Astaroth

The thing still vaguely retained the outline of a human, but its body was swollen like an overinflated balloon. Its skin had taken on a sickly purplish-blue hue, while black veins writhed beneath it like earthworms. An ominous, evil aura radiated from its body.

Its eyes were pure black, devoid of even the slightest trace of human reason.

“Liu Xiao!”

The instant Liu Chengjun saw the monster, his handsome features twisted with unrestrained fury.

He roared. The sense of disorder that had plagued his heart for so long finally drove him past the point of restraint, and the flame-based supernatural power within him erupted without reserve.

A roaring fire dragon materialized out of thin air, carrying enough force to incinerate everything in its path as it charged toward the deformed monster.

An Changqing tried to stop him, but it was already too late.

The fire dragon slammed precisely into the monster’s chest and exploded into a dazzling burst of flame.

Yet the scene they had expected—of the monster being burned to ashes—never came.

The flames, powerful enough to melt gold and iron, were absorbed the instant they touched the monster’s body, flowing into those writhing black veins like water pouring into the sea. They failed to inflict even the slightest injury.

Instead, after absorbing the flames, the monster swelled another size, and its aura grew even more powerful.

“Heh heh heh. See that, boy?”

Baal’s gloating laughter rang out in his mind.

“That’s Astaroth’s style. His titles are the Erosion of Goodness, the Corruption of Purity, and the Fall of Benevolence. Put simply, the Third loves nothing more than seeing beauty shattered and goodness corrupted.”

“The harder you fight, the more energy you release. Through that altar, all of it becomes nourishment. This inhuman monstrosity is probably the sacrifice Liu Xiao chose.”

“For a demon god to descend, even if only as an apparition, it needs an enormous amount of nourishment. And now, you’ve fed it to the brim.”

Chen Guan lifted his eyes and looked at Liu Chengjun, who was frozen in shock after seeing his attack fail. Then he glanced at An Changqing and Hong Yuan, whose expressions had grown grave, before slowly speaking.

“We were wrong from the very beginning.”

His words rang clearly in everyone’s ears.

“Liu Xiao’s purpose was never to have us find the so-called living person. He wanted us to use our own hands to create this sacrifice for the demon.”

Everyone present except Chen Guan instantly turned ashen.

Just then, the monster moved.

Its enormous body surged toward the nearest person, Liu Chengjun, at a speed completely at odds with its size. One thick arm rose high into the air before smashing down with a shrill whistle that tore through the air.

An Changqing’s figure appeared in front of Liu Chengjun in an instant. Starlight flowed across the sword in his hand as he prepared to take the blow head-on.

Boom!

Another deafening crash rang out.

But this time, the sound came from behind them and to the side.

The opposite wall was smashed apart by sheer brute force, and two figures burst through the clouds of dust. They were none other than Long Ao and Liu Feiyu.

“Did we… miss something?”

Long Ao dusted off his hand. The moment he raised his head, he saw the chaotic scene before him—and the hideous, terrifying monster.

Before he could finish speaking, the thick arm that had been aimed at An Changqing had already clashed with the starlit blade.

Bang!

A dull, thunderous impact rang out as tremendous force surged forward. An Changqing’s body shook violently before he was sent flying backward. His sword let out a strained, mournful cry, and the webbing between his thumb and forefinger split open, blood pouring freely from the wound.

He staggered back more than a dozen steps before Hong Yuan caught him from behind.

“What incredible strength.”

An Changqing suppressed the churning blood in his chest, his voice heavy with gravity.

“This thing is even stronger than before.”

“Hahaha! Now this is more like it!”

Rather than showing the slightest fear, Long Ao laughed excitedly, his entire body blazing with fighting spirit.

“Leave it to me.”

With a roar, he stomped the ground. The floor exploded beneath his feet as his figure transformed into a blur, charging directly at the enormous monster.

“Long Ao, don’t use your supernatural ability!”

Liu Chengjun hurriedly shouted a warning.

“It can absorb energy!”

Unfortunately, his warning came a step too late.

Long Ao’s iron fist, wrapped in boundless battle qi, had already struck the monster squarely in the chest.

The instant his fist made contact with flesh, not even a muffled impact could be heard. All the force was swallowed by the flesh of the monster’s chest and vanished without a trace.

The monster lowered its head and glanced at its chest. A distinct trace of mockery appeared in its completely black eyes.

The black veins writhing across its body throbbed even more violently after absorbing the force of Long Ao’s punch.

“I told you it could absorb energy!”

Liu Chengjun was beside himself with frustration. Seeing the monster’s aura swell another size, he was so regretful he nearly vomited blood.

This wasn’t a battle at all. They were simply feeding their opponent.

And now, the people they had brought in from outside were probably feeding it as well, without even realizing it.

The monster let out a satisfied growl before swinging its hand at Long Ao.

“Look out!”

Hong Yuan hurled her massive axe. The spinning blade tore through the air and struck the monster’s arm head-on, but all it produced was a shower of sparks and a faint white mark.

Taking advantage of the brief obstruction, Long Ao performed a backward somersault and narrowly avoided the heavy blow.

“This thing’s hide is ridiculously tough.”

Hong Yuan caught the returning axe, her arm numb from the impact.

For a time, everyone found themselves locked in a stalemate.

Physical attacks were ineffective, while supernatural attacks merely charged the enemy with more energy. How were they supposed to fight it?

Just as everyone was at a loss, something shifted in Chen Guan’s eyes. Another sudden inspiration had struck him.

If neither physical attacks nor energy attacks worked, what about the mental level?

He looked at the monster, which possessed no reason and acted solely on instinct, and made his decision.

An invisible mental wave quietly spread from his body, enveloping the mutated monster.

He would try to use an illusion technique to destroy its chaotic will directly.

However, the instant his mental power came into contact with the monster’s body, a violent, corrupted, and evil will surged back along his mental power.

A buzz erupted in Chen Guan’s mind, followed by excruciating pain.

That will belonged to no human. It was lofty and absolute, filled with contempt for all mortal things.

Chen Guan’s body swayed, and he barely managed to steady himself.

This was the first time he had ever suffered such a complete defeat in a clash on the mental level.

“Foolish boy.”

Baal’s voice rang out, but this time, it carried an unusually grave tone.

“This isn’t an existence you can shake with your mental power.”

Baal’s voice continued to echo in his mind.

“It can no longer be considered a living human. That body is merely a vessel—a shoddy host carrying a fragment of Astaroth’s power.”

“You think that your pitiful mortal spirit can oppose even one-billionth of a demon god’s projected will?”

Baal sneered.

“You’re not qualified.”

“Unless…”

Baal did not finish, because the battle outside had changed once again.

The monster had finally completed some kind of transformation.