Comprehensive network wizard, magic emperor.

Chapter 371 Alas, the hatred runs deep; slaying the demon is worse than saving the suffering.

"Are you going to take us home?" the spirits asked the sorcerer.

"Yes, leave the void and return to your homeland."

"No, at least not me. My ancestors and my ancestors' ancestors are here, my relatives and friends are here, and I have witnessed them being tortured. My country's heroes are here, and I have witnessed them fall into depravity because of the oppression of evil spirits, becoming new demons." The ghost gave an unexpected answer.

Lin Bo then asked, "So you're going to stay here to save those prisoners and the fallen?"

"Not salvation! But revenge!"

"Mage, I offer my soul to you. Forge me into an arrow, forge me into a weapon. I will ignite the demons with the wrath of the dead, and I will repay the abuse with slaughter."

"Master! Take our souls! We'd be willing to use us as firewood, as long as we can ignite a fire and burn this world!"

"We have no other choice but to avenge us. Please have mercy and kill us!"

"We want to hear the howls of ten thousand demons! We want them—to die!!!"

Lin Bo realized that his purification spell had failed to awaken the goodness in these souls; it had only dispelled their accumulated resentment and demonic energy. However, their tormented experiences had completely changed them, and their burning anger consumed every thought in their souls.

The howling souls recounted their past to the sorcerer, the brutal whippings and punishments inflicted upon them, forcing them to kill their own family and friends, and to kill each other with their beloved. The dual torment of flesh and soul had become an irreparable mark.

They certainly begged for mercy, became numb, and despaired, but all of this was to no avail, only making the demons happier.

Thus, an oppression deeper than the abyss ignited the fury of these souls.

The Life-Devouring Staff trembled with excitement in Lin Bo's hands. It was overjoyed by the surging, obsessive emotions it felt like a fish in water.

Lin Bo watched as tears streamed down the faces of these spirits, their forms gradually twisting and deforming in the radiation of the void. The will of the chaotic moon was projected from afar, and the demonic ritual began automatically.

The Chaos Moon originated from the Fallen Creator, but it is also closely related to the collective will of the demons. It is both a product of the Creator being corrupted by demonic thoughts and the supreme ruler of the demons, a true embodiment of divine power.

The law it established in this world is that all extreme and distorted souls will naturally turn into demons.

Lin Bo currently possesses very few ancient sacred languages, and relying solely on dragon language incantations is insufficient to break the Chaos Moon's erosion ritual.

He wiped away the tears of his soul, only to find that these tears could never be stopped.

The gradually degenerating dead offered him everything they had left, at first pleading, but as their appearances became distorted, they began to coerce him harshly.

Lin Bo whispered a few real names, and a crucible appeared out of thin air in front of him, filled with steaming hot stew.

"Are you all hungry? Eat first. You need to gather your strength before you can take revenge." The mage said this as he used an illusionary iron spoon to scoop rice and held a soup bowl for the souls that were about to lose control.

"...Thank you." The soul on the verge of falling agreed to his solution after some hesitation.

The halfling girl had cooked many classic dishes for Lin Bo, and the mage's habit was to find out the real names, so he unknowingly memorized the real name runes of these dishes.

Lin Bo wouldn't persuade these souls to give up their hatred; he only wanted them to enjoy the food of the living once again.

"Master, do you have any wine?" a dwarf spirit asked, looking up.

What kind of drink would you like?

"Strong liquor, Black Cry Mountain craft beer that's strong enough to get a griffin drunk, that stuff is really something."

Lin Bo shook his head. "I haven't tried your local specialties, but a dwarf friend of mine once gave me some wine, which you might like."

The ghosts ate with a bowl in one hand and drank with a cup in the other.

The illusory food created by magic has no quality; even a void soul can enjoy its flavors. Hot soup soothes a stomach as cold as iron, and strong liquor intoxicates painful memories.

