Chapter Thirty-Five: Awakening to One’s True Heart

Kabul Giant Serpent Combat Technique is an ancient martial art with a long history, having been practiced for nearly a thousand years in a country called Xining.

This land is teeming with serpents of every kind. Its people have long observed and studied the ways of snakes, eventually distilling countless effective secret arts for cultivation. Among them, the Kabul Giant Serpent Combat Technique stands out as the most ruthless and formidable, considered a top-tier secret art. In certain aspects, it rivals even those legendary martial arts capable of manifesting their own aura.

Every practitioner of the Kabul Giant Serpent Combat Technique abandons their original name, assuming the identity of “Serpent.” Their designation changes according to their breakthrough, from Serpent One to Serpent Two, Serpent Three, Serpent Four, and so forth. The reason Liu Tian’s opponent refers to himself as “Serpent” is because, twenty years ago, he slaughtered all his peers, leaving himself as the sole survivor of his generation.

At this point, only one practitioner remains, so there is no need for numerical distinction.

The original “Serpent” was already a top-tier fighter. After accepting human augmentation from Blue Dream Corporation and successfully integrating the so-called “Deep-Stained” Giant Python’s unique gene, his power soared to new heights. Not only did his physical abilities explode, but he also gained a wondrous defensive capability.

The Deep-Stained gene, belonging to a unique python, bestowed upon him muscles and bones both as hard as steel and as soft as cotton. Coupled with his innate mastery of manipulating his own body—a hallmark of the Kabul Giant Serpent Combat Technique, which could contort a man to fit inside a tiny clay pot—Serpent could achieve legendary feats: freely controlling his muscles and bones, transforming his appearance, even his gender.

Those specialized muscles, aside from withstanding submachine gun fire, could, in one-on-one combat, deceive his opponent through enveloping movements, giving the illusion that their attacks landed true. Cultivated properly and paired with Serpent’s theatrical flair, this illusion could easily instill the belief that Serpent was invincible, weakening his adversaries before the fight began.

After all, no one wishes to battle a monster that cannot be harmed.

Without exaggeration, had this been an era without magical martial arts, and if no divine weapons were allowed, Serpent would have been worthy of contending for the title of the world’s greatest.

Such was the overwhelming strength of this mentally unstable lunatic.

Faced with such an opponent, Liu Tian stood no chance in direct combat. Within just two or three exchanges, he was clearly at a disadvantage.

Had Serpent not held back, delighting in tormenting his prey and seeking the perfect moment to claim Liu Tian as a prized specimen—if not for Liu Tian’s vast experience fighting stronger foes—he might already have been defeated.

Yet Liu Tian was not without hope. First, their skirmish had already alarmed nearby tourists; within half an hour, Liu Zhengde, having received a warning, would surely arrive with reinforcements. Under sustained firepower and with two or three more fighters, Liu Tian might overcome Serpent’s bizarre musculature.

Second—Liu Tian seized the opportunity, his mind turning as he gazed at the panel displaying “Heavenly Martial Killing Path,” silent and contemplative.

Sixteen source points. Having just experienced enlightenment, the requirement for breakthrough had lessened. Now, Liu Tian was not without the chance to break through directly.

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After all, “Effort” was not some external cheat split into two halves, but an integral part of Liu Tian himself.

The definition of a perfect breakthrough by “Effort” was determined from Liu Tian’s subconscious. If one considers “Effort” as a super-optimized algorithm with immense computational power—a supercomputer—then source points serve as its energy, and all of Liu Tian’s knowledge as its database.

The direction of calculation, naturally, is decided by his subconscious. If Liu Tian desires a perfect breakthrough, to flawlessly master the killing intent and domineering will brought by the Heavenly Martial Killing Path, to achieve what even Heaven itself has only recently accomplished, then his requirements for the breakthrough rise accordingly.

But if Liu Tian lowers his standards—not lowers, but changes his direction—

If he discards excessive worries, lets go of doubts.

If he focuses entirely on his fists, wholly on defeating his enemy.

If he can abandon everything, immerse himself in the thrill of striking down his foe, letting killing intent and dominance become instinct, a part of himself—

If he walks the path already demonstrated by two others, then sixteen source points are more than enough.

But should he walk this path?

Should he embrace the ruthless road of the overlord, devoid of emotion and righteousness?

Liu Tian hesitated, and Serpent seized the chance.

“My dear, distraction spells doom in battle!”

No hesitation could be afforded in such a fierce fight. In the instant Liu Tian’s attention wavered, Serpent struck—the Kabul Giant Serpent Combat Technique’s secret skill: Feral Bite.

Bringing his hands together, Serpent, like a giant snake crushing the bones and resistance of its prey, seized Liu Tian’s right arm. In an instant, he disabled all resistance from that limb, using the opportunity to extend his attack toward the body.

Faced with this assault, Liu Tian said nothing—Heavenly Martial Killing Path: Severing Heart.

Hit!

But it was not Serpent, who could likely withstand the blow, but Liu Tian’s own right arm.

?!!!

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Serpent had not expected Liu Tian to be so decisive, so ruthless, so inhuman. He was startled; his move missed its mark, and he was struck hard in turn.

Heavenly Martial Killing Path. Damn it—twentyfold strength. Severing Head.

Fast, precise, merciless.

No dithering, no hesitation—Liu Tian activated his right arm in an instant, then, his left hand continued with undiminished momentum, unleashing his most powerful attack. Killing intent and dominance perfectly fused with himself.

Unprecedented twentyfold strength sent Serpent flying like a baseball, blood spurting from two places in midair.

“Well done, kid! To see the only path to survival in an instant—was your earlier distraction a trap to lure me in?”

Blood poured from the seven orifices on his head; Serpent felt dizzy, the world spinning. That heavy blow had clearly injured his brain.

It was hard to say whose wounds were worse. Though Serpent was stronger and more experienced, victory in battle was not guaranteed by strength alone, but also by ruthlessness.

Clearly, Serpent, who thought himself ruthless enough, lost to the more resolute Liu Tian.

The dizziness in his head worsened; the aftereffects of the Severing Head Path began to manifest within Serpent. He understood well—if the fight continued, he would surely die!

“This time you win, but next time, without your right arm, how many rounds can you withstand against me?” Serpent spat out his threat, wasted no more words, tossed Liu Tian’s possibly salvageable arm to the ground, and retreated like a cobra springing away.

He was certain that, although his injuries were worse, his superior constitution would allow him to endure longer than Liu Tian.

And Liu Tian, having lost an arm and facing massive blood loss, would not dare pursue—better to spend the time salvaging his right arm and seeing if it could be reattached.

“I was wrong.” Using powerful self-control to force his artery to cease bleeding, Liu Tian raised his right arm to the stump. “Mercy, morality, choice—only the strong are entitled to possess them.”

“I am not strong enough yet. It’s time to let go of these pointless burdens.”

“Effort, boost me!”