Forge a path to success

"Oh, that's really awesome! Is this something I need to do?!"

Vande slumped onto the table, flicked his tentacle, and completely gave up arguing with the woman. Chu Hengkong poured drinks for the three vulgar ladies and casually dragged the Eye Demon up and tossed him onto the sofa.

Since Chu Hengkong firmly closed his door, the ladies had to move to the third-floor platform to discuss the matter. Ji Huaisu had built a few sofas and an ice maker there, which served as a common space for the residents.

Chu Hengkong poured himself a cup of hot cocoa and sat down on the sofa: "Seriously, what's going on?"

Qingxia licked her red tea, then quietly switched the cup with Ji Huaisu's orange juice: "Actually, I was prepared for a nighttime raid, but I ran into Ji Huaisu shortly after entering..."

"Your very first sentence has nothing to do with anything serious! How can this person talk about a surprise attack so naturally? Well done, Captain Huaisu!" Vande couldn't take it anymore.

“I knew this was his true nature all along, so I was prepared,” Ji Huaisu said smugly.

Qingxia nodded seriously: "That's right, I was startled when Ji Huaisu came out of the wardrobe."

“As expected of an experienced captain, his old trick of waiting for prey to come to him is still…” Vande took a deep breath, “You’re the one who’s more insane, aren’t you?! You’re even more freakish than a centaur!”

“You’re overthinking it. I was just playing a normal prank.” Ji Huaisu spread his hands. “I was going to give him a good scare when he pushed the door open.”

Even someone as mentally strong as Chu Hengkong was starting to feel the pressure: "Then why did you hide it in my wardrobe?"

"Come on, your closet is the emptier part of the whole room. You could fit five pieces of clothing in one drawer at most. I have no idea what you're doing with your big closet."

“Did you hear that! If you don’t buy more clothes soon, your closet will become a den of hooligans, so slovenly!” Van der said.

"We're on the same side, can't we at least not turn our backs halfway?" Chu Hengkong sighed, taking a sip of cocoa. "So, why did you come to my room in the first place...?"

Ji Huaisu grinned mischievously, "Oh dear, you've already forgotten about the favor you asked of Sister Huaisu?"

Chu Hengkong almost choked. He suddenly remembered that the agreement he made when he completed the One Heart Ritual was probably still in effect. So he suddenly raised his hand and said, "Okay, I remember now. Sorry, let's skip this topic."

"What?!" Qingye exclaimed intently. "This is a crucial part that cannot be skipped."

"Whoa~~ I want to hear the details~~" Qingxia jeered.

"Don't ask about my personal privacy." Vande was used to it. "And you, Miss Guangshi Qingye, what earth-shattering reason did you have to sneak into a single man's room?"

Qingye weakly raised her hand: "As for me... it's because I sensed an evil power and therefore I was going to discuss it with Mr. Chu..."

"Really?! It's actually a legitimate reason?!" Vande exclaimed.

"Is this serious business?!" "Are you serious?!" The other two ladies exclaimed in surprise.

"It's rather strange that you two are acting entirely out of self-interest," Qingye said expressionlessly. "Mr. Chu, why are you touching my head?"

Chu Hengkong patted the girl's head, his expression complicated: "You get ten points."

"I don't know why, but it's good that I got extra points."

"Then why didn't you go through the main entrance but instead came down from the ceiling?"

"Because I wanted to play a prank."

"Deduct 10 points."

"why is it like this!"

Qingye shrank back onto the sofa and took a big gulp of coffee. Ji Huaisu cried out because she had drunk hot black tea, and turned around to grab the cup from Qingxia. Chu Hengkong coughed twice, secretly deciding to pour them plain water next time to prevent a repeat of the farce.

"So, Qingye, what's with your shadow?"

The lighting in the hall was stable, and Qingye sat upright on the sofa; logically, his shadow should have been as stable as his physical form. However, the shadow on the ground was not only not sitting but was also jumping around energetically, which was clearly abnormal even by the standards of the Shen Dong world.

