Chapter 25: The Struggle
Dark blue smoke enveloped Su Xiao's entire body. As he grasped the Life Dragon's essence, his Devouring Core ability activated at full power.
Such a good opportunity, Su Xiao naturally wouldn't miss it. With over two hundred contractors present, along with troublesome individuals like the Gourmet, Tank Man, and Gask, whether he could seize the Life Dragon's essence was completely uncertain.
That being the case, Su Xiao naturally seized the moment to absorb the life energy within the essence. He wouldn't use this life energy to enhance his Azure Steel Shadow ability right now—enhancing an ability mid-battle was equivalent to seeking death.
Although he couldn't immediately use this life energy to boost his Azure Steel Shadow ability, Su Xiao could temporarily store it within his Devouring Core and absorb it slowly later.
The moment he grasped the Life Dragon's essence, Su Xiao began devouring the life energy inside in a nearly brutal manner, consuming about one-fifth of it.
Crack~
A crisp sound came from Su Xiao's hand. On the crystal shell of the essence, barely noticeable cracks appeared.
Over twenty meters away, Gask seemed to sense something wrong. He crouched low, hands pressed against the ground, rapidly undergoing beast transformation. Within Death Paradise, he had a widely recognized title: Wild Beast Gask.
A whistling sound of breaking air came from behind Su Xiao. A lightning-surged spear hurtled toward him, accompanied by countless other attacks.
[Tip: You have killed an unknown numbered contractor (Apocalypse Paradise).]
[Tip: You have killed an unknown numbered contractor (Sanctuary Paradise).]
Before the various attacks rained down from all directions, Su Xiao received two kill notifications—these were control-type contractors who had died from the backlash of the Soul Gaze ability.
Just as Su Xiao was about to perform Space Penetration, he suddenly noticed that the Life Dragon's essence in his hand was showing signs of detachment. This item had just been released from Void Tree's spatial lockdown and couldn't be transported through space.
The dark blue smoke around Su Xiao surged, his eyes turning blood-red as he activated the Devouring Core beyond its limits.
Two-fifths of the total life energy within the essence was forcibly drawn into Su Xiao's left arm. He immediately threw the Life Dragon's essence and entered a Space Penetration state. Being surrounded and attacked by so many contractors would surely mean death.
Su Xiao reappeared over ten meters away, a ringing sound in his ears. An impact surged from the front as a crystal layer spread across his body, sending him flying backward.
The Life Dragon's essence in mid-air was encased in a layer of crystals, then covered by several energy shields, ensuring it wasn't shattered in the chaotic assault.
The two hundred-plus contractors rushed in from all directions, their sole target being the Life Dragon's essence. The essence had many uses. Even without specific needs, one could directly absorb the pure life energy within, enhancing strength, agility, and endurance—three main attributes—while also significantly boosting health points. Though it required a long time, it was still a method of growth that no one could resist.
"Got it."
A hand reached out from thin air, grabbing the Life Dragon's essence. It belonged to a lean man who immediately retreated after securing it.
Bang!
Flesh and blood splattered. The contractor holding the Life Dragon's essence had half his body shattered by the impact. Tank Man came to an abrupt halt amidst the scattered remains, exhaling a large puff of white mist. Tough, savage, unstoppable—that was Tank Man's style.
Tank Man reached for the essence in mid-air. Just as his hand was less than ten centimeters away, a small, slender figure sat down on his arm, her delicate hand snatching the Life Dragon's essence.
"Thanks."
The slender figure moved like a nimble cat, quickly putting distance between herself and Tank Man. Tank Man looked at the torn fabric in his hand, his bio-armor surging, veins bulging on his neck. Clumsiness was his style, not his weakness.
The small bun, holding the Life Dragon's essence, weaved through the contractors with incredible agility. A dark shadow chased behind her, so fast that even control abilities couldn't keep up.
"Damn, where'd they go?"
A one-eyed man dressed like a pirate looked around. He had felt something whiz past him, and not only could his perception not track it, he hadn't even seen what it was.
The small bun leaped through the crowd, lowering her body as she charged forward. An energy blade swept over her head. To her, these people were all too slow.
Just as a smile began to bloom on the small bun's face, a sound of breaking air came from in front of her.
"I'm done for."
The small bun twisted her body with all her might, but her opponent's timing was too precise, waiting for her to charge in.
Slap!
A heavy palm struck the small bun's face. The girl with twin ponytails spun like a top, making a "lululu" sound.
Tank Man grabbed the rising essence, not even glancing at the small bun lying half-unconscious on the ground.
The moment Tank Man seized the essence, a massive claw slammed down from above. He dodged to the side, but before he could leap away, the claw smashed him into the ground.
A gray figure flashed by, and the essence in mid-air vanished.
Boom, boom, boom!
After a series of explosions, the beast-transformed Gask staggered backward. He had almost broken through, but too many attacks rained down, making it impossible to dodge.
Blood seeped through Gask's interlocking fangs. He spat out a cloud of blood mist and roared skyward.
A sharp, piercing sound spread. A transparent figure appeared near Gask, who lunged forward, his claws slashing cross-shaped marks.
In an instant, the transparent figure was torn apart, dissolving into bubbles in the air. The Life Dragon's essence fell, and Gask caught it in his claws.
"All things are granted by the divine."
Crack! A golden lightning bolt struck down from the sky, slamming heavily into Gask.
"Die, you divine stick."
Gask stammered, golden arcs flickering across his body. His white nictitating membrane blinked once. His old rival had arrived.
An elderly priest wearing a monocle and a gold chain around his neck stood in the distance. Despite his white hair, he didn't appear aged.
"Lost lambs need a shepherd to guide them. The divine is with you and me."
As the priest finished speaking, a shockwave radiated outward from him.
Thud!
The ground was torn up. A violent wind pressure surged from the front. Su Xiao raised one hand to shield his face, his longsword in the other hand thrust into the dirt.
Ding, ding, ding!
Three crystal spikes embedded deeply into the surrounding ground, spreading like roots through the soil, with Realm Severing Threads wrapped around them.
When the shockwave subsided, the ground within two kilometers had been lowered by nearly five meters. Of the two hundred-plus in the chaotic melee, only Su Xiao, the Gourmet, Gask, and the priest remained. Everyone else had been blasted over a kilometer away.
The Life Dragon's essence floated five meters above the ground. Gask was the closest, but golden arcs still flickered across his body, leaving him numb.
In the next moment, the four present vanished from their spots. When they reappeared, all had leaped up, reaching from four directions toward the Life Dragon's essence in mid-air.
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