Chapter 602: Hunter and Prey

Having broken through the Bone Church, Insi Zangweier did not head straight back to the open square in the dock area, but came to the foot of a mountain bathed in radiance.

In front of him were tiered stone steps winding around the mountain, leading straight to the summit, where a huge cross stood, surrounded by countless angels swirling and clustering.

Boom! Boom! Exaggerated thunder roared suddenly, and countless silvery bolts of lightning fell from higher up, shattering the angel‑encircled mountain scene and returning the surroundings to the open square.

Insi Zangweier's figure vanished abruptly, leaving only a transparent, hazy spirit at the spot, which was struck by a succession of lightning and instantly extinguished.

Having lost Mei Diqi's evil spirit, he no longer possessed the ability to traverse the spirit realm; a feeling of annoyance just surfaced, his vision darkened for a moment, then returned to normal, looking as if he had merely had a brief visual glitch.

As the former Archbishop of the Black Night Church and a Rank‑Four "Nightwatcher", Insi Zangweier keenly noticed the dangerous aura that had just brushed past.

The 0‑08 he held in his hand began to write uncontrollably again: "Unlucky Insi Zangweier has lost the evil spirit within, no longer possesses the ability to roam the spirit realm, and An Desen, whom he previously regarded as prey, is waiting nearby to hunt him."

"Because he was caught in the angels' battle earlier, his mental shield was shattered and he contracted the 'Spiritual Plague'; his condition is now precarious, and he could collapse into madness at any moment."

"This is an assessment from a professional psychologist!"

"Now the hunter and the prey have switched places; things are getting interesting. Can unlucky Insi Zangweier evade the hidden hunt?"

"Hmph!" Insi Zangweier let out a cold snort, clenched the feather pen that still tried to write, scanned his surroundings, and then sprinted quickly toward a place away from the dock.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Crimson‑white fireballs ripped through the quiet air, hurling toward Insi Zangweier.

A whimpering wind suddenly surged from his body, spiraling and howling, pushing the approaching fireballs off their original paths.

The crimson‑white fireballs bombarded the area around the open square, kicking up clouds of dust.

The "Hell General" Lu Dewei'er appeared silently on the square, holding in his right hand an exaggerated pair of shears that looked like they were for trimming branches, his face covered by a cold silver mask.

Lu Dewei'er extended his idle left hand forward; his arm, forearm, and fingers instantly became ethereal, swelling and stretching as they reached for Insi Zangweier.

During this, his palm turned pale in an instant, exuding a strange attraction that tugged at Insi Zangweier's spirit.

Soon, a transparent, illusory shape began to rise from above Insi Zangweier's head.

An illusory bronze gate formed quickly in Insi Zangweier's eyes, pulling his spirit, which was about to drift out of his body, back.

For a Rank‑Four like him, this should have been easy, but for some reason he made several consecutive mistakes, and within a short span he could only stalemate with Lu Dewei'er.

An Desen looked at the suddenly appearing "Hell General" with surprise, but after seeing him and Insi Zangweier locked in a stalemate, he immediately acted, thrusting both hands forward, rapidly gathering a flock of Fire Crows around himself, granting each Fire Crow a fragment of spirit and adding "Precision" and "Reaping" effects.

The crimson‑white fire crows traced arcs through the sky, from various directions and angles, crashing toward Insi Zangweier.

His impatient emotion caused another slip during the tug, his spirit once again detached a large portion from his body, leaving him briefly dazed.

Boom! A fire crow hit Insi Zangweier's chest with pinpoint accuracy, exploding a mass of flesh and blood; his figure instantly vanished in the flames, leaving only a transparent, hazy spirit at the spot, swept by fire and quickly turning to ash.

Insi Zangweier's figure reappeared on the opposite side of the open square; the moment he materialized, invisible ripples dispersed unevenly, the surroundings darkened abruptly as if night had fallen, and a tranquil, serene feeling arrived with specks of starlight.

An Desen only felt the emotions and desires in his mind strangely soothed, becoming completely desire‑less, wanting to do nothing, and he stood there dazed and vacant.

Lu Dewei'er, already a secret companion, was barely affected, because Klein, who manipulated the secret companion from the shadows, happened to be outside the "Soul‑Calming" range.

Under his control, Lu Dewei'er extended both hands, gripping the massive shears forward, continuously snipping and producing a "crack‑crack" sound.

Rows of silvery thin blades materialized out of thin air from where Insi Zangweier stood.

Insi Zangweier was briefly stunned; someone forced him into a dream. Though it failed, it caused him to miss the optimal moment to dodge the attack.

The sound of flesh tearing rang instantly; the clothing on his neck, chest, and abdomen was slashed, and deep red blood gushed out.

