Beast Spirit Amplification
"Hm?! That's…" At this moment, the opposing enemies had already drawn closer. Hundreds of large marine tribe beasts came to a standstill, just their enormous size enough to put immense pressure on others.
The governor of Elias also noticed there were a few acquaintances in their midst!
"We meet again, governor!" Belinda stood up, sounding light-hearted and cheerful, "You never expected we would meet again so soon, did you?"
"I just hate the fact that I didn't catch you back then. If not, I'd definitely have skinned you and turned you into a rug!" The governor exclaimed hatefully. He then shot Leylin who was beside her a glance. He evidently recognised this person who had rescued Belinda, causing a failure at the gates of victory. It was a pity that looks couldn't kill, else Leylin would've died countless times over. Leylin himself appeared aloof, the lord here had yet to speak.
The Beholder elder Bayclark cackled, "Keke… so you're the governor of Port Elias? I don't like the colour of your pupils. Eyes like these are far too common amongst my collection…"
"An Elder Eye, and rank 5 Sacrificer… Eye-Gouging Butcher Bayclark!" The governor quivered in fear as he called Bayclark's name. Upon hearing this nickname, even the Morning Star elders beside him took several steps back, evidently having heard of the notorious butcher.
"You actually dare appear here! Could the new cycle of continental wars have begun already?" Evidently, Bayclark's appearance was a huge shock to him.
"Keke, you seem too lenient. This is the territory of the Matriarch and not of the powers of chaos. Even if I killed you, what could they do?" Bayclark waved his white tendrils, "Attack!"
"Roar!" "Raarrr!" "Awooooo!"
The large marine beasts roared clamorously, setting off tremendous waves that gushed towards the port. The guards could only watch, frozen as the sea rose tens of metres. They were then drowned by the furious waves.
The marine legion that Bayclark had brought was evidently very powerful, and with the large marine beasts around to boost their morale, it was as if they had gained an absolute advantage in a flash.
Port Elias immediately descended into chaos. Many sea merchants turned to pirating to take advantage of the situation, waiting for their chance to gain some profit. They only worsened the situation.
"Keke! Henceforth, Port Elias shall become history!"
At this moment, the Elias governor and the rest did not have time to worry about the port any longer, because even they were in immense danger. With a rank 5 Sacrificer like Bayclark taking the lead, they were surrounded by a group of rank 4 beings.
"Nick, it's time for you to prove yourself! Choose your opponent and kill them!" Bayclark exclaimed, obviously harboring evil intentions.
"…" Leylin inwardly rolled his eyes. The governor and the others were still rather powerful for Morning Stars, but they were the underdogs. With his current fake strength, even the weakest of that group could overpower him. Perhaps after he had been soundly beaten to death, he would even be easy pickings for Bayclark's subordinates.
"Beast spirit magic— Summoning Godric!" While cursing inside, Leylin still went forward, summoning a figure that looked like a large manta ray, a Godric.
The Godric would be boosted greatly in the sea. While this beast spirit was only at rank 3, its mature form would have Morning Star strength so it had a good foundation. With Leylin's secrets modifications, it was halfway at the threshold of rank 4.
"Moooo!" Blue waves splashed out from the Godric, enveloping the opponent with the hawk beak.
"Kill them!" "Go!" As if this was a signal, light flashed fiercely on both sides, and many pounced forward for the kill. Bayclark leisurely ordered the large golden octopus to roam around the battlefield, as if searching for the opponent's weak point. This gave them immense pressure.
"Soldier on! Once I've dealt with my opponents, I'll help you!" Belinda's transmission sounded near Leylin's ear, and he couldn't help but laugh from on the back of the beast spirit.
'However, the role I'm playing now is a mixed blood Alabaster Devilsnake who has just entered rank 4. Some things must stay secret! Just as well, let me test this beast spirit magic!'
Due to the lack of appropriate sacrifices and not having made his decision yet, Leylin had yet to make any progress in the path of offerings. Beast spirit magic, on the other hand, was not as troublesome.
The largest issue with training in the path of beast spirits was the strength of a beast spirit master's own soul and its capacity. There was also the resilience of the body among other things, but all this wasn't an issue for Leylin. Magi were the most proficient at anything that had to do with spiritual force and the soul.
"Moo, moo!" The large Godric beast spirit disappeared under the sea, becoming a large shadow. Immense water pillars would gush out occasionally, and with Leylin's direction the Godric exhibited strength even more terrifying than when it had been alive. It was even able to make things difficult for his Morning Star enemy.
The one with an eagle beak was evidently a beast spirit master, and upon seeing Leylin's summoned Godric his pupils shrank. The tattoo of a blue snake appeared on the back of his hand, "Beast Spirit Summon— Azure Trench Serpent!"
Dazzling rays of light exploded, and the azure tattoo disappeared into the sea, instantly turning into an enormous figure of a blue sea snake.
"Hss…" The figure hissed, and engaged the Godric in a battle.
In battle, while the Azure Trench Serpent had the upper hand, the Godric could still persevere on. The summoner could not help but exclaim in his disbelief. "How is that possible? My Azure Trench Serpent is a rank 4 beast spirit, while this Godric is obviously only rank 3!"
"There are no weak beast spirits, only weak beast spirit masters! You're out of date, old man!" Leylin exclaimed, acting like some hot-headed fellow while snickering inside.
The process of sealing a beast spirit was very precise and painstaking, requiring the support of many diagrams. The higher the rank of the beast spirit, the more intricate the diagram for the seal would be required. Even if a grandmaster of spell formations were to do this, their chances of success would not exceed 50% and they might not complete the seal perfectly, and could perhaps damage it.
However, Leylin was different. Not only was he a grandmaster at spell formations himself, but he was also aided by the A.I. Chip. He could perfectly seal a beast spirit every single time, with a 100% success rate.. This meant that his beast spirits could utilise their full power when he summoned them.
That was not all. With modifications by the A.I. Chip, the Godric that had died immaturely as a rank 3 adolescent had gotten a great boost, basically making it on par with Morning Stars.
With all these factors and Leylin's extremely meticulous work, the Godric could defend itself against the Azure Trench Serpent, albeit with some difficulties. It performed the impressive feat of resisting a rank 4 beast spirit as a rank 3.
However, that was the limit to what it could do. After all, there was a huge disparity between rank 3 and 4 that was difficult to surpass. No matter how close the Godric was to rank 4, it was not a true rank 4. No matter how battered the Azure Trench Serpent became, it was a still a rank 4 beast spirit, which was why Godric being able to stay on equal grounds while obviously at a disadvantage was a startling achievement. As for trying to kill the rank 4 spirit? That was something that couldn't even be considered.
Leylin watched the scene and smiled wryly inside, 'This Godric's rank is far too low, and there are no cases of beast spirits advancing either. Its strength is limited to rank 3, which just isn't enough. I'll need to replace it immediately!'
Without taking cost into account, beast spirits at rank 4 or above above needed the soul of a beast at Morning Star. This was enough for many large organisations to treat them as important strategic resources/
Rank 1 to 3 beast spirits were common on the market, but rank 4s were very rare. Unless one entered some large organisation and poured in blood, sweat, and tears to gain enough merit points and contributions, a rank 4 beast spirit was unattainable.
Of course, beast spirit masters could opt to hunt large beasts on their own and extract the beast spirit. However, before even considering if they could complete such a technical task, how could one kill a large rank 4 beast using a group of rank 1 to 3 beast spirits, even if one was a master at extracting beast spirits?
Hence, it was understandable why rank 4 beast spirits were so valued.
Even the governor of the port, with his elevated and important status, only had one rank 4 beast spirit.
'However, not only do I have the strength of a rank 3 beast spirit master, I'm also a rank 5 Warlock. Killing these rank 4 giant beasts and extracting their souls is just too easy…' Leylin's eyes flashed.
When it came to calculating strength in the Purgatory World, one always looked at the highest rank. Bayclark, for example, might only be a rank 4 Beholder, but he was also a rank 5 Sacrificer under the Trial's Eye, which made him rank 5. He was comparable to a rank 5 Radiant Moon Magus in the Magus World.
Leylin's highest rank was a rank 5 Warlock, and despite being weakened by the Allsnake Curse it was no problem for him to kill rank 4 Morning Star beasts. With some prudent setup and some luck, he was confident he could kill even a rank 5 beast.
If he could successfully seal a rank 5 beast spirit, then he would immediately become a rank 5 beast spirit master, catching up to his power as a Warlock.
'Sealing beast spirits, augmenting the original soul and then managing the beast spirits, then killing giant beasts to obtain more powerful beast spirits… This turns into a positive feedback cycle. As long as one's body is strong enough, advancing in the system of beast spirits in the Purgatory World can be achieved fairly quickly…'
In reality, after sealing the Godric's beast spirit, Leylin could already feel the boost to his soul.
Though his truesoul had already reached half-moon and this tiny boost couldn't be considered much, it was a huge event for those rank 1, 2, and 3 Magi.
Refusal to Budge and Absolute Defeat
'Sealing a rank 3 beast spirit could perhaps bring forward the advancement of a rank 2 Magus to a rank 3 Magus by 20 years!' Leylin stroked his chin and began to ponder the A.I. Chip's precise analysis of the situation. 'Of course, the strength of soul and body of an average rank 2 Magus could never endure a seal from a rank 3 beast spirit, unless they were a Warlock…
'Besides, there is a limit to the soul's capability and strength, which serves as a bottleneck to beast spirit techniques. As such, in the Purgatory World, rank 6 beast spirit masters have never been seen, let alone anyone above that, either Sacrificer or beast spirit master…'
At this time, the enemies were dumbfounded at the swift defeat of their rank 4 Azure Trench Serpent by the Godric. How could a rank 3 beast spirit contend with a rank 4? It shook their beliefs.
