"This enigma really took possession of the Swallowing Immortal Demon Body, even condensing the Chaos Body."
Wang Ping frowned as he read the simulated text.
In terms of combat power alone, this enigma had already surpassed him, making him the strongest among peers in a true sense. This was even without the prerequisite cultivation techniques, divine abilities, and comprehension of Chaos Dao Patterns that came with mastering the Chaos Body.
If he were to become proficient in controlling the Chaos Body, create Chaos-type techniques and divine abilities, and understand Chaos Dao Patterns, his combat power would likely undergo significant enhancement. In the same realm, he would be able to outmatch anyone effortlessly.
At that point, he would become incredibly formidable, beyond imagination.
"This time, it's challenging," Wang Ping sighed, taking a pessimistic view of whether they could defeat the enigma with sheer numbers.
Since the enigma had appeared so confidently, it was evident that he had a strong sense of certainty and was unlikely to act recklessly, so the chances of them defeating him easily were low.
Moreover, enigmas like this one were notoriously difficult to kill, unless their vulnerabilities were discovered.
As Wang Ping contemplated, the simulated text continued.
"With the enigma no longer acting recklessly, the pressure on your side skyrocketed instantly. Many young geniuses fell to the enigma's hands, exploding into blood mist, and having their sources seized."
Fearing the situation would deteriorate if they continued fighting, you began to contemplate your options. Continuing in this manner would inevitably result in the enigma systematically picking them off one by one. Furthermore, there were potential traitors among the group.
While the enigma didn't seem eager to reveal Gu Xuan and the others, it was highly likely that if the situation became dangerous, he would not hesitate to use them to launch a surprise attack.
As for trying to coordinate with other young geniuses to eliminate Gu Xuan and his group first, you believed it was unlikely to succeed. Others might not trust you, and it could worsen the situation further.
After careful consideration, you made a decision. After communicating with Ye Chen and the others through voice transmission, you initiated a powerful spacetime divine ability to temporarily trap the enigma in another dimension, intending to engage in a one-on-one battle with him.
This surprised and shocked the onlookers. They found your hidden strength astonishing, as you had been deliberately concealing your abilities and acting like an ordinary prince-level cultivator. However, your unleashed power surpassed all the top-ranking cultivators on the Three Saint Rankings.
While you and the enigma faced off in another dimension, the unexpected happened outside. Ye Chen and the others suddenly attacked certain individuals.
This left the other young geniuses bewildered, unsure of why Ye Chen and the group were attacking their own teammates at this critical moment, causing internal strife.
Ye Chen and his group shouted that you possessed the Source Eye, capable of seeing through everyone's true identities. They claimed that the individuals they attacked were the enigma's subordinates, similar to the dark shadowy figures, and they needed to be eliminated first.
Then, Ye Chen pointed out the enigma's hidden subordinates within the crowd. This revelation left everyone puzzled, as they weren't sure whether to trust Ye Chen's words.
The individuals singled out by Ye Chen's group vehemently denied the accusations, arguing that Ye Chen and his allies had personal grudges, making it an inappropriate time for infighting.
As the argument escalated into a chaotic battle, other young geniuses became increasingly hesitant, unsure which side to believe.
At this moment, the Young Master of the Tianmu Clan stepped forward and claimed that he also possessed the Source Eye, although it was not as powerful as the Source Breaking Eye. However, he could sense a similarity in the auras of those attacked by Ye Chen's group.
This revelation furrowed everyone's brows. The Tianmu Clan had no affiliation with the Taiyi Imperial Palace and had no reason to lie. They turned their gaze towards Gu Xuan and his group, suspicion growing as they started to take action.
At this critical juncture, hesitation was a luxury they couldn't afford. It was better to kill ten thousand by mistake than to spare a single enemy. Even if they mistakenly killed someone, they would accept it as the price of competing for Immortal opportunities in the future.
As more young geniuses joined the battle, Ye Chen and his group, who had previously been at a disadvantage, breathed a sigh of relief. The two sides engaged in a world-shaking battle.
Meanwhile, in the alternate dimension, you continued to fight the enigma. The enigma mocked your audacity, finding your presence irritating. He intended to seize your source and make you his obedient servant.
Ignoring his taunts, you pressed on with the battle. Despite using all your abilities, such as the Gold Talent - Ninth Movement Ensemble
, the Purple Talent - Endless Blades, and even the Source Breaking Eye to see through his source and abilities, you still couldn't gain an advantage and remained in a precarious position.
You couldn't help but marvel at the power of the Chaos Body. You coveted it, hoping to obtain such a physique in the future to further enhance your strength.
