Inside the Human Emperor Lamp.
"Well..."
Jiangnan opened her eyes, and her vision gradually became clear.
He used his remaining left hand to prop himself up on the blood-stained ground.
"Phew... not quite dead yet."
Jiangnan looked down at his empty right shoulder and his bloodied, mangled chest.
He secretly rejoiced, for if he hadn't forcibly raised his physical attributes to S+ level after transmigrating, his vitality would have far surpassed that of ordinary people.
If an ordinary superhuman had suffered such a strangulation injury from Demigod Domain, they would probably have bled to death long ago.
"The most urgent task now is to treat the injuries."
Jiangnan frowned.
Of his existing Word Spirit, all are focused on extreme killing and control; none possess any healing capabilities.
As for companions, Hoshino Hikaru, who possesses healing abilities, is not by his side.
"Are we just going to wait here and die?"
Jiangnan closed his eyes, his brain racing.
After a moment, he sighed, "It seems we have no choice but to take a gamble."
His consciousness sank into his mind, awakening the balance of his Great Love Value.
[Current Love Value Balance]: 359290 points.
Nearly 360,000 love points!
Last time, after learning about the drawbacks of "Great Love in Time".
Jiangnan didn't use her "love points" to buy the sewing machine.
He had kept this huge sum of money until now, and unexpectedly, it became his lifeline today!
"Use [Great Love Upon the Body]!"
The rules of "[Great Love Upon the Body]" are very hardcore.
It directly consumes Love Points to permanently improve physical fitness without any side effects.
However, the price is that the host must endure the inhuman torture of having their body forcibly crushed and reassembled while fully conscious.
This is also why Jiangnan had been holding back from directly promoting to [Special Grade].
He knew very well that evolution that transcends major social classes could absolutely cause the brain's pain receptors to collapse.
But now, with his body so badly damaged, he wants to heal his severed limbs and serious injuries.
Only by relying on the terrifying life force that can reshape the physical body during promotion!
This is the time to go all in!
Jiangnan silently chanted in his heart, "Raise my physical fitness to the highest level!"
[Your current physical fitness level has been detected as S+!]
[Reaching the Special Grade is a leap in life level, requiring 200,000 Great Love Points! Confirm?]
Two hundred thousand?!
Jiangnan's pupils contracted slightly.
He's currently at S+ rank, and theoretically, advancing to Special rank should only be a small step forward. Why would he need such a massive amount of points?
"Could it be... that the so-called 'special grade' is not simply a numerical increase, but a transformation of some kind of life essence?"
"Similar to completely shedding one's mortal body?"
Before he could think any further, the dizziness from blood loss struck again.
Jiangnan gritted his teeth and said without hesitation, "Confirm consumption!"
[200,000 Love Points have been consumed to upgrade the main body! Currently being strengthened...]
"Boom!!!"
The instant the warning tone ended, Jiangnan felt as if a grenade had exploded in his chest!
"Ughhhh!"
He looked up; the pain was ten times, a hundred times, more intense than when he was promoted before!
Jiangnan could clearly feel every broken bone in his body!
Every single shred of torn flesh!
They were all crushed into powder by this force!
Then, it felt as if thousands of red-hot steel needles were piercing his blood vessels and bone marrow.
Remove impurities and Filth bit by bit!
Shred! Eliminate! Reassemble!
Shred it again! Remove the waste again! Reassemble it again!
This cycle of excruciating pain, comparable to being slowly sliced to death and skinned alive, repeats endlessly.
Jiangnan gripped the floor tiles, her fingernails snapping and cracking.
He was panting heavily, clenching his teeth to force himself to stay conscious amidst this inhuman torture and prevent himself from going brain-dead from the pain.
"Snap!"
With a crisp crack, one of Jiangnan's canine teeth was bitten to pieces!
He swallowed it, mixed with blood.
"I have to endure it! I can't faint!"
Jiangnan's eyes were bloodshot as he continued to bravely endure this rebirth of life.
Meanwhile, outside...
The Ox-Horse Factory, amidst the ruins of the basin.
Two figures landed on their swords at the edge of the giant crater.
It was Liu Ruyan and Shadow, after overcoming countless hardships, finally broke through the encirclement and arrived here.
"Oh my god..."
