Furnace Domain

"Not bad."

Li Yuan's voice was low, but it struck the dead silent cavern like a thunderclap. He stood atop the White Bone Altar, Dark Crimson Gold qi and blood steam rising from his whole body, scorching the lingering sinister aura on the altar with a sizzling hiss. The crimson gold in his eyes had settled deep, like molten lava flowing from the earth's core, carrying the calm and ferocity of Burn All Things.

"You... you fiend! Destroying my Sacred Spirit, ten thousand deaths won't atone for this crime!!" The Netherworld Cult Bishop had completely lost his mind. His gray-white eyes were bloodshot, the massive bone staff in his hand erupting with unprecedented dark light, and all the sinister energy in the entire cavern began to converge toward him madly! "I'll rip out your soul and burn it for eternity!!"

Li Yuanhong also snapped out of his immense shock and terror. He knew this day would end in a fight to the death. The strength Li Yuan had displayed and that eerie method of devouring the Sacred Spirit Origin sent chills down his spine. If this brat wasn't eliminated, the Li family would never know peace.

"Attack together! Kill him!" Li Yuanhong roared hoarsely, unleashing his own formidable qi and blood as a core elder of the Li family. Though far from the Bishop's ability to stir heaven and earth energy, it was still imposing. He drew a thin sword tempered with a ghostly blue cold light, its tip aimed straight at the altar.

The remaining hundred or so Netherworld Cult followers and Li Family Guards, driven by the Bishop's madness and Li Yuanhong's command, suppressed their fear and let out wild beast-like howls, surging like a tide once more toward the White Bone Altar at the center of the Blood Pool!

Facing this overwhelming assault and the Bishop's terrifying incantation, which was gathering the cavern's sinister energy, Li Yuan stood on the altar and slowly raised both hands.

He closed his eyes.

His consciousness sank deep into his Sea of Qi, connecting with the Crimson Sun, which had transformed into Dark Crimson Gold after devouring half a strand of Sacred Spirit Origin.

The essence of the Crimson Sun True Scripture flowed through his heart—body as a crucible, refining heaven and earth!

"Woom—!"

An will far grander, more domineering, and more terrifying than the "Burning Qi Field" descended with him as its center!

It was no longer a qi field limited to a few zhang around him, but... a domain!

With the White Bone Altar as its core, a Semi-transparent Dark Crimson Gold barrier over twenty zhang in diameter suddenly appeared, enveloping Li Yuan and the dozens of enemies charging at the front!

This was no simple expansion of scorching heat; it formed a temporary, independent rule space!

Inside this Dark Crimson Gold barrier, the air was completely expelled, replaced by Crimson Sun Qi and Blood as heavy as mercury and as hot as magma! The ground instantly turned into a dark red molten state, bubbling and churning! The ghostly green lights that entered the domain Melted Away like snowflakes!

"Crucible... Domain!"

Li Yuan opened his eyes. His Dark Crimson Gold pupils held no emotion, only absolute control.

"Ahh—!!"

Screams more wretched than human erupted from the Netherworld Cult followers and Li Family Guards who had rushed into the domain!

Their bodies were like they'd been thrown into a real smelting furnace! Skin, muscles, bones blackened, carbonized, and melted before the naked eye! The curse power and qi and blood they desperately activated only added fuel to the fire, instantly assimilated and ignited, accelerating their destruction!

In just two or three breaths, the dozens who had entered the domain Turned Into twisted, charred remains, then were swallowed by the rolling molten ground, leaving not even ashes behind!

Outside the domain, the enemies charging behind halted in terror, staring at that Dark Crimson Gold area like the entrance to hell, none daring to cross the line!

On the high platform, Li Yuanhong's face was pale as paper, the hand gripping his thin sword trembling violently. What... what kind of power was this?! A domain?! How could someone at the Aperture Opening Realm possibly control this?!

Even the seemingly mad Netherworld Cult Bishop paused slightly, his bone staff condensing vast sinister energy, his gray-white pupils fixed on that Dark Crimson Gold domain, filled with disbelief and shock!

"Your incantation is too slow."

Li Yuan's voice sounded from within the domain. He turned his gaze to the Bishop, raised his Right Hand, and gently clenched it in the air toward the bone staff that had gathered most of the cavern's sinister energy.

"Crucible... Suppress!"

Boom—!

The entire Dark Crimson Gold Furnace Domain seemed to come alive. All the Crimson Sun Qi and Blood instantly contracted and condensed into an intangible yet mountain-heavy Dark Crimson Gold Crucible Phantom, which slammed down fiercely onto the Bishop and his bone staff!

This wasn't a clash of energy, but a crushing blow at the rule level!

"Crack—!!"

The dark energy condensed at the tip of the Bishop's bone staff, nearly solid, let out a sound of shattering under the Crucible Phantom's suppression! Like ice meeting a red-hot iron, it rapidly collapsed and disintegrated!

"No—!!!" The Bishop let out a despairing roar, madly driving his curse power to resist.

But it was all futile.

The Crucible Phantom, carrying the will to Melt Away all things, ignored his every resistance and pressed down ruthlessly!

"Pfft!"

The bone staff in the Bishop's hand, along with the vast curse power he had condensed, was forcibly crushed back into his body! The dark green cloak swirling around him instantly turned into ash, revealing his withered, skeleton-like body beneath! He violently spat out a mouthful of blood mixed with organ fragments, his aura deflating like a punctured balloon. He staggered back, collapsing weakly at the edge of the high platform, his eyes filled only with endless fear and defeat.

One strike!

With a single strike, he had shattered the Netherworld Cult Bishop's lifelong cultivation and crippled his combat power!

Li Yuan withdrew his hand, and the Dark Crimson Gold Furnace Domain slowly dissipated. He still stood on the White Bone Altar, his qi and blood steady, as if the World-Shaking suppression just now had been nothing more than casually brushing away a speck of dust.

He shifted his gaze to Li Yuanhong, whose face had lost all color and who was trembling like a leaf.

"Your turn."