This Spiritual Energy is Lethal!
Chapter 262: Meeting in the Flames

Chapter 262: Chapter 262: Meeting in the Flames

Chen Ke weaved his way through the chaotic city, occasionally sidestepping families on the run, and now and then, someone would implore him for the Church’s aid right in front of him. Wishing to avoid any involvement, Chen Ke could only bow his head and pass by.

While dodging the crowds on the streets, he was also mindful of the iron balls and burning barrels falling from the sky. Chen Ke arrived at an unremarkable alleyway backed up against a street.

Through wooden windows, Chen Ke could still hear some people inside the buildings reciting prayers, begging for the gods’ protection. He didn’t waste his life activating Spiritual Vision to investigate; in such a scenario, it made no difference who he encountered.

Terrifying whooshing sounds cut through the air periodically as burning barrels soared across the sky before smashing into rooftops and building walls, blooming into flame flowers while the screams of the unfortunate consumed by fire reached his ears.

Chen Ke couldn’t help but wonder if Fan Hede had won this war or not? From what he had seen of the Van Hede straight sword, the Fan Hede Sword Control Team and the crossbow formations were immensely powerful, but judging from the current situation, Fan Hede’s combat strength was indiscernible.

While he was pondering this, thunder rumbled through the sky.

Sticking to the walls, Chen Ke peered through the gaps in the building roofs towards the sky, where in the red night, massive black clouds churned with golden flashes.

Amidst the rolling thunder, the clouds tinged red by the firelight suddenly turned golden as two colossal bolts of lightning shot out from the cloud mass, striking towards the southwest, right outside the great cathedral’s right-hand wall.

That lightning was definitely not a natural weather phenomenon, Chen Ke believed it was surely some kind of Transcendent Skill. Such massive bolts of lightning — it was hard to imagine their formidable power.

Once the lightning struck, the sky returned to calm, and no more burning barrels or iron balls fell upon the city. It seemed someone had summoned the lightning to destroy the siege engines.

Being struck by lightning of that magnitude would be exhilaratingly lethal. Whoever summoned it had to be a formidable character. Chen Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead; it was too hot here... He hoped that in this fragmented reality’s cycle, he wouldn’t have to cross paths with that fearsome character.

Chen Ke emerged from the other end of the alley, now completely uncertain of what to do next, so he could only take things one step at a time and see where the edge of this fragment was.

Each fragment space had its boundaries, and if the cycle wasn’t completed, the path to the next area would be blocked by an air wall, just like the church’s main door.

How to get from the streets beneath to the church in the middle of the cliffside? Chen Ke couldn’t find any way up.

Effortlessly commanding views from atop the cliffs, only when situated amidst them did he apprehend the complexity of the city’s roads, and the buildings obstructed his view, forcing him to rely on distant mountains to roughly guide his approach.

Of course, Chen Ke didn’t know whether he should head to the church or not; he just acted on subconscious instinct. Twisting and turning, he felt lost in the metropolis’s streets, and no matter which alley he emerged from, the sights that greeted him were no different.

Just as he wandered the streets, unsure of where to go, he suddenly felt he had bumped into someone.

"Bang!"

Chen Ke whirled around, only to find a common Fan Hede soldier.

Unlike the knights from before, the common lower-rank soldiers of Fan Hede didn’t sport such grand equipment. They wore not armor on their torsos, but thick leather coats, and their pants, with built-in leather greaves, appeared rather shoddy. Chen Ke’s own trousers were of the same model.

However, this was the first time he had seen a Fan Hede common soldier’s hat, similar to a Russian tanker’s hat, but featuring a wide brim and a metal piece covering the forehead.

The soldier seemed wary of him, with most of his face hidden by the brim of his hat, his features obscured, leaving only his lips and chin visible.

They stood facing each other, lost for words for a moment, the atmosphere growing awkward. The soldier seemed to take him for a priest based on his attire.

In Medieval times, the status of Church clergymen in society was above that of the nobility and monarchy.

"After the priests are all praying in the great church, why are you here?" After a pause, the soldier spoke.

