Chapter 253: Emotion-related Disorder
Although the shockwave airwave caused by the energy impact had already dissipated, the purple poison miasma emitted by the black serpent shadow began to spread outward.
Before the surrounding soldiers could react, some of them were already seen turning pale-faced and collapsing limply to the ground. For a moment, the other soldiers clad in armor and holding weapons immediately scattered and fled.
Just as the purple poison miasma spread outward, more than a dozen blood-colored serpent shadows tore through the viscous purple mist and lunged toward Dulag in a predatory posture.
The scarlet serpent scales exuded a dense killing aura, and the venomous fangs revealed within the serpent’s maw were heart-palpitating. Although the blood-colored giant serpents were manifested through bloodline power combined with snake swarm projections, their ferocious and savage appearance made it impossible to distinguish illusion from reality.
The venomous fangs successfully tore apart Dulag’s Bubble-like Barrier. The seemingly corporeal blood-colored serpent shadows immediately extended their bodies and coiled around Dulag, whose entire body was branded with various runes.
The blood-colored serpent shadows writhed slowly, as if intending to strangle Dulag bit by bit.
However, in the next instant, as a violent aura erupted like a volcano, the blood-colored serpent shadows enveloping Dulag were instantly blasted apart.
“Croak…”
A dull frog’s croak resounded, and the surrounding purple poison miasma was blown away by an invisible shockwave airwave.
Zhou Ming stepped out slowly from the purple poison miasma. What entered his sight was a giant frog whose skin appeared cracked. Dark-red energy flowed continuously within the fissures, like magma exposed after the earth had split apart.
“Rune structure collapse resulting in a mutation?”
With a single glance, Zhou Ming discerned that the runes branded onto Dulag’s body had collapsed, causing the energy contained within the runes to clash with his bloodline.
This was precisely why Zhou Ming always thoroughly researched anything before using it on himself. The process of obtaining power was fraught with risks.
“Croak…”
Before Zhou Ming could carefully observe the changes on Dulag’s body, the latter let out another dull croak, and his massive body immediately leapt toward him.
With terrifying jumping ability, Dulag was like a cannonball fired from a barrel, compressing the air to a visibly distorted state.
“Gathering Sand Secret Technique · Power of the Giant Serpent.”
Surging power poured out like a tidal wave. Zhou Ming’s body instantly became robust and imposing, yet without the slightest sense of bulkiness.
The muscles on his body seemed twisted together like steel wires, brimming with both toughness and explosive force. Semi-transparent snake scales began to bloom with a blood-hued glow.
As the mysterious, tiny golden patterns around his Dark-gold Serpent Pupils rotated, Zhou Ming instantly detected the extremely unstable points of energy on Dulag’s body after he had mutated into a giant frog.
The secret killing move Venom Fang of the Mad Python Martial Way was executed by Zhou Ming. Ever since he advanced to Professional Beast Tamer, he had rarely used the Mad Python Martial Way.
His two fingers were like steel awls. While evading the attack of Dulag’s massive body, he thrust them backward into a concealed spot at the latter’s lower back.
Dulag’s body deflated on the spot like a punctured tire. The violent aura caused by chaotic energy also vanished at that moment.
For Zhou Ming, dealing with a target that had lost its rationality and possessed obvious flaws was, instead, even easier.
To ensure that Dulag completely lost the ability to resist, Zhou Ming pressed his right hand against the opponent’s battered body. A serpent shadow immediately entered Dulag’s body.
Bloodline Sealing—relying on his own bloodline to form a unique shackle, thereby sealing the target’s bloodline power.
Then Zhou Ming waved his hand. The purple poison miasma that permeated the surroundings was drawn back into his body through the gaps between the snake scales on his skin. It had been meticulously calculated and could not be wasted.
“Ten Thousand Snakes, I didn’t expect you to really turn into a shameless snake. But why did you choose a defective system?”
After Dulag was completely suppressed, Scorpion-Lion rode his own beast and approached slowly. As for Wild Lion and Bone Fang, they had gone to clean up Dulag’s subordinates.
Having personally witnessed the strength Zhou Ming displayed, Scorpion-Lion felt extremely shocked.
High-level Professional Beast Tamers were not uncommon in the Duanmu Family, and because they possessed inheritances matched with their beasts, their strength was far greater than that of high-level Professional Beast Tamers from ordinary academies.
Yet after carefully recalling everyone in his mind, he could not find a single one who could steadily defeat Zhou Ming.
The only thing that puzzled him was why Zhou Ming had chosen a defective system for class advancement.
Moreover, none of the combat methods Zhou Ming had just displayed were related to the mainstream system class advancements. They were clearly from a defective system.
The beast–human fusion combat style was only similar to the Half-Beastman Class Advancement system that had appeared ten years ago.
Regarding the secrets hidden within Zhou Ming, Scorpion-Lion suddenly felt a strong urge to probe further.
“Don’t look at me like that. My sexual orientation is perfectly normal.”
Seeing Scorpion-Lion scanning him up and down with a scrutinizing gaze, Zhou Ming immediately teased him.
Upon hearing this, Scorpion-Lion instantly revealed a look of disgust.
“How do you plan to deal with him?”
Since Zhou Ming did not wish to discuss his own situation, Scorpion-Lion naturally did not continue prying into his friend’s secrets. He shifted his gaze to Dulag, whose body had already returned to normal.
“First, find out why Dulag betrayed your Duanmu Family. Then we’ll slowly extract the value from him.”
After hearing this, Scorpion-Lion pondered briefly before agreeing.
For the Duanmu Family, understanding why Dulag had betrayed them was the priority. As for other valuable things, they could be abandoned.
Not long after, Wild Lion and Bone Fang returned.
Although both were seriously injured, dealing with ordinary soldiers who had not advanced to a professional rank was effortless for them.
Under their lead, Scorpion-Lion and Zhou Ming arrived at a castle not far from the mining mountain.
The castle, capable of accommodating thousands, was entirely constructed from the hard rock quarried from the mining mountain. Its sturdiness was such that even Professional Beast Tamers would find it difficult to destroy within a short time.
Upon entering the castle, Zhou Ming had Wild Lion and Bone Fang arrange a quiet chamber for him. He prepared to obtain from Dulag the intelligence he wanted, as well as knowledge regarding Bloodline Warlocks and Rune Mages.
The more Zhou Ming learned, the stronger his desire for power became. He would not miss any opportunity to enhance his strength.
Moreover, given the current situation, his chances of entering Tamu World were limited, and opportunities to obtain knowledge from a Spellcaster were even rarer. Thus, he immediately began interrogating Dulag.
However, what Zhou Ming had not expected was that it took him three whole days to finally dismantle Dulag’s will and learn from him the reason for betraying the Duanmu Family.
The reason was an unexpected sense of superiority.
And at a deeper level, it was the influence brought by bloodline.
Possessing the Ancient Giant Frog bloodline, Dulag was like a dragon with an inherently lofty mentality. This was an influence brought by bloodline.
From the knowledge obtained from Dulag, Zhou Ming learned that although Bloodline Warlocks did not need to worry about the erosion caused by bloodline will, their mental state would still be affected by their bloodline. Only by advancing to Legendary Rank could they rid themselves of this emotion-related disorder brought about by bloodline.
In addition, he also learned from Dulag the origin of the Rune Mage inheritance.