Chapter 9: Xuangang's Choice

Well, Xuangang, let us begin our final battle of settlement. I have waited for this day for a very long time, and I believe you have been too, haven't you? Even the Power of Xuangang itself had never expected that things would eventually lead to such an outcome. In truth, throughout all these years, he had always held deep trust in this difficult adversary. Yet, from what precise moment had that trust ceased to exist? Such a thing was unknown even to him!

It seems you are quite confident in your own strength now. Since that is the case, I truly wish to see what kind of remarkable abilities you possess in the end. However, no matter what happens now, you must never forget that whatever you have achieved today is entirely thanks to me. Without me, what sort of pathetic state would you be in right now? Even I truly do not know!

Spare me the empty words. From the very moment of my birth, you should have known that an outcome like this was bound to happen eventually. This is something that nothing can ever change!

The manifestation of the Power of Xuangang was becoming clearer by the moment. As it turned out, this formidable opponent had indeed prepared for this battle for a very long time. This is my true form, and for so many years, you are also the very first person to truly witness this power. This is your greatest honor. I know that all these years, you have always hoped that I would call you master, but as you surely must know, that is an absolute impossibility!

Hahaha, perhaps I used to think that way in the past. But now, I believe that such a thing is truly entirely unnecessary. After all, over these years, you have cultivated a rather impressive level of martial prowess yourself. So, what exactly are we still waiting for now? Since you possess such fierce and formidable might, you should release all of your power right this instant. For you, this ought to be your very last chance. If you fail to grasp this opportunity firmly now, then in the future, even if you wish to defeat me, it will be an absolute impossibility!

Stop right there! As long as I am here today, the two of you are strictly forbidden from acting presumptuously. If you don't believe me, come and try! Your opponent right now is none other than me!

Li Moqing was still attempting to unleash her most formidable strength. Yes, the more critical the moment, the less she could afford to give up. If she gave up now, she would truly be left with nothing at all. Not to mention, this battle was hers to fight in the first place. Letting someone else fight in her stead—what kind of capability could that possibly be considered?

Li Moqing, what is this? Can you still fight at this moment? In truth, your current condition is identical to that of your man. Zhuang Yunzhen currently lacks any spare energy to assist you. Therefore, the only person you can truly rely on is yourself. Yet, look at you now—what have you been reduced to? If you persist in fighting any longer, you will genuinely lose your life. Honestly, do you truly have the heart to let yourself come to such an end?

You have achieved your current level of cultivation with the utmost difficulty. Why on earth are you so unwilling to cherish everything you have? If you would only learn to cherish these things now, then naturally, all of these troubles would cease to exist!

Even if I only have half a life left, if I truly wish to deal with you right now, it is still a very easy task. What? Could it be that you are afraid now? Xuangang, wasn't you being rather formidable just a moment ago? If you ask me, someone like you ought to be entirely incapable of feeling fear. This man before me has triumphed over countless powerful enemies in the past—all of these things are known to me!

Indeed, since you are already aware of all these matters, you should also know that no matter what you attempt to do now, you are no match for me. So, what is the purpose of all this struggling on your part? In truth, it only serves to exhaust your own martial energy, and for such things, I have no need whatsoever!

In truth, everything I am doing right now is entirely for your sake. You are currently suffering from extremely severe internal injuries. What? Could it be that you truly have no desire to prove yourself?

Prove myself? Over all these years, have I not done enough to prove myself? Yet, what of it? In the end, what have I actually gained? As you all well know, I have gained nothing at all. I have long since grown weary of such matters. I wished to protect everyone, but throughout all these years, I have truly accomplished nothing!

I feel that I am nothing more than a thoroughly failed person. Can you truly understand these feelings? No, no one can truly understand me. In truth, you all merely wish to make a spectacle of me; I am well aware of these things. Therefore, even when I disliked cultivation, I continued to strive relentlessly!

Today, my martial prowess has become truly peerless and formidable, and I am finally capable of protecting everyone. The boundless joy in my heart at this very moment is naturally something none of you people could ever comprehend. Very well, you all may think that I have lost all fighting spirit, but is that really the truth? Today, I shall prove unceasingly that even unto the very last moment of my life, I will absolutely never give up the fight!