"Beast spirit summon——Four-winged Bird!" No matter how shocked and unwilling, they had to accept the reality. When the Azure Trench Serpent could no longer withstand the Godric's attacks, a tattoo flashed once again on the body of the hawk-nosed man.
A giant four-winged bird emerged from him, wind elemental particles around its body circulating ferociously to form a violent energy— a wind blade!
A giant pale green light blade split the ocean apart, revealing the silhouettes of the Godric and the Azure Trench Serpent's battling it out.
Upon seeing that the Godric could not be beaten, the enemy once again called upon their rank 3 four-winged bird. When it was coupled with the Azure Trench Serpent, Leylin's Godric was caught in a tough battle. The wind blades sliced its body apart over and over, if not for having transformed into a beast spirit blood would have been gushing from its wounds.
Even as a beast spirit, the Godric's voice gradually grew more muffled, and its soul dulled.
'Indeed, when beast spirits are involved a rank 3 fighting head on against a rank 4 is kind of a stretch…' Leylin vaguely swept his eyes across the field. At this moment, Belinda was already fighting her opponent in their own small battlefield.
Not entering the stage himself, Bayclark focused on the governor of Elias, occasionally turning with a hint of gloating in his eyes.
'What a narrow-minded and prejudiced old fool!' Leylin was filled with disgust, and he secretly afforded him the death penalty.
'I can't use my energy and magic as a Warlock, which extends to the Kemoyin Emperor magic. I can only hide myself by using Alabaster Devilsnake magic…' A thought flashed across Leylin's mind, and a layer of white scales emerged from his body.
With the Mask of the Dreamless and an Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline, it would be difficult for anyone, even Belinda, to discover that his abilities were just an imitation.
[Beep! Host is currently using Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline. Scale simulation accuracy at 99.99%. Vitality and defence have increased, dreamforce has strengthened] the A.I. Chip's voice transmitted over. Having completed the transformation, Leylin's body was covered in a layer of delicate white scales, and sharp fingernails burst forth from his hand. The scarlet tint in his eyes seemed to grow deeper and purer.
"Devilsnake bloodline!" The enemy shouted.
"Die!" Leylin shouted, a white phantom as he launched towards them. His sharp claws chilled the air. Though he was confident in his own disguise, fake was fake. He was bound to leave a clue with the passage of time, so it would be good to end the fight quickly.
"Damned hybrid!" The hawk-nosed man opposing Leylin glowed red with anger, and he started hitting himself in the chest. A faint blue circle sprouted blue flames that engulfed his body, and a hard mane grew on his face.
"Beast spirit union! Rank 3 Blueflame Phantomwolf!" At the lowest point, the opposing beast spirit master had already completed the union, turning into a half man half wolf monster. His energy grew tremendously.
'Blueflame Phantomwolf? It seems to be some kind of advanced creature, powerful with fire and close combat. It's strong physically too…' Leylin managed to identify the beast spirit's characteristics from an archive he'd found on the market. He also remembered its strengths and weaknesses.
A beast spirit master at rank 4 or above could fuse with his beast spirit, using some secret techniques to acquire the abilities of the beast spirit they'd sealed. With an increasing number of beast spirit, the beast spirit master became more terrifying as well. This technique solved the problem of a weak body, so much so that one could say that without it any beast spirit's value would be halved.
*Awooo!* Blue flame covered the enemy's palm, one that had already turned into a furry paw. It looked like a layer of glass. The giant wolf claw shot out, sharp and on fire. He charged violently towards the white phantom.
A huge explosion sounded in the air, and a flash blinded onlookers. Leylin and his opponent retreated, and a few white scales fell to the ground with blue fur.
'Borrowed strength is still borrowed strength. Even if I were to use the rank 4 Giant Kemoyin Serpent power I could defeat him easily.' Leylin's eyes filled with pity, and his opponent grew furious.
This half-snake half-human wielded massive power, able to fight on par with and sometimes overpower a rank 4 beast spirit master. He hadn't gained much of an advantage from the four-winged bird, and it was obvious that this battle would continue for some time.
However, that would prove fatal in this battle. Belinda would come upon ending her own fight, and even otherwise Bayclark's presence shook his confidence in being able to defend Port Elias.
At this time, the battle at the port was already near its end. Engulfed in thick smoke, the port was left in tatters, with large paw prints all over the once bustling street. Walls everywhere were destroyed, and the road was steeped in blood.
Obviously, Bayclark had made meticulous plans so that the backup team at the port couldn't fight back. In this instant, unless a rank 6 warrior joined the fight, their defeat was inevitable.
Unfortunately, they were near the Hail Continent's coast. This was the territory of the Snake Dowager, and the Nefarious Filthbird sending a high-ranked warrior here would be a command of suicide.
As the battle on the ground drew to a close, the battle in the sky ended as well.
"The Alabaster Devilsnake Devours!" Belinda's applause sounded as a giant Alabaster Devilsnake phantom emerged, its scarlet eyes focused on a broken-armed Filthbird phantom from a sacrifice.
A dark red mist filled the surroundings, bringing with is a psychic power that instilled fear into even the Morning Star fighters. They did everything they could to avoid it. This dreamforce posed a threat to those that hadn't come in contact with or couldn't comprehend Dreamscape.
In the meantime, this Nefarious Filthbird who Belinda was focused on melted like wax into a mixture of blood and fat.
"Nick! Hold on!" The giant Alabaster Devilsnake phantom suddenly turned and charged towards Leylin.
'Finally. I just had to endure for a little while and Belinda's come to help. She's defeated her own opponent, and I won't have to reveal anything else.' With everything within control, Leylin let out a smile, expressing his relief.
The enemy's eyes were filled with despair, and he gave up the fight with Leylin. The Azure Trench Serpent was forcefully ordered to retreat. Blocking Leylin's path, he jumped onto the back of the giant four-winged bird, ready to escape.
"Trying to run away?" An icy voice came from under the Alabaster Devilsnake phantom, "Dream on!"
Under the enormous Alabaster Devilsnake, the Azure Trench Serpent looked negligible and weak. Even Leylin could not help but feel pity for him.
...
Leylin's opponent escaping was a signal to the others. After seeing their comrade flee, the rest of the Morning Star guards were prompted to plan their escape too, and the governor of Elias was no exception.
A rank 4 beast spirit master on top of being a rank 4 Sacrificer, he could unleash the full power of Morning Star. If not for Bayclark, the fight would've been much easier for him. Unfortunately, this giant Elder Eye set his eyes upon him the moment they met.
"Let me handle him! You try to block the other Nefarious Filthbird followers!" The Elder Eye's soul force radiated outwards, and he wrapped himself and the governor up completely.
;What a ruthless and vicious way to claim victory!; Leylin was left completely speechless, and he took the initiative to retreat backwards and gave up the battlefield to others.
Puppet and Dark Forces
After the fierce battle, the Morning Star military were all injured and had wholeheartedly broken out from the enemy's siege. Without having any fight left in them, they had put in so much work for nothing.
Leylin chose to withdraw at this moment- a selfless and noble model of action that many were grateful to emulate. Of course,there were some who took him for a fool.
But Leylin paid no heed to this, and expressionlessly retreated to the back to rest and watch the great battle.
"Although our enemies continue to battle half-heartedly, if they can't find a way out, a fight to the death with them would be frightening! The most important thing is that I am not a follower of the Trial's Eye, so there is no incentive for me to risk my life for this battle…"
Leylin shook his head and formed his own thoughts.
"And now is the chance!"
"A.I. Chip! Execute Plan 1!"
[Beep! Mission established! Initiating plan! Intelligent Body No. 1 is ready!] The A.I. Chip replied faithfully.
"Very good, undo the bloodline seal!"
With Leylin's will, his body's formerly dormant bloodline power became berserk, although the Thousand Snake Curse had absorbed a lot of bloodline power, the strength of a rank 5 Warlock could still awaken in Leylin.
"This feeling is the strength of a Warlock! Shadow puppet! " Leylin almost wanted to roar loudly, but managed to hold back. This was urgent after all, and a spell formation was transferred out immediately.
A shadow puppet that looked exactly like Leylin began to take shape, and with the help of A.I. Chip, it simulated Leylin so perfectly to life, to the point where even acquaintances could not differentiate between the two, let alone these strangers.
The enormous shadow of a serpent emerged like a black arrow shooting out from under the surface of the sea where Leylin was standing, and quickly disappeared into the deep sea. Due to the secretive nature of the giant snake, with the help of the power of the shadow, those fixated on the battlefield failed to notice anything.
"The Evil King's True Eye! Death Ray!"
At this time, the battlefield had reached its climax. Several Guardians tried to flee but were stopped, and the war continued. In the core of the battle, an enormous illusory shadow of a Beholder emerged.
The elder Beholder Beyclarke demonstrated the power of its innate skill, which was stronger than the power displayed by Geiger Dole. Not only did its phantom look real, the death ray that emerged from its pupils was also substantial, with a strong aura of death.
"My lord Flapwing, the Ruler of Chaos! Please watch over us and come to the aid of your loyal subjects, and resolve our current predicament…"
In the face of this death light, even the governor of Elias did not dare to be careless.
