Angel could also see that this aura had never appeared on Vay before. Vay’s past aura... could almost be described as non-existent. But now, Vay’s aura held a sharpness, like a dull sword suddenly transformed into a gleaming sharp blade.
Dox raised his head, looking blankly at Angel: "Has he... really disappeared?"
Angel understood what Dox meant.
The so-called disappearance wasn’t about the disappearance of the body, but rather the disappearance of the soul and consciousness.
Considering Vay’s previous words, and now looking at the clearly altered aura, Dox evidently believed that Vay was no longer Vay, but... Black Earl.
The Black Earl’s nose found its "belonging", and likewise, his consciousness occupied the high ground within Vay.
In Dox’s view, they were now facing the Black Earl, rather than their dear friend.
As Dox’s voice fell, Vay, who was lying on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes.
In the past, Vay’s eyes were innocuous, but now, the sharpness in Vay’s eyes is apparent, even Kaier can sense the piercing keenness.
"Even the gaze has changed." Dox: "Really...gone."
Dox looked around confusedly, his heart was bewildered at this moment. Just a moment ago, his dear friend was still beside him, and in the next moment, he completely disappeared.
He didn’t even have a chance to say goodbye, didn’t have time to grieve, and was already separated from his friend by death.
Even now, Dox doesn’t know what to do, not even knowing whom to seek for revenge.
Should he seek the Magic Elephant? The Magic Elephant undoubtedly is one of the culprits in Vay’s murder, but if there’s a distribution of hatred, the Magic Elephant should be among the smallest fractions.
Above the Magic Elephant is the vicious woman, for the Ancient Gaze was given to the Magic Elephant by her.
And above the vicious woman, Dox thinks is himself; he could have intervened, but he did nothing...
As for above him, it is truly the one who pushed Vay toward the abyss of death and occupied Vay’s body, which is the Black Earl.
Looking at it overall, the only one Dox can avenge seems to be the Magic Elephant. Because the vicious woman has the Grey Merchant by her side, and the Black Earl is not someone he can deal with, calculating this way, only the Magic Elephant is easiest to bully.
Yet, the Magic Elephant accounts for the least hatred, and his behavior during the duel did not violate any rules. To say Out of Discussion tactics were excessive, didn’t Kaier on their side also use them?
Therefore, Dox is very bewildered now, what should he do? Seek revenge? Or just cry his heart out?
Or maybe, like someone unaffected, just laugh this incident off?
While Dox was at a loss, "Vay" had already stood up, moving the body, shaking the limbs, tilting the neck, seemingly adapting to this new body.
Dox saw this scene too, and for some reason, he seemed to see the old Vay in these actions.
But when he looked at the gaze of Vay, he shook his head again...this gaze does not belong to Vay.
"Are you...Vay?" Though not holding any hope, Dox still opened his mouth to ask.
Vay stopped his movements, turned to look at Dox, his eyes deep like the Abyss of Shadow, with a hint of mocking smile at the corner of his mouth, he said lightly: "What do you think?"
This unfamiliar tone made Dox feel bewildered once again.
After a long time, Dox finally lowered his head, speaking in a barely audible voice: "Black Earl...sir."
"Hm? Is there something?"
Dox kept his head down, eyes closed, saying: "Nothing."
After speaking, Dox did not open his eyes but continued to adjust his breathing with eyes shut, calming the complex emotions in his heart.
After a while, Dox suddenly felt the atmosphere around was somewhat off, it seemed too quiet.
Confused, Dox opened his eyes and looked up, only to see "Black Earl" turned around, gazing into the Void, as if contemplating something.
Beside him, Angel was frowning in thought, and next to him, Kaier had a look of shock, seemingly witnessing something astonishing.
As Dox was bewildered, Black Earl’s voice sounded: "How much longer are you going to play this game?"
Dox: "???"
Several seconds later, a familiar voice reached Dox’s ears: "I rarely see him in such a manner..."
Upon hearing this voice, Dox’s eyes widened, looking at the figure facing away from him.
Maybe sensing Dox’s gaze, he turned around, and "Black Earl" showed an expression of dislike: "We’ve known each other for decades, yet you still couldn’t recognize me. Even the Chaowei Lord figured it out!"
This familiar expression, familiar tone, even the small gestures on the face, Dox was all too familiar with.
This is simply—
"Vay?!"
...
Angel actually suspected from the beginning that Black Earl wouldn’t be so ruthless towards Vay, but there was no concrete evidence.
Until Vay’s body underwent Restoration, Angel gradually confirmed his thoughts.
This is still Vay...or rather, Vay wasn’t imagined as his consciousness being extinguished. Vay’s consciousness still existed in this body, while the awareness of Black Earl was yet unclear.
As for how Angel confirmed it? It’s actually very simple, Vay’s aura was off.
Indeed, Vay typically didn’t possess an aura; similarly, Black Earl wouldn’t deliberately diffuse an aura.
Even if Black Earl actively diffused an aura, it would be lightning with thunder, an authoritative and suppressive strong aura. Such a strong aura, when tasked to achieve goals, is perfect in every way.
But previously when Vay underwent Restoration, the aura he actively released exuded only sharpness.
Would Black Earl actively diffuse an aura full of sharpness?
Does Black Earl need sharpness to affirm himself?
Black Earl has long passed the period of expressing valiance solely with sharpness.
Excluding Black Earl’s doing, the only answer left is Vay himself.
Then was Black Earl’s consciousness fused with Vay’s?
This question was answered after Vay revived.
When Dox asked "Are you Vay," Vay responded with "What do you think." This sentence was indeed spoken by Vay himself, that deliberate mocking tone couldn’t be any more obvious.
Dox didn’t notice it, simply blinded by one leaf.
Afterward, when Dox thought "Vay is no longer Vay," addressing the other as "Black Earl sir." At this time, the one who responded was indeed the Black Earl.
It’s just, Dox at the time was lowering his head adjusting his mindset and completely did not realize Vay didn’t even open his mouth; the source of the sound was from Vay’s nose.
Kaier’s shocked expression was also because he saw this scene completely.
Angel thus judged Vay’s consciousness and Black Earl’s consciousness were actually still separate.
The reason Angel was frowning was because he still had some unresolved questions.
Why did Vay initially think he was sure to die?
Why did Black Earl combine his Avatar with Vay?
If Black Earl did this for his own benefit, he surely had many opportunities to do so before. But why choose now to combine?