Forge a path to success

Chu Hengkong knew the origin of this talisman all too well. Ji Qiufeng and Youyou had worked together to lay the foundation, and the stone seed had helped to outline its shape. The two people in the city were Legendary Point 5 before he set off. Even if he thought about it in the most absurd way, it was still impossible for them to have broken through to Point 6 and created this thing.

During his cultivation, he heard Ji Qiufeng say that there are two crucial "qualitative changes" on the path of advancement. The transition from level 3 to 4 is crossing the first abyss, from which one is no longer an ordinary being, while the transition from level 6 to 7 is crossing the second abyss, evolving from life into a "god" comparable to the concept of the divine.

A being of the 7th rank is a "god" in the Realm of Submerged Earth. How could the talisman he personally brought contain divine power? Could the Ancient Dragon God be Youyou's trump card? And that smeared name... is it that starlight-like thing? The one Wu He attempted to refine?

The same power as Ji Huaisu's pendant?

Chu Hengkong's heart pounded violently. The life-saving blood that Qingxia had given him activated his body, causing his skin to flush unnaturally. Under the influence of that blood, the blackened writing suddenly became clear, and for the first time, he saw the true name of this Dust Island.

—The frontline fortress of Halvira.

The next two lines of writing became clearer.

—A talisman that gathers the power of the martial arts practitioners of Dragon Village, the Ancient Dragon God, and the Radiant Star King.

—The artifact contains extreme hostility toward heretics.

Chu Heng silently placed the talisman in Qing Ye's hand. The girl, unable to see the truth, stared at him blankly. Something was wrong. This island had a true name unknown to others. Those powerful-sounding names were ones they shouldn't have encountered. Unwittingly, they seemed to have been drawn into a vortex of madness, into taboos far beyond their capabilities, things they shouldn't and shouldn't have touched.

A sense of unease pierced his spine like needles; the invisible, colorless malice that had always lurked gently beneath the surface was now peeking out with a low laugh. This was the danger hidden beside him, an undetectable trap. He had used the demonic power for so long, even his steel bones were genuine machinery. If he hadn't had Vandal's manual, if he hadn't been saved by Qingxia, if he hadn't seen through the concealed writing…

His body had just been modified by the Immortal Machine. What would happen if he used this talisman directly?

"Qingye, take this safe," Chu Hengkong said. "Don't put it away. Treat it as a talisman. Throw it at any heretics you encounter!"

"Okay!"

Qingye didn't understand what Chu Hengkong was saying, but she did as he said. Chu Hengkong's tone reminded her of her elders before she went into battle; it was the expression of someone whose life was hanging by a thread. This made her uneasy, and she quickened her pace.

They found Wu He's stored relics, a black jade pendant, but couldn't find a way to open it. At that moment, a brick moved, and a grayish-brown little mouse poked its head out, trembling uncontrollably.

"I almost got buried alive!" Gulibo said pitifully. "Sethlen and I were just trying to communicate..."

"Is there a signal?!"

"Absolutely not... The influence of the Black Moon is too great..."

Gulibo told them that Sethlen had used the ice wall to protect the civilians around the battlefield, but no one knew what to do about the things in the sky. This was completely beyond their capabilities; even on Shura Island, this would require several Secret Soul Remnant cultivators to lead a team to handle.

Yet, in this terrible moment, an unsettling silence reigned amidst the ruins. No one saw the newly summoned moon beast, nor did the mastermind come looking for them; it was as if the matter was over. The events behind the scenes were no longer their concern.

Drip, drip. Water droplets seeped into the ground, turning the sand gray. A light rain began to fall, and the chill in the air seeped into his bones, causing Qingye to shiver slightly. Chu Hengkong felt a throbbing pain in his head; he pressed his temples.

"Have you seen Ji Huaisu?" he pressed repeatedly. "What about Fan De?"

He heard the sound of tentacles slapping against the rain, and the little creature trudged and skipped towards him. It was Vande; it hopped and skipped over, never seeming so anxious. Chu Hengkong felt a slight sense of relief. "Thank goodness you're alright—"

"Hurry!" Van der shouted, "Go as soon as you've recovered!!"

What did you say? What are you going to do? A moment of confusion crossed everyone's eyes, while a few seemed to awaken from a nightmare. The rain suddenly intensified, the large drops stinging their skin. Van der's shouts sounded hollow in the rain.

"I remember now! It was an unfortunate chain reaction!! I saw it! The reflection in the chains was..."

"Ji Huaisu's face!!"

