I Stepped on a Bug, and the System Says I Slayed a Dragon? - Chapter 274 - 273: Blood Clone Improvement! Art Is an Explosion
As he spoke, Elder Li’s heart pounded with apprehension.
In truth, he had his own selfish motives.
’If someone like Liu Wushuang can join the Heaven-Blasting Gang, then… could I possibly join too?’
After all, objectively speaking, the temptation of joining the Heaven-Blasting Gang was simply too great!
Never mind the guidance from various Venerable Realm experts, there was also an immense accumulation of resources, and even the chance… to see the Sword God’s former residence with his own eyes.
The thought alone made his heart stir with excitement.
“Hmph, of course, there’s a screening process.”
Liu Wushuang sipped his tea, furtively glanced around, and then leaned in conspiratorially.
“And what’s more, it’s someone you know—Qin Yang… That kid, Qin, is no simple character. He’s actually the Young Master, and his status is incredibly high! All those Venerables in the Heaven-Blasting Gang defer to him!”
“Hm? Young Friend Qin?”
Elder Li froze, utterly shocked. He hadn’t expected that answer at all. “He’s the Young Master?!”
“What?” Liu Wushuang raised an eyebrow. “Don’t believe me?”
“I do, of course I do…”
Elder Li processed this information, his heart reeling with shock.
But when he recalled the Venerables who had self-destructed earlier,
it all made perfect sense!
Those Venerable Realm experts had thrown their lives away, self-destructing with abandon, clearly to protect Qin Yang.
“And he’s also the Jianghai Sword God’s head disciple… It seems the Sword God’s lineage holds a very high position within the Heaven-Blasting Gang!”
As Elder Li’s thoughts reached this point, he glanced at Li Zixuan beside him, his heart filled with envy.
“To have the Young Master of the Heaven-Blasting Gang as your senior brother… Xuanxuan, you’ve stumbled upon a great opportunity. You’re incredibly lucky.”
’So, my senior brother is the Young Master of the Heaven-Blasting Gang… ’
Li Zixuan was somewhat dazed upon hearing this.
’Given Qin Yang’s talent, that status makes sense.’
But!
’A Young Master is still just a Young Master. In a world fraught with hidden dangers, too many perils lie in wait. The road to succeeding the Gang Leader is a long and arduous one.’
’One day, I will personally witness my senior brother become the future Heaven-Blasting Gang Leader!’
Li Zixuan stared at Liu Wushuang, her resolve to aid her senior brother hardening in her heart. ’But before that, people like the one responsible for the Jianghai Arrow God’s death must be watched carefully. I will never let them endanger my senior brother!’
’This little girl, she’s giving me that look again…’
At the table, Liu Wushuang noticed Li Zixuan’s hostile expression, silently took another sip of his tea, and pretended not to see.
’After all, she’s Qin Yang’s junior sister, and I already feel guilty about what happened to the Jianghai Arrow God.’
’Whatever, I’d better get going.’
Liu Wushuang sighed internally, then rose to his feet. “If there’s nothing else, I’ll go home, pack my things, and then come here to stand guard.”
“Wait, Elder Wushuang,”
Elder Li suddenly asked with concern, “Now that you’ve joined the Heaven-Blasting Gang, won’t the Venerable Alliance Leader give you trouble?”
“You mean Meng Tianxuan?”
Liu Wushuang frowned and waved a dismissive hand.
“Relax. Before I came, I returned everything the Venerable Alliance has given me over the years. We’re even now.”
…
…
「Imperial Capital.」
The bustling ancient city was bathed in morning light.
The palace of the Venerable Alliance.
In a medicinal bath, Meng Tianxuan soaked in a viscous, crimson pool. White steam billowed from its surface, where numerous medicinal lotuses floated.
He glided through the water like a fish, sending ripples across the lotus-filled pool.
Meng Tianxuan was a world away from his state during the bombing. His torn skin had healed, his severed arm had regenerated, and he seemed to have returned to his peak condition.
