Facing this version of Xie Shuangxue, even Qiao Zhihui couldn’t bring himself to call him “kid.” He instinctively slowed his breathing, afraid of startling him.

Xie Shuangxue wore black clothes he’d never worn before, his face devoid of any expression. He didn’t say anything extra, and when the Skeleton Ghost General died, he only frowned slightly. Unlike before, he didn’t smile sweetly at Qiao Zhihui just because he looked familiar. He merely glanced at him with an emotionless look, his eyes as cold as ice.

Those icy blue eyes of his really did resemble a piece of frozen crystal.

Stepping on shattered bones, Xie Shuangxue walked toward the City Lord’s Mansion. The bones beneath his feet made a crisp “crunch” as they turned to powder.

In that moment, Qiao Zhihui felt as if Xie Shuangxue was crushing his own bones. He didn’t move and didn’t pick up the loot dropped by the Boss immediately, only breathing a sigh of relief as he watched Xie Shuangxue walk away.

How did my cute little kid become like this?

Qiao Zhihui felt an intense killing aura coming from him; the way he looked at people now was no different from how he would look at a corpse.

Picking up the White Bone Token, Qiao Zhihui shared his feelings with his audience, sounding genuinely concerned.

Several viewers in the livestream noticed too. Some more informed players mentioned that practicing dark arts could indeed have this effect.

Normally, they might seem fine, but when they used their powers, they changed.

Take Yun Qiang, for example. Normally, she seemed pretty agreeable, good at business, and smooth with people. But the moment she raised her Crescent Moon Blade, an evil aura overflowed from her, showing her decisiveness and ruthlessness.

Xie Shuangxue was probably experiencing something similar right now.

“Well, I get that, but didn’t my kid agree on a plan with Yun Ruowei? So why is he out here on his own?” Qiao Zhihui asked in confusion, reading the comments on the screen. “Did something unexpected happen?”

And his offhand comment turned out to be right on the money.

At this moment, Xie Shuangxue was indeed dealing with a problem. He was out here because he was searching for Yun Panlong.

The plan was to control this person and play their roles perfectly, but they hadn’t expected that he’d slip away unexpectedly.

This was indeed a sudden turn for them.

Thinking about it carefully, it wasn’t hard to understand; it might have been SEA’s final attempt at system correction.

Plans were plans, but putting them into action was another matter entirely.

Yun Ruowei had complex tasks ahead. The first was to completely strip her consciousness from Yun Panlong’s body, ensuring he would take the fall while she remained blameless. The second was to transfer the bloodline mark she’d gathered from the three brothers, which could control the divine veins of Lu Yun Tower, securely into Yun Qiang’s body.

She had been working on this for a while, and today she was finally seeing success. In fact, Yun Ruowei had already succeeded.

They anticipated that the Skeleton Ghosts summoned outside would go berserk as a result, but Yun Panlong, the main vessel, still radiated an intense demonic energy.

At this vulnerable time, Yun Ruowei had lost control over him. The restraints binding Yun Panlong had been shattered by him, and he’d escaped.

Now Yun Panlong was merely an empty shell, incapable of speaking, but his powers remained, making him resemble a giant Skeleton Ghost General.

All the NPCs with intelligence were following Xie Shuangxue’s plan, but Yun Panlong was, in essence, a mindless creature, impossible to control.

This realization made Xie Shuangxue grow tense.

The most concerning part was that the special demonic energy on Yun Panlong couldn’t be erased. Anyone who killed him would be influenced by the demonic energy on his body.

This meant that if Yun Panlong crossed paths with Ling Luo, the ensuing battle would re-enact the original plot.

In the larger scheme, this demonstrated SEA’s persistent plot influence.

If things continued in this direction, Xie Shuangxue and Ling Luo would both be demonized. SEA wouldn’t care, as Xie Shuangxue would be demonized sooner or later.

Xie Shuangxue could persuade NPCs and even the real-life Yu Haiqing, but SEA, the main brain of Gods and Demons, was stubbornly rigid and unwilling to change.

But to Xie Shuangxue, he had come this far; he would fight SEA’s control to the end and never give in.

Yun Ruowei didn’t know about these intricacies. She hadn’t anticipated the demonic energy would surge so violently.

