Chapter 52: Communication

"Ahh!" Shuten-Douji said doubling back and clutching his heart.

"You're right for a fair lady such as yourself the setting is my responsibility to create. Surrounded by all these corpses how could you possibly be comforted?"

'I really hate this idiot.'

Chen Lan had been hit on before. However, due to the way in which Marked were born courting in the upper echelons was remarkably tame. To be approached by another boy was to have his entire family backing the proceeding.

It was a business transaction. Her womb for resources, connections, and anything else that could possibly equate as a net benefit for agreeing to bearing a child.

Due to the circumstances of her family she had not been forced to engage in any of these offers. Despite that she had sometimes fantasized about the idea of a man coming into her life.

Shuten-Douji fit the bill for tall, handsome, and powerful, but his lack of humanity was a deal breaker.

"Please, allow me to escort you around the mountain. I will surely find a vista match to accentuate your beauty."

Seeing his outstretched hand Chen Lan paused and thought about where this was going.

'I'm strong, but fighting a Fragment is probably too much for me.'

'No, even if it wasn't there's no benefit. Since only I and Feng Biao have remained alive in this exam are marks should be high. I've already reached a satisfactory goal.'

'But wouldn't they be higher if Feng Biao died.'

Looking at Feng Biao whose face seemed to be used as a stone of repentance for the Blue Oni Chen Lan almost chuckled at the sight.

'No I already used Ambrosia on him. He's got to pay me back for that.'

Chen Lan pulled out her PDS, which if Feng Biao could see right now, looked a lot like the one Song Zhilan possessed. Unfolding it she could see a series of things, but focused on the date and time.

'This exam ends in 30 minutes.'

With that in mind Chen Lan thought of an idea to get Shuten-Douji out of her hair and be back here in time to pass.

"Good Oni you may escort me, but please know I must be back here in 25 minutes."

"Please call me Shuten-Douji," said the Fragment as he confidently scooped up Chen Lan and prepared to launch himself in the air.

"I'll make sure to show you all the best spots on the mountain and have you fall for me before your crufew."

"I'm afraid of heights, please, we have to walk."

Shuten-Douji complying with Chen Lan set her down and the too began to stroll towards what it judged was the nearest vista.

The Blue Oni seeing its lord leave felt its life was spared and scampered off Feng Biao running down the mountains. Leaving behind an extremely disgruntled human playing corpse.

'I'd like to rub my head right now, but...'

Feng Biao peeked at his arms. The right was decidedly broken, bent at an awkward angle. His left looked He could feel the intense pain radiating off it, but thanks to Divinity he was able to ignore it.

That was what he was doing, not healing the arms or stalling the injury like with his vital organs, using his Divinity to block the pain. He had been doing this subconsciously from the moment he woke up.

Trying to cancel this use of Divinity he found the pain was not only immense, but ruined his concentration. Without willfully stopping it his Divinity would stretch itself thin trying to maintain every area he had critical injuries in.

That was why Feng Biao had judged it a good use of his Divinity to continue blocking the pain. He needed to concentrate.

What broke his concentration was the sound of movement. Peeking Feng Biao saw a creature struggle to its feet. The Black Oni was still alive.

To survive Chen Lan's attack it had used up all its Impure Divinity. That was why Feng Biao could clearly see its form. The Monstrous Ability it had could no longer be used.

Still, even missing an arm, lacking Impure Divinity, and having a body under the effects of poison it could kill. It made its way to each corpse, and cut off their right hands.

Feng Biao started weighing his options. He could try to stand up, but he felt he wouldn't make it very far.

If he tried to run his body would require Divinity for every step, even if the Black Oni was missing its legs it would still end up catching up to him.

Next he could try and fight it. Sadly, judging by the level at which it fought with Chen Lan at he would lose.

'It moves at a high speed to begin with and I can't move very fast at all in my current state.'

'That's not even factoring in that ability to take hits it has.'

Closing his eyes and reviewing his options Feng Biao saw he could use Vajra again, which surprised him. He wasn't sure why but correctly chalked it up to the effects of Ambrosia.

'Just how many Merits is that stuff then?'

Thinking all that Feng Biao watched the Black Oni take another Mark from someone under the shade of a fruit tree. It then began to casually walk over to Feng Biao, clearly intending to do the same.

As it approached Feng Biao's mind raced putting together as much info as possible.

'Wait how did I just see it right now it was under the cover of darkness.'

'Another effect of Ambrosia or...'

'Is this guy out of Impure Divinity?'

If that were the case then Feng Biao had a real fighting chance. Oni were infamous for one trait above all others, their low durability. Without Impure Divinity to defend its body with the Black Oni was actually extremely vulnerable.

As the Black Oni loomed over Feng Biao it took particular delight in this kill. This Marked had annoyed it the most and it could tell it was still alive.

When the Black Oni had struck Feng Biao it had done so not with the intent to kill, but when it had made contact with his body it could feel just how fragile he was. Breaking numerous bones and sending him flying, when his body had thumped on the ground the Black Oni could tell he had survived, but was already beyond consciousness.

Judging on his current state, that evaluation was incorrect. That was a good thing though. In the fleeting moments it now had to play with him in it would rip off his skin, flaying him alive.

"Time...to...hear...you...scream"