The Monster is Coming

Chapter 441 This body, I've given it to you!

The wind howled in my ears.

With arms outstretched and leaping into the air, Xia Sheng was ready to return to the village to visit the statue of his elder brother, Emperor Zhao.

These days of unusual good fortune are truly extraordinary.

From the initial landslides and rainfall to the later sinkholes and meteorites... each incident became more outrageous than the last.

He felt that even if he were inlaid with a "strong luck" soul, he wouldn't be as lucky as he was.

So it wasn't luck at all; it was more like an invisible hand that forcibly pulled him away from danger every time he was about to face a fatal situation.

Several tests have proven this point.

There really is an unknown force.

This made him very curious.

Where does this power come from?
What is the purpose? Why go to such lengths to protect him?

He couldn't think of an answer.

Therefore, he chose the most direct way to solve the problem: when faced with a problem, ask for guidance.

The guidance's response confirms that such a hidden protective force does indeed exist.

But the problem is, how can we bring it out of the shadows?

The other party is too well hidden; conventional probing can be completely neutralized by taking action in secret.

So, only the last, and most extreme, method remains.

They risked their lives.

Since the other party cares so much about his safety.

Then increase the intensity on the other party.

If the forces in the shadows are determined enough to protect him, they will surely stop him in a more direct way when he is about to die.

If the other party does not make a move.

Then, returning to the imperial palace, resupplying, and setting sail again wouldn't be a loss.

At this moment, his body is suspended in mid-air.

As Xia Sheng plummeted towards the abyss, his heart pounded like a drum.
"Come on, let me see... who you really are."

Just as Xia Sheng's body was about to be touched by the howling, bone-corroding winds in the canyon, a roar came from behind:

"That's enough, idiot!"

The voice, filled with rage, exploded in Xia Sheng's ears like a thunderclap from the heavens.

At the same time, a gentle force instantly enveloped his falling body.

They forcefully stopped his fall, then pulled him back from the edge of the abyss and gently tossed him back onto the cliff edge.

Xia Sheng staggered a few steps to steady himself, then couldn't help but grin, a smile spreading across his face.

The person in question has finally been forced to reveal themselves.

He turned around abruptly and looked in the direction from which the sound came.

In mid-air, a ball of dark blue, intensely burning humanoid soul fire was suspended.

At this moment, the flames twisted and leaped wildly, and two huge fiery eyes, spewing out tangible rage, were locked on him. The terrifying pressure was like a heavy mountain, making it hard for him to breathe.

"You despicable, foolish, and reckless creature, how dare you use such methods..." Soulfire's voice rose and fell violently, clearly enraged.

Seeing the smug smile on Xia Sheng's face, it was instantly furious.

This fool is really willing to risk his life to test the unknown.

Throughout its long history in the small world, and even since its arrival in the monster world, it has never encountered such a "willful" creature.

His behavior is illogical and arbitrary.

And it was actually forced to reveal itself by this foolish creature in such a suicidal way.

Xia Sheng dusted himself off. Although his blood was churning from the oppressive aura, his face remained perfectly calm. He looked up at the enraged soul fire and said:

"You've followed me for so long and saved my life time and time again, you deserve an explanation, don't you?"

"An explanation? I, the Venerable One, will give you an explanation!"

Soulfire laughed in anger; this foolish creature clearly didn't realize who was in charge now.

Xia Sheng's calm, even slightly smug, expression became the final straw that broke its rationality.

hum!
An invisible, immense force slammed into Xia Sheng's chest in an instant.

puff!
Xia Sheng had no time to react. He felt as if he had been hit head-on by a charging beast. He was thrown more than ten meters away from the ground and rolled several times before coming to a stop. He felt a sweet taste in his throat and almost spat out a mouthful of blood.

The black cloth clothes he was wearing were torn in several places by the dissipated energy.

He had just struggled to lift his head when he saw the ball of soul fire appear above him as if by teleportation.

The next moment, a fierce and relentless offensive descended.

The Soulfire wasn't trying to take his life; it was purely out of venting its anger.

Streams of solidified soul power transformed into invisible fists and slaps, striking Xia Sheng repeatedly. Although they did not cause serious injury, each strike penetrated his consciousness, bringing him needle-like pain.

"Ouch, ouch, ouch, senior, spare me!" Xia Sheng instantly lost his composure and curled up on the ground, clutching his head and trying to reduce the area affected by the blow, letting out a miserable scream that was completely unseemly.

"You're being stupid, aren't you!"

*Slap!* (A soul-stirring slap)
"You're reckless, aren't you!"

Thump! (A soul-crushing blow)
"You're courting death, aren't you!"

Bang bang bang! (A series of punches)

Soulfire beat and roared, unleashing all the resentment that had been building up for days.

At this moment, Xia Sheng was completely stunned.

