Liam was bathed in blood, his whole figure was covered in shocking wounds. His black robe was torn and wet from blood as he lay on the ground, gasping for breath.
Beside him was the unconscious Mu Yun. Her fair white skin was now darker than ink. Her eyes were open, turning in between white and black. Sixteen needles were now pinned on different parts of her body, below her was a formation made of exquisite materials. It firmly suppressed the abomination inside her body. But even so, the formation was trembling as if it could break at any moment.
The creature was unlike anything Liam had faced. It drained both energy and life essence, attacked without pattern, and carried a tremendous vitality like an immortal war machine, impervious to harm and endlessly supplied with power.
"You said this is the weakest type of the abomination…. Is this what you call weak?" Liam asked the system.
[Indeed. The curse energy has diminished greatly, so the abomination could only draw on a fraction of its true strength.] the system replied.
"What is this so called curse? How can it be so terrible?"
[When you become powerful enough, I will tell you.]
"No," Liam said, stubbornness flashing in his bloodshot eyes. "Since I've already come into contact with it, you're going to tell me now."
The system was silent for a while before speaking.
[It's not that i don't want to tell you but the curse itself is an extremely taboo matter. It had once plunged the heaven into destruction and chaos. Powerful cultivators either became slaves to the abominations… or were swallowed whole by the curse.]
Liam was in a trance, he couldn't imagine what kind of curse could do something like that. Coming from a lower world, his vision was limited, and the thought of such devastation was beyond his grasp.
"What happened next?"
[At that time, a supreme being took action. That being flipped his palm and forged an eternal seal, suppressing the curse forever. Since then, the curse never appeared.]
"Ahh… who was that being? How powerful was he?"
[I am afraid no one knows. But the situation is extremely precarious. You might think everything is fine But understand this, when the curse fully returns, not even an ant will be spared.]
"If that supreme being has sealed the curse, then how can it appear in the world again? Has the seal been broken?" Liam asked with a frown.
[The eternal seal cannot be broken by any force. Something else must have happened, something that weakened its power, allowing the curse to leak once more..]
Liam was deep in thought. This time, the information was really mind boggling. Then he suddenly asked cheekily. "Do you think i can become as powerful as that supreme being?"
[You?] The system's voice dripped with disdain. [Become an emperor first. Then we'll talk.]
"..hel..helpp…." A faint voice sounded.
Liam's pupils shrank. He spun around to see Mu Yun's trembling hand slowly rise. Her pupil had returned to normal and those clear eyes gazing at him.
In a heartbeat, Liam was beside her, lifting her gently into his arms. "Don't worry. I'll save you."
Before she could say anything else, her eyes turned black again. Taken over by the abomination. A roar echoed, it was neither the sound of human nor any creature. The aura was violent, as if screaming to spread darkness and malice to every corner of the world.
The formation beneath her shuddered violently and the needles shook.
"Not good…" Liam pressed his palms over her, forcing the needles back into their precise positions, locking them down.
Mu Yun's eyes turned in between clear and black, clear and black.
[Such determination!] The system's voice rang in Liam's mind, tinged with awe. [She's resisting the abomination with sheer willpower!]
Liam's eyes narrowed. "What should i do now?"
[The abomination is stronger than I expected, our current methods and materials are incapable of suppressing it.] The system's voice was uncertain and gloomy.
A short distance away, a middle aged man watched with cold eyes. He was sent by Chu Yang to secretly follow Mu Yun.
"So… this kid talks to himself. His treasures are extraordinary. If I strike now, I can kill him and take the girl, then study this… parasite."
He approached Liam from behind, undetected because Liam's cultivation was lower than him.
"Young man, blame yourself for being rich…" The man's lips curled into a cruel smile as a short dagger appeared in his hand. He slashed, aiming for Liam's neck.
The dagger was about to reach Liam's neck but suddenly his figure vanished and the dagger hit the abomination. The man froze, shock flashing in his eyes.
"Hehe… old man, you really thought you could sneak up on me?" Liam's mocking voice came from behind.
"You! You were pretending this whole time!"
"What do you think, stupid old man." A huge ash coloured hammer manifested on Liam's hand.
[Don't kill him.] System's voice sounded.
"Why?"
[You'll Know.]
Raising the hammer, Liam dashed toward the man with extreme speed.
"Hmph! Mayflies shaking a tree!" the man scoffed, raising his palm to block.
He raised his palm, blocking the hammer.
A loud boom sound echoed, he felt his hand being crushed by a divine mountain. Looking at his palm, he saw his hand had turned into mush.
"You… that's a god artifact!" he hissed in surprise.
Liam didn't give him time to breathe as he raised the hammer again.
The man moved his other hand to use a technique but suddenly felt his arm couldn't move. He glanced below and saw a squirming black mass of flesh gripped his arms tightly.
"What?!" He pulled, but the thing's strength was monstrous.
Then his expression twisted in horror. A wave of searing malice crashed into his mind as the black mass burrowed under his skin. In the next instant, it vanished into his body. The hammer landed on his chest. His chest exploded and body flew far away violently.
[Quickly! Take the girl and run!] the system's voice was urgent. [The abomination has possessed him!]
Liam didn't hesitate. He scooped Mu Yun into his arms and sprinted away,
A deep roar echoed from behind, the roar alone created a massive shockwave. Liam didn't dare to look behind as he ran faster.
"Why is it so powerful!" Liam was shocked inwardly. It wasn't this much powerful when inside Mu Yun.
[That's because her cultivation was too low, only at the bone tempering realm. But that guy is a heavenly king.]
"It's really defiant! It made me struggle just by possessing a bone tempering realm cultivator. What will happen if it possess a God, or someone higher." Liam thought secretly in shock.