Emperor Dao Nirvana
The moment the Golden Long Sword Demon-Bane energy, the shock in the eyes of the Wu Gui Demon Lord was like a bubble bursting at the fingertip, instantly swallowed by hysterical madness—not the shock and anger of an ordinary cultivator, but the desperate struggle of a cornered beast as its 30,000-year foundation crumbled, the desperate roar of someone falling from the clouds into the mire. The Emperor Power wrapped in the sword tip was like molten Nine Heavens Black Iron, carrying a scorching heat that could burn away all darkness, drilling into the Demonic Core through the gap between his brows. The Demonic Core, which had accumulated 30,000 years of cultivation, was instantly branded with a charred mark, like a red-hot iron being branded onto something. On the eternal ice, black mist rose with a hissing sound, mixed with fragments of demonic Demonic Essence from the disintegration of Demonic Core, emitting a nauseating stench. Intense pain spread wildly through the veins of his soul, causing this Demon Head, who had once torn apart Golden Immortal and drunken Dragon Clan, to tremble uncontrollably. Each tremor shook his towering body, causing even the hard, steel-like Demon Rock beneath his feet to crack in a spiderweb pattern. Black demonic blood seeped from the cracks, flowing along the fissures and dissipating into wisps of black smoke upon hitting the ground.
The black scales covering his body were originally the "Soul Devouring Black Armor," a treasure of the Demon Realm, forged from the scales of ten thousand Demon Flood Dragon mixed with Abyss Nether Iron. It had withstood a full-force attack from Golden Immortal without damage. Now, the eerie green Demonic Runes flowing across the scales rapidly dimmed, like withered trees drained of all life, each piece losing its grip and peeling off his massive body. Each falling scale made a dull thud, crashing onto the charred Demon Rock and raising sulfurous dust mixed with black fragments of shattered scales. These fragments, upon hitting the ground, were burned by the remaining Emperor Power, turning into wisps of black smoke that dissipated into the air. The fist-sized Demonic Crystal at the tip of his bone staff was even more vulnerable to the impact of the Emperor Dao Laws; fine cracks spread like wildly growing vines. As the crystal seemed to sense the dawn of freedom, the countless wronged souls imprisoned within it suddenly flashed with spiritual light—there were the remnants of cultivators who had once wielded swords to defend the righteous path, their hands still faintly holding the afterimage of immortal swords, the sword shadow still retaining the sharpness of slaying demons; there were mortal farmers who longed for their families, their faces bearing the yearning for their wives and children, their lips still frozen with the concerns of their final moments; there were the Child Phantoms who did not yet understand, their eyes filled with confusion and fear, their little hands still tightly clutching imaginary toys. They broke free from the Demonic Crystal's restraints, transforming into specks of shimmering white starlight that streaked across the sky, dissipating into the world like shooting stars, leaving not even a trace of resentment behind, only the crisp sound of the Demonic Crystal shattering, exceptionally clear in the desolate battlefield, like the tolling of the death knell for the Wu Gui Demon Lord.
"I have lived for thirty thousand years! I have survived three Demon Realm Great Battle, personally torn apart the souls of Golden Immortal, and drunk the Essence Blood of the Dragon Clan. How could I die at the hands of a mere brat like you!" The roar of the Wu Gui Demon Lord shook the heavens and earth. The shockwave from the sound wave pushed back the surrounding demonic energy by several feet, creating a brief vacuum zone. Within this vacuum, tiny specks of shattered Demonic Dust could be seen. Thick, inky black Blood Light burst from his turbid Demon Eye, sliding down his cheeks and leaving two hideous bloodstains on his wrinkled face, like venomous snakes crawling across the ravines of the earth. Suddenly, he abandoned all resistance, his hands pressing fiercely against his chest like red-hot iron pincers, his knuckles digging deep into the gaps in his scales, deforming the hard armor plates. The faint sound of scales shattering could be heard—the gray Death Qi surrounding the body, as if summoned from ancient times, surged wildly into the Demonic Core. Within that Death Qi aura, fragments of divine souls were clearly discernible: the resentment of a dying cultivator clutching their immortal sword, their lingering soul still futilely waving the illusory blade; the mournful cries of Mortals facing demonic claws, their voices seemingly piercing through time and space, echoing across the battlefield; the helpless weeping of children who had lost their parents, their cries filled with a desperate yearning for survival. Now, these remnants of souls were all devoured by the Demonic Core, becoming fuel to ignite their own destruction, leaving not a trace of pity. Only the silent lamentations of countless divine souls echoed amidst the surging Death Qi —lacking inaudibility, yet enough to send a chill down the spines of all the cultivators present.