When the feast ended, the souls were drunk, and the twisted and deformed demonic features on their bodies stopped worsening. Instead, pale red flames spontaneously rose from within the souls, burning them into specks of crystalline ash.

"They are dead, master," said the Death-Devouring Staff.

Lin Bo nodded silently. [Skill check successful, [True Word Illusion] basic proficiency +8]

[Exquisiteness coefficient × 1.8 (ingenuity)]

【Health Status Coefficient × 2 (Perfect)】

[Inspiration Proficiency +4 (An Illusion to Comfort the Soul)]

Final calculation result: [Mantra Illusion] proficiency +32.8

Mantra Illusion: Lv4 (20012.8/20000) Advanced Mantra, unlocks the "Change" trait. By reciting the true name, it completely alters the appearance of things, and will not revert to its original form until it is completely destroyed.

Form may change, but spirit will shift; reality and illusion are one. — Proverbs

【Upgrade requirements met】

"upgrade."

Ding--

Mantra Illusion: Lv5 (12.8/500,000) (Class Trait: Name Deprivation) A high-level Mantra, which, by reciting a true name, conjures up a constant illusory substance out of thin air.
Form is like substance, creation is but a mirage. — Proverbs

Since the True Word Illusion Technique was upgraded to Lv2, Lin Bo has been able to see the membrane of all things, a veil that wraps the true name, and the external form of all things is transformed from this membrane.

In the realm of mantra illusion, true name is the substance, and physical form is the appearance; the combination of the two constitutes all things in the world.

Lv4 Mantra Illusion can replace the true name of an object, while Lv5 goes a step further, directly shaping a physical object with spell power by invoking its true name.

Lin Bo closed his eyes and meditated. The true names of the stars in his mind shone brightly. The power of the spell washed over the stars like waves, and the starlight seemed to be about to come true at any moment.

He called upon the flames, and they appeared out of thin air, burning fiercely and radiating intense heat.

He called upon the rocks again, and a miniature mountain rose from the ground. Even without casting any more spells, the pile of stones remained, solid, cold, heavy, and reliable.

This is the Lv5 Mantra Illusion, which has the effect of creating things out of thin air. The illusory objects can also be controlled by Mantra, and their nature is no different from the real ones.

In this way, the only difference between reality and illusion is that the creatures summoned by illusion have no consciousness; although they have instincts and memories, they are like puppets.

A deafening roar of thunder reverberated in the void above. Lin Bo interrupted the demonic ritual, enraging the Chaos Moon. Even though it was in a daze, the slightest emotional fluctuations had already transformed into thunder, gales, and blood rain.

Sensing the wrath of the supreme will, the demons, guided by the strange phenomena and a mysterious connection, swarmed toward Lin Bo.

As the eternal mortal enemy of the forces of chaos, the Ancient Saint infiltrated the heartland prepared to fight against all the demons in the world and the heavens.

The Life-Devouring Staff muttered, "Master, my dear master, all those souls are dead, but there are still some snacks left. Can I eat them?"

"(In magical language) No."

Lin Bo summoned the wind, which lifted the scattered spiritual crystal fragments on the ground and gathered them in his palm. These magical essences, free from the impurities of thought and emotion, were miraculous materials with excellent uses. They were as light as ash, yet full of power.

The mage discovered the true name of the spirit fragment and condensed it into a single, complete crystal, about the size of a thumb, clear and transparent, radiating a brilliant light.

He began to chant incantations, inscribing animistic and dragon runes inside the crystal sphere to create a constant magical realm capable of absorbing souls and isolating them from the corrupting influence of the chaotic moon.

The Evil Eye Staff looked around, swaying as it loudly warned, "Master, a lot of demon cubs are charging towards us! What should we do?"

Warships, stretching to the horizon, roared in. The howls of demons and the booming of the bone horns stirred up a huge tide in the void sea. The purplish-black poisonous fog surged and swept across the land like a landslide and tsunami.

The world is in turmoil.

The ancient saint smiled and replied, "(In magical language) Only kill."

(End of this chapter)