Fu Qingyang drew back his sword and retreated without hesitation. However, the Liangyi Demonic Blade was wedged inside the blazing Fear Heavenly King. A second later, the blade wrenched itself free of his grip—it had defected!
Gripping the hilt, Fear Heavenly King grinned broadly.
"A fine sword. It belongs to me now. Fu Qingyang, why don't you have a taste of being frozen as well?"
The flames clinging to Fear Heavenly King like maggots on rotting bone detached from him and flowed back into the blade. Acting as its rightful master, he recalled the inextinguishable fire. Then, Fear Heavenly King switched it to "Fire-Stealing Sword" mode, turning the blade's flames a chilling white.
Emulating what Fu Qingyang had done earlier, he plunged the Fire-Stealing Sword into the ground. At the same time, seven of his arms slammed inward, enclosing Fu Qingyang, who was already in terrible condition, within their grasp.
At such a distance and against such an assault, a puppeteer in such dire shape was practically doomed.
Suddenly, a dazzling, scorching golden radiance flared in Fu Qingyang's hand, rushing behind his head to coalesce into a golden solar disk.
The pale flames surging toward his feet vanished, the wind and rain sweeping the sky disappeared, and the pestilence raging inside his body was eradicated!
A rule had suppressed other rules!
Fu Qingyang had activated the Sunrise Talisman Zhang Yuanqing had given him.
The Sunrise Talisman was a high-tier talisman of the Day Wanderer profession. Unlike the blood of the Lord of the Sun, which contained only a fragment of rule-based power, the Sunrise Talismans drawn by Zhang Yuanqing could reproduce half the potency of the true ability.
Due to the extreme difficulty of crafting them and the rush of time, Zhang Yuanqing had only managed to draw three, and he had given all of them to Fu Qingyang.
Each one used was one fewer left.
Fear Heavenly King felt his internal spiritual energy and skills instantly sealed by the golden light, rendering them unusable. His three-headed, eight-armed dharma body did not disperse, however; at his level, the avatar had long since solidified into real flesh and blood rather than a mere condensation of spiritual energy. Nevertheless, he could no longer manifest weapons like sabers, spears, swords, or halberds that carried armor-piercing and bleeding effects.
Holding the sword in one arm and balling his other seven hands into fists, Fear Heavenly King hammered at the beast trapped in the "cage" from all directions.
Unflustered, Fu Qingyang drew two swords from the void: one was the Golden Dragon Sword, and the other was a jet-black straight sword—the latter reforged from Cai Qinhe's rule-based item, the River God Seal. It possessed the power to stir wind and thunder and drown foes in surging waves. Of course, at this moment, it was simply an indestructible sword.
With both swords in hand, Fu Qingyang swung his arms fiercely, whirling the blades into two impenetrable circles like the Monkey King brandishing his iron staff, resembling a golden and a black propeller.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Swinging his arms, he retreated step by step, each footfall gouging a deep crater into the earth.
Fear Heavenly King's fists struck like a torrential downpour, yet every blow was deflected by the propeller-like whirl of blades, showering blinding sparks.
Like a perpetual motion machine, Fear Heavenly King used his arms like connecting rods, slamming fists laden with terrifying strength toward his enemy one after another. His mouth was not idle either, as he prattled on about past events with deliberate provocation:
"Little Fu, you're still as weak as ever. You had such an enviable starting point, yet you couldn't even match an ordinary clan member. Your stamina was poor, your talent was lacking, your intellect was mediocre—in every aspect, you were ordinary. If you hadn't relied on stubborn, grinding practice, could you have defeated your peers in the Fu clan?
"If you hadn't possessed the Fu clan's dungeon strategy guides, could you have cleared so many dungeons smoothly early on? If you hadn't become a Scout and gained swordsmanship talent, could you have become a master of the sword?
"Have people praised you so high that you've forgotten how humble you used to be?"
Fear Heavenly King's fists were exceedingly fierce, but his words were sharper still, stabbing straight into every vulnerability.
"In truth, even after becoming a Spirit Realm walker, you still had to rely on that stubborn, grinding practice, forsaking all pleasure and entertainment just to barely keep pace with your peers.
