116: The Art of Directed Death

That wasn't an attack.

It was an engulfment.

A black torrent, formed by thousands of twisted, pained, and despairing human faces, silently swallowed Lin Gou.

There was no earth-shattering explosion.

No heart-wrenching screams.

Only an extreme, icy disintegration that delved into the very Origin of the Soul.

Pain.

An agony impossible to describe with any words exploded in the depths of Lin Gou's consciousness.

It wasn't a knife's cut, nor a fire's burn, nor any torture the Physical Body could perceive.

Instead, it was a fundamental fear of 'existence' being erased alive.

He could 'see' countless malevolent ghostly faces clinging to his Divine Soul, greedily devouring every inch of his light.

His memories, like torn pages, scattered in the darkness.

Childhood frolics, the confusion after Transmigration, the caution of first entering the Immortal Sect, the terror of his first death, his encounter with Su Meier... All these scenes were being chewed up and swallowed by an irresistible force.

Finally, they transformed into an even more grotesque ecstasy on the faces of those ghosts.

His consciousness, like a sandcastle assailed by a flood, was rapidly collapsing and dissolving.

He couldn't even concentrate enough to think about 'death'.

Because even the concept of 'thinking' itself was being devoured.

This was an absolutely irresistible suppression, an overwhelming force from a higher level of life.

A Divine Soul secret Spell unleashed in anger by a Nascent Soul Stage Devil Head was a natural disaster for a Golden Core cultivator.

In the distance.

Hidden behind a massive rock, Su Meier desperately covered her mouth, preventing a scream from escaping her throat.

She couldn't see the thousands of Souls.

But she could feel it.

A sharp pain, as if her Soul was being flayed alive, crossed the distance of space and directly affected her.

Her delicate body trembled violently, uncontrollably.

Cold sweat poured down her forehead.

Her snow-white teeth bit into her lips until they bled, and a metallic sweetness like rust spread in her mouth.

She knew very well that this was by no means the aftershock of a Spell.

Instead, it was that subtle yet profound connection that had been established between her and Lin Gou at some unknown point!

This connection allowed her to share... one ten-thousandth of that pain.

And merely one ten-thousandth.

Was enough to make her, a Late Golden Core Stage Demonic Path enchantress, feel her mind tearing apart, almost collapsing.

She couldn't imagine.

What kind of terrifying torment Lin Gou, who was currently at the center of the storm, was enduring.

Her heart felt as if an invisible large hand was fiercely clenching it, making it impossible to breathe from the pain.

Tears had long blurred her vision.

She could only watch helplessly as Lin Gou's figure, in that wind-howling valley entrance, gradually became ethereal and transparent.

Finally, he completely vanished.

Not even a trace of his Qi remained.

As if this person had never existed in this world.

SSS-grade Death! Congratulations to the Host for having his Divine Soul obliterated by the Nascent Soul Stage Demonic Path Cultivation Technique 'Myriad Soul Devouring Body Curse'.

Reward settlement in progress...

Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: 'Nascent Soul-grade Soul Dao Comprehension'!

Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: 'High-grade Demonic Soul Attack Resistance (Permanent)'!

Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Special Soul Dao Secret Spell 'Soul Burning Pact' Fragment x1!

Consciousness, from endless darkness and oblivion, re-coalesced.

Lin Gou's body slowly reappeared in its original spot.

He opened his eyes, a trace of the hollowness and bewilderment of just returning from Hell still lingering in his gaze.

But soon, that hollowness was replaced by an unprecedented clarity and refinement.

He could feel his Divine Soul.

It was no longer the somewhat ethereal light cluster it had been before.

Instead, it was like a core refined through countless trials, though greatly consumed and somewhat dim from the recent torture.

However, the fundamental quality of its core had undergone an earth-shattering transformation.

Resilient, pure, with an indescribable sense of profoundness.

Countless mysteries concerning Divine Soul Cultivation flowed through his mind like innate instincts.

From how to visualize, to how to condense, to how to defend, how to attack.

Those Soul Dao profound truths that Nascent Soul Old Monsters needed to Cultivate diligently for hundreds of years to comprehend were now as clear to him as lines on his palm.

However, this resurrection came at a great cost.

A profound sense of weakness, reaching deep into his bones, swept through his entire body.

His face was as pale as paper, and his body even swayed uncontrollably, almost falling to the ground.

This was an experience he had never had before.

In previous deaths, no matter how tragic the process, he was always at full strength after resurrection.

But this time, the damage to his Divine Soul's Origin, even with the System's safety net, still left him greatly weakened in Origin Qi.

Just then.

A purple fragrant breeze, carrying endless anxiety and worry, rushed towards him.

Su Meier quickly supported his tottering body.

Her hands were cold and trembling slightly.

She looked at Lin Gou's bloodless face, at the lingering exhaustion in his eyes, and her heart ached beyond measure.

She said nothing.

And couldn't speak.

All blame, all fear, at the moment she saw him safe and sound (though he looked very unwell), transformed into the relief of surviving a calamity.

She simply and silently placed one of his arms on her soft shoulder, using all her strength to support his weight.

Then, she stretched out her other hand and placed it on Lin Gou's back.

A pure, gentle, and subtly enchanting demonic power continuously flowed into Lin Gou's body.

That was her most Origin demonic power.

Every bit more meant a bit more loss for herself.

This selfless giving, this silent care, was like a warm current, flowing through his cold and weary limbs and bones, finally gathering in his heart.

