The Dominator stage of the Witch Doctor class was known as "Foul Evil Spirit." As the name implied, the core ability of this stage was "pollution." In ancient times, Foul Evil Spirits were the natural bane of magical treasures from both Buddhism and Daoism. No matter what immortal treasure or unsullied golden core it was, all of their power would break in the face of a Foul Evil Spirit.
At the Dominator stage, "pollution" primarily targeted items and physical bodies. For items, a mild effect cut their efficacy in half, while a severe effect destroyed them completely. The same applied to the body; once a physical form was corrupted by pollution, it was akin to suffering a virulent poison, causing spiritual power and bodily functions alike to fall into complete disarray.
Moreover, the power of "defilement" was far harder to purge than toxins or pathogens. In fact, there was virtually no medicine that could cure it. In ancient times, those afflicted by pollution could only dissolve it through day after day of meditative breathing and cultivation.
In modern times, it was not nearly so troublesome. Clearing an instance quest and receiving the infusion of spiritual power always served as a process of cleansing the meridians and marrow, expelling the pollution on its own.
Even so, braving an instance while saddled with a "polluted body" was no different from courting death.
Xiao Yuan swiftly reeled in her power, dimming the eerie blue beam from the vertical eye on her forehead.
"Xiahou Aotian, hold on for ten more seconds!" Xiao Yuan called out in a clear voice as a decaying black substance wrapped around her, forming a deep, sinister robe.
With a wide sweep of her sleeve, a broad ritual altar table draped in yellow silk appeared before her, laid out with red candles, incense ash, copper coins, straw dolls, silver needles, paper talismans, and various other implements.
Xiao Yuan picked up the straw doll, split it into three, and scooped up incense ash to scatter over them.
The incense ash adhered to the surface of the straw dolls like plaster, turning them into ash-white figurines whose facial features perfectly resembled Sleeping Dragon Lord, Bloody Fluid, and Bestial Hybrid.
Next, Xiao Yuan grasped an illusory writing brush, dipped it into the pitch-black liquid inside a porcelain bowl, and inscribed squiggling runes onto the backs of the three ash-white figurines.
The runes melted into a viscous black fluid, enveloping the three straw dolls.
In the distance, dark light flashed, and the power of the three deities weakened yet again as their luminous bodies twisted and lost stability.
Fortune Diminishment!
In ancient times, when the boundaries between classes were not clearly defined, many spells of Witch Doctors had been incorporated into Daoism, becoming secret Daoist arts.
Daoist priests skilled in shamanistic sorcery could set up an altar in their homes and conduct rituals to take the lives of enemies thousands of li away.
Sensing the threat posed by the Foul Evil Spirit, the three deities trapped within the array formation retaliated at once. Chaotic, twisting power surged to unprecedented heights, while the sealing power poured down like a tidal wave.
Demon Chromy unleashed a petrifying beam and spewed eerie blue flames, attacking Xiahou Aotian's true body.
These attacks were all smelted by the tricolored flames blanketing the surface of the array chart, but the formation was already at the end of its strength. It lasted a mere two seconds before cracking into a web of fissures.
Seeing this, Xiahou Aotian's expression suddenly turned fierce, and he clenched his right fist tightly.
The divine dharmakaya behind him mirrored the gesture; with a sharp bang, the pill furnace in its palm shattered into pieces. In exchange, the fractured array was restored, and the waning tricolored flames flared up fiercely once more.
This was a skill of the Artifact Refiner stage: by paying an appropriate price, one could reset an item's function or skill—an advanced version of the skill that exempted item drawbacks.
The tricolored flames smelted the power of the three deities. Adopting a desperate, burn-every-last-drop style of fighting that bordered on dying right then and there, Xiahou Aotian suppressed his three foes once again.
—Under the influence of Fortune Diminishment, the spiritual power of the three deities had plunged precipitously.
