Urban Powerhouse: Chaos Supreme

Lobu Lake. Over this period of time, no one has ventured here anymore.

The place has returned to its usual desolate and empty state, with only the undulating yellow sand dunes stretching out like waves without end.

Occasionally, one could glimpse a line of people riding camels, ready to enter the Death Sea to survey and explore, quickly disappearing at the end of one’s line of sight.

Sandstorms swept through, howling furiously.

More than two months had passed.

Those who had originally held out hope that Lin Mo would emerge from the Immortal City were now starting to waver in their steadfastness and persistence.

After all, the deeper the understanding of the risks of the Space Rift, the more likely one’s firm belief would falter.

Regardless of the discussion on forums.

”Lin Tanyu has entered the Space Rift for two to three months now, couldn’t he come out?”

”The one above must be crazy to say that. Lord Lin Tanyu is the number one person in the Huaxia Martial Arts World, how could he possibly die.”

”That’s uncertain, after all, Lord Lin Tanyu has been in the Space Rift for two to three months without any sign of activity, I guess... sigh.”

”Yes, I’ve also been looking into some theories about the Space Rift in the past few months. Even for the Heavenly Gate cultivators, even the Innate Strong People wouldn’t have any hope of survival there.”

”Could it be that Lord Lin Tanyu really is dead?”

Every day, people discuss the same topic on the Martial Arts Forum, speculating about the hope that Lin Tanyu is still alive.

Even those ’fans’ of Lin Tanyu, who once believed wholeheartedly that Lin Mo would return to reign supreme over the land, are now shaken in their belief, worn down by the passage of time.

Only a few have never wavered in their belief from the start, such as Lin Mo’s parents, Yingzi, Sima Zining, and those close friends who always had faith that Lin Mo would return.

Sima Zining had been on leave from the military for a long time, every day she sat quietly on the hillside next to the ’Immortal City’, hugging her knees, staring in the direction of Immortal City with a determination in her eyes that others could not comprehend.

She believed that one day, she would see that graceful youth with a confident smile walk out again, appearing once more in front of her.

Every day, Sima Zining would be here from morning until evening, then return to the town nearest to Lobu Lake to rest, repeating the same routine every day, monotonous, boring—this kind of life had continued for half a year.

The evening sun’s afterglow spread over her slightly melancholic, fair face, creating a breathtaking sight. Dressed in casual clothes, Sima Zining sat on the hillside hugging her knees, her cool eyes looking into the distance, her pupils sparkling with hope.

And a few hundred meters away, there was another figure, sitting cross-legged on a huge boulder, who came here every day, only unlike Sima Zining, he sat there without eating, drinking, or opening his eyes.

This person was none other than Qingzong from the Heavenly Gate.

Lin Mo and Xia Mengdie had been swept into the Space Rift for half a year, and Qingzong had been here, waiting, a desiccated sentinel, for Lin Mo’s emergence. Second only to the Master of Qingxuan Sect, Qingzong was considered Heaven’s Chosen Son among the younger generation, not to mention a figure of strength on the Heavenly Ranking. However, stepping into the realm of the Innate was no simple task. He had already treated Lin Mo as his arch-enemy, and unless he was certain that Lin Mo had truly perished, or unless he killed him himself, Qingzong would not be able to smooth over the demon in his Dao Heart and qualify to compete as an Innate Strong Person.

Qingzong suddenly opened his eyes, his gaze falling on Sima Zining in the distance. The faint golden sunset draped over her shoulders and cheeks, Qingzong was stunned for a moment, then rose to his feet and, surprisingly, walked towards her.

Sima Zining naturally noticed his movements. Although Qingzong had also been waiting here for the past half year, he had never moved before, and the two had never spoken.

Sima Zining frowned, her willow leaf-shaped eyebrows knitted together, gazing at Qingzong with a hint of wariness.

”Don’t look at me like that; I won’t hurt you,” Qingzong said with a light smile, coming to a stop in front of Sima Zining, his eyes carrying a tease as he looked at her.

”What do you want?” Sima Zining kept her eyebrows furrowed. Qingzong glanced at the location of the ’Immortal City,’ then looked back at Sima Zining, and said, ”Actually, you are quite pitiful. Lin Tanyu plunged into the Space Rift for the Snow Fairy, yet here you are, waiting for him every day. He doesn’t know, and perhaps even if he did, he wouldn’t accept you. Don’t you find your love to be very demeaning?”

Upon hearing his words, Sima Zining suddenly laughed, ”Do you, of all people, understand what love is? Love is about giving, about silent yearning, without any distinction between lowliness and nobility.”

”I indeed don’t know what love is, but Lin Tanyu should already be dead,” Qingzong stated flatly.

Sima Zining suddenly clenched her hand tightly, the white palm balled into a fist with knuckles turning pale, her eyes fiercely glaring at Qingzong, ”He’s not dead; he will definitely return.”

”He’s already dead; he’s nothing more than your obsession,” Qingzong shook his head, ”In fact, I’ve realized I quite like you too. How about you become my wife? The men in your mundane world can only offer women money and empty vanity, but if you follow me, I can take you on the path to immortality, wield the supreme power of life and death.”

”In your dreams.”

Sima Zining frowned in anger, ”Lin Mo will definitely return, and when he does, he will appear before me, radiant like a hero without equal.”

”Is that so? That is your obsession,” Qingzong shook his head and said, ”Since that’s the case, you can wait here alone for as long as you need to. I’m leaving now.”

Having said that, Qingzong actually started walking step by step towards the distance.

Watching his retreating figure, Sima Zining suddenly stood up, her pretty face showing a trace of panic, and she called out, ”You, you’re not allowed to leave.”

Qingzong turned his head, his face once again showing a teasing expression as he said, ”You see me here every day waiting for Lin Tanyu to appear, so you firmly believe deep down. If I were to leave as well, would your resolve also shatter?”

Sima Zining bit her moist lips, her gaze flickering. Qingzong’s words indeed struck at the heart of her thoughts.

The reason she could come here every day and persist in believing that Lin Mo was still alive was indeed partly due to Qingzong. Seeing Qingzong here made her more convinced that Lin Mo had not died and would appear.

But if Qingzong also left, then the resolve in Sima Zining’s heart would also start to waver.

”I will keep you company here for three more days. If Lin Mo still hasn’t come out after three days, then you will have to become my wife,” Qingzong said with a sinister curl of his lips.

After hesitating for a long time, Sima Zining gradually unclenched her fists and nodded.