Chapter 215: The Hero

Dusk descended, the hour of demons.

The spirit-detection device trembled wildly, its faith-energy reading higher than ever before.

Soldiers of the assimilation unit, clad in full-coverage exosuits and armed with electromagnetic rifles, moved tense through narrow alleys, while above, via aerial camera, a young man sat calmly before an offering table, brewing tea with deliberate slowness.

"What's going on? Has he gone mad?"

Lena saw this scene and felt sick— if he were merely throwing his own life away, that would be one thing, but the critical issue was that the physical body of the Jade Rabbit Deity now rested right at the center of the long table!

Even Little Xiao Lingdang, usually so talkative, remained silent; for a moment, everyone watching this bizarre operation fell into silence.

Even the Giant He Xing officers monitoring the scene could no longer sit still, and one barked:

"What's happening? Who leaked this operation?"

"Unknown—our network permissions have been hijacked; no, not just surveillance access—our databases have been attacked too!"

The Giant He Xing network surveillance officer shrieked; even pure consciousness transmission couldn't keep pace with the intruder's speed, auxiliary input devices clattered in a continuous crackle, and a group of Giant He Xing commanders exchanged stunned glances.

"Damn! We were careless! Didn't expect these damn Earthlings to have quietly mastered network tech matching ours!"

The third-transformation Giant He Xing ignored the impending battle entirely and immediately called the central command.

"Is this about the livestream?" The voice on the other end came calm and measured; the third-transformation Giant He Xing replied at once:

"Yes, Commander, network permissions in He Zujie are being seized—cut the connection to the mothership immediately!"

"Already cut. But the mainframe is still under attack," replied the alien from Central Command, voice grim.

"Four fourth-transformation network engineering specialists have been deployed for maintenance, but that's not the point!"

"The mothership being attacked isn't the point?" The third-transformation alien felt his head spin, then instantly realized—

"You mean…"

"Yes. Earthlings clearly possess network tech capable of striking our mothership, yet they never revealed it. Now that they've used it, either they've reached a point where they must, or they no longer care to hide it. Either way, this can't be ignored. I'm granting you Level Three clearance—landing forces are ready, special tactical units are mobilizing. Hold out until the mothership arrives!"

"Understood!" The third-transformation Giant He Xing shouted, then turned and barked:

"Did you all hear that? He Zujie Level One Combat Order—all combat personnel immediately prepare for battle, non-combat personnel proceed to shelter protocols, assimilated units and AIs must sever all network connections and enter autonomous mode; forcibly administer Awakening Pills, Assault Pills, Cat-Eye Pills... attack immediately!"

"Yes!"

…

"Fast reaction!"

Watching the assimilation unit, which had previously hesitated, now advance, Feng Xue glanced at the sun still above the horizon, lit three incense sticks, and inserted them into the censer.

"Yunxi, ready?" Feng Xue reached out and took Liu Yunxi's hand; her eyes instantly filled with excitement—hadn't she waited all this time precisely for a moment like this?

Images of shielding him from bullets, blades, and spears flashed through her mind, when Feng Xue suddenly said:

"You look like a Kamen Rider transformation device!"

"Huh?"

Before Liu Yunxi could even cry out, her entire body shrank into a palm-sized box, which Feng Xue pressed against his dantian.

Two belt-like bands, scaled like snake skin, snapped out from either side of the box, tightening to secure themselves. Feng Xue gazed at this transformation device, perfectly built to his design, and inserted the three water and two wood seals into their slots—unlike the belt, which could only hold three talisman charms, Liu Yunxi had five slots.

After embedding the talismans for Swift Travel, Lightning Transformation, and Substitution, Feng Xue paused, then shoved in two more jade tablets inscribed with "Mountain" and "Spirit."

The network formed by Liu Yunxi's demonic energy pathways immediately demonstrated superior qi-conducting efficiency over Fa Jin and Fa Yin.

"As expected, demonic energy guiding primordial qi is still much faster!" Feng Xue smiled. But Liu Yunxi's voice entered his mind through Seeing Mo Ying, now possessed:

"Fast? Sure. But what's the point? I could be far more effective charging the front lines than being your damn belt! You've got plenty of belts already!"

"Shut up. Little Xiao Lingdang is busy right now—you're the only one who can assist me and Seeing Mo Ying." Feng Xue's reply made Liu Yunxi bristle:

"No way! I'm a Immortal Liu! Hand-to-hand combat I can handle, but magic? I'm terrible at it!"

"That's exactly what I need you for—assisting hand-to-hand combat! After all, I've got a new toy now!"

As Feng Xue spoke, the assimilation unit entered his line of sight. He lifted the still-warm tea from the table, scooped a pinch of incense ash into it, tapped his toe sharply against the ground, then flung the murky tea—mixed with ash—over his face. His head began thrashing wildly, like a rock singer, and the mumbled sounds from his mouth slowly sharpened into clarity—

"Incense wafts, illuminating heaven and earth; pure fragrance pierces the celestial gate. The Divine Dragon treads the Seven Stars' path, burning incense, lighting candles, summoning the Master. I summon Su'e, Huiye Ji, and enshrine her as the Great Yin Immortal of Eternal Life. From Penglai's spirit herbs, I gain everlasting age; from the Moon Palace's immortal dew, I am nourished in eternal youth. One day I awaken the Earth Mother's Art, and even the turning of cosmic cycles may be within reach. With single-minded devotion, I beseech you—descend, O Lady of the Divine, swiftly, as the Law commands!"

The moment he finished, a pale moonlight, visible even through screens, surged from the Jade Rabbit statue into Feng Xue's body.

"Mmm…"

The pure lunar radiance stirred a soft moan from Liu Yunxi; Feng Xue pressed the three water and two wood Jade Seals fully downward.

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

"Thud!"

As if a great bell rang, or a heavy heartbeat pounded, the world seemed to be painted by a colossal brush—ink splashed, strokes sweeping—redefining the tangled alleys into a grand battlefield scene.

"Still a bit too artisanal."

Feng Xue muttered inwardly; Seeing Mo Ying snapped back:

"If you think it's too artisanal, don't use it!"

"But at a time like this, artisanal is better than nothing!"

Feeling the faith-energy surge rapidly along the network laid by Little Xiao Lingdang, Feng Xue pressed the decorative switch on the belt and issued the command directly to Liu Yunxi.

"Transformation (henshin)!"

Liu Yunxi's Core Technique erupted open, transforming into armor that wrapped Feng Xue's entire body. Demonic energy, magical energy, divine energy—all wrapped in qi—formed runes, solidified onto the armor by the 【Spirit-Enchanting Spell】.

Among the intricate, overlapping scales like snake skin, dark, murky lines flickered faintly—like flowing poison—making Feng Xue's form appear both mysterious and lethal.

"Kamen Rider·Moon Serpent!"

(End of Chapter)