The aura of the Netherworld quietly rose.
Ming Yuan remained unmoved, yet he gently grasped his palm—in an instant, a wisp of dark and gloomy "Soul Array Divine Pattern" appeared at his fingertips. It was the sect's treasure pattern of the Nether Firmament Underworld Sect— [Silent Abyss Soul Array Foundation Core]. Each pattern seemed to be peeled from the depths of the River Styx, carrying the cold and desolate will of freezing time and space.
"The soul of this formation connects to the Sealed Abyss Old Realm; it is not something you can recklessly attempt to test." Ming Yuan's voice was deep and resonant as the runes beneath his feet spread out, instantly suppressing the void in front of him and forcibly stabilizing the turbulent currents of the impending battle.
In the distant void, the thousands of the Soul Hunting Army, though standing motionless in formation, suddenly tensed up.
At the same time--
Qin Yu frowned slightly, and a faint blue light rippled within his body. A clear sound, seemingly from an "invisible dimension," rang out in his soul consciousness with extreme subtlety.
--The Azure Ring chimes softly.
But he did not move.
He knew it was not yet time for it to be unsheathed.
He slowly raised his eyes, his gaze piercing through the Ming Yuan, passing through the Soul Hunting Army, and fixed on the "Realm Master Soul General Lin Yao" in the blue robes in the distance. His eyes were as deep as the abyss, but his heart was as firm as iron.
"You want to destroy me? You're not enough."
Just as Azure Ring fell silent, a vast and powerful pressure surged forth from the depths of the sect.
--It is him, Qian Xuancang, the Thousand Realms Sect master of the Qian Xuancang!
A figure in a radiant golden robe streaked through the air, followed by the appearance of the three elders of the Soul Hall. Each of them was at least at the Realm Consciousness Realm · Eighth Stage, and their divine souls were as bright as the sun and moon, causing the entire Thousand Realms Sect disciples to gasp in awe.
Qian Xuancang landed directly in front of the sect, his eyes like knives, and said in a deep voice:
"Today, our sect's disciples are being forced into a corner by foreign enemies. This is no longer a dispute between sects, but a battle for life and death."
"The Wind Extinction God Clan, the Shang Lineage, the Soul Hunting Army —how dare you use external forces to suppress my sect, all for the sake of one person?"
"Do you underestimate the Thousand Realms Sect, or do you think we are easy to bully?!"
Beside him, the Grand Elder of the Soul Hall slowly raised his hand, and a gray-gold Soul Seal appeared in the void, instantly enveloping half of the sect's realm.
That is the "Heavenly Moat Soul Seal", which will only be fully activated when facing the true danger of annihilation of the sect!
The sect trembled.
At the mountain peak, on the platform, and in front of the towering stone tablet, tens of thousands of disciples of the Thousand Realms Sect had already gathered. Looking at the approaching forces of the three major powers, their faces were filled with fear, but not one of them retreated.
The sword was not drawn, but the blood was already burning.
The arena was deathly silent.
A major battle is already on the brink of war.
Qin Yu's eyes remained unmoved, but he had already secretly etched his resolve into his soul consciousness:
--If this battle cannot be reversed... I will break free!
Ming Yuan immediately released the Soul Array Divine Runes, and a huge Yin-patterned Soul Wheel suddenly appeared in the void, like a curtain of heaven pressing down, slightly hindering the pressure from the three races. In an instant, the gale stopped, the sky stood still, and the many disciples of the Thousand Realms Sect were able to catch their breath.
At this moment, Qin Yu in the center of the crowd, the Azure Ring behind him humming softly. Although it hadn't manifested, the slightest movement in his sea of consciousness was enough to make his heart tighten. He knew that the real bloodbath was about to begin.
"The Nether Firmament Underworld Sect is not something you can touch!" Ming Yuan's words were powerful and resounding, and the laws of the Soul Dao shook the sect domain.
The next instant, Sect Master Qian Xuancang descended from the sky above the sect's main hall, surrounded by countless souls, and behind him emerged a gigantic soul shadow, the seal of the Thousand Realms Sect's souls through the ages. Beside him, the elders of the Soul Hall arrived, each displaying their sect-protecting formations, their imposing aura directly confronting the three major forces!
