Black and purple energy dust swirled around Sina, her illusory blue demonic head splitting from her face, her eyes greedy and evil.
"What in the world is this?" Yaboxien stared blankly at the girl, his inner fear almost impossible to conceal, for he sensed the energy of supreme black magic from within that darkness.
"No, I must stop her quickly." Yaboxien swallowed, then grasped a noble staff, surging with overwhelming power, and pressed down from afar towards Sina.
"Die!"
As Yaboxien roared, more and more dwarves overcame their fear, charging forward with roars. They converted their fear into fighting spirit, vowing to protect the altar.
"Ah hahaha..."
Sina's blue face let out a piercing laugh that tore through the space. The power of black magic transformed into a mirror, reflecting all the attacks, techniques, and weapons of the charging dwarves back onto the altar.
Rumble!
Stones fell, and dust filled the sky.
The colossal altar seemed to be on the verge of collapse, making Yaboxien's heart bleed. He looked up at the sky in despair and shouted, "Lord Vega, please hurry to my aid!"
A phantom image of a black-cloaked mage appeared in response. He looked down at Sina and said with a grave voice, "I am coming immediately."
"Before it's completely destroyed, you must activate the altar and begin the ritual ahead of time!"
"It's the only way." Yaboxien gritted his teeth. "Four Elders, follow me to activate the altar."
"Although the revived heroic souls will be greatly weakened, it's better than not reviving them at all!"
"Yes!"
The four diminutive dark gnome domain lords responded with deep voices. They concentrated, inserting their magical artifacts into the grooves at the center of the altar. Instantly, a strange light appeared, and the mile-long inscriptions around the altar lit up one by one like sparks.
An ancient and vast aura surged forth at that moment.
It rushed towards Sina.
"Ah!!!"
Sina shrieked hysterically, beginning to unseal the power within her body with utter disregard. Her aura climbed steadily, breaking through from stage three to stage four, and then advancing to stage five.
The dark magical energy churned, and her grayish-blue face became more solid, with a neck, body, and arms gradually forming. She seemed to be separating from Sina's face.
Or rather, she was using Sina's face as a boundary, to be transmitted here from some unknown dimension.
"Lord Vega, what is happening!" Yaboxien looked at Vega's phantom image in surprise.
After his altar array was activated, shouldn't it have first revived the spirits of the fallen dwarves? Why were they surging towards Sina?
He also suddenly realized that Sina was Vega's closed-door disciple, and Vega had never mentioned such a terrifying disciple. Now, her appearance at the altar, was it a coincidence, or was there another motive?
"Vega, what exactly are you trying to do!"
At this moment, the evil mage Vega revealed his true form within the space. His true body was a skeleton covered by a black cloak, with flames burning in his eyes.
"I am a black mage, so of course I must obtain the most powerful black magic."
Vega said matter-of-factly, pointing his staff at Sina. Instantly, she raised a black magic mirror in the sky that could reflect attacks.
"Ridiculous, do you think I can't do anything to you like this?" Vega sneered dismissively. "Don't forget, your black magic was taught by me."
Then, with the most evil and devout voice, he chanted black magic incantations. Instantly, the entire space was covered by the dark Great Dao of evil, and a bottomless vortex suddenly appeared before Sina.
"Your body will become the noble vessel for the Demon King. The black magic power of the alien dimension will truly descend upon this world. By then, I will be the world's number one black mage, capable of controlling this energy!"
Hearing Vega's manic laughter, Yaboxien also sensed something was wrong. His expression changed drastically, and he suddenly roared, "Vega, you never intended to help us dwarves revitalize on the surface, this altar is fake!"
"You realize that now? It's too late!" Vega laughed wildly, his phantom image towering ten thousand meters high. The power of the curse fell upon Sina like a torrential rain, instantly suppressing the Demon King's power within her, halting its ascent.
"Don't be in such a hurry to come out, old friend. I'll let you out myself later, but by then, you will be under my control. Ah ha ha ha ha!"
Yaboxien's face turned ashen. He too was affected by the curse, unable to resist Vega.
So, all the talk of using black magic to revive the fallen dwarf heroes through the altar and human slaves to return to the land was a lie.
Vega's true objective was to use the energy of this altar to control the Demon King sealed within the girl's body. And their dark gnome race had been deceived for a full century!
"Xu Mu, help me! This Demon King is a being close to transcending the Human King level. If Vega controls it, we will all die!" Sina's face was so distorted that she was unrecognizable. She roared hoarsely and painfully, begging Xu Mu for help.
"You think too highly of me! How can I possibly help you with this level of battle!" Xu Mu yelled helplessly. He was already halfway up the mountain and could clearly sense the terrifying fluctuations of energy below.
Frankly, even Gui Bai Tong couldn't change the outcome of this situation. Because Vega was an ultimate expert infinitely close to the Human King level. Even those powerful domain lord dwarves were like lambs to the slaughter. What could he possibly do?
"Of course, you can. And you can do more than that."
At this moment, a familiar voice sounded in Xu Mu's mind.
"How? Are you saying you've broken through to the Domain Lord level?" Xu Mu asked in surprise, then immediately shook his head. "Even if you are a Domain Lord, you can't possibly defeat a half-step Human King!"
"That's not necessarily true," Gui Bai Tong replied coldly. "And I'm not a Domain Lord either."
Xu Mu was speechless. "Then what are you saying here? Don't cause trouble!"
"Such a being, if released, then let it be released. It won't destroy the world. The tallest will bear the burden when the sky falls. I can't hold on anymore!"
"Are you an idiot?" Gui Bai Tong snorted. "That creature is from an alien dimension and has not fully descended into this world. Meaning, it's a phantom, or rather, a spiritual existence!"
Xu Mu trembled slightly upon hearing this. Then, thinking of a possibility, his eyes widened. "You mean... you want me to destroy it with my spirit?"
"You can't." Gui Bai Tong shook his head. "Drag it into your sea of consciousness."
"I'll do it myself."