Chapter 428: Frighten Them

Chapter 428: Frighten Them

Those shadowy figures all stared at Oss not because he was handsome, but because they saw that despite his currently poor combat strength, he could actually defeat an Abyssal Creature… though that one was just a minor green-named monster, not very powerful, but still not something Oss should have been able to defeat with his own strength.

They were quite familiar with powerful humans. This guy had no Mana, no Battle Qi… then what… no, that unusual blood power of his was special. It made them think of certain races in the Abyss that were born with the ability to control blood. However, Oss was clearly not one of those creatures; his case was different.

Yet, his performance was somewhat similar to that race. But he was a genuine Human. Even though his eyes were a bit special, his Human part still made up over ninety percent. So, this power of his caught their attention. It was a new type of power that a Human could master…

A new type of power meant more circumstances beyond their grasp on the human side. The Abyss could learn about the outside world through some methods, but such instances were not many. The Containment Barrier was not for show. If there were indeed new types of Professionals like Oss, then even if the Containment Barrier at the Abyss Entrance could be broken in the future, a certain race in the Abyss would encounter a hard counter.

Oss was also absorbing blood. Abyssal Creatures were very different from Humans, but some characteristics were the same, like blood. Their blood was still blood. It couldn’t compare to Dragon Blood, but it was superior to human blood. So, the blood-absorbing ability Oss displayed was also effective against Abyssal Creatures.

Looking at him, his whole body was red, but there were few signs of Corruption or transformation toward Abyssal Monsters. He clearly could ignore the influence of the Abyssal Creature’s blood. To what extent had this new type of Professional developed?

“Whew… comfortable.” Before this Abyssal Creature was erased by the Containment Barrier, Oss, having drawn a large amount of its blood, exhaled a breath tinged with a faintly crimson Blood Essence. Although the Abyssal Creature’s blood contained some special power, the quality of the blood itself was undeniable. It was higher than any blood Oss had absorbed before. As for the special power contained within the blood, it was eliminated by the power granted to his body by the Evil God.

The power directly fed back from this blood absorption increased Oss’s strength by about ten percent! And this was an improvement from incomplete blood extraction.

A low percentage? This was just the gain from killing one Abyssal Creature. Even though it would continuously diminish as he grew stronger, as long as he killed enough, before the gains dropped below one percent, it remained a rapid improvement opportunity for him.

Now, if he faced the same Abyssal Creature again, he could definitely deal with it faster and more easily. Kill to grow stronger—this was the most dominant aspect of a Demon Sword Cultist. Feeling the sudden surge of strength in his body, Oss felt a bit regretful. If only those Abyssal Creatures dealt with by Zheng Yichen earlier had been finished by him instead… Of course, he was well aware that without these eyes, he couldn’t have defeated the Abyssal Creature he just fought!

“How was it?”

“Troublesome. This human Professional not only ignored the influence of our power, but his aura also strengthened by one-tenth. Current analysis suggests he is a type of Professional who grows stronger through killing. If we can break the Containment Barrier, the legacy of this type of Professional must be prioritized for eradication!”

There were many ways to grow stronger through killing, but few were as obvious as this. Oss’s strength increased significantly, yet he showed no side effects. Moreover, he came with the Sanctuary Church. Even if his methods weren’t exactly righteous, they weren’t considered evil enough to be rejected by the Sanctuary Church either!

This meant this professional system could spread widely. Once an Abyssal Calamity erupted, such Professionals would absolutely shine bright. Human Professionals required significant time to mature, but if they could grow stronger rapidly through killing like this, given the human population, high-end combatants might snowball, increasing with each battle. Even if they were quick-fixes and might seem a bit watered-down, they’d still be high-end combatants.

“What about the other one?”

“The Magic Weapon Summoning Book… also very troublesome. However, if mastered well, the Abyss could also use this book’s power. The only troublesome part is its Creator!”

The Abyss knew of the Magic Weapon Summoning Book, but not of Demon Sword Cultists. The reason was their levels of influence were not on the same scale. This was also why the Abyssal Creature negotiated with by the Undying Witch chose to demand the Magic Weapon Summoning Book. Since this book was created by someone, as long as it could be deciphered, then they could control the book… at that point, many of humanity’s vital lifelines would be in their grasp.

If they seized the right opportunity, they could severely cripple humanity’s development. Yet, up to now, humanity had done nothing against the Magic Weapon Summoning Book. The Abyssal Creatures weren’t arrogant enough to assume they could easily decipher it.

If they were truly overwhelmingly powerful, they wouldn’t have been driven back by humans in the end, with their entrance permanently sealed by the Containment Barrier.

“These are matters for later… let’s deal with these people first.”

“They’re coming!” Achille glanced around. Within the Containment Barrier, Corrupted Creatures were gathering in vast numbers. He looked toward Oss’s direction. While these Corrupted Creatures were targeting them, that didn’t mean they posed no threat to others. He didn’t warn Oss and his group to flee immediately. Opening his mouth would only make them more targeted.

