Chapter 105: An Arduous Battle

Roar!

Several hounds of black flame lunged forward as one. Their razor-sharp fangs pierced straight through the Gold Cloth and sank deep into Deathmask’s body.

Some clamped onto his left arm, others onto his right, while still more tore into his legs. Several even hung from his torso.

In an instant, Deathmask was pinned beneath the hounds, engulfed in a mass of black fire.

The searing heat was so intense that even the Gold Cloth cracked and began to crumble away piece by piece.

Yet the hounds’ assault was not limited to physical injury. They also attacked the soul.

Ordinarily, a single hound of black flame would simply devour the victim’s soul.

But when several hounds attacked the same person, their forces of suction pulled against one another, tearing the victim’s soul apart.

That was precisely the state Deathmask now found himself in. The fangs buried in his flesh were like knives, carving into his soul.

It was only because he himself was an expert in manipulating souls that his spirit had not been torn apart the instant he was struck.

His soul had survived—for the moment—but the agony had not lessened. On the contrary, the hounds’ struggle over him made the pain grow ever more unbearable.

Even in such a desperate situation, however, Deathmask had not abandoned his attempt to reclaim Riegel’s soul.

Gritting his teeth, he desperately controlled his Corpse Qi, sending it after the black hound that was trying to return to Xulotel’s side.

Whoosh!

Under his relentless assault, the dozens of streams of Corpse Qi finally caught up.

Like the faint glow of fireflies, they bound the hound of black flame in midair.

Xulotel remained unmoved. Standing quietly where he was, he watched and said indifferently, “You are dying yourself, yet you still wish to save someone else. You overestimate your own abilities, Cancer!”

“O divine one… You really… really do underestimate your humble lord Deathmask…” Deathmask forced the words out with difficulty, still unable to resist taking a verbal jab at his opponent.

The black flames had already burned him to the brink of death. If not for the Gold Cloth and his Cosmo offsetting part of the damage, he would have been reduced to a charred corpse.

Even so, his fragile eyes could no longer see a thing.

He could observe the battlefield only through his Root Perception.

Before his words had even faded, he twisted all the streams of Corpse Qi with tremendous force. In an instant, the black hound that had stolen Riegel away was crushed into fragments.

At the same time, beneath the pyramid to the northwest, Yin Shiqi and Mayura were still pressed immobile against the ground by Quetzalcoatl’s psychic power.

Aldebaran, meanwhile, was engaged in close-quarters combat with her.

Unfortunately, although Aldebaran was reputed to possess the fastest punches among the Twelve Temples, that reputation applied only to the instant when, after completing his preparations, he unleashed the Great Horn.

Under ordinary circumstances, Aldebaran was no different from any other hulking fighter. He was not skilled at subtle changes of technique and preferred to overwhelm his opponents with sheer strength.

Today, however, he had encountered an opponent even stronger than himself.

Worse still, although Quetzalcoatl surpassed him in strength, she was clearly more adept at close-combat techniques.

She was especially proficient in grappling.

After nearly twenty exchanges, Aldebaran had gained not the slightest advantage. She had repeatedly seized and thrown him, until almost every part of his Cloth had been shattered. Not a single piece remained intact.

It was less a battle than a one-sided beating.

“This is the last time, Taurus!” Quetzalcoatl charged once more, a smile as radiant as spring upon her face.

Aldebaran’s consciousness was clouded. He barely managed to extend a hand in an attempt to counterattack, but after being brutalized for nearly twenty exchanges, he could no longer even straighten his back. He remained standing only through sheer willpower. How could he possibly have the strength to strike back?

Yin Shiqi and Mayura could do nothing but lie helplessly on the ground, watching in desperation.

With a soft laugh, Quetzalcoatl caught the arm he had thrust out. She spun around in a flash, using her back as a fulcrum, and wrenched hard on Aldebaran’s arm.

Boom!

With one clean and decisive back throw, she slammed Aldebaran into a pit in the earth. Blood spilled from his mouth.

Clap, clap, clap!

Quetzalcoatl dusted herself off, then withdrew the psychic force pinning Yin Shiqi and Mayura to the ground. Without even looking back, she began walking toward the pyramid.

As for the Taurus Saint lying on the ground, nearly every bone in his body had been broken by her throw. He was no longer any fun.

The pyramid had now stored enough energy. It was time to open the Gate of Space-Time and attend to the real matter at hand.

The instant the pressure vanished from their bodies, Yin Shiqi and Mayura scrambled to their feet and rushed toward Aldebaran in the pit.

“Lord Aldebaran, are you all right?” Mayura carefully hauled him out of the crater and called to him anxiously.

Unfortunately, Aldebaran was already unconscious from his severe injuries and could not respond.

“Senior Mayura, please pry Lord Aldebaran’s mouth open.” Yin Shiqi spread out his palm and silently summoned Moonlight Nectar, suspending it above his hand with psychic power.

“Understood!”

Guessing what he intended, Mayura carefully opened Aldebaran’s mouth.

Gulp!

After Yin Shiqi poured in every drop of the Moonlight Nectar, the unconscious Aldebaran immediately awoke, and seven or eight tenths of his injuries had already healed.

“What… What happened to me…?”

Just awakened, Aldebaran was somewhat dazed.

Then a sharp pain shot through the bones that had not yet fully healed, and scenes from the battle flashed through his mind.

“Right. I was fighting!”

Realizing this, he hurriedly climbed to his feet and fixed his gaze on the golden-haired deity slowly ascending to the top of the pyramid.

“Lord Aldebaran, your injuries—”

Yin Shiqi had not yet finished speaking when Aldebaran interrupted him.

“It’s nothing. I’m almost completely healed! Thank you, young Crater Saint!”

Aldebaran then headed toward the pyramid and shouted, “Our battle is not over yet! Are you preparing to run away?”

“Run away?”

Quetzalcoatl stopped halfway up the pyramid and frowned.

“Do you truly believe there is any need for our battle to continue? You are no match for me!”

Aldebaran roared back, “Unless you kill me, our battle will never end! Nor will you ever use this pyramid!”

“Do you truly wish to die that badly, Taurus?” Quetzalcoatl narrowed her eyes.

Then, as though she had suddenly understood something, she smiled knowingly.

“I see. You intend to stall for time!”

“When the time limit of my descent expires, no one will be able to stop you from destroying the pyramid!”

Because her power had been transmitted from beyond the heavens and used to possess this vessel, the amount of time she could remain in this world was extremely limited.

“Yes. So long as I have even one breath left in me, I will never allow you to open the divine passage!” Aldebaran replied solemnly.

“And what purpose does that serve?”

Quetzalcoatl shook her head helplessly and sighed.

“You are clearly no match for me. Persisting in this struggle will only lead to your death. If you simply stand aside and watch, I will not harm any of you.”