Chapter 87
Chapter 87
“Ding!”
[Congratulations! Your Infamy has reached the required threshold, further releasing the power of Flame Demon Lord. Rewards: permanent HP +2,000, permanent Attack +200, permanent Defense +150, Free Attribute Points +100, and comprehension of the exclusive skill Blood Sacrifice (Rare S Rank)!]
Raising his Infamy from only a few thousand to one hundred thousand brought extraordinarily generous benefits.
Permanent base stats were exceptionally rare. Only factors with a major impact on personal strength, such as changing to a hidden class or consuming a priceless treasure, had any chance of granting them.
On top of that, reaching the Infamy threshold had awarded Zhou Ming another new skill, and an exclusive one at that. Its power could not possibly be weak.
Before he could absorb those gains, however, another system chime rang in his ears.
“Ding!”
[Congratulations! You have completed Trial of the Seven Sins: Sin of Wrath and comprehended the Flame Demon Lord’s exclusive skill Return to Ruin (Exclusive SS Rank)!]
“Ding!”
[Congratulations! You have completed Trial of the Seven Sins: Sin of Wrath and unlocked the Flame Demon Lord’s exclusive ability Heaven’s Wrath!]
As expected, completing the Sin of Wrath granted him another exclusive skill and exclusive ability.
With no time to inspect the rewards or chase the fleeing players, Zhou Ming charged toward the fourth army originally led by Lin Tao.
The crisis was not over yet!
His own opponents might have fallen, but the defending side still had far too many god-tier powerhouses. Six had appeared in total.
Slash! Slash! Slash!
With Flame Soul Art lasting until the battle ended, Zhou Ming cut through the Level 70 Undead Swordsmen of the fourth wave as easily as chopping vegetables.
These were unquestionably the same Undead Swordsmen that had once occupied the Blighted Swamp. The third Demon God had summoned them here and reduced them to cannon fodder.
They had originally been Level 80 monsters. Now their strength had decreased instead of increasing because part of their power had been extracted and poured into Lin Tao.
Ignoring the terrifying explosions erupting throughout the sky, Zhou Ming carved out a path through the defenders, crossed the collapsed city gate, and charged toward the lord’s residence.
“Ding!”
[Attention! The City Lord Token is held by Undead Archmage · Eric. Coordinates: (5,662, 7,892, 9,664)!]
Zhou Ming fell silent.
This was a problem!
To complete Seize the City and end the battle, he first had to defeat the third Demon God.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
At the same time, the gate tower collapsed and bricks went flying. Windwalker · Balen’s green blade and Blood Elf · Amy’s blood-red arrows struck Renee without pause, one at close range and the other from afar. Renee never moved, but the ground beneath her continued to sink and fracture into a terrifying web of cracks.
“You can’t last much longer!” Balen shouted irritably, thoroughly frustrated.
After several hours of continuous attacks, he and Amy had finally reduced the girl’s HP to one-third. His arms were sore.
Worse, she had never stopped shouting provocations and mocking them while they attacked. Her skin was unbearably thick in every possible sense.
“Zhouyou Shijie, I can’t hold much longer!” Renee called. Her breathing had grown somewhat ragged, and a golden barrier protected her entire body. “If you don’t help, I’ll definitely die in half an hour!”
Even now, she could still last another half hour?
What a miraculous stone!
Zhou Ming marveled inwardly and called back, “Almost! Hold on a little longer!”
“Almost?”
Long Kun was fighting the Sword Saint alongside two other god-tier powerhouses without falling behind, yet still had room to interrupt. “Looks more like you’re almost defeated!”
The siege rules prevented combatants from bypassing an opponent who had already engaged them to forcibly kill someone else. That was the only reason Zhouyou Shijie could still move freely.
As Long Kun saw it, the Divine Ember Queen and Undead Archmage were evenly matched. The three projections and the Sword Saint would not decide their battle anytime soon either. Once the two Demon Gods ground Renee to death, victory would be theirs.
“You still have the nerve to talk?”
