Chapter 155: Wolf Phantom Fist

Chapter 155: Wolf Phantom Fist

"Source Essence Lord!"

"King of Ten Thousand Forms!"

"Emperor of Taiwei!"

"..."

In the depths of the Psychic Sea, within the fragments of the Divine Realm, a voice echoed in response to the incantation.

A dialogue with oneself—a peculiar sensation.

Perhaps in the countless years of history across two worlds, Karl was the only one to share the same identity as his followers and a deity.

With a thought, Karl and the two corpses on the ground vanished, appearing within the fragment of the Divine Realm.

All offerings belonged to the deity, not just their flesh and blood, but also their souls.

In truth, if the Great Abyssal Squid had reached the third rank, it would have been capable of searching for the memories of others' souls as well.

Not only that, but it could also manifest in the dreams and consciousness of others, coming and going as it pleased.

However, discussing this now was premature. The Great Abyssal Squid's memory search capabilities were undoubtedly less convenient and comprehensive than those of the Divine Realm fragment.

"Memories..."

With the support of absolute rationality, Karl's fluctuating thoughts quieted, and his face regained its composure.

With a gentle wave of his hand, the memories of the Seventh Elder transformed into fragments that floated in the air.

The life experiences of eighty-odd years were vast and overwhelming, enough to drive an ordinary person to insanity.

Under the power of the Divine Realm fragment, the memories related to the Seventh Elder's cultivation were swiftly selected.

Moments later, the Wolf Phantom Fist, a complex and profound martial art, was revealed before him, along with numerous scenes of the Seventh Elder's training.

"So, the Seventh Elder also failed to truly master this martial art, not just because he didn't cultivate the Wolf Breath Technique, but also because mastering this Sacred Technique required the blood of Fenrir, the Wolf God."

"Fenrir?"

"A Demon God from a foreign realm, conquered by the Goddess, now serving as the guardian of the Divine Realm's gates."

Karl's eyes flickered:

"Two pieces of news, one good and one bad."

"The good news is that the Sacred Technique, when paired with the Colossal Breath Technique, doesn't require anything else. One can perfectly master it by cultivating the Colossal Breath Technique alone."

"The bad news is..."

"The Sacred Technique known as Mighty Giant God Fist is not possessed by the Sanctuary."

The sense of loss vanished in an instant, and various pieces of knowledge from the Seventh Elder's memories, inaccessible to ordinary people, emerged one by one.

In addition to the Sacred Technique's inheritance, Karl was also very interested in the path of knighthood in this world.

The path of knighthood—

Legendary was by no means the endpoint!

However, due to the gods, whether in the main world or foreign worlds, the path beyond Legendary was monopolized.

During peaceful times, to maintain their status, the gods tacitly blocked the path beyond Legendary.

The Faith path would receive extensive promotion.

Devout clerics and servants of the gods could receive divine favor, with their souls entering the Divine Realm and even ascending to become angels.

Only a tiny minority of knights with exceptional talent and rigorous training had the chance to enter the Divine Realm and become guardians alongside the deities.

But when turmoil arose, such as a Demon God invasion or other divine conflicts, the gods would lift the restrictions on the path of knighthood and even bestow resources to aid their faithful knights in their advancement.

The Seventh Elder's memories contained knowledge of the path beyond Legendary.

First Rank Legendary,

Second Rank Holy Knight! Third Rank...

Demi-God!

Powerful third-rank Demi-Gods, wielding divine artifacts, could slay deities.

In the books left by the Moon Goddess for the Sanctuary, there was a record of over a dozen third-rank knights besieging and killing a deity.

"Just one Sacred Technique?"

Karl's face showed contemplation, and he then turned his attention to the other corpse.

Clerk Lev!

Soon, the memories of the Sacred Techniques from Lev's mind also appeared before his 'eyes,' revealing a technique called Crimson Thunder.

Although Lev himself cultivated a simplified version of the Sacred Technique, he had witnessed the complete inheritance.

"Ancient Dragon!"

"Crimson Thunder is an innate ability of the Ancient Dragon race, similar to the Dragon King Guild's Supreme Spell Seal."

Karl stroked his chin and searched through the Seventh Elder's memories for information about the ancient era.

Long, long ago,

Before the gods appeared, this world was ruled by various dragon clans and powerful giants.

Later,

The gods emerged.

Dragons and giants unwilling to change their faith were slaughtered, and a small number became slaves to the gods.

"Millions of years of history..."

"A grand and magnificent past!"

"However, it seems Sacred Techniques also have varying levels of power. Crimson Thunder is far less formidable than the Wolf Phantom Fist, even the incomplete version."

"Hmm..."

