Forge a path to success.

Chapter 148 In the Name of Love and Justice

They plummeted, towards the unfathomable depths below, the light shrinking into an invisible dot along with the sky. From a place beyond their reach, the faint call of their partner could be heard.

"Ji Huaisu!!!"

It's been a long time since I've seen Ah Kong so anxious. This guy, he actually still cares about her a lot.

Ji Huaisu managed a slight smile, but ultimately failed to grasp her partner's hand. The sound faded away like the light, and the illusory hand pulled her into the darkness. She crashed heavily to the ground, her body arching from the recoil, spitting out blood amidst the cracking of her bones, like a pitiful sacrifice crushed in the hands of a demon.

"Cough... Ah! Cough!"

The blood was mixed with gruesome chunks of flesh, whether organs or rotting flesh from wounds, it was hard to tell. Half of her body was unresponsive, she couldn't lift her hands, her lumbar vertebrae were likely broken, and it was unclear how much bone remained. She used ice crystals to create an exoskeleton to aid her movement, forcibly supporting herself with ice blocks as she stepped on her own blood to her feet.

Her face was covered in blood, no trace of gold in her hair, and her skin was riddled with wounds; Black Moon's blood still clung to her arms. Ji Huaisu was glad that the underground was pitch black; seeing her current state might dampen her fighting spirit.

Then, a shimmering light appeared, revealing rows of what seemed like a well-prepared legion. Armored shadow knights surrounded her, reminding her of hyenas preparing to devour a corpse. Behind them was a tightly locked black gate, its surface etched with grotesque, bat-winged demons, their terrifying appearance inspiring fear.

The Shadow Knights drew their swords in unison. She met their gazes and smiled weakly.

"You...you're admitting defeat already?"

She used her light shield to deflect the flaming spears. She slashed at the ice crystal armor with her shadow blade.

"I don't want to lose yet."

Two shadow knights charged forward, but she pushed them aside with a shoulder ram, using her light shield. The enemies were knocked down, but an opening appeared behind them. A stone sword pierced Ji Huaisu's back, and she turned to slash at the enemy's weapon with her shadow blade. There were many more, seemingly endless, the undead treating their juniors as mortal enemies, swinging their blades at their own kind under the control of misfortune.

"I won't lose."

Defeat was inevitable, and the victor had no honor to speak of. Glorious principles were cruelly trampled, and the once cherished spirit was stained with blood by the devil's mockery. Yet, they still fought, dragging their wounded bodies, overwhelmed by sheer numbers, charging forward with sheer brute force, only to be stabbed and slashed. Blood flowed.

Numerous enemies swarmed her, and several spears pierced her flesh. The spear tips tore through the muscles of her back, pierced her internal organs, and emerged from her abdomen. It was a brutal fight, like dismemberment. She could barely feel the pain anymore. Yet she still struggled to her feet, still roared. Towards the chains that controlled the undead. Towards the demon behind those chains, a demon in the name of fate.

"—We won't lose!!"

·
"That's terrifying," Olek thought.

It had witnessed many paths of the Discipline Knights, its long history allowing it to see from the rise of the Discipline Emperor to the fall of the Knight Kingdom. Their strength lay in unity and creed; they could circumvent the rampages of the Calamity species by using discipline to restrain their power, and their unity of purpose ensured that their companions continued to grow.

However, the creed is not invincible. There are deserters in the knights' ranks, and occasionally those with weak wills defect to the Spiral Tower. Countless others have broken down and gone mad during the "Praise" of Vansalal. In the end, the Pathfinders and Ascendants are just ordinary lives, capable of fear, hesitation, and temptation. They have the weaknesses of ordinary people, and vice versa.

But this knight's spirit was incredibly tenacious. Even in this state, he didn't beg for mercy or even ask for help. He didn't plead with the dead or beg his teammates. He just kept shouting that he wouldn't lose and fought desperately underground.

“He’s a…disastrous knight,” Olek whispered.

He controlled the vortex of misfortune to remain above the void, preventing any possibility of others intervening, and then turned to look at the assassin whose rescue had failed.

“It’s over. She’s dead,” he said. “Come on over if you want to die, leave if you don’t.”

His response was a sharp gunshot; the white spear thrust straight towards his chest, the activated rune bead drawing out the aura of a swirling dragon. Olek dodged to the side; the trick of misfortune relied on amplified probabilities, and if he stood still, the chance of the spear missing was zero. Chu Hengkong, who had fired the spear, had bloodshot eyes, and Olek scrutinized his expression.

