Scourge Messenger

Chapter 277 Blood-Drinking Messenger
A single raindrop falls from the clouds, interacting with millions of other raindrops that drift with the wind. As the distance between the raindrop and the earth rapidly decreases, the waves formed by hundreds of evil spirits on the ground are clearly reflected in the raindrop.

Clang! The longsword, wreathed in black mist, slashed a huge wound into the heavily armored warhorse. Scalding blood smeared the blade, which then struck a raindrop falling from the sky. The rain, mixed with blood, splashed heavily onto the muddy ground, bounced up again, but was immediately crushed by the overturned carcass of the warhorse.

The road was littered with the corpses of warhorses, their blood flowing into the mud. 'Yan Shiyi' carved a path of blood and corpses through the midst of the army!
After being surrounded and beaten by the guards for several minutes, Yan Qing figured out their background.

Their characteristic can be described in one word: chain!

Their attacks are chained together; each of their normal attacks carries the power of dozens or even hundreds of people. Even an ordinary steel spear can deal 1000 points of damage, comparable to the full-force attack of a third-tier messenger!

The defensive chain distributes all damage taken by the Hundred Guards, even if Yan Qing has the Asura Token. The Asura Token only ignores the current target's defensive barrier, but when the damage is distributed, the defensive barriers of other Hundred Guards remain effective. However, the defensive chain is ineffective against true damage, which ignores all laws!
The counter-damage chain is Yan Qing's most troublesome characteristic, because this kind of damage that can ignore the defensive barrier is usually very small, like the Shura token and true damage. However, the counter-damage of this group of Hundred Guards is ridiculously high. It can kill a third of the health of a third-tier messenger in one hit. Even if Yan Qing can keep using medicine to recover health, the health pills are limited. Moreover, the health pills do not restore health instantly. He might accidentally hit a few more times and his health bar will be empty.

There may be other characteristics, but these three are the most troublesome at the moment. The pure numerical values ​​combined with the absurd mechanics mean that these eight hundred people are equivalent to eight hundred peak-level third-stage Great Perfection cultivators. Even Foundation Establishment cultivators would find this group of hedgehogs troublesome.

But this wasn't the first time Yan Qing had encountered an enemy whose combat power far exceeded that of a third-tier cultivator.

With the hunting dogs of the Helan family in Shudao Mountain and the golden armor of the military town of Xuanwu Lake, Foundation Establishment cultivators have plenty of ways to boost the combat power of mortal messengers; it's just that there are a few more of them this time.

There were so many that Yan Qing simply couldn't handle them!
After 'Banquet Eleven' killed dozens of warhorses and took dozens of steps, the Hundred Guards finally changed their tactics—infantry and cavalry coordination!
Some dismounted and fought on foot, blocking the road, while the others charged back and forth on cavalry. Even if 'Yan Shiyi' killed his warhorses, the warhorses would become obstacles blocking his path. The infantry corps used the warhorse corpses as fortifications, treading on flesh and mud to build a Great Wall!
By the time Yan Qing noticed their tactical change, 'Yan Eleven' was no longer able to advance. The tactical advantage had turned into a strategic advantage, and the balance of victory had completely tipped.

A chill pierced Yan Qing's chest. He recalled the concepts of Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain: swift as the wind, silent as the forest, aggressive as fire, immovable as a mountain! If the Wind, Forest, Fire, and Mountain concepts in Sun Tzu's Art of War were merely metaphysical pursuits, then the army before him was the perfect embodiment of them!
He was finally able to identify the fourth characteristic of the Guardians: thought chain.

Even Dota players who can communicate via voice might not be able to execute such impromptu tactics well, but the Radiant Guards cooperated seamlessly without a single mistake or accident. Yan Qing couldn't think of any other possibility besides the divine mind connecting each of them.

Even with the secret technique "Willow Leaf Drift" and the Ronin's Rain Boots, Yan Qing couldn't find any opening to break through. This was an impregnable fortress forged from flesh and blood; anyone who crashed into it would be pulverized to pieces!

Suddenly, two cavalrymen attacked Yan Shiyi from both sides. Yan Qing used Willow Leaf Fluttering as always to dodge, but the cavalrymen jumped off their horses. At the same time, the other infantrymen also charged forward. In an instant, it was as if mountains collapsed and tsunamis crashed down, and the whole world pressed down on Yan Shiyi!
Warhorses blocked the retreat, shield bearers pressed forward with their bodies like a wall, and spears pierced through the gaps. Without any fancy maneuvering, relying solely on the synergy between unit types, they executed a brilliant encirclement and annihilation!

