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Chapter 270 Symphony of Flesh and Blood (Part 4) (Please vote with monthly tickets!)

My name is Jiang Chengyue.

Yao Ji, a collateral descendant of the Jiang family, did not possess the unique bloodline blessings bestowed upon the chosen ones.

I could only rely on my own fists, on the scars left from countless battles with the demons on the icy plains, step by step, from the lowest level of martial arts apprentice, to the peak of martial arts master.

Only then did we finally have the opportunity to get close to the core of the main house, and only then were we qualified to look up at that monument standing in the Arctic snowstorm.

Ancestor Jiang Taixuan.

He is a hero, a legend, and the pillar of strength in the hearts of countless people across the Arctic front and even the Federation!
One man defended the isolated city for seven days and seven nights, his blood staining the Ice Ridge Fortress, managing to hold out until reinforcements arrived, thus saving countless lives in the rear.

His story is the most exciting lullaby for every child who grows up on the Arctic front, before they go to sleep.

I grew up listening to these stories too.

He is my idol, the beacon that illuminates my path in martial arts.

I took him as my goal, struggling upwards in the mire of collateral branches, teetering on the edge of life and death countless times, just to get a little closer to that monument, and a little closer still.

Finally, I stood at the pinnacle of martial arts mastery, seemingly only one step away from the long-awaited realm of martial sainthood.

I entered the main family's field of vision, and even entered the ancestral master's quiet room.

When his cloudy yet all-seeing eyes looked at me, and a hint of approving smile appeared on his withered face as he uttered the words "Not bad," no one knew that at that moment, the ecstasy in my heart exploded like an aurora borealis.

It was a recognition that transcended any reward; it was an affirmation from an idol.

It transformed into an inexhaustible source of power, driving me to take on one difficult task after another, and to venture into dangerous situations time and time again.

Every time I serve my ancestors and my family, I feel an unparalleled honor!

Because I am following in the footsteps of heroes.

I am protecting everything he once defended with his life!
Until a month and a half ago.

The mission to hunt down the Federation traitor martial arts master.

The target is a woman, quite capable, and as cunning as a fox.

But I am stronger!

Among opponents of the same level, there aren't many who can pose a real challenge to me.

I tracked down her hiding place, and after a fierce battle, I won, even capturing her alive.

It is my duty to escort her back to Glazed City and hand her over to the Federation for conviction, and also to rid the Federation of a scourge.

However, just as I handed her over to the Ministry of Internal Affairs escorts, a cold hand swiftly slipped a note into my palm.

"You're a good person, but do you know what kind of person your ancestor was? He drank human blood and ate human flesh!!! He's no longer the hero he was on the Arctic front!! If you don't believe me, just look at what happened to me!"

The handwriting was neat and delicate, yet carried a hint of trembling despair.

She wrote it.

I recognize him.

During the battle, to avoid harming the few scavenging children who had strayed onto the battlefield, I took two vicious sword strikes from her back. The astonishment and fleeting guilt in her eyes at that moment seemed genuine.

This note is like a cold needle hidden in my heart.

Slandering our ancestors?

I have seen far too many of the curses and slanders that enemies utter before they die.

I dismiss this with disdain.

But that woman's last look, and that note, linger in my mind like a ghost.

For some inexplicable reason, I decided to go and take a look.

Just consider it a way of seeing her off, and also putting my mind at ease.

With my authority, I have relatively free movement within the city lord's mansion.

I quietly followed the escorting team, passed through layers of guards, and arrived at an area I had never set foot in before.

Deep underground in the city lord's mansion.

It was cold and oppressive, with a strange smell of disinfectant and rust permeating the air.

Then, I saw it.

On the cold metal beds lay emaciated people with empty eyes.

Thick tubes were attached to their wrists, and dark red blood was being continuously drawn away and injected into tubes under the bed.

Some of these people I even recognized were my comrades who had distinguished themselves on the front lines but later "died from serious injuries" or "went missing".

My heart skipped a beat.

But this is not the end.

The escort team continued downwards.

The next level is hell.

The mountains of black body bags emitted a pungent, suffocating stench of decay.

The woman was roughly thrown into an empty seat, quickly changed into a hospital gown, and connected to a catheter.
The last light in her eyes went out completely, leaving only deathly silence.

