Within the Shadow Gap.
Deep in Lu Ping's mind, the White Corpse's countdown ticked away, second by second.
Only thirty seconds remained for this body to stay here.
The gigantic flaming sword that pierced the sea of stars had pinned the arrogant black dragon fast in the void.
The black dragon's enormous body writhed violently in the karmic flame.
Lu Ping watched it all calmly, considering what it meant.
This was no ordinary burning. The sword's ability to completely refine the dragon here meant that it had severed the most fundamental cycle of cause and effect in the realm of consciousness.
Before this, when a greater ghost devoured a lesser one, the lesser ghost's true form remained unharmed.
There was neither birth nor death in the realm of consciousness.
The devoured could condense out of nothingness at any time, only to be hunted again, trapped in an endless cycle of destruction and rebirth.
But now, everything had changed.
The dragon's scales peeled away.
Its bones and blood melted.
It became a pure black mark, coiling around the giant sword's blade, utterly removed from this world's cycle.
The giant sword tilted slightly.
Its searing tip spanned an endless distance, pointing toward the tiny human on the ground.
The judgment of karmic flame descended.
This was the harshest interrogation of the depths of the soul. No words were needed; the flames would ignite every trace of wavering in the one being judged.
Lu Ping stood where he was.
Inside him, the Azure Corpse opened its enormous, invisible maw and swallowed every rising distraction, fear, and anxiety over gain and loss.
His heart became a pool of still water.
No impulse stirred, nor did a single thought arise.
Karmic flame rose beneath his feet, yet found no karmic obstructions or delusions to fuel