Netherworld Retrograde
Chapter 317 - 149: Four Awakenings! Mimicry·Red Thunder Dragon Claw!_2

Chapter 317: Chapter 149: Four Awakenings! Mimicry·Red Thunder Dragon Claw!_2

Several Ye Boshous also showed gravity on their faces, "Truly worthy of being a colleague personally invited by the team captain!"

"Divine Chosen?" Yang Chen muttered as he looked at the scarlet armor on Li Yelai’s arm, "The eye for talent is indeed sharp, always picking out people from our Champion Team One..."

At the same time, within a hidden fortress above the wasteland.

A slaughter had just ceased, countless heads were arranged atop the altar.

They were both men and women, but their faces all bore the same expression of shock, anger, and terror—as if they had encountered something terrifying before death.

Blood dripped and gathered into a river, flowing down the stairs and encircling a man wielding a huge axe and a woman with a longsword in hand.

As they were soaked in the river of blood, their Spiritual Power Strength visibly surged.

The worshippers guarding nearby all looked on with envy.

So many heads offered, one couldn’t know how many blessings they would receive.

At that moment, the woman suddenly opened her eyes, her golden pupils flickering indistinctly.

"The oracle of our Lord states, a new Divine Chosen has emerged in No.3 Border City... find him, have him return to the Church!"

Someone responded, "The sub-branch in No.3 Border City has been destroyed by the officials of the Giant City; it may be troublesome to locate that person."

"No matter, as a Divine Chosen, you will notice him," the man chuckled, "Besides, I too want to see No.3 Border City. If I could have a match with a Champion... I could also avenge that sub-branch’s blood shame!"

...

Within the Void Realm, Li Yelai’s form was in a very bizarre state.

The left side of his body was already covered with dark gold scales, his fingers sprouted keratinous sharp claws, and massive dragon wings had grown flesh and blood, with red lightning arcs flickering between the scales. His left eye’s red pupil bore the pressure of an ancient dragon.

However, the right side of his body was clad in thick scarlet armor. The armor was majestic and domineering, containing a killing desire so intense it induced in Li Yelai an impulse to bathe in blood. His right eye, meanwhile, burst with the sheen of gold plating.

Yet Li Yelai calmed himself down.

He maintained his own rationality, extending his sharp claws to pierce his chest, clutching his heart. Thereby physically suppressing the urge to slaughter.

Allowing the two forces to maintain balance, consuming each other.

As time ticked by, the projection of the ancient dragon gradually dimmed, and the raging heartbeat also steadied.

The distortion on Li Yelai’s body too began to recede. The scales fell away, the armor dissipated.

Only when both eyes returned to normal did Li Yelai let out a sigh of relief.

The two forces came fiercely—if he were to face them individually, Li Yelai would either die or be "skinned."

Their conflict saved Li Yelai some effort in suppressing the distortion.

However, it seemed that from now on, when using Magic Potions, he must use those with residual power.

Otherwise, without an opponent, the Heart of Slaughter would be hard to suppress.

Li Yelai pondered this in his mind, then took the final step.

Passing through the Soul Well, under the starry sky of this Void Realm, Li Yelai’s Spiritual Ability Projection quietly appeared. It was a weak, transparent image as if made from the purest energy.

Suddenly, endless stars began to converge, like a great force pouring into Li Yelai’s projection.

They flowed into his projection, continually enhancing his Spiritual Energy, nourishing his physique.

With the infusion of starlight, Li Yelai’s projection began to transform. It was no longer that weak, transparent image, but became increasingly solid and real. As if under the stars’ illumination, Li Yelai’s soul was sublimating, ascending to a higher life form!

Throughout this process, Li Yelai’s perception also changed.

He found his consciousness becoming clearer, his understanding of the world deeper. He seemed to merge with the Void Realm, breathing and pulsating with the stars.

Finally, when the influx of starlight reached its peak, Li Yelai’s projection fully solidified.

The projection, almost identical to Li Yelai, was now donning the Ming Guang Armor, looking even taller, perhaps over three meters in height.

"Is this the Virtual Realm Projection? The conglomeration of a Spiritual Ability User’s power?" Li Yelai felt his own strength.

His Spiritual Energy was even more powerful, its mastery finer. Moreover, his connection with the Void Realm was closer; he now had the ability to call out within the Void Realm.

