Beast Taming: the More the Better

Chapter 1330: Chapter 544: Death Fusion! Monarch Peak!

In the next moment, the pitch-black stele unexpectedly transformed into a massive spatial vortex. It sucked in all the members of the Heavenly Tomb Army, making them vanish without a trace.

Ten seconds later, Li Feng and the others regained their consciousness, looking around in bewilderment. A massive stele, as tall as a small mountain, towered behind them.

In front of the stele, a small kitten stared wide-eyed at Li Feng and the group, who had suddenly returned after being gone for a day. It couldn’t quite process the situation at first, but soon, the white cat’s bright orange pupils locked on.

"Where is Su Ping?"

Meanwhile, looking at the bodies emerging from the spatial vortex, Su Ping first tossed Qian Yi’s Sword Soul directly back into its body before speaking.

"So, Your Excellency can actually do it?"

Charles chuckled. "The Heavenly Tomb is born from the transformation of the Netherworld God’s Death Rule, and it is also the Secret Realm Spiritual Land He left behind. After fusing with the Netherworld God’s soul mark, one naturally gains a degree of control over it!

"Su Ping, there is no need to be curious. Soon, you will also be able to master this Power. Very soon, I guarantee it. Now, come!"

After speaking, Charles stared intently at Su Ping, waiting for his next move. He showed not the slightest hint of defensiveness, as if he had Su Ping completely figured out. He was absolutely certain that the young Beastmaster wouldn’t make any foolish decisions. After all, in his eyes, Su Ping had no reason to refuse.

Didn’t he?

In fact, it seemed to be exactly so.

Su Ping’s soul body faintly rippled as he fixed his gaze on the Dark Sword before him. The weapon seemed constantly primed, eager to devour his soul.

Nevertheless, Su Ping stepped forward.

Of course, he had never once considered turning himself into some abomination that was neither human nor ghost. However, through his recent conversation with Charles, he realized that he might not have to end up like the man!

Thus, under Charles’s gratified gaze, Su Ping’s soul was drawn by the grayish-white Celestial Tomb Mark—or rather, the Netherworld God Mark—on his glabella, finally bringing him before the Sword of Death.

Then, his materialized soul body overlapped once more with the grayish-white Flame of the Netherworld God Mark, slowly seeping into the pitch-black blade.

Su Ping’s consciousness instantly blurred. An indescribable, deathly chill permeated his entire being, causing his soul to tremble uncontrollably.

He didn’t see any concrete material world or dimensional space. Upon entering the Sword of Death, all he felt was absolute Darkness. It was as if he were a solitary skiff floating on a Death Ocean that had no end. No one knew where it would lead, nor when it would capsize.

What he felt even more profoundly was a piercing chill slowly invading his body and soul. Its arrival immediately rendered him completely immobilized; even his last remaining shred of cognitive Ability froze.

He could only passively experience the fusion of this Power.

As the Power merged with him, the boundless Death Ocean seemed to lose its terrifying edge. It felt as though, with a mere thought, he could completely control the speed of his passage through these waters. The limitless Death Ocean was no longer a great horror that would destroy both body and soul at the slightest touch; instead, it became a sharp blade that he could wield in his hands.

Just like its true form in the outside world—the Sword of Death.

However, Su Ping felt no joy whatsoever.

With his last bit of mental clarity, he continuously called out to something from the deepest depths of his soul. That was his main trump card—the very reason he dared to enter this place, dared to step into the Sword of Death right now to confront the so-called Netherworld God reincarnation mark. It was also his greatest reliance in making it this far.

The Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas!

Back then, the Celestial Tomb Mark could be directly absorbed and utilized by the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas. Su Ping believed that if it worked then, it would work today!

Yet, despite his incessant calls and waiting, that familiar sensation never appeared.

Su Ping’s heart gradually sank. He wondered if the Grade of the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas wasn’t high enough. Was it only able to absorb and fuse with the Celestial Tomb Mark back then because it had been merely an incredibly fragmented, thin wisp of a mark? Now, faced with such a massive amount of Power—arguably a quarter of the entire Netherworld God Mark—was even the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas incapable of absorbing it?

