Beggar Cultivation System

The red cloud in the sky poured red energy into the dying symbols across the city, reigniting them and making their brilliance burn brighter than ever. Shrouded in deep red smoke, Klown gazed down at the city below him. His body continuously emitted red energy, fueling the clouds that swirled around him. Seeing his method working, he let out a sigh of relief. Just a little more, and he would finally see his master. A grunt caught his attention. Staring at the person in his hands, a thought crossed his mind. He could feel the red energy inside his body draining rapidly. If this continued, his body would fail before the ritual could extract the required amount of red energy. "Our… savior," Holst whispered, coughing up a mouthful of blood between words. He couldn't regenerate the wound in his chest; his strength had already left him. Even speaking was a struggle. "Holst, you are going to fulfill your purpose," Klown said, his eyes glinting coldly. "I, your savior, will free you now." Hearing this, the butler looked up at the mayor with all his remaining strength. "I'm… glad…" "You should be," Klown replied. As Holst closed his eyes, Klown opened his mouth wide and bit into the butler's neck! Blood spurted as the mayor began chewing. The sound of flesh being shredded by his teeth echoed through the air. Klown swallowed, a large chunk of the butler's neck disappearing into his maw. Suddenly, red energy poured out of Holst's body and was absorbed by the mayor. "This is delicious," Klown muttered with a satisfied smile. However, his expression quickly turned serious as he focused on strengthening the red cloud above. When he felt his own red energy nearing depletion, he resumed chewing on the butler in his hands. He savored the taste, knowing this was likely his final meal. He hoped his master would intervene once the plan succeeded. He didn't want to die, but failure would lead him to the same fate anyway. The sound of chewing mixed with the sight of the red cloud burning brightly in the sky. When the energy seemed to reach its peak, the cloud erupted into red smoke that shot toward the symbols in Klown City, enveloping them in an instant. Klown paused mid-motion, his teeth mere inches from the butler's eye. He turned his gaze to the streets below as Holst's body—from the neck, to the shoulders, down to the feet—fell toward the ground, leaving only his head in the mayor's hand. "Finally," Klown muttered with relief. His blood-covered face twisted into a sinister smile, making him look like a demon. The symbols throughout the city emitted a red light before transforming into smoke. The smoke converged in the city's center, forming a sphere of swirling red energy. At the same time, the red cloud around the mayor dissipated. The moment it vanished, Klown felt all his strength leave him. He reverted to the form of a normal human. Letting out a weary sigh, he allowed his body to fall toward the ground. As the fierce wind buffeted his back and sent his hair flailing wildly, he raised the severed head in front of him. "We did it," Klown said with a relaxed smile. A dull thud echoed as the mayor's body hit the ground, and the butler's head rolled away to the side. ... Time passed—only a minute or two—before Klown felt a stinging slap across his face. A voice soon followed, cutting through the haze of his pain. "Hey, wake up!" Another slap reverberated. "Wake up!" A third impact echoed, harder this time. "Still asleep, huh?" Silence fell before a deafening thud, as if something had been struck by a missile. "Ah!" Klown's eyes shot open as searing pain assaulted him. His entire body felt like it was on fire, every nerve screaming in agony. He wanted to move, to roll and extinguish the flames, but no matter how desperately he tried, he couldn't so much as twitch. From the corner of his vision, he noticed someone approaching. "H-help… argh…" Klown groaned, his voice barely audible. But when his eyes finally focused on the figure, they widened in rage. "You… I will… kill you…" "Are you sure about that?" Apollo smirked, conjuring a ball of water that hovered ominously above the mayor. With a flick of his hand, the water ball burst. Klown screamed like a wounded animal as steam rose from his burning body. The water had extinguished the flames, but the pain intensified tenfold. Every fiber of his being felt as though it was being pierced by thousands of needles. "Oh? Did I accidentally make salt water instead of plain water? My bad," Apollo said, his tone devoid of remorse. "Argh… f*ck… you," Klown snarled through clenched teeth, his eyes bloodshot with pain and fury. "Thank you," Apollo chuckled, glancing at the severed head lying a few feet away. "It's a shame. I should've been the one to kill him, but you stole the last hit. I really hate people who KS my kills." Klown couldn't understand the strange words Apollo used, so he focused all his will on enduring the torment. Without the red energy that had once elevated him to the strength of a Core Creation Cultivator, there was no relief. The pain only grew, and with each passing second, unconsciousness threatened to overtake him. "Hey, can you stop grunting?" Apollo asked, a frown crossing his face. "I will… kill you… my Master… will come… for you…" Klown ground out through gritted teeth. The thought of his master gave him a flicker of confidence amid the agony. "I succeeded… my Master… will conquer… everything!" "Yeah, yeah, you succeeded," Apollo said dismissively, scratching the inside of his ear. Despite his suffering, Klown managed a weak smile. He stared up at the crimson sky, his gaze fixed on the glowing symbols above. In his mind's eye, he saw the future his master had promised: endless strength, endless power, and endless… food. "Save… me… Master…" Klown whispered, momentarily forgetting the unbearable pain coursing through him. "You still have faith," Apollo muttered. "But that faith won't save you." "My faith… will… destroy you…" Klown shot back, his brief smile fading into a grimace. "Nah, I don't think so," Apollo replied with a chuckle. He waved his hand, commanding the surrounding Qi and wind to envelop the mayor. Klown's mangled body rose into the air, suspended by an unseen force. "You should see what's happening to your precious city," Apollo said, his tone cold. "What… are you… doi—" Klown's words died in his throat as his eyes widened in horror. The red ball of energy hovering above the city—the one meant to summon his master—was being torn apart by an unknown force. With every strike, the red energy dissipated, vanishing into nothingness. "No… no… no!" Klown shook his head, disbelief etched across his face. Forgetting his pain, he screamed, "This can't be! How?! How?! My plan! Our grand plan!" "Stop shouting!" Apollo barked, leaping lightly into the air and slapping the back of Klown's head. The sharp sound echoed, but the mayor barely reacted, his gaze vacant and lifeless. "This can't… be happening… my Master…" Klown whispered, his voice barely audible, as despair consumed him.