Translator: AnubisTL
Deep within that crack, a mass of... "darkness" was curled up.
This was no ordinary shadow or void, but a living, sentient "darkness."
Its outline vaguely resembled the irregular, spherical shape of a Light-Cluster Elemental Lifeform, yet not a single glimmer of light escaped its body. Instead, it completely devoured the already faint light from its surroundings, manifesting as a pure blackness—deeper than the surrounding rock walls, as if it could absorb sight itself.
It remained motionless, like the most patient of hunters, blending perfectly with the shadows of the rocks.
They've... actually learned to hide their light? Even actively making themselves "black"? Anya's thought, filled with disbelief, pulsed through the mental link.
This completely overturned the very nature of Light Elemental Lifeforms, who relied on light for both existence and communication.
While she was still reeling in shock, Jieming had already retrieved several small, precision instruments from his internal space, his movements silent beneath his shadow camouflage: a Micro-Energy Spectrometer, a Spiritual Fluctuation Catcher, and a Material Composition Analysis Probe.
He manipulated the devices, focusing their detection beams on the "dark" creature to collect data. Simultaneously, Jieming activated his Universal Eye to scan the being before him.
Soon, the instruments' results streamed into his mind.
A flash of understanding crossed Jieming's eyes. He explained to Anya through their mental link, "Truly astonishing... It's only been a few months, yet they've already evolved a 'hypersensitive light-sensing organ.' Its sensitivity to light is mind-boggling; it can probably detect even the faintest photons reflected off a single speck of dust."
"It's precisely because of this extreme perception that it can perfectly contain all the light it generates—even the glow from its metabolic byproducts. It might even be converting some of the leaking energy into this 'light-absorbing coating.'"
Anya immediately grasped the critical point. "It's a sentinel! Stationed here on this mandatory path, using this unconventional stealth method! Then we..."
"We've most likely been 'seen,'" Jieming confirmed her suspicion, his tone remaining calm. "Your shadow camouflage is exquisite, allowing you to blend into the environmental shadows. But against this specialized, absolute 'light perception,' the slight disturbance and absorption difference our 'shadow' creates in the background light field must be as obvious as a blot of ink on white paper. However..."
He glanced at another set of data on the instrument. "The good news is, in its pursuit of absolute stealth, it seems to have suppressed and sealed off even the specific electromagnetic frequency it uses for communication. Its current state is more like a pure 'optical monitor'—it can only watch, but cannot transmit alerts in real-time."
"I guess its mission is to lie in wait and record. It will only find an opportunity to leave its post and relay the information back after a shift change or once it confirms the intruders have penetrated deeper."
"So, what do we do now?" Anya asked, a hint of killing intent rippling through her mental waves.
The momentary carelessness of being spotted by a mere third-tier trinket, even if only optically, left her feeling rather displeased.
"Of course, we deal with it," Jieming said without hesitation. "Since we've been discovered, eliminating this lookout is the best option, regardless of whether it can report back immediately. Keep it quiet. The fact that it's hidden so deeply and has sealed off its own communication suggests its 'watch period' might be completely isolated, or at least that there's a delay in transmitting information."
"We'll eliminate it silently. Even if the others below eventually realize the sentinel is missing, they'll only be left guessing and confused. Their resulting panic might even accelerate their actions, which perfectly suits Your Excellency Starfall's observational needs."
Anya nodded, her gaze locked onto the "darkness" concealed deep within the rift.
Without another word, she gently raised her hand toward it, her fingers curling into a loose grip.
Jieming immediately felt a strange, powerful force emanate from Anya.
It wasn't a violent surge of energy, but a more profound, inexorable attraction that struck directly at the core of life itself.
The next instant, he "saw" the Light Elemental Sentinel, disguised as darkness, shudder as the life-light flame and spiritual glow circulating stably within it were suddenly halted by an irresistible black hole.
Then, they tore uncontrollably from the shackles of its shell and soul, transforming into countless invisible yet perceptibly brilliant streams of light that surged into Anya's open palm!
The third-tier Light Elemental Lifeform couldn't even react, nor did it emit a single ripple of energy or spiritual fluctuation. Its very foundation—its vitality—was completely drained in an instant.
Its black shell rapidly dimmed, withered, and crumbled, turning into the most ordinary elemental dust that silently vanished into the darkness of the rift.
The concentrated sphere of life essence that had gathered in Anya's palm spun lightly once around her fingertips before silently sinking into her body, as if it had never appeared.
The entire process was fast, silent, and lethal.
Jieming's pupils constricted slightly, and a chill ran through his heart.
He understood the principle behind this move: Anya, relying on her innate talent for extreme affinity and control over vitality, had developed this special plunder wizardry.
At the moment of activation, her "attraction" to vitality overrode the target's own "retention" of it, forcibly severing the connection between life, shell, and soul, completing an instant-death plunder.
The potency of this move was terrifying.
The Light Elemental Lifeform from before was the same third-tier rank as Anya, yet it had been utterly powerless against this attack, dying without even a hint of awareness.
Jieming quickly assessed his own situation. If he hadn't cultivated the Body Tempering Method, unifying his fleshly body and soul to a high degree, condensing his vitality like steel, and gaining meticulous control over himself, he would have been severely injured or even fallen instantly if he had encountered this strike without preparation.
Against an attack that directly shook one's life essence, unless one possessed a unique life form, powerful soul defenses, or had pre-constructed a targeted Law defense, anyone below the sixth tier would have absolutely no chance of survival.
So this is... a Tier 10 Talent Super Genius? Jieming glanced at Anya's still calm and exquisite profile, a trace of astonishment flashing deep in his eyes.
Even now, when many of their peers had already shown their talent, the profound understanding and terrifying application of life force Anya displayed were still enough to make one's heart race.
Perhaps possessing the means to kill wizards of a higher tier is the true mark of a genius.
Anya seemed completely unbothered by the fact that she had just casually killed a peer. She withdrew her hand and looked at Jieming, her voice transmitting calmly through their mental link: "Obstacle cleared. Shall we continue downward?"
Jieming composed himself and nodded. "Yeah, let's go. Be careful—there might be more unexpected 'surprises' waiting for us below."
(End of the Chapter)
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