Chapter 121: Firefly vs. Harpy

The Harpy was born from his cultivation, into which he had poured countless resources. Consuming over a billion in wealth, it was more expensive than even the most elite runic factories—a truly astronomical price.

Yet, the returns were equally bountiful. Although it was originally just a high-tier talent totem beast, it had successfully granted him terrifying mental abilities, vaulting him into the ranks of the top-tier Level 3 powerhouses.

His formidable mental prowess allowed him to do as he pleased: hypnosis, erasing memories, enslavement, and more. It ensured that within the academy, apart from the Headmaster, no one dared to openly oppose him. Because of his mental field, he radiated an aura that compelled new students to worship him wherever he went, cementing his status as the strongest in the students' eyes, second only to the Headmaster.

But he was not satisfied. The lifelong dream of every Life Spirit Master is to cultivate a Calamity God-Beast and become one of the supreme beings who stand above the entire world! He, too, yearned to cultivate his own Calamity God-Beast. To that end, he spared no effort in keeping this True God Cult branch completely hidden, using a sub-organism of the Tree of Life as the core for an unprecedented and audacious experiment.

"Speak! How exactly did you break free from the Prison of Desire?!"

He could not help but be shocked. The Prison of Desire was the Harpy’s ultimate ability, capable of infinitely magnifying the desires within a target's heart to trap them in an inescapable phantasm. Even a Level 3 powerhouse could be trapped until they perished at his mercy. It was the signature move he had used to slay a fellow Level 3 Life Spirit Master!

"A mere phantasm? Did you really think you could hold me?" The mockery on Charles’s face grew more pronounced.

In the very first instant, he had indeed been somewhat entranced, but the final shred of clarity in his heart led him to consume evolution points to boost his spirit attribute without hesitation. Thanks to the monstrous nature of the Modifier, he had withstood the various temptations with ease.

However, that was only defense. As his spirit attribute pushed past the 10-point threshold, every 0.1 increase required 10 evolution points. His current reserves were nowhere near enough to reach the mental intensity needed to break free.

But he was not alone!

*Meow~*

Firefly, the little white fox, leaped out and landed on his shoulder. Its form remained unchanged, but a shimmering purple crescent mark had appeared in the center of its brow.

Mysterious symbols flickered in its eyes, and a brilliant, pristine moonlight swept across the hundred-meter radius, mirroring the earlier Prison of Desire.

"A Mental-type Ultimate Form!" Clark’s expression shifted instantly. He had not expected his opponent to hide such a trump card.

A third Ultimate Form, and a Mental-type—the rarest of them all! Mental abilities were notoriously difficult to defend against. Totems of this category were extremely scarce, and those capable of reaching the Ultimate stage were fewer still. Yet, one stood before him in the flesh, and it was his enemy!

Charles let out a long sigh of relief. He had waited so long, and finally, Firefly had achieved its Ultimate evolution.

However, when he looked at the status panel, his expression faltered.

"Moon Charm: Main Totem, Ultimate Form, cannot be improved.
Abilities: Mysterious Protection, Absolute Dominion, Spirit Fire, Lunar Blade Storm, Lunar Phantasm Dance.
Description: An elf under the moonlight, the darling of the Moon Goddess. It strengthens itself and its host by absorbing moonlight. It represents the most beautiful facet of the moon and is the legendary pet of the Moon Goddess. Whenever it dances, all living things bow in submission."

Cannot be improved!

Under the radiance of that Source Artifact, Firefly’s future had clearly been the Calamity God-Beast, the Nine-Tailed Heavenly Fox, but now its evolutionary path had completely changed. It had not evolved into a Three-Tailed or Six-Tailed form, but had instead veered toward a mysterious, unprecedented path. Had the Source Artifact devoured its future potential?

Damn it, how did I not foresee this? That cheap teacher died without providing me a single evolution point; clearly, all his evolutionary potential was consumed. This explained everything—why Firefly, like the previous three Ultimate Forms, bore the glaring label "Cannot be improved."

It meant Firefly’s path was severed; it could no longer be upgraded with evolution points! For an ordinary totem, an Ultimate evolution required resources worth hundreds of millions, even billions. A Super Evolution required ten or a hundred times that—enough to bankrupt a small kingdom. Even Morrent Academy would struggle to gather such wealth!

Charles caught a glimpse of heaven-sent prodigies rising while he remained stagnant, eventually to be cruelly slaughtered by his enemies!

No! This was not the future he wanted!

His gaze turned frigid. He had to accumulate wealth by any means necessary. Once he returned, he must secure the techniques and resources he needed from the academy as quickly as possible. Then, he would leave, using Storm Harbor as his core base to establish his own independent kingdom.

Even if a Super Evolution was truly impossible, he would use sheer numbers to crush a Calamity God-Beast!

"Before that—kill him!"

Sensing his intense murderous intent, Firefly’s silver fur stood on end. Silvery-white currents swirled around it, condensing into a sky full of cold, crescent-shaped light blades. The palm-sized blades converged, forming hundreds of giant, meter-long blades that descended upon the Harpy with thunderous force.

Original lunar blades could slice through the defenses of ordinary evolved forms; now, having reached the Ultimate stage and combined into dozens, their destructive power had increased more than tenfold.

This was its ultimate technique—Lunar Blade Storm!

*Clang! Clang! Clang!*

A dense barrage of sounds erupted as the giant lunar blades struck the Harpy. It was shrouded in an invisible barrier, producing crisp, metallic ringing. However, the attack was too powerful and too dense. Within the blink of an eye, hundreds of strikes had landed, causing the defensive barrier to buckle under the strain, rapidly developing visible cracks.

The Harpy let out another harrowing mental shriek, but it was useless. Firefly, also a Mental-type, countered with its own psychic assault. The Prison of Desire and Absolute Dominion clashed, purple spiritual flames burning fiercely.

Tit for tat!

The collision of their mental fluctuations transformed into a terrifying psychic storm that echoed through the underground chamber. Ultimately, Firefly gained the upper hand, becoming the straw that broke the camel's back.

*Crack! Crack!*

The Harpy’s invisible barrier shattered completely. The giant lunar blades swept across its body, severing its legs!

*Boom!*

A crimson firebird abruptly appeared and detonated just ten meters away from Firefly. But Firefly did not dodge; a layer of shimmering white light formed the sturdiest of protections, leaving it unscathed. Charles stood his ground as well; the self-destruction of a mere evolved form was like a gentle breeze to him.

However, this was merely a stalling tactic by Clark. The Harpy quickly flew over, grabbing him to escape toward the surface.

"Get me—ah, it hurts!"

Charles wanted to issue a command, but he suddenly felt a tearing pain in his brain, as if something were being ripped directly from his soul!

The Harpy ignored everything, plunging through the rain of blades while clutching Clark. It surged into the sky, unleashing its terrifying speed-based ability, and vanished into the hundred-meter-high sky, escaping the underground chamber.

Before it could get far, a massive shadow instantly engulfed it!