199: Chapter 203

Su Yuan took a deep breath of the air that carried a burnt smell, lifted his foot, and cautiously took a few steps forward.

His boot soles stepped on the shattered stones and scorched earth, emitting a faint "rustling" sound.

As the distance closed, the scene at the center of the battlefield gradually came into view.

The first thing he saw was that familiar, now tattered black robe, lying powerlessly on the scorched ground like a torn shadow.

"Haha... finally dead!"

Seeing this black robe that symbolized Xiao Yunfei's identity, the string that had been pulled tight in Su Yuan's heart for who knows how long suddenly slackened, and an indescribable, complex emotion surged into his heart.

There was the gratification of revenge, the relief of having a heavy burden lifted, and even a trace of... trance.

"Is he really dead?"

Su Yuan scanned his surroundings and saw more things: Xiao Yunfei's broken sword that he had struck into two pieces, his well-crafted combat boots, along with other fragments of clothing, were scattered everywhere.

"Ha... hahaha!"

Su Yuan couldn't help but laugh out loud; his laughter echoed in the open space, carrying a sense of cathartic pleasure.

He plunged his long halberd into the ground beside him with a "thud" to support his body, feeling as if the boulder that had been pressing on his chest for three long years had been suddenly removed along with this laughter.

This Mastermind who had loomed over their family and caused his Older Sister's Trait to inexplicably disappear—this former outstanding graduate that First High School was once proud of, the so-called Prodigy who could rival Trait holders with a mortal body—Xiao Yunfei! He had actually... died at his own hands!

Although Su Yuan had long ago made up his mind to kill this person, when it all seemed to be a foregone conclusion, he still felt a strong sense of unreality, as if he were in a dream.

Xiao Yunfei... is he really dead?

This thought had just risen when, like ice water being poured over his head, Su Yuan shuddered violently, and his laughter stopped abruptly!

"Wait... something is wrong!"

His pupils contracted sharply, his gaze becoming as sharp as a hawk's again as he scanned the area intensely, "There are only Xiao Yunfei's scattered tattered clothes and weapons here... where is his corpse??!"

"Could his corpse have vanished into thin air along with everything else? No! That's impossible!"

"Even clothing fragments were left behind; the corpse couldn't have turned to dust!"

A chill instantly shot up his spine!

Su Yuan had no time to think; he pulled out the long halberd stuck in the ground, his figure moving like lightning as he rushed into the center of the chaotic battlefield.

He searched eagerly, using the long halberd to push aside the scorched clods of earth and debris. "Clothes... just clothes! Broken sword... shoes... they are all here! Where is the corpse?! There is no corpse!"

Everything he saw, except for those inanimate objects, lacked the severed limbs or charred corpse that he had expected to be there!

"There isn't even a corpse! Xiao Yunfei is not dead yet!"

This conclusion shocked Su Yuan to the core; he could not accept it!

"Where is he?! Where did he run off to?!"

He suddenly looked up, holding the halberd and glancing around, his gaze like torches as he scanned every possible hiding corner, ruins, broken walls, shadows... yet, there was nothing but deathly silence.

A sense of bewilderment and anger at the prey disappearing into thin air right before his eyes surged into his heart.

"Huh, what is this..."

Just then, his foot seemed to kick something hard.

Su Yuan paused, cautiously using his toe to scrape away the top layer of loose soil. A ring strung on a delicate silver chain lay quietly there, reflecting a faint metallic luster in the dim light.

"Could this be..."

Su Yuan's heart stirred; it wasn't that he was overthinking it, but in this Xuanhuan world, accessories like bracelets, jade pendants, and rings often held hidden mysteries, and it was very likely...

He bent down and picked up the ring; it felt slightly cool to the touch. He tried to infuse a trace of spiritual power into it.

Immediately, a clear piece of information appeared—[Item Name]: Space Ring; [Attached Trait]: Mustard Seed Space; [Trait Rank]: blue; [Trait Effect]: Possesses an independent space with dimensions of 5*5*5, cannot store living things.

"Whoa, it's actually a blue-quality space equipment; this Xiao Yunfei... truly has deep pockets!"

Su Yuan couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, but then his brows furrowed even tighter. "This ring is indeed a space equipment... then what on earth is going on with Xiao Yunfei??"

Doubts crowded his mind, "Everything on his body, whether it was the black robe he wore, his clothes, shoes, or his personal weapon, and even the most important space ring containing all his possessions, were all left behind on the spot..."

He imagined the scene: Xiao Yunfei, all alone, stark naked, disappearing into thin air while leaving all his belongings behind?

"What kind of bizarre ability is this... [Golden Cicada Sheds Its Shell]? Some kind of highly advanced stealth escape technique? Or perhaps an ability attached to equipment..."

Su Yuan frowned and pondered, but had no clue. This kind of life-saving method was impossible to guard against!

Unwilling to give up, he searched the surroundings carefully several more times, his Mental Energy spreading out like a spider web, not letting go of any trace of abnormal energy fluctuations. However, he found nothing.

Xiao Yunfei had truly evaporated from the world, disappearing without a trace.

Su Yuan felt a surge of annoyance and punched the tree beside him hard, causing leaves to rustle down. "To think he actually escaped! This method of body disappearance is simply impossible to guard against... If I find another chance next time, I must find a way to counter this trick!"

Anger aside, Su Yuan quickly calmed down. He weighed the space ring in his hand and consoled himself, "But this time it wasn't a complete loss; at least I got my hands on Xiao Yunfei's space equipment!"

A glimmer of light reignited in Su Yuan's eyes, "At first glance, there seem to be quite a few good things; I wonder if the [As-You-Wish Iron Rod] fragment he obtained is inside!"

"Maybe even... I can find the reason behind his Older Sister's Trait disappearance in here, the secret to Xiao Yunfei's stolen Physique..."

Thinking this, Su Yuan curiously probed his Mental Energy into this newly acquired space ring. The space inside the ring was more orderly than he had imagined.

"Haha! Found it!"

In a corner of the space lay a familiar black rod, and Su Yuan's spirits lifted, "This black and thick rod must be the [As-You-Wish Iron Rod] fragment that Xiao Yunfei once obtained at [Langlang Mountain]! It is said to contain the [Size Alteration] Trait that I have always wanted!"

With a thought, Su Yuan instantly took out the black rod and held it in his hand, feeling its heavy weight and the strange fluctuations vaguely emanating from it, a genuine smile appeared on Su Yuan's face, "It really is the [As-You-Wish Iron Rod] fragment!"

"Great! I now possess the Divine Ability [Law Manifest Heaven and Earth], and my body can change size at will, but my As-You-Wish Iron Rod could only extend and shorten, unable to do Size Alteration. Now with this fragment, I can finally truly achieve [Size Alteration] and [Extendable and Shortenable] changes as I wish!"