Zhou Xuan's brow remained furrowed.
His gaze pierced through flesh and settled on Ji Chen's Dantian. Empty. The once-perfect Dao Fruit was missing a huge chunk, leaving a frighteningly large hole. Ordinary laws could not mend a wound inflicted by a god.
The wind stopped. Zhou Xuan withdrew his hand.
He watched Ji Chen for a while, then turned and left the stone chamber.
Outside the underground palace.
The earth veins of the Unity Continent were still rumbling. The aftershocks of Four Realms merging into one had not fully subsided, and residual surges of law ran wild across the sky.
Emperor Jiang Wu knelt on one knee below the steps, his War Glaive planted in a crack between the paving stones beside him.
Old Ancestor Xuanming stood a few steps away, both hands tucked into his sleeves, his back bent.
The stone gate opened.
Zhou Xuan walked out.
He exuded no aura at all. The force that had seemed ready to cleave the heavens apart was now completely withdrawn. His robe was torn beyond recognition, and he stood there quietly.
Emperor Jiang Wu's hand tightened around the glaive's shaft.
Old Ancestor Xuanming shifted half a step backward without even realizing it.
Both men watched Zhou Xuan.
Zhou Xuan raised his eyes to look at them.
His eyes had changed. A trace of platinum lingered in his left eye, so faint it was nearly gone. His right eye was pitch-black and bottomless. Deep within both eyes, gray light slowly revolved.
When Emperor Jiang Wu met those eyes, the slaughter law within him stopped. He did not need to suppress that power. It extinguished itself.
"Master." Emperor Jiang Wu lowered his head, his throat painfully dry.
Old Ancestor Xuanming bowed as well, not daring to raise his head.
"Have the army make