However, you knew that now was not the time for envy. You had to find a way to defeat the enigma and turn the tide in your favor.
In the end, you utilized the Gold Talent - Nullify Damage and the Purple Talent - Nullify Divine Abilities to nullify the enigma's attacks. You even used the Gold Talent - Exchange Life for Injury to wound the enigma, hoping to trigger the effect of the Rainbow Talent - Instant Death Attack.
Unfortunately, despite triggering the Sixth Movement Ensemble and landing a critical hit, you still couldn't activate the effect of the Rainbow Talent - Instant Death Attack.
This left you somewhat frustrated, but you had no choice. You used the Gold Talent - Exchange Life for Injury to exchange lives with the enigma. You believed that although the enigma had the ability to break through to the Supreme realm or even higher, he wouldn't do so at this critical moment. He must have suppressed his cultivation earlier to maintain the Chaos Body.
As expected, the enigma had indeed been suppressing his cultivation, and his true cultivation was only at the Half-Supreme realm. The effect of the Gold Talent - Exchange Life for Injury was successfully triggered, causing the enigma's death. However, you also paid the price with one life.
Nevertheless, you ingeniously used the Purple Talent - Substitute Puppet to transfer the death effect to an unfortunate God-King-level expert.
To your dismay, the enigma revived immediately and looked at you with mockery.
The enigma sneered, acknowledging your ability to make him die quietly once, but he believed that you were not qualified to kill him completely.
Chapter 241: Praying Mantis Captures the Cicada, While the Sparrow Waits Behind
You didn't pay much attention to the eerie taunts but instead furrowed your brow while analyzing the strange resurrection phenomenon. Based on your experience dealing with the enigma, it was highly likely that the principle behind his bizarre resurrection involved transferring the outcome of death to another entity he had granted power to.
This effect was somewhat similar to your Purple Talent - Substitute Puppet, but it operated at a much higher level and had a more dominant effect. Even your former idol, the enigma, possessed a similar resurrection ability, making him exceptionally troublesome.
You weren't sure how many subordinates the enigma had kept hidden. If you were in his shoes, you would probably scatter your subordinates across the ten major universes to ensure your safety. In that case, it would be the most secure approach.
In other words, if the enigma indeed possessed this ability, it would be nearly impossible for you to kill him. Perhaps only an entity vastly superior to the enigma could kill him repeatedly until all his substitute targets were dead, ultimately leading to his permanent death.
However, you believed that even a Supreme wouldn't suffice for this task, and not even an ordinary Semi-Emperor could guarantee the enigma's demise. The enigma could break through to the Supreme realm at any moment, and his strength at that stage, coupled with his ability to revive, would make him extremely challenging to defeat. He could exhaust his opponents to death.
"I knew the enigma wasn't so simple," Wang Ping muttered as he read the simulated text. "But that's not the worst part. The enigma has a curse ability as well. When he killed Gu Xuan earlier, he released a red light that entered my simulated self, forming a red pattern, which was eventually detonated by the enigma."
"Besides that, I'm not sure if the enigma possesses other abilities. While I'd love to force him to reveal all his cards, it's definitely not possible this time. Nevertheless, the gains from this encounter are still valuable. With the Source Breaking Eye's ability, the enigma's attempts to conceal his appearance and identity are futile. I've already seen through them, and I've recorded his aura. I can slowly track him down from here."
"Of course, appearances can be disguised, and bodies can be altered. We can't rely solely on these factors; the most crucial aspect is still the aura."
"However, finding the enigma through his aura will be challenging, and it will require patience."
With these thoughts in mind, Wang Ping continued to gaze at the screen.
The simulated text continued, "Next, the enigma unleashed terrifying power, injuring you severely and leaving no room for escape. However, the enigma never had the intention to kill you but instead constantly wore down your strength."
You noticed the enigma's intentions and abilities. It seemed that the enigma wanted to seize the sources of others and control them, likely with two prerequisites.
These two prerequisites were that the enemy needed to be weakened to a certain extent, and the enigma had to gain partial control over their sources or grant them a portion of his source. It was also possible that he only needed the enemy to be weakened to a certain extent for his control ability to take effect without any extra complications. After all, this was the enigma, and his abilities had always been insidious and domineering.
To avoid being worn down and controlled by the enigma, you made a tough decision. You initiated a self-destruct, causing a massive explosion of your power.
The enigma didn't anticipate your reckless move and was injured by the explosion. Then, you triggered the effect of the Rainbow Talent - Instant Death Attack, killing the enigma once again.
