Chapter 442 - 426: You Lost! The Stake is Mine
Now that the predicament had resolved itself in such a wondrous way, Shi Ming saw no need to reveal another one of his trump cards.
He was, however, a little stunned.
After its infinite upgrades, the Lamp of Wishes had become communicable. The Star Spirit dormant within it had been revived; she now possessed the characteristics of a living being with a fairly independent consciousness. But even so, she was still bound by the fundamental nature of the magical artifact.
Without its master’s summons,
it could not act on its own.
Now, perhaps because it had resonated with the ultimate treasure, the Heart of the Star Spirit, or perhaps because the Star Spirit within the Lamp of Wishes had paid a great price, the Lamp of Wishes shot out from Shi Ming’s Storage Bracelet. It lit up automatically, holding up a space of pale yellow light.
No matter how violent the external energy became,
this pale yellow space remained as quiet as a sheltered harbor.
This was not Shi Ming making a wish.
The Eye of Destiny explained everything at the opportune moment.
[How peculiar.]
[The Star Spirit dwelling within the Lamp of Wishes sensed a familiar and intimate aura. She used her accumulated energy to briefly break through the lamp’s constraints, gaining seven seconds of freedom.]
[Her appearance caused an anomaly in the Heart of the Star Spirit.]
[This ultimate treasure, forged from the "remains and skill origins of all the experts of the Star Spirit Race," would naturally not attack the sole surviving member of its kind.]
[This was a serendipitous encounter, a mutual pull that brought them together.]
[Long ago, the Star Spirit became the lamp, controlled by various masters for millennia. Though she became a tool at others’ command, unable to gain her freedom, a twist of fate allowed her to preserve the last of her bloodline, saving the Star Spirit Race from complete extinction.]
[Even if a mighty being interferes with and manipulates destiny, with the slightest carelessness, fate will slip through their fingers and find a chance to breathe.]
[...]
[The Star Spirit in the lamp hopes you can help her obtain the "Heart of the Star Spirit"—formed from the remains and origins of the Star Spirit Race experts. However, at present, even the lamp she resides in belongs to you, so she is unable to offer any reward.]
[The Eye of Destiny predicts this is a task with a very high return on investment.]
Time and space continuously shattered and reformed amid the nova’s explosion and the unknown skill.
When he had first met the Star Spirit, she had a hundred different attitudes, her eyes full of expression. The various personalities she split into were mature, innocent, ignorant, wise, passionate, or seductive. But now, the Star Spirit was like a fallen peacock who had witnessed the destruction of her home and people. Her eyes shimmered, her face was etched with sorrow, and she wanted to ask for help but could not speak.
That was an ultimate treasure!
The one controlling it was currently at his peak, his aura as deep as an abyss!
She was merely a spirit within an object, still owing Shi Ming a wish. She had nothing to her name and was not free. Even if she asked for help, what could she do?
"You want it?"
Seeing her inner conflict, Shi Ming asked directly.
Who wouldn’t want such an ultimate treasure?
"Perfect. He made a bet with me. It’s fitting to use this treasure as the prize for a life-and-death battle!"
The Star Spirit was utterly shocked, the golden bells on her wrists and ankles tinkling. In the next instant, she saw Shi Ming—disguised as a member of another race—raise the three-meter greatsword in his hand, radiant with the glow of magma, and plunge it into his own abdomen.
’What is this?’
Residing in the lamp, she was oblivious to most of Shi Ming’s trump cards.
The Magma Greatsword began to melt.
Fenyuan became the most scorching magma, combining with Shi Ming’s body. The entire greatsword practically fused with him. The blood that splashed from the self-inflicted wound was as scalding as magma, causing molten fissures to crack open across his body. It was as if he had activated the 108th level of "Invincible War God," with magma bursting from his joints whenever he moved!
Commander-in-Chief’s Harm!
It could once again forcibly and drastically increase Shi Ming’s Attack Power.
The light of the supernova slowly faded, and the quiet space protected by the Lamp of Wishes was once again exposed to the Star Sea. The Tower King, who had entered a perfect state using the final skill granted by the Heart of the Star Spirit, stood imposing with his six arms, his presence magnificent. But then he discovered that a Humanoid Fierce Beast, covered in flowing magma, was erupting with a heat even more intense than the supernova’s explosion.
BOOM!
His body as the sword! His power multiplied tenfold!
Shi Ming’s body, like a meteorite, viciously struck the perfect-state Tower King the instant the white light faded. The shield extended by the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance shattered like crushed ice once again. The Tower King’s body, tempered through endless eons, collided with Shi Ming’s. His abdomen took a terrifying blow far exceeding [Grief] and was torn open, sending a great splash of heavy blood flying as his body was sent reeling backward.
This great Tower King, who had used countless lives as a net and lain in wait for his prey, found his mind going completely blank.
He didn’t even have time to reflect on his defeat before he heard a clear and confident voice.
"You’ve lost!"
"It’s time to honor the bet!"
The heavily injured Tower King had a bad feeling.
For the sake of a Divine Rune, he could use his subordinates to release fake official missions and trap tens of thousands of adventurers. So, naturally, others could hunt him for his resources. He had a premonition that if he was utterly defeated in this battle, he would be stripped clean!
He immediately used his Spiritual Power to crush the Spirit Stone Plate connecting him to the Sovereign of the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country. He then tried to retrieve his three treasures, but Shi Ming was already one step ahead. With a swing of Shi Ming’s right fist, the Tower King’s right arm, which was holding the Heart of the Star Spirit, was sent flying. The starlight within this treasure had long since dimmed; having fulfilled its three uses, it would offer no help now.
[Be careful!]
[The "Tower King" has crushed a Communication Stone Tablet! A "Pillar Stone"-level Sovereign of a Cosmic Country is about to turn his gaze to this location!]
Shi Ming steadily caught the Heart of the Star Spirit.
"Thanks! You can continue to rest and recuperate here. You won’t be disturbed again!"
"We’ll meet again!"
The Tower King, having been severely wounded twice and now having lost an ultimate treasure, was on the verge of madness. How could he possibly let Shi Ming leave? He had crushed the Communication Stone Tablet, and with the Sovereign’s status and power, his arrival was likely moments away.
’When that time comes, I’ll eat his flesh raw!’
Layer upon layer of chains frantically crisscrossed the space, making a final attempt to interfere.
They destroyed the stability of space, blocking Shi Ming’s departure.
Shi Ming raised his hand. In the palm of his right hand, beneath the magma scars, were the two remaining Runes of the Four-Dimensional Sanctuary.
The Substitution Rune.
WHOOSH~
His position was instantly swapped with the heavily injured Tower King. Then, taking advantage of the less turbulent patch of space where the Tower King had been, he tore a page from the [Wanderer’s Atlas]. In an instant, he vanished without a trace, taking Da Yun with him.
The chains swept through the cosmos.
In this Star Domain, aside from the infuriated Tower King, there was not a single other living being...
Then, less than two seconds later, a giant hand appeared in the starry sky, tearing open a fissure in deep space. A colossal, illusory shadow, like a primordial behemoth, ripped through the boundary between the virtual and the real, and descended upon this place!
He was a step too late.