Forge a path to success

This is a unique skill that only cultivators of the Heart Sword are qualified to practice. Dragon Spring Village Secret Technique: One Qi for a Thousand Autumns!

The wind howled, and the killing intent was blinding. His fading consciousness flew from the seabed, bound by chains of agony, back to his body. He held his sword to deflect the attack, waiting for an opportunity to stab the machine. The rock blade was deflected by the reflective armor, and a pincer-like steel fist slammed into his chest. Ribs shattered, his heart stopped beating, and blood and fragments of internal organs surged into his throat. The man took a step back.

He swallowed blood, swallowed his voice, and as he retreated, his tentacles transformed into spears that pierced through. Death was imminent, and the man's spirit surged. His speed and power increased once more; at this moment, his speed surpassed that of any true machine. The Heavenly Spear pierced the Immortal Machine's wound, halting its repair, and the surge of ambition ignited a frenzy of electric sparks.

The offensive was interrupted, its internal components damaged, and the Immortal Machine retreated one meter. A crimson light flashed in its single eye; the verification program was about to restart and complete, and the existing computing resources were sufficient for a preliminary self-check. Energy reserves: 49.4%; target: replenishing resources. Range calculation complete; target locked; energy concentrated. Matter-disintegrating rays emitted.

A destructive red light erupted, annihilating all matter in its path with unparalleled divine might. No matter could survive under this light; even the bodies of martial artists were rendered useless before the beam. Martial artists were engulfed by the red light, their humanoid silhouettes instantly vaporizing, but these were merely afterimages left behind. The real Chu Hengkong ducked forward, dodging the beam at an angle almost touching the ground.

He mustered his strength and unleashed a heavy punch, which struck the chassis of the Immortal Machine squarely, sending it flying backward and sending the beam of destruction soaring into the sky!

When basic qualities reach the same level as True Machines, one's perspective also broadens. The design of Ultimate True Machines is indeed perfect, and its functions are sufficient to handle all situations. However, this conclusion requires a presupposition: the intended use of the "Immortal Machine" model.

The Ultimate Machine - Immortal Machine is a machine designed for the purpose of "recycling resources". It is a tool rather than a weapon, a craftsman rather than a soldier. Therefore, its attack power is sufficient but its precision is lacking. When the enemy has the strength to compete with the Immortal Machine, this difference in identity will become its weakness.

Another miscalculation occurred; the energy-intensive ray failed to recover sufficient resources. Chu Hengkong's figure disappeared from the front, and the Immortal Machine imported the latest data, correcting its attack mode. It didn't extinguish the disintegration ray; instead, the red light intensified. Hundreds upon hundreds of thin lines were drawn from the light, twisting, swirling, and folding, like a thousand deadly needles piercing the warriors on the ground.

Material splitting ray traversal mode.

Needle-thin rays of light rained down, and a green shadow emerged, escaping its pursuer. Chu Hengkong decisively sheathed his sword, abandoning the chase. He dodged the light by the slightest margin, the ground vanishing where he went, leaving behind an empty void. The Immortal Machine remained stationary, maintaining its ray emission. Its pincer-like limbs shimmered with golden light, and the compressed force field transformed into a missile, hurtling straight towards Chu Hengkong's face.

The forward momentum stopped abruptly, and the martial artist turned 90 degrees to ascend the side slope. The crimson rays turned around in unison, forming a series of sharp angles that followed. The rock blade had reached its limit in the previous exchange, so Chu Hengkong no longer used the blade. While running, he continuously threw leaves, using the falling leaf knives to maintain his offensive.

However, the Immortal Machine had readjusted the frequency of its reflective armor; ripples surged across its white shell, and all the blades were deflected. Chu Hengkong looked around and saw crimson light covering the sky, golden missiles penetrating every crevice, each a deadly attack, each strike capable of turning the tide of battle irreversibly. He knew he could go even faster, but in reality, there was no room to dodge.

The earlier dodge had cleared the surrounding area, leaving only a chilling, deadly light. The Immortal Machine was 50 meters away, a distance completely cleared by the matter-disintegrating rays; even with his incredible speed, he couldn't escape. Intuition arrived before thought. He heard Vandal roar.

