065 The Solitary Recluse

From the outside, it looked like a battle with both sides suffering, but in truth, Xiu Nan was still at a disadvantage. Tie Yang’s flesh was simply too thick! His physique was formidable, the force of his rings dense—a human tank in every sense. Trading wounds with him repeatedly was certainly not a wise move.

Xiu Nan turned to retreat, Tie Yang immediately giving chase. The two tangled and fought as they were driven forward, running for their lives.

Ten minutes passed, and suddenly Xiu Nan found the terrain opening up before him. He had exited the forest and stepped onto a clearing. Ahead lay another cluster of trees, but they were all inexplicably dead and dried out. Bare trunks bore some kind of tumor-like growths, vicious and twisted, black branches growing wildly like a mass of desiccated claws.

Standing at the edge, one could hear a strange, wailing sound. It came from a number of black stones embedded in the ground, scattered haphazardly across the surface. Within each stone was a honeycomb-like hollow; as the wind passed through, it produced eerie, uncanny cries.

“This place doesn’t feel right…” Xiu Nan furrowed his brows, instinctively wary.

But with pursuers still close behind, he had no choice but to plunge in, his mind ever vigilant. Tie Yang followed, sprinting at full speed. The paths here were labyrinthine, winding endlessly. Some passages were impassable, forcing detours.

Deep pits, toppled trees, and hillocks blocked the way. Unconsciously, Tie Yang’s figure faded from sight, and Xiu Nan let out a breath of relief. To battle Tie Yang and guard against the dangers of the environment felt like walking a tightrope over a chasm.

Having experienced this once, he never wished to endure it again. Ultimately, it came down to his own weakness—a single Tie Yang was enough to threaten him. If only he were strong enough, any danger could be met with ease. Then he wouldn’t be hunted everywhere by factions and assassins.

Now, he’d been chased into this godforsaken place, feeling like a dog with no home.

Xiu Nan ran in silence, glancing at the two evolution points ahead, deciding to use them as soon as he was safe enough.

Elsewhere, at the perimeter of this zone, dozens of natives halted, furious but none daring to step forward. The one-eyed young man at their head gazed deeply ahead, his sight blocked by strange terrain.

“They’ve entered the forbidden lands, Monka,” said a tall, thin native, brows thick and short.

“Let them. No one ever leaves the forbidden lands alive. I’ve never seen anyone enter and return… Let’s go back,” said the one-eyed youth.

“But the sacred bone is still with that man—”

“I know. But we can’t throw our lives away for it. If the sacred bone’s lost, we can always steal another from another tribe!”

The one-eyed youth looked at the blackened region ahead, a flash of dread and fear in his gaze. He touched the hollow of his left eye and issued the command to withdraw, his face as cold and hard as iron.

Within the forbidden lands spoken of by the natives, Xiu Nan suddenly stopped. He eyed a stone by the roadside, hesitated briefly, then walked quickly over.

The stone was half-buried, its surface densely tangled with vines—some green and alive, others yellow-black and dead. He brushed them aside with his hands.

A cracked statue appeared before him.

It was gray-white, about half the height of a man, its lower half buried in earth. Only the upper half remained, indistinct, but it seemed to depict a strong man. The figure held a ring in both hands, displaying utmost reverence.

On the ring was a string of characters.

Xiu Nan drew closer, but found the inscriptions mostly eroded by time and weather. The remaining characters were incomprehensible, scribbled in strange symbols.

If he had to guess, they resembled runes.

“Prompt: Would you like a translation?”

Xiu Nan was startled—the system had prompted him.

“Translate.”

“To dwell apart is to be either beast or god.”

“Paradise is what man aspires to.”

What did this mean?

Xiu Nan was lost in confusion, finding nothing special, so he continued along the path.

Unbeknownst to him, a faint mist had risen all around. The black haze thickened, blurring the landscape. The dead branches seemed to thrash like claws, dancing demonically in the fog.

Currents of air whistled through the stone hollows, sending forth those eerie cries.

Goosebumps prickled across Xiu Nan’s hands, but thankfully, the Jessica pendant at his neck gave no warning.

That meant no imminent danger.

He barely relaxed when suddenly his chest grew scorching hot. Xiu Nan rolled instinctively, just as a gigantic arm thrust from the mist, sweeping violently and stirring a fierce gale. The dark mist spun into a vortex, billowing like waves.

“Whitewood!” Xiu Nan shouted in fury.

The massive blue-eyed vulture swooped forth, slashing with sharp iron claws, diving at incredible speed into the black fog.

Boom!

A shriek—Whitewood howled in pain. Its enormous body was struck, sent flying, the edges of its wings trailing black currents.

Xiu Nan immediately recalled the vulture to his back as a rune, his face grave as he stared leftward. That arm had sent Whitewood—who could duel with Tie Yang—flying; its owner was unimaginably strong!

A heavy, monstrous breath sounded.

Dense black mist was parted as a towering figure stood silently, over four meters tall. It had a human shape, clad in tattered armor, exposed skin bristling with black fur.

A stench of rot enveloped its body.

In its left hand it clutched something like a sword hilt, though the blade was long gone. A battered helmet covered its head, beneath the visor a pair of blood-red eyes, burning with the desire for slaughter and destruction. The monster muttered and growled endlessly.

“By the glory of the saint, guard… guard… guard…”

Even the system translated this, though its meaning was unclear, and it didn’t seem important to the plot…

Guard what, exactly?

Suddenly, the monster raised its hands.

It gripped the sword hilt and lifted it high overhead, casting a massive shadow over Xiu Nan. The creature seemed mindless, unaware its sword had lost its blade.

Buzz! Suddenly, a beam of black light shot from the hilt.

A three-meter-long greatsword crackled into existence.

“Damn! It’s a lightsaber!”

Terrified, Xiu Nan instantly entered meditation mode, darting away at lightning speed. An explosion thundered behind him.

The shockwave slammed into his back, propelling him faster—this wretched place was the birthplace of wretched things!

He glanced back to see a massive stone, several meters across, shattered by the lightsaber’s aftershock, fragments strewn everywhere.

That strike was as powerful as several pounds of explosives.

Even as he thought this, Xiu Nan’s skin prickled in terror, the Jessica pendant at his chest burning hot, a scorching fireball against his skin.

The monster in the distance spun with shocking speed, slashing toward his escape route, sending a black blade of energy hurtling his way!

The blast covered a radius of more than ten meters.

Xiu Nan’s pupils contracted, adrenaline surging. He dashed desperately toward a massive stone—hoping it would shield him from the blast. All he could do now was pray the energy blade wouldn’t cleave the rock in two, or else he’d be split apart instantly.