Level 6 Fire (Force Field) Martial Skill: Range, gravitational pull, and repulsion limits are all double those of "Vortex Dragon Claw," with additional fire damage and the "Ignite" effect.
…
After a moment's consideration, Alan named it "Flame Dragon Claw"!
Closing the system page, Alan walked into the courtyard.
A large boulder, scratches visible on its surface, rested against the wall.
The boulder weighed nearly 50 tons.
Practicing "Vortex Dragon Claw" normally required exerting all his strength to remotely control the boulder and slowly lift it off the ground.
Alan stood thirty meters away from the boulder, raised his right hand, and channeled his magic power.
A silver vortex emerged from his palm.
The vortex gradually turned fiery red, like a fiery red lotus blooming in Alan's palm.
"Rise!"
Alan roared, locked onto the boulder, and activated "Flame Dragon Claw"! Whoosh!
The boulder suddenly flew up, tumbling through the air!
Alan was slightly startled!
He hadn't expected that, with only 60% of his strength, he could easily lift a mountain-sized boulder from mid-air!
The Flame Dragon Claw's load capacity was twice that of the Whirlpool Dragon Claw.
The upper limit of its load capacity was directly proportional to its physical attributes.
Alan's current physical attribute was exactly 50 points.
The gravitational field generated by the Flame Dragon Claw had a maximum load capacity of 100 tons!
Using 60% of his strength, he could indeed easily control a 50-ton boulder.
Alan sucked the tumbling boulder toward him.
The red lotus in his palm suddenly began to spin counterclockwise.
The gravitational field then switched to a repulsive field.
However, the heavy boulder continued to crash towards Allen under the influence of inertia! "Go back!"
Alan thrust his palm outward, striking the boulder head-on!
His original intention was to push the boulder back.
However, he had underestimated the destructive power of this blow.
Bang!
The red lotus in his palm suddenly expanded, slamming fiercely into the boulder.
Amidst the explosion, the boulder was instantly shattered!
The flammable materials embedded in the rock were also ignited by the fiery palm force!
Fire streamed across the sky, darting through the air.
Finally, they fell one after another, like a rain of fire.
The snow in the courtyard melted, wisps of steam rising.
Alan released the palm force, looked at his slightly burning palm, and nodded with satisfaction.
The power of "Flame Dragon Claw" was beyond imagination!
At this moment, a warning suddenly struck his mind. Hmm?!
Alan turned his head and looked out the courtyard door.
"Has the stowaway from the Abyss slipped out again?"
Muttering to himself, Alan activated his "Phantom Step" and vanished into a cloud of silver mist.
...
Every year around mid-December, the Blood Pond experiences a so-called "window period," which lasts for approximately two weeks.
During this period, the dimensional barrier between the Blood Pond Secret Realm and the Abyss is at its weakest, and the probability of demons slipping through is higher.
During this period, the Demons family always heightens their vigilance, guarding against demons entering the secret realm and causing trouble.
This year, however, things were much easier.
The demons that escaped the Abyss were discovered by Alan before they could cause any trouble, swatted to death, and devoured.
In the past two weeks, Alan had volunteered to exorcise demons four times.
He had hunted down three imps and one cunning demon.
The Imp's Abyssal Essence grants 1 Potential, 1 Agility, Bloodline Essence, and Electric Shock Resistance.
The Cunning Demon grants 1 more Potential, but everything else is the same as the Imp.
To detect demons promptly, Allen spread a ring of "alarm spores" around the blood pool, monitoring it day and night.
As soon as a demon appeared, he would receive a mental alert.
With this year's "window period" drawing to a close, Allen was eager to get a few more new demons to try.
Today's luck was good.
The blood pool bubbled, and two sneaky figures surfaced. Both were humanoid demons with goat heads.
Dark red skin enveloped thin skeletons.
Their bodies were wet and slippery, emitting a sour smell.
Alan observed from the shadows.
He recognized them as two Babu Demons, elites among the lower-level demons.
Alan had seen this kind of demon before in the Meditation World.
Abu Demons were a third-tier unit of the Burning Legion.
They were on the same level as Shadow Fiends, but their tactical value was inferior to that of Incorporeal Shadow Fiends.
That was why Alan hadn't redeemed this unit.
