Screams, running footsteps, and the sounds of objects falling or shattering all blended into one cacophony.
Li Mu Yang stood at the center of the storm, utterly unmoved by everything around him.
His blood-red eyes were fixed on the crow—the culprit who had pierced his palm again and again, triggering his berserk constitution.
Clang—
He shoved aside the table that had fallen against his leg after losing one of its supports, then walked step by step toward the crow lying on the ground.
Crack—
Crack—
Crack—
Every step landed with tremendous force. The Bishui Leaves and fruit scattered across the floor were crushed beneath his feet with a series of sharp cracks.
Li Mu Yang was no longer under his own control. It was as though a monster lurked inside his body, and that enraged beast was driving him to do increasingly crazed things.
"Li Mu Yang—" Cui Xiaoxin climbed to her feet and urgently called his name.
The blast of energy had knocked her down, leaving her face and hands covered in cuts. Those wounds had not diminished her beauty; instead, they lent her a touch of tragic beauty.
She had only seen Li Mu Yang charge at the killer impersonating a servant of the Beast-Faced Pavilion. Then the killer had been sent flying, while a tremendous force had hurled her into the wall before she slid down it.
She felt as though her body were about to fall apart, but she still gritted her teeth, stood up, and charged toward Li Mu Yang.
She did not know what had happened, but she knew Li Mu Yang was doing something extremely dangerous.
"Damnable bastard." Killer Crow's body floated up from the ground.
He was neither climbing nor standing. Without relying on any external force, his body simply drifted into the air like a ghost.
At first, he floated horizontally. Only after reaching midair did he straighten himself.
He stood suspended in the air, glaring viciously at Li Mu Yang as he strode toward him. His voice was cold as though it had come from hell as he said, "You reckless fool who doesn't know when you're about to die—"
His right hand traced several empty gestures through the air, and a doorframe shimmering with silver light appeared.
A strange sound came from his mouth. Then a flock of crows, pitch-black from head to toe and radiating an aura of death, swooped toward Li Mu Yang.
There were so many of them that they almost filled the entire space inside the Beast-Faced Pavilion.
They were silent, but their vicious, greedy eyes were exactly like their master's.
Flap flap flap—
Beating their wings, they swept toward Li Mu Yang like a dark cloud about to envelop him and then gnaw him until not even scraps of bone remained.
"Damn beasts!" a thunderous shout rang out.
A red orb of light appeared above Li Mu Yang's head. Golden light blazed throughout the Beast-Faced Pavilion, and every black crow that touched it turned into black smoke and scattered on the wind.
The golden light continued for a long time, until every black crow filling the room had turned to smoke.
The red orb vanished, and so did the Void Gate that had summoned the black crows.
All the crows disappeared, and the thick smoke vanished as well.
Killer Crow disappeared. Even Cui Xiaoxin, who had come to the Beast-Faced Pavilion with Li Mu Yang, was gone.
Li Mu Yang looked around, then waved his bloodstained palm at the Beast-Faced Pavilion maid hiding beneath a table and staring at him in terror. "Quick, take me to the infirmary—"
Before he could finish, the world spun around him.
His vision went black, and he toppled toward the ground.
—
"You insignificant humans, you traitors—"
"Blood for blood, tooth for tooth. For everything you plot, this king shall bring down Heaven's punishment—"
"Kill—kill—"
—
A giant dragon roared, and wildfires raged.
The entire world was filled with that enormous flying figure. He could not see its whole body, only parts of it. Its gloomy, pitch-black, impenetrably hard scales, threaded with flashing patterns of drifting clouds and lightning, gleamed in the firelight like countless bronze mirrors, reflecting the wails and agony of humanity—and the struggles and resistance that were almost too insignificant to mention.
It carried an overwhelming majesty, riding the clouds and mist as it destroyed cities and shattered kingdoms.
Every sweep of its tail brought the fall of a city.
Every thrust of its claws sent city walls collapsing.
When it opened its jaws, its breath of world-destroying flame melted everything before it.
Humans of flesh and blood, towering thorn trees reaching into the clouds, majestic city walls built of brick, tile, and stone—all turned to dust in an instant—
Li Mu Yang was an observer in this unfamiliar world, a witness to this war.
