Chapter 378 – 「Impulse」

Meanwhile, the fierce battle in the basin had reached its climax.

The girl wielding the Great Sin Blade laughed innocently while continuously unleashing torrents of power that crashed against the colossal black beast, creating an exceptionally shocking scene.

The roaring impacts grew increasingly louder and more intense with each strike against the giant beast, making it evident that the girl was merely playing around, not taking the fight seriously at all.

The unceasing explosions caused the entire basin—and indeed the entire Midnight Labyrinth—to tremble incessantly. Cracks spread across the ceiling, raining down countless fragments and dust.

Despite being a Nightmare Species Mutant—a being stronger than a Seven-Star Professional—the Hell Beast was utterly toyed with by such a young, seemingly immature girl empowered by the Divine Artifact. Its furious roars and pained howls echoed with the bitterness of a tiger bullied by dogs on flat ground.

Neither the Ruthless Man, the Black-Clothed Expert, nor any of the high-ranking Underground Professionals found this strange.

They simply left the central battlefield and the most troublesome enemy to the girl, focusing instead on dealing with the Living Dead swarming from all directions. Taking advantage of the Hell Beast’s inability to control its blood-formed constructs while distracted, they coldly, ruthlessly, and mercilessly slaughtered the rampaging forms one by one.

The mindless constructs came rushing in, lacking almost any combat technique or capability, merely attacking like frenzied beasts biting and tearing at the Underground Professionals.

With their threat significantly reduced, these Living Dead were easily exterminated by the cold-blooded Underground Professionals, dissolving into clouds of ash.

Thus, the Nightmare Species Mutant that had once troubled all of humanity was being unilaterally crushed by a group of Underground Professionals in the sunless depths of the Midnight Labyrinth.

This sight made everyone within the mountain walls tremble with fear.

“How is this possible…”

None could believe what they were witnessing, feeling as if they were trapped in a dream.

Including Chi Qian and Xu Xiayan, everyone thought they had gone mad—that the world itself had gone mad.

That was a Nightmare Species Mutant!

A being second only to the Terror Species like the Spirit Demon Abyss King, with fewer than ten existing in the entire Spirit Demon Abyss! Its power surpassed that of Seven-Star Professionals—capable of sweeping through the entire human world single-handedly and making any Seven-Star Professional meet their demise!

Such an existence was being casually trampled by a group of Underground Professionals, dominated by an unknown girl who didn’t even appear to be twenty years old. It was truly a nightmarish scene.

Even Su Ming hadn’t anticipated that the true power of a Divine Artifact could reach such heights.

Although he had long heard that each of the Three Divine Artifacts possessed terrifying power—enough to turn an ordinary person into a madman even Seven-Star Professionals couldn’t handle—hearing about it was one thing, while witnessing it firsthand was entirely another.”The Three Divine Artifacts all possess the power to transform humans into monsters. Once used, it’s nearly impossible for ordinary humans to overpower a Divine Artifact wielder in single combat. Yet our opponent was a Nightmare Species mutant—also not something a human could handle alone. In the end, the Divine Artifact’s power completely overwhelmed the Nightmare Species mutant. Is this the terror of the Horror Species?”

From this battle, Su Ming vaguely glimpsed the power of the Horror Species—beings so rare that even in the Spirit Demon Abyss, they numbered less than three.

Divine Artifacts were forged from the bodies of Horror Species. If humans could wield such power through them, how formidable would a fully realized Horror Species be?

How strong would that truly be?

“No wonder the earth was turned into Hell by that legendary Horror Species. Humanity couldn’t defeat it—they could only use a Forbidden Art at great cost to Seal it away.”

Su Ming pressed his right hand, an uncontrollable craving and impulse surging within him.

It was as if a voice kept whispering in his heart: “You can achieve this too.”

Yes.

He could achieve it too.

If he lifted the suppression on his right hand, if he removed the Blue Demon Cessation Ring’s restraint, the Divine Artifact dwelling within his right hand—a weapon on par with the Great Sin Blade—would instantly become his to command.

Then, he too would possess such power.

The overwhelming strength to crush even a Nightmare Species mutant!

Driven by this inner voice, Su Ming unconsciously relaxed his restraint on his right hand.

He failed to notice his eyes growing increasingly crimson, their glow turning sinister and cold, shifting the aura around him.

It grew grim.

It grew demonic.

“Meep!”

