368 Enlightenment of the Fool

36

8 Enlightenment of the Fool

Ding Xuefang wheezed out a laugh even with his face pinned to the ground. “You’re too late, boy! Too late! Even if you butcher all of us, the Hell’s Gate is already open!”

I ignored him and lifted my hand toward the crimson sky.

“Hollow Star, heed my command. Expel these foul energies from this world!”

If I could expel the Sun and Aixin from the Hollowed World, I could suppress a simple Hell’s Gate. Stars flickered behind my eyes. A vortex of devouring force rose from my palm, swallowing sky, heat, and hellish qi alike.

But the crimson veil didn’t fade.

The Hell’s Gate remained!

“What…?”

I sank my consciousness into Yuen Fu, merging with the Heaven Soul. Yuen Fu was drenched in demon blood. Corpses littered Phoenix City like broken dolls. After killing every demon he could find, he sprinted toward the Hell Gate’s heart in the middle of the Rising Phoenix Tournament.

When he reached it, I finally understood why the Hell Gate hadn’t collapsed.

The “Hell’s Gate” was a man, a living human-shaped gateway overflowing with infernal qi, breathing like a furnace, radiating power far beyond the Martial Saints I just fought.

I pulled my soul back into my main body and glared at Ding Xuefang.

“Who is that?”

The old man smirked through cracked lips. “Who? He is the founder of martial arts in the Hollowed World! The ancient master of the First Alliance Master! A Martial Saint beyond saints! Your doom—”

My fist descended.

Heavenly Punishment erupted on impact.

The old man burst apart into a spray of pink plum blossoms.

But his voice whispered smugly through the drifting petals. “I’ll teach you a lesson next time.”

Before I could react, Tan Jin gasped.

“What… what is this?!”

Pink flames ignited inside her body and inside every corpse nearby. The spearman, the cudgel man’s remnants, even Yi Pou’s last scraps of flesh all burned with eerie petal-fire.

Tan Jin tore free with her vines, barely escaping before the flames could consume her.

Plum blossoms swirled in the crimson haze.

A new body formed in the distance as Ding Xuefang rematerialized from drifting petals, robes fluttering as he inhaled the burning essence of his comrades.

Wei Ruogang screamed in agony as the old man drained him.

“You old bastard!” the spearman shrieked. “Ding Xuefang, you treacherous piece of shit—!”

It was an unexpected development.

Tan Jin appeared at my side, her expression growing hard as she stared at Ding Xuefang’s warped form. The pink flames wrapped around him like a living cloak, carrying the scent of corruption and old grudges that refused to die. She clenched her jaw and shouted, “Ding Xuefang! How dare you turn to demonic arts!? I lost every bit of respect for you the moment you relied on something so foul!”

Ding Xuefang laughed. “Foul? Blind girl, open your eyes! This is a heavenly art bestowed upon me by the Heavenly Master. Why should I cling to a weary body when a greater path is laid before me? This power has restored my peak state and beyond. With the Heavenly Master’s guidance, I will walk the path of a true Martial God! What need have I for your so-called Ascended Soul or Perfect Immortal? I will master the laws with my blade and claim the throne of godhood!”

“You really lost your mind,” I said, my voice cold. I watched the pink blossoms circling him, each one a fragment of the Martial Saints he devoured. “I was ready to resurrect them. I even planned to offer them jobs. But you just had to eat my future employees, you dirty old man.”

Tan Jin’s voice echoed in my head through Qi Speech, tight with concern. “What are we going to do? I can feel it. Ding Xuefang’s realm has already reached [Level 39]. His martial arts alone rival an Immortal Art as a Martial Saint. In my current state, I don’t dare face him directly.”

I answered in Qi Speech, “We have no choice. We have to let him go.”

If I fought him here, I risked tearing apart the lands under my feet and peeling open the inner shell of the Hollowed World. The outer shell could withstand the pressure of cosmic forces, but the inner layer was much weaker. If it cracked, the consequences would reach farther than Phoenix City. Entire regions might fall. Foreign entities could invade. Worse things could seep through.

I exhaled and released my grip on the Divine Mandate of Proximity. The golden dome dissolved in a cascade of fading light, releasing the pressure that came with it. Ding Xuefang looked pleased, almost smug, as he straightened his back.

“You made the right decision,” he said with a grin. “Consider this your first moment of wisdom today.”

“Psyk!”

The sound cracked through the air as I slammed both palms together, trapping several Manasouls between them. Their energies clashed and folded into each other as I cast Divine Mandate of Proximity once more. Thanks to the progress I’d made with aura manipulation, I shaped the skill differently, letting the golden dome erupt outward before collapsing into a single, crushing point around me. From that point emerged an invisible golden chain, extending through space until it hooked itself into Ding Xuefang’s chest, binding him to my presence.

Ding Xuefang staggered, eyes flashing with fury. “What’s the meaning of this!? You canceled it earlier!”

