Chapter 1588: Confrontation

Bael let out a thunderous roar that shook the battlefield, the sound rolling across the barren land like a storm breaking loose. Its hollow white eyes burned with sinister fury as they locked onto Zhao Li Xin, devoid of emotion yet filled with violent intent.

The air itself seemed to tremble under the weight of its rage, grains of sand lifting and swirling restlessly around its massive body.

Zhao Li Xin stood unmoved. A faint chuckle slipped from his lips, low and amused, as though he were watching an entertaining performance rather than facing a terrifying demon.

"How dare you glare at this lord, hmm?" Zhao Li Xin said lazily, tilting his head slightly. His dark eyes narrowed with dangerous amusement. "Come on... I’ll let you entertain me."

A cold, suffocating bloodlust slowly seeped from his body, spreading like invisible poison through the air. The killing intent in Zhao Li Xin’s eyes was no less terrifying than Bael’s savage glare, perhaps even more so, because unlike the demon’s wild rage, his was calm, controlled, and deliberate. It was the gaze of a predator who had already decided the outcome of the hunt.

Bael seemed to sense the threat. The creature’s massive body tensed, its claws digging deep into the sand as a low growl rumbled from its chest.

Then, without warning, it swung its enormous clawed arm toward Zhao Li Xin. The movement was swift and brutal, tearing through the air with overwhelming force.

Whoosh—!

The swipe was so powerful that it stirred up a violent gust of wind, sending sand and broken weapons flying in all directions. Soldiers nearby staggered back, shielding their faces as the sandstorm-like shockwave swept past them.

Zhao Li Xin, however, moved like a drifting shadow, and with a light step, he leaped into the air just as the claw tore through the space where he had been standing. His body spun gracefully midair, robes fluttering like dark silk in the wind, completely unhurried and impossibly elegant.

In the next moment, he landed lightly on Bael’s shoulder. The giant monster stiffened, clearly not expecting him to close the distance so easily. Zhao Li Xin’s feet barely made a sound as they touched the creature’s rough, bark-like skin, as though he were stepping onto solid ground rather than a living monster.

He raised the dagger, preparing to strike.

But suddenly—

’Ssshhh!’

Dark vines burst out from Bael’s back without warning, writhing like venomous snakes as they shot toward Zhao Li Xin. They moved with terrifying speed, sharp thorns glinting under the harsh sunlight, aiming straight for his throat and chest.

Before Zhao Li Xin could launch his attack, the vines were already upon him. His eyes narrowed slightly. With a swift motion, Zhao Li Xin swung the newly picked dagger. Spiritual energy surged into the crude blade, wrapping around it like an invisible flame. The once dull and ordinary dagger immediately gleamed with a cold, sharp light, its edge humming with power.

’Slash!’

The dagger cut through the incoming vines effortlessly, slicing them apart like fragile threads. Pieces of severed vines fell from Bael’s body, wriggling violently before turning still on the sand below.

Yet Bael did not stop. More vines suddenly erupted from the other side of its body, surging toward Zhao Li Xin in relentless waves. One after another, they attacked without pause, forming a deadly net that surrounded him from every direction. The air filled with the sharp whistling sound of tearing wind as the vines lashed out, leaving no space for escape.

Zhao Li Xin moved swiftly, his figure flickering like a shadow as he swung the dagger repeatedly. Each strike was precise and efficient, cutting down the vines before they could touch him. The cheap dagger in his hand danced wildly, guided by his terrifying control and overwhelming energy.

But the vines kept coming, endless, relentless, and fiercely. They crawled across Bael’s body like a living forest, twisting and lashing toward Zhao Li Xin from every angle, trying to bind him, pierce him, and tear him apart.

Zhao Li Xin pushed lightly off the creature’s shoulder and dropped to the ground, landing lightly on the sand below. The moment his feet touched the earth, the vines surged after him like a raging tide, crashing down from all directions.

In an instant, he was surrounded by a storm of writhing, thorn-covered tendrils closing in, ready to strike at any moment.

The air grew tense with thick killing intent. Yet Zhao Li Xin showed no panic.

He stood calmly in the center of the encroaching vines, his posture relaxed, his breathing steady, as if he were merely taking a stroll in a quiet garden rather than standing in the middle of a deadly trap. The violent vines twisted and hovered around him, poised to attack, but he did not even raise his weapon.

Instead, a faint smile slowly curved on his lips, as though the chaos before him was nothing more than an entertaining performance.

His dark eyes glinted with excitement, and the dagger in his hand tilted slightly, catching the harsh sunlight. The killing intent swirling around him only seemed to make his presence sharper, more dangerous, just like a blade finally drawn from its sheath, as if the battle had finally become... interesting.

"He—hey, you! Who are you?!" the army commander shouted at Zhao Li Xin, as he was unable to hold back his anxiety any longer.

His voice cut through the tense battlefield, hoarse and strained, yet Zhao Li Xin did not respond. Zhao Li Xin’s chin tilted ever so slightly, his gaze shifting in the commander’s direction for only a brief moment.

The movement was almost imperceptible, as if he had merely acknowledged the voice out of mild curiosity rather than genuine concern. He doesn’t bother to answer.

