Forge a path to success

Shadow Appears in the Radiant Sky - Yin Remains.

The Demon King's divine body collapsed as a result, and amidst the sharp wind, dark waves engulfed the battlefield!

Chapter 249 Fearless Warriors

The moment the divine body crumbled, the entire Kingdom of Despair was illuminated. Frenzied plasma flowed out with the Shadow Assassins, and the lightning formed an irregular network around the battlefield, like scars etched into the world.

Vast swaths of darkness pierced through the lightning, revealing the crumbling body of Vansalal. Its blood and flesh fell as the shadow spikes pierced it, yet the great life within it was not yet dead. The grotesque corpses robbed it of its mobility, but not enough to extinguish its life force. Slowly but resolutely, the Demon King moved once more, the lightning on its body boiling, its unstable magic erupting, creating an impenetrable death zone with explosions and howling winds.

In that dead land, a man was running.

He raised his blood-red longsword high, cleaving through the demon king's lightning.

Ignoring his injuries and disregarding the consequences, Chu Hengkong recklessly cleaved through the lightning. He leaped up at his maximum acceleration, his extended arm transforming into a hook that pierced the Demon King's arm. Lightning flowed along the hook, blowing an aura of destruction towards him. He activated the Remnant Heart Reversal Technique with all his might, using blood flames to dismantle the lightning.

The terrifying lightning and blood-red flames intertwined, like two venomous snakes tearing at each other. The clash between fear and courage ended in a draw… but Chu Hengkong plunged his hand into the battlefield, grabbing the lightning snake! He directly swallowed that frenzied energy!

A terrifying light flashed in Chu Hengkong's eyes, and lightning bolts erupted from the corners of his eyes, piercing his back like spears and creating huge, charred wounds. However, his blood flames and willpower eroded and dismantled these wounds, filling his heart with new energy. In extreme pain, he devoured the lightning, devoured the Demon King's flesh and blood!

That demonic, Asura-like man returned to the battlefield; anything that couldn't defeat him would become his prey. The future within the Deathwing of the Void was rapidly shrinking, and despair was about to descend once more. Chu Hengkong didn't even glance at the Demon King's countdown; he leaped directly onto the demon's body and forcefully thrust the God-Slaying Blade down. The moment the deadly blade pierced the body, fine lightning crackled and danced like a swarm of snakes.

The Divine Slash trembled at the Demon King's blood, the wounds of his mortal enemy activating the memories within the blade. Its feedback propelled Chu Hengkong's speed once more, and in an instant, a spiral of blood-red light appeared on the Demon King's arm—slash marks etched at an extremely high speed.

As the shadow-constructed right arm disintegrated, Chu Hengkong ascended onto the Demon King's shoulder. At that moment, large chunks of flesh collapsed due to the disintegration of the Yin remains, and his foothold ceased to exist. He decisively plunged the murderous blade into the demon's body to slow it down. Vansalar noticed his location; the ghostly face formed by thunderclouds floated in the center of his torso, its gigantic mouth depicting a purple forest of lightning.

"Lightning Punishment—"

"Don't think about it!"

Chu Hengkong abruptly drew his sword, the Divine Slash surging with rage, forming a gigantic blade over a thousand meters long. With lightning speed, he swung his twin slashes down, cleaving the demon face in a twisted cross shape. The spell about to be activated was severed by the Divine Slash. He roared, pushing the ferocious blade forward, and leaped onto the demon's shoulder. Standing before the head imprisoned by the deformed crown, he slashed towards Vansalal's head.

"It's time to wake up from this nightmare, Vansalal!"

"Not yet!" Vansalar sneered. "You haven't experienced true fear yet!!"

His gaze pierced through the crown, carrying a chilling coldness akin to that of a cold-blooded animal. Chu Hengkong's movements suddenly ceased, blood simultaneously gushing from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth, as countless black needles sprouted from his bones, destroying his body from within.

The Demon King's gaze fell upon him from behind, and as he faced the Demon King, a shadow was born behind him in the intense light. The demonic shadow arose with the gaze, merging with Chu Hengkong's shadow. Thus, the Demon King's injuries manifested in sync with his own; the damage from the Yin Corpse now appeared on his own body.

Fear of infection.

Void Shadow Technique: Demonic Shadow Fusion.

