Chapter 568: Battle of the Holy Soul

This tiny plane, perhaps only a few thousand square kilometers, is barren, sparsely populated, resource‑poor, and has no native species; countless unnamed planes like this exist, but today seven Holy Soul Wizards, most of the Supreme Council's members, have gathered here, and for a long time no one has spoken.

Even an ordinary person without extraordinary power can instantly recognize this as a Lich, and the Holy Soul Wizards have personally slain many of these notorious evil beings.

However, this Lich's appearance and identity are truly hard for them to accept.

The great and wise Augulevi Master, founder of the Supreme Council, guardian of the Empire, the most powerful wizard in human history, has turned into an evil Lich!

The Holy Soul Wizards look at the figure within the encircling ring, their expressions exceedingly complex.

Shock, disbelief, bewilderment, grief…

and more.

As the senior who first achieved Holy Soul Ascension, many Holy Soul Wizards present have, to varying degrees, received guidance from Augulevi and regard him as both mentor and friend.

Everyone in the Empire grew up hearing Augulevi Master's legendary tales and sees him as the hero who rebuilt the Empire.

Augulevi Master was like a lighthouse, dispelling darkness on the path of magic.

Yet today that lighthouse has gone out!

Anxiwodasi had anticipated this, but seeing Augulevi's current form with his own eyes still broke his heart and was hard to accept.

For a thousand years, their relationship had been strained due to ideological disputes, but he would rather see his own ideas fail than watch Augulevi Master become like this. The Empire cannot bear the loss of a titan, let alone its strongest titan.

Tim*Kenan's expression was as still as water, his complexion paling to the extreme.

In contrast, the Lich itself remained very calm.

He has already lost the emotions of the living; his heart is controlled by a cold, evil Willpower. Though he possesses far greater intelligence, reasoning, and magical power than in life, fundamentally he is no longer the epoch‑shaking Augulevi Master he once was.

Blue flames flicker in the Lich's eye sockets, their thoughts unknowable.

"Alas…"

After a long pause, Anxiwodasi let out a sigh, regretfully saying, "Augulevi Master, you have fallen."

The Lich looked up at Anxiwodasi in the high sky; his pallid face showed no expression, the corner of his mouth twitched, and he uttered:

"Hmph."

The Holy Soul Wizards, thinking the Lich would strike, all narrowed their pupils.

Facing the world's only wizard who has reached above Level 40, no one dared to be careless; even with several Supreme Council colleagues united, they felt no safety at all.

Little did they know the Lich's action was merely a test.

Tim*Kenan, gripping a black legendary staff, said gravely, "Augulevi Master, I need a reason."

Because the incident happened suddenly, Anxiwodasi did not have time to reveal the truth in the projected meeting.

The Holy Soul Wizards all thought only BrewotzAcademy had been attacked; Anxiwodasi had again asked the goddess for guidance, leading everyone to believe hostile forces of the Empire were invading, but upon entering this plane they encountered Augulevi Master already transformed into a Lich.

Once turned into a Lich, one forever becomes a minion of the Lord of the Dead, with no chance of return.

However, Augulevi Master has created too many miracles.

Tim*Kenan still clings to a sliver of hopeful luck that Augulevi Master might offer an explanation rather than become an enemy.

The other Holy Soul Wizards also faintly hoped it was merely a misunderstanding.

However, they were soon disappointed.

"Mortal cowardice cannot even be altered by Holy Soul," the Lich sneered, then laughed loudly: "My current state is excellent, a hundred times better than before; I no longer fear my lifespan ending, I can continue on the path of magic—I am eternity!"

Hearing the word lifespan, Tim*Kenan was suddenly enlightened.

The other Holy Soul Wizards also understood.

Almost all Liches take this path simply to survive, to endure forever.

Although Augulevi Master, even as a Lich, aims to continue studying magic and pursue higher truth, that cannot justify his fall.

Liches are undead, controlled by the Lord of the Dead, naturally standing opposite the living and never forgivable.

The stronger the Lich, the greater the damage it inflicts on the world of the living.

"Everyone."

The Duke of Silver Star's voice echoed in the air; hidden in the shadows she said, "After all, Augulevi Master has rendered great service to the Empire and is our senior. He has not yet harmed the Empire; in light of his past merits, perhaps we should let him go to pursue higher magical achievements."

Her tone was somewhat hesitant, clearly unwilling to oppose Augulevi Master.

Lei En, listening from afar, could not help but shake his head silently.

The Duke of Silver Star showed a crack, perhaps truly feeling reluctant, but the bigger reason was fear of confronting Augulevi Master directly.

