As a focal point of the array, it possessed its own energy; by severing that energy, the array would fail, so Nan Yue didn't actually need to literally move mountains.
"But all that resentment..."
Zhu Xi Ning hesitated, knowing exactly why Nan Yue wanted to do this.
On one hand, she wanted more of the surviving scavengers to make it through; otherwise, once they left and the fourth day's mission arrived, few would likely survive.
On the other hand, it was something Nan Yue had mentioned before entering the mission: she wanted to become stronger. If devouring the pollution within a mission was viable, then mission worlds would be an inexhaustible treasure trove for her.
However, there was a problem: the underlying rules of a purification mission never changed. This meant that as long as one stepped into an absolute death rule, no one could survive.
Nan Yue was an exception; she might escape a guaranteed death scenario once or twice, but she could never be an invincible existence within a mission.
She would be worn down by the mission, and confronting an absolute death rule head-on was an entirely different matter from absorbing pollution after completing a purification mission.
Nan Yue was currently in the second situation. She already held the key to leaving the mission world, so devouring the pollution would be relatively easier.
But only relatively.
After all, Zhu Xi Ning worried whether Nan Yue's body could truly withstand so much resentment—the pollution—entering her.
"I'll do my best."
Nan Yue didn't make any grand promises. She was going to devour the pollution anyway, and if she could save a few people in the process, why not?
While most people were still in the lake, Nan Yue had Zhu Xi Ning sense the surroundings; the resentment on the Barren Mountain was slightly less than that in the lake.
After all, those buried on the Barren Mountain were the legitimate wives of the Zhou family who were officially listed in the genealogy; no matter how many there were, they were fewer than those in the lake.
Black mist rose from Nan Yue's body, pouring toward the Barren Mountain like a flood.
Visibly black mist emerged from the Barren Mountain, merging into the black mist from her body.
Zhu Xi Ning and the others watched without blinking; the black mist rising from the Barren Mountain was indeed no different from the mist within Nan Yue.
Gu Xiang Kai had knocked Zhang Qixu unconscious long before Nan Yue started. Although this ability could be explained away in many ways, he still didn't want too many people to know about it.
The bird that sticks its head out gets shot; even if others didn't suspect Nan Yue's abilities, being too powerful would inevitably accelerate the movements of certain factions.
This was only the first step. Black mist, denser than before, pounced toward Nan Yue.
The fact that the pollution could merge meant that what was inside Nan Yue's body was indeed pollution, but whether it could be absorbed was another question entirely.
After all, Nan Yue had previously been tormented to the point of being half-dead by the pollution within her.
The black mist, like a vast black shroud, enveloped Nan Yue's body, frantically squeezing into her.
Nan Yue stood tall with her head slightly tilted back, her face expressionless, yet even from a distance, one could see her deathly pallor.
"Is she going to be okay?"
Zhu Xi Ning looked at Jiang Siyan, but his exceptionally solemn expression made her heart sink.
Because he had to go into the water earlier, Jiang Siyan had removed his glasses. His bangs, which usually rested on his forehead, were brushed back, fully revealing the sharp lines previously hidden by his hair and glasses. He exuded an unfamiliar, piercing intensity.
For a moment, Zhu Xi Ning actually felt the true pressure of a Top 9 from him.
Jiang Siyan had been observing Nan Yue. Although she looked fine on the surface, her tensed muscles, rapid breathing, and the pulsing veins in her neck...
Everything indicated that she was currently enduring immense pain and pressure.
Suddenly, blood flowed from Nan Yue's seven orifices, appearing startlingly bright against her deathly pale face.
Zhu Xi Ning let out a small gasp but immediately covered her mouth, fearing she would disturb Nan Yue.
She knew very well that Nan Yue was only enduring it because she didn't want them to worry; at this moment, she absolutely could not distract Nan Yue.
White mist instantly wrapped around Nan Yue's body, but the moment it touched the black mist, it dissipated.
The pollution was too domineering, capable of destroying almost anything, including a scavenger's awakened ability.
It was a mystery why Nan Yue could contain or even counter-devour the pollution.
Jiang Siyan had to settle for the next best thing, precisely controlling the white mist to avoid direct contact with the black mist while focusing on repairing Nan Yue's damaged body.
This was a very delicate task, and soon, fine beads of sweat appeared on Jiang Siyan's forehead.
But he didn't care at all, because Nan Yue's physical condition was not good.
It seemed she had accepted too much pollution, leaving her entire body in a state of chaotic disorder. To use the terminology of a wuxia novel from a mission world, her meridians were in complete disarray.
If she were an ordinary person, she would have died long ago, yet Nan Yue remained standing. Her body truly seemed to be absorbing the pollution, and the pollution that entered her became her strength, nourishing her body to a certain extent in return.
Jiang Siyan was surprised internally, but it didn't show on his face as he continued to control the white mist to help Nan Yue's body recover faster.
A few minutes passed, and the shroud-like black mist in the sky gradually thinned. Fortunately, it was night and they were far away; otherwise, such a strange sight would have certainly drawn the attention of other scavengers.
After the black mist was completely devoured by Nan Yue, her body swayed, and she began to collapse.
Jiang Siyan instinctively rushed toward her, but Nan Yue didn't fall to the ground. She dropped to one knee, bracing herself with one hand in the dirt to maintain her balance.
The blood flowing from her eyes, ears, and nose dripped down, staining the ground beneath her a faint red.
She wiped the blood from her face indifferently; with the absorption of the pollution, her bleeding had stopped.
At this moment, she even felt like laughing out loud!
She had made the right gamble.
She truly could devour and then reuse pollution. Although the process was agonizing, like being executed by a thousand cuts, and her body had nearly been torn apart by the pollution, she indeed possessed this ability.
She now had the ability to go a step further, perhaps even to reach the very peak and see the truth of this world.
Someone ran to her side; she could feel the concerned gazes converging on her.
Someone used a soft cloth to wipe the blood from her face. Nan Yue met Zhu Xi Ning's reddened eyes and smiled, patting her head.
"It's okay now."
She spoke with hidden meaning, "Our plan is viable."
Jiang Siyan knelt beside Nan Yue and let out a silent sigh. "You were too reckless. With that much pollution, your body almost couldn't hold out."
Nan Yue was in an exceptionally good mood. She smiled thinly. "But I can feel my body getting stronger. Next time, I'll definitely be able to devour even more pollution."
For some reason, Jiang Siyan felt a sense of unease at Nan Yue's words.
He wanted Nan Yue to become stronger, and he knew she had to, but he didn't want her to do it in such a dangerous way.
Rate on N.U.
