Chapter 298: The Great Exalted Ate the Spirituality |
"Cough, cough."
Su Chen sat slumped on the ground. His chest heaved up and down like a bellows, drawing in the warm air around him. His throat was filled with the smell of blood.
Winning this time was much more difficult than the last time; he had practically exhausted all his trump cards. But regardless, he had ultimately won.
The peripheral light was dazzling. He looked up. The Mist Embers wrapping the outermost layer had already dispersed, while the Mist Embers in the inner layers and the core surged ceaselessly as if stimulated by something.
The Starfire wrapped in the center rose tens of zhang high, but despite being so close, Su Chen didn't feel any discomfort. Instead, he felt a sensation like a spring breeze brushing his face, warm and gentle.
Sizzle crackle—
Su Chen faintly heard a sound. The remaining Mist Embers, seemingly to suppress the Starfire's activity, drew increasingly close toward the central position, stacking together and surging upward.
The Starfire was also resisting. Between the two, sizzling sounds rang out.
This... Su Chen turned his head to look at the Ancient Bronze King. He originally wanted to ask what was going on, but as a result, a green stream of light rushed toward his face and sank into his body.
It was as if he had instantly returned to his Peak Condition.
"What ability is this?" Su Chen was faintly somewhat shocked. He sensed carefully; he had indeed returned to his Peak Condition without the slightest injury.
Even the slightly tattered clothes on his body had been restored to their original state, as if time had flowed backward, as if the battle just now had never existed.
He couldn't help but look at the Ancient Bronze King, yet the Ancient King was looking at him with an even more complex gaze—seemingly excited, seemingly joyful, and seemingly somewhat finding it unimaginable.
'Truly didn't expect this...' The Ancient Bronze King sighed with emotion inwardly, the shock in his eyes undiminished.
Able to purify Mist Embers right after entering the 6th-Tier. If Su Chen had developed his 6th-Tier professions to the peak before purifying them, the shock in his heart perhaps wouldn't be as intense as it was at this moment.
Under the premise of fighting at the same tier, developing one's own professions to one hundred percent was the absolute Peak Condition, and Su Chen still had a very long distance to go before reaching his 6th-Tier peak.
'Let alone the outer layer, even the inner layer and the core-most Mist Embers, he might also have a chance to thoroughly purify them.'
A strange light glinted in the Ancient Bronze King's eyes. Even for him, his mind couldn't help but be agitated at this moment. The Starfire legacy of the Bronze Sect had lasted for ten thousand years to this day, and had never suffered such a great disaster.
Everything arose because of him. If this trouble couldn't be resolved, it would be difficult for him to rest in peace even if he died.
"Sect Master..." Su Chen called out softly, feeling a bit creeped out being stared at by the Ancient Bronze King.
The Ancient Bronze King's eyes condensed slightly, but he didn't look at him again, instead looking toward the incomparably blazing Starfire. "Step back a bit."
Tossing out a sentence, his figure had already appeared before the Starfire.
"Oh, oh..." Su Chen responded repeatedly. Hesitating slightly, he grabbed the Mist Source floating before his eyes before retreating.
A cyan Data Torrent surged out from the Ancient Bronze King's body like Earth-Shattering Waves, sinking into the Starfire currently entangled with the Mist Embers.
Blazing gold Starfire churned within the Mist Embers, occasionally shooting out sparks. The Mist Embers strangled the Starfire like a living creature. Certain particles drifted within the pitch-black mist, revealing translucent, blurry outlines as they gathered and dispersed.
Once the Data Torrent joined in, it became entangled with the Starfire, faintly transforming into a cyan-gold humanoid figure that wrestled with the Mist Embers. With guidance, the Starfire became even more turbulent and violent.
"Very intense." Su Chen narrowed his eyes.
And very quickly, the Ancient Bronze King's slightly solemn voice rang out again: "Go stay in the Ancient King Palace first."
Before he could even respond, Su Chen felt a dizzying spin before his eyes. When the scene became clear again, he was already in the Ancient King Palace.
His eyelids trembled. He only saw that the cross-legged Main Body of the Ancient King had already risen from its cross-legged position. A vast, imposing pressure rushed toward him. That was a complete suppression of Life Tier. An awe-inspiring sense of oppression filled every corner of the Ancient King Palace.
Su Chen's breathing stagnated. He felt as if he were a small boat amidst terrifying waves and stormy seas, as if he would be overturned and smashed into the ground at any moment.
"Wait for me here."
A deep, resonant voice transmitted from the Ancient King's Main Body. Su Chen's vision blurred, and he saw that the bronze giant had already disappeared. Wind currents surged all around, blowing his hair and filling the space left by the giant's disappearance.
At the same time, in the Dust Star Sea, on a certain remote planet, dust and sand rolled wildly, hiding the sun year-round.
If observing from high above, one could faintly see figures wearing black robes seemingly moving about beneath that raging sandstorm.
