111: Chapter 111 Let's make it even more melodramatic

Opposite him, Meng De's figure solidified once again.

A visible blood-colored malevolent aura rose from his burly frame, staining the grayish-white space with a layer of crimson.

His eyes were completely consumed by a frenzied blood-light, and a heavy war saber appeared in his hand, humming loudly.

A bright red health bar, accompanied by a hideous BOSS icon, floated above his head.

【Meng De】

【Level: LV20 (Elite Lord)】

【HP: 10000/10000】

【Status: Bloodline Curse (Beginner), Attack +50%, Defense -20%, Continuous Sanity Loss.】

Chen You glanced at the data with a peculiar expression.

Level 20? That's it?

For an ordinary player newly arrived in Thousand Light City, a Level 20 Elite Lord would definitely be a nightmare requiring a party.

But in Chen You's eyes, this was no different from the Giant Chicken at the entrance of the novice village.

“Adventurer!”

Meng De's voice became hoarse and low, every word carrying bone-deep hatred and pain.

“That fool of a younger brother... what does he know!”

“Power! Only absolute power can sever all misfortune!”

“Let me see just what you, the one he chose, are made of!”

“Roar—!”

With a violent roar, Meng De moved.

The runic stone platform beneath his feet shattered as he transformed into a blood-colored afterimage.

The war saber in his hand trailed a long flame of blood-colored light; the air was torn apart, letting out a piercing shriek.

“Secret Technique: Landslide!”

Before the blade even arrived, an oppressive weight as heavy as a mountain bore down on him.

This strike condensed all his pride and dignity as the Meng De of Thousand Light City!

He wanted to use this strike to tear apart the Adventurer who had brought the cruel truth!

The blood-colored blade light expanded rapidly in Chen You's pupils, nearly splitting the entire grayish-white space in two.

Facing this world-destroying blow, Chen You simply stood there quietly, without even blinking.

He merely slowly raised his right hand, pressing his fingers together like a sword, and lightly tapped against that majestic blood-colored blade light.

There was no earth-shaking roar.

There was no magnificent or dazzling collision.

A tiny glint of golden light flashed from his fingertip and vanished.

“Buzz—”

A soft hum.

The jade brilliance sword light flashed past like a golden thread.

Time seemed to have been paused at this moment.

The ferocious expression on Meng De's face instantly froze, his eyes filled with extreme shock and disbelief.

The saber he had poured all his strength into, gambling everything on, stopped in mid-air, less than an inch from Chen You's fingertip.

The next second.

“Crack...”

A crisp sound of shattering rang out.

The blood-colored blade light, which had condensed endless malevolence, shattered like broken glass.

Starting from the very tip, it crumbled inch by inch, turning into red points of light that scattered through the air.

Next was the war saber in Meng De's hand.

This fine steel iron saber that had accompanied him for many years let out a wail; its body became covered in spiderweb-like cracks before exploding into iron filings with a "bang."

【-8986! (Pierce!)】

An astronomical damage number floated up from Meng De's head.

His health bar went from full to empty in a single instant.

“Ugh...”

A strained groan escaped Meng De's throat.

He looked down at his empty hands in disbelief, then looked up at the man who had remained calm from beginning to end.

Those frenzied blood-colored eyes were finally replaced by endless fear at this moment.

What... did he do?

Had he... caught it?

No, he hadn't even... seen the other party move.

“You... really do have some skill...”

Meng De used his last ounce of strength to squeeze out a classic BOSS line.

“However... before true power... you are still... too weak...”

Before he could finish his sentence, an even denser black mist erupted from his burly body.

Within that black mist, it seemed as if countless pained faces were shrieking and roaring.

An evil aura several times stronger than before suddenly swept through the entire "Inner Demon Court."

【Ding! Meng De has triggered the second stage of the Bloodline Curse — "Wraith Possession"!】

【All attributes increased by 100%! HP fully restored! Gained skills "Grip of the Curse" and "Wraith Roar"!】

His health bar was instantly refilled.