Xiao Yuan's hands danced across the ritual table, handling the implements with smooth, flowing precision. Before long, she drew three yellow paper talismans covered in squirming, tadpole-like incantations.
The vertical eye on her forehead snapped open, casting its eerie blue gaze directly into the deep darkness behind Sleeping Dragon Lord.
The two forces of defilement and slumber collided, releasing a dull boom like muffled thunder. The eerie blue beam instantly dimmed, subjected to sealing.
Yet the darkness capable of sealing all spiritual power and hypnotizing all creation was in turn corrupted, stripped of most of its potency.
Smack! Smack! Smack! Seizing the window of opportunity, Xiao Yuan slapped all three paper talismans onto the figurine representing Bestial Hybrid at once, then twirled a silver needle between her fingers and drove it ruthlessly into its glabella.
Curse!
The glabellas of both Bestial Hybrid and the divine dharmakaya behind her split open at the same time, drawing a piercing, shrill shriek.
Right then, a figure charged into the Sixty-Four Hexagrams array chart—none other than the fiery-red-haired Jiang Ju.
Xiahou Aotian rapidly pinched a hand seal, teleporting him right next to Bestial Hybrid.
Without a shred of hesitation, Jiang Ju let out a thunderous roar: "Die for your grandpa!"
Boom!
He transformed into a blinding flare of fire, detonating himself and engulfing Bestial Hybrid, whose brow had split open.
Corrupted by the pollution, Sleeping Dragon Lord failed to intervene in time, while Bloody Fluid's power of distortion was held in check by the tricolored flames and likewise proved ineffective. They could only watch helplessly as their companion was swallowed by the inferno.
The berserk fire-attribute spiritual power tore the array chart to pieces and ripped Bestial Hybrid's body apart.
Thud.
A charred, blackened Jiang Ju crashed to the ground. His legs and his sole remaining arm had been lost in the explosion, though no blood flowed from the severed stumps.
A crimson flame rune glowed between his brows, protecting his torso and head from perishing in the self-detonation.
The moment the blast subsided, starlight welled up beside Jiang Ju. Zhang Yuanqing grabbed him by the shoulder, slipped into Night Roaming, and vanished into thin air with his gravely injured teammate.
This chain of actions had not been spontaneous teamwork, but a plan devised in advance by Zhang Yuanqing using the psychic earpieces provided by Xiahou Aotian.
First, weaken the power of the three evil practitioners; next, use the defiling power to tie down the strongest of them, Sleeping Dragon Lord; then curse Demon Chromy—the most balanced and featureless of the foes—to inflict severe trauma. Finally, let Jiang Ju, a demigod's scion capable of surviving his own self-detonation, deliver the decisive blow to kill the Aberrant "Bestial Hybrid"—Jiang Ju's self-detonation was the single most lethal attack in the orthodox faction, infinitesimally close to the Dominator level.
If Jiang Ju failed to blow Bestial Hybrid to death, Zhang Yuanqing—who possessed immense immunity to an Aberrant's skills—would step in to finish her off. If the plan succeeded, he would rescue Jiang Ju.
In Zhang Yuanqing's blueprint, as long as they managed to kill Bestial Hybrid, the orthodox faction would have a path to victory.
***
In the northwestern Gobi Desert.
Mount Tengri Sacred Mountain shuddered violently with a deafening rumble. Massive sheets of earth and boulders tumbled down, smashing the single-story houses along the mountainside and at the foot of the peak.
A terrifying aura stirred within the heart of the mountain, like an ancient ferocious beast breaking free from its seal.
The Bewitching Demons and Mist Lords stationed here rushed out of their rooms in terror, automatically congregating on the flat ground at the base of the mountain. Disregarding the falling rocks and debris, they prostrated themselves toward the sacred mountain.
"Asura has awakened..."
"Respectfully welcoming Asura!"
Excited, trembling voices rose and fell in waves. The young Bewitching Demons harbored the fervor of pilgrims, as if pious zealots beholding God descending upon the mortal realm.
