163: Mysterious black mask, Xie Chen’s choice!

Inside a dimly lit room.

A person dressed in a black robe with a hood was seated cross-legged on a stone bed, with wisps of black mist swirling around him, appearing extremely eerie.

Suddenly, a black, tower-shaped object on the ground beside him began to flash and shake incessantly.

With a thought, the black-robed person pointed a finger at the black tower.

Immediately, a phantom figure flew out from the tower.

The figure was short and stout, with a translucent body that was incomplete, as if it had been torn apart by a Vicious Beast.

The figure looked utterly exhausted, as if he had endured several fierce battles.

Upon closer inspection, his appearance was identical to Zhang Changchun.

Zhang Changchun said solemnly:

"Greetings... Master!"

Zhang Changchun, who had always lived a life of luxury and enjoyed immense respect, still found it very difficult to say these words now.

The black-robed person let out a strange, hoarse voice:

"Hehehe! Well done. Congratulations on gaining the chance of Rebirth, successfully devouring all the wandering Souls and surviving until the end."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Changchun was startled, feeling a chill run down his spine.

He recalled everything he had experienced in the Soul-Binding Tower, like a nightmare.

Of the tens of thousands of Souls collected in the tower, after so many days of fierce battles, he finally devoured everyone, becoming the only wandering Soul to survive.

Although the painful experience was unbearable to look back on, Zhang Changchun had gained a lot.

Now, after devouring tens of thousands of Souls,

his Mental Energy was already terrifying, reaching the Lake Realm.

Moreover, there were still many expert Souls that had not fully completed Fusion,

and once these were completely fused, not only would his Mental Energy reach another level,

but the Cultivation Technique insights from these individuals would undoubtedly elevate his strength to an unimaginable degree.

Now, he only lacked a physical body; if the issue of the body were resolved, everything would be perfect.

Thinking of this, Zhang Changchun was excited and pleaded:

"I hope Master will bestow upon me a body; I will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

The black-robed person, completely shrouded in his voluminous black robe, had crimson eyes that flickered with a beast-like ferocity:

"No need to rush. First, stabilize your Soul..."

...

Inside the top-floor single room of the student dormitory.

Xie Chen was restless, thinking of the scene yesterday where Jiang Fan was surrounded by people at the Beast Fighting Arena,

and then comparing it to his own awkward and deserted situation as the eighth-ranked on the combat power list, yet unnoticed by anyone.

His heart was filled with hatred.

He, who had always prided himself as the strongest Genius of the Dragon Country in this era, when had he ever been so suppressed that he couldn't lift his head?

"No! I need to gain power as quickly as possible! In a few days, I will thoroughly defeat Jiang Fan in front of everyone!"

Xie Chen made up his mind.

Immediately, he took out his communicator, found an unsaved, unfamiliar number,

and after much hesitation, he dialed it.

Buzz!

Space flickered, and a holographic projection of a figure in a black robe with a black hood appeared in the Void Realm before him.

"What? You've finally come to your senses?"

The black-robed person's voice was hoarse, his entire face hidden beneath the hood, making him indistinguishable.

"I... I need power, but I will not betray the country or the Human Race!"

Xie Chen gathered his courage and said.

The black-robed person let out a strange laugh:

"Hehehe! To gain power, you must prove your worth to me.

In this world where the strong prey on the weak, without power, everything is empty!

Power is the foundation of existence; without power, you are just an ant, and no one will value you!

Since you came to me voluntarily, it means you have already realized the importance of power, haven't you?"

Xie Chen's face showed fluctuating emotions, and finally, he took a deep breath and said:

"What do you need me to do?"

The black-robed person's voice was full of temptation:

"Simple, your loyalty is enough! Wear that mask, and it will prove your loyalty, and you will gain power from it!"

Xie Chen's face turned pale, his lips tightly pressed together, as he tremblingly pulled out a black mask from his spatial wristband.

The mask was cold to the touch and emitted an eerie aura.

The next moment,

Xie Chen made up his mind and placed the mask on his face.

Immediately, a tearing pain came from his face.

"Ah~!"

Xie Chen knelt on the ground in agony, covering his face and roaring.

The black mask emitted wisps of black mist, swirling around Xie Chen's head.

"Yes, that's it! Wear it, and you will get everything you want! Hehehe! Hahahahaha!"

The black-robed person watched all of this, his tone revealing madness.

After a while, blood stained the entire mask, and gradually, the mask sank into Xie Chen's flesh and disappeared.

At this moment, Xie Chen's entire face was a bloody mess.

The black mist swirling around his face drilled into his eyes and disappeared.

A few minutes later,

Xie Chen's face gradually returned to normal; except for his eyes, which were as black as ink, nothing seemed unusual.

However, his body still trembled like a sieve, and he lay limp on the ground.

"Very good, welcome to us, Number 85.

Now, I have a task for you.

Prepare a fresh corpse of a Genius in the Training Camp,

then crush the jade token within one minute, and someone will come to help you accomplish what you want to do."

No sooner had the black-robed person finished speaking.

Black mist spewed from Xie Chen's eyes, condensing in the Void Realm before him.

The next moment, the black mist churned,

and a dark jade token flew out from the black mist, silently suspended in the Void Realm.

"I said I would not do anything to betray the country!"

Xie Chen's face changed dramatically, his voice full of hatred.

"Hehehe! Foolish, without power, you are nothing.

With power, if you wish, the entire country can be yours!

I'll give you one day. I hope you crush that jade token, or I will crush your Soul!"

The black-robed person's voice was chilling, as if it came from the Hell of the Nine Netherworlds.

After speaking, the black-robed person's holographic figure disappeared.

Xie Chen lay in the empty room, gasping for breath.

After a while,

he dragged his heavy body to the bathroom, trembling as he touched his face.

Looking at his pale face in the mirror, Xie Chen realized he was no longer the person he used to be.

The mask embedded in his face was like a demon, constantly tempting him in his heart:

"As long as you sacrifice your Lifespan or Soul, you can gain corresponding power."

Xie Chen gritted his teeth and said tremblingly:

"Sacrifice ten years of Lifespan."

Ten years of Lifespan was not a significant loss for him.

After all, as long as he successfully entered the Grandmaster Realm, his Lifespan could Break through the limitations of a Mortal and greatly increase.

Boom!

A strange power enveloped his entire body,

and black mist continuously gushed from Xie Chen's eyes, completely enveloping him.

The next moment, all the black mist drilled into Xie Chen's seven orifices.

Xie Chen's body couldn't help but tremble.

He could feel his body filled with mysterious power.

With a thought,

his entire facial muscles immediately twisted, and soon he transformed into Jiang Fan's appearance.

"Soon I will tear apart this disgusting face! Hahahahaha!"

Xie Chen looked at the face in the mirror, his expression hideous and terrifying.

The next moment,

he restored his own face and walked out.

...