Looking at the terrifying ruins before Shadow, where not even a trace remained, Shadow couldn't help but swallow hard.
"With an explosion of that power... is there really anyone still alive here?"
Liu Ruyan then used the tip of her Bamboo Thunder Sword to pick up a piece of blood-stained rag from the ground.
"The number of living people is probably slim, but there should still be dead people."
"Look, there are still fragments of that dead man's skin on the ground. He was probably blown to bits, leaving not even ashes."
Liu Ruyan quipped, trying to find humor in her words.
Shadow looked at the tattered cloth in Liu Ruyan's hand, and his lips twitched twice.
What the hell are these skin fragments?
"Liu Ruyan, this is not the time for jokes!"
Shadow's expression was anxious, and his voice was stern, "Find someone immediately!"
As he spoke, Shadow took off the long, rectangular black box from behind him and carefully held it to his chest.
"Buzzing..."
The surface of the black box is emitting vibrations.
"I can feel the arm sealed inside the box resonating."
The Shadow stared intently at the center of the ruins, its tone utterly resolute.
"This means the Dragon God is definitely nearby! His presence hasn't disappeared!"
Upon hearing this, Liu Ruyan casually tossed aside the rag, rubbed her chin, and looked thoughtfully at the deep pit in front of her.
"Since the presence of a spirit is still present, but there's no one on the ground..."
Liu Ruyan's eyes lit up, "Could it be because the explosion was too powerful and the scumbag was buried alive?"
Upon hearing this, Shadow thought it made perfect sense.
After all, even Dragon God is only made of flesh and blood. Faced with such a world-destroying explosion, if he didn't have time to escape, he could very well be buried deep in the ruins!
"Very likely! Let's dig quickly!"
Without a word, Shadow jumped into the edge of the pit and began using Shadow Magic to create a giant hand that was clawing at the rocks.
Liu Ruyan sighed, rolled up her sleeves, used the Bamboo Thunder Sword as a shovel, and miserably joined in the digging.
"I must have owed this bastard something in my past life, that I, the Sword Emperor, have been reduced to being a miner in this godforsaken place..."
The two focused intently on digging downwards, trying to find traces of Jiangnan in the ruins.
However, they were so engrossed in their work that they didn't notice.
On the edge of this desolate basin ruins, amidst the swirling sand.
"Tap... tap... tap..."
A series of footsteps were silently approaching from behind them...
Shen Residence, Ruins and Battlefield
Phoenix Emperor descended from the sky.
She landed before the enormous black cocoon.
This is precisely the domain of [Boundless Dark Realm].
Phoenix Emperor narrowed its eyes slightly.
She recognized the Supernatural Ability before her.
"Sequence 09, Darkness."
Phoenix Emperor's gaze turned cold.
"What a coincidence to run into you here!"
As an elemental Demigod standing at the pinnacle of the world, she understands the mysteries of the elements better than anyone else.
The world's Elemental Sequence has nine major branches.
Light, darkness, fire, ice, wind, thunder, water, metal, rock!
After a thousand years of frantic searching, she only managed to obtain four of the sequences.
The remaining five Supernatural Ability seemed to have vanished without a trace, as if they had evaporated from the face of the earth.
This also became an insurmountable obstacle on her path to becoming a true god.
But the black cocoon before them instantly dispelled all the fog.
The answer is clear.
Another elemental Demigod was born in this era and snatched the rest of the puzzle!
But now, this is the perfect opportunity for her to become a god!
All we need to do is kill this inexperienced fellow and seize his position; the throne will be within our grasp!
Phoenix Emperor lowered her head, her gaze falling on the severed arm she was holding in her arms, ghostly fire surging in her eyes.
"When I become a god..."
Phoenix Emperor gently stroked the severed arm with its skeletal fingers, murmuring to itself like a lover.
"With this arm as a medium, I will surely find a way to resurrect you."
"As long as we fight our way back to Dragon Xia Imperial City and seize that damned emperor's Weird Artifact!"
"I can erase all stains and create the most perfect world for you!"
And in the ruins not far from the Phoenix Emperor.
Guo Shuai covered his bleeding left eye socket.
But when his only remaining right eye saw the severed arm that the Phoenix Emperor was holding in its arms, he froze on the spot.
That's... the boss's arm!
"What did you do to the boss?!"
