Chapter 154: The Seventh Elder

Chapter 154: The Seventh Elder

"As expected!"

"He's been waiting for me at the market all this time."

Even before leaving Death City, Karl sensed the hidden presence as soon as he exited the Dark Market.

The Cathedral Acolyte Lev!

His eyes flashed, and with a quick movement, he dashed towards the city's outskirts, his ten-point constitution giving him an incredibly powerful burst of speed.

With a light step, he covered over ten meters in a flash, and with a few leaps, he easily scaled the towering city walls.

Not long after, the sky gradually darkened.

The shattered red moon was partially obscured by dark clouds, from which occasional arcs of electricity flashed, accompanied by distant rumbles of thunder.

A storm was approaching!

Karl stopped on a hill and turned to look back.

"Huff..."

Two dark shadows burst out from the cloud cover above, their fleshly wings stirring up a fierce wind as they slowly descended towards the hill.

Blasp.

Blasphemy Beasts!

The first-generation Blasphemy Knight had maintained a human form until he lost control, while the second generation had completely abandoned their human shape.

The second-generation Blasphemy Knights were beasts,

Not humans! Lev dismounted from the Blasphemy Beast and stared directly at Karl.

"Guardian, come back to the Cathedral with me!"

"Hmm?"

Karl raised an eyebrow, "You know I'm the Goddess's guardian, yet you speak to me with such disrespect. You're the first one to do so."

"Shouldn't you be kneeling on the ground, looking up at me with reverence?"

"You killed Burke." Lev's face darkened. "I suspect you've forsaken the Goddess, and your soul has been corrupted by the Demon God. Otherwise, you wouldn't have killed Burke."

"I'll say this one last time!"

"Come back to the Cathedral with me and receive the Goddess's blessing, or I won't mind bringing back a corpse."

"Heh..." Karl scoffed lightly, "Knowing that I killed Burke, you still dare to show your face before me. This courage of yours is indeed worthy of praise."

His gaze swept across the scene.

Two Blasphemy Beasts had each brought down a person, including Acolyte Lev, and a man in a black robe.

Hmm...

Was this the source of their confidence?

"Lev."

The man in the black robe suddenly spoke up, "Bring the Guardian back."

"Yes."

Upon hearing this, Lev nodded, and a red glow flashed in his eyes. Instantly, his battle aura surged.

Combat Technique - Crimson Thunder!

"Boom!"

The air in front of him seemed like a viscous liquid, but Lev forcefully pushed through it, his fist enveloped in red lightning, striking towards Karl.

"Bang!"

Karl's eyes widened in surprise, and he involuntarily took a step back.

Although Lev's strength was far inferior to Karl's, with the enhancement of the combat technique, he could actually hold his own against Karl.

Especially during the collision, the thunderous power that surged into his body almost shook his battle aura, which was the main reason for his retreat.

And this was just a simplified version of the sacred technique; if it were the real thing...

"Hmph!"

With a thought, Karl's nose twitched, and the power accumulated within him instantly exploded, charging forward.

"Bang!"

They collided again.

Lev couldn't help but grunt, his forehead beading with sweat, as he felt his fist almost shatter.

"A Legendary Knight!"

"Both of you, attack!"

Gritting his teeth, Lev roared, and the two Blasphemy Beasts circling in the air screeched and pounced towards Karl.

Unlike Lev,

Lev was ultimately a Great Knight, and even with the support of combat techniques, he couldn't match the Legendary Knight in terms of constitution.

The Blasphemy Beasts, however, were true Great Knights. Their sharp teeth and claws were natural weapons, making them extremely dangerous.

"Bang!"

The four figures clashed in mid-air.

Karl's face turned cold, and he used various hand movements—slapping, hammering, or sweeping—to deflect the incoming attacks.

His mind was racing.

Karl, at his peak as a Great Knight, possessed a strange combat technique that seemed to combine the power of flames and lightning.

His fist strikes had the ability to disrupt others' battle auras and throw them off balance.

Although his overall strength wasn't exceptional, his killing power was astonishing, posing a threat even to Legendary Knights.

