Forge a path to success

Nagarjuna's Separation from Defilement.

"Without lifting a finger!" Wu He said happily, "That martial arts practitioner was also thinking of making talismans, and this talisman just happened to end up in my hands. Luck really is something that turns bad into good; after a period of misfortune, good fortune has come my way again."

In my opinion, things that are intangible are never trustworthy. Only material things. Child. Only material things and life itself are worth relying on.

A voice sounded from the darkness, kind and gentle, like the voice of an elder patiently guiding a junior. Wu He unfolded the talisman he had obtained from the stone seed, admiring its near-perfect design.

"Let's just say that's how it is. Anyway, this is the last time I'll talk to you like this," Wu He said casually.

He walked onto the balcony and looked up at the dark night sky. The man raised his hands as if embracing, and a small, glittering object fell from his palms. It was a gleaming gold badge, with a meteor-like protrusion running through the curve at the bottom, like a star rising from the bottom of an abyss.

The shape of the badge was exactly the same as Ji Huaisu's pendant.

"Refining begins."

The badge melted like golden droplets, and a third force merged into the rune. Wu He struggled to raise his arms, and from his stronghold, tens of thousands of vein-like black lines activated, rapidly spreading throughout the city. The rune array, meticulously prepared for days, was activated at this moment; the power within the earth's veins was drawn into the array and surged through the array into Wu He's body!

Chapter 138 The Traitor of Dragon Village

In the northwest of Jinye City, Qingye leaped from rooftop to rooftop, rushing towards the assassins' dueling arena in the shortest distance. What was once ruins had been transformed into a blood-red cage, and an eerie power controlled the entire area, making even the mere sight of it chilling.

She tied the stone seed to her waist with a rope. Unable to write, the stone seed could only transmit its thoughts through its mental vines: "Do not act rashly; malice is seeping into the earth."

"Ah, I know, but finding Mr. Chu is the top priority right now." Qingye pursed her lips tightly. "He's backed by the wreckage of the Immortal Machine. If he goes berserk and sends a message to the Empire, things will be very bad!"

[…Oh no, what if it's that War General?] Stone Seed was gripped by inexplicable anxiety. [Are both sides in a desperate situation…?]

"We have to fight this desperately to avoid a hopeless situation!"

What Qingye didn't say was that, in the worst-case scenario, she would consider having Chu Hengkong send a signal. This was not only because the success of the talisman master's ritual would bring consequences they couldn't bear, but also because the hidden dangers beneath Jinye City could erupt at any moment.

Just as Chu Hengkong said, if it really comes to that point, attracting the Empire of Truth would actually be a solution, at least the Empire would kill them and the heretics together.

Shi Zhong sternly warned: "Child, never consider a mutually destructive strategy. The Empire will definitely attack Huilong City along the shipping route, and then Lord Zhulong's plan will be ruined."

"I'm just thinking about the worst-case scenario! By the way, how do you know so much? You're not just a seed!"

Don't underestimate the intelligence network of our Divine Tree Clan!

The banter with the seeds eased the tension somewhat, but Qingye felt a pulsating, vein-like power emanating from the earth, and the more she thought about it, the more chaotic her mind became. She hadn't found any trace of a spell during her previous reconnaissance; the spellcaster's methods were quite sophisticated. He was probably draining the earth's power to perform a ritual, but this would very likely trigger the spiral tower ruins underground…

What if another natural disaster strikes? Do they still have the strength to defeat the heretics? The only chance of victory they can think of is Ji Huaisu's "ancestors," but...

"Sister Huaisu, I didn't see the fog underground."

“I’ve tried calling out several times, but it’s no use.” Ji Huaisu’s voice was also a little nervous. “This time, the ancestors won’t appear.”

·

Jinye City, underground.

In the oppressive, lightless space, shadow knights stood silently. Fully armed and ready for battle, they did not move an inch. Countless iron chains drilled down from the ground, embedding themselves in the knights' bodies. Each chain precisely bound a knight, turning the guardians of the underworld into puppets of doom.

The giant egg stood at a distance, its gaze passing through the unusual knights and looking at a certain piece of land that they were guarding so closely.

"Things are getting complicated..." a muffled voice came from inside the eggshell. "I should get moving too."

·

She searched everywhere through the night, but couldn't find any trace of the Shadow Knights. The blood-red cage was almost within reach. She fell from the rooftop to the ground and stood before the cage. She thrust out her twin blades first, and the powerful slash struck the cage, but it made her own wrists go numb.