My world collapsed and shattered at that moment.

My values ​​were shattered by the naked evil before my eyes!
How could such a place exist in the heart of the City Lord's Mansion, the very core of our Jiang family?!
A traitor to the Federation?
No! Who are those people, those who were drained of their life force as "blood" and then discarded like trash?!
What crimes did they commit to deserve such inhuman torture?!

The immense impact nearly suffocated me, but decades of battlefield experience forged an iron will that held me firmly in place.

I didn't react on the spot, but I etched all of this into my bones, and returned to the Elders' Council Hall with a heart full of turmoil and cold questions.

During a somber meeting, I stood up, suppressing my surging anger and nausea, and described in the most respectful tone what I had seen underground.

I looked up at the lofty patriarch, the hero I had revered all my life, and asked the question that would plunge me into the abyss:

"Ancestor, what are these two places for? Do you know anything about them?"

The air solidified instantly.

All eyes—astonishment, scrutiny, indifference, and even a hint of barely perceptible mockery—were fixed on me.

Jiang Taixuan, the pillar of strength, showed no surprise on his withered face. His cloudy eyes swept over me with a weary and helpless look, as if he were filled with compassion.

He spoke slowly, his voice hoarse, yet clearly resonating throughout the hall:
“Chengyue, you saw it, that’s right, I know.”

He paused, as if recalling some painful past events, "Back then, in the battle of Ice Ridge Fortress, my essence was severely damaged, and my lifespan was greatly shortened. I should have returned to the world. But you also know the situation of the older generation on the Arctic front. Glazed Light City cannot do without me, and the Jiang family cannot do without me. In order to survive and to continue to protect this land, I have no choice but to take this expedient measure."

My gaze swept over all the elders present. Their faces, which were usually either stern or kind, were now devoid of surprise or anger. There was only a chilling silence and acquiescence.
"These people," Jiang Taixuan's voice carried a twisted pity, "are mostly wicked villains or traitors to the Federation, deserving to die! Using their life force to prolong this old man's life and preserve a bit of strength for the City of Glazed Light is their atonement! It is also... their honor!"

Honor?! Atonement?!

Seeing the elders' expressions of deep agreement, even with a hint of "understanding," and seeing the sense of entitlement hidden beneath the patriarch's compassionate facade...
Faith, the heroic monument that sustained me throughout my life, collapsed in that moment!

It shattered completely!

An uncontrollable surge of anger and nausea rushed to my head!
What kind of stabilizing force is this?! What kind of heroic legend is this?!

This is nothing more than a demon in human skin, feeding on the flesh and blood of its own kind!

A glutton who turned the City of Glazed Light into his private blood bank!

"Bullshit!!!"

The pent-up anger, the pain of collapsing faith, and the hatred for the indifferent people in front of him erupted like a volcano.

I could no longer control myself. I pointed at Jiang Taixuan and at the silent elders, and let out a hoarse roar!

"Those who need to devour their own kind to survive, do they even deserve to be called human?! Do they even deserve to be called heroes?! You bloodsucking maggots! The roots of the Jiang family, starting with you, have long since rotted to the core! Stinking!!!"

The roar echoed through the deathly silent hall like thunder.

"Capture this traitor!!"

Jiang Hongyuan roared in shock and anger.

From that moment on, I became a traitor to my family, a wanted criminal of the Federation, and a disgrace to the City of Glazed Light.

But I don't regret it.

My belief has never changed.

What I have pursued all my life is to protect and to bring light.

True loyalty lies in destroying the light I follow, which is itself a darkness that devours everything.

After becoming a "traitor," I went into the shadows and investigated more thoroughly.

The truth is far more shocking than those two hellish levels.

Most of those "blood sources" were not death row inmates or traitors at all.

They were just martial artists.

He was a mercenary who fought bloody battles on the city walls, an unknown martial arts instructor, and an ordinary grandmaster with a modest background but decent talent.

Their only "crime".

It may be that it possesses the vital energy and blood that can be transformed by a "gluttonous stomach".

Within the family, those who knew about all this, and even those who were involved, were far more than just the top brass.

The Ministry of Internal Affairs, the city defense army, and even some small forces that depend on families.
A silent web of evil has long since enveloped this city.

