Chapter 25 Xing Tian

Soon, Qiu Zangxue and his group arrived at the deepest part of the wasteland.

Qiu Zangxue's scarlet eyes immediately locked onto the tallest and oldest altar.

Above the altar, space was violently distorting and fluctuating.

A terrifying pressure, desolate and wild yet filled with indomitable fighting spirit, spread out like a tide.

The distorted light and shadow gradually coalesced, transforming into a huge, headless phantom.

Its breasts serve as eyes, gleaming with the heat of battle; its navel serves as a mouth, emitting a silent yet soul-shaking roar.

The phantom seemed to be holding an invisible axe and shield, and simply standing there, it seemed to become the embodiment of the indomitable will of this battlefield.

“Xingtian…” Zhuge Jin’s ethereal voice carried a rare solemnity as he uttered the true name of the phantom.

"The fighting spirit never dies, and the will endures forever. This place is the manifestation of the remnants of that fighting spirit, which oppresses the soul. Only those with a firm will can approach it."

Viewers in Zhuge Jin's live stream were incredulous upon witnessing this scene:

"Holy crap, Xing Tian?! Is this the bonus dungeon? It's completely different from the dungeons we've participated in before."

"It's not the real body, it's a phantom of battle intent, but this pressure is too strong."

"My legs are going weak just looking at it on screen, how can we possibly play like this?"

"Look at Qiu Zangxue! He seems unaffected?"

As the comments on the screen exclaimed, under the overwhelming pressure of that battle intent, many players watching from afar felt breathless and their souls trembled, making it difficult for them to take a step closer.

However, Qiu Zangxue was completely different.

The overwhelming pressure of battle intent that would have crushed an ordinary player was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple on him.

No, it wasn't that it had no effect; rather, the oppressive aura seemed to resonate strangely with the frenzied fighting spirit within him.

Ignoring everything around her, including the other players who were eyeing her covetously, Qiu Zangxue strode forward, step by step, resolutely and without hindrance, toward the altar.

What is he trying to do?

Approaching Xing Tian's phantom alone? Are you courting death?

"No, look at him, he seems very relaxed..."

"Who cares! The phantom of Xing Tian is definitely a huge opportunity; we can't let him monopolize it!"

The players who had been secretly observing began to stir.

Opportunities are tempting, especially in this instance where points are paramount.

Immediately, five or six players, confident in their strength and possessing special resistance items, defied the pressure and rushed towards the altar from different directions, their target Qiu Zangxue, attempting to stop him and even hoping to take the opportunity to kill him and plunder the points.

"Two people to the northeast, speed-type, will enter the path in five seconds; three people to the southwest, long-range interference, already charging up." Zhuge Jin's voice seemed to echo in Qiu Zangxue and Xin Yuan'er's minds.

He himself remained standing on the boulder a short distance away, his white veil fluttering slightly, like an observer detached from worldly affairs.

Through Qiu Zangxue's perspective, Gu Yunqing clearly perceived the malice that was coming at her.

He snorted coldly in his heart, but did not change his steps in the slightest, and continued to walk firmly toward the altar.

These small fry are not worthy of making him stop.

He spared a sliver of his attention to issue commands to Zhuge Jin and Xin Yuan'er, who were being managed by the system.

"Stop them." Qiu Zangxue's hoarse command was brief and forceful.

"Understood!" Although Xin Yuan'er was inwardly apprehensive, he carried out his boss's orders without hesitation.

He watched the two figures rapidly approaching from the northeast, gritted his teeth, took out a few metal balls from his storage space, and threw them in that direction without even looking.

"Watch my improved version of the 'Teeth All Over the Ground' tripwire!"

The metal balls that Xin Yuan'er threw landed directly at the players' feet. After landing, they bounced off and extended countless thin, tough metal threads that wrapped around the players like living things, temporarily trapping several speed-type players.

Xin Yuan'er's live stream:

"Haha, what kind of weird prop is this, Lucky Guy?"

"This luck... no, this coincidence is too outrageous! It just happened to fall right at someone's feet?"

