The expression on Hilfer's face was strange.
He didn't look like a tribal king, but rather like a corpse that had been dead for many years.
"Hiljorns, brother, you're not dead!" Suddenly, Hilfer's expression changed. He cried out in panic, his body trembling violently, seemingly in great fear.
The next second, his body stopped trembling, and his expression returned to its sinister look.
"Brother, you are still alive, so how could I possibly die?" Hiljorns' voice was dry, like a dead body's, sending shivers down Xu Mu and Qiongqi's spines.
"What in the world is going on?" Qiongqi asked, his expression shocked. He couldn't understand why Hilfer had started talking to himself.
"It's soul possession," Xu Mu replied. He knew very well that Hilfer's current state was identical to when he and Gray-White Pupil were fighting for control of his body.
"From their conversation, it seems that the one possessing him is Hiljorns, who died many years ago. He is Hilfer's brother."
As Xu Mu spoke, his expression grew more solemn. He couldn't comprehend how a dead person could possess someone at the half-step Human King realm.
If Hiljorns was truly that powerful, how could he have died back then?
"Liar, Hiljorns, you liar!" Hilfer struggled fiercely for control, roaring in anger, "You set a trap for me to possess me before you even went to the Sea of Realms. I am your brother!"
Hilfer's voice was filled with grief and rage. In his heart, Hiljorns was as respected as his father. At the very moment he had grasped the Fairy Bow, he had felt a sense of honor, believing he had fulfilled their wishes.
"Brother, after all these years, why are you still so naive?" Hiljorns' expression was mocking. He paused and continued, "Frankly, I once believed in kinship. However, if you had experienced what I have, you would understand my plight."
"That unfulfilled ambition, the regret of being so close yet falling short, the pain of my efforts benefiting others, and a millennium of lonely waiting – how could I give up this opportunity!"
Hiljorns suddenly roared, "Tell me, why did you get the Fairy Bow? Why could you solve those puzzles? Father and I couldn't. What right do you, a cripple, have?"
"I am a cripple?" Hilfer's will remained unbroken as he resisted with all his might, retorting angrily, "Hiljorns, I have completed what you failed to do, and I have done it better than you ever did. Under my leadership, the Wind Elf tribe has completely forgotten your name!"
Hiljorns was taken aback by this answer.
His expression was no longer ferocious, but had regained its composure.
"Perhaps. You may indeed be much stronger than you were back then, otherwise, you wouldn't have come this far. But the ultimate victor is still me."
"Rest in peace, brother. From now on, I will wield the Fairy Bow and become the strongest Elf King in the history of the elf race. Then I will exterminate the dwarves and defeat humanity bit by bit. I will become the overlord of the world!"
Hiljorns laughed loudly. In the sea of consciousness, he had already cornered Hilfer's soul, leaving the latter only to resist futilely.
"This is bad. We've exhausted Hilfer's energy too much. He's completely on the defensive now. We need to find a way to make them evenly matched!"
Xu Mu's expression was grave. At this moment, he understood why Hiljorns, with only a wisp of his soul, could possess Hilfer. The answer was because he and Qiongqi had tormented Hilfer too many times.
The struggle between the two would undoubtedly be a turning point for them. Whether they chose to escape or stay and fight, their chances of survival would increase significantly. And to further improve their odds, they had to find a way to keep Hilfer and Hiljorns' souls in a balanced struggle.
Because only then would they have a chance to survive.
Xu Mu silently drew his sword, unleashing a sharp blade light through space. Qiongqi also roared, spewing flames with terrifying might.
"Two ants, get out of my way!" Hiljorns' consciousness gained the upper hand. He swung his arm, stirring up a fierce wind in space, carrying with it the Great Dao of fire and wind.
A remnant soul, borrowing a body and being pressured by Hilfer, yet Hiljorns' casual attack easily matched Xu Mu and Qiongqi.
*Bang!*
The fierce wind extinguished the flames, and the blade light dissipated.
A cold glint flashed in Xu Mu's eyes. He surged forward with both legs, statues appearing all around him. The Great Dao roared, and blade intent intertwined with sword intent, carrying a trace of the Death Great Dao, pressing down on Hiljorns like a collapsing mountain.
Seeing this, Hiljorns disdainfully swung his right hand. He intended to use the Fairy Bow as a sword to directly parry Xu Mu's attack.
But at this critical moment, Hilfer, who had been passive, began a frantic counterattack.
"If I can't live, neither can you, brother! Let's die together!" Hilfer's voice was vicious and sharp as he fought with all his might to regain control of his body.
Thus, Hiljorns' grip on the bow weakened, as if a child wielding a wooden sword. Under Xu Mu's full-powered strike, he was sent flying, along with the bow, crashing heavily against the solid wall.
*Pfft!* Hilfer spat out a mouthful of blood, which splattered across the ground.
"Despicable human. In my prime, a mere glance would have been enough to kill you."
In less than half a second, Hiljorns regained control of the body. He stood up from the ground, looking at Xu Mu with killing intent.
This time, he completely sealed Hilfer's will in a corner, rendering him immobile.
"It's time to end this."
Hiljorns said, gripping the Fairy Bow tightly. A flush of unnatural color appeared on his pale face.
His expression was one of pain and obsession, tears streaming down his face, whether from excitement or something else.
He had died in this place for so many years; he could no longer remember. All he remembered was the unimaginable loneliness and solitude he had endured.
In fact, he had never expected Hilfer to dare to enter the Sea of Realms, nor that he would obtain the Fairy Bow. And now, he had even succeeded in soul possession!