Qian Xuancang's gaze swept over Lin Yao General, Feng Yi, Shang Hao, and the other enemies, and he said coldly, "Internal strife within sects is a normal part of cultivation. If you insist on using this as an excuse to kill my sect's son—today, let's fight!"
Lin Yao's face was grim, and he laughed coldly, "Very well, since your Thousand Realms Sect wants to protect him, then we'll all be buried with him!"
Three forces stand in a stalemate, the heavens tremble. The battle is about to begin!
Sect Master Qian Xuancang stood atop the Heavenly Palace, overlooking the entire sect. Behind him, the elders stood silently in formation, their faces grave. "This battle is unavoidable," he said slowly, his voice low, yet like the whisper of destiny, silencing the surrounding mountains.
"Activate the 'Reverse Soul Realm-Sealing Grand Array'!" Qian Xuancang's command immediately caused an uproar throughout the entire sect!
This formation is based on the soul source inscription of the top ten disciples on the Soul Stele Ranking, supplemented by the soul consciousness refinement of thirty-nine elders, to construct a five-layered Soul Realm Sealing Barrier, which is progressively stronger and can block the power of the Realm Master.
Qian Ruishan volunteered. "I am willing to be the eye of the main formation and use the power of my two souls to take the position of the soul core." Her icy eyes flashed with a cold light, and the Cold Stamen Ice Tassel " appeared behind her, instantly covering the entire field with a chill.
Ming Yuan stood beside the formation, his long hair flying, and said in a deep voice, "My Nether Firmament Underworld Sect promises to guard the three soul domains of this sect. If Qin Yu does not perish, my sect will not retreat!" He released a wisp of "Nether Breath Soul Array Rune" to stabilize the first soul barrier into the core of the earth vein.
The sect elders also activated their Heavenly Pattern Sealing Dao, resonating in sync with the great formation. Amidst the tremors of mountains and rivers, the entire Thousand Realms Sect seemed to sink into a sealed domain of battle spirits.
On a distant peak, Qin Yu stood alone in the cold wind, silently gazing at the sky. He didn't speak, but the "Ring Spear" between his fingers twitched slightly, and a wisp of blue light vanished into the night, yet it sounded like thunder pressing down.
"I am in this battle."
"I am in this battle."
"I am in this battle."
"I am in this battle."
"I am in this battle."
Soul Stele, the disciples lined up in formation. All ten thousand disciples volunteered for battle, standing before the nine spirit palaces, and shouted in unison, "On the day we defend our sect, we swear not to retreat a single step!" The sky trembled and the earth murmured.
Ming Ye, Zhou Yu, and Yao Wanqing each mobilized the core of their soul arrays to construct the vanguard array. Ming Ye set up the "Soul Corpse Gathering Array," Zhou Yu activated the energy of the Thunder Soul Stele, and Yao Wanqing activated the "Spirit Needle Soul Magnetic Domain." The three killing intents intertwined outside the sect.
On this night, amidst the wind and snow, the entire Thousand Realms Sect transformed into a true "Soul Battle Fortress."
The heavens and earth darkened, pressing down so heavily that the sky above the Thousand Realms Sect seemed about to collapse. The combined forces of the Wind Extinction God Clan, the Shang Lineage, and the Soul Hunting Army, numbering 80,000, stood in formation, their aura like an ancient, towering mountain crushing the sect's domain. At this moment, Qian Xuancang stood atop a cloud-covered palace, clad in the sect master's battle robe, his gaze piercing as he stared intently at the void before him. A deep purple "Soul Ring Imprint" rose around him, clearly displaying the power of a fifth-order, perfected Realm Lord Realm!
The sect's ten soul-guarding arrays rose with a rumble between the earth's veins, and a hundred array masters emerged together, burning their souls to deploy their formations, intertwining them in a breathtaking display.
"Guardian Sect Formation - Ten Thousand Souls Heaven-Locking Array, activate!"
Boom!
