It's so painful! So hard! So difficult!

Bai Lin, lying on the ground, felt a delicate, laceration-like sensation all over her body, as if she'd been slashed by a small chainsaw. Countless tiny cuts covered her exposed skin. Even a missed attack could cause such a rip; it was hard to imagine what would have happened if she'd been hit head-on.

Even her consciousness seemed to be severed in an instant. She struggled to even stand up, feeling a sense of disconnection in her mind, unable to control her body. After struggling to regain control of her body, Bai Lin slowly stood up. Suddenly, an idea came to her, connecting everything together. She ran towards the original battlefield.

This was an extremely terrifying assumption, yet also the most reasonable and realistic one. It perfectly matched all the conditions and defied common sense.

Clearly, judging by the strike and his own physical condition, the so-called "One Thousand Blows in an Instant" was likely a side effect of the Xifa attack. If Bai Lin had been struck by that sword, there was a good chance he would have been killed instantly. Fortunately, his shield was a special bonus from reincarnation, and it was highly likely indestructible, so he was spared.

The sound only reached Bai Lin's ears after Xifa's figure appeared, which led to a relatively simple hypothesis: Xifa himself exceeded the speed of sound. The reason Bai Lin didn't sense the killing intent in advance was because Xifa's target was not her. When he stood beside her, he had already completed the first half of the attack.

As for why the attack didn't land on her, but only came after the speed of sound approached, it was because the target had already been cut by Xifa, and the one who bore the attack was naturally...

The moment the two men came into Bai Lin's sight, he immediately raised his weapon and stepped between Xifa and Qinoli. Qinoli was breathing heavily, his right hand resting on the battered shoulder armor of his left hand. The armor was stained red with blood, and the arm that should have been there was completely gone, even the broken end was perfectly broken.

Bai Lin gritted his teeth, unable to bear watching this scene any longer, and said, "Quickly retreat, I'll hold him back!"

Qinoli didn't respond, only trembling, as if she were about to collapse. Bai Lin frowned, turned back to Xifa, and prepared to strike with his sword, giving Qinoli time to recover. After all, not everyone could die dozens of times like Bai Lin, and she had almost become numb to the thought of losing a limb, but Qinoli was clearly not that type.

As captain, Bai Lin believed she had misjudged the enemy and Qinoli's strength. Although Xifa, whose primary target was Fei'er, would have certainly not allowed Bai Lin sufficient time to stall the enemy from the start, with a teammate seriously injured, Bai Lin, overly confident in Qinoli's strength, felt obligated to sacrifice her life to buy her some time.

Chapter 248 Two in One Again

A terrifying sword wound, a wound as big as a tree trunk, stretched from Xifa's original location in the woods to Bai Lin's side. A large area around the sword wound was barren. But the main wound had an extremely perfect incision. Even the blood left by Qinoli's severed arm left no trace in it.

Xifa was standing on the sword mark that could be called a work of art. He leaned slightly to the side, took a deep breath and said,

"You can see my body clearly and prepare in advance, your armor has strange recovery abilities, and you can even deal with my spells. I have to admit, you are a very threatening opponent."

Although Xifa's tone didn't contain much sarcasm, it didn't contain any respect either. It was obvious that his words didn't mean he recognized his opponent. Bai Lin saw that the other party had started chatting, so he didn't relax himself. He just took this opportunity to take a breath.

"But, in the end, you still lost everything. In the face of absolute power, all targeted abilities are still useless. But you avoided a fatal injury, which really surprised me."

Xifa raised his sword again and pointed it forward. "But this is the limit of your ability. I had a lot of fun. Next..."

"You two guys who are in the way can go to hell now!"

Just as Xifa was about to swing his magical sword, he was suddenly struck hard on the hilt. The blunt force of the blow to the muscles about to strike numbed his arm. A flash of sword light then struck Xifa's face. Indeed, taking advantage of the opponent's momentary slackness and chatter, Bai Lin immediately activated his circle and launched a preemptive attack.