"It must be the luck buff kicking in; the luckiest player is terrifyingly lucky."

In the midst of this chaos, a nimble figure slipped into the battlefield like a ghost.

It's Bai Muling!

She had already taken advantage of the chaos to escape the battle, intending to find an opportunity to leave this place of trouble.

However, on the evacuation route she had just chosen, she could feel extremely strong energy fluctuations and the smell of blood from afar.

A powerful squad of players is clearing out the area, wreaking havoc and plundering points.

Bai Muling realized she was no match for him and decisively abandoned the original route.

Looking around, it became clear that although the pressure at the core was terrifying, the players were definitely in greater danger at the moment.

Qiu Zangxue had just helped her.

After weighing the pros and cons, she quickly made a decision: it seemed safer to follow this mysterious group for the time being.

Seeing someone interfering with her "temporary teammate's" chance to gain an advantage, she didn't hesitate. With a flick of her jade hand, several beams of cold light shot out.

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Her throwing knives didn't kill directly, but rather aimed with incredible precision at the wrists or joints of those trying to interfere with the weapon-wielding person.

The angle was tricky and the timing was ruthless, instantly causing the three men in the southwest to drop their weapons.

After seeing this scene, viewers in Zhuge Jin's live stream began to speculate:

"That throwing knife technique is amazing, it's like hitting a willow leaf from a hundred paces away."

"Is she repaying a debt of gratitude?"

"I think she probably just thinks this side of her thigh is thicker..."

Qiu Zangxue remained oblivious to everything that was happening around her.

His entire being was immersed in the resonance with the phantom of Xing Tian.

When he finally stepped onto the last step of the altar and stood before the enormous headless phantom, the entire altar trembled violently!

The next moment, the scene before Qiu Zangxue's eyes completely changed.

The wasteland, the altar, the other players... everything vanished.

He felt as if he were in an ancient battlefield, boundless and stained with blood.

Beneath their feet lay mountains of corpses, and the air was thick with the stench of blood and the lingering scent of war.

Directly in front of Qiu Zangxue, the towering phantom of Xing Tian became incredibly solid, wielding a giant axe and a shield.

Although headless, its burning gaze aimed at her breasts and its silent roar from its navel carried a terrifying fighting spirit that could crush everything, firmly locking onto Qiu Zangxue.

"war!"

"war!!"

"war!!!"

Without a word, only this pure and ferocious fighting spirit crashed against the core of Qiu Zangxue's will like a tsunami.

Gu Yunqing groaned, feeling as if her consciousness had suffered an invisible blow.

He was currently controlling Qiu Zangxue's disguise with all his might. This battle intent was not only aimed at Qiu Zangxue, but also directly affected his control consciousness.

My vision blurred, and my ears rang, as if countless golden spears and iron horses were galloping and trampling in my mind.

"We can't back down!" Gu Yunqing gritted her teeth, enduring the discomfort on a spiritual level.

He knew that this was both a test and an opportunity.

The way of Xingtian lies in unyieldingness and fighting to the death.

If cowardice arises, one will be instantly crushed by this torrent of fighting spirit. Forget about opportunities; even the spirit of Qiu Zangxue's alternate identity will likely suffer a severe blow.

He abandoned all distractions and concentrated all his mental energy, no longer merely controlling Qiu Zangxue as a puppet, but trying to understand, resonate with, and integrate into that undying fighting spirit.

Qiu Zangxue let out a low growl that sounded inhuman. His murderous aura surged into the sky, and his spiritual power condensed into a single force, like a sharp blade drawn from its sheath, fiercely meeting the battle intent impact of Xing Tian's phantom.

"Buzz—!"

Two equally powerful and indomitable wills collided fiercely in this spiritual illusion!

Gu Yunqing felt like her head was about to explode, as if countless needles were piercing her at the same time.

He held fast to the last shred of clarity in his mind, controlling Qiu Zangxue. Not only did he not retreat under the impact, but he also took one step, two steps, three steps forward!

