Park Su had barely caught a glimpse of the talisman, said to be capable of isolating the lower-tier zombies, when he witnessed it ignite at Xu Nuo's fingertips, flames bursting forth in a dramatic flourish. Almost as the talisman was reduced to ashes, the zombies outside began to stir, indicating the barrier had dissipated.
Xu Nuo, having absorbed the remaining spiritual essence of the talisman, his eyes now gleamed with a sharp intensity, a look that had long been absent as he hadn't stretched his limbs in quite some time. Since the world had changed, he had been occupied with his own affairs, intervening only to assist a troublesome family at first. Thereafter, he had rested, allowing Park Su to support him, thus nurturing his inherent laziness. However, his stillness was not a sign of weakness, and today's situation demanded his action, as it would be no easy feat for Park Su to handle alone.
Having decided to partner with Park Su, Xu Nuo felt it necessary to demonstrate some of his prowess, lest Park Su continue to see him as merely a freeloader, which his recent behavior had indeed suggested. With a slight smile, Xu Nuo dashed forward before Park Su could even react, instantly drawing the attention of the zombies.
Park Su, who had been preparing an attack behind him, was startled by Xu Nuo's sudden movement. Although he had heard Xu Nuo's intention to take the offensive, Park Su was eager to see Xu Nuo in action, especially since Xu Nuo was rumored to be the legendary master he had known in his past life. Apart from last night, where Xu Nuo had mainly relied on his powers rather than his Taoist techniques, Park Su had yet to witness the full extent of his abilities.
What Park Su did not expect, however, was Xu Nuo's seemingly reckless charge into the throng of zombies. The sight of them quickly surrounding Xu Nuo brought back memories of his own past-life demise in a similar situation, causing his heart to involuntarily race with a feeling of despair.
Simultaneously, Park Su unleashed his prepared powers. He could not let Xu Nuo fight alone; he should trust that Xu Nuo wasn't so foolhardy. With his powers, the surrounding trees began to grow wildly, their thick trunks sweeping away some of the zombies, while vines ensnared others, preventing them from advancing towards Xu Nuo, thus controlling the zombie crowd.
Meanwhile, Green Vine, ever dutiful, leaped into action. She hadn't used much of the crystal nuclei she collected the night before, and she wondered if her master's hesitation was due to his own need. With so many zombies before them, she thought if she could take down a significant portion and gather their nuclei for her master, he might be pleased enough to share a few with her.
She longed for the sensation of the crystal nucleus energy coursing through every tendril of her being, filling her with a potent strength she had experienced the day before!
Moreover, these nuclei were smaller in size compared to the energy stones she had previously absorbed, making them easier to assimilate, almost as if they were specifically tailored to enhance her capabilities. How could she not crave them?
Yet, with Park Su's watchful eye, she could not claim these nuclei for herself, though Green Vine believed that if she performed well, Park Su would not be stingy with her.
Thus, she exerted herself more fervently, each blade on her vines becoming sharper. Zombies entangled by her were dispatched within mere moments, their crystal nuclei swiftly collected by her.
Park Su's movements were swift, aiming to alleviate Xu Nuo's burden, yet deep down, he held a firm belief in Xu Nuo's abilities.
After all, this was the legendary Master Xu Nuo, a man said to be capable of facing a hundred adversaries alone. Park Su had always yearned to witness this prowess firsthand, an opportunity he lacked in his previous life, but now, unexpectedly, he found himself fighting side by side with him!
This was an honor he could scarcely have imagined in his past life. Thus, even while engaged in combat, he never let his attention stray from Xu Nuo.
And Xu Nuo did not disappoint. In fact, his actions left Park Su somewhat astounded. Park Su had anticipated Xu Nuo would employ a combination of his abilities and Taoist magic to maximize his zombie-slaying efficiency. However, Xu Nuo seemed not to inflict any substantial harm on the zombies.
Despite being surrounded, they couldn't harm him in the slightest. Xu Nuo moved through the crowd with such speed and agility that Park Su began to wonder if Xu Nuo's awakened ability wasn't manipulation but rather speed!