Xifa raised his hand high, a burst of flames erupting, as if attempting to blast Bai Lin back with a magical attack. Bai Lin took a single step to the side, feinting his sword attack while tripping, supported by the weight of his shield. The flames from the front landed on empty space, while the flames from the side, blocked by his shield, actually harmed him. Xifa, once again, fell to the ground.

Bai Lin knew that she couldn't hold down Xifa with her own strength, so she kicked Xifa's hand, causing him to painfully release his weapon. Bai Lin, as if replaying the scene, kicked the sword away, then stepped towards Xifa while standing still.

Although the sudden attack didn't allow Xifa to react for a moment, and the attack that originally wouldn't have affected him too much actually caused him great pain, it was only a temporary problem. Bai Lin's kick landed lightly in the air, and Xifa rolled away from Bai Lin and quickly jumped up.

The assassin in black linen pulled out his dagger from his sleeve. His expression seemed a little ferocious, as if he had not expected Bai Lin to have the courage to attack him. Xifa said,

"Since you still want to struggle, I can only start with your injured companion. I want to see how you can withstand my attack."

As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished into thin air. Bai Lin frowned and retreated to Qinoli's side. Qinoli's body seemed to have returned to normal, and some black substance seemed to be flowing from the wound, stopping the bleeding. Although her condition seemed to be close to normal, it was obviously not the right time to escape, and Qinoli probably no longer had the ability to fight.

At this moment of extreme embarrassment, Bai Lin's eyes, filled with depression and darkness, suddenly began to emit a clear blue light, as if she was observing the world through a colored lens. The difference was that in her vision, the whole world became brighter. Bai Lin thought that she could see more clearly than in the daytime. Just when she was confused about the situation, a lovely voice sounded,

"Watch your back!"

Clearly, it was Qinuofu's voice. Bai Lin was startled, but he didn't hesitate. He turned and swung his shield in a diagonal slash. Another wave of flames spread across the battlefield, and at the same time, it also repelled the assassin in the shadows.

Bai Lin was surprised to find that his vision could actually capture Xifa. At this moment, he was raising his arms high, and a strong fire element was condensed on them. Bai Lin glanced at Qinoli and was about to pick her up and retreat when Qinoli's voice sounded again.

"Okay, throw the shield diagonally upwards."

Is this true? Although Bai Lin was suspicious, she was not sure if she could escape with Qinoli before Xifa attacked, because she was not sure what Xifa's magic was.

With a powerful throw, the flying shield flew out along a perfect arc. One had to admit that Bai Lin was already quite proficient in this technique, but he just didn't know when he would be able to catch the thrown shield directly.

The unformed flames flew from Xifa's hand and collided with the round black object thrown by Bai Lin. The flames from the massive explosion knocked the shield away, returning it to Bai Lin's hand. Bai Lin caught the shield and thrust it straight forward, meeting Xifa's pursuit and stopping him.

Just that dazzling burst of flames, just that brief moment, Bai Lin had already made a multitude of moves. Perhaps Andel's people had arrived and taken Qinoli away. Qinoli then put something around Bai Lin's neck. Although Bai Lin didn't understand what was going on, he accepted it obediently because Qinoli had said, "Don't resist."

Bai Lin chased after him, actively swinging his sword and chasing Xifa. Xifa seemed to realize that something was wrong and directly threw out something like a bomb, blowing Bai Lin back. Bai Lin repeatedly blocked and raised his shield to defend himself.

The roaring sound in his ears was obviously not something very threatening, and Bai Lin easily dealt with it by taking a step back.

"Hey, if you had told me earlier, Bai Lin, that you could be resurrected and compatible with my spiritual abilities, wouldn't it have been better for me to come and assist you in the battle?"

Qinuofu's voice came from Bai Lin's mind, and Bai Lin was also thinking in his mind, "I don't know what you are talking about, but from your tone, you seem quite optimistic."

It seems that this is the so-called teammate channel in the brain. Qinuofu said, "No, because of a slight calculation error, my sister was seriously injured. I must bear the responsibility in this regard. But..."

