The next day, Akali woke from her sleep and once again noticed changes in her body.
They were even more obvious than yesterday, which meant she had grown considerably stronger again.
She did not bother asking Luke to spar with her this time. There was no point.
Although she had certainly become stronger, she knew there was probably still a substantial gap between her and Luke.
With that, all three of their second prayers had once again been fulfilled.
Only one of the three prayers they had agreed upon with Guwu remained.
That final prayer would be made today.
After breakfast, the three prepared to leave for the Mountain God Temple.
When they arrived, Guwu was already waiting for them. Smiling, he welcomed the three into the main courtyard rather than the side courtyard they had visited yesterday.
The main courtyard was completely empty, as though everyone had been cleared out in advance. On the previous two days, the place had already been crowded at this hour.
The enormous statue of the mountain god had been moved outside and now stood in the center of the courtyard.
Seeing this, Akali asked in confusion, "Why did you move it out here?"
Guwu smiled and explained, "The mountain god intends to appear before you personally. He senses that today will be the most important day of all."
"Appear personally?"
Akali looked at the statue again.
As all three of them turned their attention toward it, a faint glow began flickering across the statue's surface. Then its stone body slowly started moving.
At first, it produced stiff grinding noises. Stone fragments scattered from its body, and the statue's eyes suddenly shifted. In the next instant, the entire figure came alive as though it had acquired flesh and blood.
When it shook its body, countless flakes of stone fell away like pieces of a discarded shell.
"It is a pleasure to finally meet the three of you."
A deep, resonant voice rang out.
The mountain god before them had an enormous round belly. His broad body stretched his clothing tight, while his head was equally large and round. A gigantic mouth split his face in a seemingly friendly grin.
He had no nose and appeared to breathe through the two whisker-like tendrils growing from his face, giving him an almost comical appearance.
Although he was clearly not human, he did not look frightening at all.
Luke stared at the supposed mountain god, and a glimmer passed through his eyes.
He had finally recognized him.
The stone statue alone had looked somewhat different from the figure Luke remembered. He had suspected the truth but had not been able to confirm it.
Now there was no longer any doubt.
Although the creature had disguised himself to some extent, True Sight exposed his real identity completely.
The River King, Tahm Kench.
From what Luke remembered, Tahm Kench was a demon on the same general level as Evelynn and Nocturne. He was certainly not an opponent to underestimate.
Luke had never expected to encounter him in Ionia, much less find him playing the role of a mountain god.
Although Luke recognized him, he had no intention of exposing him immediately. He decided to keep playing along with Tahm Kench's little performance.
He bowed slightly.
"Greetings, Mountain God."
Akali and Ahri had not expected the mountain god to appear in person either, so they followed Luke's example and bowed.
"There is no need for such formality. I am merely a creature born among these mountains and possess no greater dignity than the three of you."
Tahm Kench bowed in return. His enormous head dipped and rose again with remarkable politeness. His eyes smiled warmly as he said, "My ascension has now reached its most crucial moment. All three of you are exceptional beings among humanity. Once I fulfill one final prayer for each of you and receive your gratitude, my transformation will be complete."
Luke responded courteously, "Helping the mountain god ascend into a demigod would be our honor."
Akali glanced at him, feeling that he had suddenly become much more enthusiastic.
Tahm Kench laughed heartily. "Then allow me to thank you in advance for your assistance! Tell me your final prayers, and I will do everything in my power to fulfill them."
His excitement continued to grow.
It felt as though a throne among the Ten Kings was already within his reach.
The legendary Ten Kings stood above all other demons!
Tahm Kench had wandered the mortal world for centuries and accumulated an incomparably deep foundation. Surely he had finally earned the right to contend for a place among the Ten Kings.
When that day came, he would force every demon and mortal to bow beneath his throne!
His one weakness, his lack of direct combat power, would be eliminated forever.
Tahm Kench could hardly contain his excitement.
Akali stepped forward.
"Then take back all the strength you gave me through my first two prayers."
Tahm Kench froze, unable to hide his strange expression.
"I can certainly do that, but do you no longer wish to become stronger? Simply repeat your previous prayer, and I can make you even stronger than you are now."