The two Babu Demons, having escaped the abyss, climbed onto the lakeshore, their faces brimming with excitement.
Having finally arrived in the mortal world, they naturally wanted to ravage the weak humans and enjoy life.
However, their dreams were doomed to be shattered.
"Ahya!"
Alan chanted a spell, making a series of slightly awkward hand gestures.
He cast the "Malicious Transfiguration" spell, which he had just learned, on a Babu Demon.
The demon froze in shock, then, with a puff, a cloud of white mist erupted from its body.
When the mist cleared, the Babu demon had transformed into a palm-sized turtle, lying on the shore, bewildered.
"Malicious Transfiguration" had worked perfectly!
The Babu demon, from body to spirit, had been completely transformed into a turtle.
Its original demonic talents, spellcasting abilities, and fighting skills had vanished with the transformation of species and the loss of its memories.
Now, it was just an ordinary turtle.
Another Babu demon, horrified by its companion's fate, immediately jumped back into the blood pool and dove underwater!
Still worried, it used its innate spell to become invisible underwater.
Alan activated his "clairvoyance," clearly seeing the invisible demon.
With a cold laugh, he swung his Flame Dragon Claw through the air!
A vortex in his palm spun at high speed, like a red lotus.
A powerful gravitational field, exerted through the lake, impacted the Babu Demon.
The demon, pulled by gravity, involuntarily rose to the surface.
It screamed and struggled, trying to break free.
But it was no use!
Alan effortlessly drew it close.
The red lotus in his palm transformed into five fiery pythons.
Their flaming bodies stretched out, entangling the terrified Babu Demon.
Alan clasped his five fingers together and exerted force through the air.
Puff!
The Babu Demon was crushed to pieces on the spot.
The shattered bones and rotten flesh were consumed by the flames.
Only a dark red abyss essence remained, gleaming with the embers.
Alan snatched it from the air and tossed it into his mouth, chewing it.
Ding Ding—
"Consume Special Ingredient: Abyssal Essence (Bab Demon)!"
"Potential +2!"
"Agility +1!"
Current Attributes: Constitution 50, Agility 37, Spirit 56
Potential Reserve: 16 points
…
Chewing the Abyssal Essence, Allen turned and walked towards the turtle.
The little turtle was diligently crawling towards the blood pool.
Allen cast "Break Barrier" on it, removing "Malicious Transformation."
Puff!
In the white mist, the little turtle transformed back into a Bab Demon.
Before it could rejoice, a large hand grabbed its neck.
Crack!
Allen exerted force with his left palm, crushing the demon's throat.
A bone spur sprang out and pierced its neck.
Refining the bloodline essence while absorbing resistance. After absorbing three low-level demons,
Alan's electric shock resistance had reached level 5.
Immune to all electric attacks up to level 5.
It also provided some resistance to electric attacks above level 5, as if it were protected by a second-level magic "Anti-Electricity Barrier."
Continuing to absorb the essence and blood of low-level demons, his electric shock resistance bar barely increased.
Unfortunately, the probability of mid-level and high-level demons entering the human world was too low.
Alan no longer expected to increase his electric shock resistance further during his retreat.
…
Towards the end of the year, Sonia and Helen had also achieved breakthroughs in their cultivation.
With the help of Alan and Sonia, Helen reached the late fourth stage almost on the deadline.
She had finally qualified for the Origin City Trial!
Helen's fourth-level atavism was still in the form of a succubus.
Compared to the third-level atavism, it has two additional abilities.
Level 2 Anti-Magic Barrier, and... the "Sperm-Draining Touch" that nearly gave Alan PTSD!
In addition, Herent has awakened two 4th-level spells.
"Parasite" and "Greater Invisibility" are both familiar to Alan.
Sonia has made even greater progress, advancing to the early stages of the fifth level!
At the fifth-level succubus form, all improvements are quantitative.
This means that at this stage, a succubus is nearing the limit of their bloodline's potential.
If Sonia wants to advance to the sixth level, her succubus bloodline alone is not enough.
She must either fuse with other bloodlines or ascend to a higher demon.
Sonia has also awakened two spells.
5th-level "Pyroblast" and "Teleport."
Teleportation is similar to Allen's "Thousand Miles of Leisurely Garden."