"It's useless to feel guilty now, right? That's not the point." Qinuofu's voice was still cheerful, and Bai Lin seemed to be encouraged and smiled slightly.

"Ah, that's true. The point should be—"

"Take a few pieces of meat off this guy's body." The two voices rang out at the same time.

Chapter 249: Failed to Finish Off

In his haste to retreat, assessing the situation before attacking, Xifa accidentally stepped on something protruding from the ground. The dirt instantly became like sharp teeth, piercing Xifa's ankle like a trap. He cried out in pain and nearly fell. Xifa tried to pierce it with his sword, but Bai Lin, already swirling with flames, slashed at him with his raised sword.

With a wounded foot, Xifa couldn't quite capitalize on his speed advantage. It seemed there were some traps set by Aundair nearby. Thanks to Qinofu's abilities, Bai Lin could move freely, but Xifa, clad only in a layer of cloth, seemed poised for disaster. Hastily, he could only barely block Bai Lin's first blow with his dagger, then free his free hand to counterattack.

However, seemingly due to the sheer frequency of unexpected events, Xifa's combat awareness immediately dropped. The attack, devoid of magical power, tore through Bai Lin's shoulder armor, but before it could injure the interior, his jaw was struck violently. The sound of broken bones echoed, and Xifa's body fell directly backwards.

There was blood on Bai Lin's raised heel. Yes, she used her more skilled kick again.

"The dizziness will last for more than a second. Seize the opportunity, Bai Lin!"

"I understand!" Bai Lin stood up as quickly as possible, took a breath, and immediately raised the deformed blade in his hand. This time, it was not just a simple swing, but it was intended to bring death to this assassin!

Bai Lin continued to hold her breath, fearing that the first blow wouldn't be enough to kill her. However, after the first strike towards Xifa's body, there was a sound of metal being stopped. Bai Lin looked closely and saw the sharp claws of a dark beast grasping the blade in her hand. Just as Bai Lin was about to continue to exert force, the shadowy figure suddenly pulled out its other claw and attacked Bai Lin, forcing her back.

Bai Lin took a step back unwillingly, canceling the blade's deformation and resetting his stance.

"Be careful, that's the assassin's ability."

"Ah, I understand." Bai Lin replied to Qinuofu.

The shadow, a wolf-like figure, slowly emerged from Xifa's body. It was over three meters long, covered in strangely shaped fur, appearing to sway erratically like a shadow. After the shadow fully emerged, it stood in front of Xifa, holding an oversized, slender sword and swung it at Bai Lin.

Bai Lin raised his shield and easily blocked the blow, only to find that the opponent's strength was not comparable to his size, only that of a minotaur. After taking the blow, Bai Lin instantly deflected the sword and charged with his shield. The shield struck the shadow, and while it felt like a collision, it felt powerless. The shadow, knocked back a step, raised its claws and tried to strike directly at Bai Lin. Bai Lin, fearing further injury, retreated once more.

At this moment, the shadows suddenly dispersed, becoming part of the darkness and dissolving into the forest. Qinuofu's voice rang in Bai Lin's ears: "He stood up."

As for who that "he" was, Bai Lin had already anticipated it. Xifa, who hadn't been able to complete the attack, hadn't sustained any injuries that would have rendered him unable to fight, so it made sense for him to be able to stand up at this point. He burst through the darkness and pierced Bai Lin.

Bai Lin leaned sideways to block, but Xifa didn't seem to be using all his strength. Bai Lin easily took the blow, and then her eyes began to follow Xifa's figure closely. After stabbing, he quickly moved around, turning around and slashing at Bai Lin's other side. Naturally, she would not let Xifa's plan succeed. Such a simple sword attack, Bai Lin easily deflected it with a single strike.

But at this moment, the scattered shadows formed a hazy curtain in front of Bai Lin, and then quickly took shape at an extremely fast speed. The werewolf-shaped shadow slapped Bai Lin's face with one claw. Bai Lin was caught off guard and his helmet shattered, and he felt dizzy.

