Ritual and Future

"Hundred Feet Sect?"

Upon hearing this word, Nalong's face hardened with a cruel, bloodthirsty expression, and he cracked his neck. "These guys actually dare to show their faces again. Looks like they didn't shed enough blood in the battle ten years ago when we drove them out of Qingsha City..."

Cheng Sheng listened to the conversation and found it intriguing. He stood in a corner and whispered to Sulai.

I only found out that the Hundred Feet Sect was a fighting style that had a feud with the Black Killing Boxing Gym many years ago, and the conflict between the two sides had once escalated to the point of being on the verge of war.

Later, in a major battle, the Black Killing Style successfully drove the Hundred Feet Sect out of Qingsha City. This time, they probably heard about Su Tai's serious injury from somewhere and came to test him and seek revenge.

"Did you participate in the faction war ten years ago, Senior Sister?"

Cheng Sheng asked Sulai in a low voice.

Sulai looked at him speechlessly, "I was only ten years old at the time, how could I possibly participate in a decisive battle of that level? I only remember that Senior Brother Sha Lie took me to the train station overnight, and we went home after dawn..."

Hmm, you're too close!

As Sulai spoke, she suddenly blushed and forcefully pushed Cheng Sheng away.

Cheng Sheng felt that Sulai was acting a little strange today. She was wearing a shirt and trousers, and her hair was no longer styled in a rebellious braid. She was dressed quite formally, and the red string on her wrist had been replaced with a crescent-colored bracelet.

I don't know if I bought it myself or if someone gave it to me as a gift, but it's quite pretty.

At this moment, one of the two maids who had helped Su Tai into the dojo came out and whispered a few words in Sha Lie's ear.

"The teacher told us to go in."

Sha Lie made a calm announcement, then took the lead into the dojo, and the others followed him barefoot after taking off their shoes.

Cheng Sheng followed a group of people until they reached a large room, where he stood on the left, closest to the door.

As soon as they entered, Su Tai was at the head of the table, called Sha Lie and the others up. However, Su Tai's voice was too soft due to his injury, and Cheng Sheng could not hear what they were saying.

He was about to sit down on the spot like everyone else when he suddenly heard Sha Lie calling him from ahead, "Cheng Sheng, come up here."

"Well?.."

Cheng Sheng paused for a moment, then pointed to himself, trying to make sure Sha Lie hadn't mispronounced his name.

Sulai, standing next to him, secretly tugged at his trouser leg, "Have you forgotten why you came here today?"

Cheng Sheng suddenly realized what was happening and hurriedly strode over.

Upon ascending the last few steps to the innermost part of the room, Cheng Sheng saw Su Tai struggling to sit in a chair, a faint, putrid smell emanating from under the blanket covering him.

Looking exhausted, Su Tai beckoned Cheng Sheng closer, exposing his Spiny Skin. He then asked Cheng Sheng a few simple questions about his family before nodding and dismissing him.

Following closely behind, Sha Lie picked up the tattoo tools he had prepared beforehand and walked over, looking at Cheng Sheng calmly and asking, "Junior Brother, where do you plan to get your tattoo?"

Cheng Sheng hesitated for a moment, then quickly unbuttoned his shirt and pointed to the area on his right chest.

The left chest corresponds to the heart; if it's tattooed on the right chest, it can have a certain deceptive effect in a fight—most people will instinctively hit the marked "target" first.

Sha Lie nodded and whispered a reminder, "It might hurt a little, so bear with it."

After saying that, Sha Lie personally tattooed Cheng Sheng.

Sha Lie's hands were steady and his speed was fast; the entire tattooing process took less than ten minutes.

When the crocodile tattoo representing the Black Killing Style was completely placed on Cheng Sheng's chest, his core initiation ceremony was completed, which also meant that from this moment on, he was a true member of the Black Killing Style.

As the downpour subsided, the disciples of the Black Killing Style dispersed from the dojo.

The room was filled with a strong medicinal smell. Sha Lie, Songpa, and Sulai knelt to one side, watching Su Tai slowly drink a bowl of thick, black soup.

