Operator #⑨ [Falling Flowers]

A gentle breeze blew from the deep mountain valley, carrying with it the smoke from the incense burner, stirring the mugwort leaves by the doorstep.

A divine servant named Zhu Shan Hao stood blocking the road with a fierce glare, refusing to budge an inch. His handling of the staff appeared quite professional to Xue Ming.

--The golden iron rings of the Buddhist ritual implements made a chaotic sound as the burly, pot-bellied man wielded the strange weapons with remarkable dexterity, his movements both skillful and unorthodox.

Xue Ming dared not be careless and did not immediately urge Fragrant Dream to meet the enemy and fight.

His eyes followed the bobbing staff, its crescent-shaped handle swaying up and down, sometimes rotating with the iron ring, constantly changing its posture. When it was far away, it would switch to the upper part, and when it was close, it would immediately switch to the lower part. His hands worked together in perfect coordination, and he was indeed quite skilled.

Zhu Shan Hao needed to get closer and closer to Xue Ming, becoming increasingly vigilant as he drew nearer.

--The Black-Eyed Goddess just sent a message saying that this enemy was specially sent to Reidai Fukuyama Temple by a court jester. He has killed many people in Kanto City, and neither Yezhong nor Yoguang are a match for him.

The chubby brother was surprised, but dared not back down, afraid that Xue Ming would see through his cowardice.

Moreover, this guy has already been hit by the soul power attack of [Thousand Red and Ten Thousand Purple]. He's only eight years old. No matter how strong someone is, an eight-year-old child can't cause much trouble, right?

Thinking this, Zhu Shan Hao's murderous intent surged, and in that instant, he noticed that the young child's expression also changed—as if the child could see through the murderous intent in his eyes. In the direct collision of spiritual pressure, Mr. Inoyama felt as if he had fallen into an ice cellar, and his cheeks turned a purplish-red.

What terrifying eyes they were!

It is said that the success of one general is built on the bones of ten thousand, and the nameless man from the Abyssal Railway seems to carry an immeasurable legacy of killing.

After a moment's hesitation, Mr. Pig Mountain snapped out of his fright, raised his cane, and stomped forward to strike hard!

The toddler Xue Ming lightly took a few steps and leaped several feet. Before the Zen staff could land, Fragrant Dream suddenly threw a punch to meet the attack.

The steel kitten twisted its sharp claws into an iron ball the size of a mineral water bottle, seemingly conducting a strength test.

The staff struck Fragrant Dream, and a supersonic boom suddenly erupted—that was the sound of [Fragrant Dream] unleashing its full power.

Zhu Shan Hao exhaled sharply, and seeing the heavy staff knock the spirit off balance, he immediately felt emboldened. He then stepped forward and pressed down, not raising the heavy fang-like hilt of the iron staff, but rather like toying with a target, making a sweeping, plowing-like pursuit!

With a slap, a press, a roll, and a charge, this smooth and silky combo attack threw Fragrant Dream off balance and power, causing the spirit's iron helmet and iron staff to strike out a shower of pure white, high-temperature sparks!

Xue Ming didn't sit idly by. Seeing that Hunwei Spirit had failed, he simply turned around and strode towards the west wing corridor.

He heard a whooshing sound behind him—it was Zhu Shan Hao, carrying his monk's Bu Liuxing, striding after him!

Xue Ming seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. Since his spirit body had weakened along with this soft, artificial body, he simply withdrew the Fragrant Dream. He rushed back to the altar of the main temple, ducked to avoid the fierce sweeping attack, and the blade of the Zen staff shattered the incense burner.

Zhu Shan Hao's face turned red with anger, and he shouted again, "Don't run! Stop right there! Take this!"

Xue Ming quickly slipped into the railing of the altar. He felt a scorching wave of air rushing towards him from behind. He slammed his staff into the railing, sending splinters and paint flying in all directions.

Pig Mountain, not even bothering to catch his breath, cursed viciously, "You'll pay for this!"

Xue Ming didn't respond. He jumped off the altar and rushed out of the side door. His short arms and legs meant he couldn't run fast. He practically swung his feet in a figure-eight motion, leaping and tumbling over the railings to get up and catch his way.

Mr. Inoyama bypassed the wooden platform, burst out of a huge crater from the remaining projection of the Hei Mu Qianshou, rushed to the side door and ran up the corridor, but could not find any trace of the terrifying child.

His eyes were suspicious, his facial features were distorted, thick black hair grew on his face, his nose protruded forward, and a pair of large ears that looked like palm fans opened up, finally revealing his true form.

In the blink of an eye, Mr. Pig Mountain rushed forward a few steps, his cane piercing through the roof of the long corridor, the blade tearing down straw and pieces of wood, and the bricks and tiles collapsed as well.