Qingye pointed two fingers at her feet, and her shadow instantly leaped up, transforming into a three-dimensional humanoid figure identical to Qingye. She ran behind her original self, flashed a peace sign at the crowd, and declared, "Genius beauty, Qingye, here I come!"

"They look exactly the same." Qingxia curiously pinched Yingzi Qingye's cheek. "Even the feel is... like this, can you feel it?"

"There is awareness of being touched, but no corresponding feeling, such a subtle feeling." Qingye raised a finger. "By the way, the actions are also controlled by myself, which is very similar to schizophrenia in actual application."

Shadow Qingye began to scratch Qingxia's face. Chu Hengkong observed for a while: "What will happen if the shadow becomes independent and is not controlled?"

As Qingye loosened her grip, Shadow Qingye immediately collapsed to her knees, her eyes empty and lifeless, like a doll with its strings cut.

"Damn, what a lecher!" Ji Huaisu exclaimed.

"Please don't be so blunt!" Qingye covered her head with her hands. "So what's going on? I don't remember developing this kind of technique!"

Shadow Night began to cry out in unison with the main body, clutching their heads in pain. Chu Hengkong found the scene increasingly familiar. He was certain he had seen a similar spell not long ago; this was…

"...Vansara's Shadow Clone Technique?"

Qingye's face turned pale: "What did you say that scared me?"

“You know what, it really does look quite similar.” Vande began to study it. “Released through a shadow, the ‘other self’ that is conceptually established simultaneously is exactly the trick the Nightmare King uses to create countless avatars. Especially since this thing doesn’t have synchronized damage with the original body, it’s not on the same level as the avatars of ordinary calamities… Can it release the Heart-Breaking Technique?”

Shadow Night wielded Shadow Crown Ascension, unleashing an accelerating arc of blade.

"No doubt about it, it's definitely the Nightmare King's Avatar spell," Vande concluded. "Even the Sorcerer Supreme would have to admit it's authentic."

"No, no, no, no! Why did I suddenly learn this spell out of nowhere?!" Qingye cried out in despair. "It doesn't make sense! I have absolutely no recollection of ever learning elemental magic!"

“Xiao Ye, I don’t think this is just your problem…” Ji Huaisu’s expression was strange. “Actually, I was originally going to talk to A Kong about this too…”

"Is it true or false that you got involved too?"

Ji Huaisu transformed his shadow into a shadow blade, which he held upright.

"This is my Shadow Blade in its normal state. It's too short for practical use, so I usually enlarge it before using it," Ji Huaisu said. "And then today, when I wanted to test it out..."

The shadow blade extended, twisted, and then suddenly exploded, forming a ferocious and sharp beast claw. Ji Huaisu touched the paper cup with the claw, and the cup, along with the black tea inside, immediately turned into a flat pattern imprinted on the table, instantly returning to the world of anime.

“That’s how it turned out,” Ji Huaisu said.

Qingxia circled the paw once and said seriously, "It's a dog."

"Centaur, I'm going to catch you."

“It’s a dog…” Chu Hengkong pondered, “That means it’s a canine…”

"Stand still and don't move, I'm coming to bite you now."

Miss Ji started grinding her teeth, and Chu Heng raised his hands in surrender: "That's not what I meant. Don't you think this move looks familiar?"

“Vaklo Dimensional Deterioration, that two-headed dog’s signature spell.” Vandal saw through it at a glance. “Vansalal himself also knows this move. He used it by turning his staff into claws, but it just happened to run into God Slash and so it didn’t work.”

Ji Huaisu looked completely bewildered: "How did I become a shadow dog?"

"On the bright side, your close-combat skills have become more diverse, which is a decisive factor." Chu Hengkong said thoughtfully, "Qingxia, what have you gained?"

"At first I just felt an itch on my back, but after I spread my wings I found..."