"Aren't you going to say something to boost morale? Like, 'Give Ji Huaisu back to me,' or I can help you send him underground. That way, the knight's spirit might be able to rest in peace."

There was no response; only the silent killing intent lingered amidst the whistling of weapons. After the spear missed its mark, the short sword was drawn. Chu Hengkong, who had just stolen Qingye's sword, aimed a powerful slash that nearly pierced Olek's clothes, but Olek deftly dodged it.

In reality, this strike would be meaningless, as he had forcibly contracted with the "Blood of the Moon," the most vital element within the low-level particle, meaning he wouldn't be fatal even if struck directly by the three demons. However, caution is a good habit. A cultivator at particle level 2 might be wielding a level 6 sword, and a remnant at particle level 3 might be harboring a level 7 technique. The unknown is always a risk, unless you can guarantee that you are omniscient and omnipotent.

The evaded slash struck the vortex, creating a deafening roar like a tsunami. Olek raised one arm to control the chains, the invisible iron chains wrapping around Chu Hengkong's limbs, but the martial artist dodged them due to his slightly slower speed. He attacked simultaneously with his left spear and right sword, the blades slicing through a cold cross. Olek ducked to avoid the slash, black blood seeping from the ground beneath his feet forming a trident-like spike.

Chu Hengkong dodged with a flip, unleashing three consecutive shots. Olek calmly retreated, the three shots grazing his hair as his heel sank into a creaking pebble. Behind him lay the vortex blocking the void; he had nowhere to retreat for the moment, and the one with the broken heart had vanished without a trace…

That's it.

"Now!" Chu Hengkong shouted as he lunged forward, abandoning his sword and spear and using only his hands to clamp down on Olek's shoulders. Qingye, invisible using the Shadow Robe Technique, appeared from behind Olek, a shimmering golden talisman between her fingers. With all her might, Qingye hurled the Purification Talisman, aiming it at Olek's back, which Chu Hengkong held tightly.

That was their biggest trump card: a talisman possessing a 7-point essence due to the foreign object placed inside by Wu He. The only way to save Ji Huaisu was through this: using a higher level of power to break through the chain of misfortune!
“To overcome this misfortune, we must use power of a higher level. The strategy is correct. It seems your superiors understand me well.” Olek nodded. “However, I still have some unfortunate news to tell you…”

"While we imaginary demons do not follow the path of ascension, we are still divided into high and low, noble and base. My true form has long surpassed the Second Abyss, and in terms of the level of life, I am roughly equal to what you call..."

Point mass 7.

Therefore, no one can escape misfortune.

For only the highest can transcend the authority of misfortune.

This was the fundamental reason he allowed Wu He to act freely, and the source of his confidence in using talismans to set up a trap. The power of the Shining Star King's Cavalry had long been lost over time; even after merging with that talisman, it only possessed a mere level three power. There was simply no one in Golden Leaf City of higher rank than him. The Dragon Tree Separation Talisman touched the hem of Olek's robe, unfortunately triggering a transfer effect. The talisman, extremely hostile to the outside world, folded in an inappropriate arc, striking Chu Hengkong's chest like a sharp weapon.

Chu Hengkong, identified as a heretic, was severely injured on the spot. The death trap he had deliberately avoided had ultimately returned to him. Yet he smiled, a smile filled with the madness of a desperate gamble.

"If our choices inevitably lead to terrible results, then let misfortune decide for itself."

Look at the consequences of your actions!

The man leaned backward due to inertia; he did nothing but fall into the abyss due to the impact of the unfortunate transfer.

It fell towards the underground where Ji Huaisu was trapped!

"you--!"

Only now did Olek realize the enemy's scheme. Ever since Ji Huaisu was trapped, they hadn't intended to use the talisman to cause harm; their true aim was to make him, the Demon of Misfortune itself, make a wrong judgment!

The unfortunate chain pierced through the vortex, carrying extremely concentrated power, and shot straight towards the falling Chu Hengkong. But in the unseen depths of Olek, the light of twilight emanated from the ground. Vande's pupil technique made the chains instantly visible, and at that moment, his perfectly coordinated teammate drew his sword. The Unreturning Strike slashed out of the vortex, creating a fleeting opening, and the sword's cry, unforgettable for the other assassin, resounded into the sky.

In the distance, Shakhs Ibn Urd tracked the source of the sound. Without hesitation, he fired his final shot, the gray bullet swirling in the air, carrying a rapid chain of misfortune. That was the reason Olek had initially targeted him, the "Death Will Bullet," unique in the low-mass category.

The bullet severed the iron chain above the hole, allowing the situation to escape the control of misfortune for the first time!

