Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Centipede That Doesn’t Die

Below the celestial level, there’s no use in fighting against legends; it’s just a straightforward way to get yourself killed.

With the influence of the Fear law covering things, it might even complicate matters. That’s why Liliya directed most of the manpower elsewhere.

To be honest, although she was under the law’s influence and caught in a state of fear, she didn’t actually believe this battle would fail.

While there can be significant gaps in power among legends, both Fiery Blossom and Plakaka were strong legends themselves. With Liliya and over a dozen celestial-level experts assisting, defeating this Vengeful Spirit shouldn’t be too hard.

What Princess was worried about was the possibility that their opponent might transcend.

In her hurried scan of the files here, Liliya had gleaned some understanding of the “Vengeful Spirit Mass Production Plan.”

Vengeful Spirits grow by devouring the souls of others, and those children had undoubtedly perished at its hands. But so much time has passed; why has this thing’s power continued to increase?

What is sustaining it ceaselessly?

“Sister Hua, please.”

Fiery Blossom said nothing, merely nodded, slowly drew her short bow, and aimed at the laboratory ceiling. What surged up her arrow was a colorless flame.

This was a new technique that Hua developed after comprehending the Fourth of the Scarlet Lotus—Flowing Light, a power belonging to the realm of gods.

The law, simply put, is a power controlled by an existence called “God,” possessing absolute effectiveness due to its overwhelming strength.

And simulating the law is nothing but a clumsy imitation of divine power by mortals. Thus, having stepped into the realm of gods, Fiery Blossom could also now simulate the law’s power.

“Void… Flames!”

Seeming to strain a bit to shout those four words, the red-haired ranger’s bowstring trembled slightly as the metal arrow wrapped in colorless flames shot into the void, instantaneously transforming into a transparent, intangible arrow.

Silent, without a ripple, it shot straight up, piercing into some invisible entity and vanishing from sight.

Shooting this arrow visibly drained color from Hua’s face. Transforming a physical object into a spiritual arrow, ignoring any physical obstacles and directly attacking the enemy’s soul, this variation of “Fiery Blossom” consumed even more than “Flowing Light.”

If Vilyric were present, she would understand immediately that Hua had just consumed her own spiritual points, so to speak.

If one were to give this imitation law a name, it should be the Law of “Void.”

But there was no doubt that Fiery Blossom’s attack was effective.

Previously hidden from view, the invisible Vengeful Spirit, leisurely absorbing from what seemed an endless source, suddenly twisted and rolled, letting out a piercing shriek!

It finally manifested its presence in the physical world. Countless black streams converged from all directions, like a rolling black cloud enveloping the laboratory. The magical lights went out, plunging everything into oppressive darkness.

The “clouds” roiled, gradually forming a blurry male face made entirely of black gas, towering and looking down upon those present, issuing a hoarse, frenzied roar.

Just hearing its voice conveyed an extreme sense of resentment and unwillingness.

“Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn! You all should die, ahhhhhh!!!”

“How dare you ruin my experiment, my experiment!!! It was so close to success! Damn woman! I will kill you all!!!!!!”

“Leopold?! How did he become a Vengeful Spirit?”

Liliya frowned slightly, when suddenly Plakaka’s incredulous exclamation broke through beside her, clearly recognizing the face.

“Leopold?”

That name was still fresh in the Princess’s memory; after all, according to Plakaka’s previous description, he was quite a troublesome character to deal with.

“That’s right, Your Highness! I’d recognize this ugly face even as ashes!”

Realizing the true identity of the Vengeful Spirit, this guy seemed less afraid, his tone becoming teasing.

“Strange, Your Highness, the Undead shouldn’t be able to become a Vengeful Spirit. Once converted, it should be fixed in death. Unless it involves that person’s extraordinary methods, I can’t think of anyone else who could…”

“As I said, he’s a mad researcher; such things aren’t surprising… Wind Blade!”