Qingxia spread her wings, and a speck of scale powder turned into sparks that fell and transformed into a fluttering butterfly in the room.

"I don't know why I can make butterflies now," Qingxia said. "I can also turn into the shape of a bat, but it looks too much like one, so I don't want to use it."

Chu Hengkong immediately recalled Vansalar's signature spell, the terrifying "Nightfall Swarm." Vande, sharing the same sentiment, asked hesitantly, "How many of these can you possibly create at most?"

"It would consume stamina, so I don't want to create too many. A single butterfly flying to the end of Dragon City is fine too~"

Ji Huaisu picked up the butterfly, a hint of schadenfreude in his voice: "This thing is all show and no substance; it can only be used as a scout."

"(ˇωˇ)By the way, it's best not to stand around it."

"……Why?"

“)σ carries my virus, it’s contagious.”

"Wow!"

Ji Huaisu's fingertips turned red from the brush, the redness spreading from her palms to her face, making her look like a boiled shrimp. She quickly threw away the little butterfly and applied an ice pack to cool herself down: "This thing is too poisonous!"

Qingye shuddered: "When the numbers get too big, it's practically a plague...!"

Qingxia clapped her hands together, scattering the butterflies: "It reminds me of the Warm Hawk, so I don't really like this. I usually won't use it unless the enemy makes me very angry."

Chu Hengkong took out his communicator and made a call to one of the snipers: "Come to the dormitory building. We need to talk."

"Which floor?" Shakes asked.

Chu Hengkong was taken aback: "...The third floor is a public area."

Before he could finish speaking, he saw a shadow rise from behind the sofa. The sniper emerged from the shadow, carrying a dazed Gulibo in his hand.

"The ability discovered tonight has an undetermined maximum movement distance. It can carry people, but it consumes a lot of energy," Shakes said. "I just confirmed with Jie An and Gulibo, and they don't have any abnormalities."

“Vansara’s shadow movement.” Chu Hengkong nodded. “So everyone who participated in the campaign… gained a portion of Vansalar’s ​​abilities?”

The evil god's magic was beyond powerful; it was a mystery that would keep many scholars studying it for a lifetime. Yet, those who received this gift showed no joy. Ji Huaisu frowned deeply: "This is strange... Could it be a case of possession and resurrection?"

“Loot and extra abilities are the most common forms of external corruption, and there are many people on Shura Island who have fallen victim to this,” Qingye said. “It seems we should find a way to carry out a secondary purification.”

"Vansarar is too high-level, and it's difficult for Huilong City to find a way to deal with it."

"Is it too late to ask Longquan Township for help now...?"

Everyone was filled with worry. Vande cleared his throat loudly and raised his tentacles as if waving a conductor's baton.

“I have every reason to believe this isn’t pollution,” Vande said with a strange look in his eyes. “Do you want to know why?”

Chu Hengkong raised an eyebrow: "Speaking of which, what did you get in return?"

Van Der touched the desktop, and a black dot instantly appeared from the void, transforming into a... in full view of everyone.

A cockroach wriggling around.

"Ah!! There's a cockroach!!!" Gulibo screamed shrilly as he woke up.

The tense hall erupted in laughter. Chu Hengkong suppressed a laugh and asked, "A cockroach summoning spell?"

“No.” Vande said expressionlessly, “The official name of this spell is Fear Manifestation.”

The cockroach suddenly exploded into a dark mass, and a blond, dark-skinned man stood on the table, letting out a maniacal, shrill laugh.

"Good evening, heroes!" Vansalal laughed.

"Aaaaaaahhhhhh!!" "Holy crap!" "Oh my god!" "Help!!"

Qingye immediately darted under the table, Qingxia suddenly tilted her head back and tumbled over with the entire sofa, Ji Huaisu leaped up and slashed the ceiling with his large claws, Shakes drew his pistol, and Chu Hengkong immediately drew his sword. The atmosphere was tense, and the Demon King lay on the table laughing loudly.

