The future Leylah regained a sense of clarity. Her mind was still half-confused, but it did not stop her from analyzing her current situation.
‘A new world… no. It is the real world. I am a future projection, a possibility that hasn’t come to fruition.’
Her previous mania was akin to an illusion. Her previous calm and calculating composure returned.
‘This one… She is my present self.’
The future Leylah frowned. She didn’t face a heart demon throughout her lifetime as a cultivator. She remained persistent, persevering until she reached a higher realm. That was when she reversed the River of Time, resurrecting her mother figure. The future Leylah never stopped cultivating even after that. She faced the merging of the three worlds.
After that was…
After that…
‘Why can’t I recall?’
She allocated a portion of her mind to its investigation. The remaining portion returned to Leylah’s predicament. With the eyes of a Supreme, the future Leylah saw through the Heart Demon’s nature. It used its intangible nature to transform into Leylah’s deepest and darkest memories. Its form changed constantly, bringing confusion and doubts to her heart.
‘How strange. This dense aggregate of regrets and suffering is not something she should have encountered now.’
For a moment, the future Leylah suspected her fellow comrades as the root cause. She acknowledged her identity as a future projection. Others also exist in this form.
The future Leylah investigated further by intercepting the karma of this world. Divination was the side art she focused on after resurrecting Senadina.
The moment she began divining, her power turned into mangled threads. Her multi-colored irises scanned the chaotic nature of the space around her. Only then did she notice the special attribute of Mars’ Bubble World.
‘Honkai energy…’
Future Leylah skimmed her memories of it and found a blank patch to her surprise. She was too familiar with Honkai Energy, not just because of the Cocoon of Finality, but something else.
Whenever she tried to think of it, her mind turned blank. Something was preventing her from uncovering this section of memories. In the end, she could only reassign the previous portion of her mind towards it.
Seeing her present self’s pathetic state, the future Leylah wanted to lend a hand. She was about to do so when uninvited guests entered the Bubble World.
‘It is her…’
A trace of melancholy appeared in the future Leylah’s eyes. It was Senadina who brought her up since childhood. Her love and affection towards her is at the maximum.
When she looked at the man beside her, however, her heart momentarily stopped beating. Something gripped it tightly. Her ninth-level Tao Heart trembled; her Dao becoming unstable.
The sight of the man almost sent her to qi deviation!
‘Who is he to make me this uncomfortable?’
The future Leylah did not have an ounce of goodwill towards him. The more she looked at him, the greater the danger she faced. Her decisiveness developed after countless years showed its lethality.
Despite hesitation repeatedly emerging within her heart, the future Leylah forcibly swallowed them. The threat to her life far outmatched this discomfort and pain she was feeling.
‘He cannot continue to live.’
Just like that, Shi Tian faced one of the future’s Supremes head-on.
*****
Right from the get-go, I sensed the incredibly thick malice coming from Leylah. Well, the future Leylah. The fluctuations that originated from her body made me frown. The first concept to be affected in high-level battles is space. It is an initial indicator on how intense it would be. There are ways to shield it or even remove it entirely—which the future Leylah used now.
Unfortunately for her, I saw through it. Her power fell short, making her disguise less intricate.
Everything happened in a fraction of a ‘moment’. Not a second had passed since our initial confrontation.
Buzz-!
A wave of pale green light originated from her right foot. It spread all over Oxia City, and then to my position. I did not hesitate to bring out my trump card. A large fraction of my spiritual qi disappeared in one go. It didn’t show in my true body, but the sense of emptiness within me welled up. Suppressing it, the full image of my Venerated Dao manifested.
Hu-!
Bam-!
An extremely large millstone appeared above me. Its flat bottom part covered the entire city. The pale green light was blocked over by it. Guided by its power, they drifted towards the grinding mechanism of the millstone. Light moved fluidly like water, resting above its indentations.
With a turn, the World-Destroying Millstone showed its might.
Creak-!
Shatter-!
The future Leylah’s Dao was destroyed before it could fulfill its purpose. I looked at her. She remained in her previous position. Her body floated mid-air above the city. The probing attack avoided Senadina, too.
It made me wonder what I did wrong to her…
“To oppose me with your Void Refinement cultivation, you have some merit.”
“I am still—”
She didn’t let me finish my words. A ray of light shot straight to the World-Destroying Millstone. Just like others, it was forcibly sucked into the millstone’s indent.
…No.
The moment it was crushed by the millstone, it did not turn to nothingness. Its stone body suddenly grew blue and purple flowers. Cracks appeared as they emerged uncontrollably. The Venerated Dao’s image shook as it became more unstable.
Three thin paper slips appeared between my fingers. All of them bore mystical marks within their body. The core concepts of ‘Entrap’, ‘Suppress’, and ‘Seal’ leaked out of them.
The future Leylah’s expression turned into a frown as she saw them.
Swoosh-!
I didn’t give her the chance to react and threw all three of them. They are connected to my mind by countless complex threads. Spiritual qi dissipated from my body as soon as it was reabsorbed. My saving grace is this place’s environment. Mars’ abnormal state did not erase the eighth-grade spirit vein for Leylah’s cultivation needs. Setting up the [Two Phase Art] will take some time, something her future self won’t give me.
Her reaction time was fast. She disappeared from her place. She didn’t make any traces nor any flashy moves. It was as if her existence was removed by an eraser.
Just then, her figure appeared right in front of me. Her right hand gestured in a chokehold, attempting to lock onto my face.
Click-!
Clang-!
The three eighth-grade Dao Talismans struck their mark. Translucent chains emerged out of the void, coiling around her body like a snake. The talismans’ powers converged into a single strike, turning it more formidable.
I took advantage of her immobilized state to pop open several recovery pills. They are made from extremely rare herbs, allowing me to recover my lost spiritual qi in an instant. They ‘removed’ the concept of time and exploded forth with unimaginable medicinal power.
My eyes met her ferocious glare. I sighed inwardly, curious about whatever my future projection did to her.
So, I asked her a question:
“What did I do wrong?”
“...I don’t know.”
Her response stunned me. Discomfort and vigilance appeared in her face, stacking atop my confusion.
“Who are you, even?”