He could clearly sense that the girl before him desired strength more intensely than almost anyone.
That was desire.
Very few people in the world could restrain such a craving.
Tahm Kench had deliberately given her just enough power each time to make her greedy and dissatisfied. Prey was usually at its most delicious during that stage.
Those who stopped halfway through the process normally did nothing but spoil his appetite.
"Of course I want to become stronger." Akali smiled, determination flashing through her bright eyes. "But I don't intend to gain strength from someone else. That is my prayer. Fulfill it."
"Very well."
Under normal circumstances, Tahm Kench would have been bitterly disappointed in Akali. People who refused to indulge their greed were terribly boring.
Fortunately, she was not his true target this time.
He raised one hand and withdrew the power he had given her.
Akali suddenly felt her body grow heavy. The light, effortless sensation disappeared, and the strength she had gained gradually faded away.
Or rather, this was how her body was supposed to feel.
As the power receded, a sense of emptiness and sorrow began growing within her.
For a moment, her heart felt hollow, as though something important had been taken away.
However, that feeling soon passed.
She knew the strength had never belonged to her in the first place.
The road toward true strength was still long. Merely experiencing what her body might one day become had already satisfied her.
"All the power has been withdrawn."
Tahm Kench lowered his hand and glanced at Akali.
Technically, this did not count as a third gift.
That meant she was still one gift short, but it did not matter.
Akali was not strong enough for him to fear.
Luke glanced at the silent Akali and smiled. This was the Akali he knew.
Ahri also admired her. She felt that, had she been in Akali's position, she might not have been able to resist such temptation.
Although Akali had chased her for two days, Ahri had liked the kindhearted and determined girl from the very beginning.
After thinking for a moment, Ahri stepped forward and looked at Tahm Kench.
"I want to know more about the Vesani. Where should I go to search for them?"
Tahm Kench's grin widened at Ahri's question.
"Then allow me to tell you."
Providing information also counted as a gift.
The last surviving soul of the Vesani had already made him ravenous.
"Approximately one thousand years ago, a vastayan tribe known as the Vesani lived in Ionia. They possessed extraordinary power and wisdom."
Tahm Kench's deep voice slowly filled the courtyard.
Ahri listened intently, afraid to miss a single word.
"Later, the entire tribe traveled to the Blessed Isles and settled there."
"The Blessed Isles? Where are they?"
Ahri immediately asked.
Tahm Kench grinned. "They are what you now call the Shadow Isles. I know nothing beyond that. I only know that a terrible catastrophe befell the Blessed Isles and that no one on the islands was spared."
Ahri felt a sharp pain in her heart.
Still clinging to a trace of hope, she asked, "Did no one survive?"
Tahm Kench shook his head without speaking.
It was unclear whether he meant that he did not know or that no one had survived.
Ahri's mood became heavy, but she still bit her lip and said, "Thank you for telling me."
She knew that she might need to visit the Shadow Isles next.
That was where her people had once lived.
"There is no need to thank me. It was your prayer, and I was obligated to answer it."
Tahm Kench continued grinning. Unrestrained ecstasy flashed through his eyes as his excitement reached its limit.
Then he turned toward Luke.
"Now it is your turn. Speak your prayer."
Of the three, Luke's wishes had been the easiest to fulfill.
They were also the ones Tahm Kench cared about least.
In Tahm Kench's eyes, Luke was merely an ordinary man who had recently obtained a tremendous fortune. There was no need to guess what his next wish would be.
Tahm Kench had encountered countless humans like him throughout history and devoured just as many.
Luke would certainly not be the last.
"Is it finally my turn?"
Luke also appeared somewhat excited. He stepped forward and spoke with complete seriousness.
"Then, great mountain god, please double all of my wealth!"
As expected.
Tahm Kench was not surprised in the slightest. Many people had made the same request before.
He was certain that if he had presented himself as a more powerful being, Luke's wish would have been even greedier.
"Is that truly your wish?"
Tahm Kench asked one final time, barely concealing his impatience.
The ecstasy in his heart was about to erupt.
"That's right. That is my wish."
Luke nodded firmly. Under Akali's puzzled gaze, he raised his voice.
"Fulfill it!"
"Gladly! I will fulfill it for you!"
