Chapter 162: For Whom?

Chang Yin roared and thrashed like a madman. The crimson patterns on his face flared with ferocious light, bulging until they burst his blood vessels. Countless streams of blood sprayed wildly into the sky, dyeing the yellow sand stirred by the battle’s shockwaves a deep crimson.

The blood was scalding hot, igniting in mid-air. The blazing flames surged into a towering inferno as his emotions erupted once more. The Crimson Nether Mark seemed on the verge of tearing Chang Yin’s body apart.

Few could control the savage power of the Crimson Nether Mark. Its previous owner was devoured by backlash on the eve of his breakthrough to the Supreme Martial God—endless energy mercilessly bursting a Peak of Divine Will Martial Artist from within.

In its early stages, the Crimson Nether Mark could be controlled through emotion. But once its wielder’s emotions grew too volatile, the mark would break free from its master’s restraint.

Jiang Yan’s earlier saber strike had shattered Chang Yin’s dream of being a prodigy, breaking the Dao Heart of one who had always proclaimed himself invincible. In that moment of extreme resentment, the Crimson Nether Mark’s power awakened with overwhelming force.

Chang Yin became like a war machine, his mind stripped of all thought, his sole purpose to tear Jiang Yan before him to pieces.

An hour later.

Jiang Yan successfully condensed his fifth War Ruins Engraving.

But gradually, he noticed the patterns on Chang Yin’s face were dimming. Even his body’s recovery speed had dropped significantly, and the Battle Intent he provided was now a third less than before.

“What a tonic!”

Jiang Yan flew over and slapped Chang Yin across the face.

Crack!

His skull fractured, spinning him 360 degrees in the air, his eyeballs nearly flung from their sockets.

Yet moments later, Chang Yin’s body repaired itself, and he charged at Jiang Yan with another furious roar.

After that slap, Chang Yin’s Battle Intent surged wildly.

Indeed, people could grow—and so could the Crimson Nether Mark.

It had to be said, Chang Yin was among the most exceptional young prodigies Jiang Yan had encountered in the outside world, second only to Pei Qin. Fighting this long without dying truly lived up to his formidable reputation.

If they were at the same realm, Pei Qin’s overall performance would have been noticeably stronger than Chang Yin’s. His final “Ancient Yin Demon Devour” had indeed been intimidating, but fortunately, Jiang Yan was a step ahead and ended him instantly.

Three hours later.

Jiang Yan condensed his sixth War Ruins Engraving.

A faint smile lingered at the corner of his mouth as he looked at Chang Yin with the affection one might show a beloved son.

Of course, his strikes remained ruthless. The next moment, he punched through Chang Yin’s lower abdomen, blood staining the sky in a tragically grand display.

Han Wu, hovering mid-air, enthusiastically recorded the scene, giving Jiang Yan a close-up shot.

“The righteous Chang Yin must defeat the evil Devil King Jiang Yan!”

At some point, he had fully immersed himself in Chang Yin’s perspective. Watching his body being shattered again and again was like seeing Ultraman beaten brutally by a monster before sinking into the sea.

An hour later, the Crimson Nether Mark on Chang Yin’s face could no longer sustain itself, writhing as it retracted into his chest.

The once vivid and ferocious patterns now lay dull and lifeless, like a dying old beast, stripped of its former majesty.

Jiang Yan’s six War Ruins Engravings floated before him, ready for offense or defense—he had entered a state of total warfare.

If he wished, Chang Yin wouldn’t even be able to get close.

Jiang Yan flew over, seized Chang Yin by the throat, and with immense force, slammed his entire body into the ground.

The earth cracked, rubble flew, and Chang Yin’s head sank into a crater, fresh blood trickling out to stain the soil red.

The brutality in Chang Yin’s eyes was gone, replaced by clarity and confusion, as if he had just awoken from a dream.

“You’re awake.”

Jiang Yan responded with a smile, appearing exceptionally amiable.

If he weren’t gripping his neck, that is.

