Chapter 431: One Mistake After Another

Chapter 431: One Mistake After Another

“The foolish witch who put shackles on herself…” The whispers of the Abyssal Creature echoed in her ears, making the Undying Witch extremely irritable. The small figure in front of her was still under the influence of her power , but part of it had already gone out of control. It would only take some time to eliminate the uncontrolled part, which was why she was unwilling to act recklessly.

She did not want to abandon all her preparations, and the light spot fused into the small figure was far too important—it was the only one of its kind!

So even though she bore the Curse of Destruction, and the evil whispers of the Abyssal Creature interfered with her mind, she still struggled with all her might to remove the influence from the small figure. She had only chosen a minor pawn… She had used the most natural method, an action that would not be linked to anything suspicious, so why did something unexpected still happen!!

Had she underestimated the Witch of Fate’s power?

The power of fate… Damn it!!

Straining to remove the backdoor influence left by the Abyssal Creature within the small figure’s body, the Undying Witch gritted her teeth. The mottled parts on her body had begun to spread. The ground was not turning to sand, but countless black cracks, like a spider web, covered it. All these cracks were the effects of the Curse of Destruction’s power.

This area had already become an environment worse than the Abyssal Environment—even the Abyssal Creatures could not survive here! If it could not be contained or eliminated, this Cursed Land would continue to expand until it reached the maximum limit of the Curse Power’s spreading.

If during this time, any being accidentally came into contact with the Curse of Destruction here, causing the Curse Power to further increase, the Cursed Land would continue to expand. This forced the Undying Witch to divert part of her power to protect the small figure…

The small figure gave her a strange smile and threw the magic bottle from its hand. It landed near the Abyss Entrance. The Undying Witch could have stopped it, but as the bottle was thrown, the small figure’s body began to shift back to the distinctive black color of the Abyssal Creatures.

This was the final surge of the hidden influence within the small figure’s body. If eliminated, the Abyssal Creature could no longer affect the small figure. But if not removed in time, the small figure would certainly transform into a new Abyssal Creature, including that precious True Spirit that she had painstakingly restored!

The Abyssal Creature’s sneering laughter persisted, further agitating the Undying Witch. She knew very well that this irritation was caused by another witch. If she could not control it, her emotions would only grow more uncontrollable. Since things had already come to this… she had to at least accomplish the most important task!!

“Give it back to me!!!” The next moment, the Undying Witch’s eyes widened to their limit. A strand of black power, carrying a tiny light spot, shot out from the flying magic bottle. The black power, pulling along a small amount of mana, fell toward the Abyss Entrance.

It was not that the scheming Abyssal Creature did not want to pull in the magic bottle as well, but they simply could not do it. The only reason they had influence over the outside world was because the Undying Witch had recklessly sought the best outcome, giving the Abyssal Creature an opportunity. They indirectly stole some of Zheng Yichen’s Mana through the small figure. This Mana could not be replicated and was extremely difficult to control. It could only be used in an indirect manner, just like the spoken Mana previously.

However, this Mana was not protected by any other safeguards from the Undying Witch, so they could exploit it, but that was no reason to take the magic bottle away. Its weight was simply too much, and the stolen Mana could not pull it away. Even the small amount of black power required the Abyssal Creature to pay a heavy price for the effort. A tiny force was pitted against the entire Containment Barrier!

So, if they could not take the magic bottle, they would take something even more unique—the True Spirit integrated into the small figure. This True Spirit was not like a normal person’s lingering spirit after death. Instead, it was a specially restored True Spirit. To put it simply, it was like a vast pile of fragments reassembled in the exact order they had shattered. Although it appeared whole, traces of its reassembly remained. But it had been restored perfectly, not a single piece out of order. In itself, this was a nearly impossible feat, yet the Undying Witch had achieved it.

Within the small figure, this True Spirit was rapidly improving, much like a normal infant being born. Once the small figure fully formed, the True Spirit, bearing the signs of its reassembly, would be perfectly restored and completed. This meant a flawless resurrection, and not in an ordinary Human body, but a special one possessing the Abyssal Creature’s traits without their flaws—a body with immense potential.

