The tremors shaking Immortal Sinking Island grew ever more violent. Black runes spread like a spiderweb, and the once-azure sky was instantly shrouded in dark clouds. The waters of Meteor Sea began to flow backward as well. A terrifying pressure far beyond the Void Refinement Realm erupted from beneath the island, suffocating Chen Fan and his group—this was not the aura of any living being, but suppression born of the world's laws, the power of an incarnation of the Will of the Heavenly Dao.
"Rumble!"
A massive fissure suddenly split open at the heart of the island. Black spiritual mist billowed out from within, and a vague human silhouette could faintly be seen in the fog. Twisted Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy coiled around the figure, and every breath it took sent ripples through the surrounding space. It was the incarnation of the Will of the Heavenly Dao!
"Chen Fan, you truly found this place after all." The incarnation's voice was like countless people whispering beside their ears, carrying a cold indifference. "I had thought the Spiritual Root factions and sea demons would stop you. It seems I underestimated the resilience of Martial Dao."
"You are the incarnation of the Will of the Heavenly Dao?" Earth Immortal qi and blood surged around Chen Fan. Earth-yellow qi and blood connected with Immortal Sinking Island's Sea Vein Power, forming a sturdy barrier. "You manipulated the Spiritual Root system and plundered the world's origin just to turn all living beings into puppets under your control?"
"Puppets?" The incarnation gave a cold laugh. A tentacle stretched from the black spiritual mist and reached toward the Spiritual Root Warship in the distance, which had not yet fully sunk. The black spiritual energy within the tentacle instantly devoured the warship. Lei Qianjue, who had originally died, actually "stood" up again. Yet black patterns filled his eyes, and the spiritual energy around him had become twisted and violent, making him resemble a walking corpse. "These are not puppets. This is 'order.' The Spiritual Root system makes all living beings dependent on spiritual energy, while spiritual energy depends on this will to function. That is how the world should be—absolute control, absolute stability."
Su Muxue's expression changed sharply as the white light from the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant in her hand flared. "You are distorting the world's origin! Martial Dao is the orthodox path that coexists with the origin. Forcing the Spiritual Root system to replace it will only lead the world toward collapse!"
"Collapse?" The incarnation's figure swayed within the spiritual mist. "This will is the will of the world. This will's choice is the world's choice. As for Martial Dao..." He raised a hand and waved it, sending countless streams of black spiritual mist rushing toward Chen Fan. Wherever the mist passed, Immortal Sinking Island's Sea Vein Power began to dissipate. "It is merely an outdated 'impurity.' Today, this will shall cleanse it completely!"
Bearing the power to devour everything, the black spiritual mist instantly broke through Chen Fan's qi-and-blood barrier and drove straight at his chest. A sharp glint flashed through Chen Fan's eyes. He reached out and seized the hovering Cang Ming Seal—the instant the blue jade seal entered his hand, vast Sea Vein Power surged through his arm and into his body, merging with his Earth Immortal qi and blood to form pale-blue armor of light.
"Cang Ming Battle Codex? Sea Suppressing!"
Chen Fan roared. The Cang Ming Seal floated in the air, and blue runes flew from it, transforming into a boundless "illusory ocean." The illusory ocean connected with Meteor Sea's true sea veins. Countless columns of water shot into the sky and collided with the black spiritual mist.
"Sizzle!"
Struck by the water columns, the black spiritual mist let out a piercing sound. Much of it was purified by the seawater and turned into nothingness. Yet the incarnation's power exceeded all expectations. He extended his tentacles again, and the black spiritual mist instantly swallowed the water columns, even beginning to absorb the illusory ocean's Sea Vein Power in reverse.
"This will can control spiritual energy, so naturally it can also control earth veins and sea veins." The incarnation's voice carried a trace of mockery. "Your power comes from the world's origin, and this will is the master of that origin!"
Chen Fan felt the Sea Vein Power in his body begin to descend into chaos, while the light of the Cang Ming Seal dimmed. He gritted his teeth and persisted, pouring all his Earth Immortal qi and blood into the Cang Ming Seal. At the same time, he recalled the common ground between Xing Tian's Battle Codex and the Cang Ming Battle Codex—though Martial Dao power originated from the origin, it contained the power of "will." That was the key the Will of the Heavenly Dao could not control!
"The power of Martial Dao does not lie only in the origin—it lies even more in the hearts of people!" Chen Fan roared, and the qi and blood around him suddenly became scorching hot. Pale-blue Sea Vein Power intertwined with earth-yellow Earth Vein Power, forming a Martial Dao Tai Chi Diagram. Countless tiny points of light flickered within it, each representing the will of a Martial Dao cultivator—there was the inherited will of ancient Martial Dao immortals, the will of companions such as Lin Xiaohu and Su Muxue, and the will of countless beings oppressed by the Spiritual Root system and yearning for freedom!
"What is this?" For the first time, the incarnation's voice wavered, and the black spiritual mist churned violently. "Impossible! How can the will of mortals oppose the power of the origin?"
"Because what we seek is not an 'order' under control, but the 'vitality' to choose freely!" Chen Fan pushed the Martial Dao Tai Chi Diagram toward the incarnation. The points of light within it erupted at once, forming a dazzling radiance. "This is the true meaning of Martial Dao—using one's own will to defy destiny and forge a path to life!"
