Chapter 316: Advancing the Phantom Guard
Chapter 316: Advancing the Phantom Guard
September 25, 2017
The situation before Ma Pin was clearly a test of strength, a challenge to break through the 80-point threshold. Lu Hai Kong's face lit up with joy.
In the bandit camp, many individuals were currently stuck at a strength of 79.
Lu Hai Kong was one of them, Zhao Gang was another, and Ma Pin was in the same boat. Soon, Zhao Er would also reach this threshold.
Lu Hai Kong had initially thought he would be the first among them to surpass 80, given his superior talent and strength. But today, Ma Pin had unexpectedly taken the lead, and Lu Hai Kong was more than happy to see it.
However, breaking through the 80-point threshold in strength was no easy feat, especially for non-historical commanders. It was a significant hurdle, and even with sufficient talent and ability, the actual breakthrough was incredibly challenging.
Lu Hai Kong, however, had not experienced this stage of breakthrough, so he was unaware of the state Ma Pin was currently in.
Ma Pin was in a painful and struggling state, especially for him.
Among Lu Hai Kong's subordinates, Ma Pin had the least stable foundation. In truth, Ma Pin's talent was not exceptional; he originally had a medium-level talent, and even within that category, he was at the bottom.
The only reason he became the first in Lu Hai Kong's command to break through 70 in strength was due to Hu Yin Qi's Soul Stone.
Using a Soul Stone to enhance strength was a delightful process, effortlessly breaking through the barrier of 69. But there's no such thing as a free lunch; after enjoying the benefits, the consequences must be faced. This consequence was a doubled difficulty in breaking through the 80-point threshold.
Fortunately, Ma Pin later switched to the Ghostly Slaughter Technique and used Talent Pills to enhance his talent, or else he would never have had the chance to increase his strength to 80.
Although the opportunity had finally arrived, Ma Pin's luck did not improve.
Ma Pin had switched to cultivating the Ghostly Slaughter Technique, and as a Phantom Guard himself, he was constantly immersed in ghostly energy, further enhanced by his Phantom Armor. While he had accumulated enough strength to reach the 80-point threshold, he also faced a life-or-death trial.
Indeed, it was a life-or-death trial. Others, when attempting to advance to 80, would at most spit out a few mouthfuls of blood and lose some strength points. But for Ma Pin, the best-case scenario was a complete loss of strength, and he might even directly transform into a demonic creature.
Have you witnessed those man-eating bandits? Have you seen Ma Pin in his state of extreme madness?
Beneath Ma Pin's docile exterior in front of Lu Hai Kong lurked a malevolent ghost-like figure. Ma Pin willingly became such a person for Lu Hai Kong, because only by becoming this ghostly figure could he train the Phantom Guards, the first and most challenging step in their training.
To help Lu Hai Kong train the Phantom Guards, Ma Pin had taken one step after another, accumulating a tremendous amount of negative emotions within him.
In the quiet of the night, countless voices whispered in his ears, carrying a bloody scent and a pull towards demonic possession. Ma Pin nearly broke down several times, finding peace only when he was by Lu Hai Kong's side.
Lu Hai Kong only vaguely knew that Ma Pin had sacrificed a lot to train the Phantom Guards, but he had no idea the extent of his sacrifices.
He couldn't possibly know that the Phantom Guards were not a living unit, nor could he fathom that to train them, Ma Pin's life had begun a countdown.
Lu HaiKong had no way of knowing, but when Ma Pen donned the Ghost Shadow Set, the voice that had been suppressed deep within his heart roared like a mountain flood. The voice, filled with the stench of blood, instantly engulfed Ma Pen.
In an instant, Ma Pen's eyes turned red, and a mysterious black aura enveloped him. His blood-red eyes, gleaming with a sinister light, indicated that he was on the verge of losing himself to the darkness.
The Ghostly Vital Energy was not something easily mastered. Improper cultivation could lead to a breakdown at any moment, either turning him into a monster driven solely by slaughter and brutality or causing his inner energy to run rampant, leading to his death.
Lu HaiKong could sense that Ma Pen's condition was dire. The aura surrounding him was terrifying, like a powder keg ready to explode at any moment.
"Ma Pen, how are you holding up?"
Lu HaiKong asked with concern. His voice was not loud, devoid of any force, but as soon as it sounded, the massive, blood-soaked voice roaring in Ma Pen's ears fell silent.
The black aura around Ma Pen surged, and his blood-red eyes flickered.
Though it looked terrifying, Lu HaiKong could sense that Ma Pen's will was struggling against something. The chaotic aura that had been about to explode like a powder keg began to waver.
Ma Pen seemed to be trying his best to control his emotions, but with little success. Lu HaiKong could feel that Ma Pen's condition was very poor.
"What should I do? If this continues, Ma Pen might die."
Even with no experience, Lu HaiKong could see that Ma Pen's situation was dire, and he might not last much longer. His mind raced as he desperately tried to come up with a solution.
But this was a situation he had never faced before, and he couldn't think of anything to do in the moment.
He had no choice but to watch as Ma Pen's aura grew more and more violent, almost to the point of exploding and falling into complete madness.
In that instant, Lu HaiKong's mood plummeted from joy to despair.
"Hold on! I command you to hold on!"
Lu HaiKong had no other options; he could only rely on Ma Pen himself.
Amidst Lu HaiKong's anxious commands, Ma Pen, who had been struggling and was about to succumb to the negative emotions in his heart, suddenly found strength. Loyalty was a firm belief for Ma Pen, the only reason that kept him going.
With this reason as his support, even the devilish voice could not drag him into the abyss. More importantly, Lu HaiKong's voice this time carried the indomitable spirit of the "Mountain-Cleaving Axe," which dispelled much of the dark aura surrounding Ma Pen. To Lu HaiKong's surprise, Ma Pen's condition began to improve.
Gradually, the black aura around Ma Pen stabilized, and the blood-red glow in his eyes faded. At the same time, a system notification sounded.
"Congratulations, your 800 Phantom Guards have been promoted to the Elite rank and have grasped the Unit Trait: Shadow Assault."
(End of Chapter)
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