Chapter 7: Seeking Opportunity Amid Chaos |
“Ahhh—!!”
Feng Guan’s shrill, agonized screams echoed back and forth within the dark, damp underground prison, sending chills down the spine.
Upon the strange net of black and crimson threads, countless bloodthirsty filaments burrowed relentlessly into his body from every possible opening. Under such unbearable torment, tears and mucus streamed down his face. His shriveled body convulsed wildly like a fish thrown onto dry land as he howled out everything he knew, without the slightest reservation.
In truth, there was no need for Li Shun to remind him at all. Under such flaying, bone-splitting torture, with Feng Guan’s depleted vitality and fragile will, let alone fabricating lies, even the slightest concealment was impossible. He could only spill everything, even the faintest stray thoughts in his mind were forcibly squeezed out by that blood-soaked net.
Meanwhile, Li Shun, standing to the side, appeared no less miserable.
His entire body was drenched in blood. His flesh twitched uncontrollably under the侵蝕 of the filaments, and broken, ragged breaths escaped from his throat.
But in reality…
From the very moment the torture began, Li Shun’s primary consciousness had already shed its shell like a cicada, retreating into the Fangcun space within his body.
The physical body left behind in the outside world merely endured the pain through instinct. The suffering perceived by his consciousness had already been greatly diminished, reduced to less than a tenth of its true intensity.
Meanwhile, his main consciousness stood silently within the Fangcun space, gazing at the half-destroyed stone statue.
“I miscalculated.”
“I didn’t expect the Great Qian authorities to be this cautious. Even for two lowly laborers acting as informants, they still resort to such brutal torture and meticulous interrogation, leaving no room for oversight.”
“I just hope Old Feng can hold on,” Li Shun sighed inwardly.
After all, the two had known each other for decades. There was still some bond between them.
As for the torture inflicted upon his physical body, Li Shun was not overly concerned.
What truly troubled him was the approaching catastrophe, drawing closer with every passing moment, the destruction of the Lengshan County office.
“At the third hour of the afternoon, Xiong Jin will lead his assault.”
“Originally, the county’s defensive forces would be completely wiped out, and the entire compound reduced to ashes by overwhelming flames. And now… I am right here within the county office!”
“Although my warning has surely prompted them to prepare in advance, whether they can actually withstand Xiong Jin…”
Li Shun had no confidence.
He stared fixedly at the half-ruined stone statue before him, his will surging as he attempted to activate [I Examine Myself Thrice Each Day] once more at any cost.
Unfortunately, it was like a stone sinking into the sea. The mottled, pale statue gave no response whatsoever.
Li Shun’s heart sank to the depths.
“As expected. From past experience, though it is called ‘Threefold Self-Reflection,’ only the first two allow for probing and trial.”
“The third… is absolute reality. Once it unfolds, there is no turning back.”
“If I remain trapped in this dungeon, when Xiong Jin arrives, I will likely be reduced to ashes along with the entire county office!”
As for the possibility that the county might successfully resist or even capture Xiong Jin, or that the stone statue might still activate Threefold Self-Reflection after his death…
Li Shun neither dared nor wished to gamble on it.
A ruthless glint flashed in his eyes. With a shift of intent, he crossed the white mist in an instant and arrived at the third region, before the complete stone statue.
“If things truly reach the point of no return… I can only release it.”
Until the very last moment between life and death, Li Shun had no intention of taking this step.
After all, merely casting a mortal laborer puppet like himself into the outside world had once caused a tearing sensation in his soul so intense it nearly broke him on the spot. He could scarcely imagine what kind of terrifying backlash and consequences would follow if he forcibly summoned this unfathomable, complete stone statue into reality.
“Moreover, these two stone statues within the Fangcun space likely hold immense secrets. Once revealed to the world, the impact would be immeasurable.”
“But…”
“For the sake of survival, I can no longer afford to care about that!”
As Li Shun was deep in thought, the silent stone statue before him, which had remained dormant for untold ages, suddenly seemed to develop a mysterious awareness, as if it had sensed his intent to release it into the mortal world.
In that instant, it felt as though it had come alive.
Though its face was blurred and devoid of discernible features, there was an indistinct gaze that seemed to pierce through the ages, locking firmly onto Li Shun.