Tahm Kench suddenly opened his enormous mouth and burst into roaring laughter.
His mouth stretched wider and wider, while his laughter began reverberating like a demonic chant.
His deep voice filled with evil. The sky gradually darkened as clouds gathered overhead.
"The moment has finally arrived. The mountain god's game ends here!"
Tahm Kench spread his arms, and his body grew even larger.
Akali and Ahri sensed that something was wrong. They moved closer to Luke and became vigilant.
"You aren't the mountain god?" Akali asked.
She immediately drew her weapon.
She had known something was wrong. Her instincts had been correct.
"That is right! I was never some pathetic mountain god. I am the magnificent River King! Tremble before me, mortals!"
Tahm Kench's smile was now filled with wickedness, arrogance, and wild triumph. His fishlike eyes stared greedily at Ahri.
"I can hardly wait to savor your exquisite flavor! Once I finish with you, this entire town will become food in my belly!"
His true appearance was revealed.
His mouth, filled with sharp fangs, was almost as wide as his entire face. His whiskers became tentacles, making him look even uglier. Fish-scale patterns covered his body, and black energy swirled around him, filling him with a sinister darkness.
The sky became blanketed in black clouds. Powerful winds howled, darkness smothered the light, and countless demons appeared like wandering specters.
Guwu had already dropped to his knees and was repeatedly pressing his forehead against the ground.
"So you really are a demon!" Akali frowned as she felt the immense pressure radiating from him. "What are you planning?"
"I have spent years preparing Guyuan for today's ascension ritual."
Tahm Kench's booming voice echoed across the entire temple as he stared at Ahri.
"The final surviving soul of the Vesani, a delicacy beyond compare! You and the entirety of Guyuan will become my food. Once I devour you all, I will ascend!"
Faced with Tahm Kench's overwhelming pressure, Ahri instinctively stepped backward. She drew out her Sunstones and prepared to fight.
"Talk about aiming way out of your league."
A lazy voice sounded from the side.
The insult immediately struck Tahm Kench's most sensitive nerve. He whipped his head toward the speaker and roared, "Mortal, you have chosen death! I will devour you first and enjoy you as an appetizer!"
Every creature had something that could instantly enrage it.
For Tahm Kench, being called a toad was that weakness.
A chorus of terrifying howls erupted.
Countless lesser demons charged toward Luke.
Akali shot forward and swung her kama. Activating one of her secret techniques, she cut down several lesser demons with the hooked blade.
"These demons have probably already spread throughout Guyuan. We need to find a way to deal with them."
She stared at the overwhelming tide of demons, unable to imagine how many Tahm Kench had prepared.
Unless they resolved the situation quickly, Guyuan would be drowned beneath a demonic horde.
"Deal with them?"
Tahm Kench laughed arrogantly.
"You think the three of you can oppose me? Before any powerful beings notice what is happening, I will have already devoured you and escaped!"
His laughter rolled like thunder, while the pressure of a greater demon continuously radiated from him.
A violent wind suddenly roared.
A gigantic tornado carrying razor-sharp sword intent and brilliant white light swept across the courtyard. Dozens of demons were dragged into it and instantly destroyed.
Tahm Kench's laughter abruptly stopped.
That single slash had killed at least twenty or thirty lesser demons.
Akali was also startled.
She had once again witnessed Wind-Wielding Swordsmanship.
"Show a toad a little courtesy and it starts thinking it's a prince."
Luke held Snowglance in one hand and raised an eyebrow at Tahm Kench in the distance.
"How dare you!"
Tahm Kench's eyes bulged. His tentacles whipped wildly with fury, and his enormous body trembled.
"I am a catfish!"
"Don't worry. You'll soon find out whether you're a catfish or a toad."
Luke smiled and swung his sword again.
Sword energy trembled through the air, and blades of wind scattered in every direction. One demon after another was cut down.
"This man..."
Tahm Kench narrowed his eyes after witnessing Luke's strength.
He had completely failed to realize that Luke possessed such power.
Luke was much stronger than Akali.
If it had only been Akali and Ahri, Tahm Kench would not have been afraid.