With each step he took, the pressure he endured increased exponentially, but the murderous aura and fighting spirit emanating from Qiu Zangxue became more refined and purer!

Outside, on the altar.

To others, Qiu Zangxue stood motionless after stepping onto the altar, with only the baleful aura emanating from her body growing stronger and stronger, even faintly forming a dark red vortex.

The illusory image of Xing Tian flickered with light, and the pressure it released was sometimes strong and sometimes weak.

Viewers in Qiu Zangxue's live stream were very confused after seeing this scene:

"What's going on? Boss Qiu seems to be in a lot of pain."

"Xingtian's fighting spirit, how could it be so easily resisted?"

"Why isn't Zhuge Jin helping? He's just standing by and watching?"

"How can outsiders help with this kind of test? He can only get through it on his own."

"Don't you guys feel that Qiu Zangxue's aura seems to be getting stronger?"

"boom--!"

Qiu Zangxue's body trembled violently, and the scarlet light in his eyes surged.

A battle intent carrying an ancient and savage aura suddenly spread out from him.

The lingering oppressive aura around the altar dissipated instantly.

Those players who were still struggling or observing were swept away by this newfound fighting spirit and were immediately struck as if by a heavy blow. Their faces turned pale and they retreated one after another, their eyes filled with fear as they looked at the figure on the altar.

As the light faded, Qiu Zangxue still stood in the center of the altar.

He slowly lowered his head and looked at his hands.

The exterior appeared unchanged, but Gu Yunqing could clearly sense that something had changed inside the vest.

[System Notification: The character "Shura·Chou Zangxue" has increased their role performance to 25%. The Xing Tian Battle Intent Imprint (weak) has been obtained.]

It's done!

Gu Yunqing breathed a sigh of relief, and at the same time, a surge of joy welled up inside her.

The results far exceeded expectations.

Not only did it enhance the character's portrayal, but more importantly, it granted him the "Xingtian Battle Spirit Imprint," which undoubtedly greatly enhanced the potential and combat power of the alias Qiu Zangxue.

He controlled Qiu Zangxue, slowly raising his head. His scarlet eyes, tempered by battle intent, became even colder as he swept his gaze over the bewildered players below.

Anyone whose gaze swept over him would involuntarily look away, not daring to meet his eyes.

Bai Muling sheathed her flying knife, looked at Qiu Zangxue on the altar who seemed to have been reborn, her eyes shining with admiration, and became even more determined to follow this team for the time being.

Xin Yuan'er patted his chest, looking both frightened and excited: "Boss, you're awesome! That aura just now almost scared me to death."

“Mr. Zhuge, I would like to team up with you.” Bai Muling also spoke up at this moment.

Zhuge Jin had somehow floated down from the boulder and arrived at the edge of the altar. Upon hearing Bai Muling's request, he immediately agreed: "Granted."

Gu Yunqing had her own plans. Xin Yuan'er was weak in attack, Zhuge Jin had no combat power, and although Qiu Zangxue was strong, she would inevitably fail if she encountered such a situation again.

Therefore, the team is currently lacking a player with offensive capabilities.

Bai Muling, on the other hand, perfectly fills this gap.

After seeing Zhuge Jin agree, Bai Muling silently stood aside with Xin Yuan'er.

Seeing that Qiu Zangxue had suppressed her murderous intent, Zhuge Jin nodded slightly to her, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

"The fighting spirit has been initially formed, and the foundation has been solidified. The opportunities here have come to an end; it's time to leave."

Qiu Zangxue stretched her neck, making a soft "click" sound, and responded hoarsely, "Hmm."

His bloodshot eyes gazed deeper into the wasteland, where even more hunting grounds awaited his conquest.

Just as they were about to leave the altar area, Gu Yunqing, through Qiu Zangxue's perception, keenly sensed that a cold gaze was once again directed at them from a distant hillside.

You stand alone in the north wind, your black hair fluttering slightly.

He looked at Qiu Zangxue, whose aura on the altar had become noticeably stronger, and then at Zhuge Jin, who remained calm. The hint of inquiry and confusion between his brows almost materialized.