Hmph, what you are saying sounds magnificent indeed. Unfortunately, are you truly capable of carrying it out? You must know it yourself—you no longer have much martial energy left. If you continue to fight like this, you will genuinely die. Your man is already on the verge of collapse at this moment; shouldn't you go to assist him instead? Do you truly not wish to see him one last time?

Li Moqing truly possessed no spare energy left at this moment. If she continued to fight, she would undoubtedly perish. Yet, this woman also had her own stubborn persistence. She knew that the more critical the situation, the less she could afford to rush. No, even if I were to die for the sake of my clan, it would still be my own choice, having nothing whatsoever to do with the likes of you. On the contrary, you keep harping on about these matters—what of it? If I refuse to fight right now, what exactly will you do?

Enough, I am well aware of what kind of people you are. However, do you really think that mere words will make me give up? As long as I have a single breath left, none of you are permitted to act with impunity. If you don't believe me, just try!

Pfft!

At that very moment, Li Moqing spat out a massive mouthful of fresh blood. It seemed that uttering those words had consumed the very last shred of her martial energy. Her consciousness was gradually fading away. Damn it, was she truly only capable of reaching this point? It was truly filled with unwillingness! Yet, aside from this, she genuinely had no idea what else she could do!

Hahaha, excellent! It seems you have a very clear understanding of your own condition. Then you must also realize that at this juncture, no one in the world can help you. Now, go ahead and die for me! For a young girl like you to perish under this final technique of mine shall be your ultimate glory!

In the sky above, a massive black vortex had unexpectedly appeared. Surrounding this vortex were terrifying streaks of purple lightning. What was the reason for this? Why could this man still wield such terrifying strength? An immensely gigantic iron fist shadow enveloped everyone on the ground; such overwhelming pressure naturally instilled a deep sense of terror in the hearts of all!

Faced with such ferocious power, there was nothing anyone could do. What? Within the hearts of you people right now, is there truly not even a shred of fear? Do you truly still wish to fight? Very well, since that is the case, I shall grant your wish right now. I would like to see what kind of miserable state you will all be reduced to in the end!

The incomparable pressure instantly turned the surrounding terrain into rubble. Damn it, why did things have to turn out like this in the end? Very well, since matters have reached this point, there is nothing left to say. Is it truly impossible for me to win this battle? No! Such a notion was something she had never once believed!

What? Even at this juncture, do you still believe you can win? Yet, in the face of such overwhelming power, a young girl like you no longer has any strength left to spare. A battle of this sort was entirely unfair to you from the very beginning. Why must you persist in this manner? You were never meant to be reduced to this state!

I merely wish to force you to concede defeat. What? Could it be that you are completely helpless when it comes to this? Unexpectedly, amidst the intervening moments, Li Moqing appeared exceptionally calm, as though she were quite willing to accept such an outcome for herself!

It seems I am truly only capable of reaching this point. Elder brother, I am truly sorry. I originally wished to make myself far more formidable, but looking at it now, I seem to have truly failed. I suppose that if you could see me now, you certainly wouldn't blame me, would you? It appears that no matter how many years pass, I am still ultimately unable to become a true powerhouse. This must surely be my greatest regret throughout all these years. However, I naturally harbor resentment toward no one; these matters have nothing to do with you either!

Swish!

At that very moment, a fiercely powerful stream of dazzling light directly shattered the overwhelmingly tyrannical black fist shadow. A solitary figure slowly materialized before Li Moqing. This person was not Zhuang Yunzhen—her older brother did not possess such formidable strength. This individual was clad in white garments with his face veiled, and the instant he appeared, the surrounding ground completely shattered and collapsed into dust!

Since this battle is proving to be so amusing, it is only natural that I should make an appearance, isn't it? If I were not here, wouldn't this fight become terribly dull? It appears that all of you have forgotten about me. Very well, that is precisely what hurts me the most. How long has it actually been? Yet all of you have already cast me out of your memories! I find this young girl quite pleasing to the eye, and today, I am taking her with me. If any of you have an objection, feel free to come find me. As I said, while I am here today, I will never permit anyone to harm her. I know that the abilities of you people are exceptionally formidable, but do you truly have a clear understanding of the extent of my strength? Of course, if any of you have a death wish, you are naturally welcome to approach me. In any case, it has been a very long time since I last struck a blow; now, I shall let all of you witness just how terrifying I can be!