Akali's strength was beneath his notice. Ahri's unknown combat power and techniques that directly targeted souls made him somewhat wary, but after she accepted three gifts, his demonic power would suppress those abilities.
He had never expected Luke, whom he had dismissed as an inconsequential ordinary human, to display such remarkable strength.
As a greater demon, Tahm Kench's lack of direct combat ability had always been his greatest weakness.
However, he was extremely fast.
By traveling through rivers, he could reach almost any destination in very little time.
Whenever he encountered an opponent he could not defeat, escaping was easy.
But today concerned his ascension ritual.
He absolutely could not flee.
"Fortunately, I prepared in advance."
Tahm Kench's huge mouth curled into a grin as he stared at Luke.
"No matter how strong you are, the gift contract has already been completed twice!"
He did not need to know exactly how strong Luke was.
All that mattered was that Luke had already accepted two of his gifts.
The third gift had also been sealed by the agreement they made moments ago.
Once Tahm Kench completed that third gift, Luke would no longer be able to oppose him, regardless of his strength.
That was the ability Tahm Kench took the greatest pride in.
Originally, he had considered Luke's final prayer so inconsequential that there was no need to fulfill it. Had Luke been weak, Tahm Kench could simply have swallowed him whole.
Now it appeared he would need to finish granting the wish.
Fortunately, the contract had already been formed.
"I understand!" Akali suddenly exclaimed. "His ability is connected to prayers! Once he fulfills three wishes, he gains some kind of power that lets him suppress the recipient!"
"Clever, but you realized it too late."
Tahm Kench glanced at Akali and burst into arrogant laughter. His voice rolled like thunder.
The sky became even darker beneath his laughter, filling the world with despair and oppression.
"Stop him!"
Akali's expression changed, and she charged toward Tahm Kench without hesitation.
She could see that the demon had clearly become wary of Luke's strength.
If even Luke was suppressed, there might be no one capable of defeating Tahm Kench.
"You think you can stop me?"
Tahm Kench looked at Akali with contempt.
Her strength might have been impressive among humans.
Before a greater demon like him, however, it was insignificant.
He casually waved one hand.
A tremendous surge of demonic power transformed into an enormous demonic apparition and lunged toward Akali.
Faced with that attack, Akali felt as though she could no longer breathe. A profound sense of helplessness overwhelmed her.
She could not block it.
While still with the Kinkou Order, she had already realized that she was weak. Only after entering the outside world had she discovered just how pitifully weak she truly was.
At that moment, Luke flashed in front of her.
He raised his sword and unleashed a brilliant wave of sword light, instantly dispersing the demonic apparition.
Then he wrapped one arm around Akali's slender waist and carried her back.
Tahm Kench saw the power of Luke's attack, and wariness flashed through his eyes.
He truly needed to be careful with this man.
Luke was probably exceptional even among the strongest humans.
"Forget about me! Hurry and stop him!"
Akali was more anxious than Luke after seeing his relaxed expression.
How could he remain so calm at a time like this?
"There's no hurry. Didn't he say he was going to fulfill my wish?"
Luke released her. Ahri hurried forward and supported Akali.
Akali stared at him with wide eyes.
"Have you lost your mind?"
She was not unfamiliar with demons and knew that they existed in different ranks. She was certain Tahm Kench belonged to an extremely rare and dangerous class.
Demons of that level possessed unique abilities and were exceptionally difficult to defeat.
Yet Luke seemed ready to walk directly into the demon's trap.
Seeing Luke's confidence, Tahm Kench laughed with even greater confidence of his own.
"Ridiculous human, do you truly believe your wish is difficult to fulfill? You merely asked me to double your wealth.
"Long ago, the king of a small nation made the same laughable request. I fulfilled it. I doubled every piece of wealth he possessed, and at the moment he stood there clutching gold coins in triumph, I swallowed him whole."
Tahm Kench rubbed his enormous belly and spoke with nostalgia.
"Even now, I remember how delicious he was."
Luke smiled. "Then go ahead and try."
"Watch carefully!"
Tahm Kench spread his arms and activated his immense demonic power. His voice became incomparably terrifying.
Behind him, a demonic figure made of water rose like a mountain. It loomed above the entire Mountain God Temple like a demon king, radiating horrific pressure in every direction.
