Online Game: Starting with an SSS-Level Plundering Talent

Chapter 491: Enhancing Dark City, Nurturing Life

"John, what should we do next?" Nine Phoenix asked, still feeling a chill in her heart as she looked at the few magical beasts that had met a tragic end.

John thought for a moment before deciding to first refine the city that had just been formed within the Celestial Vault and enhance the power of Dark City.

Among the magical beasts that had descended this time, there were a few whose auras were even more terrifying than that of Merciless Emperor. He wasn’t sure he could handle them.

He turned to the others and spoke, "I need to enter seclusion. For the next few days, all of you should stay in World-in-Hand and avoid going out."

The Bone Devouring Beasts and Soul Devouring Beasts were powerful and numerous. If they were surrounded, Nine Phoenix and the others alone wouldn’t have enough strength to resist.

The others nodded in agreement.

Merciless Emperor then reminded, "Hiding in World-in-Hand isn’t completely safe. The Ruin Beasts can sense its presence and enter it to devour it."

"There’s such a strange ability?" Chaos swallowed nervously, a sense of unease filling his heart.

"How about this?" Heavenly King spoke up. "Why don’t we merge our World-in-Hand into John’s? All of our subordinates can enter it too. Even if Ruin Beasts, Bone Devouring Beasts, or Soul Devouring Beasts invade, we’ll have enough strength to resist."

The others’ eyes brightened at the idea and nodded in agreement.

John had no objections. His World-in-Hand was special, and a full integration would allow it to accommodate the others’ World-in-Hand without any issues.

Nine Phoenix then turned to Merciless Emperor and said, "Merciless Emperor, you should join us too."

She didn’t have a World-in-Hand, so being with the group would be safer.

John’s eyes lit up, and he looked at her expectantly.

Merciless Emperor frowned, shaking her head. "No need. Those creatures won’t dare to easily step into the Valley of Severed Emotions. I have my own means of self-preservation."

She decisively declined, clearly intending to avoid John. She had already made up her mind to enter seclusion and sever all ties with him.

Before anyone could say more, she vanished with a flash.

"Ah, I was hoping that with Merciless Emperor joining, we’d be even safer," Nine Phoenix sighed regretfully as she watched Merciless leave.

John spoke calmly, "It’s fine. The rest of us are enough. Sini, you help them integrate their World-in-Hand into mine. I’m going into seclusion now. Let me know if anything happens."

He felt a bit downhearted. After giving his instructions, he immediately entered World-in-Hand.

Sini, who had mastery over part of the World-in-Hand laws and had special powers of the underworld, could enter freely.

...

Inside World-in-Hand, John materialized under the Tree of Life and summoned two enormous evil cities.

Dark City and a city just recently refined from the Celestial Vault.

The malevolent aura surged, causing the Tree of Life to shake in resistance.

The slumbering Gaka was also awakened. Seeing this, he asked in surprise, "Kid, how did another city appear?"

John explained, "This one was refined by the Celestial Vault to help Anixegon, but I seized it. Senior, is there a way to refine this city and enhance the power of Dark City?"

Gaka fell into silence. After a while, his voice returned, "No, each person can only master one city. While I can help you absorb the karmic debt of murder, if you want to refine it, you must master the Ten Thousand Souls Bloodthirst Sovereign Technique."

"I’ve already mastered the Ten Thousand Souls Bloodthirst Sovereign Technique," John replied indifferently.

"What?" Gaka exclaimed in surprise. Still, he hesitated before speaking, "Kid, I don’t recommend this. The Ten Thousand Souls Bloodthirst Sovereign Technique is too evil, and its power is overwhelming. It increases the cultivation speed of ordinary practitioners by a hundred times or more. I’m afraid you’ll be consumed by it."

John wasn’t worried about that. With his Plunder ability, he didn’t care much about the speed of cultivation that the Ten Thousand Souls Bloodthirst Sovereign Technique provided.

"Don’t worry, I know my limits. And with the Earthquake of Chaos destabilizing things, I must increase my strength as quickly as possible." He briefly described everything that had happened in the Realm of Chaos.

"Who?" Suddenly, she sensed something and shouted in anger, as if facing a great enemy.

Nearby, a sinister magical beast had appeared at some point.

It had black and red scales, with blood-red eyes, and it was looking at her with an amused expression.

A Soul Devouring Beast! And one at the early-stage two-star Emperor level.

"Tsk tsk, I never thought Merciless Emperor would be carrying life. How ridiculous," it sneered, its gaze fixed on her abdomen as it spoke in human tongue.

"I don’t want to kill you. Leave!" she replied coldly, her voice sharp with anger.

Even in her prime, she might not have been a match for a two-star Emperor Soul Devouring Beast. Not to mention, she was now severely wounded, her power greatly diminished.

"Heh." The Soul Devouring Beast sneered disdainfully, its voice calm. "I take it you want to destroy this little life? How about I help you with that?"

"You dare!" Merciless Emperor roared in fury, her rage surging instantly as if the beast had struck a nerve.

Buzz!

Cold energy surged, and a blue sword light howled through the air, slashing toward the Soul Devouring Beast.

Whoosh!

The beast’s figure flickered and easily dodged the sword light’s attack.

It looked at Merciless Emperor with an amused expression, its voice indifferent. "I’m curious to see who or what has broken The Path of Mercilessness."

As it spoke, the beast transformed into a streak of light, rushing into her mind before Merciless Emperor could react.

The Soul Devouring Beast’s most powerful ability was its soul attack, and as an Emperor-level beast, its soul manipulation techniques were bizarre and unpredictable.

It effortlessly invaded Merciless Emperor’s soul.

A strange sensation surged within her.

Merciless Emperor’s gaze grew vacant as the memory she most wanted to forget—and yet, the one that was the most deeply ingrained in her—rose to the surface.

Under the Tree of Life, a tall and handsome man smiled gently at her, his arms slightly outstretched.

"John!" she whispered, her voice trembling.

Everything felt so unreal, yet it was the deepest desire of her heart.

She knew it was all a lie, but she couldn’t help herself—slowly, she began to walk toward him.

Buzz!

The sword intent hummed, and cold light flickered as she suddenly launched an attack.

"John’s" figure wavered, transforming into the Soul Devouring Beast, easily dodging the sword light.

Merciless Emperor’s expression turned icy. She shouted angrily, "Do you really think such despicable tricks can deceive me?"

"Heh." The Soul Devouring Beast sneered again, its voice casual. "I knew you wouldn’t fall for that. I’m just curious—what kind of being could cause you to shatter your path?"

"Now that I know the answer, you can rest easy. Don’t worry, I’ll let this man accompany you soon enough." Its face twisted into a sinister grin, and it hungrily licked its lips. It then launched a powerful soul attack.

"Devour!" it roared. A strange force surged forth, greedily devouring Merciless Emperor’s soul.

"This is bad!" she thought in panic. This was the deepest part of her soul, and she had no means to resist. Her soul was uncontrollably being pulled toward the Soul Devouring Beast.

It was over!

Despair and helplessness filled her heart as she instinctively touched her stomach.