The Blood That Sustained Her

As things were about to end, taking Fang Xiao to the Fang Mansion hall was the deal the Doctor and Yu Xing made.

The deal also included "killing Fang Deming".

The latter was a task given to him by the system, while the former stemmed from Yu Xing's personal motives.

Yu Xing had long anticipated that when he revealed his true self, the Snake Woman would not miss the opportunity to use Fang Xiao as leverage to threaten him.

Therefore, Fang Xiao is not safe no matter where he is.

But as long as Fang Xiao isn't on this side of the container, there's still a chance. For example, they could have someone powerful enough to resist the Snake Woman's cognitive control forcibly detain Fang Xiao.

The reason Fang Xiao wasn't carried to the ancestral hall right away was to avoid alerting the enemy.

But as soon as Fang Xiao showed signs of being controlled, it meant it was time. The Doctor took Fang Xiao to the ancestral hall, and then the ancestral spirits left behind by the Fang family ancestors in the ancestral hall would save him.

Yu Xing had witnessed the cleanliness of the ancestral hall before; that ancestor was worthy of respect and could be used to save his poor, unfortunate descendants.

Yu Xing still liked this adopted older brother very much; at least she didn't intend for him to die.

Moreover, seeing the Snake Woman's frustrated expression and the mischievous feeling that arose spontaneously made Yu Xing feel happy.

The screen, covered in static, shattered.

The camera, crushed into a pile of broken parts by the branches, could no longer support the demand for "filming." The otherworldly space inside the metal container gradually darkened, and the screens disappeared one by one.

Only a few scattered screens survived, but they provided little information.

There are five minutes left before the system fully absorbs the books from Nanshui Town.

The Snake Woman was even more anxious than Yu Xing.

Seeing Yu Xing's knowing expression, she finally understood that this human had already blocked all her avenues for retaliation.

Even under the already formidable power of the Gui Chen energy, something new emerged.

[Spirit].

The azure figure seemed to come from a distant ancient time. The power of the Sheqing Ghost was not to be underestimated anywhere, let alone such an ancient demon that had existed for thousands of years.

The Snake Woman's gaze settled on Yi Qing.

She is making a judgment.

Is this an evil incarnation of the [spirit], or a ghost possessing the power of the [spirit]?

If it's the latter, that's manageable; but if it's an evil god's clone, she'll truly collapse.

Just how many other evil gods' things did she let in when she supposedly controlled Nanshui Town?!

Strangely enough, she couldn't figure out where the suddenly appearing blue figure came from.

Yi Qing narrowed her eyes as she was stared at.

Perhaps because Yu Xing has been in the team for quite a while, many people forget that he actually has a bad temper.

On the surface, he appears gentle and refined, but in reality, he was the owner of the Sheqing Bar, where the dangerous Yugi were all conducted with his permission.

Under the scrutiny of the Snake Woman, Yi Qing slowly used her fan to cover half of her face.

"Young lady, aren't you being a little offensive?"

If Snake Woman had facial nerves like humans, their temples would probably be throbbing right now.

In this life-or-death situation, he called me offensive?

"Don't be ridiculous," the Snake Woman said coldly, then forced a stiff human smile. "Can you represent the gods of Yin Yang City?"

"So, the seemingly complex web of gods had already formed an alliance behind the scenes?"

"If Qianjie knew about this, the power structure of Yin Yang City would probably change again."

She considered this an effective threat.

Although the clones are all of lower status, they are not entirely unrelated to the main body of Yin Yang City. The fact that these lower-level beings—whether clones or beings carrying the same source of power—can stand on the same side without any barriers must be due to the benefits that Yin Yang City's main body has received.

At least that's what the Snake Woman thought.

However, Yu Xing didn't care whether Qianjie knew or not. Firstly, he had no idea about the current power distribution in Yin Yang City, or which evil god had a better relationship with which other evil god. Secondly...

Yu Xing smiled playfully, grabbed the hem of her dress, and slowly lifted it up.

"Look what this is!"

The Snake Woman narrowed her long, narrow eyes.