"Do you know how Fu Qingxuan once described you? She said you had the body of a young mistress but the fate of a maid!
"Do you feel satisfied with what you've achieved today? No, you are still weak. You merely jumped from a tiny Fu clan onto a larger stage.
"On this stage where the world's powerhouses gather, you remain an insignificant figure. Did you think that entering the Spirit Realm would allow you to help Yuanshi Tianzun... no, the Demon Lord. I still prefer to call him the Demon Lord. Did you think you could help the Demon Lord defeat the Lord of the Stars?
"Stop daydreaming. Setting aside whether you can even kill me, even if you did, you would only slightly weaken the main formation's suppression of the Demon Lord. He still wouldn't be able to defeat the Lord of the Stars inside the formation.
"Fu Qingyang, do you realize how weak you are now?"
Fu Qingyang remained expressionless, retreating while whirling his twin blades. The Golden Dragon Sword in his right hand grew progressively shorter, shrinking from over three feet down to one foot. It had not been shattered by Fear Heavenly King's brute force, but rather worn away bit by bit amid the relentless spray of sparks.
Fear Heavenly King's physical resilience surpassed that of high-quality Dominator-tier swords. Unable to unleash sword qi, the Golden Dragon Sword could not penetrate his defenses at all, grinding away like a lathe tool against a whetstone.
The corner of Fear Heavenly King's mouth curled upward. "Fu Qingyang, I have a proposal. If you are truly a powerhouse, why don't we settle life and death within three moves in close quarters? How about it?"
Fu Qingyang gave no reply, continuing to fight as he retreated.
"Don't dare?" Fear Heavenly King sneered. "The solar divine power has sealed all our skills. I can't use Bloodthirsty Berserk either; if I die, I'm truly dead. What on earth are you afraid of?"
Having once been a student undergoing swordsmanship training in the Fu clan, Fear Heavenly King understood Fu Qingyang well. This young man was the stubborn sort who charged toward the tiger's lair knowing full well a tiger dwelt there. In certain matters, his obstinacy rivaled Demon Eye's.
Fear Heavenly King thus wanted to provoke him into abandoning his conservative war of attrition in favor of a more aggressive approach. Only then would he, with his demigod physique, find an opening to slay Fu Qingyang. Otherwise, the defense of a high-ranking puppeteer was truly airtight. When it came to combat technique, an Ancient God of War was inferior to a swordsman.
Of course, even if this continued, the victor would undoubtedly be Fear Heavenly King. However, Demon Eye was not dead yet!
Just as this thought crossed his mind, a figure suddenly charged out from behind Fu Qingyang, throwing a fist straight into Fear Heavenly King's face.
"If you're going to fight, just fight! Stop babbling, you piece of trash who's been kept down by a woman your entire life!"
Bang!
Demon Eye Heavenly King's head was caught, and he was slammed violently into the ground.
Fear Heavenly King thrust the Liangyi Demonic Blade straight into Demon Eye's back, pinning him to the earth. All eight fists hammered down at once, beating him senseless like an oversized Iron Man thrashing the Hulk, slamming down with thunderous crashes.
The barrage broke Demon Eye's bones, severed his sinews, cracked his skull, and ruptured his organs.
Fu Qingyang moved as swift as a flash of sword light, circling behind Fear Heavenly King and slashing toward his neck.
One of Fear Heavenly King's hands pulled the Liangyi Demonic Blade free and swung it backward.
Clang!
Sparks scattered in all directions. The web between Fu Qingyang's thumb and index finger tore open on the hand holding the jet-black straight sword, nearly disarming him. Riding the momentum of the recoil, he kicked outward as his body flew back, striking Fear Heavenly King's wrist. The force surged through the wrist and detonated with a crisp crack more than ten meters in the air, sending the Liangyi Demonic Blade flying from Fear's hand.
Discarding the Golden Dragon Sword that had been ground down into a short dagger, Fu Qingyang caught the falling Liangyi Demonic Blade. Whirling both arms in an instant, he landed over a dozen slashes across Fear Heavenly King's steel-hard torso, every strike carving through the bronze skin.