In the midst of the high-spirited chanting, the bird Dignitary behind the governor unleashed a enormous grey-coloured power, without even asking for the slightest sacrifice.
This was also the privilege of a rank 4 Sacrificer, they were able to receive power first, then sacrifice later.
The grey power was all over the governor's body, not only suppressing all his injuries but steadily flowing into the body of the Nighthawk under him.
"Oh oh!" Accompanied by loud and clear cries of the hawk, the giant Nighthawk seemed to be covered in an extra layer of gray feathers. Its body even enlarged considerably and began to change from its original form as a Nighthawk, transforming into the appearance of the bird dignitary.
After the transformation, the Nighthawk's aura became even more powerful, and its aura even suggested a breakthrough from rank 4. With a terrifying gale, it suddenly charged into the death ray.
A massive red ray of light exploded with a faint roar, and even those with the strength of Morning Star could not look directly at it. From the core of the explosion, a few pieces of grey feathers seemed to float down softly.
After the glare had dissipated, the Nighthawk flew back to the governor. It barely suffered any visible injuries, but the death ray from earlier had disappeared without a trace.
"Haa! Using both Sacrificer and beast spirit magic to this level, governor, you are pretty good!"
Bayclark seemed to be rather surprised and said, "Your eyes are now worthy of being in my collection!"
While emitting the soul undulations, the shadow of the Trial's Eye emerged from behind Bayclark, along with gold lightning flickering midair.
"Trial's Eye!" "Trial's Eye!" "Trial's Eye!"
The friction from the thunder and lightning caused a sizzling sound, along with the faint whistle of a gale. The sounds all came together to form a defeaning roar, as strong Trialforce descended through an unknown channel, Belinda and other priests were affected, seemingly reaping benefits from that.
"Haaa! The gap between ranks renders all efforts futile. I am still a rank 5 Sacrificer, and I can unleash a little Trialpower! Under the Lord's trial, everything will be burnt to ashes!"
Bayclark looked incredibly pious as he made the announcement, which seemed more like a declaration. With that, a golden light fell and swept away the gray power.
The gray power clashed with the golden light, and like snow melting away from the sun, it quickly began dissipating. The Elias' governor's face turned deathly pale as he watched this scene.
The reason why this had happened was not because the Filthbird was not as good as the Trial's Eye, but it was due to their Sacrificers being of different ranks, resulting in the different level of power being called upon.
The ranking of the Sacrificers were of the same as the Magi, with an insurmountable chasm between each rank.
If a rank 4 Sacrificer's communication channel was like a river, then the rank 5 Sacrificer's communication channel was like the ocean; the quality and quantity were unrivalled. Therefore, Elias' Governor's defeat was inevitable.
"Dignitary! My clan and my dream will all fail just like this?"
The great Trialpower, even when it was isolated to this area, made the transmission of the Filthbird's power much more difficult. It even severed his final escape route. The governor immediately looked all around him, and was utterly devastated at the sight of their soldiers and elder guards' defeat.
The time where he had come to the Hale Continent and established the colonial base was filled with hardships. The subsequent crises where he had faced life or death choices all came back to him, and the governor went into a trance-like state.
This sort of situation happening to this formidable person was almost unconsciable.
"Haaa! Have you lost all hope? Heathen, I'll completely restrict your ability, and then complete the final ritual. With your physical qualities, you might give me a pleasant surprise! Heee…"
Bayclark laughed sinisterly, and suddenly, three vertical eyes widened.
"That's wrong! In this instant, he hadn't slipped into his fantasies of his own accord, but this is…dreamforce! Retreat!"
A massive force of Trialpower flowed into Bayclark like a golden electrical current, forcing out traces of a dark red fog.
It was then that Bayclark discovered they had already been surrounded by a layer of dark red fog.
It was also because of the influence of dreamforce that made the governor of Elias see illusions.
"Belinda, Nick! What are you both doing?"
Under the influence of the dreamland, even Bayclark's men displayed a certain degree of a trance-like state, allowing some important targets to escape. Upon seeing this, Bayclark immediately burst out shouting.
"What's going on? Is there someone from the same clan here?"
'Nick' looked at this scene in shock, his eyes were filled with surprise. The shadow puppet and A.I. Chip's intelligence worked together, vividly projecting Leylin's gestures and actions.
"No! This ability to connect to dreamforce is not a mixed-blood's ability. This was the work of a pure-blooded Alabaster Devilsnake!"
Belinda also recovered from her trance, but the price was the opponent fleeing the battlefield, though now she couldn't pay any attention to that.
Although some of the mixed-blood Alabaster Devilsnake had the ability to connect to the Dreamscape, when it was so large-scale and it could even pulled Bayclark into its illusory trap, it could not be the work of a mixed-blood! Belinda was very sure of this.
Belinda shuddered at what this could mean.
"Even if they were a direct descendant of the Matriarch, is it possible for them to fight against the Filthbird? Perhaps they have fully matured, otherwise they absolutely couldn't have concealed themselves from Lord Bayclark…"
Thinking of this, Belinda quietly moved to Nick's side.
"Something is wrong! Take care of yourself and pay attention to my command!" Belinda whispered to Nick secretly.
"Do not worry! I know we don't have to force ourselves. If we face a pure-blooded noble, the bloodline suppression would be enough to make us lose most of our strength…"
The A.I. Chip's imitation of 'Nick' was filled with a look of worry.
"Who is that? Come out!"
Golden lightning swept across and the increasingly concentrated red fog tangled together continuously.
It was very obvious that after the initial rage and shock, Bayclark also realised that the huge amount of power used to summon dreamforce could not have been the work of Belinda and Nick, both rank 4 mixed-blood.
To its knowledge, this could only be done by a mature Alabaster Devilsnake or a Pale Devil clan member. Also, the Pale Devils had always been loyal to the direct descendants of the Snake Dowager. The meaning behind these actions aroused the suspicion of Belinda and Bayclark.
With loud rumbling sounds, the crimson dreamforce began to stick together, forming a few red silhouette which surrounded Bayclark and the rest.
"Let's go!" A giant force pulled the governor and several other survivors into the red fog.
Captivity and Escape
Watching the Governor of Elias and the other survivors scurrying to flee the waters, Leylin revealed a trace of an evil smile.
There was no doubt that Leylin was responsible for secretly constructing the massive field of dreamforce.
Originally, due to the restrictions of dreamforce, although Leylin was familiar with most of the Dreamscape spell formations below rank 5, he was ineffective in bringing out its full power.
However, with the appearance of Belinda, and the rank 5 Alabaster Devilsnake's bloodline on the Mask of the Dreamless, Leylin met the necessary requirements to do this.
The Alabaster Devilsnake had the ability to connect to the Dreamscape, and through the analysis of Belinda's energy pathways, Leylin was able to quickly familiarise himself with the details of doing this. Belinda was completely not wary of 'Nick' since he was one of them, it was relatively easy to gather intelligence or scan her system.
Taking the next few steps would now be simpler. Leylin, who had secretly escaped from the battle, had decided to draw on the Alabaster Devilsnake's bloodline and summon a huge wave of dreamforce, saving Elias' governor and the others in a single move.
After all, compared to the Snake Dowager and Trial's Eye, the Nefarious Filthbird was still an ally and Leylin had to be more considerate when it came to the Filthbird's power.
In addition, there was still a need for him to keep in contact with the Nefarious Filthbird, hence he could not risk performing poorly now.
To conceal his identity, the dreamforce was clearly the best choice and the blame could even be placed on the Alabaster Devilsnake's clan, which killed two birds with one stone.
"Benevolence has been shown, and next, time for the greetings!"
Leylin stared coldly at the centre of the huge dark red fog.
Within it came a huge golden flash of lightning, which seemed to pierce the sky like a sword, carving out a terrifying channel.
"Who exactly are you? Why do you want to rescue the governor and the others?" Golden thunder filled with overwhelming Trialpower surrounded Bayclark completely.
The crimson wall of fog exploded in an instant, revealing an indistinct figure.
What appeared in front of them was a giant over five meters tall, whose body was enveloped in the crimson fog.
The overwhelming dreamforce formed into a malevolent-looking armour on the giant. There were dark red spirals on the surface of the armour which once again gathered shattered pieces of dreamforce.
"I'm obviously here to take your life!"
An oppressive voice came from the fog giant.
Bayclark's face darkened upon hearing the rude answer, "I will kill this shady fellow!"
Although the fog giant possessed a powerful aura, it had failed to break through to the realm of rank 5. Bayclark was relieved at this discovery. Shortly after, Bayclark got more frustrated at this thing- it was unforgivable to disturb the great Bayclark when he was enjoying his games! Also, its behaviour was so secretive, which unexpectedly corresponded with what Bayclark had in mind.
He had always considered Leylin as a powerful member of the Alabaster Devilsnake's clan, and his presence in the coastal area of Hail Continent as well as his rescue of the Nefarious Filthbird's disciples put Bayclark in a tough position.
It was much simpler now that this fog giant did not reveal its identity, Bayclark could treat this thing as hostile and exterminate it!
Thereafter, Bayclark instantly used his greatest attack.
"True Eye of the Evil Monarch, Death ray!" A more terrifying death ray than before shot out from its eyes. The golden ray of lightning filled with overwhelming Trialpower faintly enhanced the death ray.
From afar, the death ray resembled a powerful rifle with a handle decorated with gold lines, with a sense of determined and courageous advancement, and it fired directly towards Leylin.
