Martial Peak Chapter 5 – The Proud Golden Statue

The meaning of those thirty-two words was straightforward. Naturally, Kai Yang understood them perfectly.

However, because the origins of the black book were a mystery, he felt a sense of trepidation. Could this be some kind of trap? He laughed at the thought; currently, he was merely a trial disciple of Sky Tower. Who would bother going through such effort just to scheme against him?

Judging by the final lines and their implications, the reason the black stone pillow transformed into this black book was likely due to his dream from earlier tonight.

The pillow had remained unchanged for over a year, yet it suddenly became a book after that specific dream. The two events had to be linked.

Perhaps it was his own internal change that triggered the transformation of the black stone pillow.

Since I am the one who brought about the birth of this book, then this black book was created for me! Therefore, I am its rightful owner!

With that thought, Kai Yang’s hesitation vanished. The text on the page explicitly stated that he must offer blood to lead the way. He bit down hard on his finger and allowed a drop of blood to fall onto the page.

Drip, drip. The blood hit the paper, but nothing happened at first. After a considerable amount of time, a dark light began to radiate from the page. Suddenly, his body felt a surge of discomfort as his earlier injuries began to burn with searing pain. A sharp ache also began to throb in his head.

Gritting his teeth, he endured the sensation. As his blood continued to flow, the radiance emanating from the book grew increasingly intense.

After a grueling amount of time and effort, Kai Yang felt as though he might faint. However, the book had undergone a significant transformation; the black light began to writhe and contract until a small vortex formed in the center of the page.

Shortly after, a golden shimmer appeared within the depths of the vortex. Kai Yang struggled to maintain consciousness, his eyes fixed intently on the phenomenon unfolding before him.

From the center of the black vortex, a small, round, and lustrous black object slowly emerged.

He was stunned; there truly was something hidden inside the book. Although he had held some expectations while offering his blood, he hadn't truly believed it would be real.

But now, right before his eyes, the thirty-two words from before were proven true.

Blood is cited, the golden body descends!

What kind of golden body could it be? Anticipation was written all over his pale face.

Once the shiny, round object fully emerged, he couldn't help but gulp. No matter how vivid his imagination, he never could have guessed the golden body would look like this.

The object was a golden skeleton roughly thirty centimeters tall, and the first part to appear was its skull. The golden skull hovered above the page, sitting in a cross-legged meditative posture. Every bone glowed brightly, illuminating Kai Yang’s small hut.

The black vortex on the page gradually withdrew, and everything returned to a state of tranquility.

Kai Yang watched the appearance of this strange golden skeleton, momentarily unsure of how to react. The page had only explained how to summon the golden body, not what to do once it arrived.

As he observed it, something felt off. Though the golden skeleton lacked eyes, he felt as if it were staring at him. Despite having no mouth, it seemed to be mocking his weakness.

Infuriated by this realization, Kai Yang reached out to grab it.

How dare this tiny, insignificant skeleton be so arrogant!

To his surprise, as he reached out, the golden skeleton lunged toward him. It bypassed his hand and slammed directly into his chest.

It was a terrifying sight. As the skeleton collided with his chest, Kai Yang let out a cry. The skeleton began to emit a fluorescent glow, penetrating deep into his pores and spreading through his limbs.

Suddenly, an explosion of pain racked his entire body. This was no ordinary ache; it was a pain that originated from the very depths of his bones! Panting in agony, he collapsed to the floor, his body curling up like a shrimp as waves of cramps washed over him.

In that instant, it felt as if every bone in his body had shattered. He lacked the strength to even lift a finger. This was no hallucination; if one could peer inside him, they would see his bones being pulverized, only for a layer of gold to wrap around each fragment. The gold worked continuously to mend the breaks, but the speed of repair was far slower than the rate of destruction. As soon as a bone was fixed, it was crushed again.

Human bones house marrow and nerves; even the slightest touch can cause immense agony. The suffering he endured at that moment was beyond imagination.

Within his body, not a single bone remained intact.

Even someone with thousands of times his strength would likely have lost consciousness by now. Yet, Kai Yang remained awake, feeling the pain magnified a thousandfold.

A tragic scream echoed from the hut. A fellow disciple walking nearby was so frightened by the sound that they quickly fled the area.

From out of nowhere, a message from the golden body entered his mind: Destroy Kai Yang’s consciousness and seize his body!

Would Kai Yang ever agree to this? Although he was paralyzed, he fought desperately to maintain his awareness. He would never allow this golden body to take over his "magpie nest." Sensing his resistance, the golden body repeatedly crushed his bones and tortured his nerves, trying to force him into unconsciousness.

One was a proud golden statue, the other possessed an indomitable spirit; it was impossible to see who would emerge victorious.

Kai Yang realized that this moment was critical, far different from his previous bouts with fellow disciples. If he were his former self, he might have surrendered, but he refused to do so now. Even if the agony was hellish, he would endure.

A fierce tug-of-war commenced between his consciousness and the destructive force of the golden body. His own body was the battlefield, with each side refusing to yield even an inch.

As time passed, Kai Yang was amazed to find the unbearable pain slowly receding, which helped bolster his spirits and fill him with renewed energy.

It was hardly surprising; after clashing with the golden body repeatedly, the constant crushing and reforming of his bones had actually strengthened them. As his bones grew more resilient and the golden body’s power waned, the pain naturally lessened. The conflict was nearing its end.

As the tide turned in his favor, the agonizing pain became manageable. It transformed into a light tickling sensation, eventually feeling like the splash of cool water. It was as soothing as applying a medicinal cream, causing his millions of pores to open and relax.

Aware of the golden body’s final, desperate struggle, Kai Yang became furious. With a loud curse, he crushed the remaining presence within him.

Inside his body, peace finally reigned.

A sigh could be heard—a sigh of pure comfort and immense relief.