NOVPUB
Chapter 316: Battle Against Elis
Twiing!
As Aldrian plucked the string, a piercing sound erupted, causing Elis’s ears to ring with such intensity that her eardrums began to tear and bleed. Desperately, she placed one hand on the string to halt its vibration while stretching her other hand toward Aldrian’s face in a swift palm strike.
This man was using her own guqin against her! Had he also comprehended the sound element and mastered sound laws?
Noticing the incoming palm strike, Aldrian calmly grabbed her wrist. Anticipating his reaction, Elis swiftly snapped her fingers right in front of his face.
Snap!
The snapping sound reverberated in Aldrian’s ears, but his expression remained calm and unmoved. Without hesitation, his other hand reached out and gripped Elis’s neck firmly.
Elis was stunned—her snapping sound, which should have caused immense damage, had no effect on Aldrian, even though he was directly in front of the sound’s source. Refusing to give up, she quickly devised another move.
Her free hand, still holding the strings of the guqin, channeled all the energy she could muster in a single surge and swept across the strings in one powerful motion.
The resulting sound created a shockwave so intense that even Aldrian frowned slightly. He sensed the overwhelming strength of the sound—powerful enough to instantly kill anyone below the viscount stage who remained within its area of effect.
Fortunately, Aldrian had anticipated this move. The formations he had set up earlier effectively isolated the sound technique, ensuring it wouldn’t travel beyond a four kilometers radius around them.
He attempted to inject his energy into Elis, aiming to incapacitate her. However, Elis suddenly exhaled something from her mouth. Reacting swiftly, Aldrian dodged it, but he was forced to release his grip on her neck and let go of her wrist for a split second.
Taking advantage of the opening, Elis used her agility to twist her body and put distance between herself and Aldrian.
She grabbed her guqin, leapt into the air, and floated gracefully, the instrument resting on her lap. Watching her escape his grasp, Aldrian immediately recognized what had come from her mouth.
"She can condense space into needle-like forms using low-frequency sound from her vocal cords," Aldrian thought, astonished by the skill Elis had demonstrated. The techniques she displayed were truly an eye-opener for him.
It became clear to him that there were countless ways to harness the sound element or master sound laws, sparking a desire within him to explore and learn them himself.
After escaping Aldrian’s grasp, Elis gazed at him solemnly.
"This man is far more dangerous than Prince Claude!" she thought. He was the worst type of enemy for her—someone who comprehended space laws.
His strange teleportation ability was the most threatening aspect. He could suddenly appear close to her, disrupting her ability to play the guqin effectively. While she had techniques to handle close-range opponents, dealing with someone who could teleport was a far more difficult challenge.
After a brief moment of thought, she made her decision. She would end the battle by using the most powerful technique in her arsenal. She knew that hesitation now would seal her fate.
The Doomsday Notes
She began to play the guqin, each string producing an eerie sound that sent chills through the air. The vibrations carried an ominous aura, pulling listeners into an illusion where they witnessed the end of the world.
The most terrifying aspect of this technique was its inescapability. Once a listener heard the first note, they could not free themselves from the illusion, even if the music stopped. The effect was etched into their very soul. Trapped within a doomsday scenario filled with the relentless sounds of death, the victims would remain ensnared until their own demise.
Even blocking their ears was futile. Like her other high-ranked sound techniques, this one bypassed the physical sense of hearing entirely. As long as they shared the same space as her, the sound penetrated directly into their souls, whether they wanted it or not.
However, this terrifying technique came with significant drawbacks. The energy required to perform it was immense, so much so that even those at the king stage could sustain it for no more than 30 seconds.
Moreover, the technique demanded comprehension of sound laws, illusion laws, and karma laws—a complex combination. Its cost didn’t stop at energy depletion; if the caster continued to forcefully play after exhausting their energy reserves, the technique would begin to drain their cultivation foundation. Prolonged use could cause their cultivation level to fall, leaving them severely weakened.
This technique was dangerous not only for its targets but also for the caster, yet its deadly effects were undeniable. As she plucked the first string, the space around her seemed to tremble, and her domain amplified the sound, transforming the surroundings into a vast, resonating theater.
The air and space quivered under the weight of the sound, and the entire four kilometers area was filled with the haunting melody of the guqin. No other sound could be heard—only the eerie resonance of its strings.
