Chapter 676 - Obtaining Ultimate Fist

The rushing river had enough momentum to sweep up even a whole mountain in an instant, battered by the terrifying calamity-decay power. However, physical impact was what the Golem feared the least.

The River of Sin hammered the silver plates with thunderous booms. There was much thunder, but little rain. It caused nearly no damage at all. As for the calamity-decay in the water, they merely sizzled against the blazing demonic flames, causing only minor damage.

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Giant steel feet lifted into the air, then drove heavily into the river. The terrifying vibrations spread, making the purple-black mist shudder. Large groups of dark creatures lived near the River of Sin and around the Rotting Marshes. Various strange, powerful swamp plants grew there as well.

The River of Sin's existence had created the Rotting Marshes. Thus, the dark creatures around the area all carried calamity-decay. Their energy had always been profoundly influenced and stained by the River of Sin. For this reason, the dark creature populations of the Rotting Marshes always sought regions rich in calamity-decay.

The best and most contested areas were actually zones around the purple-black mist, where calamity-decay was plentiful yet not dangerous. It was ideal for dark creatures to breed and thrive.

The interior of the purple-black mist was too dangerous, so only a few powerful beings dared enter briefly. As for the riverbank of the River of Sin or the river itself, it was, in a literal sense, a life-forbidden zone.

That day, many of the Rotting Marshes's stronger dark creature populations, as usual, were fighting and hunting around the purple-black mist. It was the same old law of the jungle. Larger fish would eat smaller fish. Yet, the big fish that had feasted grandly had no time to head home in high spirits before an unprecedented calamity-decay surge struck. The formerly stable purple-black mist was especially violent, as if storms were raging within. It sent giant vortices sweeping forth.

Boom!

Mist laden with dense calamity-decay power roared out like a flash flood with the force to sweep mountains. It was an astonishing spectacle that washed over a large swath of the Rotting Marshes.

Some seemingly powerful dark creatures, that were hundreds of meters long with bloody mouths from their hunt, were instantly sucked into the vortices. Like cattle swept into the sea, they were swallowed by the purple-black mist without a sound. Millions of dark creatures were affected by this uncharacteristic behavior of the mist. Entire clans were wiped out like weeds before a natural disaster. Sometimes, one's destruction had nothing to do with them.

Cassius, who was making his way upstream within the River of Sin, had no intention of causing this. However, with his terrifying strength, a mere breath brought unimaginable disaster to the surroundings and the dark creatures living there. Of course, Cassius did not know this. Even if he had, he would not have been affected. How could an executioner with blood-soaked hands waver and feel pity? That simply did not happen...

At the same time, the Golem was churning up a violent whirlpool within the River of Sin. Cataclysmic Spirit dark creatures began fleeing madly within the purple-black mist. These top-tier Cataclysmic Spirit dark creatures closer to the riverbed turned tail and ran all the faster when they saw a mountain-sized, terrifying figure surging upstream the roaring River of Sin .

Only an Ultimate Dark Form would dare wade in the River of Sin. Furthermore, ordinary Ultimate Dark Forms wouldn't hold a candle to one with such an unrestrained, rampaging gait.

Avoid it! Keep far away!

That was what these dark creatures thought. The Ultimate Dark Form, Evil Water Spirit, thought so as well. Running away was shameful, but it was effective!

On the left bank of the River of Sin, within the mist, over a dozen top-tier Cataclysmic Spirit beings fled in panicked disarray. A vast feeling of terror was radiating from the distant river, stirring instinctive fear. An ultimate powerhouse had entered the River of Sin! Run farther!

Figures dashed toward the edge of the mist, straining with all they had.

Yet the great commotion approached like some apocalyptic behemoth. Moments later, the mist bulged outward, forming a huge cavity. Inside, a terrifying merman with a rubbery sheen and mountain-towering height was galloping through the Rotting Marshes. It emanated a powerful life magnetic field of an Ultimate Dark Form. Its eyes glowed red like the sun, regarding these top-tier Cataclysmic Spirit beings like ants.

Rumble...

When they heard the crushing sounds of his footsteps and that looming body draw nearer, all the Cataclysmic Spirit dark creatures felt doomed. If an Ultimate Dark Form wished to prey on them, how could they escape?

Some froze in terror; some shut their eyes to fate; and others fled in a panic. However, to their astonishment, the Ultimate Dark Form, Evil Water Spirit, paid them no heed. It merely swept past them, fleeing headlong into the distance. It didn't even dare to look back or waste time on hunting.

From afar, the shrinking silhouette of Evil Water Spirit within the mist looked like a dog fleeing in disgrace. It was oddly comical.

The many Cataclysmic Spirit dark creatures who escaped exchanged trembling looks.

"An Ultimate Dark Form... ran—ran away!?"

Their bewilderment vanished, replaced by greater fear. If even an Ultimate Dark Form was fleeing, what kind of monster had invaded the depths of the River of Sin? That was far too terrifying... They needed no further convincing. All the Cataclysmic Spirit dark creatures fled even faster into the distance. Some even burned their essence just to gain a bit more speed.

In the river's depths, the massive Golem continued to wade forward. Cassius did not know how great a commotion he had caused, nor that an Ultimate Dark Form had been scared off. Even if he knew, he would not deliberately pursue that Ultimate Dark Form.

His priority was his Ultimate Fist training. Everything else came second. On this, he and Blood Vulture Dominator Fist were of one mind. Blood Vulture Dominator Fist would remain by Cassius's side no matter what. Even with prey nearby, he would not hunt. His first priority was to eliminate anything that might disrupt Cassius.

