C299 Destruction of the Base!(1)
The black-robed man's strength was unfathomably formidable.
As a Sky Level War God, he stood among the elite within the Terran Federation.
Yet, at this moment, he wasn't wielding the full extent of his power.
It was, in fact, less than a tenth of his normal capacity.
But even this fraction of his strength was more than enough to overwhelm any ordinary being, enough to severely wound a War God.
To the black-robed man, Lee Zi, despite any extraordinary abilities or hidden strength, was at best on the cusp of War God Level.
Thus, a single strike from him should suffice to gravely injure Lee Zi, or even...
Eradicate her.
Indeed, the black-robed man realized that continuing the experiment was no longer feasible.
The process was inherently challenging; they had to break down the subjects' mental barriers and induce a deep slumber to achieve soul fusion.
But with Lee Zi, such tactics were unlikely to succeed.
Lee Zi wasn't burdened by the complacency of age; her youthful determination was nothing short of terrifying.
Attempting to alter someone like her, especially a standout among prodigies, was an arduous task. This was precisely why they hadn't targeted the younger generation before.
Hence, the black-robed man understood that once Lee Zi regained consciousness and learned the truth, the transformation would be deemed an utter failure.
So, even if it meant ending Lee Zi's life, he harbored no regrets.
Still, there was uncertainty whether he could dispatch Lee Zi in a single blow.
She might be on par with a top-tier Diamond, but she was just an ordinary Diamond.
And even if she were a novice, the impact would likely be minimal.
After all, Lee Zi's level was merely the Perfection of Silver.
In an instant, the immense force converged upon Lee Zi.
Undoubtedly, had it been the usual Lee Zi, there would be no defense against such an onslaught.
The black-robed man's power was overwhelming; even at a mere fraction of its full potential, it was beyond Lee Zi's ability to counter.
As the black-robed man had surmised, Lee Zi's true level was merely at the pinnacle of Silver.
Regrettably, the Lee Zi they faced now was the Lee Zi.
And so...
In that instant, onlookers witnessed Lee Zi being sent flying, blood spraying from his mouth, before crashing heavily to the ground.
Yet, the black-robed man's frame also appeared to shudder slightly.
Clearly, despite exerting only a tenth of his power in the clash with Lee Zi, he had sustained a measure of recoil.
Surprise filled the eyes hidden beneath the black robe.
It seemed that even he hadn't anticipated Lee Zi's formidable strength.
To withstand such a blow and even cause some backlash was not something any ordinary prodigy could fathom.
"I once believed that the most fearsome among Earth's younger generation were the Lionheart King Reinhard of Oleini, James of Yeidia, Simbrah of Friaa, and the young master of the Han family from the Adirang Region."
"But I hadn't expected this."
The black-robed man shook his head.
"First, there was Chu Yi, emerging out of thin air. His existence..."
He seemed to ponder Chu Yi, merely shaking his head at the thought.
"Honestly, without any aces up his sleeve, Chu Yi would rank just below Lionheart King Reinhard. But if he does have a hidden hand..."
"I suspect we might have another Lionheart King on our hands!"
"I had thought that was the pinnacle for the Adirang Region."
"Yet here you are, emerging once again!"
The black-robed man seemed to be regarding Lee Zi, though all was concealed beneath his cloak, invisible to all.
"Lee Zi, oh Lee Zi, I truly did not foresee you being such a transcendentally formidable genius!"
Chu Yi, from afar, remained silent, his gaze a mix of resentment and awe.
It was as if he was astounded by the adversary's might.
Those around were beginning to grasp Lee Zi's intent.
Lee Zi's power was beyond fearsome, and only now did they fully realize that the reports they had received were all false!
The actual Lee Zi was far more daunting than any intelligence had suggested.
According to the report, Lee Zi was only comparable to a top-tier diamond, not just any ordinary one, but a true existence that stood at the pinnacle of diamonds.
Yet, the black-robed man's recent attack was immensely powerful!
Everyone present had a deep understanding of its strength.
Had it been just an ordinary top-tier diamond, defending against such a strike would have been out of the question—it likely would have been utterly annihilated.
But Lee Zi...
Despite sustaining heavy injuries, she managed to shake the black-robed man, even if only slightly.
This was nothing short of astonishing.
Lee Zi's strength, even if not quite at the Half Step to War God Level, was surely at the very apex of the terrifying Diamond Level Great Generals.
Initially, Lee Zi seemed confident in her ability to dominate the situation, which is why she acted deliberately. However, when truly confronted, she realized that everything was beyond her control, and such a realization was bound to lead to a breakdown.
The onlookers watched Lee Zi with peculiar expressions.
In that moment, Lee Zi's eyes held a hint of distortion as she demanded, "Who exactly are you?"
Her question was directed at the group, but her gaze remained fixed on the black-robed man.
"What a pity, truly a pity..."
The black-robed man let out a deep sigh, though it was unclear whether he lamented the potential loss of the prodigious Lee Zi or the failure of the experiment.
"That was a kind of soul essence. What exactly do you intend to do?"
Lee Zi seemed resigned to her fate, yet her eyes still sparkled with defiance.
Upon hearing Lee Zi's question, the black-robed man merely smirked with contempt. Mr. Qin, however, responded directly.
If the topic were anything else, Mr. Qin wouldn't bother engaging in idle chatter, as it held no interest for him.
But when it came to this experiment, Mr. Qin's demeanor changed entirely!
This was his pride, the culmination of his life's work!
Thus, what Mr. Qin relished most was witnessing the astonishment in others' eyes.
Of course, the shock of ordinary people meant little to Mr. Qin, but when it came to Lee Zi...
Put simply, Mr. Qin was the type who enjoyed flaunting his achievements.
Yet, he wouldn't waste his boasts on those he deemed insignificant. He yearned for recognition from his peers, and clearly, Lee Zi was someone deemed worthy of acknowledging his experiment.
Mr. Qin emerged slowly, a peculiar smile playing in his eyes.
"The experiment is actually quite straightforward."
"In essence, it involves implanting the soul's origin into your physical body."
"Then..."
The soul's origin would be integrated into the body...
Chu Yi was momentarily taken aback, then it all clicked.
Most beings on Earth probably didn't grasp such concepts. After all, they were clueless about what the soul's origin even was, so naturally, they couldn't comprehend its significance.
But in the Immortal Demon World, this was trivial.
There, it was not uncommon for souls to invade other bodies.
However, those weren't soul origins, but rather complete souls.
This act was known as...
Possession!
Exactly, possession!
But with the soul's origin...
The soul's origin is essentially a soul seed.
It contains the final essence of a person, and like any seed, it's meant to grow.
The soul's origin is no different.
Once it finds suitable ground, it can take root, sprout, and eventually grow into a mighty tree, becoming a complete soul.
Clearly, the body is the ideal ground!
Although Lee Zi appeared outwardly stunned and confused, Chu Yi had grasped the truth.
This was, in effect, a variant of possession.
But the question remained...
Once this Soul Origin Seed matured, would the person be considered the original owner of the Soul Seed or an entirely different individual?
Chu Yi was deeply curious about this.
Naturally, he kept his thoughts to himself.
After all, he was currently 'Lee Zi', a man who had risen from the ranks of the common folk.
Hence, such esoteric matters were beyond what Lee Zi was expected to understand.
