Chapter 293: Soul Reaper

That scream, sharp enough to tear a divine soul, did not travel through the air but, like a red‑hot iron awl, branded the deepest part of Wang Zhize's and Wang Zhitao's consciousness!

In the valley's centre, atop the Ten‑Thousand‑Height Altar built from countless bones and solidified souls, the looming shadow finally revealed its true form.

It has no fixed form.

Countless arms stained with black void energy, swaying like frenzied seaweed, formed its main body.

Within the gaps of that arm‑forest, tens of thousands of eyes opened, each reflecting the final scene of a world being destroyed in despair.

This is the Soul Reaper!

A calamity conglomerate that feeds on despair and uses souls as fuel!

"Out…side…one…"

The dry, twisted syllable, stitched together from the death‑wails of countless beings, exploded in the depths of the two men's hearts.

In the next instant, those countless resentful spirit arms descended like a storm, each arm's tip sprouting illusory tendrils; wherever they passed, the space emitted a sizzling sound as if corroded by strong acid.

This is the purest mental shock, the most venomous rule contamination!

"Well timed!"

Wang Zhitao's battle spirit surged, and a beast‑like growl rumbled from his throat.

Not only was he unafraid, he lunged forward like a ferocious beast starved for eons that had finally sighted a grand feast, throwing himself into the torrent of death!

Black‑gold light burst across his body, and a high‑speed vortex materialized out of nowhere, unleashing a terrifying suction.

Pop! Pop! Pop!

Dozens of resentful spirit tendrils were drawn in, instantly torn and disintegrated, turning into primal energy.

But at that moment, Wang Zhitao's form abruptly halted.

A wave of extreme, chilling poison surged along the devouring link, flooding his body.

In an instant, countless faces of pain, venomous hatred, and despair flashed before his eyes, screaming and cursing, trying to drag his will into eternal downfall.

"Bro…"

Wang Zhitao let out a muffled hum, a wisp of black vapor curling from his mouth— the tainted source.

Wang Zhize's expression did not waver at all.

He merely lifted his gaze, calmly staring at the twisted Thousand‑Hand Statue, as if inspecting a poorly designed, defective creation.

【My definition: Soul scream is silent.】

In an instant, the billions of wails in Wang Zhitao's mind that could drive a deity mad abruptly ceased.

The whole world fell into utter silence.

【My definition: Spiritual corrosion is the nectar of life.】

The moment the words fell.

The chilling poison flooding Wang Zhitao's body had its vile properties forcibly erased and rewritten!

That power instantly shifted from extreme yin to extreme yang, turning into streams of warm, pure life energy that washed over his limbs and bones, repairing the minor injuries he had just sustained.

"Burp!"

Wang Zhitao let out a satisfying belch, feeling more nourishing than devouring any heavenly treasure.

The Soul Reaper atop the Altar, among its tens of thousands of eyes, for the first time showed an emotion akin to bewilderment.

Its attack not only failed to harm the enemy, but actually became a tonic for them?

This completely contradicts the void law it understands!

Roar—!

The incomprehensible phenomenon sparked fury!

The Soul Reaper summoned the altar's ten‑millennia‑old despair energy, so dense it solidified into crimson power that surged skyward, and on one of its arms coalesced a void blade a thousand zhāng long!

That is not a weapon; it is the solidified concept of 'severance'!

It intends a single slash to completely sever that law‑twisting man, along with his connection to this world!

Facing a strike capable of cleaving a small world, Wang Zhize didn't even raise his hand.

He merely spoke softly.

【My definition: Its edge is blunt.】

The void blade, flashing with black, chilling light that could even cut light itself, began, midway through its descent, to thicken and round at a visible speed, losing all sharpness.

【My definition: Its cut is continuous.】

Buzz!

The now‑blunt 'blade', finally landing before Wang Zhize, failed to touch him at all.

Between the blade's edge and Wang Zhize, an invisible bridge of law was forcibly erected.

The void blade not only failed to wound him, but became his conduit for deciphering the Altar and the Soul Reaper!

"Now!"

At Wang Zhize's command.

Wang Zhitao, already primed, let out a wild laugh as his body swelled rapidly in the charge!

His bones cracked, flesh reconstituted!

In an instant, he transformed into a colossal beast a hundred zhāng tall, cloaked in black‑gold scales, a snarling dragon horn on its head, and with the most primal, savage stance, it slammed into the Soul Reaper's core!

"No—!"

The Soul Reaper let out a terrified roar.

On the brink of death it counter‑attacked, releasing all the billions of trapped despair souls within its Core!

In a flash, heaven and earth shifted, and the two were pulled into a mental illusion forged from endless agony.

But Wang Zhize merely let out a cold snort.

Behind him, a brand‑new, perfect, infinitely vibrant cosmic void‑shadow flashed and vanished.

【I define: you lingering souls, return to void.】

He is not destroying, but issuing a pardon.

The countless suffering soul projections, as if hearing the Creator's gospel, had the resentment and despair on their faces instantly dissolve into tranquil release, then drifted away like dust.

Illusion, unassailed, collapses on its own.

At this moment, the black‑gold behemoth that Wang Zhitao had become opened its gaping maw and snapped the Core of the Soul Harvester, which was composed of countless eyes!

"No… Void… Net…"

Before its final consciousness faded, the Soul Harvester transmitted fragmented messages.

Wang Zhitao chewed gleefully, swallowing the massive void origin and control data together with the opponent's last words.

Moments later, he reverted to his youthful form, patting his belly with satisfaction, his aura now many times stronger than before.

Wang Zhize closed his eyes, accessing the complete memories shared from Wang Zhitao.

Indeed, this "Soul Harvester" is merely a low‑grade energy collector of the Void Net that spans the heavens and myriad realms.

The despair energy it gathers passes through this Altar, transmitting to a higher‑dimensional Void Nexus, where a more powerful Void Administrator receives it.

"A net that feeds on worlds…"

Wang Zhize opened his eyes, a cold arc curling at the corner of his mouth.

"Since you've come, you can't return empty‑handed."

He walked to the blood‑red Altar, extended his hand, and gently pressed it onto the cold skeleton.

"From today onward, I define your duties."

【Definition: Power of Despair, reversed into Source of Creation.】

【Definition: Energy Flow Direction, channeled into my realm.】

【Definition: This Altar, my forge!】

Boom—!

The entire ten‑thousand‑zhang Altar quivered violently, its piercing blood‑red glow receding at a visible speed, transforming into a pure, vast radiance of energy.

The evil node that originally extracted despair and spread death, under Wang Zhize's will, had its core logic forcibly reversed!

It began frantically drawing the ubiquitous void origin from this Realm of Despair, refining and converting it, then channeling it through an invisible link, continuously delivering it into Wang Zhize's Newborn Realm as nourishment for the world's growth!

Wang Zhize and Wang Zhitao stood atop the transformed energy forge, feeling the newborn power washing over their bodies.

They had already turned the enemy's armory into their own logistical base.

The expedition has only just begun.