The Aftermath of Battle
[You killed the golden upper ancient god family. Experience gained: +650,000. Skill points: +8. Attribute points: +6. Additional experience: +650,000.]
[Your extreme ambition is refreshed. Current bonuses: Strength +30, Agility +45, Endurance +45, Intelligence +25.]
[You killed the golden upper ancient gods. Your dark side has grown: Strength +5, Agility +13, Endurance +15, Intelligence +10.]
Buzz!
A colossal meteorite crashed in the distance, sending a shockwave that reverberated through the entire federation.
At that moment, Bai Yi's eyes turned scarlet, his dark attributes momentarily elevating him to the level of the golden upper tier. This signaled the true battle was just beginning, with only four ancient gods and eight abyss lords remaining.
Without the title of Abyss Hunter, his focus shifted to the ancient gods, recognizing that their battle experience paled in comparison to that of the abyss lords. The latter had fought countless battles to ascend to demi-god or legendary status, while the ancient gods were merely various races striving for survival in a chaotic realm.
Except for outliers like Charles and Pusheng, most were not particularly challenging in Bai Yi's eyes.
Space Penetration!
As the meteorite roared through the sky, Bai Yi vanished from his position. With the curse failed and the Barrett removed, he now had the element of surprise. If he couldn't establish an absolute advantage quickly, Dongwu City would be at grave risk.
Buzz!
He reappeared behind an ancient god, ready to strike.
Evil Spirit. Bloody Backstab!
The power of the Bloody Backstab surged for the fourth time. Using it four times in ten seconds strained his eyes, which would need thirty seconds to recover before he could exploit his ability to discern weaknesses again.
If he pushed it further, the pressure would be unbearable, risking severe damage to his eyesight. Any assassin attempting such reckless aggression would have suffered catastrophic consequences.
The ancient god, an orc, reacted swiftly, raising his great sword in defense. Legendary swordsmen, particularly those who wield heavy blades, exemplified strength and skill, transcending the ordinary.
Clang!
The sound of metal rang out as Bai Yi's dagger met the shield of golden worms, a formidable barrier that represented both extreme offense and defense.
This shield was under the control of the upgraded Zero, whose CPU operated at speeds that matched the pace of Bai Yi's own combat.
Shink!
"Ahhhh!"
The orc's scream echoed as Bai Yi's blade found its mark, piercing the vulnerable spot in the small of his back.
Yue Xie, a skill learned from the evil alchemist Maku, enhanced the sharpness and inflicted additional pain, making Bai Yi's blade exceptionally deadly.
Combined with the bloodthirsty blade's bleeding effect of 5% per second, this strike could severely injure even those stronger than him.
Buzz!
Bai Yi felt a tremor in the space around him as hands suddenly grasped his waist. He recognized the embrace of a fellow fighter, one he had recently battled.
The Blood Cocoon was still cooling down, and if their speed increased, time would seem to stretch out.
Buzz!
Countless tentacles erupted from Bai Yi's body, wrapping around the fighter behind him and the swordsman in front.
Shink!
The orc's great sword, fueled by his growing strength, pierced the chest of the white epidemic.
Clang!
Mental Protection!
Bai Yi had mastered the shield of spiritual protection, which had saved him from being instantly killed by the massive force of the previous attack. His 800-point spiritual shield could withstand multiple golden strikes without breaking.
The sword slid down, creating a metallic screech as it struck Bai Yi's hand, which held the evil blade.
Clang!
Bai Yi's grip faltered, but he retaliated, cutting into the swordsman's body with the evil blade.
"Ahhhh!"
The anguished scream of the swordsman echoed in the chaos, while the fighter holding Bai Yi recoiled in fear.
The overwhelming force sent them both crashing backward.
Boom!
The earth shattered beneath them, fissures spreading like spider webs. The city walls three kilometers away crumbled under the aftermath of their collision.
[You are immune to a portion of damage. Mental protection shield value: 40%.]
[You have been cursed by thirty-six curses. All attributes reduced by 5%. Health decreases by 10% per second.]
The cracks in Bai Yi's vision intensified. Though his shield held firm, it could not mitigate the effects of curses and shock damage.
The impact left him momentarily disoriented, but he pressed on.
Evil Spirit. Bloody Backstab!
Shink!
Bai Yi withdrew the evil blade and plunged it into the swordsman's heart. As the tentacles released their grip, his power surged anew.
Boom!
The Bloody Blade quickly restored Bai Yi's vision.
The attacks from the remaining ancient gods were imminent. Along with the previous curses, the swordsman's slash and the mage's locking attack bore down upon him simultaneously.
With a swift maneuver, Bai Yi reversed the evil blade and used the tentacles to push the dead swordsman aside.
Spirit of Extreme Evil!
Bai Yi extended his hand, focusing on the fighter bound by the tentacles. Fear gripped the fighter as he saw the dark dagger adorned with scarlet lines aimed at him.
He struggled to break free, but it was futile.
Shink!
Boom!
The magic, sword spirit, and poison erupted at once.
[The spiritual shield is broken. Your heart is pierced. Divine power erodes your strength. Current health: 70%.]
[Scarlet Blade triggered. Current health: 85%.]
[You used the Blood Cocoon.]
Buzz!
The sword piercing Bai Yi's heart suddenly lightened, and the swordsman he had just dispatched raised his blade and struck forward.
Clang!
Buzz!
Another magical attack followed closely behind, tearing through Bai Yi's skin as he pressed the dagger into the fighter bound by tentacles.
Bloody Backstab! Evil Spirit! God Hunter! Moon Interpretation!