Unexpectedly, the usually assertive Duke of Silver Star also had such cowardice.

She would rather let the tiger return to the mountain than engage in battle.

But only the Duke of Silver Star held that view; Tim*Kenan and Ouroin Master disagreed, and Wantu Si Rui*Huo Huai puffed on his pipe, his brow furrowing, clearly displeased with the Duke's reasoning.

"It has already caused damage."

Anxiwodasi said calmly, "Three years ago, Weizelan was invaded by undead; he was behind the planning with the Cataclysm Legion and the Death Knot sigils, and he betrayed the Supreme Council, activating the Iola Core of the floating city of Naxas."

"In that battle I was gravely wounded, my body on the brink of collapse; he and Sazastan noticed, secretly sending people to obstruct my acquisition of the Element needed to heal."

"Four hundred years ago, Augulevi Master was already dead."

"The evil creature before us has no connection to Augulevi Master; he is our enemy, and moreover the Empire's enemy!"

"Letting him go would be courting death."

Anxiwodasi's words rang like successive thunderclaps in the Holy Soul Wizards' ears, exploding, leaving them stunned and their expressions dramatically vivid.

"How could this be possible…"

The Duke of Silver Star's voice was filled with horror.

Ouroin Master's usually gentle face turned extremely shocked, and he couldn't help asking, "Anxiwodasi, you knew this all along?"

Tim*Kenan replied, "Are these merely your conjectures, or do you have solid evidence?"

Anxiwodasi glanced at Tim*Kenan, knowing he merely questioned out of habit to avoid dominating the council, and said, "Lei En's provocation of Naiser, Sabra's proposal to hold the investiture ceremony at BrewotzAcademy, were all to force him to appear; you can ask him yourself."

Before Tim*Kenan could ask, the Lich laughed.

Hehehe…

"Anxiwodasi, I still underestimated you," the Lich said in a hoarse voice. "I thought you only had doubts, but it turns out you know so much."

"What a pity…"

The Lich shook his withered head, saying "what a pity" with a tone as cold as ice: "I originally intended to keep controlling the Supreme Council, the Oriense Empire, the Naisè Fu Kong Cheng, to provide me enough resources to study magic. Losing all this is truly regrettable."

His words undeniably admitted Anxiwodasi's accusation.

"But that matters little. I already possess eternal life, can obtain everything I desire. A mere mortal Empire, I will personally destroy it and witness the Empire's ruin!"

This declaration‑like roar made the Holy Soul Wizards' faces turn pale.

It also signaled the onset of action.

"Careful!"

Tim*Kenan shouted.

Before the Lich finished speaking, he wielded Time's End, instantly casting a Time Stop, and the world within several hundred meters froze instantly.

But it lasted only a heartbeat before normalcy returned.

An invisible spiritual light shot from Tim*Kenan's hand; the seemingly modest spell dispelled the Time Stop, and Lei En in the distance didn't recognize what spell it was.

That brief halt was not beneficial to the Holy Soul Wizards.

Anxiwodasi manifested a pale red shield around his body, shielding him from the Time Stop's effect. He waved his hand and launched a series of five fireball spells; each fireball was as large as a basket, fell at lightning speed, crossing a hundred meters in a flash, exploding midair, then instantly splitting, multiplying fivefold into twenty‑five larger fireballs, raining down like a cascade of meteors.

Lei En saw his master cast at full power for the first time.

The All-Seeing Eye observed the interior of the fireballs, and the massive fire Element power they contained shocked him; any one of those fireballs possessed the power of a Nine-ring Technique!

Twenty‑five fireballs, twenty‑five Nine-ring Techniques!

And all were instant‑cast.

These terrifying fireballs combined high temperature, flash combustion, and explosive properties, delivering extreme lethality and destruction—simple, brutal, and suffocating.

At the same time, three other Holy Soul Wizards also acted.

Ouroin Master's body swelled dramatically, instantly growing from 1.8 m to three meters tall; his robust muscles strained his pure white robe to the brink of tearing, his beard and hair flew, and his white wooden staff and cross longsword expanded in tandem. Holding the staff in his left hand and swinging the sword with his right, he resembled a dual‑wielding berserker.

Ten or so layers of constant spells and magical shields lit up on his body.

Lei En only recognized a portion: anti‑magic field, spell‑nullification barrier, Magic Siphon, high‑level Acceleration Technique, high‑level Giant‑making Technique, high‑level Stone‑skin Technique, mental shield, extreme Element resistance, spell deflection, spell reflection, spell traps, Nine‑ring Freedom Technique, Nine‑ring Immunity to Transformation, detection evasion, warning technique, and so on…

There were also many powerful Physical Elements.

