Chapter 104.1: I’m Done Pretending, I'm Invincible, Do as You Please

Chapter 104.1: I’m Done Pretending, I'm Invincible, Do as You Please

At the City of No Return...

"Ten years have passed here. In the Canglan World, it should've only been a single day."

A light drizzle fell against the city walls, leaving tiny wet marks that quickly evaporated. The earth was scorching hot like a furnace, and the air was sweltering.

Over these years, Qi Yuan had been guarding the City of No Return. As long as no demon entered, he would occasionally sneak out to hunt beauties or steal affection in other words, to slay demons. His level had now reached a terrifying height.

"After some time, once I'm sure no demons are getting into City of No Return, I'll need to log off for a bit."

He had hardly logged out at all. After all, one day in the real world equaled ten years in the game world. If he went out for a meal in reality, the city would be a demon's nest by the time he got back. All his guarding efforts would've gone to waste.

Still, even if this game's anti-addiction system wasn't as strict as Moonwatch Continent's, he couldn't live inside it forever, right?

Someone nearby called out, "Senior."

Qi Yuan looked up and saw two familiar figures rushing toward him. It was Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei. The two stopped at the base of the walls, panting, their clothes thick with dust. They seemed to have made all haste to get here.

Qi Yuan casually addresses them, "It's you two. Still alive, I see."

Liu Wentai choked for a moment, but quickly replied, "Senior, terrible news! After we drove away Misang a few years ago, Yuzhou enjoyed a brief period of peace. But now, Wu Tong has come! He is far more terrifying than Misang. He is a Peak Nation Subjugator! The demon spawn under his command vastly outnumber Misang's!"

Qi Yuan's eyes lit up. "After all these years of eating grass, I finally get to have meat again!"

Seeing that Qi Yuan didn't seem alarmed at all, Liu Wentai hurriedly said, "We've received word in Jialan City that Wu Tong plans to strike the City of No Return first. Once he captures this city, he'll move on to the rest!"

"Thank you both for traveling thousands of miles to bring me such wonderful news."

If this had been years ago, Qi Yuan wouldn't have wished for his enemies to be too powerful. But now? He was more afraid they'd be too weak.

Liu Wenmei was anxious as Qi Yuan seemed to be joking. "Senior, we're not joking!"

Liu Wentai said, "Wu Tong's forces are overwhelming! Please, come with us to Jialan City so we can face him together!"

Qi Yuan actually admired their persistence. Even Jialan City's commander, Dong Long, had praised him. Everyone thought that a lone man couldn't possibly hold the City of No Return for long. Yet Qi Yuan had done just that, alive and well.

Of course, Jialan City defeating Misang had reduced pressure on Yuzhou, which helped. However, with Wu Tong coming, the entire region's balance was about to shatter. The City of No Return would be the first to fall, used as a warning to all others.

Qi Yuan stared at them, helplessly saying, "NPCs will always be NPCs. After all these years, you all are still repeating the same dialogue lines."

The siblings froze. They only understood half of Qi Yuan's words.

Liu Wenmei tried to persuade him again. "Senior—"

Qi Yuan waved his hand. "Even if this world is destroyed, I won't die because I'm a player. You two should head back—"

He paused for a moment. "Actually, it seems you won't be going anywhere."

His gaze swept over the vast desert, eyes flashing with excitement. A massive army of demons was surging toward them.

"You've always wondered why I dare guard a whole city alone? Today, I'll show you. Let me give you NPCs a small taste of a player's shock value! Being underestimated all the time... it's really annoying, you know? Go tell your commander this: if I wish it, not a single demon shall remain within ten thousand miles!"

The siblings' minds went blank. They had no idea what Qi Yuan was talking about. They stared as the lone guardian leaped off the wall.

Qi Yuan’s calm, cutting voice echoed across the wind. "I need no teammates. Little Bride is enough."

Sharing One Robe!

He no longer hid his power.

Across the endless desert, crimson motes of light swarmed over him like fireflies. Flowing red light enveloped him completely. His form shot upward, growing taller and taller until he stood over thirty feet high.

He loomed like a giant clad in blood-red armor. His head was fully encased, except for two cold, merciless eyes. Crystalline spikes jutted from his shoulders, eerie and dazzling. He gripped an enormous broken blood sword. Every step he took shook the earth with thunderous tremors.

Liu Wentai and Liu Wenmei stared wide-eyed, speechless.

What... What is happening?

That terrifying figure radiated raw, explosive power. They could feel it. The City of No Return would crumble to dust at this giant’s slightest push.

They couldn't understand what they were seeing, but one thing was clear: this man could not be opposed.

Baaam!

Dust roared through the desert. The demon army had arrived.

Before they even reached the walls, someone cried, their shrill voice ringing through the air, "I am Iron Chain, a general under Lord Wu Tong! Guardian of the City of No Return, surrender now, and you may keep your head!"

Through sound arts, the lazy yet piercing cry traveled far and wide.

Iron Chain was lounging on a floating cloud carriage. He smirked as he imagined the city guardian trembling on the wall. Yet when he looked up, he met a pair of cold, blood-red eyes, brimming with endless killing intent.

Arrogance. Greed. Lust.

Iron Chain froze. When he saw who those eyes belonged to, his mind went completely blank.

A thirty-foot-tall, blood armored giant, holding an enormous broken sword. It looked nothing like a human!

Iron Chain stammered, "D-demon?"

Before the blood-red titan, his army of massive demon beasts seemed like puny, newborn chicks!

Qi Yuan's gaze swept over the army, pure greed flickering in his crimson pupils.

A glacial, inhuman voice rumbled through the sky, "I am invincible! Behold the true power behind the City of No Return's walls!"

Tyrannical Might! Death Radiance! Heaven-Cleaving Sword!

The crimson titan leaped skyward, the ground groaning beneath him.

A colossal blood sword fell from the heavens—a sword-qi spanning thirty li!

Boom boom boom!

Thousands of demons were obliterated.

Rip! Crash!!!