The pale expanse of her neck was completely exposed before her, with the rolling, green veins visible beneath the crystal-clear skin.
Changying paused for a moment.
By the time she realized what was happening, a black tentacle had already pierced through her chest, pulsating darkness spreading from the other's body, rhythmically absorbing her power like breath!
Whoosh——
A strong gust of wind burst forth, causing the trees to rustle loudly, as Xu Shuo quickly withdrew and retreated.
Looking up, he saw Changying's entire body swell, shrouded in a black mist. Her head split open vertically, revealing a massive mouth akin to that of a beast, its sharp teeth gleaming with a cold light.
She was completely unrecognizable as a human.
The monstrous creature crouched on all fours, emitting a hoarse roar as black viscous fluid flowed over its body, extending countless tentacles.
"Oh dear, I've riled up something serious," Xu Shuo said with a dry laugh, turning to merge into the shadows and escape. However, the beast behind him leaped violently, landing where he had been with its sharp claws viciously plunging into the ground!
The dark mist in the forest pulsated, and Xu Shuo was involuntarily squeezed out of the shadows, instantly enveloped by the surrounding thick darkness.
Although it was the same power, Changying's control over this substance was clearly superior to his. It seemed difficult to consume Lanruo's shadow and, by extension, her as he had done last time.
The beast Changying had transformed into resembled a massive Black Dog, with oil dripping from its body.
Those pitch-black hollow eyes stared intently at him, as the Black Dog stepped on the sticky ground approaching the girl. A deep, hoarse voice said, "You're right, if I eat you, my power would become even greater, wouldn't it..."
"Changying," Xu Shuo said, looking at her, his tone innocent, "do you know what you look like now?"
"Oh?" The monster cocked its head, looking at him with interest, its gaze akin to that of a predator savoring the last moments of its prey's struggle.
"A Hellhound," Xu Shuo stated.
"What is that?"
She had expected to hear mocking words, as her appearance was indeed hard to look at, and thought he might try to strike at her looks to wound her. But she hadn't expected this term.
But it no longer mattered.
The black beast approached the girl, opening its huge mouth with every tooth sharp and threatening, black saliva dripping onto the ground, emitting an unbearable stench of decay.
"A legendary watchdog."
As Xu Shuo spoke, he focused ahead, opening his skills menu in the Player's Handbook.
The doctor card flipped into view, with a "1/1 use" indicator beneath it, suggesting a limitation on usage.
Xuena's eyes trembled involuntarily under her eyelids, and just then, silence suddenly descended around her.
The nonsensical murmurs, the sound of the wind, the flow of liquid, the cultists' chants, all vanished, leaving the atmosphere oppressively stifling.
In this lonely silence, she felt as if she were swaying in the surging waves of the sea, until finally, with a "splash"!
[Congratulations, you have completed the task: Become the star of "Swan Lake".]
She had succeeded!
Xuena abruptly opened her eyes!
The stench of blood and the unbearable viscosity boiled, invading her mouth, nose, ears, and even her wide-open eyes from all sides!
Damn it! Those people had thrown her into the altar!
Struggling to her feet, Xuena's eyes widened as she saw nine robed figures closely surrounding the edge of the pool.
They blocked out all light, and darkness seemed to rule the entire world, their pairs of emotionless, abyssal eyes staring fixedly at her, a malevolence and sly intent boring into her soul!
She was overwhelmed by an uncontrollable sense of fear, not even daring to harbor the slightest thought of resistance, merely wanting to let herself sink into the filth of the pool!
—But how could she possibly?
Apart from madmen, no one could give up any glimmer of life in the face of death!
"Boom!"
Suddenly, countless fine lines of light burst forth from the ground, the flowing black viscous substance violently bubbling up, and a shrill, piercing sound exploded in an instant, like the wailing of myriad lost souls!
Shocked by the sound, Xuena's brain went blank.
The cultists seemed equally taken by surprise, retreating apprehensively to the edge of the pool in full defense.
A golden Magic Array Map pushed aside the black substance, and its lines took shape, soon followed by two figures rising from below the ground.
"Cool, but filthy to death!"
The curse echoed as Officer Zhang, drenched in black sticky gunk, stood with his deep-blue police uniform also spared no mercy, exposed skin smoking under the corrosion of the Holy light.
The priest beside him, however, was still in pristine condition, bathed in golden light, looking saintly and compassionate.
Yet upon seeing their surroundings clearly, his slight smile tightened somewhat.
They were surrounded...