Facing an Ancient God for a Year

After successfully stealing the show and igniting the audience’s passion to a boiling point, an uninvited guest knocked on the door that very night.

Fu Qian went to open the door and found an elderly man in grey standing outside.

“Mr. Fu, hello.”

The visitor was shrouded head to toe in a voluminous cloak, without a single hair on his eyebrows or head, his face full of wrinkles and bearing a mysterious smile.

“I am Lu Ming, and I was wondering if you would be free to join me on a tour of the islands?”

Tour the islands?

Fu Qian looked down at his right hand, covered by the wide sleeve.

Although it was wrapped up tight, the shape was clearly off—it was likely not factory original.

“Sure.”

Seeing Fu Qian’s straightforward response, Lu Ming chuckled and immediately headed out to lead the way.

A boat had long been waiting by the island, and Fu Qian followed Lu Ming onto it, one after the other.

“Mr. Fu’s display of power today at the arena was truly impressive.”

Once seated, the boatman wordlessly began to row, and Lu Ming, smiling, spoke up first.

“Some of our people were a bit impolite yesterday, and I’m mainly here to extend my apologies today.”

Your people? Fu Qian thought for a moment.

“Rebirth Club?”

“Correct, I asked them to invite Mr. Fu, but I didn’t expect things to become somewhat disagreeable.”

“It wasn’t disagreeable, just a bit boring.”

“Boring?”

Lu Ming looked at Fu Qian.

“Does Mr. Fu also think that limb attachment is an evil practice?”

“For a question that could fuel hundreds of debates, it’s hard to have a definitive answer.”

Fu Qian shook his head.

“As far as I’m concerned, it’s quite an interesting concept, but it doesn’t captivate me.”

“I can understand, Mr. Fu’s strength is transcendent, and unlike us, you don’t need to rely on external objects.”

Lu Ming nodded in understanding, then after a few seconds of silence, he cast off his cloak, revealing the right hand he’d kept hidden all along.

In truth, it could hardly be called a hand anymore, resembling more the head of some crawling creature.

There was no palm and fingers, and everything below the elbow was covered with yellowish-brown scales, with a deformed beak at the end, even revealing sharp teeth within.

Lu Ming extended his arm, aiming at the rippling water surfaces.

The next moment, with a strange chirping sound, a sickly green flame erupted, forming a spectacular fan of fire that covered a large area.

After a few seconds, the spray ceased, and the residual flames floated on the water, enduring like will-o’-the-wisps.

Indeed, he was a leader; this display seemed far stronger than Ji Ping’s abilities.

Fu Qian silently made his assessment.

At this time, after showing off his ability, Lu Ming let out a long sigh.

“People are born different, and in this world, especially so.

Some are born with cultivation talents, others awaken special abilities as they grow, and the rest lead an utterly mediocre life.

In comparison, I think the existence of limb attachment provides a more fair opportunity than bloodline or fate could ever offer…”

The small boat swiftly approached Central Island, and Lu Ming disembarked first, with Fu Qian and the boatman following.

The three of them quickly went past the White Tower until they reached a circular building.

This place had just been introduced the day before, the legendary Limb Attachment Laboratory, the site of rebirth coveted by many.

Even at night, the place was brightly lit and bustling.

Lu Ming led the way unimpeded through security doors, all the way to the depths of the laboratory.

This was a huge underground space, lined with transparent boxes of various sizes from top to bottom, looking like an underground museum.

Except the items displayed were rather horrifying.

Sundered hands, eyeballs, tails, wings… a dazzling array of bizarre and peculiar body parts.

“This is the laboratory’s material storage.”

Lu Ming stood in front, arms spread wide.

“With our efforts, each item stored here will ultimately find its true owner.”

“I get your point.”

Seeing his enraptured state, Fu Qian casually concurred.

“To the deserving go the spoils of fate, the original owners of these parts were merely the soil that nurtured them.”

“Well said!”

Lu Ming looked at Fu Qian with a face full of admiration.

“Heroes think alike.”

This has nothing to do with seeing the same thing, I’m just deducing based on your overbearing logic.

“Do you know what is the most idiotic rule?”

Fu Qian’s reply, however, piqued Lu Ming’s interest, prompting him to raise another question.

“The upper limit on Limb Attachment?”

Fu Qian thought for a moment before answering.

The Limb Attachment advocate in front of him must despise that deeply.

“Exactly.”

Lu Ming’s face showed disgust.

“Rigid and stupid, it does nothing but shackle a great invention.”

“Sometimes they do handle things in a rather inflexible manner.”

Fu Qian recalled his previous encounters with the Night Watchman.

“Actually, the main reason I asked Mr. Fu here today is for another matter.”

Seeing that Fu Qian had little interest in these matters, Lu Ming didn’t digress any further and continued further inside, opening a uniquely designed box.

“Please look at this.”

This…

The content inside made Fu Qian frown.

It was a number of tentacles entangled together, varying in length, all bathed in a ghostly blue hue, still slowly writhing and emitting an indescribable odor.

“We discovered this while collecting Transcendent limbs.”

“After many experiments, and not just one person being devoured by it, we unanimously believe that only a Transcendent with formidable strength can possibly control it.

You must understand, the more powerful the limb, the higher the requirement for the recipient; otherwise, the best-case scenario is ineffectiveness, and the worst, not being able to withstand the backlash.

From its current performance, we believe that if someone successfully merges with this, it could elevate a Transcendent to a Demigod… Would Mr. Fu be interested?”

“Sounds like there’s quite a bit of uncertainty?”

Fu Qian glanced at him.

“To a certain extent, yes, but high risk, high reward, right?”

Lu Ming stared at Fu Qian, the temptation of ascending to Demigod status, something he believed no Transcendent could resist.

“High risk, high reward, is that what you told those volunteers who died as well?”

“More than that, actually. Every single one.”

Lu Ming waved to someone behind him.

“We make it clear to all who undergo Limb Attachment, that everything comes at a price. Without that understanding, they shouldn’t even dream of Transcendent power.”

The ferryman from before lowered his head and stepped forward, gently pulling up his sleeve to reveal his left arm.

A slender arm was neatly amputated below the shoulder, attached to it was a hairless claw, covered in dark red stripes, looking quite ferocious.

Wait a second, Fu Qian’s attention was caught by something else.

He hadn’t noticed before, but now he looked at the man’s golden short hair.

“Is your sister called Veil?”

Fu Qian took out the pendant of the golden-haired woman and compared it with the photo.

“How do you know…”

The Beast Claw Girl suddenly looked up, incredulously staring at Fu Qian.

“Your sister asked me to help deliver this to you, she and your family miss you a lot and hope you come home soon.”

Fu Qian hung the item over her shoulder, relayed Veil’s message, and considered the task done.

“I don’t need you guys to teach me how to live my life!”

Five seconds later, the Beast Claw Girl came to her senses, snatched the pendant and fiercely threw it to the ground, her tone suddenly turned hostile.

“No matter what you say, I’m not going back!”

?

I was just entrusted to deliver something; whether you go back or not doesn’t concern me.

“Your decision doesn’t concern me, but this impolite tone of yours…”

Fu Qian looked at the rebellious girl, his expression a mix of a smile and not a smile.

“Did my act of delivering this create the false impression that I carry a friendly reputation?”

The Beast Claw Girl shuddered and quickly realized whom she was talking to, her face instantly turned pale.