The gargantuan creature known as Hundred Tablet was a spectacle of torment and insanity, its countless eyes reflecting a struggle against the unseen. Its unusually elongated tentacles writhed in an unsynchronized dance, a visible sign of a mind ensnared in a realm of illusion, unable to regain its senses.
From a distance, Xu Jingming spotted the onslaught of the three Abyss Overlords.
A flicker of thought and he was there, employing his Heart Realm teleportation. He targeted the mightiest of the trio, Hundred Tablet, pushing it further into the deceptive abyss of illusion.
Sustaining the Abyssal Void, this world of illusion, was a mammoth task that strained Xu Jingming's mental faculties. He was at his limits, able to maintain only two at once!
Keeping Hundred Tablet ensnared had drained nearly half of Xu Jingming's psychic energy. Yet, in the same breath, he made a play for the colossal Spirit Cleansing Iceberg.
"Outsider!"
"This is ours!"
The remaining two Abyss Overlords launched their counteroffensive. The shorter of the two harnessed the raging ebony river, turning its waters into a weapon against Xu Jingming. The other, cloaked in crimson robes, transformed into a bloody mist that swirled threateningly around Xu Jingming!
"Die!" Three spectral clones of Xu Jingming materialized, each wielding a psychic spear of illusion.
"Watch out!" The two Abyss Overlords felt the threat, but the psychic weapons were too swift. Three Dawn Piercers impaled the Overlords' bodies without a chance for evasion.
For Xu Jingming, upholding the massive illusion of the Abyssal Void while simultaneously executing the third move of the Golden Halberd—Dawn Piercer—through three clones, was pushing the limits of his psychic endurance.
However, his current power dwarfed what it had been when he first descended into the Abyss. His body, now fortified by the transformation, was stronger than ever. Merging body and weapon into a single entity, his spear wielding prowess was far more formidable.
"No!"
"Impossible!"
The two weaker Abyss Overlords reeled in agony and disbelief as the Dawn Piercers impaled them. The psychic weapon's power was overwhelming. Their clones stood no chance, their minds shattered, leaving behind two lifeless husks.
In contrast, Hundred Tablet, despite being trapped in the illusory realm and assaulted by Xu Jingming's psychic weapon, could only bellow in agony.
Such a resilient being! Even if it's ensnared in illusion and unable to resist, I might need to use Dawn Piercer dozens of times to fully annihilate its mind and consciousness. Xu Jingming's first assault had given him a measure of his foe's formidable resistance.
Store!
One clone maintained the illusory realm, three clones wielded psychic weapons, while one clone concentrated on securing the Spirit Cleansing Iceberg.
The Spirit Cleansing Iceberg was an enormous edifice, its collection while hovering above the Nightmare River a tricky task. Yet, with Xu Jingming's immense power, the entire mountain was swept up in a matter of seconds, unopposed.
Simultaneously, Xu Jingming claimed the lifeless bodies of the two fallen Abyss Overlords!
Among the vanquished Overlords, the shorter one clutched a chilling Nightmare Scimitar! This was a pleasant surprise for Xu Jingming. It appears to be a weapon of the third realm—an unexpected prize!
"Wu Ming, give me back my weapon." A voice echoed from afar, laced with anxiety—it belonged to the shorter Abyss Overlord's additional clone.
The loss of a clone was a minor inconvenience, but the prospect of losing a third-realm weapon sent him spiraling into panic.
"I'll part with it for 50 drops of Abyssal Mother Blood," Xu Jingming shot back telepathically. A connection of karma established, he swiftly discerned the shorter Abyss Overlord's five clones scattered in remote regions.
Killing one clone in direct combat was an impressive achievement. Launching a karmic assault would barely register against the Abyss Overlord's remaining clones.
The towering Hundred Tablet let out a furious roar, having fought his way free from the illusory realm, his eyes filled with shock and rage as he locked gazes with Xu Jingming.
"You managed to escape the illusory realm quicker than expected," Xu Jingming said, taken aback.
"This outsider dares to brazenly challenge us in our Abyss."
"He's invaded our layer of the Abyss, making off with a considerable bounty."
"Outsider, leave the treasures!"
The ruckus of the battle had drawn the attention of numerous Abyss Overlords in this layer of the Abyss. The total haul, including the entire Spirit Cleansing Iceberg, the corpses of two Abyss Overlord clones, and their amassed weapons and treasures, constituted a fortune that would turn many an Overlord green with envy.
Furthermore, these Overlords were all native to the same Abyssal space and familiar with each other. Internal disputes were tolerable, but allowing an outsider to waltz in and claim their spoils was an affront to their collective pride!
"Relinquish the treasures."
"Die."
"Kill him."
In an instant, over 20 Abyss Overlords launched their assaults from afar.
Sensing the flurry of incoming attacks through karma, Xu Jingming's face blanched. Without a moment's hesitation, he phased into the ethereal Heart Realm.
Time to go! Xu Jingming—hauling the clone laden with treasures—plunged into the Heart Realm, making a swift exit from layer upon layer of Abyssal space. Pushing his teleportation to the limit, he found himself hundreds of Abyssal spaces away in the blink of an eye.
Yet, a barrage of attacks followed him through the karmic link, violently intruding upon the Heart Realm and assailing Xu Jingming's numerous clones.
Grunt!!!
Xu Jingming's body quivered.
Nightmares, curses, toxins, maladies… A variety of forces converged on him, attempting to infiltrate and corrode him. But following his breakthrough into the Abyssal Void, his defenses, bolstered by his Abyssal Void body, had vastly improved, allowing him to stave off the onslaught with ease.
Transmitting powers through karma significantly reduces their potency. To further penetrate into the Heart Realm? Barely a tenth of the original force would remain. Xu Jingming deflected the attacks without breaking a sweat.
