Chapter 65: Section 66: The Fall Is Imminent


    Huang Zao was extremely thirsty.


    His throat felt as if a sun was jammed inside it, his entire pharynx and the root of his tongue seemed half-cooked, rendering him utterly speechless.


    Huang Zao was extremely hungry.


    He was so famished that his stomach clung to his spine, his body felt weak, and he staggered as he walked, dizzy and even hallucinating.


    In his hallucination, he felt as if he was walking among clouds. Yet, he bore the weight of a mountain on his body.


    The mountain was so heavy, it threatened to flatten him into paper.


    ...


    Soon, the mountain morphed into a devil with goat horns.


    The devil opened its gaping mouth, shrieking in his ear—Eat this! Eat you! Eat you!


    Huang Zao was terrified to the extreme, wanting to throw off the mountain or the devil on his back. But his arms, his hands, wouldn’t obey him and were numb, simply carrying that mountain or devil.


    Then, quite swiftly, the devil on his back transformed again.


    It turned into a suckling pig.


    This pig reeked of intense sweat and rotting wounds.


    Huang Zao looked down and saw flames already blazing in his belly.


    It was a fierce, raging fire.


    It burned voraciously and spread rapidly, nearly enveloping Huang Zao’s entire body in an instant.


    The flames were about to reach the suckling pig on his back, potentially turning it into a roast suckling pig.


    The aroma of food seemed to hit him in that moment.


    “No, never,” as if he could smell the aroma, Huang Zao shuddered as if struck by an electric shock and miraculously broke free from the hallucination.


    He returned to reality.


    The night before him was pitch black, his hand couldn’t see five fingers in front of it.


    The endless night wind blew cold and ceaseless by his ear.


    On his back was his brother, unconscious.


    He walked forward, stumbling, puppet-like.


    Exceedingly faint, exceedingly lonely.


    Huang Zao didn’t realize that he was crying.


    He gazed ahead, as if there was light in front of him, as if there was a wide, flat road ahead of him.


    He told himself in his heart, “The night is almost over; dawn is about to break.”


    “Hang in there, hang in there, Huang Zao.”


    “There should be an oasis ahead! That oasis is the place you and your team reached before.”


    “Look at this terrain; doesn’t it look similar?”


    “You’re getting close, you’re about to reach the oasis! Hang in there, don’t slack off.”


    “There must be an oasis, there must be.”


    “Once at the oasis, you’ll have water, you’ll have game. You can hunt, you are a Bronze Level strongman.”


    “You won’t die, you absolutely won’t die. Your brother won’t die either!”


    “He will be saved by you!!”


    Huang Zao affirmed his belief, but Zhenjin felt his own faltering.


    Hunger tortured him.


    Every cell in his body was crying out: Food! Food! Anything will do, just give me food!


    “Cang Xu was right; no one else will know what’s happening here. If Zi Di survives, she will be even more grateful to me. If it really doesn’t work out, then I must give her up as long as I survive so I can continue to shoulder the burden of revitalizing our family.”


    No sooner had this thought appeared that Zhenjin shuddered, although the cave was swelteringly hot all the while.


    Immediately afterward, intense shame made Zhenjin’s face burn.


    He felt how utterly hideous he was.


    Was he really so afraid of death?


    Another thought arose: “If I eat this… food, my physical ability will greatly enhance. With enough physical strength, I will surely face this challenge more confidently. I eat meat, not for myself. I do it to kill the Silver Spear Scorpion, to crush the entire scorpion swarm. That way, no one will die. I won’t die, Zi Di won’t, Cang Xu won’t… I do it for them!”


    This idea was more enticing than any before it.


    Then, another idea appeared and vanished, followed by new thoughts emerging.


    Zhenjin knew he was wavering!


    The cave wall he relied on couldn’t grant him the firmness to persist.


    Cang Xu and Zi Di remained silent, Bai Ya motionless, but their very presence seemed to oppress this poor young man!


    “Am I supposed to commit such acts as a Holy Temple Knight?” Zhenjin asked himself.


    He began to reflect on himself.


    “Have I led wrongly to get us to this point?”