Just as Su Ming was about to succumb to his impulses and remove the Blue Demon Cessation Ring from his right hand, a heavenly sound abruptly echoed by his ear.

“————!?”

Su Ming jolted violently, snapping out of his near-trance.

“I… just now…?”

The moment he regained clarity, he realized his earlier abnormality.

Instantly, cold sweat drenched his body, making his heart race.

“The Demon Emperor Sword…”

Su Ming directed his consciousness inward, toward his right hand.

There, the struggling, trembling Demon Emperor Sword still emitted waves of power.

Though suppressed by the Blue Demon Cessation Ring, these fluctuations had influenced Su Ming.

Had that celestial sound not awakened him, he might have been fully swayed by these power waves and removed the ring’s restraint.

“That was close…”

Su Ming had no doubt that had he indulged in that craving for power and destructive impulse, he would have become a prisoner of the Demon Emperor Sword.

Then, he might have gained the power to destroy everything, but he would have gradually lost himself, becoming a madman intoxicated by power, acting without restraint.

“Thank you, Hai’er.”

Su Ming expressed gratitude toward a concealed presence behind him.

“Meep.”

The hidden presence seemed to shake its head.

Su Ming turned his gaze back to the battlefield.Upon regaining consciousness, Su Ming began to notice certain details.

For instance, the Hell Beast had been utterly crushed by the Great Sin Blade not only because the Divine Artifact’s power was formidable, but also because its own injuries had severely affected it.

Those wounds, which had not healed even after so many years, meant the Hell Beast could only exert about seventy percent of its full strength, far from its peak condition.

This convinced Su Ming that the Hell Beast must have been struck by a Forbidden Art in the past, otherwise it wouldn’t have suffered such lasting effects.

Meanwhile, the young girl, though she used the Great Sin Blade’s power to overwhelm the Hell Beast and continuously inflicted damage upon it—her strength growing increasingly terrifying—had gradually developed a red glow in her eyes. Her once innocent laughter turned frenzied and distorted.

This was clearly a sign of her mind being influenced by the Divine Artifact.

While the Divine Artifact was powerful, the cost of using it was immense.

The girl exemplified this, growing more and more unrestrained in her attacks. The torrent of power not only shook the entire Midnight Labyrinth, causing the tenth floor to tremble as if in an earthquake, but it also became indiscriminate, striking friend and foe alike.

“Ah!”

“Young Miss!?”

“No!”

Several Underground Professionals were unfortunately caught in the crossfire. One moment they were slaughtering the Living Dead, the next they were swallowed by the surging residual power. After a brief scream, they were completely pulverized.

“Hehe… Hihi… Hahaha…!”

The girl grew increasingly twisted and manic, bursting into loud, maniacal laughter that was both sinister and insane.

“This is fun! So much fun! Hunting is just too fun!”

She shouted with gleeful madness.

“Such a durable toy—even Father and Uncle couldn’t manage this! As expected of a Nightmare Species mutant!”

“Come on, keep playing with Qing Qing!”

“Try to last a little longer, don’t break too soon, you ugly big guy!”

With these words, the girl raised the Great Sin Blade high.

“Boom!”

As the air roared, endless black Qi erupted from the Great Sin Blade, transforming into layers of terrifying power fluctuations that swept outward.

This force not only shook the atmosphere but also the very ground, instilling fear in everyone’s hearts.

Witnessing this, Su Ming’s expression turned grave.

“This is bad!”

The Ruthless Man’s face also changed.

“Young Miss has lost control!”

Nearby, Crow, clad in black, was suddenly startled.

At that moment, whether it was the Underground Professionals of 『Sin』 or Su Ming and the others hiding in the mountain crevice who had witnessed everything, all clearly felt a terrifying power gathering within the Great Sin Blade.

To Su Ming, this power already surpassed that of his right hand, the 【Silver Arm】.

Even if he were to unleash the 【Silver Arm】 at full output, with one hundred percent power, Su Ming believed it would likely pale in comparison to the strike the girl was about to deliver.

That blow would undoubtedly be cataclysmic, with destructive force at least on the level of a Forbidden Art!

Su Ming had no doubt that if this strike landed, not only would the tenth floor be destroyed, but the entire Midnight Labyrinth would likely be annihilated!

If that happened, none of them would likely survive!