What made the scheming Abyssal Creature somewhat disappointed was that they could not take away the special body the Undying Witch had painstakingly created either. However, taking this True Spirit would still do. The fact that the Undying Witch valued it so highly… made its significance too obvious. That was exactly why they earlier mocked the Undying Witch for putting shackles on herself!

Unable to take the magic bottle or the special body she had dedicated so much effort to create, they took away something she treasured most. The Abyssal Creature’s plan had succeeded. As long as the Undying Witch remained alive afterward, she would go to any length to reclaim this True Spirit. But reclaiming it from them? The price would be anything but ordinary.

The free-falling magic bottle was snatched away by an ice hook and landed in Irene’s hand. With a calm expression, she claimed it for herself without slowing down her other actions in the slightest. Spellcasting! Irene’s way of casting spells differed from traditional Spellcasters. Her understanding of Magic had advanced to the point where she could bypass most Magic Rune Arrays.

But if she went through the motions of a formal cast, it must be a major spell!

The faint black trace carrying the True Spirit moved much faster than the falling magic bottle. The closer it got to the entrance, the stronger it became, and the quicker its speed. By the time Irene made her move, the True Spirit was almost touching the entrance’s Containment Barrier. At the moment the black mist passed through the Containment Barrier, a blazing white beam of light followed it in. The beam was only as thick as a little finger, but once it entered the Abyss Entrance, it forcefully dispersed the darkness within. Though it turned everything into a vast expanse of white, making nothing else visible.

The Undying Witch heard the agonized scream of the whispering Abyssal Creature, excruciatingly intense. Yet, she felt no satisfaction. If the Abyssal Creature had suffered such severe damage, could that fragile True Spirit possibly survive? Excessive worry and the influence of Qin’s power had made her overlook the danger right beside her.

“Whew… Finally, it’s my turn.” Zheng Yichen looked at a shining crystal in his hand. Dan Marina had given it to him. Now that it glowed, he simply had to use his Projection Spell on it. Power output worked wonders—the more force, the better!

Zheng Yichen did just that. In an instant, his perspective shifted. What surprised him even more was the sensation of having an extra body—a feeling akin to what he had experienced when he was Human. Subconsciously, he touched his face, feeling a smooth texture. The sensation didn’t feel right!

“Huh? What’s going on?” He quickly realized this was Dan Marina’s Avatar. When Zheng Yichen cast his Projection Spell on the crystal, the energy was transformed through it, achieving an effect similar to how a witch controls an Avatar. Simultaneously, he received relevant information. Using this Avatar, Zheng Yichen could unleash his own power with much higher efficiency, unlike when using an Alchemical Puppet where there was a huge gap in Mana output compared to his true body.

Even with a Projection, its Mana output could never match the original. But Dan Marina’s Avatar was different—it was inherently special, made from materials related to the long-vanished ‘gods.’ Despite degradation over time, it still retained mystical properties.

Yet, using this Avatar felt particularly awkward, especially the sensations in the body that no man should have. One might call it a unique experience, but it was definitely not a pleasant novelty!

The information Dan Marina left within the Avatar made Zheng Yichen temporarily set aside his discomfort and focus on what he had to do: complete a Magic spell according to the instructions left in the Avatar. The Magic detailed in this information was complex. But as Zheng Yichen accepted it without resistance, it felt as if he had practiced it many times over. Even though it was his first attempt, he had an inexplicable premonition of success.

He didn’t know what method Dan Marina had used to achieve such a marvelous effect.

Taking a deep breath, Zheng Yichen’s Mana poured out. The vast Mana steadily wove itself according to the Rune Patterns described in the information. A massive Magic Rune Array appeared in the sky, piercing through the Mist that now only served as a disguise. It became visible to the fighting army and Achille outside.

“Saintess, the Mist blockade has failed. The rest is up to you. Please be careful!” Achille decisively said.

