The sounds of rupturing rang out endlessly, explosions erupting one after another.
The battered figure flew into the air, crashed down, and was hurled up again. Wherever the invisible hand passed, every treasured possession on his body shattered to pieces.
Even his matrix was falling apart under Jingzhen.
"Ji Jue!"
Longdu roared, struggling desperately, but he couldn't get up.
A leather boot stamped down on his face, grinding him forcefully into the mud and dust. No matter how violently he fought back, he could not break free.
"Elder Zhen! Elder Zhen won't let you get away with this!"
From within the mud, that crimson eye looked up, glaring with bone-deep venom at Ji Jue's face looking down at him. "As long as you're still—"
"That's about enough," Ji Jue asked coldly. "Even now, who are you still acting as, you useless piece of trash?"
Beneath his boot, the continuously struggling, battered wreck of a body stiffened for a negligible instant.
Then came a sneer of disdain.
Closing his eyes, he swallowed the bitter pill.
"The Path of Embers—the capable rise, winner takes all... Humiliate me however you want!"
He squeezed the words through his teeth: "I will never—"
"I already told you, stop acting. What are you still trying to cover up?"
Ji Jue interrupted impatiently, pressing down harder with his foot to grind into that chattering mouth. Then he suddenly asked, "I heard that before becoming 'Longdu,' that guy abandoned his previous name...
"That's true, isn't it?"
In that instant, 'Longdu's' pupils abruptly contracted.
Uncontrollably.
Because he heard Ji Jue's next words:
"—Since he abandoned it once, there's no reason he wouldn't do it a second time, right?"
Instantly, the man pinned to the ground seemed to fly into a rage, struggling again and again to push himself up, roaring, "Bullshit!"
Yet right behind Ji Jue, Tong Shan had already descended from the sky.
From his pocket, he pulled out a seemingly ordinary magnifying glass and aimed it at that terrified face. Immediately, through the lens, layer upon layer of colors blurred rapidly like melting paint, transforming into sickening, mottled patches of color.
"The scent of Defilement..."
He said decisively, "Indeed, it's the handiwork of those Truth Publishing House bastards!"
Beneath the swiftly peeling paint, line after line of tiny text surfaced across that frantically flinching, evasive face.
Just like a colophon printed on the back page of a published book:
*Profound Master: Longdu—Revised Edition*
*Managing Editor: Penglai*
*Book Number: D8777609*
*Publication Date...*
At the very end, there was even a blatantly undisguised notice: [Produced by Truth Publishing House · Terminal Editorial Department. Piracy will be prosecuted!]
Tong Shan gave a cold sneer and put away the magnifying glass.
Defilement Demons treated everything as raw material, freely cutting, altering, distorting, and tampering with it at will. For the sake of so-called drama, they would not hesitate even to twist the essence of reality itself. The guy before them was, without question, a counterfeit edited into existence by them.
"Looks like the truth is simple enough," Ji Jue shrugged regretfully. "After casting aside his original name, he discarded the name Longdu like an old shoe as well, dumping everything he acquired onto you...
"Maybe you thought you were important, quite formidable. But what a pity—I have no interest in wasting time on a fake."
"Why—"
'Longdu' rasped, lifting his head from the mud, opening his mouth to demand answers. But before he could even finish formulating his question, he heard the answer, spoken with absolute indifference:
"Because you're too weak."
To be fair, this fellow had been very careful, cautious, suspicious, and uncanny... to the point where dealing with him had been exceptionally tricky and troublesome.
Yet no matter what, as a craftsman, one ultimately spoke through their hands.
As a master, your repertoire wasn't broad enough.
As a Profound craftsman, your methods weren't brutal enough.
As a craftsman, your performance was downright amateurish...
So much so that he couldn't give Ji Jue the slightest sense of crisis.
Even now... that familiar chill, that coiled killing intent, still lingered in Ji Jue's perception, emanating from this bootleg copy.
Pure yet fleeting, hovering on the verge of nothingness.
Flickering in and out.
"So that's how it is... You're still watching me, aren't you?"
Ji Jue looked down and smiled faintly at the watcher lurking behind those pupils, offering a promise: "Don't worry, I'll be coming for you right away.
"When the time comes, let's have an open, heartfelt chat!"
*Crack!*
Dissociation Art: Jingzhen!
Beneath Ji Jue's outstretched palm, 'Longdu's' body suddenly locked rigid, turning to dust and vanishing inch by inch!
Only a badge-coin of Elder Zhen fell from the ashes, tumbling and bouncing before landing in the mud, consumed by the burning flames and seen no more.
The distant, chilling killing intent finally snapped.
Or rather, a temporary parting...
"Need any more help?" Tong Shan asked, suddenly chuckling. "I've already pledged my loyalty here anyway, so what's one more, right?"
"Stop teasing me, Shan-ge," Ji Jue waved his hand helplessly.
These days, even people from Nirvana had to wear masks to work, let alone a Tianyuan with a sensitive status like Tong Shan.
Behind closed doors, brawling however they liked was fine, but if his identity got exposed, merely abandoning his designated sector without orders or authorization would land him in massive trouble.
Tong Shan had rushed over to help at a single phone call, asking no questions and demanding nothing; Ji Jue was already deeply grateful. Why drag him further into the muddy waters of the Seven Cities?
Besides, did he really need help to take care of a single Profound craftsman?
