A breath of icy air erupted from Evangeline’s mouth, carrying with it endless frost. In an instant, it enveloped the Earth Demon Beast, freezing it solid. Then, with a sharp kacha-kacha, it shattered into icy dust within moments.

“Is that… Absolute Zero?” The five of them changed color simultaneously. Although they had vaguely sensed it before, only now did they confirm it completely: this little girl before them was a Rule-level powerhouse, and unlike them, she must be exceptionally prominent even among those at the Rule level.

“Damn this girl…”

The group immediately hesitated. Confronting such a formidable enemy right now was clearly not wise; they should at least wait until they could exert their full strength.

“What’s wrong? Don’t dare to attack anymore? The game has just begun. Don’t let me get too bored.” Evangeline stood suspended in mid-air, her golden hair whipping in the wind, looking down arrogantly at the five figures on the ground. To her, this fight was merely a game to pass the time; the strength of these five was nowhere near enough to force her to go all out.

“You…!” As Walkers, the five of them united were being treated with such disdain by a mere Host—this was a massive humiliation.

Li Dingzong ground his teeth fiercely. “Never mind that. No matter how strong she is, she’s just one person. Even with Instant Healing Magic, it’s useless if we can kill her in one blow. The five of us attack together. Liu Qu, you deliver the final blow. Aim to take her out instantly. Can you do it?”

Liu Qu lifted the long saber in his hand, nodded, and said in a deep voice, “It’s fine. Although my leg is still a bit inconvenient, one solid strike is no problem. Leave it to me.”

“Good. Everyone, pay attention. No matter what, we must take this person down today. Otherwise, with her strength combined with the Master of the Covenant Book, we will have completely lost this first phase of the war,” Li Dingzong stated gravely to the other four.

The other four said nothing, but their expressions were far from relaxed. They clearly understood the weight of Li Dingzong’s words. With Evangeline’s heaven-defying power, if she allied with the Master of the Covenant Book, it would be the worst possible scenario; they would have no hope whatsoever.

“Then, next…” Before he could finish speaking, Li Dingzong swung his greatsword, spinning like a top on the spot. In an instant, a massive tornado formed around him, rapidly advancing toward Evangeline. “Let’s have a real fight!”

“Earth Beast Manifestation!” Simultaneously, on the other side, two even larger and more ferocious Earth Demon Beasts emerged from the ground. Then, under Yun Feng’s command, they shot into the sky like lightning, recklessly charging at Evangeline.

Nearby, Mo Xinming channeled all his strength, emanating a surging aura that enveloped his entire body, resembling the transformation of a Super Saiyan. He then charged upwards like a cannonball.

And Kousaka Taiga chanted an incantation, pointing his staff forward. Endless crimson flames churned before him, and under his control, a deluge of fire swept toward Evangeline.

Directly ahead was Li Dingzong’s raging tornado; to the left were Yun Feng’s two Earth Demon Beasts; to the right was Mo Xinming’s all-out assault; and behind him roared a sea of scorching flames… At this moment, Evangeline was surrounded and attacked by four Walkers, but—

“Hahahahaha! Now this is interesting, you brats. Let me see just how strong you really are!” Evangeline, however, showed no fear; instead, her face was filled with excited fervor as she laughed aloud.

Waves of air surged in the sky, flames scattered wildly. Evangeline stood right in the center of the attack points, her black cloak snapping in the wind, her golden hair fluttering freely.

Then, as her hands moved, an aura far more dominant than that of the four attackers erupted. With her left hand, she tore apart the violent tornado; with her right, she blocked Mo Xinming’s fierce assault, kicking him directly in the face and sending him flying. She spat a blast of cold air that repelled Yun Feng’s two Earth Demon Beasts, and the cloak behind her instantly transformed into a swarm of bats that devoured Kousaka Taiga’s flames.

Facing four opponents alone, Evangeline exerted no effort and clearly held the upper hand.

“Hahahaha! Brats, is this all your strength amounts to? Four of you working together and this is all you have? Shameful!” Evangeline fought while laughing, completely disregarding these Walkers.

“Damn it, is this Host really a Host? This level of strength is too exaggerated, isn’t it?”