The family is truly rotten to the core.

A sense of powerlessness washed over me like an icy tide, almost drowning me.

I am just a martial arts master, how can I fight against a behemoth that has been entrenched for a hundred years?
How can we fight against that decaying yet still powerful monster?

Until Fang Qingyu appeared.

That young man who slew the demon at Black Pine Pass and faced the gods directly at the glacier ruins.

His words, like a faint yet piercing light in the darkness, rekindled the almost extinguished flame of hope in my heart.

"Saving your Jiang family is not the responsibility of us outsiders."

"Greater responsibility, heavier burden"

"Actually, I've always been carrying this burden on your shoulders."

Yes, we must cleanse the house, purify the filth, and let the Jiang family regain its glory of protection.
This responsibility should always be borne by ourselves.

So, here I am now.

Standing before the gates of the city lord's mansion, before the massive and decaying war machine of the Jiang family.

Behind me were dozens of comrades who, like me, had seen the truth, could no longer remain silent, and were willing to die to prove their innocence.

They were once fierce soldiers of the garrison, elites of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and unknown martial artists in their families.

They stood on the opposite side of their family, bearing the stigma of being "traitors and accomplices," all for the sake of the conscience that had not yet been extinguished in their hearts and their insistence on truly protecting what they had.

The fluttering photos, like silent accusations, fell onto the cold ground and struck the hearts of everyone trying to escape the city lord's mansion.

Those images of hell are more powerful than any words.

Jiang Hongyuan's threatening roar seemed so pale and ridiculous in the deathly silence of the falling photographs.

Looking at Jiang Hongyuan's face, contorted with rage and a hint of barely perceptible panic, and at the surprise, fear, and wavering in the eyes of his former colleagues.
I slowly raised the ancient longsword in my hand, which had been stained with the blood of countless deadly demons, but was now pointing at my own kind.

The blade gleamed with a cold, icy light under the flowing aurora, pointing diagonally at the ground.

We declare war on the very foundations of the Jiang family's decay!
With a death wish and a will to die, we declare war!
"kill--!!!"

Jiang Hongyuan's last shred of reason was completely ignited; his eyes turned bloodshot, and he let out a hysterical roar.

What photos, what truth—none of it matters in the face of the red light of the highest emergency plan, or the "accident" that our ancestors might encounter.

Clearing away the obstacles and bringing back the ancestor was his only thought at this moment.

At his command, dozens of Jiang family core guards and elite internal affairs officers, exuding murderous intent, charged towards Jiang Chengyue and the thin but firm defensive line behind him, like tigers released from their cages, carrying violent blood and icy killing intent!

A cold wind howled as it swept across the magnificent gate of the city lord's mansion.

It brought a bone-chilling cold.

But it also seems to have stirred up a wisp of dust called hope.

And the other side.

In the crimson space.

boom--! ! !
The fear that suddenly appeared on Jiang Taixuan's withered face due to the power of the golden thunder was as fleeting as ice and snow thrown into a furnace.

One hundred and fifty years.

Fear has long since been worn down into an almost numb state.

He had experienced the hellish purgatory of the Ice Ridge Fortress, the despair of burning his very essence and running out of fuel, and struggled for over fifty years under the shadow of the Gluttonous Stomach.

The strange golden lightning domain before them was indeed extremely dangerous.

But after the initial shock subsided and they calmed down, they observed the situation for a period of time.

Jiang Taixuan also discovered some things.

It seems the divine punishment was specifically targeting this little kid?!
if it is like this.

Then it would no longer be a simple dead end!

In the depths of his murky eyes, the primal fear stemming from life itself was replaced by calculation.

The old man suddenly looked up, staring intently at the figure in mid-air struggling in agony amidst endless golden lightning, yet still holding the blade high. A hoarse, twisted laugh escaped his throat: "Little brat, I underestimated you!"

"I never expected you to possess such a suicidal tactic! To provoke such divine might is astonishing even to this old man. Excellent! Very well!!"

The laughter abruptly turned into a venomous roar, carrying a sense of triumphant satisfaction as if he had discovered his opponent's desperate situation.
"But some things can really kill you!!! Trying to drag me down with you? Dream on!!!"