However, the enigma resurrected with an unsatisfied expression, as he hadn't expected you to kill him twice. It was undoubtedly a blow to his pride.
The enigma was preparing to keep you under surveillance to prevent your resurrection and escape. Suddenly, his expression changed. Engaging in such a fierce battle right after condensing the Chaos Body had stirred up some turbulence within the Chaos Body.
Moreover, the emergence of a body with a unique constitution like yours would inevitably trigger a Heavenly Tribulation. The enigma had temporarily avoided the Heavenly Tribulation within this secret realm, but now it had appeared.
If he continued to stay in this secret realm, he would face a catastrophic strike. The terror of this Heavenly Tribulation was beyond imagination. Although the secret realm was vast, it was still relatively small compared to the scope of Saint Emperors and Saint Kings.
The Heavenly Tribulation was tailored to his true cultivation level and synchronized with the Chaos Body's formation. Its destructive power was absolute, and it would annihilate the secret realm alongside him. The enigma had put great effort into creating this secret realm, and losing it would be a great loss.
Therefore, despite his desire to continue monitoring you, the enigma had no choice but to leave the secret realm, seeking safety in an unknown location.
You, on the other hand, revived an hour later. Upon seeing the enigma's disappearance, you sighed with relief but still furrowed your brow. You knew the enigma wouldn't just let you go without a reason.
However, your current predicament didn't leave you with many options. You returned to the timeline within the secret realm and saw that the fierce battle was still ongoing.
Although Gu Xuan was no match for you, he was genuinely powerful. With the support of other enigma subordinates, he managed to hold his ground against Ye Chen and the other young talents. The numerical advantage of Ye Chen's group was rendered ineffective.
The reason for this dire situation was the enigma's initial manipulation when he set a trap for the young talents upon their arrival in the secret realm. He had killed the truly outstanding talents among them, causing significant casualties. Furthermore, the enigma's subsequent interventions had resulted in additional losses. As a result, the young talents participating in the battle were not the top-ranked ones from the Three Saint Rankings. If they were, the situation might not have deteriorated to this extent.
Nonetheless, Ye Chen and his group managed to hold on, thanks to their various trump cards. With your arrival on the battlefield, the tide turned. Except for Gu Xuan, you systematically eliminated everyone else, including Mo Shangli. As for Bai Tianhong, you refrained from directly taking action. Although you knew he was fully controlled by the enigma, you couldn't bring yourself to kill him. In the previous battles, no one had dared to attack Gu Xuan directly. It had always been Ye Chen, Zhu Huowang, Huo Yinyue, and others who fought against him, while others focused on different opponents. Everyone was well aware that without concrete evidence, killing Gu Xuan would likely lead to retaliation from the powerful Gu family. No one could afford to provoke them, as even an Emperor had to tread carefully around the Gu family, let alone these so-called young talents who hadn't fully matured. For this reason, they refrained from taking action against Gu Xuan, despite their suspicions. As for you, you were in a similar predicament. You couldn't afford to deal with the consequences of killing Gu Xuan, and you also couldn't resist his counterattack in case he was provoked. After all, you couldn't prove Gu Xuan's guilt. Furthermore, assassinating Gu Xuan would lead to your own death. With these considerations in mind, you were caught in a dilemma regarding how to handle Gu Xuan. However, your subordinates didn't hesitate. They acted swiftly, defeating Gu Xuan with force and suppressing him using spacetime techniques.
Chapter 241: Praying Mantis Captures the Cicada, While the Sparrow Waits Behind
Although Gu Xuan was suppressed, his expression remained calm. He gazed at you with mixed feelings, truly surprised by the depth of your hidden strength and your formidable power.
You responded with a faint smile, indicating that it was a two-way street. Then, you turned your attention to the others, pondering how to escape from this place. You didn't ask for Gu Xuan's opinion because you knew he couldn't answer you.
You were well aware that Gu Xuan wouldn't be able to respond, and you had to find a way out on your own. However, this time, the situation was different from before. It was highly likely that the enigma no longer had any intention of letting you all out. After all, things had escalated to this point, and keeping everyone trapped and maintaining the secret was the best option.
The enigma's current whereabouts were unknown, but when he finished dealing with his own affairs, he would undoubtedly return to annihilate you all here. In other words, your remaining time was limited, and you had to find a way to survive as soon as possible.
After some thought, you decided to gather everyone and search for a way out together. The others didn't object to your decision because, at this point, you were the strongest among them, and their lives were at stake. Emotions were the last thing on anyone's mind at this critical moment.
Unfortunately, despite exhaustive efforts, you couldn't find an exit. Time passed, and another month went by, increasing your anxiety.