·

Inside the small café, Vansalal put down his teacup. The child-like demon left the small table and walked towards the door.

"The final round begins now."

Chapter 145 Demon

The city center of Jinye before the rain.

The shadow blade grazed the wall, sending sparks flying. A slug-like moon beast was pinned to the wall, whimpering and lifeless. Above its head, moths with human skin fluttered, their veins crisscrossing and forming blue patterns on their wings, their two forked legs swaying behind them like tails.

It descended silently, stretching out its withered hands to abduct the swordsman. But a stone spike burst from the ground and pierced it, followed by a meteor hammer made of ice balls that smashed the monster to pieces.

Ji Huaisu sheathed her weapon, regulated her breathing, and sweat dripped from her matted hair, falling into her own blood. Her right arm was injured, the wound inflicted by the attack of six moon beasts five minutes earlier. Using the light, she drew a simple talisman on the thin ice and applied it to the wound. The toxins were forced out by the cold air, merging into the ice and turning it black.

After all, she was raised by martial arts practitioners and ancient dragons. Through years of exposure, her theoretical knowledge far surpassed that of Chu Hengkong, a self-taught cultivator. However, different fields are like different worlds. Only now, having slightly touched the power of point 3, can she use the most basic "Heart-Cleansing Talisman." Ji Qiufeng would probably only be able to smile wryly if he saw this.

"So unlucky..."

It was incredibly unlucky. All the supplies were with Chu Hengkong, and the backup supplies were entrusted to Sethlen for safekeeping. To make matters worse, shortly after storming the hotel, they were separated by Wu He's self-destruction attack, and when they came to their senses, moon beasts had inexplicably appeared. She fought and ran, not knowing where she was, and couldn't contact her partner. Although she was in a modern city, she felt like she was stranded in the wilderness.

His wound was almost healed. Ji Huaisu drew his Shadow Blade and advanced cautiously. This street seemed far from the center of the conflict; the buildings were still intact, and the citizens kept their doors and windows tightly shut, not a single person venturing out.

She followed the signs across the intersection, and on her right was a small coffee shop with wind chimes swaying at the entrance, making a crisp sound.

The coffee shop door opened.

Without hesitation, she threw out the Shadow Blade, and the greatsword transformed into a flying knife, piercing towards the figure who walked out of the door!

The shadow blade pierced diagonally into the threshold, the air currents ruffling her black, tousled hair. Her ambush had failed, for the person leaving was far shorter than she had anticipated. He was just a little boy, dressed in a well-fitting suit and bow tie, like a serious little nerd posing as an office worker. He glanced back at the vanishing weapon, then shrank back as he stepped out.

“You would wield a knife against a child? I thought you were more principled,” he said.

"I've lost count of how many times I've been assassinated by children, and you're not even a child," Ji Huaisu said coldly. "Children wouldn't be this calm in the face of attack, and children wouldn't dare speak to me like that. Who are you?"

“What do you think?” Olek looked back at her with interest. He was clearly looking up, but his expression was as if he were looking down on an ant.

“Your aura is too calm. You are not a Calamity Species.” Ji Huaisu pursed her lips tightly. “You are not a Fallen One either. Your existence is too illusory. You are hiding behind the scenes, controlling us without revealing a trace. You are very good at hiding yourself, like something that does not exist.”

“You are the Demon of Imagination.” She clutched the only clue in her hand. “You are Olek Seton Tantal.”

Quietly and slowly, as if a colossal creature were moving its limbs, Olek smiled.

·

"Go to the least affected area! That thing will only hide in the safest place!!" Van der was frantic with anxiety. "Hurry! We've been dragging this out for too long, we really can't make it in time!"

What exactly is the chain of misfortune?

“It’s luck! Misfortune! Incomprehensible bad luck! You can’t fight luck, you can only avoid it, because it’s inextricably linked to the tide of fate!” Vand screamed. “Olek Seton Tantal, the name means ‘the forsaken torrent,’ it is the evil god who wields the power of misfortune, the primordial being that has never been replaced…”

It is one of the oldest demons in the Fallen Realm, existing long before the Candlelight Era!

·

"Where did you learn my name? Even a casual contractor wouldn't know my real name. Behind you stands an ancient and learned being; such beings are few and far between." Olek smiled. "I must commend you, for you had the courage to call out my name despite knowing your fate was uncertain. As my old friend often says, it has nothing to do with position or strength; this deserves our respect."

He actually bowed respectfully, his every gesture exuding gentlemanly grace. Ji Huaisu gripped her weapon tightly; the more he did this, the more nervous she became.