Her gaze first fell on Yu Xing's V-line, which was hidden under her waistband, and then moved up along the hem of her clothes.

A remarkably muscular waist, chest muscles subtly visible beneath the fabric—

Etc.

What is that??

In the very center of Yu Xing's chest was a snake-shaped pattern that gleamed with black light.

Snake Woman:???

This pattern is definitely not unfamiliar to any of the Qianjie clones, because it is a mark that only the main body of Yin Yang City would give.

Everything else was fine, but the Qianjie Mark completely overheated the Snake Woman's CPU.

"If you believe that certain evil gods have secretly formed an alliance," Yu Xing licked his lips, pressing his finger on the snake-shaped brand, "Then Qianjie is definitely one of them."

"Look, this is the mark He left on me. Doesn't it mean that He is on my side too?"

The mark that once caused Yu Xing to lose his composure has now become a tool to provoke Qianjie's clone, proving that fortunes can change.

Perhaps Yu Xing's increasing ability to cope with cognitive distortions after entering Nanshui Town was also due to this imprint.

Yi Qing noticed that the brand was radiating heat. Curious, she tried to touch it, but Yu Xing slapped her hand away without hesitation.

Yi Qing: "..." Okay, okay.

He mentally complained that Yu Xing only cared about showing off his weapons, and no one else was allowed to even touch them. The Snake Woman next to him had already lowered her head.

She looked very strange.

"Turn out to be..."

Her tone sounded incomprehensible and unbelievable, as if she had encountered something that distorted even her own understanding.

"Have I been here too long and become unaware of what the outside world has changed?"

She murmured to herself, her voice ethereal and dreamlike.

It's clear that the Qianjie Mark provides her with a much greater stimulus than the power of the other evil gods.

"Then I have nothing left."

"No... this place is mine, and it will always be mine!"

The Snake Woman's figure suddenly grew even larger.

A faint crimson hue appeared on her translucent body, filling her body like blood vessels, especially in the snake's tail, where every scale began to glow with a blood-red light.

A red glow appeared in her eyes, and she gradually raised her head.

Ferocious.

The snake scales had climbed up her neck and cheeks, and her inhumanity had reached its peak; she could no longer be described as beautiful.

In the void, it seemed as if a continuous stream of blood energy was surging towards her, causing her aura to rise steadily.

Three minutes left.

"Go to hell, all of you," the Snake Woman said coldly.

It's okay, it's okay.

She killed all these people today. The other evil gods will offer limited help, and they certainly won't care about the life or death of a useless person who has poured their heart and soul into the effort but failed.

And Qianjie...

Even though she killed the person who gave her Qianjie mark, the main body surely won't make things difficult for her clone, right? Surely not, right?

It wouldn't be for the sake of one human being...

Should we attack this clone that originated from the same source?

She could still search among the myriad worlds and create a new world she could control, just like before; it would simply be starting all over again.

As long as this human dies.

The gods can decisively abandon a dead piece, but they will not hesitate to discard one while it is still alive.

Therefore, Fang Xing must die.

Only if he dies can she have a chance to continue existing; otherwise...

Three minutes is enough.

The energy from the town's altar continuously replenished her body, granting her temporary increased power.

The translucent, blood-red Snake Woman opened her gaping maw, her cold, emotionless snake eyes staring directly at Yu Xing.

She rushed over.

Yu Xing controlled the branches to form a thick, impenetrable tree wall in front of him, and at the same time, he leaped up from the branch he was sitting on and changed to a crouching position.

He held the Sheqing Dreamscape in his hand, reversed.

Judging from the way the Snake Woman used the power she obtained from the altar, Yu Xing guessed that the altar had already entered a slaughter mode.

Ha, the so-called Snow Festival is nothing more than a way for the Snake Woman to absorb life.

The Snow Festival used to attract many tourists, but this year it wasn't as extravagant. However, the small amount of power brought by the townspeople was enough to strengthen the Snake Woman.

And what's more, there's also this group of "tourists."