Who exactly are they?

Gu Yunqing naturally noticed Jun Xiangbei's gaze, but he remained unmoved and even felt a little amused.

It seems that the protagonist of the original work is becoming increasingly interested in his "organization" and these aliases.

This suited him perfectly.

The play continues. And the cast and its appeal are constantly expanding.

As Qiu Zangxue and her group left the wasteland where the Xingtian Altar was located, the surrounding scenery changed once again.

The chilling atmosphere of impending battle was gradually replaced by the mist.

Visibility dropped sharply, and the surrounding forest was eerie, its branches like dancing ghosts, exuding a bewitching aura.

"Be careful, the fog here is strange; it can erode the mind and amplify inner desires and fears," Zhuge Jin's voice rang out from within the fog.

However, despite Zhuge Jin's warning, the fog was all-pervasive and targeted everyone's weaknesses.

Xin Yuan'er's eyes quickly became unfocused, and he muttered to himself, "Treasure...it's all mine...hehe, divine artifacts..."

He danced with joy, as if he had seen countless treasures.

Bai Muling also frowned slightly, as if she saw some past scenes she didn't want to recall, and gripped the throwing knife in her hand tightly.

Through Qiu Zangxue's perspective, Gu Yunqing could sense a chilling spiritual force trying to penetrate her mind, stirring up her hidden bloodlust and mad thoughts.

However, when this power touched the spiritual core tempered by Xing Tian's battle intent, it melted away as quickly as ice and snow meeting the sun.

Qiu Zangxue's crimson eyes remained clear, even carrying a hint of disdain for such trivial skills.

"Keep your mind focused and follow me." Zhuge Jin's white veil fluttered slightly, as if he could see through the essence of the mist and guide him in a direction.

He walked with a leisurely pace, as if strolling in his own backyard.

Just then, Xin Yuan'er, who was deluded by the illusion, suddenly stumbled and tripped over an inconspicuous vine, falling forward with a cry of "Ouch!"

The fall, though seemingly clumsy, happened to land precisely on a specific spot of a twisted ancient tree.

With a soft "thud," the ancient tree slowly moved aside, revealing a path behind it where the fog was relatively thin.

Xin Yuan'er's live stream:

"This...this actually works?"

"Can a lucky person find a way out just by falling down?"

"As someone with bad luck, I still can't accept it no matter how many times I see it."

"The passive skill of the lucky one: 100% chance to trigger the hidden passage."

"A path! There's a path!" Xin Yuan'er got up and pointed at the path, shouting excitedly, as if the illusion from before had been shaken away by the fall.

Zhuge Jin nodded slightly: "It's all thanks to good fortune. Let's go."

The three stepped onto the path, where the fog thinned slightly.

But they hadn't gone far when they heard the sounds of fierce fighting and the roar of colliding energy, mixed with a slightly effeminate but anxious male voice.

Passing through a sparse patch of strange trees, the sight before them startled everyone.

In a clearing in the woods, Jun Xiangbei was standing back to back with a player whose appearance was extremely delicate and whose gender was indistinguishable.

Surrounding them were five powerful and well-coordinated players, clearly an elite squad.

Jun Xiangbei held a long sword, and with each swing, he parried or forced back the incoming attacks.

But his expression was colder than usual, and deep in his eyes was a hint of...trouble?

Meanwhile, the teammate with exquisite features possessed a peculiar superpower.

His eyes, brimming with both allure and sorrow, spoke in a voice soft and captivating: "Brothers, why fight like this? Put down your weapons and let's talk things out, won't you?"

The voice and the gaze seemed to possess a magical power, causing the two players who were attacking them to visibly pause, their eyes momentarily glazed over, and their attacks to become weak and powerless.

However, the other three players simply used items to resist mental interference and were not greatly affected; their offensive remained fierce.

The opposing team had a numerical advantage and was quite strong. Although Jun Xiangbei and Su Meichuan cooperated well, with one focusing on defense and the other on interference, they were clearly on the defensive and could only barely hold on.

