Seeking Truth with a Sword-Chapter 533 - 479: Crossbow Mechanism

Like an insect wrapped tightly in a spider’s web, Li Ang hung suspended in midair. His body was pierced by densely packed, slender silk threads that pulled at his flesh and skin in a cruel and strangely magnificent torture.

Excruciating pain, like a million ants biting, assaulted his brain. Li Ang felt as if his head had been hammered, and everything went black before his eyes.

This could have been a hallucination brought on by the intense pain, or maybe not— A strand of inky silk pierced his left eyeball, blooming like a flower right in front of his eye socket.

Had anyone else been there, they surely would have screamed in horror, declaring that Mr. Li had been devoured by a demon.

Enduring the pain, Li Ang gave a self-deprecating smile inwardly.

He had intended to uncover the origins of the Mo Si, find a way to suppress it, and then break through to the Cloud Patrol Realm to maintain the balance between them.

But after wasting so much time, hesitating for so long, he ultimately decided to resort to brute force.

SZZT—More and more strands of black Mo Si burrowed out of Li Ang’s skin. He was like a caterpillar being submerged in a sea of threads, gradually disappearing bit by bit.

The Ink Silk Clone outside Chang’an City had devoured a considerable quantity of Special Metal and immediately became stronger. This enhancement was transmitted through a profound and mysterious connection. It passed directly to every clone, including the true form of the Mo Si within Li Ang’s body.

The balance was disrupted. The true form of the Mo Si ruthlessly eroded Li Ang’s bones, organs, muscles, blood vessels, and nerves.

He increasingly felt nothing in his legs and arms, and even his vision began to fade bit by bit.

If the Mo Si were allowed to continue, perhaps he would become a motionless human statue? Or even worse, a creature made of silk threads, clad in human skin. Or perhaps a puppet, with bodily control seized by the threads, manipulated in reverse.

There was only one way to save himself.

Suppress the Mo Si once again.

Li Ang roared silently, Stop! His Qi Sea spun furiously. Waves crashed in his Spirit Veins as he pumped out Spiritual Energy without regard for the cost.

Generally, there was a limit to the Spiritual Energy a Cultivator could output per second; it was rare for them to expend all their Spiritual Energy in an instant. This was partly because almost no magic was so demanding. Depleting Spiritual Energy so quickly could also damage one’s mind and unsettle their spiritual energy. Moreover, expending Spiritual Energy at such a high output could directly harm the Qi Sea and Spirit Veins. It was akin to a pool of water needing to be emptied within a minute, forcing an increase in water pressure at the risk of bursting the pipes. The Qi Sea was the pool, and the Spirit Veins were the pipes. If the Spiritual Energy expended within a given time exceeded a certain threshold, both the Qi Sea and Spirit Veins would suffer damage—damage that was permanent and exceedingly difficult to repair. One’s future Cultivation Path would also be impacted, potentially becoming an insurmountable obstacle.

But at this moment, Li Ang couldn’t care less. He extracted every ounce of energy from his Qi Sea, drove his Spirit Veins, and converted it all into Telekinesis.

Invisible Telekinesis, like blades, slashed at the Mo Si on the surface of his body.

At the same time, he flung a soundproof talisman above his head.

CLANG! Telekinesis clashed with Mo Si in the air, producing a screech like gold and iron clashing.

The newly formed, slightly thinner strands of Mo Si were cut down by his Telekinesis, but the tougher threads stubbornly stood their ground.

As much as the toughness properties of the Mo Si had benefitted Li Ang before, now it presented him with an equal measure of difficulty.

Without changing expression, he drew the Dagger fastened to his waist, infusing it with Telekinesis. He pressed the blade against his chest and cut deeply.

CRACK! CRACK! Like steel cables snapping, strands of Mo Si were severed one by one, barely clearing enough space in front of him to see.

He dropped the Dagger, its blade now chipped and fractured, and released his Telekinesis, hooking something from afar.

From the personal locker in the corner of the lab, the Radiant Crossbow given to him by Mountain Master Lian Xuanxiao flew out.

THUD. The Radiant Crossbow landed heavily in his grasp. Li Ang took hold of the hefty crossbow and turned it around, pointing its arrow groove towards the top of his head.

Then, he pulled the crossbow mechanism. 𝗳𝗿𝐞𝕖𝘄𝗲𝕓𝗻𝚘𝚟𝕖𝐥.𝚌𝕠𝕞

BUZZ—At the tip of the Radiant Crossbow, a blinding glow gathered at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The Mo Si above Li Ang’s head seemed to sense something. It automatically transformed from its fluffy, expansive thread form to an ordinary kelp shape, clinging to Li Ang’s scalp.

Yet, Li Ang did not afford the Mo Si a chance to escape.

He turned the Radiant Crossbow around, pressing it tightly against his scalp.

After a brief delay, a spherical glow burst forth, skimming Li Ang’s head.

HISS—A large area of Mo Si on top of Li Ang’s head was blasted into shredded remnants.

These strands of Mo Si struggled to regroup, trying to connect with the main body of Mo Si inside Li Ang to regenerate.

As long as the main body of Mo Si was intact, this damage was trivial, recoverable in mere seconds.

How could Li Ang possibly allow them that opportunity?

He directly released his Spiritual Power to contain the Mo Si within his body, thwarting their regeneration. Then, he once again turned the Radiant Crossbow, aimed it at his own shoulder, and pulled the crossbow mechanism.

An exploding sphere of light flashed for the second time in the room. The Mo Si on Li Ang’s shoulder was also obliterated by the light sphere from the Radiant Crossbow.

Then came his arms, ankles, back...

Li Ang coldly and mercilessly pulled the crossbow mechanism time after time. Under his forceful containment, the Ink Silk Clone within his body could not reinforce the external tendrils in time. Meanwhile, the external Mo Si, severely damaged, became tattered and broken.

DRIP. DROP. Blood fell from Li Ang’s fingertips. At such close range, the intense heat emitted by the spheres of light from the Radiant Crossbow was not something the human body could withstand.

His neck, back, hands, and feet were covered in marks scorched by the Radiant Crossbow.

Some skin was even charred black like carbon, emitting a nauseating scent of roasted flesh.

This counted as severe burns, didn’t it?

Li Ang looked down at himself. Observing his unrecognizable, charred body, he gave a silent, wry smile as he picked up the Radiant Crossbow and pressed it against his chest.

It wasn’t enough. These few shots had only eliminated the Mo Si tendrils extending from the surface of his body. To suppress the Mo Si again, he had to resort to the most drastic and direct method.

CLICK. His finger pulled the crossbow mechanism. The next moment, a sphere of light bloomed right against his skin.

Without any delay, his chest skin burst open. His entire chest cavity caved in, all his ribs fractured simultaneously. His skin ripped apart, revealing his thumping heart, exposed organs, and the Mo Si coiled around his spine.

The light sphere still shimmered, moving slowly but firmly toward Li Ang’s spine.

Finally unable to contain itself, the Mo Si’s main body shot out instantly, confronting the sphere of light head-on.

BOOM! The sound of the explosion belatedly echoed. Li Ang instinctively released the Radiant Crossbow. The aftermath of the blast slammed him against the wall, leaving a human-shaped crater in it.