I'm Already the Richest Man, Why Did My System Just Arrive?

Chapter 329: Chapter 191: All for Nothing

Projection!

Unbreakable!

Zheng Shan!

Ever since he had once again glimpsed the Painter’s Path and truly comprehended a Miracle Technique of his own, Zheng Xiu had always held back. He had been secretive, using his power sparingly, unwilling to cause a Severe Hemorrhage.

At the martial arts tournament in Hidden Sword Manor, when Zheng Xiu faced the Iron Maiden, he used an ingenious method. Supplemented by rhetoric, he implanted the Concept of a ”prison” in the minds of the spectating Martial Heroes.

A circle, a prison!

But now, the chance to become a normal person again was within reach. As long as he entered Nie Gong’s Treasure Vault, he could leave the Cannibal Painting. Zheng Xiu no longer had any reason to hide his true strength or conserve his blood.

A single Severe Hemorrhage to draw a prison cell so recognizable it required no verbal suggestion—this was the true form of Zheng Xiu’s Drawing Prison.

—The Bird Cage!

”What sort of Demon Technique is this!”

The Divine Martial Soldiers at the edge of the ”Bird Cage” were horrified, their faces pale beneath their Armor. They were merely ordinary people with a mundane worldview; how could they have ever witnessed such a scene? They immediately began shouting ”Demon Technique!” and ”Evil Technique!”

They knew this was bad. After a moment’s hesitation, a dozen or so of the more quick-witted Divine Martial Soldiers swung their long sabers, slashing at the cage.

They were trying to break out.

”It’s no use.”

Zheng Xiu noticed the commotion from the Divine Martial Soldiers at the edge of the Bird Cage. He smiled faintly, completely unconcerned.

As expected.

The sharp glint of sabers slashed at the blood-red bands of light, but the force of the blows vanished instantly, like a clay ox sinking into the sea. The bands of light grew soft and sticky, like monstrous tentacles. After nullifying the force of the Sword Techniques, they ensnared the soldiers’ sabers. No matter how hard the soldiers struggled, they couldn’t pull their weapons free from the Bird Cage’s blood-red bands.

This ”Bird Cage” technique was something Zheng Xiu had created himself. He had come up with it while being pursued by Ye Weiyang, inspired by a kind Kui Lang and integrating what he learned from the Painter’s Path.

Xie Yunliu and Fan Yao were both born in this era. Even if their daily behavior far exceeded that of ordinary people, it could, at a stretch, be explained away as ”superior Martial Arts.”

But the ”Bird Cage” Zheng Xiu had created with a wave of his Luohe Brush, and the phenomenon it caused, was far beyond the pale. It could not be explained by common sense.

”Kill him!”

”Kill that monster!”

The soldiers who tried to destroy the ”Bird Cage” were instantly disarmed. A few moments later, someone in the Military Array waved a flag, and all eyes turned toward the instigator of this whole affair.

The Divine Martial Army soldiers advanced with synchronized steps. They were now treating Zheng Xiu as an entire army, arranging themselves into formation and charging forward with a thunderous roar.

Zheng Xiu laughed loudly as he quickly retreated.

The torrent from Nie Gong’s Treasure Vault had slowed, but the water in the riverbed was already waist-deep. The current buffeted the soldiers in their heavy Armor, slowing their steps.

Zheng Xiu easily kited the Divine Martial Army soldiers. Not far off, Xie Yunliu had seemingly lost his mind, roaring as he charged Fan Yao with his bare fists.

’Enemies meeting face-to-face?’

Zheng Xiu’s gaze sharpened at the sight.

No.

It wasn’t that simple.

Fan Yao was famous as the Director of the Secret Factory. Xie Yunliu only knew of him as a powerful hound of the Court, but he had never seen the man in person and had no idea that Fan Yao was his spitting image.

The two had never crossed paths, so there was no question of hatred between them.

And yet, from the way Xie Yunliu’s eyes were nearly splitting from their sockets, his teeth grinding, his face a demonic mask of madness—it was clear he saw Fan Yao as a mortal enemy.

After a moment, it dawned on Zheng Xiu. ’Although the Monk hasn’t recovered his memories, he instinctively senses a threat. If Xie Yunliu is really just a secondary personality and Fan Yao is the primary one, then to Fan Yao, Xie Yunliu is essentially a Heart Demon.’

’Fan Yao would kill Xie Yunliu By Any Means Necessary. Once Xie Yunliu is killed by him, it would be the equivalent of ”slaying the Heart Demon.” Fan Yao would regain the upper hand, and after leaving the Cannibal Painting, he will become the dominant personality once more!’

Like a bull in heat, Xie Yunliu charged and was already upon Fan Yao.

Fan Yao’s expression was frosty as he thrust a palm toward Xie Yunliu’s face.

But Xie Yunliu just grinned. Facing Fan Yao’s seemingly unremarkable palm strike, he didn’t dodge or evade. Instead, he lowered his head and rammed his bald scalp right into it.

Fan Yao’s palm connected with Xie Yunliu’s head for just an instant before pulling away, leaving behind a blackish-purple Palm Seal.

Xie Yunliu’s momentum didn’t slow. After taking the palm strike head-on, black blood began to ooze from his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, making his grin look even more ghastly. He sneered, and taking advantage of the opening as Fan Yao recoiled from the strike, he formed his hands into claws and lunged, clamping down on Fan Yao’s neck.

Fan Yao’s expression flickered. ”A mere Heart Demon dares to be so insolent!” he chided sharply.

Even as he spoke, though pinned, Fan Yao calmly drove a knee into Xie Yunliu’s solar plexus.

THUD!

”Screw your Heart Demon!”

The force of the knee strike caved in Xie Yunliu’s chest with the sound of breaking bones. He spat out a mouthful of blood, cursing through clenched teeth as he did, and then lunged to bite Fan Yao on the neck.

This was clearly a kamikaze attack. Fan Yao twisted his neck aside, and Xie Yunliu’s teeth sank into his exposed collarbone.

Xie Yunliu had a powerful Physique. As the two of them grappled, they stumbled into the Divine Martial Army’s formation, knocking soldiers aside and carving a path right through them until they slammed into Zheng Xiu’s ”Bird Cage.”

Zheng Xiu grunted, a sweet taste rising in his throat.

The battle of Wills between a primary and secondary personality, which should have been a profound, mystical event, had devolved into a common street brawl. It seemed like many moves were exchanged, but in reality, the moment Xie Yunliu charged, they had clashed and tumbled away in a single, tangled heap.