The moment the tornado erupted, it enveloped the two of them, the incantation weaving a sound like the world's most exquisite song, momentarily purifying even the soul. Simultaneously, the ribbon binding Lei's hair drifted down, as if a seal had been broken, revealing the beautiful emerald core stone on her forehead, shimmering with a faint green light, seemingly capable of drawing one's very soul inward...

Somewhere within the body of the Seraphim lay a core stone, also known as an Elemental Stone, the proof of their existence as Seraphim, and Lei's was located right between her forehead and hairline.

Carried by that gentle wind, Lei's body began to float softly, her long, water-blue hair billowing in the breeze, their hands clasped tightly together, and in that instant of entwined spirits... one could hear the voice of the wind, feel the temperature of the air—a sound ancient, peaceful, and tranquil.

In the blink of an eye, Lei's figure vanished from Lin Luo's sight, replaced by an imprint resembling the character for "Wind" appearing on his own forehead.

The blue tornado dispersed, even Lin Luo being lifted slightly by the gentle current, while Lei's spectral soul form materialized behind him, and then, the right hands of the two slowly overlapped... Hula

The whirlwind circulated, and when all the wind subsided, a pale blue greatsword rested in Lin Luo's right hand. It possessed no hilt; his hand seemed physically merged into it, with the blue ribbon wrapped around the exterior, only a section of the blade’s spine extending up his arm.

The entirety of the blade resembled a feather, inscribed with over a dozen ancient patterns akin to seals. Embedded at the very top of the blade was a green jewel the size of a fist, flanked by two small, blue beads resembling eyes.

The fusion weapon manifested in mere seconds. Lin Luo acted purely on instinct, following the wind’s flow, and only when he reacted was the Blade of Verdant Wind grasped firmly in his hand... Although the actual length of this blade surpassed Lin Luo's height, it felt weightless, as if nothing, when held. With a casual flick, a sharp gust of wind sprang from the edge.

As light as a feather, as sharp as the wind—this was the Seven Luminary Treasures: Mesarance of the Verdant Wind.

"Lei?" Lin Luo hadn't expected Lei to fuse with him so quickly, sending a questioning glance.

At the same moment, Lei's spectral soul form reappeared behind Lin Luo... only her upper half visible, as she murmured softly, "This time, it's my turn to protect you... They're here."

There was no time for questions; a distance of several hundred meters was nothing to a Dead Apostle. While they spoke, the white-haired Dead Apostle opposite had already charged, closing the distance to under ten meters, both arms lashing out like whipping vines, the sheer force of the attack creating a sonic crackle.

Lin Luo couldn't help but frown. He could sense the opponent’s strength was significantly greater than before. What was happening?

Though the Dead Apostle’s power had clearly surged, he felt no fear or unease. Holding the Mesarance of the Verdant Wind, the ancient, eternal power flowing from it filled him with immense confidence.

Yes, there was nothing to fear. You may have grown stronger, but... so have I.

"Hah!" Lin Luo roared, swinging the Blade of Verdant Wind forward... A simple, offhand sweep generated a furious gale from the blade, kicking up dust and stones, the howling wind instantly shearing off the ground ahead, a white tempest sweeping forward with sharp momentum.

The white-haired Dead Apostle bore the brunt of it, his expression shifting as he felt the dominating force within the whirlwind. However, utterly confident in his own strength, he showed no fear, twisting both hands into a single spiral... meeting the attack head-on.

Boom!

Upon contact, they held for less than a second before the white tempest was scattered. But the opponent gained no advantage either; he was sent flying backward a full score of meters before crashing heavily against a tree with a thud.

Both arms hung limply. The clothing from the shoulder down was completely gone, blood streaming freely—wounds torn open by the gale.

Leaning against the trunk, the white-haired Dead Apostle’s face was slightly pale. Internally, he was profoundly shocked... What was going on? Before, when he could only exert half his strength, the other side couldn't resist at all. But now, having recovered to eighty percent of his power, they were able to clash evenly, and he was even being pressed back?

Putting aside the sheer force of the previous attack, what was that sword?

The white-haired Dead Apostle’s face darkened with grim seriousness. He could feel a faint, holy aura emanating from the blade in the opponent's hand, seemingly possessing a suppressive effect on him... No, not seemingly; it was certain. The attacks unleashed not only caused widespread devastation but also severely slowed his rate of self-regeneration, functioning just like the Black Keys the Church specifically used against Dead Apostles.

His survival instinct screamed at him to retreat from that blade, yet his greed for the "Holy Blood" held him back from making the resolute decision. In the end, desire conquered reason... There's nothing to worry about. A mere low-ranking Magician couldn't possibly wield such tremendous power. He must have used some secret art. As long as I weather this period, even if he doesn't self-destruct, I cannot lose to a low-ranking Magician.

