Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat!
Chapter 408: The Price of a Soul

Chapter 408: The Price of a Soul

Ethan stood silently, his eyes fixed on Regis. In the City Lord’s hand, the Sigil of the Wild Legion pulsed with a deep, vibrant emerald light—almost alive with power.

"Master..." Priestess Dana approached quickly, eyes bright with anticipation.

"Ready?" Regis asked, glancing at her.

She nodded eagerly and patted a spatial pouch at her waist. In a flash of light, a much larger mole rat emerged—its body twisted and unnatural. A Soul-Devouring Beast.

Regis raised an eyebrow, then laughed. "Two Soul-Devouring Beasts? You must have spent your entire fortune on them!"

Dana blinked, paused, then slowly corrected him. "It’s... four."

Regis’s smile faltered. "Four? Are you planning to—?"

"Yes." Dana’s voice was calm but resolute.

Regis sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "Priestess Dana, they’re still your parents. Under the thumb of that old man... they were forced into it. It wasn’t entirely their fault. But... it’s your decision."

Dana didn’t argue. Her expression remained unreadable, yet her eyes shimmered with a quiet fire.

"That old man—he’s yours," she added, voice low. "Find out what you can from him. And tell me everything."

Regis nodded. Then, without further delay, he tapped the Sigil and whispered, "Break."

Crack! Crack!

The frozen block of space shattered like glass struck by a hammer. Cracks spiderwebbed across it, and the entire prison—along with the figure of Gorr trapped inside—collapsed into countless shimmering fragments.

Screech! Screech! Screech!

The Soul-Devouring Beast in Dana’s grasp shrieked wildly, then lunged forward in a blur. Within the splintered space, a strange, barely perceptible aura rose—something formless and cold. In an instant, the beast swallowed it whole.

’Could that have been... someone’s soul?’

It was the first time Ethan had sensed such a bizarre aura. At first, it seemed to drift toward some unseen destination. But the presence of the Soul-Devouring Beast twisted its path, latching onto it like a hook, devouring it before it could escape—severing that invisible tether.

There was something else. That pulling force... it had a familiar scent. The Underworld. Ethan had been there once before.

If he hadn’t been watching the Soul-Devouring Beast so closely, he wouldn’t have noticed the shift at all. But now, he understood. No wonder Dana had been so convinced he was the killer. With a creature like that, the dead could speak again—even accuse.

Still, a question gnawed at him.

Why would Dana use such a cruel method on her own brother and uncle? To not only kill them but trap their souls in this way? It was more than revenge—it was torment.

Regis had tried to talk her down earlier. From the way he spoke, it sounded like she had Soul-Devouring Beasts prepared for her parents as well.

A chill ran down Ethan’s spine.

What kind of venomous heart was hidden beneath that gentle, elegant face? Or was she simply... a beautiful monster, shaped by pain?

Unconsciously, he took a few steps back, moving behind Uncle Jed. Dana didn’t notice his reaction. She was focused, her expression radiant with excitement as she held the writhing creature in her hands.

She raised a blade and made another cut.

Screech! Screech!

The Soul-Devouring Beast shrieked, thrashing violently. Ethan watched in morbid fascination as Dana’s fingers danced through the air. Seven or eight magic arrays formed out of nowhere. She poured the beast’s blood over each one in turn. The runes flared in different colors, burning themselves into the creature’s flesh.

The beast howled. The sound was otherworldly—sharp, mournful, and filled with agony.

Ethan’s blood ran cold, but a strange curiosity stirred within him. What had Gorr and his son done to her? What crime had been so severe that even death wasn’t punishment enough?

Outside, Regis gave orders to the guards.

"Have everyone assemble in the Council Hall tomorrow morning. No absences."

"Yes, sir!"

The guards bowed and quickly departed, leaving the entrance to the City Lord’s Mansion empty.

Regis’s usual easy smile returned. He looked at Ethan with a grin.

"How about a drink?"

