Chapter 78: Actually, My Surname Is Tang

Actually, my surname is Tang

(Ultimate Large Cup, 2 chapters 6000+! Hands on hips!)

Undoubtedly, [War] is fond of blood and fire.

But not every follower of [War] has an affinity for fire elements.

Most of His followers received only half His blessing—the savage combat power—while only a few lucky ones gained control over flame.

And Zhao Qian was one of them.

His control over flame was his hidden card, never shown lightly, a surprise tactic.

So he was curious how Cheng Shi knew.

“You are a hunter, yet you show no panic despite losing your bow—this means you have a backup plan sufficient for the trial.

I noticed when you climbed the mountain, your left hand deliberately avoided vines, gripping only the rock ridges—this indicates your left hand’s strength is not fully controllable, at least enough to damage wood elements.

Recalling your fight with Cui Lao, your left hand’s defensive posture always leaned toward offense, yet no follow-up attack came; your right fist was never a counterattack signal—this means the original offense should have come from your left hand.

You hid a trump card, and you, too, are a follower of [War].

So the answer is obvious...”

“Sharp observation—but what if I told you’re wrong?” Zhao Qian raised an eyebrow and snorted.

Cheng Shi’s gaze turned distinctly “serious”:

“Then Cui Lao will die.”

Zhao Qian looked at Cheng Shi coldly, then glanced at Cui Dingtian lying between two logs; a flicker of hesitation crossed his face, then he sighed and said:

“Alright, I can indeed wield fire.”

Zhao Qian raised his left hand; as his arm lifted, a fine layer of crimson flame clung to his skin.

Indeed, he possessed the power to control flame!

Cheng Shi smiled knowingly and handed him the medicine furnace.

Good—on this point, where his own safety isn’t at stake, he’s still willing to cooperate.

He doesn’t seem to be the absolute self-interest type I thought.

Zhao Qian shook his head with a wry smile and took the furnace.

“What do I do?”

Cheng Shi’s eyes blazed again; he stared at the furnace and spoke slowly:

“Roast it. Constant roasting—until the furnace explodes!”

“?”

This stunned everyone.

Gao Yu stared blankly:

“If the furnace explodes, how do we make medicine?”

Cheng Shi burst out laughing:

“You don’t understand—alchemy is a mysterious art. My previous experiments never succeeded.

Until one time, when the furnace exploded, I realized ‘Sudden Afterglow’ requires contact with sufficient air at the moment of pressure release to fully form.

I couldn’t determine which component in the air was the key ingredient.

So explosion is the most reliable method!

The final form of the potion is a black paste; yield is roughly 70%. If we catch enough paste during the explosion and roll it into pills, Cui Lao’s life can be saved!”

Enough—Zhao Qian had no more doubts.

He began channeling his full [War] energy, igniting flame to roast the furnace.

The furnace’s pressure buildup took a long time, so during this period, others gathered floating wood to build a platform on the sea.

Tao Yi also took the chance to solve her clothing issue—she cast a spell to strip bark from logs and shaped it into tight-fitting garments to cover her less-than-graceful figure.

As for the men... a few scraps of cloth covered them well enough—no need for refinement.

Soon, under everyone’s efforts, a floating platform made of driftwood and branches was completed.

“If the area’s sufficient, stop building—the pressure alarm is sounding. Everyone, pay attention—it’s about to blow!”

Zhao Qian roared, calling everyone back; seeing the furnace emit a strained, hissing sound, all tightened their nerves.

Only Cheng Shi held a mud ball he’d just rolled from dirt scraped off a log, looking utterly confident.

The trick of close-up magic is distraction.

Everything before was setup—this ball in his hand was the real life-saving remedy.

If any teammate managed to catch one or two ash-clumps from the explosion’s debris, those were failures.

Offerings to the void cannot be stored; Cheng Shi wouldn’t let them keep it as a miracle cure, for once expired, it was nothing but charred ash of burned flesh—useless.

“Here it comes!”

Zhao Qian roared and hurled the furnace into the air.

“Boom—”

The furnace exploded instantly, spraying ash and residue everywhere.

Everyone used their abilities to the utmost, scrambling to collect the paste.

Only Cheng Shi moved swiftly through the falling ash, reached out decisively, rubbed something hard, then rushed to Cui Dingtian’s side and shoved it into his mouth.

“...”

Gao Yu’s hands were covered in black soot; he stared at Cheng Shi, murmuring:

“If you had this reaction, why did you need someone to carry you up the mountain?”

