Chapter 46: Awakening the Avatar

Seeing Qin Tian about to die on the spot, I swiftly hurled the Frost Sword, its tip gleaming with a white light as it shot toward the corpse king's head. I poured all my strength into that throw; before my hand could even retract, I watched as the corpse king caught my sword. In an instant, the blade was shrouded in black mist, and the corpse king flung it back at me. I rolled on the ground, barely avoiding the blow as the Frost Sword embedded itself deep into the earth.

Could it be that this corpse king possesses intelligence? This is trouble! Its speed and defensive power are monstrous—how can we possibly fight it? Although my attack failed to injure the corpse king, and I nearly lost my life, at least it bought Qin Tian a sliver of hope. When the corpse king threw the Frost Sword, Qin Tian moved—a move that shook the heavens. His strongest technique, but this time, he used his foot. It drove deep into the ground, and the corpse king was blasted back several steps by the powerful shockwave.

This is almost a bug! Even from this distance, I was knocked flying, yet the corpse king only staggered a few steps before regaining balance. I felt a bitter taste rise in my throat, and blood gushed out. After unleashing his devastating move, Qin Tian retreated quickly into the crowd, and gunfire continued to echo. Yu Jing, gripping his short sword, charged forward. I was about to shout for him to stop, but another mouthful of blood burst forth, pain searing my chest as if struck by a heavy stone, cold sweat pouring down my face.

I summoned my inner demonic energy once again. After some recovery time, it was replenished; black currents flowed slowly through my veins, easing the pain. I staggered forward, pulled the Frost Sword from the ground, and saw its blade had turned pitch black.

Yu Jing reached the corpse king but did not attack—only dodged, weaving and darting between the trees, employing Xiao Xiangzi's signature technique: Chasing Wind, Catching Shadow. Two figures flitted through the forest, neither able to gain the upper hand. With this move, Yu Jing could barely match the corpse king's speed. Relieved, I nodded and called out, “Everyone, leave the grove—quickly!”

Prompted by my warning, the group finally came to their senses, scrambling to withdraw from the woods, gun barrels trained on the two entwined figures. Yu Jing's stamina began to falter; a moment’s hesitation and the corpse king’s sharp claws slashed him, leaving five deep wounds across his chest, blood spurting forth.

Crimson stained Yu Jing's snowy white shirt as he stepped back, clutching his chest. “Old Li, go!” he cried. But as Yu Jing was wounded, I had already surged forward with the Frost Sword, ignoring his plea. How could I abandon my brother and flee for my life at such a moment?

I leapt, reversed my grip on the Frost Sword, and stabbed at the corpse king’s crown. It spun swiftly, its body gliding two meters across the ground, evading my strike. The sword pierced the earth, and I used the momentum to spring toward the corpse king. It extended a blackened arm, deflecting my blade, and plunged its left hand into my chest. Agonizing pain shot through me as its hand gripped my heart, squeezing tightly.

“Yu Jing, listen to me, go now. Someday, avenge me… avenge me…” I managed to utter these words with great difficulty.

Yu Jing, tears in his eyes, looked at me. “Old Li, hang on! If we die, we die together—I will never leave my brother behind!” It was the first time I had seen Yu Jing cry since we met. Not even when Senior Xiao Xiang passed had he shed tears. Perhaps, in his heart, he had long regarded me as his brother. Brothers should share life and death, shoulder hardship together.

But we could not make a futile sacrifice. Knowing we stood no chance against the corpse king, I could not let Yu Jing die with me—it would be too great a waste. “Yu Jing, listen—Ke’er is still waiting for you. You cannot die.” I deliberately invoked Xiao Xiang Ke’er, hoping my death might give them a chance to live.

Gunfire sounded from afar; under Qin Tian’s lead, everyone fired at the corpse king. Suddenly, it turned, swapping places with me, its hand still embedded in my chest. Bullets struck my back, but I felt no pain—for my heart was now clutched in the corpse king’s grasp. Compared to the agony in my heart, the bullets meant nothing.

“Cease fire!” Qin Tian waved and shouted to halt the shooting.

“Old Li, don't forget—Xu Qinghuan is waiting for you too. You cannot die!” Yu Jing stabbed fiercely at the corpse king’s back with his short sword, but no matter how hard he tried, the blade would not pierce.

The corpse king, a cold smile on its lips, lifted me up, seemingly mocking my weakness. It squeezed, and I felt a burst of pain as my heart was shattered. My body convulsed uncontrollably; just before my eyes closed, I saw Shi Feng rush forward. I forced my eyes open and saw Shi Feng clinging to the corpse king’s back, biting fiercely, his eyes blazing red. The impenetrable body of the corpse king was torn open by Shi Feng, yet no blood flowed; Shi Feng swallowed a chunk of its flesh.

After suffering injury, the corpse king flung me aside, still holding my heart tightly. I glanced down: a fist-sized hole in my chest, my heart gone. Why wasn’t I dead? I touched my chest—the bleeding had stopped, and the place where my heart had been was now enveloped in black mist. Black currents emerged from the void, wrapping around my entire body. The pain vanished, and the wound began to heal before my eyes.

I pressed my chest, unable to feel a heartbeat. Was my heart truly gone? Seeing the blood-soaked heart in the corpse king’s hand, I realized it was true. Yet, why was I still alive? The corpse king grabbed Shi Feng’s shoulder and hurled him away, then looked at me, and at the heart in its hand. For the first time, its arrogant smile disappeared. It squeezed, crushing my heart to fragments, but I felt nothing—as if that heart were never mine.

Surrounded by black currents, my head grew heavy, as if intoxicated. A surge of heroic resolve blossomed within me. Sword in hand, I strode forward; the corpse king involuntarily stepped back. I aimed at its chest and thrust my sword. The corpse king failed to react in time, and my blade pierced straight through its chest. What was happening? Had its defense suddenly weakened? I pondered the Frost Sword embedded in its chest.

Before I could make sense of it, the corpse king’s blood-red eyes emitted a destructive crimson beam. Face-to-face, my sword still lodged in its body, there was no way I could dodge—the red light pierced directly through me. The beam slid from my left shoulder to my waist, slicing my body cleanly in two.

“Old Li!” Yu Jing shouted, rushing forward. A purple short sword, blazing with dazzling light, struck at the corpse king, who twisted aside, its claws plunging into Yu Jing’s abdomen.

After my body was cut in two by the corpse king’s beam, a faint silhouette emerged from within me. Seeing Yu Jing struck down, I was utterly enraged. Yu Jing, the brother I had known for only a few months, yet truly regarded as family—we shared everything, nothing kept between us. Now, witnessing my only brother slain by the corpse king, I clenched my fists in fury.

Flames blazed across my body as I advanced step by step toward the corpse king. It turned to look at me, fear flickering in its eyes, frozen in place, one hand still embedded in Yu Jing’s chest. Yu Jing’s head had dropped, eyes closed, his fate uncertain. I clasped my hands together, gathering a blinding fireball, and hurled it at the corpse king. It seemed terrified, quickly withdrawing its arm and burrowing underground to escape.

I reached out to support Yu Jing, but my hand passed through his body—I could not touch him, only watch him collapse.

What was happening? Had I already died? Qin Tian led the others over, glanced at my corpse on the ground, then at my half-transparent form, lost in thought. After a long pause, he approached and said, “Could it be a doppelganger?”