Ignoring the excruciating pain in his body and the absolute gap in strength, Guo Shuai roared angrily.
The roar interrupted the Phoenix Emperor's thoughts.
She turned her face and looked down at Guo Shuai lying on the ground.
"This ant seems to have come in with Jiangnan."
Phoenix Emperor coldly calculated in her heart.
A surge of Wrath welled up in her heart; more accurately, it was a surge of jealousy.
Just because of these few insignificant mortals whose lives are as worthless as grass!
Jiangnan actually went so far as to completely break ties with me!
He even drew his sword against her!
On what grounds?!
Phoenix Emperor suddenly raised its hand, and a ball of Hellfire condensed in its palm.
But the next moment, she stopped and extinguished the flame.
Because she saw a pure emotion in Guo Shuai's eyes.
That was unwavering loyalty, and a genuine Wrath to die for one's comrades.
Dragging his severely injured body, Guo Shuai crawled forward with difficulty through the rubble, his words filled with anguish as he questioned the situation.
"Didn't you hear me?! Where's my boss?! What did you do to him?!"
Seeing the other party's reckless and ignorant attitude, Phoenix Emperor suddenly laughed.
The laughter was incredibly sarcastic.
At that moment, she finally understood why Jiangnan was so angry.
Because Jiangnan has never regarded itself as a supreme deity.
He treated these ordinary people as equals, even regarding them as his own kind!
They treated each other like family.
And what about her, the Phoenix Emperor?
She was born a noble princess and has been the master of life and death for thousands of years.
These mortals, with their thin bloodlines and short lifespans, couldn't even be considered the same species in her eyes.
Humans are merely tools; once the tools are used up, they can be discarded like trash.
Even after becoming a god, deep down... is he still stuck with these peasant mentality?
Phoenix Emperor chuckled softly.
You really haven't changed.
"Once I become a god, I will definitely return to the Dragon Xia Imperial City, seize that Weird Artifact, and resurrect you."
"By then, I will definitely keep you by my side!"
"I'll teach you step by step how superiors and subordinates should interact!"
As soon as she finished speaking, there was no longer any hesitation in Phoenix Emperor's eyes.
"Boom!"
A raging Hellfire reignited in his palm.
"It's all because of you filthy things."
"It's because you corrupted him that he turned against me."
"Watch me eliminate you arrogant scum!"
The Phoenix Emperor swept past the black cocoon, approaching Guo Shuai...
Inside the enormous black cocoon lies an endless Void of darkness.
The black water flowed silently beneath my feet.
The elderly man with white hair and a long beard stood in a horse stance.
Directly opposite him was a slender, ghostly figure.
The ghostly figure was covered in scarlet eyes that were blinking incessantly.
Both of them had a rope tied around their waists.
It's like a tug-of-war over control.
The white-haired old man was clearly in a losing position; the black water beneath his feet had been plowed into furrows. He gritted his teeth and glared angrily at the ghostly figure opposite him.
"You shameless thief! You will never succeed!"
He angrily confronted the other party.
The old man was none other than Albert from [The Eye of Calamity]!
The ghostly figure opposite was the original form of the soul of the Evil God Helge!
"Hehehe..."
Helge let out a sinister laugh, "Fite Albert..."
He claims to be the god of magic, but in reality, he is an elemental Demigod who has mastered the four elements of darkness, wind, lightning, and metal.
"Besides that, you're also the most famous professor of the supernatural in this Barbaric Realm."
Helge's eyes were fixed on the old man as he continued his seductive persuasion.
"Your research on us is very detailed, and I admit that your understanding of the strange race is very thorough."
"But... it's not enough. I know you've always longed to become a god."
"So... I formally invite you to join our great Filth!"
"If you nod your head, you will become one of the Ten Evil God and one of the absolute rulers of this Barbaric Realm!"
"How about it?"
Helge offered a tempting offer.
But the force at the other end of the rope did not loosen in the slightest.
Your offer is indeed very tempting.
"But... this god refuses!"
Albert's eyes were resolute as he retorted angrily.
"Because I know I've taken the wrong path!"
"To become a monster means to completely abandon oneself!"
"Once the soul is twisted, it can never return!"
Albert roared, "That's why I willingly stayed in the cellar for a thousand years!"
