The Corruption Dragon God: Lust System Chapter 464 - Demonic lair (02)

"Shit..." Sapphire spat, ascending into the air as the terrain beneath her feet lost its stability.

The sudden disappearance of the ground caught even Lucien off guard, his gaze widening in disbelief as the earth vanished from below.

Qingyi's strike had carved massive gouges into the soil, creating a crater so vast it nearly consumed the mausoleum's entrance entirely.

As the defensive arrays shattered and the dust began to settle, Qingyi was revealed standing over twenty meters deep. His feet were buried in a gory, mangled mess that had once been the head of a woman.

Her frame shuddered one last time, her soul, brain, and once-striking face all obliterated by Qingyi’s overwhelming force.

Lifting his foot from the remains, Qingyi drifted back into the sky.

"Ugh... was such a revolting method truly necessary?" Sapphire questioned, averting her eyes from the blood-splattered young man.

"No." Qingyi replied with a shake of his head. A faint smirk played on his lips while he stretched, his eyes scanning the cultists who stood frozen in a deathly silence.

In truth, they had been spared a worse fate.

The presence of a single Immortal Emperor would have resulted in their immediate annihilation.

'There is more to this...' Qingyi mused silently.

It was inconceivable that such a pathetic power level could cause genuine concern for the Emperor or the Church.

'This likely involves the technique of simultaneously maintaining a mana heart and a Dantian,' Qingyi speculated, tilting his head upward.

"What are you waiting for? Let's slaughter these bastards!" Lucien’s shout thundered beside him, his sword unleashing dozens of golden arcs toward their foes.

Celestia dropped to her knees to cast a minor blessing upon her comrades. Simultaneously, Aeryn surged forward, her form radiating a golden light as she embraced the power of the priestess's buff.

Positioned behind them, Sapphire raised her arms, summoning hundreds of ice projectiles into the air before launching them at the enemy ranks.

Total pandemonium soon engulfed the demonic cultists.

The Jiangshi charged recklessly at their attackers, but they were unable to hold their ground for even a second before the heroes' combined might tore them apart.

Naturally, Qingyi remained active in the fray.

He cut down any undead or cultists attempting to approach Sapphire or Celestia, his Heaven-Defying Thunder Sword growing slick with gore as he harvested the lives of his enemies.

Less than a minute into the skirmish, the cultists turned to flee in terror. However, Sapphire had no intention of letting them escape.

Pressing her palms against the earth and gritting her teeth, she channeled her entire mana reserve into the ground while chanting in a forgotten tongue.

The environment shifted instantly.

A surging blue barrier erupted from her, expanding with violent force to trap every cultist within its reach before solidifying into a physical cage.

"Finish them off! I can't maintain this for long!" Sapphire yelled to her team.

Qingyi nodded in acknowledgment. He felt a second blessing from Celestia take hold, making his movements feel effortless and his focus sharpen.

It was... remarkably effective.

Without delaying, he lunged forward. Utilizing his draconic eyes to pinpoint every target, he wiped them out in a single, swift motion.

Once the area was cleared, the group reconvened at the mausoleum.

The structure lay in ruins, leaving only a narrow entrance that led down a blood-stained, cracked staircase.

Sharing a cautious look, the heroes began their descent into the dark.

The air inside was heavy and stagnant, filled with an overpowering, nauseating stench.

As Qingyi reached the base of the stairs, he paused as a sharp snap sounded underfoot. His boots had crushed something brittle.

Looking down, he felt a jolt of shock.

He was standing on bones—mortal remains that showed signs of horrific abuse.

To his sides were hundreds of cells, each packed with dozens of broken, skeletal figures. Their gazes were hollow, and their bodies were covered in the scars of brutal torture.

From the very young to the elderly, and even women heavy with child.

No one had been shown mercy.

"W-we need to free them immediately!" Celestia cried out. She clasped her hands in a silent prayer, casting a restorative spell on those trapped in the nearest cell.

To her horror, the magic provided no relief; it did the opposite.

The victims let out agonizing screams, their frames twisting violently as their eyes bulged.

Trembling, Celestia recoiled, hiding her face against Qingyi's chest.

She did not see their bodies rupture.

"Move on, we will save them later..." Lucien muttered through clenched teeth.

His fury wasn't directed at the victims' plight; rather, it was fueled by the sight of Celestia seeking comfort in Qingyi, clinging to him as if he were her sole protector.

Why wasn't it him she turned to?

No... why was this even happening at all?

Celestia was the Sacred Priestess; she shouldn't be tainted by Qingyi's foul presence!

Lucien opened his mouth to snap a protest but ultimately forced himself to look straight ahead.

He would settle these scores once they were back in the imperial capital. If Qingyi had actually dared to violate Celestia's innocence...

The thought made Lucien’s body shiver with a dark sense of anticipation.

Yes, that would truly be a glorious day!

The party continued their journey, venturing further into the depths.

They met no resistance, walking through the pitch-black void until they arrived at a massive chamber.

It was a colossal cavern at the very bottom of the cave system. The ceiling towered over a kilometer above, and the distant stone walls felt remarkably stable despite the vast space between them.

The area was illuminated by flickering candles on the floor, exposing tens of thousands of dead bodies.

At the center of it all stood a solitary figure.

He was a tall, handsome man of middle age, with flowing white hair and eyes the color of fresh blood.

His gaze locked onto the arriving heroes, and a mixture of Qi and mana surged from him, weighing down on the group.

Dozens of tubes connecting his back to a massive reservoir of blood snapped away as he began to smile.

Qingyi shifted back a step, feeling his blood boil in response.

This man possessed power that far exceeded anyone he had fought in a very long time.