"I... Apostle... Maggs... I... ah ah ah!"
At this moment, he couldn’t even utter a complete sentence. His body began to twist violently, and the newly grown tissues started to collapse again.
The high concentration of Abyssal Energy lost control inside him, turning into a weapon of self-destruction.
Black energy spewed from his seven orifices, forming a strange black mist in the air, which then quickly dissipated.
Ron seized the opportunity, quickly activating the "Flowing Shield Wall," while also releasing the "Demon Hunting Transformation" state of the Stand-In Puppet.
The Flowing Shield Wall transformed into an intricate cage, thoroughly imprisoning the Holy Disc;
Meanwhile, the demonically transformed Stand-In Puppet lunged at the bewildered Awakened, displaying a chilling devouring capability.
The Stand-In Puppet’s form had completely deformed, no longer a simple puppet, but a hideous monster.
Its surface was covered with dense black scales, its limbs elongated and reshaped, and its fingertips turned into sharp bone blades.
The most terrifying aspect was its head—once hollow eye sockets now sprouted compound eyes, glistening with a metallic cold light;
The mouth tore and extended, forming an exaggeratedly large maw filled with overlapping serrated teeth.
The Stand-In Puppet opened its grotesque mouth and began to frantically devour the Holy Disc’s body and energy.
With the aid of the "Hunting Evil" enhancement and its inherent devouring trait, the process was exceptionally efficient.
The Holy Disc’s body visibly shrank, the Abyssal Energy that should have been powerful being hungrily absorbed by the Stand-In Puppet as if it were a delicacy.
"No! No! Lord Maggs..."
The Holy Disc let out its final wail, trying to struggle, but it was already too late.
In just a few minutes, the Holy Disc’s figure vanished completely, leaving a single blood-red bead quietly suspended in the air—it was the so-called "Throne Seed."
"It’s over." Ron recalled the Stand-In Puppet, his gaze resting on the strange bead.
Despite his calm exterior, his heart was filled with vigilance.
The bead radiated terrifying energy fluctuations, far exceeding any Abyssal Material he had ever seen, clearly from a deeper level of existence.
Lady Allen stepped forward, her eyes cautiously fixed on the bead:
"This is the Throne Seed, the crystallization of the Supreme Apostle’s power from the deepest part of the Abyss."
Her voice bore a rare gravity:
"It’s said that each Throne Seed is personally refined by an Apostle, containing a portion of their essence. Possessing it establishes a certain connection with the Apostle, serving as both a source of power and a fatal weakness."
Lady Allen gave Ron a deep look:
"You have two choices—submit it to the Crystal Tower, where they will forward it to the Court of Truth; or keep it yourself, but it requires complete isolation, and regardless of whether it’s discovered or not, it poses a significant risk."
Ron stared at the bead, a surge of thoughts racing through his mind.
Indeed, the energy emitted by the bead was tempting, containing power that might help him rapidly enhance his strength, ascending to higher realms.
But at the same time, he was well aware that such "gifts" from the Abyss inevitably came with a price.
It was a form of power that defied conventional understanding, potentially bringing unforeseen dangers.
This was a gamble concerning the soul—whether to choose the steady but slow conventional path or to risk taking this unknown shortcut?
"Submit it or keep it?"
Lady Allen inquired again, with a hint of exploration in her eyes, as if observing Ron’s reaction to temptation.
Ron took a deep breath and made his decision.
He recalled everything he had undergone during his ascension along the Path of Truth.
The terrifying illusions, the helplessness of being toyed with by higher existences, and the sense of accomplishment from ultimately triumphing over challenges through his own will.
"Submit it, I don’t need this power with hidden dangers."
His voice was firm, without a trace of hesitation:
"I’d rather climb to higher realms step by step through my own efforts than risk taking shortcuts. This power from the Abyss ultimately doesn’t align with my path."
In truth, he thought he could safely explore it through his own dissection and research.
But accepting such a Throne Seed, which certainly harbored deep-seated dangers, was something he would not let its manipulators succeed in.
Lady Allen’s eyes flashed with a hint of approval, her lips curling slightly:
"A wise choice. I will arrange for it to be sent to the Crystal Tower, where they have facilities specifically for handling such items. They will report this discovery to the Court of Truth, where the Great Wizards who truly understand the mysteries of the Abyss will handle it."
Just then, urgent footsteps approached from outside, accompanied by several powerful energy fluctuations.
The door was thrown open roughly, and Hayek and Yuni stormed in, their robes stained with blood and remnants of Abyssal Energy, clearly having rushed from a battlefield.
Hayek’s gaze swiftly scanned the situation in the room.
Upon seeing the blood-red bead floating in the air and Ron’s calm demeanor, a look of shock and confusion appeared in his eyes.
"The intruder... you defeated it?"
Hayek’s voice was filled with disbelief: "That Holy Disc, blessed by the Supreme Apostle, was just..."
"Ron, are you okay?"
Yuni asked with concern, her purple eyes shining with care.
Her gaze quickly checked Ron from head to toe, as if ensuring he hadn’t been injured.