The Mysterious Controller

The Antahe Titan Soldier was the ten-zhang-long monstrous snake from before, an enlarged version of the Antahe People.

"Can the Ice Leeches pass through the Spirit Channel?" Bai Xiaowen thought. The Spirit Channel had twelve layers of Spirit Barriers that would mislead intruders' minds, trapping them in an endless cycle within an illusory spiritual space, unable to enter the true Antahe Kingdom.

"Probably not... I'll control the Titan Soldier and keep it from fighting those Ice Leeches. We can simply let them die trapped within the Spirit Channel."

The Antahe Caretaker said this.

However, only a few breaths later, the Antahe Caretaker abruptly looked up. "Not good! The Ice Leeches have already passed through the first Spirit Barrier... How is that possible? There must be someone commanding these monsters from behind the scenes!"

"I'll go take a look."

Bai Xiaowen drew a breath. As a purely Spirit Body, the Antahe Caretaker essentially had no combat ability. Relying on a single Antahe Titan Soldier with High King Rank strength to fight so many Ice Leeches was simply impossible.

Even Bai Xiaowen could not withstand so many Ice Leeches. He had to find their controller as quickly as possible.

Bai Xiaowen could have simply left, but he had accepted a favor from the Antahe Kingdom. He could not bring himself to be so cold-hearted.

"Thank you. I'll send you through the Spirit Channel." The gratitude on the Antahe Caretaker's face looked equally fake as his illusory palm pressed against Bai Xiaowen and Sigdrifa's shoulders.

A flash of light later, Bai Xiaowen and Sigdrifa appeared in the Underground Hall where they had previously fought the Titan Soldier.

The calm, empty hall had been filled with Ice Leeches. The moment the countless Ice Leeches "saw" Bai Xiaowen, they immediately turned and surged toward him.

"Could it be... they're after me?"

Bai Xiaowen narrowed his eyes and immediately spread out his Spirit Sense. With the Mind Cultivation Method's enhancement and the Spiritual Power enhancement from one level of the Soul Tower, he conducted an intense search, trying to find the Ice Leeches' controller.

Yet after sweeping the area, he found nothing.

"Pretty good at hiding... Did they disguise themselves as an Ice Leech, or are they hiding inside one?"

Bai Xiaowen inhaled and Spiritual Power surged beneath his feet as he darted and weaved through the gaps between the Ice Leeches.

At a time like this, the benefits of Bai Xiaowen's training in close-combat movement techniques became apparent. Without agile Melee Specialization, he could only have sat on the Silver Throne, relying on Spiritual Power defenses to withstand the Ice Leeches' siege and becoming a living target.

Moreover, this was a relatively enclosed Underground Space, making it difficult for the Shape Shift Dao Technique to fully display its advantages.

Now, however, Bai Xiaowen could use the Ice Leeches around him as cover, avoiding concentrated attacks from large numbers of them.

In many situations, having more chances to dodge and change positions also made it easier for Bai Xiaowen to secretly set up Immortal Talismans for Array Formations. Of course, that advantage could not be shown here. With the Ancient Antahe Kingdom's restrictive Runes present, it was unsuitable for Bai Xiaowen to set up another Array Formation.

Sigdrifa was even more agile than Bai Xiaowen, and her Spirit Power Intensity was no weaker. With the aid of her wings, she moved with effortless ease. She could share some of Bai Xiaowen's pressure without requiring him to worry about her safety.

Bai Xiaowen found several Ice Leeches that seemed likely to be hiding the controller and switched the Prairie Brothers Blade to the Formless Blade, launching repeated probing attacks.

Bai Xiaowen's attacks were now even more powerful. When his True Yuan Power was unleashed, its highly condensed Spiritual Power gave him greater control, allowing it to drive straight through the weak gaps in the Ice Leeches' Protective Energy.

The True Yuan Power added to each of his slashes seemed weak, yet it could still effectively injure the Ice Leeches, breaking through their skin and entering their bodies while sending force exploding through their insides, dealing heavy damage to their Health Values.

He needed only a few strikes to deal with an Ice Leech.

This close-combat ability was still inferior to Xia Feng's, though it was... well, still quite a bit inferior. Bai Xiaowen thought silently.

As for the Ice Leeches' counterattacks, they posed little threat to Bai Xiaowen. He dodged whenever possible, and for attacks he truly could not avoid, the Psionic Armor helped defend him—though the Psionic Armor, a bonus from the Secret Art of Spiritual Power, had no star rating listed, Bai Xiaowen estimated that such a formidable defensive skill had to be at least a four-star skill.

Though my close-combat attacks are still inferior to Xia Feng's, my defensive ability... well, it seems I'm still quite a bit inferior. Bai Xiaowen thought silently.

Soon, Bai Xiaowen dealt with several of the most suspicious Ice Leeches. Under his orders, Sigdrifa also killed two Ice Leeches that might have concealed the controller.

However, the controller still had not revealed themselves.

"Master, could the controller not be here?" Sigdrifa asked softly as she swung her Long Spear and knocked back an Ice Leech's pounce.

"No, they're nearby."

Bai Xiaowen could sense a strand of Spiritual Power controlling these Ice Leeches. The source of that Spiritual Power was within this Underground Hall, but he could not pinpoint its exact location.

The Ice Leech swarm suddenly retreated like a receding tide.

"What's going on?" Bai Xiaowen was startled. He did not believe the other side would give up so easily.

Sure enough, the retreating Ice Leeches arranged themselves into squad after squad, and then the squads arranged themselves again... Bai Xiaowen was very familiar with this formation.

This was clearly the Battle Formation of a Domination System Evolutionist!

"After forming up, the next step could it be..."

No sooner had the thought crossed Bai Xiaowen's mind than he saw a massive Spirit Power Manifestation rapidly take shape above the Ice Leeches' Battle Formation.

There were several hundred Ice Leeches, each possessing strength comparable to Lord Grade!

The Spirit Power Manifestation formed by such a Battle Formation... just how terrifying would its energy level be? It would definitely surpass a High King Rank God-Born!

A Spirit Power Giant more than twenty zhang tall appeared above the Ice Leeches' Battle Formation. Its head was level with the Underground Hall's ceiling as it looked down at Bai Xiaowen and Sigdrifa.

"This... is impossible!"

Bai Xiaowen gave a bitter smile inwardly. Simultaneously controlling several hundred Lord Grade Ice Leeches and condensing a Spirit Power Manifestation—such prowess in the Way of Command was practically unheard of.

Most crucially, how had the other side obtained control over these hundreds of Ice Leeches? For a Spirit Power Manifestation to take shape, one had to command the Soldiers forming the Battle Formation as easily as one's own limbs. These low-intelligence Ice Leeches did not look like creatures that could be tamed in such a short time.

Bai Xiaowen was not an arrogant man. Since the facts were before him, he could only accept them and admit, there is always someone stronger, and a sky beyond every sky! Perhaps this was the alien Chosen of some powerful Deity, an old monster who had lived for who knew how many years.

However, although the other side was stronger than Bai Xiaowen in the Way of Command, Bai Xiaowen was not without the power to fight! The people who understood Domination System Evolutionists best were naturally Domination System Evolutionists themselves.