"In my domain, what makes you think you can escape?" Qin Che asked, his voice dripping with contempt as he gazed down at the Winged Azure Wolf sprawled on the ground, a faint smile playing on his lips.
"Chaos Vortex—Devour."
Watching the Winged Azure Wolf's life force rapidly drain away, Qin Che turned his back, no longer concerned with its fate. After all, it was destined to become his "nourishment."
Next, he would seek out Wu Ku.
This was the true climax of his journey to Bocheng.
Before leaving, Qin Che glanced at Zhan Kong, who had been hovering in the air all along. He had sensed Zhan Kong's presence long ago but had been too preoccupied to deal with him.
It's worth noting that Qin Che's second awakened element was Spatial, and his third was Summoning. The absolute mental perception granted by these three Dimensional elements endowed him with extraordinary investigative abilities, surpassing even those of specialized Sound-type mages!
As Qin Che departed, Zhan Kong finally descended into Bocheng's airspace.
Surveying the landscape below—pockmarked with craters large and small from the Demon Beast's rampage—Zhan Kong fell silent.
"Bocheng... it was already hollowed out long ago?"
"If not for that mysterious figure's intervention, the casualties in Bocheng would have been immeasurable!"
***
Meanwhile, in the mountains outside Bocheng, Wu Ku was still laboriously conjuring rain.
A string of azure Water Buddha Beads spun endlessly in his palm, replenishing his depleted Water Element Magical Energy.
Around him, the ground was crowded with Black Church members.
Gray-robed and black-robed figures were present, but none wore blue.
"How do you think the experiment is going?" a black-robed priest asked, glancing boredly at Wu Ku, who was still controlling the downpour.
"No idea. I envy those assigned to Bocheng. It feels like they got to experience an extra level of the game." Another black-robed priest chimed in.
"Hey... what if we sneaked into Bocheng to take a look?" A third priest suddenly suggested.
"If you want to die, go alone! Lord Salang specifically ordered us to stay glued to this bald monk's side!" The first black-robed priest, startled, instantly dropped the playing cards in his hand.
"Exactly! You think you've lived long enough to defy Lord Salang's orders?"
Just then, several corpses of gray-robed cultists and Black Beast Demons landed before the black-robed priests.
The sight jolted them to their feet, their eyes darting around warily.
But after a long wait, no one appeared.
"Who's there? Show yourself instead of playing tricks!"
Black-robed Priest Number One roared in disbelief, shoving his teammates behind him protectively.
"I've been here all along. You just couldn't see me."
As soon as the words left his lips, Qin Che's figure materialized before the group of Black-robed Priests.
Staring at the suddenly appearing Qin Che, they felt as if they were seeing a ghost in broad daylight.
There wasn't even a trace of magical energy in the air!
Qin Che observed the Black-robed Priests with amusement. It seemed his theory had been correct.
Within the Chaos Domain, one could use the Chaos Surface to refract light, achieving invisibility.
However, this method couldn't conceal one's scent. If he encountered a Demon Beast with a keen sense of smell, evasion would be difficult.
Perhaps he could refine the technique to mask his scent as well?
"A mere human dares to trespass on our territory? Black Beast Demons, attack! Tear this arrogant fool to shreds!"
Black-robed Priest Number Two was clearly enraged by Qin Che's theatrics. Combined with Qin Che's youthful appearance, his fury reached a fever pitch.
*What right does this greenhorn have to play the hero?*
But then they witnessed a scene that shattered their worldview.
The Black Beast Demons, leaping into the air, were instantly crushed into pools of black liquid by an invisible force!
The black liquid splattered onto the ground with sickening *splatter-splatter* sounds.
In a single exchange, all the Black Beast Demons he had cultivated were annihilated!
"Alright, you pawns. You're not my target. I don't have time to play with you right now."
Qin Che's gaze swept past the priests, settling directly on Wu Ku, who sat cross-legged on the ground, his face etched with faint contempt.
"Spatial Rhythm - Rift."
A faint hum filled the air, and crimson lines suddenly appeared on the necks of the Black-robed Priests.
*Thud!*
The priests collapsed instantly, blood gushing like a fountain, staining the parched earth crimson.
"Benefactor, why commit such slaughter? Join us! Abandon your bloodshed, and you shall ascend to eternal bliss, becoming one of the elite!"
Wu Ku had ceased his rainmaking the moment Qin Che appeared. He could sense from the raindrops that Bocheng hadn't fallen into chaos under Demon Beast attack. Perhaps Qin Che's intervention was the reason.
As Wu Ku realized this and prepared to flee, he discovered the space around him had already been locked down by Chaos! No matter which direction he fled, he would always return to the same spot. The spatial order here had been shattered!
"Fuck your eternal bliss! Your brainwashing bullshit doesn't work on me."
Qin Che stared at Wu Ku's death throes, seeing him as nothing more than a stack of money.
"I wonder how much you're worth to the Judgment Council?"
"A Thought Stone? Or perhaps a Soul Seed?"
With each word, Qin Che took another step toward Wu Ku.
The words seemed to weigh down on Wu Ku's shoulders like an invisible, crushing force.
Unconsciously, Wu Ku's hand stopped turning the Water Buddha Beads, and beads of sweat the size of beans began to trickle down his forehead.
The suffocating sensation, like a python coiling around him, was so intense that he couldn't even smoothly connect the Star Particles!
"Benefactor... Benefactor! Turn back! Do not commit further acts of slaughter! Amitabha!"
Wu Ku desperately tried to calm himself, but the pressure emanating from Qin Che was overwhelming.
The surrounding space warped as Qin Che drew closer, and Wu Ku felt the scenery blurring before his eyes.
He couldn't tell if it was due to magic or his own fear.
But Wu Ku knew that if he didn't act now, he would die!
"Save your words for the Dark King. See if they believe your pious excuses."
"Chaos Blade."
Qin Che's right hand clenched lightly in the air, and in an instant, a colorless, transparent blade materialized in his grip.
This blade, forged from Chaos Power, was a true blade capable of bypassing all defenses and inflicting direct damage!
"Wait... wait! Spare me! We're the same kind! I might be able to help you!"
After repeated failed attempts to escape the sealed space, Wu Ku had begun to babble incoherently.
"The same kind? You're not worthy to be called my kind!"
Qin Che suddenly quickened his pace, thrusting the Chaos Blade forward with a violent motion.
*Sizzle—!*
In an instant, the Water Buddha Beads' defenses parted like soft tofu, and the Chaos Blade pierced straight through Wu Ku's heart.
Wu Ku's face twisted in agony, but before he could even scream, a Chaos Vortex materialized above his head.
"I curse you to a miserable death!"
Perhaps sensing the approach of death, Wu Ku finally abandoned his monk's facade and began to hurl curses at Qin Che.
But Qin Che had already sealed off all sound; such was the wondrous power of Chaos.
However, only after the Chaos Vortex had completely devoured Wu Ku's physical body and soul did Qin Che realize that something strange was happening within his mental world!