[Chapter 166: Slapped to Death]
The lights that had gone out in the house flickered back to life. Even the courtyard lights followed suit, illuminating the entire area. It was a clear sign that Bathsheba was now completely at a disadvantage.
"No! This can't be real!" Bathsheba's voice trembled with despair. She had never imagined her power would become so fragile, so easily shattered.
Daniel straightened and walked toward her with an air of calm confidence. "I told you, you don't understand true power."
Raising his hand, Daniel brought down a single palm. Thunder rumbled in the sky as lightning bolts crashed down, faintly taking the form of a massive palm pressing toward Bathsheba.
"No!" Bathsheba screamed, attempting to escape with her usual tricks.
But Daniel extended a finger, and an overwhelming force pinned her midair, preventing any chance of vanishing.
"No!" she cried again, struggling desperately but to no avail.
She could only watch helplessly as the lightning-formed palm descended, closing in until it slammed into her body.
Boom!
The lightning palm crushed Bathsheba relentlessly. Before she even hit the ground, her soul shattered completely under the impact.
[Ding! Killed a D-rank ghost, gained 500,000 Merit points.]
The notification ringing in Daniel's mind confirmed Bathsheba's absolute end.
As she shattered and dispersed, the four ghosts relaxed in unison. They had truly feared that if Daniel failed, they would be dragged down too. But now, it was clear they had overestimated the threat.
Faced with Daniel's towering form and overwhelming aura, their spirit bodies trembled uncontrollably. It was a natural reaction to such immense power.
Previously, the sacrificial energy had contended with Daniel's aura while trying to harm them. Now that opposing force was gone, and Daniel's power pressed down on them fully.
Daniel turned and fixed his gaze on the four figures. His terrifying aura grew even more intense.
Thud, thud, thud -- together they knelt before him, heads bowed deeply, reverence plain on their faces.
"You made the right choice," Daniel said. "And I will honor my promise."
By heaven's order and earth's foundation, let corruption be scattered.
Let hidden darkness be dragged into the light and undone.
May the guardians of every direction stand witness and enforce judgment.
What was owed is paid.
What was unfinished is ended.
Daniel's colossal frame and booming voice carried the incantation for Purifying Souls Seal with divine authority.
In an instant, a mysterious resonance filled the air, wrapping around the four figures. Their forms grew fainter and fainter, yet their faces held surprised delight.
The looks they gave Daniel were brimming with gratitude and respect.
Depart without malice, depart without return.
With those final words, the four figures vanished. "Thank you!" Their voices echoed softly in the stillness.
[Ding! Transcended an F-rank soul, gained 5,000 Merit points.]
[Ding! Transcended an F-rank soul, gained 5,000 Merit points.]
[Ding! Transcended an F-rank soul, gained 5,000 Merit points.]
[Ding! Transcended an F-rank soul, gained 5,000 Merit points.]
Now that he had reached the Lesser Ascendant Order, Daniel possessed numerous rites for granting peace to the departed and releasing bound souls.
Among them were the Litany of Sacred Absolution, the Canticle of Deliverance, the Rite of Reconciliation and Remission, the Great Liturgy of Boundless Redemption, the Rite of Shattering the Veil, the Prayer of Peaceful Passage, and many other sacred offices.
All were effective at transcending deceased souls.
But Daniel was most accustomed to the Divine Incantation for for Purifying Souls and found it the most convenient.
...
Anne Hathaway still stood with her hand over her wide-open mouth, staring at Daniel in shock.
A man who had looked so ordinary had suddenly grown into a towering giant.
This small giant had crushed a powerful ghost with a single wave of his hand, erasing it from existence.
The four terrifying ghosts had been sent away by him, and as they disappeared, they even expressed their gratitude.
Everything felt so surreal, so incredible.
Any one of these things alone would have shocked Anne for a long time. Seeing them all together, she remained speechless, stunned into silence.
Especially with Daniel casually walking in front of her, as if none of it was extraordinary.
The impact of the moment imprinted itself on her mind like a mental seal.
...
Once the four souls transcended, Daniel turned his gaze toward Anne Hathaway.
"Ah!" Startled by the sudden look, Anne instinctively took a step back.
Daniel realized that his current size was a bit much. With a thought, his body began to shrink until he returned to normal.
Then, with a flick of his wrist, he pulled clothes from System space and put them on.
The effect of the Seven Lamps of Dominion Rite was somewhat similar to the Rite of Divine Empowerment. However, while the Rite of Divine Empowerment only enhanced power without altering size, the Seven Lamps of Dominion Rite made the body grow larger, creating a stronger visual impact.
Moreover, the power it summoned was remarkably effective against evil. Daniel's single punch that shattered Bathsheba's Sacrificial Array was proof enough.
"Ahem!" Clearing his throat awkwardly after dressing, Daniel looked to Anne.
Her cheeks were flushed as she asked, "Mr. Cross, is it over?"
"Yes." Daniel nodded and glanced toward the courtyard.
Just like inside the house, the courtyard was a mess. The garden's lawn was torn up and trampled, an eyesore.
Most notably, Daniel's gaze fixed on a massive crack running through the ground. Following the fissure, he saw it extended all the way to the house's wall. Daniel's punch had left a shocking fracture in the structure.
Suddenly, this luxury mansion had turned into a safety hazard.
"Uh..." Daniel felt a pang of embarrassment.
He'd come to perform an exorcism -- to drive out the tainted forces and make the house livable. But instead, while the evil was gone, the house itself was now structurally unsafe.
Damn it... It's all Bathsheba's fault. Why did she have to bury a Sacrificial Array here? Daniel cursed inwardly.
Still, as the problem now existed, it had to be fixed.
Anne Hathaway noticed the huge crack on the wall as well. Her expression was complicated; for a moment, she had no idea how to respond.
*****
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