Yu Xing seemed to know what had happened to the tourists who had died during the trip a few days earlier.

I'm afraid they've all become offerings for the Snow Festival!

As I was pondering this, a blood-red snake tail swept across, shattering the tree wall into pieces.

Yu Xing couldn't stay in place, so he leaped up to dodge the tail and landed on the open ground to the side.

The branches screamed in his mind.

This is delicious! This is delicious!

[Idiot, can you even handle that? Stop the AI from doing that!]

[What a big tail! It's so clingy, just like us! I really want to eat it...]

[I only want to see the mastermind use us to entangle people, not see the mastermind get entangled by a snake. My mastermind must be the one taking the initiative!]

[... Stop talking and get on the field!]

Countless heartfelt sentiments merged together, interspersed with some strange and unusual ideas.

Yu Xing shook her head, clearing her mind of the jumbled thoughts, and began to dodge while simultaneously attempting to attack.

Straight, sharp thorns pierced through the sheet metal, chasing after the Snake Woman's figure in mid-air. Each thorn was extended to its maximum size, reaching the height of seven or eight stories.

However, the Snake Woman was too agile and was in the air, giving her some room to dodge. After several rounds, she only suffered minor scratches on her skin.

Those minor injuries were nothing to the Snake Woman; with a flick of her tail, she shattered the branch that could kill Meng Dao a hundred times over.

One and a half minutes.

Yi Qing watched the show for a while, then floated leisurely behind Yu Xing, transforming into spirit form. She climbed onto his back as before, her hands folded and resting on Yu Xing's head. "You're no good."

He had no weight and did not hinder his movements. Yu Xing did not object to his posture, but merely glanced at him.

The Sheqing Ghost looked at him with a smile.

Then a large, blood-red tail lashed out, and Yu Xing ducked down, watching helplessly as the tail passed right through Yi Qing's body.

Yi Qing's body became ethereal for a moment, emitting wisps of green smoke, before quickly solidifying again.

He even leisurely fanned himself with a fan.

Yu Xing: "..."

Sometimes, he really envied Yiqing's abilities.

Compared to flashy dodging, what could be more satisfying than standing still and nullifying physical attacks with your spirit form?

However, the Snake Woman is also semi-transparent, so if they really fought, she should be able to hit Yi Qing.

A strange feeling flashed through Yu Xing's mind. He dodged forward, and the dagger left a long gash on the pursuing snake's tail.

The Sheqing Dreamscape can break through the Snake Woman's defenses!

He paused, calculating the time, then chuckled softly, "Yiqing, it's your turn now. Hold them off for me for a bit."

Yi Qing seemed to have already guessed that Yu Xing would order him around. He said leisurely, "Oh? But I'm in a good mood today and just want to watch the show."

"You want me to help you..."

As he spoke, he was struck by the snake's tail and rendered indistinct, but his voice didn't stop. "What are you prepared to offer me in return?"

"Don't cause trouble, I'm warning you." Yu Xing said irritably. He was now operating on multiple fronts, each branch connected to his senses—his eyes, and his tongue.

The world from multiple perspectives was incredibly chaotic, and he had no intention of wasting time arguing with Yi Qing: "Go ask the system for your reward; I came all this way for it."

Yi Qing, who had a private deal with the system, definitely knew the true nature of this simulation much earlier than him. Not only did he not tell him, but now he wanted to negotiate with him.

In a different place, he experienced both highs and lows, torment and clarity.

Yi Qing wasn't annoyed at being exposed. She smoothed a stray hair behind her ear and touched the "eye" pendant hanging from her waist.

After he retrieved the bead from the deep sea, he modified it several times. Finally, he spent some time turning the bead into a waist pendant, so that it would no longer clash with the jingling crystal ornaments on his body.

It has eyes, but no pupils.

The beads shimmered, and the eyes outlined by the shimmering light slowly closed.

"Okay, when I get back, I'll find the right people and demand the compensation I deserve."

Amidst the wisps of smoke and the chaotic scene, Yi Qing, seemingly an intruder on the battlefield, smiled, closed his jade fan, and pointed at the Snake Woman.

