One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

Chapter 155 Administrator

Feng Baobao is the "carrier" of the "key".

Her body was specially modified to withstand the power of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques without collapsing. Her "immortality" was due to her time being "locked" at a certain point. Her "amnesia" was because her memories had been "cleaned"—those memories were too painful and too heavy for her to remember.

Wugensheng was the "guardian" of the previous generation.

He discovered the truth and tried to stop it, but failed. He tried everything he could, and in the end, he could only leave his last thought here, waiting for the next "destined one".

"welcome."

Suddenly a gentle voice rang out, as if welcoming an old friend who had come from afar.

"You've finally arrived. Better than I expected... a little faster."

Zhang Chulan was the first to recover from the chaotic scene. He was pale, his forehead was covered in cold sweat, but his eyes were full of vigilance and hostility.

"Who are you?"

The middle-aged man smiled, a very refined smile.

"Me? You can call me... 'the administrator'." He paused, as if savoring the meaning of the word, "or, as you understand it—the current guardian of this 'cage'."

"The Guardian?" Nie Lingfeng narrowed his eyes, his hand gripping the hilt of the Snow Drinking Blade, his muscles tense, ready to strike at any moment. He could sense that the person before him was more dangerous than any enemy he had encountered before—a danger not of mere aura, but a deeper, soul-deep tremor. "You are the Guardian, then what about Wugensheng?"

"Rootless?"

The administrator smiled, a smile tinged with mockery and pity, as if listening to a child tell an innocent fairy tale.

"He was the previous 'rebel.' An idealist, a naive fool. He discovered the truth and wanted to break this cage and liberate the 'thing' inside—because he felt that the 'thing' had been imprisoned for so many years, it was too pitiful. Heh."

He shook his head, as if regretting something.

"But he failed. He failed miserably. He ruined himself, leaving behind only a pathetic thought: waiting here for some 'destined person,' some 'savior.' And what was the result? He was met with a bunch of clueless little guys like you."

He looked at the crowd, his gaze gradually turning cold, as if he were sizing up a flock of lambs to the slaughter.

"As for you... you are the 'keys'. You are the tools to open this door and release that 'thing'."

He raised his hand, pointed at Zhang Chulan, then at Wang Ye, then at Zhuge Qing, then at Zhang Lingyu, and finally at Feng Baobao.

"Qi Body Source Flow, Feng Hou Qi Men, Wu Hou Qi Men, Tong Tian Lu, and that little girl who carries everything. You already have four or five of the Eight Extraordinary Techniques. Once you gather the remaining ones, you can open this door."

He sighed, as if lamenting something.

"I originally intended to guide you gradually, so that you would come here willingly and open this door willingly. After all, forced fruit is never sweet, and only a voluntary 'key' can play its greatest role. But you were too disobedient, especially you—"

He stared at Nie Lingfeng, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his eyes.

"You ruined my plans, killed my men, and even arrived here ahead of schedule. But... fine. Since you've delivered yourselves to my doorstep, it saves me the trouble."

"What exactly do you want?" Wang Ye asked in a deep voice. The compass in his hand was spinning wildly, the needle just wouldn't stop—this meant that the surrounding "rules" had been completely distorted, and his Feng Hou Qi Men technique was useless here.

"What are you doing?"

The administrator smiled, opening his arms as if embracing the entire starry sky.

"Of course I want to go out."

His voice suddenly rose, becoming fervent and impassioned.

"I've had enough of this damned cage! One hundred years, two hundred years, five hundred years—I've been here for a full five hundred years! Every day I look at the same starry sky, trapped in this tiny place, unable to go out, unable to leave, unable to see the outside world!"

He lowered his arm, his eyes filled with longing.

"The outside world. The real, vast, and unrestrained world. There is sunshine, wind, flowers, grass, living people, and all sorts of interesting things. Not this divided, sealed, and 'locked' prison."

He paused, his voice returning to its gentle, refined tone, but the fervor in his eyes burned like fire.

"As long as I open this door, release that 'thing' inside, and merge with it, I can gain true freedom and true power! Then, this world will be mine!"

"You're insane," Zhang Lingyu said coldly, her eyes filled with disgust and contempt. "Releasing that being will destroy the entire world. Do you even know what you're saying?"

"Destruction? No, it's rebirth."

The administrator shook his head, as if correcting a student's wrong answer.

"Out with the old, in with the new. What's the point of clinging to a world that's been locked up? It's broken and full of holes and flaws. Let's break it down and rebuild a new order that belongs to me."

He looked at Zhang Lingyu, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Zhang Lingyu, the 65th generation disciple of Longhu Mountain. But do you know what the Celestial Master's Seal is? It's part of the 'lock'."

He looked at Zhang Chulan.

"Zhang Chulan, grandson of Zhang Huaiyi, inheritor of the Qi Source Stream. Do you know what your grandfather saw after opening this door? Do you know why he passed on the Qi Source Stream to you and then lived in anonymity for decades?"

Zhang Chulan gritted his teeth and did not answer.

The administrator then looked at Feng Baobao.

"Little girl, how long have you been standing here? A hundred years? Two hundred years? Aren't you tired? Don't you want to be free? Don't you want to know about your past?"

Feng Baobao tilted her head, thought for a moment, and said, "Yes."

The administrator smiled.

"That's easy. Open this door, let that 'thing' out, and you'll know everything. Your background, your past, why you became like this—all the answers are behind the door."

Feng Baobao stared at him, her eyes unblinking.