"A blitzkrieg strategy? [1 A strategy to resolve everything in the shortest period of time] Great!" Leylin looked at Bayclark's performance, nodding in agreement as if this was also his plan. After all, Bayclark was a rank 5 Sacrificer. Leylin feared that this opponent would have a hidden ace up its sleeves. And it would be an even more incredible feat if Bayclark managed to summon a clone of the Trial's Eye.
They had only used a portion of the dignitary's power in the previous battles. If Bayclark had called out a clone with the main body's intelligence, Leylin did not have the confidence to keep up his pretense.
"Its power is rather good, it's comparable to a rank 5's killing move!"
Watching the approaching death ray, Leylin evaluated the situation calmly, but the strange thing was that although there was only a small distance between him and the death ray, it never seemed to hit its target. This feeling of confusion sickened Bayclark to the point where it wanted to throw up blood.
Although Leylin had sealed his bloodline and had the Allsnake Curse absorbing his bloodline energy, he had now been restored to full strength. He possessed the power to usurp the Blazing Monarch! For Leylin, the fact was that Bayclark was just an ordinary rank 5 and therefore insufficiently strong.
"To capture Bayclark, I must hide my true identity. The only thing I can use is the Alabaster Devilsnake's bloodline and dreamforce!"
Leylin glanced at Bayclark as though he was looking at an ant and said, "You have the privilege of having a taste of the power of a former peak-ranked Radiant Moon Magus…"
For a moment, Bayclark was rather puzzled, but his attention immediately turned to Leylin's hand that emitted brightly coloured rays of light. It was fascinated by the countless streaks and fast-moving spell formations.
[Bleep! Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline depleting, drawing energy from the Dreamscape!]
With the A.I.Chip's reminder, the golden red lines on the Mask of the Dreamless faded a little, and immediately Leylin's true soul connected to an incredible world.
A violent wave of dreamforce surged and converged on Leylin, the power that formed was enough to shake the heavens.
"Rank 5 Dreamscape Spell Formation——Splendid Lunar Illusion!" Leylin's currently strongest Dreamscape spell formation which could trap even Breaking Dawn Magi burst out violently.
Dreamlike undulations spread out suddenly, and Belinda and others were the first to space out, glassy-eyed. Bayclark bore the brunt of the attack and lost vision in its three giant vertical eyes, and even the energy shield on its body dissipated.
Splendid Lunar Illusion——utilised by Leylin, the A.I. Chip's projected Dreamscape spell formation was able to penetrate through all defenses, directly transporting the opponent's true soul into the Dreamscape with a 90% attack accuracy against a Radiant Moon Magus!
Bayclark was clearly not a strong rank 5, and after getting hit by the Splendid Lunar Illusion, had completely lost all its will to fight.
"Let's go!" Leylin's silhouette instantly appeared in front of the despondent Bayclark, and many seal charms entered into its body, the most important point being it's now sealed three giant vertical eyes.
When the seal was complete, the place where Bayclark was standing initially was left with only a huge iron chain sphere.
[Beep! Hidden Triple Seal complete! True seal has been completely sealed! Dreamscape seal has completely penetrated! The target's energy undulations: 0]
A.I. Chip returned the the updated information from the scan.
Leylin held onto one end of the iron chain, his whole body instantly changing into a long crimson streak, as he was dragged by the iron ball to leave this place at lightning speed.
...
Belinda and the other Morning Stars only recovered after the red streak disappeared from the horizon.
"This is too scary…Is this the power of a pure-blood? I have a premonition that if I were to face that power, my true soul would probably be forever stuck in the Dreamscape, never to return to my body…"
Belinda's eyes blurred and she was shocked by a loud scream.
"Lord Bayclark!! Lord Bayclark!! Lord Bayclark was captured by the attacker!!!"
Another Morning Star shrieked with sorrow, reminding Belinda of their current predicament.
Although the operation had been very smooth in the beginning, their main target – the governor – had escaped, and even their commander had been taken away. This was the utmost insult to their dignitary, the Trial's Eye!
It was highly likely that everyone involved would be punished, being frozen was considered the most lenient punishment.
Belinda felt bitter and bewildered about her future.
"Don't worry, Belinda, no matter what happens, I'll always help you!"
At this time, a familiar figure came over. 'Nick' gave a smile that warmed Belinda's heart.
With Nick's support and encouragement, Belinda regained her strength.
"Everyone!" She stepped forward with great strength, looking over her panicking comrades.
"Things have happened, whatever we do now will be useless. The most important thing we have do is to report this back to the headquarters and inform them of this incident. A loss of a rank 5 Sacrificer is enough to alert the Master of Order… Now, we can only wait… "
The role of a leader was important in times of crisis.
Those Morning Star warriors left the ocean surface with the sea creatures and soldiers as if they were awakening from a dream. They did not seem too concerned about the ruined Port Elias.
From Nick's point of view, they just wanted to find a scapegoat. Belinda being here was just what they needed, being able to pin all responsibilities and blames on her. Afterall, by the time the headquarters sent someone to here, Belinda would draw most suspicion. Her Alabaster Devilsnake bloodline would make her an easy target .
"It seems that even with the dignitary's influence, corruption was unavoidable…"
The intellectual body of Nick looked coldly at this scene.
Giant Tortoise and Sacrifice
*Swish!* A brilliant blood-red arc of light cut through the air, wiping out the massive flames. The outside world looked extremely distorted from within it, and it gave one a momentary feeling of isolation. It was clear that this streak was moving at great speeds.
The ray of light vanished in an instant and all became still, but it did not seem too abrupt. A black silhouette revealed itself, and beneath it was an enormous iron hammer with many iron chains firmly sealing a large number of runes.
'This place is at least a thousand miles away from Port Elias. It should be far enough.' This was naturally Leylin. After snatching Bayclark, he had been afraid of arousing too much suspicion so he'd used a lot of concealment and bewitching spells, quickly fleeing from the scene.
Although he did not know how much effect the spells he cast had, it was always better than nothing. Leylin finally let out a sigh of relief after making sure that he'd fled this far without being followed.
'However, for the sake of safety I should settle this as quickly as possible.' Leylin's figure descended unhurriedly, arriving at a lonely island.
This island was very small, and was comparable to a single drop of water in the middle of the vast ocean. It also looked desolate, with no vegetation or fresh water sources that could be found.
However, Leylin nodded his head in satisfaction, especially after sweeping the area with his soul force, 'This should be a good place, especially as it keeps moving.'
While laughing softly, Leylin lightly stamped his right foot, causing the ground to hum. A tremor was sent through his foot, which grew larger and ended up forming a small earthquake and a tsunami.
*Rumble* Broken rocks rolled over the coral reef, and a small fissure appeared. By the time the earthquake had calmed a little, even stronger vibrations began to sound out.
An oppressive hiss from an animal, like the cry of a dragon or the roar of a tiger, sounded out from the dark sea.
*Crash* All of a sudden, Leylin's isolated island began to move. The black rock rose higher and higher from the sea, with kelp and black shells attached to it. In the end, the small island became a huge and irregular piece of circular land.
*Crash* On one side of the island, numerous rocks fell to the bottom of the sea, revealing a large, pitch-black hole. Promptly, a snake-like head stretched out from this hole.
The howl from earlier had evidently come from this monster's throat. Its body was immense and its eyelids were still covered in algae and green moss.
[Beep! High energy undulations have been discovered, scan completed!] Accompanying the A.I. Chip's voice, a complete image of this monster had already been projected in front of Leylin.
This monster was an impressively huge tortoise whose length reached tens of thousands of meters. Leylin's 'island' was actually part of its shell, and since the monster had been floating motionlessly for far too long, it had started to show vestiges of life.
"It's a miracle of life, or should it be called the beauty of this world? It really is quite fascinating!" Leylin murmured a few words of praise. This type of giant tortoise could sleep for thousands of years at a time. If this island had been discovered by ignorant people, even a city could have developed on the tortoise's back.
"Good day, your Excellency. Sorry to disturb your rest. I was wondering if you could give me a ride? I'll be sure to make it up to you later."
The A.I. Chip had determined the giant tortoise to be rank 4, but it still had to be subservient to him when faced with his Half Moon truesoul. Thus, it began to slowly move through the depths of the sea.
'Very good,' Leylin nodded his head, and his body automatically descended into the bottom floor of the coral island. It was as if the floor had melted under him. 'A moving target is clearly less likely to be discovered. Now, I have to dispose of this fellow, lest it becomes a hidden danger.'
Soon after, a small yellow light radiated out to clear out an expansive underground space. The walls fused to become a marble-like material, the structure evidently stable.
Leylin sat cross-legged on the dry floor, with a very solemn expression on his face, "A.I. Chip, transfer the content on the Purgatory World's Sacrificers."
[Beep! Establishing task, commencing transfer...] Along with the A.I. Chip's feedback, a large amount of data was very quickly gathered and saved in Leylin's memory bank.
The path of offerings had a very long history in the Purgatory World and had become the main strength system after many years of decisions.
In the past, Leylin had believed that this kind of sacrifice was a technique from the World of Gods. However, there seemed to be evidence that the technique had appeared before the end of the Great War.
Although the origin of the path of offering could not be verified, it had gone through such a long period of development that it was very rich in core content.
The so-called Sacrificers offered sacrifices to a higher existence, which required that the receiver have some comprehension of laws. This way, amplification power could be sent down through their subconscious communication channels.