I am destined to become an Ancestor.

Meanwhile, Lin Luo stood stunned after unleashing that strike. Although he knew the Seven Luminary Treasures were formidable—if Lei could unlock and unleash their full potential, they could potentially shake the continent—neither he nor Lei were close to achieving the necessary level of power or synchronization yet. Furthermore, that was just a casual swing, not even a minor technique, yet it not only blocked the Dead Apostle but sent him flying.

The power of the Seven Luminary Treasures was far greater than imagined—at least much stronger than in the original story... Was this due to the difference in the user, or perhaps the World Heart?

In the original narrative, Cú, who contracted with Lei, was just an ordinary sky pirate, completely ignorant of the Seven Luminary Treasures, thus unable to harness their true power initially. But Lin Luo was different; his strength and realm far surpassed Cú’s, and he possessed sufficient knowledge of the Treasures.

Additionally, he understood some of Lei's feelings, and Lei was the host of the World Heart, already sharing a certain spiritual connection with Lin Luo... The bond between a human and a Seraphim dictates the strength of the Seraphim's abilities. The stronger their connection, the greater the power they could manifest.

"Lei," Lin Luo turned back, speaking to the Lei who was draped over his shoulder. "Thank you for lending me your strength. But before this, I hope you know that strength does not define a person. Your power is immense, but it is only one part of who you are. Whether it's my strength or yours, it is merely a means for us to protect ourselves and those we care about. But it is absolutely not a representation of our selves, so..."

Saying this, Lin Luo raised the Blade of Verdant Wind high and charged forward rapidly, unleashing another strike against the charging white-haired Dead Apostle. A piercing wind howled forth, "This strike is neither you nor me, but rather..."

"...Our existence." Dozens of white wind blades fiercely slashed toward the enemy. This time, however, the opponent was prepared, twisting his body irregularly, completely evading the attack of the wind blades.

"Damn Magician!" The white-haired Dead Apostle’s face contorted in rage. Both hands shifted like balls of flesh before instantly swelling, revealing a pair of pitch-black "Iron Arms"... Zzzzzzzzz

He ripped two massive trees—trees requiring two people to embrace—from the ground, clutching one in each hand like a chariot, charging forward. In an instant, he reached Lin Luo and smashed them down with crushing force.

The opponent’s speed exceeded Lin Luo’s reaction time, causing his expression to change drastically. He instinctively raised his blade to block... He couldn't launch an attack in time, and the colossal impact sent him flying back instantly.

"...I don't understand." At this moment, Lei shook her head with a bewildered look, but quickly, a slight smile touched her lips. "Even if I don't understand... I'm a little happy."

"Hm?"

Lin Luo was still airborne, falling toward the ground. He paused at Lei’s words, and then a voice echoed in his mind: Affinity Level Reached 75. First Core Seal Unlocked. Master permitted to enter the Subjugation State of Leoflim Mesarance.

Subjugation? At this moment?

Lin Luo hadn't anticipated unlocking a core seal at this critical juncture. After only half a second of hesitation, his feet hit the ground, and he immediately switched the contract mode... Gaining the close-combat capability of Mugin’s Co-Presence and Lei’s Subjugation.

Lei’s Subjugation did not grant Lin Luo greater physical strength, nor did it weaponize his body. Lei’s Subjugation state was the ability to... Listen. To listen to the voice of the wind, the voice of nature, the voice of the world, and... the voice of the heart.

"Follow me... Incant," Lei whispered softly into Lin Luo's ear.

Simultaneously, a distant voice resonated from the depths of Lin Luo's heart: "You and I become one, where the ends of the earth meet the edges of the sky, the sound of the whistling cold wind intertwines between us..."

"This is..." Knowing what this meant, Lin Luo immediately closed his eyes and began reciting the chant. Instantly, an even more violent tornado rose from the earth, enveloping the two like a barrier, blocking out the Dead Apostle.

"...Let the enemy tremble, let our dreams be realized, let the shining light restore clarity to the land, the Sea of Wind, the sound of the howling wind merges into one..."

The violent wind formed a massive spiral, condensing upon the Blade of Verdant Wind... "Ring of the East Wind."

The Blade of Verdant Wind swept out, and the white vortex immediately surged toward the Dead Apostle, the immense power tearing the air, the roaring wind pressure distorting the surrounding space... This was a devastating strike whose might almost rivaled an Anti-Army Noble Phantasm.

"No, impossible!" Terror instantly flooded the white-haired Dead Apostle's face. He tried to evade, but the surrounding space seemed to freeze due to the attack; there was nowhere to escape.

The next moment, as the wind spiral struck him, in the blink of an eye, his body—which even a Level 4 Atomic Rupture could not destroy—turned completely to ash.

Ring of the East V Dead Apostle Instant Kill A

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