"The Taixu Sword School was founded by the Jingwei the Immortal. Its signature technique is Taixu Sword Qi, recognized as the supreme martial art. The Jingwei the Immortal had seven disciples, known as the Seven Swords of Taixu, six women and one man, each wielding a Xuanyuan Sword. All seven were exceptionally talented, mastering Taixu Sword Qi at a young age, causing great waves in the martial world and leaving behind countless legends."
"However, according to the royal secret agents, the Seven Swords of Taixu met an untimely end in their later years, falling to the demonic path and being killed by the Jingwei the Immortal on Tianqiong Peak of Taixu Mountain."
"After that, they vanished without a trace, never to be seen again in the martial world."
"Especially Qin Suyi's husband, Li Shen, searched for them for many years without success. He wanted to climb Taixu Mountain, but hearing of the Heavenly Path's deadly reputation, he gave up and returned to manage his family's affairs."
Changle spoke in detail, her eyes shining with excitement.
With so many restrictions in the palace, reading was one of her few pleasures.
However, Li Mo sensed a discrepancy. The Seven Swords of Taixu were ultimately mortals. Even with their mastery of Honkai energy, they couldn't achieve longevity, let alone immortality like Hua.
The Seven Swords of Taixu he saw upon reaching the summit were in their prime, not their later years. Whether they were demonic or not was debatable, but they were certainly not old.
There must have been Bizzare interference with reality.
But if they were corrupted long ago, why could they still maintain that half-human, half-ghost state?
Since Changle knew the fate of the Seven Swords, why wasn't she questioning it?
Did she think the secret agents' reports were false? Did she believe the Seven Swords had gained immortality from the Immortal's teachings? Or was she simply unaware of the discrepancy?
Like…
In the slaughterhouse, the human skin effigies of Jiang Wanru and the others hadn't known they were dead.
Only after Jiang Wanru uttered the words, "They are already dead," did the seven human skins realize their own demise and fall silent.
Some people killed by ghosts could continue to exist as they were before realizing their death, until they learned of their demise through certain information or habits.
Only then would they truly die.
If they weren't aware of their death, they could continue to exist, lingering in the world.
This wasn't the only form of existence. Some, even after knowing they were dead, could deceive themselves into believing they were still alive by adhering to certain rules.
Li Mo didn't know which category Changle fell into, or perhaps he was simply overthinking it.
Perhaps Changle was a normal human after all.
Ultimately, Li Mo didn't know enough about this era to fully understand their way of thinking.
Perhaps the Immortal's seven disciples had indeed attained immortality alongside her.
But from Li Mo's perspective, this was impossible. Jingwei was Fu Hua, a MANTIS from the previous era. With the Divine Key's support, she naturally didn't age.
But such a case couldn't be replicated without the technology of the previous era.
"Did I say something wrong? You look a bit pale," Changle remarked, noticing Li Mo taking a few steps back.
Li Mo paused, quickly changing the subject. "I'm going to check on the demon outside."
He couldn't warn Changle yet. As far as the room was concerned, both Changle and the assassins were alive.
If Changle was actually dead, his words could trigger a rule.
Whether Changle was alive or not, Li Mo couldn't reveal the truth tonight, especially not about the historical context.
"By the way, I've been meaning to ask, what's the story behind that head? Why is it in your room?" Changle asked curiously.
Li Mo turned around, his expression serious.
"Don't touch that head. It's keeping the ghost stomach in check. As long as it's not interfered with, we have a chance of survival."
"Also, don't light any lamps or fires. Just stay in the room and prevent the demons from entering at all costs."
"The demons might disguise themselves as people you know, or even as inanimate objects that appear to be alive."
"We cannot even trust our own memories. We can only rely on logical deduction to determine if something is truly alive."
Li Mo's grim expression surprised Changle. She nodded earnestly.
It was rare for Mingyue to give so many instructions. During the ascent, he had barely explained anything, just telling them to follow him, refusing to reveal his reasons.
Thinking back, it made sense. So many had perished along the way, leaving only a handful of survivors.
Explanations wouldn't have mattered if they didn't believe him.
Only through personal experience could they understand the weight of his words.
However, trust didn't mean blind obedience. Changle asked, "What do you mean by 'logical deduction'?"
Li Mo paused, then gave an example: "If the current emperor, your father, appeared here, would you open the door?"
Changle immediately replied, "Of course not. My father would never come to Taixu Mountain himself. He's too busy with affairs of state. It's impossible."
Li Mo nodded, then asked another question: "What if another me appeared outside, telling you that the me inside is a demon in disguise, asking you to open the door and let him in to help you kill me? Would you open the door?"
This question stumped Changle. She tried to imagine the scenario.
Urgent knocking on the door, the Mingyue outside shouting: Open the door! The Mingyue beside you is a demon! There's something wrong with this door, I can't open it! If you don't open the door, the demon will kill you!
How would she choose?
Opening the door… the Mingyue outside could be a demon. Letting him in meant certain death for both her and the real Li Mo.
Not opening the door… if the Mingyue outside was real, then she, trapped inside, would die.
"I would trust the you inside the room!" Changle declared, making her choice.
But her answer disappointed Li Mo.
Changle wasn't trusting him, but her own memory.
"You're wrong. You should try to kill me by any means necessary. If I'm the real Mingyue, I wouldn't attack you. I would just dodge. Because I know you can't kill me."
"The difference in our strength is like heaven and earth. Even if I stood still and let you attack, you couldn't kill me. When you're tired, I'll explain and give you the reasons why the one outside is a demon."
"If I'm a fake, your weapon will buy you some time, and you can observe my behavior. If I show any intention of harming you, then you can open the door."
