Little rascal.
Little brat.
Fool.
Magman thought this in his head as he was thrown into the air. His body fell nearly seven meters before crashing down onto a patch of dry grass, the impact shaking his organs.
Pain exploded through him.
Magman shouted as he summoned the artifact that the Supreme Elder of the Region Continent had given him.
"Lead Dream Wind!"
A violent gust of wind burst from Magman's body. The force slammed into the tiger, sending it flying seven meters away before it crashed heavily into the ground.
Nearby, the large carp fish—no longer able to move—suddenly stopped breathing. It could no longer feel air entering its body. Its mouth opened wide as a massive number of carp burst out from within it, flooding the ground. They all died quickly, gasping for air.
Magman squinted as he saw Bronze Holder appear above the pool, running in Mingyin's direction.
Before he could even think—
The tiger's claw struck him.
Magman was sent flying again, tumbling even farther across the ground.
Mingyin's heart nearly skipped a beat as he saw Bronze Holder fall, breathing heavily.
She has many artifacts with her… and the treasure core.
If I kill her, I will lead the immortals into the mountain.
I should kill her now.
Mingyin felt the prey before him becoming frighteningly easy.
He sprinted toward Bronze Holder.
It's nothing personal, Bronze Holder, Mingyin thought. It's just for my goal. Don't have any feelings.
"Stop," Mingyin told himself.
"Stop."
He kept repeating it in his mind to prevent himself from killing Bronze Holder.
But the thoughts assaulted him.
Suddenly, the treasure core appeared. The chain around it shuddered as it rose into the air, glowing with a red light. Bronze Holder looked up, raising her spear as blood gushed from her wounded hand.
I am losing blood, Bronze Holder thought.
She looked behind her.
Mingyin was there, holding a knife.
Bronze Holder nearly fainted on the spot. She retreated, trying to put distance between them, but suddenly Mingyin lunged at her, attempting to pierce her skull.
But another thought struck him.
Aren't all lives equal?
She does have artifacts, but who am I to judge?
Mingyin grit his teeth as he brought his knife down.
This world is cruel. There is no mercy, only sinners.
The knife descended.
Bronze Holder stood no chance. Even as an immortal—one whose power could crush the entire area—she could still be killed by a mere knife.
Mingyin was determined.
SPLASH.
Bronze Holder collapsed, clutching her head and throat as blood poured out endlessly.
Mingyin tried to raise his knife again, but sweat drenched his body.
I don't want to repeat my mistake.
"Ahhh…"
Bronze Holder closed her mouth as tears streamed down her face.
"Mommy… save me…"
Mingyin tried to attack again—but stopped.
She is already near death. At least—
Before he could finish—
A violent gust of wind struck him, throwing him off balance.
Mingyin sprawled on the ground. He instantly sent out multiple clones to cover him as he quietly forced his body upright, dragging himself up.
Looking through one of his clones—
"Magman!"
Magman came flying toward him, his entire body torn apart and covered in deep gouge wounds. His left eye was nearly gouged out.
Behind him, the tiger—its body riddled with wounds—continued chasing him relentlessly.
Magman stretched his hand forward, trying to trap the treasure.
"I will lead the immortal group—!"
But suddenly, he heard a voice behind him.
"Be gone, you rascal."
Magman turned and swung his fist.
He dodged it and turned left, seeing the fist brush past him.
But suddenly—there was no wind.
"Clone?!"
Magman turned around.
Mingyin was already there, eyes filled with bloodlust.
"Die!"
Mingyin pierced Magman's right eye and pulled the knife back.
Blood seeped from the blade.
Mingyin slashed forward through the air.
But Magman stretched his hand forward.
"Go!"
Mingyin was pulled by a small vortex—the same technique Magman had used before.
Mingyin's eyes widened.
In an instant, he threw his blade forward.
Turn sideways… grab the soul.
The blade flew toward Magman. Magman tried to grab it, but he was nearly half-blind, seeing only blood.
Footsteps echoed behind him.
He turned, expecting to see Mingyin.
But Mingyin was already sprinting toward him, grabbing the knife again as the massive tiger leapt at Magman.
Magman's eyes widened.
I am done for.
He bit his lips until blood seeped out.
"Mingyin! This isn't the last you'll see of me!"
But it was already too late.
The knife pierced his skull.
The tiger tore into his back.
Magman was gone.
Mingyin left the knife lodged in Magman's skull. He retreated seven steps, sending out more clones as he ran from the tiger.
I killed another immortal, Mingyin thought as veins bulged on his forehead.
