Chapter 357: Chapter 261: Dreamlike and Illusory, The Attacker is Used Instead

「Somewhere in the Eastern Mediterranean.」

A decadent-looking man walked down the street, curiously observing everything around him.

The country had just recently emerged from the ravages of war. The city was in shambles, waiting to be rebuilt, and the common people were living in hardship, their faces etched with a vacant look, devoid of hope.

Especially with the recent commotion in the Mediterranean Region, the local situation had become volatile again, with chaos brewing just beneath the surface.

’The suffering of the masses is immense, and there’s so little my meager power can do. I should find a place later to listen to some pleasant sutra readings... and perhaps help the local women in need.’

Ding Huiyuan lit a cigarette and sighed wistfully, his gaze suddenly shifting to a distant point.

Though he was hundreds of kilometers away, he could still sense a streak of azure light shooting forth, as if a sharp sword were rending the sky.

He naturally recognized the aura’s owner.

’That madwoman is here too, and she seems even stronger. None of us are taking it easy, are we?’

Ding Huiyuan shook his head. Not long ago, he had also received intel about Devi killing the avatars of four Ancient Ones.

’Everyone’s working so hard.’

’I wonder where that world-shaking fellow has gotten to?’

As he was lost in thought, a sudden commotion erupted on the side of the road.

"You little bastard, don’t you run!"

"When I catch you, I’ll break your legs!"

Furious roars and the sound of running footsteps echoed from a distance, drawing the attention of everyone on the street. The crowd quickly parted to make way.

A few burly men were chasing a short, scrawny boy with a sallow complexion. The boy clutched a cloth bundle to his chest, his face pale and his eyes filled with panic.

His stamina seemed to be failing, but he didn’t dare to stop for even a second.

It looked like a case of robbery or theft gone wrong, leading to a chase.

Such incidents were not uncommon in this war-torn land. People who couldn’t even afford a meal would naturally resort to anything.

The pedestrians on the street seemed accustomed to this, showing no intention of helping. They simply stepped aside.

Seeing this, Ding Huiyuan sighed and shook his head. An inexplicable light flashed in his eyes, but he seemed to have no intention of getting involved. He prepared to take a step back and clear the path before the boy reached him.

The boy sprinted forward. Just as he was about to brush past Ding Huiyuan, a strange light suddenly shot from his eyes.

At that very moment, Ding Huiyuan’s body jolted. His mind reeled as if struck by a heavy hammer, his consciousness blurring and his movements naturally slowing.

The next moment.

TSHHH!!

The air erupted with a terrifying sonic boom. A brilliant flash of light exploded, momentarily blinding everyone on the street.

Amidst the blinding flash, a small, thin figure had already appeared in front of Ding Huiyuan, their fingers held together like a sword and thrusting straight for his chest.

It was none other than the thieving boy being chased by the burly men!

"You?!"

Ding Huiyuan seemed completely unprepared for the sudden attack. His eyes flew wide. His mind, under some unknown influence, made it impossible for him to react in time.

Moreover, the power and speed the scrawny boy unleashed in that instant were terrifying. At such close range, with such a surprise attack, even an Ancient One would have found it difficult to defend.

Ding Huiyuan tried to bring his arms up to protect his chest, but it was too late.

PFFT!!

The boy’s arm, like a sharp Treasure Sword, plunged directly into Ding Huiyuan’s chest and pierced clean through it, his fingertips protruding from the man’s back.

A torrent of hot blood splattered across the boy’s face, making the faint smile that appeared there look utterly savage.

The next moment, the boy pushed off with his foot and violently yanked his arm back out.

"To think... you could bypass my perception..."

With his chest pierced through, Ding Huiyuan’s body hunched over. Blood trickled ceaselessly from his mouth and nose, his words coming out in broken gasps.

"It’s too late to realize that now."

The boy’s body shuddered slightly, shaking off all the blood on his skin.

CRACKLE! POP!

Then, a terrifying series of cracks echoed from within his body. His scrawny frame shot up, section by section. The filthy, tattered clothes on his body burst apart, revealing powerful muscles beneath.

His body transformed, growing to more than three times the boy’s original size.

This was simply an unbelievable level of body control.

"Remember, the one who killed you is Great Serpent Heaven."

A smile touched the corners of the tall man’s mouth as he lunged toward Ding Huiyuan.

His body was as supple as a snake; his fascia and bones seemed to have been forged into a single unit. During his attacks, his arms and legs could extend by nearly half their length, and he could perform all sorts of bizarre, unnatural movements.

Most importantly, his control over his body seemed to have reached a terrifying level. It was impossible to predict his attacks, yet his pliable body could unleash unimaginable destructive power.

Ding Huiyuan, with his chest pierced, was already gravely injured. How could he possibly be a match for such a person?

Serpent’s Hiss!

Great Serpent Heaven suddenly seized an opening in Ding Huiyuan’s defense and struck with a hand chop.

RIIIP!

It was as if space itself was being torn apart. The flexibility of his body allowed his power to be channeled sequentially, and by the time it reached his hand-blade, his attack had already broken the sound barrier!

This was a Technique that truly surpassed the speed of sound.

A shockwave billowed out as Great Serpent Heaven’s hand-blade sliced across Ding Huiyuan’s neck. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝓮𝒘𝙚𝙗𝒏𝙤𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝒐𝙢

Ding Huiyuan’s eyes were wide, his mouth slightly agape. He stood frozen on the spot, as if paralyzed by a spell.

The next moment, Great Serpent Heaven’s body flashed past Ding Huiyuan’s rigid form. His arm moved fluidly, grabbing Ding Huiyuan’s hair and lifting slightly, taking the head in his hand.