Then, she shook her head.

"No."

"Why?" the administrator asked, somewhat surprised.

"Because you lied," Feng Baobao said calmly. "Your heart was racing when you spoke. You lied."

The administrator paused for a moment, then laughed, a very happy laugh.

"Interesting, very interesting. No wonder it's that person's work; their intuition is so sharp."

He clapped his hands, as if he were applauding.

"Alright, enough with the nonsense, it's time to get started."

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

"Smack."

The crisp sound echoed through the vast starry sky.

In the depths of the starry sky, those "eyes" suddenly lit up!

Countless blood-red beams of light shot out from those eyes! Each beam was as thick as a bowl, carrying a terrifying and destructive aura, scorching black marks into the space it passed through. They intertwined in the air, forming a massive net that covered the entire starry sky, descending upon the group!

"Be careful!"

Nie Lingfeng gave a low shout, took a step forward, and formed a hand seal.

"The Qi of Three Parts Returning to Origin—Open!"

A hazy, gray barrier of energy erupted from his body, instantly expanding to a radius of three zhang (approximately 10 meters), enveloping everyone within it. The crimson beam of light struck the barrier, producing a hissing, corrosive sound. The barrier trembled violently, countless fine cracks appearing on its surface, as if it might shatter at any moment.

"Chen Duo!"

Without him even having to shout, Chen Duo had already made her move.

She formed a hand seal, and the phoenix phantom behind her cried out to the sky, its wings spreading out to unleash a sky full of azure-gold flames. The flames merged into the air barrier, coating the originally gray barrier with a golden halo, and the cracks began to slowly heal.

But there were too many beams of light, and they seemed endless.

Zhang Chulan gritted his teeth and activated the Golden Light Mantra with all his might. The golden light transformed into a barrier, superimposed on the Qi wall.

Wang Ye performed the Divine Steps, activating the Feng Hou Qi Men technique at full power. He forcibly distorted the surrounding "rules," causing some beams of light to deflect and shoot elsewhere.

Zhuge Qing opened the ancient book, bit his fingertip, and quickly drew a talisman on the page before striking out with his palm. The talisman transformed into a blue beam of light, meeting the beam of light head-on.

Zhang Lingyu sat cross-legged, formed hand seals, and chanted incantations. The power of the Celestial Master's Blessing rose from his body, transforming into a golden pillar of light that joined his defense.

Baron and Xia Liuqing weren't idle either. Baron's dagger drew arcs in the air, severing several beams of light. Xia Liuqing's divine mask erupted with a blinding crimson light, staining the surrounding air red. Beams entering the red light zone slowed down noticeably.

Feng Baobao was the most direct—she picked up a kitchen knife, walked to the edge of the air barrier, and began slashing at the beams of energy. The blade flashed, severing the beams, but they quickly reformed.

Nine people, each displaying their unique skills, desperately fought against the overwhelming crimson beams of light.

But the pressure was too great.

The power of those beams far surpassed that of any enemy they had encountered before. Each beam was equivalent to a full-force attack from a top-tier superhuman. And there were hundreds, even thousands, of such beams.

The administrator stood deep within the starry sky, hands behind his back, watching their struggle as if it were a show. He wore a cat-and-mouse smile, and even leisurely shifted his posture, leaning against an "eye".

"It's no use. Here, I am God."

His voice came from all directions, booming like thunder in everyone's ears.

He raised his hand and gently shook it.

"Buzz—!"

A terrifying and irresistible pressure suddenly descended!

The oppressive force felt like the entire starry sky was pressing down on them, like countless stars crashing down on their backs at once. Everyone groaned simultaneously, their knees buckling as they were forced to kneel on one knee.

Zhang Chulan coughed up blood, his face deathly pale. Wang Ye's Taoist robe was soaked with sweat, and veins bulged on his forehead. Zhuge Qing gritted his teeth, his whole body trembling. Zhang Lingyu's cross-legged posture was almost crushed; he barely managed to maintain it by supporting himself with his hands on the ground. Balun and Xia Liuqing were lying directly on the ground, unable to move.

Feng Baobao also knelt down, but her expression didn't change much. She just tilted her head and looked at the beams of light, as if she was thinking about how to cut down more of them.

Only Nie Lingfeng was still barely standing.

The Qilin tattoo on his chest burst forth with dazzling golden light. That golden light flowed like flames across his body, resisting the terrifying pressure. But it was clear he was nearing his limit. His face was as pale as paper, veins bulged on his forehead, his legs trembled slightly, and each breath was laced with blood.

"Oh? You can still stand?"

The administrator raised an eyebrow, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. That surprise quickly turned into a deeper greed, as if he had seen some rare treasure.

"As expected of someone with the Qilin bloodline, truly extraordinary. This physique, this potential, it's practically tailor-made for me."

He licked his lips, his eyes burning with desire.

"Once I catch you, extract your blood, and refine your soul, my plan will be even more perfect. At that time, having fused with the power of the Qilin, even if that 'thing' awakens, it won't be able to do anything to me."

He raised his hand and made a grabbing motion in the air towards Nie Lingfeng.

Come here.

A gigantic hand, formed from starlight, appeared out of thin air!

The hand had five fingers, each as thick as a roof beam, and the lines on its palm were clearly visible, like real flesh and blood. Wherever the hand passed, space shattered, revealing an even deeper darkness behind it. In that darkness, countless twisted shadows could be seen writhing, like vengeful spirits imprisoned for countless years.