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Translator's note: "The mask's information indicated that to obtain the Genesis, he had to kill everyone else. But this rule didn't apply to Fang Xiu because he could wear the masks one by one." I don't really understand what this paragraph means. Hope it makes sense to you guys.
"Do you still dream of getting the mask?" Ma Xingbang was first stunned, then he laughed mockingly. "Have you lost your mind? Do you think you are the only one with a mask? Look at what I'm wearing on my face!"
The corners of Fang Xiu's mouth twisted into a sinister smile. He reached toward the thousands of masks beside him.
Seeing this, Ma Xingbang laughed even louder. "Is this your brilliant idea? You really are a genius. You're right that the more masks you have, the stronger the power. But do you know why I don't wear multiple masks? Because these masks are like Specter Gadgets. The more you use at once, the more your mind gets polluted, and the more your body gets overloaded.
"Even if your mind doesn’t get twisted immediately, your body will explode from the Specter power. The only way to control thousands of masks is to wait until they all merge into the true Genesis Mask, where the Specter power will settle. I'm a third-tier psychic, but even I don't dare to wear two masks. How do you, a mere second-tier psychic, think you can—?"
Before he could finish, Fang Xiu already put on another mask. The two masks instantly merged into one.
More and more Specter power surged into his body. The black mist turned into small black snakes that almost covered him entirely.
Most importantly, Fang Xiu showed no signs of losing his mind or his body breaking apart.
"Impossible!" Ma Xingbang's eyes almost popped out of his head in shock. He couldn't believe what he was seeing. "A third-tier psychic can't do this, so how can a second-tier psychic manage?"
Ma Xingbang didn't know that Fang Xiu could wear multiple masks for two reasons. First, his mind was already twisted, and he had fought Taotie hundreds of times, making him immune to the side effects of using Specter Gadgets.
Second, Fang Xiu had a body perfectly suited to controlling Specter power. He had merged with the Hair Specter, the Blood Pupil, the Nightmare, and had even absorbed many Snakeworms. With these multiple boosts, his body was no longer ordinary.
With the double masks, Fang Xiu immediately felt a continuous surge of power within him. The impact of twenty times gravity was becoming lighter.
He then reached for a third mask.
"What? Another one?" Ma Xingbang was stunned. He didn't know whether he should stop Fang Xiu or not.
Logically, even if Fang Xiu's mind and body were far beyond normal psychics, he shouldn't be able to handle three masks. This was suicide.
But the more critical the moment, the more unexpected things can happen.
With this thought, Ma Xingbang rushed toward Fang Xiu. Although he believed Fang Xiu couldn't manage three masks, he couldn't take that risk.
Ma Xingbang launched a frenzied attack, his fists creating a storm of shadows that enveloped Fang Xiu.
However, he underestimated Fang Xiu's power after wearing two masks.
Fang Xiu met the attack with one hand, his silver hair whipping around like a Kraken's tentacles. Though not strong, the hair was numerous and agile.
He looked relaxed. Under the pressure of twenty times gravity, he still blocked all of Ma Xingbang's attacks.
Ma Xingbang grew anxious. He could only watch helplessly as Fang Xiu put on the third mask. He silently prayed that Fang Xiu would die immediately afterward.
But things didn't go as he hoped.
An incredibly violent Specter power burst from Fang Xiu, sending Ma Xingbang flying. A powerful force swept through the area.
"No, this is impossible! How can you still be alive after wearing three masks?" Ma Xingbang shouted in disbelief.
Despair filled his heart. He knew that if Fang Xiu didn't die, then he would.
Just standing there, Fang Xiu exuded an overwhelming energy. The black mist around him, formed from black snakes, merged completely. They rose like thick, inky black smoke, burning like black flames.
Fang Xiu looked like a demon emerging from hellfire, with silver hair and red eyes. The Ghost Mask on his face seemed carved into his skin, making him look terrifying and fierce.
He now ignored the twenty times gravity, and his power had risen to an unimaginable level.
"Here's a suggestion: kneel and beg for mercy. It's your best choice," Fang Xiu's voice echoed like a devil's through the three masks.
"I don't believe it! How can you control so much Specter power?" Desperate, Ma Xingbang charged at Fang Xiu.
In the next moment, Fang Xiu's figure vanished like a ghost.
Suddenly, Ma Xingbang's body bent like a shrimp, his eyes bulging. He was struck by an unstoppable force and flew backward.
BOOM!
He crashed into the wall, creating a huge crater. He hadn't even seen Fang Xiu move before he was sent flying.
Fang Xiu vanished again. When he reappeared, he was holding Ma Xingbang.
Ma Xingbang was like a dead dog; his bones shattered, and blood flowed from his wounds. Fang Xiu held him up by the neck with one hand.
"Spare... spare me..."
"How pathetic. You're going to be my nourishment," Fang Xiu sneered.
With a terrifying laugh, the Taotie's Mouth on Fang Xiu's palm opened wide and bit into Ma Xingbang's neck. A horrifying devouring force surged, draining Ma Xingbang's Spiritual Energy like a tidal wave.
Moments later, Ma Xingbang's Spiritual Energy was completely depleted. Without it, his severely injured body couldn't survive. He died instantly.
Fang Xiu let go, and Ma Xingbang's body fell to the ground like a dead dog.
The pleasure of absorbing the Spiritual Energy intoxicated Fang Xiu. He understood why Specters loved eating psychics so much.
Specters craved not human flesh but mental energy. Psychics, with their abundant Spiritual Energy, were especially delicious.
After devouring Ma Xingbang's Spiritual Energy, Fang Xiu's awakened Spiritual Energy increased to thirty-five percent.
What surprised him was that this time, he only gained Spiritual Energy, not Ma Xingbang's abilities. It seemed psychic abilities were reflections of one's mental world, closely linked to one's mind. Spiritual Energy, however, was just the power source, not the abilities themselves.
Thinking it over, Fang Xiu found it made sense. If devouring Spiritual Energy granted abilities, then Specters who ate psychics would become invincible, accumulating more abilities and becoming omnipotent.
"Xiu, are you okay?" Yang Ming's voice interrupted Fang Xiu's thoughts.
"Take off the masks, or you might really turn into a Specter," Yang Ming urged, worried. Fang Xiu was looking less and less human, and the purpose of the Genesis Mask was to Specterize the wearer.
Fang Xiu didn't respond. He glanced at Yang Ming and the severely injured Bai Qi. The mask's information indicated that to obtain the Genesis, he had to kill everyone else. But this rule didn't apply to Fang Xiu because he could wear the masks one by one.
Still, he was unsure if his current body could handle thousands of masks. When he devoured Snakeworms, he couldn't eat too many at once, or his body would be overwhelmed.
As he pondered, a sudden change occurred.
Thousands of masks, including the ones on Ma Xingbang and Fang Xiu, erupted in a burst of black Specter flames.