The higher existence would amplify the Sacrificer's strength. Even if it was for a limited time, it was still an extraordinary thing. With the correct sacrifice it was possible to almost borrow the power indefinitely. Assuming the Sacrificer could endure it, of course.
The Sacrificer's rank could be improved through continuous sacrifices, and once they reached rank 4 they could perform a ceremony to permanently increase their attributes.
After the ceremony, the Sacrificer would be branded by their chosen dignitary and their sacrifices wouldn't be accepted by others.
After many amplifications, the Sacrificer could receive power that surpassed their race. Take the Governor of Elias for example, his physical prowess exceeded even Melinda who was a mixed blood rank 4 Alabaster Devilsnake.
Furthermore, not only could rank 4 Sacrificers borrow power first and sacrifice later, they could also try to summon a clone of their dignitary.
From what Leylin understood, the sacrifice represented the limits of what you could get from the dignitary. So high level sacrifices meant receiving greater attention and a quicker response from the dignitary.
This was why he had to run far away after capturing Bayclark. Since he was a rank 5 Sacrificer, he was sure to capture the attention of the Trial's Eye.
A Rank 5 Sacrificer could even borrow a tiny bit of the power of laws from their Exemplary, such as the golden lightning and trial power.
Relying on that, Bayclark was not weak for a rank 5. Leylin's own strength just surpassed his greatly.
'According to the A.I. Chips speculations, a rank 6 Sacrificer can borrow the dignitary's power over laws. It would be possible to borrow up to 90% of this power if the Sacrificer and the dignitary are highly compatible. Their strength would surpass the power of the Blazing Flame Monarch…' Leylin's expression became rather imposing.
'Of course, the path of sacrifices has its disadvantages as well. After all, the power of laws can only be borrowed, and not retained. No matter how harmonious the relationship is, Sacrificers cannot rely on this to reach Rank 7. Those dignitaries won't allow others to grasp their laws. Therefore, rank 6 is the peak for a Sacrificer. However, there may be exceptions…'
As if he had thought of something, the corners of Leylin's mouth curved into an excited smile, and his entire being seemed to be eager to try something.
[Beep! Transmission of Sacrificial Array has been completed!] A complex spell formation formed in Leylin's mind.
This was not just the Sacrificial Array he had recorded, but one that he had modified and optimised with the A.I. Chip. Not only could it accept more sacrificial power, but it could also minimise any loss.
If Leylin was willing to sell this modified version, it would make him extremely rich. Of course, he wouldn't do such a thing.
'The decisions made in the first sacrifice are incredibly important and the offering is a crucial point. The better the offering of the first sacrifice, the more attention and benefits will be given by the dignitary.'
Leylin's spatial pouch flashed, and many resources appeared. He began to draw the modified Sacrificial Array whose power surpassed the Purgatory World's most powerful secret techniques. It was all thanks to the A.I. Chip and the enormous amount of labour and resources that Leylin had poured into it.
"Also…" After arranging the Sacrificial Array, Leylin looked at the surrounding walls and swept his palms across them. Layer upon layer of blood-red lightning runes automatically emerged.
"Summoning across worlds!" "Powerful binding!" "Annihilation ray!" "Breath isolation!" "Location interference!" A great number of advanced ancient runes steadily emerged on the wall, which were the same standard as those used in astral laboratories.
Although Leylin was prepared to practice the path of offerings, it was still necessary to be cautious. By the time he was finished, he looked a little tired even though his soul force was still frighteningly vast.
*Crash* The black runic chain was broken, exposing the Elder Eye Bayclark within.
Bayclark's soul force was currently sealed, to the point where he couldn't even express himself. His three vertical pupils were filled with terror.
"We meet again, Elder Bayclark!" Leylin faced Bayclark and greeted it.
Bayclark trembled in fear when he saw Leylin, especially after he noticed the Sacrificial Array.
[Beep! Sacrificial Array has been completed, simulated success rate is 100%!]
At this moment, the A.I. Chip transmitted some information…
Seals and Restoration
[Sacrificial Array completed! Please choose the target of the sacrifice!]
Several strange symbols emerged on the A.I. Chip's screen. These symbols seemed to transcend the three-dimensional screen, possessing a strangely ancient feeling, with an aura of the power of laws.
Leylin looked silently at these runes. The A.I. Chip illustrated 7 runes in total, one for each continent's dignitaries. Among the 7, there were a few that Leylin was naturally familiar with. A vertical eye rune, a twisting snake rune and a rune of a giant bird spreading its wings.
"Trial's Eye. Snake Dowager. And the Nefarious Filthbird." Leylin murmured the names of the three dignitaries represented by the runes. These three had left the deepest impression on Leylin, albeit not the most pleasant ones.
"Sacrifice target selection: Nefarious Filthbird!" Leylin held out his hand and lightly touched the rune of the giant bird spreading its wings. The rune was, almost instantly, copied into the previously empty core of the Sacrificial Array.
A foul and chaotic power seemed to have penetrated the barrier through deep and unknown channels, reaching this place. Threads of grey mist lingered above the array, and it was possible to hear faint crowing sounds coming from within.
Seeing this scene, even though he was firmly sealed, Bayclark's body reacted slightly in anticipation of a fight. After all, being sacrificed to the Order of the Eye's greatest enemy was unacceptable to this pious believer.
Unfortunately, no one would listen to the barking of a loser, be it in Leylin's previous life or in the Magus World.
"Almighty Ruler of Chaos, the Flapwing, the free will that soars in countless dimensions! I, Leylin Farlier, call you reverently…"
Leylin chanted in the complex and obscure ritualistic language, which created faint undulations of soul force.
From the movements of the soul force, the ritual language acted like a mysterious key which opened a giant door somewhere. The entire Sacrificial Array rumbled, and the giant bird rune seemingly came to life and let out an elated chirp.
A large amount of grey light condensed and the space seemed to faintly warp. When it finally reached the limit, it loudly exploded.
*Crash* A grey flame suddenly emerged from the core of the Sacrificial Array.
"Almighty dignitary, Your Excellency the Nefarious Filthbird. Please accept my offering." Leylin's eyes held a trace of indifference, and the Beholder on the ground was pulled into the core of the array by an invisible string.
*Rumble!* The little flames suddenly grew to engulf the entire Beholder.
"Ah... I curse you... Curse you..."
In the grey flame, the huge Beholder began to melt like a wax sculpture. Even his truesoul was corroded. Leylin could still hear Bayclark's dying curses ringing in his ears.
Just this sort of thing could not change his expression even slightly. Leylin's eyes, however, were fully absorbed in the sacrificial process, and he occasionally still made adjustments.
It was very clear that for a beginner Sacrificer, it was nearly impossible to get a strong rank 5 being as an offering, let alone a Beholder who was a rank 5 Sacrificer of the Trial's Eye.
The original Sacrificial Array that Leylin had bought in Port Elias wasn't anything special. Although it was enough to get someone to rank 4, it was inadequate for the current situation.
When the Beholder Elder was completely melted, a horrifying energy overflowed from the wax, while an unbearable lamenting cry sounded from the Sacrificial Array.
'Really…' Leylin speechlessly shook his head, and proceeded to further strengthen the array with his soul force.
Since this was a high-level sacrifice, the laws of the world had finally been attracted when the Beholder was almost completely melted.
The high-spirited chirps of a bird followed. Then, the runes set in place by Leylin began to flash explosively. Some of them even started to fall apart. In the end, the Sacrificial Array produced a piercing light.
The grey flame became scarlet red in a flash, and the blood-curling screeches of the Beholder Elder increased in pitch.
*Bang* The blood-red flames completely swallowed up Bayclark, a rank 5 Sacrificer and Elder Eye. A huge amount of wax concentrated into a ball, constantly twisting and changing shape while it broiled within the scarlet red flames. Finally, it became a clever-looking little grey bird.
"We meet again, almighty Flapwing! Your Excellency, the Nefarious Filthbird!" This was obviously the Nefarious Filthbird's clone, and Leylin bowed in greeting without delay.
The little grey bird's eyes were rather glassy, but soon it was occupied by an intelligent personality. It looked at Leylin, its eyes expressing an obvious smile.
"We meet again. Snake Dowager's blood descendant, Kemoyin Serpent Emperor." A greatly changed and mechanical voice rang directly in the bottom of Leylin's heart.
The little grey bird fluttered its wings, while seemingly very interested, "I am very satisfied with your offering, but your heart still seems to harbour some distrust." The bird obviously pointed towards the strong binding and isolation runes on the walls.
Leylin just smiled slightly, "Please forgive your humble subject's precautions. However, I believe that for a mighty dignitary like yourself, these are just like fine rain and cannot harm you at all."
"Sly little fellow, you act as though this isn't the first time you summon me. Nonetheless, I sense leftover marks of the Trial's Eye's contracts." The little grey bird said this with certainty, after sniffing Leylin's body.
Leylin's eyes flashed with an expression of sudden understanding. This must have been back when he was a rank 1 Magus and he used the Nefarious Filthbird Feather Solution to clear the Trial's Eye's contract.
But, after improving his knowledge, Leylin was sure that the Nefarious Filthbird Feather Solution was merely some kind of medicine's name. The main material was definitely not the feather of this entity, otherwise no one would let Leylin use it.
Certainly, the Trial's Eye's contracts used by rank 1 and rank 2 Magi were not high-level due to limits of these Magi's strengths. Thus, they could still be erased by Leylin's accidental use of the Nefarious Filthbird Feather Solution.
Although he had only borrowed a millionth of the bird's power, the bird still keenly perceived it.
