Forge a path to success.

Chapter 86 Immortal Machine

As the mountain mist dissipated, murmurs arose at the foot of the mountain. The townspeople craned their necks in astonishment, only to see a man dragging a little girl straight towards the town center. The green-haired girl kicked and thrashed about, as if she had been abducted: "What are you doing?! Are you all crazy?! Are you all mentally ill?!"

"People often say that to me," Chu Hengkong said, unconcerned.

Van der scoffed: "I have no brain!"

They grinned maliciously as they walked to the foot of the Cherry Dragon Jade Sculpture. Chu Hengkong opened the small box of the Demonic Spider Puppet, and the map he had recently created unfolded. Their location, Yingshi Town, was situated in a small corner by the sea. Beyond the abyss thousands of meters below Yingluo Mountain lay the Ultimate True Machine Soul Container, which was undergoing transformation.

"The enemy is too far away, and Vande and I have no means of attack. What about you, Qisu?"

"How could that be?" Qi Su's eyes were glazed over.

“Interrupting the ascension is a pipe dream. That thing can end the ascension at any time. It only left the magic array to facilitate the analysis of the fog,” Vande said. “The good news is that it also doesn’t have the ability to shoot a thousand miles away. Before, it used to control the alien beasts. Now that you have killed all the alien beasts, it can only come and kill us personally.”

"So we're safe until the fog clears..." Chu Hengkong pondered for a moment, "When the fog clears, the transformation will end, and the battle will begin immediately."

“Killed on the spot.” Van Der corrected. “I must say that although I emotionally support you, rationally I think we should run away. I’ve read papers on ultimate machines before—they were so deadly that I sealed them away after reading them and only just remembered them—they have three main characteristics. Each one is more surprising than the last.”

"You speak first."

“First of all, absolute rationality.” Vandal took a deep breath. “Ultimate True Machines do not make meaningless actions. They have no anger, no arrogance, and no perceptible emotions. They think in the most efficient mode and act in the simplest way. Therefore, they do not ‘make mistakes’ in battle. They will kill you in the fastest way possible and then move on to the next mission.”

Chu Hengkong pondered these words. He used his tentacles to point to the "cauldron" marked as a soul container on the map, then to Yingshi Town, drawing a straight line connecting the two points.

"so?"

“You’re starting to understand,” Van Der said. “The second characteristic is their focus on resources. The book says these machines are incredibly stingy; they want to send every last bit of air back to their homeland. So, when the Ultimate Machines pass by, not a single patch of earth is left behind. They are equally stingy in combat, aiming to achieve all the results with a single attack.”

Chu Hengkong drew a circle around Yingshi Town.

"It will come in a straight line and kill us all in one move."

“You are very perceptive.” Vande spoke faster and faster. “Now for the best news. I’m almost crying as I say this. Ultimate True Machines have no weaknesses.”

This statement caught the assassin's attention. Chu Hengkong stopped what he was doing: "What do you mean?"

"Literal meaning. No weaknesses. The blueprint for the Ultimate Mech was designed by the Emperor himself. Its body is made of a perfect alloy that can withstand all known attacks. It has no blind spots and can harm all forms of life," Vande said. "To defeat an Ultimate Mech, you have to have even more overwhelming raw power, but they are recognized as the ultimate forms of the current point mass! The completed pinnacle! This kind of thing is... hopeless, man!!"

Fan De was so excited he couldn't stop, while Qi Su, who had been silent until now, nodded quietly.

“It’s right,” Qi Su said in a low voice. “Including myself, Yingshi Town originally had 5 Elemental Point 2s and 17 Elemental Point 1s. We also had the help of the Dragon God Jade Carving and the array... but even so, we still couldn’t defeat a Soul Container. The difference in rank was too great; it was not an opponent that humans could defeat.”

The assassin remained silent for a long time, his gaze shifting back and forth between the soul vessel and the town, lost in thought. Qi Su followed his gaze, a sudden sense of panic rising within her. She had expected to see disappointment, embarrassment, or some other negative emotion, but the man remained unmoved, his eyes indifferent, like a transparent nail.

“The situation is clear. Now let’s begin formulating a battle plan,” he said. “The enemy is strong; we must use every means at our disposal. I’ve encountered people before who used bodies as puppeteers, and that method was very effective. Qi Su, can you do that?”

"That's not difficult, of course I can..." Qi Su's expression changed, "You're not thinking about it?!"

Chu Hengkong drew a centipede and a fox on the map: "We now have two very good puppets. They're a bit damaged, but they're still usable."

"I can't hear a single trace of respect for the dead in your words!" Qi Su exclaimed in shock.

"With a formidable enemy at hand, let's not waste time on trivial matters. If we win, Xiangfuzi will applaud us; if we lose, we'll simply ascend to heaven together to apologize to him. Either way, we won't lose out." Chu Hengkong waved his hand. "After you finish making the puppets, go to the mountains and set traps, the more the better. Is there anything else in town that we can use?"

