On the previous two occasions confronting the Flame Demon, the first time being too weak to even see it and nearly getting killed, and the second time relying on a timed portal, exploiting the demon's lack of agility due to its massive body. But even then, it required all their strength, and the demon still managed to escape back to the abyss.
Why was this third encounter so effortless?
Had he truly become this much stronger so quickly? Or was his weapon that formidable?
Li Xi didn't have time to ponder. Behind him, Hume's incantation concluded. Magical energies collided in the void. The trees, already sparse with leaves before the winter chill, shed their remaining foliage under the surge of power. Their bare branches seemed to tremble before the might of heaven and earth, a desolate, oppressive force accompanied by the crackling of unseen lightning in the sky.
"Swish, swish, swish, swish."
Chains, glowing a fiery orange, large enough to anchor a colossal ship, shot out from the void. The air around them warped and shimmered with heat. Dozens of chains descended from all directions, aimed at binding the two Flame Demons.
The first Flame Demon naturally noticed the change and intended to dodge. But in the next instant, Li Xi's arrows taught it the importance of standing still. To avoid being pierced, it could only watch helplessly as it was wrapped into a human-shaped dumpling by dozens of high-temperature chains. Simultaneously, Li Xi's attack also ceased.
These magical chains were imbued with intense heat. Even for a powerful being like the Flame Demon, accustomed to living in magma, the contact caused a scorched smell to emanate, its skin cracking and charring.
The second Flame Demon fared no better. It managed to dodge the first three chains but was immediately cornered by Calidos and Cameron, swiftly ensnared by the chains.
Wisps of smoke rose from the Flame Demons, releasing a foul, rotten odor, reminiscent of salted fish left out for years. So, Flame Demon meat wasn't exactly palatable!
Naturally, they were unwilling to be so easily trapped and began to struggle fiercely. However, even with the force of their self-destruction, they couldn't break free from Hume's magic.
Hume walked over to Li Xi triumphantly. "This is a Magus-level spell, 'Void Scorching Chains.' I even added a double potency enhancement with a long chant. Normal creatures, once bound, would be reduced to charcoal. But Flame Demons, being upper-tier demons from the abyss, will still take at least two sand-glass cycles to break free."
"Your skill is admirable, Master," Li Xi offered a timely compliment. To bind two Flame Demons with a single spell was befitting of a standing council member of the Mage Guild, a true Archmage.
Although without Li Xi and the others, these Void Scorching Chains would have had little chance of restraining the Flame Demons, wasn't that the point of teamwork?
With the Flame Demons captured and immobilized, the stage was set for the spoils of victory.
But before the four could speak, the eyes of both Flame Demons suddenly shifted from blood red to a dull grayish-white. The slight expressions of panic on their faces turned into a blank, emotionless stare. Four grayish-white beams of light shot from their eyes, converging in the sky to form an eggshell-like dome that enveloped the entire mountain. Everyone present was within the scope of this grayish-white dome.
"Not good, this is Necromancy, 'Spatial Decay,'" Hume's expression changed drastically.
Two ancient scrolls appeared in her hands. Without hesitation, she tore them open. Azure flames, like a gentle breeze, flew towards the two Flame Demons. Hume intended to disrupt their spell.
Li Xi didn't know much about Necromancy, his knowledge limited to descriptions of forbidden spells like the "Necrotic Cataclysm" and general common knowledge.
For example, Necromancy was a corrupting magic, an enemy of all intelligent life. Necromancers gained power by tormenting souls, a disgrace and shame to the magical world. Even the Goddess of Magic had publicly declared that Necromancers were not under her protection.
The last time Li Xi had seen news about a Necromancer was from the Adventurer's Guild, seeking a Magus-level Necromancer named Borne.
In contrast, the Underworld, the Abyss, and Death itself seemed to favor Necromancers, as their worldviews found common ground.
Although Necromancy was a disavowed, corrupt magic by the mainstream, the pursuit of immortality by Necromancers was a goal for many. Thus, Necromancers had persisted throughout history.
Hume's two azure flames hadn't even touched the Flame Demons when the grayish-white dome, which had encased the entire mountain, suddenly shrank and vanished with a "pop."
The grayish-white dome disappeared. The mountain remained the mountain, the forest remained the forest, even the direction of the wind hadn't changed. Not a single leaf was disturbed. However, all life on the mountain had vanished – from the Flame Demons, Li Xi, Hume, the green dragon Hathway, down to the ants in the soil, the centipedes, and earth dragons – all gone without a trace.
In a grayish-white world, or perhaps a bone-white world, a grayish-white eggshell dome suddenly appeared, then vanished like a popped bubble, leaving behind a scattering of weak life forms and four people and one dragon with drastically changed expressions.
The entire sky was grayish-white. There was no vegetation on the ground, not even a speck of soil. Instead, there were countless layers of the skeletons of various life forms, from the microscopic to those tens of meters long. The variety of skeletal remains here was likely more complete than in the main world, but human skeletons were the most prevalent.
The air held no freshness, only ubiquitous floating fine particles and a low, mournful weeping that echoed in their ears, as if countless souls were wandering here, unable to depart for the Underworld of the damned.