His heart warmed, and he couldn't help but turn his head to look at the exquisite profile so close to him.

"I'm fine."

His voice was a little hoarse.

Su Meier didn't look at him, but stubbornly shook her head, continuing to channel demonic power to him.

Her eyes, however, uncontrollably reddened.

Lin Gou sighed helplessly, letting her continue.

And just at this moment.

In his mind, the cold System prompt sounded again.

This time, however, it was completely different from before.

Ding! Detected that the Host has recently undertaken multiple high-risk, highly purposeful death plans.

Detected that the Host has a strong intention of 'directed reward acquisition'.

System core logic judging...

Judgment complete.

System function upgrade! 'Directed Death Reward (Prototype)' function is now online!

Lin Gou's breathing suddenly caught.

He immediately immersed his mind, and a brand new virtual interface, emitting a faint golden light, unfolded in his consciousness.

On the interface, there was only a concise option box.

Directed Death Reward (Prototype)

Function Description: Before death, the Host can specify the general type of this death's reward by consuming 'Gou Dao Points'. The more precise the specified range, the greater the consumption.

Example: If the reward type is specified as 'Fire', then after this death, the reward will have a high probability of being related to 'Fire Attribute Cultivation Technique', 'Fire Resistance', 'Fire Dao Comprehension', etc.

Currently available types: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Thunder, Ice, Poison, Space, Time, Divine Soul, Physical Body...

Note: This function is a prototype and has a certain probability of failure. If the death method has too low a correlation with the specified type after specifying the reward, it may lead to specification failure, and 'Gou Dao Points' will not be refunded.

Lin Gou's heart pounded uncontrollably.

This... this was simply a pay-to-win cheat tailored just for him!

He no longer had to run around like a headless fly, trying his luck, gambling on a certain way of dying to get the reward he wanted.

He could actively plan!

He could choose the abilities he needed, just like shopping in a store!

Although the price seemed extremely expensive.

He glanced at the astronomical 'Gou Dao Points' in his account, just earned from Tianji Pavilion.

If used to specify top-tier attributes like 'Space' or 'Time'.

It would probably only be enough for him to die once.

Perhaps not even enough.

Lin Gou, who had just felt like he was wealthy, instantly experienced a sense of embarrassment at being short on cash again.

But this couldn't extinguish the wild joy in his heart.

Money could be earned again.

There were plenty of opportunities to seek death.

But this broad road leading to omniscience and omnipotence was, at this moment, truly laid out before him!

Half an hour later.

The death footage was transmitted to Tianji Pavilion through special channels.

Yan Ziyue's reply was almost instantaneous.

In addition to the agreed-upon exorbitant final payment, enough to make any Sect envious.

There was also an equally large sum for 'mental damage compensation'.

The accompanying message was still that enticing and expectant phrase.

"Looking forward to your next world-shattering masterpiece."

Su Meier put away the jade snail, looking at the long string of zeros added to her account, yet felt no joy.

She only looked at the man beside her, whose complexion had recovered some color under the nourishment of her demonic power.

"Next time, no more."

Her voice carried an undeniable firmness.

Lin Gou smiled, not answering directly.

He mobilized the spiritual power that had just replenished within him, corroborating it with the massive 'Nascent Soul-grade Soul Dao Comprehension'.

With a soft 'boom', his Golden Core within him trembled violently, its rotation speed suddenly accelerated, and its volume expanded by a circle.

Middle Golden Core Stage.

It was a natural progression.

Moreover, his Foundation was terrifyingly solid.

Both the density of his spiritual power and the strength of his Divine Soul far exceeded the scope of ordinary Middle Golden Core Stage Cultivators.

Feeling the unprecedented powerful force surging within him.

Lin Gou's ambition also swelled.

He opened the brand new System interface and showed Su Meier the 'Directed Death' function, which glowed with an alluring golden light.

Su Meier was first stunned, then understood the Heaven-Defying nature of this function, her peach blossom eyes filled with disbelief.

"Next target."

Lin Gou's voice carried an undeniable excitement and fervor.

"I want a top-tier Space displacement Divine Ability."

Su Meier's heart suddenly tightened.

"Space... doesn't that mean dying by the power of Space?"

She and Lin Gou quickly searched through all available information.

Eventually, a name jumped out at them.

"Void Thunder Abyss."

One of the seven great forbidden lands of the Cultivation world.

It was a Domain where Space Laws were extremely chaotic, randomly unleashing a silent yet annihilating black lightning—Void Divine Thunder.

Let alone Golden Core or Nascent Soul Cultivators.

Even Soul Transformation mighty figures, if they stumbled into it, would face a near-certain death.

This was Lin Gou's perfect stage for death.

He didn't hesitate for a moment.

He exhausted almost all of his 'Gou Dao Points', which he had just acquired and hadn't even had time to fully appreciate.

In that golden option box, he heavily locked in the 'Space Displacement' reward type.

After doing all this, he looked at the stunning demonic woman beside him, who was completely dumbfounded.

Su Meier looked at him, her complex eyes mixed with awe, fear, and a hint of fervent adoration she hadn't even noticed herself.

"You... you even dare to challenge the majesty of Heaven and Earth now?" she murmured.

Lin Gou heard this and burst into laughter.

His laughter was full of unparalleled heroism and madness.

"Heaven and Earth are the greatest Death Artists in this world."

"I'm going to learn from Them!"