The Snake Woman's movements faltered.

Her increasingly eerie body stopped twisting and actually froze in mid-air.

The gaze of those snake-like eyes shifted from Yu Xing to Yi Qing.

Suddenly, darkness enveloped the surroundings.

She could see nothing but Yiqing.

The flickering world vanished from her sight, and no matter where she looked, she could only see a blue figure. The originally inconspicuous sound of crystals colliding now made her soul tremble.

Silence.

Like the deep sea.

Time seemed to stand still, blurred into the darkness.

While Yi Qing was holding back the Snake Woman, Yu Xing slipped away to a corner.

The branches formed a ball behind him, completely obscuring him.

He glanced at the system.

The system just received a benefit and is now behaving very well.

[One minute and fifty-two seconds remaining.]

[The energy gathering at the altar is still increasing and will become stronger; Yiqing estimates it can buy them about a minute.]

In other words, you still have 52 seconds to hold on.

Moreover, it grows stronger and stronger with the blessing of the altar for fifty-two seconds.

When the Snake Woman is covered in blood, she will probably be much more difficult to deal with than she is now. Snake Woman really goes all out, it's not impossible for her to kill you within 52 seconds.

Of course, Yu Xing knew that she would not die.

But if he starts resurrecting in different locations, without his restraint, the Snake Woman will be free, and she can kill anyone she can.

Even if we can't get Nanshui Town back, we can always go all out.

Therefore, he not only needs to restrain, but also...

They killed the Snake Woman.

Yu Xing took a flower out of her pocket.

It wasn't a black rose, but... it was indeed given to him by Hua Subai.

The snow-white petals are pure and beautiful, while the slender stems are blood-red.

Snow Time Flower.

This was discovered by Hua Subai; it grew on the bodies of corpses, absorbing all the supernatural power within them, and blossomed into its final, beautiful flower.

Yu Xing spent a long time mentally preparing himself before deciding to accept Hua Subai's flowers again. He thought it over and over again before he was willing to trust Hua Subai one more time.

I believe Hua Subai wouldn't use this flower to do anything bad to him at this time.

This was an adventure, and also a confrontation with one's inner shadows.

After he whispered his plans for today to Hua Subai yesterday, he went to Hua Subai's room again before going to sleep last night.

The blooming Snow Time Flower had been in Yu Xing's pocket ever since, staying there obediently and without any unusual activity.

It seems he made the right bet.

Hua Subai truly regretted his past actions, so when Yu Xing finished arranging the plan and offered to take a flower, Hua Subai's expression was one of astonishment.

Then, after Yu Xing rejected the black rose, she decisively gave him a Snow Time Flower from Nanshui Town.

Unfortunately, Carlos wasn't there, and they lacked effective means of communication within the instance.

The only thing that can replace the little paper doll... is Hua Subai's perception of flowers.

Thinking of this, Yu Xing looked at the small flower in her palm with a complicated expression, and then crushed it without any mercy.

The snow-white petals turned to powder, and the faint, invisible connection vanished.

The signal has been sent.

Nanshui Town, altar.

The smell of rust is particularly strong here.

Just now, the priest on the altar suddenly went berserk, no longer maintaining the superficial atmosphere, saying nothing, and hacking at several people with his sword.

The blood of those people almost covered the entire surface of the altar, and even the arm of a diviner was mixed in.

He was slashed down while trying to escape.

Zhang Yu was already in the inner circle and could see the situation in the center of the altar through the crowd. He watched this scene unfold and finally understood what Boss Hua meant.

That's strange.

Zhang Yu didn't panic. Firstly, it wasn't his turn to go up to the altar to offer sacrifices yet, so his position was relatively safe. Secondly, he wasn't afraid of these bloody scenes; watching someone kill with a knife only accelerated his thinking.

Why would a priest suddenly kill someone?

Beforehand, they would also screen whose offerings were substandard or whose clothes were inappropriate.

Now it's a matter of going up and killing them one by one.

