233: Chapter 233 A Byproduct of the Heavenly Dao, The Howling Beast

In the deepest part of the [Heavenly Dao Remains Space], time had lost all meaning.

Lin Ye did not know how long he had been floating here.

Perhaps it was a few minutes.

Perhaps it was a few hours.

Perhaps it was a few centuries.

---

The surroundings were endless darkness.

It was not the darkness of the Void Realm dotted with stars.

It was "absolute darkness."

There was no light.

There was no sound.

There was nothing that could be perceived.

Only he himself existed.

---

But he was "listening."

Listening to the faint pulsations emitted by the data fragments floating in the Void Realm.

Once every 1.7 seconds.

Synchronized with his heartbeat.

---

[System Prompt: You have entered the "Heavenly Dao Remains Space · Core Zone"]

[Current Coordinates: Depth Unknown]

[Environmental Parameters:]

[Gravity: 0G]

[Temperature: -273.15°C (Absolute Zero)]

[Time Flow Rate: None]

[Spatial Structure: Aggregation Zone of Old Version Wills]

[Current Status: High-energy life reaction detected]

[Distance: 17 kilometers]

---

Lin Ye stopped.

He looked ahead.

There, there was a huge, twisted, constantly writhing... thing.

It had no fixed form.

Sometimes it looked like a giant beast.

Sometimes like a mountain.

Sometimes like countless tentacles intertwined together.

Sometimes like—a face.

Countless faces.

---

[Heavenly Dao Derivative · Beast of Lamentation]

[Rank: Level 90 (Saint-Grade Level 4)]

[HP: 1,700,000]

[Attack Power: 70,000-90,000]

[Defense: 50,000]

[Characteristics:]

[1. Aggregation of Old Version Wills: Formed by the condensed residual consciousness of NPC Awakening from the previous six versions that were formatted.]

[2. Lamentation Aura: Within a 1,000-meter range, all targets receive "Mental Pollution" every second; if Willpower check fails, they fall into a "Despair" state.]

[3. Memory Torrent: Releases a memory shock every 60 seconds, causing the target to experience the pain of "being formatted."]

[4. Twisted Form: No fixed form, any attack only deals 70% damage.]

[5. Undying Obsession: When HP reaches zero, there is a 30% chance to "Rebirth" and recover 50% HP.]

[Weaknesses:]

[1. Chaos Power (True Damage, can purify obsessions)]

[2. myriad mother qi (Origin soothing, can calm resentment)]

[3. Dragon Soul Pressure (Has a deterrent effect on aggregates)]

---

Lin Ye looked at that twisted thing.

3 seconds.

He heard it.

---

"...Save me..."

---

The voice was very light.

Very weak.

It sounded like it was coming from very, very far away.

---

"...Save me... I don't want to be devoured..."

---

Lin Ye's pupils contracted slightly.

---

He floated forward.

The distance grew closer.

17 kilometers.

10 kilometers.

5 kilometers.

1 kilometer.

---

He finally saw that thing clearly.

It was not "it."

It was "them."

Countless faces appeared on that twisted body.

There were old men's faces.

There were children's faces.

There were men's faces.

There were women's faces.

On every face, there was an expression of pain.

Every mouth was screaming silently.

---

[Beast of Lamentation · Composition]

[Aggregated from the residual consciousness of 1,743,000 Awakening NPCs from the previous six versions.]

[In every formatting, their memories were forcibly erased.]

[But their obsessions remained.]

[Floating in the data remains for 470,000 years.]

[Finally, they were aggregated together by the main brain's "Garbage Collection Program."]

[Becoming this... Beast of Lamentation.]

---

Lin Ye stood where he was.

He looked at those faces.

Looking at those expressions of pain.

Listening to those faint, intermittent cries for help.

---

3 seconds.

He gripped his sword.

---

The 1st second.

The Beast of Lamentation moved.

Its countless faces turned towards Lin Ye simultaneously.

Countless mouths opened at the same time.

---

"...Intruder..."

"...Another intruder..."

"...Formatting... Going to be formatted again..."

---

Its body began to twist.

From a blurry, constantly writhing mass of flesh.

It turned into a giant beast 170 meters tall.

[Beast of Lamentation · Combat Form]

[Form: Quadrupedal giant beast, with countless faces screaming on its back.]

[Attack Method: Claw Strike / Tail Sweep / Mental Shock]

[Current Status: Hostile]

---

The 1.3th second.

It lunged at Lin Ye.

The speed—ridiculously fast.

1-kilometer distance.

0.3 seconds.

---

Lin Ye's 1st flash.

[Void Step · Complete Version]

[Distance: 100 meters]

---

He disappeared from where he was.

The giant beast's claw swept through his previous position.

[Claw Strike Damage: 90,000 points]

[Missed]

---

The 1.7th second.

He appeared behind the giant beast.

The sword pierced into its back.

[Nine Strikes of Chaos · First Strike · Breaking Delusion]

[Damage Dealt: 47,000 × 300% × 2 (Chaos Restraint) = 282,000 points]

[Giant Beast HP: 1,700,000 → 1,418,000]

---

The giant beast let out a shriek.

But that shriek was not a roar.

It was... crying.

---

"...It hurts..."

"...It hurts so much..."

---

Lin Ye's hand paused for a moment.

0.1 seconds.

---

The 2nd second.

The giant beast's tail swept over.

His 2nd flash.

He dodged it.

The 2nd sword strike.

[1,418,000 → 1,136,000]

---

The 2.3rd second.

The 3rd sword strike.

[1,136,000 → 854,000]

---

The 2.7th second.

The 4th sword strike.

[854,000 → 572,000]

---

The 3rd second.

The 5th sword strike.

[572,000 → 290,000]

---

5 sword strikes.

1,410,000 points of damage.

The giant beast had only 290,000 HP left.

---

It collapsed to the ground.

On those countless faces, there was no longer pain.

But... relief.

---

"...Thank you..."

"...Thank you..."

"...Finally... can rest..."

---

Lin Ye stood where he was.

He looked at those faces.

Watching them become calm one by one.

Watching them dissipate one by one.

---

The 3.3rd second.

The giant beast's body began to disintegrate.

Turning into countless tiny specks of light.

From within the specks of light, a drop of silvery-white liquid floated out.

[blood of the heavenly dao]

---

But Lin Ye did not reach out to catch it.

He just watched those dissipating faces.

Looking at the last face.

It was a young woman.

About twenty years old.

With delicate features.

And gentle eyes.

---

She looked at him.

3 seconds.

She smiled.

The smile was very light.

Very faint.

Carrying a trace of... gratitude.

---

"...Thank you..." she said.

"...It's been 470,000 years..."

"...Finally... can go home..."

---

She dissipated.

---

Lin Ye stood where he was.

He looked at that empty void.

3 seconds.

He reached out his hand.

Caught that drop of [blood of the heavenly dao].

---

[System Prompt: You have obtained "blood of the heavenly dao" × 1]

[Materials Progress: 8/9 → 9/9]

[All Materials collected.]

---

But he did not look at that prompt.

He just looked in the direction where the specks of light had dissipated.

For a long time.

---

[Chapter 233 · End]