Before that monstrous shadow, humans looked no larger than ants.
A clear jingling sound rang out.
Gold coins began falling from the apparition.
One coin, then two.
The gleaming coins struck the ground with crisp, pleasant chimes. More and more followed until money began pouring from the sky like a waterfall.
In the blink of an eye, gold coins covered the ground.
Even Akali and Ahri were stunned by the sight.
Tahm Kench gazed proudly at his creation, his eyes filled with contempt and disdain.
He remained completely unafraid because his centuries of accumulated wealth were no empty boast.
Even if Luke possessed hidden riches, could one human possibly own more than Tahm Kench had accumulated over several centuries?
What a ridiculous thought.
Human beings remained greedy even when death stood before them.
Gold continued raining down, and the clear sound of coins piling upon one another filled the courtyard.
Akali looked worriedly at Luke.
"Are you truly going to let him continue?"
Judging by the scene, Tahm Kench had only just begun revealing his unfathomable reserves.
If he successfully fulfilled Luke's prayer, all three of them might become food for the demon.
"Don't worry."
Luke gave Akali a faint smile.
For some reason, his smile was deeply reassuring.
Akali sighed inwardly and fell silent. Luke clearly still possessed another card to play.
Meanwhile, the demonic apparition continued pouring out larger and larger quantities of gold.
The coins accumulated throughout the courtyard, gradually forming a mountain.
Golden light shimmered brilliantly, almost painful to look at.
In only a short period of time, Tahm Kench had already produced at least a hundred thousand gold coins without so much as blinking.
The king of that small nation had possessed far more wealth than this.
Luke's expression remained unchanged.
He even urged, "Toad, can you speed this up?"
Tahm Kench's eyelid twitched.
Endless fury surged through him. This human kept insulting the one thing he could not tolerate.
Once this was over, Tahm Kench would swallow him piece by piece.
"This is only the beginning!"
Tahm Kench sneered and increased the flow.
One waterfall of gold became two.
Within moments, the entire courtyard was buried in gold coins, while a sizable hill rose in the center.
Akali had never seen so much money before.
"This is absurd."
How many gold coins were there?
The number scattered throughout the courtyard was already approaching one million.
Then she realized something and glanced at Luke.
Did this mean Luke already possessed wealth on the same scale?
Judging by the endless stream of coins, however, it appeared they had barely started.
Ahri stood in a daze, her lips slightly parted.
She had almost no interest in money, yet even she felt the sudden urge to lie down on the enormous mountain of gold.
Tahm Kench, meanwhile, had begun to sense that something was wrong.
He stared at Luke.
Exactly how much money did this man possess?
Was this an amount any single person should own?
How much money did Luke possess?
Even he did not know.
However, when discussing his total wealth, gold coins were among the least valuable things he owned.
Several more seconds passed.
The amount of gold Tahm Kench had produced exceeded one million coins.
Still, the torrent continued as though it would never end.
The demons summoned into the sky wandered around in boredom. One even yawned.
Luke caught the yawn and yawned as well. Then he casually swung his sword, releasing a wind blade that sent the demon home to sleep permanently.
"Faster. Are you capable of doing this or not?"
He urged Tahm Kench again.
Tahm Kench erupted in fury.
"You forced me to do this! I had not intended to make you despair so quickly!"
He stopped holding back and released an enormous quantity of gold coins.
In the blink of an eye, the amount filling the courtyard doubled.
Two million.
Three million.
There was no longer anywhere for Luke and the others to stand except on top of the piles of coins.
As the amount continued rising, Tahm Kench gradually realized that something was deeply wrong.
His wide grin slowly retracted, and sweat began forming across his forehead.
Damn it.
Something was seriously wrong.
Did this man truly possess so much wealth?
The amount of money Tahm Kench had produced already exceeded the fortune of that small nation's king.
These were millions of gold coins.
Six zeros!
Akali finally understood why Luke had never been worried.
She relaxed as well and called out, "Hey, toad! You're starting to look tired!"
"Foolish human, this is still only the beginning. I am the River King!"
Tahm Kench forced his grin back into place and roared as he exerted more power.
Gold, silver, jewels, and precious treasures began pouring from the apparition.
