Chapter 302 - Return to the City! Devouring Skills!

"It should still be inside the Palace of Gluttony. Even if he died outside, no magical beast would dare devour his corpse," Ladrick said bitterly.

Hearing this, Lin Tian felt the weight lift from his heart. The most important thing was securing Sylph and Gluttony's corpses.

Lin Tian turned his gaze to Winnie and began devouring everything.

The Dream Realm skill was undoubtedly one of the strongest abilities. Having it was infinitely better than not. However, it came with risks, so he had no intention of letting Gobu Kuang and the others learn it.

Those fools lacked imagination; if they ended up like Winnie and got counter-killed within their own skill, it would be disastrous. Only he could use it with confidence and boldness. After all, in this world, who could compare to the likes of the Desolate Emperor, Ye Fan, Qing'er, or Chu Feng? Their power systems would be invincible here.

Not to mention the divine system of Huaxia. For the people of this world, they hadn't even seen gods, let alone imagined the power such entities could wield.

[Ding! Obtained skill: Mythic-Class Magic – Dream Realm.]

"Ugh…" Lin Tian spat out the remaining chunks of flesh and blood as the system's voice echoed in his ears.

The taste of demons was revoltingly rancid. In the past, Lin Tian might have found it delicious, but now that his circumstances had improved, his tastes had grown more refined.

Seeing this, Ladrick was utterly shocked. "To think… to think you actually devoured a demon raw. Who is the real demon here? Foolish humans, gods, and even magical beasts consider us demons to be the most evil and terrifying beings in existence, yet this goblin is far more horrifying."

The goblin before him was the real terror.

Lin Tian's attention shifted to Nanavis. He sighed regretfully, "What a beauty. Such a pity."

Her personality made it impossible to subdue her, even if he wanted to make her his subordinate. Without further hesitation, he began devouring her.

As the sounds of Nanavis's flesh being torn apart echoed, the grievances Ladrick had suppressed for years finally found release. "Kehe… I haven't lost. No, I haven't lost at all. My goal was achieved…" Ladrick muttered darkly to himself.

In the end, Nanavis died. This brought him immense satisfaction. He believed even Scarlett would be pleased by this outcome.

[Ding! Obtained Mythic-Class Magic – Ultimate Domination (with Invisible Magic Hands).]

Seeing the new notification, Lin Tian felt immense relief. His luck had been relatively good this time. Unlike before, when even devouring low-level monsters yielded no skills, now he had acquired something valuable. However, Lin Tian worried whether having this skill might make him as arrogant as Nanavis. After all, power breeds arrogance.

With the ability to instantly kill anyone weaker than him, who wouldn't become overconfident? Of course, this only applied to opponents with lower combat power than himself.

[Ding! Devoured a Demigod x1! Progress to Godhood: 4/10.]

The system's sudden notification left Lin Tian slightly stunned. "Was she a demigod too?"

"Indeed," Ladrick explained, a little surprised. "She was the child of Beelzebub, the Demon God who controls the Uninhabited Zone, and a human. That qualifies her as a demigod."

Ladrick was amazed. "I didn't expect goblins to have a sense for divinity. Fascinating…"

Lin Tian didn't respond. It seemed he'd simply gotten lucky that she turned out to be a demigod.

With this, only six more demigods were needed before he could ascend to become a demigod himself! The first goblin demigod since the dawn of creation—what would he evolve into then?

"Let's go. We'll retrieve Gluttony's corpse and then head back," Lin Tian said.

The group set off toward the Palace of Gluttony. The One-Eyed Owl carried Ladrick like a sack of potatoes. "Behave yourself. You'll get your turn soon enough."

When they reached the Palace of Gluttony, Lin Tian and the others stood outside. The surrounding area was a desolate wasteland, stripped bare by Gluttony, with even the grass and trees consumed. To the uninformed, it might as well have been a desert.

"Goblins?!"

As they approached, several Demon King-Class creatures emerged from inside, likely Gluttony's subordinates.

Alice elegantly leaped forward and effortlessly slaughtered them all.

"Plop."

The One-Eyed Owl casually tossed Ladrick to the ground. "Really, Alice! Why rush to kill them so quickly when no one's competing with you?"

"My apologies. Next time, I'll ask first," Alice replied stiffly.

Her response left the One-Eyed Owl awkwardly scratching her head. "Actually, it's fine. I was just saying."

Lin Tian recovered the Demon King-Class creatures' corpses as well. It was always beneficial for Gobu Kuang and the others to learn more skills.