Chen Ke was startled — it was a woman’s voice! Were there female soldiers in the Fan Hede army?

"I am... carrying out a special mission," Chen Ke stammered, trying his best to match her odd antique accent.

"Full of flaws, you’re not a man of Fan Hede." The soldier lifted her head, and Chen Ke saw... it was Faralis’s face!

"Oh, my God... you?" Chen Ke exclaimed in surprise, unable to believe his eyes.

"Do you recognize me...?" Faralis frowned as she was recognized, raising the rapier she carried with her.

The hilt of the rapier was carved with exquisite patterns, clearly a royal weapon, which contrasted sharply with the dirt-covered soldier’s garb she wore.

Although it was unclear why Faralis would disguise herself as a soldier to enter the dangerous city, it was obvious she didn’t know how to camouflage herself.

"There’s a long story behind it..." Chen Ke took a small step back. He didn’t sense any murderous intent from Faralis, but she was definitely tough, and Chen Ke couldn’t yet gauge the gap between their strength.

Faralis took a step forward, her expression turned stern as she looked at the large sword Chen Ke hoisted on his shoulder.

Seeing a change in her expression, Chen Ke followed her gaze to the weapon on his right shoulder and cursed inwardly.

"Where did you... get it from? Huh?" Faralis demanded.

"This... is none of your business..." Chen Ke pressed his lips together, feeling a fight was inevitable.

"It belongs to me. If you don’t want to die, hand it over." Faralis was blunt, devoid of any princess-like demeanor.

Chen Ke didn’t respond. He was unsure where Faralis’s Unyielding Fury was located in this timeline, but judging by Faralis’s own reaction, it probably wasn’t with her.

Seeing Chen Ke show no reaction, Faralis shook her head and said, "It doesn’t matter, it doesn’t matter... There have been enough deaths tonight, one more won’t make a difference... I’ll take it from your corpse..."

"Hey... hey... wait a second, we just met, right...?" Chen Ke raised his left hand, making a ’stop for a moment’ gesture.

"More talking is pointless. Since you have that sword, let me see how you wield it." Faralis held the rapier with one hand, taking up a standard fencing stance.

Chen Ke wiped the sweat from his forehead. Was the princess of Van Hede always this tough? He didn’t know if he could win against Faralis, but obviously, killing Faralis wasn’t necessary in this loop.

On the contrary, the fact that the first princess disguised herself as a common soldier and ran into the city during Engineering Night was an important clue to breaking the loop.

"We could talk, Faralis..." Chen Ke said, regretting the words as soon as they left his mouth.

"Who are you...? How can you recognize me?" Faralis asked warily.

"It’s not difficult to recognize you... given that you’re the princess of Van Hede." Chen Ke replied.

"If that’s the case, then I definitely can’t let you live!" Faralis said coldly, as the silvery rapier came at Chen Ke like a wasp’s sting.

How unreasonable! Chen Ke was alarmed, gripping the Unyielding Fury in front of his chest with both hands as he kept retreating backward. For someone like Chen Ke, who was not skilled with the sword, Faralis’s attacks were unblockable.

He couldn’t see clearly nor keep up with her movements, and since she wielded a one-handed sword, all he could do was retreat step by step to put distance between them.

If that’s the case, then he’d have to cheat. Chen Ke freed one hand, preparing to use Spiritual Energy to blast his opponent away.

Just then, a group of swordsmen charged out from around the corner.

"Hm?" Faralis came to a halt, turning her head to look at the swordsmen.

The soldiers’ attire was starkly different from that of Van Hede, bearing a sword and shield, resembling invaders.

"Have they broken through...?" Chen Ke muttered to himself.

The soldiers had obviously noticed Chen Ke and Faralis too. Without a word, they formed up with their shields and advanced toward them.

Faralis also stopped in her tracks, gave Chen Ke a frown, then pointed her rapier towards the group of swordsmen, "Help me drive them back, and I’ll spare you."

"Don’t underestimate me. Didn’t you want to see what it looks like when this sword is swung... Just watch." Chen Ke grinned.