Unease filled Su Ping’s heart. He would absolutely never cooperate with Charles. Setting aside whether that guy was telling the truth, why would he share such Power and authority with him? And even if it were true, so what? He could never accept turning into a monster.

Even if it was the Power of the so-called Netherworld God, what did it matter?

At that moment, the terrifying Death Ocean seemed to sense the resistance deep within its host’s soul. The originally docile waters suddenly surged with monstrous, sky-high waves! Even the "wooden raft" beneath his feet transformed into a ferociously grotesque beast of Death. Along with the entire Death Ocean, it sought to swallow Su Ping whole and completely assimilate him into becoming a part of them.

Under such a torrential assault, Su Ping gritted his teeth. Despite the freezing chill and the horrific fear of Death constantly battering his sanity, he did not waver in the slightest, fiercely guarding the last spark of self-awareness deep within his soul.

Meanwhile, in the outside world.

Charles stared at the Sword of Death with excitement and anticipation. He truly hadn’t lied. Among the Netherworld God’s four legacies, the Soul Fire contained the Netherworld God’s Memory and expertise regarding the soul, making it the most knowledgeable part. The Sword of Death, on the other hand, symbolized the mastery of the Netherworld God’s Death Power and Death Rule.

Compared to the soul, once the Power of the Sword of Death was mastered, he too would experience a tremendous boost. It might even directly help his Realm break through to the Legendary Level.

That’s right. Just as he had claimed, he did want to share a portion of this Power with Su Ping. However, once the Netherworld God’s Power was restored, how could he—as the Fusionist of the truly core Soul Fire—not reap any benefits?

On the Sword of Death, the Energy and black air currents that had previously surrounded it completely vanished. At this moment, it merely looked like a pure black longsword, roughly one and a half meters in length and three fingers wide. It was dark and profound.

Watching this from the side, Qian Yi, who was slowly merging the Sword Soul with its body, didn’t blink once. A few drops of papery drool even leaked from the corner of its mouth.

However, at this very moment, Su Ping was undergoing the greatest trial and danger of his life.

The omnipresent Death Energy seemed to wash over his entirety. His consciousness, his ego, his intellect—everything seemed to churn and boil under the fusion of this Power.

Of course, it wasn’t entirely without benefit. If nothing else, this scouring actually caused his personal soul and Spirit, which had just broken through a few days ago, to achieve yet another breakthrough. The potential of his soul was further unleashed.

At this moment, Su Ping became a bona fide Monarch Peak. A Monarch Tenth Rank Beastmaster. Moreover, a twenty-year-old Peak Monarch Beastmaster who had just passed the New Year.

Naturally, under his current circumstances, this achievement was utterly meaningless. The freezing Death seemed intent on completely submerging him.

However, right at that moment, a speck of faint light lit up within his soul, which was almost entirely enveloped by the Power of the Netherworld God Mark. Just as Su Ping began to suspect that the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas might not function while he was in a soul state, it finally emerged from the depths of his soul, bringing with it the dawn of hope.

The endless, freezing Death could no longer fully occupy Su Ping’s entire soul. On the contrary, the appearance of this faint light actually forced the Death Power of a Mythical Level existence to show signs of retreating.

Yet, at this point, it was obviously no longer so easy for this lifelike Netherworld God Mark to leave.

Su Ping felt as if his soul, housed within the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas, had turned into a locked iron fortress. No matter how much this Power battered against it, it couldn’t escape.

At this very moment, a page of the Myriad Spirit Beast Atlas finally flipped open. Within Su Ping’s somewhat chaotic consciousness, a familiar string of feedback slowly materialized:

[Vast amount of Advanced Origin Power detected. Proceed with absorption?]

Instantly, even in his soul form, Su Ping couldn’t hide the slight upward curve of the corners of his mouth.