Xue Ming immediately suffered two deep, bone-revealing wounds. He had tried his best to avoid them, but as the footsteps grew closer, before he could even get up from the slippery roof, he could only roll sideways. His stomach and right chest were immediately stabbed, and bright red blood flowed out continuously.

What happens if you die in Extreme Bliss Space?

He didn't have time to think that much—

I've never thought about what happens after I die.

The instant he was struck and injured, he used the strange force of his staff lifting the roof tiles to quickly stand up and run and jump forward.

The staff, like a shark fin on the sea, roughly and savagely dragged and pulled, tearing open the roof and relentlessly striking Xueming as he hurtled towards the Xue Ming pavilion. Xue Ming jumped back into the ancient bell pavilion, blood flowing all the way, and the deadly staff followed him all the way.

Zhu Shan Hao's attack missed, and his weapon struck the end of the corridor. Seeing the corridor structurally damaged and the road connecting the west wing and the main temple crumbling inch by inch, he lost his balance and stumbled. Suddenly, he lost his footing and, no longer caring about attacking the nameless man, he fell forward and grabbed the solid earthen and stone platform of the bell pavilion.

Looking back one more time, the corridor had vanished, replaced by countless pieces of wood and tiles, falling into the valley forest hundreds of meters deep with a dull thud.

Before Zhushan could turn around, he felt his neck twist and he suffered a severe injury.

Xue Ming raised her leg and stomped hard on the fat brother's neck!

That kick nearly broke Zhu Shan Hao's spine. Enraged, he tried to raise his hand to swing his cane, but the nameless man stepped on his right hand, breaking his fingers as well. He grimaced in pain.

He wanted to turn back, this time turning his head to accept the Fragrant Dream football kick with his bare face!

His head was tilted back, and he almost lost his grip and fell off the cliff, but he held on to his last breath and tried to climb back up.

Xue Ming then stepped on the fat man's head, but dared not use his full strength.

He was afraid that the pig demon had too much fat on its head and might slip and fall off the cliff, which would be terrible.

But Soul Power didn't stop. Fragrant Dream was like playing on a trampoline. After transforming into its juvenile form, its strength and speed were weakened. The perfect soccer kick it had just used, which could have broken the giant beast's bones and reached its head, kicking the Blood-giving Monster's brain out of its skull, was now less powerful than the kinetic energy of a.22 bullet!

Seeing that Zhu Shan Hao was about to climb up, Xue Ming immediately shouted, "Fragrant Dream! Cut his tendons!"

"Oh! There's that trick too!" Fragrant Dream's arms quickly transformed into two hunting knives. It finally realized that it could also be used as a tool cat, making it a good companion for home, travel, and wilderness survival.

"Miyamoto Kumata! Kumata!" Zhu Shan Hao screamed desperately, "Help me!"

Two gleaming, grayish-white iron blades had already pierced the boar demon's flesh. The blades made a piercing sound as they gnawed through the hair follicles beneath the skin, seemingly unable to find the tendons and Gate of Death due to the muscle and coarse hair. Dark, foul blood gushed out in rhythm with Zhu Shan Hao's rapid heartbeat. Fragrant Dream shook her head, trying to avoid the blood, her face full of disgust.

Xue Ming remained vigilant at all times, and when he saw a burly man rush out of the kitchen of the West Wing Tea House, it was Miyamoto Kumata who had come to his rescue.

I hadn't even finished what I was doing when another one came running over.

Xiong Tai's eyes showed three parts fear and seven parts shock. Hearing Zhu Shan Hao's cries for help, he ran over immediately.

He opened his arms, and thick hair grew out. The moment he transformed into his original form, the Buddhist prayer beads and robe on his body also shattered and tore apart, turning him into a simple-minded bear-man. When he rushed out of the room, the door frame also turned into fragments.

"Pig Mountain! I'm coming to save you!"

Xue Ming didn't want to get entangled any longer with the enemy who was stubbornly resisting on the edge of the cliff.

He ducked low, slid between Xiong Tai's legs, and ran away as fast as he could into the teahouse.

Before Fragrant Dream could even sever Zhu Shan Hao's arm, a thick, powerful bear paw extended its dark, sharp claws. The instant Xue Ming released his soul power, the claws vanished like smoke, emptying the spirit body and disappearing without a trace.

After Xue Ming fled into the kitchen, there was no further movement.

--On the contrary, a bear and a pig outside the door were raging in a state of impotent fury.

The two divine servants finally managed to steady themselves. Xiong Tai scooped Zhu Shan Hao into the bell tower and immediately began to roar.