In an instant, the Thousand Realms Sect's grand formation rose ninety thousand feet, and soul fire descended like a celestial curtain, protecting the entire sect domain within. At the edge of each grand formation, there were thousands of disciples holding battle flags, their shouts shaking the heavens.
At the Soul Stele atop the mountain, the top ten strongest warriors gathered:
Qian Ruishan's long hair danced in the wind, her icy aura spreading ten thousand feet, Cold Stamen Ice Tassel hung before her as she coldly declared, "Anyone who dares to step even an inch on my sect will die."
Ming Ye's eyes narrowed, his black robes billowed, and behind him, a myriad of souls formed an array. He silently gazed in the direction of the Soul Hunting Army in the distance, ready to charge out.
Kong Che, Ge Minglan, and Hua Yin appeared one after another, each displaying the power of their divine souls to suppress their domains, and stood at the front of the sect's battle line.
In the enemy lines--
Wind Extinction God Clan Feng Yi, leader of the Fengmie God Clan, led 100,000 Wind Soul Army, pressing forward step by step. With a single palm strike, ten thousand raging winds transformed into Azure Dragon, crushing the soul array.
In the Soul Hunting Army, Lin Yao, wielding the "Boundary Halberd - Sky-Splittering Death," roared, "Three breaths to cleave the formation, five breaths to destroy the sect!"
Enraged, Shang Hao summoned the "Shang Bone Soul Shield" and roared, "If the Thousand Realms Sect doesn't hand over their people today, the sect's monument will be stained with blood tomorrow!"
But just as the enemy forces were about to press down, the Nether Firmament Underworld Sect Elder Ming Yuan raised his palm and a "Boundless Realm Soul Array - Netherworld Sealing Ring" appeared in the void, instantly suppressing the energy of the three sides.
"Today's battle is not yet over. Whoever dares to make the first move, don't blame me for being ruthless."
The stalemate between the three parties is about to escalate!
At this moment, Qin Yu stood silently before the sect's steps, neither speaking nor moving, but the light from his soul ring quietly spread behind him, a fleeting flash of cyan—
The next moment, the sky trembled violently, and a strange light from beyond the heavens shone obliquely on the sect's domain, as if awakening something from an ancient slumber...
Beneath the pitch-black sky, heaven and earth seemed frozen on the eve of destruction.
While the Nether Firmament Underworld Sect Ming Yuan remained unmoved, a soul array divine pattern, intertwined through countless ages, appeared in his palm. It was like a forbidden pattern that had emerged from the ages, its shape resembling an ancient pagoda, its power like a world-suppressing force. When this divine pattern appeared, the heavens and earth trembled slightly, and the oppressive force from all directions instantly eased by a third. The previously tense atmosphere became strangely frozen.
Sect Master Qian Xuancang suddenly appeared atop the void, his green robe fluttering in the wind, his white hair burning like snow. Behind him appeared seven elders from the Soul Hall of the sect, their auras Steady as a Mountain. Holding a sect master's token, he declared loudly, "The Thousand Realms Sect, since its founding, has never feared threats, nor will it tolerate such petty and arbitrary judgments from you."
Lin Yao sneered, his halberd striking the ground and sending up countless waves of soul energy. The ten thousand Soul Hunting Army behind him took a half step forward in unison, their killing intent surging like a tide, causing the void to tremble. Beside him, three powerful cultivators at the Severed Phenomenon Fifth Stage stood high in the starry sky, surveying the Thousand Realms Sect's mountain gate.
On the ground, thousands of the Thousand Realms Sect disciples had gathered in the main plaza, their black robes fluttering, their eyes filled with fighting spirit. One disciple murmured, "Just who is Qin Yu... to have stirred up such a storm in the Three Realms!"
Suddenly, the top ten experts from the Soul Stele gathered. Ming Ye strode in, his shadow looming behind him, and said coldly, "Today, regardless of whether we have fought side by side before... we will defend this battle together."
Kong Che, Cang Ke, Hua Yin, Ge Minglan, Sang Yan... Eight powerful figures from the Soul Rankings stood before Qin Yu, lined up in a row.
Qin Yu stood silently, his brows furrowed. At that moment, he felt a certain power slowly stirring within him— the Azure Ring trembled silently, as if sensing danger. A barely audible "clang" resounded deep within his mind.
