Forge a path to success

Only then did he finally grasp reality. Faced with this incredibly cruel truth, the other, seemingly insignificant facts that had been deliberately ignored began to surface. Those fragile moments of steadfastness. Those subtle expressions of pride. Those unwillingly acknowledged feelings of pride. All of them surged into his heart…

As the Heart Sword broke, it shattered at the same time.

In fact, he was very proud of his martial arts training.

Deep down, he still considers himself a martial arts practitioner.

Noble above the mediocre. Pure above the heretics. A talent unique to this family, a future universally acknowledged...

When did the changes begin?

Is it time to try to prove this on ordinary people?

Is this the time to reach into the forbidden in order to achieve advancement?

Is this the time to exchange status and wealth for killing?

Is it time to ignore pleas and cries and take away the "treasure"?

Unfathomable, countless. By the time he came to his senses, things had progressed to this point; even the monster wielding the gun seemed more like a martial arts practitioner than he had. In a daze, he heard the echoes of their past arguments, the young cultivator questioning the old man.

Master, I have already surpassed many of my fellow disciples, how can you impart secret teachings to me?

—It's not the right time yet.

But the Hunren who entered the mountain eight years after me have already begun to learn sword forging. All my fellow disciples believe that my talent is no less than theirs. Why haven't I even been taught the Qi Armor of the Palace?

--well.

Your differential treatment is unfair!

—Wu He, you fool! You're so eager for quick success and instant benefits, so self-righteous. You cultivate talismans but not martial arts, you seek techniques but not the mind. What use is it to pass on the secret teachings to you? You lack even the basic state of mind. Even if you learn them, you'll just become another martial arts parasite!

Then you don't need to teach me. I, Wu He, disdain such pretentious martial arts training! I won't do it!!

Was it from that time onward? Had the wrong choice been made long before even engaging with Darkmoon?

I took the wrong turn. There's no going back.

Since that's the case, let's just go all the way and continue down this wrong path!

"--Come!"

A frenzied cry erupted from his parched mouth, his decaying heart pounded violently, and vibrant black blood reformed the flesh into a human form. When the demoness turned around, Wu He had already completed the reformation, a pure black talisman between his fingers.

Two days ago, at dawn, Wu He made his final prayer, beseeching a distant and great being to grant him power to complete three talismans. One was the Blood-Sealing Talisman to imprison Chu Hengkong, another was the Gu Hand-Connecting Talisman to reactivate the pirate corpse gu, and the last was a trump card he hadn't planned to use—an unorthodox talisman he would only employ when all other options were exhausted.

"Open the talisman, offer blood as a sacrifice to the moon!!!"

Corrupted black blood surged into the talisman, carrying with it the spirit cultivated through martial arts that they would never have willingly given up. The talisman's color turned crimson, except for the crescent moon above, which remained as black as ever. Wu He used his own blood to construct an array, affixing the talisman to his heart. The pulsating sound of his heart was amplified by the talisman, spreading throughout the entire city, faintly resembling thunder.

Qingxia immediately recognized the talisman's purpose. A useless talisman for praying to elders for power; to be effective, it required a ritual, at least chanting. She hurled her spear, its tip whistling forward with the help of gravity, about to pierce Wu He's skull. But the spear tip struck transparent ice, and magical ice crystals burst forth, forming an ice wall between the two!

The wall originated from a longsword of the same color, held by a blue-armored knight who emerged from the ground. Then, a yellow-armored knight summoned boulders, and a red-armored knight summoned flames. The three knights each took a side, and the three different elements merged and enhanced under precise control, forming a composite magic array to seal the demons.

Discipline Seal: The Array of the Holy Trinity!

Qingxia frowned her delicate brows. The three knights' sealing array had just sealed her off, but it didn't interfere with Wu He's actions. Was it just a simple coincidence? Why at this particular moment? Her long ears twitched, and with her keen hearing, she caught the distant cry of the Eye Demon.

"Misfortune...a chain of misfortunes...!"

Even the slightest sense of unease that Qingxia could only vaguely perceive was, in Vande's eyes, a tangible chain. That chain tightly bound the Shadow Knights, guiding their actions like puppets. The faces of those afflicted by this misfortune were reflected in the iron chains!

"As expected, that demon..." Qingxia gently tapped her forehead, not only because of the sudden change, but also because of the series of consequences that would follow. "This is going to be a bit troublesome..."

She clenched her fist, gathering her strength, preparing to break through the blockade. On the opposite side of the Holy Trinity Formation, Wu He had already seized the opportunity to raise his hands. His luck had turned around, and he shouted loudly towards the moonless sky.

"The protector of the original dream, the guardian of the forgotten cradle, the generous and benevolent benefactor!"

"Bless this land of darkness, and deliver your kin with your love!"