The cheers of my brothers rang in my ears during the team's video call.

Reproductive system: Hahaha, look at that scurrying-for-his-head posture, a classic father beating his son scene, it reminds me of the glorious past of the explorers. I've recorded your screen, I'll definitely make some unique memes for you, who knows, it might become a hit on the forum.

Digestive system: Ouch... It looks painful. Should I laugh directly or make a sarcastic remark first?

Respiratory system: Hang in there, bro. Although I can't help you much, I'm with you in spirit (explorer watching.jpg).

Movement System: (Designated Red Envelope: 10 Points of Sacrifice) Healing Medicine Continues.

Listening to his brothers' gloating voices and Soulfire's angry rebukes, Xia Sheng, who was crouching in defensive position with his head in his hands, had only one thought in his mind at this moment.

Play off.

If I had known this would happen, I would have preferred to continue letting it protect me. Why did I have to provoke this evil spirit?

After venting his anger, Soulfire finally released most of his pent-up rage.

It did not forget its main task, pressing this foolish creature for information about its race.

But instead of asking directly, it decided to first teach the guy some tricks to make him understand the consequences of not answering questions obediently.

The flames of the Soulfire contracted, and under its control, the soul power condensed into countless fine, hair-like soul spikes, piercing towards Xia Sheng's body.

This kind of pain not only affects the physical body, but also the level of consciousness, amplifying the pain dozens of times, enough to make even the most resilient creature break down and beg for mercy.

As it predicted.

The moment the Soul Thorn touched Xia Sheng's body, a shrill wail rang out.

As the soul power spikes penetrated, Xia Sheng's body trembled violently. He curled up on the ground, veins bulging on his forehead, revealing an expression of being worse than dead.

Soulfire watched indifferently, waiting for the moment when the opponent's mental defenses would collapse.

This is a necessary means of interrogation.

It must be made aware of the consequences of not answering questions properly.

Just as it felt it needed to add fuel to the fire, Xia Sheng's heart-wrenching screams abruptly stopped.

The tense body relaxed instantly, and the bulging veins subsided.

He even scratched his head, then looked at him with a smug expression.

The cruelty in (_?) Soul Flame's eyes was instantly replaced by immense astonishment.

"Were you faking it just now?"

"I wasn't faking it, it really hurts, but it'll pass once the initial shock is over... So, what exactly do you want? Why did you come up here and start beating me up?"

(⊙_⊙)？

The soul power spikes formed by the condensed soul fire froze in mid-air.

It refused to believe in superstition and concluded that the effort was insufficient.

Without answering Xia Sheng's question, it once again channeled its soul power, unleashing various methods upon Xia Sheng.

Soul torn apart, consciousness frozen, spirit devoured... all sorts of pain that could cause consciousness to sink were poured down on Xia Sheng like a storm.

To ensure that Xia Sheng's sea of ​​consciousness was not overwhelmed, it constantly observed Xia Sheng's mental state.

However, under the protection of the "purifying power", Xia Sheng, who had broken through the limit of pain perception, could not feel any pain at all.

They even observed with great interest the ever-changing flames on Soulfire's body as it exerted its full power.

“Senior, your flames…the color is quite unique. They would definitely be great as a light source at night.” Xia Sheng said something that infuriated Soulfire.

Still unwilling to give up, Soulfire continued to try methods such as mental fear and hallucination torture.

However, under the protection of the purification power for a limited time, Xia Sheng had already donned "absolute defense," and no matter how it tried, apart from the initial attempt, all subsequent efforts were in vain.

Faced with Xia Sheng's consistently calm demeanor, Soulfire was completely dumbfounded.

At this moment, Xia Sheng also offered his sincere advice:
"Senior, how about... we call it quits? You look pretty tired. Can we try a different way of communicating? Like... sitting down and having a proper chat. You've been following me for so long and saved me so many times, you deserve some kind of explanation, don't you?"

The soul fire hovered in mid-air, the flames on his body flickering, and a strong sense of frustration welled up in his heart.

It suddenly felt that the experience and skills it had accumulated over a century of surviving were a joke in front of this weak creature.

Now, it has no other means to use except the threat of death.

But the threat of death... Soulfire recalled the guy's decision to jump off the cliff without hesitation, and all the other suicide attempts he had made along the way.

Sadly, it was discovered that this guy was completely unafraid of death.

Threaten him, and he might even enthusiastically discuss with you which way of dying is more creative.

After a long silence, the restless flames on Soulfire slowly subsided, as if it had come to terms with reality.

With a flash of light, it floated to Xia Sheng's side, its enormous fiery eyes fixed on him, its voice filled with suppressed anger:

"Where is your tribe located? How many people are there? What rules govern your tribe?"

