Chapter 812: Chapter 638 Great Tengu

At the cave beneath Mount Hiei.

The massive red cocoon kept contracting, every pulse compressing power within itself, which in turn caused the cocoon to shrink in size.

At this moment, five figures stood around the cocoon.

Only the Ran’ei Divine Master was absent.

“Of the eight branches, only five of us remain. What’s more, Ran’ei’s death has filled this ritual with endless uncertainty.”

A deep voice echoed through the cave.

“Would now be an appropriate time for the transformation?”

It was the White Wolf Tengu who spoke. The others remained silent, but subtle changes flickered across their faces.

The prolonged division had twisted the thoughts of every individual, leading each to form new ideas of their own.

Though they all originated from the same source, merging together promised greater strength and completeness. Yet it also meant obliterating their individuality.

“Perhaps we should wait and see.”

The Yamabushi Tengu suggested cautiously.

The others responded with silence, though fleeting exchanges of eye contact revealed their hesitations and hidden motives.

Their division was undeniable, but no one dared to be the one to openly suggest merging for fear of becoming the target of reproach.

“Then let’s wait and see.”

The White Wolf Tengu followed up, while taking a cautious step backward. Seeing no reaction from the others, a flicker of joy passed through his heart as he moved back farther.

But before long, the red cocoon suddenly convulsed violently. Endless power surged within, and before anyone could react, a single Blood Vessel shot out from the interwoven network of tendrils.

Shrrk!

The White Wolf Tengu’s robust body, as fragile as paper, was pierced with ease. In that instant, the Blood Vessel split into countless branches, its tendrils spreading throughout his body.

His towering frame crumbled before their eyes, as his Essence Blood and power were swiftly drained–along with his unique Guardian Spirit!

“What’s happening?!”

The White Wolf Tengu’s face twisted in terror as he struggled desperately, but no amount of effort availed him. Meanwhile, the other four Divine Masters scattered around the cave sensed the anomaly.

Each erupted with their own power, only to quickly discover to their horror that their abilities were completely beyond their control. Their Guardian Spirits were rebelling, turning on them.

At the same time, the Blood Vessels coiled around the cocoon sprang outward, their thick, tendril-like forms piercing through the bodies of the others.

The tendrils breached through their eyes, mouths, and eardrums, then infiltrated every corner of their beings with terrifying speed.

Gasp!

Unintelligible noises escaped their lips as they struggled with futility, their eyes widened in horror. Every nerve sensed the changes overtaking their bodies, yet not a single ounce of strength could be summoned to resist.

Gradually, all the power from within their bodies coalesced into the blood-red cocoon.

As the cocoon contracted further, it slowly took the shape of a humanoid bullet-like form.

Squelch!

Thud!

The surface of the cocoon, dense with crimson folds, cracked open slightly. A foul-smelling liquid began to ooze out.

As the sticky fluid fell to the ground, its internal composition became unsettlingly clear.

It wasn’t liquid at all, but a pulsating mass of nearly transparent fleshy worms, each about the thickness of a finger, shifting and squirming seamlessly into one another.

Hundreds upon thousands of white bodies writhed in unison, sometimes dividing, sometimes merging. Occasional glimpses revealed countless tiny heads and exposed black eyes.

The viscous liquid flowed outward, converging around the wounded forms of the Divine Masters before slithering into their gaping wounds.

“Ah!”

A sudden anguished scream tore through the cave–somehow, the White Wolf Tengu had broken free of the Blood Vessel’s grip! His burly frame swelled with power.

But as he launched himself nearly ten meters across the cavern, no sooner had he landed than his body collapsed to the ground with a deafening thud.

Crunch!

The cracked opening widened abruptly, and from within, a skinless hand with exposed crimson muscle reached out.

Soon, a second hand. Then a third. And a fourth.

All four hands strained, tearing the fissure open wider.

A cold, emotionless voice echoed from within.

“Where do you think you’re taking my body?”

Smack!

The crimson figure tumbled helplessly to the floor.

The silhouette was entirely red, its surface stripped of skin as though corroded or violently peeled away. The figure hung its head low, concealing its face, but the grotesquely thick and distorted four arms were plainly visible.

It tried to stand, failing several times as it struggled to control its body. But after mere breaths, the blood-red figure finally mastered itself, fully revealing its twisted form to the others.

What lay before them was a severely fragmented body.

The general shape was barely distinguishable as humanoid. Skinless, incomplete muscles, hollow black eye sockets, and ribs on display along with remnants of damaged organs within the chest cavity.

As its chest heaved, surrounding Spiritual Power funneled into its fractured form.

Within the lightless sockets, a sickly pale eye began to take shape. The eye shifted slightly, as though acclimating to its environment, before the figure moved toward the collapsed White Wolf Tengu.

“Where do you think you’re taking my body?”

The White Wolf Tengu’s physical resilience far outmatched that of the other Divine Masters, allowing him some control over himself, “What… what are you?”

“Our plan… our plan was to merge. The ritual hasn’t even commenced; how could it have produced…”