Looking at the situation, Bai Yi began to understand how a mid-level gold player could survive amidst the legends of ancient god kingdoms. This man had a flexible bottom line and wielded power without a hint of self-esteem, which earned Bai Yi's reluctant admiration.
He had intended to test his tactics against the ancient god, but a near-death experience had shifted his focus.
Bai Yi extended his hand, summoning a scarlet contract that materialized in the air.
"Sign this, and I'll trust you. Otherwise, you can die," he stated calmly, his tone leaving no room for negotiation. He couldn't shake the feeling that everyone around him was a master of contracts.
Pu Sheng trembled slightly as he gazed at the abyssal contract. "Um, Lord Bai Yi, what if I only sign the first level of the contract?"
Bai Yi's expression darkened. What's going on? Why can everyone see the multiple layers of this contract? His eyes glinted dangerously, a scarlet aura flaring around him.
Realizing the gravity of the situation, Pu Sheng stood up straight, brushing off the dust. He reached out, pressing his hand against the contract.
"Hehe, I was just joking! I'll sign it. From now on, I'm with you, Lord Bai Yi!" he said, eager to please. "That bitch Charles is in this direction. He was watching when you hit me, and I put a curse on him. I can take you to catch him."
Bai Yi was taken aback by Pu Sheng's sudden shift in demeanor, but he had just signed contracts with over ten layers. If this man dared to rebel, the Abyss would ensure he understood the consequences.
"Shut up," Bai Yi replied coolly.
Pu Sheng immediately clamped his mouth shut, nodding repeatedly.
The surrounding magnetic mechanical bodies quickly retracted. Though hundreds had been damaged in the previous clash, they were consumables, and Bai Yi considered it a minor loss.
He placed a hand on Pu Sheng's shoulder, and the mid-level gold player felt sharp pain radiate through his skin. Invisible entities emerged from his pores, flying into Bai Yi's space ring along with the mechanical bodies.
Panic spread across Pu Sheng's face. He had felt something was off during their fight, initially attributing it to Bai Yi's dark energy. Now he realized there was something more sinister at play. He swore to invest every resource he had into survival, vowing not to die before he could grow stronger.
Bai Yi's hand slid down to grasp Pu Sheng's arm. Suddenly, a white mask began to pull itself out of his flesh. The sensation left Pu Sheng weak, as if his very essence was being drained.
His eyes widened in horror, no longer filled with fear but raw terror. When did this happen? Was I really close to death? He knelt quickly, the realization sinking in.
After retrieving the mask, Bai Yi looked at Pu Sheng with an unsettling calm. "Hand it over."
Pu Sheng hesitated, fear creeping back into his expression. "What?"
Bai Yi frowned, and Pu Sheng panicked, hastily conjuring items from thin air, suspended by a strange force.
"This is my soul crystal core, the flesh and blood of the Abyss Lord, magic scrolls, soul crystals, some gold equipment, and even breakfast!" he exclaimed, his frantic energy palpable.
Bai Yi interrupted, "Stop, that's enough."
He hadn't expected Pu Sheng to possess so much; the man was surprisingly wealthy. No wonder he couldn't find anything on the other favored ones—each had their personal spaces instead of space rings like his.
Bai Yi collected the flesh and blood of the Abyss Lord, two small soul crystal cores, and a small box of soul crystals, bringing his total to eight—one medium and seven small.
Grasping Pu Sheng's shoulders, he sensed the man tremble, fear evident in his eyes. Bai Yi's voice softened, "Use the equipment first. We can discuss things after we deal with the gods."
"Okay," Pu Sheng replied quickly, gathering the floating items.
With a sudden burst, Bai Yi transformed into a beam of light, racing through the dilapidated city in pursuit of Charles.
Though these mid-level gold players were formidable, Bai Yi realized that their strength, while comparable to his current evil thoughts, was outmatched in speed. Evil Thoughts, despite being lower-ranked, could crush them.
As they sped along, the surroundings became increasingly desolate, devoid of life. This was the nightmare world's self-completion mechanism. While it should have replicated everything from that era, it failed to fully manifest the [Evil Secret Black Death], instead emerging from remnants of the ancient god Cesis.
Ahead lay a patch of darkness.
"Lord Bai Yi, it's him! Charles!" Pu Sheng shouted, pointing frantically.
The Lord of Disaster, burdened by God's Showcase, had severed ties with Charles, who now sought revenge for his loss.
The darkness above stirred, and a faint curse echoed as it soared into the sky.
