Chapter 118: Anomalies of the Mask

The next instant, the terrifying aura, which had felt like a slumbering dragon awakening, flickered and vanished without a trace, as if it had never existed at all. However, the Blood Emperor, who was well-acquainted with his own sensory perception, knew for certain that he had not been mistaken, nor had he suffered a fleeting hallucination.

The terrifying pressure had dissipated, yet the powerful suction remained. Sensing that his own energy was beginning to drain away, flowing toward the white mask and seemingly fused to it, Su Yi, having recovered from his initial shock, darkened his expression. His face grew grim, and after wiping a palm that had inexplicably broken into a cold sweat, he let out a cold snort. Immediately, black battle qi surged from his body.

The black vapor swirled and coiled around the grim-faced Su Yi; from a distance, he looked like a demon immersed in black mist. The battle qi began to rotate, creating another suction force like a pump. Specifically, the black mist swirling around the arm gripping the mask acted like a turbine, beginning to contend with the mask's own pull.

The two forces engaged in a tug-of-war, deadlocked against each other. The resulting shockwaves rippled through the small cabin like water. Under the pressure of this energy, many fragile items in the room began to crack and shatter.

"Crack... crack!"

The sound of splintering radiated outward from the center of the struggle like a spiderweb. Cracks spread across the table, wooden chairs, wardrobe, and bed, growing in number and size. Even the walls and the floor began to sprout fissures that crept in every direction. If this continued, the flimsy little cabin would surely collapse with a rumble before long.

The floor and the entire cabin seemed to vibrate, emitting groaning, twisting sounds. Su Yi’s eyes turned icy, a flash of ferocity crossing his grim face. With a sharp shout, the black battle qi on his arm surged violently, as if something were about to burst forth. In the next moment, a protrusion emerged from the black energy, shooting out like a powerful tentacle to strike the white mask with savage force.

The fierce impact hit the mask, causing it to vibrate and emit a buzzing sound. As it shook, the space around the mask underwent a strange transformation, appearing to warp slightly. Then, with a soft "pop," the mask disengaged from his palm and clattered to the floor.

Once the white mask hit the ground, the surroundings instantly fell silent, as if nothing had happened. The mask returned to its ordinary appearance, as if the previous anomalies had nothing to do with it. Su Yi looked down at the mask lying quietly on the floor, his heart filled with a mixture of wonder and hesitation as he recalled the terrifying power he had just felt.

"Even in the chaotic lands where experts are as common as clouds, my reputation is not insignificant. In the vast western region of the chaotic lands, I am the strongest. Yet, the depth and potency of this power were beyond my own... Of the four chaotic regions, the southern region possesses the greatest strength. Could this bizarre mask come from the southern land of the chaotic realm?..."

A strange light flickered in his eyes. The corners of Su Yi’s grim, twisted mouth curled as he muttered in a low, cold voice: "However, the continent is so vast that no one can explore all its opportunities and secrets. There are many reclusive old monsters hidden away, and who knows what peerless treasures might exist in some deep mountain or forest. This mask does not necessarily come from there..."

After a moment of thought, Su Yi narrowed his eyes and lifted his hand. A trail of black battle qi shot out, hitting the white mask on the floor. The mask emitted a soft buzz, trembled slightly, and then floated into the air by itself.

Seeing such an anomaly after a brief probe, Su Yi retreated a step, his battle qi beginning to fluctuate again. Just then, the scattered battle technique scrolls, currency cards, and loose gold coins on the floor were suddenly drawn by some force. With a series of "whooshes," they all flew toward the white mask and vanished inside.

A flash of surprise crossed Su Yi’s grim features. If his senses were correct, this mysterious white mask possessed the functionality of a storage ring, and it appeared to require no battle qi to open!

"Heh-heh-heh! I never imagined there would be such a unique storage vessel in this world. Even I am seeing this for the first time. It doesn't look like the handiwork of an alchemist, either. I wonder who could have created it..."

As a seasoned veteran of the world, the Blood Emperor regained his composure after the initial surprise. He chuckled to himself, "According to my scan, there were one or two decent battle techniques among those scrolls, including at least one Earth-tier technique. Since one can never have too many skills, I might as well cultivate them and see if they are of any use to me."