As you were all searching fruitlessly, Gu Xuan's expression suddenly stiffened, and then his body exploded.
This shocking turn of events left you bewildered, wondering why Gu Xuan had suddenly died. However, you quickly realized it had to do with the enigma's abilities. The enigma had the power to transfer death to others when faced with a life-threatening situation.
But how dire must the situation be for the enigma to resort to such a drastic measure? Gu Xuan was undoubtedly one of the strongest talents under his command, with powerful backing and immense value. It seemed unlikely that the enigma would sacrifice him unless it was a matter of life and death.
Yet, the enigma had already obtained the Chaos Body and escaped from this place, so why did he find himself in such a perilous situation? This didn't align with his cautious nature.
As you pondered these mysteries, Gu Xuan resurrected once again. He seemed unfazed by his own death and rebirth, calmly gazing at you before uttering a cryptic statement, "All prodigies in this world are but pawns, destined to turn to dust."
With those words, Gu Xuan's expression stiffened once more, and his soul shattered, leaving behind a lifeless corpse.
Watching Gu Xuan's lifeless body, you fell into a contemplative silence, your emotions complex. It was clear that Gu Xuan hadn't willingly joined the enigma but had been controlled and turned into a pawn. Despite his talent, he had become a tragic figure, powerless in the face of manipulation.
You then turned your thoughts to the enigma's fate. Was he dead, and if so, what had caused his demise? Unfortunately, you could never know the answers to these questions. Instead, you began to think about when the old folks from the Immortal Mansion would realize that their secret realm had been tampered with and come to rescue you.
At the same time, you started to worry about how to explain Gu Xuan's death. Without concrete evidence, dealing with the Gu family wouldn't be easy. You could only hope that the Gu family would recognize the abnormal circumstances surrounding Gu Xuan.
Otherwise, the current situation in the Taiyi Emperor Palace wouldn't be able to withstand the wrath of the mighty Gu family. After all, the Gu family had terrifying experts who had even refined immortal spirits, making them one of the strongest forces in the world, on par with the ancient beings that might exist in the Immortal Mansion.
"This development is quite unexpected. It seems that there's a suspicion of foul play surrounding Gu Xuan shortly after obtaining the Chaos Body," you muttered as you read the simulated text, your expression subtly changing.
This enigma had a penchant for mischief, and it was possible that he had triggered some catastrophic event, resulting in Gu Xuan's death.
However, you were more inclined to believe that a powerful entity had captured the enigma, subjecting him to repeated torment. It was all related to the enigma's acquisition of the Chaos Body and the potential to extract its essence repeatedly.
"Goodness, if that's the case, the enigma is indeed a prized catch. To be able to extract from him repeatedly, squeezing him dry," you thought, your gaze taking on a peculiar quality.
"In such a scenario, I can't decide whether to feel sorry for him or be amused," you chuckled at the mental image, continuing to scrutinize the screen.
While you were lost in thought, a terrifying spatial fluctuation suddenly appeared within the secret realm. Before you knew it, your body was irresistibly pulled out.
Not just you, but all the prodigies within the secret realm were also forcibly expelled.
During this process, you were acutely aware that the Immortal Mansion had likely detected the anomaly and intervened.
"Took them over two months to notice something was amiss and find a solution. The Immortal Mansion sure has its share of embarrassment," you grumbled inwardly as you exited.
Outside, the cultivators from the Immortal Mansion were all wearing astonished, puzzled, and angry expressions. They had expected the prodigies to complete the trial in the secret realm and were shocked to see less than a thousand of them emerging, each bearing injuries.
At this moment, the Palace Master of the Immortal Mansion was also observing the scene with a grave expression. To him, this situation was entirely unexpected. The entrance to the secret realm, which the Immortal Mansion had set up, had been quietly swapped out by someone. This level of manipulation was truly astounding.
Furthermore, their monitoring of the Dream Fiend Secret Realm had not detected any anomalies. The prodigies had been going through the assessment and trials as usual. If it weren't for the peculiar circumstance of no one passing the trial for over two months, which raised suspicions, they might have remained in the dark.
In the eyes of the Immortal Mansion's Palace Master, there were a few likely explanations for this situation. The mastermind behind this could be from outside their domain. Only those from beyond could possess such miraculous abilities and tools to manipulate the entrance to the secret realm, creating a projection in the Dream Fiend Secret Realm that even they couldn't penetrate.
Alternatively, there might be a traitor within the Immortal Mansion itself. Otherwise, how could the perpetrator have had the opportunity to employ their mystical abilities and tools?