"The Yaksha's time has come to an end."

"To be able to resist His Majesty's personal guards to this extent, this person can be called the number one third-level cultivator in the world, the strongest below the Foundation Establishment stage."

"It's incredible that it's managed to hold on until now. I haven't seen such a monster in so many years."

"You fought your way from Tombstone Army Town to here in six days, using the entire Qi Kingdom to build your fame. You can be said to have died a worthy death."

Seeing that 'Yan Shiyi' had finally suffered a crushing defeat, the Qi generals who were watching from afar, regardless of their previous opinions, all unanimously offered him the highest praise, which was indeed the highest praise.

It wasn't just that 'Yan Shiyi's' performance won over these powerful messengers, but also because they had to elevate 'Yan Shiyi' to a divine status, otherwise, where would they put their faces?

If the Yakshas who broke through the Qi Kingdom are not strong enough, wouldn't that mean they are all a bunch of useless trash? Therefore, the Yakshas must be the number one third-level cultivator in the world, the strongest below the Foundation Establishment stage, a freak infinitely close to the fourth level, an unimaginable monster, and only His Majesty can subdue them personally!
There has never been a universally acknowledged 'strongest third-stage cultivator' in the past, but for the next few decades in Qi, this title will be exclusively held by Yaksha, until the next mortal who can single-handedly challenge the Foundation Establishment stage appears!

At this moment, not only the generals watching from afar, but even Ying Rushi, who had complete confidence in Huang Quan, couldn't help but grip the railing of the chariot. This imperial chariot was made entirely of refined iron from the secret realm, and the railing carvings were all deeply imprinted by Ying Rushi's slender fingers.

"If that's the case, you can't be so rough when you're with men in the future," Ying Le said with a soft laugh. "Living things are all very fragile."

"His Majesty……"

“Don’t worry, Xiao Ru Shi,” Ying Le said lazily. “Besides, this kitten isn’t as fragile as you think… He’s a lot like me.”

Ying Rushi was taken aback. He looked very much like His Majesty.
“He and I are the same kind of people.” Ying Le propped her cheek up, her gaze seemingly able to pierce through layers of elite guards. “The kind of people who won’t rest in peace until they’ve had their fill of fun!”

Tick.

Outside, the rain poured down, but inside, suppressed by the Imperial Guards, it was quiet, with only the sound of raindrops dripping into small puddles on the ground. 'Yan Eleven' was completely immobilized, with more than six shields pressing down on his body from all directions, and warhorses and warriors weighing over a thousand pounds pressing down on him, as if the sky were collapsing.

The world fell silent, with only the defensive barrier continuously decreasing. Yan Qing kept pressing the mana regeneration button and the defensive token hotkey without letting go, but the spiritual power and the defensive barrier's health continued to drop uncontrollably.

Is this the end? After fighting for six days and finally getting here, they are still stuck in a dead end. They didn't even see Ying Le. But Yan Qing was not discouraged or disappointed. His heart was burning with fighting spirit, just like in "PUBG" when you survive to the last circle. Even if you don't get the chicken dinner, the whole process is fun.

Yan Qing didn't regret spending six days conquering the Qi Kingdom, even though it was completely not worthwhile in terms of return on investment. Moreover, he often didn't have time to collect the spoils of war, but the spirit jade and repair tools were being consumed at a rapid pace, costing at least 500,000 spirit jade – it was practically burning money. Not to mention, to maintain 24/7 online PvP, Yan Qing had even taken leave from the PvE activities at Xuanwu Lake Military Town, potentially resulting in losses of several hundred thousand.

But Yan Qing experienced the long-lost joy of gaming.

It's not that regular gameplay isn't a game; after all, farming, leveling up, and developing your character are all important parts of the game. It's just that the focus on completing dungeons is too utilitarian. The more you do it, the more it feels like going to work. Playing games really needs a constantly changing stage, powerful characters, and excellent character mechanics to be truly enjoyable. If PVE is about the joy of puzzle-solving, then PVP is about the joy of interaction. This is why MOBA and fighting games always have loyal fans.

