You Will Be Devoured by This Sword

Feng Buzhi was highly efficient. He first gathered a few rotting Goblin corpses to serve as food for the anomaly within him, then headed with Pei Chao to a desolate courtyard in the northeast of the town, carrying their tools.

Back when they were digging a large pit on the south side of town to store Goblin heads, he and Pei Chao had fashioned two makeshift shovels using weapons provided by the Goblins.

However, only Pei Chao used a shovel this time; Feng Buzhi dug with his own hands, which were covered in [Steel-Hardened Keratin].

Because his physical attributes far exceeded those of an ordinary person, the two of them dug a three-meter-deep pit in less than half an hour.

Beneath them, aside from the occasional stone, there was nothing but ordinary soil.

"Is this really the place where I'm bound? Why can't I feel anything?" The Shadow watched Feng Buzhi and Pei Chao digging incessantly, his expression full of bewilderment. He truly felt nothing at all. "Did you dig in the wrong spot?"

Feng Buzhi said, "The location should be about twenty meters underground. Your body can pass through solid objects; you can go down and feel it for yourself."

"Go underground and feel it? Right, how did I forget I can pass through solid objects? That's fine, it'll save you two the wasted effort."

The Shadow started to head underground as he spoke, but he suddenly stopped when his body was halfway through the soil.

"Eh? Why can't I go down?"

The Shadow drifted back to the surface in confusion, then went to try other spots. He could easily pass through the buildings above the town, and he could sink into the ground some distance away from this area, but as long as he reached the spot Feng Buzhi was digging, he could not penetrate the soil to go deeper.

The Shadow felt no obstruction, yet he simply could not pass through.

"Why can't I pass through? There isn't anything blocking me at all."

The Shadow tried repeatedly; he even drifted high into the air and dove downward, yet every time he descended near the pit Feng Buzhi and Pei Chao were digging, he stopped inexplicably.

"Why can't I pass through?"

The Shadow asked Feng Buzhi, looking lost.

Feng Buzhi pondered for a moment and said, "There is no external force obstructing you. It seems you are obstructing yourself. You likely suffer from some psychological ailment, perhaps triggered by some trauma.

Combined with your amnesia, I suspect you aren't truly suffering from memory loss, but rather an unwillingness to recall that past.

Theoretically, some psychological counseling should alleviate your symptoms.

However, that would take too long. It's better to just dig down; about three hours should suffice.

To build, one must first destroy; there are some things you must face eventually."

At Feng Buzhi's words, the Shadow froze once again.

Because of Feng Buzhi's actions over these past few days, he had frozen many times, but this was the only time it concerned himself.

The Shadow quickly regained his composure and said, "You two should stop digging. Wait a little while; I think... I might not be mentally prepared yet."

Feng Buzhi's movements did not falter. He quickly scooped the loosened soil into a wooden crate and tossed it up, where Pei Chao dumped the dirt out before throwing the crate back down.

As he dug, Feng Buzhi spoke, "The time has already been planned.

Normal excavation takes about 3 hours, but unexpected situations may arise during the process, causing delays.

So, it will take 4 to 5 hours. By then, it will be dark, which is the perfect time to capture that Tiger Man.

If everything goes smoothly, you should be able to manifest in the darkness by then and join us in the operation to capture the Tiger Man. You can be responsible for reconnaissance."

"You..."

The Shadow looked at Feng Buzhi with a face full of resentment, yet Feng Buzhi remained completely unmoved.

The tunnel grew deeper. When they reached a depth of five meters, the Shadow seemed to recall something, clutching his head in agony. It appeared that, just as Feng Buzhi had said, there was something underground he was unwilling to remember.

After that, the Shadow began to withdraw into himself.

He crouched near the ground, clutching his head and remaining motionless, his body trembling slightly from time to time.

It wasn't until Feng Buzhi dug to a depth of eighteen meters that the Shadow stopped his withdrawal and suddenly darted to where Feng Buzhi was.

The Shadow sternly warned, "No, you cannot dig any further! It's too dangerous down there!"

Feng Buzhi said, "It seems you've remembered?"

The Shadow said, "I've remembered a part of it. I always thought I was a human who had become like this for some reason, but I am not actually a pure human. I am a being born from the fusion of a human's fragmented soul and an anomalous object."

Feng Buzhi said, "So, what is buried below is an anomalous object? And you are something akin to a weapon spirit?"

"To be precise, I am a part of the weapon spirit. Over the years, it has been constantly devouring me, which is why I have become increasingly weak. It may not be long before I disappear completely."

As the Shadow spoke, he revealed a somewhat miserable smile.

The Shadow continued, "That weapon is too dangerous for you in your current state. You will be controlled by it; it will devour your consciousness, then dominate your body and turn you into an anomalous monster."

"I admit your talent is excellent, and you may achieve glorious accomplishments in the future, but this weapon is too much for you right now."

"Even if not for yourself, think of the humans in this town. If you are controlled by that weapon, it will be a catastrophe for the people here."

"You..."

The Shadow's words trailed off. He quickly drifted in front of Feng Buzhi, attempting to block him, but it was to no avail.

Feng Buzhi's digging speed suddenly increased. Since only the last two meters remained, he stopped putting the soil into the crate and instead dug continuously, submerging his body directly into the soil below.

Amidst the Shadow's constant obstruction and cries of alarm, Feng Buzhi gripped the hilt and pulled out a red-and-black longsword.

It was a longsword with a peculiar design, not made of metal. The blade was light, covered in fine, hexagonal scale patterns, and the tip was conical, giving it the appearance of a Stinger.

In an instant, Feng Buzhi felt a harsh, piercing sound erupt in his mind. The longsword in his hand vibrated violently, and a sharp, intense pain radiated from the center of his palm.

The hand holding the sword had been stained a dark, crimson red at some point, and the color continued to spread upward, soon manifesting as dark red hexagonal scales across his arm.

"Let go quickly! It's not too late to let go now, or you'll be devoured by this blade! You..."

The shadow wanted to continue its persuasion, but Feng Buzhi cut its words short.

Feng Buzhi gave the longsword in his hand a light wave and said, "No, I will not be devoured by it. Your temperament and willpower might be stronger than Pei Chao's, but there is still a vast gap between you and me."

"If this sword hasn't even been able to devour your consciousness after all this time, how could it possibly devour me?"

As he spoke, Feng Buzhi's right arm suddenly bulged. He shattered the shackles binding his arm, and crimson light paths began to circulate continuously beneath the skin.

While the demonic sword eroded his body, he treated the very strangeness that was corrupting him as nutrients, absorbing them into his body and using them to temper the strangeness already within his own skin...