# Chapter 20 — Kneeling Monster
# Sun City — Eastern Wall Ruins
Silence swallowed the battlefield.
The giant corrupted humanoid remained kneeling beneath the shattered eastern wall while dust and crimson mist drifted through the air around it slowly.
Its countless crimson eyes stayed fixed on Xu Yuan.
Watching.
Waiting.
---
Nobody moved.
Not the guards.
Not the elders.
Not even the corrupted beasts below.
Because nobody understood what they had just witnessed.
---
A monster capable of destroying Sun City’s outer wall—
had bowed its head toward a younger cultivator.
---
Lin Hao slowly pushed broken rubble off himself before staring blankly toward Xu Yuan.
Then quietly said:
“…I think I’m officially too weak for this friendship.”
Xu Yuan honestly wanted to agree.
Unfortunately—
he was also confused.
---
The resonance inside his chest still pulsed violently.
Ancient black symbols flickered faintly across his arm before disappearing again.
And every ti they appeared—
the kneeling monster trembled slightly.
Almost fearful.
---
Nearby cultivators slowly stepped backward instinctively.
Not from the monster.
From Xu Yuan.
---
One younger disciple whispered nervously:
“Why is it kneeling to him?”
Another answered shakily:
“That’s not the important question…”
“…The important question is what exactly IS he?”
---
Xu Yuan heard that clearly.
Unfortunately—
he also wanted answers.
---
Beside him—
Xia Yu calmly stepped closer without hesitation.
Unlike everyone else—
she showed no fear toward him at all.
Only concern.
“You’re unstable again.”
Xu Yuan forced a small smile.
“That’s becoming my personality now.”
Lin Hao imdiately pointed toward the kneeling giant.
“NO, THAT IS YOUR PERSONALITY NOW!”
Even several nearby guards almost laughed nervously despite the situation.
Fear and absurdity mixed together strangely on battlefields.
---
Then suddenly—
the giant corrupted humanoid spoke.
Not aloud.
Inside everyone’s minds.
> “Fragnt…”
>
> “Heir…”
Several weaker cultivators instantly turned pale.
One elder nearly lost balance.
Because the voice sounded ancient.
Broken.
Like sothing forgotten by history itself.
---
Xu Yuan froze completely.
The giant creature slowly raised its head slightly.
Its partially human face twitched unnaturally while crimson eyes pulsed beneath cracked skin.
Then it spoke again.
> “The seal weakens…”
>
> “The Devourer wakes…”
---
BOOOOOOM!
A violent pulse erupted from the crimson gate instantly.
This ti—
the sky itself darkened.
Clouds twisted unnaturally above the mountains while crimson lightning spread across the horizon endlessly.
---
The giant chained hand moved further outward again.
Another chain cracked violently.
CRAAAAACK!
The sound shook the entire region.
---
Zhao Tianhe’s expression changed drastically.
“We cannot let that thing fully erge.”
One elder answered bitterly:
“And how exactly do you stop a mountain-sized arm?”
Nobody had an answer.
---
anwhile—
the kneeling corrupted giant suddenly looked toward Xu Yuan again.
And for the first ti—
its expression showed emotion.
Not rage.
Not hunger.
Pity.
---
Xu Yuan’s chest tightened slightly.
Then—
fragnts flashed through his mind again.
Ancient cultivators fighting beneath black skies.
Entire cities swallowed by crimson mist.
Massive chained entities tearing through heavens themselves.
And standing amid endless destruction—
a younger version of the silver-haired woman from his visions.
Crying.
---
The vision shattered instantly.
Xu Yuan inhaled sharply.
Beside him—
Xia Yu imdiately noticed again.
“You’re seeing more.”
Xu Yuan slowly nodded.
“…This happened before.”
Several nearby elders instantly turned toward him.
“What?”
Xu Yuan stared toward the gate silently.
Then answered quietly:
“…Not here.”
“…Sowhere else.”
---
Before anyone could continue—
a scream echoed from below the ruined wall.
Everyone turned instantly.
Several corrupted beasts had broken through the lower streets during the collapse.
Civilians were still trapped there.
---
“Protect the lower district!”
“Move!”
The battle imdiately resud.
---
Zhao Tianhe leaped directly toward the giant corrupted humanoid while releasing terrifying spiritual pressure.
“Whatever you are—stay down!”
His crimson spear exploded with spiritual light before striking downward violently.
BOOOOOOM!
The attack crashed directly into the giant creature’s shoulder.
Shockwaves shattered nearby buildings instantly.
Yet—
the corrupted humanoid barely moved.
---
Instead—
it calmly looked toward Zhao Tianhe.
Then raised one chained arm casually.
BOOM!
The city lord was blasted backward through three buildings instantly.
---
Several cultivators froze in horror.
Too strong.
Far too strong.
---
anwhile—
Xu Yuan suddenly heard whispers again.
Not one voice.
Thousands.
Hungry.
Ancient.
Mad.
The resonance inside his chest beca increasingly unstable.
---
Then—
deep within his consciousness—
sothing moved.
---
Dark endless ruins appeared around him again.
Black crystal pillars illuminated the darkness faintly while ancient chains stretched endlessly through the sky.
And at the center—
a massive sealed black sphere slowly pulsed like a heartbeat.
---
A cold ancient voice echoed through the darkness.
> “System awakening condition partially fulfilled…”
Xu Yuan froze.
Then the voice continued.
> “Unknown fragnt detected.”
>
> “Soul resonance detected.”
>
> “Incomplete host identified.”
---
BOOM!
Countless ancient symbols illuminated across the ruins instantly.
And directly before Xu Yuan—
a pair of enormous crimson eyes slowly opened within the darkness.
Watching him silently.
---
Then—
the voice changed.
Softer now.
Almost curious.
> “???? is watching you.”
---
Xu Yuan’s consciousness violently returned to reality.
He staggered backward breathing heavily.
And at the sa mont—
faint translucent text briefly appeared before his eyes for the first ti.
---
> Na: Xu Yuan
>
> Realm: Mortal Spirit Vein Realm
>
> Physique: Unknown Fragnt Physique (Incomplete)
>
> Fate: ??????
>
> Karma: -99999
>
> Status: Observed
---
The screen vanished instantly afterward.
Xu Yuan froze completely.
---
Lin Hao noticed his expression imdiately.
“…Why do you look even more terrified now?”
Xu Yuan slowly looked toward the battlefield.
The kneeling giant.
The broken wall.
The crimson gate.
The ancient hand.
Then quietly answered:
“…Because things just beca much worse.”
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