Chapter 008: Soul Channel
Even though the world before him had turned pitch black, the young man soon realized that his mind remained remarkably clear. The excruciating pain continued to torment every nerve in his body, and he could not help but curse loudly—despite being dead, there was no reason to accept such punishment. He had read some descriptions of death and the afterlife in the books of this world, but he had never heard of any deity that enjoyed tormenting a deceased soul for no reason, unless it was some kind of demon.
Aside from death, there are no major issues; when one is poor and has no food to eat, what else can be done
Even today, many countries in northern mainland do not reject dark mages and necromancers, as a significant number of their founding emperors and heroes emerged from the evil armies of the Undead War. Although the number of liches and necromancers has dwindled to a pitiful extent, the terror they instilled continues to resonate in people's hearts. Countless children, when crying, are often frightened into silence by the mention of the evil necromancers by adults.
Have you given up? To resist to this extent at your age is already quite remarkable for a child...
A gigantic octagonal magic circle was slowly drawn in white light, appearing beneath the feet of the young man. Simple long and short lines grouped in threes constructed eight grand runes in the air: fragmented lightning, rolling dark clouds, shining flames, ... trickling water ... . Countless natural phenomena surrounded it, and the air trembled violently, leaving only the young man's voice echoing like a great bell in the space.
With this tremor, the monster that had pounced on him has already splashed apart
Suddenly, a commanding voice resonated from the sky, imbued with immense power, as if it were the wrathful decree of the King of Kings from atop the palace. The voice thundered: "Edict: Deter!"
The young man shook his head; the last experience of death and rebirth had not left him with similar memories. However, the scenery before him bore some resemblance to the places described in the books and movies he remembered, where one should arrive after death. He attempted to turn around, wanting to distance himself as much as possible from this terrifying place, but soon realized it was futile. No matter which direction he turned, the scenery before him remained completely the same, with only the black passage shrouded in mist.
Am I dreaming? Or have I died again?
At the moment he cast the spatial spell, these strange symbols had already expanded, infinitely stretching out, instantly surrounding the entire space. When the lich stepped through the portal, the symbols on the ground followed like maggots, followed by a thunderous roar. The ground violently shook and rose to form thick walls, sealing him within a fence resembling a deep well
At this moment, his appearance had changed to the point that the Lich could hardly recognize him—his entire body was enveloped in a seemingly tangible blue and gold armor, and long, burning wings extended from his back! As he gestured with his hands in strange motions, countless bolts of lightning rolled through the air, eventually forming a radiant net of light around him. The overwhelming energy, powerful enough to instill terror, gathered on the tip of his raised index finger, and with a downward motion, transformed into countless dazzling white lights that surged toward the wall!
He meticulously adjusted his tattered gray-black mage robe, then politely performed what seemed to be a gesture of mage etiquette, reciting a long list of titles that was enough to startle the young man: "Mage Association of Meistalia, Elder of the Three-Leaved Bougainvillea, Grand Mage of the Morning Star. Kottlo de Hartdier. Also a member of the Shadow Mage Guild, Level Seven Cervical Bone"
Whether I am a talent is not something you can judge. What I want to know now is, who exactly are you? What do you want to do by bringing me to this cursed place?" There was a hint of laughter in Konstantin's voice, but it was certainly not a sign of goodwill; rather, it was an emotion known as anger turning to laughter—no matter who it is, when suddenly subjected to deep and painful torment, the anger in one's heart cannot be easily dissipated.
In fact, Constantine could not fully comprehend the significance represented by the many titles of the other party. The only thing he could be said to know for certain was the name of the country, Maestalia, which is one of the few nations on the continent that has been established for over five hundred years. However, if the young man's memory was not faulty, then this unfortunate country should have been destroyed during the Second Undead War, having fought on the side of the undead.
The sparrow martial arts run swiftly, serving the myriad demons! Fierce and ruthless, severing the wicked, swift as the decree!
