From Sword to Slaughter: Evolution

The man's eyes gleamed with greed as he stared at the Shadowblood Sword lying on the ground. He knew that Ma Honghu had become so powerful because he had acquired this divine sword. This sword could grant him immense strength!

"It wasn't in vain that I hid here for so long. Finally, it's mine."

He picked up the black sword, trembling with excitement. The moment his hand grasped the hilt, his eyes widened in shock. Instantly, he felt a surge of power coursing through his body. Not only did his strength increase, but his mind also felt clearer, sharper.

"A divine sword! It really is a divine sword!"

Overwhelmed with excitement, his entire body trembled. He glanced around nervously, eager to leave the scene quickly. After all, he had just obtained a priceless treasure. If someone else saw him with it, he could be in grave danger.

But in his haste, he tripped over a rock and fell to the ground. His head struck a sharp stone, killing him instantly.

[Achievement not unlocked: Sword of Misfortune] (Unlock by causing the death of thirty wielders: 6/30)

[Achievement not unlocked: Unlucky Wretch] (Unlock by causing the death of five wielders within five minutes of them obtaining the sword: 1/5)

"He... he died?"

Ye Fan was stunned. The man had just acquired the sword and immediately met his end.

[Wielder's death, gaining 20 evolution points]

"But he was just a novice warrior, unfit to wield such a sword. Holding it was a death sentence," Ye Fan remarked.

Especially now that he had gained the passive skill Sword of Misfortune, low-level wielders would likely meet unfortunate ends soon after picking up the sword.

Time passed quickly, and the next day, a large group of well-equipped soldiers arrived at the City Lord's mansion. The soldiers, clad in matching white armor, moved with precision and discipline. Leading them was a middle-aged man.

"They really were all slaughtered."

The man surveyed the scene, his expression grim.

"Never mind, clean up the bodies first. Collect the equipment," he ordered calmly.

"Yes, sir!"

Immediately, the soldiers began to gather the bodies and recover any weapons lying around.

"Even their blood has been drained. This is terrifying. Could someone have been practicing dark arts?"

The soldiers whispered amongst themselves, shocked by what they saw.

"Are those the people from the Heavenly Sky Sect?" Ye Fan wondered as he observed the scene.

"It looks like I might be leaving this small town of Tianlang soon. The warriors here are too weak. It's hard to level up by killing them."

He glanced at his evolution points, which had reached over nineteen thousand seven hundred. He was close to another evolution!

"Uncle Zhang, this is Ma Honghu's body," a soldier said, pointing at the corpse.

The middle-aged man, Zhang Yinlong, was an instructor from the Heavenly Sky Sect.

"His blood was completely drained. He must have been practicing some dark art and was ultimately consumed by it."

After a brief inspection, Zhang Yinlong made his judgment.

"Such dark arts are indeed terrifying," a young soldier remarked, clearly disturbed.

"Take care of the bodies. We need to appoint a new City Lord as soon as possible to stabilize Tianlang City."

After giving Ma Honghu's body one last look, Zhang Yinlong turned to issue further orders.

"Gather all the high-quality weapons in one place to be taken back to the sect. The rest can be left here for the new City Lord's guards."

"Yes, sir!"

The soldiers immediately began gathering the weapons from the battlefield.

"Why do we have to collect the weapons?"

"Stop complaining and just do it. Clean them up and get it done."

Some of the lower-ranking disciples grumbled as they gathered the swords and spears, cleaning off the bloodstains and sorting them into piles.

"Wait a minute."

One of the soldiers picked up the black sword, his eyes widening in surprise. This sword was unlike any other. There wasn't a single drop of blood on its blade.

"Could this sword... be unable to kill?"

Curious, he reached out to touch the blade with his finger. As soon as he did, a sharp pain shot through him. His finger was cut, and a drop of blood dripped onto the blade.

In that instant, the blood vanished, as if the sword had absorbed it!

The young soldier stared at the sword in shock. This was no ordinary weapon!

"Why don't you give it a try?" Ye Fan chuckled to himself. "I wonder how strong you are. With the Sword of Misfortune passive skill in effect, wielders with insufficient strength will encounter bad luck—and possibly meet a quick death, just like the last one."

The soldier, feeling uneasy, called out to a nearby comrade instead of wielding the sword himself.

"Zhang Xiaoming, come over here!"

"What's up, Zhao Si?"

Zhang Xiaoming, another soldier carrying a basket of weapons, walked over, looking puzzled.

"There's something strange about this sword," Zhao Si whispered.

"It's just a black sword. Our sect's armory has plenty like it," Zhang Xiaoming replied dismissively.

"No, this sword is different. It's incredibly sharp, and it even..."

"It even absorbs blood," Zhao Si added in a hushed tone.

"Absorbs blood!?" Zhang Xiaoming's expression changed as he reached out to pick up the sword.

"Zhang Xiaoming, maybe we shouldn't—"

"What's there to be afraid of?"

Ignoring Zhao Si's warning, Zhang Xiaoming grabbed the hilt of the sword. The moment his hand closed around it, his pupils contracted.

In that instant, he felt a surge of strength throughout his entire body. His mind also seemed to clear, his thoughts becoming more focused and sharp.

This... this is a divine sword!

"Zhang Xiaoming, are you okay?" Zhao Si asked, concerned by his comrade's sudden change in demeanor.

"It's nothing. It's just a sword, maybe a bit sharper than usual," Zhang Xiaoming replied, trying to sound casual.

"But—"

"No buts! Let's finish gathering these weapons before we get in trouble."

Zhang Xiaoming placed the sword in the basket and walked away.

"But it really did feel strange," Zhao Si muttered to himself, still uneasy.

Zhang Xiaoming, however, remained outwardly calm as he returned to his duties. Yet inside, his mind was racing.

I've found a treasure! I've really found a treasure!