    “Are there many things I haven’t done well?”


    “Was setting up a battlefield here to fight the scorpion swarm overly presumptuous?”


    “Knowing this, should I have chosen another path?”


    Zhenjin began to doubt himself, which only increased his hesitation.


    Zhenjin was indecisive.


    “If I just regard them as food and eat them, in the future, when I recall the past, will I be tormented by guilt? Or will there be not a shred of regret?”


    “If I don’t eat, how will I fulfill my responsibilities? Am I supposed to watch my fiancée die?”


    “She risked her life to save me, facing danger many times at the critical moment.”


    “And my father, who is waiting for me to bring new hope to the family. I am the only heir to the Hundred Needle Family!”


    “And myself? I have endured bullying, silently accumulating strength, just to rise up and get back at my opponents. Will this choice make my past self despise me?”


    Just then, a memory surfaced in his mind.


    A meticulously arranged room, luxurious and extravagant. Famous paintings hung on the walls, and the air was filled with the scent of expensive perfume; blush gold curtains were drawn, blocking most of the daylight and making the entire room dim and ambiguous.


    A Dancer, dressed in exotic attire from the northwest of the Empire, wore a purple veil across her face, enhancing her stunning features with an air of mysterious allure. Her figure was gracefully curvaceous, accentuated in all the right places. Her dance costume, primarily red with gold threads, was short and form-fitting, revealing her slender arms and porcelain navel.


    The dance had just ended. She stepped on the thick carpet with one foot, slowly elevating the other to waist height, lingering in the residual melody of the dance. She brought her hands together and then remained still.


    At that moment, the tip of her shoe bent over the top, exposing most of her foot under the candlelight, which shone with a crystal-like luster, making one’s heart flutter with the urge to bite into it.


    Her demeanor was dignified, her eyes amber-like, and her still posture displayed the beauty of her feminine form for all to see.


    The three young men in the room were stunned.


    It took a while before they regained their senses and started clapping.


    The Dancer then slowly lowered her leg back down, standing straight on the spot and bowing slightly.


    “This is Jisi, the Dancing Lady who has recently become famous in the capital. She truly lives up to her reputation,” one of the young men sincerely praised her.


    Zhenjin was one of the three young men, his attention mostly on another young man of a rather unusual status.


    Zhenjin asked with a smile, “Ange, didn’t you mention to me that you wanted to see Jisi dance? What do you think? I can decide right now to give Miss Jisi to you. You could warm your bed with her tonight. Hahaha.”


    “What?” The young man who had just spoken was visibly shaken and looked at Ange with envy.


    Ange’s features differed from Zhenjin’s.


    Though both were very handsome, Zhenjin with his golden hair and blue eyes, Ange had shoulder-length black hair and a pair of very peculiar eyes. Where the whites should be was pitch black, and his pupils, white, set against the dark, gave off a cold light.


    He always sat perfectly upright, no matter the occasion.


    But now, as Ange stared at the Dancer Jisi in the center, his upper body subconsciously leaned forward.


    With just one word from him, this irresistibly tempting Dancer could be his to claim.


    The temptation was immense!


    Ange’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he swallowed repeatedly.


    He stared at Jisi, his gaze filled with aggressive desire and possessiveness. Perhaps his gaze was too intense because, feeling shy, Jisi lowered her head, exposing even more of her snowy neck.


    This subservient posture only fueled a warmth in Ange’s lower belly.


    Seeing Ange in such a state, Zhenjin gave a smug, knowing smile.


    Ange usually maintained strict discipline; he held the most honorable position within the Fifth Holy Temple Knights and was also the most diligent in his ascetic practices.


    But the yearning for a beautiful woman, a feeling no normal man could avoid, could be especially terrifying when repressed desires were unleashed by usually self-restrained individuals.


    However, to Zhenjin’s surprise, as time passed, Ange’s expression turned fierce and then gradually settled back down to his usual calm demeanor.


    “Ange… you?” Another young man also noticed the change in Ange’s demeanor, becoming uncertain.


    Ange smiled and casually wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.