Deya nodded. Ever since receiving the information spread by the Undying Witch, she had been deep in thought. She never imagined that the Zheng Yichen she had met was actually the Little Dragon’s Avatar—and she had failed to see through it. Not only that, but it also meant he had reached a new pinnacle in creating Alchemical Avatars, capable of fooling even her. It was no longer something ordinary methods could detect.

Unless one used Soul exploration!

“Leave it to me.” Deya nodded, forcefully breaking through the encirclement of Corrupted Creatures and charging into the Mist. The Mist no longer had any isolating effect; she encountered no obstacles while moving within. And with the distinct Magic Rune Array in the sky, her target was extremely clear!

However, she encountered someone she would rather not have met: Dan Marina.

“Hehe, since you’re here, don’t run around. How about resting with me for a while?”

Deya silently looked at Dan Marina.

“Not willing? Want to bet that you definitely won’t find him?”

“What exactly are you planning to do?”

“What? Deal with the Undying Witch, of course. Although I’m a Witch, I don’t want to see the Containment Barrier fail. After all, I quite like this world. Why should I cooperate with you when I have a better partner? Besides, can you permanently eliminate the threat?”

“No.” Deya shook her head. The Undying Witch’s undying nature was truly troublesome—even more so than a lich. A lich has a phylactery, but the Undying Witch doesn’t need such a thing. Even if her body is destroyed or her Soul severely damaged, she can ‘revive’ somewhere else. It is extremely difficult to completely eradicate her!

“Then why should I look to you? If you don’t want to interfere with this process now, just wait here patiently.” Dan Marina showed no intention of standing up, nor did she make any move to use her power. She simply watched Deya with a faint smile. “Or perhaps you and your group want to disrupt this process? After all, it’s not an absolute necessity for it to succeed. Are you sure you want to do that?”

“…” Deya fell into a dilemma. Dan Marina’s threat was all too obvious. If it failed, she could easily pin the blame maliciously on the Sanctuary Church. During the time she was controlled by the Sanctuary Church, though not tortured, it didn’t mean she had it easy. She had little freedom back then, so if she used that as grounds for revenge, the Sanctuary Church would indeed be very passive.

Of course, all of this was contingent on her not making a move.

“Good, it seems you’ve made a decision.” Dan Marina pointed to a chair nearby. Deya hesitated for a moment before sitting down. It felt a bit strange—the chair seemed to retain some warmth. Who had been sitting here earlier?

For the Undying Witch, the moment the Magic Rune Array appeared in the sky, her body—already on the verge of collapse from Loris’s Curse of Destruction—suddenly crumbled. It happened extremely abruptly. Where her body disintegrated, residual black lines lingered, forming a hollow, three-dimensional black Human Form. This form was not without meaning.

The black destructive lines restrained the ‘Undying Witch’ within, interfering with her power and preventing Soul transfer despite her body’s destruction.

“Witch of Life!!!” A roar echoed through the air. Her body had been tormented by the Curse of Destruction but was not about to collapse immediately. However, in a weakened state, the Witch of Life had struck suddenly, successfully ‘killing’ her body.

Even a body on the verge of collapse was still useful—its existence could suppress the Curse of Destruction. Now, without the body’s protection, the remaining Curse of Destruction acted directly on her Soul, preventing her from instantly transferring away… That momentary delay was fatal!

Taking into account the methods used against her, she knew she had encountered at least five Witches… Three of whom were particularly troublesome for her. Her failure… wasn’t undeserved, but she could not accept it calmly. Especially now that she had lost her most precious True Spirit, the Undying Witch felt her mentality was about to shatter.

But the mastermind behind the entire scheme gave her no chance to unleash her explosive rage. With so many Witches involved, they left her no opportunities. Every step had been meticulously planned, accounting for her possible future actions.

Even if she could respond, her mental state had been affected. One wrong step led to another. The moment she failed to transfer away instantly, the final, lethal step had arrived!

When the Magic Rune Array covering the sky fully activated, it completely immobilized the area. This time, not only Zheng Yichen’s own Mana was used but also that from the Magic Weapon Summoning Book. In that instant, the restraining power in this region made it utterly impossible for the Undying Witch to escape!

What followed was the final cleanup!