On the Qin-glyph continent within Quinn's inner world, Heaven Duke, the Crimson Emperor, and Old Buddha all wore grave expressions. After a moment, Old Buddha sighed, "The Great Dao has changed. Law reforms have led to a change in the Dao itself, and the cosmic order has shifted once again. An age of turmoil and upheaval is upon us."
His eyes gradually dimmed and he sank into deep sleep.
Heaven Duke's ray-avatar sighed, "It came so quickly. I suppose I should prepare as well. As for Crimson Emperor, death seems to have lightened him."
The Crimson Emperor grunted in reply.
"Are we all inside the belly of a husk-ghost?"
Quinn was struck to the core, his expression shifting rapidly. If that were true, then the darkness shrouding the Great Ruins would also be this unimaginably vast husk-ghost.
This husk-ghost's body could fill the entire Great Ruins, and even overflow into the fractured heavens within the Abyssal Cliff.
The most critical question: does this husk-ghost possess consciousness of its own?
Husk-ghosts can indeed have consciousness—Quinn had realized this back at Merry Hollow by the sea. They can retain memories and thoughts. If Prince Umbral truly turned the Umbral World into a husk-ghost, then even with Lady Umbral revived, things would not be optimistic!
"If the Umbral World has become a gigantic husk-ghost, then for Lady Umbral, it's an unimaginably terrifying opponent. She'll be hard-pressed to protect even herself, let alone the Great Ruins."
He didn't hold out much hope for Lady Umbral's situation.
Lady Umbral held him in her palm, curiously studying him; Quinn's expression was still shifting unpredictably.
This Grand Archmage's skills are extraordinary, but his Dao heart seems a bit lacking—his face has changed color a dozen times in just a moment, like there's a revolving lantern under his skin.
Her physical body was slowly recovering, with soil and seawater transforming into flesh and bone—a feat others could only envy.
For example, even though Quinn cultivates both the Crimson Emperor's Threefold Undying Mind and the Bright Emperor's Seamless Creation Mystic Canon, and has astonishing skill in creation arts, if his flesh were devoured and only his skin remained, he would surely die, unable to reconstruct his body.
Lady Umbral could do this not only because her power is unfathomable, but mainly due to her innate gifts.
This tower is a treasure I forged to suppress the husk-ghosts, but the husk-ghosts joined forces with Prince Umbral and plotted against me.
Lady Umbral's body was enormous, striding through the sea toward the deep, sending up towering waves. She said, "Back then, when the husk-ghosts in the Umbral World rebelled, I wanted to forge a weapon that could solve the problem once and for all. But I am a child of heaven and earth and not well-versed in other schools of divine arts. I secluded myself to refine the treasure, but could never complete it. At that time, Prince Umbral arrived, claiming he could help. His sorcery was strange and mysterious, rooted in Youdu, and just what I needed. With his help, the tower was finally forged. However..."
She reached the center of the sea, her face darkening.
But it was all a trap—he helped me forge the treasure, but had ulterior motives. After it was finished, he hid a spell inside.
Lady Umbral gnashed her teeth. "He used that spell to ambush me, wounding me. Then the husk-ghosts took the chance to bore into my wounds and devour my flesh, while he brought many strong allies to attack me. More and more husk-ghosts flooded into me like black sand..."
Quinn could well imagine the horror of that scene.
Wounded, Lady Umbral had to resist both Prince Umbral and his many strong allies, while countless husk-ghosts in the form of black sand crazily burrowed into her wounds, devouring her flesh and soul!
At that time, Lady Umbral must have been beset from within and without, utterly despairing.
"Why did you trust a stranger?" he couldn't help but ask.
If Lady Umbral had been wary of Prince Umbral, she wouldn't have lost so quickly and so badly. To her, Prince Umbral was a stranger from another land, yet she trusted him without reservation—wasn't that a bit reckless?
Lady Umbral blushed slightly. "He was very good-looking—it's hard to feel guarded against someone like that."
Quinn's expression turned odd.
Lady Umbral hurried to explain: "I didn't judge him by his looks, but he was truly handsome—no sign of hypocrisy. He helped me forge the treasure, and I really did need his help. That's how I was ambushed. It wasn't until I met the Grand Archmage that I realized someone good-looking isn't necessarily a good person, and someone plain might be a truly good soul."
She looked at Quinn in her palm and smiled encouragingly.