Despite the countless fine cracks covering its body, like a web of fractures that made it appear as though a single gust of wind could shatter it into dust, Li Shun could clearly feel it at that moment.
A blazing, overwhelming battle intent capable of scorching the heavens and boiling the seas, and…
An ultimate killing intent that shot straight into the skies.
“Kill!”
That killing intent transformed within the Fangcun space into countless invisible blades, howling toward Li Shun like a raging storm. A bone-scraping agony swept through his entire being, forcing his consciousness to retreat again and again.
Only when he staggered back to the edge of the statue’s region did the apocalyptic storm abruptly cease.
Not far away, the hundred or so stalks of Lengshan Grass planted within the Fangcun space were spared due to the separation of regions. Yet they seemed to have developed a form of awareness. The originally upright, faintly glowing blue blades all bent downward in unison, trembling as if bowing in submission.
The storm raged for a long time before finally dissipating.
Li Shun looked at the statue, now returned to its deathly stillness, with lingering fear in his heart.
“Even under the suppression of the Fangcun space, it still possesses such terrifying might…”
“It seems that once I cast this statue out, at the very least, my life will be secure.”
“In that case…”
His gaze grew cold and clear once more.
“Lengshan Venerable.”
He had not forgotten the true purpose behind all his preparations.
At this moment, Lengshan County appeared calm on the surface, but beneath that stillness, undercurrents surged and killing intent lurked everywhere.
Three in the afternoon.
A streak of crimson light tore across the sky as Xiong Jin’s towering figure appeared right on schedule, hovering above the county yamen.
“Hm?”
Looking down from above, he saw the gates tightly shut and the entrance completely empty. Even the usual guards had vanished, leaving behind an unnatural, deathly silence.
Almost instantly, the battle-hardened Xiong Jin sensed the thick killing intent in the air.
“So it’s been exposed…”
Yet he showed no fear. Instead, a manic ferocity erupted in his eyes. Throwing his head back, he let out a roar like thunder from the ninth heavens, his voice echoing across the entire city.
“Destroy Qian and restore Xiang, this day marks our rise!”
As his roar echoed, a massive, sinister eight-armed demonic god phantom manifested behind him. Wrapped in surging crimson flames, it raised its giant fists and smashed them down toward the county office.
Boom!
A deafening explosion shook the earth. But when the dust settled, the county office had not collapsed as it had in the previous cycle. Instead, it stood firm.
A heavy, mountain-like yellow formation barrier shielded the entire complex. Under that devastating blow, it merely dimmed slightly.
“Prepared in advance? Hahaha! So the mighty officials of Great Qian have chosen to hide like turtles in their shells!”
Xiong Jin laughed wildly, his attacks continuing like a relentless storm, hammering against the formation without pause.
At the same time, from every corner of Lengshan County, cries of “Destroy Qian and restore Xiang!” erupted one after another. The hidden remnants of Xiang revealed themselves, setting fires and slaughtering indiscriminately.
In an instant, the entire county was transformed into a living hell.
Amidst this world-shaking chaos—
A figure moved swiftly through the streets and alleys, finally coming to a silent stop before a residence within the city.
It was none other than Li Shun’s puppet incarnation, cast into the mortal world.
“Knock, knock, knock!”
He raised his hand and struck the heavy bronze ring in a steady rhythm.
There was no response. Only distant sounds of slaughter and faint flickers of firelight.
The puppet Li Shun remained expressionless, continuing to knock tirelessly.
After a long while, a voice finally came from behind the closed door. It was soft and alluring, yet strained with forced composure and unmistakable vigilance.
“Who is it?”
Li Shun leaned close to the door crack, his voice urgent and lowered.
“Madam, the rebels are overwhelming, and the city is far too dangerous. The County Magistrate fears unforeseen trouble and has sent me to escort you to a safe location.”
Before his words had fully settled, a soft click sounded from the wooden door.
It slowly opened a crack, revealing a beautiful yet slightly pale face. A trace of relief and joy appeared in the woman’s eyes as she spoke in a low, reproachful tone.
“That damned man… at least he still has some conscience, not forgetting me at a time like this!”
Li Shun lowered his gaze, concealing the faint glimmer in his eyes, and slipped inside without a sound.
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