As soon as she finished speaking, the Princess swung her longsword, an invisible blade of air formed by five or six streams rushed towards the face in the air!

However, the Vengeful Spirit, seemingly gone insane and devoid of rationality, made no effort to defend itself.

In the midst of maddened laughter, the wind blades punctured through the black streams, crashing into the ceiling above, leaving deep gouges but not affecting the Vengeful Spirit’s form at all.

“Tch, this isn’t good. I can only see it, but still can’t attack? Sister Hua, can you keep using your technique?”

Fiery Blossom nocked another arrow, nodding slightly before shaking her head.

“I can, but I’ve just mastered this move, and it consumes a lot. I can only shoot three arrows at most before completely exhausting my power, so it’s best to avoid using it unless it’s the last moment.”

“I see… then how… whoa!”

Before they could continue their leisurely conversation, it seemed that the giant Vengeful Spirit fused with Leopold had been incensed by the Princess’s earlier probing attack. Thousands of black arrows erupted from it, frantically shooting down towards the people below!

Liliya quickly sidestepped to avoid one arrow, then swung her longsword to deflect several more arrows made of condensed black gas.

Strangely enough, although there was no substantial collision when getting hit, those black streams turned into arrows that could inflict significant damage—a truly bizarre occurrence.

However, no one present was weak; each person displayed their skills—dodging, bouncing, or raising barriers to withstand the torrential downpour of arrows released by the Vengeful Spirit.

“Hahahahahahaha!!!! Die, die, die, die, die!!!!!!”

What was thought to be merely an initial flurry of attack turned out to be unceasing. The Vengeful Spirit relentlessly split off new arrows, pouring them down like a torrential rain, growing denser and heavier. Every impact brought a considerable burden.

Feeling the black arrows becoming increasingly difficult to fend off, Liliya’s heart sank…

Being forced to endure attacks wasn’t a solution.

The arrows splitting off from the Vengeful Spirits had no cost at all; once they landed or were deflected, they immediately dissipated back into black gas, returning to the mass, continuously depleting everyone’s stamina.

Moreover, within these black arrows seemed to lie a hint of the Fear law that the Vengeful Spirit had mastered.

Each time one of them struck, a strange power coursed through Liliya’s sword and into her body, intensifying the chill of fear creeping up her back, even with the warm, soothing vibrations from the bracelet Hua had around her wrist, Liliya was beginning to feel overwhelmed.

The others were likely in similar situations.

But following Liliya, every attack attempted by others—throwing weapons, fireballs, lightning, even Hua’s tentative ordinary arrows—failed to inflict any harm on the Vengeful Spirit at all, slamming into the ceiling above.

Though after Hua’s attack with the intangible arrow, the Vengeful Spirit could no longer grow stronger through soul absorption, it had probably at least reached the pinnacle of legend standards.

Just as the Princess was feeling troubled, a golden light suddenly burst forth like a dazzling star, soaring straight into the sky.

That golden light, with a force like a bamboo shoot splitting through layers of arrows, pierced directly into the center of the giant face of the Leopold Vengeful Spirit. The explosion of intense brilliance at least melted away black gas within a meter’s radius, then surged forward, embedding itself in the ceiling, before the light eventually faded.

“Ahhhhhhh!! Damn!! Damn Holy Light!!! Kill you all!!!!”

The injured Vengeful Spirit erupted into an extreme rage, its torrential rain of arrows slightly weakened by the attack.

At this moment, Liliya finally saw the embodiment of the golden light.

It was a sword.

A sword thrown by someone.

Holy Knight Edwina held her shield in her left hand and maintained the posture of throwing with her right, which should have been holding her sword, now empty.

Seeing everyone casting bewildered gazes her way, the Holy Knight scratched her head awkwardly and broke into a silly grin.

“Heh heh heh, who knew that the Radiant Slash could be thrown as a flying sword? I just thought of it on a whim…”

   

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