At the moment Bai Lin's mind and body were struck simultaneously, Xifa had quietly circled behind her and fiercely stabbed her with a magical blade. Although Bai Lin had sensed the danger from behind, her body did not allow her to react in such a short time. The brave man closed his eyes with great reluctance, allowing the fatal blow to fall upon him.

With a "bang" and the sound of metal collision, Bai Lin's back armor shattered and he flew directly into the distance. After a heavy fall, he barely stood up with the help of Qinuofu's shouts and continued to raise the sword.

“…That’s strange, did I deserve to die just now?” Bai Lin asked in his heart while holding the sword.

"What are you dying for? I think I forgot to tell you. My sister is currently evacuating to a safe area with the help of Andel. In order to prevent you from collapsing, I have left some magic iron on your body. Once she successfully evacuates, you can borrow her armor."

After Qinuofu's explanation, Bai Lin seemed to understand something... Wait, does that mean that I can also transform?

However, the fear of death ultimately outweighed the joy. Bai Lin immediately discarded her slight excitement and continued to confront Xifa and Shadow. Xifa's understanding was correct. In the face of absolute strength, even if she could see Xifa, she might not have enough time to react. Just like the previous stab, after the first one, there would be a second one. Bai Lin was still worried about whether she could defeat this opponent.

"It's not that you can't react even though you can see him, you know. Actually, you can see him. Even if he's hiding in the shadows, I can still detect a human figure with my ability. He just moved too quickly and went into your blind spot."

Bai Lin was speechless at Qinuofu's explanation. She hadn't had time to react, hadn't she even realized Xifa had vanished? Although the shadows had clearly produced a granular magical energy as they fragmented and transformed, the area of ​​that granular energy was so vast that Bai Lin couldn't discern the exact direction in which it would converge.

"Well done, and worthy of praise. However, continuing the duel after being rejected is like a sewer rat, despicable and annoying, but tenacious and resilient."

Xifa struck the blade of his sword, and the shadows shattered again. He walked over slowly alone and made the above remarks with a hint of nostalgia.

Chapter 250: The Division and Reunion of Shadows

"I've always felt that knights are an irrational group. Some are incredibly hypocritical, while others are overly upright. How could such people mingle together and still share a common belief in the so-called chivalry? Isn't this just as irrational as labeling the Dark Knights as cultists back then?"

Xifa held his sword, facing Bai Lin in a familiar pose. Bai Lin also held her weapon, ready to strike. Honestly, Xifa's words to her were meaningless. Besides those who harassed her, Bai Lin's only real interactions at the Knights Templar were with the women at the counter. She had little interest in the so-called spirit of chivalry, considering it merely a useful identity.

"Tell me what you think, young knight, Bai Lin. Judging from your attire, you must be a dark knight. The reason I recruited you is that I couldn't bear to see some people with nowhere to live, forced to take up their shields and give up their faith, becoming a dog in the city. If you are willing, our association still has a place for you."

Although Xifa's words were quite sincere, Bai Lin's heart remained calm. She was silent for a moment, then said,

"Why, is your faith good?"

Xifa smiled and said, "Of course. We only believe in freedom and money. As long as you are willing to give up your useless sense of justice, you will definitely be able to live a life ten times more comfortable in our association than you do now."

Hearing the word "freedom", Bai Lin couldn't help but smile. She asked with a hint of mystery,

"Freedom? In my hometown, there's a place called Free America. They also believe in freedom. It's really similar to you..."

"Oh? If such a place exists, why did you come to Camitlan?" Xifa asked.

Bai Lin curled his lips, and with an extremely arrogant attitude, he broke off his smile, and then continued to explain to Xifa,

"Under the creed of freedom, the place has become so chaotic that no outsiders dare to approach. We don't even dare to let the people inside in. The number of people who died at the hands of the people inside is several times greater than those who died outside of the people inside."

"There is no single standard for human freedom, and conflict will always arise from individual freedoms. Freedom under order is truly harmonious freedom."

