"You still haven’t been killed? Die here for me!" The Innate Mosquito saw Zhang Chen resurrect again and immediately controlled its proboscis to stab forward, having exhausted its Scattered Dao Power, relying only on its own strength to deal with Zhang Chen.
"Zhang Chen, quickly use the Six-Word True Mantra Seal! Activate the Six-Word True Mantra Seal quickly!"
At this moment, the urgent voice of the Black Robed Monster rang in Zhang Chen’s ear. Just as he was resurrected, he saw the proboscis of the Innate Mosquito crashing down like a small mountain, causing his face to change drastically. He had no place to hide or escape. Hearing the words of the Black Robed Monster, he had no choice but instinctively activated the Six-Word True Mantra Seal.
Zhang Chen raised his right hand, swiftly drawing a mysterious ’ban’ character on his left hand, spreading his left hand towards the proboscis of the Innate Mosquito. Instantly, golden light flashed from the ban character on his left hand, and under the illumination of the golden light, the proboscis of the Innate Mosquito was immobilized in mid-air.
"Good, hold on! My essence has now fused with this Innate Mosquito’s body. Your Six-Word True Mantra has blended into my soul, exercising control over this body’s form. However, now I’m contending with this monster’s soul for body control. It holds the upper hand with its mastery of the Devouring Dao. I’m afraid I can’t protect you for long, so beware." The Black Robed Monster’s voice echoed in Zhang Chen’s ear.
Looking at the massive proboscis, Zhang Chen realized he should heed the Black Robed Monster’s advice, understanding that they’re allies on the same front.
Yet Zhang Chen’s cultivation was too weak. The golden light barely lasted two breaths before extinguishing, and the enormous proboscis came crashing down on him again.
Witnessing this, Zhang Chen quickly produced another character, opened his palm to the proboscis, halting it. Then, with a pale face, he looked at the Innate Mosquito’s gigantic mountain-like body: "Now what?"
Even though his Six-Word True Mantra could affect the opponent, his cultivation was so low that it could only intervene for two breaths. How could this continue?
"What can I do? I can only buy you time and stall its actions; hurry and save yourself." The Black Robed Monster’s voice was filled with exasperation, as it had advised Zhang Chen to stop before, but he refused. Now he’s in a rush? It’s too late!
"What about you?"
Zhang Chen inquired, as the monster’s proboscis resumed its movement, stabbing towards him. Zhang Chen had no choice but to draw the character again to counter it.
"I’ve already integrated a portion of my core essence into your body, entrusting my core to you. As long as you remain alive, I can be immortal. Even if it controls the Devouring Dao, it cannot completely obliterate me. However, I’m gradually losing control over its body’s jurisdiction, until it might even seal my soul away. You should take advantage of the situation and flee now. As long as you escape, I’ll have a glimpse of hope." The Black Robed Monster responded to Zhang Chen.
With this, Zhang Chen turned and ran without hesitation, but the proboscis was unbound too quickly. Zhang Chen had only run a few steps before the mosquito’s proboscis resumed chasing him, forcing Zhang Chen to stop again, draw another character, immobilize the proboscis, and continue fleeing across the Yellow Sand.
"Heh heh heh~, you little ant, if I were you, I would destroy his essence, thoroughly annihilate the essence left in your body. Otherwise, every time he dies, it consumes your essence, and when your essence is exhausted, both of you will die together." The Innate Mosquito began sowing discord.
Hearing this during his escape, Zhang Chen paused in bewilderment, swiftly drawing a symbol in his palm, shaking it towards the Innate Mosquito’s pursuing proboscis, immobilizing it, then opened his mouth to question: "Is this true?"
He thought, how could good fortune come so easily in this world? Why would the opponent be so charitable to aid him?
"I did it to save you! If I hadn’t used the essence to save you, you’d have died from the backlash of the scattered Dao Power, and not just once, but ten times!" The Black Robed Monster quickly explained, "As long as you escape, I can also survive, which is the currently only viable solution to our predicament."
