Outside the Trials Tower in Xiajing City.
Alaric Meng, the master of the Trials Tower, was striving to repair the rules of the Expedition Space.
Several individuals watched the tower with concern.
The longer this dragged on, the more danger the candidates inside the Expedition Space were in.
Suddenly, Alaric Meng let out a soft sound of surprise.
"What is it?"
Byron asked in a deep voice.
"The interference from the Abyssal power has significantly weakened," Alaric Meng replied.
Byron's face instantly turned grim.
"Could it be...
have all the candidates inside perished?"
Alaric Meng focused for a moment.
"No, I can sense many life signatures inside.
They are from our human race."
"The aura of the Abyssal Demon consciousness has grown very weak. It's injured."
The Abyssal Demon consciousness had entered the Expedition Space, using its Abyssal power to disrupt the space's rules, effectively sealing it.
Under those circumstances, who could have injured it?
With those Level 15 or 16 candidates?
Byron simply couldn't believe it.
In his imagination, the Expedition Space was vast.
If the candidates used the terrain wisely, they might have held on for an hour until rescue arrived.
But counter-killing the enemy?
Impossible.
Even if the enemy was just a consciousness, it was still impossible.
Inside the Expedition Space, hordes of Felinid Beastmen abandoned their original targets and began charging towards Morintis.
The shadow on the blood moon roared.
"I will kill you!"
"I will feast on your flesh and drink your blood!"
It had come to see Morintis as a thorn in its side, a nail in its flesh.
It had even forgotten its mission for today, lost its reason, and only desired Morintis's death.
A large number of Felinid Beastmen, corrupted by the Abyssal power, surged towards Morintis.
The Skeleton Warriors swiftly formed a battle line to block them.
How high were the Skeleton Warriors' attributes?
With Four Core Attributes reaching 5000, they far surpassed others of their level.
Even enhanced to Elite Monster level by the Abyssal power, the Beastmen were still no match for the Skeleton Warriors.
Moreover, Morintis directed the Skeleton Warriors to focus fire.
Over a dozen Skeleton Warriors ganged up on a single target.
Within mere seconds, another Felinid Beastman warrior was killed.
Boom!
The sound of explosion rang out again.
Corpse Explosion was truly a divine skill, one Morintis used repeatedly.
Suddenly, Morintis noticed that the Corpse Explosion skill had changed.
[Corpse Explosion (Level 2): Detonate a corpse, dealing damage equal to 15% of the corpse's maximum health to enemies within a 2-meter radius.]
The Corpse Explosion skill, which had remained unchanged since he acquired it, had actually leveled up at this moment.
The range increased from 1 meter to 2 meters, and the damage increased from 10% to 15% of the target's health.
It seemed like a small change.
But combined with his Comprehensive Amplification talent...
A 40-meter range, dealing 300% of the corpse's health as damage.
With just one level increase, the skill's power had undergone a earth-shaking transformation.
"It seems repeatedly using a skill and becoming proficient with it can raise its level."
"Aside from innate skills gained during the class change, do skills acquired later through skill scrolls also need to be leveled up this way?"
"This is very similar to life and support-type skills."
The explosions continued incessantly.
With the expanded range, Corpse Explosion became even more effective.
In the blink of an eye, there wasn't a single standing Felinid Beastman left around Morintis.
Even the shadow on the blood moon fell silent.
A faint smile touched Morintis's lips.
He was glowing.
His entire body was enveloped in a soft white light.
He had leveled up.
Morintis leveling up attracted the attention of many.
They realized that killing these Abyss-corrupted monsters granted experience.
"He's actually using these monsters to grind levels?"
"Does that mean he has the ability to solo Nightmare difficulty dungeons?"
"This guy is too incredible."
"Which province is this genius, Morintis, from?"
"Luckily, he was here.
Otherwise, we'd be doomed."
Many whispered, and quite a few looked at Morintis with admiration in their eyes.
Morintis looked up.
The blood moon remained, and the shadow was still there.
"It seems it can't leave."
With a thought, he hurled five entire Felinid Beastman corpses towards the moon this time.
Immediately after, Skeleton Warriors once again grabbed hold of Morintis and leaped upwards.
The shadow within the blood moon seemed to realize its doom was upon it.
Oddly, it didn't roar or shout.
Instead, it let out a sinister, cold laugh.
"Your name is Morintis."
"This king remembers you."
"When you come to the Abyss, this king will give you a proper... reception."
Morintis gave a faint smile but did not speak.
The corpses reached the blood moon.
Corpse Explosion!
Amid the violent explosion, the shadow let out a final shriek before being obliterated.
The blood moon shattered like glass, dispersing into nothingness in the air.
The Expedition Space subsequently returned to normal.
Outside the Trials Tower
Alaric Meng showed surprise again.
"The Abyssal consciousness has been eliminated."
"The Expedition Space has returned to normal."
"The children are safe and sound.
There are no casualties."
Byron also wore an expression of disbelief.
The situation's development was completely different from what he had anticipated.
At his level, very few things could surprise him.
"Can you perform a playback?"
Byron wanted to know what exactly had happened inside the Expedition Space.
"I can," Alaric Meng said.
"Mm, no need to rush that now," Byron said in a deep voice.
"First, send the children back, just in case."
"Alright."
Inside the Expedition Space, the blood moon had vanished, and the land was returning to normal.
"Morintis, is it... is it over?"
Sophia asked softly, her face still pale, heart lingering fear.
What happened earlier was too terrifying.
If not for Morintis, she estimated she would have died.
Morintis nodded.
"It's over."
Although there were no words of comfort, this response was enough to reassure Sophia.
Inside the Expedition Space, the other candidates were also shaken, their fear not yet settled.
When the Felinid Beastmen were hunting them, they had fled in disarray, completely incapable of fighting back.
Fortunately, Morintis was there.
The White God's voice sounded once again.
"Candidates, the Abyssal power has vanished.
The Expedition Space has returned to normal."
"You will be sent back to your original examination halls.
The exam results will be announced shortly."