Chapter 152 – Lu Yuan’s Decision, The Final Turnaround!

“Boom!”

The two fell into the forest, and the collision of death energy exploded around them. Grass and leaves rustled down, instantly turning yellow.

A large flock of crows was startled and flew off in all directions…

From Gao Qing and the others’ perspective, a small, distinct black dent appeared on the lush green of Tiger Head Mountain.

“This Divine Servant of the Crow Deity sect is quite something. He actually managed to knock down a Divine Messenger who is two levels higher than him…”

On the shuttle, the Crew-cut Man couldn’t help but sigh softly.

He quickly gave a command, “Get a bit closer so we can see more clearly.”

“Yes.”

The shuttle approached.

The situation of the two people on the ground became clear to the three of them.

…

“Huff—”

Lu Yuan had just fallen from mid-air, holding the Red-haired Man.

Before even touching the ground, he immediately felt a violent burst of death energy from his embrace.

It felt as if he was holding a rapidly inflating balloon.

Lu Yuan channeled all the death energy he controlled into his arms and chest, resisting the immense force trying to break free, and forcefully pinned the Red-haired Man to the ground.

“Boom!”

As soon as he pinned the Red-haired Man to the ground, a large pit exploded at the landing site.

Countless waves of death energy surged out from his body like a tide.

Lu Yuan’s vision was almost completely obscured.

Lv1 [Eye of Doom], activate!

His eyes silently turned pitch black, and Lu Yuan saw a figure struggling to soar back into the sky amidst the surging tide of death energy.

“You came down… and now you want to go back?!”

A gleam flashed in his eyes, and a fierce expression appeared on his face.

His strong, dark blue arms vibrated like giant pythons, dispersing layers of death energy.

Seize the Moon, his five fingers formed into claws, swiftly cutting through the large swathes of black before him, directly reaching for the figure at the center.

“Rip—”

The sharpness of Seize the Moon easily tore through the Black Robe on the Red-haired Man. Lu Yuan’s five fingers tightened, not knowing whether he had grabbed the Red-haired Man’s thigh or calf.

But his fingers sank deeply in either case.

Although there was no sensation of gripping flesh, the rough hardness felt like grasping a wooden stake. But Lu Yuan didn’t mind.

Veins bulged on his arms as he exerted force…

He yanked the Red-haired Man down again.

“This is… my turf!”

Lu Yuan, holding onto the Red-haired Man, had no intention of letting go.

He took a deep breath, and Lv3 [Special Exertion] was pushed to an unprecedented extreme.

His body swelled to nearly two meters, his school uniform pants ripped by the expanding muscles, looking like an adult forcefully squeezed into a child’s clothes.

Special exertion, developed to over four times the usual burst, surpassed eight tons, nearing nine tons of terrifying strength.

Coupled with the surging Lv2 [Ten Thousand Refined Crane Bone Technique] beneath his skin, and Lv5 [Death Energy Entanglement] flowing over his skin.

At that moment, Lu Yuan’s aura was fully unleashed, resembling a wild beast in a state of frenzy.

“Now, please enjoy this…”

This time, Lu Yuan didn’t use the Ancient Spirit Language.

His low, husky voice echoed eerily through the forest.

“Spirit Crane Technique… Chaotic Wind Technique!”

As he finished speaking, Lu Yuan, tightly gripping the Red-haired Man, swung his right arm fiercely…

“Whoosh—”

The vigorous arm movement almost whipped up a gale in the forest.

Then, aiming at a seemingly solid spot on the ground before him…

He smashed down hard!

“Boom!”

With nine tons of arm strength, augmented by Lv2 Ten Thousand Refined Crane Bone Technique and Lv5 Death Energy Entanglement…

The impact made the nearby ground tremble violently.

A giant pit exploded on the ground.

A large cloud of death energy rose like fog.

That was the immense death energy clinging to the Red-haired Man.

Before the opponent could react, Lu Yuan stomped heavily, wrapping the Red-haired Man and charging into the small stone forest ahead.

Then, grasping the Red-haired Man, he swung him wildly against the jagged rocks.

“Boom!”

“Boom boom!”

“Boom!”

Under the terrifying force, the Red-haired Man from the Crow Deity sect completely turned into Lu Yuan’s punching bag, allowing Lu Yuan to fully display his newly mastered “Chaotic Wind Technique” of the Spirit Crane Technique.

Boulders shattered, dirt and stones flew, accompanied by bursts of death energy black fog dispersing.

In an instant, the small stone forest hidden in the mountains was half-destroyed, with smoke and dust rising.

The deafening noise made the leaves of the forest rustle, countless crows took flight in panic, and snakes and small animals scurried away in confusion.

In the sky, inside the shuttle, Gao Qing and the other two were dumbfounded, staring at the scene before them.