The Blasphemy Beasts had robust constitutions, were fearless of pain, and had terrifying regenerative abilities. Their agile bodies made their attacks tricky and vicious.

In comparison,

Karl's constitution was stronger, but his martial skills were ordinary, and he relied solely on his powerful physique to make up for the gap.

'So what if my martial skills aren't up to par?'

'If I were at the early First Rank, the situation might be a bit dangerous, and my body might not be able to withstand it. But my strength is at the mid-First Rank.'

'And...'

Holy Breath!

Karl's eyes lit up, and his battle aura instantly became more solid, as if his body were covered in a layer of armor.

Every move he made was backed by immense strength.

The Crimson Thunder, which had previously caused his battle aura to fluctuate, now failed to stir up even the slightest ripple when it struck him again.

"Crack!"

Two monstrous claws grabbed Karl's shoulders but couldn't tear off his flesh or pull him into the air.

Terrifying power erupted from Karl's body as he reached up and grabbed the two Blasphemy Beasts, slamming them forcefully into the ground.

"Boom!"

The hill shook violently, sinking a foot into the ground, and large cracks spread out for dozens of meters.

Even without his giant form, Karl's power at this moment was still terrifying.

The Blasphemy Beasts roared in pain, but before they could struggle to their feet, Karl had already grabbed their wings.

"Riiiip..."

Blood and flesh flew.

With a forceful tug from Karl, the wings, along with the bones and organs, were ripped from the Blasphemy Beasts' bodies.

His fists struck again.

"Bang!"

The Blasphemy Beasts' heads shattered.

Hmm? A familiar aura surged into the depths of Karl's psychic sea, reaching the fragment of the divine realm, causing him to pause momentarily.

Essence!

+0.2

Killing Blasphemy Beasts grants Essence? It's not surprising to obtain Essence from them, as they carry the bloodline of a Demon God.

But why didn't I get any when I killed the three-headed beast before? Was it because I used a Spell Sigil to kill it and didn't do it myself?

With this thought, Karl rushed towards Elder Lev again.

But just as he was about to reach him, a dark shadow blocked his path, standing between him and Elder Lev.

Elder Lev!

Karl stared at Elder Lev, whose eyes held a mysterious, cold, and illusory aura.

"Bang!"

Their fists collided, but Karl felt as if he had punched through an illusion, with no sense of hitting a solid object. A strange feeling arose, followed by a pain that sent him flying backward over a dozen meters.

What just happened?

"Hmm?"

Elder Lev's eyebrows furrowed, "You took my Wolf Phantom Fist head-on and are still standing. The enhancement to your constitution from the Colossal Breath Technique is quite impressive."

The Moon Goddess had four guardians: the Holy Crab, the Twins, the Colossus, and the Wolf.

Among them, the Holy Crab was the strongest, followed by the Twins.

The Colossus and the Wolf had their strengths and weaknesses, with the Colossus focusing on strength and the Wolf on speed, creating a mutual restraint between them.

Elder Lev hadn't cultivated the Wolf Breath Technique but had mastered the inherited Sacred Technique of the Wolf lineage.

Wolf Phantom Fist!

Again!

Elder Lev's body appeared beside Karl in an instant, delivering a punch.

"Bang!"

This time, the blow landed squarely on Karl's body.

Karl grunted, tumbling backward and landing heavily on the ground, his face turning pale.

He propped himself up and looked at Elder Lev, "A Sacred Technique?"

"Indeed."

Elder Lev nodded and slowly withdrew his attack.

"Guardian, return to the Sanctuary with me!"

"I'm sorry," Karl shook his head. "I will go to the Sanctuary, but not now."

"Then..." Elder Lev's expression darkened, "Go and die!"

Wolf Phantom Fist - Meteor!

The punch was as fast as a meteor streaking across the sky, a beautiful yet devastating attack.

Karl felt a flash before him and instinctively raised his arm to block, only to feel intense pain in his chest.

A fierce Battle Aura pierced his skin and entered his body, like needles piercing his organs.

"Hmm!"

He grunted, his body recoiling wildly, and he crashed into a small hill, creating a deep pit.