The real battle began with the expanding holy white ring of light as the starting point. The expanding ring, upon touching the Corrupted Creatures, completely erased the fragile ones within it. The stronger ones could hold on, not being killed by the subsequent crushing attacks. The gathering Corrupting Aura here gave these Corrupted Creatures extremely strong recovery capabilities. If they weren’t instantly killed, they could quickly recover!

“We need to leave now!” Oss looked at those Corrupted Creatures, all his hairs standing on end. Fortunately, their main targets were the people from the Sanctuary Church. After the light ring cleared a portion, it created a significant gap, enough for them to escape. However, they’d have to deal with the remaining monster horde themselves. It should have been a despairing situation, but with Zheng Yichen in the team, blazing flames cleared the way. Some weak Corrupted Creatures instinctively avoided the flames upon contact. The flame domain covered an area exceeding three hundred meters.

Within the area scorched by flames, the Corrupting Aura was also completely expelled. Lacking the Corrupting Aura’s protection, any Corrupted Creature trying to charge through the flames would be burned to ashes within twenty meters. As for their situation, it was no longer something Achille and the others could pay attention to.

So, even if it looked exaggerated, they wouldn’t notice anything abnormal. However, this flame domain was rapidly shrinking, eventually stabilizing at an eighty-meter range. Even so, it still shocked Oss and the others. “With a Magic Pharmacist like this, what use are we Warriors… no, Spellcasters for?”

“You think everyone is like me?” Zheng Yichen dragged the Flame Judgment resting on the ground. The flame domain’s effect was better when in contact with the ground, at least providing an additional conduction medium.

“But having even one like you is enough to make people question their life choices.”

“Then keep questioning. Just don’t try to learn from me; you can’t.” Zheng Yichen said, then looked around oddly. “Where the heck have we walked to?”

“The flames are all around; I can’t see clearly.” Oss said. Even with his Elemental Sight activated, he could only see thick Fire Element everywhere, not any other things.

“These flames are not easy to pass through.” While the Sanctuary Church members were entangled by the massive number of Corrupted Creatures, those Abyssal Creatures also emerged from the Black Mist. They only needed to give an order to these Corrupted Creatures. As for full-on commanding? It wasn’t necessary. It was better to use this time for other things.

For example, taking the opportunity to understand Oss properly… The power system he displayed truly shouldn’t be underestimated. Also, that person wielding the Flame Judgment—he was also a Magic Arms user. They should be able to obtain a Magic Weapon Contract from him. If they got it, even if this entire operation ended with them being completely used as cannon fodder by the Undying Witch, it wouldn’t matter…

One Magic Weapon Summoning Book could already change many things in the Abyss. However, they underestimated Zheng Yichen’s strength. Although the flame domain’s coverage range had shrunk from its initial exaggerated size to eighty meters, passing through it wasn’t something easily accomplished.

At least, not many would be foolish enough to try. Their Magic Resistance was high, but not absolute immunity. Furthermore, maintaining their own Mana required attention. Lacking that portion of Mana would make them susceptible to the Containment Barrier’s influence. Even if not fatal, they would be suppressed.

“Use cannon fodder to wear them down. That Professional’s Mana cannot sustain this state indefinitely.”

Since he was putting on an act, Zheng Yichen naturally wouldn’t make himself seem like a monster. The flame domain slowly shrank from eighty meters to seventy, then sixty… Their moving location also gradually changed. However, under the guidance of a certain Witch, their path had long deviated from the original route…

Furthermore, under the cover of another power, they unknowingly walked into the mist barrier set up by the Undying Witch. The Undying Witch, now busy with her own affairs, hadn’t noticed this anomaly. The Abyssal Creatures had noticed, but none of them had any intention of reminding the Undying Witch.

They didn’t care about that woman. If they could screw her over, they certainly wouldn’t help her avoid trouble. If something happened to her, it might even be easier for them to obtain that vial of stored Mana from her.

Moreover, they were curious what someone with her current level of strength could actually accomplish. Watching humans fight among themselves—even if one party was a Witch—was something they were happy to spectate.

“We seem to have entered a rather incredible place.” Zheng Yichen glanced at the flame domain now reduced to less than twenty meters around them. The flame domain’s range was shrinking further, of course deliberately, to avoid detection by the Undying Witch. Otherwise, if she couldn’t detect such a large flame domain, she’d truly be blind.

But to Oss and the others, it looked like Zheng Yichen was overexerting his power.

“Power consumption? Don’t worry, don’t worry. I have potions.” Zheng Yichen patted the Magic Weapon Summoning Book and took out a Magic Potion vial. The deep blue potion inside, once taken out, made Gale and the others feel the Mana in their bodies become active.

“That one vial must cost seventy to eighty thousand gold coins, right?” Lena continued her role as the professional commentator on the side.

