Chapter 163: Goodbye, Lucy

Everyone expressed their thoughts, and the outcome was obvious—everyone hoped to take advantage of this opportunity to form an alliance and unite forces to counter the ambitious Demon Alliance.
“Who can you recruit, and how hopeful are you?” The old man asked calmly, staring intently at those present before fixing his gaze on Rod, his expression carrying a hint of depth that left Rod puzzled.
“The Black Phoenix clan is definitely a sure thing. The defection of the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles has brought them great shame. If we target them first, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles will surely turn to the Black Phoenix clan, making them the most at risk. They need a helper even more urgently than we do.
As for the Demon Alliance’s opposition, their situation isn’t much better. I talked with Rod this afternoon—there are two possibilities. First, the opposition might have allied with the neutrals, giving them the strength to fight against the main faction, which is why they’re pressing hard on the Nash family, the main faction’s lackeys. The second possibility is that they haven’t allied yet, but their motives are unclear. In either case, the main faction is growing stronger and seems intent on conquering the demons. The opposition can’t just sit idly by and wait for death—they must fight back. Alliance is what they need most urgently.
Finally, there’s the Hope Clan. This clan has always been hard to fathom. They seem strong but simple-minded on the surface, yet they’re actually very deep and their foundation isn’t inferior to ours. But their attitude is ambiguous, making it hard to judge. If there’s any trouble, only the Scorpion King Clan might refuse, but the rest should not be a problem!”
It was still Lilith, eloquently analyzing everything thoroughly—her meticulous thinking was truly admirable.
“Hmm, that’s how it is! The Scorpion King Clan is the toughest nut to crack. But with the alliance between the demons, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles, and the Mi Jiao Clan this time, even the Scorpion King Clan might become restless. The final outcome depends on whether they come tonight. If they do, there’s a 60% chance of success; if not, it shows their stance clearly!” Sognar added promptly.

The atmosphere inside was somewhat dull; everyone was lost in their own thoughts. Yet Rod was also thinking rapidly. Still, Lilith was right! The Hope Clan always gave off an inscrutable vibe. What Rod was most worried about now was whether the Scorpion King Clan had already formed an alliance with the Demons in secret, acting merely as a hidden pawn waiting for an opportunity to strike! If that were the case, it would indeed be troublesome.

At that moment, a middle-aged man hurried in from outside and said something to the Grand Elder. A faint smile appeared on the Grand Elder’s face. “Well, everyone who should be here has arrived. Shall we go take a look?”

Led by the Grand Elder, the group slowly made their way toward the hall. Since this meeting was kept secret, they deliberately handled it discreetly to avoid detection by the Demons, the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles, and the Mi Jiao Clan.

When they arrived at the hall, the members of the Black Phoenix Clan had already arrived first—three people: two elders, likely of high status within the clan, and a woman. She was petite and cute, but her expression was somewhat cold, giving off the impression of a thousand-year glacier, which stood out sharply. She was Lucy.

As Lilith had analyzed earlier, the Black Phoenix Clan was indeed more anxious and worried about this matter than any other clan. Although the judgment by the Purple-Winged Thunder Eagles had been anticipated, its swift arrival was unexpected.

Looking at Lucy, standing there with her cold expression, Rod felt a pain in his heart and sighed. He stepped out from behind the scenes and approached her.

The atmosphere changed instantly. The members of the Dragon Clan stood motionless, wearing faint smiles, watching intently as the two interacted.

As for the two elders of the Black Phoenix Clan, perhaps they had only arrived in Dark Moon City this time, so they didn’t know Rod, let alone recognize him. Their faces were filled with confusion at this suddenly appearing young man, especially when they saw Lucy’s expression of utter disbelief. Their instincts told them that this young man was no ordinary person.

After all, how could someone who could appear in the Dragon Clan’s private territory and seem to have a good relationship be simple?

Rod slowly walked toward Lucy, his legs feeling as heavy as if filled with lead, making each step extremely difficult. Watching Lucy’s expression change—from shock, to surprise, to confusion, and finally to a hint of anger—made Rod’s scalp tingle. Lucy seemed increasingly unfamiliar to him.

