While looking at the expression of high expectation on Bai Zemin's face, Akumi couldn't help but chuckle as if he had noticed something interesting."It seems you have no intention of fighting a male vs. male battle after all?" Akumi asked, though his voice didn't sound questioning at all.

"Even if we put aside the fact that your two comrades broke their word first, including launching a sneak attack against me, T would still do my best to fight you. Regardless of whether it is fighting alongside my friends or using everything at my disposal, I will do whatever it takes for the sake of surviving and keeping alive the hopes of all those who entrusted me with their futures and helped me to get this far." Bai Zemin said softly as he shook his head.

There was no point in hiding certain things in this matter. After all, Akumi was far from being stupid so he naturally had the ability to add two plus two after seeing Bai Zemin send the golden ribbon skill scroll somewhere.

Akumi said nothing for a few seconds and seemed immersed in his own thoughts. Suddenly, the way he was looking at Bai Zemin changed and a trace of understanding could be seen in his eyes.

"I see. Just as our greatest desire is to live our eternal life to the fullest even if it leads to our death, your greatest longing is to survive."

"It is because I am too weak, so I can only survive." Bai Zemin nodded and said in a serious voice, "I and my peers have only been evolving for about two and a half years. Do you think it was easy for me, for us, to have the power we have in such a short time? To be honest, you have no idea."

Akumi made a pause and then nodded slowly, "You're right. Someone as young as you who has barely entered the path of evolution less than a decade ago is already this strong. I honestly can't imagine how hard it must have been for you to get here. You, first generation soul evolvers, are always the ones who experience the most hardship and suffering after all."

"Precisely because I have, we have, gone through so many hardships and faced so many obstacles to survive one more day... Do you think I will hold back on such things as the honor of a warrior?" Bai Zemin chuckled and shook his head with a hint of ridicule in his smile, "I guess you wouldn't understand either. To survive another day and bring those who trust me to safe harbor I will do whatever it takes, whatever I need to do regardless of whether it is good or not."

Bai Zemin noticed that the large basilisk was staring at him in a rather peculiar and considerably different manner from how one would look at one's opponent. In that large pair of blood red eyes, there was... admiration? Bai Zemin was not quite sure.

"Alright." Akumi suddenly exhaled an involuntary sigh, and with his sigh came a kind of strange energy that swirled in front of him for a moment before disappearing.

All of a sudden, Akumi's body began to grow exponentially in a way that seemed to have no end. Furthermore, Bai Zemin couldn't help but notice that a sort of metallic armor began to grow on his limbs, extending all the way up his body to his neck."I had planned to go easy on you at first, but your words made me change my mind." Akumi thundered, "I have admired many throughout my life, but never a Lower Existence. I will fight you with everything I have since you are the first one to get that admiration from me. Your words really reminded me of the essence of the Soul Record and the reason we exist!"

T'd rather you be smooth with me though.' Bai Zemin smiled bitterly in his heart as he used Mankind's Pioneer, canceling Soul Manipulation's cooldown.

Just as Bai Zemin activated Soul Manipulation and before he had a chance to evolve three skills, the now over 1000 meters long and over 200 meters tall figure of Akumi appeared in front of him like a ghost.

Bai Zemin's pupils contracted to the size of a needle and he hurriedly raised his spear at the same time as the two pairs of wings on his back gave strong flaps in order to move him away from danger.

Unfortunately, Akumi's speed took him by surprise.

BOOM!!!

Bai Zemin's body was sent flying backwards like a kite whose string was cut more than a dozen kilometers in the blink of an eye. He felt the bones in his arms crack on the verge of shattering into dust even though his Golden Bones skill had evolved into Diamond Body recently.

His internal organs shook fiercely and against his will, he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood. 'What frightening attack power and speed!' Bai Zemin thought in horror.

If he hadn't reacted and pushed his body back with his wings, that blow would most likely have left him half dead!

"It seems that if you don't use that strange golden skill you're just too slow to even see my moves."

Akumi's voice sounded right next to him just at the same time Bai Zemin noticed out of the corner of his eye a giant claw slashing towards him.

Bai Zemin let out a fierce roar and immediately activated Lord's Word, freezing Akumi for o.i seconds while he stabilized and chose the three skills to evolve.

[For a short period of time, your passive skill First Order Predicted Danger Sense level 5 evolves into 'A Glimpse into the Future'].

[A Glimpse into the Future (Second Order skill) level ry. Active/passive skill that allows the user to predict deadly dangers in advance, as well as foresee certain events depending on different factors. By spending 500 Mana points and 5 Spiritual Power points, the user will be able to see the opponent's next move up to 0.5 seconds in advance. Note: Continuous activation of this skill leads to a heavy burden on both the user's soul and sight].

[For a short period of time, your active skill Fourth Order Gravity Manipulation level 5 evolves to the maximum level of the next stage].

[Gravity Manipulation (Fifth Order active skill) level 5: ... The number of times you can use White Hole increases by 1 extra and now absorbs 80% of the energy before releasing it. Fourth activation (Black Hole): When activated, the user will be able to devour any kind of energy, even living beings. It consumes 50% of the user's Mana to activate and drains 10% of the maximum Mana for every second the skill is active. This activation has no limits, with the power to destroy entire planets and galaxies in their totality, but relies heavily on the user's magical power to determine its maximum effect power].

[For a short period of time, your active skill Third Order Crimson Lightning Flash level 5 evolves to the maximum level of the next stagej.

[Crimson Lightning Flash (Fourth Order active skill) level 5: This skill passively increases the user's resistance and affinity to lightning by 20%. You can now create up to a maximum of 10 clones that have 60% of the user's overall strength at the cost of 600 Mana points per second and increases Agility by +1500 points. Fourth activation (Swap): By consuming 2000 Stamina points and 5000 Mana points to activate, the user will be able to transfer all the damage received during the last second to one or more clones to spare them from fatal wounds. Currently can be used three times].

At the same time that the battle between Bai Zemin and Akumi opened abruptly under the latter's surprisingly fast and unexpected assault, changes were also occurring on the front wall of Hero City.

Under the astonished eyes of the few present, the already beautiful Shangguan Bing Xue was getting even more beautiful and charming in real time. Her hair became slightly longer and whiter than before, her already smooth skin was now as delicate and glossy as that of a newborn baby, and the look in her eyes became at least three times more piercing compared to the past. She had even grown from being 5'5" tall to 5'7" and her body became much more curvaceous.

"This level of Charm is something that practically borders on the Charm of His Majesty's wife." Lu Cai, the First Captain of the already disbanded Sky Army, said with a somewhat strange expression on his face.

The other ten males in the group could not help but turn their heads and look away, as Shangguan Bing Xue's Charm was not only extremely high currently but her entire aura was chilling. Unlike Lilith's warm and seductive Charm, this was a Charm that overflowed with pride and coldness capable of slicing the eyes of those who looked at her for too long or dared to besmirch her with their gaze.

After learning the scroll that recorded the Water Manipulation skill in a hurry as she understood the situation Bai Zemin was in, Shangguan Bing Xue immediately received notification after notification at the same time as a good portion of her records changed, receiving more in the process.

[Congratulations! You have become the only living being in existence in all the multiverses under the supervision of the Soul Record to learn both creation and manipulation!] [Congratulations! You are now this generation's Ice Goddess!)

[You have become one of the crucial existences in the survival of all life!]

[You have received the title Empyrean Divergent).

[You have received a Special Quest!]action

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