CHAPTER 485: 044 LIVING

"Seal!"

"Formation complete!"

As the powdered godstone fell to the ground, a complex, interconnected Formation was completed.

HUM...

An indiscernible field of energy swept in all directions.

Sitting cross-legged in the center of the Formation, Carl let out a sigh of relief and slowly opened his eyes.

At last, it is done!

No wonder several Dukes and their successors are holed up in the city; they really have no choice.

Luckily, I followed two masters and learned how to construct a Second Order Wizard Tower, which deepened my understanding of Formations. Otherwise, I fear I couldn’t have achieved this.

He stretched his muscles; the invisible constraint that had been pressing down on him all this time had dissipated.

Of course, that’s only within the Formation’s range of influence. Once I step out of this area, my strength will still be suppressed and weakened, down to First Order.

Still, having a place like this means I no longer have to use a sealing charm every time I come. That thing is a painful waste, even for a Second Circle Wizard.

"Hmm?"

Carl’s brows rose slightly as he looked up towards the roof, his gaze piercing through it into the distant void.

Your timing is impeccable. The Magic Model for the Six-Star Soul Killing Technique has been successfully constructed in my Spiritual Inner Sea. All it lacks now is the filling of death wraiths.

SWOOSH!

A flash of lightning, and his figure vanished, reappearing in mid-air the next moment.

A city, spanning nearly a hundred acres, hovered in the sky.

The city’s shape resembled a leaf or a feather. Though as heavy as a mountain, it somehow conveyed a light and floaty feeling.

Flower Boat Void City!

A moving Void City composed entirely of women.

Shadows flitted above the Void City, and a tall, beautiful woman flew towards Carl.

Unlike others in the Crash Divine Domain, this woman’s skin was so tender it looked like water could be squeezed from it.

Her figure was enchantingly graceful.

Soft skin offered no advantage in such a perilous environment, and her beautiful curves were more of a burden.

But undeniably, she exuded a powerful feminine allure; every move she made seemed to stir one’s primal instincts.

"Greetings, unfamiliar Divine Envoy. Mashi, Divine Envoy of the Flower Boat, wishes you good health," Mashi nodded in greeting and asked, "Is Divine Envoy Bo Wen not here?"

"Your timing is unfortunate; he passed away not long ago," Carl replied, shaking his head lightly.

"Ah!" Mashi’s face turned pale, and she hastily inquired, "What about Divine Envoy Yun?"

"He went to the Mujiu Void City." Carl looked past her. "It seems you’ve encountered some trouble."

"Yes," Mashi chuckled wryly. "Not long ago, we were ensnared by a Nightmare-class entity. It didn’t dare approach the Void City, but we couldn’t drive it away either."

If Divine Envoy Bo Wen were here, the two of us combined should have been able to repel it. She knew Divine Envoy Bo Wen’s strength; among the Divine Envoys she knew, he was top-tier, while Divine Envoy Yun was far inferior.

As for this one before me... he must be a Divine Envoy who advanced in the last twenty years. Theoretically, his strength isn’t nearly enough to confront a Nightmare-class entity.

"Heh..." Carl chuckled lightly. "Let me handle it."

CRACKLE!

Electricity sparked as he transformed into a bolt of lightning, lunging towards a distant shadowy figure, one hand extended mid-flight.

Thousand Buddha Hands—Thunder Seal!

BOOM!

A massive thunderbolt instantly spanned several li, its terrifying might even causing the Flower Boat to tremble.

Second Order!

Hundred Hands Realm!

Near the Void City, thanks to the Formation, Carl could exert his full strength, albeit with some limitations.

With Second Order abilities, he wouldn’t be at a disadvantage even against a Despair-class Fallen Angel, let alone a Nightmare-class death wraith. He could have easily dealt with such beings back when he was still a Legendary Knight.

Mashi’s jaw dropped, her face a mask of astonishment.

She watched as the entity that had plagued the Flower Boat for so long was annihilated by Carl’s single strike. He then swiftly returned.

"There, it’s done," Carl said in a low voice. "I need to rest for a bit. Divine Envoy Mashi, you may go down and rest."

Saying this, without waiting for her reply, he flickered back to his dwelling and sat cross-legged to suppress the agitation within his Spiritual Inner Sea.

He had somewhat underestimated the difficulty of cultivating the Six-Star Soul Killing Technique.

Severely wounding the death wraith and absorbing it into his Spiritual Inner Sea to transform it into a killing Dead Soul was far from easy.

The rabid, frenzied death wraith struggled desperately against the restraints set by the Magic Circuit, causing Carl’s temples to throb as if his head would explode.

"Hmph!"

With a grunt, towering waves surged in his Spiritual Inner Sea, and an immense volume of spiritual power crashed towards the seal.

In an instant, the death wraith was forcibly shattered, its dispersing essence devoured bit by bit by the Soul Killing Technique.

But the next moment, due to some special mechanism, the death wraith forcibly reformed, once again resisting the Soul Killing Technique’s refinement.

Evil beings do not die! The entities of the Crash Divine Domain are born from the power of destruction and are theoretically immortal.

But... Carl’s eyes hardened. I am the master of my own Spiritual Inner Sea. This is not the Crash Divine Domain. Even with immortality, you will die here. Shatter for me!

BOOM!

The death wraith shattered again.

