Forge a path to success

Only after comparing them did he realize how useful Bessen and Olek's relics were. Compared to the creations of the Imaginary Demon, the Spiral Tower's specialties were far too niche. This pen was practically tailor-made for Vaklo; if Vaklo had fought with it, they would probably have been wiped out.

Chu Hengkong closed the book, his gaze lingering on the memory for a moment. This unwavering loyalty, unto death, reminded him of Du Muyan in the fire.

"...a guy you can't bring yourself to hate." He had mixed feelings.

“How could that be? It’s a creature that’s utterly detestable.” Qingxia rested her chin on his head. “Do you know how many warriors were executed by Vaklo? Do you know how many people died tragically on the battlefield because of it? You don’t know, you haven’t seen it, you’re just making these remarks because you were moved by the enemy’s bravery and blind loyalty. This is very unfair to us.”

Chu Hengkong was speechless for a moment. He hadn't expected the unreliable Qingxia to utter such an irrefutable argument. He waved his hand and put away his book: "You're right."

"I don't blame you. You can't empathize with a dead person you've never met." Qingxia turned her head away. "But you must remember, you absolutely must not empathize with someone who is not a Taoist."

Heretical paths are rubbish; regardless of their past characteristics, they deserve neither sympathy nor respect. Just kill them and forget about them, otherwise, one day you too will fall into their trap.

Qingxia spoke very seriously, even solemnly. Her golden eyes revealed a cold, ruthless edge, like a veteran who had become cold-blooded from countless battles.

Chu Hengkong nodded silently and turned to walk towards the arena. Qingxia followed briskly: "Aren't you going to ride me?"

He was genuinely taken aback by this statement: "...There's no need."

"Then let me carry you~"

"What's wrong with you?!"

Qingxia swiftly reached out and lifted the assassin high above her head, like a cub, and ran off joyfully. Chu Hengkong struggled desperately, but was unable to break free due to his severe injuries.

"Let go of me!" "Be careful your wound doesn't reopen!" "I can walk by myself!" "That's great! Want a kiss?" "I can't take it anymore! Can't you talk logically at all?!"

Qingxia moved with lightning speed, returning to the arena in just half a minute. The girls who had just emerged from the painting stared in disbelief. Qingye pointed forward, utterly astonished: "Mr. Chu... is like a trophy!"

"Your metaphor is more insulting than all of Qingxia's words and actions combined!" Chu Hengkong shouted.

Ji Huaisu was furious and immediately drew his Purifying Fire Greatsword: "You beast, put down my trophy!"

"Where is my citizenship?!"

The scene was chaotic and a complete mess. Ji Huaisu and Qingye gave chase, while Qingxia ran around the arena wildly. In this extremely chaotic atmosphere, a listless demon rolled to the ground with a thud, its eyes still blurry as it saw Chongming rushing over.

"So who are we going to fight next?"

"In my opinion," Chongming said, "there's no need to fight again for the time being."

Chapter 180 Daydreaming is Harmful to Health

"Alright! The battle against Vakuro is over. Now, let's take attendance!" Chongming tapped his scabbard. "Two new recruits, one new eyeball, and one truly new recruit who joined temporarily. Everyone is present!"

"Wait a moment, sir." Ji Huaisu raised his hand solemnly, "The uniforms of the Nightfall team members have been lost!"

Chongming nodded sadly: "Damn it, we actually forgot about its contribution... Add one more, the fallen soldier, for the clothes of the Nightfall team."

"Can you please shut up?! When are you going to stop telling this joke?! Don't make it sound like I'll never have any clothes to wear again!!"

Qingye used his shadow folding fan to strike Ji Huaisu on the back of the head, striking once after each exclamation mark, unleashing a terrifying four-hit combo. But the knight completely blocked it with his bare hands, and Ji Huaisu, having successfully parried, revealed a tyrannical smile.

Chu Heng couldn't bear it, so he gave his partner a sharp rap on the head.

"Ouch, that hurts!" Ji Huaisu clutched his forehead.

"If this continues, I'll pretend I didn't see Qingye stealing your clothes."

Qingye clenched her fists tightly and urged, "Please help me steal it! I'll give you the spoils."

"You should stop now and stop talking to that perverted tone."

