Chapter 56: The Arrangement of the Cataclysm Ritual!

Time flies.

Unconsciously, the late days of June arrived.

The results of the rat extermination efforts in Ogran City over the past few days were remarkably encouraging.

A massive number of bane-rats, and even bane-night rat-men, were eradicated.

Wagonloads of rat carcasses were hauled to the city outskirts for mass incineration, casting blazing fires high into the sky.

The *Ogran Steam Daily* reported continuous triumphs.

Of course, this was merely the spectacle witnessed by ordinary residents.

For the supernatural practitioners, however, the picture presented was entirely different.

As the cleanup of the sewers progressed deeper and deeper.

The transcendents finally brushed against truly formidable adversaries.

At the boundary where the dark realm met the deeper recesses of the sewers, deep within the extremely viscous curtains of darkness.

That was the territory of the Rat King, where the terrifying Rat King lurked.

There were even rumors that this dreadful Rat King was currently establishing his very own "underground kingdom."

After this piece of news gradually came to light.

Within the span of just a few days, quite a few official transcendents perished between the jaws of the Rat King due to venturing too far in.

There were also rumors of unfortunate [Rat Catchers] being dragged by the Rat King into the depths of the darkness.

This made the transcendents increasingly cautious and circumspect regarding the exploration of the boundary regions deep within the sewers.

Although hunting those supernatural species known as "bane-night rat-men" to harvest core materials yielded a lucrative income, encountering the Rat King meant certain death.

The transcendents' exploration of the subterranean depths gradually entered a stalemate.

The [Rat Plague] was partially resolved.

The miasma and noxious vapors within the sewers, though somewhat thinned, still lingered.

As the weather grew increasingly sultry, this place gradually became a breeding ground nurturing viruses, bacteria, and even curses and plagues.

Epidemics began to rage across Ogran City.

The [Rat Plague Purification Potion], produced and distributed by Zorn’s long-prepared steam potion factory, began to exert a tremendous effect.

Over the course of several consecutive days.

The steam factory managed to sell four to five hundred gold pounds worth of potions daily—a truly lucrative daily intake.

Thanks to the special procurement fund of two thousand gold pounds that Zorn had granted to the [Potion Master] early on.

The raw materials within the steam factory were exceptionally abundant.

More than enough to supply operations for a long time to come.

During this period, other pharmaceutical factories also attempted to probe for more information regarding the potion.

At that crucial juncture, the authority and power radiated by the spiritual statue crafted by the artisan young lady allowed "corporate culture" to begin exerting a formidable influence.

Not a single person leaked even the tiniest fragment of information concerning the entire pharmaceutical manufacturing process.

This undoubtedly raised the difficulty for peer potion factories attempting to imitate the product.

Under the rampage of the [Rat Plague] for over half a month, Ogran City gradually regained its peace, and its wounds were soothed.

Even the burgeoning rat plague was successfully checked by the timely emergence of the potion.

It seemed... poised to gradually return to its original trajectory of prosperity.

Likewise, during this period.

Whether in his career or his personal strength, Zorn was progressing by leaps and bounds.

And today.

His career as an evil deity was about to usher in a phased pinnacle.

...

June 24th.

Morning, ten o'clock.

The weather was oppressively muggy to an absurd degree, making it difficult to draw a breath.

Inside the third-floor corridor of the Bheavlin Relief Station.

Zorn, appearing as a cold youth, carried a black monster treasure chest and sat down holding the day's *Steam Daily*.

Today he wore a rather thin, short-sleeved white shirt, overlaid with a short black "stealth robe," paired with grayish-white summer trousers and a pair of walking shoes.

The weather was so suffocatingly hot that even Zorn could not resist tugging at his collar and cuffs.

"This damned sweltering weather, a heavy downpour would be lovely right now!"

Glancing outside, Zorn muttered to himself.

Even though transcendents possessed an extremely high tolerance for external environments, sweltering conditions were inevitably somewhat uncomfortable.

Last night.

Zorn received the ritual prayer from the [Dreamweaver] Boyd.

This afternoon, [Forbidden Bloodline] would transfer a batch of forbidden blood.

The opportunity had arrived.

Zorn came for this very reason.

During this period, with two inside agents at his disposal, Zorn would not dare claim absolute omniscience regarding the actions of [Forbidden Bloodline].