"Faster! Only 10 seconds left!!"

One hour and forty minutes. This was the limit Chu Hengkong estimated he could endure, and also the final deadline of this battle. In 10 seconds, regardless of the condition of the Immortal Machine, he would die from the collapse of his body or from the dissipation of the One Qi Thousand Autumns technique. With 9 seconds left, the offensive remained relentless. He charged towards the Immortal Machine, his foothold behind him crumbling. In 8 seconds, attacks came from all directions, engulfing the warrior's body in light.

A bright green leaf rose up, enveloping Chu Hengkong like a shield!

The second effect of the fallen leaves was a one-second "return to roots" effect. The fallen leaves between Chu Heng's fingers returned, but their lingering afterimage was shattered by the golden light. The Immortal Machine's attack far exceeded its normal range; its Ghostly Annihilation Field could even destroy thoughts. The shield formed by the fallen leaves was instantly destroyed, but the warrior's figure was no longer visible in the red light. He appeared fifty meters away, behind the Immortal Machine, in the shadow created by the light.

Iron Spider Gauntlets, Shadow Movement.

At the 7th second, the Immortal Machine interrupted its disintegration ray and stopped firing missiles. It turned to retreat, but its adjusting nozzle was smashed by a powerful punch. Chu Hengkong's fist trembled violently, and swirling ripples appeared throughout the Immortal Machine's body. At this moment, the verification program finally restarted, and a warning that should have appeared long ago rose to the highest level of the response sequence.

374 energy reactions were detected within the body.

Chu Hengkong clenched his fist, exerting his strength, and channeled the last bit of power into the steel. All the energy he had previously poured in was simultaneously unleashed, like chaotic stars shattering the sky. Nearly a third of the armor on the Immortal Mech's surface shattered, and the burst of electric sparks resembled starlight.

Longquan Township Secret Tales: Chaotic Stars!

Vande's hypnosis was both to give Yi Qi Qian Qiu time to accumulate power and to plant the seeds of Chaotic Stars in the process. They knew from the beginning that the defense of the True Machine was difficult to break through, so Chu Heng Kong gambled the outcome on this secret technique, using the ultimate skill that had once finished off Besen's clone as the decisive blow.

Six seconds later. The armor shattered, exposing the internal structure, and the Immortal Machine's crimson eyes spun chaotically. This was the only chance, the only hope for survival in this battle. Chu Hengkong retracted his tentacles, and as he unleashed the Sky Spear, he saw a pure white light.

Those were fragments of the Immortal Machine's armor, sent flying by in an illogical trajectory after being blasted away, like an extremely thin sword shadow. The moment the sword shadow entered his vision, he could see nothing at all; the fragments sliced ​​through him like blades, completely destroying Chu Hengkong's eyes!

Chapter 89 Silent Deathmatch

"Force field...object displacement!! Dodge! Dodge!!"

The sound of wind. The sound of collision. A jumble of noises. Van der's scream. Blood flowed from the void, and a part of himself dissipated with it. It was a strange feeling, like hiding inside and watching death, watching life flow away from the blood, like a thin ribbon of blood flying into the distance.

Then came the excruciating pain. Pain unlike anything I'd ever experienced. It felt like my brain had been ripped open, my nerves torn apart by brute force. The urge to scream echoed within me, a suffocating feeling gripping my neck. If I didn't speak, I would die. I needed to breathe. Stop. Stop—

"Get away!!"

Chu Hengkong forcefully shut his lips, almost grinding his teeth to powder. He used the momentum from the slash to retreat, crossing the trench carved by the disintegrating ray. He successfully avoided the attack; the Immortal Machine's next strike hadn't arrived yet. There was no foothold on the ravaged ground, and the enemy needed time to close the distance. But he couldn't see any details. He couldn't see anything. He barely managed to assume a fighting stance. How many seconds were left? How much time did he have?

There are 4.87 seconds remaining until the event ends.