Wu He did not invoke the First Abyss; not yet fully transformed into a Fallen One, he was not qualified to pray to the Black Moon. His prayers were directed to that benevolent old man, who would satisfy all thirsts and respond to all desires—that benevolent god, as generous as a father!

Do you really think so?

The old man's low laughter mingled with the sounds of his heart.

—Child, ask yourself honestly. Do you love me? Do you respect me? Do you consider me your family, your elder, your father?

“Of course, old man!” Wu He shouted hoarsely, “I respect you more than anyone else! I regard you as the only god in this world worthy of serving!!”

Young people, why lie to the elderly?

You see me nothing more than a dirty money bag, a convenient tool, summoned at will and dismissed at will. You despise the filth on the surface of this money bag, trying every means to distance yourself from me. Yet, when you're desperate, your first thought is still of your elders.

"I've truly reformed!" Wu He shouted. "I'm quitting martial arts! I'm quitting!!!"

He heard the old man's meaningful laughter, which carried affection, pity, and some other meaning that he couldn't quite decipher.

My child, I will fulfill your wish.

After all, I will always love you.

A curved line streaked across the sky. It was as if someone "outside" had gently poked at it with their finger, the fingernail leaving an arc-shaped hole. Within the hole was a black crescent moon, its black surface writhing and falling, forming a foul-smelling rain over the city. Messengers from other paths descended from the moonlight, crowding around Wu He.

Among them were the Moon Beasts that had appeared in Huilong City, the Hand of Pampering with a lotus-shaped palm, the Cradle Mud resembling oil, and many more twisted creatures that Ji Huaisu had never seen before: the Calling Skull, shaped like multiple human heads strung together; the Sticky Palm of Friendship with features on the back of its hand; and the Loyal Guardian, composed of multiple eyeballs. They all touched Wu He together, as gently as if visiting a seriously ill relative, offering their own flesh and blood to this unfortunate kin without regard for the cost.

Above the dark moon, there is another enormous, filthy blood writhing. It will penetrate the moon's projection and reach the actual Dust Island. That is the "Blood of the Moon," whose strength far exceeds that of a regular point 3. It is the strongest moon beast that a low-point being can command!

A terrifying roar erupted from the Holy Trinity Formation, and in the blink of an eye, the monster was about to break free. But Wu He no longer cared; he smiled with delight, feeling the immense power supplied by his "blood relatives." The life force of a young dragon, which he could not obtain even after ten years of arduous cultivation in the mountains, was in his hands in an instant thanks to the old man's blessing.

He was no longer a martial artist; the red blood in his body had turned pitch black, and his body had unnaturally swelled and deformed. His face was sunken into his surging muscles, making him unrecognizable as human. But Wu He shouted with wild joy, he didn't care anymore, he didn't care at all now. Because he could live, whether he was a martial artist or not didn't matter anymore!

But suddenly the physical changes stopped, the blood turned red again, the decaying heart regained its life, and the reinforcements from the heretics were reversed by a strange force. All eyes turned to Wu He's back, and Wu He himself turned around in a daze, seeing the radiant talisman.

Nagarjuna's Separation from Defilement.

A talisman that harmonizes Qi and blood, maintains balance, and transforms external foreign substances into one's own power. He painstakingly obtained this talisman to distinguish himself from heretics. Perfected by his own hands, the talisman suppresses and dissipates the power originating from heretics, transforming it into his own Qi and blood.

A deep fear clouded Wu He's eyes, and the moon beasts' gazes shifted, becoming indifferent rather than warm. They no longer approached Wu He, nor did they demand the flesh and blood they had given him; they simply turned away in silence.

Far from this "outsider" who called them from afar and showed them no respect whatsoever.

This was precisely what Wu He himself had longed for not long ago—to break free from the influence of the Black Moon and completely sever ties with the heretics. Now he has returned to his human form, using dramatic methods he himself had never anticipated.

His wish came true. He became a pure martial arts practitioner from Dragon Village!

"Aaaaaaaaaaaa!!!"

A bloodcurdling scream escaped the man's lips, a sound so agonizing it shouldn't exist in the world, filled with hatred and blame, yet its source remained elusive. The Holy Trinity Formation shattered at that moment. Qingxia gazed down upon the martial cultivator's horrific state, saying nothing.

"It's your...fault!!" Wu He cried out in tears of blood, "It's you! You ruined my chance to become a martial artist! You made me lose everyone!! If it weren't for you!! If it weren't for you!!"

Qingxia listened quietly, looking down at the desperate man, listening to his frantic cries. Wu He threw a series of spirited daggers, the transparent blades grazing past her; they weren't even attacks, just the man's powerless venting... venting his anger...

A mournful cry, sharp as a blade.

"Give me back my Heart Sword! You monster!"