Within moments, radiant light filled the courtyard. Countless colors shimmered through the air, transforming the entire place into an enormous treasure hoard.
A sea of gold coins had been covered with every imaginable sparkling treasure, creating a truly dazzling sight.
After all, wealth was not limited to gold coins.
Yet no matter how thoroughly Tahm Kench searched his mind, he could not understand how a mere human possessed riches on such a scale.
Could Luke be the king of some great nation?
More sweat appeared across Tahm Kench's forehead.
He examined his remaining reserves.
He still had some left.
Even now, he refused to believe that a single human could exhaust everything he had accumulated over several centuries.
However, gold was among Luke's least valuable possessions.
His true wealth was the system.
It was the countless rewards he had obtained from checking in day after day and stored inside his system inventory.
There was the Thousand-Year Snow Lotus, which contained tremendous life energy, the Sacred Spirit Fruit, which could bring the dead back to life, and every kind of rare and miraculous fruit imaginable.
If Tahm Kench could duplicate all of those treasures, Luke would willingly admit defeat.
By now, Tahm Kench was drenched in sweat.
This human was wrong.
Nine parts out of ten, perhaps even more than that, were deeply wrong.
Tahm Kench could never have imagined that a random human he encountered would be so extraordinary.
Even his centuries of accumulated reserves were beginning to run dry.
The wish he had dismissed as the easiest was now proving to be the most difficult one he had ever attempted to fulfill.
Gold, silver, and jewels would have been manageable.
However, when Tahm Kench noticed that his own power had begun weakening and was being counted as part of the gift, his expression changed drastically.
He immediately stopped using his ability.
When the power of gifting could no longer continue through physical objects, it would begin gifting Tahm Kench's own power instead.
Long ago, he had used that very power to fulfill the greedy wishes of mortals before devouring them and becoming stronger.
How many years had passed since that mechanism had last been triggered?
The terrible premonition in his heart grew even stronger.
He realized that he truly could not fulfill this human's simple request to double his wealth.
"Why did you stop?"
Akali immediately asked when the torrent ended.
"I'm done playing. I suddenly remembered that I have somewhere else to be."
Tahm Kench realized the situation was unfavorable and prepared to flee.
The gift contract was a one-sided demonic agreement. Even if he failed to fulfill it, he would not suffer any negative consequences.
A clever demon knew when to retreat.
Then Tahm Kench noticed a glowing sheet of white paper floating beside Luke.
It filled him with intense unease, almost as though he were staring directly at his own soul.
"What is that?"
Tahm Kench could not stop himself from asking. His anxiety continued to grow.
"This is called a Soul Contract. Whenever you and I reach an agreement, it takes effect. If you fail to fulfill that agreement, you receive a punishment."
Luke thoughtfully explained everything and gave him a harmless smile.
Tahm Kench found that smile absolutely terrifying. A chill ran down his back.
"I never made any agreement with you."
"Agreeing to fulfill my prayer still counts as an agreement, my little toad friend."
Luke's grin looked more demonic than that of an actual demon.
He reached out and took the Soul Contract in his hand.
The instant Luke grasped the paper, a single thought began screaming through Tahm Kench's mind.
Run!
How could such an unreasonable contract possibly exist?
Tahm Kench refused to believe it.
Yet the direct sense of danger made his very soul tremble.
Run!
Run!
Run!
Tahm Kench did not hesitate. He leaped into the air and fixed his gaze on a distant river.
All he needed to do was reach it.
All he needed to do was enter that water.
Once he did, the entire world would be open to him.
Tahm Kench no longer cared about his ascension ritual. His only desire was to escape as quickly as possible.
However, when he was only a single step from the river, his soul suddenly felt as though it were being torn apart.
The pain was unbearable, and he screamed.
"Aaaargh!"
Tahm Kench crashed to the ground.
The pressure of a greater demon vanished completely as he rolled back and forth like an enormous fat fish.
Luke, Akali, and Ahri caught up with him and stared strangely at the thrashing demon.
Only moments ago, he had been an impossibly arrogant greater demon.
How had he ended up like this so quickly?
"What did you do to me, human?!"