None of the younger sect members had ever seen Asura; they had only heard legends and never witnessed his true form.
In their eyes, Asura was a God-like existence—a faith, an invincible paragon, a living legend.
The elder Mist Lords were even more thrilled. Asura's awakening meant that total war between the orthodox and free factions had officially begun. The invincible myth of the Soldier Master sect would lead his followers to trample the orthodox faction underfoot.
The reason Asura had slumbered for years on end was the restriction imposed by Morality Points; as vast as the world was, it had left him no room to stretch his limbs.
Now that Morality Points were gone, the living beings of the entire world would serve as Asura's bloody sustenance.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye stood on an observation platform halfway up the mountain, watching a figure step slowly out of a cavern that led into the mountain's heart.
The figure stood about two meters tall, with three heads and eight arms. His skin was black as charcoal. The head on his left shoulder had blood-red eyes and a savage, gruesome countenance. The head on his right shoulder had bristling brows, exuding majestic valor.
The central head resting on his neck bore an expressionless face, and its gaze was devoid of emotion, radiating a callous indifference that looked down on all creation.
This man, who looked as if cast from black iron, his muscle definition rigid and exuding the stark presence of a marble sculpture, was none other than the world's foremost demigod—Asura!
Three heads and six arms was the combat form of an Ancient God of War. Once this mode was activated, one's combat power surged, though it also consumed a tremendous amount of spiritual power.
Asura was the only Bewitching Demon in the world who had permanently solidified the three-headed, multi-armed form; maintaining his God of War form cost him practically zero spiritual power.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye's body trembled slightly. Every muscle quivered, every nerve stretched taut, and adrenaline surged through him.
Merely standing face to face with this demigod caused the spiritual power within him to show signs of spiraling out of control. Yet the vertical eye on his forehead pulsed with eager anticipation, seemingly itching to test its mettle against Asura.
Looming like an iron tower, Asura came to a halt at the cavern entrance. His six eyes looked over. "An Eye of Bewitchment rivaling a demigod's. Not bad!"
His mouth did not move; the voice seemed to emanate directly from his abdomen.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye shuddered. He abruptly bowed and lowered his head.
"Respectfully welcoming Asura!
"Why have you awakened, My Lord?"
Asura's facial expression was stiff, resembling a cold, unyielding stone sculpture. His mouth still did not budge as his voice echoed from within his body:
"I am making a trip to the Capital City."
Heavenly King Demonic Eye felt both excitement and apprehension. "Are you finally going to fight the decisive battle against the orthodox faction?"
His excitement came from the chance to cleanse the world having finally arrived, while his apprehension stemmed from Asura's total lack of restraint in battle—it was all too easy for him to slaughter innocents.
Ever since Morality Points vanished, Heavenly King Demonic Eye had been caught in a dilemma. On one hand, he wanted to seize the opportunity to purge the corrupt officials and vile criminals on his roster; on the other hand, he felt that the evil faction's wanton slaughter of innocents crossed the line, prompting a desire to bathe the evil faction itself in blood.
It was precisely because Fear Heavenly King understood his mindset that he had arranged for him to guard headquarters, lest Heavenly King Demonic Eye venture out and savagely bash his own allies.
Asura gazed toward the east. "I have slept for too long. Going out for a stroll."
The strongest demigod in the world asked, "Demonic Eye, care to accompany me?"
Demonic Eye shook his head in refusal. "My duty is to oversee headquarters."
Asura said, "Good!"
With that, he hoisted Heavenly King Demonic Eye up and shot straight into the clouds.
Heavenly King Demonic Eye let out a sigh, resigning himself to being hauled along by Asura. This demigod never refused his subordinates; no matter what request you made of him, the answer was always "Good."
In truth, he was simply too lazy to refuse.
Thus, everything was "Good."
Chapter 798