Upon hearing this, Helge burst into unrestrained laughter.
"Is that really true? Albert, you may fool yourself with your high-sounding words, but you can't fool me!"
"Drink!"
With Helge sudden burst of strength, the surging black water pulled Albert forward a large step!
Albert stumbled and nearly fell into the black water.
Helge pressed closer, his words like the whispers of a demon.
"I acquired your body, and naturally, I also acquired its memories."
"How crazy you used to be! But you've gone astray on the path to godhood!"
"You naively believed that piecing together various powerful limbs would make you a god, but you unexpectedly embarked on a bizarre and out-of-control path."
Helge stared intently at him. "But that's not actually the case at all!"
"There is only one true path to godhood! That is slaughter!"
"You must kill other superhumans of your kind and ruthlessly steal their Supernatural Ability!"
Albert didn't answer; he realized he was losing strength and desperately pulled on the rope.
But Helge continued to close in.
"I can help you become a god right now!"
"If we join forces, kill that crazy woman outside, and seize her sequence..."
"You've completed ninety percent of your path to godhood!"
"I'll give my body back to you then, how about that?"
"Shut up! This god will never believe in an evil spirit like you!"
Albert's eyes widened in anger as he gripped the rope tightly.
Helge remained unperturbed, continuing to pace and sneer in the black water.
"I actually admire you quite a bit."
Helge exclaimed, "You went from a mere A-Class superhuman to the level of Demigod."
"Looking at the entirety of history, only the Dragon God's experiences can surpass yours."
"However... you all share a fatal weakness."
Helge lightly traced a line with his finger in the air.
A scene from the outside world unfolded before Albert.
In the scene, Phoenix Emperor is engulfed in destructive Hellfire and is walking menacingly toward the heavily injured and fallen Guo Shuai.
"You... you all care too much about these worthless, weak people."
"Helge said jokingly."
Upon seeing Guo Shuai, who was in imminent danger, Albert's eyes trembled violently.
How so?!
Instead of friendly reinforcements, what they finally received was an even more terrifying enemy?!
At this moment, Helge made an unexpected move.
He actually stepped forward and handed the taut rope directly to Albert.
He gave the choice to Albert.
"Will you choose my side, the throne of godhood and eternal life, to save that mortal?"
"Or should I choose to be a coward and watch him die?"
"That's... the decision is yours."
Albert stared at the Evil God so close to him, his eyes trembling violently.
In my mind, I recall every little moment I spent with Guo Shuai, that brat who, despite being a bit of a chuunibyou (a person with delusions of grandeur), always called me that.
Like a revolving lantern flashing by.
Finally, Albert slowly closed his eyes.
"Sorry..."
He whispered something in a very soft voice.
The Shen Residence courtyard, the Real World.
Facing the approaching Grim Reaper, Guo Shuai gritted his teeth, grabbed the Butcher Knife that had fallen to the side, and tried his best to launch a counterattack.
"Ants."
Phoenix Emperor didn't even glance at him, simply flicking her sleeve casually.
"Bang!"
A powerful, overwhelming Hurricane swept out, sending Guo Shuai and his knife flying!
Guo Shuai let out a miserable scream and crashed heavily into the ruins like a tattered sack, the sound of his bones shattering clearly audible.
"Even as a ghost... I will never let you go!"
Guo Shuai coughed up a mouthful of blood and stared at Phoenix Emperor with his only remaining eye.
Phoenix Emperor didn't bother to answer him at all.
In her view, saying even a single word to such scum would be a desecration of herself.
She slowly raised her hand, and the [Hellfire] in her palm surged, as if to completely incinerate Guo Shuai on the ground into ashes!
But!
At this critical moment!
"BOOM!!!"
A bolt of Purple Firmament Thunder struck down fiercely from behind the Phoenix Emperor!
Phoenix Emperor reacted extremely quickly, its fighting instincts instantly triggered.
She slapped the ground with her hand, and the rock layers rose up, forming an earthen wall that blocked the deadly lightning strike!
Amidst the exploding lightning.
Behind them, the Boundless Dark Realm shattered with a deafening roar, transforming into a shower of black water!
Helge emerged from the Black Mist.
But the [Eye of Calamity] in his left eye socket told everyone that it was not Herang.
"You brat, I'm here to save you."