Chapter 49: Uncle’s Saved!

The sky blazed with brilliant gold, the icy plains gleamed blue and white.

A black furball with bone wings carried a gold-and-white cat, streaking through the air like a meteor.

“Xixi!” The little cat dove from the high sky, wings and fluff flaring in the rush of speed, like a ball of light plummeting to earth.

Isiris spread his arms, catching him steadily in his embrace.

The little cat in his arms flailed a bit, burying his head in the man’s chest, his big tail wrapping around the man’s wrist, tying himself firmly in place.

At the same time, Xun’s bone wings flapped, and he wheeled around to charge at the Xenoid that had broken through the Spiritual Power seal and was slowly rising.

“Roar—!”

A low, rumbling tremor issued from the throat of the azure giant beast. Energy surged wildly through its massive body, even visible through that layer of rough, tough skin—glowing blue pulses gathering from its lungs all the way to its mouth.

A blast of frosty breath erupted, sweeping toward the tiny incoming figure.

And almost in the same instant, beneath the black bone wings, Xun’s fiery breath exploded forth.

The tiny figure’s fiery breath was a small stream, yet it was enough to match it head-on.

Fire and ice collided squarely in midair—not blocked with Spiritual Power like humans would, but a true clash of raw power.

Tumbling flames and icy mist layered and spread in all directions, devouring everything in their path. But just as these two destructive energies were about to arrive, the golden-haired emperor raised his hand, palm flipping lightly.

Invisible Spiritual Power instantly formed, like a transparent barrier spanning the space.

“Boom—”

Ice and fire intertwined and slammed into the barrier, massive energy ripples spreading but halting abruptly before his outstretched palm.

Isiris’s golden pupils remained utterly calm, none of it stirring the slightest emotion in him.

“Don’t be afraid.” He lowered his gaze, soothing the cub clutching tightly at his clothes in his arms. “I’m here.”

The black shadow nailed to the ice wall trembled violently. In the depths of his shattered, pain-wracked consciousness, a strong sense of wrongness suddenly surged forth. Would that golden figure say such things? Shouldn’t he be stepping on his face, looking down coldly, mercilessly telling him, “Get up, trash”?

This obviously gentle tone? These clearly comforting words?

Something’s wrong—way too wrong!

The black shadow’s pupils contracted. His chaotic consciousness wrestled against the black mist controlling his body, forcibly tearing himself into two parts.

Li Ao let out a soft hum, his little face lifting with an unwitting dependence. “I dreamed of you… and Susu.”

Isiris reached back to ruffle the cat’s head, turning with him to face the black shadow. “Cat Cat God, can you save your idiot uncle?”

Li Ao still didn’t realize Cat Cat God was referring to himself. He tilted his head, loosening the tail around the man’s wrist, and pointed a small paw. “Li Ao can give it a try!”

“Good.” Isiris drew the Sun God Sword, and the black shadow, losing its restraint, collapsed to the ground.

The black mist enveloping the black shadow was actually countless indistinct fine threads, wriggling and twisting like living things over the shadow’s body, parasites squirming on their host.

They sensed the impending danger and tried to withdraw from the black shadow, surging like a tide toward the two distant Xenoids, seeking new hosts.

“No…”

The black shadow on the ground gasped hoarsely in that brief gap.

He clenched his fingertips fiercely, his whole body shuddering as if struck by lightning. He forcibly yanked all those wriggling, struggling black threads back into his body.

“Urgh… Ah—!!”

Agonizing pain erupted from within. The black shadow’s body arched sharply, like it was bound by invisible shackles. His blue pupils contracted and trembled from the pain, yet he still clamped down hard, refusing to let the black threads escape.

He knew that if he let this thing burrow into that Xenoid, it would birth a monster capable of destroying humanity.

Even if he couldn’t hold on anymore, he absolutely couldn’t let them leave him—that was his deal with that Xenoid.

Li Ao knew he couldn’t wait any longer. Without waiting for Isiris to set him down, he leaped out himself.

The little cat traced an elegant arc in the air, landing perfectly—

“Chirp—!”

His paw pads got frozen to the ice!

Fur puffing up, he hopped and shook his paws exaggeratedly, tail bushed out like he’d stepped on a hot stone, hopping comically all the way until he pounced onto the black shadow and flopped right on top.

…The whole scene went silent for two seconds.

Even the black shadow’s pain-rending brain seemed briefly wiped clean by these sudden antics.

Fierce Cat kept a straight face, pretending nothing happened. He slapped both paws onto the blue eyes beneath him. “Spiritual Power, I command you…”

Glimmering golden specks emerged. Li Ao squeezed his eyes shut, ears perked straight up, focusing with all his might, then let out a meow: “Go in!”

The golden light flowed, trickling upward against the current, seeping layer by layer along the black shadow’s skin and mental pathways, burrowing inside.

But it wasn’t attacking—instead, it isolated the black shadow’s remaining flesh, like a tough layer of cling wrap sealing the core body tight.

The little cat opened his eyes, and a dazzling gold surged into his blue pupils.

He looked down at the black threads still struggling wildly to escape. His paws scratched experimentally a couple times, then his butt hiked up high—

Time to claw!

