The old man's anger flared. “Boy, don’t think you’re the only one with special techniques. My power is beyond your comprehension.” His voice dripped with arrogance, fully convinced that Adrian was just an insect to be crushed.Adrian’s expression remained cold. “Old man, there's no need to get so worked up. Don’t worry. I’ll send you to the underworld soon enough.”In the blood-red space, Adrian unleashed a punch that shattered everything in its path. A blinding flash of crimson light erupted as his strike hit the old man's skeletal frame. His bones trembled, and with a loud crack, a small fragment broke off. Though it was just a tiny piece, the old man’s soul flame flickered as if that skeletal frame was his most prized possession.Adrian smirked. “So, this skeleton isn’t just a puppet. It’s your real body, isn’t it? If I crush it, I doubt you’ll last much longer, old man.”The elder's expression twisted with fury. “Stop spouting nonsense!” He was visibly flustered, rattled by Adr
“Boy, if you spare me, I can offer you a valuable treasure,” the old man suddenly proposed, hinting at a compromise. It seemed he was beginning to reconsider his position, sensing that Adrian was intent on wearing him down until he fell. Despite his experience, the old man could see through Adrian’s intentions.Adrian recognized that the old man wanted to end this prolonged fight. The longer it continued, the more the old man feared for his life, which he valued above all else. For someone like him, survival was paramount.A trace of a cold smile crossed Adrian’s face as he regarded the old man. ‘Old fool, do you really think I’d let you leave so easily? There’s no way I’d make it that simple,’ he thought.To Adrian, absorbing the elder’s soul power would only make him stronger. Letting him go was out of the question.“Since you’re offering, I suppose I’ll take you up on it,” Adrian said, feigning agreement. The power in the space around them seemed to loosen, and the old man’s eye
Adrian’s expression remained icy as the blood-red Soul Devouring Sword in his hand trembled with unrestrained energy. He was determined to unleash everything he had to finish this battle. There was no way he would let the old man before him escape.The power in Adrian’s hand shuddered in the void, and runic symbols spread around them, forming an array as he continued to clash with the elder. Setting up formations while fighting was his usual strategy.As Adrian gathered terrifying energy, the elder began to sense something was amiss. Observing the shifting space, he felt an unsettling change in his surroundings, though he couldn’t pinpoint what was happening. An increasing sense of apprehension crept over him.‘What is this kid doing?’ he wondered, watching Adrian’s power radiate. His suspicion grew with each passing moment.Adrian’s face remained stoic and cold. He knew exactly what he was doing. In the distance, Tyron and the others observed flashes of blue light illuminating the
The elder glared at Adrian with smug arrogance, convinced this battle would end the latter. He had summoned a hellhound radiating an advanced Divine Stage aura, certain Adrian stood no chance.“Oh mighty deity, take this boy’s life, and I shall sacrifice myself to you,” the elder chanted, his soul flame dimming slightly as he sacrificed part of his life force.Adrian observed the hellhound, noting a strange gleam in its eyes. It wasn’t a soul flame, but some unusual energy source. His gaze turned icy. “So, this is your ‘great power?’ If you’re so eager to die, let’s get started.” His eyes glinted with lethal intent, ready to confront the beast.“Boy, you’re about to witness the power of a deity!” the elder roared as his strength flared, distorting the very air around them as though it might shatter.Boom!The hellhound let out a feral roar, its presence echoing like that of an ancient beast. Adrian’s expression remained cold. This creature was unlike any he had encountered, and a
As Adrian finished speaking, a terrifying force surged from his hand, crashing through the air with relentless intensity. The power hurtled toward the hellhound, slamming into it with devastating impact.The elder, too, charged forward, his soul energy fluctuating as he prepared to risk everything to seize Adrian’s power. His soul force raged toward Adrian, intent on devouring his soul. But in an instant, his face twisted in horror as Adrian unleashed his own soul energy—a mighty, terrifying force that filled the air.“How is your soul power so strong?” the elder gasped, shocked.Adrian’s soul energy was nearly at the advanced Divine Stage, far beyond what he’d anticipated. By his estimates, Adrian’s soul power should have only reached an intermediate level.Adrian smirked coldly. “Only now you realize my strength? A bit late, isn’t it?” He struck the elder with a powerful punch.Bam!The elder staggered, feeling an immense, crushing force pressing down on him. Stunned, his face
The scene was pure chaos. Adrian was giving it everything, fighting the hellhound with sheer physical strength. It was a risky move as the hellhound, a creature of the underworld, had a naturally powerful physique. If things went wrong, Adrian’s approach could spell disaster.Boom!Adrian pressed on, unfazed by the strain. In fact, he felt a thrill. His strength was holding its own against this fierce creature.Boom!The elder watched, horror flashing across his face. He hadn’t expected Adrian’s power to be this terrifying. The latter’s strength seemed beyond comprehension. But surrender wasn’t an option, and he refused to yield.Adrian, too, appeared set on finishing this fight.Boom!The hellhound lashed out with savage force, colliding fiercely with Adrian and creating a display so intense that even the elder flinched. Waiting for the right moment, he planned to steal Adrian’s soul energy, hoping to exploit the latter’s focus on the hellhound.But Adrian saw through the elde