The moment the roar subsided.

Om-! ! !
The entire blood-red arena's fleshy walls, like a swamp with boulders thrown in, began to boil and writhe wildly!

It carried a hysterical, sacrificial frenzy.

Rumble, rumble!

The towering, dark red flesh walls on both sides, like waterfalls of blood and flesh torn apart by invisible giant hands, poured down and enveloped Jiang Taixuan's hunched body, carrying thick blood and a pungent, fishy smell.

"Ho ho."

Jiang Taixuan's emaciated body was instantly submerged by the raging torrent of blood and flesh.

Instead of resisting, he opened his arms as if embracing a long-lost lover, and even showed a morbid satisfaction on his face.

The viscous flesh and blood were like living mud.

Layer upon layer, circle upon circle, covering, wrapping, and compressing at an astonishing speed.

The cracking sound of bones being squeezed was clearly audible.

In just two or three breaths!
All that remained was a huge, grotesque ball of flesh, over three meters in diameter, with dark red blood constantly oozing and writhing on its surface!

On the surface of the fleshy ball, countless thick, dark red blood vessels, like living snakes, protruded wildly from the depths of the fleshy walls in all directions, like greedy parasites, fiercely piercing into the fleshy ball's interior.

laugh!laugh!laugh!
The moment the blood vessel was pierced, the entire stomach of the glutton seemed to emit a satisfied groan.

Thick, dark red blood, almost black, flowed continuously and surging into the enormous ball of flesh along those pulsating veins.

cluck cluck
A dull throbbing came from inside the fleshy mass, like a terrifying embryo in the process of development.

The fleshy ball expanded slightly as blood flowed in, and the charred marks left on its surface by the residual power of the golden lightning were visibly covered and repaired by the newly grown flesh under the wash of blood.

It is drawing power from the entire stomach of a glutton!
Using this massive furnace of flesh and blood as a shield and nourishment, they fight against the terrifying might of the heavens!

And in mid-air at this moment.

After shouting out that resolute challenge, Fang Qingyu no longer cared about Jiang Taixuan's strange behavior.

The tearing pain that swept through the entire body and penetrated deep into the marrow and soul felt like countless red-hot steel needles frantically stabbing and gnawing inside.

The violent golden lightning tore his body apart from the inside out!

The jade bones groaned, emitting a creaking sound as they succumbed to the weight, and spiderweb-like charred cracks appeared on their surface.

Flesh and blood peeled off as they charred and carbonized.

All that remained in the world before my eyes was pure golden thunderstorm, my vision was scorched and blurred, and all I could hear was the deafening thunder and the desperate pounding of my heart!
"add a bit!!!"

Amidst the roar of his soul, Fang Qingyu unhesitatingly poured his last two skill points, which were like a lifeline, into [Jade Bone].

Om-!
[Jade Bone: 21→23]

A cool yet resilient warm current instantly surged from the depths of the bones in every part of the body.

The jade bone, on the verge of collapse and covered with charred cracks, greedily absorbed this new life force, like a withered tree that had been parched for a long time and then received rain.

The speed at which the cracks healed suddenly accelerated.

The charred marks were replaced by new, more lustrous and resilient bone.

Although it still emitted a terrifying "sizzling" sound under the raging golden lightning, and new tiny cracks were constantly being generated and forcibly repaired, the destructive power that was enough to instantly vaporize a person was finally forcibly suppressed by a trace.

Right now.
Boom!

The first true golden lightning bolt of divine punishment finally tore through the low-hanging thunderclouds, like a divine spear of punishment thrown down from the heavens, carrying the majestic might of heaven that judges all things, and struck down fiercely towards Fang Qingyu, who was suspended in mid-air!

The target entity is clear and unambiguous.

Fang Qingyu!
However, the might of divine punishment must not be desecrated.
As the devastating lightning locked onto Fang Qingyu, the scattered electrical charge and destructive aftershocks swept across the entire crimson space like an invisible tsunami.

Zizzi——! ! !
Terrifying golden lightning instantly covered every inch of the fleshy walls of the kilometer-long arena.

The fleshy ball that was frantically sucking blood was the first to be affected.

boom! ! !
The surface of the fleshy ball resembled an ice block thrown into lava, and countless blood vessels embedded within it were instantly charred and severed under the sweep of golden charges.