She happened to be in a fusion state with Yun Qiang right now, their powers intertwining, which required time. Though she could still fight, changing her appearance would be unstable. She wouldn’t be able to hide her demonic energy completely, and if Feather Clan members stormed in and spotted her, Xie Shuangxue’s claim about Yun Ruowei not being a Demon Clan member would fall apart.

He had firmly guaranteed that Yun Ruowei was not of the Demon Clan. She had to wait until her power stabilized before making her appearance.

The people in the sanctuary were also Demon Clan members and couldn’t come out at this time without causing additional conflict. They just needed to stay hidden.

Under these circumstances, only Xie Shuangxue could go out and search.

He was in the best condition, and Yun Ruowei had even improved his weapon, enhancing his combat power significantly. Worried about potential accidents, Yun Ruowei, in collaboration with Yun Qiang, transferred some of her demonic energy to him as she absorbed and processed their power.

Xie Shuangxue felt his body shift after taking in more demonic energy, feeling a new power surging within him. But he couldn’t afford to dwell on this; he had to find Yun Panlong before his senior brother Ling Luo encountered him and bend this storyline to his will.

Yet, as soon as he set out, he realized that the City Lord’s Mansion was swarming with Skeleton Ghosts, which had grown even more challenging to handle in their berserk state.

The Skeleton Ghosts blocked his path relentlessly. When Qiao Zhihui had arrived, he was surrounded by them.

Taking the time to kill them would only delay things further, which was incredibly annoying.

However, players had arrived, changing the situation.

Though initially startled, Qiao Zhihui recovered quickly as a loyal fan and followed Xie Shuangxue, running into his guild leader and Bai Qiuyan’s team along the way.

“A’Xue doesn’t look right?”

They exchanged glances, unable to fully grasp the situation, but they all reacted in the same way.

“Whatever’s going on, let’s just kill any monsters blocking his path!”

With the players’ help, Xie Shuangxue quickly figured out how to clear his path.

As an NPC, he had no reason to fight players for loot. Whenever Skeleton Ghost Generals charged at him, the players would rush forward, drawing their aggro and distracting them.

And so, as he moved through the city searching for Yun Panlong, players tailed him, shouting in excitement whenever he appeared.

“NPC helping us kill monsters? Gods and Demons is treating us right?”

“Xie Shuangxue’s a teammate? Finally, a real tank who knows how to lure enemies! My teammates need to see this!”

“Following Xie Shuangxue is like having a buff. Just touch a Boss he fought, and you’re almost guaranteed to get gold drops!”

“Seriously, what kind of supernatural luck is this?”

The City Lord’s Mansion’s Boss area was no easy zone for ordinary players, but the reward was huge, with a real chance to drop gold items.

However, many teams struggled for hours with no sign of a gold item. But with Xie Shuangxue around, everything changed.

High-level loot followed him wherever he went, making players ecstatic.

“What are we waiting for, brothers? Let’s go, we’re getting rich!”

But Xie Shuangxue understood; it wasn’t luck.

Skeleton Ghost Generals varied in strength, and gold drops correlated with difficulty. The demonic energy within Xie Shuangxue attracted the strongest ones to him specifically.

The system clearly had a hidden arrangement in place: the stronger the ghost, the more it would try to hinder him, ensuring that Ling Luo’s plotline stayed on track if he were delayed.

But SEA had once again underestimated the players’ enthusiasm for him.

Players had a unique advantage; after he’d softened up a Boss, they could swoop in and deal the final blow, gathering high-grade materials along the way.

Everyone wanted high rewards, and Xie Shuangxue was practically a golden Buddha to them.

“I get it! This is the Gods and Demons third-anniversary event! The designers are finally treating us right, I’m all in!”

“It must be Xie Xie’s lucky buff!”

They had heard rumors that Xie Shuangxue’s character brought luck, but this was the first time they truly felt it.

“Ahhh, Xie Xie’s koi luck, let me bask in it!”

Meanwhile, Xie Shuangxue sped up, not lingering in battles. Every time a Boss got stalled by players, he’d swiftly move on, refreshing the forum to check for any reports of players encountering Yun Panlong near the City Lord’s Mansion.

Unfortunately, Yun Panlong was a purely storyline NPC, not a Boss with a health bar, so even the most thorough search of the forum wouldn’t help.

