Chapter 244: Spamming Spirit Exchange: The failures Final Failure
[Six Armed Burial Ape]
[Level Before Death: 34]
[Current Soul Projection: Level 40]
Marcus looked at it, and a smile returned to his face.
"I spent five years preparing to leave the First Layer. Do you really think I’d let some sixteen year old newcomer steal this opportunity from me?"
Black soul energy surged madly through the Soul Control Nails embedded in the ground and poured into the giant ape’s body.
The Six Armed Burial Ape slowly turned its head.
It looked toward Tiamant. All six massive fists of the Six Armed Burial Ape came crashing down at the same time.
The terrifying spiritual pressure shattered the surrounding black earth inch by inch. Yet just before those six fists, each powerful enough to smash Zich and Tiamant into pieces, could truly descend, Tiamant suddenly raised its head.
Roar!
A dragon’s roar exploded through the air.
This was not just any ordinary roar!
It was a command originating from the deepest depths of Tiamant’s powerful bloodline.
The Six Armed Burial Ape’s enormous body suddenly froze. Its six fists stopped less than a few meters above Zich’s head, and within its originally clouded eyes, a trace of clarity briefly returned.
When he saw this, Zich narrowed his eyes slightly and glanced at Tiamant, his eyes flashing sharply. ’She’s trying to control it.’
He didn’t know how this was possible, but so far, every beast seemed to react strangely around Tiamant, which he tied to her original bloodline.
And because of this superior bloodline, she was trying to indirectly override Marcus’s control.
"Useless!"
Seeing this, Marcus’s expression twisted as his five fingers abruptly clenched.
Boom!
Even more black soul energy surged madly into the enormous Soul Nail embedded in the Six Armed Burial Ape’s chest.
Crack.
Countless fractures immediately appeared across the giant ape’s spiritual body.
Marcus would rather destroy it than allow it to escape his control.
But Zich had already clearly seen the system notification.
[Master Soul Nail detected.]
[Destroying the Master Soul Nail will completely collapse the entire soul control network.]
’So that was it...’
The other six Soul Nails were merely nodes.
The one embedded in the Six Armed Burial Ape’s chest was what truly maintained the entire network.
Marcus had clearly noticed where Zich was looking as well. His figure flashed, and he directly positioned himself in front of the giant ape’s chest as dozens of black chains rose around him.
"You figured it out?" He sneered. "Too bad. You can’t reach it."
His gaze swept toward Tiamant, his eyes filled with mockery.
"What good is a superior bloodline? Without enough strength to enforce your will, so called bloodline suppression can do nothing more than make them hesitate for an instant."
Zich did not argue because Marcus was right.
Tiamant was indeed only Level 1. It could not directly suppress a Level 40 Six Armed Burial Ape. But that hesitation was more than enough.
"Iron."
Boom!
Iron and the Silverback Ape charged forward simultaneously, grabbing two of the Six Armed Burial Ape’s arms from opposite sides.
"Slimy."
"Bo!"
Two layers of Silk Barrier unfolded over one another, forcibly blocking another two massive fists.
The remaining two arms were just about to descend when Tiamant released another low roar.
But this time, it was a skill!
Death Field!
A black dome slowly spread out from Tiamant’s position, enveloping both Marcus and the ape.
"W what’s this?" Marcus panicked, his heart speeding up as he realized that he was moving much more slowly.
Yes, this was the effect of her skill, Death Field. Inside this dome, healing was suppressed, mana regeneration stopped, and all damage received was doubled!
Of course, this applied only to enemies.
Taking advantage of that instant, Slimy’s body grew smaller and moved into one of the cracks covering the Six Armed Burial Ape’s spiritual body.
Marcus’s eyes narrowed.
"That skill again?"
He immediately guessed Zich’s plan.
Large numbers of black chains rapidly gathered around the Master Soul Nail, almost completely sealing off the Six Armed Burial Ape’s chest.
However, Zich acted as though he had not noticed.
Buzz!
[Spirit Exchange!]
A cold gleam flashed through Marcus’s eyes.
As expected!
But in the next instant, his expression changed drastically because Zich had not exchanged places with Slimy.
He exchanged with Iron!
Zich instantly appeared beside Marcus, and his hand shook.
Fwoosh!
Frostgrave swept horizontally.
"You’re courting death!" Marcus roared furiously.
Almost all the black chains that had been protecting the Six Armed Burial Ape’s chest immediately changed direction, transforming into a dense black tide that surged toward Zich.
And at that exact moment, inside the Six Armed Burial Ape’s chest, Slimy suddenly emerged!
Puchi!
Its slimy body curled around the nail as it attempted to pull it out. But because it was not the strongest when it came to physical strength, it naturally struggled.
Marcus’s pupils contracted violently.
"No!"
Tiamant raised its head for the third time.
Roar!
Amid the dragon’s roar, the cloudiness in the Six Armed Burial Ape’s eyes abruptly vanished.