Yet he understood roughly eighty to ninety percent of it.

Throughout this time, Zorn had instructed the two to quietly make numerous preparations.

For instance, the [Evil Spirit Cataclysm] ritual about to unfold right before them was prepared by their own hands.

Spreading open the day's *Steam Daily*.

Zorn also opened the system interface.

He gazed at the harvest gained from his recent cultivation.

[Evil Spirit Sorcerer] (World-Class BOSS) (Special Template)
Level: 2 (82%)
Evil Sorcerer Spirituality: You can devour all spirits possessing pain, distortion, panic, despair, aberration, and death, and feed upon them!
Immortal Divinity: Unknown

[Talent]
Lingering Resurgence (SSS-Rank): Upon death, you can revive during your lingering moments (5/5).
Evil Spirit Authority (SSS-Rank): You can grasp the root of spirituality and reshape it.
...

[Skills]
Life Drain: LV0 (78%)
Forbidden Weaving: LV0 (35%)
Bane-Extinction Orb: LV0 (98%)
Scythe of the End (Forbidden Technique): LV0 (8%)
............

During this period, Zorn had completely digested all the sacrificial offerings.

Coupled with the bug-exploiting mechanism of the steam factory, which continuously yielded prime essence.

In just over a week, his sequence experience successfully reached the level of Level 2 at 82%.

Aside from the increase in sequence experience.

Thanks to the two anchor points: the [Sun King · Twilight Skeleton] and the ritual traps in the [Rat Plague] sewers.

Zorn was able to leverage increasingly vast amounts of black fog power.

In particular, the [Sun King · Golden Skeleton] currently served as the absolute mainstay for mobilizing the black fog, yielding four to five times the output of the [Rat Plague] trap ritual.

It was precisely because the "Calamity Black Fog" mastered by Zorn was no longer weak.

That he possessed the confidence to unleash the [Evil Spirit Cataclysm].

As the "Calamity Black Fog" grew increasingly formidable.

Zorn also thoroughly explored the synergies between his several spells, supernatural skills, and the black fog.

Deeply developing his own methods, abilities, and their mutual interconnections.

This was something a transcendent was obliged to do.

Through Zorn's repeated groping and exploration.

The skill with the strongest synergistic effect alongside the "Calamity Black Fog" was the [Bane-Extinction Orb], followed by the forbidden technique "Scythe of the End."

Since the synergy was potent, they could multiply their power exponentially within the environment of the Evil Spirit Cataclysm.

Therefore, during this period, whenever night fell, Zorn would venture deep into the sewers, wandering the boundary zones to bitterly grind the [Bane-Extinction Orb] and raise its experience.

The title of the former "Sewers War God" was certainly no idle boast.

Currently, the [Calamity Orb] had reached the 98% threshold.

It was merely a single step away from leveling up.

The information obtained from the [Bloodline Assassin] indicated that the transfer of the forbidden blood would take place between the prayer hour and sunset.

Zorn had arrived early to make preparations for the [Evil Spirit Cataclysm] ritual and ensure foolproof measures.

At the same time, this afforded him ample time to officially elevate the level of the [Bane-Extinction Orb] to Level 1.

Before long.

"Click!"

The door at the far end of the corridor opened, and the [Dreamweaver] Boyd poked his upper body out.

The two exchanged a glance.

Zorn put away the newspaper, picked up the black monster treasure chest, and walked over.

They brushed past each other without exchanging words.

Whatever needed to be instructed, Zorn had already imparted; now they simply needed to act according to plan.

Entering the room, Zorn closed the door behind him.

A medium-sized room facing the window slowly unfolded before Zorn's eyes.

There were a total of three square tables draped with clean black tablecloths.

Upon them sat unlit black candles, alongside a dozen fist-sized "blood crystal" sacrificial materials.

Merely these dozen or so "blood crystal" sacrificial materials were valued at five to six hundred gold pounds.

These were obtained only after the [Bloodline Assassin] Reginald emptied out his savings to secure them for Zorn.

Picking up these fist-sized blood crystal materials that resembled rubies, Zorn observed them meticulously before slightly nodding in praise.

"Fine materials."

Opening his black monster briefcase, Zorn began to pull out items to set up the ritual.