Even the townspeople in the inner circle, who seemed to be under a spell, began to sense something was wrong and quietly retreated.

The priest seemed very anxious.

The blood covered the altar, flowing along its grooves. Clearly, it was a kind of formation. However, Yan Li was not present, so no one knew what the formation was used for. Zhang Yu could only guess that it was a blood sacrifice, where all the energy would be gathered into another being.

Could it be... that something went wrong with the captain?

There's an entity that's frantically demanding energy, perhaps because the team leader has exerted enough influence on the opponent. So, does the team leader actually have the upper hand?

Not necessarily. Even if they initially had the upper hand, things could change once that special entity absorbed the energy from the bloodstains.

Zhang Yu analyzed the situation calmly.

Just then, a hissing sound came from everyone's head.

A very ominous premonition arose in Zhang Yu's heart. He was suddenly bumped on the shoulder. When he turned around, he saw that the townspeople behind him all had blank expressions and were walking step by step toward the center of the altar.

They seemed oblivious to the obstacle in front of them; everyone who passed Zhang Yu bumped into him hard.

Zhang Yu was almost knocked forward and fell to the ground. Fortunately, Hua Subai, who was standing nearby, reached out and helped him up. Otherwise, he might have been trampled to death.

"What's going on?" Zhang Yu had a guess in his mind, but he asked it directly.

"Obviously..." Hua Subai was bumped before he could finish his sentence.

He raised an eyebrow, a faint smile appearing on his face, then changed the subject. "They're eager to die; we shouldn't get in their way."

As he spoke, he picked up Zhang Yu like a little chick, leading him across the line and towards the eaves of a nearby shop.

The spot they had painstakingly secured was immediately taken up by the townspeople behind them.

But soon, it was proven that Hua Subai's choice was absolutely correct. The townspeople pushed and shoved each other, arguing about who should die first, their faces filled with a frenzied expression.

Everyone who climbed onto the altar using both hands and feet was swiftly and decisively cut down by the priest.

Zhang Yu saw the Witch Doctor not far away. Witch Doctor had also found a safe place to hide, looking at the scene at the altar with her brows furrowed tightly.

"It's begun," Hua Subai murmured to herself.

"What started?" Zhang Yu knew that Hua Subai definitely knew more inside information than he did, and asked curiously.

Hua Subai didn't reply; instead, she magically produced a white flower from her fingertips.

He gazed at the flower, his eyes showing a momentary tenderness, but mostly focused concentration.

One two three.

Just as the count reached the third second, the flower trembled and, without warning, turned into powder.

Hua Subai watched the fine sand seep through his fingers, his eyes narrowing.

Yu Xing's signal has arrived.

He can start doing it now.

Thin vines sprouted from his palm, adorned with many tiny flower buds, looking quite adorable.

Before Zhang Yu could ask what it was, the vines suddenly shot out and headed straight for the frenzied townspeople.

The vine, like a nimble rope, first darted in front of the townspeople at the very front, then circled around them with lightning speed before lashing them backward.

However, the vines, as thick as hemp ropes, actually pulled a large group of townspeople back several meters. Then, the vines lengthened again and pierced through the heart of one of the townspeople.

With a soft "pfft".

From skin and flesh to internal organs, the vines pierced through the townspeople, quickly absorbing the blood seeping from the wounds without spilling a single drop.

It kept passing through the townspeople's bodies, like a needle piercing through fabric. In just a few seconds, all the townspeople circled this time collapsed to the ground.

Zhang Yu was dumbfounded.

Hua Subai's killing speed was much faster than the priests on the altar.

After "hunting" around, the vines didn't return. Instead, they encircled another group of townspeople who had approached the altar, and then slaughtered and absorbed them.

This cycle repeated itself, and within a short period of time, not a single resident of the town was able to ascend the altar.

The small flower buds on the vines gradually bloomed, and the deep red flowers were beautiful, but anyone with a modicum of sense knew how these flowers bloomed in this situation.

These beautiful flowers, like whispers of hell, are cultivated in petri dishes of human lives and nourished by blood. (End of Chapter)