I Contracted Myself

Feng Laixian's roar ceased as Zuo Xiangming departed.

He quickly returned to the city wall, his gaze fixed on the west side of the city. Sure enough, the west gate was wide open, and a mixed army of living corpses and Awakeners was occupying key areas within the city, even surrounding some densely populated regions.

A squad of Awakeners, led by Wu Ruoyu, charged towards the southern wall like a sharp blade, ruthlessly cutting down any obstructing Awakeners.

"Everyone, follow me!" Feng Laixian stood at the forefront, his eyes locked onto Wu Ruoyu, gritting his teeth as he spoke.

Wu Ruoyu, charging forward, laughed and shouted, "Everyone, prepare for battle!"

There was always a twenty-meter buffer zone between the city wall and the residential area.

At this moment, the two groups clashed in this twenty-meter open space.

However, they didn't immediately start fighting. Instead, they stared each other down, their eyes fixed on Wu Ruoyu and Feng Laixian.

"Master Wu, why?" Feng Laixian asked, staring intensely at Wu Ruoyu, enunciating each word.

Wu Ruoyu replied, "Master Feng, what do you think of Mingzhu City?"

Before Feng Laixian could answer, Wu Ruoyu turned to look at the lights of the residential area behind him and sighed, "Look at those thousands of lights, so brilliant yet so fragile. Every year, more than two hundred people in Mingzhu City die from Mutated Beast attacks. We seem to be confined to this small piece of land. Have you ever thought that maybe we could live differently?"

"So that's it. The student who once preached the supremacy of the Human King in my school was one of yours," Feng Laixian squinted and continued.

He had heard these words before from a student who had come to learn Beast King Boxing.

Wu Ruoyu nodded, "That's right. It's a pity you expelled him; otherwise, you could have been one of us."

"Ha, become one of you? And then... sacrifice the entire Mingzhu City?" Feng Laixian first chuckled, then suddenly stopped and glared at Wu Ruoyu, roaring.

Wu Ruoyu sighed and shouted, "There's no point in talking. Let's settle this with our fists. Kill!"

He suddenly lunged, striking at Feng Laixian with a powerful palm.

Feng Laixian's face darkened. He didn't dodge but caught the blow just as it was about to hit his face.

Gritting his teeth, he swung his other fist at Wu Ruoyu's head, but Wu Ruoyu caught it as well.

The two glared at each other, launching their attacks almost simultaneously.

The Lieyang Martial School's Lieyang Fire Dragon Palm was a fierce and domineering technique. At its peak, it could even unleash flames with a single strike. Its ultimate move, 'Fire Dragon Body,' was renowned for its unmatched speed.

Wu Ruoyu's palms struck rapidly, while Feng Laixian countered with various techniques. Amidst the heat waves, they seemed to be fighting inside a volcano.

A terrifying heat gradually spread from the center of their battle.

...

Monument Square.

Situ Shibai sat beside the monument, disappointedly stroking it.

He was fully aware of the situation in Mingzhu City.

"So that's it. The people's hearts have changed, forming an unstoppable force. I can stop the Zhu Family, I can fend off the beasts, but how can I stop the will of the people?" he muttered to himself.

It wasn't just the martial schools that had rebelled; many farmers had as well.

These farmers quickly provided water to the Ocean Man's army upon their arrival, ensuring their combat effectiveness on land.

Situ Shibai didn't blame them, as he understood their suffering.

"Failure, you should understand, you've already failed." Li Aoxue appeared like a gust of wind, her figure ethereal, looking at Situ Shibai with a victorious smile.

Situ Shibai looked at Li Aoxue and asked, "Have you considered what will happen to humanity if you fail?"

"I won't fail!" Li Aoxue replied confidently, staring at Situ Shibai.

Situ Shibai's gaze grew sharp with anger, "When you turned your blade on the innocent, when you allied with Zuo Xiangming, when you resorted to any means necessary, you already lost. You follow the path of deceit, not the path of kings!"

"There's an old saying, 'A general's success is built on a mountain of bones.' I'm on the path of kings; how can there be no bloodshed? Deceit or kingship, in the end, only the victor is crowned king," Li Aoxue retorted disdainfully.

Situ Shibai stood up, furious, "Your ambition is too great. You'll doom more people, dragging humanity into an abyss of no return."

"It seems today's events still can't convince you. Not that I expected to. Tonight, this will be your final resting place. It's fitting, as this is also where our master lies. You should find peace in death here," Li Aoxue said indifferently, unfazed by Situ Shibai's anger.

Situ Shibai squinted, scanning the surroundings as living corpses began to appear, mingling with many Awakeners.

"You too..." Situ Shibai said in disbelief, recognizing a familiar figure among the crowd.

A middle-aged man slowly stepped forward, sighing, "Brother Shibai, the Tianchang Fox is too powerful. Sister Aoxue is right; humanity needs a king. We should unite, not remain scattered like sand."

This middle-aged man was the current City Lord of Mingzhu City, clearly swayed by the Tianchang Fox's invasion.

"Li Aoxue is not a wise ruler; she won't succeed," Situ Shibai said painfully, looking at the middle-aged man.

The man smiled bitterly, "Perhaps, but Sister Aoxue is right. Someone has to start, regardless of the outcome. I know I can't persuade you, so... Brother Shibai, please... move on!"

"Then let's decide Mingzhu City's future with this battle," Situ Shibai said, scanning the Awakeners around him. He saw determination and strength in their eyes. Sighing, he spoke slowly.

As he finished, a giant light orb suspended in the sky burst into brilliant light.

...

City Lord's mansion.

The Moon Prince held Chen Junting, observing her sleeping face.

Unable to resist, he extended his long tongue to lick her face.

"Xiaobai, stop licking, it tickles."

Chen Junting frowned slightly, instinctively swatting away the tongue, mumbling.

Xiaobai was her pet dog, particularly obedient due to the Holy Mother's Blood.

Despite her mumbling, Xiaobai kept licking her face in her dream, prompting her to groggily open her eyes.

What she saw wasn't Luo Shiyu or the Tianchang Fox, but an indescribable, unnamable entity.

"Hello, you look so strange."

Chen Junting sat up, curiously addressing the indescribable entity.

The entity wriggled, seemingly trying to communicate.

Chen Junting earnestly tried to understand, nodding occasionally, though sometimes showing confusion.

"You're saying your master died? That's so sad."

After a moment, Chen Junting roughly grasped the entity's meaning and sympathetically responded.

Then she widened her eyes in surprise, "You want to follow me? Hmm... let me think, what can you do?"

The entity slowly extended a shadowy form, and in an instant, they were at the top of the City Lord's mansion.

"Wow, the sun is so big," Chen Junting exclaimed, looking at the giant light orb.

She then happily turned to the entity, smiling, "You're amazing, how did you do that?"

The entity continued to morph and wriggle, seemingly explaining.

"So... you were originally an intangible concept, and later your master gave you life?" Chen Junting struggled to understand.

The entity confirmed, then morphed again.

Chen Junting pursed her lips, "Alright, since no one wants you, I'll take you in for now. But you have to behave, or I'll abandon you."

Saying this, she extended her hand.

The entity immediately merged into her hand, and she felt something, her gaze shifting towards Monument Square.