Once at the second tier, the mere presence of an Abyss-level existence, even without skills like a fear aura, was enough to drive lower-tier observers into madness and mutation.
The reason Chen Luo could casually banter with others was purely due to his subjective control, utilizing his vital energy martial arts to perfectly manage his strength.
The fundamental reason why second-tier Abyss-level beings could drive lower-tier beings into madness and mutation simply by existing was because the will and energy of these powerful beings had undergone a fundamental transformation.
Simply put, the energy that constituted the bodies of second-tier powerhouses was infused with their will.
The combination of will and energy was not a simple addition; it was a complete transformation and sublimation.
Furthermore, the higher the combat rating, the more terrifying the advancement.
Ordinary second-tier beings could regenerate their bodies at will as long as their energy was not extinguished, and their physical lifespan was also removed.
However, a casual strike from a powerhouse could completely annihilate the energy surrounding a weaker being.
The current battle had escalated into a dual contest of energy and will.
The weak would be utterly erased!
...
During the recent fierce battle, Chen Luo's continuously escalating fighting spirit resonated with the surrounding energy. His combat power was not weak, even within the Abyss.
However, Theodore was even more bizarre. This Undead King, who claimed to have traversed countless ages and worlds, had inexplicably fallen into a state of strange madness.
With every clash of swords, Chen Luo could feel boundless madness and resentment surging towards him, fiercely colliding and annihilating with his vital energy infused with fighting spirit.
Floating serenely in the sky above the sea of lava, Chen Luo remained vigilant while also recalling the gains from the recent battle.
Chen Luo's improvement was exceptionally rapid. According to Theodore, even in so-called higher worlds, Chen Luo's situation was considered highly unusual.
And Chen Luo's rapid advancement had brought some inconveniences.
That was, no one had told Chen Luo how to use or control his power.
In fact, if it weren't for his vital energy martial arts allowing him to perfectly control his strength, enabling his body to switch at will between being unaffected by the lava and feeling its warmth,
Chen Luo, upon his initial breakthrough to the second tier, would likely have destroyed his own city.
Because he was unable to suppress his power, if he were observed by others, those observers would fall into endless worship and fanaticism, or complete mutation and madness.
And Theodore, currently in a state of inexplicable madness, was the best teacher.
In his battles with Theodore, Chen Luo continuously familiarized himself with the combat style of combining will and energy.
During the recent battle, not only had Chen Luo's vital energy power increased, but his spiritual attributes had also been passively honed, and his will seemed to have become even more transparent and resilient.
Suddenly!
As Chen Luo was contemplating, a whip-like black shadow suddenly shot out from the sea of lava!
*Bang!*
Amidst the surging lava waves, this attacking black shadow was thousands of meters long and tens of meters thick!
Chen Luo had been maintaining a divided focus on vigilance. As the anomaly occurred, his eyes flashed with crimson light, and a river of blade-like flame flowed from his long saber.
The power of starlight, infused with vital energy and Chen Luo's ultimate fighting spirit, formed this thousand-meter giant blade!
"Vital Energy Martial Arts! Overturning Seas Wave Kill!!"
With bulging muscles in his arms, he swung the thousand-meter giant blade with terrifying strength. It was a latecomer, striking the black whip shadow with extreme speed!!
As the blade's shadow swept across, the sea of lava below was literally parted by the residual force!!
The sea of lava! Instantly overturned!!
*Boom!!!*
The black shadow and the blade's edge caused the sea of lava below to violently indent. A massive amount of lava surged outwards due to the collision's aftermath!
The blade and the whip shadow froze in mid-air, and Chen Luo finally saw the true form of the black whip shadow.
It was a bone snake!
Countless black bones formed its neck, and at the very tip of the whip shadow was a giant white skull snake head.
Within the snake head's eyes, black soul fire flickered, exuding a mad malice!
At this moment, the snake head was fiercely biting onto Chen Luo's blade edge.
In the snake's mouth, solidified black mist continuously clashed and annihilated with the fiery glow of the blade.
Amidst the energy collision, Chen Luo's fighting spirit was also constantly clashing with a mad will.
The situation seemed to have reached a stalemate!
But the next moment!!
*Boom!!*
Below, the sea of lava, which had been continuously sinking under the impact, roared again!
A black shadow identical to this black bone snake, dripping with lava, lunged towards the locked Chen Luo!
Chen Luo's pupils constricted. He suddenly retracted the blade itself into his body and, in a thousandth of a second, dodged the attacking white bone snake head.
The first snake head that appeared fiercely bit and shattered the flame blade materialized by Chen Luo.
The second, attacking snake head came with immense momentum! After Chen Luo dodged, it slammed directly into the edge of the mantle above, causing the entire underground world to tremble.
With wings fluttering behind him, Chen Luo looked at the two ferocious snake heads, his heart gradually sinking.
The sea of lava below, which had been impacted and sunk, rose again under some unknown power.
As lava dripped and slid down, accompanied by the inexplicably sounding eerie music, a terrifying black shadow, occupying more than half of the sea of lava, emerged from it.
Fierce black bone snakes, connected to the massive body within the sea of lava, each one identical to the giant snake that appeared first.
Upon the island-like giant black body, a total of eight ferocious and terrifying black bone snakes were lined up.
And the power of each bone snake was on par with Chen Luo's current strength.
Chen Luo stared intently at the monster gradually revealing its full form. Although these bone snakes were terrifying, he could sense a more profound evil lurking and watching him!
The eerie music that inexplicably sounded in his ears reached its crescendo at this moment!
*Buzz!*
Amidst the escort of the eight bone snakes, from the center of the black island-like body on the sea of lava, a figure slowly emerged from within the body.
The familiar black battle armor, no longer exhibiting strange mutations, instead radiated a solemn stillness.
The helmet had been removed, revealing a half-rotted undead skull. Its dark eyes were assessing Chen Luo with interest.
Theodore's dark pupils no longer held the previous strange madness, but instead, a rationality and coldness akin to when he first appeared:
"From the moment you began fighting me, you've been constantly diverting the residual combat energy outwards, fearing you'd damage this world."
Chen Luo silently watched Theodore, whose appearance had greatly changed, without replying.
Theodore, however, seemed unconcerned and continued speaking on his own:
"I told you, this is a hunting ground! Under the will of the higher beings, I naturally would not destroy this world either."
As if recalling something he preferred not to remember, a flicker of apprehension crossed Theodore's eyes.
But in the next moment, Theodore's tone shifted, and he looked at Chen Luo with a mocking expression:
"Heh heh, are you satisfied with this place? This is the graveyard I've chosen for you!"
"And this fragile world, perhaps only the geocentric pressure can allow me to display my true power."
"You are honored to witness my true form!"
"This is Abyss True Transformation!"
"Nine-Headed Death-Resentment Dragon!!"