Chapter Forty-Four: The Cunning Slaying of the Unblemished

The skill known as Demonic Seed possessed a feature so overpowered it bordered on a bug: as long as someone had been implanted with the seed, Xiao Zi could kill them instantly at will.

Even after the Unblemished One had devoured the seed, he could sense a lingering connection between himself and the demonic seed. Did this mean...

With excitement pounding in his chest and trembling hands, Xiao Zi struggled upright from the ground, pointed a finger at the Unblemished One, and declared with unwavering resolve, “Annihilate all things!”

At first, the Unblemished One couldn’t make sense of Xiao Zi’s actions, but in the very next instant, his body froze in place. The clown he was holding dropped to the ground, scrambled backward, and studied the Unblemished One warily.

At that moment, the Unblemished One felt as if a tornado was raging inside him, countless energies rampaging uncontrollably through his body.

“Aaaah!”

With a blood-curdling scream, a crimson light burst from the fissures in his body, soon followed by a red glow oozing from the triangular face.

“What’s happening?!”

Writhing in agony on the ground like a worm, the Unblemished One’s form twisted and shifted incessantly. Meanwhile, the surrounding mist began to thin, slowly dispersing until it vanished completely—a clear sign that the Unblemished One’s domain had crumbled.

“Aaaah!”

Another shriek. A black mist seeped from his body: it was his very essence, the source of his life. But just as it emerged, his body exploded, shattering into nothing but dust.

Yet even that was not the end.

The Unblemished One’s essence had just floated into the air when it was suddenly pulled down, twisting like a rope into a painful knot. Soon, the mist stilled, and the Unblemished One’s presence faded utterly from the world.

He was dead beyond all doubt.

The clown simply stared in stunned silence for a long while before turning to Xiao Zi. “Boss, you’re truly formidable.”

He had assumed this was Xiao Zi’s trump card. But to possess a move that could leap from D-rank to slay an A-rank, and that while trapped in the opponent’s own domain—this was nothing short of legendary.

“It’s finally over.” Xiao Zi sprawled on the ground, letting out a long sigh. This battle had exhausted him completely; he had spent every resource he could muster. If the Unblemished One hadn’t brought about his own end, Xiao Zi would likely have died here.

At this moment, the clown brought him the essence of the Unblemished One. “Boss, this might be of great help to you.”

Xiao Zi glanced at him with a wry smile. “Didn’t you hear what that guy said? For strange beings, absorbing each other’s essence can increase their strength. You’re willing to give it to me?”

The clown looked at the essence in his hand, then shook his head. “Even if I absorbed it, the next time we ran into an opponent of this caliber, I’d still be helpless. I’d rather stick with you.”

Well, it seemed the clown possessed some degree of intelligence after all.

Looking at it another way, if Xiao Zi were in the clown’s position, he would likely have absorbed the Unblemished One’s essence himself, then killed Xiao Zi to take his essence as well. That would maximize his own benefit.

After all, at this moment Xiao Zi was utterly drained; even a low-level strange being could finish him off.

But clearly, the clown harbored no such thoughts—otherwise, Xiao Zi would have been in even greater danger.

As soon as he absorbed the Unblemished One’s essence, the system’s familiar upgrade chime sounded in Xiao Zi’s mind. But when he saw the ten thousand fear points required for the next level, his face twitched. “How am I supposed to level up with that? Ten thousand fear points? Why don’t you just take my life instead?”

He drifted out of Si Liren’s body, floating in the air.

“Boss, what do we do with this so-called spokesperson?” the clown asked.

“Take her with us. She might still be useful.”

Si Liren, having had too much of her blood burned and a great deal of soul power drained by Xiao Zi, was lucky to be alive at all, let alone conscious. But Xiao Zi had many questions for her. The more he could learn about this unfamiliar world, the better.

Back at Wang Hui’s home, the clown dumped Si Liren on the floor. Wang Hui, who had already returned, was so startled by the scene that he stammered, “Wh-what’s going on? Did you kill her?”

Xiao Zi shook his head. “No. Quick, get something for her to eat, or she really might die.”

Wang Hu hurried to the convenience store downstairs and bought a pile of food, only for them to realize—none of them knew how to feed someone who was unconscious.

In the end, they gave Si Liren some sugar water and settled her onto the bed.

“Boss, where did you guys go?” Wang Hui asked, munching on bread he’d just bought for Si Liren.

“Oh, just went to take care of an eyesore.”

“Was it a human?”

“No, a strange being.”

Meanwhile, the clown had already claimed Wang Hui’s TV and was engrossed in a video game. Wang Hui glanced at him with disdain. “That thing? I played it when I was a kid. It’s ancient. Everyone’s into this now!” He pointed at a shiny new laptop nearby.

“This thing can be more fun than games?” the clown asked skeptically, giving it a close look. He’d seen people use computers for work, but never for play.

“I just bought it online. You can play online games on it. It’s awesome.” With that, Wang Hui powered it on and began playing in front of the clown.

“See that guy called Celestial Stardust? What a lame name—must be a weakling. Go beat him up!”

“Hm? Did this Celestial Stardust kill you? Look, there’s text popping up beside him.”

“Damn, this guy’s actually pretty strong. And he’s talking? What? He’s from Great Xia? A Xia guy bullying noobs on the overseas server? What’s wrong with him?”

Xiao Zi paid no attention to the two of them, focusing instead on Si Liren lying on the bed, using his heightened senses to monitor her breath.

He kept watch all the way into the early hours of the next day.

“If you’re awake, stop pretending.”

At his words, a look of resentment flashed across Si Liren’s face. “You’re the one inside Wang Hui, aren’t you?”

“That’s right.”

“And the Unblemished One?”

“Dead.”

“How did he die?”

“I killed him.”

Si Liren, as expected, looked utterly incredulous. “You killed the Unblemished One?”

“Yes.”

“How could that be possible?”

“Why not? Lying to you serves me no purpose.”

With that, Si Liren jumped down from the bed.

“I answered five of your questions. Now you owe me answers,” Xiao Zi said coldly.

“And if I refuse?” She narrowed her eyes.

“Then I’ll show you exactly how I killed the Unblemished One.”

To be honest, after she’d been stripped of her powers, Si Liren’s consciousness had been plunged into darkness—she remembered nothing. But now, finding herself here, with both Wang Hui and another strange being nearby, she’d managed to deduce a few things.

Her most immediate sensation, however, was her utter weakness.

But her divinity remained intact, and for now, her life was preserved, so she supposed she owed this vengeful spirit her survival.

With that, she smiled. “At first, I thought Wang Hui was also a chosen spokesperson. But it seems you’ve been attached to him all along. I’m curious—what is it you wish to ask me?”