Rumble.

The Golem smashed through another great wave and reached a river bend. The aura of calamity had grown so unbelievably dense that it was almost viscous. Calamity-decay power lanced the Golem’s body like steel needles, raking every corner. Exaggerated corrosion broke past the limits of imagination.

"At last, I can feel obvious damage..." The surging demonic flames had finally gone out on Cassius's Golem body, and the silver armor was suffering from waves of fierce corrosion. Small holes appeared one after another as calamity-decay invaded, harming Cassius's body.

However, the Golem body was too formidable. The corroded holes healed within a few breaths. Thus the cycle of injury and healing began.

"This place is perfect to begin my Ultimate Fist training... Not too dangerous, yet not without pressure. Excellent..." Cassius's eyes flickered as he stepped straight toward the center of the bend.

There was a spring gurgling out calamity sludge, the densest, most fearsome form of calamity-decay. Even Ultimate Dark Forms dared not linger in this area. Evil Water Spirit had once merely loitered around it on occasion but Cassius simply waded directly in.

He stood at the dead center and then sat in meditation. His massive Golem body was completely submerged in the River of Sin. He let the dense calamity-decay power attack his Golem body from every direction, bringing a ceaseless, fine-grained pain.

Krak-krak-krak...

His steel palms slowly rose and came together before him. The Golem did not move, like a monk in meditation. The aura of the Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist spread as sixty-six violet acupoints lit upon his skin like stars in resonance, forming a giant python. The python's phantom took form, coiling around the Golem in spirals, as if to constrict him.

In truth, it was defense and protection, an embodiment of the Will of an Ultimate Fist. The violet python's scales flexed as it attempted to withstand the all-pervasive corrosion with Reverberating Force. It echoed ring by ring within the serpent's body, vibrating rapidly. The fiercer the calamity-decay's harm, the more violent the reverberations became within the violet serpent's trunk.

The python's phantom grew denser with each shudder, like a living thing. This was one form of ascetic training. The more the pain, the greater the strength. Pressure from the environment congealed and compressed the self, drawing all power into one. Like heated iron being hammered countless times, it would drive all impurities out. What remained would be an indestructible alloy.

𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

This was Cassius's realization as he began his ascetic training. The massive Golem sat cross-legged as Blood Vulture Dominator Fist guarded him nearby. Two figures stood like statues, one cultivating in hardship while the other kept watch.

Slowly, time slipped by. In the World of Calamity, the landscapes showed little sign of time passing. No one knew how long had passed when suddenly, wind surged at the origin of calamity. A giant golem slowly rose, shaking the land and mountains. White steam gushed from his heavy pauldrons. Black holes across his body sealed rapidly, returning to smooth silver armor.

The sinister black flames flared anew.

"I'm nearly immune. Time to go to the next life-forbidden zone, Blood Vulture..."

Beside the River of Sin, a blood-colored figure moved.

"Next stop, the Vale of Trees."

The two shifted grounds again efficiently. The Vale of Trees was paradise for calamity plants and a forbidden zone for animals. Countless mutated plants grew upon an origin of calamity, forming a vast abyssal valley. Any who entered would be pierced by endless spores, vines, buds, and roots. They would feel the pain of ten thousand arrows until they were drained dry.

Cassius went straight in as Blood Vulture Dominator Fist stood guard. His Golem body was wrapped in a tangle of roots as they attempted to turn him into the valley's nourishment. This lasted for months until some time later, when the giant mass of strange plants burst apart.

A vast figure shot into the sky like a bird.

The next forbidden zone was the Demon Lake. There was no need to say more as White Bird had slain the Moon God there.

Encircled by mountains, the Demon Lake held a special field whose terrible force distorted and altered the mind. The closer one was to the center, the stronger it grew, spawning batches of soul monsters at the lake's heart. Even Ultimate Dark Forms with mighty bodies dared not enter for fear of the bizarre attacks aimed at the spirit.

However, Cassius strode in regardless. He took a step then halted, feeling the attack intensify. He was taking time to adapt. At first, he took a step per second, then a step per minute, then a step per day. Slower and slower, each step left him rigid for a long time.

Clearly, the Golem was enduring a terrifying tempering. Otherwise, Cassius would not have fallen into this statue-like state. Time trickled on. Though the Demon Lake was eerie and dreadful, the Golem was still walking steadily toward the center.

Bang!

A steel foot came down and finally, he stood at the very center. A pair of blood-tinged, enormous eyes reopened. Cassius's voice sounded unusually deep, like rough stone honed a thousand times. "To the last life-forbidden zone, the Black Abyssal Sea..."

At the edge of the continental plate, there was a place of utmost darkness in the depths of the Black Abyssal Sea. Above the sea, a fierce vulture with burning wings circled high as it scanned the surface for prey.

All giant oceanic dark creatures that tried to approach had been driven off by this dreadful aura, just like in years past, when White Bird Holy Fist hunted and chased them. The Black Abyssal Sea was where the Dead Abyss seal was strongest and most concentrated.

At the bottom of the Ancient Austin Trench, a seated figure hovered above blazing red magma. Using his body as a boat, he drifted to and fro. An ultimate aura was slowly brewing within the figure, growing richer and more condensed. His energy contracted and became one.

The Southern Dipper Sonic Snake Fist was about to take its final step into the Ultimate Fist realm!