Who on earth are you, Honorable Sir? To dare meddle in our affairs at a time like this—do you truly have a death wish? If that is indeed the case, then I am more than happy to assist you. Right now, I will let you know firsthand what kind of miserable fate awaits those who dare to offend me!

Hahaha, Xuangang, anyone in this world might be qualified to utter such words, save for you alone. Back in the day, you were nothing more than trash in my presence. What? Do you truly believe your strength has become extraordinary now? Have you genuinely forgotten who I am? Very well, it seems you have indeed forgotten. Many years ago, you once suffered from a severe poison—who was it that helped you detoxify back then? I imagine you shouldn't have forgotten even that, should you?

You are Bai Zhanxing? How is this even possible? A man like you should have perished many years ago! Why on earth are you still among the living? I refuse to believe it, because you were the very person I struck down with my own hands back then! Didn't I destroy every single one of your meridians with my own strikes? Otherwise, how could I have so smoothly absorbed all of your martial energy?

Yet, here you are, standing right before me in perfect condition. Do you know something? Such a reality is utterly unacceptable to me! Looking at it now, I was nothing more than an utter fool in your presence, and everything I did beforehand appears to have been entirely in vain. However, so be it! Since you have chosen to appear now, you must realize that your era has long since passed. Your emergence at this time is by no means the wisest choice for you!

Perhaps so. However, you should also know that whatever I decide to do remains entirely unchanged, no matter how many years pass. We have known each other for so many years; you naturally understand the kind of person I am better than anyone else, don't you?

Indeed, I understand you quite well. Therefore, when you say that you wish to protect Li Moqing, I am not the least bit surprised!

Because you have always been such a person. Yet, after all these years, even though you have reappeared before me in good health, are you truly capable of carrying it out? Back then, I inflicted extremely severe internal injuries upon you—were you truly unaware of such a thing? Or perhaps you genuinely believe you can defeat me?

Just because you managed to shatter that fist shadow a moment ago... what? Has that inflated your confidence in yourself? Very well, since that is the case, I truly ought to inform you of this: from the very second you launched your attack, you fell victim to my poison once again! Although doing so feels somewhat unfair to you, it is nonetheless the indisputable truth!

Truth? What truth? Have I been poisoned?

Bai Zhanxing held supreme confidence in his own power. He believed that given who he was now, such a fate should have been impossible; sustaining an injury through such means was completely out of the question!

Pfft!

Yet, before those words could even fully leave his lips, a violent torrent of fresh blood erupted from his mouth. What on earth was happening? Why had things deteriorated to this extent?

Old fogey, I already told you that you have been poisoned. Yet, it seems you paid my words no heed whatsoever. So be it! At this juncture, do you truly refuse to concede defeat? Isn't this your absolute last chance?

Concede defeat? You are mistaken. At this point, I truly cannot afford to concede defeat. If I were to surrender now, I would truly be left with nothing at all! Li Moqing, you have no need to fear. Since I have declared that I can protect you, I will undoubtedly accomplish it!

After all, many years ago, I once received certain favors from your clan. Throughout all these years, I have constantly sought an opportunity to repay them. Now that such a magnificent opportunity has presented itself, I will naturally not let it slip away. Despite my current condition and the internal injuries plaguing my body, dealing with the man before us is still well within my capability!

Senior, who on earth are you? Why have you chosen to assist me? I do not believe a single word of you have uttered. After all, nobody understands the former state of the Suiyi Pavilion better than I do. Back in the day, the Suiyi Pavilion had countless formidable enemies. Therefore, I believe your true identity is none of those enemies! What? Am I wrong in saying so?

Of course you are wrong! What era are those grievances from? I can tell you right now that I once had certain conflicts with the Suiyi Pavilion, but those disputes were thoroughly resolved many years ago. Therefore, you are the one I must protect—on that point, there is no mistake! Go, leave immediately! Leave the rest to me. Wait for me at the hill ahead; rest assured, I shall return shortly!

Li Moqing truly had no other choices remaining at this moment and could only comply with his words.