“I imagine you have a lot of questions, and we’ll answer them one by one,” Olek said slowly, leaning against the threshold. “You’ve experienced the first two rounds firsthand, so tell me about the third round, which you couldn’t see clearly.”

First, there's the duel between Chu Hengkong and Shax. Actually, there's a possibility they could put aside their differences and temporarily cooperate, since Wu He was considering abandoning this uncooperative mercenary. But I think it's better to let the duel begin first. Shax's Death Will Bullet is almost unstoppable in low-quality ranges, and Chu Hengkong is too adept at creating miracles. At least one of them needs to be eliminated first, otherwise it's too dangerous for me.”

"Danger? You care about our strength?"

Ji Huaisu found it absurd; it was like a lion solemnly pointing at ants on the ground, saying that this one was big and strong, while this one was small and fast. Yet it spoke earnestly and intently, genuinely considering the possibility of being bitten to death by ants, and sparing no effort to prevent such a crisis.

“Don’t overestimate me. I’m just a low-quality split spirit. I have more methods and a slightly higher rank, but in terms of power, there’s no fundamental difference between me and you. I have to be careful, especially since this isn’t a game,” Olek said. “That’s why I let Wu He find Gulibo’s manual. This extra information gave him the confidence to reap the benefits. That’s why he’ll try to keep Shakes as his bodyguard for a couple more days, so that Qingxia will choose to remain inactive.”

Ji Huaisu recalled the invincible red-haired female demon: "I don't think she would care about bodyguards..."

"You were intimidated by her aura. She's confident and powerful, but like you, she's still a child and needs time to grow." Olek's tone was like that of someone commenting on an outstanding junior. "Look at what Qingxia did. She arrived on the island early, but didn't rush into action. She contacted each of you one by one to find out everyone's background, patiently holding back even when her enemies were right in front of her."

It wasn't until Shax left the arena after the duel, and you helped gather information about Wuhe, that she truly began her revenge—starting with a sneak attack, she swept through like a whirlwind, seizing weapons and crushing her opponent, who was as easy as a fingertip. If I hadn't intervened in time, Wuhe wouldn't have even had a chance to summon the Black Moon before turning into a pile of minced meat. Vansalal taught her well; she knows how to respect her opponent. It's a pity she's still too emotional; later, when such a good opportunity was presented to her, she didn't seize it but instead tried to rescue her.”

"You call this...respect?" Ji Huaisu was getting goosebumps.

"What do you think respect is? A fair and honorable one-on-one duel like Chu Hengkong and Shakes?" Olek asked rhetorically. "Excuse me for being blunt, but they are more like knights-errant than assassins. They have a complex temperament that contains both a self-destructive impulse and a desire for challenge. They are too focused on the present and neglect the future."

But you're a knight, you should understand. If you want to survive, and those around you to live…

"You should use every means to weaken the enemy's strength and annihilate him with the least cost and the fastest speed," Ji Huaisu said without hesitation. These words suddenly popped into her mind, as naturally as reciting a dogma that she had long memorized.

“This is what I once advised the Discipline Emperor, and I’m glad that these words have been passed on to you.” Olek nodded. “Let’s get back to the present, to the duel that happened not long ago.”

“I really didn’t want to see Shax and Chu Hengkong come together to kill me, not even for a one in a thousand chance. So I didn’t interfere with their duel. After the duel, I don’t need to worry about the Death Will Bullet, but Chu Hengkong is still alive. Severely injured martial artists love to transform themselves in the heat of battle, and I want to plug that loophole. I tried my best to protect Wu He so that he could make an attack at this time, successfully seize the Dragon Tree Stabilizing Talisman, and plant a deadly poison in the talisman for Chu Hengkong.”

He conjured a cup and took a sip of his cold drink: "Now I don't have to worry about Point 3 anymore, but there's still his Steel Bones. I don't want to see the Eternal Calamity descend upon Golden Leaf City, and I don't want to see the old man either... He meant no harm, but he's worse."

Therefore, I triggered the underground disturbances, and Qingxia abandoned her observation and chose to attack Wu He. The Xiaolong Qingkun Spear would fall into her hands, preventing Chu Hengkong's combat power from increasing.

Desperate, Wu He would naturally choose to summon the Black Moon. The arrival of the Fallen would disrupt communication, preventing contact with Huilong City and halting the Empire's signal transmission. However, Wu He died at Qing Xia's hands, preventing the complete summoning ritual and the old man's arrival.

