Chapter 97: Chapter 89: The Calamity of Ziyang Mountain

Watching the giant eagle lose its head and fall to the ground, Xiang Rong frowned in mid-air.

The situation was somewhat abnormal, or rather beyond his understanding. At least from his previous brief interaction when he climbed the mountain, that young man did not seem to be someone as honest and naive as Ruan Shantao. In essence, his character was somewhat similar to Xiang Rong’s—meaning, that young man also knew how to adapt.

Yet, this very person, when facing a monster, voluntarily abandoned his weapon just to keep him?

Is the kid mad?

"So be it."

With a swift turn, Xiang Rong descended from the sky and landed steadily on the ground.

"Since you want to challenge two with one, I’ll grant your wish... Hmm?"

"Idiot."

Before Xiang Rong could start, Du Chengfeng galloped past him like a gust of wind on horseback.

Immediately, thirty-eight dried, jointed arms reached towards Xiang Rong, surging like a tidal wave.

"You!"

Witnessing those withered arms covering the sky, Xiang Rong finally realized the situation.

It’s like two people encountering a bear in the woods, with the fierce bear relentlessly chasing them. At that moment, the person behind doesn’t actually need to ponder if they can fight the bear, do they?

No, they just need to outrun the person ahead.

Just like now, Xiang Rong, pulled back to the ground, lost the mobility of the human-faced giant eagle, becoming the one at the back. Behind him, the monster known as Ruan Shantao, which he had personally created, was already pursuing.

Among those forty-six dried arms, Xiang Rong could faintly hear the hoarse voice of his old friend.

"Regret, I deeply regret..."

The monster named Ruan Shantao wailed hoarsely, each palm’s eyes shedding tears.

"Eighty years wasted, I accomplished nothing, achieved nothing... changed nothing, improved nothing. I deeply regret, regret!"

Three hundred and sixty-four arms roared in unison, howling towards the heavens.

Regret, deep regret, once Ruan Shantao thought that by planting roots in Yanzhou, teaching and nurturing people, he was contributing to the world in some way. But now, he understood, his benevolence, his righteousness, were so narrow, so insignificant.

Indeed, he brought some changes to Yanzhou, but neighboring Jibei remained unchanged; people still reacted with violence, discarding the ideals of benevolence and righteousness— even Yanzhou couldn’t claim real peace, as murder ensued unseen.

Jizhou fell, he achieved nothing. The Emperor wanted to reduce the states’ military strength, and he achieved nothing again. Even at his peak as Minister, reminiscing past times, he realized he accomplished nothing.

So what was the point of his perseverance?

For what was his benevolence?

"Therefore, something must be done."

Filled with such thoughts, the monster named Ruan Shantao uprooted the roots buried under Ziyang Mountain.

Suddenly, the earth shook violently.

"Brother Ruan! Are you mad?"

A familiar voice seemed to come from below.

But Ruan Shantao disagreed with this perspective.

Mad? Impossible, he felt unprecedentedly well. Unparalleled power surged through his body and its three thousand four hundred and eighty-six limbs, granting him the strength to change everything.

Indeed, power, he should’ve thought of it sooner.

With such power, who could hinder his benevolence!

"Boom—"

Just as Ruan Shantao was about to step forward, exercising his benevolence, intersecting sword lights fiercely struck him!

Dark green liquid splattered into the air, causing Ruan Shantao to lower his head.

He wanted to see who dared obstruct his benevolence, who was the treacherous villain!

"...Hmm?"

Before his five thousand two hundred and forty-seven eyes appeared a familiar figure with disheveled hair.

"Xiang Rong? When did you arrive?"

The colossal figure named Ruan Shantao paused, then laughed.

"Ah yes, you should be here. After this long, you’ve finally come around... Have you finally recognized my benevolence?"

Speaking this, Ruan Shantao waved a long arm, sending twisted, gnarled, root-like arms toward Xiang Rong.

"Then let’s join forces! For our benevolence! For the people of Great Chen!"

"...Even as a monster, you see only Great Chen, Brother Ruan?"

With clenched fists, Xiang Rong looked up at the colossal creature before him.

"Even as a monster, there’s still no place for me in your benevolence, Brother Ruan?"

"Brother Xiang Rong! Have you felt my benevolence?"

The monstrous being named Ruan Shantao grasped Xiang Rong with laughter.

"You’re right! Benevolence should reach the world, dominant across the seas..."

Buzz—

The towering tree-like arms dissolved.

In an instant, the massive evil Qi shattered half of Ruan Shantao’s body, dispersing the remnants into the heavens and earth.

Meanwhile, Xiang Rong held an unknown long halberd in his hand.

The halberd was a forked halberd, with dual edges, one vertical, one horizontal, like two uniquely sharp swords. But the halberd’s shaft seemed like a twisted, meandering pale spine. An old red silk entwined around this dragon-like spine, adding an air of nobility, yet this grandeur mixed with the halberd’s ferocious evil qi birthed a domineering aura.

On the edge of the red silk, faint phoenix patterns could be glimpsed.

"Brother Ruan, I’m truly sorry for hiding this for so long... I am not called Xiang Rong."

Holding the halberd single-handedly, the middle-aged man known as "Xiang Rong" looked up at the giant creature ahead.

"Reintroducing myself, I am Xiang Rong, the thirty-fifth generation descendant of the Chu royal family... Just as your benevolence excludes me as a Chu person, in my eyes, you Chen people are nothing but a bunch of usurping rebels."

Yet I will forever cherish our youthful days shared over wine.

Buzz—

The towering tree collapsed.

And those pale bones on Xiang Rong’s fierce halberd showed some cracks.

"Is it about to give out completely..."

Xi Xing looked at the halberd in his hand, his expression dark. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"But he won’t do, he doesn’t suit you... There’s no reason, I say it won’t work, then it won’t work."

Saying this, Xiang Rong raised his head to glance at the immense remains beside him.

"Brother Ruan, since you won’t aid me with your benevolence, I can only heed its call."

Gazing at the monstrous wounds over the corpse, Xiang Rong tightly grasped the halberd.

Even these feeble remains held such power; if this Overlord’s halberd were fully resurrected, Great Chu would surely rise again, sweeping across the eight directions.

Like the Phoenix, worshiped by the Chu, reborn from fire.

"But you must wait a little longer... It’s still insufficient, the numbers are still inadequate."

Grinding his teeth, Xiang Rong slashed his back, re-inserting the spine-like fierce halberd into the flesh of his back.

After arranging his attire, he proceeded northward.