What is happening ... has it really been released? The young man was pierced by pain, which almost halted his brain's functioning. He shook his head, looking somewhat confused at the monster that had already vanished before him. Certain nerves in his brain seemed to pulse, prompting him to timidly make some attempts: "If possible, please also remove this pain and the iron chains!"
This time, the wish was not fully realized—although the pain receded like a tide, and even his body gradually emerged from that soft exterior, the black iron chains tightly bound to his body seemed not so easily undone. They merely throbbed symbolically a couple of times, still firmly restraining the youth's body in midair
In this world, the temperature of the flames is unimaginably high. In an instant, all the flesh and blood of Konstantin were incinerated with a nauseating sizzling sound, leaving behind only a charred skeleton.
Some dramatic events occur in the next moment
Unexpectedly, the passage shrouded in chaos was not long. After advancing a few hundred feet, the boy's vision suddenly cleared. The dim light seemed to brighten somewhat, illuminating a large area of open ground beneath his feet. Although the distant scenery remained obscured in chaos, at least the boy could extend his gaze outward.
Indeed, if it comes to competing with you in terms of knowledge of magic, even if there were a hundred of me, I would not be your match
The scenery around him appeared somewhat blurred in his line of sight, as if veiled by a thin gauze. Even his other senses had become somewhat dulled, yet this did not feel like a dream; at least the young man could still clearly perceive his own existence. However, the place he found himself in was not the bustling street filled with noise, but rather a strange dimness, where the indistinct light cast a shadow over the slanted ground beneath his feet, which seemed to stretch endlessly toward the very depths of hell. A damp, cold breeze seemed to blow from the darkness, carrying with it the putrid scent of a freshly opened grave, provoking a desire for Constantine to sneeze. Yet again, the place he found himself in was not the bustling street filled with noise, but rather a strange dimness, where the indistinct light cast a shadow over the slanted ground beneath his feet, which seemed to stretch endlessly toward the very depths of hell. A damp, cold breeze seemed to blow from the darkness, carrying with it the putrid scent of a freshly opened grave, provoking a desire for Constantine to sneeze.
"Wonderful, wonderful! Such astonishing spirit... at your age, it is truly rare." A voice of admiration accompanied by the soft sound of clapping echoed around, coming from a robed skeleton gently applauding. Its cheeks were covered by only a thin layer of skin, devoid of any expression, with only the orange-red light in its eyes pulsating in rhythm with the movement of its jaw, seemingly conveying a specific emotion. The robed skeleton gently applauded, its cheeks covered by only a thin layer of skin, devoid of any expression, with only the orange-red light in its eyes pulsating in rhythm with the movement of its jaw, seemingly conveying a specific emotion.
This question naturally went unanswered, and at that moment, the next wave of attacks from the opponent had already begun. The ominous clouds in the sky emitted a low, rumbling sound. The Lich slightly raised his head and noticed that those clouds had transformed into countless stone blocks, each larger than the city gates by a few measures. These enormous objects, accompanied by a terrifying pressure of wind, were heading straight towards his radiant barrier.
At this moment, the ground beneath the lich erupted with pillars of light comparable to the blazing sun, completely enveloping the lich's body! The thin, seven-colored iris struggled weakly for a moment before dissolving into the white light! ... The thunderous roar that filled the entire space seemed to vanish due to its overwhelming clarity, leaving only Konstantin's clear voice echoing in the lich's heart ...
Although this voice was low and hoarse, resembling the harsh sound of scraping rusty iron, it was no longer deafeningly loud. Thus, the young man immediately associated it with something: "This voice... you are the one..."
"So it was you who just guided me to unleash a magical flying and *graphic* book? That's right. However, you need not feel grateful; that is a capability you should inherently possess, and I have not done anything significant... at most, I merely provided some guidance." The skeleton interjected, his tone softening considerably, and seemingly revealing a hint of mockery: "I do not know what the individuals outside are thinking right now, but it is an extreme waste that someone of your talent has yet to manifest the power you should possess."
