Strip me of my armor? I'll summon the Emperor in a flash!

Chapter 15 Reuniting with the Old Man of the Sacred Mountain
The ERP Research Institute fell into a deathly silence, with only the faint hum of the ventilation system mingling with the suppressed breathing of the crowd.

Dr. Garu's holographic image flickered a few times, and the image quality became unstable.

“Li Yan,” Dr. Garrut’s voice suddenly became terrifyingly low, his eyes behind his glasses glowing with an unnatural red light, “I have something to tell you.”

His image began to show signs of data stream malfunction, and his voice was filled with electronic interference noise: "You are not invincible!"

The laboratory lighting system suddenly flickered, and the instruments on the control panel emitted a piercing alarm.

Mei-zhen was horrified to discover that the main computer was being forcibly hacked by some external program.

"Even if you possess the Dark Emperor Armor," Dr. Garu's image began to distort, but his voice grew clearer, "it doesn't mean you're invincible, it doesn't mean no one can defeat you!"

The last few words were practically squeezed out through gritted teeth.

Li Yan stood still, but everyone noticed that black energy particles began to condense at his fingertips.

"Heh heh." His laughter sounded particularly jarring in the chaotic laboratory. "Dr. Garru, don't think I don't know what you've been doing."

He suddenly took a step forward, his boots making a crisp sound as they hit the ground.

“For example, Dr. Karen?” He deliberately dragged out the name.

"enough!"

Dr. Garrut's reaction surprised everyone.

His image was violently distorted, and all the screens in the lab simultaneously emitted a burst of static.

When the image stabilized, Dr. Garrut's face was contorted beyond recognition, and his mouth was twitching unnaturally.

"Who told you this?!" His voice suddenly rose an octave, carrying the shrill echo characteristic of electronic devices. "Who else knows about this?!"

The questioning was mixed with a harsh, metallic noise.

Dongshan instinctively took half a step back, knocking over the chair behind him.

Xin Nan frowned slightly.

Mei-zhen was horrified to discover that her brother's behavior at this moment was completely unlike the gentle and refined scientist she knew.

"Brother, what's wrong?" Her voice trembled slightly.

Li Yan, however, seemed to have anticipated all of this, and slowly and methodically straightened his wrinkle-free coat.

"Alright, I'm not going to argue with you anymore." He turned and walked towards the virtual training room, his black trench coat drawing an arc behind him. "There's no point in continuing."

His steps were unhurried, yet with each step he took, a barely perceptible black ripple appeared on the ground.

The institute's automatic defense system seemed to have malfunctioned, allowing him to advance unimpeded.

"Li Yan!" Dr. Garu's image suddenly surged, taking up the entire main screen.

His face was contorted beyond recognition. "You can't escape!"

"You'll pay the price sooner or later!"

Dr. Garrut's image flickered a few times before disappearing completely, and the main control screen returned to its monotonous blue standby interface.

The research institute fell into a deathly silence, where even breathing could be clearly heard.

An invisible sense of oppression permeated the air, as if even the temperature had dropped a few degrees.

Meizhen unconsciously hugged her arms tightly, her fingertips digging deep into the fabric of her coat.

She had never seen her brother so out of control; his usually gentle eyes now gleamed with an almost manic light.

The atmosphere inside the research institute was extremely cold!
Especially Dr. Garu's final threatening words to Li Yan.

This made everyone in the research institute somewhat uneasy.

Dongshan's Adam's apple bobbed up and down, and fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead. His previous arrogance had vanished without a trace.

The group looked at the silent Li Yan, but their expressions became wary.

They were afraid that Li Yan might start a fight at the slightest provocation!

"What are you all standing there for?" Li Yan suddenly spoke, his voice tinged with mockery. "Afraid I'll make my move right now?"

He slowly unbuttoned his black trench coat, revealing a shirt with subtle patterns underneath.

This simple action caused Bei Miao to reflexively take half a step back, his back hitting the control panel.

Seeing this, Li Yan chuckled lightly: "Don't worry, I wouldn't go on a killing spree just because of a few threats."

He turned and walked toward the virtual training room, his footsteps echoing on the metal floor. "After all, you have bigger trouble to deal with."

The alloy doors of the training room sensed his approach and slid open automatically to the sides.

Li Yan's figure disappeared behind the door, leaving behind only a heavy silence in the room.

Virtual training room
A blinding white light surged in like a tide, and Li Yan instinctively closed his eyes.