As the blade struck, a strange sense of weakness washed over her. Touching the cage would strip her of her power, and several translucent, bloody hands seized the opportunity to reach out from between the cages, attempting to pull her in as well.

This is a method that weakens life force by affecting blood and qi, specifically targeting those who ascend on the path of unification, and its design is extremely malicious. Qingye cautiously retreated, using the throwing of shadow shurikens to break through the cage, but with little effect. The blood prison was as hard as a copper wall and iron barrier, with a powerful blood qi rising from within, continuously supplying it with power, making it difficult for external attacks to shake.

"This is……"

Qingye stopped what she was doing and hesitated for a moment. At that moment, a blinding light shone from behind, and Ji Huaisu, standing on a light shield, rushed over, still holding the green-eyed Fan De in her hand. She was about to draw her sword and kill the Blood Prisoner, but Qingye stopped her with one hand.

"what happened?"

"We can't dismantle it by force," Qingye said nervously. "This mechanism is absorbing Mr. Chu's life force!"

She had figured out the mechanism of the Blood Prison. It was like a greedy parasite that would absorb the blood energy of the prisoners inside to strengthen itself once attacked. If the Blood Prison was forcibly dismantled, Chu Hengkong would likely be drained dry along with it.

This meticulously crafted trap was clearly designed to buy time, and although Qingye saw through its intentions, she was unable to solve it for the time being. Both she and Ji Huaisu excelled at controlling elements, and no one could break a trap based on talismanic principles.

"I understand, Xiao Ye, stand further away." Ji Huaisu ran forward, "Chen Po!"

Qingye screamed, "Are you even listening to me?!!"

Without a word, Ji Huaisu plunged the Shadow Blade into the light shield and unleashed his strongest move—perhaps the most explosive killing move in the entire team. The light and shadow, both of the same origin and repulsive forces, shot forth, erupting completely upon contact with the blood prison, creating a storm that shook the earth.

Qingye hurriedly plunged her twin swords into the ground; otherwise, even she would be blown away by the dust. The blood-red cage was instantly engulfed by light, and the entire talisman trap was shattered by brute force, the broken blood energy being blown into the sky by the storm!

Ji Huaisu grabbed the powerless sword and shield, her own face paling slightly. She charged forward recklessly, while Qingye, only now realizing what was happening, screamed again, "What if you blow him up?!"

“He…is incredibly stubborn…” Van der said haltingly, “This little injury…won’t kill him…!”

The next instant, Qingye realized she was indeed too young. Just a breath later, she felt a terrifying aura wash over her, a chilling sensation akin to being targeted by a wild beast in a jungle. Two blood-red shadows flashed through the night, and a figure reeking of blood attacked, its five fingers pressed together towards her chest!

"Ughhhhh!" Qingye reflexively raised her twin swords to defend herself, the force of the impact causing her arms to tremble uncontrollably. Chu Hengkong uttered broken words: "Hold on... control me...!"

At this moment, Ji Huaisu seized the opportunity to launch a surprise attack from the side, using her frost-covered gauntlets to pin the assassin to the ground. Vande barely opened his eyes and released a hypnotic spell: "Don't move!"

Chu Hengkong paused for a second, his eyes flashing with a mixture of human restraint and chilling killing intent. Ji Huaisu took out a handful of golden pills and forcefully forced them into her partner's mouth. These were the Fuli Pills that Jie An had given her as a spare.

"Hang in there," she whispered. The assassin stopped struggling, closed his eyes, then opened them again, recovering from the chilling feeling of being dominated.

"...You saved me again."

"Don't talk when you're injured like this." Ji Huaisu frantically rummaged through the latrine. "Tomatoes, tomatoes... Oh no, I just ate one myself. Xiao Ye, do you have any more?"

"Oh, yes, yes!" Qingye hurriedly took out two tomatoes, which looked so fresh and appetizing.

【Vibrant Cherry Tomatoes】

Rating: 3

【Origin: ■■Fortress■Er■La】

Kinyo City

[Effect: Restores a large amount of physical strength after consumption and enhances the body's self-healing ability within half a day.]

Consuming too many tomatoes in a short period of time can increase your craving for vegetables.

[Longing: Fruit grown with care tastes the best.]

This thing was the supply that Gulibo prepared for everyone. Its true form was the fruit it grew in the elementary school garden... Qingye sincerely felt that it was extremely strange that a small animal that was not even an Ascendant could grow a Level 3 relic tomato. But thinking that it was a true citizen of the Divine Tree City-State, it seemed to be subtly acceptable.

