Intercepting Whitebeard (3)

The Western world had long passed down a myth about "Genesis." It went as follows.

Before the universe and the heavens and earth had taken shape, darkness shrouded boundless chaos.

On the first day, the Creator made light. He called the light day and the darkness night.

On the second day, the Creator made air, using it to separate heaven and earth.

On the third day, the Creator made the seeds of plants, flowers, melons, and fruits, and scattered them across the earth.

On the fourth day, the Creator made the sun and the moon. He commanded the sun to rule the day and the moon to rule the night, then made many little stars to keep them company.

On the fifth day, the Creator made flying birds, swimming fish, birds and beasts, and the world gradually filled with life.

On the sixth day, the Creator made a human and named him Adam. Then He took one of Adam's ribs and made Eve.

On the seventh day, the Creator rested. He called this new world the Garden of Eden.

Tempted by the devil Satan, Adam and Eve stole and ate the forbidden fruit. They gained wisdom, and they also acquired the seven deadly sins: lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, wrath, envy, and pride.

Before long, Adam and Eve's descendants spread across the earth.

Guided by wisdom, they created all manner of brilliant civilizations.

Guided by original sin, they began to slaughter one another, waging war after war.

This was, of course, a story, but it was also humanity's clearest understanding of itself: we were born guilty.

More than a dozen spirit snakes bound Whitebeard tightly, their venom-dripping fangs striking viciously at his throat.

Whitebeard could not break free of Absolute Confinement, but he did not panic. A faint smile even appeared on his face as he lightly tapped his cane in midair and said softly, "Today is Friday."

Friday, the fifth day of the authority of "creation."

On that day, the Creator had made flying birds, swimming fish, birds and beasts.

These were the first living things.

The instant Whitebeard finished speaking, the twisted, illusory bodies of the spirit snakes suddenly became solid. They grew scales and eyes, and those eyes gradually filled with life.

"I grant you life. My only condition is... submission."

As Whitebeard spoke, the dozen or so spirit snakes shuddered in unison. They slid slowly and smoothly off his body, then coiled around Liu Feng and struck with razor-sharp fangs.

Hiss-

Liu Feng abruptly spat out a mouthful of blood, his eyes full of disbelief.

He had actually been bitten by the illusory spirit snakes he himself had formed with his Oracle!?

Whitebeard reached out, slowly plunged a hand into Liu Feng's chest, and took out a bright red heart that was still beating. "This is the meaning of life."

Even if it lasted only a second, even if it was only a moment, life held an endless temptation for illusory things.

The spirit snakes had briefly gained life. They would soon die, but they were already content.

Whitebeard was their creator, and they were willing to die for him.

They chose to betray without hesitation.

This was the meaning of life.

Bang!

Whitebeard easily crushed the heart, spraying blood across Liu Feng's face.

Blood flowed from Liu Feng's seven orifices. His throat moved with difficulty, as though he wanted to say something, but in the end he said nothing and crashed to the ground.

In the final moment of his life, he suddenly remembered the agreement he had made with Su Bai.

They had agreed to go eat seafood together, but it seemed he would not get the chance. It was such a pity, such a regret.

"Liu Feng!!"

The bald man, blocked outside by the vines, looked ready to burst with rage. He roared hysterically, pounding the hateful vines in his way with his fists.

Boom!

Boom! Boom!

The bald man finally smashed a path through and strode forward. His body abruptly shot upward, and seconds later, he had become a four-meter-tall giant, his clothes and pants bursting into strips.

Divine Oracle Sequence 129 (Heavenly Bear): The user can receive the unique attribute bonus of "Divine Descent" within a range of x (unknown). The user can descend in "Heavenly Bear" form for x (unknown) duration, greatly increasing strength, speed, toughness, mental power, and concentration. Note: Have you ever seen fists as big as sandbags?

The bald man slammed a fist at Whitebeard. The wind from his punch howled like a wave as it struck Whitebeard fiercely.

Boom!

The tremendous force sent Whitebeard flying backward into a tree trunk. He coughed up a mouthful of blood, his face growing even paler.

Damn Gu Jiuge!

If Gu Jiuge had not injured him so badly, how could this bunch of low-rank Transcendents have hurt him?

Whitebeard's face darkened. Just as he was about to rise, Su Bai, who had remained hidden in the shadows, suddenly appeared. A bone knife wreathed in crimson flames plunged precisely into Whitebeard's chest, bringing with it a wave of scorching air.

The crimson flames exploded into a wave of fire inside Whitebeard.

Sizzle-

The air filled with the stench of burning.

Whitebeard coughed up blood and grinned, his gaze fixed calmly on Su Bai. "The flames on your knife are a far cry from that kid's."

If Gu Jiuge had delivered that stab, Whitebeard would have been dead or gravely wounded.

But the stab had come from Su Bai.

Although the bone knife's "scorching" attribute could hurt Whitebeard, the damage was not enough to kill him.

Whitebeard reached out and gripped the blade tightly. Ignoring the pus and blood that kept oozing from his burning palm, he yanked out the bone knife, grabbed his cane with his other hand, and struck Su Bai hard in the chest and abdomen.

Bang!

Su Bai's sternum shattered, and the bone knife flew from his hand. He shot backward like an arrow and slammed into the trunk of a giant tree. Agonizing pain filled his entire body, his head rang, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.

Unable to use Wrath freely, Su Bai was already at a great disadvantage. Even though his sneak attack had succeeded, he could not fight Whitebeard for long.

This was not merely an overwhelming difference in bloodline, but a complete crushing in both strength and spirit.

He was only an eighth-rank Transcendent, yet he dared fight a fourth-rank transcendent creature without regard for the consequences. That alone was immense courage.

Meanwhile, Whitebeard had just pulled out the bone knife and had yet to recover when he saw a pair of fists, heavy as boulders, crashing down toward his face.

Boom!

In his Heavenly Bear state, the bald man's eyes were scarlet, and he looked like a madman. His punches came in waves, smashing into Whitebeard again and again.

Boom!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

The entire dense forest trembled. The giant tree at Whitebeard's back was smashed clean through and came crashing down.

Clutching his chest and enduring the agony, Su Bai staggered to his feet just in time to see Whitebeard, beneath the storm of fists, pull a small fruit knife from his pocket and gently plunge it into the bald man's throat. Then, with a casual slice as though peeling an apple, he severed the bald man's carotid artery and windpipe.

Blood spurted and gushed like a fountain, and a bloody mist spread in an instant.

The bald man touched the gruesome wound on his neck and smiled silently. He raised his fists and kept pounding Whitebeard, but his body grew smaller and smaller, his strength ebbed, and his movements slowed.

Boom!

Eyes wide open, the bald man fell on his back into a pool of blood, splashing Su Bai with bloody mud.

The flesh had been scraped from every one of the bald man's ten fingers, exposing the deathly pale bones.

His hands remained clenched into fists, still posed to strike downward with all his might.

His fists remained clenched, clenched tight.

He was dead.

He had known when he came.

So he was not afraid.