In a dark and silent place underground, which had been hollowed out, stretching for an unknown distance, black-robed people lay densely packed among the ravines. Their hoods hung low, concealing their entire faces. Emaciated knuckles extended from beneath their robes, clutching the rock crevices, gleaming with a pale blue-white color, faintly muttering some kind of eulogy.
Pitch-black patterns spread from beneath them all the way to the Stone Platform in the distant center. Two people stood on its left and right sides.
And on the Stone Platform lay a naked body. Its physique was slender, without a single strand of hair on its entire body. On the top of its head was a vertical pupil symbol formed by intertwined black patterns.
Accompanied by the increasingly soaring prayers, ripples faintly spread through the void. Space was torn open like silk cloth, and oil-like Black Substance flowed out, gradually submerging that naked body on the stone coffin.
Abruptly, its body began to convulse as if stimulated by something. The black oil seeped in through its pores, roaming beneath its skin like small snakes.
When the waves of prayers reached their absolute peak, that naked body suddenly fell still. Its entire body had been dyed black. It abruptly opened its eyes, its pitch-black pupils emitting a demonic, faint light.
The body slowly floated up from the Stone Platform, shifting horizontally and flipping over. All its movements carried an indescribably eerie sensation.
The surroundings grew silent to the extreme. Pairs of incomparably fanatic gazes converged from all directions. The two people by its side had already knelt down: "Respectfully welcoming Our Lord's Divine Descent!"
The naked man looked down at his own body. As the Black Substance intertwined, it transformed into a hooded robe draped over his body. The blackness on his skin gradually faded, turning into the flesh color of a normal human.
He opened his mouth, letting out a hoarse voice: "It truly has been a long time since I descended into reality."
When the last word fell, the voice had already become deep and resonant, and even the blackness in his pupils faded, looking just like a normal human.
He raised his hand, observing it carefully, then flipped it over, and flipped it again. Crackling sounds transmitted from everywhere in his body, as if he were adapting, and also as if he were undergoing remodeling.
A moment later, he reached out and grabbed at the void. Space wrinkled like a curtain, and a spherical object emitting a brilliant radiance was pulled out by him.
"Heart of Spiritual Light... enough to allow an Eighth-Tier Nether Creature to advance to the 9th-Tier..." Black Buddha murmured in a low voice. When his palm closed, the Heart of Spiritual Light vanished.
And at this time, the person prostrating on the ground had already taken out a thick roll of paper from his sleeve and offered it up: "Our Lord, this is the information you asked us to gather."
Black Buddha lowered his head and swept a glance. An invisible force wrapped around that roll of paper, and by the time it reached his eyes, it had already unfurled.
With just a single glance, the information recorded on it sank into his mind.
This was some information regarding the Bronze Sect, most of it coming from the Prophet Society. Black Buddha didn't have anyone he could contact inside the Bronze Sect.
It basically couldn't be called very secretive; it was mostly publicly known information.
"Interesting." Black Buddha's eyes flashed slightly, his gaze landing on one of the names. "Su Chen, defeating a 6th-Tier Divine Radiance Grade with a 5th-Tier body. As expected of someone who could devour a portion of my consciousness while extremely weak. Truly too fast."
Just which old ghost's mental brand was acting up?
'Could the person purifying the Mist Embers be him?' Black Buddha suddenly thought, his eyes flashing. It didn't seem impossible.
Wait until the Heart of Spiritual Light was delivered, then it would be confirmed. Whether it was him or not, he had to take this person away.
"Has the identity been arranged?" Black Buddha swept a glance at the prostrating Believer.
The Believer responded, "It is already arranged. This body of yours is the helmsman of the Dark Moon Group, qualified to bring a Junior Generation to head to the Bronze Sect and participate in the Peak Star Tournament."
Black Buddha nodded. Just as he was about to say something, his expression suddenly changed. He abruptly looked up toward a certain direction, his expression doubtful and uncertain. "Another portion was purified?"
The surrounding Believers didn't know what had happened, merely looking at that stalwart figure with extreme fanaticism, continuously muttering prayers from their mouths.
"How long has it only been? Just what method has the Ancient Bronze King grasped?"
Black Buddha frowned deeply. In a short period of time, Mist Embers had been continuously purified, and what was purified this time were the Mist Embers truly wrapping the Starfire. The intensity was far beyond what the previous ones could compare to.
What person or object could accomplish this, and exactly how were they purified?
He originally thought that being able to purify weak-level Mist Embers was already the limit, but now...
A black light flashed in Black Buddha's eyes as he murmured softly, "This way, a portion of the Ancient Bronze King's energy won't be pinned down by the Starfire's situation, which is also quite disadvantageous to my actions."
However, he was after all an illustrious Great Eldritch God, and Black Buddha very quickly adjusted his mindset.
Although in his long years of existence, Mist Embers being purified was also occurring for the first time, relying on the near-eternal life of the Nether Mist gave him countless opportunities for trial and error.
"Wanting Falling Fire again is probably somewhat difficult. However, first figuring out exactly how the Mist Embers are being purified is the most important."
"And this Su Chen."
After pondering, Black Buddha said, "Let's go, to the Bronze Sect."