Point three, the possibility is that the other side has quasi-immortal realm experts comparable to their Immortal Mansion's ancestors. Otherwise, it would be impossible to set up a special secret realm that even the Great Emperors find difficult to break through, where the Great Emperors' avatars and imperial treasures cannot manifest. Of course, this doesn't rule out the possibility that the other side achieved this through abilities and tools.
Point four, the other side may also have a grandmaster of divination, surpassing even the experts of their Immortal Mansion in this field. Otherwise, it would be impossible to set up everything without causing any divination changes, especially without the Grandmaster of Divination noticing. Again, this may be achieved through abilities and tools that can shield divination.
It can be said that these conditions are necessary, and the other side's preparations are undoubtedly thorough. The methods of the puppeteer behind the scenes send chills down one's spine. Calculating all the forces in the upper realm in one go is extremely ruthless.
The Palace Master of the Immortal Mansion had a heavy heart as he surveyed the survivors, especially those related to the heavens such as you and the Nine Stars Pavilion Nine Stars Candidates.
"It seems the Palace Master's plans need to be more comprehensive. It appears that they've accomplished all of this with greater difficulty than I imagined," Wang Ping said, furrowing his brow as he read the simulated text.
"Enigma's abilities are unique, but he can't possibly possess so many abilities and tools. This means that there's someone backing the enigma, someone from the heavens who's orchestrating all of this," Wang Ping thought to himself.
He thought of one person in particular—the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion. Could it be that all of this was orchestrated by the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion? If it were him, then his cunning was beyond imagination. Creating the Devouring Immortal Demon Body, using the enigma's abilities, and orchestrating various plots to manipulate all forces, turning prodigies into nourishment to help the enigma condense the Chaos Body.
Then, things went awry for the enigma.
Wang Ping couldn't help but suspect that the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion might also be behind this. If it were indeed the creator, his goal was likely the Chaos Body. It could be said that he had been planning all of this for a long time, setting up one trap after another, ensnaring everyone.
At this moment, Wang Ping had a deep sense of apprehension towards the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion. This individual was too dangerous, and Wang Ping didn't even know the person's true identity or which heavenly force they hailed from.
"Moreover, if it's the Nine Stars Pavilion, as long as there are high-ranking members within the Immortal Mansion who have joined the Nine Stars Pavilion, the creator of the Nine Stars Pavilion would have the means to contact them. Then, with the enigma's abilities, it would be relatively easy to infiltrate the Immortal Mansion with a spy. After all, the enigma can easily control others, and even the most loyal individuals in the Immortal Mansion would be no match for the enigma's abilities," Wang Ping mused, squinting his eyes as he considered another key point.
Thinking about this, Wang Ping sighed deeply. "These old monsters are truly insidious. It's exhausting to contend with them. I could say I wouldn't have enough lives to play with them."
"In the real world, I need to tell Alpha that if I encounter danger, he should teleport me away immediately."
Rubbing his temples, Wang Ping continued to murmur to himself. In the previous simulation, he had thought that Gu Xuan was the big boss, but now, he realized that Gu Xuan was just a small boss, and his actions were clearly not of his own will.
After all, as the Young Master of the Gu Family, it made no sense for him to engage in these activities, especially when they had such low cost-effectiveness. It was simply nonsensical behavior.
Subsequently, Wang Ping collected his thoughts and continued to focus on the screen, eager to see how the Immortal Mansion would handle the upcoming troubles.
With so many prodigies dead, Wang Ping believed that all the forces in the upper realm would be furious. At this point, the death of Gu Xuan should not cause too much trouble.
As the Palace Master of the Immortal Mansion wore a solemn expression, some of the Great Emperors could no longer sit still and questioned the Immortal Mansion about what was happening. They demanded to know why so few people had emerged, and why each of them bore injuries, clearly having narrowly escaped death.
As the external forces began to question the Immortal Mansion, their expressions showed signs of discontent. After all, the prodigies who entered the secret realm were the descendants of their respective forces, the hope for their futures. If they were to fall here, it would be a devastating loss.
At this moment, the Palace Master of the Immortal Mansion was also troubled. He didn't know how to explain the situation. After all, although they had been outwitted by someone else, it was still the Immortal Mansion's fault. They couldn't shift the blame onto others and had to make amends for their mistakes.
Amid the Palace Master's turmoil, it was Ye Chen who stepped forward and recounted the events that had transpired within the secret realm.
As Ye Chen described the situation, all the forces were left in shock, as they hadn't expected such horrifying events to unfold within the secret realm.
The last day! Where are the votes?
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(End of this chapter)