Chapter 128: The Unrecognized

The moment this move was unleashed, everyone was struck with terror!

This technique was clearly beyond the A-rank threshold; it was power on an S-rank scale! A single tentacle alone possessed the strength of an A-rank peak, and at this very moment, there were nearly a hundred such silver tentacles. In other words, a casual strike from Jing Dule was equivalent to a simultaneous, full-power assault from a hundred A-rank elite instructors. In contrast, Mu You’s four instructors could at best neutralize four of them. It was truly... pitiful to the extreme!

Fortunately, Mu You had already retreated high into the sky. Below him, the indescribable energy riot had naturally transformed into a world of silver; in this realm, there was no new life, only endless destruction.

"Hahahaha! Run! Leap! Don’t be shy, struggle to your heart’s content! Anyway, I can’t see your pathetic faces... Hahaha! And you, the one in the sky, don't try to run anymore. Get down here! I’ve missed you!"

Within the silver world, dozens more tentacles surged toward Mu You with lethal determination!

"Hmph!"

Seeing this display, Mu You did not shrink back. The phoenix wing on his left side erupted with a violent tremor, gushing forth waves of fierce winds mixed with a torrent of blood-ink fire blades that collided with the silver tentacles.

The moment they clashed, Mu You’s expression shifted. The blood-ink blades, which had always been invincible, were shredded by the silver tentacles for the first time, and the tentacles continued their advance toward him with undiminished momentum.

Mu You was not foolish enough to rely on a single plan. Seeing the wings he had manifested falter, he triggered a transformation in the blood-lotus gathering at his chest. The five droplets of "Lord’s Flame: First Gaze," which had previously evolved into the lotus-state "Ashes of Destruction: Red Lotus," underwent another metamorphosis. The five portions of "Nirvana Prodigy" bloomed in mid-air—flourishing, withering, and finally manifesting as lotus roots radiating a blood-ink light.

"Heart Never Dies: Take Root."

As Mu You spoke, five blood-ink lotus seeds fell from the roots, crashing into the incoming mechanical tentacles.

"A fresh A-rank, not even officially titled yet, and you dare to challenge me? Watch as I play you to death, control you, drain you dry, and end you!" Jing Dule laughed maniacally, his silver tentacles swallowing the tiny lotus seeds whole.

With a series of soft collisions, the five seeds shattered into powder, enveloping the tentacles in a cloud of blood-ink dust.

Was that it?!

Everyone was horrified. Even a desperate strike from an ordinary awakened death-row prisoner shouldn't have been so ethereal; it seemed as flimsy as paper. Yet, seeing Mu You’s weakened state afterward, it didn't look like a feint. Just as everyone stood in hesitation and confusion, Mu You revealed a smile of success.

Deep within the blood-ink mist, the lotus seeds began to bore into the silver tentacles, taking root, sprouting, and budding, until finally, they bloomed. Blooms of blood-ink lotuses spread continuously across the silver tentacles. Flowers bloomed and fell, lotus roots appeared, and eventually, more seeds were birthed—a cycle that repeated infinitely.

In the blink of an eye, those silver tentacles transformed into blood-ink, and only upon closer inspection could one see they were covered in countless blooming lotuses. Finally, even Jing Dule’s own body began to sprout blood-ink flowers; they bloomed most vividly within his empty eye sockets.

"Your ability... is truly extraordinary..." Jing Dule, caught in the "Heart Never Dies: Take Root," acted as if nothing were wrong. He did not struggle, but instead sensed the technique with interest. "If you were also S-rank, perhaps I wouldn't even have a chance to struggle. It’s a pity you wasted the Meridian-Severing Soul Worm in your body by choosing such a weak host."

With that, endless silver cold light erupted from Jing Dule’s body, shaking the blood-ink lotuses away.

"This move of yours needs to absorb the opponent’s blood to evolve, right? Too bad you’re too weak, and this equipment of mine is a 'Subject-Grade' weapon, second only to an 'Emperor-Grade.' You can’t extract any nutrients from it. As for me, I am S-rank—what can you possibly do to me?!"

Jing Dule stared at Mu You with his hollow eye sockets, speaking with supreme arrogance. He knew the rumors about this kid and had just personally probed him; the gap in raw power made Jing Dule feel untouchable.

"That’s right. 'Heart Never Dies: Take Root' does need blood to evolve continuously, but I used my own blood! Die!"

Mu You collapsed to the ground, weak and pale, yet his expression was resolute. He spoke each word with murderous intent.

The lotuses covering the sky withered simultaneously, turning into lotus roots from which the seeds dropped. But this time, the blood-ink seeds did not take root. Instead, they acted like highly concentrated explosives, detonating in a single, thunderous blast!

*BOOM!*

The silver world was instantly stained with blood-ink. Everyone’s attacks paused. Having experienced the great explosion on the rooftop previously, the crowd paid closer attention to Mu You now; there were simply too many unpredictable factors in this kid!

After the rolling echoes of the explosion faded, a thick scent of gunpowder saturated the entire silver space.

Jing Dule was now enveloped by the tentacles of his 'Octopus Doll' subject-grade weapon, forming a massive silver sphere. Although the material of the tentacles was unknown, they had withstood Mu You’s attack without the slightest damage. However, through the gaps, one could see splatters of blood; it seemed the real Jing Dule had been injured after all.

"No wonder, no wonder you broke An Ruohuan and Manshushahua’s 'Death Propagation.' It seems I cannot give you even the slightest chance, kid. Otherwise, you bring too many surprises—the kind of nauseating, hopeful surprises!"

A hundred tentacles simultaneously filled the space, wrapping around everyone.

"Nine Demons, Nine Gods, Destruction Mirror!" Faced with the overwhelming assault, Long She roared. Eighteen black and white light mirrors appeared in the air, but to his horror, they were clamped shut by the suckers on the tentacles. No matter how hard the destructive light struck, it couldn't break free.

Long She was faring better than most; currently, only the four instructors could manage any resistance. Everyone else, including Mu You, was completely immobilized.

Watching the group’s furious and helpless expressions, the smile on Jing Dule’s face widened.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. What kind of expressions are those? I’m helping you, saving you! What, you can’t tell? Sigh... it seems your eyes were wasted on you. You might as well give them to me. I can’t help you escape this hellish torment, but I can grant you release. I will take your eyes to witness whether this hellish world will be destroyed, and whether that dawn—which never existed—will ever arrive. So, die!"

Every sucker on the tentacles opened, and inside each one was a soulless, hideous human eyeball!

"You all used your big moves just now, didn't you? I must say, this batch of death-row prisoners is quite capable. Actually, I was in the same batch as you all..."

Jing Dule finished his sentence and closed his hollow, blood-filled eye sockets.

"Souls still lost in the maze, find your release now: 'Empty Mulberry Fall, White Night Flower!'"

The moment Jing Dule closed his eyes, the countless eyeballs on the tentacles opened in unison, revealing a murderous glare!