The group soon entered the palace. The dim environment made everyone uneasy.

"Stay alert," Lin Tian commanded, not letting his guard down.

As his gaze fell on the grand throne at the end of the hall…

The group finally let out a sigh of relief.

Gluttony, dressed in a full suit, lay twisted on the ground, his limbs contorted and his expression grotesque. Judging by his appearance, his death had been excruciatingly painful.

Ladrick sneered. "Don't worry, he's as dead as can be. The poison I fed him would've eaten through his guts."

Lin Tian took a closer look and confirmed that Gluttony had indeed died a gruesome death.

Slap!

Without warning, Lin Tian gave Ladrick a backhanded slap. "You poisoned him so badly—how are we supposed to eat him now?" he scolded.

Ladrick stood dumbfounded for a moment. "I… I didn't…"

"Shut up!" Slap! Lin Tian struck him again, unwilling to listen to any excuses. In truth, he just wanted to hit him.

The poison was potent, but since it came from a demon in Hell, the Holy Mother Katheryn could purify it. The corpse would still be consumable after purification.

With Gluttony's body secured, they began their return to the Goblin Empire.

As they journeyed back, Lin Tian felt an unprecedented sense of freedom—spiritual freedom. The Uninhabited Zone was essentially under his control now. While it couldn't be completely dominated yet, once he devoured the angels and ascended to demigod status, he would have the power to crush everything and unveil a brand-new world.

There would be no need for subtlety, caution, or slow development. Just pure, unbridled indulgence!

Lin Tian had walked a perilous path for so long. Now, he wanted to relish his triumph to the fullest.

Before they even reached Goblin King City, Gobu Yue, Gobu Kuang, and the others were already waiting to greet them, with a welcoming party that stretched dozens of kilometers. Yes, that far.

Various demi-humans and magical creatures also awaited their return, curious and eager. After all, the oppressive legends of the Uninhabited Zone and the demons' reign weighed heavily on everyone.

"Look… they're coming!"

A cry of excitement rippled through the gathered crowds of demi-humans and magical creatures. At the forefront, Lin Tian appeared in their line of sight. He looked so plain and unassuming, yet he brought with him a tale of triumph that shook everyone to their core.

"Heavens, it's him! It's really him!"

"I can't believe it. Has the legend of the Uninhabited Zone been broken? Is His Goblin Majesty really just a goblin?!"

"The legendary, supremely powerful and wicked demons! What about the Lord of Gluttony? Is he dead?!"

"Look at what the One-Eyed Owl is carrying—that's the Lord of Greed, isn't it?!"

"And those goblins are carrying the corpses of Gluttony and Wrath!"

"My word! Unbelievable!"

The demi-humans and magical creatures erupted into shock and wild fervor, grabbing their heads or scratching at themselves as though something were crawling on their skin. The excitement was too much—it was as if their national football team had won the World Cup!

Lin Tian greeted the celebrating crowds, basking in the joy of victory. This battle had been a resounding success.

The mixed-blood goblins with sacred powers had performed extraordinarily, displaying overwhelming strength against magical beasts. However, the coming challenge against the demigod humans of the Demigod Empire would be far more uncertain.

"Boss!"

Gobu Yue and the others rushed forward, their faces filled with joy and excitement. While they were disappointed at not having participated in the battle, their main concern had been for Lin Tian's safety.

Seeing their reactions, Lin Tian happily recounted the perilous and brutal combat, highlighting the performances of everyone involved.

The male demi-humans and magical creatures were starstruck. "What? My Lady Alice is that powerful?! She can use the Holy Light Domain?!"

"She's amazing! If I could get a kiss from Lady Alice, I'd die happy!"

Similarly, many were fans of the One-Eyed Owl, though her admirers included numerous female demi-humans and magical creatures. Along the roadside, countless envious gazes were fixed on her, hungry and covetous.

"If only Lady Elizabeth were a man! I'd sneakily court her!"

"You fool! Why does she have to be a man?"

"Let's just work harder and bend Lady Elizabeth. It's possible, right?"

"Yeah, and let's try for Lady Alice too. That icy gaze that looks down on everyone—I'm in love!"

Hearing these brazen remarks, Alice's beautiful eyes twitched slightly, but she said nothing. The One-Eyed Owl, however, wasn't as reserved.

"You want to sneak around with me? Hah! What a unique idea. First, consider if you can withstand my fists!"

"We can take it!!!"

"That's exactly what we want!"

"Come on, Lady Elizabeth! I can handle it!"

