Chapter 136: Buying Time

Chapter 136: Buying Time

“Hmm? What are they up to?” With the genuine effectiveness of the Light Refraction Art easing his psychological pressure further, Zheng Yichen now had time to observe the actions of the Sanctuary Church below. Numerous Crystal Rods shone with dazzling light, firmly capturing his attention. “What are those things?”

Zheng Yichen noticed the light around the Crystal Rods was distorted, and beams of light were rapidly converging into them. The Crystal Rods gradually shifted from a crystal-clear, translucent color to a jade-white hue, resembling the color of the White Moon before it turned into the blood-red moon.

Were they collecting White Moonlight?

He was certain this behavior would affect the efficiency of the White Moonlight in purifying the Black Mist. Zheng Yichen was now flying everywhere, releasing large-scale Light Refraction Arts wherever he found a spot. Although these Light Refraction Arts didn’t last very long, it wasn’t because his magic release was poor.

The people of the Sanctuary Church weren’t idiots. They wouldn’t just watch Zheng Yichen mess with them like this. Even if they couldn’t break through the Light Screen, the Light Refraction Art was cast outside it. This wasn’t some advanced magic, and its coverage area was huge. A sufficiently skilled magic disruption could erase this Light Refraction Art, which otherwise could last over two hours.

So, Zheng Yichen had to constantly stay nearby to replenish new Light Refraction Arts. To outpace their disruption speed, he even equipped himself with a new Propulsion Device. With his greatly increased speed, he thought to himself, “Go ahead and dismantle them. If you can dismantle faster than this dragon… then I admit you’re amazing…”

Ahem, but it seemed his efficiency was still a bit higher. Really, if he had known the Light Refraction Art was this useful, he would have prepared many large mirrors in advance, ensuring the bloody moonlight shone in from every angle without any blind spots… except from directly above.

“Sigh…” A young woman with milk-white long hair watched Zheng Yichen bustling back and forth and sighed softly. From many of this dragon’s actions, it seemed he wasn’t affected by any controlling force, which was extremely peculiar. The self-destructive nature of a Witch’s influence was something even the Dragon Clan couldn’t avoid.

So, what kind of relationship did this Little Dragon have with that Witch? To make him take such great risks and oppose everyone like this?

In any case, for someone to go to such lengths for a Witch, Zheng Yichen was truly the first in history. Others? Others would have already developed second thoughts during the process or even before starting when doing such things.

“Three thousand… four thousand… Damn, even if it’s glass, this is way too many.” While competing with the Mages dispelling the Light Refraction Arts, Zheng Yichen also counted the number of Crystal Rods. Including those already taken out and those not yet taken out, the estimated number of Crystal Rods was over ten thousand!

If all these Crystal Rods had the effect of White Moonlight, Zheng Yichen felt that dragging things out until dawn might not safely resolve this matter. With so many Crystal Rods collecting White Moonlight, even if Loris could maintain her peak strength, or even surpass it, how much of her state could remain under the suppression of this countering force?

The Sanctuary Church was way too well-prepared this time.

As for the Black Mist, after such a long stalemate, its range was no longer as vast as during the initial outbreak. Compared to its maximum range, it now seemed withered, like a stunted little sprout. This little sprout was still shrinking further.

Even though its range remained over ten times the scale of the original Witch Restricted Zone, this shrinkage didn’t increase its density at all. Instead, it continued to fade. If this went on, even if the final range of the Black Mist could be several times the original, its quality wouldn’t match the original height.

After all, the concentration was too thin.

This left Zheng Yichen in a dilemma. The current result was something he had achieved through his best efforts; going further was completely impossible. As for surpassing the speed at which White Moonlight purified the Black Mist to allow it to regrow, Zheng Yichen thought to himself that if he knew how to create multiple shadow clones, this would be a trivial matter—he’d make the Sanctuary Church people double their numbers!

But if the concentration and range of the Black Mist increased, Zheng Yichen would have another worry: if Loris truly went Berserk and recognized no one, how could he stop her? Let the Sanctuary Church people step up to deplete Loris’s strength?

That would be tricky to manage. What if the other side had too many trump cards and performed too awesomely, and his own strength was insufficient? If Loris fell into a disadvantage, he might not be able to intervene. Even if he could, how should he deal with a Loris who recognized no one?

Go up and test how tough his head was? Even if he could ignore the threat of a Witch’s ability, a Witch’s power could still deliver fatal damage to Zheng Yichen. Going up might mean not coming back.

If Loris became too weak, he probably wouldn’t have many chances to act before the Sanctuary Church resolved things early.

“…” Looking at the things in his pocket, Zheng Yichen let out a slight breath. He sped up releasing Light Refraction Arts to interfere with the White Moonlight conversion on the Light Screen while also accelerating his tearing at the Light Screen. Regardless of the outcome, he decided to collect more of the Alien Energy from the Light Screen. This stuff could convert bloody light into White Moonlight targeting Witches. Using it directly on a Witch should yield even greater effects.

If Loris really did stop recognizing anyone, the collected Alien Energy might make his head a bit tougher.

In short… he had decided: rather than letting Loris have insufficient power, it was better for her to have higher power. At least with higher power, she could hold on a bit longer. If she was weak and got taken down instantly, he’d be utterly confused… He truly cherished Loris.

Not to mention that she had saved him before, sparing him from becoming livestock. Their later life, where she was both teacher and friend, also felt good to him. Well, compared to the later life, it was the earlier life that gave him greater resolve. The debt of saving his life had to be repaid.

Even though Loris never mentioned it, and didn’t even bring up the Witch Hunt when she left—if not for some other experiences later that made him aware of it—if he had continued living at the Castle, he probably… wouldn’t have waited for Loris to return either.

“Huff… Why is this moon just hanging there without moving?” Zheng Yichen stared resentfully at the blood-red moon and the Black Moon in the sky. He took out a self-made Pocket Watch and checked the time. In a little over two hours, it would almost be dawn. But from nightfall until now, the position of the moon in the sky hadn’t changed at all, as if it were like a light bulb at home, shining endlessly as long as the power was on!

Damn! It could at least move a little… Over two hours left. Sigh, just have to drag it out. During this time, the Sanctuary Church could charge those Crystal Rods, and he could collect more Alien Energy. With the Dragon Clan’s body having ample stamina and the assistance of the Propulsion Device, he could still afford to keep this up.