The disintegrating demonic energy suddenly reversed, condensing into a Pitch-Black Vortex about ten feet in diameter before him. The space at the center of the vortex twisted and deformed, like repeatedly folded crumpled brocade, completely swallowing even light, leaving only a suffocating Destructive Aura —this was the Devil Race's forbidden "Soul Devouring Self-Detonation," using his own Demonic Core as a catalyst to transform his thirty thousand years of cultivation and the countless souls he had devoured into World-Ending Power, not seeking to live together, but to die together. Anyone caught in the blast wave would have their rocks instantly reduced to ashes within Fang Yuan miles, even the hardest Mysterious Iron would be vaporized; rivers would evaporate and dry up, their riverbeds cracking open with fissures several feet wide; cultivators' physical bodies would disintegrate under the impact of the demonic energy, even their spiritual power would be forcibly extracted; even their souls would be completely crushed, never to be reborn, without even a sliver of chance for reincarnation, only to become nourishment for the Demon Realm Abyss, feeding even more Demon Head.
The Black Vortex expanded at a visible speed, tearing apart the scorched ground as if ripped apart by an invisible giant hand, creating Bottomless Ravines. The Black Demonic Qi surging from these chasms was as viscous as ink, and as it flowed along the Demon Rock, it sizzled and corroded the demonic rocks, turning even the hard rock into black mud. Tiny bubbles rose from the mud, emitting a foul stench. The already fragile cracks in the Boundary Sealing Gate were forcibly torn open by the vortex's suction, revealing Ancient Runes that had covered the Stone Gate —run by Ancient Great Emperor, imbued with Emperor Power and the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi. Formed from the condensed essence of the runes, which had protected the Immortal Realm for millennia, it now shattered into pieces, dissipating into specks of golden light within the demonic energy, like extinguished candle flames, no longer able to withstand the onslaught of demonic power. Freed from the suppression of the runes, the demonic energy surged forth like a tsunami breaking free of its restraints, instantly turning half the sky a deep, inky black, completely obscuring even the last rays of the setting sun. Only a despairing darkness remained between heaven and earth, with only the occasional, eerie glint of light flashing through the rotating Black Vortex, like the eyes of Death God, watching over every living being on the battlefield.
True Human Xuanyang and Ye Wushang's expressions changed drastically, their eyes filled with horror—they had fought countless Demon Head, from Demon Soldiers to Demon General, and even witnessed Demon Commander in action, but they had never seen such terrifying self-destruction power. True Human Xuanyang hurriedly waved his whisk, the remaining silver threads bursting forth with dazzling spiritual light. The light was as soft as moonlight yet resilient, attempting to weave a protective barrier to block the vortex's suction force. However, the moment the light touched the edge of the vortex, it melted instantly like ice and snow meeting fire, without even a ripple. The silver threads of the whisk were instead corroded by the demonic energy, breaking off several more. The fallen silver threads landed on the ground, instantly blackened by the demonic energy and turned to ashes, leaving not a trace. Ye Wushang, on the other hand, pushed his Netherworld Power to its limit. The short, black Black Iron Short Blade was wreathed in dark energy, faintly emitting the wails of ghosts and wolves. It was his Lifebound Weapon, nourished for a hundred years with his own Essence Blood. The blade still bore the bloodstains of countless Demon Head, having slain several Demon General. He exerted all his strength, gripping the blade and slashing towards the edge of the vortex, trying to sever the suction force. However, he was firmly bound by an immense force. His arm felt like it was filled with lead, unable to lift. His muscles trembled slightly from the excessive exertion. His Spiritual Qi stagnated within his body, like a blocked river. Each flow brought a tearing pain to his meridians, as if it would be cut off at any moment. A trickle of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, staining his chest. The blood fell to the ground and was instantly swallowed by the demonic energy, leaving not a trace of red.
