Chapter 697: I am a Ruthless Man

Let's go back to the time when Zhang Xuan parted ways with Xing Yuan and the others.

Inside the underground palace.

A puppet, clutching a head, was running frantically. Behind it, over twenty Spirit Race puppets roared and pursued relentlessly, as if they wanted to devour it. Witnessing how this sudden idea of his had driven the puppets into such a frenzy, Zhang Xuan's curiosity grew increasingly intense.

He could abandon the puppet body at will, his clone was indestructible, and his Wuhun (Shaman Soul) was formless and intangible, making it impossible for anyone to stop him if he truly wanted to escape. Moreover, with the golden pages in his mind, he wasn't afraid even if he were trapped, as he possessed the means to escape. That was why he had allowed the others to escape first, drawing the group of puppets towards himself. He had only expected the puppets to follow him, but he never dreamed they would pursue him with such ferocity, as if he were their sworn enemy.

What exactly was this heart that could drive a group of unintelligent beings into such a mad frenzy?

"No matter what it is, I'll find out once I touch it..."

To ensure everyone's safe escape, he needed to stop the puppets from pursuing them. Without hesitation, Zhang Xuan continued to sprint with the head in his arms. After seven or eight breaths, he arrived at the river he had seen earlier. The small altar and the heart were still there.

"Go!"

Seeing the puppets had already caught up, Zhang Xuan had no time to deliberate. He leaped, plunging into the river.

Roar! Roar! Roar!

Upon seeing him jump in, all the puppets grew anxious but none dared to charge forward. They glared furiously, as if wishing to tear him to shreds.

"So it's true..."

Relieved that they indeed hadn't pursued him, Zhang Xuan let out a sigh. He had previously been puzzled by how the puppets entered the river one by one to receive spiritual energy from the heart. Now, it seemed his conjecture was correct. This river could only accommodate one puppet at a time; even if others wanted to enter, they didn't dare.

"Let's see what this heart is..."

Having landed in the river not far from the heart, Zhang Xuan glanced at it, then began walking forward.

Splash!

The moment his gaze fixated, a dense aura of slaughter immediately pierced his mind, feeling like a sharp dagger.

"Heaven's Path Divine Art, activate!"

Anticipating this situation, he raised an eyebrow and activated his soul power. Indeed, the aura of slaughter weakened considerably, yet he still felt a splitting headache, almost unable to bear it.

"My Wuhun lacks Heaven's Path True Qi; it cannot resist..."

He paused. This aura of slaughter was far more potent than what Master Hong had extracted from the Spirit Race member. Although his Wuhun had cultivated the Heaven's Path Divine Art, it lacked the Heaven's Path True Qi to sustain its resistance. Even reaching this point had been incredibly taxing, and continued advancement would likely result in his mind being corroded by the aura, causing severe damage.

He glanced back. Although the surrounding puppets were furious, they dared not approach, nor did they launch long-range attacks. Temporarily assured of his safety, Zhang Xuan gritted his teeth and, with a mental command, made a move.

Whoosh!

His physical body materialized before him, having been stored in his storage ring. With a shift, his Wuhun detached from the puppet and returned to his original body. The moment he re-entered his own body, he felt a wave of comfort and exhaled a long breath. While the puppet's body had been far more powerful than his current physical form, there was nothing like his own body—it was easy to control and offered an indescribable sense of comfort.

"Heaven's Path True Qi!"

As his Wuhun perfectly integrated with his body, his True Qi instantly circulated. The aura of slaughter that had been assailing his mind immediately vanished, as if it had never been there. Heaven's Path True Qi had a known suppressing effect on the strange aura of the Spirit Race, a fact he had personally verified in the past. Using it now felt effortless.

Seeing the puppet vanish from the pool, replaced by a human, the many puppets became even more enraged, roaring incessantly. Yet, they seemed to be wary of something, as they dared not approach. Since they weren't approaching, Zhang Xuan had no reason to worry. He strode confidently towards the heart before him. After all, he needed to touch it to utilize the Library of Heaven's Path, so there was no need for apprehension.

In a few steps, he reached the heart and gently placed his palm upon it.

"Hahaha!"

The moment his finger made contact, just as he uttered "Flaws!" and before he could open the book to examine it, a wild cackle erupted. His vision then turned black, and a colossal figure appeared before him.

"This body, it's perfect, absolutely perfect... Heaven truly helps me!" the figure roared maniacally. The enormous heart incessantly writhed and pulsed, as if it had consumed a potent tonic. "With this body, after tens of thousands of years of slumber, I can finally revive!"

The colossal figure, filled with excitement, roared and opened its eyes, which emitted sharp, electric beams of light. "Master Kong, weren't you trying to kill me?" it shrieked. "Once I return, watch how I dismantle your Master Teacher Pavilion and obliterate your legacy..."

Amidst its roars, the colossal figure lunged directly at Zhang Xuan. The heart on the altar also flickered and flew straight towards his chest. It seemed intent on burrowing into his body to replace his own heart. Should it succeed, his consciousness would be devoured, and he would completely lose himself.

"Hm?"

Zhang Xuan's expression tightened. Before this entity, he felt like an ant facing a towering mountain, utterly powerless to resist.

"So powerful..."