Cheng Shi laughed heartily but said nothing.

Indeed, the potion had succeeded—not just succeeded, but worked exceptionally well.

Cui Dingtian felt a surge of vital energy burst from his heart, then spread through his limbs and bones with his blood; all pain vanished instantly, his pale complexion gradually turning ruddy.

“Isn’t this the vigor of my youth?”

Tao Yi stared in disbelief at Cui Dingtian’s transformation, as if unable to believe his flesh could have such power.

Cui Dingtian himself was stunned—he felt, upon waking, as if he’d returned to his youth.

He sat up, looked at his body, and sighed in awe:

“Xiao Cheng, how did you do this? My...

How is this possible?”

Cheng Shi blinked twice and smiled:

“How is it possible? It’s merely restoring your body’s former peak state—a temporary afterglow. How does it feel?”

Cui Dingtian stared at his body in disbelief, slowly saying:

“Former peak state? Even so... this potion isn’t Grade A, is it?”

“Grade A? Cui Lao, you’re joking. In five days you’re dead—this is barely Grade B, or my ancestors’ graves would be burning incense forty meters high.”

“But can a Grade B potion block His [Oath-Breaking Curse]?”

???

“What the hell is that?”

It exploded!

Cheng Shi’s mind was blown!

Where did Oath-Breaking Curse come from?

“Cui Lao, are you an Oath-Breaker?”

Everyone froze; for a moment, [Silence] descended again.

Cui Dingtian nodded with complex expression, looked at the bewildered Cheng Shi, and began telling his story.

His story wasn’t complicated.

Before the [Gods] descended, Cui Dingtian lived a simple, happy life with his son.

Until They came, altered the world, and he never saw his son again.

To find his son, he resolutely stepped onto the path’s starting point and chose [Prosperity] as his patron.

Because [Prosperity]’s will aligned perfectly with his goal—to unleash all his strength before death and find his son.

But the old man was old; even with [Prosperity]’s power, he had no clear advantage over other players.

And no advantage meant he couldn’t advance in increasingly difficult trials.

So, after surviving a near-fatal trial, he made an excruciating decision.

Betray [Prosperity], and turn to [Decay]!

With his worsening condition, worshipping [Decay] was practically free divine power.

As for the curse from betraying his patron...

Again, live first, talk later.

Driven by that original obsession, he initiated the [Oath-Breaking Prayer].

The final trial succeeded—he gained [Decay]’s attention, but also received [Prosperity]’s curse.

The patron he betrayed seemed to see through the old man’s deepest desire, so He gave this curse:

Grant him a body that never decays—a stone body!

How absurd!

A warrior who worships [Decay] became a stone mummy with eternally indestructible muscles.

Even though Decay had not wronged him, granting him sufficient talent, the curse of Prosperity had always suppressed his acquisition of sufficient Decay power.

This was a successful conversion, yet a failed betrayal.

He did not make himself stronger, but made himself less than human.

This was also why he could withstand Void erosion better than others—because both his flesh and skin bore Their will.

"......"

Everyone listened in silence, momentarily speechless.

Cui Dingtian stood up, stretched his body, and chuckled bitterly:

"My muscles bear the curse of Prosperity, while my skin carries the blessing of Decay—they oppose each other, incompatible; the struggle of wills inside my body makes me cough incessantly. This is not an illness—it is the price!"

"So, Xiao Cheng, I’d like to ask you..."

"What kind of potion can cure this price? If possible, I’m willing to trade everything I have for it."

"......"

All eyes turned to Cheng Shi, filled with clear astonishment.

Tao Yi covered her mouth, Gao Yu stared wide-eyed, Zhao Qian raised an eyebrow.

Only Su Yi, after hearing Cui Dingtian’s words, secretly tucked his hands behind his back, scraped off all the soot on his palms, rolled it into a pill, and slipped it between his buttocks.

Fuck, this got too big.

How the hell am I supposed to know this potion can still suppress your Oath-Abandonment Curse?

He never said anything about that!

But it’s obvious—the deception power in the potion must be at work. After all, it was made from His talent, so is there a possibility:

His power tricked both Prosperity and Decay?

But can I say that?

Cheng Shi smiled awkwardly, his mind racing at full speed, thinking desperately how to deceive the suspicious crowd.

"Let me ask—could it be that Cheng Shi isn’t my real name?"

"Huh? Then what’s your name?" Tao Yi played the straight man with innocent curiosity.

"Uh... actually, my surname is Tang—the Tang from Tang Seng."