Faced with her own limitations, Ye Qingyue leaned on the weight of her esteemed position to deter her assailants.

However, there was no response from the other side, leaving Ye Qingyue increasingly anxious.

Whoosh!

In the nick of time, she hurriedly darted away from her previous position. Two scythes cleaved through the air, landing precisely where she had been, triggering lingering goosebumps and leaving a chilling trail in their wake. A few strands of her hair drifted down, severed—proof that the danger was all too real.

Instinctively, she grasped the pendant the old sage had bestowed upon her, a last resort to be used only when her life was truly imperiled.

Shua!

Yet, before she could activate the pendant, a swift and shadowy hand intercepted it, wresting the pendant from her grip.

"What!?"

Ye Qingyue's astonishment transformed into realization. These shadows were wielding power far beyond her initial estimation. They weren't merely toying with her; they possessed the capacity to end her life effortlessly.

However, she also intuited that, whatever their true identity, they were keen to prevent the old sage's intervention. With this in mind, she steeled herself to make a run for it, determined to locate the old sage and bring his presence to bear.

The shadows pursued her relentlessly, the clash unfolding against the backdrop of the eternal expanse.

_______

As Xu Qing hung on to Xia Tian's every word, a shiver ran down her spine, an instinctual feeling that something ominous was about to unfold.

And if she happened to guess right, Ye Qingyue's arrival was impending, like a storm gathering on the horizon.

In that charged moment, the air itself seemed to tremble. Ripples of energy danced in front of them, materializing into two ethereal shadows that caught the exhausted Ye Qingyue. With swift and eerie grace, they brought her forth, depositing her with a soft thud right in front of Xia Tian.

Ye Qingyue's back bore the marks of her ordeal, a canvas of wounds oozing traces of blood.

Xu Qing's widened eyes mirrored a mixture of shock and horror, but they quickly shifted to the two mysterious shadows. In a breathtaking transformation, the shadows morphed into captivatingly beautiful women, each a study in contrasts.

Upon closer inspection, their resemblance was uncanny, down to the finest details—except for their eyes. One pair shimmered with a deep azure hue, while the other radiated a warm golden glow.

In a mesmerizing dance of merging forms, the two shadows fused into a singular entity. One eye retained the azure luminescence, while the other emanated a resplendent golden sheen.

As one might deduce, she was none other than Nyx, who can split herself into two distinct halves.

This extraordinary ability surpassed mere cloning, for both bodies inherited the original's strength, resulting in an exponential power surge, a union of forces that defied convention.

Yet, this manifestation came at a steep cost—a relentless drain on Nyx's reserves, a power still finding equilibrium within the fragile stability she sought to attain.
After reuniting into a single form, Nyx seemingly disregarded everyone around her and gravitated towards Xia Tian's side. She embraced his form, her once-cold demeanor melting away into one of smile. Inhaling deeply, she took in his fragrance, a gesture akin to cat finding her owner.

"Huh?" Xu Qing's face contorted in confusion, her thoughts churning as she pondered Nyx's enigmatic behavior.

Though it appeared that Nyx's actions were devoid of any ulterior motive, they stemmed from her own whims and desires.

Meanwhile, Ye Qingyue, whose face changed in a mix of resentment and frustration, observed the unfolding scene.

With an astute perception, she recognized who held the true authority here.

"Why did you ambush me like that?" Her voice seethed with a blend of anger and resentment, her teeth clenched in an effort to control her emotions.

Xia Tian's and Xu Qing's attention shifted to her, their gazes locked onto her as she lay on the ground.

Xia Tian leaned over, a smirk curling his lips as his fingers gently caught her hair. His eyes locked onto hers, an intense gaze that held a myriad of meanings.

"Why? Weren't you the one who was spying on me first?" Xia Tian retorted, his voice filled with accusation. As the words left his mouth, Ye Qingyue's expression instantly transformed, her eyes widening with surprise and a hint of indignation.

