Chapter 231: To Surrender or Keep?

Chapter 231: To Surrender or Keep?

The bead was roughly fist-sized, its surface etched with intricate patterns that pulsed with an unsettling energy fluctuation—clearly not of this world's power.

As the bead activated, a suffocating surge of power erupted from Holy Disk's body.

His tattered frame began reassembling at visible speed.

Corroded tissues regenerated, fractured bones knitted themselves back together.

Even his long-dead eyes reignited, glowing with a sinister light far more intense than before.

Simultaneously, Holy Disk's aura surged rapidly—plummeting from the initial Dawn Star Rank toward Moonlight Rank's threshold, yet still climbing unstoppably.

The oppressive force became tangible, thickening the air until breathing itself felt laborious.

"Apostle Transformation!" Madame Ellen's voice rang out, edged with sharp caution.

Her hand already hovered over the potion pouch at her waist, ready to join the fray.

Yet her pallid complexion betrayed concealed pain, her emerald eyes flickering with strain.

Luo En noticed immediately, raising a hand to stop her. "Madam, stay back."

He could clearly see Madame Ellen's condition—the active mana cycle had passed, leaving her energy flow twisted and fractured from prolonged stimulant potion use.

Through Transcendent Perception, Luo En observed her unstable Mana Structure: like a dam teetering on collapse, its surface intact while internal cracks threatened catastrophe. Forcing battle now would surely widen those fractures, permanently damaging her life force.

"Your current state is no place for risks. Leave this opponent to me."

His voice remained calm yet firm, carrying quiet authority. "Besides, I'm no longer the apprentice needing protection."

Madame Ellen's gaze lingered on Luo En, a whirl of emotions—surprise, hesitation, reluctant acceptance—finally settling into something resembling pride.

She felt the confidence radiating from him—unshakable, born not of bravado but true strength.

"I just saw it through my Special Innate Talent", Luo En murmured, his words reaching only her ears. "If you'd rest properly for half a year, abandon stimulant potions, and let my Boon nourish you, you might gain decades. Your injuries aren't irreversible—just need time and proper care."

Madame Ellen's eyes widened, a flicker of shock giving way to unmistakable emotion.

She'd long believed her condition beyond salvation, surviving only through artificial means. Now, that fragile spark of hope she'd nursed suddenly roared into flame.

Meanwhile, Holy Disk's transformation reached its crucial stage.

The blood-red Throne Seed fully fused into his body, propelling his energy fluctuations past Dawn Star Rank's peak—and still climbing.

His form mutated grotesquely—membranous wings sprouted from his back, skin hardening into metallic dark purple, his height doubling as muscles swelled with destructive power.

"Resistance is futile, Luo En!" Holy Disk's voice had become a chorus of insectoid whispers. "Kneel! Magus has chosen you—embrace rebirth as the Throne Heir!"

Luo En acted decisively, unleashing his most direct disruption technique: Spirit Shockwave.

Now a Full Mage, the skill had evolved from mere Spirit Interference into a devastating weapon capable of annihilating consciousness cores. He'd further integrated "Acoustic Echo" principles, exponentially increasing its speed and power.

Spectral energy blades pierced Holy Disk's consciousness core, triggering the Echo Effect—a chain reaction of explosions within his spirit world. This attack bypassed physical defenses entirely, striking directly at the soul core like an invisible dagger.

Normally, Spirit Burst saw little use between mages of equal rank—most possessed sufficient spirit barriers and countermeasures. But against Abyss entities, it became the perfect weapon.

Though Awakened Abyss entities often gained physical dominance through erosion and aberrant transformation, their spirit structures remained notoriously fragile—particularly during awakening or transformation phases.

Holy Disk screamed, seven eyes bulging as black liquid oozed from their sockets. His Apostle transformation faltered, mana structure collapsing chaotically. The Throne Seed writhed uncontrollably in his chest, threatening to break free.

"I... Apostle... Magus... Aaaaah!" His voice degenerated into incoherent shrieks, his partially transformed body twisting as newly regenerated tissue dissolved.

High-concentration Abyss mana erupted from his orifices, forming sinister black mist that quickly dissipated.

Luo En seized the moment, activating Flowing Barrier while shifting Puppet Substitute into Demon Hunter Form.

The Flowing Barrier crystallized into an elegant prison, sealing Holy Disk completely. Meanwhile, the Demon Hunter Form lunged at the disintegrating Awakened Being, displaying terrifying consumption abilities.

Puppet Substitute had mutated beyond its original puppet form into a monstrous predator—black scales carpeted its surface, limbs elongated into bone-blade talons. Most horrifying were the compound eyes glowing coldly where empty sockets once were, and the impossibly wide maw bristling with layered teeth.