Bai Lin lowered his body slightly, lowered his center of gravity, and chose not to look at Xifa's expression. Then, before Xifa could refute, he spoke again.

"By the way, I'm not the Dark Knight. I just can't afford good armor. Also, I don't believe in so-called justice. I just think..."

"In this day and age, there are still people who make a living by killing people. Isn't that a bit too inhumane?"

As soon as the words fell, Xifa, having been rejected again, naturally became furious. Just as he was about to launch an attack, a cool breeze blew from behind him. Bai Lin immediately swept his shield and slashed forward with his sword, blocking Xifa's escape space.

An arrow pierced the newly formed shadow steadily, and Xifa's sword collided fiercely with Bai Lin's long sword. Bai Lin shifted his force, pointing the tip of the sword directly at Xifa's lower body. Xifa then attacked Bai Lin directly in the original direction with his sword.

After a "ding" sound, another arrow was shot out. Shadow quickly wrapped around Xifa's body, storing a layer of defense for it, but it also affected his offensive. Bai Lin passed by, leaving a shallow mark on Xifa's leg, and immediately turned around, and another sword collided with Xifa. She was outmatched in strength and speed and had to distance herself again.

"You think I'm just chatting with you for fun, but you summoned Shadow over here, and my teammates won't come?"

Xifa's face was shrouded in a haze, a vast expanse of shadow surrounding him, obscuring his expression and lending him a sense of mystery and depth. A close bond had developed between him and the shadows, and even during the earlier battle, Bai Lin had sensed something distinctly different about him.

To put it in more physical terms, Xifa transformed from a human into a highly flexible monster. Clearly, Bai Lin, already somewhat inferior to Xifa in strength, and with his lack of understanding of the other, the situation suddenly became even more difficult than before.

This will be a tug-of-war. Although the teammates who have just arrived cannot fight close combat with Xifa on her behalf, with the support of two teammates, Bai Lin still has a good chance of winning.

A healing light drifted in from a corner. Bai Lin bathed in the light, feeling the warm power of recovery. After silently thanking him, he raised his sword and said to Xifa,

"Now it's a one-on-one situation, Xifa. I'm sure you're feeling a bit emotional right now. After all, the person you brought last time seemed to have sacrificed his life after only reducing my physical strength."

Bai Lin's eyes narrowed, and he spoke with high morale, "Although there may not necessarily be an inseparable bond between our teammates, we all share a common battle goal. We advance shoulder to shoulder and defeat powerful enemies through cooperation. This is something you assassins who can't get along with your own people can't achieve, and it will also become the cause of your failure."

Of course, Bai Lin's words weren't just some impulsive, childish rant; they were more meant to motivate her teammates. Through her words, she made the balance of victory sound more tilted towards her side, and also to boost her teammates' fighting spirit. In this situation, it probably did have some effect.

I never thought that the somewhat silly lines I learned from my teammates during the exploration would come in handy here. Bai Lin thought to himself.

In the darkness, a crackling sound like muscles flexing began to play. Xifa moved. The shadow behind him was like a curtain, transforming into several thick, bony branches, gradually separating from behind him. Although it looked like it was behind him, the haze on Xifa's face gradually disappeared. He spoke slowly, with a tone that sounded exhausted.

"I don't know how long ago, I had that same feeling myself. The so-called friendship between teammates is an extremely fragile substance. People like us have long lost hope in that dazzling yet hypocritical light."

At some point, Xifa's hood had fallen off, and the lavender hair that had originally covered his eyes was pushed back, revealing his wonderful eyes.

A murky yellowish color, the look of an old wolf, a look of vicissitudes that could no longer be concealed after weathering storms. It symbolized the cold, treacherous, and changeable side of Xifa, sending a chill down Bai Lin's spine.

Chapter 251 The Shadow World Arrives

The other eye was a bright red, a scar visible on the eyelid. The red eye was silent, unfocused, yet within it was a rage and hatred thicker than blood. The gleam of revenge, the thirst for someone's life—everything was written in that wounded eye.