Chu Hengkong was momentarily unable to move, and even his thoughts ceased. The most terrifying aspect of the Yin Corpse wasn't the pain, but the complete halt in the tearing and ripping of his own body. Now, neither he nor Vansalal could control themselves, but Vansalal was a god.

It can control the world!

"The original sin is etched with scars, and the flawed fragments are scattered across the abyss."

Once again, the gods began to chant. The most wicked archmage of the Spiral Tower revealed the world's poison with words. The Land of Despair spun in the chanting, and the vortex summoned by Vandal was compressed and shrunken. The vortex shifted from top to bottom, as the entire world tilted around Vandal.

"The sin of forgetting, the malice of the world, the inescapable pull of fate, the silent dead souls return to the bottom of the sky!"

As a result, another phenomenon that was originally on the dome also appeared below.

The full black moon shone brightly.

At the bottom of the world, an inescapable "gravity" emanates!

Fear of depravity.

"Xu Tian Shadow Technique·Death Heaven Naraku Yin!"

The black moonlight suddenly blazed forth, turning the world into a narrow, filthy abyss, like a one-way tunnel perpendicular to the world. At the bottom of the tunnel was the inverted full moon, its selfish gravity pulling in countless lives. At the top of the world stood the high and mighty evil god, imposing his self-righteous judgment on all the gods.

Vansalal stood motionless atop the sky. Chu Heng fell silently, drifting downwards. The difference in the essence of life became an insurmountable chasm at this moment. The evil god, who had long surpassed the Second Abyss, was impervious to gravity, while the hero, with only a mass of 3, could not escape the First Abyss no matter what.

“It’s such a pity.” Vansalar slowly raised his claws. “You should… train for a few more years. Even if you had to feed on the corpses of settlements, you should have trained for a few more years in the desolate wilderness!”

"Learn from my messengers, seize everything they have, and wait until Point 4 challenges me again. That is your only chance of survival!"

"But you are unwilling to wait. You think you can conquer the world with your meager strength, and that you are the only one who can defeat the evil god..."

Its mockery gradually turned into anger, like an old and irritable lecturer reprimanding a student. It looked at the falling Chu Hengkong, at the warrior about to fail, his face overlapping with that of a young man from many years ago.

A stubborn, cold, resolute, and extremely unpleasant expression. It's always the same; she simply laughs off others' advice and stubbornly persists on the path she's chosen.

"You are impatient, you are blind, you are arrogant, you shoulder burdens that are not yours. You have some talent, yet you think you can be a hero who saves the world!" Vansalar roared, "and you will eventually pay the price for this arrogance!"

Shadows gathered in its mouth, and the extremely compressed negative elements, combined with gravity, shaped a sphere capable of destroying everything. The pull of moonlight accelerated further, and the excessively violent magic caused even spacetime to collapse. In this deathly void, there was no room to hide; the concept of despair took shape in this moment.

That was Vansalal's most prized magic, the archmage's skill that made him famous at a young age, the pinnacle of shadow magic.

Void Shadow Technique: Celestial Collapse Cannon!

In the instant the artillery fire erupted, it heard the voice of a young man.

A resolute shout, completely different from what I remembered.

"I've told you many times, I never intended to defeat you alone."

"—We are the ones who will defeat you!"

A clear, resonant shout echoed from the heavens, instantly casting a pale white glow into the pitch-black world. A blade of light erupted from stillness, like a ray of sunlight breaking through the midnight sun. That light defied gravity, arriving before Chu Hengkong, etching a shimmering brilliance in the face of the artillery fire.

The third reinforcement finally arrived. The young girl, with a broken heart, stood before the cannon fire, tears still glistening in the corners of her eyes. She brandished two swords, the short sword Longyu in her left hand and the long sword Miansheng in her right. Ancient memories were stirred at this moment, creating a still spacetime before the collapsing cannon.

That was the Time-Shifting Technique of the Nightwalker, a broken technique he had used before, defeated by Vansalal without achieving any results. His technique was useless against the Nightmare King; the master of shadows could not be defeated by the magic of time.

Therefore, a brand new light is released, forming an arc of light that leads into the future.

The blade of accelerated time reappeared, drawing a perfect arc at the edge of stagnant spacetime, like the dazzling corona surrounding a black sun. The flow of time inside and outside seamlessly merged, and a technique that existed only in theory was applied for the first time. The black sun met the collapsing cannon head-on, and the shadow accelerated the instant it touched the corona, shattering due to the thousand-fold time difference between the inside and outside sides.

