Chapter 206 : Defiled Offspring! The Flesh of a Child of an Evil God!
Chapter 206: Defiled Offspring! The Flesh of a Child of an Evil God!
Before Luoshui Main City.
The players gathered together.
“The final battle is finally here!”
“I'm so excited I'm trembling!”
“Hahaha, that's normal! This battle is way too important!”
“After this battle, what else in New Wan City can stop Lord Feather?”
“At that point, every city in the Pure Land region of the entire Wan City map—including New Wan City—will be merged into our territory!”
“They'll all become places where we can freely travel and teleport!”
“My god!”
“This is an unprecedented expansion!”
“We'll have even more places to explore, live in, travel through, and adventure around!”
“Yeah! The territory's population and NPC count will increase by hundreds of thousands in one go! Who knows how much new game content we'll unlock!”
“My great sword is already starving for battle!”
“What are we waiting for? Charge!”
The players were not exactly a disciplined bunch.
The moment they saw the Wan City Army appear, some could no longer hold themselves back and wanted to rush out and fight.
Of course.
Under the restraint of the legion commanders and player leaders, they barely managed to suppress their impulses.
After all, Lord Feather was present and had not yet given the order.
It was best to observe military discipline and avoid damaging their standing with the legions or NPCs.
Zhang Zhongjing could not bear to watch the Wan City Army throw themselves into the flames and attempted to persuade them to surrender.
“Zhang Xiu has maintained his rule through an extremely cruel evil technique, creating Blood Spear Death Soldiers and harming countless loyal people while treating human lives as worthless!”
“Today is the day he suffers heavenly retribution!”
“I ask everyone not to continue helping evil!”
He continued:
“Lord Feather is benevolent and wise, possessing the valor to stand against ten thousand foes. Not only can he protect the people of Wan, he can also allow everyone to live better lives.”
“Why not abandon darkness and embrace the light?”
Zhang Zhongjing's prestige was extremely high.
Even if the soldiers of Wan City had never met him personally, it was impossible for them not to have heard of him.
Seeing such a respected figure standing beside the Star Lord inevitably shook them.
“It's Divine Physician Zhang!”
“He really has joined the Star Lord!”
“...”
The Wan City soldiers looked at each other.
Han Ji, Deng Zhi, and the other leaders wore solemn expressions.
Regarding Zhang Xiu's Blood Spear Death Soldiers—
They all knew some of the truth.
These Death Soldiers had only appeared in New Wan City within the last thirty years.
Initially their numbers were very small.
Later they gradually increased and eventually formed the Blood Spear Battalion.
The Death Soldiers possessed no independent thoughts.
They were absolutely loyal to the City Lord.
Each Blood Spear Death Soldier only lived five to ten years on average.
The major families and factions had long suspected these soldiers were created through evil methods.
However.
With Dian Wei's Abyssal forces threatening them from outside, the Blood Spear Battalion had greatly reduced pressure on New Wan City.
Even knowing something was wrong—
No one dared investigate too deeply.
One of the reasons Zhang Zhongjing left New Wan City was because he had discovered the Blood Spear Death Soldiers' secret and refused to become an accomplice.
At this moment, Zhou Cang shouted:
“Everything you have done leads only to death!”
“If you surrender your weapons now, you may still have a chance to survive!”
“This is your final opportunity!”
“Surrender or perish—the choice is yours!”
“Deceptive nonsense!”
Zhang Xiu addressed the soldiers around him.
“The Stars are not natives of this world. As the saying goes, those not of our race surely harbor different intentions!”
“Even if they look identical to us, they cannot be trusted!”
“Rather than place our fate in the hands of others, it is better to control it ourselves!”
“I only want the Heart of the Stars!”
“After this battle, I will take none of the other spoils, cities, or lands. Everything will be shared among you!”
“Even the secret method used to cultivate Blood Spear Death Soldiers can be shared with everyone!”
Han Ji, Deng Zhi, and the others were immediately tempted.
Most of this army consisted of Zhang Xiu's trusted followers.
The major families were deeply tied to his interests.
Although the Scourge Army's immortality was troublesome—
A few words alone were never going to convince them to surrender.