Little girl, do you really think you can just walk away? Throughout all these years, not a single person targeted by me has ever managed to escape! If you don't believe it, feel free to try! Bai Zhanxing, you have been reduced to this pathetic state, yet you still refuse to drop your bravado! Ah well, you were always like that; I really should have understood this about you long ago, shouldn't I?

However, you yourself are entirely incapable of stopping me. If you and Li Fuchen were to join forces, perhaps you might actually accomplish such a feat. But right now, you alone lack the necessary qualifications!

Screech!

At that exact instant, a piercingly sharp blade of light directly pierced right through Xuangang's physical body. One must realize that this formidable adversary possessed an astonishingly supreme defensive capability; under no circumstances would he allow himself to sustain even the slightest injury. Why on earth was this happening now? Xuangang turned his head in utter bewilderment, only to see that Li Fuchen—who should have been dead—was standing right before him in peak condition! Damn it, what on earth was going on here?

You must find this quite unexpected, don't you? By all rights, I should have perished long ago. Yet, here I am, still among the living, and what's more, I have severely injured you! Do you know the reason behind this? Never mind, no matter how hard you rack your brains, you'll never figure it out. I'll tell you straight: it's because I was merely feigning death all along! Otherwise, how else could I have successfully deceived you?

The situation right now is quite simple: with Bai Zhanxing and me joining forces, do you honestly believe you can still prevail? However, Bai Zhanxing, your movements were truly far too sluggish. I honestly thought you wouldn't even make it! But even if you hadn't shown up, I would have managed to slay this man all by myself!

Hmph, Fuchen, it hasn't been long since we last met, yet your tongue has certainly grown sharp. If I hadn't come to witness such an entertaining spectacle, I would undoubtedly have been endlessly nagged to death by you later on. That mouth of yours is truly formidable; I suppose I'm quite afraid of you. That is precisely why I resolved that no matter what happened, I would definitely come! You know my temperament well enough—whatever I promise to do, I will always carry it out in the end!

Do the two of you genuinely dare to raise a hand against me? Do you have any idea what kind of catastrophic consequences will follow if you do such a thing? Such an outcome is something neither of you could ever possibly endure! Calm down and think carefully about what your next move should be!

What our next move should be? Well said! In truth, hasn't this entire situation evolved into this state entirely because of you? Damn it, what else can you possibly do at this point? Of course, if you have no fear of death, then come and trade blows with me! Actually, I have long since grown accustomed to such matters!

Spare me the empty rhetoric; the man right now is exceedingly formidable. Well then, do you have any certainty of success?

To be honest, I have no certainty of success whatsoever. However, that doesn't really matter in the slightest! As long as I am willing, none of these problems are truly problems. Once I step in, every single issue can be resolved!

Swish, swish, swish!

Two figures vanished instantly from where they stood. Damn it, what on earth was happening here? Why had things deteriorated to this extent? Was there genuinely no alternative left? Xuangang refused to accept defeat just like this; he was destined to become an unrivaled supreme master! Yet now, such a destiny seemed all but impossible.

Boom!

An overwhelmingly ferocious impact directly shattered the absolute strongest defense of the man known as Xuangang. That's right—all of the martial energy this man had accumulated over a lifetime was instantly pulverized into nothingness!

No! I refuse to believe it! How could such an outcome befall me in the end? Everyone knows the terrifying extent of my martial might! Throughout all these years, I have sacrificed immeasurably to attain such formidable strength. Is this how all that power repays me in the end?

What? Is our power truly so useless? Or perhaps you actually believed your own strength was truly invincible? You severely overestimated yourself! In the eyes of beings like us, a man like you is genuinely of no consequence whatsoever! Yet these are truths you were never capable of understanding in the past, and now, there is even less possibility of you grasping them. Right now, there is only one thing you need to know: today, you are destined to die right here! Throughout all these years, you have committed countless atrocities—did you seriously never once consider that retribution would catch up to you? Of course not; you never imagined that retribution would ever find you, because in your view, everything you did was entirely justified! Hmph, what an utterly laughable notion! In this world, there is no such thing as what is or isn't justified!

Never mind, even if I explained it now, you wouldn't understand. Death is your ultimate destination! Naturally, if you possessed sufficient strength, you could alter all of this. However, you know full well that you no longer possess such an opportunity; for you, that is undoubtedly a matter of some regret!