Upon hearing this question, Xia Sheng's smile vanished. He looked the Soulfire up and down, his eyes filled with disbelief, as if he were looking at a fool.

He pointed to his nose and then to the Soulfire: "Senior, it's fine if you want to investigate me, but you can't treat me like an idiot and just ask me so directly. You shouldn't have used force to coerce me and then tried to bribe me, like giving me some rare spiritual materials. Maybe if I was in a good mood, I could have given you some information."

Soulfire's fiery eyes narrowed slightly:
"If I give it to you, will you say anything?"

Xia Sheng grinned and answered crisply:
"meeting!"

boom!
Unable to contain himself any longer, the Soulfire unleashed its soul power, knocking Xia Sheng to the ground.

It finally understood that this guy was just messing with it.

The negotiations completely broke down.

All patience, calculation, and forbearance vanished in that moment.

Conventional methods are completely ineffective against this guy, and continuing to entangle him will only be a waste of time.

The azure soulfire expanded violently in the air, releasing ripples of spreading energy.

The last trace of hesitation in Soulfire's heart was replaced by resolute determination at this moment.

Since we cannot obtain the information we want through coercion or other means, there is only one last path left: if we succeed, we will know everything.

That is: possession.

Read his memories, take over his body, and inherit everything from him.

As for the potential risk of memory loss, it no longer cares.

The Soulfire fell silent, and the dark blue flames enveloping it suddenly collapsed inward, bursting forth with dazzling light.

After concentrating all its power and consciousness into a single point, it transformed into a stream of light and crashed fiercely towards Xia Sheng's brow and sea of ​​consciousness.

Contrary to expectations, Soulfire found that it easily broke through the weak barrier of consciousness.

A hint of disdain had just risen in Soulfire's heart when it suddenly sank.

wrong!

Why is this space between my eyebrows so empty?
It was surprised to find that there was no consciousness structure in the space between its eyebrows.

Could it be that his core consciousness isn't located between his eyebrows?

Considering the countless races in the monster world, the differences in their life structures might lead to different locations within the sea of ​​consciousness.

Thinking it had gone in the wrong direction, the consciousness of the Soul Fire immediately surged downwards along the energy channels of this body, trying to find the origin of Xia Sheng's sea of ​​consciousness.

It travels through nerve pathways and across surging blood and qi, moving unimpeded all the way, yet it can never find the core of the sea of ​​consciousness.

This strange situation made Soulfire feel uneasy.

But it did not give up and continued to search inside Xia Sheng's body.

Until consciousness reached the spine of this body.

Then, it saw a dazzling galaxy that seemed to stretch across the void.

Countless "stars" shimmering with various colors are embedded in a silver band of light made of pure energy, slowly rotating.

Each "star" emits unique, regular fluctuations. They are independent of each other, yet they are mysteriously connected through light bands, together forming a complete energy cycle system.

His entire spine, like a galaxy, is the source of his power.

How can it be!

The Soulfire's consciousness let out an incredulous "scream".

It had never seen, or even imagined, that such a regularized galaxy could exist within a living being.

This body seems to contain a miniature world.

Faced with the vast galaxy within Xia Sheng's body, Soulfire felt as insignificant as a speck of dust.

A fear stemming from the instinct for survival instantly engulfed it.

The consciousness of the Soulfire gazed at this incredible galaxy with trembling.

It originally thought that this being used the rules in the same way as most forces in the outside world, simply by using itself as a medium to borrow the power of the rules it carried, just like a craftsman using tools.

But anyone can use this tool.

The only difference is in the level of proficiency.

But at that moment, it was horrified to realize that it was wrong.

The rules have long been integrated into this body, becoming an inseparable part of it.

Using the rules is as natural as breathing for this body.

Even the golden battle axe that this guy often uses is formed from the release of his own vital energy.

He never used the rules, but instead mobilized his own power to naturally generate rule-level effectiveness.

The impact of this realization is far more shocking than seeing the galaxy of the spine.

Since its arrival in the monster world, it has witnessed many creatures born from the rules.

These beings are born alongside the rules, or rather, they are intelligent beings that evolve from the outward manifestation of the power of the rules.

But the rules themselves give rise to consciousness, which only exists among the primordial monsters that permeate the monster world.

Unexpectedly, today I have come across a rule-level being that integrates multiple rules and makes them an integral part of its own life.

This seemingly weak body possesses potential and status that suffocates it.

But after the extreme shock came an even more insane greed.

If they could possess this perfect body of rules, the Soul Clan would not only experience a revival, but could completely surpass their former peak and embark on an unprecedented path to supreme power.

We must get it!
This thought overwhelmed everything.

The soul fire gathered all the remaining soul power and transformed into a consciousness drill.

He attempted to forcibly break through the galactic barrier, find the consciousness hidden within the galaxy, and complete the possession.