The dissipated energy drifted around the photon belt, actually amplifying the scale of the time flow. The cannon fire of Vansalal was extinguished, and it continued to rise within the collapsing spacetime, causing a dark sun to rise from the depths of the abyss!

The Flow of No Thought Reversed - The Dark Sun Rises!

As Vansalar stared at the sun, distant memories resurfaced in his mind, causing his voice to rise higher.

"This is... a night-walking...!"

"Ah, this is Mr. Nightwalker's technique!"

At the foot of the sun, a girl falling into the abyss raises her twin swords.

"This is the patriarch's technique, it is my technique!" Qingye roared. "Throughout history, people have fought to defeat you. Their will has been passed down through defeat and death, and finally, hundreds of years later, this sun has risen."

"How could it be just one person! What's challenging you is the undying courage that has been passed down through generations!"

In response to her call, brilliant sparks emerged from the darkness.

Like tiny, crimson starlight, it transcends gravity and soars towards the sky.

The firelight enveloped Chu Hengkong, transforming into a gentle embrace, guiding him across the black moonlight. Orange hair brushed against his face, and the assassin let out a low laugh.

"Can I ask you for a favor, Qingxia?"

"As long as you still believe in me," Qingxia smiled, "I will definitely take you flying to the sky!"

The crimson wings of the Skyward Warriors fully unfurled, and the scattered scales burst into flames, shattering the frigid night sky with intense heat. The last two warriors soared into the sky, leaving the deathly underworld far behind them.

Difficulties that one person cannot overcome can naturally be overcome with the help of companions. The setbacks that the ancients once suffered can become the driving force for people today. In this desolate wilderness without light, generation after generation has failed and moved forward in this way, and that will, passed down to this day, is the starlight that pierces through the darkness.

That is, the courage to overcome fear!

"If you can't defeat me, all your words are just empty talk!"

Vansalar raised his remaining arm; time was running out to cast a spell, so he simply dismantled his divine body, gathering it as pure energy. Countless demons were drawn into dark shadows, converging at the tip of the death wing, a symbol of despair. That terrifying power surged in the void, then dissipated, forming billions of rapidly growing withered trees.

The dense shadows of the trees launched the Demon King's hunt; it was the embodiment of nightmares and fear, an absolute despair that sealed off the future!

"—Deathwing of the Void: Endless Overflow!"

The shadows swarmed out, like giant black hands reaching for the warrior. Qingxia tumbled and twisted in the air, dodging the first wave of shadow claws. The shadows that followed her twirled, drawing countless sharp angles in the air. A second wave of shadow projectiles followed, enveloping Qingxia. She plummeted, then rose again, her shadows, slower than her, colliding below and creating a frenzied chase.

She had essentially crossed the first abyss; the courage she had shown in overcoming despair granted her the incredible speed to pursue freedom. She circled and swirled as she flew, the belated shadow claws piling up with her afterimages, forming chaotic vortexes in the air. Space shrank at extreme speed, and even orientation became blurred in the rapid flight. Chu Hengkong simply closed his eyes, completely abandoning observation, focusing solely on gripping his sword.

Approaching the Demon King at the absolute limit, Vansalal personally controlled each of his shadow claws. Countless black lines rose in unison, like giant flower buds closing in the air. The intense shadows completely engulfed Qingxia, yet within the darkness, crimson shimmered, like dazzling stardust.

"Go, Chu Hengkong!"

A blinding flash of light erupted, flames engulfed the shadows, and the sphere of heat and light instantly blasted away the shadows. On the Deathwing of the Sky, the last possibility was about to be sealed off by claw marks. Qingxia unleashed her full power, raising her hand in that fleeting moment and hurling the long-prepared killer attack. Opposite them, endless shadows converged, forming a raging, insane black vortex. The Deathwing behind Vansalal soared high, propelling the winds of shadow, the vortex piercing towards the only one still able to move… piercing towards the last hero!

"Deathwing in the Sky: Terror Spiral!!"

The charge was complete, and the Divine Slash lay sheathed. Chu Hengkong's heart clenched violently. He opened his eyes, facing the hurricane of despair, glaring at the shadow of the Demon King. His inner voice and the sword's cry resounded simultaneously, unleashing a world-burning flame.

