The Quagmire of Arrogance

Wang Xuan stood amidst the chaotic ruins, the sky still thick with dust and gray haze, heavy with the scent of blood. He lowered his gaze to the panel before him, his eyes scanning the list of martial arts.

The most numerous entries on the panel were for the Northern Dark Divine Art, with seven people having mastered it as their primary cultivation, complemented by the Tianshan Plum-Plucking Hand, Lingbo Micro-steps, and the Tianshan Six-Yang Palm—a textbook collection of Xiaoyao Sect techniques.

Unfortunately, the Eight Desolations and Six Harmonies Sovereign Skill and the Small Formless Art were missing; otherwise, the core martial arts of the Xiaoyao Sect would have been complete.

The other martial arts were equally impressive, ranging from the fierce and domineering Eighteen Dragon Subduing Palms and the intensely yang Nine Yang Divine Skill to the Yan-Yan Art. It was clear the opponent had not reached the pinnacle of this divine art, as a set of the Wedding Dress Divine Art had been absorbed alongside it.

Picking through the remaining techniques, the only ones that caught Wang Xuan's eye were the Indra Claw and the Mount Sumeru Palm, two of the Seventy-Two Shaolin Arts.

What puzzled him most was the Little Li Flying Dagger. This secret weapon technique, famed for never missing a target, had not been used by his opponent during the fight at all. He assumed it hadn't been fully mastered, failing to reach the realm of never missing a target.

"One-Click Max!"

A familiar warmth instantly swept through his body, flowing slowly along his meridians as every martial art on the panel was elevated to its absolute limit in a heartbeat.

Wang Xuan didn't linger to savor the surging power within him. He looked toward both ends of the street; ahead, a dense mass of Brocade Guard stood, their Spring-Embroidered Blades reflecting a biting, icy light.

Behind him came the sound of footsteps that made the ground tremble; a fully armed army had already sealed off all his paths of retreat.

He swept his gaze toward the distant eaves, where two figures with formidable auras stood silently. Without turning his head, he could sense that two other powerful individuals were hidden within the army behind him.

These four had remained hidden during the initial slaughter, but their sudden appearance now made it clear they were here to oversee the troops.

Grandmaster Player?

Wang Xuan curled his lips, a trace of coldness flashing in his eyes.

It seemed they intended to use the lives of these soldiers to trap him to death in Yuhang City.

He didn't need to think twice to know that as long as he remained in this city, the garrisons from the surrounding territories would arrive in an endless stream, fighting to the death.

"Commander..." The vice-commander, dressed in a blue bear-patterned uniform, stepped lightly toward the lead commander. His eyes swept over the Brocade Guard corpses strewn across the ground, severed limbs scattered everywhere, the stench of blood so thick it was suffocating. His voice was barely a whisper. "How... how can this still be considered human? More than half of our brothers have fallen. Even with crossbows and cannons, we can't even scratch a hair on him!"

The lead commander's Adam's apple bobbed. Looking at the pools of blood and the cold bodies of his brothers, he instinctively shrank back, his instinct urging him to push the surviving men behind him to the front.

But just then, a cold hand pressed against his lower back. His entire body stiffened, his hair stood on end, and his breathing hitched.

"Commander," the other vice-commander's voice was cold and devoid of emotion. "Our parents, wives, and children are all held by the Yamen. If you are greedy for life and retreat, all of our families will suffer. Commander, we may die, but our families... they must not come to harm."

The commander didn't turn back. In his mind, he saw the face of his child who had just learned to call him "daddy"—a chubby face with eyes as bright as if they were soaked in light. The fear in his eyes gradually faded, replaced by a resolve that sank deep into his bones.

He took a deep breath, his lungs filling with the thick scent of blood and dust. In the next second, he drew his Spring-Embroidered Blade, the tip pointing straight at the ruins, straight at the figure wrapped in golden internal energy.

"Brothers!" he shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice reaching every ear. "We have no way out! Think of your wives, children, and parents! In the next life, we shall be brothers again!"

As his voice fell, he was the first to take a large stride, charging toward the ruins.

The Brocade Guard behind him turned pale as paper. They looked at one another, their eyes filled with fear and struggle, but in the end, they gritted their teeth, drew their Spring-Embroidered Blades, and followed the commander, charging forward without looking back.

Watching this, the satisfaction Wang Xuan felt from his surge in power vanished without a trace. He sighed softly.

These people were merely NPCs in a plot world, yet the humiliation of being forced to their deaths with a blade at their throats, the despair of being forced to stand against the entire world, felt so real it was draining.

