your feelings. You need to leave. With your current strength, you can easily leave the battlefield without being killed. I cannot fulfill my promise to Jenny if you insist on staying and fight!”

“My sister is gone, Jiang. There’s no need for you to continue this. I know that you care and worry for me but I am still a member of the Mutant Brotherhood. At the very least, allow me to fight to my last breath on the battlefield!”

“If you go, I’ll go!” cried Shroder’s girlfriend. She had only just arrived at where they were and did not realize Jiang Fei was around. She had only seen Shroder chasing after a martial artist and decided to come along.

“Sigh… what an emotional bunch. Ariel, please shackle them for me,” said Jiang Fei mentally.

“Very well,” Ariel replied and proceeded to use her powers to hold them in suspended animation.

Before Shroder and his girlfriend realized what was going on, Jiang Fei patted Shroder on his arms.

“I’m truly sorry for this. You would have to find it in your heart to forgive me,” said Jiang Fei. He then nodded at Ariel.

In a blink of an eye, Ariel created a rift in space and sent them to the edge of Japan, far away from the battlefield. Even if they tried their best to get back, the battle would have been over.

“Let’s go back,” Jiang Fei said with a heavy heart.

When Jiang Fei and Ariel returned to the battlefield, the battle was already about to close its curtain. It was somewhat wrong to call it a battle since it was a one-sided massacre. The Mutants might be of a higher level but they lacked any proficiency in close-quarter combat. Martial artists were the bane of their existence.

The main factor that led to their victory was Lincoln’s miscalculation. He had genuinely thought that his plan was flawless and had never even thought of having his ranged attackers protected.

Only when the battle was about to reach its conclusion, the Scarlet Hunters started to realize something was wrong. It took them too long to realize since they ran with everything they had to reach their position far ahead and close to the beach. The distance between the battle and the Scarlet Hunters was too large. Even if they tried to push themselves beyond their limit to reach in time, they would have only arrived at the now silent field of dead bodies of their fallen comrades.

“Finish them! Now!” Jiang Fei roared. Based on the information 0541 had given him, the Scarlet Hunters and the main Mutant group led by Lincoln were on their way there.

It was only obvious that the ranged attackers Mutant group had already relayed the information to the other Mutants. Right then, Lincoln ordered every Mutant available then to charge towards the back, to avenge their fallen comrades.

Jiang Fei’s roar was nothing but adding salt to the sea. Every martial artist was already fueled with rage, granting them extraordinary strength and vigor at killing the Mutants.

“Urgh!”

When Jiang Fei was killing a few stronger Mutants that others could not handle, he heard a familiar scream. Nervously, he searched around for the source and found Chen Xuanming piercing his sword through a Mutant’s head. At the same time, there was a large icicle protruding from his chest. It was a miracle that the man could still even stand when that icicle looked like it had punctured through his lungs and, hopefully not, his heart.

“Mr. Jiang Fei! Please save my master!” cried a Level 3 Soaring Cloud Sect disciple as he was on his knees. Chen Xuanming had taken too much damage that the only thing that was keeping him alive was sheer willpower. No miracle pills of the martial artist circle could save him now. Only Jiang Fei’s could.

“I will,” Jiang Fei declared and quickly dashed towards Chen Xuaming and made three pills.

“Don’t… Don’t waste them on me… This one has accepted his fate…” Chen Xuanming tried his best to talk but blood was choking on him.

“Pills can be made easily but human life comes once in a lifetime, literally,” Jiang Fei barked before trying to pry open Chen Xuanming’s mouth to force-feed him the pills.

“Heh… Please… take care of my treasure disciples…” Chen Xuanming smiled and closed his eyes. He then lifted his hands and placed them on his chest where his heart was. Before Jiang Fei realized what he was doing, it was already too late as Chen Xuanming vomited so much blood and died. It was then Jiang Fei realized that Chen Xuanming had uses his qi to shatter his own veins to kill himself. It was a skill that was easy to learn, Pulse Shattering.

“…”

Jiang Fei was at lost of words. The man was so determined to die in the battlefield that even when Jiang Fei could literally restore him back to full health, Chen Xuaming had killed himself.

“Brother Chen, I will be with you shortly! This brother of yours will be coming with you!” cried Feng Xuanyi not far from where Chen Xuanming had died.

Maddened with rage, fueled with determination, and strengthened with sheer willpower, Feng Xuanyi walked through the battlefield like Death itself, reaping away the souls of anyone who was in his path. He had never even thought of dodging or evading attacks. Instead, he welcomed them to his battle-hardened body.

“Sigh… What a waste…” Jiang Fei sighed. He then understood that Chen Xuanming and Feng Xuanyi had steeled their decision to die right there and then.

“They are trying to wash away the sins of the Soaring Cloud Sect with their own blood!” said Bai Wanli melancholically.

“It was inevitable. If they do not put their lives on the line for the alliance, they would only be charged with treason and sentenced to death when they return to China. Brother Chen and Brother Feng understood this and had decided to use their life to the sake of the sect! It was to carve a path for those that were left here! For the future of their own disciples!” said Granny Jinghua, with tears pouring down her wrinkled cheeks.