He sighed maturely, "Alright! After all that effort, we've finally driven out the external factors. The market's direction hasn't been entirely satisfactory either; Chu Hengkong still hasn't died, and you've held on until now. Have you felt a lot of negative emotions lately? That was intentional; I wanted you to be a bit dejected so you'd become weak, but your fighting spirit makes things difficult for me."

Ji Huaisu's lips were dry. She watched the demon speak eloquently, describing the merits and demerits of every single ant, a seemingly absurd yet chilling discourse. It was hard to find anything more terrifying than this: a being so far more powerful than you, yet painstakingly devising the safest way to kill you.

"So you're secretly manipulating everything, aren't you?" she said. "Manipulating us like chess pieces."

Olek stared at her in surprise.

“How could that be?” the demon said. “I am misfortune, just bad luck. Luck cannot control people’s thoughts; it merely brings together small things by chance. You are not pawns; you will not act on my orders. You listen to my long-winded explanations as if I were secretly arranging everything, but you do not know how many times I have revised the plan in units of time that you cannot perceive to guide the current situation. I am not omnipotent; no one is omnipotent, not even the king of the deep sea.”

"Now, I will answer your last question."

"Why did I continue this long-winded conversation with you even though I knew you were stalling for time while waiting for your teammates to arrive?" he said. "Because I was also stalling for time so I could kill you in the safest way."

Glug. Glug. The sound of flowing liquid came from the horizon. During Olek's incessant chatter, the speck of black blood on the crescent moon finally made its decision and rolled down from the sky. It traveled an immeasurable distance, falling from the lunar surface onto this small dust island.

It fell right where the two were, the black raindrops growing larger and larger, turning into mountains of flesh and blood that could practically engulf the entire city.

Olek reached out to the mountain.

"Forced contract".

Completely disproportionate, the mountain-like black blood surged into his palm, forcibly assimilated and possessed by the demon's will at an astonishing speed. Olek's body solidified, transforming from an illusion into a contracted demon with a physical form, thus unleashing the true power of this split spirit.

He raised a finger to the sky.

"When fate turns against you, heaven forsaken you; misfortune and torrential rains follow."

The rain started to fall.

Chapter 146 Torrential Rain (Part 1)

The rain began to fall. It wasn't heavy, but it was damp and cold, like the drizzle falling in the late autumn evening, brushing against people's arms and seeping the moisture into their bones.

Olek strolled over, but Ji Huaisu still hadn't received any reinforcements. Knowing there was no point in delaying any longer, she simply swung her sword at the demon in human skin. The Shadow Blade Greatsword cleaved a transparent circle in the rain, its blade aimed at Olek's head.

The tip of the sword grazed Oleksandr's nose.

She missed. At a distance where it was impossible to miss, against an enemy who wasn't reacting, even a rookie in the resurrection unit wouldn't make such a basic mistake. The shadow blade slashed into the ground, shards of stone splashing onto her forearm, but it didn't touch Olek, who was right next to her. Ji Huaisu retracted the shadow blade and threw two ice blades, aiming at the torso where it was impossible to miss. Throwing pebbles from less than a meter away, even a child wouldn't miss.

The ground beneath her feet suddenly softened, and the point of leverage that had been in place just moments before collapsed. Ji Huaisu lost her footing, and her ice skate, which had been thrown, grazed past Oleksandr's ear. The city had experienced an earthquake just two days prior, and its structure remained unstable, with the possibility of a secondary disaster at any moment.

Ji Huaisu abandoned using her weapon and grabbed directly at Olek's collar. At this point, there was no reason for her to miss; Olek had to make a move. She didn't care about having only one hand, but she needed to know what methods the demon would use to stop the attack.

Blood splattered on her arm, and the sudden, sharp pain stiffened her muscles. The basic talisman hadn't completely suppressed the external power, and the wound on her right arm flared up at that moment, causing her grappling technique to miss its mark.

Ji Huaisu immediately pressed her hand tightly against the wound, sealing the writhing black blood with ice. She gradually understood the enemy's methods: insignificant attacks with little impact could fail due to "accidents," and as long as there was still a probability, the power of misfortune would make it inevitable.

The distance between them narrowed to three steps. Ji Huaisu, mimicking the knights, raised her Shadow Blade high. She channeled her power, causing the blade to grow enormous, becoming a black energy beam about ten meters high. The Shadow Greatsword slashed at Olek once more. She was fully prepared, fixing her posture with ice and dust. Now, the external changes would not affect this strike; she would force out the demon's true power!

Olek held up a finger, and a raindrop rolled from the tip of his finger.

“Vortex,” he said.

