Chapter 4: The Light Boat Approaches the Riverbank
The white-bladed man took out a bag of jade, counted it by the tael, and handed it to the hidden general. Jade is the most widely circulated currency in the Heavenly Kingdom, far more valuable than gold.
Mu Ge laughed and said, "Fool, using your palm to grab my sword, your hand is already ruined." As he spoke, he forcefully lunged forward, intending to sever the hand of the figure. However, the long sword made a rustling sound and instantly became rusty. Within a few heartbeats, the long sword was completely corroded, leaving not a trace behind.
From the edge of the cliff, a horse-drawn carriage approached. The driver was clad in the attire of the Dragon Fire Legion, and judging by his helmet, he held a significant military rank, indeed a commander overseeing a thousand troops in battle. Noble children from the great clans of the Dragon Kingdom have been required since childhood to diligently study the classics of etiquette, music, and military strategy, with the hope of achieving success and awakening early. Although they may not excel in physical skills, they possess the remarkable ability to remember what they read at a glance. The texts state that within the Dragon Legion, one must have attained at least the third level of Dragon Fire skills to hold this position.
Mu Ge pushed you into death, but you awakened and reclaimed your life through the Dragon Fire Technique. However, you are no longer yourself; Mu Ge has harmed you, and he deserves to die.
Holding his breath, he gazed at his reflection in the sea under the moonlight. He could see nothing clearly, only a vast expanse of black mist, resembling a giant octopus, a whale, a sea dragon, or a serpent god. He gasped in fear and recoiled, but after a while, he mustered the courage to look again
The thoughts of Mu Ge are known to the form, yet the form pays them no heed. The blood circulates within Mu Ge, and with a few sounds, Mu Ge's bones completely penetrate the muscles and skin, shattering the facial features, shedding the organs, and stripping away the shell of the body, standing upright.
The figure's hand reached into the sea, and a snow-white sharp object appeared in its grasp, resembling ivory, yet also akin to a long, pointed cone. Mu Ge thought to himself, "Where did this thing come from?" Regardless, he exerted force and swiftly thrust it forward.
The bones immediately fell apart
Mu Ge thought: "Even if this person awakens, their martial skills are still rusty, and they are not my match." Feeling a surge of joy, he executed a move called "Dragon Soaring and Tiger Leaping," delivering a powerful punch from the air, the force of which was unstoppable. With a crack, the opponent was struck and fell far into the sea.
Another perspective: "I fear that merely drinking blood is insufficient; one must consume both blood and flesh together for it to be effective. Otherwise, why are there so few awakened individuals in the world? It is because their thoughts are not profound enough, and their actions are not ruthless enough"
The phrase "Wandering in the form of the body" is not something said for Mu Ge to hear; rather, it seems more like a prayer he is muttering to himself
I am no longer myself? Then what am I
In front of the sailboat, there is a figurehead resembling a rigid human face, with a seam running from the forehead to the chin, as if the owner of this face had been split open and then sewn back together like a piece of clothing
He is not afraid of pirates; he is afraid of loneliness. Once he is alone for too long, the world feels somewhat off, with incomprehensible songs calling out to him. He sees a small table on the deck, with some provisions and a few bottles of wine. He grabs the provisions and eats, then picks up a bottle and drinks. It is his first time drinking, and his throat feels as if it is being scorched.
The figure was enveloped in flames that transformed into a circular ring, radiating light that spun rapidly. He held a sharp cone and thrust it forward, while the wooden frame executed a move known as "Sweeping Across Thousands of Troops." Mud and stones rolled off his body, and the defenses were indeed formidable, rendering him momentarily fearless against the sharp blades. The figure launched several thrusts, all of which were blocked by the wooden frame.