The two azure flames Hume had unleashed, upon entering this world, seemed to shrink at a visible rate, like silk. As they neared the Flame Demons, they exploded with a "bang," like a balloon bursting. On the Flame Demon's chest, only the faint pop of a firecracker remained, and then nothing. Their power was so diminished it was barely enough to tickle the Flame Demons.
As for the weak life forms teleported along with Li Xi and the others, they began to writhe and contort upon breathing the air, as if they had ingested a potent poison. Within two breaths, they turned grayish-white and then dissolved into dust, disappearing from this world.
"The Undead Plane? An eighth-rank Necromancer Saint, Gagaroth?" Calidos stammered, his voice trembling as he voiced his uncertain guess. His eyes nearly popped out from the shock of his own conjecture. He truly couldn't believe he would face such a legendary figure in his lifetime, especially as an adversary. Wasn't this the greatest joke the gods had played on him?
"Who is Gagaroth?" Li Xi searched his mind but couldn't recall the name.
"Gagaroth, an ancient being who has lived since antiquity, contemporary with Dracula, the progenitor of vampires. He occupies a small plane as his stronghold and hasn't been active in the outside world for a long time. However, all current Necromancers can be considered his disciples or descendants," Hume's delicate brows were knitted so tightly they almost formed a knot. Facing such an enemy, not only herself but even her teacher, Elma, would be helpless.
An eighth-rank existence was no longer a conventional level of strength but a non-human entity possessing a domain. Against anyone below eighth-rank, they were an overwhelming presence. It was akin to pitting a 101 rocket launcher against a pistol; the difference was in another dimension.
Hume continued, "We are currently in Gagaroth's plane. Here lie all the bones he has collected since ancient times. The passage of ages has made it impossible to know the exact number of undead he possesses; he likely doesn't know himself."
Li Xi detested these old monsters who lived longer than turtles, constantly emerging from antiquity or ancient times. Wouldn't it be better if they quietly turned into fossils? Their profound foundation was truly insurmountable.
Eighth-rank powerhouses. So far, Li Xi had only dealt with one: Nasser, who had been forcibly elevated by Dracula.
After just a few exchanges, Li Xi knew he was no match. In desperation, he consumed a "red chili pill," unleashing hundreds of times his normal output to kill Nasser. He had been saved afterward by Ivy's first blood.
Back then, facing an eighth-rank opponent like Nasser, who had only recently ascended with external aid, Li Xi had to risk his life. Now, facing an eighth-rank entity who had lived for untold years, Li Xi calculated his trump cards. Even transformation into a tailed beast felt uncertain.
Cameron and Hathway began to circle in the air. An uneasy Hathway even curled her tail. As a mere sixth-rank young green dragon, she might not even be able to see Gagaroth before being devoured by his undead minions, her soul imprisoned within bones, becoming another bone dragon under his command, adding another tally mark to the legend of Gagaroth.
The two Flame Demons, still bound by the Void Scorching Chains, had become like vegetative states since emitting the grayish-white beams. Even as the heat from the chains threatened to roast them, they remained motionless, their facial expressions unchanged.
"They are no longer Flame Demons. While their bodies are still those of Flame Demons, their souls have long been controlled by Gagaroth. I suspect Gagaroth intends to use them to lure in powerful individuals and further bolster the strength of his Undead Plane."
With the explanation from the expert Hume, Li Xi finally understood why the two Flame Demons had been so easy to deal with. It was like watered-down alcohol; not only were their reactions sluggish, but they hadn't even unleashed any of their signature magic. So, they were bait. He, who had cast many fishing lines, had now been caught by an old monster.
While there was no immediate change, Li Xi stepped forward and cut open the Flame Demons' major arteries, using an oak barrel to collect their bloodline. Even if their souls were gone, their bodies remained.
Calidos and the others were not as carefree as Li Xi. Their haste and ambition, leading them to attack the Flame Demons without proper reconnaissance, was foolish. They should have wondered why two Flame Demons with teleportation abilities wouldn't simply leave the main plane and instead lingered, unafraid of death?
Now, it was clear they truly were unafraid of death. Calidos felt tears welling up, though none could fall.
"Master, it seems Gagaroth hasn't discovered our teleportation yet. Is there any way to break through this space and return to the main plane?"
Hume was already retrieving numerous materials and a small mountain of magic crystals from her spatial ring. "While I'm not adept at spatial magic, fire magic at its extreme can indeed tear through space. However, it requires some time."
Hume began to cast, her expression grave. "The fire elemental energy in this Undead Plane is heavily suppressed. It will likely take me two sand-glass cycles. During this period, I cannot be disturbed and will have no defensive capabilities. Whether we can return alive depends on all of you."
With that, she closed her eyes and focused on her spell. Unlike the powerful surge of fire magic she displayed in the main world, here, Hume seemed like damp gunpowder, struggling to spark.
As Hume had stated, in this Undead Plane, all professions except for the undead were suppressed to a fraction of their original strength. Spellcasters were particularly affected. Hume, a true master, was still able to harness external forces to cast advanced fire spells in an environment where fire elemental energy was nearly nonexistent.