I shared the plan with Tan Jin through Qi Speech, keeping my voice steady. “This spell forces the target to remain close to me. The further he is, the weaker he becomes. I’ll head to Phoenix City and deal with that strange anomaly, while you keep him busy. Even with his current level, you can hold out long enough. But to be safe, I’ll lend you my Human Soul. Or better, lend me your body entirely, and we’ll fight him together. Do I have your consent?”

Tan Jin didn’t hesitate. “Yes, please, use my body…”.

Ding Xuefang didn’t give us more time. He blurred forward, appearing right before me with a snarl. “Regret your choices in the afterlife! I’ll keep you trapped here while Phoenix City burns to ash!”

“Divine Possession.”

The spell settled instantly. I used Castling, switching my main body with Tan Jin’s. She appeared before Ding Xuefang and lashed out with countless vines, wrapping around his limbs in an attempt to restrain him. He ripped through them, laughing like a madman.

“Weak,” he shouted as he tore free. “I’ll devour you all the same!”

My main body raced toward Phoenix City with everything I had, only to sense scripted formations springing up in my path. Rings of runes, jagged barriers, and elemental traps barred my movement. Yes, they prepared well.

“This is not enough to stop me…”

With sheer might, I broke through them; most I dodged with Divine Sense.

I turned my focus back to Tan Jin’s body, weaving away from Ding Xuefang’s blade. Her form moved with a smooth grace I was unused to, so I shifted it with Shapeshifting, turning Tan Jin’s frame into a male version of herself. The flow of qi settled instantly, aligning better with how I fought.

Tan Jin’s cultivation at [Level 16] Ascended Soul surged in me. With this many layers, my Immortal Art felt heavier, sharper, and more complete. I raised both hands.

“Immortal Art: Divine Appointment of the Faithful.”

Faith poured into me like a tide. I followed with one of her signature martial arts.

“Emerald Roses of Eighteen Palms.”

My palms blurred, slipping between Ding Xuefang’s sword arcs with the help of my Divine Sense. Each strike planted a glowing emerald rose on his body, delicate in appearance, but filled with vicious parasitic qi. Adjusting the technique to suit a masculine frame added weight behind every blow. The old man grunted as the roses pulsed across his skin.

I stepped back, let the golden light gather under my feet, and exploded forward with Zealot’s Stride.

“Immortal Art: Godslayer.”

My strike hit his abdomen. The emerald roses detonated in golden bloom, shredding his form and turning him into a burst of plum blossoms yet again.

He reformed moments later, his voice sharpening. “Is that all you have?”

His petals darkened, turning from pink to deep crimson. “Enough! Reformation of the Body and Soul!”

A new figure appeared a distance away, a younger man with smooth skin, bright eyes, and dark, lush hair. The transformation looked complete, almost like he shed decades in a single breath.

I tilted my head and raised one eyebrow. “Where’d the beard go? Did you shave it when you turned younger, or did it crawl back into your skin? Maybe you can summon it out again. A magical beard would be impressive.”

His eyelid twitched, and I felt the killing intent spike.

Ding Xuefang lunged at me with renewed vigor, his rejuvenated form moving with a sharpness that rivaled a perfected blade. Sword light burst around me as he cycled through an endless stream of techniques.

“Seven Petals of the Plum Blossom!”

“Autumn Gale Through Shattered Leaves!”

“Winter’s Edge Severing the Void!”

“Sword of Returning Spring!”

“Heaven-Piercing Thrust!”

Each technique flowed into the next, weaving a tapestry of seasons that hammered at my defenses. I took the hits I could afford to take, letting Tan Jin’s plant-based vitality and my own Blessed Regeneration patch me up before cracks could spread. Limbs regrew, cuts sealed, and bones knitted while I moved through the barrage. When the sword light flared too bright, I slipped aside with a Flash Step or leaned back just enough to let the blade whisper past my throat.

He snarled louder with each failed attempt. I taunted him whenever I felt his frustration spike.

“Is this winter or spring? Hard to tell. Your transitions are sloppy.”

“Your sword seems lighter than your beard. Did power leave with the whiskers?”

“You call that a pierce? I’ve had mosquitoes do better.”

His killing intent roared, and he moved faster, yet slowly, inevitably, I began to keep pace. Not because he weakened, but because I repeatedly slammed Shield Bash and War Smite into him at key moments, each hit sending him flying away from where my main body was battling toward Phoenix City. With every meter of distance, Divine Mandate of Proximity sapped his strength further. His aura thinned, his footing faltered, and his strikes became fractionally less perfect.

It was enough.

“Let’s get started for real, this time.”

I summoned a long plant-woven stick with Tan Jin’s ability, its green fibers hardening into a glossy staff. I swung it down with force, pressing him into the cracked ground.

“A stick?” he scoffed. “You think a twig can match the sword of a Martial God? What are you going to do? Beat me like a naughty child? Hah!”