Constantine seemed to have had a dream
Lost soul, you have completely lost your way. Open your heart, repent, and your sins and the burdens of your curses will vanish. Empty your spirit and submit to my will, and you shall receive the opportunity for redemption
The violent impact of the elements produced a muffled thunderous roar, yet the ice wall was evidently not easily shattered. The clustered fireballs and ice spears ultimately could only be extinguished among the debris, and within this obstacle, which was several feet thick, not a single fragment of the lich's garment could be touched.
Faced with the meteor from beyond the heavens, the skeleton let out a chilling, maniacal laugh. A gem around its head suddenly glowed, and the meteors bursting in the sky collided with a thin, colorful halo, vanishing without a trace. Then, leisurely adjusting a finger bone, the lich admonished like an elder: "Do you think, in this realm of the mind, you can compete with a true spellcaster skilled in the mastery of souls?"
Qian! Dui! Li! Zhen! Xun! Kan! Gen! Kun!
What do you want? Let me go!
Constantine let out a cry of anguish, as an indescribable agony radiated from various parts of his body, causing the poor boy to feel as if the world was spinning around him. He sensed that this pain even shook his very soul! Soon after, a wave of numbness rapidly spread, and the world before his eyes gradually faded into darkness
Abandon the meaningless attachments, and free your spirit
The sound that appeared above, increasingly loud and inexplicable, caused the lich to raise its head. In its gaze, the boy's body was suspended in mid-air, having stopped there at some unknown point in time
A voice rang in the boy's ear, grand and thunderous, causing him to instinctively cover his ears...! ... However, it proved that this reaction was utterly futile, as the sound seemed capable of penetrating any barrier, still making Konstantin's ears buzz incessantly, even inducing a wave of nausea and retching!
The standoff seemed to last for an eternity, and the skeleton finally appeared to grow weary. It let out an even louder roar, then extended its hand, and a terrifying, twisted monster leaped out from between its fingers. The monster's skin resembled molten sludge, with countless particles of varying sizes flowing along its white and red flesh, each seemingly an eyeball or some other organ. Suddenly, its body split apart, and rows of teeth writhed in what resembled a gaping maw, like a blood-soaked passage filled with sharp spikes. The monster's skin resembled molten sludge, with countless particles of varying sizes flowing along its white and red flesh, each seemingly an eyeball or some other organ. Suddenly, its body split apart, and rows of teeth writhed in what resembled a gaping maw, like a blood-soaked passage filled with sharp spikes.
Mestalia... a lich from the era of the Undead War?" The boy gasped in shock, his mouth agape, and after a moment, he suddenly realized the gravity of the situation: "What do you mean by establishing a soul channel? Are you saying that you have manipulated my... soul?"
However, if this continues, it is likely to become endless. Thus, at the moment when the giant stone turned, the Lich launched a counterattack
However, the Lich did not have time to mock anything; he even felt that the confidence within him had been significantly diminished by the other party's actions. This young man was truly a prodigy he had never encountered before. In such a short time, he had actually grasped some of the principles within the Soul Channel. The Lich took a small step back and began to concentrate his mind. Suddenly, several purple and green peculiar magic stones appeared in the air, floating around his head, rotating in an orbit of about one foot. Each finely crafted facet reflected the orange-red light in his eyes.
The lich waved his hand once more, and dozens of invisible force fields appeared in the air, redirecting the giant stones. However, at this moment, his astonishment had turned into a few degrees of horror! The mental strength and imagination of this young man were indeed formidable, almost comparable to that of a true spellcaster! The only consolation now is that, even though the laws of this space have been explained quite thoroughly, in the eyes of the lich, Konstantin still seems to have no chance of turning the tables— a young man's understanding and experience of spells cannot compare to that of a true mage. The only consolation now is that, even though the laws of this space have been explained quite thoroughly, in the eyes of the lich, Konstantin still seems to have no chance of turning the tables— a young man's understanding and experience of spells cannot compare to that of a true mage.