Viewers in Zhuge Jin's live stream recognized them:

"It's the God of War and his teammate, 'Thousand Faces' Su Meichuan!"

"Su Meichuan's charm ability is so strong! It's a pity that the opponent has high resistance."

"Something seems off with the God of War? Has he also been affected by his teammates' supernatural abilities?"

"It's possible. It seems that the God of War has very low resistance to these kinds of emotional abilities. After all, he... you know."

"Wow, Qiu Zangxue and the others ran into something. Will they help?"

Gu Yunqing calmly assessed the battlefield through Qiu Zangxue's perspective.

An expected encounter.

Jun Xiangbei's strength is beyond doubt; his swordsmanship is precise and his power is immense. However, he seems somewhat at a loss when it comes to this kind of alluring ability that directly targets emotions.

Gu Yunqing understood. It seemed that even the controllable allure of his teammates made this male protagonist in the original work uncomfortable.

As for Su Meichuan, Gu Yunqing narrowed her eyes.

With her androgynous appearance and powerful alluring abilities, she is indeed an interesting character.

This ability, when used properly, can be incredibly effective on a chaotic battlefield.

However, judging from the current situation, their team seems to lack a powerful offensive player who can deliver the decisive blow.

As Qiu Zangxue sensed the intense energy fluctuations ahead, especially the energy carrying killing intent, his fighting spirit and baleful aura began to boil.

Having just obtained the Xingtian Battle Intent Imprint, he longed for a thrilling battle to consolidate and familiarize himself with this power.

“Powerful energy…prey.” Qiu Zangxue uttered a few words hoarsely, his scarlet eyes flashing with excitement.

Without even consulting Zhuge Jin, he transformed into a black lightning bolt and charged directly into the battle.

Qiu Zangxue's target was the burly man wielding a giant hammer who was frantically attacking Jun Xiangbei.

"Who goes there?!"

"court death!"

The elite team hadn't expected anyone to intervene so suddenly.

Qiu Zangxue drew her twin swords, which whistled as they cut through the air, aiming straight for the neck and abdomen of the burly man with the giant hammer.

The speed was so fast that the burly man turned pale with fright and had to abandon his attack on Jun Xiangbei and parry with his hammer.

"Clang!"

The blade and hammer clashed, producing a deafening roar.

Qiu Zangxue swayed slightly, dissipating the force, while the burly man was shaken back half a step, his tiger's mouth went numb, and a look of horror appeared in his eyes.

Such immense power, such overwhelming malevolent energy!

As Jun Xiangbei felt the pressure ease, his cool gaze swept over the suddenly appearing Qiu Zangxue, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes—surprise, and also a hint of… barely perceptible relief.

He immediately adjusted his stance, his sword flashed, and in coordination with Qiu Zangxue's attack, he entangled another enemy who was trying to launch a sneak attack.

Su Meichuan also saw the person who came, and when she noticed that Qiu Zangxue's scarlet eyes did not fluctuate at all within the range of her charm ability, a look of surprise appeared on her exquisite face.

But he reacted quickly, immediately concentrating his charm power to disrupt the remaining two more affected enemies.

"Oh dear, this red-eyed young man is so fierce, he scared them." Su Meichuan said she was scared, but her eyes became even more captivating, making the two players' eyes even more unfocused, and they could hardly hold their weapons.

Gu Yunqing, controlling Qiu Zangxue, sneered inwardly.

Temptation? Faced with Xing Tian's pure and unwavering fighting spirit, such a power to sway one's will is utterly laughable.

Qiu Zangxue exists solely for the purpose of fighting.

He controlled Qiu Zangxue, and his swordsmanship became increasingly ferocious and ruthless, forming a wonderful complement to Jun Xiangbei's precise and calm swordsmanship.

Despite not exchanging any words, the two seemed to have an innate understanding, forcing the burly man with the hammer and his companion into a series of retreats.

Zhuge Jin's live stream:

"Holy crap! Qiu Zangxue and Jun Xiangbei have teamed up!"

"This coordination...is strangely captivating."