The cultivators behind them wore expressions of despair. Many of them collapsed onto the cracked earth, their legs giving way beneath them. The moment their buttocks touched the ground, they felt the coldness and tremors emanating from it. The power of the self-destruction far exceeded their limits. The Power of Destruction was like a colossal boulder hanging overhead, suffocating them and preventing them from even considering escape. The ground beneath their feet continued to crack, and rubble kept falling into the abyss, whistling like the whispers of Death God echoing in their ears. The demonic energy in the air pressed down on their chests as if it were a tangible force. With each... The air was chillingly cold, as if it would freeze their lungs. Many cultivators began to cough violently, their blood falling to the ground only to be instantly swallowed by the demonic energy, leaving no trace. They could only watch helplessly as the Black Vortex expanded, the Demon Rock at its edge crumbling into black powder. Their eyes were filled with resentment and despair. Some even closed their eyes, clasped their hands together, and prayed silently, awaiting death. Only a few cultivators still gripped their weapons tightly, their knuckles white from the effort, their eyes flashing with a faint light of resistance, but it was all in vain.
Ren Xiaoyao's grip on his longsword tightened slightly, his knuckles turning white from the force. The Emperor Mark between his brows flickered intensely, emitting a dazzling golden light, like a dancing star, strikingly conspicuous in the darkness, illuminating his resolute face. He could clearly feel the terrifying Power of Destruction contained within the vortex, a power capable of destroying everything—if allowed to erupt, not only would the hundreds of cultivators present be reduced to ashes, but the entire mountain range where the Boundary Sealing Gate was located would be razed to the ground. All living beings within the mountain range would be affected. Without the mountain range's obstruction, the demonic energy would be completely out of control, surging into the heart of the Immortal Realm like a flood. Mortal Realm towns would be devoured by the demonic energy, and the people would become food for the Devil Race, used as cultivation furnaces. Immortal Realm sects would be massacred, their scriptures and Law Treasure Classics plundered, and their lineages severed. Countless beings would die painfully in the demonic energy, corpses strewn across the fields, cries of agony filling the air. The entire Immortal Realm would be plunged into an abyss of no return, never to regain its former vitality.
"The Emperor Dao Protection not only individuals, but Protect All Living Beings." He murmured softly, his voice carrying an unwavering resolve, as steadfast as a rock, piercing the despairing atmosphere of the battlefield and reaching the ears of every cultivator. Before his words had even finished, he suddenly released his grip on the longsword— the Golden Long Sword hovered in mid-air, its blade shimmering with Emperor Mark, as if it had come alive. The golden light on the sword spread through the air, forming a golden chain of light that coiled around the Wu Gui Demon Lord's Demonic Core Demonic Core like a rope, continuing to suppress it and prevent it from self-destructing. His power erupted prematurely; he slowly floated cross-legged in mid-air, his hands rapidly forming complex hand seals. With each seal, the Spiritual Qi around him fluctuated violently, like ripples spreading across a calm lake after a pebble is thrown in. These ripples carried a faint golden Emperor Power. Finally, countless streams of Spiritual Qi converged before him, condensing into a Nirvana Seal radiating a faint red light. The seal flowed with the aura of life and Principle, like a rising sun, carrying a warm power that dispelled the surrounding chill, bringing warmth to the nearby cultivators.
"Using my divine soul as a guide, borrowing the Emperor Dao Laws, I ignite the Nirvana Flame!" Ren Xiaoyao's voice boomed like thunder across the battlefield, resounding to every corner. Even the demonic energy in the abyss trembled, and the rotation of the Black Vortex paused briefly. The Ancient Emperor Shadow in his sea of consciousness suddenly became clear. The emperor wore Sun, Moon, and Stars Robe, the hem of which shimmered faintly with starlight. Though his face was blurred, it exuded an aura of majesty that suppressed heaven and earth, as if he could quell all chaos with a mere wave of his hand. The sun, moon, and stars embroidered on the Emperor Robe simultaneously lit up. The golden light of the Sun Disc was intense and dazzling, like the midday sun, capable of dispelling all darkness. Its light fell upon the cultivators, bringing them warmth; the silvery Silver Light of the moon was clear and pure, like the bright moon in the deep night, bringing soothing comfort to their souls. The power gradually calmed the cultivators' restless souls, which had been agitated by fear. The two intertwined and flowed through their souls, forming a faint halo around their bodies. The golden spiritual light that had surrounded them receded like a tide, replaced by wisps of pale red flames—not ordinary fire, but Nirvana Flame containing the life force and Power of Principle. With each flicker of the flames, the pure Spiritual Qi of the surrounding world frantically converged, like rivers flowing into the sea. Even the remaining Black Demonic Qi in the air was forcibly drawn away, like moths drawn to the flame, becoming nourishment for it, making the flames even more vigorous and the light even more dazzling. This dispelled some of the surrounding darkness, giving the desperate cultivators a glimmer of hope, and rekindling the light in their eyes.