"Yes. At the time, I was able to break the bonds of the Trial's Eyes. I need to thank the dignitary for your power," Leylin respectfully expressed his thanks.
"You don't need to thank me, young man. Breaking the bonds of the Trial's Eye is my mission and duty." As a result of this introduction, the Nefarious Filthbird regarded Leylin with much gentler eyes, "You did the right thing. If you had not immediately offered this Sacrificer, the Trial's Eye would have found you within 10 hourglasses' time."
At this point, the Nefarious Filthbird sent another message, "Now, it can no longer find you. Furthermore, everything that pertains to you will be concealed by chaos and filth, thanks to my power of chaos here.
After hearing this, Leylin's expression relaxed considerably.
As expected, to fight against a dignitary, Leylin could only borrow the power of another one. The Nefarious Filthbird's concealment made his earlier risks worth the trouble.
"So, Magus, tell me your request." The Nefarious Filthbird spread its wings, looking incomparably solemn.
"Almighty Ruler of Chaos, please, may I ask if it is possible for you to remove the Allsnake Curse from my body?" Leylin restrained the excitement in his heart, and asked in a dignified voice.
"The Allsnake Curse comes from the Snake Dowager. We are of the same rank, so I am unable to completely remove it." The little grey bird shook its head but, just when Leylin became disappointed, it continued, "However, the Power of Chaos is enough to postpone the flare-up from the curse. Do you want to suppress it?"
"Please, go ahead." Leylin gnashed his teeth. It went without saying that entering the Purgatory World was already a risk, so he would not reject this offer.
"This seal will consume half of the sacrifice's power." The little grey bird looked deeply into Leylin's eyes, and shortly after the terrifying grey power of chaos began to pour into Leylin's body.
The immense power of chaos spread through his skin and flesh, then extending to his sea of consciousness and soul.
[Beep! Invading energy detected, eliminate?] A red warning box popped up from the A.I. Chip.
'No,' Leylin gnashed his teeth, 'But continue monitoring.'
[Removing resistance! Initiating monitoring mode!] The A.I. Chip dutifully sent back.
A great quantity of chaotic power spread through Leylin's body. In the end, it converged in his forehead, forming a silver seal around it.
The Allsnake Curse seemingly squirmed, but very soon it was suppressed by the vast amount of chaotic power.
[Beep! The Allsnake Curse's seal has been reinforced! Estimated time to outbreak: 20 years!] Leylin's status box was very quickly refreshed with new information.
[The host's Sacrificer Rank has risen! Current Sacrificer target: the Nefarious Filthbird! Rank: 4] [Detecting that the host's bloodline power has been released, the sacrifice strength has increased as well. Host's stats have fluctuated greatly, re-collecting data!]
Soon, the A.I. Chip showed the new stats.
[Leylin Farlier, Rank 5 Magus, Bloodline: Kemoyin Serpent Emperor (Complete Form). Strength: 51 (76), Agility: 46 (62), Vitality: 135 (176.9), Spiritual Force: 1575.8 (2003.5), Magic Power: 1575 (Magic Power is in synchronisation with Spiritual Force), Soul Force: 158, Status: Rank 4 Sacrificer strength is increasing in force! Estimated time to the Allsnake Curse outbreak: 20 years!]
"Freeing part of my bloodline force, and the growth in rank as a Sacrificer, has actually restored so much of my strength."
After seeing his stats changing greatly, an ecstatic expression immediately appeared on Leylin's face.
Feather of Chaos
The Allsnake Curse caused all of Leylin's stats to fall and sentenced him to die in 2 years. These problems felt like a rope constantly tightening around Leylin's neck, stifling him. But now, with the Nefarious Filthbird's help, Leylin finally felt less pressed for time, allowing him to relax a little.
"My Laws of Confusion Seal can delay the Allsnake Curse from flaring-up for up to 18 years. After 20 years, even if you contact a rank 8 being again you won't be able to strengthen the seal and postpone it any further. Unless, you are able to find a Rank 9 Everlasting One…"
The Nefarious Filthbird's voice was heard again. However, the small grey bird in front of Leylin seemed to have become slightly illusory, as if it had consumed too much energy.
"Thank you, almighty dignitary." Even if the curse wasn't completely resolved, Leylin still thanked the Filthbird sincerely. After all, if it wasn't for it, he wouldn't have 20 years to solve his problems.
"There is still half of the power of sacrifice left. Tell me your other requests." The bird spoke within Leylin's consciousness again.
Leylin pondered for a while and spoke of his plans, "Almighty Flapwing, I hope to obtain something to conceal myself. After all, I am bound to go deeper into the Hail Continent if I want to completely remove the Allsnake Curse."
He had already discovered long ago that, in the Purgatory World where the path of offering was prevalent, there was still a fatal weakness in any disguise he could come up with.
The weakness was the existence of a dignitary's clone when one sacrificed. As long as the Sacrificers reached rank 4, they would be able to summon the clone of a dignitary. And, if those clones were intelligent, they would definitely be able to expose Leylin's disguise.
During the previous skirmish, both the Elias Governor and Bayclark were only able to summon a phantom of their dignitary and not a complete clone. Hence, Leylin was able to conceal himself. However, he knew it was impossible to avoid them forever, especially in the Hail Continent. Therefore, suitable methods for concealment were necessary, and they had to be able to deceive the dignitary's clones.
Furthermore, these existences may have some special detection methods. In particular, the Snake Dowager, who was the source of Kemoyin bloodline descendants, would have such methods. There might be some kind of special reaction towards her own descendants.
Although Leylin had already prepared all sorts of countermeasures, it still did not stop him from adding another insurance.
"You are very intelligent," the Nefarious Filthbird nodded in approval, "Once you appear within a range of 5 kilometers from one of our clones, you will definitely be unable to escape our detection."
"I bestow upon you the Feather of Chaos. The one who holds this item receives the protection of chaotic power. As long as you don't come into contact with the dignitary's real body, you won't be discovered. "
The small bird's silhouette became even more faint. In the end, it transformed into a grey illusory feather that floated in front of Leylin.
"Snake Dowager's descendant, Kemoyin Serpent Emperor. Travel the Hail Continent as you wish, and tear the Dowager's godly status apart."
The grey Nefarious Filthbird's clone vanished. Only a residue of its conscient reverberated in the secret chamber. In a flash, the Sacrificial Array exploded with a bang and turned into flying dust.
"I gained more than what I expected." Leylin let out a long breath, feeling rather glad.
Doing business with the Nefarious Filthbird was like dancing on a tightrope. Leylin had no choice but to consider all worst case scenarios.
Luckily, due to the arch-enemy relationship between the Nefarious Filthbird and the Trial's Eye, it was very willing to see the Trial's Eye's ally, the Snake Dowager, be defeated. This was the foundation of the deal between both sides
Leylin's own power and his meticulous arrangements were the most crucial part of his plan. Even had the Filthbird's clone suddenly turned hostile, he had the confidence to break the Sacrificial Array and escape from it instantly.
With a common enemy, and since Leylin himself could escape, the Nefarious Filthbird was willing to see him as a pseudo-ally.
Furthermore, Leylin still wasn't able to completely trust the Nefarious Filthbird, since there was only a mutual relationship of wanting to use each other between them. Of course, the Nefarious Filthbird still had the greater advantage and their interests did not clash. Therefore, it was possible to maintain their agreement.
For instance, for Leylin who was an insincere sacrificer, being promoted directly to rank 4 level by the Nefarious Filthbird was a very good testimony that they could work together.
There would never be a lucky person who became an Everlasting One in the world. Only through careful, meticulous considerations and anticipating worst case scenarios would one be able to guarantee success.
'Rank 4 Sacrificers can already begin to amplify their body's attributes through attracting the dignitary's energy into their own body, and solidifying it permanently.'
Leylin muttered to himself, "This kind of promotion often comes with a price. The whole body might be branded by the Nefarious Filthbird's energy which creates a tissue and cellular transformation that cannot be opposed. Ultimately, one might even be controlled by them. A.I. Chip, conduct an all-round inspection of my body's energy structure."
[Beep! Mission established, beginning to scan!] The mechanical sound of the A.I. Chip echoed. Soon after, fine blue light continuously swept across every part of Leylin's body.
[Discovered unknown energy structure! Determined to be the Nefarious Filthbird's energy branding! Eliminate?] Without spending much time, the A.I. Chip responded.
Leylin had long prepared for this outcome. Hence, he did not look surprised at all, and he commanded very calmly instead, "Show me the image."
Soon after, Leylin was looking at the image of a cell that was magnified several times on the A.I. Chip's screen. At the center of the cell was something that looked like a sea urchin, with peculiar energy waves of confusion.
[Beep! This energy is the crucial element to suppress the Allsnake Curse. If eliminated, it would trigger irreversible changes. Probability of Allsnake Curse showing advance in effect: 99.99%. Eliminate?]
The A.I. Chip's sound caused Leylin's expression to become slightly gloomy, "It seems this would be the kill switch that the Nefarious Filthbird imposed on me. Although currently it's only used to threaten others and maintain its own position, I still need its strength. I need chaotic power to suppress the Allsnake Curse.
Numerous rays of light continuously flashed across Leylin's pupils. However, he commanded, "Focus on monitoring. For the time being, maintain the original shape."
[Beep! Mission established, activating real time monitoring procedure within the body!] The A.I. Chip loyally carried out Leylin's orders.