“Not on my watch!”Intricate and profound patterns abruptly emerged on Su Ming’s forehead, causing his spiritual nature to surge dramatically and Spiritual Qi to rage wildly throughout his body.

This phenomenon instantly drew the attention of everyone around him.

“This is…!?”

Xu Xiayan and the others, who were already trembling from the power of the Great Sin Blade, now clearly saw the patterns on Su Ming’s forehead.

“Vision Mark!”

Wang Di and Wang Qian gasped in disbelief.

“He… he’s already Awakened?”

Qiao Liang and Zhu Qian also rose in astonishment.

“Young Master Su is an Upper-Rank Sorcerer?”

Bai Ruxiang and Bai Xiaoyan widened their eyes even further.

As for Xu Xiayan and Chi Qian, though they remained silent, one wore an expression of stunned disbelief while the other fixed an intense gaze upon him.

Especially Xu Xiayan.

“He’s truly already an Upper-Rank Professional?”

Xu Xiayan finally confirmed this incredible fact.

Meanwhile, Su Ming naturally had no capacity to concern himself with their reactions.

Just as Su Ming activated his Vision Mark, prepared to unleash his full Spirit Power and even employ an Advanced Spirit Art to blast the girl wielding the Great Sin Blade from midair, the situation abruptly shifted.

“Stop! Qing Qing!”

The Ruthless Man pulled an object from his chest and roared toward the girl’s direction.

The object was a multifaceted crystal with sharp edges.

The Ruthless Man raised the crystal, causing it to emit a radiant light.

In the next second, the girl who was preparing to unleash a world-destroying strike suddenly became engulfed in brilliant lightning.

Countless electric currents surged from within her body, instantly enveloping her completely.

“Aaaaaaaahhhhhhh…!”

The girl immediately let out a mournful cry as countless electric shocks tormented her with immense suffering.

When the electrocution ceased, smoke rose from her entire body as she plummeted from midair.

“Wuu… it hurts so much…”

By the time she stabilized herself, she seemed to have regained her original consciousness, collapsing seated on the ground covered in wounds and weeping pitifully.

“Qing Qing.”

Only then did the Ruthless Man call out to the girl, causing her to tremble all over.

Seeing this, a flicker of compassion passed through the Ruthless Man’s eyes, yet he still spoke mercilessly and coldly.

“Your mission is complete. Withdraw.”

Hearing this, the girl looked up with what seemed like both fear and terror, clutching her wounded body as she retreated.

The Ruthless Man finally breathed a sigh of relief and solemnly put away the crystal in his hand.

It wasn’t until this moment that the entire Midnight Labyrinth, which had been shaking as if heaven and earth were moving, gradually calmed.

This basin area also settled down, though now completely devastated, at least ceasing its violent tremors.

“Boom!”

The Hell Beast that had been continuously battered by the torrent of power—either covered in wounds or having existing injuries worsened—seemed unable to endure any longer as it collapsed.

No more blood flowed from its body, as if all its blood had been exhausted, leaving it barely clinging to life.

It struggled to rise but failed.

“Advance and capture it.”

The Ruthless Man issued a cold command.

Immediately, ten Underground Professionals moved to surround the Hell Beast.

Subsequently, circular arrays materialized around these Underground Professionals, and chains shot forth from the Void Realm, wrapping around the Hell Beast’s body.The Hell Beast struggled and resisted, but its strength was nearly depleted, leaving it extremely weak.

If the Hell Beast had retained seventy percent of its peak power before, now, after being mercilessly ravaged by the Great Sin Blade, its remaining strength was less than ten percent.

Moreover, its injuries were either inflicted by Forbidden Arts or Divine Artifacts, making them exceptionally severe. That the Hell Beast hadn’t died on the spot was a testament to its tenacity.

The people of 『Sin』 seized the opportunity to capture the Hell Beast alive, intending to take it prisoner.

This made Su Ming and the others hold their breath.

How could anyone attempt to capture a Nightmare Species Mutant alive?

Were the people of 『Sin』 planning to extract the Bloodline of the Nightmare Species Mutant?

But with such severe injuries, the Hell Beast’s Bloodline couldn’t possibly be extracted.

To extract its Bloodline, its injuries would need to be healed first.

Was that even possible?

Of course not.

Over all these years, the Hell Beast had never recovered from its wounds—how could such injuries be easily healed?

“What exactly is 『Sin』 trying to do?”

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(End of Chapter)