The Immortal Machine's computational circuits provided the conclusion, freeing it from the interference of the Ghostly Body's tampering attack, arriving at a flawless and infallible argument. Singularity Z-3000-3… Chu Hengkong's posture was full of flaws; even his direction of attack was misjudged. However, for this enemy, the preparation time for the full-power splitting ray was too long, and the current energy reserves did not allow for another misjudgment.

Therefore, the Immortal Machine adjusted its nozzles, and colorless flames shot out from behind its needle-like feet. It was still the shortest and most efficient attack; it crashed directly forward, and its crossed pincer-like limbs released a force field, turning the most ordinary collision into an attack that obliterated both body and soul.

*Clang.* The rock blade barely blocked an attack, then the needle-like appendages erupted, piercing the assassin's left lung. The assassin and the blade flew backward together. The assassin tumbled awkwardly, crashing into a rock—a calculated move. The pincer-like appendages spun and smashed out, followed by a cross-shaped slash from the needle-like appendages. The lightning-fast, unstoppable combo formed a golden cross, each strike enhanced by the Ghostly Body Annihilation Field to increase its range.

Chu Hengkong parried with his tattered longsword, their three exchanges were incredibly difficult, pushing him to the very limits of his survival once more. The blade emitted a noise as if it were on the verge of collapse.

Clang. Clang. 4 seconds. 3 seconds. Neither side made a sound; only the clashing of their swords and halberds testified to their resolve.

The hidden weapon, Fallen Leaves, was no longer usable. His right gauntlet had been completely destroyed before the third exchange of blows, and the blade of his rock sword was riddled with cracks. Two lines of blood ran from the corner of the swordsman's eyes; he no longer resembled a warrior or an assassin, but merely a still-moving corpse. He struggled to parry, dodged awkwardly, and clung to life.

Then he swung his sword again.

He swung his sword once more.

He swung his sword once more—!

The enemy's appearance was completely invisible. Frankly, the attack patterns were imperceptible. Whether one was parrying a normal attack or a force field impact, dodging a slash that could be withstood or a deadly technique, was entirely unknown, just like the battle itself. The only tangible sensation was pain. The pain of broken limbs. The pain of a pierced lung. The pain of a stiffening heart. And the constant, ethereal pain that flashed before my eyes.

It's truly an eyesore. At this rate, they're bound to die. Having reached this point, life and death are no longer in doubt. This battle, refusing to end like a zombie's rage, is a true symbol of nothingness.

But he had no intention of ending it. He wanted to continue. If he were to simply admit defeat because he was going to die, or give up the fight because he couldn't win, then what difference was there between him and the machine before him?

If I fall here, what will all that I've accumulated so far mean?

Death is permissible, defeat is acceptable.

But I absolutely cannot allow my life to lose its meaning!

Four slashes, aimed at vital points—upper right, lower left, middle, and ankle—were unleashed simultaneously. The serpentine strikes parried the diagonal attack, while a sidestep evaded a middle thrust, culminating in a minimally forceful side kick that stomped on the blade aimed at the foot. Chu Hengkong hooked the needle-like foot with his tentacles, his right fist, gripping the hilt of his sword, lashed out. The straight punch struck the gaping hole in the armor, sparks illuminating the man's vicious smile.

2 seconds. 1 second. 0 seconds. The countdown stopped, and the assassin, exceeding the limits of prediction, continued to fight at an astonishing speed. Chu Hengkong's speed doubled, and after another clash, the rock blade deflected the incoming needle-like attack. What blocked the Immortal Machine was no longer a clumsy slash. It was a slash that transcended prediction, a slash that could be described as perfect. The existing energy utilization rate was increased to the limit, yet Chu Hengkong easily parried its slash!

The alarm from the computational circuit arrived belatedly. The Immortal Machine realized it had made a second mistake. It shouldn't have robbed the enemy of their sight; any non-lethal attack would only escalate the enemy's threat. That injury had brought Chu Heng Kong Kong extremely close to death, which was why the intensity of his inner energy had surged so rapidly.

Because of the fatal blow that deprived the enemy of sight, their strength leaped forward again in just five seconds!