"I wasn't spying on you!" She shot back, frustration evident in her voice. Her words carried an undertone of disbelief, as if she couldn't comprehend why he would think such a thing.

Was she destined to endure all of this turmoil because of a simple misunderstanding?

However, Xia Tian couldn't help but chuckle, a sly smirk crossing his face. "Then whom were you spying on?" His question hung in the air, challenging her to provide an answer.

Ye Qingyue fell silent, the weight of his question pressing down on her. The confession she had wanted to avoid now seemed inevitable.

Weren't her own words an indirect admission of her being a spy?

Even in her wildest dreams, she had never imagined encountering someone like Xia Tian. Someone who possessed the ability to effortlessly twist and churn each and every one of her words against herself.

Frustration surged within her, causing her to let out an resentmenful snort. "Let me make one final warning clear: release me this instant, or you shall feel the full wrath of a goddess!"

Xia Tian, "...."

Xu Qing, "...."

Nyx, "...."

Xia Tian's face twitched, a mixture of bewilderment and furstation settling upon him.

The imposter Eternal Sun claiming to be a god had already tested his patience.

ραndαsΝοvεl ƈοm And now, the introduction of a goddess was pushing the boundaries of his tolerance even further.

Turning abruptly, he directed his gaze towards Nyx. "Do you have any idea who this supposed goddess is?" His tone held a blend of skepticism and curiosity.

Nyx shook her head, an indication that the notion was unfamiliar to her.

Observing their shared confusion, Ye Qingyue felt a mixture of disbelief and amusement. 'They abducted me without even recognizing my true identity?'

Yet, this miscommunication offered her a strategic opening. It was her chance to exert pressure and issue a threat.

Unbeknownst to her, this act was akin to stepping on a landmine.

Threatening Xia Tian?

"The goddess is my master, and I am one of her disciples, a saint of the Divine Light City! Should any harm befall me, it would be tantamount to affronting the entirety of Divine Light City. Can all of you truly bear the weight of the consequences?" Her words dripped with a mocking sneer.

Yet, contrary to her expectations, fear was not the prevailing emotion in the room.

Instead, she felt her head spin, her vision blurring at the edges.

*Slap!*

The sound came like an echo, a sharp impact against her cheek.

Slow to process, she soon comprehended that it was the result of a crisp slap across her face.

"Y-You dare to—" Her voice caught, eyes blazing with a mixture of indignation and disbelief as she stared at Xia Tian, her audacity momentarily overshadowed.

*Slap*

Another resounding slap, this time against her opposite cheek, now matching the fiery hue of anger that colored her expression.

'What is happening!?' Her thoughts raced in tandem with her heartbeat.

Yet another strike found its mark, the sting radiating across her reddened skin.

"Do you desire more?" Xia Tian's voice held a level of restraint, his posture indicating both distance and readiness as he seated himself upon a conveniently materialized stool, a piece of furniture seemingly conjured from thin air.

Ye Qingyue's body quivered with a tumult of emotions—shock and anger mingling within her like a tempest.

If her glares had the power to manifest her thoughts, he would have been struck down a hundred times over by now.

How dare he? How dare he lay a hand on her?

This humiliation was an uncharted territory for her, a stark departure from the life she had led until now.

With a somber expression, she lowered her head, a storm of emotions still roiling beneath her composed exterior. But a sudden, sly smirk began to creep across her lips.

The pendant gifted by the old sage might be lost to her now, but she still possessed an artifact from the goddess herself. It was a safeguard against precisely such situations as these.

In a swift, practiced motion, she extended her hand, lifting the ring she wore to her mouth. With a resolute bite, there was a brittle *crack*, as if delicate glass shattering.

Unbeknownst to the others, her actions set into motion a hidden plan, one she hoped would turn the tide in her favor.

A laughter, equal parts triumphant and provoking, escaped her lips as she fixed her gaze on Xia Tian and the others. "It's already too late. The goddess should be descending upon us any second now. Apologize, and perhaps I might spare your lives," she suggested, her tone brimming with a false sense of benevolence.