The thick, dark red blood plasma evaporated instantly, emitting a pungent, burnt stench.

The fleshy mass itself trembled and convulsed violently.

The newly repaired, tough flesh peeled off in large chunks, turning to ashes, as if it had been splashed with strong acid.

This reveals deeper layers of tissue that are also rapidly charring.

"Uhhh-!!!"

A deep, agonizing roar pierced through the fleshy mass and echoed clearly in the thunderous space!

That was Jiang Taixuan's voice.

Merely affected by the residual force of the Heavenly Punishment Thunder, the fleshy defense that combined the immense life force of the Gluttonous Stomach with his own Martial Saint blood and qi was already severely damaged.

Fang Qingyu was the subject of the divine punishment.
"Roar--!!!"

The moment that golden divine lightning, seemingly capable of piercing the soul, struck, Fang Qingyu felt as if the entire world had vanished.

All that remains is pure, utter destruction!
My vision was completely swallowed up by the endless golden light.

My hearing was completely overwhelmed by the deafening thunder that shattered everything.

Skin, muscles, bones, internal organs—every cell in the body is screaming wildly.

It felt as if millions of tiny insects carrying lightning were burrowing into every pore, gnawing at his flesh, biting his bone marrow, and tearing at his nerves.

The Qi and Blood Technique was operating wildly, desperately protecting the core of the bones.

They were engaged in the most brutal tug-of-war with that destructive power of thunder.

Each attempt at repair was torn apart by even more violent destruction.

Charred flesh mixed with golden lightning fragments kept peeling off and scattering from his body.

Fang Qingyu was like a piece of stubborn iron thrown into a furnace.

Amidst the golden lightning, it emitted a dying wail and an indomitable roar.

Right on the edge of this purgatory, filled with destructive golden light and agonizing screams.

In a corner of this blood-red space, on the constantly writhing, viscous, dark red fleshy walls...
Without warning, a thin, long crack appeared.

No light shone through; there was only a thick, sticky darkness.

In the darkness, a pair of blood-red vertical pupils, burning with endless greed and violence, slowly opened.

It seemed to be alarmed by the terrifying power that suddenly erupted within this core space, so it temporarily abandoned Jiang Wei and the others and came here instead.

When those beastly eyes, burning with greed, clearly saw the low-hanging, churning golden thunderclouds overhead...
The enormous vertical pupils suddenly contracted.

Greed and violence receded like the tide.

Instead, there is a fear that originates from the instinct for survival and runs deep in the bones!
Its body was composed of pure, greedy will.

Even under the oppressive power of the heavens, it trembled slightly uncontrollably.

The beast's gaze abruptly shifted to the enormous ball of flesh that was emitting painful roars amidst the aftershocks of the thunder.

No.

That human cannot die here!

If he were to be killed by this divine punishment, his primordial imprint, which relied on the stomach of the gluttonous beast, would lose its most important anchor point and might even be completely erased by this terrifying divine might.

"Roar-!!!"

A silent roar filled with anxiety and urging exploded violently in the consciousness of the Taotie Beast, frantically impacting Jiang Taixuan's will on the verge of collapse inside the fleshy ball!

It's urging! It's giving an order!

Make Jiang Taixuan leave this space immediately! Get out of this damned center of divine punishment!

However.
Boom! ! !

A second, even thicker and more violent bolt of golden divine lightning tore through the thunderclouds and struck down fiercely.

The target is still Fang Qingyu!

That majestic heavenly might, like a tangible iron wall, firmly suppressed the entire space.

The fleshy mass convulsed violently under the impact of the thunder's aftershocks, and the charred flesh peeled off even faster. Jiang Taixuan's roar was now tinged with a desperate tremor.

How could he not want to escape?
But the divine might that descended was like a heavy burden pressing down on his soul and body, pinning him firmly to the spot.

Forget walking, I can't even move a finger!
The fear in the eyes of the Taotie beast was instantly replaced by rage and a hint of despair.

It stared intently at the area completely engulfed by the golden lightning, watching the fleshy ball rapidly dissolve in the aftershocks, then looked at the low-hanging, rolling thunderclouds.
The enormous vertical pupils flashed wildly.