Hang Yu shook his head.
“So be it.”
He originally had not wanted to kill too many people.
On one hand—
Every person was a valuable resource to a Lord.
On the other—
Although this army was not large, every soldier was an elite of Wan City.
Killing them all would be wasteful.
Native drop rates were low as well.
But from another perspective—
Wan City had developed for a hundred years along the Abyss timeline.
Though it only possessed seven cities, its population numbered in the hundreds of thousands.
It had effectively become a closed kingdom.
The web of factions, interests, and political relationships was deeply intertwined.
Without cleaning things up—
Managing it would become troublesome.
This battle was actually a perfect opportunity to reshuffle the board.
Aside from Zhang Xiu—
Most major military commanders were present.
The Han Family, Deng Family, and numerous other influential clans had also become involved.
Through a single battle—
Hang Yu could remove over half the power structure within Wan City.
That would make integrating the territory much easier afterward.
As for losing talented individuals?
It didn't matter.
In truth—
There were only three truly significant talents in all of New Wan City.
Jia Xu.
Zhang Xiu.
Wen Pin.
Subduing Zhang Xiu was unrealistic.
Obtaining Jia Xu and Wen Pin would be sufficient.
As for the others—
At most they possessed good talent and combat ability.
And as long as there was enough Essence—
Hang Yu never lacked capable fighters.
“You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!”
“Since you insist on dying, then I'll grant your wish!”
Zhou Cang had already reached the limits of his patience.
He immediately drew his black-gold saber and leaped directly down from the city wall.
The Eight Azure Dragon Guards followed close behind.
Zhang San, Li Si, and the others had all maxed out their skills.
Every one of them wore top-tier Tier-3 green-quality equipment.
As a result—
Each possessed the combat power of a Level 25 Commander.
The remaining Azure Dragon Guards stayed atop the arrow towers.
Powerful arrows rained into the Wan City Army.
Every Azure Dragon Guard possessed exceptional equipment, skills, and attributes.
They were further strengthened by Zhou Cang's Tenacity Aura and Loyal Courage Aura.
In addition—
The Tier-2 Arrow Towers provided extra enhancement.
Wherever their arrows struck—
Wan City's infantry and cavalry fell one after another.
Zhang Xiu raised his spear and led his army in a charge toward Luoshui City.
The first force standing in his way was naturally the player-made Scourge Army.
When they saw Zhang Xiu rushing toward them—
Every player felt their blood boiling with excitement.
“So it's finally starting?”
“As long as the Scourge Army stands here—”
“You're not entering the city!”
“For the Lord!”
“For the Territory!”
“Kill that old dog Zhang Xiu first!”
“...”
The Scourge Army launched attacks at Zhang Xiu, who was charging at the front.
Arrows.
Spells.
Everything screamed toward him.
“Hundred Birds Emerge from the Forest!”
Zhang Xiu's spear erupted with over a hundred razor-sharp spear lights.
Far denser and more deadly than Zhang Hong's.
The spear lights shattered every incoming arrow and spell in midair.
A powerful spear intent swept across the battlefield.
Even the players were affected.
“Hundred Birds Pounce on Prey!”
Like a phantom—
Zhang Xiu burst directly into the player formation.
Moving at unbelievable speed—
He instantly killed Black-Eyed Rui Ge before the latter could activate Swift Shadow Instant Strike.
Then he killed Lone Boat, who had flashed behind him using stealth assassination techniques.
What a fast spear!
What terrifying speed!
In a single instant—
He saw through the Scourge Army's two strongest Rangers and killed them both.
The players were not intimidated.
They immediately swarmed him.
“Hundred Birds Dance!”
Zhang Xiu suddenly split into more than a dozen afterimages.
Each appeared in a different location simultaneously.
Each launched spear lights.
Niu Shisan, Second Nie Caichen, Fried Sauce Noodles, Dawn Knight, and numerous elite players were killed on the spot.
The Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Spear wielded by Zhang Xiu was extraordinarily elegant and unpredictable.
The players were utterly helpless against it.
His strength was probably on the same level as Cao Ang from Old Wan City.
Although the players had improved significantly recently—
Defeating an opponent of this caliber would still require a heavy price.