What puzzled Park Su was why Xu Nuo, with such agility, wasn't attacking the zombies but merely weaving through them.
There were moments when Park Su's heart leaped into his throat, seeing zombie claws almost slicing Xu Nuo's skin. Xu Nuo was merely a first-tier ability user, incapable of resisting the virus carried by crystal-nucleus-bearing zombies.
The thought of Xu Nuo being infected chilled Park Su to the bone. He increased his wooden ability output, urging the surrounding trees to block as many advancing zombies as possible, and used wooden spikes to directly extract their crystal nuclei.
Even if he couldn't extract the nuclei, he ensured each strike was lethal, too preoccupied with concern for Xu Nuo to collect the fallen nuclei.
But in the next instant, Xu Nuo, who had been moving deftly among the zombies, suddenly froze as if some switch had been flipped, standing motionless.
The zombies, however, did not halt their assault. They pounced on Xu Nuo, instantly overwhelming him, obscuring his form from view.
Park Su's eyes widened, a shiver running through his body. He almost heard the sound of flesh being torn. The scene was all too familiar, causing him to open his mouth in a silent scream, his throat inexplicably blocked.
He couldn't comprehend his reaction, only feeling as though he were witnessing his past self. His blood seemed to boil, a sense of pain radiating through him as if he were the one being torn apart, unable to control the violent surge of his abilities.
He knew he had to save Xu Nuo; it was as if saving him was some form of redemption. The trees around him sensed his energy changing. The trunks thickened several times over, sweeping away more zombies with a single motion.
Park Su lifted his hand, a wooden spike condensing instantly in his palm, glowing with a faint green light, as the scent of Xu Nuo's blood lingered near his nose.
While one hand gripped a dagger retrieved from his spatial ring, Park Su charged forward, swiftly dispatching several zombies closest to him.
He wasn't sure what had come over him; he simply couldn't bear to let Xu Nuo meet the same fate as he had in his past life, devoured by the undead alone.
But deep down, he understood that compared to being bitten and turning into a zombie, Xu Nuo's current fate might be kinder. An ability user like Xu Nuo, if turned, would only become a more formidable adversary.
Yet, he couldn't control himself, watching as more zombies swarmed towards Xu Nuo's body. Though he didn't hear Xu Nuo's cries, he instinctively felt that Xu Nuo was enduring the same agony he had once suffered.
He didn't want Xu Nuo to end up like himself, with not even a corpse left behind. If Xu Nuo were to become a zombie, Park Su would rather be the one to end his life than let these creatures devour him.
On the other hand, though he hadn't said it, Park Su regretted his blind trust in Xu Nuo's abilities. He didn't know if Xu Nuo was indeed the legendary Master Xu Nuo from his past life, but without him, Xu Nuo might not have faced this situation.
If Xu Nuo truly was that master, he had lived so long and well in his past life without encountering him. But in this life, after meeting him...
The more Park Su thought, the more fiercely he struck down the zombies, attracting their attention. Soon, they began to surround him, blocking his path.
Park Su could only watch the circle of zombies surrounding Xu Nuo's body grow larger, unable to reach him no matter how hard he tried. Regret consumed him, and the more anxious he became, the more impossible it was to get close. His eyes reddened with urgency.
Just then, he felt someone pull his arm. He was about to retaliate when he realized he had lost control of his body.
Before he could react, the zombies lunging at him were incinerated by a single talisman flame, reduced to ash, and he found himself enveloped in an embrace.
A familiar, cool voice came from above his head, "Calm down, how could you let your inner demons get the better of you so easily?"
Park Su was taken aback, looking up to see Xu Nuo's familiar and handsome face, his heart skipping a beat. Turning towards the zombie circle, he asked in disbelief, "Weren't you in that circle? How could you... I clearly saw you..."
Xu Nuo waited until Park Su looked up, noticing the subtle moisture in his eyes. Upon hearing Park Su's question, a flicker of emotion passed through Xu Nuo's eyes, but he quickly suppressed it. "So, you thought I was dead?"
