Section 123 (Part 2) Date, Unusual

“I will become invincible!”

The Painted-Skin Fiend’s head twitched as it gazed greedily toward the southeast.

The next moment, it vanished from where it stood.

In the space of a single day, fifty cities along the Fiend Clan’s frontier were reduced to nothing.

And every day that followed, the Painted-Skin Fiend created a vast black fog and devoured everything in its path.

“I’m growing stronger and stronger. Once I devour all the flesh of these two races, I’ll complete my transformation!”

“There are entirely new insights hidden within the Wind Emperor as well—techniques related to destiny. Heh… not bad at all.”

“Invincibility is waiting for me!”

As the devouring continued, the Painted-Skin Fiend’s body became increasingly magnificent.

Triangular scales of blue-green emerged across its surface, radiating a ghostly green glow. Layer upon layer, the scales fit tightly together, forming a suit of armor.

From its abdomen emerged a blood-red spider eye the size of a human head.

The spider eye rotated, surveying every direction. An eerie spiritual fluctuation spread from it, turning the surrounding space into a rippling surface of water.

Behind it, fleshy wings unfurled. Their surfaces were covered with countless tiny eyes.

Any ordinary person who saw such a thing would vomit, fall dizzy, and suffer nightmares for years.

At this moment, the Painted-Skin Fiend’s aura had already surpassed that of the Fiend Emperor by more than a hundredfold.

A strange smile split its lips.

It looked toward the territory of the Winged Wolf Royal Clan.

“I’ll devour the Wind Emperor first. I can’t let that fellow be killed by Gu Shaoshang.”

As it spoke, the Wind Emperor’s flesh began to writhe. A deep sense of dread took root in his heart.

“Why am I so uneasy? Could it be that Gu Shaoshang of the human race is making some move against my people?”

“I need to avoid his edge for now…”

“No! Why do I feel as if I’ve been locked onto?”

The Wind Emperor’s scalp prickled.

Then he heard whispers echoing within his mind.

“Stay right where you are. Don’t move. Wait for me to come and devour you…”

“You are a part of me. Do not even think of resisting.”

“Come. Return to my body. Together, we shall devour the entire world.”

Upon hearing those inexplicable whispers, the Wind Emperor was terrified. Cold sweat poured down his entire body.

He sat upon the throne, limp as a pool of mud.

At this moment, he had no intention of resisting. The whispers had already driven him insane.

He had chosen to believe the Painted-Skin Fiend.

There was no denying it.

The Painted-Skin Fiend at this stage was simply too powerful. The strength of its spiritual control left the Wind Emperor utterly incapable of resistance.

Before long, the Painted-Skin Fiend arrived at the imperial palace of the Winged Wolf Royal Clan, carrying a black cloud that blotted out the sky.

“Who are you? How dare you trespass into our royal city!”

A group of divine-level experts, accompanied by a troop of guards with powerful auras, blocked the Painted-Skin Fiend’s path.

They stared at and examined the handsome yet sinister young man.

“A fiend of the Fiend Clan?”

“Why have we never seen this kind of fiend before? Who is he?”

“Hm?”

Suddenly, the scales on the Painted-Skin Fiend’s chest dispersed, revealing the bewitching, seductive face of the Fiend Emperor.

“It’s me. I have fused with the Supreme One. Hahahaha…”

Its eerie laughter struck the souls of the divine-level experts.

The next instant, the Painted-Skin Fiend vanished.

It transformed into a vast black fog that swallowed the experts blocking its way.

“Ah!”

“Ah!”

Wretched screams echoed through heaven and earth.

Then, strands of bizarre blood-red serpents shot into the Painted-Skin Fiend’s body.

Its body writhed as if something new were about to grow from within.

“Next comes the Wind Emperor. The art of destiny—I’m coming for you!”

The Painted-Skin Fiend revealed a handsome smile filled with sinister intent.

It transformed into black fog and vanished.

Above the entire capital of the Winged Wolf Royal Clan, black rain began to fall in torrents.

Yet not a single drop touched the ground.

Instead, the drops resembled parasitic insects. They landed upon the people of the Winged Wolf Royal Clan and burrowed into their bodies.

Immediately afterward, one massive Winged Wolf after another began to fuse where they stood, transforming into foul, scarlet masses of flesh shaped like wolves.

The entire capital reeked of corruption.

But the laughter of the Painted-Skin Fiend echoed throughout heaven and earth.

Strand after strand of blood-red serpents surged toward it.

They resembled tiny red parasites from a filthy sewer, writhing with grotesque movements as they swarmed densely toward the corpses.

The Painted-Skin Fiend’s aura rose step by step.

It arrived before the imperial throne and gazed silently at the Wind Emperor.

The Wind Emperor was filled with both rage and terror. He cowered miserably upon the throne.

“You… you…”

“Ah!”

Before the Wind Emperor could resist, his body was torn apart inch by inch.

His skin looked as though it had been stuck together with some kind of industrial-strength tape before being slowly ripped apart. His entire body was covered in tearing wounds, not a single patch of intact flesh remaining.