After killing over a dozen elite Scourge Army players—
Zhang Xiu did not continue fighting the front-line Rangers and Warriors.
Instead—
He tore open a path and headed directly for the Monks and Warlocks in the rear.
Midnight Pig Slayer immediately transformed using Dragon Lizard Transformation to block him.
The result?
He was stabbed seven times in a single exchange.
Instant kill.
Zhang Xiu continued advancing using his elegant and unpredictable Hundred Birds movement technique.
He was just about to slaughter the Scourge Army's Warlocks and Monks—
Reducing resistance against his own forces—
When a thunderous roar descended from above.
A powerful aura descended upon him.
“Villain! Stop your rampage!”
A blazing black-gold battle blade came crashing down.
Feeling immense pressure—
Zhang Xiu had no choice but to respond.
Clang!
The massive blade collided with the spear.
A terrifying shockwave erupted outward.
Several nearby players were blown off their feet.
Zhang Xiu's feet sank into the ground from the force.
“You are Zhou Cang?”
“Since you recognize your grandpa, why aren't you kneeling and waiting for death?”
Zhou Cang had already reached Level 25.
His equipment and skills had improved considerably over the past few days.
He was far stronger than when he fought Wen Pin.
The next moment—
The two immediately engaged in battle.
Other players attempted to assist.
Yet Zhang San blocked them.
Azure Dragon Guard Zhang San said:
“You deal with the others.”
“We'll handle this guy.”
“Fair enough!”
“Third Brother, Fourth Brother, be careful!”
“This guy isn't simple!”
“...”
Hang Yu continued watching.
At present—
Zhou Cang was slightly weaker than Zhang Xiu.
If he fought alone—
He certainly would not win.
However—
Zhou Cang had the Eight Azure Dragon Guards beside him.
Enhanced by Fate Skills and Lord's Aura—
Each possessed at least the strength of a second-rate Commander.
None of them were weaker than someone like Cao Anmin.
With such a lineup—
They had more than enough strength.
Zhang Zhongjing also acted.
He condensed two medicinal techniques.
【You have been affected by "Myriad Qi Origin Returning Pill Art." Health +100 per second, Mana +50 per second!】
【You have been affected by "Divine Strength Enhancement Pill Art." Maximum Health +200, Maximum Mana +200, Strength +40, Agility +40, Spirit +40, Will +40!】
The Scourge Army entered full combat status.
With Divine Physician Zhang's healing and buffs—
Their combat power reached its absolute peak.
Most importantly—
This battle was taking place right outside their front door.
Even when Black-Eyed Rui Ge, Lone Boat, and other players died—
They returned to battle within two minutes.
If the Wan City Army could not utterly crush the Scourge Army—
They would be forced into an endless war of attrition.
And with the Azure Dragon Guards suppressing them—
The Wan City Army had no chance of gaining any advantage.
At this point—
How could they possibly lose?
The players' morale only grew stronger.
【Player "Nuclear Hotpot" has died. Abyssal Essence +6,400...】
【Player "Autumn Fairy Tale" has died. Abyssal Essence +2,000...】
【Player "Ice Xue'er" has died. Abyssal Essence +1,600...】
【Player "Morning Bell Dawn" has died. Abyssal Essence +2,000...】
【...】
Hang Yu still had no intention of acting personally.
On one hand—
He was waiting for Zhang Xiu to reveal his trump card.
On the other—
The territory was suffering no real losses.
He might as well allow the players to earn more merit.
Kill more enemies.
Or die a few more times.
“Enemy soldiers keep reviving!”
“Damn them!”
“Does their resurrection really have no cost?!”
“At this rate we won't last much longer!”
“...”
Not long after the battle began—
Han Ji, Deng Zhi, and the other commanders realized something was wrong.
First—
The Scourge Army's resurrection ability far exceeded imagination.
They were monsters that simply could not be eliminated.
Their combat power was also stronger than during the previous two battles.
Second—
Luoshui City's defenses were far sturdier than expected.
Protective barriers covered the city.
Multiple arrow towers stood atop the walls.
Zhang Xiu himself had been suppressed by Zhou Cang and the others.
