Weipotian was the first to cry out, “Wu Zhengnan, you have actually fallen into Eternal Night!”
This was one of the clear signs of demonic transformation. Whether Wu Zhengnan had long been controlled by the dark force and only managed to deceive the world or this time, due to his severe injuries, he had resorted to secret methods to suppress it, only to be dominated by the dark force, it all pointed to one thing: he had completely succumbed to the side of Eternal Night.
Wu Zhengnan suddenly flared up in anger, yelling, “If it weren’t for my youthful training in the Battle Harvesting Technique that damaged my core, would I have needed to turn to the dark forces for a lifeline? You, born into noble families, with secret combat skills from birth, how could you ever understand the desperation of waiting for a high-level technique to save your life?”
He paused, pointing at Qian Ye and sneering, “He is also practicing the Battle Harvesting Technique, and he’s a Level Five Martial King. Do you think this is a good thing? The faster the progression, the shorter the lifespan! Within three years, he will feel the repeated pain of hidden injuries, and he won’t live past thirty.”
Weipotian turned red with rage, opened his mouth, but no words came out.
Qian Ye slowly said, “In the Empire’s army, can’t one apply for techniques based on accumulated military merit?”
Wu Zhengnan looked at Qian Ye, his anger slightly subsiding, and mocked, “You should also come from the military, so you must know that these special resources require queuing. At the time, they told me that my rank and achievements were insufficient. But if I had been from a prestigious family, I would have barely met the standards. Qian Ye, your future path isn’t much better than mine. Either become a lapdog for the nobles to get a medium- or low-grade technique or sell your life for ten years and see if you can accumulate enough merit before you die.”
Qian Ye remained silent, imagining the despair Wu Zhengnan must have felt when he was denied. In the rigidly stratified society of the Empire, almost every resource allocation was linked to one’s background. While the Empire’s army was relatively fair, with promotions and equipment requisitions based on strength and merit, the conversion of Battle Harvesting Techniques was different.
It was not just a copied technique; the most important part was the complete set of accompanying medicinal potions used to repair the body’s hidden injuries. These potions were expensive and made from rare materials, with a very limited number available each year through military merit exchanges. Thus, this special resource distribution inevitably included an additional barrier based on lineage, leading to the Battle Harvesting Technique being known as the Cannon Fodder Technique.
Wu Zhengnan laughed darkly, saying, “Tell me, in such an Empire, how could I possibly serve it?”
Qian Ye shook his head, his voice soft but resolute, “But nothing justifies your fall into Eternal Night and the harm you cause to your own kind.”
Wu Zhengnan froze, then burst into maniacal laughter, “You’re quite a stubborn one, then taste the power of my dark force! It will dissolve your flesh and blood bit by bit until you are nothing but bones. That pain will rival the flare-up of hidden injuries from the Battle Harvesting Technique.”
Wu Zhengnan punched from a distance, and a black-red mist flame surged towards Qian Ye, engulfing him too fast to avoid.
“Xiao Ye!” Weipotian, summoning unknown strength, leaped to his feet, a layer of dull yellow light enveloping him. However, the faint light of Qian Chongshan was dim, like a candle in the wind, unlikely to last even without further attack.
Wu Zhengnan narrowed his eyes, snarling, “Overestimating your abilities!”
He waved his hand, sending a mass of fog fire at Weipotian. The viscous, blood-red flames clung to Qian Chongshan’s light shield, emitting a sizzling, corrosive sound.
In moments, the light shield faded, and the remaining flames fell onto Weipotian, eroding through his high-defense armor, leaving holes and adhering to his flesh. Despite Weipotian’s continuous resistance, his skin rapidly blackened and charred.
Weipotian, resolute, did not make a sound, standing tall, his clenched fists beginning to glow with tiny stars.
Wu Zhengnan snorted, a malevolent look crossing his face, and delivered another distant punch, shouting, “So eager to die, then I’ll grant your wish!”