Blood flowed freely over him.

“Excellent. Very good. Only by entering a state of extreme agony can your talents be preserved, allowing me to devour you perfectly.”

The Painted-Skin Fiend spoke to itself.

With a beckoning gesture, all the power, blood, flesh, and memories within the Wind Emperor seemed to cease belonging to him.

Everything began to flow madly into the Painted-Skin Fiend’s body.

After only a few breaths, the life force within him vanished completely.

“How… how could this be? I’m actually a part of someone else’s body?”

The Wind Emperor cried out in disbelief before dying.

“Ah… that feels wonderful. Part of my body has finally returned. My memories are slowly awakening as well!”

“What a pity. The Netherworld Emperor was annihilated into nothingness. I can never recover him.”

The Painted-Skin Fiend looked delighted, but in the blink of an eye, its expression became as aggrieved as though it had swallowed something foul.

It raised its head and gazed toward the sky.

“Continue devouring!”

“Once I devour all the Winged Wolves and fiends, I can make up for my losses. Then I’ll enter seclusion for a while and awaken my Supreme bloodline. No one will be able to stop me!”

As it spoke, the Painted-Skin Fiend beat its wings and began to devour the surrounding cities at a frantic pace.

…

Elsewhere.

Lin Qiye cultivated bitterly while waiting for the Painted-Skin Fiend to complete its devouring.

Once everything was finished, he would be able to kill the Painted-Skin Fiend and raise the quality of his Immortal Eye.

Lin Qiye smiled.

It seemed that everything was proceeding according to plan.

“Two more months should be enough.”

Lin Qiye was extremely patient.

He remained in the villa, cultivating alongside Zhu Yuheng, Jiang Lianyi, and Gu He.

Two months later, Lin Qiye sensed something.

He suddenly vanished from his room and appeared above Jiang City.

He was preparing to fly toward the territory of the Fiend Clan and kill the Painted-Skin Fiend.

But then, a prompt suddenly rang out in his mind.

[Creation Deduction Warning: If you intend to kill the Painted-Skin Fiend, it is recommended that you wait until the Empress’s two talents have reached one hundred percent perfection before acting. Otherwise, consequences too severe for you to accept will result.]

“Hm?”

Lin Qiye froze.

Why had such a warning suddenly appeared?

What was going on?

Lin Qiye was utterly perplexed.

After deep contemplation, he could not help but send an inquiry to Creation Deduction.

[Creation Deduction Prompt: Once Immortal Spiritual Awareness and Soul reaches one hundred percent perfection, you will naturally be able to discern the reason.]

“…”

Lin Qiye was speechless.

Did his Immortal Soul Awareness really have to reach one hundred percent?

At least five more months would be required before he could cultivate it to perfection, right?

He had to wait five months?

Wouldn’t that be a complete waste of time?

Although Lin Qiye would still be able to kill the Painted-Skin Fiend five months later, he had never liked dragging things out, nor did he enjoy giving his enemies a chance to catch their breath.

If he could kill someone, he would never let them live until the next day.

But now that Creation Deduction itself had issued a warning, Lin Qiye could only turn around and head back.

“Can I only understand the reason once my Immortal Spiritual Awareness and Soul reaches one hundred percent? Could there be something strange about it?”

“When I first obtained Immortal Spiritual Awareness and Soul, I also sensed that the laws of this world were somewhat different…”

Lin Qiye pondered.

He had already sensed that something was wrong before.

He simply could not figure out where the problem lay.

Even now, Lin Qiye remained unable to understand it.

He could only choose to trust the warning given by Creation Deduction.

In any case, killing the Painted-Skin Fiend was not difficult.

Especially once his Immortal Spiritual Awareness and Soul had reached one hundred percent perfection. Even if the Painted-Skin Fiend awakened some hidden trump card, Lin Qiye would still be able to kill it.

Therefore, Lin Qiye accepted the situation.

He immediately seized every moment, attempting to temper the development of his Immortal Soul Awareness to one hundred percent perfection.

Hard work and competitive drive could be contagious.

Over the next few months, Zhu Yuheng never stopped cultivating.

Her fanaticism was in no way inferior to Lin Qiye’s.

Jiang Lianyi was equally diligent. The three of them tempered their Immortal Soul Awareness day and night.

Only Gu He fished for three days and sunbathed for two, occasionally lying on the sofa while eating potato chips and gulping down fizzy drinks.

There was no doubt that intense competition was effective.

Especially for geniuses.

For example, Lin Qiye’s strength had made considerable progress.

Without even mentioning his already perfected Annihilation Divine Thunder and Thunder God Manifestation, his Thunder God Domain alone had reached eighty-five percent.

His Immortal Spiritual Awareness and Soul had also reached fifty percent—a truly substantial improvement.

As for Zhu Yuheng, her Thousand-Faced Reincarnation was also about to reach ninety-five percent.

With a crucial breakthrough approaching, Zhu Yuheng forgot food and sleep as she cultivated with tireless diligence.