Meanwhile—
The Azure Dragon Guards continuously fired from the towers.
These towers inflicted tremendous casualties and pressure upon the Wan City Army.
And the Scourge Army kept emerging like an endless swarm of ants.
Forget capturing the city—
The Wan City Army was struggling just to maintain its current battle line.
Of course—
The Scourge Army also found it difficult to push the enemy back.
Their greatest obstacle remained the Blood Spear Battalion.
Despite numbering fewer than four hundred—
Their combat power was terrifying.
Whenever a Blood Spear Death Soldier died—
Its strength flowed into the survivors.
The fewer remained—
The stronger they became.
An extremely troublesome force.
“Capture the leader first! Kill Zhang Hong!”
“Exactly!”
“He's the commander of the Blood Spear Battalion!”
“He's probably the key to breaking this mechanism!”
“...”
After brainstorming—
The players came up with what seemed like a viable solution.
Ye Li Meng, Rui Ge, Lone Boat, Old Wang, Street-Slaughter Berserker, and others immediately launched a coordinated assault on Zhang Hong.
Meanwhile—
Little Bell, Chi Mei Wang Liang, Dawn, Little Ma, and the others provided ranged support.
Even with the Blood Spear Battalion's blood-energy enhancement—
Zhang Hong could not withstand endless attrition forever.
“A futile struggle!”
“You don't seriously think you can stop the Scourge flood with your own strength, do you?”
“Wan City will belong to the territory eventually!”
“As for stubborn fools like you—”
“You'll all be crushed into dust beneath the wheels of destiny!”
“...”
The Scourge Army fought as though injected with stimulants.
Zhang Hong resisted fiercely.
He killed numerous elite players.
Yet within two or three minutes—
The same players reappeared before him.
For the first time in his life—
He felt true despair.
These people...
They truly were as terrifying as a natural disaster.
And how could mortals resist a natural disaster?
He had never seen such a horrifying army.
Their individual strength was mediocre.
Yet with endless resurrection—
Unless they were completely overwhelmed in one decisive blow—
They would slowly wear any enemy down to death.
Meanwhile—
Zhou Cang activated Tiger Demon Descends from Heaven and transformed into a blazing meteor.
He smashed directly into Zhang Xiu—
Who was currently being restrained by the Eight Azure Dragon Guards.
The attack was devastating.
Zhang Xiu was blasted backward more than ten meters and suffered severe damage.
Signs of defeat had appeared.
The Wan City Army had done everything possible.
Yet they still could not see any hope of breaking through.
The Star Lord's side had suffered virtually no meaningful losses.
Throughout the battle—
Hang Yu merely watched from afar, preserving his strength.
If things continued like this—
Victory was hopeless.
Rather than waste all of Wan City's elites here—
It would be better to preserve what strength remained.
After all—
People like Deng Zhi and Han Ji were never completely loyal to Zhang Xiu.
“Kill!”
Ignoring wounds covering his body—
Zhang Hong suddenly led the remaining Blood Spear Death Soldiers through the player ranks.
He finally reached Zhang Xiu's side and temporarily forced back the surrounding enemies.
“City Lord!”
“It seems the Lord was prepared from the beginning!”
“We can no longer take the city!”
He urged:
“Let's preserve our strength and retreat to Wan!”
“With the formations and cities built over a century, with tens of thousands of soldiers and hundreds of thousands of people, it won't be easy for them to counterattack!”
Han Ji, Deng Zhi, and the others agreed.
If they could retreat—
Negotiations might still be possible.
Otherwise—
Whether killed or captured—
Wan City's side would lose all bargaining power.
“No retreat!”
“Anyone who retreats dies!”
Zhang Xiu remained murderous.
Like a beast cornered with no escape.
His danger had increased tenfold.
“Yes!”
How could Zhang Hong not understand?
Even if they successfully retreated—
Heavy losses would destroy Zhang Xiu's prestige.
His position as City Lord would likely be lost.
Suddenly—
Zhang Xiu asked:
“Hong'er, how have I treated you all these years?”
Zhang Hong answered:
“Though not father and son, we are closer than father and son!”
Zhang Xiu asked:
“Are you willing to die for me?”
