160: Chapter 160 I'll Change, I'll Change Now

It wasn't over yet.

The Star Arrays rotated among themselves, shooting out purple energy bands to connect with one another.

Eventually, they converged into an even larger star cluster.

A nebula!

In an instant.

Both of them gazed up at the vast nebula above, lost in a daze.

The nebula obscured most of the sky, its purple glow covering a range of several thousand meters.

This nebula...

...was composed of hundreds of thunder-attribute purple stars!

One must know.

For a First-Order Mage to cast a Spell, it only takes five stars to condense one Star Map;

A Tier 2 Mage requires double that, ten stars to form two Star Maps;

While a Tier 3 Mage needs twenty-five stars to form five Star Maps.

Only then can they condense a single Star Array.

From then on, the number of stars and Star Arrays would only continue to increase.

And right now.

Twenty Star Arrays had formed this purple nebula above their heads.

By count, this nebula was composed of a full five hundred purple stars!

The scene was breathtakingly magnificent.

After gazing at the nebula for a moment.

Lin Fan snapped out of it, his gaze falling back onto Qing Yu.

Even though this nebula required five hundred stars to condense into Star Maps layer by layer...

...and then converge into twenty Star Arrays.

The entire process was incredibly fast, taking only a single second to take shape.

This was the casting speed enhanced by the System.

"Thunder Covenant."

Lin Fan calmed his mind and softly uttered the name of the Spell.

As his voice fell.

The light of the nebula suddenly surged.

It then exploded into countless bolts of lightning that poured down.

The lightning intertwined and coiled before hitting the ground.

It condensed into a massive Thunder Ball between the two of them.

It was as if they were encased within a giant Lightning Orb.

Yet for some reason, they weren't burned by the lightning at all.

For some unknown reason.

Lin Fan clearly sensed that the Spell had taken effect; he could proceed to the next step.

Thunder Covenant.

It was like making a pact before the lightning; those who broke the oath would suffer the punishment of lightning devouring their bodies.

Although this Spell was meant to bind both of them, Qing Yu did not know the specifics.

Lin Fan could take advantage of this, avoiding the need to make any promises to her.

Then, he began to reveal his secrets to Qing Yu:

His Dual-element talent, his dual identity as Chen Ping and Lin Fan, his family, and the fact that his family knew nothing about any of it.

After hearing Lin Fan's words, Qing Yu was so shocked her Soul almost left her body.

So he hadn't been lying.

He really was a human under twenty, possessed Dual-elements, and was this ridiculously strong?

Just what kind of monster was he?!

Having finished, Lin Fan made Qing Yu swear to strictly keep all the secrets he had just told her.

Even if her life was threatened, she could not reveal a single word.

She had to remain tight-lipped even toward his parents and those close to him.

At this moment, Qing Yu had long been scared out of her wits by Lin Fan's actions.

As long as she could have some peace sooner.

She was willing to swear even if it meant taking these secrets to her grave.

Qing Yu readily agreed.

She swore she would strictly keep Lin Fan's secrets and not reveal a single bit.

Just as she made the oath.

A series of thunderous booms erupted around the giant Thunder Ball.

Listening to the thunder, Qing Yu's heart inexplicably tightened.

She felt as if she had placed a sharp blade against her own neck.

Lin Fan didn't stop there; he made Qing Yu swear again.

To be absolutely obedient to him from now on.

And when he wasn't in the city, she was not to cause trouble wantonly.

Though Qing Yu found it strange, she still swore as instructed.

As soon as she finished speaking, another burst of thunder roared.

With everything completed, Lin Fan dispelled the Spell, and the Lightning Orb surrounding them slowly dissipated.

Only two faint wisps of lightning remained, entering their bodies respectively to completely Seal the oath.

Qing Yu looked down at herself.

After the lightning entered her body, she felt nothing unusual, as if everything that had just happened was merely an illusion.

The Spell dissipated, the surrounding lightning receded entirely, and everything returned to normal.

They could finally return to the city.

But before going back, Lin Fan wanted to try one more thing.

He turned to Qing Yu and said:

"Transform back into your original Wind-Ripping Bird form."

Qing Yu: "..."

No way, again?

She was still wary of Lin Fan and was deathly unwilling to return to her original form.

What if everything he had done before was just to trick her into transforming so he could take the opportunity to attack her?

Humans were just that despicable; they weren't worth trusting at all.

"I... I still don't have enough strength to transform."

Qing Yu whispered, turning her head away, afraid that meeting Lin Fan's gaze would expose her thoughts.

But as soon as she said she was unable to transform...

...a piercing pain shot from her internal magic core.

It was as if a bolt of lightning had struck her Soul ruthlessly.

"Ah...!"

Qing Yu couldn't help but fall forward, letting out a scream of agony, her face contorted by extreme pain.

"Don't... don't do this!"

"I'll transform, I'll transform right away!"

She looked at Lin Fan with tear-filled eyes, clutching her chest and roaring, the intense pain making her vision blur.

So cruel; this man looked so handsome, yet his heart was so ruthless!

Lin Fan watched the collapsed Qing Yu expressionlessly, but internally he was very satisfied with the effect.

This was just a small punishment for defying the oath and lying.

She was already on the verge of collapse.

If she committed a more serious transgression, the punishment would only be more unbearable.

"It wasn't me; it's the backlash from violating the Thunder Covenant."

"You swore to be obedient to me, yet lied about being unable to transform; this is just a small punishment."

Lin Fan explained calmly.

Qing Yu: "..."

So it wasn't him attacking her, but because of the oath she had sworn?

Just what kind of evil sorcery was this?

Qing Yu finally understood where that uneasy premonition from earlier had come from...

She really had placed a blade against her own neck.

After lying paralyzed on the ground for over five minutes, the sharp pain in her magic core gradually subsided, and her body finally regained mobility.

She scrambled up from the ground.

There was even more fear in her eyes as she looked at Lin Fan; this Thunder Covenant was simply a trap!

Didn't this mean that as long as she didn't want to suffer agonizing pain, she had to be absolutely obedient to him?

She didn't even dare to imagine.

...what kind of pain she would endure if she committed an even greater mistake.

What if one day he made her do something untoward?

"No, he said himself he doesn't want any involvement with Demonic Beasts; my virtue should be safe."

Qing Yu comforted herself inwardly, then transformed into her original Wind-Ripping Bird form.

A black giant bird as massive as a mountain appeared before Lin Fan, its wingspan reaching several thousand meters.

Compared to Qing Yu's true form, Lin Fan was as tiny as a toy next to a skyscraper.

Without a word, Lin Fan leaped into the air and landed on Qing Yu's back.

"Hmm, the feathers here are surprisingly soft; it's quite comfortable to sit on."

Lin Fan reached out and stroked the feathers on Qing Yu's back, somewhat surprised.

Her other feathers were as hard as steel, yet only this spot felt soft to the touch.

Qing Yu spoke in response, saying she could control the texture of her feathers at will.

She was terrified that if Lin Fan was unsatisfied with the ride, she would suffer another bout of Soul-piercing pain.

"Oh, not bad."

Lin Fan replied.

He lay down on his back.