The bear-like monster took a deep breath, and the sound waves it emitted tore through the curtains and paper windows of the room. Zhu Shan Hao also roared, seemingly enraged after being teased by the eight-year-old child and wanting to vent his anger.

Before Xiong Tai could finish his shout, a piece of white pastry was shoved into his Barry, down his throat, and stuck in his esophagus.

Xiong Tai's expression changed drastically, and he looked at his good brother beside him with an innocent and helpless expression.

But when Zhu Shan Hao got excited, his mouth grew extremely large, and his nose and jaws became deformed, almost blocking his view.

Only when Xiong Tai started shaking Mr. Zhu Shan did these two unfortunate brothers come to their senses.

"--You swallowed the elixir?!" Zhu Shan's expression changed drastically, and he frantically patted Xiong Tai's back.

"Oh no! Oh no! What kind of pastry is it? Say something! Tell me!"

Xiong Tai couldn't speak; only panicked eyes could be seen in his dark, furry face. Zhu Shan Hao gave him a hard knock, and the divine cake completely disappeared into his stomach. Finally, he was able to utter a complete sentence.

"I can't see! I can't see!"

Just now, Xue Ming casually found a plate of snacks in the kitchen, took a piece of white rice cake and threw it into Xiong Tai's mouth, but it's unclear what the effect was.

At that moment, he understood: this was a tool to disable the visual function of the soft prosthetic body.

Xiong Tai became blind and couldn't see anything. In a panic, he stretched out his arms, trying to cling to the fat brother for a sense of security.

"Pig Mountain! My artificial body is useless? I can't be a god's servant anymore? Have I gone blind?"

The pig demon lost his staff and was pushed and squeezed by the bear monster's immense strength, involuntarily retreating. Seeing the cliff behind him getting closer and closer, he had no choice but to calm down and kindly advise him.

"The Black-Eyed Goddess will find a way! Don't panic! Xiong Tai! Don't panic! As long as we can catch that brat, the Black-Eyed Goddess will heal you!"

Before Zhu Shan Hao could finish speaking, a refreshing mist of water sprayed out from inside the door.

--Xiong Tai sniffed the air and felt a sense of familiarity.

"This is the taste of divine tea!"

The two brothers, who were in the same boat, looked extremely pale. They both looked into the doorway. Fragrant Dream, like a mischievous cat demon, blew out high-speed airflow from the gaps in the iron armor and helmet, like a large blower. Xue Ming, holding a tea saucer and a large pot, had just finished pouring divine tea and then poured divine wine.

The mucous membranes of the two brothers, a pig and a bear, were stimulated by the alcohol and tea, and suddenly they lost all their strength.

Xiong Tai had completely lost his five senses, except for the most basic conditioned reflexes, and sat down hard on the muddy ground.

Zhu Shan Hao staggered back a few steps, still able to see, but his head tilted and bumped into the ancient bell, falling to the ground with a thud and becoming paralyzed. He saw the eerie and terrifying child slowly walking towards him, holding some snacks.

Fragrant Dream vigorously shook off the wine from her body, stepped on Zhu Shan Hao's belly, and slowly pushed the divine servant off the cliff.

Just then, the rabbit girl, who had been hiding in the shadows, finally couldn't resist any longer. Seeing her two companions in such a predicament, she overcame her fear and came to help.

But Mr. Pig Mountain stared intently at the room where the Rabbit Girl was, and with his last bit of strength, he roared hoarsely.

"Miss Usami! Run! Run! Go find Lord Sarutobi. That guy..."

The bulky, muscular body tilted towards the cliff.

"This guy isn't a little kid."

"He's a murderer, even though he's only eight years old."

Even at only eight years old, he is a demon.

Usami Yagami tensed up, hugging her arms tightly, and took two steps back in fright at the sight of Mr. Inoyama's tragic death.

As Xue Ming turned his head following the changes in spiritual pressure in the environment, he glanced at the divine servant girl and saw a pink figure leap out of the window, climb up the branches of the giant cedar along the roof of the Tang-style roof, and flee into the forest.

Together with Fragrant Dream, he threw Xiong Taiye off the cliff. Hearing the heavy thud of the object hitting the ground and seeing a black flower of blood bloom in the rocky beach at the foot of the mountain, he was relieved to know that the two divine servants were broken and unable to move for the time being.

Climbing onto the roof, he carefully ascended to the branches of the cedar tree and followed the rabbit's paw prints.

"Get off here."

Meanwhile, after several hours of driving, Sixty-Three and Ryusei got off the highway in Ginza, trying to avoid the guards and generals at the checkpoint.

