I landed on the city wall and set Rachel Lan down. She struggled to stand, and I immediately supported her.
"It's alright, Ethan. I want to watch."
I nodded and stood behind Rachel Lan. The Supplicant sat down beside us, and the Spirit Snake, after shrinking its body, curled up in the corner of the house.
"A long time ago, when I first encountered the Underworld Denizens, I was puzzled. Why did they help me so many times? Wu Zuo would often appear whenever I needed help."
Soon, I realized the reason why.
"It must be the Lan Family branch. Many times, the people who helped you out of trouble were from them."
Rachel Lan nodded.
Indeed, only Lan Yin had the authority to forcibly command the Underworld Denizens to help Rachel Lan. And those people were all from the Lan Family branch. Rachel Lan was Lan Yin’s last direct descendant. The reason the Underworld Denizens reacted so strongly after Martin Lane took Rachel Lan away was clear.
There was only one thing I could think of—they wanted Rachel Lan to bear the title of the Guide. The reason for arranging a union between Lan Chuhan, one of the branch family, and Uncle Mo was likely to ensure the purity of the bloodline. It was Lan Yin who had been silently protecting Rachel Lan all along, facing both the evil spirits outside and the other factions within the Hades Circle, bearing everything alone.
For a thousand years, Lan Yin had never confided his hardships to anyone. He was even somewhat of an outsider among others in the Hades Circle, as if he existed apart from the vast system. Not even Uncle Mo knew what Lan Yin had gone through. Long ago, I saw the root of Lan Yin’s despair and once helped him break free from it, but that relief was only temporary.
I clenched my fists and silently watched Lan Yin in the distance.
"Don't lose to me."
"This is a battle with no winner."
The Supplicant spoke in a low voice. I nodded silently. No matter who won or lost, it was all Lan Yin—he had to face everything from his past, and these things were etched into the life of someone named Lan Yin, marks that could never be erased.
"It's about to begin."
Rachel Lan said this as she wiped the tears from her cheeks.
A scorching heat permeated the world. In the sky directly across from us, the sun had fully emerged, and the thick black clouds were evaporated and driven away by the Vermilion Bird's Power. Golden flames flowed over Lan Yin’s body like water, circulating endlessly outside the Vermilion Phoenix robe.
With a thunderous boom, black and gold lights collided in an instant. Despair Origin crossed his twin swords to block Lan Yin's Phoenix Blade. In that moment, it felt as if the world itself was about to shatter. I stared in shock as cracks spread across the blue sky above, revealing streaks of black.
The calm surface of the water erupted violently, sending towering waves surging in all directions.
With two swift motions, The Supplicant drew Wish Prayer and slashed several times at the incoming airstream. The gusts immediately swept past us.
Two massive flames erupted from the wings on Lan Yin’s back. Roaring, he used the Phoenix Blade to push Despair Origin downward bit by bit.
A strange smile appeared at the corner of Despair Origin’s mouth. The Black Vermilion Bird beneath his feet let out an angry cry, flapping its wings fiercely.
"Do you want to break the chains of the past?"
"Exactly."
Lan Yin roared, and the golden flames on the Phoenix Blade suddenly surged. With a thunderous crash, Despair Origin deflected Lan Yin’s Phoenix Blade and the Vermilion Bird beneath him immediately flew backward, carrying him away as the massive golden flames crashed into the black Curse Power streams.
In an instant, a huge swath of black Curse Power streams vanished. Entity 001 crouched on the back of the Black Vermilion Bird, laughing wildly, his long black hair whipping in the wind.
"As long as you remain Lan Yin, the past will always be a part of you. No matter how hard you try, you can never break the chains of cause and effect."
With a whoosh, Despair Origin suddenly attacked Lan Yin, stepping on the back of the Vermilion Bird. Blackness appeared on his sword, swirling as the blade spun.
Lan Yin suddenly beat his wings and shot upward at high speed. Despair Origin immediately changed his attack trajectory and chased after him. Waves of golden flames rained down on Despair Origin as Lan Yin flapped his wings.
Explosions echoed in the sky. Suddenly, Despair Origin’s figure disappeared, and in the blink of an eye, he was facing Lan Yin directly, crossing his twin swords and thrusting at Lan Yin’s chest.