Over the past half-month, Ye Chui had unlocked multiple background music tracks and video clips.
Background music could enhance physical attributes and produce special effects, with the points required for unlocking determined by the potency of those effects. The track Ye Chui was playing now cost him 150 points to unlock, slightly more than “A War Without Honor or Humanity.” Its effect went beyond mere attribute boosts, granting Ye Chui a unique combat skill: kung fu.
This track was a cinematic adaptation of the ancient tune “General’s Command.” Its powerful rhythm and righteous, uplifting momentum made it renowned. In another world, every Chinese person hearing this song would instinctively think of a heroic figure exuding integrity: Wong Fei-hung.
The track was called “A Man Should Strengthen Himself.”
Accompanied by the music played on ancient Chinese instruments like drums, pipa, suona, and flute, Ye Chui transformed into Wong Fei-hung. He gained Wong’s formidable close-combat abilities, even the capacity to scale walls and leap rooftops. While such superhuman skills might not match this world’s powerful swordsmen, they were more than enough to handle believers, whose strength was their weak point.
Jamil, seeing Ye Chui suddenly transform, was momentarily stunned. He quickly reacted, flipping open his Bible to chant a verse.
But Ye Chui gave him no chance. With a mid-air spinning kick, he sent Jamil’s Bible flying and landed a foot on Jamil’s chest.
Jamil cried out in pain, collapsing to the ground. Scrambling up, his face full of fear, he stammered, “A magician can’t have such combat prowess… Are you a swordsman? A magic swordsman? You…”
Ye Chui closed in swiftly, unleashing a flurry of dazzling strikes, accompanied by a relentless series of thuds landing on Jamil. Unable to fight back, Jamil staggered, spitting blood, and fell backward in a textbook villain collapse.
Ye Chui paused, striking a standard pose, his voice brimming with righteous vigor. “We Chinese aren’t so easy to bully!”
Jamil: “?”
“Oh, sorry, got carried away…” Ye Chui shook his head, trying to clear the movie scenes flooding his mind due to the background music. Under the grimoire’s influence, he was nearly fully immersed in those scenes. He approached Jamil coldly and said, “You could’ve swindled anyone’s gold, but you chose ours. Did you think we’re just bumpkins from a remote town, easy to push around? And you killed our friend’s horse!”
“You’re too bold, daring to attack a divine envoy!” Jamil wiped blood from his mouth, suddenly emboldened by his status. “I’m an envoy. If you kill me, you’ll be defying the entire Church. You’ll have no place on the Castro Continent. The Church will hunt you endlessly, and the gods won’t forgive your sins!”
Shouting hoarsely, Jamil grinned. “You wouldn’t dare kill me. You wouldn’t dare touch me!”
“Is that so?” Ye Chui sneered. He bent down, helping Jamil to his feet. “Come, stand up properly.”
Jamil swayed, thinking Ye Chui was intimidated by his words. “You’re scared, haha. I can return some of the gold if you let me go…”
“You’re mistaken.”
Ye Chui stepped back, took a deep breath, and leapt—Foshan Shadowless Kick!
Having used this background music, how could he not unleash its full arsenal?
Debbie, rubbing her chest to settle her stomach, gaped as Ye Chui soared, his legs a blur, striking Jamil’s chest with rapid, invisible kicks. This was Foshan Shadowless Kick, though different from the movie version. Enhanced by magical aura, it was far more powerful, a magically modified kung fu.
In an instant, Ye Chui delivered countless kicks. Jamil staggered back, the sound of cracking ribs echoing as he spat blood.
As Ye Chui’s final kick landed, the music of “A Man Should Strengthen Himself” reached its climax. Jamil’s body flew back like a ragdoll, collapsing to the ground.
Ye Chui landed steadily, exhaling deeply, feeling utterly satisfied.
At that moment, a loud crash sounded. A mass of flesh plummeted from the sky, smashing into the ground near Jamil, leaving a deep crater.
Jamil, not yet dead, struggled to rise. A healing chant could restore him quickly, he thought… but seeing the fallen mass, he collapsed again. It was his flying beast, Dugo.
By ancient standards, Dugo was a fourth-tier beast. Now, it was a mangled mess, wings torn, head broken, body bloodied.
“Roar—” With a mighty bellow, the Black Gold Flame Dragon descended beside Dugo. Similar in size, it exuded far greater majesty, the true aura of a beast.
“Ye Chui, this beast was pathetic. I didn’t even use my dragon flame, and it turned to mush. Can you find me a tougher opponent next time?” the dragon grumbled in a rough voice.
“Beasts are nearly extinct now. Finding this one was lucky enough,” Ye Chui consoled. “Didn’t you want to devour its dragon soul? How’s that going?”
Dragon Treasure reluctantly approached the lifeless heap, pawing through it to extract a pale blue crystal the size of a pigeon’s egg. “Roar! Its core is this tiny? What a pathetic beast!” He swallowed it, tilting his head as if savoring it, then shook it. “This isn’t even enough to pick my teeth!”
Ye Chui looked disappointed, turning to the barely alive Jamil. “Hey, envoy, the Church must keep plenty of beasts, right?”
Jamil, struggling to breathe, nearly choked. Was this kid really planning to openly defy the Church?
Coughing up blood, he suddenly remembered the Spirit of Faith. As a Church weapon, its power was undeniable. Maybe it could save him… With hope, he turned to look for it.
Just then, he saw the golden swordmaster execute a fierce sword technique. Golden sword aura slashed, tearing the Spirit of Faith apart in an instant.
This wasn’t the first time it had been heavily damaged, but now, it was at its limit, unable to reform. The fragments writhed, then dissolved into black smoke, vanishing.
“The Spirit of Faith is disgusting. Miss Debbie, next time, summon Lady Jiji for this. Her holy aura can burn these evil things to ash,” Gilga said, sheathing her golden sword as she approached. Though a Church weapon, the Spirit of Faith was an embodiment of evil.
“You just recovered from your injuries. A few fights are good for you,” Debbie said with a smile. Seeing the situation resolved, she approached Jamil, extending her hand as she had in Stan Town. “Envoy, where’s our gold coin reward?”
Jamil stared, speechless, eyes wide.
Debbie was about to say more, but Ye Chui patted her shoulder. “Don’t ask. He’s already dead.” Pausing, he looked at Jamil’s staring eyes. “And he died with his eyes open…”
