Reborn As A Ghost: Time To Build My Undead Army!-Chapter 1699: Demonic Pact

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"Not so talkative, huh? That seems to be the case with most people in this sect."

The woman, much taller than he was, walked toward him with a seductress-like presence, offering Lin Ming the mysterious bottle.

"You came back alive, and that alone is a greater feat than most can achieve. Especially if you fought someone stronger than you, someone who could easily overpower a Golden Core Expert. Please take this as a token of our admiration."

"What is this?"

"A Blood Elixir. It can awaken inner power within you, grant greater talent in martial arts, and additionally boost your Blood Arts."

"The other day, another of your members offered me the same thing, and I threw it away. I am not interested in learning your strange powers. I was raised here, and I use poison to fight."

"But would you ever consider it? I am sure it will be of great use."

"Why do you insist so much...? What is your plan?"

"Nothing. Nothing at all. We just want to help. Ensuring the survival and triumph of your sect members is our job, as your allies," the woman said.

Lin Ming glanced behind him at the boy again.

"Are you that child’s mother?"

"...That Dhampir? No."

"Do you know who it is?"

"Hm... Maybe I do, maybe I don’t. It depends on whether you accept my gift and do me another favor."

Lin Ming grabbed the Elixir and tucked it into his pocket.

"What?"

"My name is Tristania. I am an Illusionist. I’ve heard there’s a poison synthesized in this sect capable of causing powerful hallucinations in its victims. If you could find me even a small droplet of it... I would happily answer your question."

"And betray my master? I knew you weren’t kind. I know people who are truly kind. Leave, now."

"Fufu... I hope you enjoy my gift... may we meet again."

The Vampiress disappeared as if she had never been there, surprising Lin Ming.

He walked inside the sect, finding many more Vampires wandering about, speaking with disciples or learning their techniques—and vice versa.

All things he detested. 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

"Why must we rely on outsiders to grow stronger? After preaching so much about pride and our secret techniques... it all boils down to more power, no matter the source."

He glanced at the red elixir in his hand. Once inside his room—reserved for him only because he was a Golden Core Expert—he crushed the bottle with his bare hands. The red liquid spilled onto the ground, and he threw burning poison over it, watching it burn.

"This sect... it’s not what I ever thought it was."

As Lin Ming felt more and more betrayed by the Poison Sect, deep within the underground a huge altar built from human bones and covered in red candles stood.

In front of it, a tall man cloaked entirely in black robes bowed his head, praying to the idol of a demon built from corpses.

It was a towering figure with six arms and a single red eye on its head, shaped like a snake with a long neck.

"Oh Great Demon Lord of Envy, I bring to you yet another sacrifice—the virgin soul of a young woman."

He quickly grabbed the body of a young woman tied with red ropes. She struggled, crying as she saw the horrendous altar and the monstrous thing the sect master had built.

He raised a poisoned dagger imbued with demonic energy and pierced her heart. Her muffled screams echoed faintly through the cave until she died, her eyes still open, turning red and purple from the intense poison. It was an agonizing, yet quick death.

A glowing white soul surged from the woman’s body, flying into the altar. The monstrous creation opened its jaws and devoured the soul.

Its eye glowed bright red, glaring at him.

"Ahh! You’ve finally answered my call!"

The Immortal spread his arms, delighted.

"Speak."

A monstrous voice echoed from the altar. The man nodded.

"Please, give me the strength to make my sect grow even further! It simply is not enough...! I want more; we want more! We envy the great five sects...! We want everything they have!"

"Maria..."

"Huh?"

"She is here."

"M-Maria?"

"She defiled Belphegor, took away his Calamity, and destroyed the Sin of Sloth within her."

"...What?!"

"She is the enemy of all Demons. You must kill her."

"I... I will! If that’s what you want. But... she destroyed a Sin?! That’s... impossible. Sins are concepts that—"

"For this task, only because you’ve been loyal to me, diligently offering a virgin soul every day... I will give you Power."

The monstrous statue moved its rotting hands, revealing a glowing key made of red crystals, overflowing with demonic and dimensional energy.

Then, it opened another hand, revealing a small red and black crystal.

"Hold the key. It will open the Demon Gate. Digest the crystal and become the Vessel of Envy."

"Aahhh! I am forever grateful, great demon king!"

The Immortal eagerly grabbed the key, smiling wickedly, before swallowing the crystal.

Immediately, immense searing pain spread from his chest into his stomach, then throughout his entire body and soul.

"Aaaaggh! AAAARRRGGHHH!"

"It is a painful transformation. If you die, then you were never worthy."

"I am worthy...! I AM WORTHY OF ALL OF MURIM!"

The Sect Master screamed and laughed, injecting himself with various poisons and forcing his body to adapt to the searing pain of pure demonic energy.

Eventually, deep within his soul, the crystal shattered, revealing a small black seed with fleshy tendrils spreading roots inside.

From within that seed, a red eye opened, glaring directly into the Immortal’s psyche.

"I-I did it...! Hahaha...! With the power of this Sin... The Poison Sect—no, the Tang Family—shall finally rise again! Hahahahah! HAHAHAHAA!"

As he laughed, the statue glared with its single red eye, unblinking.

"Good. Take what you must. Everything in the world is yours for the taking. Embrace Envy, and destroy her, and everyone who stands in your path."

"Yes... yes, great demon king! With this... surely, it will work!"

The Immortal held the key in his hand, its powers now resonating with him, as if he instinctively knew what to do with it after becoming the Sin’s Vessel.

His hands shimmered with strange colors, his skin shifting from dark red back to pale white.

"It is an incredible power, but I must first master it... With this, my dream to conquer Murim is now a possibility. And as I promised, with my newfound power, I shall kill your enemy, great demon king."

As he spoke to the corpse statue, the man began experimenting with his newfound powers, seeking ways to merge them with his Martial Arts and Assassination Techniques...

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