Seeing this, the Wu Gui Demon Lord threw his head back and let out a maniacal laugh. The laugh was grating and unpleasant, like rotten wood rubbing together or a broken gong being struck, full of disdain and madness. "What about the Nirvana method? It's nothing but a trick to prolong your life! The power of my self-destruction, formed from 30,000 years of cultivation, is enough to blast your soul to ashes, preventing you from reincarnating for eternity. You can only become dust in the Demon Realm Demonic Core, leaving not even a trace!" He suddenly activated his Demonic Core core, which erupted with intense black light. The Black Vortex spun faster and faster, and the surrounding space distorted even more violently, as if it would collapse at any moment. Even the distant mountain peaks began to tremble slightly, and rubble kept rolling down from the mountaintops, hitting the ground with loud "bangs." Smoke and dust filled the air, obscuring the light between heaven and earth, making the newly ignited Fire of Hope weaker again, and dimming the light in the cultivators' eyes.
Just as the Black Vortex was about to erupt completely, the Nirvana Flame surrounding Ren Xiaoyao suddenly surged, like a giant firebird spreading its wings, its wingspan blotting out the sky. Golden Emperor Mark flowed across its fiery red wings, as if inlaid with countless stars. Each feather radiated a warm and powerful energy, enveloping both Ren Xiaoyao and the Wu Gui Demon Lord in flames. Inside the flames, the Emperor Dao Laws and the Power of Nirvana intertwined, forming an indestructible Golden Barrier, like a fortress of copper and iron. The barrier shimmered with intricate Emperor Mark Emperor Mark, each containing protective power, firmly locking the Power of Destruction of the self-destruction within, preventing it from leaking out even a trace. The cultivators outside the barrier felt a warmth spread through their bodies. The previously suppressed demonic energy was instantly dispelled, their breathing became smoother, and the headaches and chest tightness caused by the Demonic Qi Erosion gradually subsided. Many people raised their heads again, their eyes shining with hope, and their grip on their weapons loosened.
The Wu Gui Demon Lord's screams echoed through the flames, his voice filled with resentment and despair, utterly shrill, like the howl of a wounded beast. "No! This is impossible! How could my Death Qi be suppressed! This Death Qi has devoured countless souls, even Golden Immortal must avoid its edge!" He could clearly feel his Demonic Core Demonic Core rapidly melting in the Nirvana Flame, his cultivation within melting away like ice and snow. Each melting brought him a wave of weakness, even the power of his self-destruction was being purified and devoured by the flames bit by bit—the originally pitch-black vortex gradually became transparent, the fragments of divine souls within it being purified by the flames, turning into specks of white light and dissipating, as if he had gained true liberation, a calm expression appearing on his face. Finally, the vortex completely dissipated, leaving not a trace of blackness. His proud Death Qi was utterly vulnerable before the Nirvana Flame, as fragile as paper, without even a shred of resistance, even being devoured by the flames, becoming nourishment for the fire, making it grow ever stronger and its light ever more dazzling.