Klein glanced at Lun Na De, who had arrived via "Spirit‑Realm Traversal", and Ms. Dai Li; he decisively ordered Lu Dewei'er to toss his shears to Lun Na De, and then set up the ritual again, preparing to ascend above the gray mist and employ the Sea God's scepter to unleash his most powerful strike.

The moment she saw Insi Zangweier, Dai Li's eyes filled with hatred; she stepped aside a few paces, distancing herself from Lun Na De, then spread her arms and forcefully pushed the void.

A bronze gate adorned with countless bizarre patterns, indescribable in shape, materialized out of nowhere, creaking as it opened a slit.

A terrifying suction emanated from behind the gate: a blood‑smeared arm without skin, slick tentacles studded with teeth, and vines bearing infant faces emerged from the darkness, clawing fiercely at Insi Zangweier! Lun Na De, looking at the massive shears lodged by his foot, glanced puzzled at the "Hell General" Lu Dewei'er, only to find his figure had vanished.

"What does this… mean?"

"Pick it up; if luck is on your side, this wondrous item can instantly deal a heavy blow to the Black Night Church's former Archbishop, who is in poor condition."

Pa Lie Si's voice suddenly echoed in Lun Na De's mind.

A startled expression flashed across his eyes; Lun Na De reached out to pull the shears embedded in the ground while whispering to himself:

"Old man? W‑you aren't supposed to be asleep?"

"A Meng is everywhere here; how could I be asleep? I might just fall into an endless slumber at any moment."

Pa Lie Si replied curtly, then fell silent.

Suddenly, layers of illusory cracking sounds reverberated around, and everyone looked up in surprise toward the spot above.

Ya Dang's Bone Church flickered in and out, as if overlapping with reality; starlight swirled around, gradually disintegrating the magnificent cathedral.

Within the Bone Church, the Lamp God refused Lei Ke Dun's request to grant another wish, retracting back into the wishing lamp.

Around Lei Ke Dun, shards of starlight suddenly flared brilliantly, the starlight rapidly eroding the Bone Church, re‑establishing its connection to the Star Realm and Spirit Realm.

In that instant, the Lamp God's voice suddenly echoed in Lei Ke Dun's mind:

"Just a reminder, you have contracted the 'Spiritual Plague', seeded by Ya Dang as a psychological suggestion; if not dealt with promptly, the consequences will be severe."

Lei Ke Dun lowered his gaze to the wishing lamp in his hand, tugged at his mouth corner, and said with a sigh, "Fate is on our side."

The Lamp God sneered,

"Fate can only make these eruptions less lethal, but that doesn't mean they're not deadly; even those few who can partially represent fate cannot guarantee they won't be hurt or fall."

"You'd better distinguish which thoughts are yours and which are imposed by others."

Lei Ke Dun did not heed the Lamp God's words; his body instantly became ethereal, breaking into multiple streams of pure, tangled information that surged out through the fissures the starlight had carved in the Bone Church.

With his movement, Ai Ruihuoge, entangled with A Meng, flapped its wings, smashing the cathedral's stained‑glass windows and soaring out.

Having left the Bone Church, the dragon's form rapidly expanded, reaching the size of a small mountain in an instant.

The dragon‑shaped Ai Ruihuoge let out a low roar while looking upward in the sky; the soul‑shaking howl echoed continuously, planting a psychological suggestion of escape in everyone at Beren's Port.

The wind, bearing the dragon's pressure and fierce will, blew outward in all directions; any creature caught within found its body, mind, and spirit in an uncontrollable state.

The entire Beren's Port descended into chaos: some froze in trembling stillness, some fled blindly and irrationally, some lost bladder and bowel control, legs weakening and collapsing.

The few who were slaughtering Insi Zangweier on the open square also briefly froze rigid.

Masses of tangled pure information streamed down from mid‑air, swiftly coalescing to reform Lei Ke Dun's body; shards of brilliant starlight swirled around him, outlining the symbols of multiple doors.

Before A Meng and Adam came out of the Bone Church, he transferred Anderson, Leonard, and the others on the square, including the concealed Klein, all to outside the city.

Just as his action finished, a crimson‑purple flaming long spear flew out of the Bone Church and plunged into the ground of the square.

The flames quickly disintegrated and reassembled, turning into Medici Sorin Einhorn, who wore blood‑stained armor, had fiery red, flamboyant hair, and a handsome face.

On each side of his face lay a long scar, splitting from the corner of his mouth to the base of his ear, giving him a ferocious and iron‑blooded aura; crimson‑purple flames spontaneously gathered on his hand, forming an exaggerated, broad straight sword.

Beside him, the silhouette of Ulorus quickly took shape, his simple linen robe now marked with scorch marks.

Leighton glanced at the breath‑less, heaving Medici Sorin Einhorn and the scorched‑looking Ulorus for a moment, then sneered:

"Can the two of you together not even beat one Adam?"

(End of chapter)