Although they knew Evangeline was strong, only when they actually engaged did they realize the sheer, inconceivable level of her power. They had initially thought that the four of them combined could hold out for a while, but as soon as the fight began, they were completely at a disadvantage.

This plunged the four men’s hearts into the abyss. If all the Hosts they encountered from now on were at this level, what hope did they have?

“Don’t retreat! At least create an opportunity for Liu Qu. We must take her down!” Li Dingzong shouted, his greatsword summoning another storm, sending countless wind blades toward Evangeline.

“That’s more like it!” Evangeline laughed wildly. By now, sharp, crimson claws had emerged from her fingertips—the proof of her vampiric nature. As the strongest True Ancestor, even without magic, her physical power alone was enough to dominate the world, and her immortality placed her in an unassailable position.

Swish!

A claw swept down, emitting a burst of red light. The tornado Li Dingzong had just formed was utterly shredded. However, Evangeline was not content to stop there. She spread both arms, her petite body radiating unmatched dominance, and dove toward Li Dingzong.

“Heaven-Shattering Fist!”

But halfway through her descent, a sharp sound reached her ears—a fierce current of air sliced toward her face like a knife. Acting instinctively, Evangeline turned her head and saw one of the figures throwing a punch directly at her.

Smack!

She extended her right hand, easily catching the incoming punch. Evangeline sneered contemptuously. “This is what you call Heaven-Shattering? It’s nothing but fancy footwork. If this punch could shatter the heavens, then Jackal Kahn could create the world.”

With a cold laugh, Evangeline lightly flicked the hand she held backward, sending Mo Xinming spinning into the air. Then, Evangeline planted a foot on his head… Had they been on the ground, this stomp would have crushed his skull, but since they were all airborne, she merely kicked him away, sending him slamming heavily onto the ground.

He flew like a cannonball, and he landed like one too.

Mo Xinming was driven deep into the earth, teeth gritted against the pain, stars dancing before his eyes. If his constitution hadn’t been sturdy, that single blow might have cost him his life.

“Flame Devouring the World!” A torrent of roaring flames swept in again, coming from above and below, like a giant maw trying to swallow Evangeline whole.

“Devour my backside!” With a sweep of her right hand, Evangeline channeled frost that emanated from her body, immediately blocking the overwhelming flames outside.

“Roar!”

The roar of giant beasts sounded at that moment. Three massive creatures, neither lion nor tiger, leaped and sprang through the air. Their enormous bodies moved with lightning speed, the three Demon Beasts crisscrossing in a dizzying display, arriving before Evangeline in an instant and snapping down to bite.

Clang!

There was no scene of gore, because three giant ice sculptures instantly materialized before them. When they bit down, not only could they not crush the ice, but their own fangs snapped off.

“What’s wrong? Is this all you can manage when using your full strength? Then I won’t hold back!” Seizing the moment, Evangeline easily shattered these three Demon Beasts, laughing arrogantly.

“Hateful!” Yun Feng gritted his teeth. Summoning the Earth Demon Beasts was extremely taxing on his magical power; summoning three at once was already a massive strain for him in his current state. Despite his reluctance, he could do nothing.

“Soul Chasing Blade!”

Just as Evangeline was laughing toward the sky, a cold voice suddenly rang out. A streak of black light flashed before her eyes. Evangeline felt a chill on her neck and instinctively reached up to touch it; threads of blood trickled onto her hand.

This was Liu Qu’s ultimate fatal blow. He was supposed to wait for an opportunity created by Li Dingzong and the others, but Evangeline’s overwhelming strength meant they couldn’t even force her to exert herself, let alone create an opening. Thus, he could only unleash this strike when Evangeline was careless, not expecting success, but surprisingly, he had succeeded.

“Now she’s finally dead, right?” Seeing the bright red blood pouring from her neck and her stunned gaze, a flicker of excitement and anticipation crossed the faces of the five men. But—

“How is that possible?” A mocking voice sounded. Evangeline brought the bloodied finger to her mouth and licked it, sneering, while the wound on her neck healed rapidly, visible to the naked eye.