If Bai Lin were to describe it, it might be the gaze of a male protagonist in a shuangwen novel, one that could make others feel a sea of ​​blood and corpses with just one glance. It was filled with rage, unsure where to unleash it, and its owner seemed a completely different person. He simply remained silent, his expression not changing at all, yet he looked incredibly agitated.

Bone-biting and bloodthirsty, sinister, cruel, restless yet remarkably calm, Xifa seemed a combination of contradictions, but Bai Lin didn't bother to dwell on the reasons. After all, in a world where people existed, anything was possible. If his girlfriend could be a god, why couldn't he encounter some strange things?

"You're right. My men are nothing but a bunch of ants. They were only able to reach this point in victory because they seized the initiative. Without the sneak attack, they're nothing. Calling them cannon fodder is no exaggeration."

Xifa's tone gradually became more intense. He raised the hand holding the dagger, pointed at Bai Lin, and said in a threatening and roaring tone,

"But you, what's the difference? You're stronger than them, but you're just a slightly larger grasshopper at best. I'm the only one who's different. The rest of humanity is meaningless, disposable if used, and killed if blocked. What does status have to do with me? Only my own victory should be given top priority!"

The crackling sound of muscles moving erupted again, and then horizontal branches sprouted directly from Xifa's back, intertwining with the original ones. They entangled and grew, and a strong sense of discomfort surged into Bai Lin's heart with this change.

The curtain of shadow gradually became more angular, turning into a shell that covered Xifa's body. The chaotic emotions emanating from his entire body began to settle along with the darkness, gradually merging into pure darkness that made Bai Lin feel extremely threatened.

The branches behind Xifa grew wildly, like trees. Gradually, even the ground, which had been flattened by the flames of war for so long, began to seem narrow again. He heard a chant, and Bai Lin realized something was amiss. He swept his shield and slashed with his sword, but was entangled by several branches that had curled around his feet.

The pitch-black branches ceased growing. A flood of silvery-white light emanated from Xifa's body, flowing down the trunk and into the branches' tips. White light and darkness intertwined, and drops of ominous, multicolored dew dripped from the branches' tips. A chilling wind blew around them, and the swirling shadows centered around Xifa made everyone around them feel as if the world was spinning. Bai Lin's vision and consciousness gradually became distorted, like the sky seen from beneath the sea. Her world gradually became unreal amidst the waves.

Chaos of light and shadow

A burst of intense light suddenly appeared, and Bai Lin's sight and hearing were completely taken away, leaving only an endless paleness. Then, infinite darkness covered her eyes again.

Shadows of trees, like clusters of buildings, began to rise around Bai Lin, encircling him. The towering shadows gradually took on a three-dimensional form, twisting and rising, towering upwards, reaching the now-vanished clouds. Within this boundless darkness, there was no starry sky, not a single ray of light emanating from it. Even with the partial vision Qinuofu had lent her, she could not discern the danger lurking within this deep forest.

This was more than just a chill down her spine; even Bai Lin's fingertips began to feel a little cold and stiff. Bai Lin clearly sensed the decline in her mental state, so she quickly began trying to adjust her mindset and cheer herself up.

Although her Fiery Iron Forging Technique was tied to her physical and mental state, it was still nothing compared to the darkness of the jungle. Bai Lin looked around and could make out some traces of the original forest, but even if she could, she was completely unfamiliar with the terrain, so it was useless.

"This is the result of my fusion and creation, using the sacred as a stepping stone for darkness. I've trapped you in this world with a cage of shadow, bringing the world of shadows here. Your companions will not be able to interfere with this world."

Xifa's voice echoed around, echoing in this world that seemed to be paved with black sewage. Even his casual words made Bai Lin feel a sticky discomfort and a slight tingling sensation on her scalp. Bai Lin straightened up and said with a strong voice,

"Eh, they said I can't interfere, but the support Qinuofu gave me is still here, and I can still talk to her now. Your shadow is just like that."