[{"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-47":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},2269693,4431,"Chapter 47: The Hero in Desperation (Second Update, 7000 Words)","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-47",47,"\u003Cp>The knights swung their holy swords with all their strength, unleashing brilliant silver light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This opponent was unquestionably true evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beasts themselves are hard to judge as good or evil, but humans tainted by “bestiality” have almost all fallen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exorcise.” The familiar sword technique, a first-rank divine spell, sent a silver arc of light slicing through the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En himself hadn’t expected his silver sword to radiate such dazzling brilliance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before the blade even touched the monster, the entire cave was utterly illuminated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Holy light—this enemy is worth fighting.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The deeper the darkness, the brighter the light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of evil must this creature be, to make a knight’s Exorcise Zhan  reach such heights, radiating light at its absolute upper limit?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The blades of the other knights shone the same way—their holy power had grown so strong they could barely control it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This wasn’t necessarily good; if the battle ended quickly, it was beneficial, but knights had limits—both physical and in holy power.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet Li En was somewhat special.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So satisfying.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struck faster with each swing, fiercer with each blow.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, not only was the holy power on Li En’s blade absurdly bright, as if he wielded a blade of pure light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Overflowing holy energy even pierced through his body, directly scorching any opponent who came too close.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The classical Oathbound Knight, nearing his end, had no need to consider what came after.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Exorcise.” The man-eating demon before him had clearly enraged the ancestral spirit—each of Li En’s strikes felt divinely perfect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this ultimate evil, the ancestral spirit seemed to guide his arms, driving him to deliver exquisitely precise slashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As for power? Each slash sent forth flames that carved suffocating arcs of light through the air!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this… the full power of Senior Li En?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Larry, who joined the assault, had never imagined he’d be driven back by the radiant heat radiating from a fellow knight’s holy sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beneath the swinging blade, this was no longer mere Exorcise—it was physical heat so intense it warped the air and choked those nearby.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaaaah!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The human-shaped demon continued screaming—it could not block this brutal light-blade, and was slashed into constant wails of agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its formidable regenerative ability only prolonged its suffering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The towering demon tried to resist, tried to block with its claws—but could not stop the precise, rapid holy sword.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Exorcise slash burned like the sun to evildoers; the wounds brought a numb, searing pain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the occasional “Judgment Strike” added even more enduring torment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your sins will never be forgotten—they will cling to you forever.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The effect of the Sin-Cutting blade refused all forms of healing, just as a criminal cannot deny or forget his own past crimes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, the monstrous beast was reduced to a bloody mess, with the faint scent of roasted meat lingering.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why won’t it die?” Under normal circumstances, wounds of this severity—even for a troll famed for regeneration—should have killed it multiple times over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet this monster still held on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It could still scream, as if it could endure much longer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En’s sword did not pause—he knew the reason: he was merely a temporary second-rank Holy Knight, using only a first-rank Exorcise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The quantity is sufficient—even overflowing—but the quality…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The unknown evil before him was so blinded by light it might as well have been blind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The penetration effect from his soul ability had already taken hold—the monster’s iron-hard skin was as fragile as paper before his blade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was covered in wounds, burning and bleeding profusely—his attacks were always effective, yet this monster refused to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its incredibly potent regenerative trait continuously spawned new organs to compensate, a bizarre ability that made Li En realize his current output was still insufficient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“A class-level issue?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quantity might transform into quality, but when the opponent’s quality is several tiers higher, no amount of quantity becomes lethal.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It’s like a paper cart can’t kill a person, or cotton can’t crush a stone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Continuing to drain energy was pointless—Li En’s time was precious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Heal Minor Wounds.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Larry’s healing spell landed on Li En again—he felt much lighter, the effect far superior to Dimon’s.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En turned back, realizing he couldn’t rely too much on them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a monster sustained purely by vitality, Larry’s magic blade was ineffective, and Dimon’s class ability still needed cultivation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aooooo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to change tactics was Heik, who had been stunned and taking hits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its single eye, already blinded by light, slammed its long leg down, sending out a shockwave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That terrifying brute strength made the cave’s rocks tremble.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Its backward-jointed legs, strained beyond limit, cracked extensively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To avoid it, Li En’s group was forced to retreat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aoooooo!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the monster’s roars were no longer meaningful—they were pure bestial howls.