"I'll handle the rest," Ji Jue smiled decisively without hesitation.
They had been trading blows back and forth in this mud pit of the Seven Cities for so long, and yet they still hadn't greeted each other properly face-to-face. There had to be an end to this!
"Be careful."
Tong Shan nodded and didn't waste any more words, nor did he fuss over Ji Jue. How much spare worry did he have to waste on this guy? He'd be better off worrying about what to eat tonight!
Even if the Seven Cities blew up, Ji Jue wouldn't. What was there to worry about?
If there was one regret, it was the Chixiao banner-tally in his hand...
It really was amazing to use!
*Can you lend it to me again? Tomorrow, the day after... I'll definitely return it next month!*
Sadly, Plant Bro was an honest man at heart; he simply couldn't bring himself to utter such shameless words. Reluctantly, he could only return Ji Jue's spine.
He hesitated, words caught in his throat.
*If there's ever a day you don't want it, remember to sell it to me, okay!*
"Next time for sure!"
Ji Jue did his best to avoid his yearning gaze, activating the Myriad Manifestations Engine to send Plant Bro back to Mid-Continent. Next was Inayat, who remained silent in the shadows after eating and drinking his fill.
Finally, only Old Tom's flattering face was left hovering in front of him, blinking with affectionate anticipation, waiting for the boss to pay up.
"Your pay will be settled later. I still have work for you."
Ji Jue waved him over and walked ahead. Instantly, Tang Qian beamed with excitement. "Who're we killing?"
"Do what you do best: security guard."
Ji Jue said, "The guardhouse at the Haian factory district needs someone. Go guard the entrance. Whoever comes, if they don't have a badge, cut them down without question!"
He paused, then warned, "I don't care how you handle it, and ask for whatever money you want, but absolutely no harm must come to the employees in the factory. Understood?"
"Roger that, sir!"
Tang Qian grinned and raised his hand in an Empire military salute.
With a piercing screech of friction, the massive doors leading up to the surface of Luo Island swung open, revealing a night sky riddled with fissures and already engulfed in fire!
Everywhere the eye could see across the pitch-black waters spread patches of rapidly expanding phos-fire. It was as though a dark-green blazing sun had plummeted from the heavens into the sea, burning through ten thousand leagues of waves and thoroughly setting the Seven Cities ablaze!
Yet that was no sun.
It was the lighthouse...
Without the slightest sign of decline or dimming, the lighthouse still stood tall between the dark sea and sky right in the heart of the Seven Cities, shining with overwhelming brilliance!
It showered boundless flames of Stagnant Rot over the Seven Cities, swallowing everything!
Even now, cluster upon cluster of eerie light continued to rain down from the sky, crashing onto the crystalline giant tree rising from the center of Luo Island.
Beneath the tidal waves of flame, Mirror Transformation: Star of Bethlehem maintained a barrier of spiritus, struggling to hold on.
It was as if in the blink of an eye, the world had abruptly transformed. Everything that had once been glamorous and bright was torn apart, glory gone, leaving only devastation.
Perhaps this had been 'Longdu's' goal all along.
Regardless of whether Ji Jue won or lost this struggle, his objective had already been achieved: from the very beginning, that guy had never trusted anyone!
Everyone brought along had been cannon fodder meant to buy time.
Now the flames had been ignited, steadily swallowing everything.
And thus, he no longer had any reservations.
"You're finally fucking out!"
Drenched in sweat, Lou Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief, still shaken by lingering fear. "Disaster struck, Ji Jue! Fuck, there's a Profound craftsman!!!"
"..."
Ji Jue's expression twitched, his mouth opening and closing.
For some reason, Lou Feng saw a trace of guilt and pity in that face. He went blank, dazed.
Then terror gradually set in, and he instinctively took half a step back.
"Wait, this wasn't your doing, was it?!"
"..."
Ji Jue's eyelid twitched, his blood pressure spiking dangerously. "If I fucking wanted to welcome a Great Sin with open arms, would I have needed to wait until now?!"
Lou Feng fell silent. He stared at him for a long time, then nodded earnestly, as if finally realizing that made sense...
Yet the question remained: what about the Seven Cities now?
He pointed toward the roaring lighthouse in the distance, the projection and manifestation of Stagnant Rot, unable to fathom it. "Then what the hell is going on?"
"An old bastard realized his little game was about to fall apart, so a cornered dog leaped over the wall."
Ji Jue glanced at it, then pulled his gaze back. "How is the evacuation going?"
"Completely done," Lou Feng wiped away sweat. "Everyone's in the factory district's underground fortifications. Don't worry, as long as I'm breathing, Luo Island will be fine."
"Good job. Today was all thanks to you."
Ji Jue finally smiled, clapping him on the shoulder with heartfelt gratitude before saying his parting words: "Hold out a bit longer. Luo Island is in your hands.
"I'll be right back."
"At a juncture like this? Where are you going now?"
Lou Feng asked in shock, hesitating.
He finally caught a clear look at Ji Jue's expression—smiling, yet devoid of warmth.
Only those pitch-black eyes remained serene, like an abyss ignited by fire.
Bloodlight surged silently like flames.
"To a place... where I ought to go."
Once again, Ji Jue heard the weeping.
So familiar.
As if it had accompanied him all along, never once straying far.
And so, he walked toward that hell ignited by the lighthouse.
Chapter 774