The strongest individual he had encountered so far was Hall Master Mo of the Hongyuan Empire. Yet, even Hall Master Mo would seem as insignificant as an insect before this heart! This sensation was akin to when he had faced Master Kong, where both his mind and spirit were utterly beyond his control, completely at the mercy of the other party.

"Is this thing going to possess me?" He was filled with anxiety. He had only intended to find out what the heart was, never in his wildest dreams imagining it was alive and capable of possession! If he were possessed, his consciousness would cease to exist, rendering him nothing more than an empty shell.

"Heaven's Path True Qi!"

He gritted his teeth and tried to connect his mind with his True Qi, only to find that his body no longer felt like his own and had lost all connection with his spirit. The sensation was like a nightmare; no matter how desperately he tried, he couldn't move an inch.

"There's no need to resist!" The figure emerging from the heart seemed to perceive his plight and sneered. "Even Master Kong suffered at my hands back then. Though you are a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher, your cultivation is far too weak; you are not qualified to resist! Yield to my possession, and I shall use your body to traverse the heavens and earth, making the world tremble once more..."

"Master Kong suffered at your hands? Who are you?" Zhang Xuan couldn't help but ask.

Master Kong was a peerless figure from tens of thousands of years ago. Through his own power, he established the Master Teacher Pavilion, fought against the Spirit Race, and completely expelled them. His contributions were unparalleled, and his cultivation was unmatched. And this entity claimed to have made Master Kong suffer? Who exactly was it?

"I can no longer clearly recall my title!" The heart pulsed, and the spectral figure it had conjured exuded an ancient aura. "However," it continued, "everyone at the time referred to me as the 'Ruthless One'!"

"The Ruthless One?"

"Indeed! Are you frightened?" the Ruthless One replied.

"Never heard of you!" Zhang Xuan retorted.

The heart was speechless. Ancient history was recorded within the higher echelons of the Master Teacher Pavilion, and as only a four-star Master Teacher, Zhang Xuan was not yet qualified to access such knowledge. As for a "Ruthless One" or "Werewolf"—he genuinely hadn't heard of either.

"Today, I shall let you witness my might!" Infuriated by encountering a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher who seemed utterly ignorant, the heart pulsed wildly. With a furious roar, the figure's enormous hand shot out, grabbing directly at Zhang Xuan.

Crack!

His throat was seized, and Zhang Xuan instantly felt his breath catch and his vision blur. In the entity's grip, he felt as helpless as an infant, completely devoid of any power to resist.

"You're going to possess me?" he blurted out in desperation.

"Indeed. A Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher's body is acknowledged by heaven and earth. Even as a Spirit Race being, I can possess it without consequence! What's more, I could even perfectly disguise myself as a human, undetectable by anyone..." the heart sneered.

"You can tell I'm a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher?" Zhang Xuan asked. To date, no other Master Teacher had been able to discern that he was a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher. He was surprised that this heart had recognized it instantly. Could this truly be a super-powerful entity from Master Kong's era? To be able to contend with Master Kong... just what level of being was this? And how could it have survived until now, undying?

"Master Kong was one such person. I battled him for an entire lifetime; how could I not recognize it?" the heart retorted coldly. It might not recognize others, but having fought Master Kong his entire life, it knew that Master Kong was a Heaven-Acknowledged Master Teacher. It would be an embarrassment if it couldn't recognize that.

"You are a being from Master Kong's era, and I am merely a nobody. How about this: you release me first. I certainly won't be able to resist anyway..." Zhang Xuan pleaded urgently.

"What, trying to play tricks?" the heart challenged.

"You are so immensely powerful, even if I wanted to play tricks, I couldn't possibly succeed!" Zhang Xuan continued, "I'm about to be possessed by you and cannot resist. I merely wish to learn a few things before my demise, so I can die in peace!"

"Hmph, playing tricks in front of me is entirely pointless!" the heart scoffed.

"What? You don't trust me?" Zhang Xuan goaded. "Could it be that you, the Ruthless One, are all talk? Are you actually apprehensive of a mere cultivator of my low level?"

"Presumptuous! When I traversed the heavens and earth, even Master Kong was wary of me! Nine-star Master Teachers were merely ants I could crush with a flick of my hand. Do you think I'd fear a mere cultivator of your level?"

Hearing Zhang Xuan's words, which were laced with doubt, the heart became enraged.

"If you're not afraid, then release your hold on me. No matter what abilities or tricks I possess, I can't possibly harm you..." Zhang Xuan pressed on.

The heart grunted in acknowledgment. It seemed to agree that Zhang Xuan, no matter how many tricks he had, wouldn't be able to resist, and so it loosened its grip. If a person being possessed were unwilling, even it would struggle to eliminate latent dangers. Since this individual wished to die in peace, there was no harm in granting his request.

Feeling the restrictive force on his body vanish, Zhang Xuan let out a breath of relief.

"Alright, ask away!" the heart said nonchalantly.

"Alright..." Zhang Xuan nodded, feeling his spirit reconnect with his physical body. He then suddenly smiled. "I just wanted to ask," he began, "do you recognize this item?"

As he spoke, a golden book abruptly materialized before his eyes.

"This? What is this?" The heart was stunned, its curiosity piqued, when it saw the book suddenly descend, directly enveloping it.

Immediately, a frantic roar echoed throughout the underground palace.

"By the heavens! You... who exactly are you?!"