Bengtie: My death fueled their madness.

At the narrow pass of the canyon, Mo Tingquan, who was originally fighting fiercely against the enemy, was now kneeling on the ground, letting out painful roars.

Countless golden branches sprouted from his flesh and blood, growing wildly and spreading out leaves, shattering his battle armor inch by inch.

"Ahhhhh—"

Mo Tingquan held his head in his hands, his fingernails digging deep into his scalp, as if trying to dig out the mad voice from his mind.

But he couldn't do it.

Golden leaves quickly covered his entire body, and his once clear and bright eyes were gradually replaced by a murky, blood-red color.

"Senior Mo Tingquan..." Jing Liu gripped the sword in his hand tightly.

She knew the rules, and every Cloud Rider knew them.

Once a comrade falls into demonic darkness, he is no longer a fellow soldier, but a scourge that must be eliminated.

But... he is Mo Tingquan.

They are the only remaining elite Cloud Cavalry of Cangcheng besides their master, and also their master's comrade-in-arms for hundreds of years.

Centuries have passed, and very few people from Cangcheng are still alive.

Mo Tingquan struggled to lift his head and look into the distance. On his face, which was no longer recognizable, a faint, almost pleading expression appeared.

Jingliu felt as if the longsword in his hand was as heavy as a thousand pounds.

Just as she gritted her teeth and resolved to take action, a blur flashed past her side.

puff!

The sound of a sharp blade piercing flesh was faint, yet incredibly clear.

Qi Zhimu appeared in front of Mo Tingquan, his long sword precisely piercing into his dantian, the sword intent spreading and shattering it.

The roaring stopped abruptly.

Mo Tingquan's body stiffened, and the bloodshot in his eyes receded like a tide, restoring his senses.

Looking at his old comrade-in-arms whom he had known for hundreds of years, he managed a weak smile, as if trying to force out a relieved one.

Two seconds later, he slowly leaned back, and the golden branches covering his body withered rapidly and scattered in the wind.

Qi Zhimu stood with his sword in hand, remaining motionless for a long time.

He looked down at Mo Tingquan's gradually cooling corpse, his face expressionless, as if he had just killed an ordinary enemy.

"Master..."

Witnessing this scene, a rare sense of sorrow swept through Jingliu's heart, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

"This is the destiny of the immortal beings of the Immortal Ship."

Qi Zhimu didn't turn around; his back was to Jing Liu, and his voice was frighteningly calm.

"I might become like that in the future."

He paused, his tone carrying an unyielding command.

"If one day I fall into demonic possession on the battlefield, you must act as your master has done today, showing absolutely no mercy, understand?"

Jingliu was startled.

If that day ever comes, will she have to kill her master with her own hands?

At that time, that was Master's only liberation...

As Jingliu's face was shrouded in shadow, images that still haunted his nightmares surfaced in his mind.

That day, the master killed his mother with his own hands.

The difference was that he didn't go forward on his own then, but waited for his mother to come to him.

What they had in common was that they didn't hesitate for even a moment when drawing their swords.

"Yes... Master..."

Jing Liu responded in a low voice.

Unbeknownst to her, a terrifying brutality was surging deep within her master's eyes.

Qi Zhimu planted his longsword in the ground, bent down, and collected the remains of his former comrade-in-arms.

Another person has died...

Only a few of the Cangcheng survivors left behind descendants before they perished, but many more fell into demonic possession at the age of six or seven hundred and were led to their demise by the judges of the Ten Kings.

Until now, in the year 6745 of the astrological calendar, after Mo Tingquan fell into demonic possession, only 88 people remained in the world, and all of them had entered a high-risk age.

Perhaps in a few years, the descendants of the remnants of Cangcheng will gradually forget their ancestral land, which has long since perished, as time goes by.

Qi Zhimu straightened up and stomped his foot hard on the ground!

The earth trembled.

An invisible wave spread out, sweeping over the bodies of countless Bu Li people. The moment the two made contact, all Bu Li people turned into ashes.

The fluctuations contracted, carrying with them a power familiar to Qi Zhimu, and returned to silence.

The evil creatures were all wiped out, and the crisis was finally over.

The casualties were tallied. The total number of personnel in the detachment led by Mo Tingquan was three million, with more than seventy thousand killed.

He had done everything in his power to minimize the losses in the face of the ambush by Hu Lei.

He lived up to his hunting ambitions, the sacred ship, and the trust and sacrifice of his comrades who had entrusted him with their lives, fighting to the very last moment.

Instead of immediately leading their army back to Yaoqing, the master and disciple slaughtered all the evil creatures in the entire Yinghuo Starfield before embarking on their journey home.

The sacrifice of a Cloud Cavalry Guard is an unbearable loss, even for the martial-minded Yaoqing.

In the Cloud Cavalry Army, no more than two valiant guards are promoted every five years.

Within the exclusive grotto of the Cloud Riders, flowing clouds, like white silk, descend and encircle the verdant and tranquil mountains.

White cranes glide across the mirror-like lake, their long, melodious cries further enhancing the solemnity and tranquility of the place.

General Zhuiyun posthumously awarded Mo Tingquan the honor of a martyr, gave him a grand burial, and included his name in the Xianzhou Heroes and Martyrs Chronicle, so that he may be revered by future generations forever.

Qi Zhimu and the others saluted in unison, their expressions varied, but their eyes were all heavy with sorrow.

……

The next day, Qi Zhimu visited the general's mansion alone.

"Are you getting discharged from the military?"

Upon hearing his request, General Zhuiyun was slightly taken aback, only then realizing the profound weariness and helplessness hidden beneath his countless illustrious military achievements.

445 years have passed since Cangcheng was destroyed.

Qi Zhimu was 600 years old back then, and is now 1045 years old.

Throughout the entire history of the Immortal Boat Alliance, very few Cloud Cavalry soldiers have lived to this age.

Not to mention, over the years, he has never shown any signs of falling into demonic possession.

"Yes, General."

Qi Zhimu remained calm and spoke concisely.

"I am over a thousand years old, and although I am willing to continue fighting, my body is gradually becoming too weak to support me."

"This is my post-war inspection report. Please take a look, General."

Zhuiyun took the report from the Yuzhao terminal, examined it carefully, and couldn't help but sigh.

The report shows that although Qi Zhimu's mental state is not impaired, it is not as stable as in previous years.

In addition to the medical examination results from the Dan Ding Si (丹鼎司), there are also divination annotations from the Tai Bu Si (太卜司).

Both reports ultimately concluded that if Qi Zhimu continued to take life and death lightly as before and devoted himself to the expedition, the probability of him falling into demonic possession on the battlefield was no less than 70%.

Furthermore, this probability will continue to rise as the fighting intensifies and the number of battles increases.

Both morally and logically, he should not fight again.

It's time to step down from the front lines and return to a normal life.

"Qi Zhimu Xiaowei, thank you for your hundreds of years of dedication to the Alliance and the Yaoqing Immortal Ship."

Zhuiyun turned off the report, his expression solemn, and bowed deeply to Qi Zhimu.

"From this day forward, you are honorably retired."

……

Upon learning of Qi Zhimu's discharge from the military, the cloud of worry and fear that had been hanging over Jingliu's heart grew even heavier and denser.

Looking back suddenly, she belatedly realized that her master, who had been hunting and patrolling for hundreds of years, was already at a high age.

She has not yet achieved her goal, but no one knows how many years her master has left.

The thought of possibly losing Qi Zhimu, witnessing him fall into demonic possession and be led to destruction...

Jingliu felt that even breathing had become incredibly difficult.

No, that kind of future... is not possible!

……

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