World’s End: My Keyword is One More Than Others

Chapter 205: Rush Valley

"Senior brother, what's wrong?" Seventh junior brother asked Du Ge with concern, noticing his unusual expression.

"It's nothing, my path may have just become clear," Du Ge replied calmly after giving him a glance.

In just a moment, Du Ge had figured it out. Being the target of everyone's wrath was better than losing his life in this place.

Keywords like slaughter and tyranny often ended up defining the villain, didn't they?

How could one always play the hero?

Having randomly acquired the keyword for plundering, he had done well to get this far!

As for nobility?

If he could farm it, he would; if not, it could wait. Surviving was the priority.

Besides, wasn't everyone else just a keyword too?

Du Ge reached out and slapped seventh junior brother.

In the next moment.

The spiritual power cultivated in Du Ge's dantian surged through his palm and into seventh junior brother's meridians.

Seventh junior brother's eyes widened in shock, "This... this... senior brother, your spiritual power..."

Du Ge released his hand, casually taking his coat and then tossing it back to him, "The Way of Heaven is to take from the excess and give to the lacking. Junior brother, you don't need to cultivate anymore. I'll feed you my power..."

He turned to look at 0001, "And you too, don't sulk or bear a grudge against me for absorbing a bit of your power. Stay loyal to me, and once my power grows, I will nourish you in return. As long as my power keeps rising, Golden Elixir and Elemental Infant stages for all members of Seven Stars Sect are within reach."

"Thank you, Sect Leader." A glint of surprise flashed in 0001's eyes as he knelt down, "I will follow the Sect Leader's lead, offering my utmost devotion."

"Good, what's your name again?" Du Ge asked, "Now that you've joined Seven Stars Sect, your prisoner number no longer applies. Revert to your real name."

"Disciple Ma Chuanzong, thank you, Sect Leader," 0001 bowed with a fist.

"And you?"

Du Ge turned to 0002.

0002 was confused. He saw his senior brother and seventh uncle each lose a piece of clothing, and their expressions changed, but he didn't understand what had happened.

However, that didn't stop him from reclaiming his own name, as being called 0002 was quite embarrassing.

So.

He knelt down promptly, "Disciple Meng Chu, thank you, Sect Leader."

***

Over the next ten days, Du Ge, with seventh junior brother and the guidance of two traitors from Tianlan Valley, traveled day and night straight to Tianlan Valley.

During this time.

Du Ge refrained from plundering.

He discovered a sad truth: when he used the "plucking feathers from a passing goose" technique, the "acting on behalf of Heaven" mechanism would also trigger, causing his power to be transferred to the bandits with each plunder.

Although his attributes increased, the power lost was irreplaceable, which felt like a poor trade-off...

After all.

Even with high attribute growth, spiritual power was still needed for Sword Flight.

Heaven knows.

How he awakened two such absurd passive skills...

To increase attributes and power simultaneously, he must plunder those with greater power than his own.

Of course.

If his own spiritual power was high enough, he wouldn't worry about losing a bit here and there, as power naturally depletes in battle...

Fortunately, although Du Ge had left Seven Stars Sect, the sect's fundraising plan continued.

As the influence of Seven Stars Sect spread, more and more people rushed to invest, and his attributes kept increasing.

Du Ge estimated that if Seven Stars Sect collapsed once, completely turning those investments to ash, his attributes would leap in quality.

But for now, the influence of Seven Stars Sect was still weak. It needed to grow to attract more investors, and he wasn't ready to do that yet.

***

Tianlan Valley was located in a misty valley, also far from the secular world.

A "No Entry for Outsiders" sign stood at the entrance to the valley.

Disciples stood guard, and within the valley, one could see disciples in uniform moving about and houses built against the mountainside, looking much more legitimate than the dilapidated Seven Stars Sect.

Standing outside Tianlan Valley.

The weary Du Ge became even more determined to achieve the Golden Elixir stage. Traveling between two small sects took a month, wasting time on the road instead of improving attributes.

"Senior brother, should we wait until dark to go in?" Seventh junior brother whispered, "There are over a thousand people inside Tianlan Valley, right?"

"No need, let's just go in. It's not intimidating enough at night. This time, we're here to make a name for ourselves. We want the people in the valley to see what happens when they offend Seven Stars Sect, so they'll be less resistant when we take over," Du Ge took a deep breath, adjusting the spiritual power within him, "I'll lead, and you guys follow to pick up any slack. Try not to let anyone escape."

"Understood."

They all nodded in agreement.

As soon as the words were spoken.

Du Ge's figure had already vanished from their sight.

Du Ge, at the peak of the Qi Refining stage and bolstered by attributes, had combat power comparable to the Foundation Establishment stage.

Outside Tianlan Valley.

The guarding disciples, barely initiated into cultivation, were no match for Du Ge. With a blur, Du Ge touched their heads, and they couldn't even sound the alarm.

Then.

Du Ge dashed into the valley.

Tianlan Valley, secluded from the secular world, had disciples mostly focused on cultivation with little contact with the outside.

Moreover, a small sect like Tianlan Valley without even a Golden Elixir master rarely attracted visitors from the cultivation world. Martial World sects often engaged in secular activities and had little interaction with cultivation sects.

So.

When Du Ge burst into the valley, the disciples inside didn't even consider the possibility of an enemy attack.

With the element of surprise, Du Ge's "plucking feathers from a passing goose" was domineering. To prevent rapid loss of power, he didn't even bother to strip their clothes.

He mostly used the "touch of death" method.

A touch meant death.

Many didn't even get a clear look at Du Ge before they were decapitated and met untimely deaths.

In no time.

Du Ge had broken into the inner parts of Tianlan Valley.

