Chapter 1527: Chapter 1525: Hidebound and Obsolete
The dust slowly disperses.
The view becomes clear.
Finally, Richard emerges from the ruins, dragging something in his hand.
Lo and behold, it is a person, an old man, even older than the elderly Gao Ge of the past, by an immeasurable number of years.
Seeing the old man, anyone would involuntarily think—reaching the extreme of aging must look like this.
His hair has completely fallen out, with no eyebrows, beard, or any body hair remaining. His body is hunched, his bones frail like twigs, his skin loose beyond imagination, like an old wax-yellow bag draped over bones.
His entire face almost has no muscle left, barely more than a skull with a layer of skin. His eye sockets are deeply recessed, and his eyeballs a murky gray, like glass balls with impurities, making one wonder if he can see anything.
Richard, dragging the old man, stops after leaving the ruins, slightly tilting his head to gaze at the giant Gao Ge in the sky, and lightly chuckles, "You said many things just now. I was busy with important business and didn’t respond one by one, but it’s not too late to respond now."
"You asked what I did. By now, I think you should know."
"You said your palace was your burial, so you can die in peace. I think your palace is your burial, hoping you can truly die in peace."
"You said if I chose my path, I should calmly accept everything. Naturally, I can do that, but I wonder if you can?"
Having said that, Richard shifts slightly, changing the hand holding the old man.
A hint of amusement crosses his face as he blinks, looking at the giant Gao Ge in the sky and continuing, "You also said you want to test my strength. Actually, I’m doing the same; I want to test the astounding means of the last member of the Truth Society and see what remnants of the Ancient Wizard Civilization are like."
"You said after trying, you think I’m weaker than you thought. I feel the same—after trying, you seem rather ordinary. Attack-wise, it’s barely decent, but merely increasing energy with no brilliant techniques.
Even showing me a lost space magic or time magic could have opened my eyes, but you... didn’t... It seems from the Ancient Wizard Civilization’s heritage, you inherited less than what I gained from Balta...
Thinking about it, it makes sense. According to you, the best of the Ancient Wizard Civilization went to explore the unknown white light and never returned. The next best remained on a larger plane, continuing to strive for breakthroughs until they disappeared in the unknown white light.
Only people like you who can’t be called excellent, conservative, survive and claim to have the entire Ancient Wizard Civilization’s foundation, but don’t. You’re not a representative of the Ancient Wizard Civilization, just an ordinary or even foolish existence within it. Because the better ones died, you had a chance to stand out, clinging to life until now, becoming what’s called a God.
Seeing through this, I decided not to test you further, wasting time, but to resolve you early and use the time on more important matters—after all, my time is precious."
The ten giant Gao Ge in the sky listened, expressions attempting anger but didn’t dare, side-eyeing Richard silently without rash actions.
The old man in Richard’s hand, however, moved slowly towards his clothes, as if wanting to do something. But it couldn’t escape Richard’s perception; he reached into the old man’s clothes and crushed a shell-like pendant.
The old man immediately stopped moving, seemingly dead, while Richard turned his attention back to the ten giant Gao Ge in the sky.
"Right, I remember you said you’re immortal, invincible, assimilated with the plane, and no matter how many times you’re killed, you’d revive, growing stronger each time and even forming more clones. If true, dealing with you would indeed be troublesome; just a pity, it’s merely your claim, a lie.
Considering logically—if you could truly do that, why worry about lifespan nearing its end? If you could do that, why didn’t other Truth Society members do it, leaving you, the last member, to do it?
In fact, from our meeting, the one appearing was merely a ’puppet’ controlled by the ’real you,’ the enlargement being a ’puppet,’ and the clone also a ’puppet.’ Being ’puppet,’ once destroyed, a new one can be quickly made.
