The voice came from the snake's mouth, carrying a lazy satisfaction. "You see? This is my power. Not devouring you—replacing you. Every inch of flesh eroded by the mark will become my flesh. The day the mark covers your entire body, you will no longer be yourself."
The snake slithered down from the city wall and swam toward Lu Chen.
Lu Chen wanted to retreat, but his right leg no longer obeyed him. Gray patterns had already spread from his arm to his shoulder and were crawling toward his chest.
He could feel the mark devouring his true essence, his blood and vitality, his life force. It did not feel like being burned by fire or cut by blades, but like something was sucking him dry bit by bit—from marrow to flesh, from meridians to dantian, leaving not an inch untouched.
He dropped to one knee atop the city wall, bracing himself on the Azure Dragon Halberd with his left hand as he gasped for breath.
The snake slithered up before him, raised its head, and met his gaze.
"Give up," the voice said. "You've struggled for so long. You must be tired by now. Hand your body over to me, and I'll grant you a quicker death."
Lu Chen raised his head and looked into those golden vertical pupils.
Then he smiled.
"You're right," he said. "I am tired."
The snake's pupils contracted.
Lu Chen released the Azure Dragon Halberd and raised his right hand—the arm now completely covered by the mark. It was covered in dark green snake scales, its nails transformed into black claws. With that hand, he seized the snake by the throat.
The snake let out a hiss and thrashed wildly, its tail lashing Lu Chen until blood sprayed from his mouth. But he did