Ethan blinked, his gaze shifting to the group of old men nearby—each one reeking of alcohol. Even Dana smelled faintly of liquor.

He frowned. "You... all of you were drinking?"

While he had been out there risking his life?

He was about to scold Regis when something flew at him. He instinctively caught it.

[Ding... System Notification: Obtained item [Sigil of the Wild Legion] x1.]

[Ding... System Notification: Gained control of Beastfall City. Reward: Skill – Teleportation (Beastfall City).]

[Ding... System Notification: Ultimate Quest [Conquest of the Sea of Death], Completion Progress: 1/4. Reward: Mindscape Level +1, Range increased by 500%, can now accommodate non-human creatures.]

Boom!

A splitting pain tore through Ethan’s skull. His vision blackened, and his body went limp as his consciousness was wrenched into his Mindscape.

He gasped. The transformation was stunning. White mist curled along the Mindscape’s borders, turning into dark, abyssal waters that poured into the lake. The island beneath his feet grew rapidly. The space expanded fivefold. And now... it could host non-human creatures?

He tried to exit, but couldn’t. The transformation wasn’t over yet.

Then he remembered—the Teleportation skill. He quickly pulled up the system interface.

[Teleportation (Beastfall City)]

Attribute: Instantly teleport to Beastfall City from any location.

Cooldown: 24 hours.

Note: Exclusive skill for the City Lord of Beastfall City. Becomes invalid if control is lost.

Ethan’s eyes widened as he reread the words "any location."

If this worked from Earth or Ethereal, then he could potentially jump between worlds at will. The possibilities were endless... but also dangerous. Time flowed differently here. Days in one world could mean years in the other. What would happen to this place if he disappeared for too long?

---

"Ethan!"

Uncle Jed caught him just as he collapsed.

"What’s wrong?" Regis rushed over, startled.

"Kid, don’t die on us now!" Priest Hank barked. "We still need more wine!"

Wind Priest Quinn stepped forward, calmly checking Ethan’s pulse.

"He’s out cold."

He turned away and began heading upstairs.

Everyone paused. Ethan didn’t look injured. What had knocked him out?

Regis narrowed his eyes, glancing at the Sigil clenched tightly in Ethan’s hand. "Jed... are you sure this kid’s mental resilience is as strong as you say?"

Uncle Jed frowned. "Absolutely. He’s tougher than he looks."

Regis stepped closer and reached for the Sigil. He tugged gently, then harder. No use. Even unconscious, Ethan’s grip was like iron. To pry it free, he’d have to break the kid’s fingers.

Regis sighed. "Forget it."

He gave Uncle Jed a look and turned to head upstairs.

Jed just shook his head, staring at the unconscious boy. "Didn’t realize he was this obsessed with power."

Ethan, passed out cold, still refused to let go of the Sigil.

"Hehehe..." Dana giggled softly, covering her mouth.

"Uncle Jef, I’ll arrange a room for him. Come with me."

She turned and walked down the hall. Jed followed, carrying Ethan over his shoulder. Behind them, Priest Hank tossed his wine flask aside.

"Hey! Ethan, right? Go fetch me more wine!"

Despite being clearly drunk, the old priest still managed to grab Ethan by the collar, grumbling incoherently about getting a few barrels.

Uncle Jed rolled his eyes and yanked Ethan out of his hands.

If the boy were awake, he’d probably have slapped the old man abd be like: "Do I even know you? I was out there fighting, and you were in here chugging wine?"

Jed carried Ethan deeper into the mansion. After several corridors, they arrived at a luxurious room.

"You two, take good care of him!" Dana instructed the guards stationed outside.

Once Ethan was settled in, Uncle Jed left again. There was something he needed to confirm.

He needed answers about Gorr.

The infiltration of Hurricane City into Beastfall hadn’t happened overnight. This ran deep. Regis’s enemy was there too—a man responsible for the murder of his wife and child.

And Jed... Jed had his own ghosts.

He’d long suspected that the man he pursued was tied to Hurricane City as well.