However, Constantine's assault did not end there—above the originally chaotic passage, the sky had inexplicably transformed into a scene of dense dark clouds! The thick layers of clouds began to roll ominously, gradually revealing flashes of lightning and flames amidst the darkened clouds. Amidst the booming sounds, the rolling black clouds suddenly came to a halt, ... a group of four terrifying meteors, intertwined with raging flames, descended from the sky, followed by a second group, and then a third group
As the thought subtly shifted, a beam of white light had already enveloped him. When it reappeared, he was several thousand feet away—although he was unaware of the kind of attack the youth was about to launch, it was undoubtedly the best strategy to temporarily evade its edge
At the same time, flames that seemed capable of melting steel rolled through the air, gathering into more than ten clusters rushing towards the lich. Before they could strike their target, the scorching rays had already illuminated the surroundings in a dazzling brilliance, as if several suns had suddenly risen in this dark space. Following this sunlight were dozens of massive icicles! Each crystalline blue spike was as thick as a column! Following this sunlight were dozens of massive icicles! Each crystalline blue spike was as thick as a column!
Obstinate fool
Constantine stood still for a long time, ultimately gritting his teeth and starting to stride forward—disaster cannot be avoided; even if one must descend to the eighteenth level of hell, one should at least first see if the King of Hell truly has three eyes
True Dragon and Tiger King Secrets! Four Divine Beasts! True Fire! Eight Trigrams Formation!
Then, in the next moment, Konstantin struggled to swallow—he noticed that the shadows in the room had vanished, and the light had brightened somewhat. The youth's gaze fixed upon the center of this vast space, where dark, rocky, and metallic ground had somehow formed a high-backed table and chairs. A desiccated skeleton sat upon one of them—though it would not be entirely accurate to call it a skeleton, as it resembled more a corpse that had been naturally dried. The face and hands, exposed beneath a tattered, black-gray robe, had completely withered, leaving only some pale, paper-like remnants tightly wrapped around the bones. Konstantin speculated that these were desiccated skin, yet the muscles, fat, and tendons between the two had long since perished in the passage of time.
At this moment, the young man felt his heart sinking. If someone were to tell him that an unfortunate fellow had his soul taken by a lich or had turned into an undead, he might dismiss it as a story with a laugh. However, when such a thing happens to oneself, it becomes a matter of grave concern. Liches are legendary figures of terror; when a lich claims to want to destroy or toy with a person's soul at will, it is no laughing matter. Yet, when such a thing happens to oneself, it truly becomes a matter of grave concern. Liches are legendary figures of terror; when a lich claims to want to destroy or toy with a person's soul at will, it is no laughing matter.
This is the Meteor Burst, the most powerful spell that Constantine has encountered to date. The spell advisor beside the Duke used this spell to easily attack and destroy an orc stronghold.
"Not bad at all..." The Lich let out a slight exclamation, yet in the face of the terrifying elements of ice and fire, his movements showed no signs of hesitation—he merely waved his hand slightly, as if shooing away some annoying mosquitoes. However, with this understated gesture, countless shards of ice appeared in the air, entangling and coalescing together, and in an instant, a thick ice wall that could nearly fill the gap between two people stood erect.
"Generally speaking, you are not wrong, young one. Your perceptiveness truly impresses me. If it were not for the current circumstances, I believe I could certainly take you as my disciple..." The youth's sharpness left the lich momentarily silent, and then he shook his skeletal head and sighed, saying: "...In fact, it is not merely a contest of mental strength; there are also elements such as imagination and knowledge that serve as aids. However, in any of these aspects, I fear you are lacking..."