“Once I reach ninety-five percent, I’ll truly be able to fight side by side with Little Brother Shaoshang. I’ll be able to stand on my own as well.”

Zhu Yuheng smiled radiantly.

Her long phoenix eyes were filled with longing and hope.

“Keep going, Yuheng!”

Zhu Yuheng clenched her fists and encouraged herself.

That evening, she cultivated even more diligently, tempering her spiritual power again and again.

Finally, at eight o’clock that night, the crucial bottleneck dissolved.

The instant she entered the ninety-five-percent stage, Zhu Yuheng froze in place.

Memories from more than nine hundred lifetimes of reincarnation merged into her mind, leaving her limbs rigid.

She remained dazed for a long time.

Before she realized it, tears had already streamed down her face.

“So that’s why Old Man Chen couldn’t use Words Become Law against me…”

“I…”

Zhu Yuheng raised her head.

When she saw that she was crying, she hurriedly wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.

“He doesn’t like seeing me cry…”

“I should be a little happier.”

Facing the vanity mirror, Zhu Yuheng forced a hideous smile.

“Go to bed early. Wake up early tomorrow.”

…

The next morning, Zhu Yuheng rose early.

The sky was only beginning to brighten, and no one else had gotten up yet.

She spent more than an hour preparing breakfast and warming the milk.

Then she washed up and dressed herself.

She put on her most beautiful clothes and knocked on Lin Qiye’s door.

“Breakfast is ready.”

Lin Qiye was surprised.

After washing up, he opened the door.

He discovered that Zhu Yuheng looked more beautiful than ever before.

She wore an ivory princess dress, its hem trimmed with lace and decorated with several expensive, colorful sequins. Under the light, they glittered brilliantly.

Over it she wore a deep-purple blouse patterned with dark roses. Elegant and refined, it featured a high collar, neckline, and cuffs covered in delicate lavender lace, as though thin wisps of cotton candy had been wrapped around the shirt.

A short pink-and-purple shawl rested across her shoulders, accentuating her slender waist and perfect figure.

At that moment, her long phoenix eyes shone brightly, filled with gentle warmth and the soft grace of a virtuous wife.

Her bearing made her seem like a well-educated, noble princess of impeccable manners.

Lin Qiye: “…”

He stared at Zhu Yuheng for a long time.

“Why are you dressed so beautifully?”

Zhu Yuheng pressed her rosy lips together and quietly moved closer to Lin Qiye.

“Would you go shopping with me today? Just you and me. Come with me and take a look…”

Lin Qiye was surprised.

The Zhu Yuheng of this life was a resilient yet shy girl.

Even when her eyes met Lin Qiye’s, she would blush and turn away. She had never wanted to spend money shopping. Her entire heart was devoted to becoming stronger through cultivation so that she could fight alongside him.

What was going on?

Lin Qiye sensed something strange.

“What happened?”

“Nothing. It’s just that cultivation has been especially exhausting lately, and I thought I might clear my head. Perhaps relaxing a little will help me improve even faster. Will you come with me?”

Zhu Yuheng was bolder than ever before. She blinked at Lin Qiye and coquettishly pleaded with him.

Lin Qiye had truly never seen Zhu Yuheng act spoiled before.

Seeing it now gave him a peculiar sense of contrast. A young woman whose brows held the heroic spirit of an empress was blinking pitifully and acting coquettishly, and the sight possessed a unique charm.

Lin Qiye nodded.

“I agree. We should know when to work hard and when to rest.”

Zhu Yuheng smiled radiantly.

“Then hurry and eat. How about we go to the amusement park in the eastern district first?”

Lin Qiye sat down.

He agreed while eating breakfast, though his eyes remained fixed on Zhu Yuheng’s excited little face.

Zhu Yuheng looked particularly radiant today.

She resembled a peach blossom in full bloom.

After breakfast, Zhu Yuheng leaned against Lin Qiye’s shoulder as the two of them left the villa side by side.

“The morning air is so fresh. The mist from the lake brushes against your face, cool and refreshing as it sinks into your lungs. It makes you feel wonderfully clear-headed.”

“Just like a certain someone.”

Zhu Yuheng was brimming with enthusiasm.

Her bright, long phoenix eyes remained fixed on Lin Qiye’s handsome face, illuminating his features.

Her usual timidity and cowardice seemed to have vanished without a trace.

She had become passionate and direct.

Lin Qiye found it difficult to adjust.

Neither the proud empress from his previous life nor the cautious, tragic little girl from this life bore the slightest resemblance to the young woman before him.

…

P.S. Please vote with your monthly tickets! Please vote with your monthly tickets!

Here is a friend’s book recommendation: The Strange Laws of the Yellow Springs.

Yi Zheng transmigrated into the Great Yan Dynasty twenty years ago. He wholeheartedly wished to pass the imperial examinations, become an official, and bring prosperity to the common people. Yet he discovered that this world seemed to be filled with strange and terrifying phenomena.

And once one became entangled with them, survival was utterly impossible.