Seventh junior brother, following closely behind, was amazed at his senior brother's efficient and ruthless killing.

After his enlightenment.

Senior brother had become even more formidable.

***

Du Ge charged to the training ground outside the main hall of Tianlan Valley, finally alerting someone to the intrusion.

After all.

Decapitation was not as discreet as plucking feathers, and despite Du Ge's speed, he couldn't avoid getting bloodied.

Seeing the blood-soaked Du Ge, the disciples on the training ground were shocked.

The senior brother in charge of training stepped forward to confront Du Ge, "Who are you? Why have you trespassed into Tianlan Valley and slaughtered our disciples?"

"Wang Chong of Seven Stars Sect, here to discuss Tianlan Valley's merger into Seven Stars Sect," Du Ge glanced at him, announced his affiliation, then suddenly closed the distance and thrust his sword, reaching out to grab him.

But he grasped at thin air.

Du Ge was taken aback as the other's sword swept toward him, leaving a trail of afterimages as if a dozen swords were slashing at him simultaneously.

Du Ge dodged back.

The man sneered at the retreating Wang Chong, "So you're from Seven Stars Sect. With such meager skills, you can only bully the outer disciples guarding the mountain. Dream on if you think Tianlan Valley will merge into Seven Stars Sect. Brothers, surround the valley entrance, don't let him escape..."

On the training ground, many Tianlan Valley disciples moved into position, encircling Du Ge.

At that moment.

Seventh junior brother and Ma Chuanzong arrived late.

Seeing the man confronting Du Ge, Ma Chuanzong quickly warned, "Be careful, Sect Leader, he is Tianlan Valley's eldest senior brother, Lu Dong, who reached the Foundation Establishment stage three years ago."

"Ma Chuanzong?" Lu Dong turned to Ma Chuanzong, recognizing him instantly despite his shaven head, "You betrayed Tianlan Valley? No wonder the messages stopped coming. It turns out you traitors did this. Brothers, capture Ma Chuanzong..."

Foundation Establishment stage, huh!

Du Ge's eyes lit up, and he lunged forward again.

"Overestimating yourself," Lu Dong snorted, sidestepping Du Ge's sword and stabbing towards his chest.

Du Ge didn't dodge.

To Lu Dong's astonishment, Du Ge's chest collided with the sword.

Thud!

The sword pierced straight into Du Ge's left chest.

Lu Dong, experienced in combat, was about to sweep with his sword to worsen Du Ge's injury, but in the next instant, he found his sword in the opponent's hand, and the wound on the opponent's chest seemed non-existent, not even bleeding.

Lu Dong was momentarily stunned.

The next moment.

Du Ge, with a smile in his eyes, touched his hand.

Lu Dong felt a pain in his wrist, and his entire hand had been severed.

Simultaneously.

He felt a layer of spiritual power being stripped away as his hand was severed.

What's happening?

What did he use to cut off his hand?

Sword lost for no reason, and now a hand gone, Lu Dong was completely bewildered. Instinctively, he turned and ran towards the valley.

"Think you can escape after catching my eye?"

Du Ge tossed aside the severed hand and leaped forward, his sword aiming for Lu Dong's lower back.

Although he was at the Qi Refining stage, his speed was nearly on par with the Foundation Establishment stage due to attribute enhancement. Lu Dong, having lost a layer of spiritual power and fleeing in panic, couldn't possibly dodge him.

Rip!

Lu Dong's robe was torn open by the sword's tip, blood seeping out immediately, and Du Ge's hand took the opportunity to touch him.

With each loss and gain.

Du Ge struck with his sword and touched, and in no time, Lu Dong was covered in wounds and stripped bare.

With all possessions gone.

Du Ge, not wanting to kill him and lose the chance for more spiritual power, reluctantly took his hair as well.

The handsome Lu Dong became a shiny bald head in a daze, his body marked with wounds inflicted by Du Ge.

He dodged desperately, looking at Du Ge's left hand in horror, "What kind of magic is this?"

"Seven Stars Technique," Du Ge smiled, "Eldest senior brother Lu, stop struggling. I've been merciful so far. If you keep it up, it won't just be a hand you lose. Just stand still and don't move, give me your power, and I might spare your life. Find a good doctor, and you might even get your hand reattached..."

Lu Dong was taken aback.

Du Ge seized the moment, grabbing his arm that had lost the hand.

Lu Dong's spiritual power surged into Du Ge's meridians like a flood breaking through a dam.

Lu Dong, in shock, raised his palm to strike Du Ge's chest.

Du Ge had to let go, and then, took another of his arms.

Lu Dong was stunned.

Du Ge looked innocent as he tossed the arm back to him, "I told you not to move! See, now you've lost an arm too."

"Demon!"

Lu Dong spat out blood and turned to flee again, but with his spiritual power drained by Du Ge and severely injured, how could he outrun Du Ge?

He had barely taken two steps when Du Ge grabbed his neck.

Lu Dong was about to resist.

Du Ge's voice was already in his ear, "Don't move, I've got your neck this time."

Lu Dong stiffened, his gathered spiritual power suddenly drained away, allowing Du Ge to absorb his hard-earned spiritual power without daring to move.

Meanwhile.

Seventh junior brother and Ma Chuanzong were embroiled in a tough battle, all wounded and barely holding on.

Too weak!

Du Ge sighed and rushed over with Lu Dong in his grip, "Stop, I have Lu Dong. If you don't, I'll kill him."

The many disciples of Tianlan Valley turned to look, all frozen in place.

What happened?

Was that bald figure Lu Dong senior brother?

What had he gone through in such a short time?

As everyone looked at Du Ge, unsure of what to do, a thunderous voice came from the valley, "Ignore Lu Dong, kill them..."

With the voice.

A green figure shot out like lightning.