When we first met, she was a naive female student single-mindedly focused on killing heretics. When did she become this monster? Was it because she was bullied by the thugs at the hot pot restaurant? Was it because she warmed herself in the hot spring with tentacles? Or was it because she was wearing the Shadow Suit and fighting alongside everyone...?

Damn, there are too many shocks that can drastically change a person's personality; it's impossible to pinpoint the exact problem. Could it be that spending too much time in an environment that weakens one's intelligence naturally leads to this state?

Chongming raised his gaze to the centaurs strolling leisurely at the back of the line: "And then the returning veterans. Come and report for duty!"

Qingxia trotted over and gave a proper salute: "Yes, Commander Chongming! Qingxia, Deputy Director of the Institute of Historical Truth, back to the team!"

"You're still the deputy director?" Chu Hengkong asked in surprise.

“I am also actively looking for a job.” Qingxia nodded smugly. “As the saying goes, ‘Running water does not stagnate, and a door hinge does not rust.’ It means that if you are like water, you will not encounter those who sink into depravity, and if you frequently turn the door hinge to go out, you will not become a sandworm.”

"This saying means that constant change prevents one from being corrupted by external things!"

"?" Qingxia tilted her head. "That's exactly what I said."

"Even so... ah..."

Chu Hengkong clutched his forehead, letting out a silent groan. Chongming ignored the newcomer's strange cry and patted the deputy director's bone armor encouragingly: "The Qingxia team members detected the signal in time and rushed to provide support; their performance was excellent!"

"Yeah, I came to check it out with the thought that 'maybe it' is a distress signal,' and it actually is. That's great that I figured it out."

"So that wasn't a pre-arranged signal!" Ji Huaisu was furious. "You're gambling everyone's lives on that 'got' signal?!"

"What does it matter? We won anyway. As long as we win, the plan is perfect." Chongming waved his hand. "Everyone's here. Let's head to the settlement now. Be happy, newbies, you can finally catch your breath!"

"Oh, oh~" "Back to base camp~" "The final leg of the journey!"

Ji Huaisu built an ice deer chariot for travel, and the researchers cheered as they boarded, showing even more joy than the newcomers. Qingxia walked alongside the ice reindeer, beginning to lead the way for the group.

Qingye, who had just joined, squeezed into the front carriage and asked in a low voice, "Where is the settlement?"

"The settlement is a safe zone located in the southeast corner of the Despair Wilderness, which is our home." Qingxia turned around with a smile, her expression visibly brightening at the mention of this place. "Once we get to the settlement, we can sleep peacefully without worrying about nightmares!"

"Nightmare...?" Qingye looked bewildered. Chu Hengkong immediately realized that Qingye had most likely been caught by Vaklo as soon as she arrived in the wilderness.

"You haven't slept a wink so far."

Qingye chuckled and waved her hand, "Oh, Mr. Chu, I'm not so thick-skinned that I could fall asleep in that kind of environment..."

Chu Hengkong patted her shoulder silently, and Ji Huaisu suddenly hugged the bewildered Qingye, crying out, "Waaah, Xiaoye!"

"What's going on?! Did I say anything weird?!" "You're so pitiful!" "Why are you bringing this up now?!"

Qingye waved her hands in a panic: "And isn't everyone's attitude a bit strange? Why did we just naturally end up traveling with this person? She should be our... um..."

What exactly is the role of this centaur...?

Not only Qingye, but everyone who had seen Qingxia (and the giant egg) in Jinye City began to ponder with extremely conflicted expressions. This guy was absolutely outrageous, and his personality was extremely wicked. In Jinye City, he deliberately pretended to be an egg to freeload, then at a crucial moment, he tricked Wu He and killed that evil martial arts cultivator, then beat up the berserk Chu Hengkong, then saved Chu Hengkong, and finally contributed crucial combat power in the battle against Wakeluo...

What, what happened?

Although I was furious, the conclusion showed she was a complete ally, and a key player at that. In fact, without Qingxia, they would have died several times over!

"Damn it..." Ji Huaisu bit her nail, "This peculiar feeling of wanting to bite but not knowing where to start..."

"Yay~" Qingxia made a V sign and showed a bright smile.

Chongming glanced at the conflicted newlyweds, then turned and said, "Tell me honestly, what did you do when you went out?"

Qingxia tossed her long hair and said smugly, "Commander Chongming, you don't understand. They are impressed by my bravery and are hesitating whether to follow me on my behalf. This is the so-called 'bowing down' style unique to famous generals~"

"certainly not!!"