If it was just a momentary impulse at first, Yan Qing was completely immersed in this epic story of one man against an entire nation. Although he felt embarrassed, Yan Qing was actually a little grateful to Ying Le. Just as a hero needs a demon king to realize his life's value, if it weren't for Ying Le, this brutal villain, how could he have found such a suitable stage to showcase his strength? He even had the moral high ground to back it up.

However, such arrogant thoughts were too unfair to the suffering of the Qi people, so Yan Qing only allowed himself a little gratitude. Moreover, since Yan Qing had already written Ying Le down in his little notebook, he would definitely kill Ying Le. The only difference was which alt account would do it... Incidentally, another name in this little notebook was Dong Shou Zhenren.

They weren't enemies that Yan Qing was willing to kill at all costs. However, if there were any new characters in the future who were seeking Foundation Establishment and Gold, Yan Qing wouldn't mind letting them take the time to deal with these 'bosses he couldn't beat before,' just like how all the players in the Elden Ring would come back to see the big tree guard blocking the entrance to the newbie village.

Despite his thoughts, Yan Qing did not intend to end the journey there. He still had a trump card that could change the course of the battle: Bingzi Jiaolin!

Bingzi Jiaolin's Overturning Heaven ability could buy him at least thirty-four seconds, but the group of hedgehogs that were the Hundred Guards were too difficult to deal with. Even if he took out Bingzi Jiaolin Yanqing, he would not dare to cut indiscriminately. Most likely, he would just waste an Overturning Heaven ability.

The only solution now... is a blood sacrifice!
Suddenly, 'Yan Shiyi' dispelled his defensive barrier, reversed the Seven Stars of Flame Pattern and pierced himself with a sword. His health instantly plummeted to zero, but his aura increased tenfold. His health, spirit, and agility all surged to an astonishing level.

However, in return, the Seven Stars of Flame Annihilation, a Shura weapon with 200 points of killing power invested in it, was reduced to ashes and disappeared without a trace.

This is the characteristic of the Blood Drinker, a precious third-tier profession in the "Banquet Eleven" game!
"Bloodthirsty Messenger (Rare/Realistic Mode)"

"Attribute bonus: Health +15, Spirit +10, Agility +15"

"Bloodthirst (Blue Trait): Your attacks restore 5 health points. Excess health points are stored and replenished when health is low. Stored health points can be retained for 30 minutes."

"Butcher (Gold Trait): When you kill a target, your health increases by 5 points, up to a maximum of 50 points, lasting for 30 minutes."

"Sword Offering (Gold Trait): You pray to the gods, but only the sword in your hand responds!"
To activate this feature, you must equip the Shura weapon.

You commit suicide with the Shura weapon, your health is forcibly reduced to 1 point, and the Shura weapon's durability is reduced to zero, causing it to be destroyed.

After activating the Sword Sacrifice, [Blood Drinker] and [Butcher] gain a numerical bonus equal to the kill value of the Asura weapon.

The current bonus is 200 points.

Duration: 30 minutes.

Just like the Bunny Girl's [Killing Messenger], after the 'Banquet Eleven' kill value exceeded one hundred, the third job advancement introduced the real-mode exclusive killing class [Blood Drinking Messenger], but its strength was far inferior to the [Killing Messenger].

The [Bloodthirst] trait is barely worth mentioning; at best, it can only provide a small boost when you're about to die. The [Butcher] trait is the core of this class; as long as you kill a few people to create some excitement, you can quickly accumulate 50 points of health, which is purely a matter of numerical value.

The final [Sword Sacrifice] trait is not even as good as the [Blood Drinking] trait. For the Asura Messenger, the Asura weapon that must be cultivated by investing in kill points is as important as his wife. He can only survive by sacrificing his wife. Anyone who has watched "The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3" would not make such a choice.

However, Yan Qing never intended to cultivate this alternate account, 'Yan Shiyi,' for long. His life was bound to end today, so there was no need to be stingy with a mere Flame Pattern Seven Star Annihilation Sword.

His life entered its final countdown at this moment, but it also began anew!
200 points of Qi and Blood bonus, 200 points of Life Absorption!
For the next 30 minutes, I will be the number one triple spinner in the world!

"Get lost!"

With a loud bang, the small hill piled up with warhorses and soldiers exploded as if it had exploded, and pieces of warhorses, shields, and spears were blown more than ten steps away!
(End of this chapter)