They exchanged glances… left speechless.

“This… Crow Divine Servant…”

Gao Qing finally managed to squeeze out a sentence after a long silence, “What kind of monster is he?!”

No one could answer her.

The Crew-cut Man and the Long-haired Man were equally bewildered.

They had been dealing with the Crow Deity sect for years.

Known as a notorious sect of the Evil Deity Sect organization, the Crow Deity sect’s Divine Servants usually specialized in long-range attacks using Evil Power.

Even in close combat, their style was treacherous and sinister.

But this Crow Divine Servant below…

His methods were as brutal as those of the sects that pursued physical mutation.

Moreover… a mere Divine Servant level could actually overpower their own Divine Messenger level expert.

This was utterly unreasonable!

“Can you assess what level this Crow Divine Servant is?”

The Long-haired Man inquired.

Blue light flickered in the Crew-cut Man’s eyes as he responded, “Sky Eye evaluation, Evil Energy Wave level only between B- and B.

But the overall strength assessment… is close to Level A!”

“Hiss—”

Gao Qing and the Long-haired Man gasped, Gao Qing looking at the brutal scene below, just watching made her eyelids twitch.

She couldn’t help but say, “Could it be… we’re witnessing an unprecedented battle where a Divine Servant level crushes a Divine Messenger level expert?”

“That’s too early to say…”

The Crew-cut Man said in a low voice, “A Powerful Divine Messenger rated at A+ level… is not as simple as you think…”

Gao Qing was stunned, instinctively looking down.

…

“Boom!”

Lu Yuan almost slammed the Red-haired Man completely into a nearby mountainside.

A large area of earth and rocks collapsed, with pieces of shattered rock clattering down, soon burying the Red-haired Man entirely.

“Huff—huff—”

The prolonged high-frequency bursts of power caused even Lu Yuan, with his 19 constitution points, to feel a bit of fatigue from overexertion.

He breathed lightly, slowly calming his breath.

His massive, towering frame stood amidst the dirt and rubble like an unyielding monument.

From start to finish.

He had swung and smashed the Red-haired Man from the Crow Deity sect a total of 132 times.

He had nearly reduced this small stone forest to rubble.

However…

There wasn’t a hint of relaxation on Lu Yuan’s face; instead, he appeared even more serious than before.

“It seems… he hasn’t suffered too much damage?!”

Lu Yuan’s extraordinary hearing could faintly catch the still stable and strong heartbeat of the Red-haired Man.

His heightened instincts seemed to sense an increasing sense of danger…

Emerging bit by bit from the pile of stones before him.

“I don’t believe you’re that tough… Today, even the Crow Deity can’t save you!”

Lu Yuan took a deep breath.

His chest rose slightly, muscles on his chest tensing like steel cables.

Death energy and the Ten Thousand Refined Crane Bone Technique surged simultaneously.

From the wild flurry of attacks earlier, he had gained some insights.

At the very least, he had become increasingly adept at harnessing the synergy between the two types of forces.

“[Spirit Crane Technique: Crane Shadow Float]!”

Lu Yuan aimed at the pile of stones and threw a powerful punch.

In his mind, the visions of the crane and the crow alternated rapidly.

This punch blasted through layers of rubble, the terrifying force hitting the ground like a superpowered pile driver.

“Boom!”

The ground in the small area around Lu Yuan shook violently under this punch.

A large crater appeared instantly.

However… Lu Yuan’s expression turned completely grim.

He slowly retracted his fist, his gaze shifting from the empty crater in front of him.

Then, he looked up and about ten meters away…

He spotted the Red-haired Man’s current position.

“Very few people have ever pushed me to this point…”

The Red-haired Man named Karofis stood beneath a dense red pine tree.

At this moment, the death energy around him had almost completely dissipated.

His once luxurious robe was now in tatters, his red hair disheveled, and his face and body covered with dust.

The original elegance and composure were gone, replaced by a slightly disheveled appearance.

“You are truly remarkable. No wonder you caused me so much trouble…”

Karofis looked at Lu Yuan coldly, then reached up and gently removed his silver-patterned mask.

Lu Yuan’s pupils contracted.

He saw that the parts of Karofis’s face previously covered by the mask were covered in fine crow feathers.

“Rip—”

Following that, Karofis tore off his Black Robe as well.

His entire external appearance was fully revealed before Lu Yuan.

Karofis was exceptionally tall, nearly two meters in height.

His physique was notably slender and well-proportioned.

However, large patches of his body were covered with crow-like black feathers.

Some areas even had strange protruding joints, yet they did not appear particularly ugly.

At first glance, he resembled a character from a Xuanhuan Novel, a hybrid crow person with one-third crow bloodline.

Wisps of death energy began to gather around him once more, but this time they did not surround him.