The divine slash pierced the spiral, completely dismantling the contradictions accumulated over thousands of years with pure battle intent. He propelled his longsword forward, his blade cleaving through the darkness and the spiral, charging straight towards the Demon King with killing intent. At the same time, Vansalar retaliated, the despair-inducing wing slashing down like a claw. Chu Hengkong allowed the death wing to pierce his body, trading injury for a final chance, unleashing a decisive strike at this moment.

The brave cry out, the demon king roars, and at the end of the endless abyss, the withered heart fire slashes at the deadly wings of the void.

His blade severed the wings of despair and pierced the heart of the demon king!

·

In the stillness where even heaven and earth seemed to have almost disappeared, Chu Hengkong regained a sliver of consciousness.

His fingers twitched, digging a hole in the ground. That tiny sense of accomplishment gave him a sliver of strength. He used that strength to drive his breathing, like a fish falling to the ground, breathing with all his might.

"Huh...ha..."

The Thousand Autumns of Qi had been dispelled, and even with his terrifying mental strength, he couldn't maintain the secret technique at this moment. He gripped the earth, convulsing in pain, as a sharp fragment pierced his chest, wedging upside down like a wing behind his back. It was the death wing that pierced his body at the last moment. Everyone watched him. The spell wasn't over yet, so there was no help.

"Huh...ha..."

After failing three times, Chu Hengkong finally stood up again. At that moment, everyone, including him and the onlookers, had the same thought.

it is finally over.

This crazy, incomprehensible thing is finally over.

In the moment of grasping at death, a hallucinatory thought flashed through Chu Hengkong's mind.

But the magic hasn't disappeared yet.

He kept repeating the facts he already knew.

The magic that brought despair has not yet disappeared.

Then, the dazed mind realized the truth behind the words. From the depths of the raging fire of blood, came chaotic murmurs.

"...It's not over yet."

"—It's not over yet!"

A horribly mangled human figure rose from beyond the flames of blood.

His body was charred black, his face stained red with blood. The God-Slaying Blade was stuck in his heart, and the many wounds cut by the Yin Corpse inside and outside his body dissolved, occasionally turning into the heads of the out-of-control demons.

That could no longer be called life; it was merely a living element, a corpse driven by spiritual power. Even seasoned warriors could hardly imagine the agony of acting in such a state. That reckless obsession was enough to terrify onlookers.

"come."

Vansalal growled.

"Keep going...I will...defeat you!!"

He stepped across the flames. Chu Hengkong clenched his fist. Neither of them had weapons, nor the strength to grasp them. So the two wounded figures advanced with drunken steps, displaying an ugly posture that would make even the children of the dojo laugh.

Chu Hengkong threw a punch first, landing a hook punch on Vansalar's face. Vansalar almost fell, but after regaining his balance, he crashed into Chu Hengkong. A wound appeared on his shoulder, the one from Chu Hengkong's bite by the demon.

Chu Hengkong clutched his chest and bent over. Vansalar punched him in the back. One punch. Two punches. Three punches. The blows were as ugly as a street brawl. Chu Hengkong inhaled and looked up, slamming into Vansalar's chin. Vansalar fell backward sharply, and Chu Hengkong punched him in the throat, then kicked his ankle. Vansalar collapsed. Chu Hengkong, also losing his strength, fell as well.

It took a full twenty seconds before they stood up again. Their hazy gazes met, and what remained in their eyes was a tenacity that even spiritual power could not encompass.

"You should... be dead!"

Chu Hengkong forcefully grabbed the enemy's incoming fist.

"Go and become a Buddha!!"

"Well done. Try again. Kill me!"

The cry of Vansaral.

"No. This isn't over yet. I can't give up!"

The Nightmare King roars.

The dual identity leads to contradictory statements, revealing both the will to be human and the madness of becoming a demon at the same time when one is on the verge of exhaustion.

That was none other than the Nightmare King, Vansalal, the self-denying "essence" of the contradictory heretical calamity race. The voices of humans and the Demon King overlapped, revealing their innermost will amidst an incredibly ugly battle.

"Vansara can die at any time. But the Nightmare King cannot leave!"

Chu Hengkong smashed a headbutt into his head.