Level 39. That meant thirty-nine layers of immortality waiting to be burned through. Fitting for someone who wanted to become a god. But for an enemy who turned into plum blossoms, a being half-nature himself…

Well, this was perfect.

I grinned. I had yet to master Animal Path: King of the Wild, but starting another Path wasn’t out of the question. In fact, this was the perfect moment.

“Human Path: Enlightenment of the Fool!”

Tan Jin’s body changed instantly. The plant-like texture of her skin vanished, leaving pure humanity in its place. Green sage-marks traced her face and shoulders like living paint. I’d been studying Human Path for Alice’s sake, seeking a way to restore her humanity. I didn’t expect the Path itself to be this overwhelming.

Ding Xuefang froze mid-strike. His youthful form withered in seconds, snapping him back to the old man he was. His eyes bulged.

“What… what did you do!? Why can’t I feel my qi? My aura!? Where did everything go!?”

“Relax,” I said, spinning the stick casually. “Within a certain radius, we’re forced into a Mortal State. We can still use martial arts, though. Old man, you’re going to help me refine mine.”

His expression tightened. He took a stance, a simple one, but one honed by a long time of discipline. He cut downward.

I stepped forward.

All it took was one clean arc.

My stick touched his neck.

His head flew.

Before the petals of his plum-form even ignited, I shrugged. “Sorry. I lied. We can still use aura. I just didn’t let you.”

Human Path: Enlightenment of the Fool. A Path designed to humiliate and expose false gods. With me as the caster, I could rewrite the rules inside the domain to deny, permit, and alter. Qi, aura, quintessence, even concepts of durability or mortality were mine to toggle. It was a power crafted from the potential of humanity and the shackles we place on ourselves.

I picked up Ding Xuefang’s head as the petals gathered to reform him.

I spoke softly, gaze piercing beyond the battlefield and into the Watching Spirit that hid beyond the veil.

“I know you’re watching,” I said. “Heavenly Master.”

“You’ll have to try harder than that,” a feminine voice purred from the old man’s face as the plum blossoms reassembled into Ding Xuefang. His features twisted into fury.

“I am going to kill you!”

Human Path: Enlightenment of the Fool was a domain skill made entirely of ordinariness, forcing all within it to fall back into the state of ‘human.’ I could create rules, remove rules, or bend them, but the foundation remained a human limitation. Even so, not everything was under my control. The layers of immortality he’d accumulated over millennia remained untouched; that was why he was able to resurrect.

Ding Xuefang launched forward.

Aura surged around him like a blade storm. I let it. His sword slashed into my guard, and I countered with a simple palm strike. Steel rang against bone, sparks skittering across the ground. We exchanged blows that carried millennia of martial refinement; his swordsmanship was sharp and deep, my palms and strikes imbued with precision and intention.

He stepped in.

“Heaven-Slicing Plum Stance!”

I slid under the slash and answered with a low sweep.

“War Smite!”

The impact cracked the ground and sent him staggering. He roared and spun with surprising agility.

“Reversal Petal Cut!”

I ducked under the arc of blade light and touched the air.

“Aura is forbidden.”

The world dimmed.

His sword immediately slowed, the force behind his swing dropping sharply. I caught the blade between my hands, twisted, kicked him in the stomach, and ripped the weapon free from his grasp. Before he could react, I drove the sword back into his chest.

He exploded into plum blossoms again.

When he reformed, I stood before him, wielding the stolen blade in my right hand and Tan Jin’s stick in my left. He actually took a step back, face pale, and eyes wide.

“You… what is this demonic domain…!?”

“Not demonic. Human.” I twirled the stick. “And you’re terrible at being human.”

He rushed at me barehanded. Child’s play.

With aura still sealed, his strength was dictated by his own self-image: old, frail, and desperate. I met his fist with a soft tap of the stick, sending him stumbling. He tried a kick, and I sidestepped, smacking his shin and watching him yelp. He resurrected over and over, but each time he came back more panicked, more convinced of his weakness, and thus weaker in truth.

One slash.

One hit.

One crack of the stick.

Over and over, until petals fluttered, vanished… and no body reformed.

Ding Xuefang’s head rolled near my feet, still wearing that defiant snarl. It spoke in a strangled feminine echo…

“The Heavenly Master… looks forward to your fateful reunion…”

A pause.

The voice faded, the head crumbling into petals carried by a faint breeze.

I stared down at where he’d vanished.

“…Reunion?” I muttered.

That made no sense.

I didn’t remember meeting anyone who called herself Heavenly Master. Not once. Not in this life. Not in David_69’s memories. Not in the Underworld with Meng Po. Not anywhere.

And yet…

Someone acted like they knew me. Someone who had been watching me for a very long time.

Who the hell was she?

Ugh… It seemed I’d have to talk with Yuan Shen about this…