Chapter 691: Precision

Lumian's goal was clear, but he didn't immediately attack the dream projection of "Siso," because the latter was still beside the black tomb, under the gaze of three artifacts imbued with divine power—he would likely be targeted along with Siso if he "teleported" over.

Those three artifacts hadn't yet reached the point of being unwatchable, and seemed capable of only lasting a few minutes, yet each displayed certain human-like traits, as if capable of independent thought and decision-making; to be fixated by them was no less dangerous than facing a weakened Rank 4 Semi-God.

Under these circumstances, Lumian certainly wouldn't voluntarily enter the vortex's center to help "Siso" Tevanako shoulder the danger; he even thought it would be cause for celebration if Siso were killed by an outsider he himself had lured here—a fate rich with destiny. After all, he had already killed "Siso" once; he wasn't obsessed with personally extinguishing the man's chance at resurrection, and having someone else "do the job" could ease his spiritual drain.

Lumian watched the open tomb entrance while retreating a few steps toward the edge of the area, speaking rapidly to Amandina, Camus, Rya, and Lu Jianuo:

"Retreat to the very edge!"

Upon hearing this order, Lu Jianuo's face lit up with delight; he was the first to turn and sprint away.

Rya raised her hunting bow, scanning left and right as she stepped back slowly, ever alert for an attack; Camus mirrored her actions, except she held a custom-made revolver.

Amandina glanced at the sinister doll, the golden-masked crystal skull, and the green-eyed man swollen with human skin, and felt a wave of dizziness, as if her fatigue had reached the point of losing bodily control.

She instantly understood these were not things she could touch, and that the events beside the black tomb were beyond her involvement.

She quickly turned her back to the black tomb, preparing to chase after Lu Jianuo toward the edge of the area.

At that moment, Lumian, wearing the gray-white lightning-shaped brooch, watched the frantic retreat of the tomb guardians with the corner of his eye, and asked Amandina:

"Where's that figure?"

Amandina, sprinting nimbly, answered in rhythm with her breath:

"I don't know!"

"He's gone!"

The moment she finished speaking, the phantom water sounds echoing within the black tomb chamber abruptly ceased.

The palm-sized sinister doll, clad in a gothic-style dress, suddenly floated upward, slipping free from Ivelista's hand.

It hovered in midair, its blood-red eyes reflecting the figure of "Siso" Tevanako.

Tevanako, who had been about to reach his hand into the black tomb, immediately felt his golden mask come alive—it pressed inward as if trying to crush his skull, then pulled outward, striving to tear itself free.

"Siso" instinctively reached for his right hand to press the mask back, but found his sleeve tightly entwined around his arm, binding it motionless.

Remembering the fate of the non-divine who lost their golden masks at the tomb's entrance, Tevanako made no hesitation—he fully dematerialized, becoming a "Soul of Resentment."

Then he vanished before the black tomb, reappearing inside the pupil of one of the tomb guardians, having shed the golden mask.

Since his original body had died too early to bring reinforcements, "Siso" had no choice but to alter his plan, waiting for the three factions coveting the tomb's frozen corpse to fight among themselves first.

Once the water grew sufficiently murky and the artifacts' power nearly exhausted, he would re-enter the fray to claim the corpse.

With "Siso"'s temporary withdrawal, the area before the black tomb grew empty.

As the palm-sized sinister doll prepared to drift forward, the golden-masked crystal skull, surrounded by a vortex of wind, soared diagonally upward.

Its eyes ignited with pale flames, at the center of which glowed a dark point.

Drawn by this, phantom black water seeped from the walls of the black tomb, forming a silent river that blocked the entrance.

Though no wider than a brook, this river felt vast and boundless to Ivelista, Devaho, Lei Yasa, and others.

Their bodies gradually turned cold, their life force draining faster and irreversibly.

The sinister doll, clad in a black gothic dress, halted midair, not attempting to fly over the silent river.

The golden-masked crystal skull descended, falling into the river.

The wind vortex forming its massive body roared as it expanded, becoming an invisible ferry, floating steadily atop the silent river.

The golden-masked crystal skull piloted this "ferry," moving upstream, inching slowly toward the open entrance of the black tomb.

The green-eyed man, clad in a dark gray suit and composed purely of skin and blood, stood at the rear, witnessing this scene.

He smiled, opened his mouth, and moved his lips rapidly, as if whispering silently to himself.

Almost simultaneously, the invisible ferry's crystal skull emitted a cracking sound.

The pale flames within its eye sockets flickered violently; fine cracks appeared across the translucent skull, shedding dust too fine to see.

The "ferry" itself swelled and contracted erratically, growing unstable, moving ever slower across the silent river.

Lumian paid no attention to the struggle before the black tomb; he glanced once, then ignited fierce white flames across his body.

Whoosh!