"No matter what, I still profited this time. Not only was the Allsnake Curse's effect delayed, I even obtained something to rely on when I infiltrate the Hail Continent." Leylin murmured, stroking the walls with his palm.
A layer of black liquid flame emerged from his palm, spreading rapidly as if it had life of its own, consuming the entire place almost instantly.
Soon, the binding runes and Sacrificial Array vanished without a trace under the black demonic flames, and even its aura was burnt away. After the place was thoroughly cleaned up, a yellowish radiance emerged from Leylin's body and blent into the surrounding walls.
A circular light floated above the coral island with a whoosh and, shortly after Leylin's figure quickly flew out, "Thanks a lot, big fellow."
Leylin looked at the large turtle and waved his hand while smiling. Afterwards, a slight green ray of light flew out of his fingers in a flash and merged into the turtle's forehead.
Although that fine green beam was like dust when compared to the turtle's huge head, Leylin still heard a hint of pleasant surprise from the creature's whistles, especially after the ray merged. Its turbid eyes seemed to become somewhat quicker, and there was a hint of kindness in its expression while looking at Leylin.
"This is a gift from a wise man of ancient times. Although it only has a faint external aura, it still has exceptional effect in raising creatures' wisdom. I know you want more but, unfortunately, I still have a need for these. I cannot give you anymore." Leylin smiled. His body transformed into a long black streak that vanished into the distant horizon, leaving the turtle with a regretful expression.
The turtle howled in Leylin's direction as if it was seeing Leylin off. The loud howl sounded continuously, even causing huge waves to form on the surface of the sea, which continued for half an hour.
Ultimately, the turtle's body gradually sank to the bottom of the ocean, leaving behind a huge white whirlpool.
…..
The strong wind whistled into Leylin's ears hauntingly.
Leylin's expression turned solemn. Although he had already thought about how to sneak into the Hail Continent, even when the plan had yet to be implemented, he had some slight concerns.
"Partial AI #1, report your position!" Leylin pressed his temples and a faint blue radiance was revealed from his pupils.
[Beep! Current coordinates: Taking the main body as the origin, southeast; 786.67 nautical miles!]
An unusual message was directly sent by the A.I. Chip.
[The people around the area are all agitated. Possibility of a conflict between military forces. It is advised that the main body arrive immediately, otherwise the puppet's identity will be exposed.]
At this moment, a warning sign was transmitted from the A. I. Chip again, making Leylin's speed rapidly increase.
Although using the A.I. Chip to control the shadow puppet allowed it to imitate all of Leylin's actions and even his aura to the point of being impossible to check its authenticity, it would still be exposed once it made a move.
By that time, even if Leylin managed to rush there and kill them all, he would probably still be unable to stop the news from being transmitted. Consequently, he would have to abandon the identity he had created, Nick.
The most important point, however, was that the plans he had previously set up would have to undergo modifications. The risks would be greater and this was something Leylin could not accept.
"What exactly happened that caused things to escalate to this degree?" Leylin carefully observed the report sent by Partial AI #1, and everything that happened after Port Elias' military campaign appeared immediately before his eyes.
Loss
The organisation that Belinda belonged to was obviously subordinate to the Trial's Eye. They had been preparing to act against the Nefarious Filthbird, using Port Elias as a transport point to offload a large amount of prohibited goods.
However, with Leylin cutting in, this plan was dealt a fatal blow before it could even begin.
With Leylin's disclosure of the information about their operation, the Port Elias setup had been completely exposed. All the people in charge of the different organisations were nabbed in hiding, and only Belinda had been able to escape with Leylin's protection.
For the Trial's Eye's organisation, this was an intolerable humiliation! The loss of goods and intel was something they could not bear.
Hence, Belinda's superior Bayclark had brought a huge army and hastened over, planning to destroy Port Elias in one go.
With Bayclark's strength as a rank 5, the governor who was only at rank 4 could not even resist.
Originally, everything should have gone smoothly. In the Hail Continent, the governor didn't have any support.
However, it was a huge pity that a plan was just a plan and there could always be other variables. The moment Leylin laid his eyes on Bayclark, only tragedy awaited the Beholder.
With Leylin's deliberate plans, the governor and a few higher-ups of the Nefarious Filthbird's organisation had escaped. Even the rank 5 Sacrificer, Bayclark, had turned into an offering for the Nefarious Filthbird, temporarily solving his personal issues while Bayclark's truesoul was destroyed.
Even in the Purgatory World, a rank 5 was very rare, especially one with the status of a Sacrificer. In his organisation, Bayclark had high standing and managed this region. The loss of someone like him was a huge disaster for Belinda and the others!
Though Belinda had done all she could to save the situation, and had pushed the troops in order to reach a rest point, a paradoxical situation had been unavoidable despite her best efforts, landing her in her current dilemma.
No! This couldn't be called a paradox, but a conspiracy!
When Belinda had stepped out as a leader, she immediately turned into an offering or scapegoat in the eyes of the Morning Stars.
"Why? Why did things turn out like this?" Belinda half-leant against the corner of a wall, arms hugging her shoulders as if that would bring her even the slightest bit of warmth. With her body, she wouldn't feel any cold in temperatures above absolute zero.
It had been a subconscious act. She was currently in a cold, dark, humid room. There were multiple reinforcement runes on the walls, and the door was a cold steel grill. A few marine folk surveyed her icily from not far away.
Morning Star forcefields undulated from their bodies without any restrictions, and they were clearly the marine tribe that had gone to battle together with Belinda before. Now, however, their target had changed and they even kept Belinda on house arrest.
The accusation was laughable, 'colluding with the enemy'! Belinda did feel like laughing, sending troops to Port Elias was a joint decision by the higher-ups, but they'd changed the narrative and said she'd bewitched Bayclark to do it.
Belinda's calm actions after being caught by the leader of the allied forces was also taken as proof of trying to win the support of the enemy. What other reason could she have for doing this than to collude with the enemy?
Besides, compared to the Beholder race and marine tribe that had from the very beginning believed in Trial's Eye, someone like her who was a descendant of the Alabaster Devilsnake just did not fit in. Was she not a readily available scapegoat?
It had to be said that whenever it came to suspicion of there being spies, outsiders like her were the first to be attacked.
"Belinda, are you feeling better?" A voice was heard from her side, causing her to raise her head slightly.
Through the dusky light, she saw the figure of her kinsman. After seeing who it was, a wry smile appeared at the corner of her lips, "Nick, you've been captured too?"
The shadow clone controlled by Partial AI #1 was watching Belinda 'worriedly'.
When the marine tribe had suddenly turned hostile on her, Belinda practically turned into a wooden puppet, not resisting arrest. With only the strength of a shadow clone, the partial AI also didn't dare make a move lest it was caught.
Thankfully, perhaps because they were afraid that the two would resist violent methods and cause needless deaths, they were only under house arrest. Their truesouls weren't sealed or anything like that, and they were even placed together.
[Target is now in a poor mood and in a state of bewilderment. If appropriately consoled, it is possible to improve her impression of the host.]
An analysis presented itself to the shadow clone. However, its orders were merely to prevent 'Nick' being exposed as Leylin. Without Leylin's explicit orders, emotional issues like this were the most difficult for Partial AIs to deal with. Hence, Nick merely stood around in a daze, as if similarly shocked.
"I'm– I'm sorry for dragging you into this, but don't worry, Nick. Our organisation believes in the
master of order and is the most fair and just. It will definitely prove our innocence, and you'll soon regain your freedom…" Seeing Nick in this state, a hint of disappointment showed in her eyes, and she could not help but hug herself tighter, her whispers sounding from the gaps between her arms.
"This girl hasn't given up yet?" A translucent figure penetrated the wall full of seals and shackles, entering the room.
Seeing the state she was in, a strange smile appeared on his lips, "Why is it that I always have to be the one to shatter the purity and fantasies of children?"
The translucent being melded into Nick, and the A.I. Chip took over Partial AI #1. From the outside, it looked like Nick's eyes went blank for a while before returning to normal.
Nobody noticed this change, and having recalled the shadow clone and Partial AI, 'Nick' was Leylin once more.
After getting the warning from the Partial AI, Leylin had hastened to reach this place in the shortest time possible. The guards and spell formations outside were no issue for him. When it came to spell formations or runes, the research by Magi in the Magus World was leaps and bounds ahead of the marine tribes.
Leylin had regained most of his strength, and he could do all sorts of things with ease. Most importantly, he was now a rank 4 Sacrificer of the Nefarious Filthbird and had the Wings of Chaos. This made it even easier for him to break through the seals set up in the name of the Trial's Eye.
These two were not just arch enemies, but their strengths restrained each other. Of course, when compared to Leylin, the marine tribes outside were useless.
"Belinda!" Leylin spoke slowly in a low voice, "At this point, are you still harbouring fantasies towards the marine tribes outside?"
"Fantasies? No! Even if they're driven by benefits and greed, the master of order will come and save me…" She spoke resolutely. With her devoutness to the Trial's Eye, he felt like her only being a rank 3 Sacrificer was a waste.
"Yes! Anyone can see how foul the marine tribe is. It's not just the dignitary, Trial's Eye. Even the higher ups know that…" Leylin spoke nonchalantly, almost with a hint of sarcasm. Without waiting for her to speak, he continued, "But… so what?"
"With the situation right now, where Bayclark has disappeared and the operation has failed, someone will have to take responsibility. Bayclark is an Elder Eye of the Beholders and has a great amount of power; he clearly fought with all his might. There's a chance that he might survive, and nobody would dare offend a rank 5…"
"What's left is to find people to take responsibility, such as you. The marine tribe is very harmonious, and if they really had to incriminate someone, it'd be you."