He drew the Blood Blade from his waist. When he first arrived in this world, this demonic blade of the Blood Blade Sect had encountered the perfected Indestructible Diamond Divine Skill and failed to leave even a single mark.

But now, facing this dense army, combined with the Blood Blade Scripture he had just maxed out, it was the perfect time for a slaughter.

"Kill!"

The war cries erupted, one wave higher than the last, shaking the very ground.

The cold light of blades, spears, swords, and halberds intertwined, blinding to the eye.

The Blood Blade in Wang Xuan's hand vibrated slightly, emitting a hum like a hungry beast. Massive internal energy poured into the blade, and the Blood-Drinking Blade Qi surged into a blood-colored light blade over a yard long. He swung the blade without any flashy moves, simply sweeping it horizontally.

The blood-colored blade energy swept through the front line like a scythe through wheat.

Sshhh—

The sound of tearing flesh and muscle merged into a single, piercing screech.

The dozens of Brocade Guard at the front were cut in half at the waist. Before their upper bodies hit the ground, blood sprayed like a fountain, while their lower bodies used their momentum to stumble forward a few steps before collapsing heavily.

The gray street was instantly stained red by a vast expanse of blood, a shocking sight.

Those behind couldn't stop their momentum, crashing into the corpses and tripping, only to be trampled by the surging tide of people behind them. Shrieks of agony and angry curses blended into a chaotic mess.

Wang Xuan didn't stop. With a step, he utilized Snow-Treading Traceless and Reed Crossing River simultaneously, his figure moving as fast as a golden phantom as he slammed into the dense crowd.

The Blood Blade swung again, and dozens more fell.

He didn't need any exquisite techniques; simple slashes, chops, and sweeps were enough. Every strike carried the force of a thousand pounds, and every move was fatal.

Wherever the Blood-Drinking Blade Qi passed, severed limbs flew through the air. Not a single person could withstand a single blow from his blade.

The formation of the Brocade Guard had long since collapsed; many were not killed in battle but were crushed or trampled to death by the chaotic crowd.

Yet, the commander continued to charge forward, his loyal subordinates following closely behind, their eyes bloodshot, unable to distinguish whether it was out of fear or sheer despair.

Wang Xuan kept moving, steadily advancing in one direction. As blood-red light bloomed across the sky, he was like an tireless killing machine, leaving behind a path paved entirely with flesh and blood.

The back hall of the Three Offices Yamen.

Chu Lingtian lay sideways on a soft couch covered in snow-white fox fur. With his fingertips, he pinched a bit of fish bait, watching with indifference as the servants and maids in the courtyard busied themselves, moving antiques, gold, and jade into ten large carriages. Soon, they were piled high, nearly overflowing.

"What is the situation outside now?" he asked casually, tossing the bait into the fish pond at his feet, drawing a school of colorful koi to scramble for it, sending ripples across the water.

A player with a blank expression, dressed in coarse cloth garments, prostrated himself on the ground: "Master, the servants who previously besieged the target have all withdrawn from the plot world.

"We are currently mobilizing the local indigenous troops to pin down the target. Nearby garrisons have already responded, and within half a day at most, a detachment of light cavalry will arrive at Yuhang City."

"Fine." Chu Lingtian clapped his hands, casually wiping the fish bait residue onto his snow-white fox fur cloak, his tone filled with impatience. "Let these natives wear him down first. Once the others have arrived, report back to me."

He slowly stood up and stretched, his bones emitting a series of "crackling" sounds.

He had been stuck in this wretched plot world for a year, and he was long since sick of it.

Whatever peak of power or luxury there was, compared to the high-tech city on his family's home planet, it was nothing but trash, not worth mentioning.

As for that peasant Wang Xuan and his three thousand-plus Grandmaster servant players, he intended to keep them around to play with slowly. Once he grew bored, he would capture them alive to see exactly what grade of talent the other party possessed.

He lifted his foot and stepped mercilessly onto the back of the kneeling maidservant, climbing into the most luxurious carriage at the front.

The interior of the carriage was lined with thick cashmere rugs and scented with ambergris as mellow as aged jade dew; the warmth and fragrance intertwined, making it feel like a completely different world from the bloody slaughter outside.

The coachman was a player with an equally blank expression. Seeing that he was seated, he immediately cracked his whip and shouted, "Giddyap!"

The carriage wheels began to turn, slowly rolling out of the government office gates and speeding off in the direction of West Lake.

At this moment, the arrogance of the Royal Clan was displayed to the fullest.

If you can't find the book title, try searching for the author; perhaps the name has simply been changed!