It turns out that this General Cang is actually smuggling slaves at the border? This is a capital offense
But I am not dead, I am still alive, living quite well
You are a mere shell
Is this person also from the Chen Zhe clan? Yes, Mo Cong is a force of the Cang family, and the legion stationed here is also led by the Cang family
This time everything is as usual, he remains himself, yet the sparks of the Dragon Fire Technique still swirl around him. Li Jinguang said that this Dragon Fire Technique can be divided into five elements—wind, wood, water, fire, and earth. Wood corresponds to earth, rose corresponds to wood, sinking corresponds to wind, and oneself corresponds to fire
The nightmare he had been avoiding his entire life finally consumed him, and he felt that he was no longer human
The vessel may be that of smugglers or pirates, hidden here
Muge let out a furious roar, his blood surging, and shouted: "Come rolling out of the sea!" As soon as the words left his mouth, the waves surged, and a shimmering white light flickered within the waves, making it hard to see clearly. In an instant, Muge felt a sharp pain throughout his body, and when he wiped his hand across himself, he found blood everywhere.
The general let out a cold laugh, opened the carriage, and pulled out many people from within. These individuals were crying and wailing, emaciated to the point of being skin and bones, comprising both men and women, without distinction of age or gender.
He wants to say: "I will give up my claim to Xi Xiang for you, and I no longer dare to compete with you. From now on, I will regard you as my leader, and I will be loyal to you, just as one would honor and respect their father."
The White Blade Master bowed and said: "General Cang."
Then they burst into laughter, but none dared to try. Xínghái secretly observed their innocent eyes, yet all he saw was cruelty
The fear gradually dissipated, yet I still thought: "If this person returns and recklessly shouts that I have harmed him, it will ultimately lead to considerable trouble. Even if I can manage to evade the situation, I will still have to spend a long time explaining myself. Moreover, this person has already awakened; he is my enemy, and taking advantage of his current weakness, I cannot leave any survivors."
The figure, not knowing what to think, grasped the rope ladder at the side of the ship and climbed aboard. There was no one on the ship, only large wooden crates.
A burly man approached from the east, dressed in a linen vest, shorts, and straw sandals, with a face that appeared numb and stiff. Xinghai found this person to be extremely strange, as if he were a figment of imagination, quite unreal. The burly man held a gleaming knife in his hand, which should be the white knife wielder.
He resembled a wandering soul, walking along the coast for half an hour, feeling both hungry and exhausted, beset by hunger and cold. As he turned around a cliff, he saw a natural stone bridge extending from the cliff, high above the sea, with half of a cave exposed below, where a sailboat was anchored at the cave's entrance
Mu Ge seemed to be having a nightmare, saying: "What’s wrong? What happened to my sword?"
This coachman is actually a general of heaven
Only on the shore did someone call out: "White Blade Guest, White Blade Guest! Business has come!"
The figure leaped up and shouted: "They raised me and treated me very well"
The figure at the bow of the boat turned around and said, "Come aboard, I will take you to a safe place." The figure rubbed its eyes, but the figure at the bow remained completely still.
The physical form no longer fears the sea; what it fears is the unknown
"Indeed, why is this happening? What exactly is this skill? How could I possibly wield this dark magic?"
The fish in the sea surged joyfully, biting away at the remnants of the wooden frame. Pieces of flesh separated from the pool of blood and meat, and the carcass glanced at the bones, thinking to itself: "How disgusting."
He once heard someone say: "I have heard that as long as one drinks the blood of Chen Zhe, the chances of reaching the second level increase significantly. Shall we ask Chen Zhe for some blood?"
Weighing the pros and cons, realizing there was no escape, he hurriedly began to think, forcing a smile from his throat, and said: "Junior brother, I acknowledge my mistake, haha, listen to me, we are good brothers from the same sect, and we are both heroes who awakened together. True heroes cherish one another. If it weren't for me, how could you have mastered the Dragon Fire Technique? And how could you have achieved this extraordinary Body Technique? Although I have made mistakes, my contributions are not insignificant." If it weren't for me, how could you have mastered the Dragon Fire Technique? And how could you have achieved this extraordinary Body Technique? Although I have made mistakes, my contributions are not insignificant.