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed that, through constant regeneration, it had gradually lost its last shred of reason.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It wildly swung its claws; one blow struck the wall, and the solid rock beside it crumbled away like tofu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Faced with this chaotic assault, even Li En had to retreat and create distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He dodged with his sword, certain the monster couldn’t sustain this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li En!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, a cry from behind made him whirl around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One glance sent chills down his scalp—two small beasts had silently appeared behind him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn—it called them over?! That roar was a distress signal?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En swung his sword instantly to intercept—but the two small beasts ignored him completely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They charged straight for Heik.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crunch!” The horned beast Heik opened its massive maw and bit down hard on one of the small beasts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Crunch, crunch—in mere seconds, it tore and swallowed the creature whole.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All that remained on the ground was a pool of blood and shredded flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What chilled the witnesses was that even as it was being devoured, torn limb from limb, mouthful by mouthful,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>the small beast remained utterly motionless, its beautiful, pure eyes silently watching them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“...What the hell is this thing?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As it consumed the nourishment, two new heads sprouted on Heik’s shoulders.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Resembling the small beasts’ canine heads, they lacked other features—only a single eye each, grotesquely twisted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crunch!” But Heik wasn’t satisfied—he opened his jaws and bit into himself!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In an instant, he devoured the two newly grown heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then, two eyeballs grew from his shoulders, silently staring at Li En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was about to regain his sight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Holy sword!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the increasingly bizarre monster, Li En knew he couldn’t wait—he had to take a risk.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En loudly invoked the name of his holy sword—the light blazed fiercely.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heik instinctively turned away his newly grown eyes, avoiding being blinded again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And that gave Li En the chance to close the distance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dragon Claw.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right hand, gripping the sword, lit up the cave; his left hand, transformed into a dragon’s claw, had already slipped silently to Heik’s chest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it!!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Where Li En’s fingers touched, the flesh felt as soft as tofu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The once unbreakable steel-like muscle was pierced effortlessly by the man’s left hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flesh beneath his fingers rapidly blackened, withered, and turned to ash.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This sight made Li En exhale in relief—the dragon attribute’s suppression still existed, and seemed even more effective!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But this moment of relief gave him a lesson he would never forget.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Li En Sudar!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sudden roar revealed Heik’s sanity had returned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li En killed the beast’s nature, Heik’s nearly shattered humanity seized this moment to return!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn Holy Knight—die!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He lunged out with both arms—his reach stretched at least three meters—and the hand that had pierced Li En left him no room to evade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next instant, immense force slammed through his back, through his armor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The expensive full-metal armor trembled under the terrible power, cracking outright.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En let out a pained groan, struggling to break free, but could not tear himself loose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the sturdy armor became his prison.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Aaaaaaah!” Pain accompanied his screams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Li En strained with all his strength, the massive maw snapped down!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the wound on his shoulder pierced his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The steel fangs of that maw shattered the steel plates outright, crushing flesh and metal together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even so, Li En did not give up.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He could feel his left Dragon Claw still exerting force, killing the “beast” before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left hand writhed inside the monster’s body, trying to destroy more organs—it was a race to see who died first!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En gritted his teeth and dug wildly with his claws.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Dragon! Dragon!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But at this moment, an unforeseen change occurred.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Heck’s roar carried surprise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And the withered, dead flesh, upon tasting the sweetness of the Dragon-blooded flesh, began regenerating at high speed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The antidote to the Dragon poison that kills beasts… is Dragon blood. What a bitterly ironic truth.” In an instant, Li En understood the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One side regenerated; the other could only endure. If this continued, he would die first.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The reason didn’t matter now—what mattered was how to respond.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He struggled, turning his eyes toward his companions, begging for help.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But what he saw was even more despairing: the beast pack summoned to aid had surrounded Dimon and Larry—they too were barely holding on!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Is this the end?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, as the massive maw descended again above him, Li En felt the premonition of death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Perhaps, this would be his final moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Would he die again? Did reincarnation truly exist? Would there be another Li Ensu?