"Yes, yes!" The townspeople watching raised their hands one after another. "The town's formation can gather our power to strengthen our spirit bodies. Previously, Qi Su used this formation to protect us... but now that the battle is about to begin, there's no need for protection anymore. We can gather the power of the formation and unleash a powerful attack on him!"

Qi Su was shocked again: "Hey! How come you guys, who were all heartbroken, are suddenly full of energy?!"

The townspeople were beaming: "At first we thought we were going to die naturally... but to be able to fight the Ultimate Machine before we die, it's a glorious death!"

"That's the spirit we're after!" Chu Hengkong gave them a thumbs up. "Time is running out. The fog will clear in three hours. Let's move out now. Qi Su, come find me on the mountain when you're ready. This is it, or we'll live or die!"

He tucked the box away, ran quickly out of town, ignoring Qi Su's furious shouts behind him, and climbed the stone steps toward the top of Yingluo Mountain. Vande had already slipped the box into his pocket, and only spoke when they reached the summit.

"Tell me your real plan?" Vande squinted. "I don't believe you're only planning to use a little girl to fight real weapons."

“I have my own way of doing things,” Chu Hengkong said. “Speak your concerns now, because I won’t be able to speak in another hour or so.”

"What tasks am I responsible for?"

"The most important task. You are the core of this operation." Chu Hengkong picked it up. "Fande, you fought that thing once when we were fighting the Jade Fox. How big was the difference in your mental strength?"

"It's not mental strength, it's the strength of the ghost body!" Vande corrected. "It's hard to say... I'm confident in my skills, but that thing is stronger than me. Everything about the upgraded True Mech is unknown, and I'm not confident I can influence it."

"Even the simplest one won't work?"

"...Tell me what you want to do first."

Vande listened quietly as he finished explaining his incredibly simple plan. The Beholder's eyes widened further. "You're insane. What if I fail?"

"Let's just see how things go," Chu Heng said with a laugh. "We'll take it one step at a time!"

He has never been a strategist, incapable of devising any foolproof plans. Even this battle was a spur-of-the-moment decision, fraught with uncertainty. The fog might dissipate in the next second, Qi Su might fail to create the puppet, or Fan De might not succeed. Even if all the previous conditions were met, it's hard to say whether a mere point 1 could stand against a true machine.

But he didn't care. Machines act based on the odds of winning; some people don't. They choose the only solution and then figure out how to win.

Chu Hengkong exhaled slowly, inhaling air extremely slowly, allowing the airflow to circulate within his body and merge into his blood. In the darkness, he recalled the teachings he had received during his cultivation, remembering the most painful period of his training.

He kept recalling it, engraving the teachings into his very bones. He sat cross-legged in the dissipating fog, and stopped breathing an hour and a half later.

Three hours is a long time for a waiting person, but surprisingly short for a group of busy people. Everyone in the town sprang into action, modifying the beast's corpse under Qi Su's guidance, helping her carve numerous secret runes on its shell and fur. An hour later, its original body, the jade fox, came to life. With the help of the "body," the processing speed increased, and the centipede became a new puppet an hour later.

Two strange beasts slithered into the mountains, carving characters into the rocks with their claws and teeth. These sounds echoed throughout the mountains until the countdown reached its final 60 seconds, at which point the fog created by Bernfa was almost completely gone. Qi Su came up behind Chu Hengkong, and together with the silent man, they gazed towards the other side of the mountains.

They saw the light converge.

The pure white magic circle constructed of light was shrinking back, and the machine at the center of the transformation array gradually revealed its true form as the light faded. It was neither huge nor magnificent, its outline seemingly only slightly larger than a cauldron. At such a distance, even the so-called ultimate true machine appeared tiny.

As the last wisp of mist dissipated, the Transformation Array of the Empire of Truth converged into a dazzling pillar of light. Chu Hengkong suddenly stood up. He was unable to capture the true appearance of the machine, only a sliver of light shot out like an arrow!

The arrow of light traversed the abyss at incredible speed, arriving at the foot of Yingluo Mountain almost the instant he became aware of it. Only the dusty remains of the dissipating beam of light remained in the distance. The Ultimate Mech had planned its battles during its transformation; it indeed lacked beyond-visual-range combat capabilities, so it directly used its one-time acceleration device to launch itself into the center of the enemy ranks.

A raging storm suddenly swept in, the sharp sonic booms like a thousand needles piercing the ears. The excessive speed created an illusion; the white arrow seemed to be stabbing into everyone's eyes. Chu Hengkong's guess was entirely correct; the true machine's trajectory was a straight line, intended to crash directly through the mountain range and destroy the town behind it in an instant.

Van der couldn't even peek out; all he could do was shout from inside his pocket, "Girl, go!"

The jade fox leaped towards the high mountain, arriving behind Qi Su. Its claws slammed against the mountain range, and Qi Su's command rang out from its mouth, clearly audible in the storm: "Mountains and rocks, dust and cherry blossom spirits gather. Quickly subdue the evil, and take form!"

