Chapter 0168

“You shouldn’t have picked on my beloved,” Astrapi said as she walked towards Hannah Trellis, like a god looking down on the world and judging it unworthy. Her steps were silent and heavy, very similar to the tone of her voice, quiet yet clear.

The godly oppression and muted murderous intent Astrapi exuded nearly force Tempest’s group members to their knees. As for Hannah Trellis, the target of the Astrapi’s anger, needlessly to say she was on the ground foaming in the mouth. Part of her condition was the result was due to the spell Astrapi cast and the other part was due to Astrapi unrestrained power.

Spirits rarely possess their mortal for long periods of time. It was almost impossible to kill a spirit. The cultivator has to make their way to the spiritual plane, a highly improbable feat in itself, and kill an almost all powerful spirit in their home turf, again another highly improbable feat.

When a spirit possesses their mortal, the mortal body gains additional power imbued by the spirits, but the spirits also gain the weakness of the mortal. If a mage in the Mastery Realm were to show up and kill Tempest right now, the Astrapi collective would have 99 spirits instead of 100.

Due to this vulnerability, the spirits were careful when they possess their mortal. Yet when they do possess their mortal, the power leaks out to the surrounding area, nearly crushing everything within the vicinity.

Tempest’s group members were nearly forced to the knees and this was Astrapi being kind.

Hannah Trellis didn’t receive said kindness. It suited Astrapi just fine.

“Itch.” Astrapi stared at Hannah Trellis as if she was a bug to be squashed when she cast her spell. Itch is a one-circle spell that caused the synapse in the body to send an “I’m very itchy,” message to the brain. Itch wasn’t a dangerous spell. Its function lies in torture. If the spell was held for a prolonged period of time, the target suffers an excruciating sensation. It wasn’t pain, but painful nonetheless. Itch came about as a torture method when Astrapi witness a master torturer coating her victims in honey and throwing them onto an anthill. Astrapi wasn’t fond of watching millions of ants eating the victim alive but she was intrigued by the torture method. Over time, Astrapi was able to replicate the sensation through a spell and she wields the spell with finesses only a master could understand.

Astrapi stopped the spell after a minute. “What do you have to say for yourself?”

Hannah Trellis glared defiantly at Astrapi. Even under torture, her sense of pride ever remains strong. Her pain filled eyes held strength and determination, not to live - she knows she’s going to die - but to uphold her pride as a mage.

“Intense Pleasure.” Astrapi knows most cultivators are indoctrinated to pain. Pain tempers the mind and body. Pain was meant to be overcome. Pain was meant to be conquered. What about pleasure? Many cultivators could endure intense pain but they can’t endure intense pleasure. They desire pleasure. It feels good. It’s enjoyable. So, few cultivators know how to resist pleasure. Pleasure to its extreme can be another form of pain.

“Kkkill...mee.” Hannah Trellis said through gritted teeth as she writhes in pleasure. Waves after waves of orgasm wracked her body, pushing her to new heights, new sensations, before dropping her back down to hell. The cycle would then repeat itself over and over again.

Astrapi stopped the spell. “Still proud I see. I wonder on what premise is your pride built upon?”

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Hannah Trellis glared hatefully at Astrapi. Her anger shone brighter than the moon on the darkest night, illuminating her pride.

“Stripping you nake and hanging you up on the wall is so cliche.” Astrapi murmured.

Hannah Trellis said nothing to Astrapi’s demeaning plan. She knew Astrapi wasn’t going to do it. Her tone of voice was too whimsical when she spoke about her plans.

“Kill me and be done with it.”

“Still defiant until the end.” Astrapi cocked her head to the side, thinking deeply. She wanted to humiliate Hannah Trellis in the limited time she had, yet she was surprised by the bone deep arrogance. Most would be groveling at her feet after they experience Itch and Intense Pleasure.

“There’s nothing to fear. We’re going to see each other again in hell.” Hannah Trellis smirked even though it hurt.

“Who’s would take revenge for an idiot like you?” Astrapi asked.

Hannah Trellis smiled smugly, confident Astrapi would eventually join her in hell. The pain and suffering she was experiencing now would be a joke compared to what Astrapi would go through.

“Mark Aventil is already dead. The only person alive linked to you is Skylar Sedonis, but she thrice the price, cutting all karma among us.”

“You’re lying!” Hannah Trellis screamed. “Skylar won’t abandon me. She definitely won’t let my death go unavenged.”

“Ah, it was Skylar you were depending on? Yes, she would be a worthy adversary if were to truly commit a grave sin against her. Pity.”

“Shut your filthy mouth, slut. Skylar would never abandon me. She isn’t that kind of person.” Hannah Trellis struggled to move her body. She wanted to hurt Astrapi. She wanted to beat Astrapi for besmirching the friendship she had with Skylar Sedonis. Theirs was a bond built on the deepest love and trust.

“She might not be a person who would turn her back on her friends, but are you worthy to call her friend?” Astrapi taunted Hannah Trellis. Now that she caught on to Hannah Trellis’ weak point, she’s going to use it to break the girl before killing her.

“You don’t know what we’ve been through. I know Skylar would avenge me.” Hannah Trellis coughed. She was slowly bleeding out and her struggle wasn’t helping any. It was fine. She was going to die anyway. She’d come to terms with her death the moment she started cultivating.

“People change. She may not have changed, but you have.” Astrapi channeled the mana through her body, trying to gather the water elements. Mizu saw what Astrapi was going to do and immediately stopped her.

It was already dangerous enough for Astrapi to possess Tempest’s body, but to attempt to use a different other than its own put a greater burden on the already exhausted body.

I’ll do it. Don’t burden Tempest anymore than necessary. Mizu mobilized the mana outside Tempest’s body and cast Mind Reflection.

“Mind Reflection,” Astrapi said to give Hannah Trellis unquestionable proof of her words. Mind Reflection, a three-circle spell, can fall under light or water element although some earth mages can use the spell if they know the exact earth properties applicable to the process. The spell transmits the memory of the caster into the mind of the target. There are stringent requirements one the caster’s part for the spell to work. It is not recommended for the caster to cast the spell on someone stronger than them or its the caster’s mind that is invaded. It is also not recommended to use the spell on those who cultivate the mind as mind cultivators know their mind inside and out and know how to block the spell.

Astrapi mentions the name of the spell to break Hannah Trellis’ will since it can only show what the caster saw.

Hannah Trellis closed her eyes, trying to block the image, but her actions further emphasize the memory. She shook her head in denial, trying to rationalize the image as nothing more than a trick on Astrapi’s part, but she knew in her heart the memory was real.

Actually, Mizu knows a way around the spell but it requires time and careful planning, something they don’t have much of right now. Besides, Tempest doesn’t need to go through the effort for trash like Hannah Trellis. The trick was more suitable for Skylar Sedonis if Tempest were to become her enemy.

“See. I didn’t lie to you. You are truly blind to the changes around you.” Astrapi pours salt on to Hannah Trellis’ wound. She solemnly watches at the bone deep dignity Hannah Trellis had dissolved into a puddle of goo. Despair dimmed the once defiant eyes and the proud haughty composure disintegrated into a dirty husk.

Hannah Trellis glance at Astrapi and within that one quick look, she saw everything she needed to. “We died during the magical beasts ambush.”

“You died during the magical beasts ambush,” Astrapi confirmed then chopped off Hannah Trellis head.