With the Blade

As for the origin of this problem, it comes from his own feelings.

The method of influence was too violent, like directly opening up the brain and pouring in scalding information. Such a brutish method was exactly like that of the Emperor—Jiang Wenyuan had seen the effects with his own eyes. Could this similarly rough approach really yield better results than the Emperor?

Although Jiang Wenyuan respected that Grand Master Du, in this matter, he felt it was hard to say.

"Let's wait and see..."

Taking a deep breath, Jiang Wenyuan rubbed his face.

He needed to wait and see, after all, the Emperor, who was close to a deity, couldn't perish so easily. That monster would come back, would definitely come back again.

So, as an existence with the same power, what would that monster, comparable to a deity, do?

"Only a monster can fight a monster."

Thinking of this, Jiang Wenyuan suddenly felt that perhaps the strange evolution happening outside wasn't something unacceptable.

"Only a monster can fight a monster."

——————————

The Emperor awoke once more amidst a chorus of chants.

Surrounded by thousands of people, all with different appearances and even from various races, yet they were all uttering the same words, chanting the same name—each in their own way, they knelt, prayed, and hoped for the exalted Emperor to return.

And so the Emperor returned once more, in a triumphant and invincible state.

"But it seems I've lost some memories again... Hmm? Again?"

With that thought, the Emperor waved to dismiss the people around him and lay back on the altar.

Fractured images flooded into his mind as the Emperor gradually recalled the things he had experienced.

"Did I... lose to an ant?"

Even as he watched the Short Sword cut him open, the Emperor still couldn't believe it. He hadn't lost to the ant he was meant to exterminate, but to one that had once served him—this was impossible. That ant had once been subservient, incapable of even imagining raising a hand against him.

"Unless... someone erased the mark I left."

The Emperor's expression became extremely grave.

The mark, or perhaps the memory, was meant to forever echo in that ant's heart, making it cower and kneel instinctively at the mere sight of him—this reverence would then bind to the Emperor, making him stronger and more invincible.

But now...

The fear had been erased.

"Impossible, impossible."

The Emperor shook his head again.

Absolutely impossible. Though he had indeed lost once, causing a fracture in that reverence, the gap in power still existed. Reverence remained as it was, like predators avoiding an elephant or wolves steering clear of a lion. Such reverence couldn't be completely erased due to a single failure; the ant wouldn't dare challenge a being akin to a deity.

After all, this was a battle doomed to result in death.

To fight a losing battle knowingly—who would do that? Who would joke around with their own life?

Yet the fact was clear. The ant named Shan Bing indeed risked its life at that moment.

"Wait?"

At this, the Emperor suddenly realized something.

"I actually remember the name of that ant?"

The Emperor's expression darkened further.

Ants were ants; there was no difference among ants. Who, in their right mind, would remember an ant's name?

Unless that ant had grown so strong it demanded a name to distinguish itself... Regardless, by remembering this name, he had subconsciously placed this ant on an equal level with himself.

Whether he had elevated that ant's status or lowered his own, neither was good.

"Things are much more troubling than previously judged."

With this thought, the Emperor sat up again.

"More observation is needed."

Thinking this, the Emperor once again picked a sword, this time a short sword made from Wu Zhao's shinbone—though theorized to make two great swords from a leg bone, practicality made for four small swords back then.

And now, these small swords were useful.

Once again, a familiar descent, only this time the Emperor ended up in a wild jungle. About ten tattooed, shirtless strongmen with clubs gathered around him, seemingly intending to cook him—a plan the Emperor reversed by tossing them into a pot, having no time to waste on these savages.

Flying north, he landed again outside the gate of the imperial city Jian Kang, blending into the crowd under a cloak of concealment. But as he took up a flatbread for another bite, the short vendor once more grabbed his wrist.

"Pay first, then take the flatbread."

The short vendor gestured to a sign beside him.

"See it clearly? If you're not buying, don't touch."

"Ha."

This time, the Emperor, too lazy to speak, took a bite of the flatbread.

The moment he did, the short vendor became furious, realizing even a fool would see the customer was dining and dashing—one flatbread wouldn't matter normally, but the cheeky attitude and provocation was unbearable.

"You wretched brute!"

The vendor swung his fist, landing a punch on the Emperor's face.

And with a dull thud, the large body collapsed to the ground just like that.

"What's this? Trying to accuse me?"

The vendor sneered.

"The neighbors saw it; you want flatbread without paying! Even in court, I've got proof... huh? What's wrong with you?"

The vendor bent down quickly, feeling for breath at the Emperor's nose.

But there was no breath; no heartbeat, either—the Emperor was dead, punched to death by the flatbread vendor.

"Oh my! It's not my fault, really! You all saw, right? I just... just punched once..."

But nothing he said now mattered; the body lay there, evidence and witnesses all around—how could he argue otherwise?

So when the constables arrived, the vendor and the corpse were taken away.

Simultaneously, the Emperor woke again among the voices of thousands chanting in unison.

"My memory..."

After waving the crowd away, the Emperor once more reflected on his experiences.

"I see... So it's true! It really is!"

After some contemplation, the Emperor opened his eyes once more.

"It's the heart force vortex! Their fear has been completely washed away! They're following that person's path!"

Thinking of this, the Emperor clenched his fists.

Indeed, while they didn't chant that person's name, they followed their path.

And this resonance of heart force would ultimately feed back power to the monster itself.

The monster that once slaughtered him...

Could he still prevail?