"Yes." The Believer prostrating by his side hurriedly complied, rising to lead Black Buddha toward the spaceship docking area.
Even as a Great Eldritch God, since he had descended into reality, he also had to follow the rules of reality.
'What a huge commotion.' Su Chen secretly clicked his tongue, looking at the spot where the Ancient Bronze King originally sat cross-legged, feeling somewhat uncertain. 'There won't be any accidents, right?'
Scanning the Ancient King Palace, his gaze fell on the several Statues to the side. He arrived before the Spiritual Anchor Statue of the Crimson Flame Responding Thunder Great Exalted and patted it, producing a thudding echoing sound.
As if responding, the Statue glowed, shaking ceaselessly.
"This is Foundation." Su Chen couldn't help but sigh with emotion.
Aside from these several Statues, there was nothing special in the Ancient King Palace. After taking a walk around, he returned to the place where the Ancient King sat cross-legged previously.
"This Mist Source..." Su Chen reached out his hand, looking at the Mist Source that was fully the size of his fist, pure and bright.
Giving it to the Great Exalted to eat should be fine, right?
He mused inwardly. He had already purified the Mist Embers on the periphery of the Starfire, which could be considered resolving a major trouble at present.
Moreover, when he was holding the Mist Source earlier, the Ancient King didn't say anything, which should mean he tacitly gave it to him.
After considering it in his heart, Su Chen didn't hesitate, directly sending it to the Great Exalted to devour.
The Mist Source collapsed in his hands, turning into wisps of mist that sank into his body. The Status Panel immediately had a reaction:
[The Crimson Flame Responding Thunder Great Exalted has thoroughly devoured the Mist Source. A hard-to-contain feeling of desire faintly transmits. He hopes you can come into contact with the Statue bearing external Spirituality.]
What did this mean?
Su Chen was somewhat hesitant. Could it still produce an interaction?
He glanced toward that crimson Statue, feeling inevitably somewhat hesitant in his heart. There wouldn't be any problems, right?
Although he thought this in his heart, Su Chen's body was very honest, taking step after step over there.
"This is the Ancient King Palace, Great Exalted. You must be careful; don't screw me over."
While urging inwardly, Su Chen placed his hand on this Statue.
In an instant, the text on the Status Panel jumped again:
[The Crimson Flame Responding Thunder Great Exalted is attempting to communicate with external Spirituality...]
Su Chen's eyelids twitched. He only felt his palm suddenly become scalding and numb. A special power followed his arm and sank into his body, before disappearing into some hard-to-fathom place.
The text on the Status Panel trembled ceaselessly:
[The Crimson Flame Responding Thunder Great Exalted is fusing with the external Spirituality. An unknown anomaly has occurred, requiring a period of time to conclude. He expresses his gratitude for your help.]
[Acquired Hellfire Thunder Wrath (One-Time): Can fuse three un-Job-Entered professions with similar affinities.]
[Acquired Molten Flame (One-Time): Can melt a profession that does not belong to the Sacred Profession Sequence but has a similar affinity into a Holy Class.]
[Acquired Thunder-Echoing Power (One-Time): Call upon the name of the Crimson Flame Responding Thunder Great Exalted to receive assistance.]
There was a large string of text on the Status Panel, all of them good things spat out by the Great Exalted.
However... Su Chen was still somewhat stunned. The Great Exalted ate the Spirituality?
This? He looked carefully several times before snapping back to his senses. [Hellfire Thunder Wrath] was an enhanced version of a similar past reward, changing from fusing two professions to fusing three professions.
[Molten Flame] was also very good. Adding a profession with similar affinity to a Sacred Profession Sequence could increase its strength. He immediately thought of adding Glutton into the Eternal Physique sequence.
The last one went without saying; he estimated it was for life preservation.
Su Chen murmured secretly, "Great Exalted, these rewards are very good, but how could you eat the Spirituality?"
[The Crimson Flame Responding Thunder Great Exalted has fallen into dormancy. For a short time, he will have no reaction to the outside world.]
Was this a Metamorphosis? It shouldn't be possible to metamorphose to the Bright Moon Tier so quickly, but since he had swallowed external Spirituality, there would definitely be some changes.
Thinking this, Su Chen helplessly raised his head, looking at the Statue before him that had already become incomparably ordinary. The Spirituality anchored within had already vanished.
This was a Foundation passed down through generations in the Bronze Sect. This time, it wasn't lost, but truly completely consumed without leaving a trace.
How was he going to explain this to the Ancient King later?
Su Chen sighed. If he continued spouting nonsense, even he would have trouble making it up.
Although he thought this in his heart, Su Chen swept a glance at the rewards on the Status Panel, and still couldn't bear to harshly criticize the Great Exalted. After all, although he ate things, he truly spat out rewards too.
If he were to choose again...
Su Chen looked down at his own hand and sighed softly. "I just purified the Mist Embers; no matter how you say it, I'm a grand meritorious minister. Although I made the Spirituality disappear, the problem... shouldn't be too big, right?"