Bai Yi halted, setting Pu Sheng down. He raised his hand, summoning several worker bees that materialized into a long Barrett in his grip. It had been a while since he employed this weapon, but its attack power could still threaten upper gold ranks, with even greater impact on mid-levels.
As the evil essence coiled around the Barrett, a menacing aura surged forth.
Bai Yi had learned much about evil thoughts; their power was high quality, each trace brimming with malice that could erode one's mind if allowed entry.
Charles, concealed in the darkness above, revealed himself with an awkward smile. "Mr. Bai Yi, how about we work together? The three of us could definitely defeat that god."
Bai Yi replied, "Come down."
Charles waved his hands. "No, no, it would be pointless to fight. Let's join forces against the ancient gods. I'll descend once we sign a contract."
"Lord Bai Yi, don't listen to him! No one who signs a contract with him ends well," Pu Sheng interjected, glaring at Charles.
Charles shot back angrily, "Who said that? I signed a contract with Mr. Bai Yi, and it nearly cost me my shoulder! Don't slander me!"
Pu Sheng's expression shifted. He recalled the horror of having the mask ripped from his flesh, and his look toward Charles was now tinged with admiration. To endure such pain, Charles must be exceptionally strong.
Bai Yi aimed to eliminate both men first, fearing they might betray him after he had played his cards. If they were to wear each other down, they would become a threat.
Unexpectedly, Charles and Pu Sheng knelt in unison, albeit for different reasons. The effect was the same, and Bai Yi didn't mind gaining two more allies.
He summoned a single-layer scarlet contract, holding the Barrett in one hand and offering a fair agreement.
Charles examined the document—its terms requiring full cooperation in the conflict against the ancient gods without backstabbing. It was straightforward, and Bai Yi had intentionally avoided positioning himself as superior. Pu Sheng had nearly died during their last encounter and had no choice but to comply.
Now, Bai Yi sensed that Charles was significantly stronger than Pu Sheng. He preferred not to engage him immediately, wishing to conserve the Barrett's bullets.
If they could work together peacefully, it would be ideal; if not, he would have to eliminate the threat Charles posed first.
Charles, surprised, regarded Bai Yi more seriously. "This contract is quite fair. So, Mr. Bai Yi, happy cooperation."
As the contract dissolved into Charles' hands, the tension in the air eased.
Pu Sheng muttered under his breath, "This isn't fair," but no one acknowledged him. Charles descended, noting the Barrett transformed into a worker bee. "Alchemists truly are convenient."
Bai Yi met Charles' gaze, asking, "From your actions, is the Ancient God up there?"
Charles nodded. "Yes, Cysis was engaged in a conflict with the evil secrets above Xia. The nightmare world replicated this tension. However, it's riskier to enter than to let him out; it is, after all, a divine realm."
As he spoke, he glanced at Pu Sheng, sighing. "I warned you that your tricks wouldn't work."
Pu Sheng's anger bubbled, but under Bai Yi's cold stare, he fell silent, directing his ire at Charles instead.
"How do we draw Him out?" Bai Yi inquired.
"This is simple," Charles replied, unleashing a special breath that surged skyward, striking a white cloud.
Boom! A sound like thunder shattered the stillness, a faint aura of an ancient god materializing in the clouds—an injured deity making an appearance.
Scarlet spread across the sky, the decay of the city intensifying.
Bai Yi felt a wave of distortion attempting to twist his form, but the evil thoughts held firm.
The three vanished and reappeared simultaneously, locking eyes in a moment of shared understanding.
"Charles leads the way. I'm an alchemist; I shouldn't be at the front," Bai Yi declared.
Pu Sheng quickly concurred, "Yes! Charles is the strongest and should take the lead. The Dark Lord has given you many resources; you shouldn't have used them all yet."
Charles looked at them incredulously. "We either fight together or independently. We've signed a contract."
Bai Yi nodded, noting the scarlet sky growing increasingly ominous. A terrifying distortion aged the city in moments; the true God was about to emerge.
"Then let's proceed together," he said calmly, sensing a new light spot on his panel that seemed to lack presence.
He checked it.
[Trigger special event: Face the Ancient God. Scan panel upgrade.]
[Scan: You can view items one level higher than yours, scan personal attributes, compare charm attributes with others, and view their panels.]
Bai Yi's initial surprise faded into confusion. Charm attribute? How is that relevant?
What if he entered a dark state during a battle? Would it mean instant failure?
As the scarlet sky thickened, enveloping everything in blood-red hues, Bai Yi shot a glance at Charles and began scanning, eager to assess the charm attribute before the inevitable confrontation.