In an instant, he was already in front of Lucy. It seemed everyone around them had some unspoken understanding—they all stayed silent, standing aside to give the two of them enough space and time.
“Is it really you?” Rubbing her eyes to make sure she wasn’t dreaming, to confirm she wasn’t mistaken, Lucy stepped forward, closing in on Rod. Reaching out, she slowly touched him with a slight tremor in her hand, murmuring to herself. But at the last moment, she lowered her hand she had struggled to lift. She was afraid—afraid it was just a dream, afraid that touching him would wake her from it. She had had this dream countless times, disappointed fifty times over. She was truly scared now. It was better to keep things vague.
“Mm, you…” Her throat felt choked as if something was holding it back, preventing her from speaking. Rod smiled bitterly as he watched Lucy, whose expression was stiff and trembling, her breathing rapid. He reached out and took her delicate hand.
“You… Brother Rod?”
“Mm, it’s me. I’m sorry I made you worry!” Taking a deep breath, Rod spoke in a deep voice.
“It’s really you!” A hint of excitement appeared on her face. Feeling Rod’s body heat, Lucy stopped avoiding him. This wasn’t a dream—everything was real. No longer needing to worry about the dream breaking, she threw herself into Rod’s arms with a sobbed voice, “Is it really you? I’m not dreaming. I’m tired of having this dream. Don’t leave me. Really, if it’s a dream, I’d rather stay in it forever.”
There was no trace of her previous cold demeanor now. She looked like a gentle young lady, incredibly tender, sobbing as if talking to herself. Tears streamed down her face. A single tear from a beauty could move thousands of heroes’ hearts, but now her affection was focused solely on Rod.
“It’s not a dream. Everything is real!” Lowering his head, he gently raised her face and wiped away her tears. With a sigh, Rod spoke in a deep voice. This affection weighed heavily on him, leaving him at a loss.
The actions and words of the two of them left the people watching in awe and amazement, especially the two elders of the Black Phoenix clan, whose faces showed shock. If they didn’t know who this young man was this time, they would be fools.

Who else but that Rod could make Miss Lucy act like this? The little guy standing before her was none other than the much-talked-about Rod! It really was him! She never imagined her dependence on him would reach such a degree. How many young people in the Black Phoenix clan had gone mad for her, how many had risked their lives for her, and how many in the Source of Darkness had nearly gone insane trying to win a smile from her? Yet she remained indifferent and chose this guy instead! It was truly sigh-worthy and disheartening.

What was even more shocking was that this boy hadn’t died in the lightning storm, hadn’t been reduced to ashes as rumored. They had seen how terrifying that lightning strike was—even those far away in the Black Phoenix clan had felt the tremors. What extraordinary ability did this young man possess to survive?

At that moment, the two elders of the Black Phoenix clan exchanged a bitter smile before sighing.

“Why? Why didn’t you tell me? Why not tell me you were alive?” After some time adapting and confirming everything was true, that this person was indeed Rod, Lucy began to ask loudly, with a hint of madness in her voice.

Because of Rod’s death, she had been desperate and crazy. Such a sudden change was hard for her to accept. She cried with joy.

“I just got back. I saw you this morning, came here this afternoon. I knew you’d be coming tonight, so I didn’t go there!” Exhaling deeply, feeling the strange looks from others, Rod awkwardly released his arms around Lucy, stepped back slightly, and said with a bitter smile. He was moved—Lucy’s change was all because of him. To have such a woman was a great fortune! Yet this also brought an extra weight to his heart.

He had only regarded Lucy as a sister, but now her feelings went far beyond sisterly bonds, leaving Rod at a loss. How should he face this?

“Really?” Lucy asked, looking at Rod doubtfully.

“Really. I’ll tell you the details tonight.”

Then he helped her wipe away her tears. “Alright, smile. Others are watching. Aren’t you afraid of being laughed at?”

Lucy quickly glanced behind her, her face turning red. Only then did she realize there were others around. She quickly stepped back two steps to the side of the two elders, unable to say a word. Her girlish behavior was both amusing and pitiful.

The members of the Black Phoenix clan had arrived, dressed simply, probably to blend in.

“The demons have come!” The eldest elder stepped forward and said beside the two elders of the Black Phoenix clan.

“Hmm, let’s see. I wonder what those Scorpion King clan guys are thinking—will that old relic really not show up?” mumbled the elder of the Black Phoenix clan, head bowed.
He didn’t notice that Rod’s expression changed drastically upon hearing these words; he was at a loss for words. Only Lilith and Sognar were secretly delighted.
At the entrance, three or five figures slowly made their way toward the hall. Undoubtedly, these were members of the demon race, and those two slender figures must be the demon princesses. Feeling desperate, Rod planned to turn and leave, but those shameless Lilith and Sognar blocked his path, their faces filled with smug smiles, which drove Rod to the point of wanting to kill them.