Zhou Ming found it laughable. “You’re the emperor of the entire Eastern Region, yet you joined your subordinates to help the Dark Faction’s Demon Gods. Have you no shame at all?”
“We were summoned by an adventurer’s scroll and must fulfill its requirements,” Long Kun replied calmly, having prepared his excuse long ago. “The fact that our actions happen to benefit the Demon Gods is not our intention.”
Zhou Ming did not waste another word on him. He studied the three battles in the sky, searching for the point that could break the deadlock.
He certainly could not rely on the defense-focused Renee to reverse the situation. Victory would have to come from Qianying and the Sword Saint.
“Xiaoyou, I’m sorry, but I need you to help the Sword Saint!”
Zhou Ming made his decision. “Once we win, I’ll treat you to a feast!”
Eric was too strong. Even if Xuanniao weakened him, Qianying probably could not win quickly. The Sword Saint, however, was fighting three god-tier powerhouses. If even one of them failed to hold the line, the balance would break and trigger a total collapse.
“Chirp, chirp!”
Xuanniao understood. It flapped its wings and flew over, cast Holy Light’s Blessing on the Sword Saint, then was killed by the lingering force of the battle as it drew close. Blood spilled as it fell.
Black mist immediately rose around Lei Qianjue.
“Ding!”
[Your pet Celestial Spirit Beast · Xiaoyou has triggered the passive Undying. It will revive in 20 minutes. Thunder Venerable · Lei Qianjue receives Luck -99, All Attributes -10%, and All Elemental Resistances -20% for 7 days!]
“For fuck’s sake!”
Lei Qianjue looked miserable. “Why am I the unlucky one again?”
Zhouyou Shijie had previously robbed him of a million gold coins, then manipulated him into leading the way to the Sword Saint, earning him punishment from His Majesty. Now Xuanniao’s curse had landed on him too.
This was too sinister!
It felt as though their very destinies were fundamentally incompatible.
“This changes nothing. It won’t affect the larger battle!” Long Kun remained calm.
Zhou Ming did not argue. Instead, he took a potion from his robes and hurled it toward the Sword Saint at the proper moment. “Brother Ye, drink this!”
[Schrodinger’s Health Potion] (A Rank)
Description: Until you drink it, it may be a supreme divine medicine, or it may be a devastating poison.
Item Effect: ???
Zhou Ming considered the potion, which he had bought from the Mysterious Merchant for ten thousand gold coins, well worth the price. Xuanniao’s Good Fortune Divination was no joke.
Besides, a god-tier powerhouse’s accumulated Luck could hardly be low.
“All right!”
The Sword Saint caught Schrodinger’s Health Potion immediately, sliced off the neck with his blade, and drank it without hesitation.
“Ding!”
[You have consumed Schrodinger’s Health Potion and received a random effect: All Attributes +100%, additional Attack Speed +60%, Movement Speed +60% for 10 minutes!]
“Excellent!”
Light flashed in the Sword Saint’s eyes. He charged the three god-tier powerhouses, and with his explosively increased strength, easily took the absolute upper hand in the one-against-three battle.
“You’re courting death!”
Instead of panicking, Long Kun was delighted. He turned and charged Zhou Ming. “You two stop him. I’ll deal with Zhouyou Shijie!”
They truly could not bypass an opponent during battle to forcibly kill an adventurer.
But rules were not inflexible!
Xuanniao’s identity was too special. It was a Celestial Spirit Beast with an absurdly low panel, so the rules recognized it as an independent individual whose actions did not implicate its master. By providing an item to the Sword Saint, however, Zhouyou Shijie had formally entered the battle.
Now they could attack Zhouyou Shijie before disengaging.
“Understood!”
Gu Yuchen and Lei Qianjue had no choice but to grit their teeth and hold the Sword Saint back.
“Brother Zhou, watch out!”
The Sword Saint’s expression changed. He unleashed a killing move, sending swords pouring down like a torrential rain, but the two god-tier powerhouses stopped them with a desperate defense.
Qianying faltered in alarm, yet Eric blocked her path and left her unable to break free.
Renee, who had spent the entire battle taking hits, had even less chance of intervening.
“No one can save you now!”