Chapter Forty-Four: Battle

“Help, Painted Skin, that woman is trying to kill me! Brother Painted Skin, stop pretending you’re dead—inside my world, you can’t die!” The cross-eyed man screamed as he dashed into his sports car, commanding his black-suited men to block Lingmei.

“Useless fool, always causing more trouble than you solve. Now the act is over!” The Painted Skin on the ground melded together once more, transforming into that green-skinned monster.

“You all go ahead and fight. I’ll just watch! When you’re done, I’ll leave!” Flapping his wings, Painted Skin rose into the sky, calling out to Lingmei.

“Show off all you want, let’s see you act so high when you’re that far up!”

Xiaomei teleported, stepping among the clouds, unleashing a barrage of attacks at Painted Skin’s position like a bomber.

“Don’t go too far! Don’t think you’re so powerful—I'm just avoiding angering that great lord!” Painted Skin folded his wings, blocking all of Xiaomei’s assaults. He shook off the frozen debris stuck to his wings, soared even higher, and lounged atop the clouds as if to nap.

“Xiaomei, don’t bother with him. Let’s take them down one at a time,” Wu Ming sent a message to her.

“Alright!” Xiaomei nodded and joined the others in launching an assault on the horde of black-suited men.

Though Cross-Eyes’ bodyguards appeared formidable in number and build, their prowess only stood out among ordinary people. Against this group of cultivators, they were like mere shrimp. Even Wu Ming could take them down with a single punch or kick, two at a time. They were weak, but their sheer numbers made up for it—a never-ending stream, like monsters spawning in a game.

“How can we go on? We can’t stand up to a pure numbers game like this! It’s just like farming monsters in a game—even if we can win, after a while, we’ll wear out, and we have no health or mana potions to recover. What are we supposed to do?” Wu Min was already panting with exhaustion.

“Ahahaha! In this world, I am the king! Surrender to me now!” Cross-Eyes had climbed atop the car, cackling with insanity.

“Do you realize? That fickle woman’s already been dealt with by me. And her lover—you killed him just now!”

“And you probably don’t know this—the widow’s husband, I killed him too. Right by the big river. Pathetic, he knelt at my feet, begging for his life, sobbing and sniveling until my shoes were soaked, swearing he’d never do it again. And I, just like this—grabbed his hair and slashed down hard. Then I dumped his body in the river and took his head home to freeze in my fridge.”

Cross-Eyes’ eyes were bloodshot as he reenacted the grisly scene atop the car, demonstrating with exaggerated gestures for all to see.

“That day, it was pouring rain, thunder roaring—perfect for my work. That night, I hid in the corner and watched that wretch open the fridge. The despair and terror on her face when she saw the severed head—absolute ecstasy! She screamed, called me a monster, begged for mercy! Tell me, do you think I’d spare her?”

Cross-Eyes’ eyes bulged as he shrieked with excitement, releasing all the darkness and resentment within him.

Everyone stood stunned, mouths agape, unable to fathom that a seemingly ordinary man in the real world could be so deranged.

“I beheaded her as an offering to my master, then made it look like she’d run off with someone else! The satisfaction and exhilaration I felt—anyone who betrays me deserves death! Hahaha!”

“Is this really happiness for you?” Lingmei broke through the black-clad encirclement and stepped forward to ask him. “Isn’t your heart empty now?”

“Empty? Ridiculous! Why would I, lord of this world, feel empty? My master gave me this world—here, I can have anything I want. Whatever I desire is mine! I am the god of this world!”

With a wave of his hand, gold covered the ground and a dragon throne rose up. Cross-Eyes lounged upon it, beckoning into the air. Instantly, a bevy of stunning beauties appeared, flocking around him—some massaging his shoulders, others pouring wine.

Wu Ming’s eyes widened at the sight, every man’s secret dream come to life. Even Director Wu Ming couldn’t help but turn red-eyed and drool.

“But it’s all fake. Those women are nothing but soulless puppets, empty shells you control yourself. It’s no different from playing with yourself. All it brings is endless loneliness and an eternal emptiness in your heart.”

Lingmei seemed to be speaking to Cross-Eyes, and also to herself.

“Hahaha, but I am happy! I’m not lonely or empty—I am the ruler here, the king! The world obeys my will!”

Suddenly, a giant monster formed of earth and stone erupted from the ground, reaching for Lingmei.

“Die, you wretched woman!” Cross-Eyes’ gaze was murderous.

The giant’s massive fist howled as it crashed toward Lingmei. She didn’t dodge, but punched straight up to meet it.

A thunderous boom resounded, followed by the clatter of shattered stone. The earthen giant’s fist, colliding with Lingmei’s, cracked open, dirt and rocks raining down.

Ignoring her bleeding fist, Lingmei leapt onto the giant’s head and sighed, “I know—you and I are the same, both pitiful souls. Let it end here. Let go. In truth, you’re only tormenting yourself.”

“Heh, how laughable—the great lord of a world, reduced to a pitiful soul. And what does that make you, about to be slaughtered by me?” Black energy coiled ever thicker around Cross-Eyes.

“Do you think you’re still yourself?”

With a roar, Cross-Eyes began to transform. All the black-suited men vanished instantly, dissolving into streams of black mist that swirled above his head, then poured into him.

“Haha, not bad. You all have done me a great favor. At last, this fellow has let go completely. Quickly, let the darkness take you! The seed of darkness is nearly formed.” Painted Skin descended from the clouds to stand before Lingmei, as though to stop her and the others from intervening in Cross-Eyes’ transformation.

“No, we must stop him! The seed of darkness is the corrupted offspring of the legendary World Tree. If a complete seed is planted, it will grow into a Dark Jianmu. I don't know what the consequences will be, but nothing good will come of it!” Lingmei cried anxiously.

“Out of my way!” Lingmei launched her signature flying split kick at Painted Skin, clearly intent on sending her flying once again.

“You really think you can kick me away?” Painted Skin caught Lingmei’s right leg with one hand and flung her aside with a flick.

“Now! Hurry!” Xiaomei instantly activated her spatial teleportation, and Wu Ming vanished in a blink.

“Damn!” Painted Skin cursed under his breath, spinning around to give chase.