Lord of Rot

Once Leech’s Spiritual Power overwhelmed Jonney’s and flooded into his body, he finally understood what had just happened.

It was a body that had surpassed the level of a Transcendent, yet it only possessed the Spiritual Power of one.

The Spiritual Power was insufficient to fully unleash the body’s true potential.

But this had its advantages. Leech could pour his Spiritual Power directly into the body and instantly become a being beyond the Transcendent level.

The Water Nymph’s Spiritual Power was far too strong, and he hadn’t wanted to overstep his bounds with her. Consequently, he’d never had the chance to control a body beyond the Transcendent level. Jonney’s appearance finally remedied that regret for Leech!

’So this is what it’s like to be beyond a Transcendent? A Demigod? A Saint?’

Leech completely relinquished control of his own body, immersing his entire consciousness into Jonney. As a fellow flesh-and-blood-enhanced Transcendent who had used ”Griffin Grass,” he could feel the vast gulf between them.

The Life Force was incredibly abundant. At this level, the Corpse Ghost had been reborn; a pierced head or heart was no longer a fatal wound.

’It’s a completely new species!’

He tried throwing a punch and was shocked to find it generated a powerful gust of wind.

The gust of wind struck like a cannonball, sending the pebbles on the ground flying.

When he leaped, he found that while Leech the Transcendent could scale walls, he could never launch himself into the air like a projectile, the way Jonney’s body could.

Then, he landed.

The impact shattered the ground, leaving a huge crater.

’He’s practically the Hulk incarnate!’

Leech even had a terrifying thought: with Jonney’s current physique, he could face a charge of several thousand heavy cavalry and defeat them all single-handedly.

This leap in Life Level was beyond anything that could be measured by common sense.

A powerful Transcendent could fight a hundred men; a weaker one could still handle dozens.

But someone beyond the Transcendent level could stand against an entire city!

And this was merely its basic physical strength. The crystallized power from the four-headed snake, a being beyond the Transcendent level, had been integrated into Jonney’s body. Leech tried to use it and had a sudden realization.

A faint light flickered, and the body instantly became hard as iron, able to withstand any attack without breaking.

The body of an ordinary being who had surpassed the Transcendent level was already extremely dangerous. To defeat the woman in Iron Valley—who had transformed after swallowing that strange flower—Leech had been forced to use a bomb with an enormous payload, and even then, he had barely won.

The bomb’s blast would have vaporized an ordinary Transcendent.

But if Jonney were to use this invulnerability ability, he very likely wouldn’t have been injured at all.

This, however, made Leech consider another question.

’Just how strong is Prince Hoffman?!’

Prince Hoffman hadn’t killed the four-headed snake with his first Thunder Spear; it took a second one to finish the job. At the time, Leech had no way to gauge their relative strength.

But now, after experiencing this power firsthand, the memory of Prince Hoffman easily obliterating the four-headed snake in just two moves instantly dispelled any nascent thoughts of being unrivaled.

The gap was simply too vast. When the current Jonney used this ability, its effect was surely weaker than when the four-headed snake had used it. Prince Hoffman could probably finish Jonney in a single blow.

’I still have a long way to go.’

Jonney was a Corpse Ghost beyond the Transcendent level, with flesh-and-blood enhancements and an invulnerability skill. Better yet, his Spiritual Power was weak and his intelligence low. After being outfitted in a suit of Lobster Armor that Leech had commissioned from Chuina, he officially became one of Leech’s personal guard Knights.

The other four flesh-and-blood-enhanced Transcendents were also given suits of Lobster Armor and inducted into his company of guard Knights.

Once all preparations were complete, Leech led his entourage out of Porcupine Territory. Of course, he first had to escort the Water Nymph back to Waterfall Land. The bustling environment there, with its constant flow of people, was much more suitable for her. Besides, she enjoyed listening to others’ stories.

Leech had not brought many Corpse Ghosts or bodies with him from Iron Valley.

He had to keep Vendra, Lin Nuo, Trevor, and Allen by his side. If they died, he could immediately convert them into Corpse Ghosts. He’d already paid for them, so they had to work off their debt with their lives.

As for the other Corpse Ghosts, besides Jonney and his four companions, Leech only took Biqi and the twins, Ella and Meira. The remaining Corpse Ghosts would be deployed as a network of relays, helping him establish a secure communication channel. The ambush by the Tuna family would not be allowed to happen a second time.

”Nya~” The Snake Woman, Nia, huddled in her cage, curiously lifting a corner of the cloth covering to peek outside.

In the few days she had been with Leech, she had been given clean clothes, was no longer beaten, and had plenty to eat. She was recovering quickly.

It was just that Leech had never let her out of the cage.

Leech slowed his mount, coming up alongside the Snake Woman’s cage.

”Nya~”

She wasn’t particularly afraid of Leech—likely thanks to him frequently bringing her food—but she was terrified of the Horse-headed Eagle he rode, an instinct probably stemming from the innate fear snakes have of eagles.

”COO,” Rocket chirped in a friendly greeting.

”Nya~” The Snake Woman shrank back in fear, curling into a ball.

Leech gently patted Rocket. ”Don’t scare her.”

”COO!” Rocket cried, sounding aggrieved. It had only been saying hello.

”In a few days, I’ll take you to meet someone,” Leech said to the Snake Woman. ”Maybe she’ll be able to understand what you’re saying.”

”Nya~ nya~ nya~”

After leaving Iron Valley, they reached the docks. There, Leech left the four Transcendents, the Snake Woman, and the bulk of his entourage and merchant caravan to wait.

For the journey to Linta Bay, he only needed to bring a small group. As for his personal protection, Jonney alone was more than enough.

’I’m not sure how powerful that Red-haired Grand Sorcerer I trapped in Pebble Castle is. Jonney might not be able to beat him.’

He thought it over and decided to scrap his plan of going there to stir up trouble.

’I’ll wait until I’ve assembled a squad of beings beyond the Transcendent level before I go settle the score. If I could bring a Legendary-class expert along, victory would be guaranteed.’

Upon reaching Longship Castle, Leech decided to stop for the night. It would also be a chance to see his son.

Outside Longship Castle, Leech looked up at the soldiers standing guard on the ramparts. He frowned slightly but said nothing.