[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces":3,"chapter-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-217":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Dragon of a Thousand Faces",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2269863,4431,"Chapter 217: Extermination","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-217",217,"\u003Cp>The multiverse is dangerous.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Existence or nonexistence, continuation or cessation—perhaps it has nothing to do with your survival of the fittest, or your wins and losses, strength or weakness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you encounter it, you perish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li En, do you know what’s most dangerous about the owl?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uh, its ambush in the pitch-black night—silent, invisible, and devastatingly powerful. Even if you barely survive, it’s already gone, and the next strike could come at any moment.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snake had mentioned the owl casually during idle chatter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s only true for you—it’s not the main reason it must be torn to shreds. Its greatest danger is actually its eyes.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Eyes?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It sees too far, too far. Darkness cannot shield against its gaze—not even planets or dimensions. And some things—once you see them, they see you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The owl’s authority is over night and dreams; in darkness and phantom nights, its vision is nearly infinite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Controlling night, it used its authority to pierce through the obscuring darkness—and naturally, it observed things that should never be seen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Or rather, it was captured by things that should never be observed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En recalled: Snake had mentioned something, casually yet deliberately, and his smile at the time had been full of malice and delight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed he had already seen through everything, known of Li En’s destined encounter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Saw too much, knew too much—so. Snap, torn to shreds, died a miserable death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En gave a bitter smile: You knew all this, so why not explain it clearly?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If I’d known such a thing existed, I never would’ve stepped in—I nearly got wrecked outright!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exorcise Evil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No more hesitation—pick up the sword and strike.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En squinted, closing his Dragon Eye completely for the first time—as Snake said, sometimes, too useful an eye isn’t a good thing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Click-click-click!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bell tower echoed before him; twisted illusions once again merged into reality, as the chained, bound undead ghouls spoke of the great omniscience.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sacred symbols and patterns floated in the air, the infinite unknown and mystery drawing all life’s thirst for knowledge—as if one misstep would plunge them in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Li En merely looked up, staring at the darkness before and above him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That darkness felt comforting.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps fear-inducing night and darkness are not merely the source of evil—they are also a favor and protection for life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Respect the unknown. Don’t pay attention. Don’t be curious. Most importantly, don’t be like that stupid bird—peel away Its veil or seal, then stupidly stare directly at It.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The glorious holy sword reformed once more; the approaching paladin swung again and again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Flesh flew, searing holy flames erupted continuously, burning the half-dead-spirit, half-construct monster into constant wails.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Strip away those indescribable enhancements—the monster before him was, after all, merely the undead creation of a former librarian.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Ding-dong!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The bell tower chimed again, its sacred tone bringing knowledge and the sages’ enticements.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Li En’s ears, countless ancient sages returned to the mortal realm, recounting their insights, offering him beautiful counsel and visions of the future.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet the young man paid them no mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Snake had said: Don’t look. Don’t listen. Don’t understand. Don’t remember. Don’t communicate. Don’t respond. Kill the opponent—that solves everything!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En closed his mouth, closed his eyes, and swung his sword blindly, rapidly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaahhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The monster screamed endlessly, unable to comprehend: why was the knight, eyes sealed, still so precise?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li En attacked, the patterns on his black armor transmitted fluctuating optical data back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The entire body’s enveloping fluctuations were the most accurate, sensitive touch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Touch—the clumsy, dull touch in ordinary eyes—was, in this context, the most reliable and safest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One slash, then another—Li En regained battlefield initiative.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Sacred Chime” grew louder; countless sages’ knowledge flooded his mind, and Li En’s movements slowed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the back of Li En’s black armor opened; a section surged upward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A black dragon-headed winged helm covered Li En’s head; the side wing-ear guards blocked the irritating chimes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Battle Sword! Corroding Armor!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The furious, lightless blade, fueled by righteous fury against evil, slashed again. Unlike the explosive radiant light of ordinary Exorcise Evil strikes, this “Wall-Breaking” blade suppressed all sound and light, focusing solely on sharpness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaahhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But from the monster’s screams, the pain was doubled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Undead without sensation only screamed like a damned imp when struck by radiant holy damage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Librarian still frantically rang the bell, endlessly chanting the sages’ holy words, proclaiming the greatness of the omniscient being—but Li En no longer cared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He merely swung his sword, silently, one cut after another.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching putrid flesh spatter, watching brains burst out, watching the bell tower, adorned with all manner of fittings, turn into shredded meat, debris, and fragments.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet even so, the monster did not die!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It had consumed too many lives; the countless corpses in the underground tunnels became its source of immortality and endless regeneration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though “Truth” is fair, the Librarian who wields it is not. Most lives have been sacrificed—but even the mere scraps, the skimmed portion, are enough to grant it near-eternal life.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En unleashed fire and dragon flame—some effect, but still limited.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even if part was destroyed, it regenerated again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This won’t work…” Li En’s blade remained sharp, but his stamina was beginning to dip; the constant Exorcise Evil strikes drained him severely, and the erupting flames only accelerated the consumption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Must stop this monster’s regeneration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps… use “that.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he took a deep breath—and choked violently.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next moment, he took another deep breath—and the stench of decay flooded his nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then he breathed again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“This… is the smell of life decaying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the scent of life’s decay entered his body, a certain part representing decay was gradually activated—it… awakened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the black dragon-headed helm, dull yellow pupils slowly opened; the dragon helm trembled with its master’s breath, and vast quantities of decayed essence became the catalyst for activating this Corrupting Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“All things shall perish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Calm words echoed throughout the basement; an invisible black dragon enveloped the humanoid knight, the dragon helm now resembling a true dragon’s head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the next instant, the black dragon slowly drew in a deep breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“.Perish.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The black dragon exhaled—its sour, putrid breath devoured everything before it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A gaseous conical breath swept all away; when Li En stopped, the stench was gone entirely—the strong acid and decay essence had washed away even the smell of life’s corruption.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaahhh!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It still lived—but was now battered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The strong acid and decay essence coating its body halted regeneration; its flesh chunks kept falling off, and metal components visibly corroded and rusted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was about to be ended—ended by the World-Ending Black Dragon.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exorcise Evil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Taking another deep breath, he raised the holy sword once more—it glowed with radiance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This time, no armor-piercing was needed—the enemy’s defenses had already been shattered; only radiant light and flame were required to bury it utterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shatter Blade… Break the Boundary.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy power erupted again; each strike now destroyed entire limbs—or vaporized them!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Finally, as he stood calmly, sword in hand, only a pile of flesh and fragments remained.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Evil.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Another cast of Detect Evil received no living response—the demon that sought eternity and wisdom had already been terminated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet on the flesh-and-bone “desk” where the monster once stood, a strange human-skin book glowed faintly red.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps this was what Li En had been seeking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked over silently, skimmed it briefly, then put it away.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Snap!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he left the basement, flames erupted behind him, granting life its final rest and dignity.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Of course, also to bury secrets and knowledge that should never appear in the mortal realm.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1272,"2026-06-19T21:45:42.084Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","de48ddfdb30488c7a250ac51939a8d88104aee16334daee119fd84c2a46d1cf0","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-218","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-216",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-cover.jpg"]