"Isn't that a surprise? I always like to lighten the mood with little jokes! Don't be nervous or afraid, the Nightmare King is indeed dead. What's here is just a pre-recorded video."

The Demon King's recording began with enthusiastic applause: "Now, once again, congratulations to everyone for defeating the Nightmare King and successfully graduating from the Wilderness of Despair. Our academy has always admired courageous students and is generous in rewarding outstanding ones. To celebrate, Dean Vansalal has specially awarded these outstanding graduates with the custom-made Dean's Scholarship!"

This is to clarify that it is not a form of external pollution and will not cause any adverse effects on you. If you don't want it, simply recite "Bastard Vansalal" three times in your mind and you can discard it directly.

“You damned Vansalar,” Qingxia said.

Vansalar burst into laughter, put his hands behind his back, and smiled, saying, "Let's encourage each other and live up to our youth. The arduous test has come to a temporary end. May you all continue to work hard, be proactive, and dare to take on important responsibilities in the future, becoming the new generation of pillars of the aerospace industry."

"Life's journey is long, so it's essential to maintain a balance between work and rest, and avoid being overly eager for quick success. Before new challenges arrive, remember to enjoy yourself and have fun. That's all for the dean's ramblings. Once again, I wish you all a happy graduation. Let's begin your wonderful summer vacation!"

Vansalar's message vanished, returning to the shadows. Vand closed his eyes and sighed, "He's a truly awful person..."

"I never want to see it again!" Qingye cried.

Chu Hengkong leaned back on the sofa and breathed a sigh of relief. His tense nerves relaxed instantly, and he couldn't help but smile.

A slightly warm breeze blew in from the window, reminding everyone of the changing weather. The chill of late spring quietly dissipated, and summer arrived amidst the hustle and bustle.

The Demon King is dead, the wilderness is gone, and the heroes, no longer busy, have returned to their peaceful daily lives.

This is the story after the war ended.

Sometimes noisy, sometimes quiet, leisurely strolling through the city, endless chatter taking place in a world full of fantasy.

(To keep readers' investment going, I'm quietly updating one chapter.)

By the way, I'll be quietly updating a chapter next week, and then officially starting updates on April 7th.

Chapter 255 Who's the MVP this time?

In the candlelight-lit training ground, the shadows of the martial artists moved in circles, occasionally flashing and intersecting amidst the clashes. The sounds of weapons clashing were faint and short, almost like an illusion spreading through the light.

The sound grew longer, the wind made the candlelight flicker, and the silhouettes of thin, sharp weapons pierced the shadows of the figures, like a needle piercing a black ink sac. Suddenly the shadows vanished, the sound of a blade rang out, and the candlelight went out in an instant!

A few seconds later, the candlelight, which had been relit, illuminated the man's face. Ji Qiufeng transformed his Heart Sword back into a fan and leaned against the jade pillar, fanning himself with one hand.

"This is truly eye-opening, a real eye-opener!" Ji Qiufeng exclaimed. "The elements and qi complement each other perfectly, with no distinction between them. It evolved from technology into the Dao, truly worthy of being the master's ultimate skill."

"Shouldn't I be the one whose eyes have been opened?" Chu Hengkong said with a wry smile.

He lay sprawled on the ground, his Divine Slash stuck three meters away, out of reach of any man without the Calamity Wrist. The result of this sparring match was the same as before; no matter what he tried, he couldn't land a single blow on Ji Qiufeng.

"Your moves are all desperate, especially the Divine Slash, which requires a life-or-death struggle. How can you possibly demonstrate your skills in everyday sparring?" Ji Qiufeng said with a smile. "Even so, I have to give you a serious counterattack. Heng Kong, you're really something now."

Chu Hengkong sat up abruptly and sheathed the Divine Slash. The sword trembled twice in dissatisfaction, as if to say, "Don't mess with me, it's just a casual sparring session." He caught his breath and said, "Mr. Ji, I roughly understand the principles behind the first three moves of this sword technique..."