"Crimson Thunder is also easier to learn."

Setting aside his thoughts, Karl took out a letter:

"I wonder if I've missed the timing?"

The Purification Pool.

This place opens once a month to cleanse the bodies of those who have paid their atonement money, lifting the curse of Death City.

Leaving here means freedom.

However, the atonement money is not something ordinary people can afford, and even the wealthy would feel the pinch.

Joti followed her brother, her face tense as she glanced at the sky, silently calculating something in her mind.

"Brother."

A timid and childish voice sounded from behind:

"Are we really leaving this city?"

Leaving the familiar surroundings of one's childhood and venturing into an unfamiliar city always brings a sense of bewilderment.

"Hmm," the boy nodded, his young face serious. "I promised Mother that I'd take care of you and grow up. There are bad people in this city, so we must leave."

"Don't worry, big brother will protect you," he assured her.

"Hmm," the little girl nodded lightly.

Joti turned back, her eyes full of curiosity.

The boy was not much older than her, and his clothes were also tattered.

The little girl was around seven or eight years old, her face covered in dirt, but her large eyes shone brightly.

How could someone like this...

...afford the ransom?

"Hello, big sister," the little girl greeted Joti. "Are you also leaving this city?"

"Yes!" Joti smiled. "Just like you, we're trying to avoid the bad people in the city, so we have to leave."

"Really?" The little girl looked confused. "How did you manage to get the money? My brother got some money unexpectedly, and even then, he had to sell the house to afford it."

"Julia!" Matthew pulled his sister, his face serious. "You forgot what I told you before we came here. Don't talk to strangers."

Julia immediately closed her mouth.

Joti smiled and averted her gaze.

"Next group!"

"Over here!" a city guard shouted, urging them to move. They approached a large pool of water.

The blood-red pool emitted a strong, bloody smell, causing everyone's expressions to sour.

"Get in!" the guard ordered. "Submerge your entire body and hold your breath for at least five breaths. If you can't make it out of the city alive, don't blame me for not warning you."

"Huff..."

Someone took a deep breath and stepped into the waist-deep water of the purification pool, walking forward.

Then, taking another deep breath, they plunged into the pool.

...

Joti was about to head towards her home when her brother suddenly grabbed her wrist.

"This way!"

"Huh?" Joti was taken aback.

Her brother and sister pulled her and their younger brother towards a small caravan not far away.

A sense of panic flooded her mind.

"Brother," she blurted out. "What's going on?"

"We're leaving this city," Norton said, his eyebrows furrowed and his face grim as he hurriedly pulled her along. "Don't ask questions, just follow."

"But..." Joti cried out. "I haven't packed all my things, and I haven't said goodbye to my friends. Father and the others haven't arrived yet."

"Joti, it's time to grow up," Norton shook his head. "If we give you time to say goodbye, won't our family's enemies know we're trying to escape?"

"This was arranged by our parents beforehand. As for your things..."

"If it's the package you secretly packed in your room, it should already be in the caravan."

"Let's go!" He sighed. "The reason we didn't tell you is that we didn't want others to know. We need to leave this city as soon as possible."

"But..." Joti's face turned pale.

"There's no 'but'!" Norton growled. "We have to leave, and we have to leave now. Only when we're safe can our family be at ease."

His eyes were red, his teeth clenched, and he took one last look back before picking up Joti and placing her in the carriage.

The small carriage was packed with people, a mix of strange odors, but Joti didn't have time to care about that.

A nameless panic filled her mind.

They were leaving? Everything she once knew would be left behind.

"Big sister," a familiar voice called out. "We're meeting again so soon?"

Joti snapped back to attention and looked at the little girl in her brother's arms, forcing a faint smile.

"Yes."

"I'm Alva, and this is my brother, Matthew," the little girl introduced them. "What's your name, big sister?"

"..." Joti opened her mouth. "Joti."

"Don't talk," Norton said as he climbed into the carriage, his cold gaze sweeping over the other passengers. "Let's go!"

The carriage started moving towards the city gates.

Joti curled up, holding the package her brother had given her. Her mind raced with thoughts.

The sudden change in departure time must mean something had happened at home.

Father, Mother...

Were they okay? Her brother was only a few years older, and this was his first time traveling far. Could they safely reach the Duke's Domain?

Did her little brother follow her instructions to deliver the letter to those adults when he couldn't find her? What should they do now? Although her family always treated Joti like a child, she was actually much more mature than her peers.

In fact,

Sometimes, she saw things more clearly than her brother, Norton.

But she was still a child, inexperienced in such situations, and couldn't find a solution. Her thoughts swirled in her mind, and gradually, sleepiness overcame her, and she drifted off.

"Thud!"

