Chapter 442: Drowning

Ever since the battle of mental images began with Zheng Anqi, Li Miao had been pondering a question.

There is nothing outside the mind; everything within a mental image is a manifestation of one's "nature." As the master of this mental image, whether it was the pitch-black beach here, the boundless seawater, or the black storm slowly churning above the sea, all were Li Miao's "nature."

In essence, the pitch-black seawater and the black water that flowed out after Li Miao was injured were the same thing, both in form and substance.

Then why did these pitch-black humanoids, and even Zheng Anqi, turn a blind eye to the seawater and only exert themselves against Li Miao's true body?

Li Miao grabbed the neck of a pitch-black humanoid and smashed it into the pitch-black seawater like a meteorite, exploding black waves several zhang high!

"I'll know once I try!"

Splash! —

Li Miao's palm was already riddled with holes; in just a moment, over a dozen mouths sprouted on the pitch-black humanoid's neck, gnawing at the flesh and blood on Li Miao's hand.

Creak, creak—

They were even gnawing at the bones and tearing at the tendons.

Li Miao's gaze, however, remained as calm as water; he just gripped it tightly and continued to move toward the depths of the sea.

One foot underwater.

Li Miao's hand creaked, the white bone of his hand exposed.

Three feet underwater.

The dozen mouths greedily gnawing at Li Miao's flesh suddenly paused—even the swallowing and chewing motions stalled. Li Miao raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth curled up, and he continued to dash into the depths.

One zhang underwater.

The pitch-black humanoid stopped moving, and the dozen mouths surrounding Li Miao's palm clamped shut.

But how could Li Miao let it off?

"What, full?"

Li Miao sneered, his left hand suddenly locking onto the pitch-black humanoid's jaw, his five fingers embedding deep into the flesh and skin like steel hooks, gripping the jawbone.

"I am a rather generous person."

His left arm pulled back slowly.

Rip, rip—

The sticky sound of skin and tendons snapping rang out continuously. The pitch-black humanoid suddenly opened its eyes, and the dozen tightly closed mouths on its neck also suddenly opened.

"No, no..."

Li Miao sneered.

"If it's delicious, then you—"

His left arm suddenly jerked upward.

"Eat more!"

Rip—

With the final sound of tendons snapping, the entire chin of the pitch-black humanoid was torn off by Li Miao!

At the same time, it suddenly raised its hands, trying to cover the wound, but was held fast by Li Miao.

Now, its esophagus was exposed to the seawater.

The next moment, the seawater flowed.

As if a hole had been opened in a bucket full of water, a vortex formed in the sea, continuously pouring into its esophagus.

In Li Miao's mocking gaze, the pitch-black humanoid's belly swelled continuously like a sponge soaked with water; in just a few breaths, it expanded several times over, even reaching Li Miao's front.

"Uh, uh—"

"Let me go, let me go."

"Let me leave!"

The dozen mouths on its neck suddenly wailed in unison.

The next instant—Boom!

A dirty firework exploded in the water.

The pitch-black humanoid exploded from its belly, and over a dozen finger-sized human faces swam out with extreme speed, heading toward the surface.

"Leaving after eating your fill?"

"Leave your life to settle the bill!"

Li Miao struck a boxing stance in the water, his left palm in a crane-beak shape, his right hand in a claw, pointing at the fleeing faces.

Taiji Fist—Pulling the Sparrow's Tail!

Soft force, suction, and the massive true energy of dual cultivation of life and nature stirred the seawater. In an instant, a huge vortex formed above the pitch-black sea. By the shore, dozens of pitch-black humanoids stood by the water, staring fixedly at the vortex, their hands and feet rubbing incessantly, desperately suppressing the hunger in their bellies.

The vortex first expanded continuously until it was several zhang square, even stirring the air above the sea; the strong wind blew to the shore, and countless pitch-black sand grains were lifted.

But after about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the vortex suddenly stopped.

It didn't disappear; it just stopped.

It was as if, in that instant, the liquid seawater had been firmly frozen by an unknown force; every wisp of spray, every drop of water was congealed in mid-air, visible down to the finest detail.

There was no more movement.

The pitch-black humanoids waited for a long while, but did not see Li Miao jump out of the seawater.

If it were Zheng Anqi, he would only sit cross-legged on the ground, coldly watching the sea surface, waiting for Li Miao to emerge. Li Miao was the one who didn't have enough time now; he couldn't just drag it out like this.

But the pitch-black humanoids, or rather, the Zheng Anqis, had chaotic consciousness; apart from beast-like instincts and the techniques carved into their marrow, there was nothing human about them.

How could they suppress it?

First, they ground their teeth, twitched their noses, and saliva flowed from their mouths.

Then they paced and hissed, emitting incessant wails.

Finally, they stared fixedly at the sea surface.

Instinct told them not to enter the water.

But instinct also drove them to fight for and tear at Li Miao's flesh and blood. As long as they swallowed enough, they could obtain what they craved most—a physical body, freedom, memories, and self.

They prowled by the shore like beasts caged, watching fresh flesh and blood hanging outside, grinding their teeth and sucking blood incessantly.

Two kinds of instincts were fighting each other.

If they just waited like this, there would come a moment when they couldn't help but rush into the seawater; perhaps in an hour, perhaps in a month.

But Li Miao wouldn't give them that much time.

Suddenly, the nose of a pitch-black humanoid twitched a few times, its eyes suddenly shifted, and its gaze locked onto the frozen vortex.

Fragrance.

A fragrance that made it hard to suppress was being carried to it by the sea breeze.

It was a pool of black water gurgling out from the center of the frozen vortex, and it was the only liquid moving within that congealed, motionless sea, reflecting in its pupils.

That was Li Miao's "nature."

The black water flowing out of Li Miao's body.

"Roar! —"

Without a hint of hesitation, the hunger that had been suppressed to the limit erupted!

Dozens of pitch-black humanoids leaped high, rushing toward the congealed vortex.

————————

Clang, clang, clang, clang!

A series of sounds of metal clashing instantly traversed the massive Hall of Supreme Harmony. The golden melons and axes smashed onto Zheng Anqi's protective true energy, exploding with massive sparks.

The two bodyguard Li Miaos had ferocious smiles on their faces; ignoring the large swaths of flesh and blood torn from their bodies by Zheng Anqi, they just kept splashing desperate attacks at Zheng Anqi!

Zheng Anqi's gaze was calm; he parried the two bodyguard Li Miaos, seemingly fighting intensely, but a closer look revealed that only the corner of his eye remained on the two bodyguard Li Miaos, while his line of sight kept shifting.

The bodyguard Li Miaos, if judged by the strength of ordinary Heaven-Man, probably only had the level of two paths, not yet three; they couldn't break his protective true energy and were only slightly restraining him.

The real killing blow was—

"Take a punch from this palace."

A lazy voice suddenly sounded from behind. Zheng Anqi's eyes narrowed, and he turned around, striking out with a palm!

But it landed on empty air.

Crown Prince Li Miao was not behind him at all; instead, he was standing several zhang away, looking at him with a mischievous smile on his face.

"This palace has always felt that behaviors like shouting 'die', 'go to hell', or 'take my punch/sword' before attacking are things only brain-dead people do. I didn't expect you to actually fall for it."

Crown Prince Li Miao shrugged.

"Why look at me?"

"Look behind you."

Zheng Anqi's pupils shrank. The next instant, a whistle of air being torn came from behind!

"Die—"

It should have been "Die," but it was swallowed halfway; only a fist with a bit more anger smashed onto Zheng Anqi's back.

(End of chapter)