To think I killed Magman so easily… it doesn't add up.
Mingyin calmed himself.
I've killed countless immortals. Why am I stressing?
He turned toward Bronze Holder
He turned toward Bronze Holder.
She was still standing—barely. Her body swayed as if a light breeze could knock her over, blood soaking her robes and dripping onto the ground beneath her feet.
"Mingyin…"
Her voice was hoarse, weak, almost swallowed by the wind.
Mingyin didn't answer. He sprinted forward, eyes locked onto the chain that wrapped around the red sphere of the treasure core.
Bronze Holder's pupils shrank.
She raised her spear with trembling hands and hurled it with everything she had left.
Mingyin couldn't dodge in time.
So he didn't.
A clone surged forward instead.
Bronze Holder's eyes widened as the spear passed straight through Mingyin's body—only to realize too late that it wasn't real.
The spear continued its path and pierced straight through the tiger's head.
The massive beast collapsed instantly, lifeless.
Behind the dispersing clone, the real Mingyin appeared. His hand closed around the chain binding the red sphere.
The treasure core glowed brightly.
Mingyin looked down.
Bronze Holder collapsed to the ground, blood pooling beneath her.
"I was…" she whispered, her voice barely audible.
"Never… your match…"
Mingyin let out a slow breath.
I slew two immortals without receiving a single serious injury.
If this were known in the mortal world, it would cause absolute madness.
But it wasn't impossible.
The reason Mingyin could kill immortals was simple.
He had clones.
He was smart enough to hide from immortal perception.
He was extremely fast.
He had tricked the entire battlefield into focusing on Magman, forcing him into constant movement, never allowing him time to breathe or calm down. Magman had already been heavily injured by the carp queen. Bronze Holder had been wounded and unprepared for Mingyin's sudden assault.
Still—
This was not normal.
Not even the strongest mortal should be able to pull this off.
Mingyin sat down heavily, breathing hard.
"I outplayed the whole group…"
He lifted his head.
A smile slowly spread across his face.
"Hahaha…"
His laughter echoed through the battlefield.
"I'm happy… I'm laughing…"
"Because I'm entering the mountain very soon."
His laughter faded as his thoughts drifted.
"My life was full of chaos.
My life was full of sorrow and fear."
Mingyin placed his legs together, steadying his breath.
"I survived because I was smart enough to survive."
"I rely on nobody."
"I rely on myself."
"I am Mingyin."
"And I am the son of the Hens Hai family."
"I am—"
"The real deal."
"Hahahahahaha!"
At last, he calmed down.
Mingyin placed the treasure core into his pocket and looked around the battlefield.
Bronze Holder's body.
The carp fish corpse.
The tiger's lifeless form.
And finally—Magman.
Mingyin lifted Bronze Holder's body and carried her to a small hill. He buried her carefully, placing a stone on top and carving her name into it.
Bronze Holder.
He buried the carp fish and the tiger beneath a large tree nearby.
Finally, Magman.
Mingyin dug the ground in silence, soil flying as he worked. He dropped Magman's body into the grave and stared down at him for a long moment.
"I succeeded."
"I defeated Magman."
But there was no pride in his heart—only relief.
He covered the grave, then carved Magman's name into a stone using his knife.
After that, he gathered all the artifacts—Bronze Holder's, Magman's, and the jade palace artifact. They floated around him obediently.
Mingyin walked toward the border of the area, where the remaining immortals were gathering.
We will meet in two hours.
And it will definitely become a contest for leadership.
He looked ahead.
A massive mountain pierced the sky, its enormous aura pressing down on the land itself.
Mingyin stared at it silently.
"One day… this mountain will collapse."
"And I will be the cause of it."
"And I will choose it myself."
Suddenly—
He stopped.
The ground behind him trembled.
Magman's grave shook violently.
A small hole opened as something pushed its way out.
A strange artifact emerged—a root wrapped in green light, jade-green beans tied around its main stem.
Mingyin grabbed it.
His eyes widened.
"A Sin Artifact…"
He looked back.
Magman's grave erupted.
The corpse floated into the air.
One jade-green bean detached and drifted forward, landing on Magman's chest. Lightning rippled as it pierced straight into his heart.
Magman's eyes snapped open.
They were clear—almost childish.
His body shifted. He grew slightly taller. His raven-black hair lengthened, his lashes thickened, and his appearance changed drastically from before.
Mingyin's pupils shrank.
"To think the Sin Artifact would plant its seed in Magman…"
Magman slowly descended to the ground.
He bowed.
"Greetings, Sin Artifact—"