A black horny layer rapidly spread across his body's surface, and two twisted tentacles made of pure resentment even sprouted from his back.

“This is...” Meng De's voice became even more eerie, as if it were the overlapping of countless voices.

“True... power!”

Feeling the unprecedented power within him, a drunken and frenzied smile appeared on his face.

He raised his head, prepared to savor the fear and despair that should be on the Adventurer's face.

However, all he saw was a pair of eyes... looking at him like he was an idiot.

Chen You looked at him expressionlessly, his heart completely unmoved.

Oh, phase two.

He even has invincibility frames during the transition; quite professional.

He waited quietly for two seconds.

The moment the golden light of invincibility on Meng De's body vanished.

Chen You raised his hand again.

It was the same movement, fingers pressed like a sword, a light tap.

Even the golden light flickering at his fingertip was exactly the same as before.

“Swish.”

The jade brilliance flashed and vanished.

Having just finished his transformation and struck a pose, before he could even utter a single line, Meng De's movements froze once more.

The surging black resentment on his body melted away instantly like snow under a blazing sun.

The health bar that had just refilled was, once again, emptied.

【-10253! (Critical Strike!)】

“...”

Meng De opened his mouth, and that twisted, powerful new form rapidly deflated like a leaking ball.

The frenzy, intoxication, and resentment in his eyes all faded, leaving only a deathly daze.

Who am I?

Where am I?

What happened?

【Ding! You have successfully defeated the guardian of the "Inner Demon Court".】

As the system notification rang out, the grayish-white world receded like a tide.

Light and shadow shifted.

Chen You found himself back in that cold backyard.

The moonlight was the same, the weapon rack was still twisted, and Meng Xiao and the steward were still standing where they were.

It was as if everything that just happened had only lasted an instant.

The only difference was that Meng De, who had been overbearingly arrogant, was now kneeling on both knees, looking lost and dejected like a stone statue that had lost its soul.

The malevolent aura and the scent of the curse on him had vanished without a trace, replaced by a deathly silence.

“Cough...”

Meng De coughed up a mouthful of blood and slowly raised his head.

He looked at Chen You, his lips quivering for a long time before he finally spoke in a hoarse, nearly exhausted voice:

“...You, you withstood a strike from me.”

“...I suppose... you are qualified.”

“If you want to go to the tomb... then go...”

Chen You stood there, watching this scene, and silently complained in his heart.

Are you sure it was me who 'withstood' a strike from you?

Seeing the system notification that "Quest Location Updated," he stopped thinking about it.

Just as he was about to leave, Chen You's gaze fell upon the little girl who was still crying.

Meng Xiao's shoulders were twitching, and her tears had already soaked the front of her clothes; she looked incredibly pitiful.

An extremely bold, even absurd idea suddenly popped into Chen You's head.

This melodramatic plot... it seems like it can still be salvaged?

Or rather, make it even more melodramatic?

What if... it triggers some unexpected hidden event?

Beating the kids on a rainy day—might as well since there's nothing else to do.

Anyway, this Meng De's mental state doesn't seem very stable right now.

Why not... add some fuel to the fire?

At this thought, a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of Chen You's mouth.

He turned around and looked back at the Meng De, who was physically and mentally exhausted and preparing to leave.

“Meng De, please wait.”

Meng De's footsteps paused, and he turned his head, looking at him with a complex gaze: “What else is there?”

Chen You didn't answer immediately, but instead walked slowly to Meng Xiao's side.

“Regarding Meng Tu's relics, there is one more thing I think you would want to know.”

Meng De frowned, an ominous feeling rising in his heart.

Chen You paused, giving him enough time to react, and then, in a tone of stating a fact, slowly said:

“Back then, what your brother Meng Tu took away wasn't just the woman you loved.”

“But also... your bloodline.”

Meng De's pupils suddenly constricted!

“You... what do you mean?” His voice instantly became hoarse.

Chen You's gaze fell upon the tearful, dazed little girl beside him.

His voice wasn't loud, yet in this silent backyard, it set off a massive wave.

“Meng Xiao.”

“Is actually your daughter.”