Then it came to understand reality. The enemy's attacks would not cease. Driven by secret techniques, coincidences, and a mad obsession, Chu Hengkong transcended life and death and common sense; even death could not stop his actions. Even if his body was shattered, even if his thoughts were interrupted, his excessively inflated spirit would engulf his ghostly form, transforming it into a battle-crazed undead!

Another second passed. The Immortal Machine couldn't accurately track the enemy's movements. Even within its crimson vision, all it could see were afterimages. Enemies surrounding it from all sides unleashed a variety of techniques, their lightning-fast combos breaking through the True Machine's defenses. There was no time to heal its wounds, its energy reserves dwindled further, and its dying frenzy created an invisible deathmatch arena, where only the wind of fists and the shadows of swords filled the air.

"Use your spirit to capture...unleash your inner power!!"

Chu Hengkong felt a faint sound from his pocket, a voice that was still supporting his friend's advice. He did as he was told, and those excessively inflated emotions and fleeting fantasies pierced his eyes like tangible horns.

Therefore, Chu Hengkong was able to "see"—to see the form composed of sound, smell, and intuition; to see its injuries; to see its weaknesses; and to see another ghostly entity roaring within that form. The white iron worm stared back at him, its crimson eyes churning with a similar killing intent.

That thing also had the confidence to burn its bridges. Very good. Now that's what you call an enemy.

That's more like the kind of opponent I should have!

He swung his sword relentlessly, countless blades flashing into a dense, seemingly overwhelming barrage from all directions, yet in reality, it was a refined swordsmanship technique focused on a single point. The frenzied blades formed a net, and shattering any one of them would trigger a counterattack from all the remaining strikes.

The interference range of the force field was insufficient, and the activation time of the ray was inadequate, so the Immortal Machine resorted to an outdated method. One of its pincer-like limbs temporarily transformed into an opening resembling a small cauldron, from which an extremely strong gravitational force was generated. Instantly, a hole appeared in Chu Hengkong's net of blades, and a pale golden iron pincer pierced out, smashing towards his head with an opposing repulsive force.

A standard gravity generator, a standard feature of soul containers. It was this power that destroyed Chu Hengkong's eyesight, and it was this power that took away all the strange beasts in the mountains. The lower-level module, which should have been completely replaced by the matter-disintegrating ray, became a game-changer in the desperate battle!

Unavoidable. Unstoppable. Even without seeing the attack's form, intuition can lead to a conclusion in an instant. The rock blade cannot withstand the enemy's iron fist; even if it evades the dissipating force field, it will still obliterate the ghostly body.

What's needed now is a way to defeat the enemy. A counterattack after surviving a fatal blow. A decisive move that transcends life's limits. Ji Qiufeng hadn't taught such a fist technique. None of the martial arts he'd ever learned contained such a miracle. Yet, inexplicably, a strange confidence resided within him. That technique truly existed, appearing in similar situations, etched upon the blade of the same weapon—

Memories flashed by in an indescribable instant, the deadly battle in the fire suddenly appearing before my eyes. The rock-like man and his deadly blade, the samurai's figure instantly overlapping with the enemy at this moment. He had crossed that deadly barrier before, using his own unique swordsmanship, wielding the same blade.

"—!"

Chu Heng stepped forward, bracing himself for the inevitable annihilation. The essence of immovability flowed within him, and his crumbling longsword traced a graceful, swallow-like trajectory. But that alone wasn't enough; a fragile bird would be slain by machinery. Therefore, he added the true essence of rock. In the instant of deflection, he absorbed the enemy's attack, transforming it into a thunderous counterforce…

If the enemy's strength is too great to overcome, then use their brutality to hone your blade and unleash a doubled, righteous strike!

He laughed silently, closed his eyes, and swung his sword. The clashing blades deflected, but instead of flying far, they plunged straight in. The blade light bypassed the steel pincers and then suddenly exploded, carrying a power and determination far greater than before, like thunder breaking in the silence!

Steel Edge Flow - Returning Strike!

At that moment, the rock blade pierced the white phantom, the mortal's longsword cutting through metal and severing the immortal machine. A deep crack ran through the blade, and the rock blade shattered upon completion of the strike, taking with it the original owner's relieved mission. The assassin was now unarmed, and the machine's energy was nearly exhausted. A nearly exposed heart, unrepaired armor—fatal weaknesses laid bare before each other—and they simultaneously unleashed their final blows.