Instead, they condensed on his body, forming large, beautiful black patterns.

They looked like tattoos, or perhaps a mysterious, elegant garment.

“I suddenly find myself interested in you…”

Karofis’s exquisite burgundy hair fell down, and even his eyes had turned red at some point.

He gazed at Lu Yuan indifferently and spoke in perfect Ancient Spirit Language, “If you choose to submit now, I might consider giving you the chance to kiss my feet…”

“…You bastard!”

With a thunderous roar, the sound of fabric tearing through the air, Lu Yuan’s figure instantly crossed the ten-meter distance, suddenly appearing right in front of Karofis.

“[Spirit Crane Technique: Mistaken Plucking of Immortal Orchid]!”

Lu Yuan, wearing the Seize the Moon gloves, suddenly splayed his five fingers. The sharp fingertips, wrapped in inner strength and death energy, pulled long, visible trails of shallow black aura through the air.

Karofis’s eyes flashed with red light as he gently raised his hand.

“Sizzle—”

The Seize the Moon claws clashed with Karofis’s palm, and Lu Yuan felt as if he had grabbed a thick, hard steel plate.

But with the power of his claw and the sharpness of Seize the Moon, he should have been able to tear through even real steel.

He stared at the black patterns of death energy condensed on Karofis’s palm, suddenly realizing something, his gaze becoming even more intense.

“[Spirit Crane Technique: Crane Shadow Float]!”

Lu Yuan followed up with another punch, his fist tearing through the air, creating massive white rings of airwaves in front of Karofis.

“[Spirit Crane Technique: Ethereal Penglai]!”

His thick, pillar-like leg swept horizontally…

Lu Yuan’s offensive was like a relentless storm, continuously pounding Karofis, targeting every vital point.

He put his full strength into every strike, each one a true skill killer move!

However, Karofis easily deflected his punches and kicks with a casual demeanor.

Even with the absolute concentration, nine tons of boxing power, combined with inner strength, death energy, and the techniques of multi-stage exertion…

Each blow could have shattered a Powerful Divine Servant level opponent multiple times over.

But when they landed on Karofis, they barely caused a ripple.

The thin layer of death aura patterns on Karofis’s body effortlessly absorbed all of Lu Yuan’s power.

“Clumsy techniques, the puny strength of a mere mortal, dreaming of shattering my Underworld Garment?”

“The supreme Crow Deity bestowed upon you the great power to harvest lives, yet you foolishly neglect to use it… how stupid!”

Karofis suddenly struck, his long, black-feathered arm abruptly pressing against Lu Yuan’s chest.

“Crack—”

Lu Yuan felt as if he had been hit head-on by a speeding truck, his entire body flying backward through the air.

“Do you see?”

On the shuttle, the Crew-cut Man spoke in a low voice, “This is the strength of a Level A+ Powerful Divine Messenger.

Only top-level Red Bears or even Golden Bear Level Lords are qualified to contend with him.

This Crow Deity servant… he seems to have learned some Ancient Style martial arts techniques, making him much stronger than the average Powerful Divine Servant… but compared to a Divine Messenger level expert, he’s still far inferior.”

Gao Qing and the Long-haired Man both had complex expressions and nodded in agreement.

…

“Cough, cough—”

Lu Yuan leaned heavily against a massive deciduous pine, half of his body embedded in the trunk.

It was the first time he had been so severely injured.

His chest was almost caved in.

Several ribs were likely broken, and his internal organs had been compressed and shaken.

If it weren’t for his strong constitution, any other martial artist would probably have died from Karofis’s blow.

“Is the gap between non-extraordinary and extraordinary professions really this vast?”

There was a hint of unwillingness in Lu Yuan’s eyes as he glanced back and forth between the [Martial Artist] and [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)] panels.

His martial arts, Palace of Flesh, and inner strength, which he believed were enough to rival extraordinary power…

In the face of genuine extraordinary power, they were as fragile as paper.

“If my Ten Thousand Refined Crane Bone Technique were twice as strong, could I break that outer layer of his… Underworld Garment?!”

He had just heard Karofis refer to the layer of death aura patterns on his body as such.

Lu Yuan’s gaze lingered on the available skill points and attribute points that he had earned from leveling up his [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)] profession, which he had yet to use.

He hesitated, wondering whether to enhance his Ten Thousand Refined Crane Bone Technique now. Doubling his inner strength might give him a fighting chance.

But he couldn’t help but turn to the [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)] panel.

After upgrading [Death Energy Entanglement] to Level 5, a new skill light point had appeared above it, waiting to be unlocked.

It was obvious that this would be an advanced skill beyond the basic skills of [Death Messenger (Extraordinary)].

“If I unlock a stronger Death Messenger skill, could I continue fighting him?”

Or perhaps, should he upgrade one of his three crane style true skill killer moves by one level?

