78: Chapter 78 Dramatic Change! I Will Return

"As expected of the original body of an S-Rank Eighth-Tier Taboo..."

Feeling the terrifying Rule Power erupting from the ring of calamity, Lin Chuan couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

Compared to those SS-Rank Taboo or even SSS-rank Medium Projections, the ring of calamity as an original body... its rules were clearly more terrifying and vast!

Bang!!

While Lin Chuan was marveling, the Taboo Rules he controlled were spreading further!

Around his evil buddha golden body, a sea of blood began to boil, white bones rose and fell continuously, and resentful souls roared incessantly!!

Lin Chuan combined and activated several Taboo Rules, such as Mountain-Moving Strongman, Buddha Kingdom in the Palm, and Life-Reaping Sanskrit Sound, forming a terrifying dense web of rules!

As various rules descended, the Mountain-Moving Strongman threw a punch, smashing directly toward the ring of calamity.

Crack!!

A series of sounds—both crisp and heavy, like the sound of Chaos first opening—rang out.

In an instant, a visible crack appeared on the surface of the ring of calamity's original body.

At this moment, it seemed to sense a threat and began to counterattack desperately.

However, Lin Chuan gave it no chance!

The moment the ring of calamity's original body was suppressed, Lin Chuan controlled the Mountain-Moving Strongman to pounce upon it!

Following that, the Mountain-Moving Strongman opened its mouth full of fangs!

Crunch, crunch, crunch... a hair-raising chewing sound echoed.

The Mountain-Moving Strongman forcefully bit off a piece of wriggling 'flesh' from the ring of calamity's body!

That 'flesh' was actually highly condensed Taboo Rule Origin, emitting a suffocating aura of calamity.

But once it fell into the Mountain-Moving Strongman's mouth... it completely became nourishment for Lin Chuan!!

At the same time.

Lin Chuan used the Buddha Kingdom in the Palm rule again, once more condensing a giant, eerie Buddha hand!

In an instant, the Buddha hand grabbed millions of Monstrous Beasts in one go.

These Monstrous Beasts also became nourishment for Lin Chuan!

Boom!!!

The moment Lin Chuan devoured a piece of 'Calamity Flesh' and a million Monstrous Beasts, a series of information prompts quickly appeared on the panel deep in his consciousness:

[Devoured part of the Origin of an S-Rank Eighth-Tier Taboo!]

[Obtained taboo value reduction: 15 points!]

[Devoured a million Monstrous Beasts (including a large number of high-tier Monstrous Beasts)!]

[Obtained taboo value reduction: 10 points!]

[Current taboo value required to upgrade to S-Rank Seventh-Tier: 25 points!]

Seeing this, Lin Chuan was in an excellent mood.

This single wave had brought him a huge step closer to S-Rank Seventh-Tier!

While the 'Second-Tier Taboo Domain' could still be maintained for a while, Lin Chuan mobilized his rules, preparing to swallow the rest of the ring of calamity's body as well.

Sensing its disadvantageous situation.

The ring of calamity began to struggle even more violently!

The Rule Power around it surged and billowed like waves in the sea or burning fire... Just as Lin Chuan controlled the Mountain-Moving Strongman to take a second bite... the ring of calamity suddenly began to vibrate violently.

Eerie, silvery, twisted runes suddenly lit up on its originally pitch-black surface.

Immediately after.

An extremely subtle yet exceptionally powerful spatial fluctuation erupted from within it.

That was... a spatial rule similar to [Teleportation]!

"Thinking of running?"

Lin Chuan's voice of rules vibrated, containing evil and terror! It was like an unspeakable horror from the abyss roaring!

But Lin Chuan still failed to trap it!

Whoosh—!!!

The ring of calamity turned into a silver stream of light, instantly breaking through Lin Chuan's rule speed and disappearing into the vast sky.

Seeing this, Lin Chuan felt a bit of regret.

If he had devoured the ring of calamity, he would definitely have been able to advance to S-Rank Seventh-Tier!

"A pity..."

Lin Chuan couldn't help but sigh softly in his heart.

However, the harvest this time was already significant enough.

He had obtained a full 25 points of taboo value reduction!!

[Obtained Power Of Will +1 million!]

[Obtained Power Of Will +580,000!]

[Obtained Power Of Will +350,000!]

[...]

While Lin Chuan was in thought, information suddenly popped up on the panel in his mind.

Clearly, the appearance of the ring of calamity had made the faith of many ordinary Believers in Lin Chuan even more fanatical!

In just a short moment, Lin Chuan had obtained one hundred million Power Of Will!!

...On the other side.

Great Xin Dynasty, Ghost Suppression Department Headquarters!

"It actually... escaped?"

Mr. K looked at the distant silver light on the screen, his brow furrowing slightly.

In his hand, he was holding a red button.

That was the switch to activate "that thing."

Originally, he had intended to take the opportunity while Lin Chuan and the ring of calamity were in a stalemate to contain both of them in one fell swoop.

But he hadn't expected Lin Chuan to actually suppress the ring of calamity!

"Fine then..."

Mr. K released his hand and put the button back into the safe.

"If there's no chance this time, then we'll wait for the next."

"Anyway..."

"As long as he is still on this land, there will always be an opportunity."

His gaze became deep once again.

"Pass down the order."

"Increase the intensity of monitoring on that 'Evil Buddha'."

"But be careful, do not let him notice!"

...The scene shifted.

Neon Country, Takama-ga-hara Ruins.

This place had originally been razed to the ground.

But at this moment, above those ruins, the pink mist suddenly became even denser!!

Whoosh!!!

From the horizon, a silver stream of light pierced through the sky and slammed heavily into the center of the ruins.

Boom!!!

The dust cleared.

Revealing the fragmented ring of calamity.

At this time, it had reverted to its first form.

Those pitch-black rings had become dim and lusterless, covered in cracks.

It was like a heavily injured beast, curled up in the ruins to recover its wounds... but just then.

The surrounding pink mist suddenly billowed violently.

An invisible Rule Power, full of Chaos and divinity, descended from the Void Realm.

That rule was like threads, instantly wrapping around the ring of calamity.

The ring of calamity shook violently!!

It wanted to snap those threads, but the rule threads tightened even more, embedding themselves deeply into its body.

Gradually.

Its struggling weakened.

Its originally chaotic and tyrannical consciousness was being replaced by a much larger, more ancient will.

That was... the will of the Celestial Standing Venerable!

Although its Projection had been devoured by Lin Chuan, a trace of its Rule Imprint still remained upon this Takama-ga-hara.

Now.

This trace of imprint had fallen upon the ring of calamity!

"Crack, crack, crack..."

The ring of calamity slowly floated up.

Its form underwent another change.

Those pitch-black rings rearranged themselves, actually turning into a giant shape similar to a divine throne.

And upon that divine throne.

A blurred, unspeakable figure was slowly condensing.

"I..."

"Shall... eventually... return..."

Low, raspy murmurs echoed above the ruins of Takama-ga-hara.