Vande didn't participate in this idiotic conversation at all. Usually, it was the most vocal and capable complainer, but these past few days had really worn it out. It quickly shrank into Chu Hengkong's pocket and asked, as if uttering its last words, "So we can finally sleep peacefully, right?"

“No way.” Chongming immediately objected. “We’re not in the safe zone yet. The nightmare could materialize at any moment. Hold on until we reach the settlement before you sleep.”

“ZZZ,” Vande snored.

"This idiot can fall asleep in a second!"

"Let's hurry on our way. Vande has been in turmoil for days." Chu Hengkong tapped his partner's shoulder armor. "Let's make an umbrella for everyone."

"We're working on it! We're working on it!"

After Dawaklo was defeated, a light drizzle began to fall in the wilderness. The hooves of the ice deer trod across the damp earth, leaving two crystal-clear ice imprints. Ji Huaisu, finding it troublesome, simply added roofs to all the carriages, making their vehicles look like a string of horse-drawn carriages.

She hesitated for a moment, then leaned halfway out of the skylight and handed over an exceptionally large umbrella: "Here, your umbrella."

Qingxia strolled in the rain outside the carriage. Rainwater slid down her shoulders onto the horse's body, and the wet hair twisted together in circles, making it look like a large, wet, furry animal.

She stared at the umbrella for a few moments, then didn't take it: "Um... I don't need this."

“I know you don’t need it,” Ji Huaisu insisted, “but we’ll feel uncomfortable if you’re the only one out there getting soaked in the rain.”

Qingxia tucked the umbrella over her shoulder and laughed, "Your hearts are just as fragile as your bodies~"

"This guy really can't say a single nice word!"

Ji Huaisu sullenly retreated into the carriage, while Qingxia walked in the rain with an umbrella, imitating the call of a reindeer. The exhausted passengers fell silent, resting quietly in the carriage, listening to the imitated reindeer calls and the increasingly loud rain.

Chu Heng thought to himself that reality might not be as smooth as he imagined. Qingxia knew a great deal, yet she hadn't issued a warning in Jinye City, not to mention she had taken the stone seed with her. She had her own plans, but now was not the time to discuss them.

He had no grounds to attack Qingxia. He had been saved twice already, and even if Qingxia asked for his life, he would have to give it to her without hesitation. This was a matter of principle; you had to remember exactly how much you owed her so you could find an opportunity to repay it all.

The rain intensified, large raindrops pounding against the carriage with a clanging sound, and the sled slowed its pace due to the downpour. Ji Huaisu, growing impatient with the noise, complained, "This place is never going to stop!"

“I don’t think this has anything to do with the wilderness,” Qingxia said from outside the car. “This is the first time in my life I’ve ever seen a sky like this…!”

Ji Huaisu peeked out of the skylight and remained silent for a long time.

“…Holy crap.” Ji Huaisu said blankly.

Chu Hengkong jolted awake, realizing he was exhausted from the frequent battles. He wanted to go out and scout the situation, but at that moment a strong wind blew up, blowing the makeshift ice roof off, and screams erupted from inside the vehicle!

The entire sky was spinning. The clouds flowed like liquid, distorting the sky. The night was stripped away, and no light appeared. Everything in the sky swirled rapidly along an invisible "boundary." At the center of the vortex was a huge void where nothing existed, as if something had pierced through the world, leaving an unhealable wound.

Rain clouds are the ripples at the very edge of that vortex, from which thousands upon thousands of tons of rain fall, swirling and dancing in the gale.

The void is expanding at a visible rate, spreading from the arena area to the distant horizon in just a few breaths. The entire desolate wasteland will be engulfed by it!

"Help!" Qingye cried out in despair, "What...what is this?! A demonic storm?! There can't be a demonic storm this terrifying, can there?!"

"——————!" Chongming suddenly stood up, "——!!"

"Commander Chongming, what the hell did you say?!" Ji Huaisu also broke down.

"It's a nightmare materialized!" Chongming roared. "That idiot's nightmare has been turned into reality by Vansalal! Get the hell out of here!"

Ji Huaisu gasped, immediately dragging Fan De out and unleashing a barrage of slaps to rouse him. Fan De, after twelve slaps, not only didn't wake up but slept even more soundly, displaying an arrogant "I'm going to sleep myself to death" attitude. Qing Ye, shaking the Eye Demon, was utterly exasperated: "What on earth happened to have such a crazy dream?!"