Raindrops rose and swirled, like soft, translucent jewels. Water droplets floating in the sky were drawn to them, gathering, swirling, and roaring with the movement of each raindrop. Like whirlpools formed in a hurricane, like ocean eyes swallowing life in the deep sea. In an instant, a massive amount of rainwater rose and swirled, forming a colorless vortex with a radius of a hundred meters. Ji Huaisu's strike was easily swallowed by the vortex, its elemental power scattering in all directions with the rotation!

Olek flicked his finger, and the vortex of misfortune drifted forward at a seemingly slow pace. Ji Huaisu turned and ran without hesitation. She couldn't understand the principle behind the move anymore, but she knew the consequences of being caught. The knowledge inherited in her bloodline brought extreme tension; being caught in the vortex of misfortune would surely mean death!

“Run,” Olek followed at a leisurely pace, “run toward the end.”

Ji Huaisu leaped onto the light shield, using it as a skateboard, and raced away alone in the pursuit of destruction. She couldn't help but glance back; the frenzied state behind her was unforgettable. The vortex was like a liquid hurricane, collapsing buildings, freezing the air, grinding trees into dust in the high-speed water flow, and causing the ground to crack and rise into the sky. Everything would be swept up and meet its ultimate destruction.

She felt like she was struggling in a vicious game, the background music of which was the noise of a vortex of misfortune, mournful and desperate, like the wails of wronged souls drowned in a raging torrent. Everything behind her was being shattered into nothingness, as if the game was constantly clearing the "world" behind her view from places she couldn't see. She could only run non-stop, faster than the vortex, or she would suffer the same fate as the "background characters."

But this game has an end, and that end is her life. She can't escape forever; even a moment's pause means death!

Ji Huaisu forced herself not to think so much; she had to focus on escaping, for only by surviving was there a glimmer of hope. She made several turns at intersections, changing direction to slow the vortex's advance. Old buildings blurred past the edge of her vision; she avoided the residential area and plunged into a damp, tree-lined path. Banyan trees, secured by machinery, stood in the fine rain like demons with coiled tentacles.

Ji Huaisu channeled his power, accelerating once more, and an icy path appeared beneath his shield to reduce friction. Just then, a strange gust of wind blew, and a loose screw in the hastily constructed fixing mechanism fell in the wind and rain. The screw was deflected by Ji Huaisu's light shield, striking the rusty fixing frame. The entire mechanism lost its balance, and an ominous groan emanated from within the banyan tree.

The old tree, damaged in the previous earthquake, fell, and its trunk was smashing into Ji Huaisu's back!

"A twisted sense of humor...!"

Dodging or taking a detour would slow her down, so Ji Huaisu simply drew her sword and severed the tree trunk in one strike. The upper half of the banyan tree flew up, while the lower half slammed into the ground with its momentum, hitting a weak spot on the road surface. The shockwave traveled downwards, causing the buried water pipes to snap. Ji Huaisu turned around to see a torrent of water mixed with mud and sand bursting from the ground, spraying directly into her eyes!

In a moment of quick thinking, she froze the rainwater, forming an emergency ice armor on her face. The mud and sand sprayed onto the ice armor, bringing with them a few streaks of blood. The sand contained magical sand left behind by the mad demon Jin Ye two days ago. Even just brushing past it posed a threat equivalent to a relic of the same level. If Ji Huaisu hadn't reacted quickly enough, she would have died right now from the sand piercing her brain.

Meanwhile, the vortex behind them closed in, and the brief delay allowed Olek to catch up. Ji Huaisu hurriedly wiped her face, removing the blood that obscured her vision. She turned around on the light shield, glaring fearlessly at the demon: "If you have the guts, just come and kill me! Using these petty tricks to hurt people, you call yourself a big shot!"

“You can just call me despicable,” Olek nodded with a smile. “I don’t care.”

He blew a breath onto his fingertip, instantly increasing the vortex's speed by three times, forcing Ji Huaisu to use all her strength to barely maintain distance. This time, Ji Huaisu truly had no other choice; she felt a humiliating sense of powerlessness. The enemy showed no weaknesses, disregarded provocation, refused to reveal intelligence, and was neither arrogant nor careless. He truly lived up to his words of "respecting his opponent," and when he acted, he intended to kill her with lightning speed and all his might.

But Ji Huaisu instinctively felt something was wrong. Olek's attitude was so upright, so why didn't he use his full power, instead resorting to this cat-and-mouse game to kill? Was it simply the nature of misfortune, or was there something she didn't know…?