The triumphant voice of mhetushucom.com was abruptly cut off once again, interrupted by a bizarre scene that the lich had never encountered in his several hundred years of existence
"Hehehe... what you said is not entirely correct. It should be said that I will suppress your soul and manipulate your body..." The once-great sorcerer let out a hearty laugh, seemingly pleased with the terror displayed by the young man: "For some reason, I lost my own body, and my soul was sealed within the Soul Gem. Therefore, if I wish to resurrect in this world once more, I must obtain a body... So I have chosen you. Are you proud?" He seemed to take satisfaction in the young man's expression of fear: "For some reason, I lost my own body, and my soul was sealed within the Soul Gem. Therefore, if I wish to resurrect in this world once more, I must obtain a body... So I have chosen you. Are you proud?"
Apart from the absence of the iconic sickle in hand, this image bears a considerable resemblance to the Grim Reaper in his mind. What terrifies Konstantin even more is that, as he gazes at the skull, he notices a tiny, pinprick of light appearing in the hollow eye sockets of the skull. This orange-red dot dances within those two deep black voids, as if a gaze were piercing directly into him. He observes that a tiny, pinprick of light is emerging in the hollow eye sockets of the skull, this orange-red dot pulsating within those two profound black holes, as if a gaze were directly nailing him down.
Now, do you understand? The Lich leisurely brushed off his robe, even though there was no dust present in this space
The charred skeleton suddenly moved, flesh rapidly growing over the withered bones, its body writhing in a grotesque manner before returning to normal... At this moment, Constantine was no longer that white orb of light, but a true human form. However, it was evident that he had not successfully deflected this attack— the young man was gasping heavily, yet ultimately remained half-kneeling on the ground. After a long while, he let out a deep sigh and slowly lowered his hands.
It is a pity that although one's knowledge and mental fortitude can be considered exceptional, one remains overly naive! To think that such half-baked methods could be used against a true mage!
The red light flickered in the eye sockets of the skull, and the voice carried an indescribable sense of pride: "And here is the world constructed by my spell's soul channel, built through the connection of your mind and mine, a world purely dominated by spirit, and at the same time, a gladiatorial arena within the mind. As long as my mental power suppresses you, I can take your place and completely control your body... This is a spell I invented; although it is much more troublesome than the Soul of the Magic Pot, the manipulation of time is permanent... This is a spell I invented; although it is much more troublesome than the Soul of the Magic Pot, the manipulation of time is permanent..."
"So, in this world, as long as my mental strength is greater than yours, your soul could potentially be bound by me?" Konstantin tilted his head slightly; he was not clear about the effects of the spells mentioned by the other party, such as the magic pot soul, but he keenly grasped a gap in the other person's words.
No, no, no, this is not some ghostly place... It is a great achievement of soul magic. To be precise, this is a pure spiritual world connected by the soul channel, little one..." The skeleton extended a finger, devoid of any flesh, a stark white bone, and waved it in front of me, then slowly began to speak: "As for the reason for establishing this channel... Ah, pardon me, let me first introduce myself.
The voice echoed repeatedly, but it was the intense feeling of fear that prevented Konstantin from calming his mind to contemplate the words of the other party. This voice spoke at length, yet he only grasped one meaning: the other was urging him to open his mind. However, the specific meaning of opening one's mind was completely beyond the boy's understanding. Thus, despite the continuous repetition of the voice, the poor Konstantin could only futilely struggle, responding with the clattering sound of a chain of iron links.
The lich's words came to a halt as he realized that while he was delivering this lengthy discourse, the black chains binding the boy's body had seemingly melted away like snowflakes under the sun. The body, glowing with a white light, was surrounded by a circle of pure white feathers, which also gently descended to the ground like feathers. Then, it instinctively moved its body, a motion that made the luminous form appear somewhat comical. The body, glowing with a white light, was surrounded by a circle of pure white feathers, which also gently descended to the ground like feathers. Then, it instinctively moved its body, a motion that made the luminous form appear somewhat comical.
In response to the boy's retreat, the skeleton merely stretched out its hand casually, and a dim, colorful light began to glow in its palm. Suddenly, more than ten enormous black chains appeared around Konstantin. He could only hear a series of cracking friction sounds, and his entire body was rendered completely immobile. Then, those chains abruptly tightened, and the boy was instantly suspended in mid-air.
