"Is this... the bloodline power of the Devil White Phosphorus Serpent?"
Lei Lin's pupils contracted. As a warlock, he would never mistake the power of a bloodline, but the implications of what this represented left him rather surprised.
"A blood descendant of the Mother of Ten Thousand Serpents, holding a high position within the Eye of Judgment's forces — is this a personal endeavor, or an exchange of interests between the Mother of Ten Thousand Serpents and the Eye of Judgment?"
The massive serpent phantom bore smooth white scales, its scarlet vertical pupils emanating a suffocating cold light, while the phantom fangs of the giant snake seemed to merge with the attacker's palm, carrying an even more terrifying fluctuation of power.
At that moment, the white scales on Lei Lin's face flickered rapidly, flashing almost uncontrollably.
[Ding! The Devil White Phosphorus Serpent bloodline used by the host for concealment has been detected fluctuating. Should it be suppressed?]
At this moment, the Chip also popped up a notification window.
"No!" A glint flashed through Lei Lin's eyes, but he directly refused.
A wisp of bloodline power emerged from his body, and was sensed by the attacker almost instantly. Lei Lin could clearly see the probing gaze that the other party cast his way in that brief moment.
But now, there was no way for the attacker to hold back. The horrifying palm, empowered by the bloodline force, with razor-sharp power coating each nail, struck directly at Iyaz's chest.
At that moment, there was nothing protecting his chest aside from that silver armor — there was no doubt that he would be disemboweled on the spot.
Snap! The palm with its razor-sharp nails froze in midair, unable to descend even a fraction further.
The one seizing this slender, scaled hand was none other than another massive fist that seemed forged from iron.
"Did you think... the Beast Soul Technique was the only thing I had to rely on?"
Governor Iyaz's voice was deep and low as he tightened his grip, like iron bands constricting tighter and tighter, until the attacker's wrist emitted the sound of cracking bone.
"Ngh!" The attacker grunted, and a mass of white flame spread outward from their palm.
Crackling! The pure white flame carried scorching heat that even warped the surrounding air, yet when it struck Governor Iyaz, it had absolutely no effect.
His entire body was now enveloped in a layer of dark gray radiance. Before this radiance, the flames might as well have struck the most impenetrable fortress wall — there was not the slightest damage.
At the same time, the phantom of a massive gray bird of prey had manifested behind Iyaz's body, its wings folded together as though cradling him within.
The entire gray bird radiated a sense of vital energy. Though it was also a clone phantom, it was worlds apart from the one Gegedorl had summoned before.
"Our Lord, Wing of Fluctuation! You are the sovereign of chaos and the symbol of freedom!" Many of the onlooking port residents, upon seeing the massive gray bird's phantom, sank to their knees with expressions of devout reverence.
This was clearly the scene of believers catching sight of the true deity they worshipped appearing before them.
"A Priest! A Fourth-Rank Priest!"
The attacker retreated rapidly, simultaneously exposing their figure to the crowd.
Snow-white hair, a slender figure, and white scale patterns across her face—clearly, this was a half-snake person, and possibly even a descendant of the Devil White Phosphorus Serpent.
Her high-pitched voice and certain features on her body allowed Lei Lin to confirm that she was female.
However, at this moment, her right wrist had already taken on a grotesque twist, hanging limply. She had evidently sustained a serious injury during Iyas's sudden strike and counterattack.
"A half-snake girl, hm? Interesting." A faint look of "concern" surfaced on Lei Lin's face, as though he were worried about her condition.
Meanwhile, the Chip was continuously scanning Governor Iyas. Clearly, compared to this snake woman, Lei Lin was far more interested in the man's identity as a Fourth-Rank Priest.
Governor Iyas was not only a Fourth-Rank Beast Soul Master, but simultaneously a Fourth-Rank Priest as well!
"Fourth Rank—that corresponds to the Morning Star tier in the Wizard world! A Priest at this level would be a priceless asset to any Supreme Being, a prayer-merger who had attained deep identification with their patron's divine path. A great Supreme Being might even permit them to borrow power in advance, with the sacrificial offerings to be provided afterward…"
Lei Lin instantly recalled the information he had previously gathered: "Furthermore… a Fourth-Rank Priest is also the minimum requirement for certain rituals that provide permanent attribute enhancements!"
Half-snake people inherited the bloodline of the ancient giant serpents, so their constitution and strength were already terrifyingly high to begin with. Judging from the ease with which Iyas had blocked the half-snake girl's attack, he had clearly undergone numerous permanent attribute enhancements. His strength and constitution were astonishingly powerful—surpassing even that of the snake girl, who herself was bolstered by her bloodline.
**【Ding! Target is shrouded by an unknown power! Identified as chaotic rule-based force! Unable to scan!】**
At that moment, the Chip also projected a stream of information before Lei Lin's eyes, plunging him into contemplation.
"Priests continuously accumulate the imprint of their Supreme Being upon themselves, and the power of a Seventh-Rank rule is something the current Chip cannot parse—which is why scanning is still impossible?"