But he did not transfer Azure Ring.
Because he knew that today's battle did not belong to him alone.
The Thousand Realms Sect and its three powerful enemies are finally on the Threshold clash!
Lin Yao swept his World-Annihilating War Halberd across the void with a furious roar, "Soul Hunting Army, charge! Kill!!!"
In an instant, the more than 10,000 Soul Hunting Army behind him responded in unison, their fighting spirit soaring to the sky. Their battle cries shattered the clouds, and their words of killing thundered throughout the four regions and eight wastelands!
"Kill!" "Kill!" "Kill!"...
The Soul Hunter Army transformed into a torrent, its armor like waves, its souls like fire, surging wildly towards the Thousand Realms Sect's mountain gate, causing the void to tremble violently from the impact.
The earth's veins roared, soul pressure surged, and the sect's mountains and rivers trembled beneath their feet, as if an army of the apocalypse had Realm Breaking!
Heaven and earth trembled, wind and thunder resonated. At the command of Lin Yao, the allied forces of the Soul Hunting Army, the Wind Extinction God Clan, and the Shang Lineage, like three raging dragons from the deep sea, crashed towards the Thousand Realms Sect's grand formation. The sky instantly changed color, and a vast sea of clouds exploded amidst the roaring tide. Crimson gold, dark blue, and blood black soul tides intertwined, transforming into a sky-covering battle curtain!
--boom!!!
In the first wave of attack, ten thousand Soul Hunting Army simultaneously raised their halberds and unleashed the "Ten Thousand Spirits Lightning Burning Array." Countless lightning chains, like raging serpents carrying fire, bombarded the array with an overwhelming aura of destruction. Above the night sky, lightning, like an angry dragon, pierced through ten thousand feet of void, crashing down upon the Thousand Realms Sect Six Extremes Light Wheel Array!
"Seal up--"
Qian Xuancang roared, and the Sect Master's Seal cracked open, unleashing a blazing white flame. The six sect-protecting spiritual foundations were activated simultaneously, and the sect-protecting formation instantly superimposed three layers of profound light. Thunderbolts struck down, but it was as if they had crashed into the wall of the Milky Way, exploding into ten thousand fiery meteors that illuminated the desolate mountains and rivers.
Amidst the blazing lightning, Feng Yi of the Wind Extinction God Clan raised the "Wind Blade Lightning Sea Flag" high and roared—
"Wind Extinction God Clan, Breaks Through the Formation's Edge, Advance!"
The 100,000 Wind Soul Army transformed into a blue-white double-winged storm, with layers of soul pressure stacked upon each other, slashing at the "Soul-Locking Ice Tassel Wall" on the west side of the sect. The gale turned into blades, and the sea of lightning intertwined, like a waterfall from two realms cascading backward. The mountains shattered, the rock walls collapsed, and in mid-air, a long dragon of wind and thunder bombarded the ice wall, shattering the frost into billions of cold needles that flew all over the sky.
Atop the ice wall, a fleeting snowy shadow suddenly bloomed. --Qian Ruishan!
Her long sleeves billowed, the sword's cry piercing the air; the Ice Soul Sword light slashed against the heavens, unleashing the third level of the "Profound Cold Domain Lock" technique:
--"Petal's Edge - A Thousand Breaths of Frost!"
Buzz!!!
Endless icy mist burst forth from her sword's edge, instantly condensing into a ten-thousand-foot-tall ice lotus with her as its core. As the ice lotus petals spun, countless eight-pointed ice mirrors appeared, simultaneously refracting the wind and lightning sea of the Wind Soul Army —the lightning and wind were forcibly twisted back, creating a shocking reverse effect!
Countless lightning blades exploded in the void, blue light, white flashes, and sparks intertwining, as if tearing open hundreds of massive rifts in the night sky. The first wave of impact was actually blocked by Qian Ruishan alone!
However, this was only the beginning.