This is indeed true.
"Ha ha, young one, don’t believe his lies; though he used Divine Techniques to save you, employing his Innate Divine Techniques comes at a cost, a cost of consuming lifespan. You’re merely a mortal body, having undergone resurrection ten times; how much lifespan remains?" The Innate Mosquito sneered coldly.
Hearing this, Zhang Chen quickly felt the changes in his body; as a Qi Cultivator of Great Perfection, he could inherently sense his life span’s limitation.
Then Zhang Chen’s expression drastically changed, filled with disbelief. Originally, as a Qi Cultivator of Great Perfection, he should have had a lifespan of a hundred and twenty years. This year, at sixteen, he should have one hundred and four years left, but after substituting for death ten times, his remaining lifespan was only four years.
Meaning, each resurrection consumed ten years of his body’s vitality.
Yet, Zhang Chen was not ungrateful; he still had four years left. As long as he was alive, there would still be room for remedy, like seizing the Tree Coffin, which would surely restore his lifespan.
But if he had indeed died just then, it would have been the end.
He also discovered a symbol within his soul that had fused with it, and given his current cultivation, he feared he couldn’t remove it.
That symbol was the Black Robed Monster’s essence, the anchor of his Innate Divine Techniques, allowing him to be immortal and resurrect endlessly unless the symbol was destroyed.
Of course, resurrection was not without cost, demanding the sacrifice of both Zhang Chen’s and its own lifespan.
And Zhang Chen?
Through the symbol, as long as the Black Robed Monster lives, he too may resurrect endlessly, consuming the Black Robed Monster’s life essence.
But the problem is, Zhang Chen only has four years of life left, right?
If the Black Robed Monster dies and triggers the resurrection skill, then it seems he would meet an instant end.
"This... skill..." Zhang Chen couldn’t fully assess. Was it good? Indeed, it was. Trading lifespan for another chance is a great thing.
But was it a pitfall?
Indeed it was!
The greatest sorrow of life: the person remains alive, but the lifespan is gone!
"Young one, please don’t retaliate against kindness; everything I did was to save you. Although your lifespan was shortened, you ultimately survived, didn’t you? As long as you’re alive, there is hope!" The Black Robed Monster feared Zhang Chen might blame it, quickly explaining.
The Black Robed Monster felt aggrieved; it a supreme being had fallen to such a state?
Binding with a mere ant would be tolerable if it didn’t have to stoop low and explain repeatedly.
Unfortunately, it had no other choice, no second creature here to anchor to!
Otherwise, why would it choose Zhang Chen?
"I only have four years of life left now, you absolutely must not activate the skill." Zhang Chen shouted to the Black Robed Monster.
Hearing this, the Black Robed Monster felt speechless, internally beset with bitterness. The other party had only four years of lifespan left; what difference does binding or not binding make?
Dead is still dead!
"I understand!" The Black Robed Monster replied gloomily. Now both were in crisis; it dared not provoke Zhang Chen further.
"I’m buying you time to escape, figure out a way to hasten your cultivation and grow stronger, quickly seize opportunities to restore your lifespan, otherwise, we’re both finished." The Black Robed Monster continually urged Zhang Chen.
"If I run, what about you? If you perish, you’ll surely drag me down with you; won’t I be in trouble? Even if I escape to the ends of the earth, it’s futile." Zhang Chen stood still, questioning the Black Robed Monster.
The Black Robed Monster replied gloomily: "You think I don’t know? But if you don’t run, you’ll die now. Maybe in the process of fleeing, we can find a solution."
What could it do, dealing with an incompetent Zhang Chen truly exhausts its patience. The most burdensome fact is, although it helped the other party, there’s no gratitude, yet it has to lower itself pleadingly.
Zhang Chen cannot die; if he does, the Black Robed Monster loses its anchor and how will it resist the Devouring? It would soon have to accompany Zhang Chen to the grave.