"Okay," she said. "Here you go."

Xiaolong Qingkun Spear thrust out horizontally, piercing Wu He's heart. He staggered back two steps, blankly clutching his Heart Sword, as if he hadn't yet awakened from a dream. As he fell, he gazed at the moon in the sky, casting his deepest hatred upon the old man.

There's something I've been hesitant to tell you.

He heard the old man's voice.

—The reason you were able to steal the dragon bone when you fled the mountain is because it was a material your master had specially obtained for you to forge a sword.

Whether in the mountains or under the moon, someone will love you.

"..."

Wu He said nothing.

He gazed up at the sky blessed by the black moon, and transformed into a cold corpse.

Qingxia carefully observed the man's expression until he died. She actually had a lot to say. She wanted to say that this man was truly spineless, that he had disgraced the righteous path, that it was unreasonable for their counterattack to fail because of such a person, and that so many people had indirectly died at the hands of such a person.

But she didn't say those words in the end, because Wu He had lost. Victory and defeat, life and death, were all that mattered; no further words were needed. She picked up the weapon that had once belonged to Wu Xiu, thinking that humans also had this side—neither beautiful nor powerful, but revealing a dirty truth.

"I don't want to become that kind of person..."

She stretched her shoulders, slung the spear behind her back, and pondered her next task. Just then, Chu Hengkong emerged from the ruins with his head down. Qingxia's eyes lit up, and she waved to him.

"Oh! Chu Hengkong, you're still here. Sorry for coming so late, I also have things to do. The situation isn't very good right now, I suggest you..."

"Heroine, you must retreat immediately!" Van der screamed. "Retreat!"

Qingxia blinked and saw several bloody holes in Chu Hengkong's upper body. Wu He's dying flying knife had accidentally injured him, and the injury had shattered the martial artist's last will.

Where she couldn't see, an iron chain wrapped around the assassin's ankle.

An unfortunate chain reaction.

"...Can I really be that unlucky?"

Chu Hengkong silently looked up, his eyes filled with blood-red slash marks.

A bloody gash appeared on her cheek, and in an instant, the assassin was within an inch of her, his right hand forming a knife as he thrust it straight into Qingxia's abdomen.

At this crucial moment, he went berserk!

Chapter 142 Rampage

Extremely high threat... Extremely high threat... Extremely high threat!

Remnants of historical fog have been detected, making it impossible to fully analyze intelligence. It is predicted that the combat capabilities of the opposing individual exceed the current processing capacity of the machine. Therefore, we request centralized computing resources for an upgrade!

The field of vision was covered by dense data, and red lights, indicating danger, flashed back and forth between the characters. I wanted to control the rampaging machine, but I no longer had the strength. Uncontrollable "information" rose from my back and surged into the sky, only to be obscured by the dark moonlight.

Warning. Signal jamming... First Abyss...

Black Moon, it seems, can do some good. A stroke of luck amidst misfortune. The higher-ranking beings are outside, so the Empire's signals didn't get through. Is that right? I suppose so.

Amidst the crackling, crackling sounds of imagined electricity, Chu Hengkong's thoughts drifted intermittently as he reached out. Was he trying to warn his opponent to retreat, or perhaps to push away the nearby banshee? His motives were impossible to discern. As the crackling faded, his weakened thoughts subsided, and an iron will took over his body.

He lowered his head, then raised it again, his eyes devoid of any human emotion. With the movements of a wild beast, he leaped up, his hand aimed at Qingxia's abdomen!

Qingxia deflected the thrust with her right hand, then aimed her left pistol butt at Chu Hengkong's head. Chu Hengkong turned to dodge, the butt of the pistol grazing his hair, a seemingly effortless strike sending a long, blank line through the air. The concentrated force tore through the air, pierced through buildings, turning the space 50 meters in front of the point of impact into blank ground.

Chu Hengkong was thrown off balance by the aftershock of the attack. Without hesitation, he fell to the ground and hooked his leg at Qingxia's foreleg. This strike was concise yet extremely effective. The enemy's physique was naturally suited for battlefield charges but not for one-on-one duels. Once his balance was disrupted, he was like a warhorse that had fallen into a trap, and it would take time for him to get up again.

Qingxia dodged the hook kick with a raised hoof, and thrust her spear at Chu Hengkong's abdomen with her left hand. Chu Hengkong swayed his legs, slapped the ground with one palm, and kicked out with a side kick that struck Qingxia's leg joint squarely!

Qingxia's forelegs trembled slightly. She suddenly raised her upper body and stomped her feet towards Chu Hengkong's torso. Chu Hengkong rolled on the ground to avoid the direct attack, but his body was sent flying high into the air by the shockwave.

"It hurts a bit." Qingxia felt the soreness and numbness in her legs and laughed with a hint of surprise. "Don't force me to get serious."

