Lord of Prayer

“Saint Child!”

A member of the Blood Race on a tall building stared, their eyes splitting with rage. They could no longer sense Pansi’s presence; the Soul within that vessel had shattered and crumbled, leaving behind an empty shell.

Less than three minutes into the battle, the Saint Child had fallen. This was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the Blood Race. Pansi was their backbone and commander; without his orders, they were nothing but a demoralized, disorganized mob.

Many of the Blood Race instinctively wanted to retreat, but the Spirit of the End had previously manipulated a Prince into issuing an inviolable iron law of the Blood Race: only by killing their enemies could they be freed from the law’s shackles. Violating it meant certain death.

In other words, they had no choice from the very beginning. There was only one way to survive: kill Zhou Chen and Li Xiye. But judging from the battle so far, they had no chance. Their best hope would have been for the Counts to strike, overwhelming their foes with raw power, but the Counts had all been dispatched to hold off the Star Association’s Ascender teams.

They were dead either way.

“What is there to fear? We are the noble Blood Race!”

Just then, one of the Blood Race looked at their comrades, their expression resolute, and declared in a solemn voice, “We will meet our end with dignity! Even in death, we will take a piece of them with us! We will die on our feet! We cannot let the honor of the Blood Race be shamed!”

Hearing this, the others’ expressions gradually mirrored that same resolve. They roared in unison, “For the honor of the Blood Race!”

The sound waves of their cries spread out from the tall buildings in every direction. Eyes firm with a burning resolve to die, the members of the Blood Race leaped from the high-rises one after another, ready for one last, desperate battle against their powerful foes.

“They’re making us sound like the main villains.”

On the ground, Li Xiye muttered under her breath as Cyan Flame rose from her feet, using Flame Jump to return to Zhou Chen’s side.

The dog-headed Chariot had come to a stop, viscous blood dripping endlessly from its frame. They had now completed the path through Hell and arrived at the foot of the pure white tower.

In the distance, a group of Star Association Ascenders could be vaguely seen trying to forcibly break through a Barrier. They had also noticed the anomaly over here and seemed to be asking their superiors if they should provide support.

“Since they wish to die for the honor of the Blood Race, we’ll oblige them.”

Zhou Chen deactivated his Petrifying Gaze, which had grown strained from overuse. He tightened his grip on his lapis Long Saber and grinned. “—We’ll answer their resolve with the cruelest methods possible.”

“Ah… now we really do sound like the main villains.”

Li Xiye cracked her knuckles, tilted her head, and smiled at Zhou Chen. “But I like it.”

Cyan flames swirled upward, and both of them vanished.

A surge of cyan flame flared to life before the Blood Race member leading the charge. Before it could make out the figure within, a sharp blade whistled through the air and sliced out, easily cleaving its body in two diagonally. Flesh sizzled as it burned.

A pained groan escaped its lips, but Zhou Chen mercilessly stomped its head to pieces, silencing the irritating scream.

This gruesome scene didn’t make the Blood Race flinch. Instead, it ignited their savage nature. With blood-red eyes, they charged forward, one wave after another.

Essence surged through Zhou Chen’s body. Searing flames gathered on his blade until the entire Long Saber seemed to be ablaze—the raw material of this saber was the same as the Energy Storage Gloves he had given Li Xiye, capable of storing Essence and Energy to be unleashed all at once.

He held the sheathless Long Saber and assumed the stance for an Iaijutsu Slash. When the stored Energy reached its critical point, he suddenly drew the blade!

Secret Skill: Iaijutsu Slash!

A torrent of searing Essence poured out like a wave of fire, forming a pale, fiery Sword Qi several meters long. It radiated an incredibly scorching heat that made the very air feel dry and hot.

BOOM!

Nearly ten members of the Blood Race were instantly engulfed in blazing flames, letting out piercing screams from within the inferno.

“Burst!”

With a mere thought from Zhou Chen, the bone-searing Cyan Flame exploded violently. The bodies of the Blood Race members burst apart as if packed with explosives, sending flesh and shattered bone flying everywhere.

A bloody rain fell from the sky, carried on the blast wave of the explosion.

A fierce gust of wind swept through. A Curse-Bound Soldier clad in heavy armor broke through the burning flames and charged forward. It swung its Heavy Sword down, only to cleave a ball of fire in two.

Zhou Chen appeared at its side. His blade slashed horizontally. A line of fiery light flashed and vanished, streaking across the armor’s neck joint. A head, still encased in its helm, rolled onto the ground.

Suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, a Thunder Strike descended from the sky, leaving a shocking scorch mark on Zhou Chen.

In the distance, a member of the Blood Race held a burning Curse Scroll and once again chanted an ancient Blood Race word: “Thunder Punishment!”

BOOM!

Another bolt of lightning struck down, but this time Zhou Chen was prepared. He held his Long Saber horizontally above his head. The remarkable Energy-Absorbing Metal completely absorbed the might of the Thunder Punishment, and the blade began to shimmer with a dazzling light.

“Right back at you—”

Zhou Chen swung his saber, and a flash of light infused with Thunder Punishment shot out, returning the attack in full.

The distant Blood Race member holding the Curse Scroll had no time to dodge. Most of its body was blasted apart by the rampaging lightning, though its flesh began to slowly writhe and heal.

Immediately after, the sound of an ancient Blood Race language rose and fell throughout the streets as a series of debuffs landed on Zhou Chen.

“Weakness!” “Slow!” “Blind!” “Paralysis!” “Chaotic Thoughts!” “Poison!” “Fatigue!” “Fear of Light!” “Fear of Fire!” “Weak and Powerless!”…

The Blood Race, resolved to die, threw all caution to the wind, using up their entire stock of last-resort Curse Scrolls at once. Dozens of debuffs landed on Zhou Chen, causing a clear opening in his defense.