The formations Aldrian had created trembled under the immense pressure of the amplified sound but managed to hold firm. Prince Claude, despite being protected by Aldrian’s energy, still felt the oppressive weight and the terrifying vibrations of the guqin’s melody. Though Aldrian’s energy shield significantly reduced the effect, Claude could still hear the unsettling tones, which filled him with an indescribable discomfort.
Aldrian, as the main target of the technique, bore the full brunt of its power. For the first time, he could feel the true effect of the music as vibrations coursed through his body and the sound infiltrated his soul. Despite this, the impact remained within his ability to endure. While the sensation was deeply uncomfortable, it lacked any lethal effect on him.
His keep his gaze to Elis, who continued to play with unwavering focus. Her body was gradually transforming into her devil form as she poured everything into amplifying the technique’s strength.
"I think this is enough," Aldrian thought, his expression calm despite the intensity of the moment. He had wanted to experience battling an opponent like Elis, and now that he had faced such an opponent, he understood how to confront them in the future.
Aldrian finally unleashed his golden energy, sending it surging outward and dissipating the effects of the sound technique. Both Elis and Claude were stunned by the display. Unlike before, the golden energy no longer carried a soothing aura—instead, it radiated an overwhelming presence that demanded reverence.
Extending his hand, Aldrian pointed toward Elis, and a small spark of lightning flickered at his fingertip. He channeled a fraction of his domain’s power into the attack.
Elis continued to play her music, but a deep sense of foreboding gripped her. The aura emanating from the tiny spark of lightning was terrifyingly powerful.
Suddenly, the small spark burst forth, hurtling toward her with incredible speed and tremendous force. As it approached, Elis could finally discern the sheer might contained within it.
"Heavenly lightning!"
She had no time to dwell on how Aldrian could wield something as formidable as heavenly lightning. Instead, she went all out to defend against the attack. Her body had fully transformed, now entirely red and marked with devilish characteristics, exuding a thick aura of devil energy.
Desperately, she attempted to use the Doomsday Notes as a shield, but the heavenly lightning showed no sign of stopping or weakening.
Elis’s eyes widened in shock as the lightning, imbued with the overwhelming strength of the emperor stage, finally reached her. It struck her directly, slamming her to the ground with immense force.
Her body crashed into the earth, creating a small crater beside a nearby civilian building. Sparks of heavenly lightning flickered across her form, remnants of its devastating power. Her body convulsed from the shock, her clothes scorched and torn in places.
Elis’s devil form dissipated on its own, leaving her visibly weakened and half-conscious. Aldrian approached her, his gaze still calm. She struggled against the lingering effects of the heavenly lightning, her body convulsing as residual sparks occasionally crackled across her skin.
Her alluring figure, now clad in tattered attire, might have been tempting to anyone else, but not to Aldrian.
As she continued to convulse, barely clinging to consciousness, Aldrian stood beside her and placed his hand firmly on her forehead. As usual, his intent was clear—he sought information.
After all, as one of the Seven Devils of Annihilation, Elis undoubtedly possessed valuable information.
Yes, Elis was actually one of the Seven Devils of Annihilation, and she stood as the most mysterious among them. Of all the members of the Seven Devils of Annihilation, there was one whose specialty and character remained largely unknown, mostly due to her inconspicuousness. The only thing most people knew was that this figure was a woman.
Aldrian knew Elis because he had read the memories of many high-ranking devils. Through this, he had gained insight into many secrets, including the hidden aspects of the devils themselves.
Elis couldn’t resist when Aldrian broke her memory seal and began reading her memories. Her body trembled at times as he delved deeper into certain memories. After a few minutes, he released his hold on her forehead, allowing her to drop, and she finally fainted.
He watched her for a moment before turning his gaze to the surrounding area.
The destruction had been minimized because the entire area had already become his domain. While Claude and Elis fought, Aldrian had helped the innocent by teleporting them out of the battle zone. The area, stretching over four kilometers, was now devoid of people—except for the children on Sylphia’s side. This was something Claude and Elis hadn’t noticed as they were focused entirely on their battle.
Aldrian sealed Elis’s cultivation before turning his attention to Claude, who was slowly approaching him. His condition had improved significantly since earlier, thanks to a healing pill he had taken. The prince stopped and, to Aldrian’s surprise, slightly bowed his head—an uncommon gesture for someone of his noble standing.
"Thank you for saving me," Claude said. "May I know your name, sir?"
