“Hope, huh? If hope is all it takes to change fate, then the world would’ve been a much better place!” Qing Kui said mockingly.0

The mask he was wearing was called the “Bronze Tiger Head”, a bonafide Malice-class Strange Artifact. Legends said that it belonged to a fearsome war general whose name was lost to time. Imbued with a terrible amount of power, it could summon the general’s soul fragment and have him fight on behalf of its wielder.2

The crescent of death was the general’s ultimate attack, and it was about as potent as a late-stage Astral Refiner’s attack. It was why Qing Kui’s ridiculing comment wasn’t unreasonable. The fact was that Ye Qing was slowing down and growing pale over time. The crescent of death was slowly but surely shrinking his room for maneuver as well.2

“Die!”0

Qing Kui sneered coldly. From the moment he used the Bronze Tiger Head, he had given up on the idea of capturing Ye Qing alive. After all, the painting had to be on Ye Qing’s person or somewhere in the headquarters. It would take a while, but he would find the painting eventually.0

Qing Kui failed to notice something critical, however. It was true that Ye Qing was losing room for maneuver, but he was also getting closer and closer to Qing Kui. When he was mere meters away from the Astral Refiner, he abruptly jabbed a finger at him.0

It looked like the act of a petulant child who was moments...2