An extremely risky idea began to fester wildly within its greed-driven consciousness.
"Huhu. Huh."

"It's stopped? That thing really disappeared?"

"Damn it. I finally escaped this time."

"My legs... my legs are weak."

Inside the winding, fleshy passage, dozens of second-tier grandmasters who had miraculously escaped were slumped or leaning against the slippery fleshy walls, panting heavily. The exhaustion from surviving the ordeal made their bodies tremble slightly.

The passageway was empty; the suffocating, greedy ferocity had indeed vanished.

The sudden relaxation of nerves stretched to their limit brings not peace, but a more overwhelming sense of fear and bewilderment.

"What the hell is this place?!"

A burly mercenary leader with a scarred face slammed his fist into the fleshy wall beside him, splattering thick blood all over his face. He paid no heed, his eyes bloodshot and filled with rage as he roared, "Who the hell can tell me?! What the hell is that monster?! And what's with this place?! This damn Martial Saint Ruins, it's all a fucking hoax! A trap!!"

His roar was like igniting a powder keg.

"Yes! What exactly happened?!"

"Deep Blue Heavy Industry! It must have been Deep Blue Heavy Industry that did this! Their people were the first to run away!"

"Bullshit! The Deep Blue people were swallowed up too! I saw several people in their uniforms being swallowed by that monster when we were running for our lives!"

"Who on earth led us here, trapped us in this godforsaken place, just to feed that monster?!"

But the doubts of the crowd had not yet been fully expressed.

Boom boom boom——!!!!

The entire passage—no, the entire interior space of the Gluttonous Stomach—began to shake violently again without warning.

"Holy crap! Not again?!"

"What happened now?! Didn't that monster disappear?!"

"An earthquake?! No! It feels...it feels like we're rising?!"

"Ascent?! Does this godforsaken place allow you to fly?!"

The group, who had just escaped, were instantly thrown into chaos again. They steadied themselves in a panic and looked around in disbelief.

The fleshy ground beneath our feet was steadily rising.

The fleshy walls on both sides were still wriggling, but the overall structure did not seem to have changed much.

It's like being forcibly lifted up by some force inside a giant elevator of flesh and blood.

"Look over there!!!"

A master who was standing at the edge of the passage, staring intently at the fleshy wall behind him, suddenly exclaimed in disbelief and horror.

Everyone looked in the direction he was pointing.
On the side of the passage, deep within a relatively thick, dark red fleshy wall that constantly secreted mucus, could be seen.
Without warning, light shone through!

Pure and dazzling, carrying the majestic power of heaven, as if it could pierce through all filth and darkness.
Golden light!!!

*Screech. Screech. Screech. Screech.*
Under the golden light, the flesh walls, like snow exposed to the blazing sun, emitted a tooth-grinding corrosive sound and rapidly carbonized.

The area of ​​the flesh wall that was burned through was getting larger and larger.

The charred marks spread rapidly like a spider web.

at last
boom--! ! !
With a deep and resounding thunderclap, the flesh wall, scorched to its limit by the golden light, shattered and exploded like a fragile glass mirror!
Countless charred chunks of flesh mixed with thick blood plasma splattered everywhere.

A hole with its edges flowing with a crimson-gold flame like lava suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes.

Outside the hole
It was a space filled with endless golden lightning.

And at the edge of that hole
Against the backdrop of dazzling, almost blinding golden lightning
A figure.
From that destroyed golden divine kingdom
Step by step, slowly, I walked out.

Golden lightning, like submissive servants, swirled and leaped around him, yet could not harm him in the slightest.

The tattered clothes fluttered in the lightning, and with each step, the charred flesh beneath their feet seemed unable to withstand the invisible pressure, slightly collapsing and cracking.

The figure was somewhat blurry.

But the moment he stepped out of that shattered flesh wall...
An indescribable sense of majesty and power, seemingly transcending all living beings.
Like an invisible tsunami, it swept through the entire passage in an instant!

Let everyone who witnessed this scene know it.

Everyone held their breath instantly!

It felt like my heart was being gripped tightly by an invisible hand!

Only one thought remained in my mind:
A god descending to earth?!
(End of this chapter)