With a monstrous roar, it began devouring Holy Disk's body and mana simultaneously.

Thanks to Hunting Evil's enhancement and its inherent absorption trait, the process became horrifyingly efficient. Holy Disk's body withered visibly as his formidable Abyss mana—delicious to Puppet Substitute—drained completely.

"No! No! Magus...!" Holy Disk's final cry faded as resistance proved futile.

Within minutes, his form vanished entirely, leaving only the blood-red Throne Seed hovering ominously.

"Finished." Luo En recalled Puppet Substitute, eyes fixed on the sinister bead.

Though outwardly calm, his mind remained vigilant. The Throne Seed's energy fluctuation surpassed any Abyss substance he'd encountered—an artifact from unimaginably deeper Abyss layers.

Madame Ellen approached, her gaze wary. "The Throne Seed—power crystal of the Abyss's Supreme Apostle."

Her voice carried rare gravity. "Each contains a fragment of an Apostle's essence. Possessing one creates both a power source... and a fatal vulnerability."

She studied Luo En intently. "Two choices: surrender it to Crystal Spire for Truth Pavilion's handling. Or keep it—but require absolute isolation. Either way, hidden dangers abound."

Luo En gazed at the Throne Seed, mind racing. Its mana tempted him—it could accelerate his cultivation, hasten breakthroughs.

Yet he understood the cost of Abyss "gifts." This was power beyond conventional comprehension, potentially bringing unforeseeable perils. A soul-staking gamble—between steady conventional paths or dangerous unknown shortcuts.

"To surrender or keep?" Madame Ellen repeated, her gaze probing his reaction.

Luo En inhaled deeply, recalling his True Path Ascension trials—the hallucinations, helplessness against higher entities, and finally that hard-won triumph through sheer willpower.

“Hand it over,” he said firmly, his voice unwavering. “I don’t need power laced with hidden dangers.”

His tone was resolute, leaving no room for doubt:

“I’d rather climb higher through my own relentless efforts than gamble on external shortcuts. This power sourced from the Abyss… it doesn’t align with my path.”

In truth, he was thinking: I can safeguard myself through my anatomical research alone.

But accepting this so-called “Seed,” which surely carried profound hidden dangers? He’d never let its manipulative architects have their way.

Madame Ellen’s emerald eyes flickered with approval as her lips curved slightly upward:

“A wise choice. I’ll arrange for it to be sent to the Crystal Spire. They have the facilities to handle such artifacts. The discovery will be reported to the Truth Pavilion, where the Archmages who truly understand the Abyss’s secrets will deal with it.”

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed from outside, accompanied by several surges of powerful energy fluctuations.

The door burst open as Hayaek and Youni stormed in, their robes stained with blood and lingering Abyss mana—a clear sign they’d come straight from battle.

Hayaek’s gaze swept the room, landing on the floating crimson bead and Luo En’s calm expression. His eyes flashed with shock and confusion.

“The intruder… was already defeated by you?”

His voice brimmed with disbelief: “That Holy Disk Master blessed by the Supreme Apostle—was he really?”

“Luo En, are you alright?” Youni asked, her violet eyes glowing with concern as she scanned him for injuries.

“I’m fine,” he replied simply.

“The Holy Disk Master disguised himself as Holt, aiming to lure me to the Bloodline Altar. Fortunately, my Special Innate Talent detected the anomaly early, allowing me to defeat him before his Apostle Transformation completed.”

Hayaek and Youni exchanged stunned glances, their expressions betraying their incredulity at Luo En’s strength.

“What about Soren?” Madame Ellen interjected, her brow furrowing. “He was supposed to guard the Bloodline Altar. How is he?”

Hayaek’s expression darkened:

“It’s grim. He was ambushed at the Bloodline Altar—the Holy Disk Master tore out his heart. He’s barely alive thanks to a Heart Tear, but Abyss contamination has already begun eroding his spirit world.”

“He’s using his willpower to temporarily halt the total collapse of his seal, buying us time,” Youni added, her voice trembling with sorrow. “But his condition is critical. He needs immediate deep treatment, or…”

Luo En’s face hardened: “I’ll go see him. I might be able to help.”

Hayaek and Youni hesitated. They’d intended to object but remembered Luo En’s past miracles and held their tongues.

Turning to Madame Ellen, he said, “Madam, I’ll handle the emergency first. What about the Throne Seed?”

“I’ll take care of it,” she interrupted, her face set with a rare determination. “Go help Soren without worry.”