He moved swiftly, but so did the Feather Clan. They had fought their way from outside the city and were now arriving at the City Lord’s Mansion.

Xie Shuangxue hadn’t been out long when he heard the beating of wings. Feather Clan members surrounded him on all sides, and he couldn’t tell which was Ling Luo, nor did he know where Yun Panlong was hiding.

Just when he thought it was too late, he heard someone’s voice from among the players, “Follow me.”

Yu Haiqing had logged on without anyone noticing.

Fixing his gaze on Xie Shuangxue, he simply pointed in a direction. “There, hurry.”

Xie Shuangxue understood immediately and rushed in that direction, with players trailing behind him like a tail.

The City Lord’s Mansion was vast, and even after Yun Panlong had surfaced, it would take Xie Shuangxue some time to reach him through the countless Skeleton Ghosts. Meanwhile, Ling Luo had already crossed paths with him.

Eager to rescue Xie Shuangxue, Ling Luo was the first among the Feather Clan to arrive, and upon entry, he immediately confronted Yun Panlong.

The person before him no longer looked human. Demonic energy consumed his body, with patches of decaying skin and eerie red glowing eyes. Ling Luo had no idea Yun Panlong had lost his mind entirely. He only saw the mastermind and did not back down, instead blocking him with his team.

“Where’s Shuangxue?” he demanded. “Hand him over, and I’ll leave you with an intact corpse.”

But Yun Panlong only responded with strange laughter, brandishing a large blade and charging forward, followed by Skeleton Ghosts, confirming everyone’s suspicions that he was controlling them.

Prepared as he was, Ling Luo didn’t falter. He used his shield to block Yun Panlong’s assault and struck his spear into Yun Panlong’s body. “You can’t win. Tell me where Xie Shuangxue is!”

But Yun Panlong stayed silent, seemingly immune to pain. Ling Luo grew more anxious, and with a few more moves, he thrust his weapon into Yun Panlong’s chest. Yun Panlong staggered, his right arm soon severed by Ling Luo. Floating mid-air, Ling Luo remained unharmed.

Maybe he’s not so hard to beat?

Ling Luo frowned, a sense of unease creeping in. As Yun Panlong collapsed, the demonic energy around him grew thicker.

Something’s wrong.

The next moment, Yun Panlong’s stiff limbs twisted as he got back up, reattaching his severed arm in a jerky motion. His body began to expand, drawing the bones of fallen Skeleton Ghosts toward him, gradually transforming into a giant creature made entirely of bones.

The monster’s form grew taller, its limbs extending, stretching out to strike at Ling Luo.

Realizing the danger, Ling Luo backed away, but he didn’t expect the arm to stretch so far, its skeletal end tipped with a sharp bone like a knife’s edge.

He reacted instantly but knew he couldn’t completely dodge it. Shielding his comrades first, he braced himself for the blow, only to find that the pain he anticipated never came.

Glancing back, he saw the shadow of a sword slicing off the sharp bone tip. But he couldn’t relax, as the monster’s fist was coming at him again.

“Shuangxue!”

Ling Luo dodged, finally spotting the sword’s wielder. Relief mixed with joy, but this wasn’t the time for reunions.

The skeleton monster’s power grew with every bone it absorbed. Xie Shuangxue had arrived just in time.

He observed the monster’s abilities, noting that it wasn’t just absorbing nearby bones but all the bones in the city. Many skulls glowed red with eerie light.

Ling Luo had been the first to arrive, but more Feather Clan members, including Chen Xin and Ling Xuan, soon joined the fray.

With the Feather Clan’s help, they managed to hold it off temporarily. Although Xie Shuangxue lacked wings, he balanced himself mid-air on his sword shadow, fighting as fiercely as any Feather Clan member. Aside from Ling Luo and Chen Xin, no one else matched his combat prowess.

Chen Xin quickly realized that while they could hold their own for now, the monster seemed invulnerable. Chopping off chunks of bone didn’t faze it; the pieces reformed almost instantly, its power growing rapidly. It wouldn’t be long before their resistance wore thin.

Xie Shuangxue noticed it too.

The monster must have a weakness; blind attacks wouldn’t work.

Observing closely, Chen Xin pointed out three potential weak spots to Ling Luo but wasn’t sure which was correct.

