Urban Peerless Expert

"Boom!"

The kryptonite struck heavily against the Chaos Star Core, and the Lord Charm Erosion let out a piercing, agonizing scream.

The Chaos Star Core did not shatter. Though kryptonite is indeed the bane of the Demon Clan, the gap in strength between Lin Chen and the Lord Charm Erosion was far too wide.

Had it been an Immortal Emperor, or any other Saint, wielding the kryptonite for the attack, the Lord Charm Erosion would have died on the spot. However, Lin Chen's attack fell short, leaving the Lord Charm Erosion severely injured but still alive.

Lin Chen was not surprised. He had already considered all possible outcomes before making his move.

If once doesn't work, then ten times will!

As long as kryptonite proves effective, I will certainly smash your star core and take your life!

After being struck by kryptonite, the Lord Charm Erosion lost all ability to resist. Vines wrapped around her instantly, constricting her tightly, completely immobilizing her.

Seizing this opportunity, Lin Chen gripped the kryptonite and once again ferociously launched another attack at the Chaos Star Core.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The Lord Charm Erosion's body appeared to flow like liquid, repeatedly attempting to mend itself, yet Lin Chen's relentless assault rained down like a violent storm. Her body was shattered again and again, while the kryptonite repeatedly slammed into the Chaos Star Core.

With each strike, even though it wasn't enough to take the Lord Charm Erosion's life, the relentless impact drove large amounts of kryptonite energy into the Chaos Star Core. The brutal onslaught felt no less intense than a stick being vigorously churned within the Lord Charm Erosion's brain.

The Lord Charm Erosion could feel her Chaos Star Core becoming increasingly fragile, teetering closer to the brink of shattering. Panic overtook her immediately.

If she didn't come up with a solution, Lin Chen might very well beat her to death on the spot.

A Demon Lord being killed by a Quasi-Saint would undoubtedly go down as the greatest humiliation in the history of the Abyss Demons!

"Stop! Don't smash it anymore!"

"One more strike and it will break!"

Lin Chen's response was another ruthless blow.

Break?

That's exactly what I want—to smash you to pieces!

For daring to ambush me!

If not for the protective measures granted by a Saint and the kryptonite, I would likely have died here today.

Since I'm not dying, then you will!

"Boom!"

After countless repeated attacks, the Chaos Star Core of the Lord Charm Erosion finally began to show signs of strain. Amid a barely audible cracking sound, the first fracture appeared on the Chaos Star Core.

The Lord Charm Erosion, naturally attuned to the condition of her own star core, went pale with fear upon noticing the crack. All composure fled her.

If this kept up, she really would die!

"Please, stop! I surrender to you! From now on, I will obey you!"

"You'll be my master. Whatever you command, I will carry out. Whoever you want me to kill, I will kill."

The Lord Charm Erosion's words made Lin Chen's actions pause momentarily.

Just as the Lord Charm Erosion began to sigh with relief, thinking that negotiations might be possible, Lin Chen had already gripped the kryptonite once more and hammered it down resolutely.

"Kill someone? I bet the moment you escape, the first person you'd kill would be me!"

"The only safe being—the only one incapable of causing harm—is a dead one!"

Sensing the crack in her star core widening further following Lin Chen's renewed attack, the Lord Charm Erosion was overcome with terror.

She truly was about to die!

The star core was on the verge of complete fragmentation!

"I'm serious! I can offer myself to you as your servant. You could manipulate my life just as the Abyss Lord manipulates me."

Lin Chen sneered and launched another forceful punch. "Your life is controlled by the Abyss Lord—I cannot manipulate that. How can I know you're not deceiving me? The moment you recover and escape, wouldn't you turn against me and kill me? With your strength, it would take only an instant to do so."

The Lord Charm Erosion was genuinely frightened now. Lin Chen's actions made it clear that he intended to kill her completely.

Though she had indeed held secret schemes earlier, seeing the star core crisscrossed with fractures and on the brink of destruction shattered her facade. Panicking, she cried out, "I'll open up my star core for you! Just use spiritual power to probe it, and you'll know I'm not lying. You can gain the ability to kill me at any time. You can even leave a fragment of your own primordial spirit within the star core. If I ever attempt to harm you, you could rupture the star core from within and kill me instantly."

Lin Chen paused his actions because he realized the Lord Charm Erosion now had no power left to resist.

The kryptonite's continual strikes had severely diminished her strength, while the divine powers granted by the Mixed Element Saint had bound her completely, leaving her unable even to struggle—let alone resist.

With the Immortal Emperor Order's protective shield enveloping him, Lin Chen wasn't overly concerned about the Lord Charm Erosion retaliating in the short term. So, he decided to hear what she had to say.

If he truly could control the life and death of the Lord Charm Erosion, forcing her to serve him, wouldn't he be gaining a Saint-level combatant?

The temptation was undeniable, especially given the current circumstances. Faced with Qingluan Immortal Monarch, who was on the verge of becoming a Saint, Lin Chen felt trapped, powerless to navigate his predicament. But if he could indeed subdue the Lord Charm Erosion, breaking out of his dilemma might suddenly become far easier.

"Speak. Explain yourself. Let me make this clear: it's your job now to prove to me that I can control your life and death. Prove to me that even if you kill me, you wouldn't be able to survive. Only then might I spare your life."

"Fail to prove this, and today will mark your end. I won't give you the chance to turn the tables and kill me later. After all, you're a Demon Lord, and I'm just a Quasi-Saint."

Bound and powerless, with kryptonite and the energy it had infused into her star core suppressing her completely, the Lord Charm Erosion was incapable of resisting.

Her chest split open along the sides, fully exposing the Chaos Star Core riddled with numerous cracks.

"This isn't something I can explain with mere words. All I can tell you is that the secret to controlling the life and death of the Demon Clan lies within the Chaos Star Core. Our creator planted his mark inside each star core during its creation—a mark that grants control over our lives."

"The star core is our essence, the most vital part of us. As long as the star core remains intact, we remain alive. We never open our star core to others; doing so means entrusting our lives to them."

"You can use spiritual power to probe inside, and you'll understand naturally. You may even find the mark left by the Abyss Lord…"

Spiritual investigation?

From his brow, Lin Chen summoned the Linglong Tower. He instructed, "If anything happens to me, Xi Jie, kill her immediately. Show no mercy."

Having arranged a contingency plan, Lin Chen finally began releasing his spiritual power, extending it toward the depths of the star core.

The surface of the star core radiated immense energy, akin to an armor protecting its innermost layers. But now that energy retreated willingly, revealing the vulnerable inner world of the star core to Lin Chen.

As Lin Chen's spiritual power penetrated the heart of the star core, he quickly encountered an indescribable moment of enlightenment.

Indeed, it was as the Lord Charm Erosion had claimed—an understanding that could not be conveyed through words, one impossible to articulate.

Comprehending the intricate workings inside the star core, Lin Chen confirmed the truthfulness of the Lord Charm Erosion's statements.

To take control of the star core's depths was, in essence, to take control of her life and death.

Following her instructions, Lin Chen soon located the mark left by the Abyss Lord within the Lord Charm Erosion's star core. However, upon closer examination, Lin Chen noticed something peculiar.

"This mark… why is it fading?"