Speaking of which, calling it ’puppet’ isn’t accurate. The correct term should be ’Luluxiu Technique,’ right? Derived from the ’Ultimate Puppetry Skill’ and improved by an outstanding wizard of the Ancient Wizard Civilization named ’Luluxiu,’ rather excellent, reasonable as your life-saving trump card.
However, it has a flaw—each ’Luluxiu Puppet’ constantly consumes energy, growing more vigorous the more it moves. Therefore, you initially avoided direct battle with me, inclining towards quick resolution if unavoidable. Constantly resurrecting and creating more ’Luluxiu Puppets’ was merely to intimidate me and make me despair.
If your plan succeeded, your true body hidden hundreds of meters beneath your palace in a secret chamber would be safe. If I’m not mistaken, your true body has undergone many soul transfers to extend lifespan, nearing collapse and unable to transfer again, thus lying like a living dead underground, waiting for your body to expire.
Unfortunately, I ruined your plan, directly pulling your true body out, forcing this unfortunate situation. I admit you prepared a lot for today, worked hard, but... the game is now over, so... face reality, Mr. Gao Ge."
In concluding, Richard lowers his head, looks at the playing dead old man in his hand, exhales, "Mr. Gao Ge, I’ve said almost all I wanted, it’s your turn now. I hope you can cooperate; that way, maybe we still have something to talk about."
"Alright..." Gao Ge, extremely aged, moves slightly, emitting indistinct sounds from his throat, while in the sky, ten giant Gao Ge instantly crumble.
The murky eyeballs turn slightly, Gao Ge looks at Richard and asks, "You want to negotiate, then... truly, let’s talk... but before that, I want to clarify something—were you struck into the ruins by my attack, coincidentally discovering me in the secret chamber and realizing the truth? If so, then I’d say it’s merely fate’s jest, proving a supreme ’God’ doesn’t want me to win."
Richard laughs, "Mr. Gao Ge, haven’t you understood? It’s not a fate issue, purely a matter of capability—you really aren’t exceptional, so regardless of preparedness, it’s merely self-consolation. Before the battle, I knew you were hidden in the secret chamber below the palace; otherwise, there was no need to control the battle range near here throughout. So even if you hadn’t struck me into the ruins, I could pull you out anytime I wanted."
"How... how is that possible?" Gao Ge is stunned.
"Why not?" Richard retorts.
"Then... when did you discover it?" Gao Ge racks his brain but can’t comprehend, asking aloud.
Richard answers, "Remember, before in the palace, when negotiations broke down and you used the ’Destiny Worm’? After using the ’Destiny Worm,’ I cooperated by sitting in place, quietly awaiting its effect for nearly ten seconds. It’s not short; I almost fell asleep.
You wouldn’t think, during that time, I’d honestly wait doing nothing, would you? In fact, during that time, I used a little trick hard to explain you and scouted around, discovering your true form underground."
"Is... that so..." Gao Ge’s voice grows somber, "I somewhat understand your capability issue... Before the battle, the result is determined. I thought I had control over everything; the truth is precisely the opposite... truly laughable..."
After speaking, Gao Ge remains silent for a while.
After some time, Gao Ge speaks up again, looking at Richard seriously, "In that case, let’s truly talk openly. You can propose any condition, anything within my means, I can help with—except for one thing, that is the coordinates of the space jump point.
As long as you don’t request the space jump point coordinates, don’t attempt other planes, don’t increase the risk of ’Divine Punishment’ descending again, everything else, I can agree to."
Hearing this, Richard’s expression momentarily shifts, looking at Gao Ge as if seeing an obstinate old fossil. He too falls silent.
After several seconds of silence, Richard asks Gao Ge earnestly, "Then what else is there to talk about?"
"Of cou... course, to discuss anything besides that."
"Is it necessary?"
"How not..." Gao Ge can’t help saying, but stops mid-sentence, body stiffening.
"Crack!"
Richard’s hand directly breaks Gao Ge’s neck.
Afterward, Richard exhales a long sigh.
"Sigh—"
...