The Heavenly Spear struck first, its burning silver blade piercing the crack, nearly piercing through the Immortal Machine's body. Chu Hengkong used the retracting tentacles to lunge forward, his powerful punch striking the crimson single eye. The armor protecting the pupil cracked, but his movements abruptly halted. The True Machine's attack had arrived; the Immortal Machine's two forelimbs collided, unleashing a blinding golden light. That light swept across the battlefield like a ring, passing over Chu Hengkong's body. Blood flowed from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, his impending attack unable to stop.

The Ghostly Body Annihilation Field delivers a wide-area attack!

The Immortal Machine's crimson eyes flashed wildly, and warnings from its calculation program popped up repeatedly, indicating that it was excessively abusing its resources. It manually shut down the program; purely rational simulation would only lead to defeat in the face of the enemy. This was the most energy-intensive attack; after three more impacts, it would temporarily lose its mobility. But to kill Chu Hengkong, this was the only way.

If you can't even make the decision to abandon energy, how can you fight to the death against an enemy who has abandoned life?

The verification process has been completely shut down, leaving no weaknesses in its countermeasures. The Immortal Machine's armor has ceased repairs; even if it perishes here, it will end the enemy's life. At this moment, Chu Hengkong has not yet regained consciousness. The Immortal Machine's pincers separate and then clash again.

The second wide-area attack was launched, this time extinguishing the flames of ambition and completely shattering the protective aura surrounding the ghost's body. Then, in less than a breath, the third wide-area attack overloaded, the annihilating light striking the assassin at close range... Yet Chu Hengkong did not fall! Another will blocked his way, the Eye Demon leaping into the light, silver tears of blood streaming from its eyes!

"Go! Chu Hengkong!!"

A roar roused his dormant consciousness, and he saw the Eye Demon's body engulfed in golden light. His consciousness transformed into ablaze with blue flames, and the raging fire of ambition destroyed the interior of the Immortal Machine. In the instant the wide-area attack paused, he clenched his fist, using all the strength within his body, and the man's furious expression was reflected in the Immortal Machine's crimson eyes!

"kill!!"

A heavy punch shattered the crimson eyes, completely destroying the true machine's computational core. Amidst the roar that shook the mountains, the silent battle came to an end.

The warrior stood atop the wrecked machine, battered and bruised, yet his fighting spirit soared!

Outer Path Point 2, Ultimate True Machine - Immortal Machine, completely destroyed.

Chapter 90: A Chance to Survive in a Desperate Situation

At first, there were faint flashes of electricity, leaping, straight, constantly bending like luminous tree branches. The tree of light grew larger and stretched, dazzling like stars, its light almost swallowing everything, but after reaching a certain critical point, it suddenly receded. The ever-converging radiance was like a hole that devoured everything, forming a star-ring-like field of vision centered on the ruins.

Then the void disappeared, and colors gradually returned to the world.

Vande convulsed for a while before finally getting up from the ground. The excruciating pain continued to assail him, and his ghostly form was barely more than a tattered plastic bag. He suddenly worried that he might go blind. For an Eye Demon, blindness was practically the same as death, almost equivalent to a vegetable. Thinking this, he wiped away the blood and quickly opened his eyes.

What comes into view is pure white steel, with a slender structure and curves, resembling an alien dragon.

"I'm going to die!!"

Vande jumped up in a panic, nearly going blind from fright. He looked closer and noticed that beneath the keel were numerous charred components; the Immortal Machine's single eye was destroyed, its armor shattered, and it lay in the scorched earth, a mechanical "corpse." The assassin stood not far away, breathing slowly. The rock blade in his hand was shattered, leaving only the bare hilt.

"This is really tough." It heard Chu Hengkong's voice. "This thing is pretty good even among point 2 particles."

"A master?" Vande said in a daze, "This is beyond the description of a master. It is the strongest. The strongest in the world. It can cut down enemies of the same level like leeks. I have never seen a true machine defeated by an enemy of the same level. This is the first time ever. I didn't expect it to die so beautifully."