Cat paws flailed madly, fast enough to blur into afterimages, claw winds whistling as they tore open gaps in the black threads.

The uncontrollable surging black threads fell apart under Cat Cat fists. Li Ao got into it, going fierce—one paw down, stomping a clump of black threads dead.

Fierce Cat clawed hundreds of times straight, got tired, panting as he shifted position, then clawed on.

Shen Que watched wide-eyed as the black shadow was gradually clawed clear. On the skeletal, emaciated chest, a patch of colorful markings suddenly appeared.

“Crystal of Delphi.” Purple pupils narrowed slightly as Shen Que recognized the mark that accompanied countless Delphi people their whole lives.

Isiris’s gaze dropped slightly to that familiar colorful glow, his tone calm: “Without the Crystal of Delphi, he would likely have been fully corrupted long ago.”

The cost of the Crystal of Delphi was heavy, but undeniably, it was fate’s gift to Delphi.

Once implanted in the body, Delphi people wouldn’t be infected by the Doom Virus. This was probably also why Zane could retain a shred of sanity amid such frenzied black threads until now.

Li Ao was really clawing tired. His Spiritual Power was sealed; he only had so much to use each day. He’d already spent some breaking through the planetary defenses earlier, and after clawing half the day, he could only swipe half-heartedly now.

And the black shadow lying on the ground finally revealed his humanoid upper body.

Once-luxurious golden hair now stuck to his gaunt cheeks like dead grass. He half-opened his eyes; the azure pupils gradually cleared as the black mist dissipated.

He gazed blankly ahead, eyes first skimming the little cat sprawled on him, then slowly lifting to land on that familiar figure.

He murmured in a daze, voice hoarse and weak, laced with dreamlike uncertainty. “Bro?…”

“…” Isiris’s thin lips pressed tight. He took two steps forward, dropped to one knee, and with one hand supported Zane’s upper body, pulling the skeletal frame into his arms. The ice-cold head rested against his warm neck; his low voice was calm yet firm. “It’s me.”

Tears seemed to slip from Zane’s eyes, like a child lost in blizzard finally met the parent come to fetch him just before death. He said, “You’ve come to pick me up…”

Darkness had swallowed him for decades. In the endless Abyss, he’d struggled time and again, teetering on annihilation—until finally, his brother arrived.

Isiris’s warmth toward others was just this much. After that bit, he let go, letting the other thud back to the ground. Then he scooped up the dead-tired little cat and introduced him to his wretched younger brother: “This is my child. His name is Leo.”

“?” Zane was baffled, even thinking his bro had smashed his brain.

What was this show-off behavior from the golden-haired Monarch?

“Foolish lion.” Isiris said coldly. “He saved you. Thank him already.”

“Thanks… little cat…” Zane felt like he still hadn’t woken up.

Dead tired, brain limp as liquid, the little cat barely lifted a paw. “Susu… you’re welcome…”

Shen Que stepped forward to help Zane up, slinging his arm over his shoulder and half-carrying Delphi’s former Prince Highness. “Sun.” Purple eyes looked ahead. “What about that Xenoid?”

The fierce battle ahead had ended too; the colossal thing was floored by Xun. Any twitch to rise got it jumped on and smashed back down by the little coal ball.

[Stupid Xenoid!]

Xun narrowed his scarlet eyes, who-knows-who he learned that from.

“Wait till the little cat wakes up.” Isiris turned nonchalantly toward the Mandjet. “It’s already submitted to its king; it can’t stir up trouble.”

[Stay put. Let my cat decide if you live or die.]

Xun flapped his wings, slapping the Xenoid, then flew toward the tall figure.

His scarlet beast eyes blinked, glancing at the cat in Isiris’s arms. He extended a wing to point—that meaning was obvious.

The golden-haired Monarch raised his hand and picked up the little monster for a glance.

Xun abruptly narrowed his eyes and flapped his wings to snatch the cat. “Mine!”

“Yours?” Isiris arched a brow slightly, a hint of lazy mockery in his tone. With one lift of his hand, he tossed the black-furred chestnut ball far away. “Foolish.”

“It’s Xun’s little cat!” The little monster zipped back at top speed. He had just gotten close when he was thrown away again, repeating the process.

Shen Que’s brows and eyes curved up. On his otherwise plain face, those violet eyes were breathtakingly beautiful.

His sun was happy—happier than it had ever been.

High in the sky, dozens of warships hovered densely packed, the massive fleet casting down dark shadows.

On the ground, the battle between the soldiers and the Xenoids had just ended. The air still lingered with the aftertaste of gunfire.

The Delphians watched with tears in their eyes as the Monarch returned with the long-lost Prince. They lined up in salute. “Sun!”

The surging cheers washed over the wind and snow like a tidal wave, raising goosebumps all over.

Isiris raised the cat, who had its head drooped and was snoring away. The little coal ball flew over once more and landed on his shoulder.

The golden-haired Monarch, cloaked in the full light of the sky’s sun, declared, “Delphians, welcome your future Monarch.”

“Li Ao—!”

The little cat was startled by the thunderous cheers into cracking open one eye. It dazedly shook its head and subconsciously waved a paw in response: “I yam Li Ao!”

Isiris chuckled lightly, and the wind and snow stopped.