Die, Replay, Repeat

Chapter 248: Fighting Yan Changshou

"Come forth, Specters!"

Yan Changshou's voice tore through the air, commanding the Specters with raw power.

All around, the sea of Snakeworms seemed to respond immediately. They charged straight for Fang Xiu. Even a handful of Class-B Specters joined the assault.

"Domain, activate—Infinite Conflict!"

The ground trembled, and the thunder of hooves echoed in the distance.

From all directions, an army materialized like magic—soldiers appearing out of thin air, much like Terracotta Warriors coming to life.

Generals donned heavy armor and bronze masks, leading the infantry, cavalry, archers, axe-men, siege soldiers, and spear-wielders into battle.

The scene was one of iron clashing against an unending tide of Specters.

Metal clanged, weapons struck flesh, and for a moment, both sides seemed equally matched.

Fang Xiu's frowned slightly. He hadn't anticipated a half-dead Yan Changshou forcing him to burn through the power of two domains. Even though he still had three domains left, he wasn't planning to waste them on this guy.

Without hesitation, Fang Xiu lifted his pale right hand, fingers slightly spread, and dragged them across his face.

A mask of black fire formed instantly on his face.

Black flames engulfed his body, lighting up the battlefield. His short black hair transformed into long silver strands, and a dark mist swirled around him. His right eye burned with a blood-red glow.

"The Genesis Mask!" Greed flooded Yan Changshou's eyes as he locked onto the mask.

But Fang Xiu was already on the move. With the scalpel appearing in his hand, he disappeared like a shadow, vanishing from sight.

He cut through the battlefield, leaving a bright trail of silver light beneath the full moon.

Everywhere he moved, Snakeworms fell in half, cut cleanly as he swept through the horde.

He stepped over the shattered bodies and limbs, heading straight for Yan Changshou.

The scalpel sliced through the air, and at the same time, a wave of dark, agonizing energy erupted from Fang Xiu.

Surrounded by five game characters and an army of soldiers, Yan Changshou's face twisted in desperation.

His mouth gaped open as a red, snake-like tentacle shot out, aiming straight for Fang Xiu's head.

Fang Xiu didn't flinch. He flicked his wrist, driving the scalpel directly into the tentacle.

The power of pain exploded, but then something odd happened.

The red tentacle writhed and then drained of color, falling lifelessly from Yan Changshou's mouth.

And yet, Yan Changshou was completely unharmed!

More slimy tentacles zoomed forward from Yan Changshou's mouth, reaching for Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu frowned again. His long silver hair, entwined with black fire, whipped through the air, wrapping around the oncoming tentacles like a swarm of silver serpents.

Black flames raced along the strands, reaching for Yan Changshou.

But once again, it had no effect. Instead, pieces of the tentacles began to peel away.

Seeing this, Fang Xiu finally understood what was happening.

The process of becoming a Specter usually involved merging with just one Specter or organ.

But Yan Changshou? He wasn't a single entity—he was a fusion of countless Specters!

Using his control over Specters, Yan Changshou had fused with an unimaginable number of Snakeworms and other Specters.

Normally, someone would be destroyed by the chaos of so much Specter energy inside them. But Yan Changshou was unique. He could control them, avoiding that danger.

This also explained why Fang Xiu's pain powers hadn't worked—Yan Changshou was made of many separate entities…

Which meant he had endless lives.

Fang Xiu finally grasped why Yan Changshou couldn't hold on to his human form. The constant fusion with Specters, driven by his obsession with power and survival, had stripped him of it.

"Figured it out, haven't you?" Yan Changshou sneered, his face contorted with malice, as countless grotesque eyes stared at Fang Xiu.

"I am immortal! It doesn't matter if you have the Genesis Mask or control a few domains. What can you do? You're just a second-tier psychic. The Genesis power? It won't last. And those domains? They are not even yours, just borrowed power. When they fade, so will you. And then, you'll die!"

Fang Xiu stayed calm, unfazed by Yan Changshou's threats.

"Is that so? If you're truly immortal, why did you use a Substitution Doll to escape the Xuanyuan Sword?"

At that, Yan Changshou's sneer turned into a snarl of pure rage.

"The Xuanyuan Sword can kill me, but YOU cannot! Now die!"

He lunged forward, ignoring the black flames burning through him, attacking wildly.

Fang Xiu unleashed everything he had. With the Genesis Mask, the scalpel, Specter Hair, and Specter Eye all active, he fought with everything in his arsenal. But even so, he struggled. Against a fourth-tier psychic like Yan Changshou, it wasn't enough.

If it weren't for the Summoner's Rift and Infinite Conflict, along with Yan Changshou's weakened state, Fang Xiu knew he'd be outmatched. He could only hold on for so long before his Spiritual Energy would run dry.

Realizing this, Fang Xiu made his decision. It was time to call on another domain.

There were only two ways to end Yan Changshou. One option was overwhelming force, like the Xuanyuan Sword, to obliterate every Specter in his body at once. The other was to keep chipping away with domains, exhausting Yan Changshou's endless lives until there were none left.

Suddenly, Fang Xiu made his move.

"Domain activated, All Equal!"

The moment All Equal was triggered, Yan Changshou's tentacles were suppressed by an unseen force. They fell limp, unable to move.

However, there were just too many. While most were held down, fresh ones sprouted almost immediately, growing faster than the domain could suppress them.

Undeterred, Fang Xiu activated another domain.

"Domain activated, Sword Infinity!"

Thousands of swords materialized, floating in midair and glinting under the cold moonlight. With a deafening rush, they rained down on Yan Changshou, relentlessly piercing his body.

For a brief moment, the power of four domains came crashing down on him. Tentacle after tentacle was shredded, shrinking rapidly as the relentless assault continued.

Fang Xiu watched as Yan Changshou struggled under the immense power. Using four domains wasn't ideal, but he felt no regret. After all, once this battle was over, as the one who had carried the fight, Fang Xiu could count on the other captains to help recharge the Double Dragon Ring.

But Yan Changshou had proven to be more resilient than expected. It wasn't just raw power that made him dangerous—it was his near-immortality. If given enough time, Yan Changshou could summon an entire army of Specters. And with so many fused into his very being, killing him seemed nearly impossible.

Fang Xiu realized that, apart from Fang Moli, none of the captains back at headquarters could truly kill Yan Changshou. They could hold him back, maybe, but eventually, his endurance would outlast theirs.

Just as Fang Xiu thought the fight was finally over, Yan Changshou let out a primal, rage-filled roar.

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