At that very moment, Bael let out another furious roar and launched a fresh attack. The vines struck first. They shot forward like spears, tearing through the air with deadly precision, while Bael’s massive claw followed right behind, swinging down toward Zhao Li Xin with crushing force, determined to smash him into the ground.

Zhao Li Xin dodged swiftly, leaving only his afterimage to be slashed in two. The moment the claw descended, he leaped lightly into the air, his body rising just as the massive hand slammed down.

The Bael’s claw dug deep into the sand, the impact sending dust and debris flying in every direction. The ground cracked under the force, forming a shallow crater where Zhao Li Xin had been standing just a heartbeat earlier. Before the dust could settle, Zhao Li Xin was already in motion again, his figure gliding through the air like a drifting shadow.

The attacking vines slashed past him, barely missing his long coat, while Bael furiously pulled its claw from the sand it had plunged into. From above, Zhao Li Xin glanced down at the enraged monster and smirked, clearly amused by the creature’s outburst of anger.

"Big or small, an animal is still just an animal..." Zhao Li Xin sneered.

Lory sat leisurely on the broken billboard, her legs crossed and her arms resting on her knee as she propped her chin on her palm, watching Zhao Li Xin having fun below.

At first, she wanted to join in, but seeing her husband enjoying himself so much, she didn’t have the heart to ruin it for him. It wasn’t often Zhao Li Xin got the chance to stretch his limbs like this, so she decided to just sit back and watch.

At that moment, she really missed Girsha. If he were here, he would probably be sitting next to her, cracking jokes and making sarcastic comments about Zhao Li Xin showing off again.

The two of them would be laughing and teasing each other while watching the fight, turning this dangerous battlefield into something oddly entertaining. But now, there was only silence beside her, and it felt a little lonely.

The truth was, she had felt this strange emptiness in her heart ever since Girsha left. Even with Zhao Li Xin and her brother around, even with people who cared about her, there was still a small hollow corner in her heart that no one seemed able to fill.

When Lory was still immersed in her melancholy, Zhao Li Xin continued fighting Bael below. The dagger in his hand clashed repeatedly against the monster’s vines and claws until—

Crack!

The blade suddenly broke in half. The sharp sound echoed across the battlefield, and for a moment, everyone was stunned.

Fragments of the dagger fell into the sand, leaving only the broken hilt in Zhao Li Xin’s hand. Some of the soldiers and Gifted People exchanged glances, their expressions complicated.

By now, many of them no longer cared which side Zhao Li Xin belonged to. Because of him, they had gained enough time to move the civilians to a safe place and clear the surrounding area. The wounded had been evacuated, the streets emptied, and what could have become a massive casualty had been reduced significantly. That alone helped them more than they could express.

"Hey! Use my dagger!" someone suddenly shouted.

"Use my sword!" another chimed in, raising his weapon high.

"I have a spear here!"

More voices followed, and soon several weapons were thrown toward Zhao Li Xin, landing on the sand near him with dull thuds.

Zhao Li Xin glanced at the scattered weapons, then slowly turned his head toward the soldiers and Gifted People who had offered them.

His posture remained straight, one hand resting calmly behind his back, his expression relaxed and composed despite the raging monster in front of him. A cool, domineering smirk appeared on his lips.

"Very kind of you," Zhao Li Xin said calmly. "But it’s unnecessary."

His gaze shifted back to Bael, whose massive body was already preparing to launch another attack.

The creatures roared ferociously, their vines writhing like a nest of snakes, ready to strike again.

Zhao Li Xin looked at Bael with a slightly bored expression. "This lord is getting bored," he muttered, his expression slowly darkening.

In the next moment, he gathered his qi. A deep, suffocating pressure spread from his body as dark purple flames slowly exuded from his hands.

The eerie fire flickered like something alive, twisting and dancing around his fingers. Zhao Li Xin stepped forward, his feet pressing lightly against the sand as he moved with quiet grace, as if performing a slow, elegant dance.

The purple flames gathered between his palms, growing brighter and denser with each passing second, slowly condensing into a terrifying mass of energy.

Zhao Li Xin threw his palm forward, and soon after, the flame shot out like a comet, tearing through the air with overwhelming force and crashing directly into Bael.

’Boom!’

The impact was so powerful that it lifted Bael’s massive body off the ground for a few seconds, sending the giant creature flying backward, and then slamming straight into the sea. A second later, a massive splash erupted, waves crashing violently as Bael’s huge form disappeared into the water.

For a moment, everything went silent. Everyone stood frozen, their mouths agape, eyes wide in disbelief as they stared at the empty space where Bael had once stood.

A look of shock etched everyone’s face; for a moment, it was as if the world had stopped. No one could believe what they were seeing. What kind of power did this man possess? To the gifted people, this man’s power didn’t feel like the power of a gifted people, because they don’t feel the changes that spells usually bring. No, this was different, but they didn’t know exactly what this power was.

A knowing smile spread across Lory’s face; she had already expected this result. However, from the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a group of men in silvery armor and long capes walking toward the beach.

Their armor gleamed under the sunlight as they moved in formation, but what caught her attention the most was the man at the center.

That smooth, long blond hair shimmered under the sun like something out of a shampoo commercial; Lory could recognize it anywhere.

It was Salvo de Rova.

"Oh, look who’s here," Lory murmured, her eyes glinting with anticipation as she watched him and his entourage walk toward Zhao Li Xin.