Zhang Hong replied without hesitation:
“My life was given by you.”
“With a single command, I'd charge into mountains of blades or seas of fire without hesitation.”
“To die on the battlefield for Uncle would be my greatest honor!”
This battle was extremely dangerous.
He had already prepared himself to die in one final charge.
Although he feared death—
How could he abandon Zhang Xiu now?
The man had treated him as his own son.
Taught him everything.
Hidden nothing.
At the moment he was needed most—
How could Zhang Hong betray him?
A sinister smile appeared on Zhang Xiu's face.
“Good.”
“Then the time has come to repay your debt.”
Before Zhang Hong could react—
The demonic armor covering his body suddenly spiraled out of control.
Like countless greedy teeth.
It began devouring him alive.
The agony was thousands of times worse than being sliced apart.
“AAAAAH!”
Zhang Hong screamed and collapsed.
A powerful hand caught him.
A familiar yet strangely unfamiliar voice sounded beside his ear.
“I raised you all these years for this very moment.”
The black armor covering Zhang Hong completely dissolved into tar-like matter.
It rapidly carried away his melting flesh and blood.
Then fused into Zhang Xiu's body.
Moments later—
Zhang Hong had become a dried corpse.
Zhang Xiu's originally gaunt frame grew muscular.
Even his white hair returned to black.
“Uncle... you...”
Zhang Hong forced several words from his dry throat.
Before he could finish—
He died.
Even in death—
His eyes remained wide with disbelief.
Zhang Xiu's injuries healed instantly.
The aura surrounding him exploded upward.
Level 26!
Level 27!
Level 28!
He gained several levels on the spot.
With one spear strike—
He blasted transformed Zhou Cang backward several zhang.
Zhou Cang had no idea what had happened.
He only knew Zhang Xiu had suddenly become much stronger.
“Hahahahaha!”
“I've obtained it!”
“I've finally obtained it!”
“This power!”
“This is the power!”
Tar-like living matter seeped from every pore of Zhang Xiu's body.
It formed a shell over him.
Meanwhile—
His flesh began visibly mutating.
Hang Yu narrowed his eyes.
“So it finally appeared.”
Zhang Zhongjing was stunned.
“This is...”
“The power of a certain Evil God's offspring.”
Hang Yu explained:
“Based on my observations, the armor worn by the Blood Spear Battalion most likely originated from the flesh of an Evil God's offspring.”
“Zhang Xiu wasn't raising the Blood Spear Battalion merely to build an army.”
“He was using them to multiply this flesh and ultimately transform it into power for himself.”
So that was the truth.
Zhang Zhongjing finally understood.
No wonder the Blood Spear Death Soldiers had been few at first.
Yet their numbers steadily increased over time.
It wasn't that more Death Soldiers were being created.
The flesh itself had been multiplying.
Their short lifespans were not due to overdrawing their potential.
Their power came directly from the flesh armor.
Once the armor finished draining them—
A new host became necessary.
If the flesh were compared to mushrooms—
Then the Blood Spear Death Soldiers were merely rotting logs used to cultivate them.
For years—
Zhang Xiu had been growing this flesh using human bodies.
The number of lives consumed was staggering.
In the future—
Its scale could have expanded even further.
Perhaps across all of Wan City.
Had Lord Feather not appeared—
Within another thirty or fifty years—
New Wan City might truly have become a giant cultivation ground for an Evil God's offspring.
The consequences were unimaginable.
As for Zhang Hong—
He was special.
Not ordinary fuel.
He was a container specifically used to house the Evil Flesh's core.
Zhang Xiu had taught him everything not because he genuinely wished to raise a successor.
Rather—
The two shared blood relations.
Their physiques and powers were similar.
Fusion and absorption would therefore be easier.
“Not enough!”
“Still not enough!”
Zhang Xiu roared madly.
Every Blood Spear Death Soldier began convulsing violently.
The tar-like armor covering them melted away.
Hundreds of streams of gray-black matter poured into Zhang Xiu.
In the blink of an eye—
He transformed into a giant six or seven meters tall.
His entire body became a mass of writhing tar-like flesh.
