Chapter 899: Special Life Forms

Since cooperation was no longer an option, Karl realized it would be better to support Xu Yang instead. This way, he might have a chance to save his life and avoid being discarded by the Five Great Forbidden Zones once they no longer needed him.

After a moment's thought, Karl was finally convinced, staring at Xu Yang with a strange, peculiar gaze.

"How can you guarantee you'll fulfill your promise? All I want is simple: to survive!"

"As for the outcome of this battle, it no longer concerns me. Since you now possess this black tome, you control the very source of my life. I am powerless to defy your commands! How you choose to deal with these Ancestral Witch-level powerhouses from the Five Great Forbidden Zones is entirely up to you."

As Karl spoke, the Storm Ancestral Witch beside him immediately erupted in fury, glaring at Karl with the coldest possible gaze.

"You traitorous bastard! First, you came to our Five Great Forbidden Zones and incited war between us and the Eastern Region. Now that your deception is revealed, you shamelessly switch allegiances to your enemy just to cling to life. You're a worthless piece of trash! Today, I will personally eliminate you and avenge the warriors of my Five Great Forbidden Zones who perished in this battle."

In moments, the situation on the ground devolved into a vicious conflict between the Storm Ancestral Witch and Karl.

Xu Yang did not immediately intervene to assist either party; instead, he watched the internal conflict with keen interest.

While the Storm Ancestral Witch was far from Xu Yang's equal, it was immediately clear who was stronger between him and Karl, now that Karl had lost control of the black tome.

Powerful storm-attribute energy rapidly swept across the battlefield, putting immense pressure on Karl.

It was then that Xu Yang realized a crucial detail: Karl's current physical form was highly unusual because it was not his true body. His true form was the black tome, now under Xu Yang's control!

Karl's current state was not a pure phantom or soul body; it possessed partially materialized flesh and blood, appearing indistinguishable from a true physical entity. However, as the two began unleashing powerful, high-intensity attacks, the flaws of this unique constitution became apparent.

"So that's it. Karl's body must be in a semi-physical state, constructed entirely from pure energy. Very specific formations and inscriptions link all the energy bodies together, forming a shape virtually identical to a physical body. Thus, every part of him is composed of pure energy."

This implied that without the black tome's support, Karl could not sustain prolonged combat. Otherwise, he would have to draw upon the materialized energy from his own limbs to compensate.

"Ah Yang, what are you waiting for? I've already submitted to you. Aren't you going to help me? If this continues, all my energy will be depleted. Once my soul's origin is severely damaged, you can forget about me being able to do anything for your team! And without me as your assistant, accessing the altar will be virtually impossible!"

Indeed, Karl was a shrewd individual; he clearly understood his value to Xu Yang. As soon as he uttered the word "altar," Xu Yang's lips curved into a satisfied smile.

His gaze then instantly locked onto the Storm Ancestral Witch. The Jade Bone Divine Sword in his hand flew out, transforming into a sharp, cold light. Its materialized blade began to relentlessly suppress the Storm Ancestral Witch. Each time the Jade Bone Divine Sword pierced through him, it unleashed an unimaginably terrifying suppressive effect.

"Bastards! By uniting against the Five Great Forbidden Zones, you will ultimately pay an unimaginable price! We will make the entire Eastern Region pay for your actions!" The Storm Ancestral Witch completely lost himself, letting out a hysterical roar. Simultaneously, his hair bristled with rage, and every part of his body became enveloped by endless, fierce lightning. Even a mere touch from him would unleash an unimaginably terrifying force.

Upon witnessing this, Xu Yang immediately understood the Storm Ancestral Witch's intent. The witch clearly knew he couldn't defeat Xu Yang. The true reason for his hysterical rage was the sudden betrayal of Karl, the Necromancer.

"Today, I'll perish with you, and it will be worth it! Everyone in the Five Great Forbidden Zones will feel my furious roar; they'll know exactly what to do! Even if the legacy of the Five Great Forbidden Zones is destined to end in this era, we will ensure the entire Eastern Region remembers this pain forever! This is the price you must pay!"

In the next instant, the Storm Ancestral Witch's soul origin began to burn furiously. The resulting deep blue soul light vanished into thin air, swiftly darting towards the central cluster of the Five Great Forbidden Zones. Meanwhile, his physical shell, now devoid of its soul, was enveloped by countless bolts of lightning as it lunged toward Karl's semi-soul form.

"Lord Ah Yang, quickly save me!" Karl cried out hysterically, like a lost dog. From hundreds of meters away, he unleashed his maximum speed, rushing toward Xu Yang's position to seek shelter.

Xu Yang watched his every move with a cold smirk, enjoying his desperate posture. However, at the very last moment, he calmly intervened to help him resist the reckless destructive power emanating from the Storm Ancestral Witch's ruined body behind him.

Xu Yang then released his Angelic Domain in the void, his entire body enveloped by wisps of golden light, as he slowly pushed a palm forward. This palm strike was not earth-shattering, yet it seemed to possess a divine instinct to calm all turmoil. The moment the palm force was unleashed, the Storm Ancestral Witch's physical body before them disintegrated wildly, no longer capable of affecting its surroundings.

Karl, standing dumbfounded not far behind Xu Yang, clearly witnessed everything. He knew that for a powerhouse of Xu Yang's caliber, effortlessly destroying that force was not difficult. However, silently calming all turmoil and dissolving the very source of the energy outburst—that was truly a godlike technique! It meant Xu Yang's suppression and control over explosive energy had reached an unparalleled level of mastery. It seemed that all energy around him, even that not belonging to him, could be made to obey Xu Yang's will and determine its fate.

"If I had known you were *that* powerful, I wouldn't have dared to provoke the Five Great Forbidden Zones, not even if it killed me!"