It lowered its head and looked at its own chest.
Then, for the first time, two of its six arms completely disobeyed Marcus’s command.
Clench!
Its enormous palms seized the black Soul Nail and then pulled with all their might.
"Stop!"
Marcus frantically poured out his soul power.
The Six Armed Burial Ape’s spiritual body continuously fractured, but it refused to let go.
Zich had already arrived. By this time, he had skillfully unsummoned Slimy. A crimson light condensed around his arm, and he swung it forward.
[Blood Arc!]
Fwoosh! Boom!
The Blood Arc struck the Soul Nail directly through the existing crack.
Crack!
A crisp shattering sound echoed throughout the entire Myriad Beast Burial Ground.
[Master Soul Nail destroyed.]
[Soul control network has completely collapsed.]
[Remaining Black Soul Nails are losing power.]
Bang!
Bang!
Bang!
The six distant Soul Nails shattered almost simultaneously.
The hundreds of Beast Souls that had been dragged around by the black chains all stopped.
For a moment, there was a brief silence. Then every Beast Soul slowly turned its head.
Their gazes all fell upon Marcus.
Marcus’s face finally turned completely pale.
"Wait..."
Hundreds of Beast Souls filled with resentment roared simultaneously!
"Get away from me!"
Marcus frantically swung his hands. Vast amounts of soul power erupted, tearing apart several remnant souls at the front before he turned without hesitation and rushed toward the edge of the black plain.
That was where the spatial fracture he had discovered several months ago was located.
As long as he escaped, he could always come back!
No, screw coming back. Right now, saving his life was more important.
Buzz!
A skeleton appeared beside the spatial fracture ahead of him.
Marcus’s pupils contracted. "You must be kidding me."
The next instant,
[Spirit Exchange!]
Zich replaced the skeleton and blocked the spatial fracture.
"Move!"
Marcus threw a punch.
Zich sidestepped it, and Frostgrave sliced across Marcus’s arm in the same motion.
Shing!
Without the seven Soul Nails and hundreds of Beast Souls continuously supplying him with power, Marcus’s aura had weakened by more than a single level compared to before.
After several exchanges, he finally went completely insane.
"If you won’t let me leave, then we’ll die together!"
Boom!
Countless twisted soul patterns suddenly lit up across Marcus’s chest.
The Beast Souls he had swallowed but had yet to completely refine began swelling simultaneously.
He was going to self destruct!
At that exact instant,
"Enough."
The Ancient Beast Soul’s aged voice came from the direction of the altar.
The entire Myriad Beast Burial Ground suddenly fell silent.
The violently expanding soul power inside Marcus was forcibly suppressed for one second.
Although it was only one second, Zich would be damned if he let the opportunity go. He was already standing in front of him.
Pale soul flames ignited around his five fingers.
"It’s over."
Boom!
Spirit Flame slammed directly into Marcus’s chest.
Crack!
Marcus’s body abruptly stiffened.
In the next instant, countless Beast Souls he had devoured erupted from his body and soared into the sky, forming a dazzling river of souls that scattered across the entire black plain once more.
[Hidden Quest "Thief of the Myriad Beast Burial Ground" completed.]
[Beast Souls successfully recovered: 387.]
[Quest Evaluation: Excellent.]
[Obtained: Qualification to Enter the Myriad Beast Soul Spring.]
In the distance, the Six Armed Burial Ape, now free from control, slowly walked toward Tiamant.
It did not attack. Instead, it lowered itself onto one knee.
Then, its enormous spiritual body gradually transformed into countless motes of light and merged back into the Myriad Beast Burial Ground.
Rumble!
The earth beneath the central altar slowly split apart.
An underground space that had been sealed for countless years finally opened completely.
Black gold spring water flowed slowly within it, while countless illusory figures of ancient giant beasts flickered in and out of existence around the spring.
The Ancient Beast Soul’s voice sounded once more.
"Take your beast type summons inside. How much they can obtain will depend on their own bloodlines and potential."
"Bo!"
Slimy’s eyes instantly lit up.
Its body bounced upward, ready to jump straight inside.
Smack.
A dragon chain suddenly wrapped around it.
Tiamant forcibly dragged Slimy back.
"Bo?"
Zich raised an eyebrow slightly.
This was the first time he had seen Tiamant act so cautiously in front of something capable of strengthening its power.
The next instant, a system notification appeared.
[Special Enhancement Area detected: Myriad Beast Soul Spring.]
["Myriad Beast Baptism" available.]
[After entering the spring, beast type summons have a chance to increase their levels, purify their bloodlines, and awaken dormant racial abilities.]
[Warning: Each lifeform may undergo the Myriad Beast Baptism only once.]
Zich looked toward the slowly surging black gold spring before him and smiled.
Not only had the number of tombstones in his Graveyard increased significantly, but he had also gained access to a spring capable of strengthening his summons!