Countless eyes and mouths of varying sizes emerged across its surface.
An overwhelming aura of blasphemy and defilement spread outward.
Even Zhou Cang felt tremendous pressure.
“I've prepared for decades.”
“For this very moment!”
Zhang Xiu burst into hysterical laughter.
Of course—
He could no longer produce normal human speech.
Instead—
His voice came through a chaotic and blasphemous psychic force.
Anyone who heard it felt instinctive disgust and revulsion.
Several players attempted to sneak behind him.
The moment they approached—
They were contaminated.
And died instantly.
【Defiled Offspring: Zhang Xiu】, Level 28 Overlord Unit...
Description: Once the ambitious ruler of Wan City, Zhang Xiu came into contact with the offspring of the Primordial Defilement and transformed into a monster. While gaining immense power, he was simultaneously becoming a puppet of the Evil God's offspring and undergoing continuous assimilation.
“What the hell is that thing?!”
Not only was the Scourge Army dumbfounded—
Even the people of Wan City stood stunned.
A Level 28 Overlord?
Slightly troublesome.
Although information remained limited—
Hang Yu had essentially grasped the situation.
Just like the Lord of Shansang City in Wolong Mountain—
The ruler of Wan City had fallen under the influence of an external Evil God.
Naturally—
At their level, direct contact with an Evil God was impossible.
The most they could encounter were offspring or kin.
While the two incidents shared similarities—
There was every reason to believe they were not coincidences.
Hang Yu understood very well—
Powerful worlds attracted the attention of countless outside forces.
If Abyssal factions wished to invade a world—
They first needed agents and followers within it.
The ideal scenario was to corrupt the strongest or most influential natives directly.
That was why people like Zhang Xiu often discovered forbidden objects or forbidden knowledge seemingly by chance.
What appeared to be coincidence—
Was often the result of unseen forces manipulating fate.
Guiding.
Tempting.
Revealing.
If they failed to resist temptation—
They fell into carefully prepared traps.
Of course—
Not everyone was helpless prey.
Any power or knowledge possessed value.
If one's foundation was strong enough—
And one's will sufficiently disciplined—
It was possible to tame such forces instead.
Unfortunately—
Zhang Xiu had been devoured by ambition.
He nurtured the flesh of an Evil God's offspring and sought to claim its power.
The inevitable result was corruption.
Just like the Lord of Shansang City.
Or worse—
Replacement.
The title before Zhang Xiu's name had already changed to Defiled Offspring.
This indicated that he was in the process of becoming an offspring of the Evil God known as the Primordial Defilement.
Perhaps—
This method of spreading flesh was simply one of that Evil God's methods of reproduction.
“Hang Yu!”
“Do you dare fight me?!”
Zhang Xiu seemed completely unaware of his own abnormalities.
At this moment—
He was intoxicated by his newfound power.
A powerful confidence welled up within him.
Jia Xu.
Hang Yu.
Even Dian Wei.
All of them seemed insignificant before his current strength.
Defiled, blasphemous energy spread across the sky.
Even the weather over the entire Luoshui region twisted under its influence.
Everyone could sense how powerful Zhang Xiu had become.
Even Zhou Cang was no match.
The contamination continued spreading.
If allowed to continue—
Permanent damage would certainly follow.
“Although there are still some things I haven't fully figured out, I can't allow you to continue causing chaos at my doorstep.”
Hang Yu put away the teleportation staff in his left hand.
A blazing blade intent radiated from the Yellow Heaven Demonic Dragon Spear.
After its reforging and upgrade—
The weapon's appearance had transformed completely.
Though technically still called a spear—
It now resembled a massive greatsword attached to a long pole.
The front third of the weapon was a razor-sharp blade.
It could easily be used as a giant saber.
Hang Yu continued:
“Since you've already played all your cards, let's settle this once and for all.”
Had this battle occurred before Ultimate Darkness Day—
Things might indeed have been troublesome.
No wonder Jia Xu had gone out of his way to hint and warn him.
But after this recent wave of upgrades—
Level increases.
Equipment enhancements.
Skill breakthroughs.
Every aspect of Hang Yu's strength had risen dramatically.
Things were different now.