"Pyroblast"... Allen had also experienced it firsthand.
In short, it's like a super-enhanced version of "Thunder Wave."
It's just fire-attributed, and its power and range are much greater than Thunder Wave's.
...
Tomorrow is the day of departure, and everyone will go their separate ways.
Allen will return home, then take his sister and Renee with him to follow Master Shiva and the other Silver Moon Warlocks to Origin City.
Helen and Sonia will both stay behind to care for Lady Anna and their newborn baby brother.
In a few days, Sonia will have to return to the Human-Demon Cult headquarters to accompany the other selected candidates to Origin City.
The next time the three of them meet, it will be in Origin City.
On the eve of their departure, Sonia suggested that the three of them do something memorable together.
"Brother Allen! Sister Helen and I will join forces against you today. Do you dare to accept the challenge?"
"I'm afraid I can't handle you two witches together," Allen said weakly.
"Stop talking nonsense! Come on, let's go inside!"
...
Deep in the sea.
A lush island, enveloped by a transparent barrier.
Stormy storms, raptors, and foreign adventurers prevented it from crossing the barrier and invading this isolated island.
Warm sunshine, gentle sea breezes, and harmless seabirds, unhindered by the barrier, came and went freely.
In the center of the island, surrounded by greenery, stood an ancient, silent castle.
Rustless steel walls surrounded the castle, enclosing a spacious courtyard.
The courtyard was paved with spotless black and white tiles.
A sudden surge of magical energy erupted in the center of the courtyard.
Several figures teleported in collectively.
White Tiger Martial Lord was at the center of the teleportation array.
Behind him followed nine men and women, all outstanding young men and women from the Silver Moon Monastery who had been selected for the Origin City Trial.
Master Shiva held a prismatic crystal in his hand.
Within the crystal was the emblem of the Black Winged Golden Sword.
Thanks to this anchoring crystal, everyone was able to teleport directly in, unhindered by the barrier.
The moment the teleportation was complete, the crystal shattered with a bang.
It turned into transparent dust, falling from Master Shiva's fingers.
Brushing the dust off his hands, Master Shiva looked around.
"Is this the secret realm where the Castle of Origin is located? It's quite quiet... It seems we're the first group to arrive."
"No, teacher, we're the second."
Alan stepped out of the teleportation array and pointed it out to Master Shiva.
The tiger-headed giantess narrowed her emerald eyes and gazed at a corner of the courtyard.
Sure enough, she saw six shadowy figures standing quietly in the shadows beneath the courtyard wall.
Three men, one woman, and two wolf-like monsters.
"Hehe... So they're from the Human-Demon Cult. No wonder they're so sneaky in the shadows."
Master Shiva chuckled softly.
"Brother Allen! You're here!"
Sonia, standing at the base of the wall, waved and greeted.
"Sonia, bring your friends over and meet me."
"Okay! Brother Allen!"
Sonia turned and whispered to her companions. Soon, four people arrived.
Following them were Hugo the Winter Wolf and Marlowe the Hellhound.
Alan went forward and gave Sonia a hug.
Then he embraced the Winter Wolf and the Hellhound, stroking their fur expertly.
The two beasts, now old friends, nuzzled him affectionately.
"Sister Kelly! Long time no see!"
Sonia took Kelly's hand, her eyes filled with excitement.
Kelly looked at the girl next door with a gentle smile.
"Sonia, you've grown up so beautiful!"
"Sister Kelly is even prettier! How are uncle and auntie?"
"Everything's fine..."
After a few pleasantries, Sonia bowed to Master Shiva and solemnly introduced her companions.
A slightly hunched middle-aged man in black, Levis, the "Black Cardinal" of the Human Demon Cult, had reached the late fifth stage of cultivation and was a "Bone Mage."
Next to Levis were two men in their thirties, Luke and Miller, both in the early fifth stage of cultivation and elders of the Human Demon Cult.
Luke's awakened bloodline was the "Eye of Insight," a subspecies of Eye Demon, so he could barely be considered an "Eye Mage."
Miller's bloodline was the "Mirror Demon," a very rare and bizarre bloodline.
His skin seemed coated in mercury, his facial features pale, as if outlined with a pencil, giving him a mysterious air.