The figure crossed the sharp cone, advancing towards the long sword. The wooden frame immediately changed its move, transforming from a direct thrust to an upward slash. This maneuver was executed with such speed that it surpassed human capability. However, the figure's left hand gripped the long sword, halting its momentum, causing the skin to split and blood to stain the blade in an instant
The flames on his body extinguished, and he trembled as he knelt on the ground. Previously cold and ruthless, treating murder as a mere game, he was now in a state of panic, his mind blank with fear
The figure let out a low moan, eyes wide open, as reason surged to the forefront of his mind. He thought: "I do not want this! I am Xing Hai! Meng Xing Hai! I want to leave this place, I must go back, back to the inn, back to Xiangli Mountain, back to the Daoist temple, back to my parents."
He accidentally overheard the other disciples conversing, their words innocent and unrestrained, doubling the charm of the lovely and the malice of the wicked. These children, having been treated strictly by their parents since a young age, were forced to diligently practice the Dragon Fire Technique, each one harboring an intense desire for awakening, thus devising all sorts of unimaginable schemes to achieve success
But you are now a monster, you have killed a person, how can you go back? As soon as they see the state of Mu Ge's death, they will know that it was not the work of an ordinary person, but rather the hand of a demon, and immediately experts from the Pure Fire Temple will come to kill you
General Cang smiled and said: "Twenty slaves, neither more nor less"
The figure was bleeding; he raised his hand, and the blood dripped into the sea, resembling an eel that swam into the blood of Muge, the two mingling together. Muge sensed that the blood flowed towards him, and in an instant, it vanished. He shouted sharply, feeling as if a living creature was writhing within him. He was in excruciating pain, screaming and shouting like a slaughtered pig, as the creature burrowed into his throat, leaving Muge only able to emit muffled sounds.
Will they think I have eaten the wooden frame? If so, I would surely be beheaded. No, no, they might even eat me! In this world, there are surely those who secretly consume others
What kind of sinister enemy is this monster?
Although he has always been alone, he is unwilling to distance himself from the crowd and his loved ones. It is like facing a bonfire; if he is too close, he will be burned, and if he is too far away, darkness will occupy his heart. The nightmare constantly whispers to him, seemingly enticing him to flee, but his physical form sees through its scheme, which aims to plunge him into complete madness
A tremor ran through his heart as he stepped out of the cabin, supporting himself against the ship, peering cautiously outside, afraid to breathe. The wind and waves on the sea were considerable, masking the sound of his breathing.
With a resolute heart, Mu Ge drew the master’s treasured sword, pointed his left hand at the figure, squinted and sneered coldly, suddenly leaping up, thrusting the long sword towards the figure's chest.
This is the Wandering Form of the Body Technique. Your blood is highly toxic, containing Nether Water, Soul Water, Immortal Pills, Peacock Powder, Soul-Devouring Stones, and various other substances. Your bones are weapons, made of Black Iron, Diamond, Moonstone, Star Iron, and Dragon Bone, encompassing everything. Your skin is armor, made of Tiger Skin, Whale Skin, Elephant Skin, and Dragon Skin, ever-changing. Initially, your body lacked sufficient spiritual energy to perform this technique, but after comprehending the second level of the Dragon Fire Technique, this skill can now be utilized at will.
What are you thinking? Mu Ge killed you, shouldn't you seek revenge?
The surroundings were enveloped in a profound silence, precisely at the hour when night was deep and still. His form had also settled down, treading upon the seawater, distancing himself from the remnants of the wooden frame. He thought to himself: "With the demise of the wooden frame, upon my return, I have become one awakened by the dragon fire; how could I not be met with suspicion?"
Your master is not your master, and your parents are certainly not your parents. You have known this for a long time; your master allows you to be beaten, allows you to be bullied. As for your parents? You are a bastard, and they took you in out of necessity due to the rules of the Meng family.
Mu Ge trembled and asked: "What kind of sorcery is this?"
His scalp tingled, fear surged within him, and he began to run towards the shore. However, a sharp pain shot through his ankle, and he was pierced by a blinding light. He rolled on the spot, choking on a few mouthfuls of water, and his legs became unresponsive.
He shouted in his heart: "There are ghosts! There are ghosts!" Turning around, he was even more terrified: he saw a figure floating on the water's surface, with dozens of long bones piercing through his skin, moving slowly like living creatures, and at that moment, they were retracting back.