265: Ai Yue, you shouldn't have come.

Jing Xi rolled her eyes at her. "You don't understand. It not only records the method of eternal life, but also states that Earth will reboot a year later.

See? A year later, the Apocalypse really came, with continuous natural disasters, and even the Alien Insects hidden deep within the earth's crust came out."

Ai Yue's suspicious expression displeased Jing Xi. "You don't believe me? Hmph, originally after the earthquake, the Alien Insects would return to the ground, and the Apocalypse would be over."

Then she became happy again, a triumphant look on her face. "It was me! After the earthquake, I sensed the aura of the Nameless Monster and used the method in the ancient texts to bring it into the world, destroying the Tianou Safety Tower that had offended me, and releasing the virus from its body that turns people into living dead—oh, what you call the zombie virus."

Ai Yue was utterly shocked. If what she said was true, then she was the culprit?

"What? Why would you do such a thing?" Ai Yue demanded, her face pale with anger.

At first, Ai Yue scoffed at Jing Xi's words, but now, Ai Yue had to take her seriously and believed her somewhat!

A fanatical expression appeared on Jing Xi's face. "Naturally, it's for eternal life!"

"But what does eternal life have to do with you releasing monsters and creating so many zombies?"

Jing Xi's smile turned smug, and she finally uttered, "This is the method of eternal life recorded in the ancient texts."

Ai Yue was completely confused and could only question again, "What are you talking about? What method exactly?"

"Heh... so interested, are we? Fine, I can always tolerate you. Before you die, I'll tell you everything, so you don't die with regrets!"

Jing Xi's eyes were hazy, as if she was reminiscing. Ai Yue quietly waited for her explanation.

After a long moment, she continued, "The ancient texts record that to achieve eternal life, one must find the legendary 'Demon Lizard,' obtain its crystallized heart, feed it with one's own blood until it's full, and it will be absorbed into the body. Eating it grants eternal youth and immortality.

In my previous life, I used my position and connections to consult the National Database of Strange Phenomena. There were only fragmented, unclear records in the Northwest. With such limited clues, I couldn't find it.

After searching for half a year, the Apocalypse truly arrived. Later... later there's not much to say, but I accidentally got a piece of news: it's not in this world. To find it, I must go to the world ten years ago."

"Ten years ago? What do you mean?" Ai Yue sounded as if she were listening to a delusional patient's story.

"Yes! Ten years ago! I must return to the past to have any chance of finding it!"

Ai Yue felt like she was listening to a fantasy. "How do you go back?"

Jing Xi looked at Ai Yue strangely, scrutinizing her from head to toe. Ai Yue felt a chill run down her spine from the stare.

She couldn't help but ask, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"I found a method in the ancient texts. According to the records, the general idea is to find a woman, make her trust me one hundred percent, fill her with gratitude, share hardships with her, and forge a life-and-death friendship.

Once these conditions are met, the time will be ripe. Then, I will personally betray her, torture her to death, making her harbor immense resentment and hatred towards me. At the right moment, I will use the method from the ancient texts, utilizing this resentment and hatred to briefly open a spacetime gate to ten years later.

And you are the woman I chose. You really delivered; it succeeded on the first try. Haha..."

As Jing Xi slowly explained, Ai Yue felt a chill spread through her heart.

At this moment, she understood everything. Jing Xi had approached her with a purpose from beginning to end.

For that ethereal legend recorded in the ancient texts, she had gone to such lengths, and what was most incredible was that she had actually succeeded.

Ai Yue's heart was filled with intense hatred as she stared fixedly at Jing Xi.

Seeing Ai Yue's expression, Jing Xi sneered, "Don't give me that man-eating look. If it weren't for me, how could you have passed through the spacetime gate and gotten a chance to start over?"

"So I should thank you profusely then?" Ai Yue said through gritted teeth.

"No need for that. I don't understand how you passed through the spacetime gate either, and your rebirth has no fundamental connection to me."

Jing Xi said in an indifferent tone.

"However, no matter what, you are also a beneficiary, and the biggest one at that. Look at your tender, youthful face, it's truly enviable. Look at me; my entire body came here. Sigh, if it weren't for the other me stubbornly refusing to sacrifice her body to me, I would also have a young appearance."

Listening to her casual words, Ai Yue's heart stirred. "The other you? Where is she?"

"Her? Naturally, she turned to ashes." Jing Xi continued indifferently.

"You killed her?"

"Otherwise? Only one of oneself is allowed in a world. Since I came, she naturally had to die!"

"You, you demon, you even killed your past self!" Ai Yue said each word distinctly.

Jing Xi rubbed her chin. "Demon? Hmm! Being a demon is quite good too! If I achieve eternal life, what does it matter if I become a demon!"

Ai Yue knew it was useless to reason with her. She had become so indifferent that nothing else mattered; anything she said would be pointless.

However, from her words, it seemed she hadn't yet obtained her so-called crystallized heart.

"You haven't achieved eternal life yet?"

Jing Xi raised an eyebrow, a wicked smile playing on her lips. "What? Still thinking of dealing with me? But telling you is fine, anyway, no one can stop me now. I haven't gotten the crystallized heart yet, but I'm close."

At this moment, Ai Yue really wanted to act, but she still had one question unanswered that she wanted Jing Xi to explain, so she continued to ask, "I don't care if you want eternal life, but why did you allow the Nameless Monster to release white smoke, turning people into zombies?"

"Well, with your intelligence, it's impossible for you not to guess. You want to confirm it with me, right? Hehe, Ai Yue, you're as clever as ever."

Ai Yue shrugged noncommittally.

Jing Xi didn't mind; having told her so much already, this little bit didn't matter.

"How do you think the Demon Lizard's heart crystallizes? Naturally, it needs crystal cores! Oh, and also, the crystal cores in you Ability Users' hearts!"

At this point, Jing Xi seemed to sense something, clapping her hands happily. "Excellent, those fools have all arrived. Hehe, I'm about to cast my net. Oh, right, I didn't finish telling you. Once all your flesh, blood, and crystal cores, including those of the zombies, are absorbed by the Nameless Monster, its heart will crystallize. As soon as the heart crystallizes, it will be directly covered by my blood and absorbed by me. Then, I can achieve eternal life!"

Jing Xi grew more and more excited as she spoke, her eyes turning bloodshot, her entire being becoming frenzied.

"Ai Yue!" Suddenly, Jing Xi screamed, her face contorted in a ferocious expression.

Ai Yue watched her with a solemn expression.

"You shouldn't have come..."