“No… impossible! I clearly severed her head, and even infused the attack with the power to twist life! Even Instant Healing Magic couldn’t keep her alive!” Liu Qu’s eyes widened in utter disbelief.

“Idiot. If cutting off a neck meant death, I wouldn’t have been cut by you,” Evangeline tilted her head and scoffed. “That strike just now was a reward for making me exert myself; that’s quite rare, you know.”

“Could it be… could it be Immortality?” Only then did the others understand. If she couldn't even be killed by decapitation, then her ability wasn't some form of Instant Healing Magic at all.

Realizing this, the group broke out in a cold sweat. Immortality—they had absolutely no way to deal with that.

“Well, I’ve had enough fun. I’ll finish you all right here, bringing this war to a swift conclusion. The one I gave the other woman was the simplified version; now, I’ll give you the complete one.” Evangeline said, a cruel and excited smile curling her lips. She raised her hands, and immense, soul-shaking magic gathered in each one. Then, the incantation began.

“Rik* Rak* Rak* Rak* Lyrak…”

“Not good! That’s a Rule-level Forbidden Curse! We absolutely cannot let her finish casting this magic!” As soon as the chant began, Li Dingzong’s face turned ashen. He could feel the world-destroying magic hidden within the runes. If she managed to complete the entire chant, their deaths would be certain.

It wasn't just him; the others felt it too. As Walkers, their awareness of danger was perhaps the highest. Almost the instant Evangeline started chanting, all of them unleashed their strongest powers toward her.

At this moment, no one dared to use Heart Demon Reclamation against Evangeline. No, they probably thought of it, but none dared to use it. After all, Heart Demon Reclamation was only effective against those harboring a Heart Demon. Who could guarantee that this supremely arrogant and powerful woman definitely possessed one?

Moreover, using Heart Demon Reclamation would inflict unimaginable grievous harm on themselves, potentially leaving them as weak as infants. Facing a Rule-level Host, who could be sure that one single use of Heart Demon Reclamation would successfully suppress her?

Furthermore, they could not place 100% trust in their surrounding allies. Who could guarantee that during their moment of weakness after casting Heart Demon Reclamation, their allies wouldn't seize the chance to strike them down?

Therefore, all these uncertainties caused them to completely disregard the Heart Demon Reclamation skill—no one dared to gamble with their lives.

“Oh…” Seeing the five charging toward her together, Evangeline merely sneered dismissively and continued her chant at an unhurried pace.

“By contract I swear, by my will I command, Queen of Shadow, Ice, and Eternity!”

However, the Walkers certainly wouldn't let Evangeline have her way. Liu Qu and Mo Xinming were the first to reach her. One swung his saber at her neck, the other punched toward her head.

“Tsk.” Evangeline grinned, revealing crystal white teeth. Although she didn’t fear their attacks, having her head severed would interrupt the spell, which would ruin the fun.

Thus, she paused the chanting momentarily. Evangeline caught Liu Qu’s long saber with her left hand and grasped Mo Xinming’s arm with her right, completely blocking both attacks.

Then, almost simultaneously, she wrenched the saber from Liu Qu and stabbed it lightning-fast into his chest, while kicking him violently in the abdomen, sending him flying. Then, she raised her left hand and hammered Mo Xinming’s face heavily. Mo Xinming immediately spat blood, but it wasn't over—

Evangeline’s right hand had not let go. In less than a second, she struck Mo Xinming’s temple with an elbow, followed by a straight punch to his chest, then a palm strike to his jaw, and finally, she spun and swept her leg across his waist. Amidst the sound of shattering bones, Mo Xinming was blasted back into the ground once more.

Evangeline couldn't be bothered to look again at the already half-crippled man. Her smile unwavering, she sensed the sharp blade energy coming from behind her. Without even looking, she thrust out her right hand, and an Ice Dragon flew from her palm, colliding with the blade energy, carrying endless cold.

“Ah!” Liu Qu let out a piercing scream. This time, both of his arms were completely frozen over.

“Bloom, slumbering… Eternal Garden of the Ice White Rose…”

The chant resumed, not restarting but continuing from where it left off. Clearly, Evangeline intended to conclude with a magnificent finishing move.