After all, even fishmongers in that magical land are only level 3, so planting relic fruits is probably just like daily work or a hobby for them.

Qingye stuffed a tomato into Chu Hengkong's mouth, and after he swallowed it, the assassin's complexion improved somewhat. He took another tomato and tossed it to the unconscious Shakes nearby. Qingye was somewhat surprised: "This..."

"Once he wakes up, we'll have at least one more fighter. Even if he can help fight off the heretics, it'll be a bonus." Chu Hengkong struggled to his feet. "Where are the enemies?"

Qingye closed his eyes and sensed for a while: "The strongest aura is in the tall buildings to the north, probably hotels or office buildings. But..."

The situation was terrible, she thought. Once she calmed down, she could see Chu Hengkong's condition clearly. Half of his body had been torn to skeletal remains by the Death Will Bullet; his aura and physical form were both extremely weak. It was a miracle he was still alive. A tomato couldn't heal such injuries; he needed a professional healer, or even a stronger expert of a higher rank. But Chu Hengkong silently persevered, his face showing no sign of wavering.

"I can still hold on," he said succinctly. "We have to get going now, sorry."

With a flick of his left arm, he wrapped his tentacles around the waists of Ji Huaisu and Qingye. Then, he bent his knees, exerted force, and leaped into the air at a speed invisible to the naked eye, leaving a blurry trail in the air.

The air was pierced, the sound left behind, as if a camera zoomed in. The high-rise buildings in the northern part of the city magnified, and one of the hotel-like skyscrapers exuded an eerie aura, with a faint, crimson power forming an oval-shaped barrier above it. Using the momentum of his fall, he flicked his spear, a sharp thrust piercing the barrier and then smashing through the hotel's top floor. The three of them plummeted into the building along with the collapsing roof!

Chu Hengkong released the tentacle and held his breath. He once again circulated his Qi of a Thousand Autumns, squeezing out more power from his collapsing body. Qingye was still standing there, stunned, her face slightly flushed: "What kind of movement technique is this?!"

"A human rocket for an emergency, anyway, the enemy used this tactic first." Ji Huaisu shouldered the greatsword Shadow Blade with both hands, holding his breath like his partner. "Get ready...it's coming...!"

Thump. Thump. Thump. The man's footsteps echoed in the empty space. It was a dark and oppressive space, vast and empty, with an endless, dark red floor and tree ring-like markings etched on the ceiling. The area clearly exceeded the limits of the hotel's floors; the power of the rune array manipulated the space, and the hole created by the three men healed in the blink of an eye.

The black-haired spellcaster emerged from the eerie atmosphere, a confident smile on his face.

"Another brute-force attack, I don't know what to say. It's frustrating to have your carefully prepared territory ignored. Can't you just use a more strategic approach and follow the proper etiquette?"

“Thieves who take advantage of the chaos shouldn’t talk about rules,” Ji Huaisu said coldly. “Hand over the talisman.”

Wu He remained silent, only smiling. His smile gave Ji Huaisu a strange, nauseating feeling, as if something unseen was supporting him from behind—a confident, unashamed smile. Golden energy emanated from behind him, intertwining and forming a complex and mysterious talisman. At the center of the talisman was a long dragon coiled on a tree, beneath which lay a long sword, and above the tree, starlight shimmered.

That was the Dragon Tree Separation Talisman drawn by Shi Zhong, but its form was different from usual. A starlight appeared above the Dragon Tree Sword, which originally symbolized heaven, earth, and humanity, and that power made Ji Huaisu suspicious.

"Where are you from—"

"This has nothing to do with you anymore, little girl, Point 2." Wu He waved her hand dismissively, as if dismissing a guest. "Think it over carefully! Do you still want to continue? We haven't made any deadly enemies. Admit defeat, retreat peacefully, and I won't mind letting you leave. Or perhaps..."

He scanned the expressions of the three men one by one, a hint of sarcasm creeping into his smile.

"Do you really intend to be my enemy within my rune array?"

A white spear pierced the throat, a longsword slashed at the back of the head, and a shadow blade thrust towards the waist. Without needing to exchange words, the three attacked simultaneously. Wu He clapped his hands dismissively, and the three weapons retreated in unison just inches from him. Space stretched in an unbelievable way; in an instant before their thoughts could catch up, the distance between the three and Wu He increased tenfold. A sense of weakness as the space shifted washed over them, even more oppressive than the pressure within the blood prison, like an invisible hand pressing down on them!