Hundreds of secret runes lit up in the Yingluo Mountains, and the rocks in the mountains moved under Qi Su's control, rolling down the mountainside to form rock projectiles as large as houses. This was the same method that Yu Hu had used to attack Chu Hengkong. Chu Hengkong in the past dared not even withstand a single giant rock, but now, under Qi Su's control, rock projectiles rained down like rain, with hundreds of them rolling down the cliffs and crashing into the menacing white arrow.

The machine's movements didn't falter in the slightest; it smashed through the rain of stones with unstoppable force. Rock projectiles struck its body but were instead shattered upon impact; naturally formed rocks were as fragile as eggs before a body of steel. This earth-shaking spectacle couldn't subdue it, and Qi Su had already anticipated this; her commands never ceased, and new spells were being developed based on the existing ones.

"Tell my old friend, I will use your body to hunt down the culprit. Quickly bind the evil spirit and reveal your injustice!"

Amidst the swirling dust, a dark figure suddenly appeared. A centipede puppet burst from the ground, its massive body coiling around the true machine that had entered the mountain!
Its speed was insufficient, and its movements lacked agility; it should have been far from catching up to the true machine's shadow. However, the rock projectile melted upon impact with the cliff, transforming into a muddy torrent. This torrent, changing with the secret inscription, surged down the cliff, forming a mudslide resembling a landslide. Even the true machine, slowed by the immense power of heaven and earth, was able to launch its attack.

Its restraints lasted less than a second; upon contact with the true weapon, its glossy black carapace shattered from the recoil. But new reinforcements leaped off the cliff at that moment, the Jade Fox personally standing in front of the true weapon, its eyes flashing with the flames of hatred. Its claws and fur lengthened with its roar, dense runes shimmering, drawing in a golden, fiery wind.

"True Dragon Candlelight, Great Sun's Blazing Essence. Swiftly burn away evil spirits, leaving them forever without a trace!"

The scorching wind came from the heavens, from the blazing sun. The sunlight, amplified by the inscription, transformed into a golden wind, forming a fiery current that enveloped the true weapon. At the same moment, the man leaped from the mountaintop, his limbs ablaze with azure flames. Strands of golden light surged from behind the mountain, flowing into his back.

The magic array in Yingshi Town has been activated, and all the residents of the town have contributed their spiritual strength!

Without any probing or hesitation, the assassin launched a thunderous attack, unleashing his full power from the outset. He spun and twisted in mid-air, using the momentum of his descent and his spirit to amplify his strength. The whip, which had been gathering power for a long time, lashed out, and at the moment flesh clashed with steel, a towering pillar of flame erupted.

Roasted!

Azure flames and yellow winds intertwined, growing stronger through their interaction to create an endless, burning whirlwind. The centipede's massive body bound and triggered the spider gauntlets, the Qi Su's secret inscriptions amplified the wind's power, and the formation of Ying Shi Town infused everyone's strength. With these multiple layers of power, this attack far surpassed Chu Hengkong's current limits; even the once-powerful Fire-Scaring Serpent could not unleash such might.

The burning whirlwind, like a literal pillar of heaven, even surpassed the summit of Mount Yingluo. Vande poked its head out of its pocket, trembling with excitement: "Good! It's done! Begin the next attack immediately. Smash it to death in the fire!!"

Thump. Vande fell to the ground. It turned around abruptly, wanting to ask the assassin why it was moving around. But Chu Hengkong was not behind it.

Chu Hengkong was on the mountain wall 10 meters away when a long white nail pierced his abdomen.

Van der felt his blood run cold, as if it had frozen solid. The long nail pierced his vision, drawing out crimson blood. It silently retreated into the fire and embedded itself in the earth.

An unusual shadow appeared in the whirlwind.

It is only six meters tall, like a slightly oversized car. Six retractable "nails" are its feet, and two robust "pincers" are its main limbs. Its body is slightly smaller than its head, both exhibiting a perfect and smooth streamlined shape. A spine-like exoskeleton protrudes from its torso and tail, extending from the center to the center of its teardrop-shaped head, below which are slowly opening, blood-red eyes.

Its silhouette was neither enormous nor imposing. Compared to a centipede, it was insignificant, and even smaller than a jade fox. Yet it was beautiful, surpassing all creations of nature. It was magnificent in its simplicity, and exquisite in its power; there was no room for improvement in it, and craftsmen and scholars would weep and prostrate themselves before it. It was an ultimate perfection, beyond the reach of human comprehension.

External particle 2, the ultimate machine of the immortal machine.

Self-inspection complete; minor damage detected.

The immortal machine stepped out of the fiery trail, and the fierce wind ceased as it landed. A glint of red light flashed in its eyes.

In the next instant, a third of the Yingluo Mountains disappeared.

(End of this chapter)