No matter how it attacks, the galaxy, which seems to be made of light, is as if separated by an insurmountable barrier.

The power it released was like a mud ox sinking into the sea, unable to even stir up a ripple.

This galaxy, composed of rules, far surpassed the level of its soul power, so solid that it felt despair.

A forced breakthrough is no longer possible.

But with the ultimate path right before its eyes, how could it be willing to give it up?

Since we can't break through from the inside, let's try a different approach.

An even crazier idea surfaced in my mind.

It decided to seal off this galaxy.

Based on its remaining soul power and the clan's fire stored within the soul pearl, it forcibly created a pseudo-sea of ​​consciousness of its own.

Then, he connected the pseudo-consciousness sea with the spinal galaxy, attempting to indirectly mobilize the body's power through external connection.

This plan is extremely risky.

Leaving aside the difficulty of creating a pseudo-sea of ​​consciousness, the process of connecting with this galaxy of rules alone is fraught with unknown risks.

If it fails, its remaining consciousness will likely be assimilated and swallowed by the galaxy, completely vanishing into nothingness.

But faced with an incredible opportunity, its choice was to fight to the death.

"As long as the Soul Clan exists, the flame will live on forever!"

The soul fire roared from the depths of his heart, and the soul pearl emerged from his body, gushing forth pure soul power.

The Soul Fire manipulated Soul Power, spreading along the edge of the starry river to create a massive sealing barrier.

Soul power transformed into countless intricate and ancient runes, weaving them into a cage that enveloped and isolated the entire spine galaxy.

Meanwhile, outside the cage, a space of consciousness constructed from soul power slowly took shape, a process that caused the soul fire extreme pain.

It needs to transfer its own sea of ​​consciousness to this brand-new body, and use it as the core to build a new sea of ​​consciousness.

Half an hour later, having completed the construction of the seal and the sea of ​​consciousness, it stretched out its tentacles of consciousness, attempting to touch the galaxy of rules that was right before its eyes.

Success or failure depends on this!
……

outside world.

Although he was unable to move his body, Xia Sheng learned what the Soul Fire was doing through guidance.

At this moment, he asked curiously:
"Guide, will it succeed?"

The probability of successfully possessing someone is zero, but external control is somewhat feasible. It's like installing an external operating system on a sophisticated instrument, which indirectly mobilizes and drives your body... You can think of it as a puppet show; the control wouldn't be as smooth, and there's no way to use a life spirit. If it wants to use your body's power, it has to figure it out by trial and error.

After listening to the explanation, Xia Sheng suddenly understood.

The team chat channel erupted in chaos at this moment.

"Nonsense, once that old bastard successfully connects and thinks he can control you, let's show him our special skill: self-destructing back to the village, letting him experience a sudden crash at the peak of his life. Just thinking about it is exciting." The sports system's voice rang out in the team channel, sounding somewhat excited.

"Hehe, this idea is so wicked... but I like it." The digestive system immediately chimed in:
"We unplugged the network cable when it was happiest, giving it the deepest despair, hoping it wouldn't break down."

“I wholeheartedly agree. If you want to play dirty tricks, then don’t play them at all. Let’s flip the table and go back to the village.”

Xia Sheng chuckled as he listened to his brothers chattering about their "return to the village for a brutal attack" plan.

Just as he was about to agree to this plan to kill him and destroy his spirit, an idea flashed through his mind like lightning.

He abruptly interrupted his brothers' discussion, his tone tinged with barely suppressed excitement:

"Wait, brothers, why should I go back to the village?"

"Think about it, the Soul Fire burns soul power and constructs a pseudo sea of ​​consciousness, how hard it is... If I just go back to the village like this, wouldn't I be wasting all their efforts?"

Upon hearing this, the team chat channel was instantly filled with question marks.

No one could understand what Xia Sheng was thinking.

Xia Sheng then explained:
"Since Soulfire wants to control my body and make me a puppet, why don't I just lie down and enjoy this free, fully automatic boosting mode?"

The channel went silent for a second.

Immediately, a warm response erupted.

Motion system: Holy crap, that's awesome! Let it do the work while you lie down, browse forums, and watch live streams?
Digestive system: Let it fight monsters, let it explore, and you get free sacrificial power benefits. That's too much, but I like it, so let's do it this way.

Urinary system: I'm dying of laughter. It seems to be really feasible. The Soulfire controls your body to hunt, and the output can be directly converted into your attributes and sacrificial power. It won't get a single point. Or it might feel that it has improved its strength by hunting, and then have a stronger desire to fight... This worker is too useful.

……

Listening to his brothers' comments, Xia Sheng's lips curled into a smile.

Yes, why run?

This fully automated game boosting service is practically delivered to your doorstep; why not take advantage of it?

This body, I've given it to you!

(End of this chapter)