Looking at the lovestruck and frenzied female demi-humans and magical creatures, the One-Eyed Owl was thoroughly confused. "Huh? Where did you get the confidence to handle my punches? Back when I was casually hunting twelfth-tier monsters, you fifth or sixth-tier, seventh or eighth-tier creatures wouldn't have even qualified to enter the fight!"

Lin Tian couldn't help but chuckle quietly. Thankfully, he had decisively set boundaries earlier, sparing himself from being entangled with such matters.

He spoke up with a grin, "Big Sis, I think you misunderstood. They weren't talking about physically enduring your punches. It's… well, never mind. You can test it out with them. I won't interrupt or get jealous."

"Who needs you to get jealous, hmph!" The One-Eyed Owl turned her head away, choosing not to continue the conversation.

Finally, they entered the city.

Inside Goblin King City, Lin Tian, as the empire's king and center of attention, had to make a brief speech. "Everyone, thanks to our collective efforts, we have achieved significant results…"

It was, as always, the usual platitudes. He hated sounding like this, becoming exactly the kind of leader he had once despised. Even he found himself unbearably awkward.

After outlining the empire's future development and reassuring the people, he emphasized the necessity of maintaining taxes. Preparations for the Demigod Empire needed to be made early, just in case.

Back in the palace, Lin Tian summoned Gobu Kuang and the others. As for Gobu Jian, there was no need—he was helping Alice manage the soldiers.

The main issue was that there were only two bodies, Gluttony and Sylph, and they might not be enough to divide among everyone.

On the plaza, Gobu Kuang and the others were rubbing their hands eagerly, like hungry children waiting for dinner. "Boss, is this another Lord of the Deadly Sins?" Gobu Kuang asked, staring at the corpse, which still emitted powerful demonic energy even in death.

The three were astonished, and Lin Tian nodded. "That's right. Divide it evenly among yourselves. Whoever manages to devour their innate abilities, it'll depend on your luck."

If only one person devoured it, the chances of success would be higher, but splitting it among three was unpredictable.

At that, Gobu Kuang hesitated and stammered, "It's fine. I'll take a smaller portion. I'm not smart, so Gobu Tian and Gobu Shan might make better use of it."

"What are you talking about, Brother Kuang?!" Gobu Tian looked upset.

Even Gobu Shan chimed in, "Boss has raised us from nothing. Saying stuff like that makes it sound like we're outsiders!"

Seeing their reactions, Gobu Kuang seemed unsure of what to say.

Lin Tian intervened quickly, "Alright, he meant well. Since that's the case, I'll divide it myself. Honestly, you're all learning from humans too much—next time, be more mindful."

He extended his claw and evenly divided the portions. The three began by devouring Sylph's body.

"She was known as the Demon King of Wrath and wielded the Eternal Wrath, a power that could rival Hercules's strength. Whoever acquires it will see their combat power soar," Lin Tian explained as they cautiously consumed the flesh.

As for Lin Tian himself, he would wait and see if anything remained. He didn't particularly need this ability, as his greatest strength lay in his calm demeanor and calculated approach during battles.

Gobu Kuang groaned. "Ugh, this tastes awful! Is demon flesh made from rotting leather mixed with slimy, rancid fish?! Gah!"

"Ugh… I can't breathe, Boss!" Gobu Tian's normally dark complexion had turned pale green.

Even Gobu Kuang, who had a strong stomach, found the taste unbearable. The other two struggled even more, but they forced themselves to continue.

Suddenly, Gobu Kuang's eyes lit up. "I… I got it!"

Boom!

His body emitted a fierce red aura as the power activated.

"Not bad," Lin Tian commented, checking Gobu Kuang's status panel. Indeed, he had obtained the skill, and his combat power had surged to nearly 16,000, reaching the Demon King level. With another six months of training, he could ascend to the level of a Great Demon King.

Meanwhile, Gobu Shan also emitted the same red aura, signifying that he too had acquired the Eternal Wrath.

However, Gobu Tian, despite devouring his share completely, failed to obtain the ability. Panic set in. "Boss, I… I don't know why, but I didn't get it…"

"It's fine," Lin Tian reassured him. "Devouring depends on luck. It's not guaranteed."

At that moment, Gobu Kuang and Gobu Shan offered Gobu Tian their leftover portions. Despite consuming those too, the results remained unchanged.

Lin Tian couldn't help but joke, "That's what you get for evolving so darkly. Your luck is as black as your face."

"I…" Gobu Tian looked utterly dejected, unable to understand the quip.