When the agony in his soul finally subsided, Tahm Kench glared ferociously at Luke. He opened his mouth and lunged forward, intending to swallow him whole.
In the next instant, the familiar agony returned.
Tahm Kench immediately collapsed and began rolling across the ground again.
The pain was entirely different from any physical injury.
Even if his body were torn in half, he would not suffer this badly.
This agony struck his soul directly.
Damn human.
Despicable bastard.
Tahm Kench finally realized that Luke had guided him step by step into a trap.
Had this man planned everything from the very beginning?
Tahm Kench stared unwillingly at the river only a short distance away.
He had been only one step away.
One more step and he would have escaped.
Within hours, he could have appeared on the opposite side of the world.
Yet he had failed by a single step.
Tahm Kench still had one final method.
Once the pain in his soul subsided, black mist began pouring from his body.
Without hesitation, Tahm Kench slipped into it like an eel.
Seeing him suddenly vanish, Akali and Ahri froze.
"Did he escape?" Akali asked, scanning the surroundings.
"No. He is still in the same place."
Luke held the Soul Contract and could sense that Tahm Kench had not escaped.
He had merely left the material realm.
Akali immediately understood.
"He fled into the spirit realm? How slippery!"
Ordinary mortals could not easily enter the spirit realm.
Although that world was closely connected to the material realm and existed alongside it, crossing between them was extremely difficult.
She had not expected Tahm Kench to possess a method of escaping into the spirit realm.
Within the spirit realm, Tahm Kench collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.
Sweat poured continuously from his body, and the demon had visibly lost weight.
"Damn that human! How dare he reduce me to this state!"
Tahm Kench roared furiously.
The pressure of a greater demon erupted, sending nearby spirits fleeing in every direction.
"Sooner or later, I will..."
He was already planning his revenge when his voice suddenly stopped.
His eyes widened in disbelief, and a trace of fear appeared within them.
"So this is the spirit realm."
Luke examined the brilliantly colored world around him.
It resembled a second Ionia, but everything was even more vibrant and radiant, as though the entire world had been covered by a dreamlike filter.
Spiritual energy drifted freely through the air.
Countless spiritual creatures inhabited this realm, including numerous demons.
Many demons were born in the spirit realm. It was connected to the material realm and carried the emotions of mortals within it.
That made it every bit as rich and diverse.
"You... How is this possible?"
Tahm Kench stared at Luke in disbelief.
This human possessed an ordinary physical body.
How had he followed Tahm Kench into the spirit realm?
"Thanks to this."
Luke lifted the Soul Contract and smiled.
Because the contract allowed him to sense Tahm Kench, Luke had merely followed that connection with a thought.
Had Tahm Kench not fled into the spirit realm first, Luke would have had no way to enter.
After all, most of the beings living here were spiritual entities.
Tahm Kench stared at the Soul Contract in Luke's hand.
Then he suddenly exploded into motion, revealing all his viciousness.
He unleashed the greatest speed of his life.
He had to tear that contract apart.
Otherwise, Tahm Kench could already predict what awaited him.
"It seems you still don't understand your situation."
The moment Luke finished speaking, unbearable agony struck again.
All the strength Tahm Kench had gathered became meaningless. He crashed to the ground, completely incapable of enduring the pain tearing through his soul.
Luke smiled kindly.
"Now answer me. Are you a toad or a catfish?"
"Aaaargh!"
Tahm Kench rolled across the ground, screaming in agony.
"I'm a toad! I'm a filthy toad! Ribbit, ribbit!"
Hearing Tahm Kench's enthusiastic sound effects, Luke could not help laughing.
He stopped activating the Soul Contract.
Tahm Kench ceased rolling and began gulping air. Sweat covered his broad face.
At the same time, his heart burned with extraordinary rage and resentment.
This human had dared humiliate him like this.
Tahm Kench had roamed the mortal world for countless years.
When had he ever suffered such disgrace?
He roared furiously within his heart.
He could not accept this.
How had he possibly failed so disastrously in a place like this?
Then something even more terrifying happened.
A demonic smile appeared on Luke's face as he raised his sword and walked toward Tahm Kench.
"I already have two of them inside me, so one more won't hurt. My little toad friend, come become part of me."
