Chapter 171: Battle of Souls

As soon as Wu Qingsong landed, he quickly got back to his feet. But a spiderperson rushed over, bit him, and pinned him to the ground with its appendages.

“Their power all comes from me!” 

Wu Qingsong didn’t know by what method the True Red Demon Lord intended to take their powers, but he instinctively knew it wouldn’t be benign. 

“You want power? Come for me!”

The mutated wolfman paused. Ling took this opportunity to transform all her flying needles into a giant boomerang, which she ferociously hurled at his head. However, he deftly avoided the strike and closed in swiftly, landing a heavy punch on her.

Ling managed to summon the boomerang back in time to shield herself. After a thunderous clash, her complexion turned even paler.

“Ling!” Wu Qingsong cried out.

The mutated wolfman lunged at her again. After two thunderous blows, Ling’s powers finally dissipated completely, and she coughed up blood.

“Gone?” 

The mutated wolfman stopped his movements and turned back to look at Wu Qingsong, but just then, a mass of grotesque organs burst from the wound in his left eye. His body lost control, just like the previously mutated spiderperson. Various insectoid organs rapidly sprouted from him, and then, with a loud pop, he exploded into pieces.

The red crystal began to shimmer once more. One spiderperson grasped Ling with its appendages and lifted her up, while another seized the already fallen Liuli, hoisting her up as well.

All three were brought to the altar before the red crystal. It was then that Wu Qingsong noticed that the previously seen wolfkin were all dead. Their bodies were nearly blasted into fragments, a gruesome sight to behold.

Had they disintegrated, unable to bear such power?

The surface of the red crystal rippled once again, and a dark red beam suddenly burst forth, targeting Wu Qingsong’s eyes.

Wu Qingsong’s head throbbed with intense pain. Moments later, he felt an alien presence desperately trying to invade his body, but it was staunchly resisted by his psyche.

This feeling was indescribable, but shortly after, he once again heard that voice.

“Your willpower is very strong,” the True Red Demon Lord said, sounding somewhat surprised and slightly uneasy.

Wu Qingsong felt as if countless needles were furiously stabbing his brain as if numerous knives were vigorously stirring inside. He used all his strength to fend off the invasion, unable to muster a response.

“But it doesn’t matter,” the voice continued. “No one can resist the power of the True Red Demon Lord. Soon, I will see your secrets, and this body will bear my power. It will become my flesh on the surface.”

The pain intensified, and Wu Qingsong gradually found it impossible to think. He struggled desperately to hold onto his sanity. He felt as though his head had been completely split open, a formidable force tearing at his consciousness, slicing through his soul, and devouring his mind, numbing his thoughts more and more.

He exerted all his strength to resist this force, like a butterfly in a storm, powerless against the tempest, unable even to control its own movements, merely fluttering with the wind. But regardless of how forcefully the powerful entity tried, this tiny butterfly was not shredded. It continued to fly resiliently, struggling, resisting, and even attempting to ascend higher whenever possible.

“How is this possible!” the True Red Demon Lord bellowed in anger. “What are all these things? Who are you, exactly?”

Suddenly, everything before his eyes disappeared, and an infinite darkness enveloped him. It was only after some time that Wu Qingsong realized he was no longer in the original place but had been transported to a completely different world.

In the pitch darkness, he could see nothing. He could only hear the low rustling sounds around him. He felt danger and wanted to flee, but he found himself unable to control the numerous fleshy legs on his body, as his peers overtook him.

Suddenly, a voice appeared ahead, and he instinctively curled into a ball. 

The ground then shook violently. He could feel a companion being grabbed by something, its body desperately twisting and repeatedly striking the ground, while the entity that captured it tore and chewed with delight, quickly devouring it with the movements of its prey.

But that sensation quickly faded as another companion was caught and eaten alive. Just as death loomed over him, heavier footsteps resounded. The terrifying creature that had been freely preying on them let out an agonized scream, captured by an even larger beast.

Wu Qingsong could distinctly hear its screams as it was eaten alive. After what seemed like an eternity, it was reduced to a pile of edible remains, and the massive predator finally left the area with heavy steps. Eventually, hunger overcame his fear, spurring Wu Qingsong to move again.

He sensed the surroundings as edible. He was unsure why he understood this–perhaps it was instinct?

He and his companions frantically chewed, tore, and fought over food, each driven by the instinctive knowledge that becoming bigger and stronger was their only chance to escape being devoured.

They roamed from one place to another, hardly ever passing up any available food. Many of his companions were caught and eaten during this relentless survival struggle, but Wu Qingsong was fortunate enough to escape time and again.

One day, as he gnawed on the remains of some unknown creature, a thought struck him, ‘Why is it always others eating me? Why can’t I eat others?’

This thought grew uncontrollable and increasingly powerful. Yet, he knew he had no ability to attack others. So, whom could he eat?

At that moment, a companion twitched next to him, brushing against him. It sparked an idea in Wu Qingsong, and slowly but decisively, he began to crawl toward that companion.

Pain surged through him once more, bringing him back to his senses. The excruciating pain persisted, though it was less intense than before. The intrusive consciousness that had forced its way into his body was still present but no longer as overpowering, and it seemed to have completely lost interest in him.

Wu Qingsong tried to focus his mind, the sensation of his soul being forcibly torn apart still intense but now bearable. He struggled to find a source of power and suddenly became aware of the soul fragments he had purified earlier. They had scattered around him while he was unconscious, aimlessly floating in the air. Instinctively, driven by memories from that bizarre dream, he tried to devour them. To his surprise, they merged with him, slightly bolstering his spirit.

Though this increase in strength was minimal, almost negligible, it provided him a glimmer of hope for victory.

He began to frantically search for more soul fragments in the surrounding space, purifying and then devouring them. Eventually, he even began to directly consume those fragments laden with violent emotions and painful memories, enduring the unbearable backlash as they dissipated.

The rate at which he consumed these soul fragments accelerated. After what seemed like an eternity, he finally felt that he had gathered enough power. He mustered his courage and launched a counterattack against the presence invading his mind.