On the eastern front, Shang Hao led ten Realm Consciousness Realm to relentlessly attack the breach in the "Ten Thousand Souls Heaven-Locking Array." He struck out with both palms, and a blood-red Shang Bone God statue appeared behind him—that was the Shang Lineage forbidden rune, "Shang Bone Heaven Devouring!" Blood and bones devoured souls, red mist spread, and wherever it passed, the sect's spiritual trees withered and stone walls turned to ash.
"Reverse Bone Blood Sacrifice - Soul-Devouring Realm Refinement!" Shang Hao roared. Blood mist condensed into a bone dragon, which lunged at the array wall!
"Boom!"
A hundred-foot-long gap was torn open in the array barrier, and the Shang Lineage's enforcers attempted to seize the opportunity to attack. The next instant, a bolt of lightning burst forth from the array— Zhou Yu!
"Silent Lightning Codex, Fourth Level - Tribulation Flame Sinking Lightning!"
At this moment, Zhou Yu directly awakened the fourth level of the Nine Abyss Silent Lightning Canon Scripture.
Thunder and flames transformed into a sword, swirling with raging flames and black lightning, like a terrifying divine punishment descending! The Blood Bone Dragon was torn apart by the sword, turning into a sky full of blood and bone dust. The bone powder collided with the thunder and flames, exploding into a towering crimson lightning and fire wave that illuminated half the night sky. Zhou Yu roared, and the Thunderflame Sword slashed down three Shang Lineage enforcers in succession, the blood mist exploding along with them!
"Damn it!" Shang Hao's expression turned sinister. Just as he was about to attack again, the dark figure in the Ming Ye rushed out and unleashed the "Dark Nether Seven-Break Slash". Seven soul blades spun through the air and killed, knocking back the other enforcers. In an instant, the area within a hundred feet on the eastern front became Lightning Prison.
--Central high altitude.
Lin Yao witnessed the obstruction of the three routes and his expression turned icy cold. He raised the World-Annihilating War Halberd high, and three cracks appeared on the halberd's blade, revealing the extreme pressure of the "Fourth Stage of the Realm Lord Realm"!
"Sky-Splitting Death - Heaven-Slaying!"
The halberd swung in a wide arc, transforming into a jet-black circle, its blade light traversing the sky. That arc contained the three fundamental rules of "Realm Breaking, Soul Rend, and annihilating spirits," and with a single strike, it seemed capable of cleaving the protective array's canopy of the sky and even the starry night!
A dark chasm suddenly appeared above the sect, the starlight abruptly severed! The protective array's core, the "Reverse Soul Realm-Sealing Core," emitted a piercing roar, and fine cracks appeared in the array's patterns. Countless disciples felt a chill in their hearts; if the array cracked, the sect would be destroyed!
Lin Yao roared, his soul flames shaking the heavens, and he raised the "World-Annihilating War Halberd" high in his hand, actually cleaving a huge crack in the void!
"Soul Hunting Army, charge! Kill!!!"
His roar was like an ancient god descending upon the world. As his battle halberd fell, a black and gold battle flame soared into the sky. Tens of thousands of Soul Hunters shook their soul weapons in unison, and in an instant, the heavenly domain in front of the Thousand Realms Sect trembled violently!
"Boom!!!--"
That was a Soul-Destroying Battle Formation composed of tens of thousands of soul soldiers, surging like a soul tide, sweeping towards the Thousand Realms Sect!
In the air, the giant floating soul blade array controlled by the Soul Hunting Army erupted with a long river of soul lightning interwoven with black and blue, like a waterfall of World Extinguisher falling down—a total of thirty-three combat skills crashed down from the sky!
On the ground, all ten formations of the Thousand Realms Sect were activated simultaneously!
"Origin-Shaking Heavenly Canopy Array", "Silent Fire Soul Restriction Array", "Nine Seal Realm Ring Array", "Radiant Spirit Floating Realm Array"... all defensive battle arrays simultaneously unleashed their brilliance!
"Boundary Seal! Suppress!"
With a shout, Qian Xuancang activated the Thousand Realms Sect Ancestral Formation! An enormous phantom of a soul appeared above the sect, seemingly formed from the will of a thousand realms, to meet the descending soul lightning!
"BOOM!!!"