Would a Level 2 killer move undergo a qualitative transformation compared to a Level 1 killer move?

Lu Yuan didn’t want to retreat! He felt he still had a chance! And that chance lay hidden within his professional panel.

One unallocated skill point, one unallocated attribute point…

His brain was racing, trying to find that one skill or one of the Four Basic Attributes that could turn the tide in his favor.

And just as he was hesitating, contemplating, and thinking…

Karofis had somehow already appeared nearby.

Half-human, half-crow, he looked down at Lu Yuan from above, speaking indifferently, “I’ll give you one last chance… submit?”

Lu Yuan’s lips tightened as he stared directly at Karofis without saying a word.

“It seems you’ve chosen death.”

Half a second later, Karofis sighed regretfully. He gently raised his black-feathered right hand.

Dense death energy gathered in his palm like black mercury, revealing a faint crystalline sheen, resembling a high-raised guillotine.

“Then… embrace the Crow Deity.”

As his hand descended, the terrifying death energy erupted in an instant, unleashing a black tidal wave throughout the forest.

Countless crows took to the sky with a loud flapping, the dark, rain-threatening sky seemingly heralding something ominous.

…

“It’s over.”

Gao Qing spoke softly.

“Yes, it’s over.

Nothing more to see.”

The Crew-cut Man withdrew his gaze, speaking in a deep voice, “I just received word that the Red Bear level Lord coming to reinforce us is almost here, much earlier than expected…

Let’s prepare. If we get the chance to stall, we might be able to assist the Red Bear level Lords in slaying him…”

“I’m just worried we won’t even have the chance to stall…”

The Long-haired Man said with a bitter smile.

The terrifying power of the Crow Deity sect’s Powerful Divine Messenger had already left a shadow in his heart.

He doubted whether he still had the courage to fight.

Gao Qing was about to say something when…

A sudden, massive explosion erupted from the battlefield below, where they had just ended their watch.

“Boom!”

The three of them quickly turned their heads.

The death energy, unleashed by the Powerful Divine Messenger, which had surged like a terrifying tidal wave, now seemed to have been pierced by something.

It exploded from the center.

The black fog of death scattered through the forest along with the panicked crow flock.

“What happened?”

“A new development?!”

Gao Qing and the others stared intently at the center of the explosion.

Finally, as everything became clear…

The three of them saw the scene and their eyes widened, pupils contracting sharply, as if witnessing something extremely incredible and unbelievable.

Their faces were full of shock and amazement.

“This… How is it possible?!”

…

“Uh…”

Karofis stood still, his hand frozen in mid-air, with a look of sudden surprise on his face.

He was staring at his descending hand.

To be precise.

At the large, thick hand tightly gripping his falling hand.

The knuckles were prominent, and the veins bulged like worms on the back of the hand.

Most importantly…

The hand was as hot as if it had just been pulled out of magma!

From palm to back of the hand, extending down to the wrist and elbow…

The skin was a strange light red color.

As if… molten lava was flowing underneath the flesh.

“Huff—huff—”

The hand rose and fell slightly with a sound as heavy as a giant beast’s breathing.

Karofis followed the arm with his eyes.

In the dissipating black fog of death energy, a figure gradually emerged.

He was over two meters tall.

Taller than Karofis by a head.

Long black hair draped over his shoulders.

His muscles were not overly developed but were extremely well-proportioned.

Yet they grew in a strange, slightly twisted manner.

Reminiscent of tightly bound and twisted steel rods.

And exuding a strange, powerful beauty.

Scarlet blood vessels surfaced smoothly between the muscles, like tattoos, spread across the body.

“Thump-thump!—Thump-thump!”

Karofis heard the sound of a pounding heartbeat, like a drum, but it wasn’t his own.

He saw the man in front of him, the one gripping his hand, slightly tilt his head back.

Then, from beneath the crow mask, a visible plume of white hot steam erupted.

It was as if magma flowed through this man’s veins, and a volcano resided in his chest.

Waves of intense heat radiated from his body, causing the air around him to distort and shimmer.

“You…”

Karofis stood stunned, just about to say something.

The man gripping his hand finally turned his head to face him.

From beneath the mask, the corners of the man’s eyes crinkled, as if he was smiling.

Karofis heard his deep, heated voice.

“The real battle… is just beginning.”

…

At this moment.

On Lu Yuan’s professional panel, two sections seemed to be glowing brightly.

One was the constitution points in the Four Attributes.

The other was a professional core skill on the [martial artist] panel.

The former had increased by one point, now showing 20.

With a few small words added after it—

[Constitution: 20 (Limit Break: 1)]

The latter displayed: [Special Exertion lv4]—Ultimate Exertion!

This…

This was the choice Lu Yuan had made… his turning point!