Chapter 219: Alive

Chapter 219: Alive

"Sealed!"

"Array formation completed!"

With the divine stone powder falling onto the ground, an intricate array of interconnected runes was activated.

"Buzz..."

An aura, invisible to the naked eye, swept through the area in all directions.

Seated in the center of the array, Karl exhaled in relief and slowly opened his eyes.

"Finally, it's done!"

"No wonder the Dukes and their descendants are holed up in the city, unwilling to come out unless absolutely necessary. It's truly a desperate situation."

"Fortunately, I learned how to construct a Second Rank Wizard Tower from the two masters, gaining a deeper understanding of arrays. Otherwise, I might not have been able to achieve this level."

He stretched his limbs, feeling the intangible restraint that had been weighing on him for some time now dissipate.

Of course, this was only within the influence of the array.

Once he stepped out of this area, his power would once again be suppressed and weakened, reverting to a First Rank.

But with this place, he no longer needed to use a Sealing Charm every time he came here, which even a Second Circle Wizard would find painful.

"Hmm?"

Karl's eyebrows arched slightly as he looked up at the roof, his gaze piercing through it and into the distant void.

"Perfect timing. The spell model for the Six-Star Soul Annihilation Technique is already constructed in my Mental Sea, I just need to fill it with a Death Wraith."

"Swish!"

Electric sparks flashed, and his figure disappeared from where he stood, only to reappear in mid-air.

A city, covering nearly a hundred acres, hovered in the sky.

Its shape resembled a leaf or a feather, heavy as a mountain, yet it gave off a light and airy feeling.

The Floral Ship Floating City!

A mobile illusory city inhabited entirely by women.

A figure moved atop the city, a tall and alluring woman flying towards Karl.

Unlike others in the Collapse Divine Realm, this woman's skin was fair and delicate, as if it could be pinched to release water.

Her figure was curvaceous and graceful.

Her soft skin offered no protection against the harsh environment, and her beautiful curves were more of a burden.

However, one couldn't deny the woman's seductive charm, which seemed to stir one's primal instincts with every move.

"Greetings, stranger. I'm Mashi, the Floral Ship Envoy. I wish you good health."

Mashi nodded and asked, "Isn't Envoy Bo Wen here?"

"You've come at an unfortunate time. He passed away not long ago," Karl replied, shaking his head gently.

"Ah!" Mashi's face paled, and she quickly asked, "What about Cloud Envoy?"

"He went to the Wood Nine Floating City," Karl said, glancing behind her.

"It seems you've encountered some trouble."

"Yes," Mashi forced a smile.

"Not long ago, we were harassed by a Nightmare-Level Demon. It dared not enter the city, but we couldn't drive it away either."

"If Envoy Bo Wen were here, the two of us together could have repelled it."

She was well aware of Envoy Bo Wen's strength, which was among the top tier of the divine envoys she knew. Cloud Envoy, however, was far inferior.

As for the envoy before her...

She was likely a newly advanced divine envoy, and in theory, her strength was far from sufficient to deal with a Nightmare-Level Demon.

"Heh..."

Karl chuckled.

"I'll take care of it."

"Crackle!"

Electric sparks flashed, and he transformed into a bolt of lightning, pouncing on a distant shadow. With one hand extended, he unleashed the Thousand Buddha Hands - Thunder Seal!

"Boom!"

A thick bolt of lightning instantly spanned several miles, its terrifying might causing the Floral Ship to tremble.

Second Rank!

Hundred Hands Realm!

Near the floating city, due to the array's influence, Karl could unleash his full power to a certain degree.

With Second Rank tactics, he could hold his ground against even a Despair-Rank Fallen Angel, let alone a Nightmare-Level Death Wraith?

Back when he was just a Legendary Knight, he could have easily dealt with it.

Mashi's eyes widened in astonishment as she watched the demon that had plagued the Floral Ship for so long being annihilated by Karl's single attack. He quickly returned.

"Alright," Karl muttered.

"I need to rest for a bit. Envoy Mashi, you can go down and rest."

Without waiting for her response, he flashed back to his residence, sitting cross-legged to suppress the restlessness in his Mental Sea.

He had underestimated the challenge of cultivating the Six-Star Soul Annihilation Technique.

Incorporating a Death Wraith into the Mental Sea and transforming it into a Soul Annihilation Wraith was no easy task.

The frenzied and crazed Death Wraith struggled within the confines of the spell's sealing mechanism, causing Karl's temples to throb as if his head were about to explode.

"Hmm!"

With a muffled grunt, Karl's Mental Sea surged with a colossal wave, and an immense amount of mental power rushed towards the seal.

Instantly, the Death Wraith was blasted apart, its dissipating essence slowly devoured by the Soul Annihilation Technique.

However, the next moment, the Death Wraith reassembled itself due to a unique mechanism, once again resisting the refining of the Soul Annihilation Technique.

'The demon won't die!'

'Demons in the Collapse Divine Realm are born with the power of destruction and, in theory, can never truly die.'

"But..."

Karl's eyes narrowed.