Adrian unleashed waves of overwhelming power that shook the realm as if his energy might tear it apart. His expression was icy and determined. He was ready to annihilate anything in his way. Still, he knew he needed to move carefully.Around him, the formation was now fully activated. “A hellhound, is it? Since you’re here, there’s no leaving,” he said, activating sinister runes on his hands that released a fearsome surge of energy.The force crashed into the hellhound like a tidal wave, and its bones began to crack under the unyielding pressure. The shattering sounds echoed, and the elder stared in horror. He hadn’t believed this was possible. The hellhound’s body was supposed to be as resilient as a divine weapon.“What kind of formation is this?” he muttered in fear. Initially, he’d dismissed Adrian’s setup as a mere distraction during their battle, not realizing it could release such destructive force.As the hellhound staggered under the assault, Adrian smirked. “That didn’t w
Adrian sneered at the elder’s confusion. “Curious about this flame? Come experience it yourself.”With that, he unleashed another wave of fire, directing its intense heat at the hellhound’s skeletal frame.Crack! Crack! Crack!The relentless flames splintered the hellhound's bones in a terrifying and chaotic display. Adrian’s expression remained cold, as though this destruction was routine.The elder cried out in despair, “No! This isn’t possible!” Desperately, he called out, “Divine power, I beg you. Release your might and destroy this boy! I offer my entire soul in sacrifice!”The elder couldn’t comprehend Adrian’s overwhelming flame. It was reducing everything to ashes. How could he hope to win like this?Adrian sensed the elder’s panic and sneered. “Pathetic. Your so-called ‘divine being’ can’t even protect itself now.”With those words, Adrian directed his energy toward the strange force controlling the hellhound, certain it was the key to its strength, and prepared to sh
Crack… crack…The sound of shattering echoed through the air, reverberating across the desolate landscape. Adrian and Renee had emerged in a stark and barren mountainous region. Clearly, they were no longer in Death Valley.Boom!Renee felt herself land on something soft. She was stunned and couldn’t quite process what had just happened.However, she forced herself to calm down. As she regained her composure, she was overwhelmed by the suffocating weight of the dust-filled air. Looking around in confusion, she noticed that the surroundings were unfamiliar. What’s more, Adrian was nowhere to be seen.“Huh? Where did he go?” Renee muttered. Her gaze darted about until it froze on an unbelievable sight.To her surprise, Adrian was beneath her, barely clinging to life. His breathing was faint, and his body was limp as if death had already taken him. Renee gasped, utterly shaken. She hurriedly got to her feet and lifted Adrian. After she dusted him off, she looked at him with a mix
Renee watched Adrian nervously, her expression filled with disbelief. After all, Death Valley had never been this terrifying before. Despite its ominous name, the actual danger wasn’t supposed to be this extreme.At this moment, Renee couldn’t figure out what they had triggered. Could their luck really be this bad? In the past, Renee had traversed this area alongside powerful warriors from Ciawales, even those at the Nascent and Fusion Stages, and they had passed through this valley with ease. But this time, the journey was unexpectedly difficult, fraught with numerous obstacles and dangers that left Renee utterly terrified.Fusions typically passed through this area without trouble. Even she and Adrian, who had slain the giant serpent, were effectively at that level of strength. By all logic, they should have been able to leave without any issues. But now, another monstrous entity had appeared, far more intimidating than anything they had encountered before.Adrian’s face darkene
“Is he not going to wake up?” Renee’s expression was filled with anxiety.The situation was dire. The thunderbolts were almost upon them, threatening to annihilate everything. Yet Adrian remained immersed in his deduction, showing no signs of waking up as if he was fully absorbed in deciphering the formation.Indeed, when it came to analyzing formations, such meticulousness was necessary, especially when attempting to uncover its deadly traps. This task could not be rushed.Crackle, crackle, crackle…Serpentine lightning twisted through the sky, streaks of energy descending as if from the heavens, ready to shatter everything. The entire sky trembled, and it felt like the very fabric of reality was breaking apart.Rumble!The barrier trembled once more, and the entire space around them quivered violently. Despite its strength, the barrier now seemed barely able to hold against the unrelenting onslaught. The thunderstorm’s sheer power was not something any ordinary person could wit
