Void Cultivation

Chapter 389: Chapter 388- Rotten Lotus in your flesh

It took everything Kaien had to stop himself from bursting into laughter. The moment he realized that Grey was not nearly as powerful as he had initially assumed, the tension in his body instinctively eased.

He had rushed to a conclusion far too quickly and had activated his Special Brilliance Form without properly probing his opponent first. Though his actions were understandable—in these chaotic times, the safest approach was often to unleash all your strength immediately and kill your enemy before they had the chance to reveal any hidden cards—not every battle was so straightforward.

Sometimes, patience and restraint were just as important as overwhelming power.

Even so, Kaien did not regret his decision in the slightest.

In his mind, the outcome of this battle had already been decided.

He was the victor.

Even if Grey truly belonged to the Detective Agency, it was not uncommon for people to suddenly disappear or die under mysterious circumstances in the current state of the world.

No one would ever be able to connect Grey’s death to him.

Thinking of this, Kaien’s expression gradually turned cold and savage. A malicious grin spread across his face as he charged toward Grey.

"Die!"

His voice was not loud, yet every syllable dripped with intense killing intent and boundless malice.

If it had been another cultivator standing in Grey’s place, they would have been overwhelmed by that murderous aura, perhaps even frozen in fear.

However, as he sensed the terrifying killing intent rapidly approaching him, Grey’s eyes only narrowed further, becoming colder and sharper.

Kaien’s speed was astonishing.

So fast that it seemed as though he had cut through space itself to appear before him.

The vast difference between a Two Ball Spirit Fire cultivator and a Four Ball Spirit Fire cultivator was already being displayed in full.

If one could measure a fraction of a second, then that was precisely how long it took for Kaien to arrive before Grey.

His expression was icy and filled with bloodthirst.

Without hesitation, he threw a punch with his right fist that had already recovered.

Even Grey was shocked by his ridiculously fast recovery speed and could only owe it to the golden ring hovering above his head.

The air surrounding his fist compressed violently, producing several miniature explosions that echoed through the air.

Grey immediately sensed the terrifying power hidden behind that attack.

If that fist connected with his body, his internal organs would undoubtedly churn violently and perhaps even collapse. Though he might not die instantly, he certainly would not be far from death’s door.

As the punch descended, Grey moved.

Yet instead of retreating, sidestepping, or attempting to evade the attack, he did something that Kaien never expected.

Grey charged forward.

A dark gleam flashed within his eyes.

At the same time, his fingers moved, and a dark blade suddenly appeared in his hand.

It was a small black dagger that he had concealed within his clothes from the very beginning.

The instant Kaien’s fist was about to strike him, Grey suddenly leaped into the air and slashed downward.

The movement was so abrupt and unexpected that even Kaien, despite his superior speed, almost failed to react in time.

However, his battle instincts were exceptional.

At the critical moment, he twisted his body and swung his left hand, knocking the dagger away from Grey’s grip.

Even so, the blade still managed to graze his arm.

A thin line of blood appeared across Kaien’s withered and emaciated skin.

However, Grey’s attack did not end there.

As though he had already anticipated that his opponent would somehow avoid the dagger, he had prepared a second attack beforehand.

A compressed mass of air had already gathered in his palm.

Bang!

The Air Cannon exploded forward and struck Kaien directly in the chest.

The impact sent a loud blast echoing across the area.

Most of Kaien’s shirt was instantly shredded into pieces and scattered into the air.

However, his body itself remained largely unharmed.

The attack had only managed to force him back several steps and make him stumble slightly.

By the time he regained his balance, Grey had already distanced himself from him once more.

Seeing this, Kaien couldn’t help but snort inwardly. Grey’s retreat, coupled with the fact that his attacks had barely caused any damage, made Kaien believe that he had already gained the upper hand and that victory was within his grasp.

Although Grey had only recently activated his Special Brilliance form, his expression was already slightly pale and his breathing had become somewhat labored. Fine beads of sweat had also begun to appear on his skin, making him look exhausted.

"He is already tired from using his Special Brilliance form, and only a few seconds have passed," Kaien thought inwardly, his eyes narrowing.

Normally, the Special Brilliance form of a Foundation Establishment cultivator who had manifested their first Ball of Spirit could be maintained for at least an hour. Some exceptionally talented cultivators could sustain it for even longer.

If a person’s body naturally possessed a greater capacity for storing spirit power or if they had extraordinary potential, their Special Brilliance form could last significantly longer than that of ordinary cultivators.

However, this was the first time Kaien had ever witnessed someone become exhausted mere moments after activating it.

"There are only two possibilities," he thought.

"He must have used his Special Brilliance form not too long ago and hasn’t fully recovered yet... or his body is simply too weak to endure its burden for an extended period."

As these thoughts flashed through his mind, the last traces of caution in his heart gradually faded away. His confidence surged, and a cold smile slowly appeared on his face.

Since his opponent could not maintain his strongest state for long, then this battle would soon come to an end.

Without wasting another moment, Kaien decided to use one of the secret techniques that belonged exclusively to his sect.

He slowly raised both hands and began to perform a series of intricate hand seals. His fingers moved with astonishing speed, leaving behind countless afterimages.

Finally, his hands contorted into the shape of a lotus.

At that very instant, the image of a black lotus appeared within his mind.

The lotus was slowly spinning above a vast layer of crimson light, looking strangely beautiful and sacred. Every petal seemed flawless, and for a brief moment, it gave off an almost holy aura.

However, the peaceful scene lasted for only a second.

The black lotus suddenly trembled.

Then, its petals began to wither.

The once beautiful flower transformed into a rotten and decaying lotus. Several bald faces emerged from its petals, their expressions twisted and sinister as they laughed madly.

Their laughter was silent, yet it seemed to echo directly within Kaien’s mind.

At the same time, the layer of crimson beneath the lotus rippled gently, like the surface of a still lake disturbed by an unseen force.

Then the crimson light changed.

It transformed into a boundless sea of blood.

Endless waves of scarlet liquid stretched as far as the eye could see, carrying an indescribable aura of death and resentment.

The bald faces on the rotten lotus continued to laugh maniacally. Their flesh began to decay at an alarming speed. However, instead of melting into pus and decomposition, their flesh simply vanished, revealing terrifying skeletons of various shapes and sizes.

Some had elongated jaws.

Some possessed dozens of eye sockets.

Others looked like distorted human skulls that had been forcibly twisted into grotesque shapes.

Yet every single one of them wore the same wicked and malicious smile.

Their empty eye sockets seemed to stare directly at Kaien, causing a chilling sensation to spread through his entire body.

The scene was horrifying, enough to make an ordinary cultivator lose their sanity.

However, Kaien remained calm.

This vision was the manifestation of his sect’s secret art.

The moment the horrifying scene fully appeared within his mind, a strange symbol slowly emerged on his forehead.

It was the shape of a lotus.

However, the lotus was completely black, as though it had been forged from endless darkness itself.

Tiny skeletal heads decorated its petals, each one wearing a sinister grin.

The instant the mark appeared, an evil and ancient aura burst out from Kaien’s body like a raging storm.