Level 1 to Infinity: My Bloodline Is the Ultimate Cheat - Chapter 661

Chapter 661: Phantom of the Underworld

In the dark depths of the ocean, far below where sunlight could reach, there was a cave whose walls shimmered faintly with a pale blue light. Outside the cave mouth stretched an endless black void, the crushing deep sea held back by a glowing blue barrier that rippled softly like liquid glass.

“So hungry, so hungry, so hungry…”

A girl with long golden hair and a doll-like face sat curled on the ground, her arms wrapped around her knees as she muttered to herself.

“Astrid, be a good girl,” said another voice gently. “Ethan will come for us. He’ll save us, I promise.”

The speaker was Lyla.

“Oh…” Astrid looked up at her, eyes dazed and uncertain, then nodded faintly.

“Astrid, why don’t you sleep a little longer?” Lyla said softly, brushing her fingers through the girl’s hair. “When you wake up…”

Her voice trailed off.

Without warning, a burst of milky-white light flared from Lyla’s chest, as if a hidden star had suddenly ignited inside her. Her body trembled violently.

Astrid stared in shock as Lyla’s eyes fluttered shut and she collapsed backward.

From her still body, a shimmering phantom slowly rose — a translucent figure of light that looked exactly like Lyla. The only difference was the milky-white gem embedded in its chest, pulsing faintly like a heart.

For a moment, Astrid could only stare, glancing between the phantom and the motionless Lyla on the ground. Her small hands trembled as she whispered, “Big Sister…?”

The spirit blinked, her expression distant and confused at first, but then her gaze cleared. She tilted her head, looking at Astrid with a soft, knowing smile.

“Hungry?” the phantom asked, her voice identical to Lyla’s.

“Mhm!” Astrid nodded eagerly.

The phantom’s smile deepened. She rose gracefully to her feet and raised a hand toward the blue barrier at the mouth of the cave.

Whoosh—

The water rippled violently as a massive Megalodon shark, nearly ten meters long, broke through the barrier. It was an unevolved beast, without sentience, its huge body thrashing wildly as if it had been dragged here against its will.

White flames ignited in the phantom’s palm. With a casual sweep of her hand, the flames scattered like rain and fell over the struggling shark.

Sizzle… sizzle…

The white fire burned silently under the water, searing the creature’s flesh. In seconds, the Megalodon went still, its massive eyes rolling back as the scent of roasted fish began to fill the cave. Within a minute, it had been perfectly cooked from head to tail.

The phantom let the flames fade, then lowered the roasted shark gently to the ground.

“Astrid, eat slowly,” she said with a tender smile.

Astrid’s eyes widened, her mouth already watering. She rushed forward, stopping only when she remembered to tear off a large piece of meat first. Holding it out with both hands, she said shyly, “Big Sister… you eat this.”

The phantom paused, startled by the words. She looked down at Lyla’s body on the ground, a soft smile touching her lips.

“Astrid, you eat. I have something to take care of. Be a good girl and wait for me, all right?”

She declined the offered food gently. A spirit could not eat, but Astrid’s innocent gesture was touching all the same.

“Oh…” Astrid nodded obediently, her attention quickly returning to the roasted fish.

The phantom floated toward the entrance and passed through the barrier as if it were air. Once outside, she stopped and raised her hand again. White flames bloomed in her palm, burning brightly even in the cold depths of the sea. The fire didn’t disturb the surrounding water; instead, it spread outward, forming a milky-white shield that wrapped protectively around the blue barrier.

Her task done, the phantom ascended rapidly through the dark water, her figure streaking upward like a pale comet. In an instant, she broke the surface of the sea.

—

Far away, beyond the borders of Earth, on the edge of the Desolate Domain, two figures faced each other.

“Let me in,” came a calm, neutral voice from within a suit of black armor.

If Ethan had been there, his heart would have leapt with joy — the figure in armor was his mother, the Lord of the Underworld.

“No,” replied the figure standing before her.

It was a boy dressed in white, his face youthful but his eyes impossibly old. His tone was firm, absolute, his refusal leaving no room for argument.

“Do you really think you can stop me?”

The Lord of the Underworld’s aura surged, dark and heavy, flooding the air with power.

“I can stop you,” the boy in white replied calmly. “For at least three years, no one in any of the myriad universes can cross this boundary.” His tone was steady, his eyes unwavering.

The Lord of the Underworld froze. Her vast aura slowly receded, her shoulders sinking as if the weight of centuries pressed down upon her. She let out a quiet breath and removed her helmet.

“I only need one hour,” she said softly. “Can’t you make an exception? That world… it’s where I lived. I swear it on my Divine Status as Lord of the Underworld…”

As the helmet fell away, a face of ethereal beauty was revealed — flawless yet streaked with tears that ran silently down her cheeks.

“Silence.”

Boom.

The universe itself seemed to tremble. A new voice, gentle but commanding, echoed across the expanse. It wasn’t loud, but its quiet authority cut through everything.

Both figures turned at once. The boy in white pivoted slowly, and the Lord of the Underworld lifted her gaze — only for her eyes to widen in shock.

“Lord of the Underworld…” she whispered, her body trembling. She started to bow instinctively, but the newcomer stepped aside, avoiding the gesture.

“Auntie,” said the newcomer softly. “You are the Lord of the Underworld.”

If Ethan had been there, he would have been stunned beyond belief — because the one his mother was bowing to was none other than his own girlfriend, Lyla.

“Auntie…” Ethan’s mother’s voice faltered, her expression a mixture of disbelief and reluctant amusement as she looked at the milky-white translucent figure before her.

Whoosh, whoosh—

Two more streaks of light descended, one gold and one violet. The newcomers took shape beside Lyla, their auras identical to hers.

“Lord of the Underworld…” they greeted in unison.

Ethan’s mother stared at them, speechless. Their faces were different, but their presence was unmistakable — the same divine resonance that radiated from Lyla’s phantom form. They were Amber Zane and Rainie Chen.

The Lord of the Underworld hesitated, her eyes darting between the three women. A flicker of realization passed through her expression, and she slowly bent forward again.

“Former Lord of the Underworld… your servant, June—”

Bang.

The white-clothed boy raised his hand. A pulse of power burst out, not as an attack, but a firm restraint that held her upright.

“Your son’s woman, and his classmates,” the boy said, his voice calm but edged with divine authority. “If you continue like this, their lifespans will unravel. You say you only wish to look, but do you truly understand what your presence means? Every action you take carries weight. Every breath you draw can distort the order of the Ancestral Star.”

He paused, his gaze distant, like someone looking through time itself.

“As the Order Keeper here, I cannot allow you to interfere. For three years, nothing must change. What is destined will come to pass. Your interference will not alter it, only twist the threads of karma into chaos. To go against the Path of Ethereal is to invite an ending no one can foresee.”

His words rang through the silence, calm yet absolute — a divine decree disguised as reason.

…

“Stop your nonsense already! Are you reciting lines from a play?”

A rough, amused voice broke through the solemn stillness. “They’re all here, so what are you acting for? Come have a drink instead!”

The boy’s divine aura vanished instantly, his solemn face flickering into something almost sheepish.

“Oh—coming!” he said quickly, and in the next moment, his body turned into a streak of light that shot away into the distance.