"Don't make such rash decisions and blindly trust me."
"..." Changle lowered her head, her expression slightly hurt.
Even flattery and affirmation couldn't earn Mingyue's approval.
Having lived in the deceitful environment of the palace for so long, this was the first time Changle felt someone was so… different. After all, people only wanted to hear what they wanted to hear. Few would sincerely accept unfavorable opinions, even if they were correct.
Not everyone had the courage to face their own flaws and ugliness.
Changle looked up, scrutinizing Li Mo with growing curiosity. Such a person would surely be suppressed in the official court.
But in the world at large, he was like a fish swimming against the current, discarding his weaknesses, striving to swim faster against the tide.
Facing Granny Cat-Face during the climb, Mingyue had gouged out his own eyes without hesitation.
He was ruthless, not just to his enemies, but to himself.
"Whether we live or die depends on whether we can hold this room tonight."
Li Mo turned around, staring seriously at the figure approaching the door, his Bizzare left hand trembling.
The figure moved very slowly, its steps clumsy and unsteady, like a child learning to walk, stumbling towards the door.
Changle: "Mingyue, what's this 'ghost stomach' you mentioned earlier?"
Li Mo: "This room. Staying here too long will digest the people inside."
Changle: "Then won't we be digested?"
Li Mo: "That head is restraining the ghost stomach, protecting us."
Changle: "The room… and him outside… Mingyue, tell me, what are you? The definition of 'demon' is too narrow. The books only mention a few types: possession by mountain spirits, cultivators going astray, and those born demonic."
Changle wanted answers.
That head was undoubtedly a demon, yet Mingyue seemed to know it well, even using its power to fight other demons.
No, these things weren't even alive. How could they be called demons?
In all the records, demons were living beings. This head, this ghost stomach room… they weren't alive.
"What we're encountering now is far beyond the definition of 'demon.' I want to know, Mingyue, what are you, and what are they…?"
"..."
Li Mo glanced sideways, his gaze cold, the chilling moonlight merging with his eyes, his aura deathly still.
What are we…?
Sometimes, Li Mo wondered himself what these Bizzare Entities meant to this world.
But such contemplation seemed meaningless.
Just like death, it was an inevitable end for all life. Corruption was also an unavoidable increase in entropy.
Li Mo looked at Changle, his expression flat, his words blunt.
"Something you definitely don't want to know. Even if you did, it would only bring despair."
In his twice-dead state, he had lost almost all emotion, gradually losing the ability to understand human curiosity, desire, and fear.
Only rational thought remained, driving him with a singular purpose.
Bizzare Entities couldn't be killed.
Upon death, they would instantly restart.
Tireless, invincible.
These three fundamental rules made them undefeatable.
And there was an even more important, more despairing rule: over time, their corruption would intensify, transforming them into even more terrifying and twisted beings.
Once the corruption exceeded a certain threshold, it would spread.
The spread of corruption ignored time, space, dimensions, and forms of existence.
Unkillable, inescapable. That was the nature of Bizzare Entities.
Instant death triggers, overlapping rules, erasure of consciousness, decapitation, unavoidable assimilation…
Li Mo wouldn't tell Changle any of this. There was no need.
She only needed to know that these things… were enough to bring despair.
If the Bizzare Entities in this world spread, the dead wouldn't be limited to those who climbed the mountain.
"Knock! Knock! Knock!"
The dark figure was just outside the door, knocking politely, like a gentleman, showing Li Mo respect.
But Bizzare Entities didn't have manners. Their actions were always governed by unseen rules.
Most likely derived from their habits when they were alive.
What did the knocking mean?
"Changle, do your assassins have a habit of knocking?" Li Mo asked, quickly moving to her side.
Changle gripped the Bizzare Handgun, observing curiously.
Hearing Mingyue's whispered question, she replied softly, "It's a custom for all assassins in the palace. Knock before entering, wait for the master's permission, and never intrude without consent."
Li Mo nodded. "Keep your voice down. We don't know if the assassin outside will interpret our conversation as consent."
Li Mo returned to his position, continuing to observe the dark figure.
It repeated the same action, knocking on the door and window again and again.
After a while, the knocking stopped, and the figure moved to the window.
"Shoot it if it tries to come in. Don't hesitate."
Li Mo warned Changle, moving to the window himself, preparing to use the Bizzare Handgun's fire bullets to temporarily deal with the ghost outside.
He couldn't kill it, but he could cripple it.
The mystical flames would burn continuously, causing persistent damage.
Bizzare Entities had regenerative abilities, their wounds slowly healing. The flames would suppress their regeneration while continuously dealing damage.
When the regeneration rate and the damage rate reached equilibrium, the Bizzare Entity would effectively be weakened.
It sounded simple, but in practice, it was difficult, as weakening a Bizzare Entity required trial and error.
Excessive force would be negated by repeated restarts, resulting in only superficial damage.
He had to carefully control the Bizzare Entity's injuries through repeated attempts.
In this process, he could easily trigger a rule, and contact meant contamination.
Li Mo was prepared for this. As long as the contamination didn't completely overwhelm his consciousness, he could use the Herrscher of Human: Ego's power to dispel it.
However…
It seemed not all contamination could be dispelled. He hadn't found a way to deal with his Bizzare Bud left hand, could only let it remain attached to his body.
His inability to return to his complete human form was likely due to this left hand.
Li Mo stared intently at the dark figure outside the window.
As a precaution, he planned to use only his Bizzare left hand.
At least it wouldn't be so easily contaminated by Bizzare rules.
The figure paused at the window, seemingly unaware that it was a way into the room, then continued to pace around the perimeter.