Xuangang, there is still one path open to you. However, taking this path will prove exceedingly unpleasant for you. If you wish to survive, your only option is to pledge allegiance to the Suiyi Pavilion! You know this better than anyone: you have already been poisoned! Although the poison I administered is nothing particularly extraordinary, throughout all these years, apart from myself, there is not a single soul in this world capable of neutralizing it!

What do you say? You have always excelled at making choices. At present, this particular choice is objectively the absolute best one available to you. I imagine you comprehend this more clearly than anyone else! If you still harbor any lingering doubts or reservations, you are free to voice them to me!

You want me to surrender? No! I have long since grown weary of enduring such humiliation! No matter what occurs, I will never concede defeat! You are right—in the past, I genuinely loved making the optimal choices. Yet, it was precisely because of that tendency that I missed out on many undesirable things. Can anyone possibly imagine how I have survived through all these years? Naturally, I have never cared to speak of these matters, because even if I did, none of you could ever truly comprehend them!

This battle today—I am determined to fight it until the very last moment. It seems this is my final opportunity. Though I know not how each of you views me, isn't this entire ordeal merely another experience for me?

I spent a very long time wandering as an outcast. In truth, throughout all these years, I have continuously searched for a sense of accomplishment. I have accomplished many things over the years, and to be frank, I truly found a sense of achievement in them. Yet, if I had to name the ultimate source of achievement for me, it would undoubtedly be today! I am about to defeat every single one of you; in my eyes, each of you represents a milestone I have long striven to reach. Unfortunately, I was never able to achieve it all these years, which drove me to work ever harder. Now, it appears I am on the verge of completing this endeavor, yet you all intend to destroy it completely! Such an outcome is something I naturally cannot allow!

What an absolute pity! A person of your caliber was never meant to meet such an end; you should have deserved a far better conclusion. Unfortunately, you chose to pay no heed to a single word of my advice. Very well, since matters have reached this point, there is truly nothing left to say. You have already been poisoned!

Although you are well aware that the Power of Xuangang is extraordinarily formidable, after countless years of cultivation, I have finally come to realize that while this power is immensely powerful, it simultaneously imposes a severe restriction upon its practitioner! Throughout one's entire lifetime, the Power of Xuangang can be invoked no more than nine times. Exceeding that limit inevitably triggers catastrophic consequences!

Consequences that you are entirely incapable of enduring. What? Do you truly believe that what I am saying is a falsehood? No, deep down, you know full well that every word I speak is the absolute truth—you simply refuse to accept it! Just how formidable is my current strength?

Xuangang, it is truly lamentable, you know? In truth, all of this martial energy was meticulously prepared specifically for you. It's a pity that a man of your stature is ultimately unable to bear such a burden—truly regrettable indeed!

Regrettable? No, no! On the contrary, I view it quite differently now. An experience of this nature is exceedingly rare for me. Actually, I am well aware that I possess immense potential; unfortunately, throughout all these years, virtually no one has ever been capable of unlocking that potential for me. That has naturally been a source of great frustration, as I always believed my strength should have far surpassed this level. Regrettably, my cultivation failed to make the slightest progress all these years. If you were in my shoes, would you truly understand what I mean?

Never mind, a man like you no longer possesses the qualifications to cross swords with me. If I were to waste any more time upon you, the heavens themselves would not forgive me! Do as you please from here on out; in any case, you need only remember one thing: when this battle concludes, you will be nothing more than a defeated loser. That alone is sufficient!

No! I refuse to accept defeat! The countless grueling battles I have traversed throughout the years are something a man like you could never possibly comprehend! I know that every single one of you wishes for my death. Yet, the more critical the situation becomes, the less I can afford to concede defeat! Who else among you remains? No matter who steps forward, the ultimate outcome will remain identical: I will ensure every last one of you dies here!

Unfortunately, no matter how fiercely the man shrieked, the final outcome would not undergo the slightest alteration. Yes, this man had truly suffered defeat! Even if he refused to acknowledge it, that undeniable reality remained immutable!

And right at that moment, the entire lifetime of martial cultivation this man had amassed dissolved into thin air. No! I refuse to let such a thing happen! Why has it all culminated in this? My aspiration has always been simple—I merely wished to become a true powerhouse! Is even such an insignificant wish beyond my reach?