At this moment, the blanket that had been covering Su Tai was lifted.

Su Tai was originally stronger Nalong, but his upper body now appeared emaciated, as if all his energy and nutrients had been drained by the two-finger-sized, still festering and oozing circular wound on his shoulder.

As the dark soup entered his stomach, Su Tai's ashen face visibly flushed red, and wisps of white steam began to rise from the top of his head.

After a few breaths, Su Tai suddenly opened his mouth and vomited a mouthful of black blood. The black blood fell to the ground, and countless snow-white maggots were wriggling wildly in the blood.

At the same time, maggots began to fall out of the circular wound on Su Tai's shoulder with a soft rustling sound. It took for more than ten seconds for a large number of maggots to gather into a small pile on the floor... When it was all over, the wound had visibly shrunk, and the symptoms of ulceration and pus discharge had been relieved.

"My senior brother actually said that Dad only suffered a minor injury?!"

After witnessing the entire shocking healing process, Sulai finally couldn't help but speak, her pretty face filled with worry.

Sha Lie replied calmly, "I just didn't want my junior sister to worry too much."

"But..."

"Alright!"

Sulai was about to say something when Su Tai, whose injuries had improved, raised his hand to interrupt her.

"Compared to those who died, my injury is indeed minor."

Su Tai picked up a damp towel and wiped the blood from his mouth. His expression was complicated, as if he was recalling the fierce battle in Bangtun City.

No, that couldn't even be called a battle; it was more accurately described as a massacre!

The enemy's surrendered troops inflicted a one-sided massacre on the fighters who went to besiege them!

More than twenty professional martial arts experts from different prefectures and cities died on the spot, and some of the rest were affected by the Curse Arts and died on the way.

Those like him who managed to survive and return to their own dojo are actually considered lucky.

Most importantly, in this operation, ostensibly to assist in the encirclement and suppression, the royal army of Wengzan never appeared, making their operation seem like a joke—a group of people eagerly seeking their own deaths!

In the eyes of Wengzan's master, these so-called martial arts experts were no different from ordinary people.

"Unfortunately, only half of this one Soul Root, capable of healing the poison, remains. I need at least half more to fully recover from my injuries..."

Su Tai looked at the empty black bowl at his feet, thought for a moment, and slowly took out a small ball of cloth wrapped in layers of handkerchief from his pocket.

Su Tai unfolded the cloth, revealing what was inside—an irregular object about the size of two thumbprints, with a rough exterior, somewhat resembling a crystal or a bone.

"Teacher, what is this?"

Of the three bystanders, Sha Lie couldn't help but speak up.

"I have no idea."

Su Tai shook his head. "This is the last piece of the thing that was found along with the remains of the Crocodile Shrine. I don't know its exact name, but it should be of considerable use to the sorcerers."

The Soul Root I consumed before was obtained by chance in exchange for a piece of this with a sorcerer...

Su Tai looked up at Sha Lie in front of him, "Tomorrow you will take this to Nabang Province, find the Wengzan sorcerer who is stationed there, and use this to exchange for a Soul Root."

It's definitely worth enough; the piece I used to exchange for it was less than half the size of this one.

If Wengzan's master allows you to make more requests, you can ask him to bestow something that can help you break through your current fighting bottleneck.

or..."

Su Tai paused, then said in a low voice, "I request to become his disciple."

"Teacher?!"

Upon hearing Su Tai's words, Sha Lie's body trembled slightly, and Songpa and Sulai beside him also showed expressions of astonishment and disbelief.

"Let me finish."

Su Tai said softly with a complicated look in his eyes, "Sha Lie, I've already verified it for you. No matter what, a fighter can't fight against a cultist."

Only the surrendered army could contend with the surrendered army.

Instead of pursuing the elusive realm of the Fist Master, it's better to directly seek the introductory method to becoming a Subjugation Master.

Your talent, temperament, and character are all exceptional; perhaps... you have a chance to be selected by Wengzan.

Su Tai's words were followed by a faint sigh, and the room fell silent for a long time.