He stood high above it all, as if—as if he were that slaughtering, rampaging giant dragon.
The giant dragon also discovered his presence. It turned its head and flew toward Li Mu Yang wrapped in wind and thunder.
The dense black clouds were torn apart, and icy winds like shards of ice were blown away.
He could almost feel the searing heat surging from its mouth. He could even hear the heartbeat throbbing within its chest.
Li Mu Yang desperately widened his eyes, trying to see what the dragon looked like.
He saw it. He saw the dragon's eyes.
Those dragon eyes looked exactly like his own.
While he was still bewildered, the giant dragon charged straight at him, then dragged its long tail into his body.
He watched with his own eyes as his body was torn open. Then his mind went blank.
Boom—
The entire world fell silent.
Apart from the sparks burning and spreading into the distance, the world sank into eternal darkness.
When Li Mu Yang opened his eyes, the sun was shining brightly outside the window. Unknown colorful birds called and danced atop a huge silk tree, their happy, jubilant manner seeming almost like a celebration of his awakening.
Jiangnan City in June was hot yet clear and lovely, like a beautiful woman dressed in a thick robe. It was stifling and airtight, yet somehow did not make you feel oppressed.
The women of Jiangnan were naturally delicate and graceful. Without any adornment, they were already a delightful sight.
Li Sinian was a representative of that beauty.
Li Sinian's hair was disheveled, her little face was smudged with dirt, and dark circles had nearly turned her eyes into those of a panda. Even so, she stared unblinkingly at Li Mu Yang with her bloodshot eyes.
Thus, the instant Li Mu Yang opened his eyes, he met those limpid, glistening eyes head-on.
"Brother—" Li Sinian cried out, jolting awake. "You're awake? Are you all right? Does anything feel uncomfortable? Wait here, I'll go call the doctor—"
Without giving Li Mu Yang a chance to speak, she turned and was about to run outside.
Li Mu Yang reached out to stop her, only to discover that his right arm had been bound tightly and could not move at all.
Fortunately, his mouth was uninjured. He hurriedly called out, "Li Sinian—"
Li Sinian turned around and asked, "Brother, is something wrong?"
"Wait," Li Mu Yang said. He opened his mouth, wanting to smile, only to discover that his face was wrapped in gauze too. His expression changed drastically. "My face—is it all right?"
"Brother—" Li Sinian's expression darkened. She looked as though she had something to say but could not bring herself to say it.
Li Mu Yang froze for a moment, then smiled and said, "It's fine. I'm ugly anyway. Maybe being disfigured would just be another form of rebirth—"
"Brother—" Li Sinian looked at Li Mu Yang and shook her head. "There's nothing wrong with your face at all. Your forehead is just a little swollen, so the doctor wrapped your whole head up. It looks more presentable this way."
"Then why do you look so sad?" Li Mu Yang asked in confusion.
"Because I suggested finding the best doctor in the empire and having him give you a facial adjustment while he was at it—that way, when you woke up, you'd get a huge surprise." Li Sinian spoke resentfully. "But they all refused."
"..."
"Brother, don't worry." Li Sinian walked over, gently stroked Li Mu Yang's injured right hand, and looked seriously into his eyes. "When I start working and earn money, I'll definitely hire the most famous doctor in the empire to alter your appearance—"
"My looks—are they really that terrible?" Li Mu Yang felt even breathing begin to cause a stabbing pain.
"They're not that bad, right?" Li Sinian broke into a grin, put an arm around Li Mu Yang's shoulders, and said, "I'm used to them, anyway. Even if everyone in the world thinks your face is ugly, I'll think the whole world is blind."
"As expected of my good little sister." Li Mu Yang wore a blissful expression. He looked at Li Sinian somewhat sheepishly and said, "I want to ask you something, but you're not allowed to laugh."
"Brother, relax. You've been hopelessly awkward for so many years—when have I ever laughed at you?" Li Sinian thumped her chest loudly.
"Really won't laugh?"
"Really won't."
"All right, then—" Li Mu Yang's face flushed slightly. His eyes darted away, and he asked weakly, "Do you think—I look like a giant dragon?"
"Hahahahaha—"
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