"My Mental Sea is my domain. This is not the Collapse Divine Realm, and even with the power of immortality, you will die here. Shatter!"

"Boom!"

The Death Wraith shattered once more.

The Soul Annihilation Technique then enveloped the dissipating essence.

After several such rounds, Karl, though exhausted from the massive mental exertion, had completely refined the Death Wraith.

A stupefied Death Wraith stood motionless within the spell model of the Six-Star Soul Annihilation Technique, awaiting its commands.

"Huff..."

Karl rubbed his temples, "No wonder Galor didn't cultivate this magic, it's powerful but extremely challenging to cultivate."

"With just one wraith, it's already this difficult. To suppress six of them, even a late-stage first-circle wizard would struggle."

But he was mistaken in this regard.

While the Six-Star Soul Annihilation Spell was indeed challenging to master, it wasn't the primary reason Galor hadn't chosen to learn it.

It was purely a matter of limited time.

The difficulty Karl perceived was due to his choice of a particularly powerful wraith, comparable to a late-stage first-circle wizard.

Suppressing six late-stage first-circle wizards would naturally be an arduous task.

However, if successful, the power of this magic would far exceed expectations.

"Huff..."

The Flower Ship glided through the air and landed beside the Phantom City.

Women emerged from within, their appearance distinct from the city's residents. Each woman was meticulously groomed, their faces radiant and fair.

To add variety, their auras were unique.

Some were petite with adorable features.

Others exuded a cool and graceful demeanor with athletic builds.

There were those who embodied elegance and politeness in their demeanor.

...

Some were cold as ice, others exuded a captivating allure, and some were adorably lively, while a few had broad shoulders and sturdy waists.

But one thing they all shared was their minimal clothing, covering only the essentials, leaving their seductive charms on full display.

As their sweet voices filled the air, the men of the Phantom City stood in awe, mouths agape and drooling.

"Clap, clap!"

Archangel Mashi clapped her hands lightly, "To show our gratitude for the envoys here solving our problem, starting today, you can freely enjoy the women from the Flower Ship for three days."

"Of course..."

"You'll need to provide them with food and water."

"Three days?" McGin's throat bobbed, his eyes glued to the women, "Really?"

"Of course it's true!" Mashi smiled, "I remember you, McGin, isn't it?"

"Yes." McGin snapped out of his daze, his face flushing with embarrassment, "Forgive me, Archangel."

"It's fine." Mashi shook her head, "The distinction between men and women exists for the continuation of life, it's the greatest principle in the world."

"Right..."

"How should I address that envoy from earlier?"

"You mean Archangel Carl?" McGin collected himself and replied, "Archangel Carl is a wanderer who appeared nearby over a year ago, but he disappeared for half a year during that time."

"My mentor, Archangel Bowen, entrusted the Phantom City to his care before passing away, and he's been here ever since."

As he spoke, his eyes lit up with excitement, "Archangel Carl is our savior!"

"Mmm."

Mashi nodded slowly, "I understand."

Not all the women on the Flower Ship were meant for trade. Those with exceptional talents were expected to maintain their purity.

Only when progress became hopeless would they sell their bodies to earn resources for the Flower Ship.

Christina was one of them, a disciple of Mashi and the most promising candidate to become an envoy.

Moans echoed throughout the city.

She was accustomed to this, and after a quick tour, she approached her mentor.

"Mentor."

"This Phantom City has five reservoirs and a large nurture room. There's plenty of food and water."

"The residents are in good spirits, indicating they aren't overly concerned about their future survival, despite their frail bodies."

"Mmm." Mashi nodded slowly, "I asked around, and it seems their lives improved significantly after Archangel Carl's arrival."

"Archangel Carl..."

"You'll come with me to meet him."

"Yes, mentor." Christina responded, "Mentor, how long will we stay here?"

"One month." Mashi spoke, "Gather the necessary supplies, and after a month, we'll leave. Next, we'll settle in the Wood Nine Floating City."

Settlement!

This unfamiliar word stirred unfamiliar emotions in Christina, who had spent her life on the Flower Ship in the Collapse Divine Realm.

"Mentor."

"Are we really going to the Wood Nine Floating City? If we settle there, we'll have to give up the Divine Flame."

Losing the Divine Flame meant the city would lose its protection, making it difficult to leave the Wood Nine Floating City.

"..." Mashi paused, gazing at the shattered blood moon in the sky, and shook her head gently, "The Flower Ship has wandered for centuries. My mentor and her mentor before her have been searching for a permanent settlement."

"Now..."

"Our Divine Flame won't last much longer, and we don't have many options left."

She sighed and continued walking, "The Wood Nine Floating City is populous and resource-rich, with many envoys. Even a Despair-Level Abomination can be driven away, ensuring survival unless we encounter a Cataclysm-Level Demon. It's the best choice we have."

Christina opened her mouth to speak but stopped.

Indeed, they had few options left.

The world was becoming more dangerous, yet the Flower Ship was weakening, and now they had only one envoy.

"I heard there's a way to leave this world from the Wood Nine Floating City. Is it true?"

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end