"Is Qiu Zangxue completely unaffected by Su Meichuan?"

"The Lord seems a bit more relaxed? It's definitely more comfortable to have a high-damage dealer tanking the damage in front."

Xin Yuan'er and Bai Muling were also busy.

Xin Yuan'er hid behind and started his "lucky throws" again. The random props seemed to be thrown out haphazardly, but they always managed to roll right at the enemy's feet, causing small explosions or releasing smoke, greatly disrupting the opponent's formation and rhythm.

Bai Muling moved along the edge of the battlefield, her throwing knives like the tongue of a venomous snake, specifically targeting enemies who had been charmed by Su Meichuan or injured by Qiu Zangxue and Jun Xiangbei, finishing them off with extremely high efficiency.

The tide of battle turned in an instant.

That elite squad, which had relied on its numerical advantage and teamwork, was caught off guard by this sudden combination.

The core damage dealers were completely suppressed by Qiu Zangxue and Jun Xiangbei, while the support and control roles were disrupted by Su Meichuan. The other two were overwhelmed by Xin Yuaner's "accident" and Bai Muling's precise strikes.

"Retreat!" Seeing that the situation was hopeless, the burly man with the hammer made a decisive move, taking a blow from Qiu Zangxue's blade head-on, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and using the recoil to retreat rapidly.

The other team members also broke free from the entanglement and fled into the depths of the fog in a disheveled state, not daring to leave behind a single harsh word.

The battle ended, leaving the open ground in a state of chaos.

Qiu Zangxue flicked the blood off his knife, his scarlet eyes still burning with fighting spirit, seemingly quite displeased with the enemy's escape.

He looked at Jun Xiangbei and commented in a hoarse voice, "Swordsmanship, not bad."

Jun Xiangbei sheathed his sword and stood still, his breathing steady. Upon hearing this, he merely glanced at Qiu Zangxue indifferently and replied coldly, "Likewise."

His gaze then passed over Qiu Zangxue and landed on Zhuge Jin, who had been standing quietly behind him.

It's him again... Every time I run into him, something unexpected always seems to happen.

What exactly is this Zhuge Jin, and his companions...?

Su Meichuan curiously observed Qiu Zangxue and the approaching Xin Yuan'er and Bai Muling, her gaze finally settling on Zhuge Jin. She spoke softly, expressing sincere gratitude:

"Thank you all for your help, otherwise we would have suffered a loss this time."

His voice still carried a natural charm, but it was much more restrained than when he was facing an enemy.

Zhuge Jin nodded slightly in response, his voice ethereal: "It's just a coincidence, no need for thanks."

Gu Yunqing, through Qiu Zangxue's perspective, took in the reactions of Jun Xiangbei's team.

Jun Xiangbei's investigation and Su Meichuan's curiosity were both within his expectations.

This "unexpected" assistance undoubtedly deepened their mystique and importance in Jun Xiangbei's mind, and also initially demonstrated the strength and peculiarity of the "organization" members.

Su Meichuan's alluring abilities are indeed unique, and there may be ways to utilize them in the future.

Gu Yunqing was making plans in her mind.

However, the most important thing right now is to continue to improve Qiu Zangxue's strength and find an opportunity to also improve the identity of "Zhuge Jin".

“This place is not safe to stay long; the commotion just now may have attracted others,” Zhuge Jin spoke again, breaking the brief silence and pointing in another direction.

“There seems to be pure divine energy emanating from that direction; it might be a safe place.”

Qiu Zangxue grinned indifferently and took the lead in walking in the direction Zhuge Jin pointed.

Xin Yuan'er and Bai Muling naturally followed.

Jun Xiangbei hesitated for a moment, then exchanged a glance with Su Meichuan.

Su Meichuan nodded slightly, indicating that she could follow.

They also need to rest, and besides, it does seem safer to follow this mysterious and powerful team, and they can... learn more.

Thus, the team that originally consisted of four people has now become a team of six.

The two teams temporarily joined together due to an unexpected battle and headed towards the unknown "safe place" deep in the mist.