"No! I am not reconciled! I have not yet conquered the Immortal Realm, not yet refined all living beings into nourishment, not yet made the entire Three Realms grovel at my feet, not yet made those Demon Head who looked down on me submit!" The roar of the Wu Gui Demon Lord grew weaker and weaker, his voice filled with resentment and despair. His enormous body rapidly disintegrated in the flames, his black scales burning to ashes, drifting in the wind, and vanishing upon touching the ground; his Demon Bone Staff melted in the flames, turning into a pool of Black Liquid, which continued to bubble as if struggling, and was evaporated by the flames upon touching the ground, leaving not a trace; even his divine soul began to dissipate, turning into wisps of black smoke, in which his resentful roars still lingered, and was finally completely purified by the Nirvana Flame into specks of Golden Light Spots, scattered in the flames like shattered stars, shimmering with a faint light, and then slowly drifting down, sprinkling onto the earth, where it merged into the soil, nourishing this war-torn land.
"Boom!"
After a deafening roar, the Nirvana Flame abruptly contracted, retreating into Ren Xiaoyao's body like a tide, before slowly dissipating into the air, leaving only a lingering warmth and a faint fragrance of grass and trees—a sign that the world had regained its vitality after the Nirvana Flame purified the demonic energy. On the battlefield, the Black Vortex and the figure of the Wu Gui Demon Lord had vanished, leaving only countless Golden Light Spots falling from the sky. These were the purified demonic energy and fragments of divine souls, gently landing on the scorched earth like a light rain. Each speck of light carried... A glimmer of life appeared. Amazingly, after these Golden Light Spots landed on the cracked earth, tiny green shoots slowly emerged from the once desolate ground—the shoots topped with glistening dewdrops, which shimmered with iridescent light under the illumination of the specks of light, trembling gently in the breeze. The tender green leaves still bore traces of golden light, exuding tenacious vitality, as if announcing the retreat of darkness and the arrival of light, allowing this war-torn land to regain its Breath of Life, and igniting the Fire of Hope in the hearts of the cultivators.
Despite his exhaustion and depleted spiritual energy, True Human Xuanyang hurriedly leaped to Ren Xiaoyao's side. His movements were somewhat unsteady due to weakness, and his gaze was anxiously fixed on Ren Xiaoyao, filled with worry. He could sense that Ren Xiaoyao's soul had fluctuated violently when he activated the Nirvana Flame, almost to the point of collapse. He feared that this hope of the Immortal Realm would perish, leaving the Immortal Realm without its last shield. Ren Xiaoyao was enveloped in a pale red aura of flame, as soft as a veil, the aura still pulsating slightly, as if alive. His eyes were closed, long eyelashes casting faint shadows beneath his eyelids. His face, though pale like fine paper, had a hint of blood in it. His aura was weak but steady, without the slightest disturbance, like a sleeping lion, quiet yet containing immense power. True Human Xuanyang extended his finger... He gently touched the halo, feeling a warm life force flow from his fingertips, like a spring stream nourishing his depleted spiritual power, restoring a trace of color to his pale face from overexertion. He could clearly sense that although Ren Xiaoyao's Emperor Power was almost exhausted, like a dried-up riverbed revealing the pebbles at the bottom, a trace of Emperor Power was still slowly circulating deep within his mind, like a seed waiting to revive; his sea of consciousness, tempered by the Nirvana Flame, had become increasingly clear, like a crystal-clear lake, without a trace of impurity. His previously damaged soul was repairing at a visible speed, and the aura of his soul had become more condensed and powerful than before, faintly showing signs of breaking through to the Late Heavenly Immortal of the Golden Immortal Realm. His aura was becoming increasingly profound, like a bottomless sea, inspiring awe yet also a sense of security.
A moment later, Ren Xiaoyao slowly opened his eyes. The Nirvana Flame and Emperor Mark intertwined and shimmered in his eyes, shining like the sun and moon. The warmth of the flames and the majesty of the Emperor Mark intertwined, carrying a newfound majesty and composure that made people dare not look directly at him—it was as if the person standing before them was no longer a Heavenly Immortal cultivator, but a true Ancient Great Emperor. Every gesture he made carried the Aura of Suppressing Heaven and Earth. With just a glance, the cultivators present felt a sense of awe and lowered their heads. Then they raised their heads again, their eyes filled with admiration and gratitude. He raised his hand and grasped the Golden Long Sword that was floating in mid-air. The sword now had a layer of faint fiery red patterns, which flowed slowly like flames, lifelike, as if flames were burning on the sword. It possessed both the Guardian Power of the Emperor's Way and the vitality of Nirvana.