Before he could struggle to get up, multiple punches appeared before his eyes.

Karl's eyes narrowed, and he stomped the ground.

Supreme Spell Sigil - Earthshaker!

"Boom!"

The ground within a hundred meters rippled like water, and everything on the surface shook.

Then, countless stone spikes erupted from the earth, crisscrossing and covering the area around Karl.

"A Supreme Spell Sigil?"

Elder Lev dodged the chaotic spikes and spoke calmly, "It's quite powerful and suits the Colossal Breath Technique, but unfortunately, unless it's a special Spell Sigil, it's not very useful against Legendary Knights, especially those who have mastered Sacred Techniques."

"Guardian!"

"Your constitution is indeed powerful, but as long as you're using mortal combat techniques, you can't defeat me."

The Wolf Phantom Fist is not just a simple punching technique; it encompasses numerous Sacred Techniques, including mental, physical, illusion, and punching methods.

Even with the Supreme Spell Sigil's power shaking the area within a hundred meters and the stone spikes erupting, Elder Lev remained unperturbed.

"Huff..."

Karl exhaled a cloud of dust, touched his mouth, and saw a trace of blood, looking surprised.

"Just a few moves, and I'm bleeding and nearly helpless. No wonder it's a Sacred Technique."

However...

"So what?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

You have Sacred Techniques, and I have my Heritage Artifact.

Energy Talisman!

The Energy Talisman on Karl's body glowed with a faint light, and an invisible force field appeared around him.

"Hmm?"

Elder Lev couldn't see the energy field, but his powerful perception as a Legendary Knight alerted him to the change in Karl.

Something had happened to his target.

"Swish!"

Elder Lev furrowed his brows and approached again.

"Bang!"

As the fist neared Karl, a powerful oppressive force suddenly descended upon him.

This caused Elder Lev's speed to falter.

"Perfect timing!"

Karl smirked, flipped his hands, and two swords appeared in his palms. He crossed the blades, unleashing a slash.

Combat Technique - Swift Slash!

"Swish! Swish!"

"Bang!"

The swords clashed, and the wind howled as Elder Lev was struck, sending him flying backward.

The power of a mid-stage First Rank hit him directly, but a metallic gleam protected him from harm.

"You're wearing armor?"

Karl growled and charged forward.

Combat Technique - Holy Sanction!

"What kind of trick is this?" Elder Lev's eyebrows knitted together as his body flickered around Karl.

The combat techniques that had always been effective for Karl were useless against this Sanctuary Elder, who even had the leisure to speak, "Guardian, your strength is indeed unexpected. Fortunately, I came personally this time. Otherwise, Lev and the others would have died in vain."

"Swish!"

Elder Lev's figure flickered, and a giant wolf seemed to stride through the void, causing the energy field around Karl to tremble violently.

A powerful force collided with his body, but it wasn't the Shadow Sorcery he expected. Instead, it was the opponent's Sacred Technique that caused his body to become ethereal, allowing a portion of the punch's force to penetrate the defense of the Energy Field.

Karl's eyebrows furrowed as he brandished his dual swords, focusing solely on offense without any regard for defense, his gaze fixed on the figure in the arena.

However, the Seventh Elder's speed was too fast. Even when Karl closed the distance, the Elder's body became ethereal, preventing Karl from locking onto him.

The 'Wolf Phantom Fist' was known for its speed, and its name implied both speed and illusion. As a Sacred Technique passed down by the Moon Goddess to her guardians, it was undoubtedly a third- or fourth-tier heritage on the Kalim continent, surpassing all the techniques Karl currently possessed.

"Bang!"

"Bang! Bang!"

The rapid attacks caused the Energy Field to tremble violently, and the already damaged amulet showed signs of failing.

"Sacred Technique!"

Karl remained calm and excited, exclaiming, "It's no wonder it's an incredible legacy left by the deities!"

"Since it's like this..."

First Circle Sorcery - Tidal Force!

Water elements in the air converged rapidly, forming a stream of water that appeared out of thin air and surged wildly around the arena.