The Soul Killing Technique immediately latched onto the dissipating essence.

After several such rounds, although Carl was somewhat exhausted from the immense spiritual drain, the death wraith was finally, completely refined.

A listless Dead Soul floated within the Magic Model of the Six-Star Soul Killing Technique, awaiting commands.

"Hoo..." Carl rubbed his temples.

No wonder Galoya didn’t practice this witchcraft. Though its power is great, the cultivation difficulty is too high.

Just one Dead Soul is like this; to suppress all six Dead Souls, even a One-Circle Late Stage Wizard... very few could probably achieve it.

However, he was mistaken on this point.

Although cultivating the Six-Star Soul Killing Technique was difficult, that wasn’t the primary reason Galoya hadn’t chosen it. It was purely a matter of limited time.

The reason Carl found it so challenging was that the death wraith he had chosen to incorporate was too powerful, comparable to a One-Circle Late Stage Wizard. Suppressing six such entities would naturally be very difficult.

However, by the same token, if he succeeded in its cultivation, the power of this witchcraft would far exceed expectations.

* * *

"Hoo..."

The Flower Boat parted the air and landed beside the Void City.

Women disembarked one by one.

These women, unlike those of the Void City, were all meticulously groomed and adorned, their faces fair and delicate.

Moreover, to ensure variety, their temperaments were diverse.

Some were petite and cute.

Some were valiant and athletic.

Some were gentle, elegant, and well-mannered.

...

There were those as cold as icebergs, charmingly seductive, lively and adorable... and even a few with burly builds.

But what they all had in common was the scantiness of their attire, covering only the essential areas, revealing the full extent of their feminine allure.

The approaching sound of their melodious chatter left the men of the Void City gawking, their mouths watering.

CLAP! CLAP!

Divine Envoy Mashi clapped her hands lightly. "To show our gratitude to the Divine Envoy here for resolving our troubles, starting today, for three days, you may enjoy the company of the women from the Flower Boat to your heart’s content."

"Of course," she added, "you will need to provide the food and water they require."

"Three days?" Makin’s throat bobbed, his eyes almost glued to the women. "Really?"

"Of course, it’s true!" Mashi smiled sweetly. "I remember you. You’re Makin, aren’t you?"

"Yes." Makin snapped back to reality, his face flushing with embarrassment. "I’ve embarrassed myself before you, Divine Envoy."

"It’s nothing." Mashi shook her head. "The distinction between men and women exists for the continuation of life; this is the greatest truth in the world."

"By the way," she asked, "what is that Divine Envoy’s name, the one from earlier?"

"You mean Divine Envoy Carl?" Makin composed himself and replied, "Divine Envoy Carl is a wanderer. He appeared nearby over a year ago, then vanished for more than half a year."

"My tutor, Divine Envoy Bo Wen, entrusted the Void City to his care on his deathbed, and he has looked after it ever since."

At this point, his eyes lit up, and he declared excitedly, "Divine Envoy Carl is our savior!"

"Hmm." Mashi nodded slowly. "I understand."

Not all women on the Flower Boat were mere tools for trade; those with exceptional talent were, in fact, expected to maintain their purity. Only when there was no hope of advancement would they sell their bodies to earn resources for the Flower Boat.

Christina was one of these. She was Mashi’s disciple and the one with the most hope of becoming a Divine Envoy.

Delicate gasps echoed from all around the city.

She was already accustomed to this. After a brief tour, she approached her tutor.

"Tutor."

"This Void City has five reservoirs and a very large cultivation chamber. Food and water are abundant."

"The residents’ spirits are also high, suggesting they aren’t overly concerned about their future survival, despite their somewhat gaunt physiques."

"Hmm." Mashi nodded slowly. "I also inquired. Previously, the people here lived harsh lives. Conditions only began to improve after Divine Envoy Carl’s arrival."

"Divine Envoy Carl..."

"Come with me to meet him."

"Yes," Christina replied. "Tutor, how long will we stay here?"

"One month," Mashi stated. "Once we’ve collected enough supplies, we’ll leave in a month. Then, we’ll head to the Mujiu Void City to settle down."

Settle down! This was an unfamiliar concept for the Flower Boat, which had drifted for so long in the Crash Divine Domain, and it left Christina in a daze.

"Tutor," she asked, "are we really going to the Mujiu Void City? If we settle there, we’ll have to hand over the Void City’s Divine Fire."

Losing the Divine Fire meant the Void City would lose its protection, making it impossible to ever leave the Mujiu Void City.

"..." Mashi’s steps faltered. She looked up at the shattered blood moon in the sky and gently shook her head. "The Flower Boat has drifted for hundreds of years. My tutor, and my tutor’s tutor, had always searched for a place where we could permanently settle."

"Now..." she sighed, then continued walking, "our Divine Fire won’t last much longer. We don’t have many options left."

"The Mujiu Void City has many people, abundant resources, and numerous Divine Envoys. They can even repel Despair-class entities. As long as we don’t encounter Disaster-class entities, we can survive. It’s already our best choice."

Christina opened her mouth as if to speak, then hesitated.

Indeed. They had few choices left. The world was becoming more dangerous, and the Flower Boat’s strength was declining. Now, it had only one Divine Envoy.

I’ve heard that in Mujiu Void City, there’s a way for people to leave this world. I wonder if it’s true?