The ruby-tipped iron chain wrapped around the strong body of the crimson-skinned demon. Just as it was about to utter a second vile word, aiming an attack at Tang who had already flashed to the other side, it found its foul sound blocked in its throat.
It was like a dud cannonball, while the iron chain seemed to possess a life of its own, constantly constricting the demon's body and digging into its flesh.
"Mysticism weakens, reality strengthens."
This was a magical item, the Shackles of Sin. It possessed a single, fixed extraordinary ability: to weaken the mysticism of the bound target, correspondingly reducing all extraordinary abilities, including the physical mutations caused by the demon's power.
This corresponded to the Sequence Six ability of the Judge pathway, Judgement.
Tang continued his manipulation of the spirit threads.
Under the effect of this extraordinary item, the demon had to simultaneously resist Tang's control through the spirit threads and forcefully break free from the extraordinary item binding it.
"No, no, if this continues..."
Tang simulated the sound of an air bullet.
"Bang—"
The bullet struck the demon's head, and its chained body trembled.
Driven by fear, the demon's eyes turned into goat-like horizontal pupils. It roared loudly, attempting to break free from the iron chains with its physical strength, but all these actions, from the initial realization of its situation to devising a corresponding plan and implementing it, were constantly delayed and hindered by the manipulation of the spirit threads. The outcome had greatly reduced its chances of escape.
Tang did not continue to conjure air bullets, as intense pain would weaken the manipulation of the spirit threads. He watched the struggling demon with an impassive face, constantly increasing the spiritual power supplied to the iron chain in his hand.
With an extraordinary item from the Judge pathway and his own manipulation of spirit threads, Sequence Five against Sequence Six was a foregone conclusion.
Slowly, five minutes later, Tang raised an eyebrow and stopped the spiritual power supply to the iron chain in his hand.
The demon, now returned to its original appearance, stood motionless in place.
'Task progress updated.'
'Task One: A Small Experiment for the Marionettist'
'Now that you have advanced from "Faceless" to "Marionettist," as one of the most bizarre abilities below the level of a demigod, the Marionettist's extraordinary powers can become a formidable force in your hands.'
'Please attempt to control the spirit threads of any sentient being.'
'Task Completion: 100%, rewards have been issued, please check.'
'Task Two: Red Light, Green Light.'
'How can a Marionettist not have their own marionettes? Please hurry and find sentient beings that can be made into marionettes. Remember, the quality of the marionette is equally important.'
'Create your own marionettes.'
'Task Completion: 1/3'
'Marionette: Tank Belia.'
'Potion Sequence: "Abyss," Sequence Six, Demon.'
'Display the corresponding potion formula?'
Tang raised his eyebrows again, but said nothing and did not ask the system to show him the Sequence Six potion formula.
"Belia? A demon of the Blasphemy Slate Sect?"
The Blasphemy Slate Sect was a loose alliance formed in the Fourth Epoch due to the worship of demons.
They mastered the "Criminal," or "Abyss" pathway, worshipped the evil god "Dark Side of the Universe," believing Him to be the master of the abyss, the destroyer who would inevitably erode and corrupt the entire real world and the vast universe.
And the demons of this hidden organization were also committed to spreading demon worship, creating many blood cases.
"However, judging from the rituals of this pathway, they create blood cases not only to spread demon worship but also to allow themselves to advance smoothly."
Having controlled this demon who had been causing trouble in his territory, Tang pondered for a moment and then decided to take this newly created marionette home to have a look.
Just as he put away the iron chain in his hand and prepared to return, movement came from the forest not far away.
Tang turned sideways and saw a middle-aged man with bronze skin, black hair, and brown eyes, wearing close-fitting leather armor and with soft features, riding a horse towards him.
He didn't know how long the man had been there.
"Father."
In the newly built castle made of dark cyan stone bricks, Baron Ramd in his study had a gentle expression, but between his brows, there was an undeniable air of solemn authority left over from his service to the Kingdom of Loen.
This Baron Ramd was a legendary figure who once ruled the Byron Empire in the Southern Continent, but due to some special reasons, he was constantly caught in a vicious cycle of amnesia, memory recovery, then amnesia again, and memory recovery once more.
And now, this former high-sequence extraordinary being, the current Baron Ramd, placed the brewed tea in front of his child.
"Thank you."
Tang took the teacup and sipped the water inside.
Although he had already been exposed to the suffocating culinary culture of this world and possessed considerable wealth as a baron, the bitterness of the tea still made him miss his former world.
"It seems this sea voyage has brought you a lot of help," Baron Ramd said with a smile.
"Yes, I saw many creatures I had never seen before," Tang replied with a faint smile.
Merfolk were not uncommon in the Misty Sea and the Sonia Sea in this era and had not been extensively raised in captivity by the Church of the Night, so the promotion ritual for a Marionettist was not too difficult.
"That's good," Baron Ramd also smiled. "The situation in the Kingdom of Loen is not very peaceful right now. The King and the great nobles are trying to obtain more slaves, land, and wealth from other countries. It's good to have the strength to protect yourself, Tang."
It seemed like another war was brewing? The Kingdom of Loen, established by Augustus, had not been peaceful in recent years, with friction between it and its neighbors, Forsa, and Intis.
Generally speaking, it was all about grain, money, land, and labor.
However, this should be controllable; after all, the seven orthodox churches would definitely prevent large-scale genocide.
Tang exhaled. "But that should be a headache for those great nobles. Even if the King wants to conscript, such a thing shouldn't reach a place like ours..."
In this rural area, even the King's orders might not be very effective. After all, a general abroad might not always obey the commands of the sovereign.
"Soon, I will leave this place," Baron Ramd said, "intending to go to the Southern Continent."
"Ah?"
Tang's heart sank slightly.
He knew that his father was in the stage of memory recovery, and the other party had never concealed anything. He seemed to feel guilty towards them, but he still had to go.
Tang understood that it must be his inherent responsibility and some kind of 'curse' suffered as a descendant of... a descendant of the Death God.
The process of constantly searching for memories and constantly losing them again.
"I understand," Tang said. "Father, what do you want me to do?"
(End of this chapter)