"I thought it would self-destruct."

"They probably sent the important materials back. The Empire's stingy. I need to write this down." Vande trembled. "My God. God bless us. It's dead. We won! We defeated the strongest!!"

It jumped and leaped, excitedly barking in place. The townspeople arrived at the scene. Qi Su gazed at the wreckage of the true machine, momentarily thinking she was dreaming. She wept, her tears falling and shattering into a misty haze. Chu Hengkong remained still, a low, sinister laugh escaping his lips.

"How many relics can this material make?"

"Who knows? Nobody's ever tried refining a true weapon before. It has to be the highest level, absolutely the highest level!" Vande was still basking in ecstasy. "Dude, do you know what this means? You're a true legend!!"

"That's great," Chu Hengkong said softly. "You've made a name for yourself."

A torrent of blood gushed from the man's back, like crimson wings. He no longer had the strength to stand; he slid down and collapsed into the blood-red dust.

Vande's eyes still held a lingering smile; it hadn't yet recovered from its euphoria. "...Dude?" It ran to the assassin's side, beginning to panic. Qi Su rushed over and hastily pulled off his coat. The man's back was unrecognizable; where the spine should have been, a bloody, mangled wound stretched out, blood gushing out like an explosion, and white bone fragments embedded in the broken flesh.

"Normally, the energy is concentrated in the spine to complete a cycle, so why did it dissipate at the end in your case..."

"My spine was contaminated by external pathogens a few days ago."

A casual conversation flashed by, and previously overlooked information became vividly clear. Chu Hengkong couldn't train his entire skeletal system, which was why he clumsily tried to train each bone individually. He solved the imbalance problem, but the most crucial part—his spine—remained untrained, still his Achilles' heel. Such fragile bones simply couldn't withstand intense combat, especially since he had used a thousand qi...

He couldn't even withstand the Qi technique that forged his bones, let alone the violent Qi of a thousand autumns!

"No. No, no!" Vande tried to cover his wound, but blood gushed from between the tentacles, taking away his life that could not be restored. "Qisu, heal! Use your divine magic!!"

"I'm already doing it!"

"Heal," "Cure," "Recover"—one after another, the secret runes, like glowing water droplets, seeped into Chu Hengkong's wounds, but the effect was negligible. Qi Su's power had long been exhausted; she was not a priestess specializing in healing, and now that even her staff was almost broken, there was no way to save him.

Vande suddenly jumped up and pushed Qi Su's hand: "Summoning array! Get the people from Huilong City here, quick!!"

The True Machine is dead. The external contamination has vanished. Realizing this, Qi Su hurriedly left behind a healing array and ran towards the beach. Vande was still trying, attempting to plug the wound with its mucus, but to no avail. That life force, powerful enough to defeat the True Machine, was weakening, becoming even more fragile than an ordinary human.

It was too late. Vande frantically looked around, trying to find anything that could help. He saw a grey priest's robe, and Bernhardt stood not far away, holding a Requiem, his expression neither sad nor happy.

"Bernfar, save him! Please!!"

The priest shook his head and put his hands behind his back.

“On the first day I arrived here, you asked me why I came here. At that time, I told you the truth: this place is a wasteland where the souls of the dead linger, and my responsibility is to let the dead rest in peace. This is the duty that God has given us.”

“Every life living in this world should accept its own destiny,” the monk said calmly. “Your arrival and his have dispelled the fog and made the frozen time begin to flow. From that moment on, the arrival of the True Machine was inevitable. You still have a choice between life and death, but when he decided to fight against the True Machine, his fate was sealed.”

"I do not act for the living, but only for the dead." He walked up to Chu Hengkong, looking down at the dying man. "Brave warrior, do you have any last wishes that I should fulfill?"

"Pah!" The monk's advice was interrupted by a spitting rebuke. The man in the pool of blood raised his eyes, looking up but with disdain.

"I don't need a funeral...!"

“Then farewell, if this is your last wish.” Bernfar turned away abruptly. “May you rest in peace.”