At Xu Nuo's words, Park Su felt somewhat awkward, turning his head to divert the topic. "What was going on with you? Was that not you I saw earlier?"
Xu Nuo could see that Park Su did not wish to discuss what had just happened, and he had no intention of pursuing the matter further. The truth was evident to anyone with eyes, and there was no need to make the situation more awkward.
Moreover, it wasn't just Park Su who was worried about him; when he saw Park Su attacking the zombies like a man possessed, and the zombies almost reaching him, Xu Nuo's heart had also skipped a beat. He felt as though he was about to lose something precious, which was why he intervened without hesitation, not even considering his own safety.
Before, he had never experienced such feelings. Even the old man had said that Xu Nuo was emotionally detached, likely to live a life as uneventful as a flatline, making him suitable for Taoist cultivation.
Thus, whether it was worrying for others or being worried about, it was a novel experience for him. When he lived with the old man, there was no need to say anything; that old man was carefree, never worrying about him, and Xu Nuo, in turn, felt no need to worry about someone so capable.
Later, when his Taoist skills had matured, surpassing even his teacher, he quickly found himself in the role of protector, safeguarding others as part of his duty. Naturally, there was little emotional investment, and others did not concern themselves with his well-being.
It was for this reason that when he set up the zombies, he hadn't thought that someone would worry for him or that he might be hurt by the zombies. He naturally did not think to inform Park Su.
Therefore, only Xu Nuo knew how moved he was when he held Park Su, realizing that Park Su's frantic actions were out of concern for him. However, given his nature, Xu Nuo was not adept at expressing such sentiments.
He simply kept this gratitude hidden within, following Park Su's lead in conversation, "That was my puppet, a common technique in Taoism used to ward off disaster or act as a substitute for oneself. Earlier, I set up a formation and placed my puppet talisman inside.
What you saw being torn apart by the zombies wasn't my true body, but a substitute talisman. When the formation was activated, I had already left. The talisman has a confusing effect, and unless someone has higher Taoist skills than me, they wouldn't see through the deception.
Moreover, the substitute talisman contained my blood, which is why it emitted a strong scent of blood when it was torn apart.
But that blood scent was just an illusion to confuse, not causing me any actual blood loss, so I wasn't hurt. You don't need to worry. Now, stand here and watch the show. I think this formation should deal with most of the zombies here."
After saying that, Xu Nuo thought for a moment, then finally raised his hand and patted Park Su's fluffy head, "Don't worry about me too much. My Taoist skills are a bit more formidable than you might imagine. I'm usually not in danger. But next time, if I use such a puppet technique again, I will let you know beforehand."
Park Su felt a warm hand pass over his head and heard Xu Nuo's explanations, causing his cheeks to flush slightly. He hadn't paid attention to the fact that Xu Nuo had been holding him without letting go, so caught up in his surprise.
Now, realizing their awkward position, and with Xu Nuo's hand still on his head, explaining and reassuring him with such tenderness, Park Su felt as if the sun had risen in the west.
Faced with this Xu Nuo, he found it impossible to explain that his earlier frenzy wasn't solely out of concern for Xu Nuo but was also triggered by the scene reminding him of his lonely past self. Therefore, some of the things he said earlier might have been a bit presumptuous.
He thought to himself that he did genuinely care for Xu Nuo, so there was no need to clarify, especially since he wanted to stick close to Xu Nuo. Letting him think this way wasn't wrong. Besides, although Xu Nuo still had a stern expression, Park Su could sense that Xu Nuo was in a good mood, so why spoil it?
Of course, he would never admit that, for a moment, his feelings for Xu Nuo had transcended mere concern, even verging on madness to avenge him.
After all, in this apocalypse, aside from his mother, Xu Nuo was the closest thing to family he had, even if Xu Nuo didn't see him in the same light. Nonetheless, Park Su had to admit that Xu Nuo was, at times, his emotional anchor.
And upon learning that Xu Nuo was likely the legendary Master Xu Nuo, this reliance turned into a solid pillar of support, a beacon of hope for survival in this post-apocalyptic world.