Chapter 102

"You already ate it, so how are you supposed to spit it out?" Tang Luo said.

The power of this fate fragment is about the same as the Nero fate fragment I ate in the last mission.

"... I told you, I really don't want to be your enemy." The masked man's voice sank.

Does eating a fate fragment mean you possess it? Honestly, he doesn't know.

No one would be idle enough to swallow a power seed that can fuse directly in hand—it's not like a baby who likes to put everything in their mouth to explore the world.

But the masked man is very clear: this Xuanzang monk is a fate holder.

Once you become a fate holder, you cannot hold another fate.

So this damned bastard just swallowed the fate fragment.

Now, to get the fate fragment back, there are two methods: one inconvenient to describe, the other is to cut this person open and dig the fragment out.

"It's you who forced me." The masked man's right hand trembled, and a small knife—exquisitely crafted, three cun and seven fen long—was pinched in his hand.

His right hand slowly lifted, held diagonally across his chest.

The faces of Uncle Qiang, A Fei, and Qin Menglan instantly turned grave.

They felt that as the opponent raised the knife, a threatening intent swept over them.

Like a spear in the back, as if someone had pressed a gun directly to their head—any slight movement might bring disaster.

The handsome masked man remained silent, a killing intent slowly seeping from his body.

Even though the flying knife in his hand hadn't been unleashed, the oppressive pressure it brought was already terrifying—or rather, precisely because it hadn't been unleashed did it bring such terrifying pressure.

When he strikes, he might feel no pressure at all, because the one stabbed would already be dead.

"Mmm..." The Heavenly Howling Dog also had its fur standing on end, its meows turning into mournful, infant-like whimpers.

Only Tang Luo remained calm—no, he should be said to be stroking his chin in thought: "This feeling—you should be a fate holder. Let me guess—"

Last time Nero guessed wrong; this time I can't afford to be wrong again.

Holding the flying knife openly, motionless yet poised, it brings a deadly sense of threat.

"It's you, Li Xunhuan!" Tang Luo shouted loudly, convinced he wouldn't be wrong this time.

As for why Li Xunhuan's fate holder would commit such forceful plunder—

Fate holders imitating and drawing close to the original fate owner is indeed a way to increase strength, but whether personality and conduct should also align with the original is debatable.

One must consider individual struggle as well as the flow of history.

It's impossible to say that someone originally meticulous and scheming, destined to become a strategist, upon becoming a fate holder of a reckless brave fool, would only rush brainlessly.

The masked man said nothing, maintaining his poised, unfired stance as he searched for an opening.

Xiao Li's flying dagger—never misses!

Why does it never miss? Because if there's no absolute certainty, he doesn't strike; if he doesn't strike, it's not a mistake—so it never misses.

Well, that's just a joke.

Using hidden weapons as if they were open arms naturally makes it harder than firing a cold shot.

Emphasizing: if the enemy doesn't move, I don't move; if the enemy moves, they die.

Of course, one cannot strike casually.

"Put it away, don't make a big deal—we're just here to reclaim the fate fragment, not to kill." At that moment, a voice came from behind Tang Luo and the others.

Another member of the martial world legend has arrived?

"Master Xuanzang, could you hand over the fate fragment?" the voice said, "Otherwise—"

"Master, save me." A Tuo's embarrassed voice rang out.

Tang Luo turned around and saw another black-clad masked man, holding A Tuo the driver hostage.

This man had one hand resting on A Tuo's shoulder.

No dagger or similar weapon was pressed against A Tuo's neck, but the threatening intent was obvious.

"Li Xunhuan" didn't immediately retract his flying dagger; the situation hung by a thread—drawing the blade wasn't easy, nor was sheathing it.

"You're pretty weak, A Tuo." Tang Luo looked at A Tuo and said.

A Tuo sighed helplessly: "It's not that I can't—it's that the enemy is too strong."

He also wanted to try resisting, but alas, the opponent was too strong—three moves and two breaths, and he was subdued, becoming a "good baby."

"If we don't kill, how do we retrieve the fragment?" "Xiao Li's Flying Dagger" asked.

"Spit it out." Another masked man said, his tone full of frustration at failing to forge steel from iron.

The fate fragment won't digest—spitting it out would settle it, right?

"..." Xiao Li's Flying Dagger froze for a moment—yeah, that actually might work.

"Master Xuanzang, please." The black-clad masked man said.

"Pah!" Tang Luo showed no courtesy: "Our family's affairs—what do they have to do with you outsiders?"

"Family?"

"What do you mean?"

Qin Menglan and the others were also full of confusion—could it be that Master Xuanzang and this "Xiao Li's Flying Dagger" actually know each other?

"Xunhuan, you forgot—I'm your sworn elder brother, Long Xiaoyun!" Tang Luo turned back to Xiao Li's Flying Dagger, sincere and earnest.

Who is Long Xiaoyun?

In the *Wu Qing Jian*, he is Li Xunhuan's eight-bow sworn brother, elder sworn brother, and also a hypocrite.

His main deed was marrying the cousin who had feelings for Li Xunhuan—Lin Shiyin—causing Li Xunhuan to willingly wear the green hat of infidelity.

"You're courting death!"