At this point, Leylin saw that her shoulders were trembling even more violently. He added on, "However, the losses incurred by this is something your higher-ups definitely don't want to see. Hence, this matter cannot really be pursued. A scapegoat is needed, or rather a sacrifice has to be found.
"At this point, is there someone more suitable than you? As an outsider with no background, you don't have a group to back you up either like the marine tribe…" Leylin started to sound like he was ridiculing her.
"No! Even if they're all like that, the mighty master of trials, the dignitary of fairness and justness, will definitely not abandon me…" Belinda raised her head, her scarlet pupils filled with insanity and hopelessness.
"I won't say more about that." Leylin shook his head, "But I hope you are aware that if the Trial's Eye is in favour of absolute justice and fairness, it would long since have fallen and disappeared into the dust of history. To survive up to this point and spread its ways in so many worlds, it must know compromise. In order to uphold fairness and justness to a certain extent, the master of trials is already quite successful…"
"No, I don't believe it! I don't!" The despair in her eyes immediately dissipated and she crumpled to the ground like a ball, boneless.
"Hm? She can't take this blow? Or has she thought of something?"
Leylin shook his head inwardly, 'Is her mind too weak, or is there some particular injury to it?'
Bewitching and Black Conversion
*Rattle!* At this moment, the steel fenced door was abruptly pulled open, and a circle of higher ups from the marine tribe walked in.
The leader's face had a few blue scales on it. He looked towards Belinda coldly, and read from a sheepskin scroll, "Belinda, the headquarters has decided that you've turned your back on the Master of Order, profaning the glory of the dignitary. We judge you to have committed the crime of colluding with the enemy."
"No, no! This is impossible!" Belinda completely crumbled down.
"Nothing is impossible!" The marine tribe leader tossed the document in front of her, the seal from the headquarters at the bottom right corner. It emitted dazzling lights, and wasn't something that could be faked.
After seeing the scarlet words of judgment on it, Belinda had almost completely given up.
"Even… even if the headquarters is infected by chaos and filth, I still have the dignitary. I'm still a Sacrificer…" Belinda trembled, a sacrificial spell formation appearing at the tip of her finger. Compared to Leylin's, there was only a rune of an eye at the heart of the formation.
*Pak!* The eye cracked and the spell formation dissipated, not giving a reply. This situation signified that the dignitary, the Trial's Eye, did not accept Belinda's offering. In other words, she had been abandoned.
Of course, the common people did not know that on the path of offerings, 'equal exchange' meant that even if the dignitary broke off the connection with the Sacrificer or did not accept their offering, what had been given would not be returned. This was a trade of equal exchange, and since the Sacrificer had offered something up it wouldn't be returned.
It was similar with the governor of Elias. If he gave up his belief in the Nefarious Filthbird, or it did not accept his offerings, then he would at most not be able to obtain a boost from it. However, the results from previous ceremonies were permanent and remained.
This was unlike the priests of gods. Once gods abandoned them, they would lose all their status and magic power. That way had its own advantages and disadvantages.
"No! NO, why? Why did things turn out this way?" If the decision from the headquarters had pushed Belinda to the verge of collapse, this was a fatal blow.
"Why… not just the headquarters, but even the mighty dignitary did not believe that I've been slandered and treated unfairly…"
"Cheer up, Belinda! The mighty dignitary definitely knows the truth, but you need to make a sacrifice for its sake." Leylin quietly stood beside Belinda, gently patting back of her hand that was on her shoulder.
In all organisations, the members would need to make sacrifices for the big picture. It was a normal thing, and if they didn't do so they would be criticised by the public. In these days, it seemed like if a superior wanted a subordinate dead, the subordinate had no choice but to die.
Everything was for benefits. The benefits of a collective group took priority over personal gain. When met with this situation, complaining wasn't even possible. One would have to take the initiative and rush to sacrifice oneself, else it would bring trouble to their family and friends.
Of course, if this person did not care for their lives, nor their friends and family, and had nothing to be concerned about, things would become difficult to handle.
However, these people were usually unstable, posing as a threat to their communities, and needed to be eliminated.
For the current situation, the Trial's Eye had made this decision despite knowing that Belinda had been maligned. Belinda would thus be sacrificed.
Perhaps after pacifying the marine tribe, the headquarters would send people over to tidy up, removing any malignant tumours and people who could not be controlled. After decades or a whole century, there would be political change and Belinda might even be given the title of a 'saint', revered by the later generations and turning into a leader. However, if the person was dead, what was the point?
However, Leylin could not deny the point of the organisation's actions.
In a physically weak world, joining forces to form organisations was the way of the powerful. When one member's benefits were sacrificed, they could do nothing but exhibit enthusiasm for it.
However, this was different! When a person's personal strength was immense, then they would have the right to go against the organisation. In a world where extraordinary strength existed, individuals who were powerful became important.
Especially in the Purgatory World, where a few dignitaries governed all the continents, murder and plunder was the best proof of this concept.
Hence, besides obediently dying, there was no other better option for her. Of course, she still had other options, like how Leylin was preparing to work some magic.
"There's no slandering or conspiracy. This is the truth! Belinda, you colluded with the organisation of the Nefarious Filthbird and entrapped Lord Bayclark. We are going to punish you." Seeing Leylin stand out, the marine tribeman's pupils shone with dissatisfaction.
This was a natural feeling when a subordinate dared go against a superior's authority.
"Alright! I'm not of your organisation and obviously can't commit the crime of colluding with the enemy. I wonder when I can leave?" Leylin spread his arms and laughed.
"You must be a believer of the Nefarious Filthbird, and must be communicating with the enemy organisation with Belinda. You must be punished as well!"
The leader did not even blink as it spoke. Leylin almost wanted to give the leader applause, as he had guessed a truth that not even the Trial's Eye knew about.
It had to be said that the leader had gotten it completely right by luck.
"What's with all the bullshit, just kill them!"
A Morning Star beside it already had shining undulations of a beast spirit summoner.
For them, leaving Belinda and Leylin around was just going to create more issues. They'd had to contact headquarters before, and now that they had the permission to there was nothing left to consider.
"In that case…" Leylin shrugged his shoulders. Suddenly, his aura changed, turning from a little rabbit to a large, fierce tiger.
*Hssss—* A tremendous Alabaster Devilsnake phantom suddenly squeezed out behind him, producing ear-splitting roars.
*Rumble!* *Bang!* Terrifying explosions reduced the room to fragments.
"Kill them! Don't hold back!" The leader yelled out, and a large shark-shaped beast spirit appeared, roaming in the air.
Light flashed, energy undulations from sacrifices and beast spirits constantly appearing. It caused even this islet to begin shaking slightly.
"Wahaha… you're all liars. Liars!" At this moment, Belinda, who had been under Leylin's protection, suddenly seemed to go mad, and her face flushed unusually.
"I was treated that way and even by the Trial's Eye! What value does my faith and persistence have?" Along with her complaints and questions, two rows of bloody tears flowed from her eyes.
"In that case, let filth destroy the world!" An evil aura emanated from her body, and large amounts of dreamforce filled the surroundings, even turning black.
'Could this be… the rumoured black conversion?' Leylin wanted to say something, but he stopped himself.
"It's not the time to say such stupid things. Let's go!" The dreamforce that was summoned by Belinda abruptly converged in Leylin's hand. It seemed to be weaved subtly, transforming into an even more powerful force.
A large black net brought with it an oppressive force that gave rise to despair as it enveloped the islet. Deafening roars were heard everywhere, but whether it was the rank 4 sea shark beast spirit that belonged to the marine tribe leader, or the attacks from others, nobody could take on this large black net.
Hazy dreamforce even caused the guards to lose their sight and crumble to the ground.
"Sinphobic Flames!" With Leylin's soul strength, countless black flames appeared on the large black net. Differing from his phoenix fire, the black flames held a large amount of hatred within.
The sea species that had been burnt by the flames grew despondent, their bodies losing life undulations while their carcasses were preserved.
"Those flames target the soul! Careful!" The leader roared, and the Aquatic Shark beast spirit he summoned feared the black flames immensely.
After all, when it came to this kind of spirit body, the Sinphobic Flames were like their natural enemy.
In the span of one attack, all of the marine folk below rank 4 near the islet had been annihilated by the black flames. The net then constantly shrunk, trapping the Morning Stars in a tiny space.
"This strength… this strength…" The leader now looked deathly pale. If he had known Belinda had this ability and Nick was so vicious, he would have employed more gentle tactics.
However, it was too late at this point. The leader still tried till the end though.
"Wait… Belinda, we're willing to send out a joint declaration to free you of all injustice, and we'll even repent to the Master of Order. Please don't…"
"Haha… haha… do you think I'm the same as before?" Belinda laughed madly, body filling with some red patterns. The dark dreamforce was being extracted unceasingly.
'Vampiric Berserker transformation? Or is it an attack that consumes the bloodline?' Leylin shook his head, not hesitating as he made use of her dreamforce, increasing the black flames in the large net.
At this moment, a strange undulation was transmitted as a rank 4 Sacrificer tried to summon a clone of the Trial's Eye.
"Dream on!" Leylin sneered, and with a flash of his Feather of Chaos, chaotic power spread out, disrupting their coordinates and causing the Sacrificer that was summoning the clone of the Trial's Eye to cough up fresh blood.