Chapter 27: One Body, Two Souls
The night pressed down on the swamp like a suffocating blanket, the stars above weak and unwilling to shine on this cursed land. Li Yuan's steps were slow, deliberate, his boots sinking slightly into the cracked soil that oozed a faint, black mist. The Tear of Withered Roots pulsed in his hand, every slow throb syncing with his heartbeat as if trying to invade his rhythm.
The voice lingered inside his mind, calm yet sharp, like the edge of a blade pressed against his thoughts.
"Keep walking deeper, farmer. But don't pretend you'll win this one your way."
Li Yuan ignored it, kneeling briefly beside a patch of dying vines. He brushed his fingers lightly against them, letting a soft golden glow seep from his palm. For a brief second, life stirred; a tiny sprout trembled, reaching toward him with fragile hope. But before it could grow, the ground shook violently.
A roar echoed across the swamp, deep and guttural, like the earth itself crying in pain. The corrupted soil split, and from the darkness rose a towering beast. Its body was twisted beyond nature, built of withered vines, black bone fragments, and roots glowing the same crimson as the Tear of Withered Roots. Its eyes burned like coals, locked entirely on him.
The System flickered in front of his eyes.
[Entity Classification: Corrupted Beast Lord]
[Power Source: Tear Resonance — Fully Corrupted]
[Recommendation: Neutralization Required — Withered Pulse Optimal]
The beast lunged before the words even faded, its massive limbs tearing apart the swamp floor. Li Yuan leapt aside, spinning his Hoe in a smooth arc, golden roots bursting from the ground to coil around its legs. For a brief moment, it stumbled, but then the crimson glow pulsed, and his roots blackened and crumbled to ash in seconds. The force of its steps cracked the ground, sending waves of mud and water splashing.
The voice in his head chuckled lowly.
"You can't heal this one. It's too far gone. Let me handle it. Let me cut it out at the root."
Li Yuan tightened his grip on the Hoe, his golden eyes narrowing.
"Even rotten soil can grow again. It just needs the right season."
But when the beast roared again, charging, he knew he didn't have the luxury of patience. Its massive claws swung downward, tearing through the air with enough force to crush him. He raised his Hoe, blocking the blow, but the sheer weight sent him skidding back several meters, his boots gouging deep furrows into the dirt.
The Tear pulsed in his other hand, harder this time, almost urging him to use it. His fingers twitched. The voice grew louder, closer.
"You're going to die like this. Do you think seeds bloom in corpses? Take my strength, and end it."
The beast lunged again, faster this time, its corrupted vines whipping toward him like spears. Li Yuan slammed his Hoe into the soil, roots spiraling upward in a defensive wall, but they withered instantly as the beast's crimson energy burned through them. One vine lashed across his side, tearing his coat, warm blood spilling.
For the first time, his golden eyes flickered—crimson bleeding into the edges.
Xiao Tianmie laughed in his mind.
"Yes… that's it. Stop pretending you're a farmer. You're me."
Li Yuan's breath slowed, his body tightening as the Tear glowed brighter in his grip. He could feel his movements sharpening, his heartbeat syncing with that other presence. His mind screamed at him to resist, but his body was already stepping forward faster, his Hoe swinging with inhuman precision.
The beast barely had time to react before Li Yuan's strike cleaved through one of its massive limbs, the impact sharp and lethal, black sap spraying across the swamp. His roots didn't grow gently this time—they erupted viciously, latching onto the beast and draining its life. The Tear pulsed in his hand, dark energy flowing through the roots, pulling the corruption out violently.
The golden roots turned black as they fed on the beast's life force. Li Yuan's movements became crueler, almost mechanical, each strike perfectly calculated to cripple and break. His calm expression twisted slightly into something colder, his golden eyes now glowing fully crimson.
Inside his mind, Xiao Tianmie grinned.
"See? This is what power feels like. Admit it—you like it."
Li Yuan gritted his teeth, fighting to pull himself back. His hands trembled as he forced the flow of the Tear to stop, but his body lunged forward again instinctively, cutting through another wave of corrupted vines with terrifying speed. The beast wailed, its corrupted body collapsing as the roots drained its energy until it finally crumbled into dust.
The swamp fell silent again, but Li Yuan didn't move for a long moment. His chest rose and fell heavily, his Hoe dripping with darkened sap, and the Tear pulsed one last time before quieting.
Slowly, the crimson glow in his eyes faded back to gold.
He exhaled, lowering the Hoe, staring at the now-pure soil where the beast had fallen. Sprouts began pushing through the dirt again, weak but alive.
"I… won't become you," he whispered to no one in particular.
But Xiao Tianmie's voice echoed softly in his mind, calm and amused.
"You already are me. Every time you hold that relic, farmer, I'll be here… waiting."
Li Yuan didn't respond. He simply stared at the Tear of Withered Roots in his palm, its dark glow faint but constant, and turned away, walking out of the swamp as new sprouts followed behind his steps.
End of Chapter 27