Not daring to face a high-ranking Scout single-handedly, Fear Heavenly King grabbed Demon Eye Heavenly King and swept him outward like a club.
Fu Qingyang held his twin swords upright, meeting Demon Eye Heavenly King with the flats of the blades.
Bang!
The two collided and were sent hurtling back together.
With a flicker of movement, Fear Heavenly King intercepted their trajectory. A whip kick snapped Demon Eye's ribs, followed by a reverse punch directed at Fu Qingyang's head, unleashing a booming shockwave.
Fu Qingyang crossed his swords to parry, bouncing away instantly like a rubber ball.
Under the light of Sunrise, the three of them cast aside skills and items, locked in a brutal melee relying solely on martial arts and swordsmanship.
***
Ziwei Six Ominous Stars Formation, main formation!
Another Golden Crow was torn from the solar origin, screeching and thrashing in futile resistance before being inexorably swept into the starlight millstone.
This was already the third Golden Crow.
The Lord of the Stars and the Lord of the Sun sat cross-legged atop the sludge, each maintaining absolute silence.
***
Songhai.
Chen Yuanjun returned home before sunset, wheeling his travel suitcase and heading straight for his grandparents' house.
Grandmother, Jiang Yu'er, and Grandfather were eating dinner. Seeing him arrive looking worn from travel, Grandmother was both surprised and delighted. "You're back? Why didn't you drop off your luggage first? Oh, never mind, just leave it by the entryway and come eat... Honestly, you didn't even say you were coming back today. Grandma didn't make any of your favorite dishes."
"Grandma, I already ate," Chen Yuanjun brushed off casually. He gave his exquisitely charming little aunt a deep look, trying his best to speak in a calm tone. "Auntie, could you step outside for a moment? I have something to tell you."
Jiang Yu'er glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "Alright."
Grandmother looked at her grandson, then at the young woman, asking perceptively, "What's the matter?"
Neither Chen Yuanjun nor Jiang Yu'er replied. One after the other, they left the apartment and stepped into the empty stairwell.
Once there, Chen Yuanjun, his mind weighed down with heavy thoughts, found himself unsure of how to begin. He lit a cigarette, took a deep drag into his lungs, and exhaled forcefully before finally speaking:
"Auntie, I remembered. I remembered the things... the memories you erased."
Jiang Yu'er's expression remained tranquil, as though she had anticipated this long ago. She asked proactively, "What do you want to ask?"
Chen Yuanjun organized his thoughts and said slowly in a low voice, "What exactly happened to Yuanzi? Did he... did he come back?"
At this point, Chen Yuanjun gave a self-deprecating chuckle. "I'm not even sure anymore whether the Yuanzi I spent time with these past few years was actually my cousin."
Jiang Yu'er replied calmly:
"Four years ago, he obtained a character card by chance and became a Spirit Realm walker. But he was inadvertently brought under the control of a major figure from the evil faction. So, I created a puppet that lived for several years under Yuanzi's identity.
"It wasn't until April of last year that he broke free of his past identity and returned to our side. He didn't know any of this himself, however; he had amnesia, and only recently recalled everything.
"As for his experiences and what he went through over these years, don't ask."
This matched closely with what Chen Yuanjun had deduced while at the hospital. He asked in a deep voice, "Are there any lingering repercussions to this? Lately, I've had more and more contact with the special department. I can mobilize some of the powerhouses within your realm of understanding.
"Auntie, if you need my help, don't try to endure it alone. You have to tell me."
Jiang Yu'er shook her head.
"You don't need to worry about him. Yuanzi and I hold considerable standing among Spirit Realm walkers. Ordinary enemies are no match for us."
Still uneasy, Chen Yuanjun frowned. "What level of walkers are you and Yuanzi?"
Jiang Yu'er stated frankly, "Yuanzi is a demigod. As for me, my current status is equivalent to a peak Dominator."
*My true body, that is!* she added inwardly.
Chen Yuanjun thought for a moment and realized he had never heard of "demigod" or "peak Dominator" before, though from the titles, they sounded very impressive.
"Hold on!" Pulling out his phone in front of his aunt, he sent Li Dongze a message, inquiring about what standing "demigod" and "peak Dominator" held among Spirit Realm walkers.
