Jakob continued spouting mad words that others couldn't understand.
"As my friend said, those without the flaw of weak will neither submit to the gods nor to death..."
Mu Yang ignored Jakob's rambling.
That attack just now was indeed the power of the Abyss.
Yet he claimed to look down on the Abyss folks.
So what force was he part of?
"It seems you have some understanding of the Abyss's power as well."
Jakob didn't seem interested in Mu Yang's affairs.
He didn't ask any questions either.
Instead, he began explaining on his own.
Just like what typical villains love to do...
[Classic villain monologue]
[Villains die from talking too much]
[Adding lore, he really, I'm crying]
Jakob said he was merely borrowing the Abyss's power.
Slightly reversing the crystallization process—that Mu Yang and Mamere were overreacting.
"After all, I originally didn't expect that several hundred years later, his heart would have withered into this state. To obtain enough blood, I could only make it beat again."
Jakob's method was naturally for his own sake.
And at this point, Mu Yang already understood.
Those ores that Mamere used as pigments were this [Father]'s blood.
After solidifying, they turned into pure crystals.
Jakob said, "This method isn't elegant, but there's no helping it."
"I initially thought I could obtain enough coagulated blood from Miss Mamere through peaceful means."
"Completing the original plan without attracting the attention of the Marechaussee Hunters. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned; the original plan was disrupted, and in the end, it was an unavoidable measure."
The more Jakob spoke, the more he said, while Mu Yang remained silent.
Moreover, his gaze gradually became clearer.
As if he had sorted out the key to the matter...
He self-mockingly shook his head. "I see... I see. I didn't expect that I actually talked too much."
[Wasn't it you who wanted to say it yourself?]
[Hold it, he actually realized]
[Mu Yang: I just shifted a bit, and the opponent flashed in with full combo; blame me?]
At this time, Jakob remembered to ask a question.
After all, no matter how he deduced, there was one point he couldn't understand.
He didn't get why, if Mu Yang didn't know the value of these [pigments].
He would approach and protect Mamere up to now.
Mu Yang shielded Mamere behind him. "Seeing injustice on the road, draw the sword to help."
[Handsome]
[This is Liyue's 'chivalry'; Jakob probably can't understand]
[The so-called righteousness]
Jakob was very smart, a genius-level figure.
But in the face of such simple emotions, he generally chose to ignore them.
A genius's mind was too rational.
It often led him to exclude these things.
But what Mu Yang did was indeed because he saw a cute little one surrounded by a few from the Gilded Brigade, so he stepped in to resolve it.
Facing such an answer, Jakob was indeed speechless.
Mu Yang raised his sword. "If it's just for this blood, why summon so many Beast Realm Hounds to trouble the Melusines?"
Jakob's tone carried disdain. "Trouble the Melusines? I don't have time for such meaningless things."
"But theoretically, when I activated those leftover arrays and reversed the crystallization process, it should briefly open a passage to the Beast Realm..."
"Like rotten meat thrown on the road attracting flies; those Beast Realm Hounds you mentioned were probably drawn here that way..."
He paused. "Rather than that, Mr. Mu Yang, I'm very curious—what are your thoughts upon seeing the original scenery here?"
"Look at your feet; blood flows into rivers, even the dust is fertilized by filthy grease."
"If I told you that one day, the catastrophe above this will descend. What would your reaction be?"
Mu Yang looked at his feet.
At this time, the water flow was slowly turning red.
Seymour's warning came to his ears.
"Warning: the blood has already submerged Mr. Mu Yang's ankles. The current environmental pollution index has also exceeded the human body's tolerance threshold by more than 10 times."
"For safety reasons, I recommend leaving this area immediately."
"To avoid the following adverse reactions: including but not limited to allergies, daze, protein mutations, mental degradation, and..."
Jakob coldly interrupted Seymour's mechanical voice.
"So the pollution has reached this level? How pitiful. But no need to worry; I will grant you release."
Jakob spread his four hands, along with the rune arrays behind him.
"The predetermined moment of the [World Formula] will soon arrive; time is running out."
With the words reaching this point, what remained was only battle.
Jakob, who could utilize Abyss power, wasn't particularly strong.
Moreover, he probably wasn't a professional combatant.
He was defeated by Mu Yang in just a few moves.
——————
Jakob's HP was too low; ruthlessly roasted by Guinaifen.
"No, bro! After all this plot running, finally getting to use Mu Yang to fight a boss, and you pull this on me?"
"Dies after just two skill sets? I haven't had enough fun yet!"
[This is what numbers do? Mu Yang is too beautiful!]
[This is the face of meta players?]
[Mainly this refresh is too satisfying]
[Fun, love playing, fast forward to the banner; I've already saved enough for 6+5]
"I've been saving since birth; do you have as much as me?"
[What I saved last night already went to him]
[??]
[???]
[This one is even more heavyweight]
——————
Though Jakob's combat power was lacking, the terror of the Abyss lies in the unknown.
He knew he couldn't handle Mu Yang, so he quietly formed a seal...
"Now I understand; you finding this place wasn't coincidence. Out of curiosity, may I ask who exactly you are?"
"An ordinary Liyue merchant."
"Unwilling to answer? No matter; I'm just a bit curious."
With that, he raised his hand, trapping Mamere in a triangular purple light pillar.
"The predetermined day is near; this blood should be enough. Continuing to tangle might attract unnecessary attention."
As Jakob opened his escape passage, Beast Realm Hounds appeared along with it.
Seymour lunged fiercely. "I am very sorry, Jakob Ingold, but I'm afraid I cannot allow you to leave just like that."
"With just you? Soulless scrap iron." Jakob clearly didn't take Seymour seriously.
"Back then, you failed to fulfill your mission to protect [Mary-Ann], and now, you will only experience your own incompetence once again."
With that, his four hands simultaneously summoned destructive energy, pointing at the trapped Mamere.
Jakob was gambling—gambling that this 'seeing injustice, draw the sword to help' Mu Yang's words were true.
Jakob won the gamble.
Mu Yang couldn't abandon Mamere or Seymour to come kill him.
His body slowly submerged into the Abyss.
"Mr. Mu Yang, even if you can clear all the magical beasts, facing the giant beast whose bodily functions are about to revive again, you will be crushed and digested."
"Farewell forever, everyone..."