The most notable were two Legendary Elements: Undying Body and Infinite Frenzy!

Strength was also Legend Grade, certainly above level twelve; Lei En could not pinpoint the exact level, and the other melee Elements were countless, hard to discern.

Ouroin Master entered a frenzy state, yet his gaze remained rational and clear.

The two weapons in his hands were evidently Legend Grade as well, shimmering faintly, appearing to be powerful enchantments that counteract magic and space.

Time Stop was almost ineffective against Ouroin Master.

He entered the battle, swung his sword at the Lich and sliced a blade‑like beam as thin as a hair, over two hundred meters long, as if cleaving the world in two, erasing the distance between them; both man and sword flashed forward, cutting to the Lich's front!

Simultaneously, he swung his white wooden staff, striking the Lich's head.

The massive staff head resembled twisted, tangled tree roots—plain yet beautiful—but harbored unimaginable terrifying power; where the head passed, it left space fissures like shattered glass.

Behind the Lich, the ever‑silent Wan Tu Rui Si*Howai Master also acted.

He tucked away his pipe, and his shoulder gave a slight shake.

In an instant he summoned dozens of multicolored magic souls, each differing in shape and size; their sole commonality was that they were all Elemental beings.

Lei En was stunned by a fleeting glimpse.

Beckwind Spirit, Sea Giant, Fire Fiend, Fire Ghost, Mana Mayfly, Tree Shepherd, Thornbird, Lava Lizard, Frost Spirit, Giant Fungus Beast, Quartz Guardian, Windlord, Lake Spirit, Stone‑bound Element, Flame Offspring, Arcane Aberration!

Howai Master, as a Thousand Spell Wizard belonging to the Soul‑Guiding school, had far fewer magic souls than the Silver Star Duke, a Ten Thousand Spirits Wizard; in total he had fewer than one hundred.

However, Howai Master's magic souls were of extremely high quality!

Each rare Elemental magic soul was displayed like an exhibition; among them five emitted an especially chilling aura—they were all Saint Rank magic souls!

Tall and noble, they resembled beautiful elves, clad in ice‑blue robes, with long hair flowing like a winter king's breeze.

A bizarre species composed of countless winged appendages, summoned then merged into the wind and vanished, wielding storms and lightning as the "Qiqi Meike".

A crystal‑cluster giant over fifteen meters tall, its body covered in crystals and sharp spires.

Enshrouded entirely in darkness, it resembled a massive black‑mist conglomerate; deep within glowed a pair of violet eyes, its form merging with the surrounding space as a Void Lord!

The most powerful magic soul possessed Howai Master, inflating his form to ten meters tall; his head sprouted a pair of massive curved ram's horns, his back bore huge bat‑like wings, a snake‑like tail over ten meters long dragged behind, his body seemed forged of lava, constantly emitting fierce flames, and he wielded a gigantic sword formed of fire.

It is a Flame Demon!

Five Saint Rank Elemental magic souls, each mastering a multitude of spells.

Howai Master controlled his magic souls and began casting; five Saint Rank, over a dozen Legend Grade, dozens of Legend Grade beneath, resembling a legion of casters.

It took only a single breath.

Hundreds of spells surged forth—earth, water, fire, wind, Arcane, lightning, frost, shadow, mind, life, holy—almost encompassing every energy property. These spells ranged from at least Four‑ring up to Nine‑ring, flooding the Lich like a deluge.

Lei En stared dumbfounded.

The number of Thousand Spell Wizards ranked second‑last among the eight specializations, only slightly more than Battle Wizards; today he finally understood why this specialization is called Thousand Spell Wizard!

This move was a spell rain.

Although it didn't truly reach a thousand distinct spells—many were repeats—it was still sufficiently shocking.

The Silver Star Duke's magic souls also surged forward; an ancient dragon demon atop them lunged two or three steps forward, wielding a massive great‑cleaver weighing tens of thousands of pounds, slashing down with the force of cleaving a mountain.

Anxiwodasi's Nine‑ring fireball rain.

Ouroin Master's longsword and staff.

Howai Master's massive spell torrent.

Silver Star Duke's ancient dragon demon slash.

Several Holy Soul Wizards joined forces, launching a terrifying attack beyond ordinary people's imagination; however, the lich seemed not to pay any attention. His expression was indifferent as he raised the Legend Grade staff Time's End high, uttering a hoarse voice: "Time Reversal!"

(End of Chapter)