All that loneliness was worth it.
"Actually, I should thank you two. Originally, I only intended to use my brother's eyes to see the world and the bow I couldn't obtain. But I never expected you to wear him down to such a state." Hiljorns said with a cold laugh. He had left behind a contingency plan but didn't hold out much hope, as he was merely a wisp of a soul!
"High-sounding words. Don't talk about the beginning. The fact is clear now: you have possessed your brother." Xu Mu said calmly, while Qiongqi also stealthily moved to Hiljorns' other side, preparing to flank him.
"So what? I am his brother. I am far more talented and powerful than him. I should be the one in charge of the Wind Elf tribe, the one who shakes the world with the Fairy Bow, exterminates the dwarves, and defeats humanity. Not him!" Hiljorns said, seemingly provoked, his patience worn thin.
"Die!" Hiljorns placed his hand on the bowstring and pulled it back forcefully, condensing the Great Dao of heaven and earth. Then, he released it, and an ethereal arrow shot towards Xu Mu.
*Swoosh!*
Xu Mu narrowed his eyes. Using his innate Bagua perception, he rolled and took cover behind a large, thick stone pillar, holding his saber three inches below his abdomen.
*Bang!*
The next second, the terrifying arrow of the Great Dao pierced the stone platform and struck precisely in the center of the saber.
*Boom!*
Xu Mu, enduring the immense force, was sent flying several meters, finally crashing against the wall, spitting blood.
"Xu Mu!" Qiongqi cried out with bloodshot eyes, his voice filled with worry. At the same time, he instantly appeared directly in front of Hiljorns, unleashing the Samadhi True Fire from his mouth like a surging river, as if trying to incinerate him.
"Beast, you underestimate me." Hiljorns' face remained calm. Facing Qiongqi's attack, he directly drew the bowstring.
*Rumble!*
Instantly, the Great Dao of wind and fire erupted, and the terrifying arrow exploded, sending the Samadhi True Fire and Qiongqi alike flying far away.
"Decent strength. You remind me of myself in my younger days." Hiljorns looked at Xu Mu and Qiongqi, genuinely impressed. One was a human possessing a relic-level saber, and the other was a demon beast capable of spitting sacred fire and understanding the Great Dao of space.
Young, with immeasurable potential, but unfortunately, they encountered him.
Even in his youth, he was confident that he was no weaker than Xu Mu and Qiongqi, for he was the most talented genius in the history of the Wind Elf tribe!
Hiljorns' expression was calm. He stood up, his fingers returning to the bowstring, aiming at Qiongqi.
Seeing this, Xu Mu, enduring the excruciating pain in his body, pulled out a sniper rifle from his spatial ring and madly squeezed the trigger.
*Ratta-tat-tat-tat-tat-tat!*
The muzzle spat fire, and countless special bullets capable of shattering steel shot towards Hiljorns' face, aiming to turn him into a sieve.
The latter was slightly surprised. In an instant, he redirected the bow towards Xu Mu and pulled his finger back, unleashing the arrow of the Great Dao.
At this moment, Qiongqi seized the fleeting opportunity, once again using the Great Dao of space to fly in front of Hiljorns. He spat out even more ferocious Samadhi True Fire, directly dousing him!
*Rumble!*
The special bullets were pulverized. The arrow of the Great Dao, unstoppable, was once again blocked by Xu Mu's saber. The impact of the immense force sent him crashing into the wall again, embedding him several meters deep, his bones broken, unable to move.
"I will kill you!"
Despite suffering severe injuries, Xu Mu's attack was having an effect on the other side.
Under Hiljorns' roar, Xu Mu, spitting blood, focused his gaze. He saw that Hiljorns was being fiercely burned by the Samadhi True Fire. Both his clothes and flesh were rapidly turning to ash.
Just as Xu Mu thought the battle was over, the next second, a powerful origin energy of wind erupted from Hiljorns' body with a *boom*.
This energy blew away all the Samadhi True Fire burning on him, also flinging Qiongqi into the air.
"A pity," Qiongqi sighed as he landed and pulled Xu Mu out of the wall.
He had burned Hiljorns' wings to ashes, and he was just a step away from killing him.
"I almost fell to you two juniors. Now, let's see what you can do!" Hiljorns roared in anger, summoning his Heaven and Earth Dharma Idol. It was a cyan angelic Dharma Idol, resembling a monster with hundreds of feet, seated on the ground, tightly enveloping Hiljorns' body. From this moment on, no external attack could reach him.
Unless Xu Mu was a Human King, which he was not.
"This is bad. He's blocked the exit too," Qiongqi's expression turned grim. He had intended to help Xu Mu escape, but unexpectedly, the opponent's Dharma Idol had also blocked the exit mechanism.
It seemed they were truly doomed now.
"Hahahaha, surrender!" Hiljorns laughed loudly, reaching out to grasp the Fairy Bow.
But at this moment, he heard a series of laughter.
"Ha, ha, hahahaha..."
The laughter was very awkward, like a girl next door, sharp and unpracticed, as if she had just learned to speak and was imitating him.
Hiljorns froze. He suspected he was hallucinating, as he constantly turned his head, trying to find the source of the laughter but couldn't.
Then, suddenly, Hiljorns' body stiffened.
Because he discovered that the source of the laughter seemed to be in his own hand.
What he was holding was one of the Eight Sacred Relics, the Fairy Bow, Hilvyn.
Hilvyn was a name.
Whose name was it?
Hiljorns' head stiffly turned to gaze at the bow in his hand.
The latter was also looking at him!