Chu Hengkong was pulled down to the ground by gravity. He didn't see the same scenery as Ji Huaisu because his eyes were fixed on the ground. The Dragon Tree Separation Talisman was embedded in his torso, and its golden light was about to shatter and pull out the True Mechanical Spine. But Chu Hengkong held onto the talisman tightly with his hands, and Fan De stretched out his tentacles, using all his strength to help him push the talisman away.

"Let that guy see!" the Eye Demon shouted, looking to his side and then to the ground, "Fate... is something that is born to be conquered!"

They plummeted into the ground, smashing through the ranks of the Shadow Knights. Thanks to the Immortal Machine's previous mechanization modifications, he hadn't died from such a powerful impact. Chu Hengkong took a deep breath, using his intact right hand to forcefully pull the rune embedded in his flesh. His aura sent the surrounding undead flying, and at the point where misfortune solidified, the blonde girl stood alone.

Her body was pierced by numerous knives and spears, her injuries so severe she was almost unrecognizable. Yet she still stood stubbornly. With that indomitable will... with that spirit of never giving up, nurtured by her teachers, her comrades, and the city she came from!
Ji Huaisu reached out her hand, and Chu Hengkong gave her a firm high five, placing the Dragon Tree Immaculate Talisman in his partner's hands, delivering their last hope. She was a knight raised by an ancient dragon and martial arts practitioners; she was the most qualified person in the world to use talismans.

"From now on, it's up to you."

rest assured.

give it to me!

Ji Huaisu clenched the talisman, the golden light merging into her body, carrying the familiar warmth she had known since childhood, the power belonging to ancient dragons, martial artists, and knights. The underground was illuminated by the golden light, the world becoming a hazy, illusory illusion. The chains binding the knights silently snapped, and the undead removed their helmets, revealing weathered, guilty, and self-reproachful faces.

Guilt that almost drove him to suicide, relief that the younger generation survived, pride that arose from the knight's success, and disappointment that stemmed from his own incompetence... so many complex emotions were woven into the eyes of the dead and reflected in Ji Huaisu's heart.

The souls who remained steadfast in their sense of justice until the very end nearly made a grave mistake at the last moment.

Should one rebuke? Should one forgive? Should one cry? Or roar? Little thought is needed; emotions alone are enough to make the choice.

She drew her longsword and pointed it to the sky as if making a vow. She gazed at the spirits of her ancient ancestors and shouted to the warriors who had long since perished.

"Follow me into battle!"

And so, amidst the knights' tears and roars, swords were pointed at her blade. The dead melted in the light, their last strength flowing into the runes, becoming her power!
·
That was a moment that words couldn't even describe.

As Olek prepared to venture underground, and as a chain of misfortunes swept over them, a blue light appeared on the surface.

The light was so thick, like the roots of a giant tree covering the earth, twisting and turning to form curved arcs. Olek's expression finally changed. Qingye, oblivious to everything else, stared blankly at the light on the ground. She imagined the trajectory of the converging light, and a ridiculous idea formed in her mind.

"This is... a secret array?"

Then, the heavy rain that covered the entire city stopped.

Raindrops lingered in the air, each one like a murky pearl, reflecting the faces of every living being in the city. They flew northwards, like a vast army summoned to action, breaking through ruins and whirlpools, flowing into the dark, lightless earth. The secret array covering the city shone brightly, the pattern at its center shifting and changing, resembling dragons, swords, and stars—its exact nature unclear.

A deep tremor emanated from beneath the earth, a long, drawn-out cry like that of a colossal being. The source of the tremor drew closer to the surface as the light shifted, rising majestically from the depths of the earth, its long body shattering the vortex of misfortune.

It was a long dragon, a majestic dragon formed by flowing water!
The long dragon coiled and roared before plunging down towards the golden humanoid figure rising from the ground. Its body dissipated, enveloping the figure and transforming into a pristine, azure-blue ice armor. She opened her purple eyes, looking down at the demon who controlled destiny.

"It is the frost that cleanses away turbidity and seals away tears."

The light of the secret array converged in her hand, forming a heavy, sharp black greatsword. Shadowy black and aquamarine blue flashed in succession, merging with the blade. Ji Huaisu drew the sword, swung it, and unleashed a vast power in a single strike, the aquamarine sword light illuminating the entire city.

The Holy Judgment of Discipline·The Shadow of Raging Waves!

The iron chains snapped, and control ceased. All the misfortunes that had plagued Golden Leaf City were severed in a single, instantaneous strike!
(End of this chapter)