If even a wish as modest as this cannot be fulfilled, what on earth is the meaning of all my decades of cultivation? What meaning is there in anything I have done?

Halt this instant, you wretched creatures! Have you all forgotten? You only attained your formidable strength because of me! Without me, how could any of you have ever reached this day? Yet, look at you—merely upon catching a glimpse of the primordial source of power, you become overwhelmingly ecstatic!

My power belongs to me, and to me alone! That is a truth that will never change! Why are you all so unwilling to believe it? Is there truly no one left who can compel me to unleash my true, unfettered strength?

Xuangang, the truth is that we were merely scouts planted by the Power of Xuangang to keep watch over you. For all these years, we monitored you through a pure form of energy. You indeed attained terrifying strength over the course of these years, but you also strayed onto a path of no return. Honestly, I knew from the very beginning that once a man like you acquired immense power, you would inevitably become unbearably arrogant!

However, what I never anticipated was that you would degenerate into this pathetic state. You constantly claimed that you single-handedly created the Power of Xuangang, yet you never applied that power toward righteous ends. Had you utilized it righteously, the final outcome would never have been what it is today!

No! I have made no errors! Everyone else is wrong, but I am infallible! None of you can possibly understand me. What is the point of speaking of this now? Until the very last moment of this battle, I will never admit defeat! Do you truly grasp that?

I am left with only this fraction of power. If I lose this as well, do you know what will become of me? Very well, I shall tell you: the moment I lose all my strength, I am destined to die—just like this!

You appear utterly desolate. Very well, since matters stand thus, would you be willing to begin your cultivation anew? To be frank, seeing you reduced to this state fills our hearts with a sense of sorrow. Since an opportunity for a fresh choice has been presented to you, you must make that choice wisely!

What did you say? Even at this juncture, are you still willing to grant me a choice? Yet, is such a thing genuinely possible? Didn't you state earlier that I have committed countless wrongdoings, and that someone like me possesses no qualifications to make a choice?

Xuangang felt a lingering sense of astonishment at this turn of events. Yes, the man had already been reduced to a complete cripple. In his wildest dreams, he had never imagined that he would ultimately be abandoned by the very martial arts he had painstakingly cultivated. Perhaps every divine martial art in existence possessed a will of its own—he had simply remained oblivious to it all these years. Well then, now that he knew the truth, could it truly change everything?

Indeed, you have indeed committed many wrongdoings in the past. But what of it? Every human being makes mistakes. Since you now harbor a genuine desire to change, it is not too late to turn back. However, it requires you to cast aside everything you currently possess. I know that is grossly unfair to you.

No, no, no! I do not view it that way at all! Since I am given the chance to cultivate anew, it signifies that I will undoubtedly rise to become a powerhouse once more in the future! Do you know how crucial that is to me? As for everything I currently possess, I ceased caring about it long ago!

I have always yearned to witness all the diverse manifestations of power in this world. Yet, throughout all these years, I perhaps strayed down many misguided paths and missed countless things. At times, I truly had no idea how to proceed. But now, I understand—every single effort I made was ultimately leading toward this very day!

It seems I first had to learn to acknowledge my own failures before I could truly grow stronger. Unfortunately, even though these principles are the simplest imaginable, I remained blind to them for so long. To be frank, there were times when I genuinely doubted whether I possessed any brains at all!

How could you lack brains? In this world, you are undoubtedly among the most brilliant of minds. Very well, since you have made your decision, let us depart. From this very second onward, the Four Great Sects of the martial world have nothing more to do with you! Perhaps your future will be fraught with endless hunting and assassinations—you must prepare yourself mentally for all of that!

Hmph, since I have already made my choice, I naturally have nothing to fear. Those people from the Four Great Sects have always looked down upon me. If I truly grow even more formidable, they will merely fear me all the more and hunt me down with greater intensity. Hmph, perhaps they truly intend to do so, but do they actually possess the courage?

Very well, since you possess such audacity, your future cultivation will undoubtedly lead you to even greater heights. I have absolute faith in that, for when it comes to the path of martial arts, you have never once allowed yourself to fall short of expectations.