First Rank Rune - Chain Fireball!

One!

Two!

Three!

...

Karl, having purchased and exchanged amulets, had a limited supply of runes. Nonetheless, he cast five of them simultaneously.

Fifteen massive fireballs appeared in mid-air, resembling falling suns.

The scorching heat ignited raging flames nearby.

The next moment—

"Boom!"

The suns plummeted.

The enormous fireballs engulfed the surroundings, and the explosive force flattened a hill several dozen meters high, setting the ground ablaze with lava flowing beneath.

Meanwhile, the water stream created by the Tidal Force persisted, relentlessly surging towards all directions.

Where are you?

Come out!

Karl's eyes flickered, and as he swung his swords, he could sense the opponent's presence nearby but couldn't pinpoint their location.

"Thud..."

"Bang!"

A powerful force struck him from behind, causing his body to shake despite the Energy Field's interception.

As he turned to strike with his sword, he caught sight of the Seventh Elder's disheveled figure.

The Wolf Phantom Fist was indeed formidable, but the Elder only possessed the cultivation of the initial stage of the first rank. It was impossible for him to constantly use its lethal moves to etherealize himself.

On the other hand, Karl's offensive covered the entire arena, leaving no room for escape.

The impact of the Tidal Force and the fiery onslaught left the Elder severely injured, and even his armor couldn't provide adequate defense.

However, he still had one last chance.

'The Guardian's methods and records are completely different from the divine bestowal. He must have another secret hidden on his body. I must capture him at all costs!'

"Kill!"

Wolf Moon Cry!

The giant wolf formed by battle aura roared, its head held high, emitting an ear-splitting howl that directly assaulted the opponent's consciousness.

The wolf then transformed into a streak of light and charged towards Karl.

"Excellent!"

Karl's eyes narrowed, and his body suddenly expanded, instantly transforming into a deep-sea squid with long tentacles dancing in the air. The suction cups and serrated edges clicked and clacked, emitting a faint dark glow.

Second Rank Sorcery - Terror Aura!

As for the soul attack of the Wolf Moon Cry...

Such a technique was naturally challenging for a knight to defend against, but for a wizard like Karl, who also possessed the bloodline of the Abyss, it was almost negligible!

"Bang!"

The wolf and the squid collided in mid-air.

"Pfft!"

The Seventh Elder spat out blood and collapsed, his eyes wide open, staring at the creature before him that exuded a terrifying aura. His body trembled uncontrollably.

"Monster!"

"You've indeed betrayed the Goddess and been corrupted by the Demon God!"

Run!

The thought flashed through the Elder's mind, and he attempted to escape towards the distance.

The moment Karl revealed his 'true form,' the Elder knew he was no match for him.

However, relying on the speed of the Wolf Phantom Fist, escaping shouldn't be a problem. He could figure out a solution after returning.

Given the Guardian's displayed strength, it would likely take two or three elders to capture him, and even then, it was uncertain. It would be best to request the Bishop to intervene personally!

"Escape?"

"It took so much effort to lock onto your aura. Letting you escape would be a waste of all the energy I've expended."

Karl 'locked onto' the Seventh Elder, and a rune appeared out of thin air.

Void Tentacle Seal!

In the void, invisible tentacles emerged, guided by the locked-on aura, and restrained the Elder in place.

A first-rank mid-tier rune, even Karl couldn't easily break free once it hit its target.

The Seventh Elder, even less so!

"Swish!"

The deep-sea squid pounced, enveloping the Seventh Elder.

...

Some time later, Karl appeared with the barely breathing Seventh Elder and the cathedral acolyte Lev, who had been burned to death at some point.

Minor Spell Field!

A hand pressed down, and an invisible field of force descended upon the ground.

"Bang!"

The ground trembled slightly, and a strange pattern appeared on the surface.

Karl knelt in the center of the pattern, reciting softly, "Source Essence Master!"

"King of Ten Thousand Forms!"

"Emperor of Taiwei!"

"..."

The dying Seventh Elder, witnessing this scene, widened his eyes in sheer terror.

"Demon God!"

"The ritual..."

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end