Afterward, Li Yelai looked to the starry sky.

As he passed through the Soul Well, it seemed as if some dangerous entities were drawing near.

Could they be Void Realm Creatures? It seems that after becoming a Fourth Awakening, he had indeed attracted the attention of some wandering creatures in the Void Realm.

He had heard that materials could be provided by Void Realm Creatures; could he arrange for some colleagues to lie in ambush as axemen during future Awakenings?

Li Yelai pondered this in his mind as he saw projections that were significantly larger than his own emerge under the distant stars, tightly surrounding him.

"Night General, there’s no need to concern yourself with these, leave them to us," a voice from Ye Boshou called from afar. He laughed, "What you need to do is to complete your promotion."

"Alright, thanks!" Li Yelai nodded, without any hesitation.

Some time later, a surge of knowledge and power appeared in Li Yelai’s mind, signifying the acquisition of his Fourth Awakening ability: Mimicry·Dragon Claw!

With the attainment of this ability, it was a sign that Li Yelai had successfully progressed to the Fourth Awakening!

...

Inside the Awakening Room, Li Yelai opened his eyes, eager to share his joy with his colleagues, but instead saw the Awakening Room in complete disarray.

Li Yelai was somewhat startled, could it be that he hadn’t actually broken through and was still in some illusion?

No, he should have successfully traversed the Soul Well, right?

Was this devastation the result of his Awakening?

Grudgingly accepting reality, Li Yelai’s expression slightly changed.

Then, the door to the Awakening Room opened, and Yang Chen stood outside with a chuckle, "Congratulations on achieving the Fourth Awakening! You... what are you doing?"

Li Yelai crouched down and fiddled with a charred piece of equipment, which promptly fell apart. A twitch appeared at the corner of his mouth as he stood up and said, "It’s nothing..."

Knowing Li Yelai for a long time, Yang Chen quickly understood the situation, and with a somewhat wry smile, he spoke before Li Yelai could, "This isn’t covered by expenses..."

"Oh..."

As Li Yelai left the Awakening Room, he was greeted with congratulations from his teammates, and, ahem, an invoice from the logistics team...

Afterward, Yang Chen inquired, "How’s the ability?"

"Very powerful, a great success!" Li Yelai said with a smile.

"Shall we test it at the training ground?" asked Yang Chen.

Li Yelai nodded. With the discerning eyes of Yang Chen and the Ye Boshous, they could surely identify the strengths and any flaws of the ability, which would allow for better tactical collaboration.

They immediately went to the nearest training room with Yang Chen and a group of Ye Boshous.

Li Yelai arrived at the center of the training field, using Aerial Stepping to float in the air. Then, he extended his right hand and released his ability.

A dark gold dragon claw phantom, nearly two meters in length, appeared around Li Yelai’s arm, moving with his arm like external mechanical armor.

"The activation time is roughly 0.7 seconds, but with training, it could be reduced to 0.3 seconds, or even shorter," one of the Ye Boshous swiftly appraised.

To a Spiritual Ability User, that 0.7 seconds of activation time posed a risk.

Spiritual Ability Users were incredibly fast, especially those on the Netherworld Path or the True Martial Path. With their burst speed, in close combat, 0.7 seconds was enough time for them to launch Li Yelai into the air. It was essential to compress the activation time as much as possible, not necessarily to instantaneous, but at least so it wouldn’t be a weakness.

"Moreover, Night General’s dragon claw isn’t very large. Typically, the Mimetic Dragon Claw is over three meters in length. But this one is less than two," another Ye Boshou responded.

This implied that in terms of close-combat power, it might not be as effective as other dragon claws.

However, the next moment saw them all widen their eyes.

For, as Li Yelai clenched the dragon claw, the lights within the resting room flickered, and a crimson Red Thunder more than three meters in length appeared between the claws!

And there, Li Yelai, wielding the Red Thunder, looked like a mythical divine entity in command of thunder!

This was the Thunder Spear of Gulan Sanks!

Li Yelai twisted his body and hurled the Spear of Thunder forward, piercing straight through a metallic cube twenty meters away!

"It’s actually a ranged attack!" The Ye Boshous exclaimed with delight.

And this was Li Yelai’s Fourth Awakening ability.

Mimicry·Red Thunder Dragon Claw!