The boy's reaction caused the lich's voice to shift slightly—once Constantine relinquished his resistance, he would be able to smoothly take over the other's body... Thinking that after more than a hundred years, he finally had a controllable body, he naturally felt an overwhelming joy: "Rest assured, young man, your soul will not vanish; I will occasionally let you see the great achievements I accomplish with your body..."
The youth, filled with confusion, attempted to raise a hand to rub his eyes, only to be astonished to find a hazy orb of light before him. After moving around a bit, he confirmed that this blurry image radiating white light was indeed his "hand." Naturally, his body had also transformed into a similar orb of white light. He had become like a light orb, exploring his body with his hand. Although the sensations transmitted from his fingertips were somewhat strange, they still retained the basic sense of touch and pain. He confirmed that this blurry image radiating white light was indeed his "hand," and naturally, his body had also transformed into a similar orb of white light. He had become like a light orb, exploring his body with his hand. Although the sensations transmitted from his fingertips were somewhat strange, they still retained the basic sense of touch and pain.
Just as he once depicted in his homework, the shape of a human rib is magnified countless times
The youth anxiously surveyed his surroundings, his mind involuntarily flashing with bizarre associations. Compared to his current body, the dim light around him undoubtedly rendered the scenery clearer, yet it presented an unprecedentedly strange sight. The surrounding dark walls seemed to be formed from solidified magma, retaining the flowing state that had congealed into uneven, twisted shapes of varying thickness. Stout stone pillars, with a distinctly arthropod-like structure, partially protruded from the walls, providing an unbreakable support for the curved walls. Moreover, the black-gray paint filling the gaps, whose composition was indiscernible, made the entire architectural style increasingly familiar to the youth.
Dragon and Tiger River Vehicle, Sparrow Martial Universe! Summon! Dou Shuo Eight Trigrams Furnace!
Yes, it spreads like a liquid in one direction, forming a disgusting black puddle on the ground, from which billowing smoke rises
At the moment the curses were uttered, Konstantin's vision suddenly expanded, and the scenery before him left the young man in a daze—around him, the space seemed to be undergoing a tremendous upheaval. A wave-like ripple spread from the black, distorted ground beside him, curling into the surrounding deep darkness. This strange distortion suggested that his location was not a stable space, but rather something soft, akin to being within jelly or pudding. A wave-like ripple spread from the black, distorted ground beside him, curling into the surrounding deep darkness. This strange distortion suggested that his location was not a stable space, but rather something soft, akin to being within jelly or pudding
In an instant, Konstantin trembled, feeling as if his brain had been struck violently by someone with a heavy object. He could only stand there in a daze, his heart paralyzed by that sound, unable to make any movement. Then, without warning, a wave of black energy surged up from beneath the boy's feet, depicting a complex black magic circle, which then transformed into a dense black flame. In a moment, the intense black flames completely enveloped his body.
The Second War of the Undead occurred four centuries ago. This great conflict lasted for a full twenty years, engulfing countless kingdoms in its flames, and many once-glorious civilizations vanished completely from the annals of history, with the names of numerous heroes forever buried in historical records. Yet, this war continues to influence the entire Western Continent, as this cataclysm for humanity fundamentally altered the original landscape of the continent, evolving continuously up to the present day
It is evident that he still underestimated the opponent's capacity for this attack
What a strange expression this is ... Even though there are no language restrictions within the soul channel, the lich still cannot comprehend the meaning contained in that short phrase ... However, this does not hinder the sudden alertness that ignited within his heart
In the echoing sound, that skeletal figure rose from the enormous high-backed chair and began to approach the boy. With each movement, the surrounding air seemed to form small whirlwinds around him, gently tugging at the tattered black robe he wore. The closer he came, the more Konstantin felt an invisible pressure emanating from him, instilling not only fear but also a sensation akin to an infinitely heavy mountain, almost compelling him to prostrate himself on the ground. Thus, the boy could only retreat, striving to distance himself from this source of terror.