The radiance collided with the black spiritual mist, and Immortal Sinking Island let out a tremendous boom as its fissures continuously widened. The incarnation's vague silhouette twisted within the light, clearly having suffered grave damage. Yet he still did not retreat. More twisted spiritual energy poured from the black mist, attempting to devour the light of the Tai Chi Diagram.
"Brother Fan, I'll help you!" Lin Xiaohu suddenly rushed forward and poured the qi-and-blood power within him into the Tai Chi Diagram. Though his qi and blood were weak, they carried the purest conviction, making the diagram's radiance shine several degrees brighter.
Su Muxue, Li Mo, and the disciples of the other sects stepped forward as well, injecting their qi and blood or spiritual energy into the Tai Chi Diagram. Their spiritual energy, purified by the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant, was no longer controlled by the Will of the Heavenly Dao. As everyone's strength gathered together, the Tai Chi Diagram shone like the sun, completely suppressing the black spiritual mist's devouring force.
"No! This will shall not lose!" The incarnation let out a shriek. The black spiritual mist suddenly contracted, transforming into an enormous black fist that smashed toward Chen Fan—this was a portion of the world's origin power that he had mobilized, his strongest attack!
A resolute gleam flashed through Chen Fan's eyes. He pressed the Cang Ming Seal against his chest and simultaneously drew upon the last thread of Earth Immortal qi and blood and Sea Vein Power within him. "Xing Tian's Battle Codex? Mountain Shatter! Cang Ming Battle Codex? Sea's Wrath! The two codices unite—Martial Path Convergence!"
Earth-yellow Earth Vein Power and blue Sea Vein Power fused within his body, forming a pillar of interwoven gold and silver light. The pillar overlaid the radiance of the Tai Chi Diagram, transforming into an enormous Martial Dao spear that pierced toward the black fist.
"Bang!"
The gold-and-silver spear collided with the black fist, and the entire Meteor Sea trembled. The seawater surged into waves ten thousand zhang high, while the fissures in Immortal Sinking Island widened to their limit, threatening to collapse at any moment. Light and black mist intertwined, forming a colossal energy storm that swept everything around it inside.
The backlash of the storm sent Chen Fan staggering backward again and again, and he spat out a mouthful of blood. Yet he continued staring fixedly ahead—the black fist had begun to crack beneath the spear's impact, and the vague figure of the Will of the Heavenly Dao's incarnation had become even more transparent.
"This will... will return." The incarnation released an unwilling roar. The black spiritual mist abruptly scattered, completely withdrawing from Immortal Sinking Island. The terrifying pressure suppressing everyone vanished, the seawater returned to normal, and the dark clouds in the sky gradually dispersed.
Chen Fan slowly withdrew the Martial Dao spear. His body went limp, and he nearly fell, but Su Muxue hurried forward to support him. He looked at the Cang Ming Seal in his hand. The blue glow on its surface had become gentler; clearly, through the battle just now, his connection with the Cang Ming Seal had deepened, and his control over Earth Immortal power had risen another level.
"He... fled?" Lin Xiaohu looked at the now-peaceful Immortal Sinking Island, his eyes filled with astonishment.
"He did not flee. He temporarily retreated." Chen Fan wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes grave. "His power comes from the world's origin. As long as the origin remains, he can continuously recover. Our current strength is still insufficient to destroy him completely."
Su Muxue nodded, and the Evil Suppressing Jade Pendant in her hand lit up once more. "But that battle also proved that Martial Dao will can resist his origin power. As long as we gather the Nine Seals of Martial Arts and awaken Martial Dao power in more people, we can unite enough will to completely break his control."
Chen Fan gazed toward the distant horizon, his heart filled with determination. The appearance of the Will of the Heavenly Dao's incarnation had made him understand the hardships of the final battle, but it had also strengthened his resolve to gather all nine seals and revive Martial Dao. He tucked the Cang Ming Seal into his robes, turned to the others, and said, "Immortal Sinking Island is not a place where we should linger. Let us leave quickly and search for the next Martial Dao seal. So long as we persist, one day the light of Martial Dao will illuminate the entire world and free all living beings from the shackles of Spiritual Root Destiny!"
The group boarded the Qi and Blood Ship and slowly sailed away from Immortal Sinking Island. The island at the stern grew smaller and smaller, eventually vanishing into the mists of Meteor Sea. Yet Chen Fan knew this was not the end, but the beginning of their true confrontation with the Will of the Heavenly Dao. The road ahead was still long. Seven Martial Dao seals still awaited their discovery, and countless challenges still awaited them.
But he was no longer alone—by his side stood companions who fought shoulder to shoulder with him; behind him stood the Martial Dao will passed down over thousands of years, along with countless beings yearning for freedom. He believed that one day, he would stand atop the world, use the might of Martial Dao to sever the shadow of the Heavenly Dao, return all laws to their true source, and grant even mortals the right to defy heaven and change their fate.
The Qi and Blood Ship sailed slowly across the surface of Meteor Sea, heading toward the next ancient ruin. At the bow stood Chen Fan, Earth Immortal qi and blood intertwining with the Cang Ming Seal's Sea Vein Power around him to form a faint halo, like a lighthouse in the darkness, illuminating the long road of Martial Dao Against Heaven.
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