Chapter 48: The Soul Devourer’s New Deal

In an unknown cellar,

The cellar was eerie and terrifying, thick with the stench of blood.

A man, radiating a horrifying pressure and an ominous aura, stood amidst a pool of blood.

His muscles were well-defined, and a grotesque, crescent-shaped scar marred his otherwise handsome face. His ash-black hair was tied into a long braid.

Clad in a crimson robe, his expression was cold and somber, hinting at an inviolable majesty.

Around this man,

Hundreds of s*ave corpses lay scattered haphazardly, their blood forming rivers across the floor. The scene was utterly horrific.

Their faces were contorted, eyes vacant, their final expressions still etched with terror and despair.

Beside them lay the corpses of their masters, their deaths even more gruesome. Mutilated bodies and twisted faces bore witness to the torment and agony they had inflicted in life.

Within the vast cellar, only the man in the crimson robe remained alive, a suffocatingly eerie atmosphere filling the enclosed space.

Amidst this oppressive ambiance,

The crimson-robed man slowly raised his hand. Ancient magical runes, one after another, appeared on his palm, emitting a faint, crimson glow.

He gently waved the staff in his hand, and the scarlet orb at its tip immediately pulsed with potent magical energy, drawing the lingering souls within the cellar.

They swirled in the air, as if summoned by the man, converging into the scarlet orb.

The moans of the souls echoed through the cellar, narrating endless suffering and pain.

Amidst the wailing and lamentations,

These souls were all absorbed into the orb.

Staring at the increasingly profound crimson glow within the orb, a chilling smile unwittingly crept onto the crimson-robed man’s lips.

Subsequently,

While admiring his handiwork, the man slowly spoke,

“Heh heh, Princess Helibea, what kind of transaction do you wish to make with me this time?”

****

Indeed,

The man in the cellar, enveloped in a somber aura, was none other than Zholu, the Soul Devourer—one of the five Great Sin Apostles of the Abyss of Sin Tower.

Ten years prior, he had single-handedly annihilated five beastmen tribes, a terrifying yet infamous existence.

Facing Helibea’s proposal, Zholu appeared utterly uninterested.

Addressing the First Holy Princess on the other end of the communication, Zholu spoke with a hint of disdain,

“Princess Helibea, it couldn’t possibly be another deal concerning your younger sister, could it?”

“Yes.”

Helibea’s affirmative reply quickly reached Zholu through the communication magic.

In response,

Zholu sighed, completely devoid of interest,

“Let’s stop talking about her. While she possesses rainbow pupils, they are not the ‘Eyes of Sin’ of the Sin Lord from back then, nor does she possess any aptitude whatsoever. I have no further interest in her. You may trouble yourself with her as you please, Princess Helibea.”

“Is it truly wise to refuse so quickly?”

“There’s nothing unwise about it. I’ve already helped you once. However, that operation cost me a Heavy Combat Puppet. And the souls you promised me have yet to materialize. Why should I make another deal with you?”

Zholu’s words were laced with contempt and disdain.

Although Zholu was indeed very interested in Xiamiya,

In his eyes, getting into another conflict with Ophelia simply for a girl with eyes similar to the Sin Lord’s was not a worthwhile trade.

However,

His contemptuous and casual expression froze instantly the next moment.

–“Xiamiya, she possesses the Power of the Dark Abyss within her.”–

?!!!

“What did you say!!!”

As Helibea’s words left her lips, Zholu’s steps halted abruptly. The disdain vanished from his face, and his pupils trembled, his black eyes filled with shock.

“You’re not lying to me?”

“Do you truly believe I would dare to lie to you about such a matter, Esteemed Zholu? If you require it, I can immediately transmit the evidence to you.”

“…”

Listening to Helibea’s confident tone, Zholu fell into a brief silence.

After a moment of contemplation, Zholu spoke solemnly,

“I understand. So, for this transaction, what do you intend to do? I have only one demand: Xiamiya must be handed over to me. I will take her back to the Abyss of Sin Tower. I don’t care if she lives or dies.”

“That is only natural.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I don’t require anything from you. I only hope you can ensure that Xiamiya never appears before Ophelia again.”

“That’s all?”

“Yes. Of course, if possible, please overlook the souls I haven’t yet compensated you for.”

“No matter. If Xiamiya truly can wield the Power of the Dark Abyss, as you claim, then the value of her single soul far surpasses the fifty thousand souls you owe me.”

“Indeed, that’s true.”

“Then, Princess Helibea, what do you plan to do?”

“I need an absolute powerhouse to assist me.”

“An absolute powerhouse?”

Upon hearing this,

Zholu furrowed his brows slightly, speaking with a hint of gravity,

“You want me to directly go to Ophelia and help you?”

“Yes.”

“I apologize, but I cannot do that for now.”

“What?”

As Zholu’s words came out, Helibea, on the other end of the communication, was visibly stunned, her tone subtly tinged with displeasure.

However,

Seemingly sensing Helibea’s dissatisfaction, Zholu chuckled softly, explaining and reassuring her,

“I am currently the Theocracy’s most wanted criminal in Ophelia. The High Priest has long since set up detection barriers specifically for me along the border. The moment I enter, I will immediately be discovered by the Holy Sanctuary. I am indeed powerful, but I’m not arrogant enough to take on all the Holy Knights by myself…”

Those fanatics,

None of them were easy to deal with.

After offering his explanation, Zholu continued,

“However, Princess Helibea, rest assured. Although I cannot go, I will send her to assist you.”

“Her?”

“Heh heh~”

Faced with Helibea’s confusion, Zholu did not immediately explain. Instead, he continued ascending the steps, slowly walking out of the cellar and into the world bathed in moonlight.

The instant Zholu emerged above ground, a terrifying chill assailed him.

At this moment,

Despite it being a scorching summer day,

The world outside the cellar was a scene of ice and snow.

Everything was frozen solid by an immense cold.

The mercenaries who had rushed to aid the s*ave owners, having received their plea for help, were all turned into ice sculptures, seemingly forever suspended in time’s embrace. Even the few mercenary captains, possessing peak sixth-tier strength, could not escape this frozen fate. Their faces still bore the terror and despair from before they were encased in ice.

The entire world was submerged in ice and snow, a vast expanse of white, utterly devoid of life.

At the center of this world of ice and snow,

A beautiful, golden-haired girl, delicate as a porcelain doll, stood quietly.

She wore a black gauze dress, petite and graceful, appearing like an elf.

Most uniquely,

A pair of fox ears rested distinctly atop her head, and a fluffy tail continuously swayed from side to side beneath her skirt.

Two pairs of icy wings gently trembled on the girl’s back, emitting a crystal-clear glow, as if ice spirits were guarding her. Above her head, an ice-blue halo circled, like the coronation of a snow goddess, making her figure appear even more sacred and mysterious.

The fox-eared girl stood expressionless, cold and pure, like an ice sculpture, frozen within this vast, white world.

She appeared utterly harmless,

Yet,

Judging by the extreme cold radiating from her, she was the culprit behind this extraordinary natural phenomenon.

****

Staring at the girl’s face, Zholu’s lips curled slightly, revealing a meaningful smile.

“Heh heh~”

Hearing Zholu’s laughter, Helibea couldn’t help but press further,

–“So, who exactly is ‘she’ that you speak of?”–

“The Demonic Spirit Puppet.”

“What?”

“The very Demonic Spirit Puppet that gravely wounded your father two years ago. Designation AY-006, Ice Princess.”