The authority of the first leaf was called Slaughter.
No, not mere slaughter.
After all the information flowed through Luo Yang’s consciousness, this leaf chose a name for itself.
Absolute Slaughter.
Its concept was simple: Luo Yang could manipulate these leaves to attack enemies, gradually accumulating his slaughtering aura in combat.
The accumulation of slaughtering aura would directly boost his blood energy output power, and higher output power meant stronger ability effects. For his ability, Weapon's End, Ember's Birth, combined with a corresponding level of mental power, the ultimate result would be more weapons controllable simultaneously, and with finer precision.
This was an authority wielded only by the priests who presided over slaughter and conquest in that dynasty of the Primal Era. To become a God of Slaughter on the battlefield, to become the sharp blade that annihilated all.
As Luo Yang read this, the corners of his mouth unconsciously curved upward.
However, the very next piece of information extinguished half of his smile.
The authority granted by this leaf was incomplete.
This power itself was extremely overbearing; the accumulation of slaughtering aura would gradually ignite the user’s deepest brutality and lust for slaughter. The more the user fought, the more excited they would become, and the more excited, the harder it would be to control themselves. If it accumulated to a critical point without being released or suppressed, they would gradually lose their normal judgment.
Even more frustratingly, this thing was currently a passive ability.
Luo Yang hadn’t yet grasped the conditions or methods for activating it, and he had no clue how to deactivate it. Its current state was that it would activate and deactivate whenever it pleased; Luo Yang had no control over its startup or shutdown for now.
Luo Yang sighed inwardly.
Brutality and lust for slaughter, huh…
He recalled that during the incessant hacking and slashing of mutant beasts and aberrations in the South City Industrial Park, there had indeed been moments when his mind was devoid of everything but the single word “slash.” That feeling wasn’t entirely anger or hatred; it was more like a pure craving for destruction and slaughter itself.
In those moments, his blade swung faster than ever, but looking back, he himself felt a chill run down his spine.
But then again—
He shifted his gaze from the spinning leaves to the golden tree.
This fellow, who had never uttered a word since taking root in his body, had finally revealed its trump card after holding out for so long. Although the card was plastered with warnings about various side effects, the mere characteristics of these leaves having “infinite duration manipulation” and “indestructibility” were enough to make him ecstatic.
Not to mention the stacking effect of the slaughtering aura.
Even with just one incomplete authority, it was a solid leap in combat power for his current self. From now on, if he encountered a tough opponent, he wouldn’t have to count on his fingers how many swords were left in his space ring.
These nine leaves were, in themselves, nine weapons that would never wear out.
While they might trouble him at times, they would never crumble to ash at a critical moment.
Luo Yang smiled faintly.
He moved his gaze from the golden glow on his finger and looked up at the great tree.
Its branches and leaves were still swaying gently, much slower than before, as if, after expressing everything it wished to say, it had returned to its usual quiet and stable state.
Luo Yang cast a grateful look its way.
This tree hadn’t been with him for too long, yet it had never asked Luo Yang for anything. Instead, it had continuously helped him filter blood energy, mend his body, and sustain him for a few extra breaths in his most desperate moments. Even these nine leaves today, it had given them willingly.
It wasn’t a transaction, nor a contract.
It was as if it had fully acknowledged him, then poured all its most precious possessions into his hands.
He wanted to say thank you, but the words felt too trivial, rolling around in his throat.
Before he could think of more suitable words, his consciousness began to blur.
The azure of the Sea of Consciousness gradually faded, and the silhouette of the golden tree slowly dissolved from his vision.
He knew he was about to wake up.
Inside the operating room, the three healers were making their final inspection records.
The changes to the ring on Luo Yang’s right middle finger had completely ceased. The nine golden leaves lay quietly embedded in the gilded base color of the surface, no longer glowing or showing any unusual movement. From its appearance, it now looked no different from an exquisite piece of craftsmanship.
The female healer finished filling in the last line of numbers on the clipboard, then tucked her pen into her pocket.
The operating room door opened a crack, and a young nurse poked half her head in from outside.
“Doctor Li, someone’s waiting outside.”
“Who?”
“A… girl with grayish-white hair.” The nurse thought for a moment, then added, “And quite pretty.”
The female healer raised an eyebrow, said nothing more, and waved the nurse out.
She placed the clipboard on the trolley and glanced again at the young man lying with closed eyes on the operating table, only to nearly jump out of her skin.
Luo Yang had actually sat up on his own.
His complexion had recovered from its ashen state to a normal, slightly pale tone; his breathing was even and deep. The golden film covering the most severe wounds on his chest had completely hardened, and its surface even showed a light pink similar to new skin.
He painstakingly turned his neck, catching a glimpse of three figures in light green surgical scrubs out of the corner of his eye.
They all stood near the door, like three petrified statues.
Six eyes—or more accurately, six eyes that were practically bulging from their sockets—were now fixed on him, filled with shock and even fear.
“Wh-What is going on?” The young healer’s legs were already trembling. He had never seen anyone recover to consciousness from such severe injuries on their own; this completely defied all his medical knowledge, and even all his common sense to date!
“Young people… they recover so fast, huh…” The older healer mumbled to herself, then completely turned off the light shining on the operating table.
Luo Yang blinked, then put his hand back by his side. As his gaze drifted, he caught sight of the golden leaf patterns etched on the ring.
“It really wasn’t a dream…”
He climbed off the operating table himself and stretched vigorously. The wide-ranging movement affected the newly formed tissue and skin, causing a slight pulling sensation.
“Uh… please don’t move…”
The older healer cautiously stepped forward, scanning Luo Yang’s body with her mental power. The result was, naturally, unexpected yet perfectly reasonable.
Luo Yang, who had been severely injured, was now completely unharmed.
“My heavens…”
She stared at Luo Yang’s perfectly healthy body as if she had just seen God.
In the hallway outside the operating room, the red light indicating surgery in progress finally went out.
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