“…” Oss and the others twitched at the corners of their mouths, almost screaming internally. Why the heck did they choose to be Warriors?

“The problem is, where are we now? There don’t seem to be any Corrupted Creatures around.”

The others looked around. Earlier, the massive gathering of Corrupting Aura had increased the density of the Black Mist several times, making it look similar to the mist confinement created by the Undying Witch. So, even after their path changed later, they didn’t notice anything wrong.

Originally, Zheng Yichen intended to enter alone; bringing Oss and the others wasn’t very useful. But Lena had ‘insisted’ on bringing them along, saying that even small people had their uses. From her meaning, it seemed Oss might play a significant role.

“Since when have human Magic Pharmacists become this powerful? We’ve been isolated for too long.” The Abyssal Creatures observing Zheng Yichen and the group still didn’t reveal themselves. They continued gathering the information they wanted, attempting to learn more about humanity’s current state through Zheng Yichen’s group.

“The target list needs one more… besides, there’s that woman. Is she also a Witch?” One Abyssal Creature said uncertainly. They had noticed Lena’s presence earlier. Calling her a Witch, yet she had no Witch’s aura. Instead, she had an extremely unique aura about her. She seemed capable of serving a more significant purpose than a captured Witch.

Three exceptional existences had completely drawn their attention. As for Rick and the others, they were ordinary Humans, not worth mentioning!

“When do we act?”

“When that Magic Pharmacist uses the potion.”

After a brief discussion, these Abyssal Creatures went completely dormant. Using the Mist, they hid successfully. Even Zheng Yichen didn’t detect them. The only one who could sense these presences was Dan Marina, but she had no intention of speaking up, having other plans.

“Whew… about time.” Zheng Yichen thrust the Flame Judgment into the ground. Just as he was about to use the potion, several figures suddenly appeared. Several tendrils of Black Mist shot toward the hand holding the potion. He also saw a subtle movement of Mana—a finger swiftly slashing downward!

A killing slash?

“Who are you?!”

Instinctively, Oss pushed his eyes to the third stage. The swift Black Mist slowed down in his vision. He immediately entered a Blood Essence frenzy state. Surging Blood Essence gathered into a Blood Qi Blade, blocking in front of Zheng Yichen. The moment the Black Mist touched the Blood Essence, it exploded violently. The Blood Essence explosion forced the Black Mist to stall for an instant, but the remaining Black Mist penetrated the explosion and smashed the potion in Zheng Yichen’s hand to pieces.

The potion liquid vanished into thin air before even hitting the ground.

“Huh? A fake potion?” The attacking Abyssal Creature realized things weren’t so simple. If the potion in Zheng Yichen’s hand was truly potent, then without its container, its dispersion should have caused a noticeable leakage effect. But it was too calm now, as if he had broken an ordinary potion.

Their first thought was that they had been tricked!

“Of course it’s a fake potion!”

Zheng Yichen pulled at the Magic Weapon Summoning Book beside him. An ice sword was drawn out. Furious Frost power pushed back along the spreading Black Mist, freezing into trails in mid-air resembling death icicles. A few shadows with frost marks appeared in the Mist. Then, flames actually ignited on the icicles. The flames spread along the trails, and as they spread, the icicles exploded in a series.

Anyone who had encountered that mixed ice-fire power from before would recognize its nature. Irene had never given up on deeply fusing mixed powers. Zheng Yichen also knew quite a bit about it. Even though he didn’t specialize in Magic, with the Power Core and her extensive notes, he could still use the mixed ice-fire power to a certain degree.

Her research was constantly progressing, and the conditions for using it would continuously lower as the research advanced.

Amidst the intense chain explosions were traces of purple-hued power. Those Abyssal Creatures, having failed to escape the Frost’s confinement in time, were caught in the explosions. Muffled screams came from within the Mist. Zheng Yichen’s attack had been swift; the power wasn’t enough to kill them, but the Frost had stripped away the Mana covering their bodies!

They had protected that portion of Mana well; it shouldn’t have been easily removed. The problem was, that Mana belonged to Zheng Yichen… Initially very faint, combined with the Mist’s interference and their distance, Zheng Yichen hadn’t noticed. Later, as they became bolder or tried to observe more details in a tense situation…

Getting too close, how could Zheng Yichen not notice?

The Frost swiftly erased the Mana on them. The subsequent explosions were merely a cover, giving the other Abyssal Creatures the illusion that Zheng Yichen had only used this method to finish them off.

“Hey, hey, that was a bit over the top.” Lena walked to Zheng Yichen’s side and whispered.

“?” Didn’t you signal to kill them?

“When did I signal that? I meant to frighten them…”

“Be clearer next time.” Zheng Yichen shook his head, also sounding a bit helpless. He had already attacked; he couldn’t exactly explain to them, could he? Say he misunderstood, that he only meant to frighten them? “This still counts as frightening them, right?”

“You frightened them a bit too much. Oh well~ it’s fine. This works too.”