Behind him was the artificial island of Haitang Bay, and in front of him, along the nearly kilometer-long rural road, were rows of burned-down houses. Meteor had no idea what had happened here, just as Ginza had never been rebuilt after suffering a catastrophe.

"What exactly is going on?"

The torii gates of Ginza are rusty, and the stone pillars are covered with charred burn marks.

"--This place is special; no post-disaster reconstruction was carried out."

Meteor looked at the houses on both sides in surprise. The tallest building was no more than three stories high, and every window looked greasy and black, as if it had been exposed to the constant smoke of a range hood.

"Huh? This place isn't suitable for living anymore, is it?"

"There's a reason," Sixty-Three explained. "The area from Ginza's 6th to 12th streets is home to the Shinto City's research institute for bioengineering and geology."

This place is frequently hit by disasters; earthquakes, volcanoes, and tsunamis are always on the horizon.

"Geological activity can also bring monstrous beasts. There is a Pompeii worm that burrows into the underground rock layers from near-shore volcanoes to avoid the time when natural disasters are about to strike. There is also a strange spiritual pressure emanating from the Original Seed in the trenches."

"They're like earthworms, burrowing through large amounts of hematite, pyrite, magnetite, and bauxite. The Shinto City was able to possess so much wealth in the past thanks to these calamity beasts. Hunting these beasts yields some byproducts."

"Iridium, one of the platinum group heavy metals, can be exchanged for a lot of money, not to mention uranium ore, and even more precious rhodium—gold erupted from active volcanoes is also produced in huge quantities."

"The Pompeii worms are not afraid of high temperatures or common heavy metals. In the superstitious old days, people regarded them as red catfish that brought disaster. They believed that as long as the monstrous beasts could be sealed, controlled, and utilized, the disasters on this land could be suppressed."

"In order to obtain the power of the Pompeii Worm, the Ginza Biological Research Institute, under the instruction of the Fen Feng Legion, combined it with the spiritual energy of the Original Seed, turning it into a sacred beast, and mass-producing the flesh and blood essence used for artificial bodies—the entire city's environment has been artificially modified, and the current temperature should be above 85 degrees Celsius, which is not suitable for us humans to live in. In other words, I do not intend to enter the city."

Meteor asked in confusion, "Second brother! Then what's the use of us coming here? Brother Ping'an and Ah Hei may have been cooked!"

"Black Brother is the wolf mother's cub, he's not that fragile," Sixty-Three said casually. "Luo Ping'an is in the prison in Ginza, that's his spirit. Temperature changes are unlikely to affect a spirit. We're here to stand by. As soon as they escape, we'll drive away immediately and end this exploration—the main mission of this journey is complete. As long as we can ensure that this Venom machine can be removed from you and that this disaster doesn't spread, Shinto City is so big, without the help of the station, we can't travel this far in one go."

"Oh," Liuxing was relieved to hear what her second brother said.

Within seconds, he couldn't stay still and started worrying about Xue Ming again.

"How is Ming Ge now? Fragrant Dream just sneaked into your Venom trap, did it go to help Ming Ge?"

Sixty-Three raised his arms, revealing a confident look in his eyes.

"Don't worry about FE33031, this guy is much tougher than me."

As he said this, Sixty-Three pulled out a scroll screen from his arm; it was a surveillance camera with the Fragrant Dream as its main perspective.

Meteor curiously observed the battle unfold, while Jiang Xueming had already caught up with the white ape.

Xue Ming, holding a small dagger used for shaving his head, stood in a stalemate with the white ape wielding a ceremonial sword on a tree trunk.

--They were one old and one young, with a significant difference in size.

Sixty-Three: "This situation is tricky. His arm span is far too short, and his weapon is inferior to the enemy's. Soul Might can't help. Keep a close eye on this bunny-toothed girl next to him and see what he does—Meteor, you can learn a lot of useful things from her."

The meteor nodded repeatedly.

"Yes! Second Brother is right!"

In the blink of an eye, the white ape charged forward, drew its sword, and unleashed astonishing power in an instant!

--A flash of light, and sparks flew.

With a single strike, the white ape lost its balance, staring in surprise as the ritual sword veered to one side, its body stiffening.

Xue Ming intercepted the white ape's swift Iaijutsu head-on, relying entirely on his exceptional eyesight and swordsmanship. With a razor blade no more than six inches long, he struck the vital points where his opponent was exerting force with each of his three precise and skillful strikes, his domineering and ruthless technique neutralizing all the power.

Sixty-Three loosened his grip, and with a "snap," the scroll screen closed.

"You don't need to learn this. I can't do it either, unless I try many times with a [Regret Pill]."

The meteor nodded repeatedly.

"Yes! Second brother, you're right!"