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, never!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youth gritted his teeth and roared, twisting his body with all his strength to avoid the bite.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Crack!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fatal strike meant for his head instead tore into his other shoulder.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despairing pain surged from his left shoulder; Li En screamed in agony.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massive loss of flesh had left him mentally dim.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Was there still a way out? Did he still have any cards left?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En tried to reach for his Codex—but in this posture, he could not move.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Misfortune often strikes at the last moment: in his despairing gaze, the book fell straight to the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The force binding him grew stronger; Heck, having consumed Dragon blood, had become vastly more powerful—his withered horns now gleamed with luster.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The overwhelming despair awakened his resolve.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Am I… going to die?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His left shoulder lost sensation; the left claw, his weapon, lost control. In Li En’s slowly numbing eyes, it reverted to a flesh-and-blood hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The malicious beast opened its maw once more, its foul saliva dripping onto the youth’s face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In this second, Li En knew his death was likely imminent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had no cards left. Nothing could save him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will my adventure, my legend, end here?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Will Li En Sudar die in this Wurenzhixiao  cave, slain by a beast no one has ever heard of, in his rebirth?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I… I can’t accept this.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But as the massive maw closed, Death itself smiled at the motionless Li En.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He no longer had the strength to struggle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No, never!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I absolutely will not fall here.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The chaos of the dock district flashed through Li En’s mind—if he died, the changes about to begin would halt abruptly, and all would return to the old cycle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then came more scattered thoughts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I still have too many things I want to do.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After crossing into this other world, I’ve only suffered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I haven’t experienced its exotic customs, learned its strange magic, or enjoyed a single moment of comfort.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, Li En realized he was just an ordinary man—when death loomed, he thought only of his own petty desires.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If I die now, no one will mourn me.” He felt more and more resentment, more frustration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Li En!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And his companions’ cries still echoed in his ears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Li En jerked his head sideways and saw they were forcing their way through the beast pack to save him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It seemed… this new, brief life of mine wasn’t entirely a failure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But don’t come— you still have hope. Run away!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to shout, but only spat out a mouthful of blood—his vision was darkening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing death, countless thoughts flooded his mind.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Past memories flashed before Li En like a panorama—he was kissed once more by Death.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I… I can’t die. Never.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His pupils reignited with willpower. Even if he must die, let him fall on the path of charge!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He snapped his head up and bit into the monster’s body, tearing off a chunk of flesh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Tch, tastes awful…” It seemed he couldn’t absorb it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The youth offered a bitter smile. It seemed no miracle would come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>I’m going to die.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he had accepted his death, when he refused to accept it, when he was willing to fight for himself, for others, for the world—something activated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Clang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Hero’s Sword, which he had been holding in his right hand all along, suddenly glowed again with a faint light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unlike the holy silver or the judgmental crimson, this time the blade glowed a warm orange-red, like sunlight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>【Solheir, the Courageous Sword of the Desperate Watcher (Unknown Rank)】\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It gave the despairing “Hero” a trickle of warmth, a sliver of strength, a faint guiding light.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This gift was weak, minimal—but it gave Li En a new chance to resist.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It made Li En calmer, stirred his entire spirit and power, and drove him to struggle to his final moment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What else do I have?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What can I still give?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“To live, I will give everything.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this moment, the transmigrant Li Ensu and the warrior Li En finally merged completely—he became one with this world.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He tried to twist his right wrist, the only part of his body still movable.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But in this position, any resistance seemed meaningless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“No—there is one sword technique that doesn’t require much bodily coordination.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The despairing maw descended again. Even with a one-in-a-thousand chance, Li En activated the technique he had never succeeded in before.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In desperation—he gambled!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Shatter Blade. Break the Boundary!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light illuminated the entire cave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2339,"2026-06-19T21:45:41.002Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","91f2ce143ff2c23d2d9d564d075e9f1e47729d0a140d82e5f676aa0324638245","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-48","the-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-chapter-46",362,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-dragon-of-a-thousand-faces-cover.jpg"]