Chapter 155: A Very Dramatic Subjugation

As the system's voice faded, Moonlight took the initiative. Gentle and delicate as she appeared, this sudden strike caught Xiyan completely off guard.

A glowing white longsword instantly materialized in Moonlight's hand, and she lunged straight at Xiyan.

Because Xiyan had never anticipated that Moonlight would attack so swiftly, he was pierced by her blade.

"Xiyan!"

Qingyan had also been relocated by the system to the temporary viewing area, but she could only cry out in anxious worry, her voice unable to pierce the barrier into the arena where the two were dueling.

Xiyan clutched his wound and drew his weapon. To be honest, he was not particularly skilled with various cards, but he felt that this glowing wooden sword suited his hand the best.

The two swords clashed, sending a flurry of sparks flying into the air.

Seeing this, Moonlight stepped back a fraction and said to Xiyan, "I didn't expect your swordsmanship to be passable after all."

"Miss Moonlight, let us dispense with the chatter and bring this to a swift conclusion, deciding the victor once and for all."

With those words, Xiyan charged forward.

Since there were no restrictions placed on this duel, Xiyan was permitted to use his cards, so without hesitation, he immediately summoned Ah Yuan.

Unlike ordinary cards devoid of independent thought, Ah Yuan possessed her own consciousness, instantly turning Moonlight's situation into a two-against-one battle.

Yet, Moonlight did not fall at a disadvantage despite these odds.

Even with Xiyan and Ah Yuan joining forces, they were steadily driven back by Moonlight. Just as Moonlight's sword was about to pierce straight through Xiyan's heart, Ah Yuan threw herself forward, gripping the blade tightly with both hands.

Catching sight of this development, Moonlight froze instantly, a complex flash of emotion crossing her face.

Although Ah Yuan was injured, her life was not in mortal danger. Knowing the gravity of the situation despite his worry, Xiyan refrained from rushing blindly forward to examine her wounds.

After halting her movements, Moonlight suddenly withdrew her sword and said to Xiyan with a blank expression, "I never expected you to have someone willing to protect you to this extent."

"That is precisely why I must take them away from here, and leave this place safely." Xiyan's gaze was resolute.

Meeting Xiyan's eyes, Moonlight bit her lower lip and murmured, "I concede."

It was a remarkably indifferent statement, yet spoken from her lips, it carried an aura of boundless sorrow.

Moonlight was by no means incapable of defeating Xiyan; the reason for her sudden concession remained a mystery.

Hearing Moonlight's surrender, Xiyan hurried to Ah Yuan's side, pulling her into his arms as he anxiously inspected her hands.

Ah Yuan offered Xiyan a faint smile and said, "Big Brother, you don't need to worry about me. These are just minor injuries, and they will heal in no time."

"How can you call this a minor injury? Look at your hands—if Miss Moonlight hadn't stopped in time, I'm afraid your hands would have been ruined because of me." Remorse filled Xiyan's heart.

Ah Yuan shook her head, a smile still lingering on her face. "Big Brother, you shouldn't think that way."

Xiyan bit his lower lip, saying nothing more as he quietly used the medical supplies from his inventory to treat Ah Yuan.

Nearby, Moonlight stood silently beside the two of them, offering neither words nor actions.

Yet Ah Yuan caught the emotion lingering in her eyes.

Moonlight's eyes were filled with deep envy toward Ah Yuan, and her earlier cessation of the attack had been triggered precisely by the sight of Xiyan's worried gaze upon Ah Yuan.

All the survivors outside the arena watched this scene in utter bewilderment. Wasn't this supposed to be a fight to the death governed by a wager? Why had Moonlight suddenly called a halt?

Seeing the events unfold inside the arena, Qingyan finally breathed a sigh of relief, collapsing limply into her chair as though every ounce of strength had drained from her body.

She had stood watching the battle the entire time, her heart lodged firmly in her throat. Now, seeing that Xiyan was safe, Qingyan could finally rest at ease.

...

Inside the arena, Moonlight watched as Xiyan knelt on one half-knee with Ah Yuan cradled in his arms. After a moment of thought, she finally spoke: "Since you have won, this instance is yours."

Xiyan ignored Moonlight entirely, remaining entirely focused on dressing Ah Yuan's wounds.

Noticing the increasingly unpleasant expression on Moonlight's face, Ah Yuan gently tugged at Xiyan's sleeve. Xiyan naturally understood Ah Yuan's intent, but he simply could not bring himself to leave her unattended.

Although the duel was a mutually agreed-upon contest, Moonlight had indeed inflicted harm on Ah Yuan. While it wasn't strictly her fault, resentment still lingered in Xiyan's heart.

"This instance is mine—what exactly does that mean?" Xiyan replied coldly.

Seeing Xiyan's attitude, though displeased, Moonlight still fulfilled the regulations by handing ownership of the instance over to him and explaining its rules.

This instance was one that could belong entirely to a survivor. Once a survivor claimed ownership, they could deploy the instance at any location of their choosing.

Furthermore, the instance fell under his absolute dominion, and anyone who entered it was powerless to defy the rules he established.

Moonlight was the core of the entire instance, as well as its governing sprite. Beyond that, Moonlight possessed the ability to transform into human form and accompany the survivor who claimed the instance—namely, Xiyan.

Hearing this, Xiyan finally understood why Moonlight had asked to take a stroll with him before the duel.

He had previously assumed Moonlight merely wished to look out upon the world, never suspecting that she desired to remain in this survival realm in human form rather than lingering merely as a sprite within the instance.

Sensing that Xiyan was still displeased, Moonlight bit her lower lip and said with profound hesitation, "If Master truly detests me, you may also kill me. It will not greatly affect the operation of the instance."

Moonlight's statement seemed somewhat paradoxical when compared to the rules she had just explained.

She had explicitly claimed to be the core of the entire instance and its very sprite. If so, how could the instance continue to function without her?

Moonlight's mind-reading ability had not faded, and she instantly perceived Xiyan's internal thoughts.

She offered a direct explanation: "Because this instance has already been completely refined by me... it can operate perfectly well without me."

Xiyan offered no reply, nor did he make a move. He simply stared down at Ah Yuan in his arms, remaining motionless for a long time.

Ah Yuan glanced between Moonlight and Xiyan before quietly whispering to Xiyan, "Big Brother, her origin seems rather similar to mine..."

This simple remark made everything instantly clear to Xiyan. No doubt this Moonlight was not a creature born of the instance itself, but shared an origin similar to Ah Yuan's—equally suffering from amnesia, having forgotten everything of her past.

Xiyan raised his head, let out a sigh, and offered a faint smile as he said to Moonlight, "I apologize for my behavior just now. I was indeed being somewhat petty; clearly we had both agreed to the terms of the duel, yet during the fight, I still resented you for injuring Ah Yuan."

Moonlight was genuinely astonished that Xiyan would actually apologize to her. Although logically she had done no wrong, the fact remained that she had injured Ah Yuan.