Hugo and Marlowe were both in the late fourth stage of cultivation.
Both Wolves had been injected with the first-stage anti-aging agent given by Allen and qualified to participate in the trial.
Allen chatted with Levis and the others for a few minutes when he stumbled upon Sonia, wearing a scarlet short cape trimmed with silver. His heart stirred.
"Sonia, you seem to be doing well. You've even got a bishop's cape and a promotion?"
"Hehe... not bad!"
Sonia gathered her hair around her ears, feigning reserve, but her lips curled up in an honest smile.
"Sonia is our newly appointed cardinal, the youngest bishop ever. She has a bright future."
Levi offered his timely praise.
"I don't deserve that! Thanks to Master Levis and Teacher Pope for your kindness, otherwise, how would I have been able to wear this red robe?"
"In fact, there are many elders in the Order who are more advanced and experienced than me, such as Luke and Miller, who are more qualified to be promoted to Bishop."
"Lady Sonia is too modest!"
Luke quickly took over, his attitude very correct.
"Miller and I are almost forty years old. How can we compare to your youth and ambition!"
Miller nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Master Shiva walked over and gave Sonia a deep look.
"Little girl! Is Madame Foch, Pope of the Human Demon Order, your mentor?"
Sonia nodded quickly.
"The old witch has good eyesight and has nurtured a promising youngster." Master Shiva smiled and asked Sonia, "Her current cultivation level is already in the early stages of the sixth stage, right?"
"Instructor broke through to the sixth stage three years ago, but unfortunately, she was unlucky. She was two years over the age limit and missed the opportunity for the trial."
Sonia said with a look of regret.
In fact, it was only after she was promoted to the Fourth Rank that she stood out and was accepted as a personal disciple by the Pope, receiving intensive training.
For reaching her current position, the person she was most grateful to wasn't the Pope, but Alan, who had stood by her through thick and thin.
At this moment, two more groups teleported in.
The first group came from the South Island Warlock Academy and was divided into three groups.
The first group of four came from the Randolph family.
Pamela was the leader, and the remaining three were elementalists of the Water, Fire, and Earth Elemental respectively.
Pamela's current cultivation level, like Alan's, was also in the late Fifth Rank.
Next in line was the Earth Elementalist Amn, in the early Fifth Rank.
The Water Elementalist Sean and the Fire Elementalist Phil were both in the late Fourth Rank.
The three from the Russell family were all young and beautiful girls.
Olivia, the leader, had reached the early fifth stage.
The blond lady beside Olivia was named Flora, of the Piranha plant bloodline, and was at the late fourth stage.
The short-haired girl in men's clothing, Avril, was said to have reached the ancestral form of "burrowing roots," and her cultivation was also at the late fourth stage.
The final group consisted of Tanya, Julie, and Felin, who nominally represented the Panson family but were actually a branch of the Panthers family.
Their cultivation levels were still at the early fifth and late fourth stages.
However, they were not far from breaking through to the next stage.
Tanya's beautiful eyes flickered. Seeing Alan, she immediately approached, her face filled with longing.
Alan reached out and took the hand of his senior sister, his beloved wife.
"Senior Sister, we've been apart for so long, do you miss me?"
"Yes!" Tanya nodded shyly, overcome with emotion, unable to resist speaking her mind. "Hubby, I miss you so much!"
Suddenly, coughs echoed from all around.
Glancing around, she noticed several beautiful women staring at her and Junior Brother Allen, their eyes tinged with sourness.
It would be fine if the other girls were jealous, but why did Master Shiva's eyes look strange, too, a hint of jealousy...
Tanya quietly wiped the sweat from her forehead and broke free from her husband's embrace, lest she arouse the jealous crowd.
Eager to escape the scourge of the thousands of women, she quickly changed the subject.
"Junior Brother! Look over there! The Beast Cultists are here too!"
Figures swayed within the teleportation array.
The first two waves to emerge were old acquaintances of Allen's.
Caroline, Spencer, and Spanna, mother and daughter, of the Insect Element.
Alan learned from Spanna's letter that she and her sister-in-law had both reached the Fifth Stage.
Akbar and Beiting, siblings of the Wolf Element, were both in the early Fifth Stage, and there was also Taffman, who had recently advanced to the late Fourth Stage.
