Chapter 156:

[The road to survival is arduous. You lead the survival army, fighting against demons day and night.]

[Your body, worn and battered from countless battles, is riddled with wounds—damage that ordinary people cannot comprehend.]

[You persist, your resolve unwavering…]

[You force yourself to stay alive, sustaining the circulation of Qi, Blood, Heaven, and Earth within you to unleash greater strength, ensuring a safer path for the people.]

[Your body deteriorates further.]

[But finally, you see the dawn.]

[After traveling through mountains and rivers, braving countless dangers, you and the survival army reach the edge of the Hundred Thousand Mountains.]

[People laugh heartily, tears streaming as they rejoice. Seeing this, you feel a quiet happiness and begin planning to part ways silently.]

[You know you are as good as dead. There is no future for you.]

[Instead of clinging to life, you choose to block the most terrifying enemy for the others, granting them a chance at survival.]

[But this time, the people you’ve protected reject your sacrifice.]

[They drug your soup, forcing you into unconsciousness. By the time you awaken, Wu Yingxue has already taken your place, standing against the enemy to save you.]

[You rush to the battlefield as fast as you can.]

[There, you see her. She’s covered in blood, her spear shattered, her legs nearly broken—a tragic yet resolute figure standing against death to protect you.]

[Bloodstained paper flowers lie scattered—silent and desolate.]

[You once thought the girl had discarded the paper flowers long ago, but now you realize she had always kept them close.]

Time feels like a cycle.

The first time Xu Xi met Wu Yingxue, she was injured and being hunted.

Now, once again, he finds her on the brink of death.

Under her tear-filled gaze, trembling with emotions she can’t suppress, Xu Xi doesn’t scold her. He doesn’t rebuke her for acting on impulse.

Instead, he gently takes her bloodied hand, just as he did before.

He channeled his qi and vitality into her depleted body, helping her stand again.

“Sorry, Yingxue,” he says softly. “I came too late.”

His voice is calm and tender, carrying a soothing warmth. But that gentleness breaks her completely.

Tears stream down her face as she stares at him.

“…Sir, no.”

“…Please, don’t.”

She grasps his robe tightly, trembling as though trying to anchor him to her side.

Xu Xi shakes his head gently, his gaze unwavering.

“Yingxue, you’ve done enough,” he says. “Leave the rest to me, alright?”

He presses her wrist lightly, loosening her bloodied fingers.

Then, he places the bloodstained, damp paper flower into her hand.

The girl has grown—far more than he had imagined. The once-proud princess, now a resolute fighter, stands with a strength that commands respect.

Xu Xi felt a deep sense of pride and emotion.

He longed to see her grow even more, to become the woman she’s destined to be.

For that to happen, he must open a true path forward for her and the survival army.

…

Click. Click.

Xu Xi strided toward the dragon-robed demon. The cracking of his own body resounds with each step.

The demon’s indifferent expression shifted to one of suspicion.

Within Xu Xi’s body, something profound was happening.

The false harmony of qi, blood, heaven, and earth began to transform, elevating into a true manifestation.

It gained substance and form, aligning with his flesh and bones, built upon the foundation of his acupoints.

Yet, even as his vitality surges, there was an undeniable aura of death—a fiery brilliance blooming in the darkness, burning away everything.

“You’re defying heaven and earth, sacrificing your martial spirit?” the demon roars.

“Madman! You lunatic! Why throw your life away like this?”

The dragon-robed demon steps back, his voice filled with anger and fear as Xu Xi’s overwhelming aura distorted the heavens.

Xu Xi knew exactly what he was doing.

He was a dying man igniting his final flame, using himself as kindling to unleash one last blaze.

In this act of ultimate sacrifice, Xu Xi transcended, becoming a true martial immortal.

His body surged with power, his qi and blood dyeing the sky crimson.

“Let’s settle this,” Xu Xi says, his voice calm yet resolute. “There’s a long list of debts between you and me.”

The demon, enraged, transformed into a green-scaled dragon. Its eyes blaze like the sun and moon, and its claws tear through the heavens, shaking the Hundred Thousand Mountains with its roars.

Xu Xi remains unfazed. He clenches his fist and punches forward, simple yet unstoppable.

“This one’s for A Niu,” he muttered.

Bang!

Qi and blood erupt like a tidal wave, engulfing everything. The force of the punch lights up the world, smashing into the dragon with devastating power.

Man and dragon clash, their battle resembling a myth come to life.

The ferocity of their fight was beyond Wu Yingxue’s comprehension.

All she knew was that blood was falling from the sky—some of it the demon’s, some of it Xu Xi’s.

“You idiot! You big idiot!” she screamed, her voice breaking through the silence of the night.

He was the best fool in the world, the stupidest fool in the world.

In the past, Wu Yingxue loved the feeling of safety that came from standing behind Xu Xi. His presence brought her peace.

But this time, she didn’t want it. Not at all.

The world didn’t change according to human will. Wu Yingxue could only watch, helpless, as the final act unfolds.

…

After an indeterminate amount of time, the battle ceases.

A deafening dragon’s roar echoes through the mountains, followed by silence.

Xu Xi’s final punch pierced the dragon, its force creating a wide, flat path through the mountains—a clear way forward for the living.

In the still night, the lifeless body of the dragon collapses.

Another figure fell from the sky.

Wu Yingxue rushed toward the fallen figure, her legs barely supporting her, sometimes crawling on all fours.

“Sir!” she cries. “Sir!”

She reached him and saw the extent of his injuries. His body was mangled beyond recognition, torn flesh and exposed bones hinting at the unimaginable pain he endured.

His breathing, already faint, grew weaker with each passing moment.