    “Impressive, the temptation of beauty is truly formidable,” he seemed relieved, “However, this beauty no longer holds any value for me. I won’t take her.”


    Zhenjin was puzzled, “What do you mean?”


    Ange said, “Zhenjin, thank you for this favor. Let me tell you the truth, cultivation is not just about refining the body but also the spirit. Do you know the family motto of my Anhui family?”


    Zhenjin nodded; the family mottos of great nobles were always widely known.


    Ange continued, “Our bloodline originates from Abyss Demons, and although this lineage is eminent and grants our clan members significant cultivation aptitude, it is also exceedingly dangerous. Clan members often find themselves engulfed in desires from which they cannot extricate themselves, causing them to lose their sanity and turn into chaotic madmen. Consequently, our family motto is this—’Hell lies at your feet, and damnation is but a moment away.’ It reminds us to remain vigilant, for desires are an abyss; a slight negligence can transform us into devils, no longer human.”


    The young man beside him suddenly realized, “So, this is actually a form of your discipline?”


    Ange nodded and looked at Zhenjin, “Zhenjin, you and I are colleagues. Since you have aided me this time, I will offer you some friendly advice. It is your personal cultivation that matters most; focusing solely on networking is like being a leaf fluttering in the wind.”


    After finishing his words, Ange, without regard for Zhenjin’s displeased expression, stood up and left.


    Memories faded, and Zhenjin suddenly woke up.


    Unconsciously, he was covered in cold sweat.


    His whole body was conveying a sense of weakness to him.


    Another segment of his memory was restored, yet it did not significantly enhance him.


    However, the saying was deeply profound.


    “Hell lies at your feet, and damnation is but a moment away,” Zhenjin muttered to himself.


    Reflecting on this newfound memory, Zhenjin began to analyze. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.nёt website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    “The Darkglow family is a noble family of the Empire, and the Duke of Darkglow is a living deity, also the Holy Emperor’s right-hand man. As the son of Duke Darkglow, Ange’s position is extremely solid, and naturally, he does not need to network. However, my Hundred Needle Family needs to establish a firm foothold; connecting with Ange is a wise move.”


    “Jisi… indeed, she is an alluring woman. So, being able to control her freedom and spread Jisi’s fame throughout the capital city proves that the Hundred Needle Family has significant resources and influence in the capital. The proverb ‘A lean camel is bigger than a horse’ truly suits the historic southern Nobles.”


    “On the other hand, it also shows how successful my concealment has been. Ange even misunderstood me, thinking I am a climber. I am curious, what will my relationship with Ange be like afterward? Did I make any progress in connecting with him?”


    Realizing that his thoughts were starting to overflow, Zhenjin slightly shook his head and stopped speculating.


    Now was not the time to think about these matters.


    With a segment of memory restored, although it did not increase Zhenjin’s combat capabilities, it unexpectedly resolved his distress.


    “Hell lies at your feet, and damnation is but a moment away.”


    “Was I close to falling?”


    “That was close! I nearly let dust that cannot be cleaned off settle on my Knight’s armor.”


    “I am a brave, noble, and steadfast Holy Temple Knight! Even under the pressures of death and the intimidation of duty, I must adhere to the path of Knighthood!!”


    Zhenjin exhaled a breath of turbid air, as if lifting a massive burden from his shoulders.


    He slowly stood up.


    This action immediately caught the attention of Zi Di and Cang Xu; seeing Zhenjin’s composed demeanor, they both realized he had made a decision.


    “Lord Zhenjin,” Cang Xu looked at him with hopeful eyes.


    But Zhenjin shook his head slightly: “I will not treat people as food!”


    Cang Xu slightly opened his mouth, showing a deep disappointment.


    Zhenjin, with clear eyes, intercepted before he could be persuaded further: “Stop trying to convince me; I have already made my decision.”


    He then turned his gaze to Zi Di, expressing a hint of apology.


    Zi Di, understanding, slightly shook her head: “Sir, you and I are one, and any decision you make is also my decision.”


    Zhenjin smiled, “Let’s go. According to the time, once we walk out of this cave, we will see the light of dawn.”