When I opened my eyes again, a familiar landscape painting unfolded before me—distant mountains like dark eyebrows, a sea of ​​clouds churning, and the ancient octagonal pavilion standing quietly on the edge of the cliff.

“You’re here.”

An aged yet powerful voice came from behind.

Li Yan turned around and saw the old man from the sacred mountain.

Unlike usual, the old man of the sacred mountain had placed a camphor tree on his staff.

The old man of the sacred mountain was leaning on his dragon-patterned wooden staff, his long, snow-white beard fluttering in the wind.

The old man's eyes shone with a star-like light, as if he could see through everything in the world.

"Greetings, Senior Shenshan." Li Yan bowed solemnly, the hem of his black trench coat tracing an elegant arc. "Thank you for saving me last time, Senior."

The old man of the sacred mountain nodded slightly and tapped the ground lightly with his wooden staff. A golden ripple spread out, and the surrounding clouds and mist instantly froze.

"That was merely a projection of the Shadow Emperor's avatar," the old man's voice suddenly turned grave. "If his true form were to descend..."

Before he could finish speaking, the sea of ​​clouds at the edge of the cliff suddenly surged violently, transforming into a hideous ghost face before quickly dissipating.

Li Yan's pupils contracted slightly as he clearly felt a fleeting, terrifying pressure.

"How much of what I told you before do you still remember?" the old man from the sacred mountain suddenly asked.

Li Yan unconsciously rubbed his fingertips against the belt at his waist: "You said that only 'Judgment' could end the Shadow Emperor."

“Indeed.” The old man sighed, his wooden cane tracing a golden dot in the air. “But you are too weak now.”

The cliff suddenly shook violently, and a distant mountain peak collapsed silently.

Li Yan steadied himself and noticed that the figure of the old man from the sacred mountain was becoming transparent.

"Three years." The old man's voice began to waver. "The true form of the Shadow Emperor will break through the sealing barrier in three years."

His robes billowed without wind, revealing a gruesome black crack on his chest. "In this exchange, I injured his projection, but I also hastened the collapse of the seal."

Li Yan's heart skipped a beat. He had never seen the old man of the sacred mountain injured before; black mist was constantly seeping from the crack, which was forcibly suppressed by the golden light.

“System,” he murmured to himself, “Analyze the current situation.”

High-level energy erosion detected.

[Shadow Power Purity: 97.8%] [Remaining Seal Strength: 23.4%]

[Estimated time to complete collapse: 1095 days and 6 hours]

The cold, mechanical voice echoed in my mind, perfectly matching the words of the old man from the sacred mountain.

“Three years,” Li Yan repeated softly, then suddenly looked up, a dark golden flame igniting in his eyes. “That’s enough.”

If it were him in the past, three years probably wouldn't have been enough!

but!

Now that he has the system, three years is enough for him!

"Three years is enough!"

Li Yan said with a firm gaze.

The old man of the sacred mountain smiled with satisfaction, but his figure became increasingly transparent.

He struggled to lift the wooden staff, and a beam of golden light shone into Li Yan's brow: "This is my final gift."

In an instant, countless gentle forces surged into Li Yan's body like a flood.

"From now on, you'll have to rely on yourself!"

Before the words were even finished, the old man's figure vanished completely. The entire space began to collapse, the sea of ​​clouds rolled back, and the mountains overturned.

Li Yan felt a strong repulsive force, and the scene before him faded rapidly.

real world
"boom!"

The door to the virtual training room was violently flung open, and Li Yan stumbled and fell out of the cabin.

His temples throbbed, and a golden dot appeared between his eyebrows before quickly disappearing back into his skin.

"What happened?" Meizhen looked at Li Yan, who had fallen out, in surprise.

Dongshan and the others quickly gathered around, but dared not get too close.

To their astonishment, they discovered that Li Yan was surrounded by materialized black and golden energy, which intertwined with each other, and the metal floor of the laboratory was slowly corroding around him.

“Three years.” Li Yan murmured to himself, then suddenly looked up, the golden light in his eyes sending chills down everyone’s spine. “It seems the plan needs to be brought forward.”

Li Yan's voice was low and cold.

"You don't actually think that just because Shadow Lord and Realm King are dead, and the Shadow Guardians are defeated, the Shadow Realm is completely destroyed, do you?"

Li Yan looked up, tilting his head slightly, a sarcastic smile playing on his lips. "The person who truly released the Shadow Protector from the seal... is still alive and well."

Meizhen's fingers clenched tightly, her nails almost digging into her palms.

She subconsciously glanced at the energy room where the light and shadow stones were stored, as if it could be taken away at any moment.