Nodding, Luo En left with Hayaek and Youni, heading toward the Bloodline Altar.

Alone with the three youths, Liliya cautiously approached Madame Ellen:

“Madame Ellen… about what just happened…”

“There’s no need to worry, child,” Madame Ellen smiled, her emerald eyes glowing with wisdom. “You three are important to Luo En—of course you deserve to know. But now, we have more urgent matters. We must prepare to leave.”

Her gaze drifted to the window, where the Black Mist Jungle’s silhouette twisted violently. The Abyss mana leakage had begun affecting the entire School:

“The Black Mist School probably won’t survive this disaster.”

———————

Abyss Seventh Layer, “Soul Abyss”

Thirteen Thrones formed a spiraling eye-like array, the gray vortex at the center rotating slowly but more vigorously than before.

Its low, rumbling growl echoed like a dormant beast snoring.

Magus’s thread-woven body quivered slightly as the nine eyes on his mask blazed different hues.

“It seems your plan failed,” a cold voice rasped from the tenth Throne—a grotesque figure stitched from bones, his voice like shattering glass.

“The seed you personally chose, the messenger you blessed… defeated by a newly ascended Full Mage.”

From the fifth Throne, the chain-bound woman cackled shrilly: “What a pity, Magus.”

The other Apostles joined the mockery, their voices a cacophony of scorn. Some sneered, others gloated, and a few feigned sympathy with theatrical sighs.

Magus remained outwardly calm, his spider mask’s nine eyes flickering as if calculating. Beneath his composure, however, a creeping anxiety simmered.

“The plan isn’t a total loss,” he finally said, voice steady. “We’ve confirmed Luo En-Lalf’s potential to become the fourteenth Supreme Apostle. His abilities exceeded expectations—he defeated a Holy Disk Master bearing a blessing at full strength.”

“So what?” The dragon-headed Apostle on the third Throne sneered, golden eyes gleaming with mockery. “If the Seed is discovered and destroyed, and the Holy Disk lost, we’ve lost a valuable pawn for nothing.”

Magus’s thread-body tensed, a silent expression of frustration:

“Not entirely. Whether Luo En-Lalf keeps or discards the Seed, the Abyss’s essence has already tainted him. That connection cannot be erased.”

The liquid metal entity on the seventh Throne pulsed, shifting shape:

“But we can’t influence him directly in the short term. Unless he willingly steps into the Abyss, we can’t intervene.”

Magus’s nine eyes flared with a deep, enigmatic glow:

“That’s exactly what I’m waiting for. Luo En-Lalf is an explorer by nature, his soul craving truth and power. In time, he’ll seek the answers only we can provide.”

“Aren’t you forgetting the Lich Kings and Archmages watching him?” the dragon Apostle countered. “Especially now—a primal mage who ascended via the True Path will draw the Truth Pavilion’s attention. Any move we make could trigger their vigilance.”

Magus fell silent, his mask’s eyes dimming:

“We can’t act directly for now. But time is on our side. The Abyss awakens, its boundaries thinning. One day, these constraints will shatter.”

The Thirteen fell silent, each lost in thought.

They all knew—Awakening Beings like the Holy Disk were already at their limit, temporarily boosted to near Dusk Sun Rank through forbidden means. Stronger Apostles or Awakening Beings were registered entities; any anomaly would trigger mage-world manhunts. Even their Supreme Apostle powers struggled to extend beyond the Abyss.

“We can only hope Luo En-Lalf keeps the Throne Seed and one day enters the Abyss himself,” Magus concluded, his voice tinged with both expectation and a sliver of irritation. “Only then will we have our chance.”

The gray vortex suddenly roared, spinning violently as if answering their debate.

The thirteen Supreme Apostles ceased speaking, all turning toward the vortex, their eyes a mix of reverence and fear.

“It’s growing more active,” the chained woman whispered, unease in her silver gaze. “It hasn’t been this agitated since the Third Era ended.”

Magus’s threads tensed defensively:

“Perhaps time is shorter than we think. Regardless, we must find the fourteenth Apostle’s successor soon—whether Luo En-Lalf or another candidate.”

The chained woman glanced at him, her silver eyes flashing with mockery:

“You still cling to that absurd hope? That the Fourteenth Throne can change our fate?”

Magus didn’t reply. His mask’s nine eyes extinguished one by one as he sank into thought.

In the world of Supreme Apostles, hope was a luxury—a dangerous delusion.

Yet now, deep within his thread-woven “heart,” Magus couldn’t deny the faint, stubborn flicker of expectation.

Perhaps… the Fourteenth Throne truly could change everything.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end