“Don’t underestimate us!” Li Dingzong roared in fury, swinging his greatsword and soaring upward. The sword light swept out with immense, overbearing power, seemingly determined to slice Evangeline in half, but… it was useless.

Evangeline casually clamped down with her empty left hand, and the greatsword, capable of cutting through anything, was easily caught. Then, with a lightning-fast spin, her right elbow struck Li Dingzong’s face like a cannonball. Teeth mixed with blood sprayed out as he tumbled head over heels toward the ground.

“Come forth, eternal darkness, eternal glacier!”

As the chant reached this point, the group could already feel the chilling cold permeating the world. Kousaka Taiga wielded his staff, and a giant dragon formed of fire rose into the sky, charging directly at Evangeline.

Huu…

Evangeline blew out a soft breath, spitting frost from her mouth. The ten-meter-long Fire Dragon was instantly encased in ice, yet the chill continued its advance.

Kousaka Taiga’s soul nearly fled his body in terror. He hastily raised his staff to defend himself, but it lasted less than a second. The staff shattered, the cold entered his body, and he was severely wounded, spitting blood.

“Ha!” Evangeline’s face held an expression of thrilled satisfaction as her lips parted slightly.

“Grant all living things an equal death… World Freeze!”

Crack! Instantly, as the words of the curse suggested, the entire world was frozen over… Everything visible, whether heaven or earth, had become a world of ice.

And the five Walkers, including Li Dingzong, were completely sealed within this frozen realm.

Finally, the golden-haired maiden stood in the void and lightly snapped her fingers.

“Shatter!”

The world of ice broke apart—this was true world-destruction.

“Everyone, don’t hold back! Use your life-saving trump cards! We can’t die here!” Li Dingzong, immobilized within the ice, roared. “One strike… Absolute Defense!”

Immediately, his golden armor separated from his body. In a flash, the ice layer surrounding him completely melted away, and a golden book appeared in his hands. “One chance… Egress from the battlefield!”

Swish! A flash of golden light, and Li Dingzong vanished from the world of ice.

“Gecko sheds its tail, traveling a thousand miles in an instant!” Yun Feng, the only one retaining some mobility, didn’t hesitate. He severed both his legs. Blood sprayed out, and his upper body suddenly vanished from the spot.

“Shadow retreat, myriad illusions!” Liu Qu shouted. Suddenly, his body became unstable, like an illusion, before erupting into countless phantom images that scattered in all directions.

“Sacrifice oneself for righteousness, soul flies beyond the heavens!” Kousaka Taiga barely managed to utter his only life-saving skill. Then, his body exploded with a boom. Smoke billowed, and a sphere of light shot toward the sky like lightning.

“Nine Heavens Ghost Steps, Boundless Hell!” Mo Xinming, completely trapped in the ice layer, materialized the Heart Sutra. An illusory little figure suddenly stepped nine times onto his body, and just before the world-destroying power arrived, his entire form sank deep into the earth.

“Oh my, oh my. Their other skills are nothing special, but they’re quite fast at running away. But with this level of strength, if you want to fight me, go back and train for another two hundred years, hahahaha!”

Watching everyone flee like whipped dogs in utter disarray, Evangeline placed her hands on her hips and burst into loud laughter. Although all five had escaped, she could tell that the techniques they used to flee were absolutely their last resort skills. Using each one once was already miraculous; the next time they met, she would crush them one by one.

“It seems this world isn't so boring after all,” Evangeline said, narrowing her eyes slightly as she landed softly on the ground, chuckling.

P: Regarding the leveling system, well, I'm truly helpless. Previously, there were none, but a large group of people asked me to create one. Now that I have, another large group says the leveling system is bad, arguing that once there are levels, there’s no need to fight. Come on, levels are just data, and data doesn't represent everything.

In the future, a multitude of Contracted beings will appear, and even when they can view enemy data, if it’s still a long string of statistics like before, won’t some people say I’m just faking numbers again?

Well, it is what it is for now. A clear ranking system has been established. Since you can’t please everyone, I’ll proceed at my own pace. That’s all. A