“I’ll go first,” he said. “Your Highness will be here soon. If I fail, it’s up to you.”

Ling Luo understood. The suspected weak spots were where the glowing red light concentrated, but anyone attempting to strike them risked severe injury if they couldn’t break through.

But time was running out. The monster’s strength continued to grow, and with the demonic energy forming a barrier, even if they wanted to retreat, they couldn’t. If they waited too long, even the arrival of the princess might not save them.

Chen Xin knew this well. Without hesitation, he rushed forward with his sword.

The Feather Clan covered him, but as he closed in on one of the weak points, the monster stumbled back, seemingly affected by his assault. Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, the red glow intensified.

Moments later, Chen Xin, battered and bruised, fell from the sky, thankfully caught by the quick-acting Xie Shuangxue.

That spot wasn’t the weak point.

But the failed attempt enraged the monster further. It swiped its massive hand, injuring two Feather Clan members and thickening the demonic energy around it.

They couldn’t delay any longer.

As Ling Luo prepared to follow Chen Xin’s plan, Xie Shuangxue spoke up.

“Senior Brother Ling Luo, I heard everything. There are only two weak spots left. We have to try; we can’t wait for Her Highness any longer. If we keep delaying, everyone here will die.”

Ling Luo knew he was right.

He didn’t mind going himself, but he didn’t want Shuangxue to risk it.

Though Xie Shuangxue was young, he had made up his mind.

He actually already knew which one was the real weak point.

With so much demonic energy within him, he’d sensed the monster’s power fluctuation when Chen Xin attacked, confirming the exact weak spot.

But he wouldn’t tell Ling Luo.

“Let’s leave it up to luck, Senior Brother. I’ll pick one, and you pick one.” Xie Shuangxue settled Chen Xin down and gripped his sword tightly. “I heard my luck’s always pretty good, so trust me on this.”

Nearby players overheard this.

This was a story-driven encounter. None of them had health bars here, so the players were helpless, unable to lend a hand, only able to watch anxiously.

Ling Luo didn’t have time to argue, as Xie Shuangxue had already dashed in one direction.

There was no time to waste. Feather Clan members diverted the monster’s attention, and the window of opportunity was short. Ling Luo couldn’t spare a second and followed in another direction.

Ling Xuan saw Xie Shuangxue’s move but said nothing, immediately clearing obstacles in his path.

Xie Shuangxue and Ling Luo charged into the monster’s crimson glow almost simultaneously. The creature let out a massive roar, its bones trembling violently. Feather Clan members who’d been lying on the ground, feeling close to death, suddenly felt the oppressive energy lift.

Looking up, they saw the towering bone mountain start to collapse, accompanied by a tremendous explosion.

The moment Ling Luo rushed in, he knew he had chosen incorrectly.

Like Chen Xin, he had picked a decoy, which would still cause injuries if struck, but the real weak point would deliver an even stronger backlash.

Panic seized him. Shuangxue—wasn’t he supposed to be lucky?

Could he still be alive?

He called out his name, but no one answered.

The monster’s core shattered, sending fragments everywhere and carving a deep pit into the ground.

Normally, players would flee at this point, but as the dust settled, more and more people rushed toward the pit.

“Ah Xue!”

But when the dust cleared, only Ling Luo was standing by the pit, looking a bit worse for wear but otherwise composed.

The other person was nowhere to be seen.

“Where’s my kid?”

“This has to be a scene, right? Just part of the story? Don’t scare me!”

Players and Feather Clan members alike began searching the area.

The pit was full of bones, with residual demonic energy causing some skeletons to attack reflexively. In this grim scene, it felt like Xie Shuangxue had become part of the skeletons.

But just as everyone was starting to panic, they saw a hand emerge from the pile of broken bones.

Then, a figure climbed out.

His body was covered in blood and injuries, his clothes tattered. Using his sword as a support, his whole being radiated an intense demonic energy, as if he’d crawled out of hell itself.

But at that moment, it was hard to tell whether the demonic energy was his or simply a part of the environment.

He raised his gaze, and his icy blue pupils glowed with a faint red. His face was covered in fine wounds, yet this Xie Shuangxue looked even more breathtakingly beautiful.

“My luck’s not bad at all, huh?”