With that, Su Yi’s gaze sharpened. He projected a surge of soul perception toward the mask, but the energy was unexpectedly swallowed, vanishing like a stone into the sea.

"Eh? What is going on? I cannot retrieve items from it?!"

Taken aback, a cold, harsh expression clouded Su Yi’s face. Although his soul strength was currently damaged, his prowess within the soul phantom realm was still formidable. Even if he converted his soul energy into battle qi, the power would not be weak. Yet, he had encountered a situation where he could not withdraw items!

Just as a slightly irritated Su Yi was about to increase his efforts, the mysterious white mask stirred again. An inexplicable force surged from it, and the bone scythe on the floor quietly lifted, drifting toward the mask as if to be stored inside.

But then, an unexpected scene unfolded. As soon as the bone scythe touched the mask, it did not disappear inside. Instead, it began to melt like candle wax near a flame! This melting was incredibly eerie; the bone scythe was by no means an ordinary object, and its hardness was such that even days of fire-forging would likely leave it unchanged. Yet, in this short time, it turned soft and pliable, liquefying and slowly merging into the white mask!

This was not the normal behavior of storing an item—it was dissolving and absorbing the scythe! Before long, the giant scythe, longer than a man, had completely vanished without a trace. What kind of immense power was required to achieve this?

A look of astonishment appeared on Su Yi’s grim face. If this had happened in the past, he could not say it was impossible, but with his current damaged strength, he could absolutely not produce such an effect!

"Although I don't know the specifics of the forces behind that old man, I am aware that the bone scythe is not simple. And this mysterious mask, which appeared from nowhere, possesses such abilities... Heh-heh-heh! Surely there must be many secrets here! And if that power from earlier is so immense, if I could control and absorb it..."

As this thought crossed his mind, Su Yi began to laugh grimly. A rare, gratified smile appeared on his otherwise sinister face. Although it looked somewhat creepy, one could still sense the excitement in his heart. "Though this endeavor is full of risks, have I ever feared them throughout my cultivation? The greater the danger, the greater the reward. If one day I can fully subdue and absorb this power, it will surely allow me to advance to that long-desired realm!"

His murmurs were tinged with a dark edge. At the same time, the crystal box that had held his medicinal pills flew into the air, touched the mask, and just like the scythe, began to melt and be absorbed!

"Heh! It seems these two items have some use for the white mask. Could it be that the power within needs external forces to be revived?" Watching the changes unfold with narrowed eyes, Su Yi suddenly let out a sinister, cackling laugh. His young voice sounded grating and unpleasant. "Heh-heh-heh! Truly, heaven aids me! As long as I have enough time, with my various skills, I don't believe I can't conquer this power!"

"Whoever left this power behind, this 'gift,' I am determined to have it!!"

Amidst Su Yi’s arrogant laughter, the mysterious white mask, having absorbed the scythe and the crystal box, fell to the ground as if it had lost its support. Su Yi snorted coldly and reached out to catch it; this time, there were no further anomalies.

He stroked the white mask gently, his face wearing a sinister, calculating smile, as if he had already attained that power. But a moment later, his brows furrowed. He tilted his head slightly, looked in one direction, and a cruel, dark arc crept onto his lips.

"To think there are six people who fear not death and dare to come here to trouble me!"

...

Late at night, in the forest, six figures suddenly broke through the air and stopped in a dark spot. By the faint moonlight, one could vaguely make out their appearances: the Great Elder of the Ao-Ben family, three Battle-Lord experts he led, along with the head of the Liu family and that Qin San!

"In any case, this operation has not alerted the people at the auction house." After cautiously observing the surroundings, the Great Elder finally relaxed slightly. He turned to look at the Liu family head and Qin San, whose faces were somewhat pale, and smiled faintly. "Head of the Liu family, there is no need to be overly concerned. The entire plan is absolutely foolproof..."

The head of the Liu family offered a forced smile. He had been coerced into this, so what could he say? He coughed drily, turned to look at the small cabin not far away, and asked, "Is this where Su Yi is staying?"

"Of course, he is right here. In a moment, we—"

Before the Great Elder could finish his sentence, the wooden door of Su Yi's cabin suddenly creaked open. Though the sound was not loud, it exploded in the hearts of those present like a thunderclap in the silent night sky.