Journey to the West: Starting from Changing Sun Wukong’s fate
Chapter 724 - 549 The First Person Corroded by Darkness_2

Chapter 724: Chapter 549 The First Person Corroded by Darkness_2

Yan Xiang was a mere commoner, his demeanor exceedingly scholarly and refined. Were it not for this incongruous setting, Wang Yang would even doubt that such a person could be one of the Demons and Monsters.

"You jest. If Yuanshu had heeded your advice that day, the state of the world would surely have been vastly different!"

Wang Yang spoke as if talking to a familiar friend, without any particular indication, and both had retracted their killing intent after their initial confrontation.

"No, even if he had listened to me, the world was already gravely ill; it’s not something a mere scholar like myself could change."

Yan Xiang spoke like a civil official, his posture and demeanor lacking the haughtiness found in others, appearing just like an ordinary person.

"Do you know, maintaining your consciousness under such power is no easy feat."

As Wang Yang spoke, he mentioned Yan Xiang, who raised an eyebrow but showed no signs of pride on his face.

"Perhaps someone else could do the same!"

Yan Xiang was exceedingly humble. Anyone seeing the person in front of them, full of a Confucian disciple’s demeanor, would never suspect that he was from the Demon Clan."

"Enough talk, let’s see the truth through action!"

Wang Yang inwardly sighed in pity, but since they must fight, it was unnecessary to waste more time.

The conversation between them was then interrupted. It must be said that Yan Xiang was an oddity, even though this world had a suppressive effect on darkness.

"Very well!"

Even when making a move, Yan Xiang maintained his scholarly grace, as if Wang Yang were his dear friend, but Wang Yang had no intention of considering him as one.

From all directions, black lines surged out, forming a spider web above. Yan Xiang’s form shifted, becoming like a spider; his previous elegance was gone.

That ferocious face was a complete change from just moments ago.

Yan Xiang, hanging upside down like a spider on the temple beams, underwent a dramatic transformation. His demeanor became god-like and demonic, with his stomach down to his lower body all transformed into that of a spider.

"Give up. I can feel your power, and although it is restraining me, you should know that strength cannot always be generalised."

Yan Xiang’s eyes turned pure black, and his whole being became bewitchingly charming, completely unlike his previously stable middle-aged persona.

"Whether or not I can succeed, I still need to give it a try."

Wang Yang had a resolute look in his eyes, not at all bewildered by Yan Xiang’s words. Yan Xiang was certainly not as simple as he appeared on the surface; the dozen Tiger Guard soldiers were the best proof of that.

Being able to kill effortlessly, regarding human life as nothing, was proof enough that Yan Xiang was not the compassionate type.

"Oh, then by all means, try."

Yan Xiang’s mouth split into a grin, his entire face cracked open like a demon’s, with eight massive fangs emerging from his mouth, protruding outside, looking extraordinarily terrifying.

Wang Yang remained unflinching. Having reached this point, he was resolved not to give up; this body was after all just an avatar.

And if Yan Xiang were allowed to continue proliferating,

this Square World would likely struggle to survive.

Wang Yang unleashed a slash, a stream of Sword Qi burst forth, aimed directly at Yan Xiang.

Yan Xiang, hanging from the beam, flashed with Demonic Qi in his hands, as if he were grabbing something.

From the beam, black spider silk threads appeared from all directions, forming layers of black barriers in the path of the Sword Qi. Although the Sword Qi was sharp and unstoppable,

it seemed insufficient against the spider’s web. After breaking through two layers, it dissipated, showing that Yan Xiang had prepared well.

Yan Xiang was a counselor, certainly not a straightforward brute like Zhang Xun. Wang Yang calmed himself a bit, and though the first strike didn’t succeed, the Power of a Saint within him still seethed, making his presence even more formidable.

"Is that all you’ve got?"

The layered spider webs broke apart, transforming into a long, sharp spike that echoed Yan Xiang’s tone of disappointment within the temple.

Although the spike was made up of spider silk, it was still an extremely tough entity. Wang Yang had a deep understanding of its quality.