With Chen Yuanjun's rank, it was impossible for him to access intelligence regarding demigods and Dominators.
Ten-odd seconds later, his phone chimed with an alert.
Li Dongze's reply arrived:
"How do you know about demigods and Dominators? Has your department granted clearance up to that level? Well, times have changed; telling you isn't a problem.
"Remember the 'gaming analogy' I joked about with you before? If Spirit Realm walkers were gamers, a demigod would be a max-level account. Our Five Elements Alliance has five demigods in total, which makes us the second-largest official organization in the world. Any single demigod can establish an official organization of their own.
"As for a peak Dominator, they're just one level shy of max level."
Reading this message, Chen Yuanjun's hands began to tremble.
He looked at Jiang Yu'er, who looked serene yet completely earnest, and his hands trembled even harder.
A bizarre thought surfaced in Chen Yuanjun's mind—who could have imagined that the ordinary Chen family had simultaneously nurtured a Wolong and a Fengchu!
For a moment, Chen Yuanjun wondered if his memories had been altered again or if his mind was being manipulated.
He could hardly distinguish between what was real and what was fake.
Seeing his state, Jiang Yu'er said gently, "Don't let your imagination run wild. There's plenty you don't know. In fact, back when Dad worked at the Public Security Bureau, he came into contact with quite a few Spirit Realm walkers, including Yuanzi's father. Zhang Zizhen was also a peak Dominator.
"My eldest sister is an even more prominent figure in the Spirit Realm."
As she spoke, she unconsciously applied Pacify.
Once Chen Yuanjun's emotions stabilized, Jiang Yu'er added, "Furthermore, that black sheep of the family—your father—is also a Spirit Realm walker!"
Chen Yuanjun was dumbfounded. "He is too?"
*So the whole family consists of Spirit Realm walkers, and I'm the only mere mortal?*
Recalling his old man's frivolous ways, Chen Yuanjun figured that even if his father were a Spirit Realm walker, he was probably an underachiever.
Jiang Yu'er nodded. "Mm. Your father is a demigod as well!"
Thump! Thump! Thump!
Chen Yuanjun staggered back several paces, leaning against the wall. The hands that had just calmed down began trembling violently once more.
Not only had the humble Chen family produced a Wolong and a Fengchu, but it was also hiding a Jia Xu?
How could this be? That old boy of a father who spent his days rapping and dancing was actually a demigod... Was he even worthy?! Did he deserve that?!
For a public security captain who was as ordinary as could be, these revelations vastly exceeded the limits of what he could handle.
This wasn't a case of ordinary parents suddenly turning out to be the richest people on earth; this was ordinary parents suddenly transforming into Super Saiyans!
Chen Yuanjun took a deep breath. "Auntie, why don't you just tell me everything at once? My mom, and Grandpa and Grandma..."
Jiang Yu'er shook her head, her voice gentle.
"They are all ordinary people!"
Phew! Chen Yuanjun exhaled as though a crushing weight had been lifted from his shoulders. At least the entire family hadn't banded together to put on a show for him!
Under Jiang Yu'er's pacification, his emotions gradually settled, and he accepted reality. He finally recalled the true reason he had rushed home.
Chen Yuanjun furrowed his brows. "Auntie, after my memories returned, I remembered a few things. Two years ago, it seems Yuanzi came looking for me!"
***
New York County.
Inside an empty, deserted room, Zhang Yuanqing's avatar stared at the Elvis Presley speaker before him. Audio clips replayed in his ears one after another.
He did not know how long he had been sitting there; all his attention was focused entirely on the contents of the recordings.
This item, which could not be placed into an inventory, was something he carried on him most of the time. Stored within were audio clips he used to remind himself of his original aspirations, recordings of him sleeping with various women, and random voice memos left behind while roaming around after becoming a Dominator.
Zhang Yuanqing listened to every detail with utmost care, not skipping a single recording.
Yet the sheer number of audio clips was overwhelming; so far, he had listened to roughly two-thirds at most.
*Sizzle...*
Accompanied by the hum of static, another recording began to play. His own voice came from the speaker:
"Cousin, there's something I need to ask of you!"
Chapter 1008