For some reason, Chu Hengkong felt a vague sense of familiarity with the emptiness. He realized that he must have seen a similar phenomenon somewhere before, but he couldn't recall it at the moment, nor did he have time to think about it in detail.

He leaned out of the carriage and grabbed Qingxia's shoulder: "Qingxia! Do you still have the strength?"

"A short sprint is no problem," Qingxia said excitedly. "I'm going to sprint!"

"Ji Huaisu, reinforce the carriages! Qingye, secure everyone!" Chu Hengkong shouted, "Prepare for the impact!"

Layers of ice and earth armor rose up, reinforcing the deer-drawn carriage to battle-ready standards. The ice deer, now devoid of meaning, vanished, and several elastic clay ropes wrapped around Qingxia's arms. Qingye bound everyone inside the carriage with shadow threads, and the sound of pounding hearts echoed through the storm.

"It's about to start—!"

Qingxia raised the Qingkun Spear, applying initial acceleration using gravity. Immediately afterwards, a surge of frenzied blood energy erupted, the unrestrained speed slamming everyone against the back of their seats.

She dragged an entire train carriage through the storm, leaving the wind and rain behind with incredible speed, even turning the surroundings into blurry patches of color.

The reinforced carriage collapsed completely in the third second. Ji Huaisu hastily constructed the Light Guardian Ice House, using the Discipline Seal to serve as everyone's vehicle. Chu Hengkong's heart pounded wildly, and an indescribable burning sensation made him roar. He vaguely sensed Qingxia's vision: the wasteland that had been swept away, the thick clouds behind, and the green patch crashing into his field of vision ahead.

Trees. A humid rainforest. Plants were blown away by the storm. Tree trunks were snapped in two. They swept through the forest like a crimson tempest. The breath of life was palpable. "Halt!" "Who goes there—" "Soldier Captain?!" "Retreat! We'll be hit!!"

Suddenly, a golden light flashed before their eyes, and everyone felt a sense of lightness within them. Chu Hengkong, however, simultaneously felt a feeling of lightness mixed with a heavy pressure. He looked up and realized that the void in the air was no longer visible. The researchers laughed as if they were crying.

"We've reached the safe zone!! We've escaped!!"

"Yes, that's great," Qingxia said. "By the way, I have some bad news to share."

"what happened again."

"It's going too fast and there's no way to stop it right now."

The passengers' faces turned a healthy green.

"No. No!" Qingye cried out in despair, "No!!!"

"I'm trying my best~~~"

The charge continued, a frenzied advance like a train derailing. Plants were smashed one after another, fences and barriers flew up, followed by walls, then houses of bone and stone. Buildings were smashed through one after another, and screams rose and fell. A magnificent tree of light appeared in the center of the field of vision.

"Oh no! The warrior captain couldn't stop in time!" "Retreat! Retreat quickly!" "Sir Knight, please avoid the training ground!!" "Sir Knight, you've already crashed into the training ground!" "Oh no, the Holy Pillar!!"

They charged towards the light, crashing into the central square of the settlement. Pots and pans were scattered everywhere, and fruits that were flung into the air fell into Ji Huaisu's mouth. Qingye had a small colorful flag on his forehead, and the researchers were each draped in 1.5 bowls and pans. Chongming nimbly dodged a black pot that flew horizontally, which was about to fall on Vande, who had been bounced into the air.

"Who's there?!" "Ah!" "Who?!" "Ah!" Innocent villagers were repeatedly thrown into the air by the impact, and Qingxia was struggling to brake. But she hadn't succeeded yet! The Light Tree was getting closer and closer to them!

The rampaging train crashed directly into the center of the settlement, slamming into the Tree of Light—the "Holy Pillar" protecting the entire settlement—before the sight of the heavily armed warriors. At the last moment, Qingxia braked sharply, raising its front hooves to stand before the Holy Pillar.

She raised her hand excitedly: "It's stopped!"

The entire carriage was thrown high into the air, and all the passengers fell like raindrops. Chu Hengkong rolled three times on the ground, and when he got up, he still had a pear in his mouth.

A skinny old man sat in front of him, with eyes as big as if he were wearing sunglasses, and two big rabbit-like ears, looking like a wise little animal from the forest.