Extreme Slash was Lin Ye's recently developed close-combat burst technique. This move could only be used on the Alienated Body, because even his main body couldn't withstand this level of Spiritual Energy Burst.

First, he detonated compressed spiritual energy inside his body, using the Alienated Body's spiritual energy core as a bomb, while simultaneously incorporating every technique that could increase speed and explosive power. After using this move, Lin Ye's Alienated Body would completely burn out within seconds, turning into ash that dissipated into the air.

Lin Ye had even considered directly using spiritual energy deconstruction as a power source, but he still couldn't control the process of spiritual energy deconstruction. Rashly using it would make it difficult to attack enemies and could potentially harm allies.

The Alienated Body slowly dissipated, and Lin Ye's consciousness returned to the mental defense system, appearing beside Catherine.

The spiritual energy shield around Catherine had been affected, but the spiritual energy shield Lin Ye had set up wouldn't be broken by the aftermath. However, the nearby apartment building wasn't so stable.

Broken stones rained down on the spiritual energy shield like a hailstorm. Catherine hugged her little sister and the red wooden chest nervously, afraid that the thin-looking protective layer would be shattered by the falling rocks.

"Sorry, I still ended up collapsing the building."

This was Lin Ye's first time using Extreme Slash against an enemy. Extreme Slash was a technique that required complete concentration, and he hadn't had the spare energy to protect the surrounding buildings.

"Ah, you're back. It's fine. I actually don't like this place at all."

Catherine glanced at the Ruins behind her. If she could choose, she didn't want to go home at all, because for her, the so-called family wasn't exactly a good place.

"You can use that money to buy another place to live. Somewhere near the school might be good."

Lin Ye suddenly turned his head to look in the direction where those cultists had been. Those cultists, including the deity items on them, had all been reduced to ashes by Extreme Slash. But there were still many fragments containing deity power remaining there. He had originally planned to wait until those fragments stabilized before checking them out, but unexpectedly, those fragments began to undergo some kind of change.

"Haha! It actually succeeded! Thank you! Deity! That was truly a god-like strike!"

Those fragments gradually formed into a human shape, and that humanoid creature let out an excited voice.

"I am a deity. That was divine punishment."

Lin Ye moved inside another Alienated Body. The opponent's body was filled with chaotic deity power, making it difficult for him to perceive the situation inside.

"Ah, you're absolutely right. That's exactly it."

Principal Duke raised his hands high, as if celebrating his rebirth.

"You planned this all along? As expected of a highly educated intellectual. Even as a cultist, you're smarter than those fools."

Lin Ye praised.

"Hehe, unlike those idiots who only know how to rely on external forces, I've been thinking about how to take this power for myself ever since I first came into contact with deity power."

Principal Duke watched Lin Ye cautiously. He had originally wanted those people to fight Lin Ye to the death, but Lin Ye had wiped them all out with a single move. If not for his advance preparations and good luck, he would have been killed by Lin Ye by now.

"But you shouldn't have used my loot to create a body. That's very rude."

Lin Ye drew the Alienated Bone Blade from his waist. Since he couldn't perceive the situation inside the opponent's body, he would have to use a more direct probing method.

"Wait! Aren't you afraid I'll destroy your main body?"

Duke didn't want to fight Lin Ye head-on right now. His body wasn't stable yet. If Lin Ye slashed him a few times like before, he would probably really die here.

"With just this unstable temporary body?"

Boom!

This time, Lin Ye didn't waste words. He directly unleashed a Red Flash—Extreme Slash and struck. Duke, who was in an unstable state, had no power to resist and was directly sent flying by Lin Ye's slash.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

One Alienated Body after another appeared nearby. Lin Ye's mental energy moved between these Alienated Bodies. These Alienated Bodies were like cannonballs waiting to be fired, continuously crashing into Duke. 𝓯𝙧𝙚𝒆𝙬𝙚𝒃𝙣𝙤𝒗𝓮𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢

Only when Duke was completely chopped into pieces did Lin Ye stop his attack. Some parasitic creatures ran over from nearby, carrying mental barrier generators they had found in the cult base, sealing those fragments inside mental barriers.

Lin Ye casually created some items that could seal deities. He was a master of spiritual energy item creation. The difficulty in making these sealing items lay in the mental barriers. The other structures were only at a mediocre level for him.

Duke's consciousness hadn't disappeared yet, but in Lin Ye's hands, he wouldn't even have the chance to disappear on his own.

'I wonder if I can bring these loot back...'

Lin Ye collected some items that sealed deity fragments. These Duke fragments also had great research value. If possible, he wanted to take all this loot back with him.

"Deity, are you alright?"

Catherine hugged the red wooden chest, hiding inside the spiritual energy shield. She knew very well what she should do.

"...I'm fine. Who are you?"

Lin Ye looked behind Catherine. Standing there was a man who looked very young.

"Ah, please don't be nervous. I mean you no harm. I'm here to negotiate."

The young man patted Catherine on the shoulder and spoke with a smile.

"Why should I negotiate with you? You don't think you've found my weak point, do you? Young man, let me teach you a lesson: never trust the weaknesses an enemy shows you. There's an eighty percent chance it's a deadly trap, or it's not a weakness at all."

Lin Ye walked casually toward him, as if forcing him to make a move.

"...Alright, I admit defeat. I appeared here just to calm you down, not because I actually wanted to do anything to her. Unlike those cultists, I'm a good person."

The young man raised his hands and distanced himself from Catherine.

"I hope you're not lying to me. I don't like wasting time. What do you want to discuss?"

Lin Ye didn't continue approaching the young man. Unlike those cultists who relied on deity items, this young man was a strong opponent that even he would need to take seriously.

"Let me introduce myself first. I am the cult leader. All the cults and national rules in this world were established by me. I am the ruler of this world. You can just call me Leader. As for my original name, I can't remember it anymore."

The young man slightly bowed to Lin Ye in greeting.

"I am a foreign deity. You can call me Lin Ye."

Lin Ye remained unmoved, merely responding normally.

"You truly are a deity? How rude of me. This place is not suitable for hosting a guest like you. Let's find another place to talk."

The Leader casually opened a portal and invited Lin Ye to enter.