Wu He shook his head, his spine cracking like popping beans, and stretched his body like an athlete who hadn't played in a long time.

He stretched out his palm forward, his strong arm swelling unnaturally, tripling in size in an instant, as if something of immense weight was moving within it. A mouth-like wound appeared in his palm, and amidst the flowing, strangely colored blood, sharp steel burst forth!

At first, it resembled the tip of a tower, then a spiraling, twisting steel-colored main body. The weapon's width increased from the tip to nearly two-thirds of its length, eventually obscuring half a person's body. The deep black shaft was deeply embedded in the gun body, its length almost sufficient to be used as a standalone club.

It was a colossal weapon reminiscent of heavy cavalry, an alien steel structure that no single person could possibly wield. Using such a weapon in close combat was simply a pipe dream; it should appear on the battlefield where cavalry gallop, where fully armed, heavily armored cavalry, relying on the power of their mounts, were qualified to use it in their charge.

But Wu He lifted the giant lance with just one hand, as easily as if he were "spitting" it out of his body. His blood seeped into the lance, coiling forward on the massive weapon to form a roaring crimson dragon encircling the lance.

"Soaring through the heavens and earth, dominating the universe."

Wu He raised his spear with one arm and slashed down. The blood dragon roared, the sound of the giant spear tearing through the air as it moved.

"The sword of the heart moves. The dragon of the night lifts the spear of the universe!"

Chapter 139 Heart Sword

In an instant, Chu Hengkong "saw" a colorless wind. It had no color, no form, only a powerful, condensed force forced forth from the martial artist's body. That force operated in a way he couldn't comprehend, forming a violent whirlwind ten or even a hundred times stronger than the original. The impact was beyond description as being attacked by wind; it felt as if the earth itself had stood behind him, a falling sensation assaulting him from behind. In a single move, the three of them were blown away in different directions!

His posture collapsed, his offensive became distorted, and any attempt to attack in this turbulent current was utterly futile; even maintaining his own balance required immense effort. Wu He charged forward, laughing loudly, using the inexplicable turbulence to increase his speed. He thrust his spear straight at Chu Hengkong's head, but Chu Hengkong dodged with a backbend, his tentacles flashing out to grab Wu He's wrist.

Just as he was about to exert his strength to dismantle Wu He's bones, the other party pointed to the left. In an instant, the wind direction changed, and the irresistible pulling force suddenly changed direction. Chu Heng had nowhere to grab hold and was blown away directly, his tentacles stretching extremely long in the air.

He decisively withdrew his arm, abandoning the entanglement, and suddenly tensed all his muscles, assuming an immobile stance. Almost at the same time as he reacted, an extremely thick wall emerged from the ground, blocking his way.

Chu Hengkong slammed heavily against the wall, the violent wind almost embedding him into it. Vande, standing in his pocket, warned, "The environment is changing! We can't get separated from the group!"

The ceiling was melting, the floor was tilting, and countless walls pierced out from all directions, dividing the strange space like a labyrinth. Wu He, armed with a gun, approached step by step, and a crimson array appeared beneath his feet, like an invisible web woven by a spider.

Ji Huaisu and Qingye hurriedly tried to rush to their aid, but the space within the talisman array shifted erratically. The battlefield between the two martial artists was severed by countless walls, and their location sank like mud. When they regained their senses, they found themselves in a long corridor with rows of guest room doors arranged in an orderly fashion, each door marked with a regular number.

The doors on both sides of the corridor opened simultaneously, and the guests stepped out, turning their heads with red lights in their eyes, like a swarm of bats grinning in the night.

A chill ran down Qingye's spine: "They..."

“They’re all corpse gu.” Ji Huaisu thought of the hideous creatures in the club. “They’re already dead, show no mercy!”

A corpse worm lunged forward, only to be severed by Ji Huaisu's sword, its foul-smelling blood splattering onto Qingye's face. For a moment, she wanted to close her eyes, but she forced herself to raise her weapon. She shielded Ji Huaisu's side, decapitating two more corpse worms. Their necks were easily severed, their fragility making her feel disgusted by her own act of wielding the sword.

Qingye shook off useless thoughts and muttered a curse under her breath. "Beast...!"