He became a spear of flame, crossing twenty to thirty meters to strike the tomb guardian whose body had been occupied by "Siso" Tevanako.

"Siso" lifted his head, revealing a face with light brown skin and wild, primal beauty.

Rya!

The tomb guardian occupied by "Siso" was Rya's dream projection!

Facing the blazing white spear of flame, which rapidly expanded from a pinpoint of light into a searing tip, "Siso" made no attempt to dodge—he stood still, offering himself to Lumian's attack.

The white flame spear moved too fast; he couldn't raise his bow, aim, and fire—he could only slightly bend his arm.

He felt the searing pain, felt his body and soul about to be pierced through.

"Siso" felt no fear—he laughed.

The white flame spear passed over his shoulder, striking behind him—missing him entirely.

The fire faded, revealing Lumian's figure.

The image of "Siso" vanished from Rya's dream projection's eyes.

Rya's dream projection spun around, her expression cold and filled with hatred; she raised her bow, aimed at Lumian, and drew the string taut.

She was a dream projection formed by excessive desire and emotion, incapable of controlling herself.

"Hmph!"

Lumian exhaled two beams of white light, causing Rya's dream projection to shut her eyes and collapse unconscious to the ground before she could fire her electrified arrow.

At the edge of the area, Rya, who had just arrived, shuddered.

Both her eyes reflected the figure of "Siso" Tevanako in his black robe.

The disparity in soul strength was immense; "Siso" effortlessly possessed her body and took control.

While Camus, Amandina, and Lu Jianuo hadn't yet noticed Rya's anomaly, he redirected her bow, aiming it at Camus.

Zzzzt—the arrowhead crackled with bright electricity.

The moment Rya's bow targeted Camus, Camus sensed the dissonance in her state, recognized her abnormal behavior.

As a patrol member with extensive combat experience, Camus didn't hesitate—she locked eyes with Rya, and twin blinding lightning bolts flared within them.

Simultaneously, "Siso," anticipating this, detached from Rya's body and leapt into Amandina's beautiful blue eyes.

Two blinding lightning bolts shot from Camus's eyes, piercing into Rya's skull.

Rya's eyes bulged outward, her mouth opened, her body arched backward—as if struck by a heavy blow—yet no cry escaped her.

"Soul Piercing!"

Camus's "Soul Piercing" struck before Rya's arrow left the bow, inflicting soul-deep agony, leaving her mind blank and frozen in place.

Plop—the electrified arrow veered wildly, missing Camus entirely and landing far off-target.

In Amandina's blue eyes, the image of "Siso" Tevanako glowed; her body turned icy, filled with dense cold that froze her soul, rendering her limbs unresponsive.

Behind her, Lumian's figure rapidly materialized.

"Ha!"

Lumian opened his mouth and spat out a pale-yellow orb of light.

But "Siso" showed no intention to linger—he vanished again via "Mirror Leap."

Thud!

Amandina collapsed, unconscious.

Compared to Father Cali, "Siso" was clearly far more skilled in combat, possessing rich experience and exceptional talent.

"Siso" now appeared atop a dewdrop on a leaf ten meters away; he leapt free, gazing at Lumian and his companions, smiling as he opened his mouth.

He intended to use "Soul of Resentment's Howl," a ranged attack to incapacitate some of Lumian Li and his companions, and temporarily paralyze the rest.

Seeing this, Lumian did not "teleport" beyond the howl's range—he thrust both palms forward.

A massive, blazing white fireball coalesced, as large as the black tomb chamber.

"Ahh!"

As a piercing, agonized howl erupted, the enormous white fireball shot forward.

"Siso" vanished with a smile, leaping into Camus's pupils, now streaming blood from eyes, nose, and ears.

At that instant, the massive white fireball split into dozens.

Simultaneously, as Lumian suffered the "Soul of Resentment's Howl," his vision blurred and ears rang, the gray-white "Wrath of the Sea" brooch on his chest erupted in blinding, silver-white, countless bolts of lightning.

These lightning bolts wrapped around the fireballs, splitting into dozens of streams, blanket-covering the entire area.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Amid continuous explosions, Rya, Lu Jianuo, Amandina, and Camus were thrown into the air, scorched, and struck by a crackling web of electricity.

Camus was paralyzed, his gaze unfocused; "Siso," still within him, was likewise electrocuted—and since he was in "Soul of Resentment" form, the damage was severe, preventing any new "Mirror Leap."

Lumian recovered from the "Soul of Resentment's Howl," stared at "Siso"'s outline protruding from Camus's body, and grinned.

He had used "Precision."

His aim: indiscriminate damage to every target within range, while keeping harm within acceptable limits.

And once he initiated the attack, without conscious control, the "Wrath of the Sea" automatically infused all his fireballs with electrical effects!

(End of Chapter)