The convergence of skills and titles exploded with power.
Half of Bai Yi's head was severed, but in an instant, his body began to regenerate.
His aura surged once again.
Rationality slipped away as he killed two more golden superiors. The extreme malice he could endure had reached its breaking point.
Tentacles exploded from his upper body, thrashing wildly as visions of fear, despair, lust, and rage flickered around him. Distorted faces and angry eyes, surrounded by small, fluffy tentacles, created an indescribable horror.
The remaining swordsmen and mages felt their unease grow to unbearable levels.
Nearby, the abyss lords who had dared to release curses now trembled with fear. They no longer wished to confront the ancient gods.
They knew that their own forces still engaged in battle, and it was becoming increasingly difficult for them to maintain their presence in the Sia continent.
If they had previously feared the power of the Soul Lord and the mechanical might he wielded, they now recoiled from the sheer monstrosity that Bai Yi had become.
Divine evil was meant to be exiled, even in the abyss. Those who had not been exiled were simply those who had yet to reach the threshold.
The growth of any evil was rapid and appalling.
As they turned to flee, a giant mantis—injured by the gold-eating worm—found its steel-like wings inexplicably falling away as it struggled to maintain its form.
Its massive body steadied, scanning the surroundings with increasing anxiety. Where had the curse originated? It felt as if its very essence had shifted, altering its attributes.
Nearby, a lion with three heads felt an itch on its neck. When it shook its head, its majestic red mane fell away like snow.
In an instant, the ten-meter-tall lion was stunned, bewildered by the sudden change.
What was happening? The Lord of the Abyss could lose its hair?
Visions emerged one by one, as if cursed by some dark force. The abyss lords sensed powerful figures locking onto them.
They glanced back, realizing that in the legendary battle, only two ancient gods remained, and it seemed another one had fallen.
Yet the damage to the colossal machine was evident. Its strength had diminished from its initial ferocity, drawing the attention of the third-level legendary Scarlet God Family.
They felt embarrassed; it appeared everyone was falling.
Bai Yi fixed his gaze on the remaining swordsman, his eyes burning with scarlet fury. In an instant, he vanished.
The swordsman's expression turned wary, and the mage's spellcasting was nearing completion.
Suddenly, a unique force manifested, causing chaos to ripple through the mage's magic.
Before the mage could react, Bai Yi materialized behind him.
Bloody Backstab! Evil Spirit! God Hunter! Moon Interpretation!
Shink!
The dagger pierced flesh with a sickening sound.
Before the mage could unleash his magic or other forces, Bai Yi, fully restored to 100% health, withdrew the evil blade.
With a powerful thrust, he plunged it back in.
Malicious Cut!
Buzz!
The overwhelming killing potential erupted, and the mage's body stiffened.
[You killed the golden upper ancient god family. Experience gained: +600,000. Skill points: +4. Attribute points: +5. Additional experience: +600,000.]
[You used Malicious Cut, extracting a significant amount of malice. Your extreme ambition is greatly weakened.]
[You used Malicious Cut. Dark power -5, Agility -8, Endurance -8, Intelligence -4.]
[Your extreme spirit is refreshed. Current bonuses: Strength +10, Agility +15, Endurance +13, Intelligence +10.]
The scarlet tint in Bai Yi's eyes faded, and his overall power diminished rapidly as the attributes he had just accumulated dissipated.
Malicious Cut allowed him to regain control and prevent his dark side from spiraling out of control.
He had reached a threshold close to legendary status. With the soul and spiritual power of the bright side now at his disposal, he could not suppress this burgeoning power!
And the battle raged on!
Howl!
As if sensing his diminishing aura, the abyss lords' eyes gleamed with newfound determination. They launched their attacks on Bai Yi once more.
Space Penetration!
Bai Yi appeared before the last ancient god in an instant.
The ancient god, eyes wide with horror, swung his sword.
Clang!
What was meant to be a defensive maneuver turned into a desperate strike against a monster he believed was already doomed.
As he faced the creature that could be both torn apart and yet so difficult to vanquish, despair flooded his heart.
Then, just as he feared the worst, a dagger found its way into his throat.
"Eh..."
The ancient god's eyes widened in madness as he felt the surge of power about to explode within him.
Yet in that moment, his body deteriorated, as if sickness had ravaged him in an instant.
Bai Yi raised his hand, dagger poised.
Clang!
With a swift motion, he cleaved the ancient god in two, the extreme evil will within him surging once more. With the dark side's growth, his strength reached the pinnacle of the golden tier again!
Bai Yi glanced back, feeling a sense of urgency. If he eliminated two more golden-ranked beings, his dark side would ascend to unprecedented levels.
At that point, another specialization would become available, bringing him closer to legendary power!
"It's too bloody! I can't watch this!" Erin exclaimed, shaking her head, feeling overwhelmed. She had never witnessed such a violent display among golden superiors before.
The more she observed, the more confused she became, sensing something ominous approaching.
Luo Ning looked up at Erin, admiration shining in her eyes. "If you can't bear to watch, then don't! But Sister Erin, we should begin using healing magic now—just like before, but this time to help the boss's brother."
Erin shook her head. "Help a capitalist? Forget it! His form is too corrupted, and his life energy is fearsome."
"Is that so? But if the boss's brother falls, we all die." Luo Ning's big eyes filled with doubt. "Isn't that a concern?"
Erin paused, the confusion in her eyes evaporating. She ruffled Luo Ning's hair, her voice firm and righteous.
"What are you saying? Capitalist? Bah! For the victory of our great city lord, we must give everything we've got!"
(End of this chapter)