"Please, sister, have mercy!!" Vande screamed desperately, utterly pathetic. "We have elderly parents to support, young children to raise, and a bunch of idiots in the town to care for. Losing my life isn't worth it!!"

Blown away, Chu Hengkong landed vertically as if dragged, sprawling on his hands and feet among the rubble like a wild beast with red eyes. The machine's self-check completed upon awakening, streams of information flashing through his eyes.

The current machine's integrity is 12.7%, and its energy reserves are 5.8%. Determine the available attack modes.

Kinetic reflective armor: Deployable in 8 seconds, covering less than 50% of the area.

Ghostly Annihilation Field - Wide-Range Attack: Energy Insufficient.

Material splitting rays: No emitting structure.

Energy reserves are too low. Pure Imperial technology is unusable in actual combat. Loading Dragon's Home Fist Technique information: Regular techniques loading progress 87%, Secret techniques loading progress 34%...

Calculation complete. Temporary information is being pieced together based on the secret "Immortal and Indestructible Technique". Mechanization modification to begin.

The multitasking approach transformed complex calculations into a fleeting moment in reality. As Chu Hengkong landed, he opened his mouth, unleashing a hurricane-like roar. Metal, soil, plants, gases—everything within reach—was sucked into his mouth. His esophagus and blood vessels were modified and connected for easier energy replenishment, and his blood, fueled by his inner energy, rapidly heated up, acting as a furnace within his body.

Trace elements beneficial to combat are absorbed and integrated into the bones in an almost corrosive manner; nutrients that can serve as energy are absorbed on the spot; and substances that the low-energy body cannot utilize are expelled as smoke and dust. The primary task at present is to replenish energy, and no usable material can be allowed to be wasted.

He grabbed the Eye Demon from his pocket with one hand, and Vander trembled like a leaf: "Brother, don't eat me..."

Chu Hengkong's eyes held only a cold, bloodthirsty light. He bit down, and at the last second, the bone-white chains lashed out, tearing out the eye demon about to be devoured. Qingxia casually tossed it onto her back.

“Look closely, little thing.” She squinted. “He’s no longer human.”

Vande stared blankly at the thing blocking their path. Crimson smoke billowed from his pores, his hand had been transformed into a blade-like limb, his tentacles, influenced by bone armor, had become thorny spears, and four more bones burst forth, forming needle-like auxiliary legs for movement. The thing was indeed no longer human; no human could appear so grotesque and ferocious. It was the form of a monster, a monster capable of fighting Qingxia!

Qingxia wielded her spear like a meteor hammer, the bone locks at its end crisscrossing and forming an iron chain barrier sealing off an area of ​​three hundred meters. Chu Hengkong, now a resource-collecting machine, needed to prevent it from hunting in densely populated areas. Chu Hengkong crouched low, exerted its strength, and like a green ghost, grazed past Qingxia's side. His blade-like right arm lashed out during the charge, aiming straight for Qingxia's lower abdomen.

Qingxia drew her Qingkun Spear, using its repulsive force to deflect the thrust. Chu Hengkong, missing his attack, crashed into the iron chain hindering his movement. His auxiliary bone spikes gripped the chain first, using the recoil to spring into the air, and thrust the spear towards Qingxia's back. Sparks flew where the spear struck, and a layer of bone armor that appeared out of thin air protected the thrusting position, the second attack also being neutralized by the enemy. Chu Hengkong adjusted his position and attacked again.

Using the bone lock barrier, he leaped repeatedly, bouncing dozens of times in a single breath. His spear, claws, and legs struck from different directions, his attacks ruthless yet incredibly cunning. His speed created a green hurricane around Qingxia, filling the air with crimson light and the shadows of fists and palms. Qingxia defended with the Qingkun Spear and bone armor, refraining from attacking for the time being. While she excelled at battlefield combat and hunting, her unusually shaped body was inherently ill-suited to such cunning and maneuverable attacks.

Thirty strikes, seventy strikes, one hundred and forty strikes. In the blink of an eye, they clashed for the two hundred and tenth time. During the battle, the single blade, sharpened further, pierced Qingxia's bone armor. Qingxia silently clenched her fist, looked at the ground, and threw a punch with all her might, intending to end Chu Hengkong's guerrilla tactics with a wide-range strike. However, Chu Hengkong's speed suddenly increased at that moment. He floated in the air and unleashed all six arms at once, stabbing towards the back of Qingxia's head.

His stamina had miraculously recovered during the battle; his hastily modified predatory system absorbed surrounding matter, and his meticulously calculated combat expenditures ensured that the consumption was far less than the recovery. In terms of agility and speed, Chu Hengkong was superior to Qingxia; his surprise attack was even faster than a fist striking the ground.