Chapter 26: The Creed

Even if Qi Zhiyong wanted to shift the calamity onto someone else, it would be no easy task.

The door was blocked by the Door-Breaking Specter. His first priority was to find a way out of the room, and that alone might exhaust the resources he had accumulated over several days.

Qi Zhiyong flicked his wrist, releasing a blinding golden light.

It was the Golden Light Incantation!

By emitting this searing radiance, he could inflict damage upon vengeful spirits. The dazzling glare forced the Door-Breaking Specter to shield its eyes, and at that precise moment, Qi Zhiyong unleashed his second talisman.

Triple-cast True Fire Incantation!

Three lines of fire surged forward. The massive specter swiped its hand, extinguishing two of the flames, while the third missed, whistling past the creature’s neck.

This was the opening Qi Zhiyong had been waiting for!

The third talisman: Fire Escape Technique!

This spell allowed one to merge into flame and vanish into thin air. Qi Zhiyong disappeared in an instant, melding into the final, flickering flame. By the time the fire died out, he was no longer in the room, but standing in the hallway where the flames had vanished.

The Door-Breaking Specter let out a roar of rage. It refused to let its meal escape. It reached back, but Qi Zhiyong simultaneously released a chain.

This chain, known as the "Soul-Snatching Hook," was a shackle used by underworld envoys. Its tip featured a sharp grapple, capable of tearing through the bodies of common wandering spirits.

The Soul-Snatching Hook automatically latched onto the specter’s collarbone, binding it. The creature, which had been so imposing just moments ago, could now only move forward with slow, labored steps.

Qi Zhiyong, however, was in no better shape.

A large chunk of flesh had been torn from his chest, blood soaking his shirt; every breath brought with it a tearing, agonizing pain.

But he had succeeded!

Now that the specter was hindered, he only needed to pry open any door to escape his otherwise certain death.

Yet, before he could reach one, a door opened.

The room was filled with indescribable, putrid gore. Wu Xian and Shi Ji jumped out, one after the other, colliding with him. Both parties stood frozen, staring at each other in shock.

Wu Xian took one look at Qi Zhiyong’s gruesome state. He had swapped his room door with Shi Ji’s specifically to test whether the ghost, Yu Yinghua, marked the room or the door.

Since Qi Zhiyong had also fled his room, it proved Wu Xian’s experiment a success. The ghost marked the door!

Wu Xian then saw the terrifying Door-Breaking Specter behind Qi Zhiyong.

Only now did the creature reveal its true form. It stood over two meters tall with a robust, bruised-blue body, its veins bulging like earthworms. Two different types of chains were wrapped around it. Its left arm was sutured into its own abdomen, while its right arm, free to move, possessed muscles like knotted roots and nails as sharp as steel awls.

Most horrific of all was its face. The skin had been hooked by iron claws and ripped open from the center, exposing the hollow nasal cavity and ghastly, bare gums.

Seeing the specter appear with Qi Zhiyong, Wu Xian immediately realized that the man was up to no good.

"Get out of the way. Whatever you’re planning, I won't let you succeed." Wu Xian raised his copper-coin spear in warning. Shi Ji also drew his blade, coated in boy’s urine, the greenish sheen making a chill run down Qi Zhiyong’s spine.

"So that’s how it is... so that’s how it is!" Qi Zhiyong’s face turned pale, then shifted into a look of sudden realization. The fog that had clouded his mind for days finally cleared. "I’ve been played by you all along!"

He had been suspicious of the handprints on his door, and then, despite staying in an unmarked room today, he had still been attacked. The only explanation for all of this was Wu Xian’s interference.

Looking at their weapons, he felt a jolt of alarm, especially at Wu Xian’s copper-coin spear—he had seen such weapons twice before, but never one of this caliber.

The state of the room behind them made his eyes widen. The crisis they had just faced was clearly dire, forcing them to flee, yet they carried few injuries.

And yet, here he was...

The wound on his chest burned with intense pain as blood continued to gush. In his current state, he could never outcompete the two of them. He needed to find a place to heal, or he would not survive.

"Ha... haha..." Qi Zhiyong’s expression flickered. He cycled through several ways to drag Wu Xian down with him, but ultimately, he laughed helplessly. "My mistake. Your value is far greater than mine. Since that’s the case, I suppose I should pave the way for your survival."

A crunching sound came from behind; the Soul-Snatching Hook was failing to hold the specter back, yet Qi Zhiyong still blocked their path.

"Wu Xian, do you have faith? Have you ever thought about... saving this dying world?"

"Pfft, what kind of crap are you spewing?" Wu Xian was sweating with anxiety. If he weren't worried that killing Qi Zhiyong would cause the specter to switch targets, he would have attacked already.

"You are a talent of great value. If there is a chance in the future, I hope you will join us."

Shi Ji cursed, "Join your grandfather."

He secretly pulled out a glob of filth, ready to smear it on Qi Zhiyong’s face if he continued to block them.

The chains began to snap, and the Door-Breaking Specter’s movements accelerated. Qi Zhiyong sighed in resignation and stuffed a small notebook into Wu Xian’s hand.

"This might be useful to you. Remember our name."

"We are 'The Creed.'"

With those words, Qi Zhiyong turned around to face the grotesque specter.

He stomped his foot, and every vein on his body turned black. Then, he drew a short sword and, as if fueled by a stimulant, roared and charged toward the monster.

The power turning his veins black was a demonic art he had gained from worshipping the "Earth Official - Demon God Chi You."

It was called the "Heavenly Demon Dissolution."

Once used, it meant certain death, but before the end, it allowed one to burn through every ounce of latent potential, erupting with combat power far beyond human limits.

And the small blade was the first gift he had received from the gods.

The sword was named "Fish Gut."

Qi Zhiyong leaped onto the specter, stabbing wildly with the Fish Gut sword. Sprays of foul blood erupted, a display of ferocity that left both Wu Xian and Shi Ji stunned.

Even the Door-Breaking Specter was momentarily taken aback. In its eyes, the living were merely food.

But now...

The food was fighting back!

Amidst the desperate, bloody struggle, Qi Zhiyong recalled the day he had joined The Creed.

In a noisy burger joint, he was devouring a steak while a man sat opposite him, eating just as carelessly. Qi Zhiyong swallowed half a burger and asked, slurring his words:

"Jing Ke, you once told me that living in the Blessed Land was the only meaning, but we both know no one lives forever. We will all eventually die, without dignity, in some Blessed Land."

"So... is there anything more meaningful than just staying alive?"

Jing Ke stopped eating and remained silent for a long time.

"If there is, it is to ensure that those with more value survive."

Qi Zhiyong smiled.