’Not bad. I’m almost fully recovered.’
Meng Tianxuan slowly rose, glanced at the new skin on his right hand, then donned a white bathrobe and headed out into the long corridor.
Worried that those lunatics from the Heaven-Blasting Gang might attack, he had taken the long route through the Da Li Mountain Range to return to the Venerable Alliance over the past few days.
At that moment, a subordinate who had been waiting by the door approached.
He knelt respectfully on the ground.
“Alliance Leader! I have completed the task you assigned.”
He reported in a low, steady voice, “I’ve searched everywhere within the Alliance, but I couldn’t find any sign of Wushuang Venerable. I can confirm he is no longer here.”
“Not here?”
Meng Tianxuan’s brow furrowed.
“Where did he go? Is he in secluded cultivation in his room? Why haven’t I seen any sign of him these past few days?”
“He’s not in his room. According to his attendant, Liu Wushuang only returned briefly to grab some personal belongings before packing his bags and leaving the Imperial Capital.”
The subordinate continued, pulling a folded note from within his robes and handing it to Meng Tianxuan. “This was found on Wushuang Venerable’s desk. The message is addressed to you, to be opened personally.”
“Hm?”
A bad feeling instantly welled up in Meng Tianxuan’s heart, and his frown deepened.
He slowly unfolded the note.
The note simply listed various materials, Magical Artifacts, and Cultivation Method Manuals—a dazzling array of accumulated resources, all with a specified warehouse address. Below the list, a short message was written in small script:
[All past favors from the Venerable Alliance are accounted for herein. I return them in full. From this day forward, I, Liu Wushuang, willingly relinquish the title of Wushuang Arrow God. I owe the Venerable Alliance nothing, and it owes me nothing!]
“This is what the Wushuang Arrow God left behind, Alliance Leader.”
The subordinate reported, “He left the Imperial Capital immediately after. Some of the old-timers in the Alliance said it seemed he flew in the direction of Jianghai.”
“He just left like that?”
Meng Tianxuan crushed the note in his fist, his expression dark and turbulent. “He’s lived in the Venerable Alliance for decades… With so many friends and family here, did he say nothing at all?”
“He… He did, Alliance Leader. He said one more thing before he left…”
The subordinate kept his head bowed low, his voice trembling.
“Before Liu Wushuang left, other Venerables in the alliance tried to persuade him to stay, but he shut them all down with a single sentence. After that, no one dared to stop him…”
As he spoke, the subordinate’s head sank even lower. Cold sweat trickled down his temples in rivulets, and he dared not say another word.
“What did he say?”
Meng Tianxuan’s face was frighteningly dark, a low growl of fury rumbling in his throat. He stared at the subordinate, hissing, “Tell me exactly what he said…”
“Ye-yes… Yes, Alliance Leader, please don’t be angry after you hear it.”
The subordinate stuttered, squeezed his eyes shut, and said through gritted teeth, “Before he left, he snarled at all the Venerables who tried to stop him… ’I, Liu Wushuang, am a man of honor! I am ashamed to associate with such villains!!’”
The words had barely left his mouth.
The next moment.
BANG!!!
The ground shattered!
A deep crater exploded into existence in the corridor. Boundless Star Force erupted from Meng Tianxuan, instantly pulverizing the adjacent walls into fine dust!
“Traitor!”
Meng Tianxuan gritted his teeth, his face crimson and his body trembling with rage.
“This is betrayal against the Venerable Alliance! Well done, Liu Wushuang. Leaving is one thing, but to dare publicly slander my good name… You’re courting death!”
He looked at the subordinate before him and commanded:
“Go and investigate immediately! Find out exactly where that traitor went! Report back to me the moment you have news!”
“Yes, Alliance Leader!”
The subordinate acknowledged the command and respectfully withdrew from the corridor.
A few moments later, silence fell over the corridor.
’Heh. Liu Wushuang, do you really think returning a few things makes us even?’
Meng Tianxuan slowly walked to the window, gazing at the mountains stretching to the horizon. His gaze seemed to pierce through the ranges, locking onto Liu Wushuang’s position.
