Chapter 388 - 211: Ten Years Ago

Chapter 388: Chapter 211: Ten Years Ago

"Enough of this."

Fan Yao’s gaze hardened, and he gave a bitter smile. The moment he glimpsed the Bird Cage, he looked up, as if searching for a way to break through. He had seen Zheng Xiu’s "Bird Cage" once before, ten years ago in front of Nie Gong’s Treasure Vault, so he had a general idea of its trapping capabilities.

However, even Fan Yao didn’t know that the "trapping" aspect of Zheng Xiu’s Bird Cage was merely its superficial function. Whether it actually trapped the enemy was unimportant. To Zheng Xiu, what mattered more was "imprisoning" himself.

The moment he entered the Bird Cage, Zheng Xiu once again felt the tenuous, thread-like connection to his Heart Prison.

With Zheng Baimei "dead" and his current status unknown, the most suitable Incarnation Zheng Xiu could use was Zheng Shan.

[Projection]: Zheng Shan!

[Unbreakable] triggered.

In an instant, Zheng Xiu’s appearance remained unchanged, yet his entire aura was completely different. He had transformed from a courteous scholar into a muscular Painter. It all happened in the blink of an eye. Fan Yao, without a word, tapped his toes on the air and thrust a palm toward the edge of the Bird Cage.

"Master Lou, what’s the rush!"

In his peripheral vision, Zheng Xiu swept his gaze across the battlefield. Not far away, Arturo—now one with his camel—was locked in combat with Cheng Xiao. A magma-like flame flickered on Cheng Xiao’s saber; Zheng Xiu had no idea what Path of Miracle Technique could produce such an effect. Wherever the blade struck, terrifying black smoke sizzled and rose from Arturo’s body. Arturo let out a series of wretched screams. It was clear the fight between him and Cheng Xiao would not be decided quickly.

’Sorry.’

With a silent apology, Zheng Xiu spared a glance for the Monk’s position before refocusing completely on Fan Yao. He watched as Fan Yao thrust out a palm. The air before his five pale fingers distorted slightly as a tidal wave of force surged forward, layer upon layer. It struck the Bird Cage from afar, bending it into a wave and creating an obvious bulge on its outer surface.

Zheng Xiu’s Bird Cage seemed on the verge of shattering. A look of delight crossed Fan Yao’s face, but before he could launch a second palm strike, the bars of the Blood Barrier suddenly morphed into countless sharp blades that slashed down at him.

"Damn it!"

Fan Yao flicked his cloak, deftly using Soft Force to parry, spinning to shed the blood-red blades.

At this point, Zheng Xiu held nothing back. Blood poured continuously from the wound on his wrist; in other words, in a state of "Severe Hemorrhage," his "Ink" was virtually inexhaustible. With the flourish of a brush, a stroke became a painting. A long saber, closely resembling the Deceitful Object Form of Broken Moon, materialized in his hand, as ethereal as a phantom. Inky light flowed silently along the blade’s edge, a dense shadow, both magnificent and bewitching.

"Brother Gongsun, I’m afraid there’s been some misunderstanding between us."

Fan Yao’s brow twitched as he spoke, wrapping his cloak around himself and frowning.

"There’s no misunderstanding. You know exactly what’s going on."

With killing intent in his eyes, Zheng Xiu gripped the Moying Long Saber and charged ferociously at Fan Yao, each strike merciless. Seeing the attack, Fan Yao could only defend. His immense aura was almost tangible as he blocked the saber with his bare hands, producing a series of metallic CLANGS as if metal struck stone. Sparks and Ink splashed where his palms met the blade. For a time, the two were locked in a deadly struggle inside the Bird Cage, fighting from the ground to the very edge of the enclosure and exchanging hundreds of blows.

At first, Fan Yao could still pretend to be calm and composed, but as time went on, several flaws appeared in his moves. With a reverse-grip flick of his saber, Zheng Xiu sliced across Fan Yao’s wrist, nearly severing his tendons. He had intended to use the momentum to cut off his hand, but Fan Yao dodged at the last possible second.

Zheng Xiu grew more and more alarmed as they fought. Though Fan Yao was an Innate Mystic, he hadn’t used a single Miracle Technique from start to finish. His every move remained within the realm of a Martial Hero, yet his strength far surpassed anyone of this era—enough to look down on the entire world. Taking a moment to catch his breath, Zheng Xiu recalled Fan Yao’s words and had a sudden realization.

"You’ve cultivated your Martial Arts into a kind of ’Miracle Technique’?"

Hearing this, Fan Yao’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t deny it.

’Fan Yao had said he cultivated the Yin-Yang Reversal Scripture, and to practice it, one had to castrate oneself. Recalling that the real Fan Yao was one of the Ten Greats of the Incompleteness Tower and was well-versed in the cultivation of Incomplete Mystic Skills, Zheng Xiu now wondered if this "castration" had, in some unseen way, conformed to the rules of the Incomplete Technique. Had it allowed him to walk a completely different path of incompleteness within the World in the Painting?’

"Why aren’t you using your Innate Mystic Skill?"

"You’ve met Zhu?"

"You’re here for another reason, aren’t you?"

"I see. So the real Heart Demon isn’t the Monk..."

Zheng Xiu noticed that as time passed, Fan Yao’s aura grew more chaotic, his expression faltering. He fired off several questions, each one more soul-piercing than the last. As he asked the fourth question, Zheng Xiu made a fist with his left hand and sheathed the Moying Long Saber in the web of his right hand. In that instant, Zheng Xiu’s presence settled, becoming as steady and unmoving as an old pine on a mountain.

"The real Heart Demon... is you!"

Divine Speed!

Before his voice had even faded, a straight line of ink connected Zheng Xiu and Fan Yao. By the time Fan Yao could react, he was already retreating rapidly. He felt a chill on his neck, and the next moment, hot blood gushed out. The posturing Gongsun Mo in front of him was now just an afterimage. The real Gongsun Mo had appeared behind him after delivering the strike, fast as lightning, almost godlike.

Fan Yao knew that if he hadn’t retreated, that strike would have decapitated him. Terrified, his hair disheveled and his earlier composure completely gone, Fan Yao shrieked hysterically, "You don’t understand! You don’t understand anything! We’re all going to die!"

"And that’s why you came here." Zheng Xiu’s face was devoid of expression. "You’ve met Zhu. You’ve perceived a part of the ’truth.’ Even if this is all just a long dream in the World in the Painting, you’re still worried. Worried the Monk will die here."