There was only one Rat Element, and he looked to be in his thirties.
He had a gloomy, triangular face, and when he met Alan's gaze, a strong hostility flashed in his eyes.
"Junior Brother, that man's name is Max, known as the 'Rat Prince.' He's in the late Fifth Stage and the Beast Cult's Rat Element's foremost genius!"
Tanya whispered in Alan's ear.
"You may not be familiar with Max, but you should remember his brother, Peck."
Peck... who is this guy?
Alan scratched his head.
He truly had no recollection of this kind of scumbag, who wouldn't survive more than three chapters in a novel.
He secretly activated his telepathy to peek into his senior sister's thoughts, a way to cheat and awaken long-buried memories.
"Oh! Peck, of course I remember!"
Alan said nonchalantly.
"Three years ago on Quint Island, that kid teamed up with the bat-type warlock Andrew to kidnap Master Pantheon and set a trap to ensnare you, senior sister."
"Well! Thank goodness you arrived in time, or I'd be in danger!"
Tanya couldn't help but feel a little scared as she recalled the past.
"Junior Brother Allen, Max, like Peck, also possesses the rare bloodline of a burrowing rat. He's skilled at burrowing underground and is said to have awakened powerful earth magic."
"This guy has a hostile demeanor. He probably sees us as his brother's murderers and is plotting revenge. We must be on guard!"
Tanya whispered.
Alan nodded.
He shifted his gaze from Max to someone he cared more about.
The trialist representing the Beast Cult's bat faction was a little girl who looked only eleven or twelve years old.
The little girl held a parasol in her right hand and a rag doll in her left.
She wore a snow-white princess dress, long black hair with bangs, and a cute pink elephant hairpin.
She was delicate and beautiful, like a princess from a fairy tale.
The only flaw was her skin's lack of color, save for her small, cherry-red lips, which shone brightly, further accentuating her sickly pale complexion.
She should have gotten more sun, yet she held up an umbrella, as if afraid the weak sunlight would strike her.
The girl's eyes were narrow and long, like a fox's, slightly narrowed, giving the impression of a half-awake, languid, coquettish allure.
Occasionally, a glint would flash across her eyes, yet it was incredibly sharp, like a blade unsheathed!
The girl seemed to sense Alan observing her.
She turned her head to meet his gaze.
Her fox eyes slowly widened.
A pair of pitch-black pupils stared fixedly at him.
A face was impassive, expressionless.
Alan met her gaze, a surge of unease rising within him!
It was as if in a past life, he had sat alone in a dark and deserted theater, watching a horror film! The girl's hollow, numb pupils seemed like a pitch-black abyss, threatening to suck his soul out and devour it...
Just as Allen was feeling uneasy, the girl suddenly, without warning, grinned, forcing a stiff smile.
It was a smile like something out of a cheesy cartoon, the art style shattered.
It would have been fine if she hadn't smiled, but once she did, it was even more terrifying!
Even stranger was the doll she was holding.
Its clothes, even its hairstyle, were exactly like hers.
When she grinned, the doll smiled too!
Alan's heart trembled, and his hair stood on end!
"Junior Brother! Are you okay?"
Tanya's concerned voice echoed in his ears.
Alan snapped back to reality.
He was surprised to notice that the strange girl across from him had turned her head away, her eyes fixed on the closed castle gate.
"That little girl, that look she gives us is so terrifying, so spooky!"
Alan took the handkerchief Tanya offered him and wiped the sweat from his forehead.
"Eyes?" Tanya asked, puzzled. "Junior brother, she never even turned back to look at you. How do you know her eyes were scary?"
Alan took a deep breath and turned to look at the Griffin siblings beside him.
"The little girl certainly didn't turn around," Flynn confirmed Tanya's statement.
"She looks young and seems quite shy," Julie said.
Alan remained silent, his heart churning.
Was I just caught in a magic spell?
I was practicing the sixth-level "Soul-Calming Meditation," which made me immune to all mental attacks up to the sixth level. Even then, I still fell into an illusion. Doesn't that mean...
"It wasn't you who was under an illusion."
A feminine voice suddenly echoed in my mind.
"Everyone except you was under an illusion just now."