Even his full-strength sword strike could barely sever the root, and his Sword Qi only just managed to break through two layers of spider web. The spider silk that turned into a spike - how could it be ordinary and allow him to easily break through?

Wang Yang stepped onto a pillar with his left foot, attempting to use it as leverage to approach Yan Xiang, who seemed to be not good at close-range combat.

Currently, the Power of a Saint in Wang Yang’s body was insufficient to use more powerful spells, so it was better to engage in close combat with his longsword. Wang Yang gathered all his strength into it.

The longsword in his hand struck towards Yan Xiang from an odd angle, while unexpectedly, spider silk appeared under his feet, wrapping several times around his ankle.

Just as he was about to reach Yan Xiang, his calf was suddenly entangled by the spider silk above.

Wang Yang didn’t need to look back to know that his feet had been bound by the spider silk, as Sword Qi burst forth from his body.

The spider silk that sought to entangle Wang Yang was instantly shattered, and he felt his own strength continuously growing as this Square World began to impart a different sensation to him.

Could it be... Wang Yang looked up and saw countless threads of fate converging in one direction in the sky. Some people’s threads shone like gold, some were as thin as paper, and others, though merely white, appeared extremely resilient.

It seemed that the Heart of Pangu’s Refinement of the world had reached a certain degree. Wang Yang felt a sense of joy as he landed steadily on the ground, while Yan Xiang’s fate appeared before his eyes.

Yan Xiang’s threads of fate were interwoven with red and black, looking as if blood had stained the threads dark. Dots of wronged spirits howled, seemingly crying out for something.

Wang Yang, of course, understood the meaning. It seemed that Yan Xiang was no longer the good person he might once have been, but now, that was no longer the case.

"There’s no end to suffering; salvation lies in turning back."

Wang Yang took a closer look and saw such a remark on Yan Xiang’s thread of fate, as if it were intentionally engraved, and involuntarily read it aloud upon seeing it.

"Salvation lies in turning back? I can no longer return. Heaven gave me the spider silk to change the world’s suffering. I climbed following it, but what I saw in the end was a great disappointment!"

"Now, since heaven cannot change the world, then I shall be the one to change it!"

Yan Xiang’s face was filled with pain, seemingly recalling his entire journey of officialdom, which ultimately led to his downfall.

In his quest to change the world, Yan Xiang climbed along the spider silk up to chief record keeper, but he ended up greatly disappointed with the court; in this world, there was not a single wise ruler.

Since he couldn’t find the world he desired, Yan Xiang naturally delved into darkness, resolved to create a world of his own vision.

"Alas, the people who have died because of you already number over a million. If you continue on this path, you are unlikely to meet a good end."

Wang Yang sighed. Yan Xiang too was a person of misery, one who held onto an obsession. The Yan Xiang before him might not be the most persistent person, but the fact that he could descend into darkness for the sake of the world made him infinitely better than those who fished for fame and reputation.

"Those people were sacrifices necessary for an ideal society. I will remember them for everyone."

Yan Xiang was indifferent to these thoughts; he had only one idea - to create a utopian society without monarchs, without classes, where people did not steal and the elderly were cared for.

With such a noble ideal, any obstacle was evil in his eyes. It didn’t matter who the person was, they needed to be eradicated. Yan Xiang had long since made up his mind.

"Your words, in my view, are completely ineffectual. Come, in the supreme world, individual resistance is ultimately futile."

Yan Xiang added, and with a flick of his finger, the several Tiger Guard Army soldiers were pulled into the temple like puppets on strings.

"Do you intend to turn them into things like this?"

Wang Yang, seeing the threads on the Tiger Guard Army, seemed to understand something and immediately spoke out angrily.

"What else? With the spider silk tying them down, no matter how long it takes, they will not betray anyone, they will not break any laws, and with immortal bodies, shouldn’t the whole world aspire to this?"

Yan Xiang retorted.

But Wang Yang had another thought in mind.

If that was truly the case, this man was truly terrifying. Rather than saying Yan Xiang acted for righteousness, it would be more accurate to say he was using righteousness to cover up his own selfishness and desires.