Chapter 160: The Time Candle Dragon!
Thunderous voices echoed one after another through Matthew's sea of consciousness.
But now, he could no longer respond or resist, only watch helplessly as everything slipped away.
Just as the terrifying will was about to completely consume Matthew and replace him entirely,
A crisp cry rang out, softly reverberating throughout the soul world.
"Yah? Time, rewind!"
The horrifying laughter abruptly stopped, and Tai Ji's spreading will and tendrils rapidly retracted, returning to their original form.
Matthew could clearly feel the overwhelming terror weakening at an astonishing rate.
"It's Yaya!"
"Time Reversal!"
On the brink of despair, Matthew's eyes snapped open wide, a glimmer of hope rising in his heart!
The excruciating pain gradually subsided, and his thoughts began to move again:
"Once Tai Ji invades my consciousness, our minds and thoughts will merge into one."
"With her vast memory and strength, I won't be able to resist; she'll devour me completely and take over."
"So, the key to breaking free is preventing her from getting close!"
Matthew carefully surveyed his surroundings, but throughout his entire sea of consciousness,
He couldn't find anything capable of resisting the eerie blue light—the power of fate!
Neither thought, will, nor soul could become Matthew's weapon or shield; the power of fate drew closer, unchecked.
Because this power of fate was emanating from Matthew's soul itself.
It now had its own will, its own consciousness, and it wanted to rebel.
Perhaps from the moment Matthew began using the power of Fate's Choice, this backlash was inevitable.
The power to alter fate had likely been quietly absorbed by Tai Ji from the start!
What now?
How could he defeat this monster lurking deep within his soul?
At that moment, Matthew suddenly felt that the reversal of willpower was beginning to slow down.
This meant Yaya's power was nearly depleted!
But Tai Ji's twisted tendrils still had a third of the way to go before they left his consciousness!
"Time is running out!"
"Ugh... Dad... I... can't hold on!"
Matthew slowly closed his eyes. He could clearly hear Yaya's frustrated sobbing and Tai Ji's silent mockery and glee.
"Accept your fate! Mortals can never defeat gods!"
"I am your destiny!"
Destiny?
Matthew muttered to himself. Seeing his reaction, Tai Ji let out a deafening laugh.
Once time resumed its normal flow, she would make Matthew endure the same suffering she had once experienced!
Time...
Time!!
In that instant, clarity struck, and Matthew's gaze fell upon the attribute panel that had always seemed like a trap.
"So, this is it!"
Matthew chuckled softly, finally realizing the truth—external power is only ever external; real strength comes from within!
Under Yaya's bewildered gaze and Tai Ji's smug laughter, he closed his eyes.
The brilliant blue light washed over Matthew's soul, making it more solid, more complex.
An indescribable coolness flowed through Matthew's consciousness, erasing the lingering pain and sharpening his thoughts and memories.
"Ding, you have spent 4,000 experience points to raise your Arcanist level to LV5!"
The familiar, pleasant sound rang out clearly.
Tai Ji, waiting in anticipation, blinked in confusion before letting out a triumphant laugh:
"Hahaha, just a mere Arcanist..."
"Ding, you have spent 10,000 experience points to raise your Arcanist level to LV6!"
"Ding, you have reached mid-tier and activated your bloodline power!"
With his experience points nearly depleted, Tai Ji's previously distorted and crumbling face twisted into a sneer of disdain:
"No matter how hard you struggle, it's useless."
"A mere bloodline can't stand against a god's power!"
"And that pesky little lizard of yours—once I'm done here, I'll make sure to deal with it..."
Matthew didn't argue; he quietly felt the power of his hidden bloodline deep within.
It quickly began affecting his soul, intricate patterns extending like branches and vines.
The complexity and brilliance of these patterns far surpassed even his mid-tier Arcanist advancement.
A special, indescribable power began to envelop Matthew's consciousness.
Tai Ji, her expression still twisted with malice, suddenly felt a sense of unease as she looked at Matthew's now calm and composed face.
She sensed the last vestiges of Yaya's time-reversing power fading away and eagerly tried to extend her tendrils to seize control of Matthew's consciousness once again.
As long as she accomplished that, no matter what Matthew had left, he would be powerless to stop her!
After that, even the thought of resistance would never cross his mind!
However, despite all of Tai Ji's efforts, her insidious tendrils remained motionless, and instead began retracting just as they had earlier.
"This is impossible!"
"What kind of power is this?"
"How can it control me?"
Matthew's soul opened its eyes, and within his pitch-black irises, tiny points of light flickered.
He raised his hand and clenched it toward Tai Ji's fractured phantom from a distance.
The tendrils of her consciousness, now retreating on their own, released the power of fate they had absorbed as it slowly dissipated.
Tai Ji's eyes were filled with disbelief as she strained to activate the power of fate, but she couldn't even slow it down!
Meanwhile, Matthew spoke in a calm, gentle voice to the disbelieving Tai Ji:
"Maybe to you, I'm just a mortal."
"Maybe you never truly understood the secret hidden within me..."
Tai Ji watched in horror as all her tendrils were completely withdrawn, constantly wondering why!
Sensing her confusion, Matthew patiently continued:
"You see, you never understood why a mere Level 1 Arcanist like me could form a life bond with Yaya."
"Why when I formed life bonds with other higher magical creatures, it didn't repair my soul?"
Hearing Matthew's questions, Tai Ji's face, now starting to crumble again, glared at him with hatred in her eyes.
Seeing that Tai Ji still wasn't interested in understanding, Matthew simply shrugged and continued, speaking to himself:
"The reason is actually quite simple."
"Yaya and I are beings of the same level!"
"I gave her wisdom, and she gave me the seed of strength!"
"We both wield the power of time!!"
On Matthew's attribute panel, the long-dormant talent
Finally began to reveal itself amidst flickering light and shadow.
"Candle Dragon Bloodline LV2: Master of Time, Reverser of Time!"