“I…”

Chang Yin’s mind went blank. Having just regained control of his body, his previous memories were temporarily sealed away.

But upon seeing Jiang Yan’s face, his mind was struck by a sharp pain, and the image of being slashed out of the “Celestial Trace Defense System” flashed by.

Then the defense vanished, and his memories cut off there…

“The Crimson Nether Mark has awakened!”

Chang Yin quickly realized this.

“Wait, if the Crimson Nether Mark has faded, then the battle should already be over. Why… am I being choked by Jiang Yan?”

“Did the Crimson Nether Mark lose?”

A faint movement of the crimson mark on his chest directly confirmed his suspicion.

Chang Yin’s pupils trembled slightly. He had never imagined a scenario where even the Crimson Nether Mark couldn’t defeat Jiang Yan.

But that was the reality. Chang Yin silently closed his eyes and said calmly:

“The victor is king, the vanquished is the bandit. Go ahead and finish me.”

“Can you transform again?”

Unexpectedly, Jiang Yan’s words were so surprising.

“Wh-what?”

“I’m telling you to transform again. Is that so hard to understand?”

Jiang Yan loosened his grip slightly, giving Chang Yin’s neck a bit of relief.

Chang Yin frowned uncomfortably, understanding what Jiang Yan meant but not his intention.

However, he shook his head and said, “I can’t transform back. The Crimson Nether Mark is controlled by my emotions. After such a major battle, my emotions will turn negative, and nothing can move me now.”

“Emotions?”

Jiang Yan released Chang Yin, nodding thoughtfully.

Slap!

Five deeply imprinted finger marks appeared on Chang Yin’s face.

Jiang Yan looked at him expectantly.

“Any emotions now?”

Chang Yin’s expression remained unchanged, as cold and unyielding as frost.

“No.”

Jiang Yan was stumped.

He looked toward Han Wu, who was filming from a distance.

“Get over here.”

“Yes!”

Han Wu scurried over eagerly.

“Bro Jiang, what do you need?”

Jiang Yan glanced at Han Wu and asked calmly.

“Does he have any weaknesses?”

Han Wu: …

Chang Yin: …

Han Wu hesitated for a moment, scratching his head as he recalled everything he knew about Chang Yin, ultimately shaking his head helplessly.

“Seems like he doesn’t.”

Jiang Yan looked at Chang Yin regretfully.

“You really don’t care about anything?”

Chang Yin: “No.”

“Not even a girlfriend or something?”

Chang Yin’s expression flickered slightly, but he still replied, “No.”

Han Wu covered his mouth. “What kind of NTR plot is this?”

Jiang Yan clicked his tongue. “Tsk, this is a bit tricky.”

If Chang Yin could maintain the Crimson Nether Mark state indefinitely, combined with the Battle Intent supply from the Dueling Arena, Jiang Yan’s Heavenly Slaughter War Ruins would evolve even faster.

Right now, it seemed there really was no way to find Chang Yin’s weakness.

“Oh, right, I heard you used to pursue Xue… uh, Xue Han?”

Jiang Yan vaguely remembered Xue Han mentioning it once, though he didn’t know the details.

“I pursued her before, but after being rejected, I stopped.”

Chang Yin’s emotions were currently negative, allowing him to recount such embarrassing history with complete indifference.

Jiang Yan pressed further, “Don’t you have any regrets or anything?”

Chang Yin: “A true warrior dares to face failure. I’ve long had no connection with her.”

Jiang Yan: “Who told you to be so detached?!”

Chang Yin: “A warrior should be like this. Today, I lost to you, but in the future, I will surely win back.”

“I, Chang Yin, am invincible!”

After these words, the Crimson Nether Mark on Chang Yin’s chest flickered faintly.

Jiang Yan clearly sensed his unwillingness from these words.

Jiang Yan: I see. So your lingering regret isn’t Xue Han, whom you once failed to confess to…

But… losing to me?

Jiang Yan’s expression turned subtle, as if he had thought of what to do.