The carriage jolted violently, causing Joti to lean back and hit her head on the wood, waking her up with a start.

"Hmm!"

"Be careful!"

Norton reached out to steady himself and peered out of the carriage, his expression changing abruptly.

In the dim night, a group of knights exuded a chilling aura at the end of the road.

With the exceptional vision of a peak knight, Norton recognized the familiar emblem.

"It's them!"

Norton clenched his fists:

"How could they be here? Are they just passing by, or did they receive some news?"

"Huff..."

A gentle breeze blew past the caravan, and the familiar scent caused Norton's eyes to widen. He turned and hugged his sister, leaping out of the carriage.

"Run!"

"It's a Grand Knight using Hurricane Blast!"

Supreme Spell Seal—Hurricane Blast!

The gentle breeze suddenly intensified, and visible white gusts appeared, swirling towards the caravan.

"Puff!"

"Puff, puff!"

The sharp wind blades easily sliced the horses in half, and the sturdy carriage was no match for the wind blades.

Blood splattered everywhere.

Screams and wails filled the air.

The people in the caravan were in disarray, and those who were lucky enough to escape scattered in all directions from the approaching knights.

"Go!"

Norton called out to his younger brother and sister, and they fled into the dense forest.

The four of them looked flustered, holding hands and running wildly. In the pitch-black forest where they couldn't see their fingers, only their rapid breathing and footsteps could be heard.

"Why are there Death Knights here? Only a few people knew about our departure."

"Now is not the time for that."

Norton glanced back, his expression turning grim:

"Someone's chasing us!"

He raised his right hand, revealing an ancient bronze ring on his finger, and chanted an odd syllable.

"Olu..."

"Swoosh!"

A suit of armor appeared around him, adjusting and fitting his body perfectly.

"Brother!"

"Run!"

Norton roared, pushing Joti forward, drawing his longsword, and taking a deep breath as he turned to face the pursuers.

Come!

I will let my blood illuminate the glory of the Hill family!

...

Two hours later, Joti, covered in bruises, curled up in a tree hollow, tightly holding a copper flask.

"It's okay, it's okay..."

Maggie was only two years older than Joti, and in the eyes of adults, she was still a child.

As the older sister, she kept her younger brother and sister behind her, but her body trembled uncontrollably.

"Maggie."

Joti whispered:

"Don't speak; a knight's hearing is far superior to a normal person's. They can even hear your heartbeat when they're close."

"It's going to rain..."

When it rains, the dense forest becomes damp and chilly, and the three physically weak children are prone to catching illnesses.

But the rain will help mask their voices, making it harder for them to be discovered.

"Pitter-patter..."

At some point, a light rain began to fall.

The cold, eerie wind blew through the mountains, causing the light rain to sway and the fallen leaves on the ground to swirl.

"Tap, tap..."

Footsteps echoed.

The three held their breath, huddled in their hiding spot, not daring to move.

"Maggie!"

"Joti!"

A deep, hoarse, yet familiar voice carried through the rain:

"It's me, Norton."

"Where are you?"

"Norton?" Maggie's eyes widened, and she quickly pushed aside the grass blocking the tree hollow to look outside:

"We're here!"

"No!"

Joti reached out to stop her sister, but it was too late.

In the dark forest, a Death Knight in a blood-red cloak turned at the sound, his crimson eyes fixed on the three of them.

"Three little rats, I've found you!"

The oppressive aura of the peak knight caused the three to gasp.

"Crunch..."

Joti quickly rubbed the copper flask in her hand, and a thick smoke emerged from the flask's mouth, instantly enveloping the area.

"Go!"

She leaped out of the tree hollow, hunched over, dragging her terrified sister and brother towards the distance.

Half an hour later.

The three of them lay in a thicket of thorny vines, watching as more and more Death Knights gathered around them.

Despair filled their eyes.

"Little ones, you can't escape."

A Death Knight rode a phantom horse through the forest, swiftly slashing through the foliage with his longsword.

Patch after patch of grass was mowed down.

"Come out!"

"Crack!"

A sound came from not too far away.

The Death Knight turned at the noise, and two children, a boy and a girl, approached, trembling.

"Sir."

Matthew spoke up:

"That scent is nearby."

"Indeed, your talent is quite rare. It's no wonder your ancestors obtained the token to enter the Dark Market." Karl, dressed in a wizard's robe, emerged from behind the two children, ruffling Matthew's hair. His gaze shifted past the darkness and landed on the figures in the thicket:

"Joti, we meet again."

Joti, hidden in the thicket, widened her eyes in disbelief, and then her eyes filled with intense joy.

It's him!

The mysterious alchemist from Swift City!

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end