After all,
Liu Wushuang was exceptionally talented. His archery Divine Techniques were near-divine, and he was a key figure the Alliance had been grooming… He was hailed as the Star Martial Artist most likely to break through to the Celestial Venerable Realm after Meng Tianxuan himself!
And he also held the position of Vice-Leader.
He was privy to many of the Venerable Alliance’s greatest secrets.
His position was simply too critical.
If he were allowed to escape the Alliance’s reach now…
The impact on the Venerable Alliance would be unimaginable!
’I’d like to see just how long you can run, Liu Wushuang…’
Meng Tianxuan’s face was grim. The more he thought, the more frustrated he became. He felt as if a dog he had raised for decades had been stolen away just when he needed it most.
’Those who dare betray the Venerable Alliance have only one fate: death!!’
…
…
「Evening.」
「Fuhai District.」
On the balcony, Qin Yang sat cross-legged as the cool night breeze washed over him. He suddenly felt a faint, barely perceptible trace of malice transmitted back to him through the rhythm of the Dao.
’Who’s directing their thoughts at me this time?’
Qin Yang slowly opened his eyes and gazed into the distance, sensing that something was amiss.
His breakthrough to the Celestial Venerable Realm was imminent, and as he delved deeper into the True Dragon Dharma Aspect, he seemed to have grazed the edges of the Law of Cause and Effect.
He found he could faintly sense it whenever someone harbored malicious intent toward him.
Unfortunately, the sensation was still far too vague.
He couldn’t probe it any further.
’Will I be able to perceive it more clearly after I break through to the Celestial Venerable Realm?’
Qin Yang mulled it over for a moment, then shook his head, pushing the thought aside. He submerged his consciousness back into the Enlightenment Space, focusing his mind on the Blood Clone Technique.
Within the Enlightenment Space,
several Clones floated within his mind’s eye. Their meridians, blood, and bones were all displayed with perfect clarity, as if dissected for his inspection.
’Maybe I should try approaching this from the angle of quantity?’
Qin Yang stroked his chin, lost in thought.
The recent battle at the apartment, with all its self-destructing Clones, had shown him the immense benefits of the technique. As long as he could overwhelm his enemies with numbers, why would he ever need to fight in person again?
What’s not to love about remote-controlled kamikaze bombings?
A one-man army!
Art is an explosion!
I’ll just start with the power… and improve it by a little bit.
……
「Meanwhile.」
Xiaobai was still in her room, power-leveling.
Beside her was a product of Qin Yang’s efforts… another Qin Yang. His aura was identical to the original’s, but his Cultivation was only at the Innate Realm. This was the result of the initial improvements to the Blood Clone Technique.
Although its strength was extremely low…
it allowed him to freely adjust the Clone’s strength, and it consumed very little Essence Blood.
The main principle was victory through numbers!
Human wave tactics!
’The Innate Realm really is more this Fairy’s speed.’
Xiaobai put down her phone and glanced at the Qin Yang next to her, her fox ears twitching.
’Master is usually in the Venerable Realm, and his aura is too intimidating. This Clone is much better.’
“Master, hurry up! Try a little harder.”
Xiaobai shouted toward the balcony, “Make a few dozen more Clones, and we can form our own pro-gaming team! We’ll enter esports tournaments and take first, second, and third place… Hehe, we’ll be rolling in money!”
“Tsk.”
A soft sigh came from the balcony.
“Do you think these Clones don’t cost me Essence Blood? That I can just pop them out on command?”
Qin Yang’s irritated voice floated back.
“…”
Xiaobai instinctively flinched and ducked behind the Innate Realm Clone.
“Fine, don’t make more then… Why are you so mean? This one’s good enough.”
She hugged the Innate Realm Clone, ruffling its hair vigorously as she muttered, “He’s so dopey, all he knows is how to play games with this Fairy. But he’s obedient enough. His skills are a little trash, but I can still manage to carry him!”