Adrian’s gaze sharpened as he released a wave of killing intent. “Hmph! So there’s still something left. Let’s shatter it once and for all!”Without hesitation, Adrian sat down cross-legged, summoning a powerful surge of energy that enveloped the barrier overhead. His forceful aura spread out, reinforcing the protective shield as he began to analyze the patterns of the formation around them.From the energy fluctuations, it was clear that this was not an ordinary formation. Deducing this, Adrian’s expression grew colder, his killing intent palpable.Boom!A powerful force reverberated, shaking the earth and sky. Renee was stunned. Adrian had once again entered a meditative state to break the formation. Should she assist him?The intensity of the attacks was overwhelming, and if Adrian were interrupted now, the consequences could be dire. Thinking of this, Renee prepared to make a move.“Don’t move. Stay put. This isn’t the same formation as before,” Adrian commanded sternly as if
Adrian scanned his surroundings, his gaze sharp and icy cold. The darkness of the night seemed to carry an ominous presence. He halted, staring intently at Renee, and said, “Don’t rush.”Renee was momentarily stunned, a look of confusion on her face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.Renee hadn’t noticed anything unusual. The only thing she desired was to quickly leave this cursed place. The longer she stayed here, the more uncomfortable she felt.Whoosh!A fierce wind swept through Death Valley, making the towering trees shiver as though they were alive and fearful.Adrian’s expression turned even colder as he looked around and shouted, “Stop hiding! Show yourself!”The sudden outburst left Renee startled. She couldn’t tell if Adrian had lost his mind or if her own senses were just too weak. The air seemed empty, with nothing unusual. The biting cold wind had always been a part of Death Valley’s sinister aura, something Renee had always attributed to the place’s natural state.Adrian’
Some daemonic beasts have a final self-destructive instinct upon death, causing their inner cores to explode and leaving nothing behind for humans to absorb. This was why an intact inner core was incredibly rare and precious.Yet, here Adrian was willingly giving one to her. Renee felt deep gratitude in her heart for this unexpected gesture.“Thank you. If I ever have the chance, I will repay your kindness,” Renee said with sincerity in her eyes.Adrian replied, “No need to thank me. You will certainly have the opportunity. Aren’t you my servant now? Protecting me is your duty. All right, let’s keep moving.”He continued moving forward. By now, it was already late at night.Renee gazed at Adrian, puzzled. She couldn’t figure out what kind of person he was. He treated her like a subordinate, yet his actions were more like those of a friend. She was finding it harder to understand Adrian’s intentions.But Adrian clearly had his own reasons. He wasn’t one to conform to expectations.
"What did you say? You want me to absorb it? But this inner core… It's yours…" Renee stammered, utterly shocked that Adrian was offering her the inner core. She knew well how precious this inner core was.Absorbing a beast’s inner core would significantly boost one's strength. It wasn’t that Adrian didn’t understand this fact. But he still responded calmly, "Yes, you heard me right. I want you to have it. There’s no need to be so surprised."Renee’s eyes widened even further. She couldn’t believe Adrian was treating her this generously. After all, she was just his servant.But to Adrian, it was a worthwhile decision. He had always viewed Renee as an equal. When he was injured, not only did Renee refrain from attacking him, but she also didn’t seize the inner core. More importantly, she had given him her energy to help him recover.Adrian had now gained immense strength. If he were to absorb the inner core’s power on top of that, it might be too much for him to handle and could back
Adrian chuckled lightly. "Why are you so excited? See, I'm awake now. If I never woke up, would you have stayed here watching over me forever?"Renee huffed, half-annoyed. "I’m not that foolish. If you hadn’t woken up, of course, I’d leave."Adrian smiled. "I need some time to recover. Can you keep watch for a little longer?""Sure!" Renee replied eagerly, beaming widely.Adrian then sat cross-legged and began his recovery. Watching him, Renee was filled with both shock and joy. It was nothing short of a miracle that Adrian had regained consciousness. Deep down, she felt a sense of relief mixed with surprise. She had never expected this outcome.At the same time, a flood of questions filled her mind. Normally, Adrian should not have survived such an ordeal. By all logic, he should have already been on his way to the afterlife. Yet, here he was, awake and alive. Renee found herself at a loss for words, overwhelmed by confusion.Seeing Adrian’s intense focus as he trained, Renee co
At that moment, a sudden burst of earth-yellow light erupted within Adrian’s consciousness. It was once again filled with surging waves of power. The soul storm reappeared, and the mysterious chaotic white mist returned, spreading throughout Adrian's soul space.The strange and mystical scene looked astonishing, and slowly, Adrian began to wake up from his deep slumber. As he regained consciousness, he felt a soreness envelop his entire body. Even his soul power seemed to have a slight ache.But before Adrian could fully process this sensation, a terrifying force surged through him. It flooded his entire being with an overwhelming energy.“What...What is this? This power is incredibly strong,” he muttered, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He could sense an immense energy roiling within his body, shaking his very core. The waves of power felt both foreign and potent, making him feel even stronger.Adrian’s expression turned to one of shock and unexpected delight. It was the