The story between Long Xiaoyun and Li Xunhuan is known to many.

Even if one doesn't know, becoming a related fate holder would certainly prompt them to learn about it.

Tang Luo said that, and the little Li flying dagger immediately flew into a rage.

Tang Luo guessed correctly—he was indeed the holder of Li Xunhuan's fate pattern, but that didn't mean he liked giving away women or performing "Happy Sheep" on his head.

"Xiao—"

Almost at the moment the little Li flying dagger flew into a rage, another black-clad masked person opened his mouth.

But the warning words had barely left his lips.

Tang Luo had already vanished from the spot, and Qin Menglan and the others only felt a violent wind sweep past them.

When they came to their senses, the little Li flying dagger was already being choked with one hand by Tang Luo, lifted into midair.

He kept struggling, but could only futilely kick his legs, his hands tightly gripping Tang Luo's arm.

The flying dagger originally pinched in his hand had already reached Tang Luo's hand.

Whatever martial arts, whatever flying dagger, whatever skills, whatever enhancements—at this moment they were all completely nullified, useless.

Tang Luo's power became a threat of death, leaving the little Li flying dagger utterly unable to resist, only able to passively endure.

In less than a few seconds, his eyes rolled white, his consciousness began to blur.

His kicking legs also grew weak, "drooping" and twitching.

Tang Luo's fingers loosened slightly.

He controlled it perfectly, letting this little Li flying dagger wildly probe the edge of death without actually dying.

"Hostage? I have one too—now come exchange." Tang Luo looked at the black-clad masked person and said.

"... Despicable." The black-clad masked man squeezed out two words from between his teeth.

"What right do you have to say that?" Qin Menglan said.

Obviously it was you who first—whether seizing fate fragments or threatening with hostages.

Now Tang Luo is merely repaying in kind.

"The fate fragments are ours." The black-clad masked person said.

"Oh?" Qin Menglan responded.

Could it be that Thirteen's fate fragment didn't come directly from the Divine Demon Game, but from the martial arts myths?

That's not impossible.

"As evidence, it has already been handed over to the state—you have no right to reclaim it." Qin Menglan, having thought of a possibility, said.

We are an official institution, representing the state—what are your martial arts myths, some petty snack?

"..."

"Alright. Since you refuse to exchange—" Tang Luo spoke, raising the flying dagger he had just seized, "Then forget it—my junior brother's flying dagger, I can actually wield it too!"

The words had barely fallen when he struck directly.

The little Li flying dagger in his hand turned into a cold light, accompanied by a whistling sound of piercing air, and in the blink of an eye pierced A Tuo's chest.

A Tuo's mouth slightly opened, his face showing an expression of disbelief, his chest clothing slowly being stained red by blood.

"Puppet?"

"Impostor?"

"Is A Tuo an accomplice?"

Qin Menglan and the others were shocked by Tang Luo's action, while simultaneously considering other possibilities.

The black-clad masked person behind had already released his right hand from A Tuo's shoulder.

If not for his timely dodge, plus the flying dagger being slightly "blocked" by A Tuo, even he would have been injured.

"The hostage is already slain—why don't you surrender?" Tang Luo looked at the black-clad masked person and said.

A Tuo knelt on the ground, his breath gradually weakening.

"You madman!" The black-clad masked person stared for about a second, likely digesting the reality before him.

Then he roared, turned and fled, speed so fast it seemed like shrinking the earth to an inch—in an instant he had run over a hundred meters away.

One Daoist's death is another's gain—selling out teammates, done cleanly and thoroughly.

There are bad people in the crowd!

Tang Luo glanced at the Heavenly Howling Dog.

The Heavenly Howling Dog shook its head, shot out like lightning, and chased after the black-clad masked person.

"Watch him." Tang Luo knocked out the little Li flying dagger, tossed it to Strong Uncle, walked toward the dying A Tuo, and placed his hand on his head.

The Merit Jade Lotus passed through Tang Luo's hand, beginning to "awaken and heal wounds."

"A Tuo isn't an accomplice, is he?" Qin Menglan walked over and asked, her expression and tone extremely complex.

Tang Luo said: "Isn't he someone you brought?"

"I'm certain he's one of our own—I even thought—" Qin Menglan wanted to say more but stopped, changed the subject: "Did you avoid the vital point?"

"No—saying 'slain' means truly slain; monks don't lie. Unless A Tuo has something like 'heart regeneration' ability." Tang Luo paused, then said: "And avoiding the vital point—probably that masked person would notice."

"... Did A Tuo really die?" Qin Menglan widened her eyes.

"Yes, he stopped breathing a second before I placed my hand on his head." Tang Luo said: "But don't worry—my awakening can even bring the dead back to life!"

As he spoke, Tang Luo's body suddenly glowed with golden light, completely enveloping A Tuo.

The scene instantly became magnificently splendid.

Now let me show you the true skill of Master Xuanzang.

About half a minute later, A Tuo opened his eyes with a dazed look, instinctively reaching toward his chest—no wound.

The earlier pain felt like an illusion.

"I didn't die?" A Tuo asked.

"No, benefactor you died, but I, the poor monk, brought you back. Awakening secret art—resurrecting the dead, flesh regrowing on white bones!"