Chapter Eighteen: The Eighteen Arhats Formation—Single Player Edition

The scent of blood assaulted him, and Yuan Tong was completely stunned.

His fist had smashed against the meteor hammer, and blood was streaming down, dripping relentlessly...

What just happened?

Yuan Tong had yet to understand—

"Yuan Tong... Yuan Tong..." Though Da Vinci couldn't see, the stench of blood was unmistakable, and he could easily guess what had occurred. "Let's go, forget about revenge. This... this man is a complete lunatic..."

Zhuge Yixiu, who had rolled to the side, was equally bewildered. He patted the head of Howling Sky Dog and muttered, "Where did that meteor hammer come from? So strange..."

"You... despicable... you ambushed me!"

Yuan Tong was utterly enraged, his eyes bloodshot.

"Heh... just fresh out of the oven, the Dung-Pulling Treasure... Don't mind me... I'll take it back right away..." Xiao Yan, embarrassed, manipulated the Dung-Pulling Treasure, which morphed back into its original form from the meteor hammer. He added, "Sorry, my apologies."

It was only because he had been caught completely off guard that he fell into the trap. Who could have anticipated that Xiao Yan would suddenly produce a meteor hammer?

Yuan Tong couldn’t waste time pondering this. This time, he employed a move from the "Muscle Transformation Classic": the Orchid Fingers!

It was the most powerful move in the entire manual.

He never understood why the move had such a bizarre name, but... Yuan Tong had tried it and knew full well its might...

Bang—

His middle finger formed the shape of an orchid, and all his inner strength concentrated at the fingertip, which flicked out in an instant, the whistling of wind sharp and fierce, a testament to its devastating power...

With a thunderous crash—

Xiao Yan dodged swiftly, yet his arm was still grazed, the skin torn and blood oozing out.

A towering ancient tree was felled in an instant...

Even Yuan Tong himself was taken aback by the force. With only thirteen layers of inner strength, he could unleash such power; if his strength increased further, dominating the martial world would not be out of reach.

"Hmph! That was just a little demonstration. Now watch as I slowly play you to death..." Yuan Tong’s cold smile was tinged with a seductive charm upon closer inspection.

Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, his expression finally growing grave.

If that sort of force struck steel, it would surely pierce right through...

"What now? This ‘Sunflower Manual’ really seems stronger than the ‘Muscle Transformation Classic’..." Xiao Yan muttered under his breath, clearly addressing Fa Hai.

Fa Hai sneered: I told you long ago, did you think I was lying? Besides, once you master the Sunflower Manual and make the cut, losing your... then you can transfer your inner power to me. In your words, it’d be like charging up a power bank.

"Eh... Is it too late to make the cut now?"

Fa Hai: Heh... take a guess... Weren’t you feeling all smug just now? Go on, keep it up...

---

"Old man, do you want to die together?"

Fa Hai: Only you will die. At worst, I’ll just switch bodies, perhaps to this fellow here who’s practiced the Sunflower Manual... He seems a lot sturdier than you...

"Bastard!"

Xiao Yan cursed, but his gaze soon returned to calm.

—

"Woof, woof..."

Howling Sky Dog seemed to sense something amiss as well. It barked twice, broke free from Zhuge Yixiu, and charged at Yuan Tong, ready to bite.

"Beast! Get lost!" Yuan Tong flicked another Orchid Finger, striking the dog.

Thud—

Howling Sky Dog was sent flying, colliding with a tree. It struggled for a moment, then lay still, likely dead...

"This..." Zhuge Yixiu, holding his wooden stick, looked around, his expression lost and perplexed.

Xiao Yan had assumed he would flee in the next instant, but unexpectedly, Zhuge Yixiu dashed forward instead, coming to stand before Xiao Yan, as if having made some crucial decision.

"Baldy Qiang! What are you doing..." Xiao Yan frowned.

"Run! This guy... he means business! Let me pay you back this time..." Zhuge Yixiu gritted his teeth, though his legs trembled with fear.

He must have known he could die at any moment.

Yet, for reasons even he didn't quite understand, he still stood up. Was it truly just to repay Xiao Yan for using him as a human shield during that lightning strike?

Even he wasn't sure himself...

"Heh... so the infamous coward Zhuge Yixiu is no longer afraid to die today? Hahaha... This is just too entertaining..." Yuan Tong approached slowly, savoring the power over life and death.

"Xiao Yan, what are you waiting for? Run!" Zhuge Yixiu called out without looking back.

In truth, since arriving in this world, Zhuge Yixiu was Xiao Yan’s only real friend.

He remembered, back before transmigrating, there had been a roommate like this as well—joking around, playing pranks on you until you cried.

But when real trouble came, he’d stand up for you, no matter how scared he was...

"Get lost! I can handle this myself! Stay out of it! You damned busybody!" Xiao Yan scolded harshly, but his eyes unknowingly grew moist.

"Stop spouting nonsense... Just run..." Zhuge Yixiu was having none of it. He might seem foolish, but he was sharp in his own way...

Yuan Tong drew closer, sneering, "Why waste so many words? Why not die together and end the noise? Fulfilling both your wishes at once—perfection... Hahahaha..."

"Bastard!" Xiao Yan was furious and, seeing no other choice, charged forward and struck Zhuge Yixiu on the neck with the Dung-Pulling Treasure, knocking him out.

---

The forest was hushed, save for the summer cicadas’ chorus and Yuan Tong’s slow, approaching footsteps...

Fa Hai: Just give up. Blame only yourself for not making the cut back then...

"Shut up," Xiao Yan replied coldly.

What to do?

His time working in a psychiatric hospital had taught him that, when faced with madness, one must remain even calmer. If the person before you was insane, only by being more insane than him could you reach his world.

More insane than him?

Making the cut?

No! Absolutely not!

Wait!

A sudden inspiration flashed through Xiao Yan’s mind, as if he had grasped something...

The eighteen weapons...

Eighteen martial arts...

He sat down quietly, as though deep in contemplation.

Fa Hai: Hm? At a time like this, you’re still pondering enlightenment?

"Hmph, stop pretending. You’re dead for sure this time..." Yuan Tong was already poised, fingers ready for the Orchid move.

—

In that tense moment, Xiao Yan began to mutter rapidly, as if reciting a scripture: "Each of the Eighteen Arhats has his specialty, each masters a different martial art, each stands in a different position, but together they cover for one another... forming a flawless formation..."

Fa Hai: ???

The Eighteen Arhat Array?

"Hmph, old man, since I possess the eighteen weapons and have learned the eighteen Arhat techniques... why can’t I form a formation?" Xiao Yan suddenly opened his eyes and declared.

The method for breaking the formation is also the method for assembling it!

Fa Hai: This... you... impossible! How could you alone...

Have you ever heard of a single man forming the Eighteen Arhat Array?

"Heh... old man, have you never heard of how some online games can be turned into single-player mode? Why can’t I turn the Eighteen Arhat Array into a single-player version?"

Fa Hai: ...