The black-red force extended from Wu Zhengnan’s fist, a whiplike flame lashing out toward Weipotian. Weipotian roared, swinging his fist in defiance, but his unsteady stance made it impossible to block.
Suddenly, a thin green light appeared in the air, a leaf vanishing from Song Zining’s fingertips and reappearing, slicing the black-red force in half, its momentum continuing past Wu Zhengnan.
Wu Zhengnan cried out, stumbling back, disbelievingly looking at his torso. A thin line of blood appeared, widening into a horrifying wound, nearly eviscerating him.
Song Zining spat more blood, the emerald leaf pendant around his neck turning gray and rough. He collapsed to the ground, unable to stand even against the wall.
Wu Zhengnan stared at his wound, then at Song Zining, “You have many protective measures. Even if we meet again, I may not be able to kill you. Why stay and die?”
Song Zining smiled faintly, “You wouldn’t understand.”
Wu Zhengnan replied grimly, “No matter, after killing you, there’s no need to understand.”
At that moment, Qian Ye, who had fallen under the black-red flames, groaned and struggled to stand. The viscous flames still clinging to him, which were almost extinguished, suddenly flared up, burning his flesh.
However, Qian Ye’s condition was bizarre. As he rose, fresh, crimson blood flowed from his wounds, brimming with astonishing vitality.
On closer inspection, the blood flowed like a living entity, not dripping to the ground but climbing and moving, consuming the flames upon contact. In the wisps of white smoke, new flesh grew rapidly, closing the wounds and leaving pale scars. In the deepest, bone-exposed wounds, flashes of gold and purple flickered in the surging blood.
For some reason, seeing Qian Ye filled Wu Zhengnan with intense unease and fear, as if facing a natural enemy. He drew a deep breath, the wound on his abdomen closing to a scar, and raised his right palm, once more igniting the black-red force.
Qian Ye leveled his Twin Blossoms, the gun’s patterns lighting up, his arms glowing with carmine force, with golden points floating within.
To resist Wu Zhengnan’s flames, Qian Ye’s boiling blood had been depleted, the dark red and purple blood forces dormant in his heart. Only the golden force remained. At this critical moment, the golden force resonated with Qian Ye’s dwindling Dawn Force, pouring into the Twin Blossoms.
Qian Ye sighed heavily, “Wu Zhengnan, for such a price, all you gained was a lowly vampire lineage?”
Wu Zhengnan, perplexed, felt a hundredfold increase in the sense of danger, instinctively striking out with a roar.
Qian Ye steadily pulled the trigger, hearing two sharp cracks, something breaking.
The twin blooms wavered as usual, while a new array of Dawn Force formed, a fine, sunlit mist enveloping the gun.
From the Twin Blossoms, Dawn Force bullets emerged, like unassuming rays of sunlight, melting the black-red force.
The dawn bullets, undiminished, struck Wu Zhengnan instantly.
Golden light enveloped Wu Zhengnan, who let out an indescribable, agonized scream. His steel-like body convulsed, flesh melting like wax, dropping in chunks, and bones dissolving.
In moments, Wu Zhengnan collapsed, turning into an unrecognizable pile.
“Is it over?” This was Qian Ye’s last conscious thought before blacking out.
The devastated courtyard fell silent.
Weipotian, true to his tough nature, recovered first, staggering to Wu Zhengnan’s remains. The scene, though gruesome, left him uneasy.
A fiery glow, launched by Song Zining, landed on the remains, setting them ablaze, flames soaring.
Weipotian, startled, retreated. Song Zining, now standing, wielded his crystal spear, sparks hovering.
The Song Family’s technique, Flame Legacy, was near-impossible to extinguish. The remains burned quickly, reducing to ash.
Startled, Weipotian yelled, “What are you doing? This is evidence of Wu Zhengnan’s betrayal!”
Song Zining spat more blood but looked slightly better. Ignoring Weipotian, he rushed to Qian Ye, kneeling, and healing light rained down, washing away the blood and mending the wounds.
Weipotian, watching quietly, finally said, “Now you can call for help, and notify my guards.”
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