·

On another battlefield, Chu Hengkong retreated repeatedly, a bloody gash left on his cheek by the tip of his spear; he had nearly been pierced through the throat by the Qingkun Spear in the previous round. Wu He calmly compressed the battlefield, the Dragon Tree Stabilizing Talisman hanging behind him.

Chu Hengkong's sense of balance told him he was currently on the 12th floor, but the top floor they had broken into was the 30th. The hotel's space was manipulated freely by talismans, and the constantly shifting gunfire made his sense of direction as muddy as mud. He might be pressed against the ceiling, or perhaps the "ground" beneath Wu He's feet was the vertical side. In this chaotic space, only the martial artist wielding the gun remained stable. He was like an unchanging center point in the chaos; if he wanted, he could reach any point on the battlefield.

“You seem ill-suited to combat within formations; I’ve never even seen you use talismans.” Wu He blew on his fist. “Didn’t your master teach you? Was he also a master of concealment?”

"Not at all, Mr. Ji never holds back. He has always trusted me." Chu Hengkong laughed. "After all, I have a good mentality. I wouldn't become a heretic or evil person just because I've learned a little skill."

"Then you've truly met a good teacher, congratulations!" Wu He smiled. "We're all family, no need for formalities. As a senior on the path of martial arts cultivation... I'll give you a free lesson!"

He wiped the smile from his face and threw a punch, the surface of his fist turning a charred black. The body-enhancing talisman activated during their conversation, making the punch feel like an iron spike aimed at his head. Without thinking, Chu Hengkong rolled to the side along the wall, the steel fist grazing his ear and embedding itself in the wall. Wu He withdrew his fist and struck again, using monotonous, sadistic punches, each strike stronger than the last. Chu Hengkong rolled repeatedly to dodge, leaving dozens of fist marks behind him, piercing through the wall.

In the blink of an eye, the two fought to the end of the wall. Seeing no way to avoid it, Chu Hengkong dodged and then spun around, leaping up and kicking out with his foot like a knife, aiming for Wu He's neck. Wu He grabbed his ankle with his other hand, his bronze-cast-iron muscles bulging, his strength like an iron clamp. He exerted a sudden burst of strength and threw Chu Hengkong away, the assassin smashing through five walls in succession.

Upon landing, Chu Hengkong rolled and sprang to his feet, using his waist to somersault backward. The Qingkun Spear, like an iron pillar supporting the sky, descended from the heavens, its violent force slamming into the earth and creating a crater-like depression, causing the ground to churn up like a tidal wave.

As Wu He swung his gun down, he used the butt of the gun to prop himself up, kicking Chu Hengkong in the face with both feet. Chu Hengkong parried the attack with both arms, and Wu He spun around and jumped down, continuing his assault. Their fists and feet clashed, leaving countless afterimages. However, Wu He grew stronger with each blow, while Chu Hengkong fought and retreated, his seemingly impenetrable defense showing signs of fatigue. Every move, every attack and defense, was fraught with danger. His tentacles were a beat too slow in their defense, his palm strikes a fraction too late, forcing him to retreat and dodge—a difference even a layman could see, a disparity in speed and power.

Chu Hengkong was in terrible condition. He could see the enemy's moves clearly and figure out how to counter them, but his body simply couldn't keep up with the pace of the battle. Instead of getting stronger as the fight went on, his condition only worsened. He was on the verge of death after his battle with Shaks, an injury so severe that it wouldn't be surprising if a higher-level expert died on the spot. He had only managed to hold on until now thanks to his extraordinary willpower.

However, Wu He, being a level 3 martial artist, already possessed a superior physical constitution compared to him. After obtaining the Dragon Tree Separation Talisman, he was even more divinely aided. The talisman floated behind him, providing him with power through its mysterious operation.

The Purification Talisman was designed to regulate life force, and its operating mechanism is "power transformation." It can only be used with external power that does not belong to oneself; otherwise, it is just a blank piece of paper with high specifications. The fact that Wu He received a significant boost after using the talisman indicates that he has hidden methods beyond martial arts power.

However, given the current situation, Chu Hengkong was unable to force out the enemy's trump card. He was already using all his strength just to deal with that heavy spear!

While he was pondering, his defensive stance was finally broken. Wu He jumped up, spun around, and kicked out with a roundhouse kick. His right arm, which was used for defense, was already seriously injured. This blow caused it to fracture on the spot. His broken forearm bent up unnaturally, and his other foot took advantage of the opening and stabbed into Chu Hengkong's heart.