Chapter 144: Accumulating Small Misfortunes
Chu Hengkong clung to the wall, sliding down with inertia. Too much information washed over his brain like an electric current, nearly drowning him in his own memories. Rampage. Transformation. The battle with Qingxia. And then...
The attack that could not be avoided, the artillery fire that penetrated, the gun that pierced the arm...
Defeat...!
"Get up... Don't sleep!" He grabbed Qingxia's shoulders fiercely, "Let's fight again! Let's fight again!!"
But no matter how hard he tried, Qingxia remained unmoved. The size disparity between them was so great that he had to stand on tiptoe to barely reach Qingxia's shoulders, where she lay prone. The demon's sleeping face was sweet, her breath carrying the fragrance of flowers. Such a beautiful face on such a powerful monster. He felt like he had done everything he could, but Qingxia didn't even tremble.
Chu Hengkong's legs went weak, and he realized that his current strength was extremely weak, and he couldn't even stand. He slumped to the ground, forcing himself to accept reality.
He failed, started the battle against his own will, was manipulated by the power and fell into a vortex of loss of control, and was finally saved by the enemy who showed mercy.
Before he lost to his enemy, he lost to himself. For a warrior, there is no defeat more shameful than this.
A long breath echoed, as if deliberately suppressing his fury. Chu Hengkong closed his eyes and forced himself to take a deep breath, etch the feeling of humiliation into his heart with the strongest intensity, thus awakening his rationality beyond his fighting spirit. He regained some strength, managed to stand, and bowed earnestly to the sleeping banshee... to his savior.
“…Thank you.”
The fragments of his memory finally came together at this moment, and Chu Hengkong realized the process of salvation that he had deliberately ignored. He subconsciously touched his lips, and there seemed to be a beautiful warmth lingering on his lips.
“…”
For a moment he didn't know what to say, his mind was blank and he thought he was back to the night he first went to New York, and he became the little boy who was panicked by the various things in the bars and nightclubs.
Chu Hengkong took two steps back and sat down against the wall again. His mind kept insisting that this was no place for peace and security, that there were too many pressing matters to address, but his exhausted body pushed all thoughts aside. He felt like he would fall asleep if he closed his eyes. Perhaps even if the banshee woke up, he wouldn't wake up.
"Mr. Chu, are you okay? Mr. Chu!"
Qingye ran out of the ruins and dragged him up without a word. The black-haired girl was covered in dirt and blood, obviously having just been in a fight. She gave him a worried look.
"My life was saved." Chu Hengkong perked up. "Your real weapon..." "It was beaten back." "Ah?"
He spent a little time explaining his experience, omitting the unnecessary kissing. Qingye listened quietly, supporting him as he walked forward. "It's been hard work. But it's not over yet." "I know. I know."
The filthy crescent moon still hung high in the sky, black as blood surging, stopping several times in front of the pointed crescent, as if hesitating whether to fall to this tiny dust island.
We must cut off the Moon Beast's contact before it falls. We can perform a reverse expulsion ritual based on the talisman master's formation. If you have the Dragon's Secret Bead...
Transparent writing emerged from the dust. The stone seed was beside them, resting on Qingye's back like a package. "Let's do it this way," Chu Hengkong said. "No." Qingye shook his head. "The talisman master's final blow before his death destroyed the entire formation."
It was that big move that turned the entire hotel into a gravity ball... What a coincidence...
【If you have the basic knowledge of talismans, you can rebuild it.】
"I don't know how to draw talismans." Chu Hengkong smiled bitterly, "Ji Huaisu knows more about this than me... but she's not here right now."
The stone was silent for a moment, seemingly at a loss for words due to its bad luck. "Let's find something useful first," it said.
They had no choice but to leave Qingxia behind. Even Chu Hengkong and Qingye's combined efforts couldn't drag her away. Presumably, such a fierce and powerful female demon wouldn't be afraid of any foreign contamination; those moon beasts couldn't even poke her hide. Qingye tried to contact Ji Huaisu and Fander, but failed. The Dark Moon's magic had rendered the communication relic completely ineffective, leaving them lost in this small town.
Fortunately, they were still able to determine their direction. The hotel destroyed by Wu He himself was a clear landmark. The two of them walked back to the ruins of the hotel and found a bright golden light in a pool of dirty blood.
The talisman that Dragon Tree had swirled around him remained intact. Though it floated amidst the blood, it remained untouched by the surroundings. Qing Ye exclaimed in surprise as she scooped up the talisman. "If I use this..."
"Wait." Chu Hengkong stopped calmly, "Let me take a look at it with a book."
His luck hadn't improved since arriving in Jinye City, and he didn't believe he'd encounter such a blessing in disguise at such a critical moment. He shook off the blood-stained talisman and pressed it onto the page. The shimmering words brought a look of shock to both of their eyes.
"...Are you kidding?" Qing Ye muttered to himself, "What on earth did that talisman master...steal?"
【Nagarjuna’s Talisman for Removing Defilement】
【Rating: 3 (7)】
【Origin: Fortress El La】
[Effect: A talisman that gathers the power of Dragon Country martial artists, Ancient Dragon Lords, and ■■■ riders.]