Tahm Kench froze.
His entire demonic body went cold.
Seeing Luke approach, he crawled backward in terror.
"What are you doing? What are you planning to do to me?!"
"Don't be afraid. The first time always hurts."
Luke smiled gently, but his hands showed no mercy.
He thrust his sword directly into Tahm Kench's body.
Snowglance immediately reacted and began continuously extracting the demon's core essence.
"No! Stop!"
Tahm Kench's face twisted with terror as he felt his essence draining away.
The way he looked at Luke changed completely.
His eyes were filled with fear and dread.
What kind of being was this man?
How could he forcibly absorb Tahm Kench's core essence?
"I'll do anything you want! Stop taking my essence!"
Tahm Kench's body continued shrinking.
He became increasingly frightened, eventually discarding every shred of demonic dignity and begging for mercy.
That was his core essence.
It was the foundation he had spent countless years accumulating.
If he lost it, he would never have another chance to ascend among the Ten Kings.
Even restoring what he had lost might take more years than he could imagine.
Luke seemed to block out Tahm Kench's pleas entirely.
He continued stripping away the demon's essence.
Snowglance transformed the demonic essence before Luke absorbed it into his own body.
A strange and subtle sensation immediately spread through him as the demonic power flowed through his body.
It seemed to have been completely purified.
Not a single trace of Tahm Kench remained within it.
It had become an entirely new power that belonged solely to Luke.
Luke no longer felt much resistance toward absorbing demonic power.
After all, two sources of demonic energy already existed within his body. Neither had caused any abnormalities so far. Instead, they had provided substantial improvements to his strength.
Now that Tahm Kench had delivered himself directly to Luke, it would have been wasteful not to take advantage of the opportunity.
Tahm Kench would never have another chance to use that power anyway.
Luke might as well give it one final purpose.
Once Snowglance had absorbed a certain amount of essence, it stopped.
It seemed to have reached its limit.
Because Luke had deliberately absorbed Tahm Kench's essence this time, the new demonic power within him was even greater than the other two.
Over time, the two older sources of demonic essence had also grown inside Luke.
However, neither could compare to the newly absorbed essence of Tahm Kench. Within Luke's mental space, the older powers were forced to either side.
Tahm Kench's body had shrunk dramatically.
He was now barely more than three feet tall and lay weakly on the ground, his eyes filled with despair.
He no longer possessed anything resembling his former massive, bloated body.
The loss of essence had clearly dealt him an enormous blow.
Luke felt no sympathy whatsoever.
He pulled out Snowglance and forcibly dragged Tahm Kench back into the material realm.
Akali and Ahri had been waiting.
When Luke suddenly returned with the half-dead Tahm Kench, both women were startled.
The contrast between the demon's former and current appearances was astonishing.
However, they felt no sympathy for a demon that devoured people without remorse. They were more inclined to applaud.
"Is the town safe?" Luke asked.
"When the demons saw that he had lost, they all fled. Guyuan should be safe," Ahri said.
She had been observing the town and noticed every demon within it scattering.
The sky had also cleared.
Sunlight once again shone upon the land.
Akali looked down at Tahm Kench.
"What should we do with him? Kill him?"
"Killing a demon like this might only cause something even more dangerous to appear in his place."
Luke shook his head.
He knew Tahm Kench already occupied a high rank among demons and had gained self-awareness after being born from mortal greed.
Tahm Kench wandered across Runeterra, delighting in tormenting mortals and tempting those whose desires could never be satisfied.
The moment they finally surrendered to corruption, he swallowed them whole.
A demon like Tahm Kench occupied a particular place within the demonic hierarchy.
Even if they killed him, humanity's greed would eventually give birth to another demon of avarice.
That replacement might be stronger and even more troublesome.
By leaving Tahm Kench alive, he would continue occupying the position of the demon of greed, preventing a new demon from emerging to replace him.
Without the Soul Contract, even Luke would have been unable to stop Tahm Kench from escaping.
Once he entered a river, it was no different from returning home. He could cross hundreds or thousands of miles in the span of a thought.
Now, however, the Soul Contract had completely suppressed him.
Tahm Kench had no possibility of turning the situation around.
// 20 chapters today!
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