“Black Emperor.” Li Yan slowly uttered the name, a subtle change in his tone, “His strength is far beyond what Shadow Tyrant and Realm King can compare to.”

Dongshan's expression changed, and Beimiao's breathing also faltered slightly.

They had faced the film industry's most powerful figures before, but Li Yan's tone at this moment sounded as if he were describing an even more terrifying existence.

Mei Zhen took a deep breath, forcing herself to calm down. Her gaze was firm, and her voice, though soft, brooked no argument: "No matter how strong the Black Emperor is, we will protect this world!"

"Heh." Li Yan suddenly laughed, his laughter filled with undisguised mockery. "You guys?"

His gaze swept over the crowd, finally landing on the safe, a dark glint flashing in his eyes.

“You can’t protect these two Light and Shadow Stones.” His voice was deep, with a seductive undertone. “Why not… give them to me?”

"Impossible!" Meizhen interrupted almost instantly, her voice echoing throughout the research institute with an unwavering resolve. "We will never hand over the Light and Shadow Stone to you!"

Li Yan wasn't surprised by her reaction. He simply narrowed his eyes slightly, looking at her with a half-smile: "Stubborn."

Bei Miao stepped forward, blocking Mei Zhen's path, his eyes wary: "Li Yan, don't think we don't know what you're up to! The Light and Shadow Stone must not fall into the hands of someone like you!"

Li Yan ignored his hostility, simply shaking his head slightly, his tone tinged with pity: "You simply don't understand what you're facing."

He slightly raised his fingertips, and a wisp of black energy swirled between his fingers. The lights in the research institute flickered, as if they were being disturbed by some force.

“The Black Emperor isn’t as reckless as Shadow Lord, nor as arrogant as Realm King,” Li Yan’s voice was low, as if he were describing an impending nightmare. “He’s more cunning and cruel than them.”

Meizhen's back was soaked with cold sweat, but she remained straight and unyielding: "No matter how strong he is, we will not back down!"

Li Yan stared at her for a few seconds, then suddenly chuckled and withdrew the energy from his fingertips.

The lights returned to normal, as if the strange phenomenon had been just an illusion.

"Suit yourself." He turned, his black trench coat drawing a chilling arc behind him. "When the Black Emperor comes knocking on our door... let's hope you're still this defiant."

His figure gradually blurred, as if merging into the shadows of the research institute, leaving only his last words echoing in the air—

"Remember, your time... is running out."

With his disappearance, the research institute fell silent once more. Meizhen slowly exhaled, only to find that her hands were still trembling slightly.

“Black Emperor…” she repeated the name in a low voice, a sense of crisis rising in her heart like never before.

Dongshan gritted his teeth, his fists clenched tightly: "Whoever dares to come, we'll make sure they don't leave alive!"

Bei Miao remained silent, but his gaze was more solemn than ever before.

They all knew that the real storm might have only just begun.

……

As Li Yan stepped out of the ERP Research Institute, the cold evening wind swept a few withered leaves past his feet.

The setting sun cast his long shadow, which was obliquely projected onto the gray-white exterior wall of the research institute.

The phone rang abruptly, and the screen displayed the name "Minci".

Li Yan raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised that the call was coming at this time.
"Hello, Minci, what's wrong?" He pressed the answer button, his voice as gentle as ever.

"Yan-ge! Something terrible has happened!" Minci's voice trembled noticeably on the other end of the phone, and her panicked cries could be heard in the background. "Xiangyang is missing! Just now after school..."

Li Yan's fingers tightened suddenly around the phone, the metal casing making a slight crackling sound.

His pupils contracted slightly, and a cold golden glint flashed in his eyes.

"What exactly happened?" His voice remained calm, but a faint black mist had begun to swirl around him.

"I was waiting at the school gate, I clearly saw him come out," Minci's sobs came intermittently, "but he disappeared in the blink of an eye, the surveillance footage only captured a dark shadow."

Li Yan looked up at the darkening sky, where dark clouds were gathering in the distance.

It seems to indicate that something bad is about to happen!
“Black Emperor,” he murmured, his knuckles white from the pressure, “did you do it?”

On the other end of the phone, Minci was still crying with self-blame, but Li Yan couldn't hear any more details.

As the most unique among the descendants of Wuxing Village, Xiangyang's disappearance can only point to one person!

Black Emperor!

"Minci, calm down." Li Yan's voice suddenly became unusually calm. "Then wait for me at Happiness Dumpling Restaurant."

(End of this chapter)