Harmonize the balance of Qi and blood, absorb external forces, and maintain your self amidst the rush of power.
[Warning: This relic contains a power that should not exist in the present. The holder will have a high probability of traveling through the fog of history and encountering a "battlefield."
This relic contains ■■■■■■■■■■.】
【Thoughts: I will fulfill my duties until the last moment.】
...A relic of level 7 essence?
How is that possible?
Chu Hengkong was well aware of the origins of this talisman. Ji Qiufeng and Youyou had worked together to create the foundation, with Shizhong helping to outline its shape. The two people in the city had been at Legendary Sephiroth Level 5 before he set out. Even if the most absurd scenario was that they both broke through to Sephiroth Level 6, they wouldn't have been able to create this thing.
During his training, he had heard Ji Qiufeng say that there were two crucial "qualitative changes" on the road to ascension. From level 3 to level 4 was crossing the first abyss, becoming no longer ordinary, while from level 6 to level 7 was crossing the second abyss, evolving from life to a "god" comparable to the concept.
A master of Sephiroth 7 is the "God" of the Shendong Realm. How could the talisman he personally brought contain divine power? Could the Ancient Dragon Lord be Youyou's trump card? And that smeared name... is it that starlight-like object? The one Wu He was trying to refine?
The same...power as Ji Huaisu's pendant?
Chu Hengkong's heart began to beat violently, revitalized by the life-saving blood Qingxia had pumped into his body, causing his skin to flush unnaturally. Under the influence of that blood, the blackened writing suddenly became clear, and for the first time, he could clearly see the true name of this Dust Island.
——Frontline fortress Halvila.
The next two lines of writing also became clear.
——A talisman that gathers the power of the Dragon Country martial artists, the Ancient Dragon Lord, and the Shining Star King.
——This relic contains extreme hostility towards outsiders.
Chu Hengkong wordlessly placed the talisman in Qingye's hands. The girl, blind to the truth, stared at him blankly. Something was amiss. This island had a true, unknown name. Those powerful-sounding names were names they shouldn't have encountered. Unwittingly, they seemed drawn into a whirlpool of madness, something far beyond their capabilities, something they shouldn't, and shouldn't, touch.
Unease pierced his spine like needles. The invisible, colorless malevolence that had been lurking gently beneath the surface was now poking out with a low, chuckled expression. This was the danger lurking beside him, an undetectable trap. He had been using demonic power for so long that even his bones were mechanical. If he hadn't had Finder's manual, if Qingxia hadn't saved his life, if he hadn't seen through the obscured handwriting...
He had just had his body transformed by the Immortal Machine. What would happen if he used this talisman directly?
"Qingye, hold this well," Chu Hengkong said. "Don't put it away. Use it as a talisman and throw it at any outsider you see!"
"Ohhhh okay!"
Qingye didn't understand what he was saying, but she obeyed anyway. Chu Hengkong's tone reminded her of her elders before going into battle—the kind of expression someone with their lives hanging by a thread would have. She felt uneasy too, and couldn't help but quicken her pace.
They found Wu He's storage relic, a black jade pendant, but couldn't find a way to open it. At this moment, a brick moved, and a gray little mouse poked its head out, trembling all over.
"I almost got buried alive!" Gulibo said pitifully, "Sai Silun and I were just trying to communicate..."
"Is there a signal?"
"Absolutely not... The influence of the Black Moon is too great..."
Gulibo told them that Sethron had used an ice wall to protect the civilians around the battlefield, but no one knew what to do with the things in the sky. This matter was completely beyond their capabilities. On Shura Island, it would require several Secret Soul Remnants to lead a team to handle it.
Yet, at this dire moment, the ruins were filled with an unsettling silence. No one had seen the newly summoned Moon Beast, and no one behind the scenes had come looking for them. It was as if the matter was over. The events behind the scenes no longer concerned them.
Tick, tick. Water seeped into the ground, staining the sand gray. A light rain began to fall, and the chill in the air seeped into Qingye's bones, causing him to shiver slightly. Chu Hengkong felt a throbbing pain in his head, and he pressed his temple.
"Have you seen Ji Huaisu?" he asked repeatedly, "Where's Fander?"
He heard the sound of tentacles hitting the rain, and the little thing dragged itself over here. It was Vander, it jumped and skipped over, never looking so anxious before. Chu Hengkong felt a little relieved. "Thank goodness you're okay—"
"Hurry!" Fander shouted, "Go as soon as you recover!"
What did you say? What did you do? Everyone's eyes flashed with confusion for a moment, though a few seemed to be awakening from a nightmare. The rain suddenly intensified, the droplets stinging the skin. Finder's shouts seemed hollow in the rain.
"I remember now! It's the chain of misfortune! I saw it! What's reflected in the chain is..."
"Ji Huaisu's face!!"
·
In the small café, Vansalar put down his teacup. The childlike demon left the table and walked towards the door.
"The final round begins now."
(End of this chapter)
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