The battle formation and the soul lightning collided head-on, causing a violent spatial folding, tearing half of the sky apart, and scattering fragments like mirrors!
At this moment, the great battle erupted!
The top ten powerhouses on the Soul Stele rushed out one after another!
Qian Ruishan unleashed "Cold Stamen Ice Tassel," freezing a space ten miles away with a single sword strike!
Zhou Yu unleashed a furious strike, "Burning Radiance Star Trace," shattering dozens of elite Soul Hunters with the flames of burning souls!
Yao Wanqing then soared into the air, her spiritual needles multiplying into a thousand, striking down enemies in all directions!
Qin Yu stood like a black flame demon mountain in the center of the sky, the Black Bone Long Spear "Zheng" appearing directly in Qin Yu hand.
--The battlefield was torn apart into dozens of battlegrounds, each of which turned into a living hell!
Soul arrays, lightning arrays, fire domains, snow domains, and illusionary realms intertwined and shattered!
This is the strongest battle ever fought by the Thousand Realms Sect, a desperate battle in which the sect alone resists the three Ancient Clan!
Suddenly, just as Qin Yu was about to step forward, right in front of the Thousand Realms Sect's mountain gate, amidst the turbulent sky and the roaring battlefield, a furious roar suddenly pierced through the heavens and earth from the direction of the enemy formation!
"Qin Yu!"
Shang Hao stepped out into the air, clad in black and gold armor, carrying two swords on his back. His divine soul power was like a mountain pressing down on the sky, and flames of rules surged around him. His eyes were bloodshot, and he roared almost insanely:
"My son, Shang Kui, died at your hands... Today, I will tear you apart with my own hands to wash away the blood and shame of the Shang Lineage!"
Boom!
With a single step, he defied the overwhelming force, forcefully severing the battlefield and pointing directly at Qin Yu. His twin blades clashed wildly, cleaving through the heavens!
The plaza at the Thousand Realms Sect's mountain gate trembled, and everyone was horrified.
"That's... Shang Hao! The Shang Lineage Clan, Realm Consciousness Realm · Fifth Stage Perfection, Half-Step Severed Phenomenon, actually intending to personally fight Qin Yu?"
Qin Yu remained unmoved; the Azure Ring beneath his feet trembled slightly, but he did not reveal it.
He slowly raised his eyes, his voice deep and resonant like a divine pronouncement from the depths of the abyss:
"You want revenge for your son?"
"Good timing."
Boom--!
Black Bone Long Spear suddenly appeared, its shadow stretching across the night sky, accompanied by the illusory image of an ancient ring.
The Gray Ring hummed softly, and a spear-like beam of light shot out, instantly sounding like the collapse of the Silent Realm:
[Ring Spear - Sever Causality, Return to Silence]!
Moment!
Space was cleaved open, and a beam of extreme annihilation, piercing through the Fate-Cause and severing the soul's threads, tore through the heavens and earth, carrying an absolute killing intent that would not allow Causality Reenactment or reincarnation to continue, directly piercing through Shang Hao's chest!
"How... how is this possible!"
Shang Hao's pupils contracted; he actually felt his very soul being severed!
It was not merely the collapse of his physical body and soul, but the complete annihilation of his Fate-Cause, soul, and clan order since birth!
"You... you severed my... lifeline..."
Hiss--!
His figure was torn apart by the howling wind, turning into billions of soul lights that scattered into the sky. Heaven and earth fell silent, and the rules ceased to exist.
The Ring Spear remained still, but the echo emanating from its vibrating shaft was like a death knell, resounding in all directions.
Everyone was speechless.
The entire Soul Hunting Army and powerful Shang Lineage, froze at that moment!
--Perfection of the Realm Consciousness Fifth Stage Perfection!
--A dignified Shang Lineage tycoon!
--He was wiped out by Qin Yu... with a single spear thrust!
The mountain gate was silent, only the flames of war still raged, and the wind howled, as if even the heavens were mourning Shang Hao's death at this moment.
Qin Yu, however, held his spear slightly lowered, his eyes as cold and indifferent as the dead sea.
He only spoke calmly:
"You should be buried with your son for his sins."