Xing Tian Dances with Shield and Axe, His Fierce Will Remains

"Oh my, oh my, it's Chi Yuan. Why aren't you asleep so late at night? Come, come, sit, sit."

Xu Yanwu enthusiastically invited Chi Yuan to sit beside him.

"No need, I came because I have something I want to ask you."

After refusing Xu Yanwu's invitation, Chi Yuan hesitated for a moment before speaking, "Are you really the Head of the War Gods who has been in a deep slumber?"

"Hmm? Haven't Cang Xuan and Danzhu explained it to you yet?"

Xu Yanwu stroked his chin. "I have indeed been researched by you all under the name 'Head of the War Gods' within the Fire Moth, but well, I am indeed awake now."

"Cang Xuan and Danzhu have already told me about you, but..." Chi Yuan looked hesitant. "But I really can't believe that a wish, the dignified Head of the War Gods, would appear before me like this..."

"...Young lady, your words are a bit hurtful."

"No, it's just..."

Chi Yuan seemed flustered, then spoke again.

"My hometown, Canghai City, which was eroded by the Honkai, was cleared thanks to the power of the Head of the War Gods... so..."

Huh?

Xu Yanwu was taken aback.

This part wasn't in the original Honkai world.

Although from the Divine Key's secret tales, Xu Yanwu knew that Chi Yuan's hometown in the previous civilization was indeed called Canghai City, he didn't know the specific details.

And judging by Chi Yuan's words, Canghai City seemed to have been destroyed by his own power?

Oh dear, she isn't here to cause trouble, is she?

No, no, this wasn't my doing at all, I need to make it clear to her...

"...I was asleep at the time, so it's no use even if you tell me this." Xu Yanwu stood up from the grass, walked in front of Chi Yuan, and met her gaze. "My condolences."

"I..."

Chi Yuan felt a strange touch of warmth in her heart. This was the second time Xu Yanwu had refused someone's gratitude in front of her.

Before, he had helped Ji Lin resolve the major threats of Feng Bo Yu Shi, and selflessly handed over Feng Bo Yu Shi to Ji Lin for her to handle and restore the tribe's vitality. Such great help, yet he didn't even hint at any invitation for thanks.

Just now, after talking with Cang Xuan, Chi Yuan realized that even though Xu Yanwu possessed such immense power, he was still so gentle and yielding in their presence.

And now he had redeemed her hometown...

"Let's not mention this matter again, Chi Yuan. If you ever need help in the future, come find me, and I will definitely help you."

Xu Yanwu placed his hands on Chi Yuan's shoulders, his expression exceptionally serious.

Xu Yanwu's subtext was: I'll help you well with things in the future, so please don't bother me anymore...

"Mhm..."

Chi Yuan's face flushed after hearing Xu Yanwu's words. She wriggled out from under his hands on her shoulders, bowed to Xu Yanwu, and said, "Thank you..."

"???"

It wasn't until Chi Yuan returned to her tent that Xu Yanwu finally reacted.

This girl came to find me in the middle of the night just to say this much?

...Geez, you scared me to death.

Sleep, sleep... I'll deal with anything tomorrow...

Speaking of which, will I catch a cold sleeping outside...

Thinking this, Xu Yanwu rolled over and fell into a deep sleep, completely unaware that a trace of energy had diminished within him.

--- The next day at noon ---

"Achoo..."

Xu Yanwu shivered, wrapped in the blanket he had created, sneezing uncontrollably.

"...How can someone as powerful as you catch a cold, Uncle Xu Yanwu?"

Danzhu sat by Xu Yanwu's makeshift bed, fiddling with the mud in her hands, constantly shaping it into various little figures.

Xu Yanwu sniffled. "How should I know? I was just saying last night if I might catch a cold, and today I have... I really shouldn't sleep outside anymore..."

"Hmph, serves you right!"

Danzhu muttered softly, "Who told you to bully Chi Yuan last night? Her eyes were red when she went back..."

Xu Yanwu didn't quite hear Danzhu's words. "Danzhu? What did you say just now?"

"Nothing! Oh, right, Uncle Xu Yanwu, look at this!"

Danzhu placed a newly sculpted mud figure in front of Xu Yanwu. "I referenced your pose when you defeated Feng Bo Yu Shi yesterday!"

Hearing this, Xu Yanwu's spirits immediately lifted, and he looked at the mud sculpture before him.

It wasn't a sculpture of a single figure, but a work composed of multiple figures coexisting.

The headless giant held a giant axe and a large shield, stomping the ferocious monster to the ground. A scarlet evil dragon watched covetously from the side, but didn't notice the pair of dragon claws that appeared from the sky…

"How is it? I thought about this for a long time before making it," Danzhu said proudly. "In the future, the deeds you accomplish will slowly turn into myths as people pass them down. Uncle Xu Yanwu, don't you feel excited?"

"..." Xu Yanwu carefully examined Danzhu's clay sculpture and said, "Myths? That sounds truly aspirational…"

"Hand me the carving knife, I need to modify something," Xu Yanwu reached out, asking for the carving knife in Danzhu's hand. "I'll add a stroke to my myth."

Danzhu hesitated slightly. "Uncle Xu Yanwu, your aesthetic sense…"

Xu Yanwu's face darkened at Danzhu's words. "What's wrong with my aesthetic sense? It's perfectly normal!"

Sniffling, Xu Yanwu reached out from under the covers and snatched the carving knife from Danzhu. "I won't ruin the clay sculpture. I just heard you talking about myths and want to make some things appear…"

My next stroke will directly carve out what I intend to create.

After making his wish, Xu Yanwu picked up the clay sculpture and took a deep breath. He pressed the carving knife against Xing Tian within the clay. Danzhu watched nervously from the side, afraid Xu Yanwu would ruin her creation.

Xu Yanwu's focus sharpened, a rare occurrence, as he quietly recited a poem: "Jingwei carries tiny wood, intending to fill the vast sea."

The carving knife lightly hooked beneath Xing Tian's feet, sketching a faint figure, only vaguely visible.

Xu Yanwu continued to recite.

"Xing Tian dances with shield and axe, his fierce will forever remains."

Xu Yanwu's hand, holding the carving knife, trembled rapidly as he carved battle patterns onto Xing Tian.

"When things are the same, there are no longer distinctions; transformation comes, and there is no regret."

Xu Yanwu took a deep breath. Next, he would add eyes to his own body.

"To merely set the intention of the past, how can a good time be awaited!"

The carving knife fell. The eyes on Xing Tian's chest stared intently at the ferocious monster beneath its feet, while the great mouth on its abdomen gaped open, as if letting out cries of battle.

With the final stroke on the clay figure in his hand, Xu Yanwu hesitated before carving the following words onto the base of the sculpture:

"Now there is a person, named Xing Tian, who in ancient times contended with Heaven. Heaven punished him by taking his head, and he declared: 'I use my nipples as eyes, my navel as my mouth.' He wielded his shield and axe and danced ceaselessly…"