Far above the hidden mountain range—
the sky was quiet.
Clouds drifted slowly across the pale blue horizon.
Nothing about the scene suggested what lay beneath.
Because deep below the mountains—
hidden by illusion formations, corrupted spirit beasts, and layers of concealment arrays—
stood the true headquarters of the Holy Spirit Church.
A place where sunlight rarely reached.
A place where the air carried the scent of blood and resentment.
A place where countless lives had ended in silence.
And yet—
the sky above that cursed land remained peaceful.
Until space moved.
Not violently.
Not loudly.
Just a subtle distortion.
Like the surface of water touched by a falling leaf.
A figure stepped forward.
Lin Huang.
He stood calmly in midair.
Black hair moving slightly in the wind.
Golden eyes observing the mountains below.
On his shoulder—
a small cerulean fox lazily flicked her tail.
Tushan Honghong.
Her crimson eyes glanced downward.
Then she spoke lazily in Lin Huang's mind.
"So that's the place."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"…Yes."
Below them—
layers of concealment formations hid the entire region.
But to Lin Huang's eyes—
they might as well not exist.
His divine spiritual sense spread outward.
Like a quiet ocean.
Passing through mountains.
Stone.
Dark formations.
Corrupted energy.
The entire underground complex revealed itself to him instantly.
Tunnels.
Vaults.
Ritual chambers.
Soul tool arrays.
Evil soul masters moving through corridors.
And at the deepest level—
the treasury.
Where the Fate Heart Crystal rested.
Honghong watched his expression.
"Found it?"
"Yes."
A faint smile appeared.
Small.
Calm.
Dangerous.
Honghong's tails swayed slowly.
"Good."
She looked toward the mountains again.
Then added casually.
"Try not to take too long."
Lin Huang's answer was simple.
"…I won't."
And then—
he moved.
No dramatic burst.
No massive explosion of power.
Just one step forward.
Space folded.
The illusion formations covering the mountain range shattered silently.
Like glass touched by an invisible hand.
Deep underground—
alarm formations suddenly activated.
Inside the headquarters—
several evil soul masters froze.
"What—"
A violent shockwave suddenly shook the entire complex.
BOOOOM.
Stone cracked.
Formations flickered.
Dust rained down from the ceiling.
Dozens of guards rushed toward the disturbance.
"What happened?!"
"Attack?!"
"Impossible—!"
Before the alarms could even finish activating—
a hole had already been torn through the mountain.
Sunlight poured down into the darkness for the first time in decades.
And standing within that pillar of light—
Lin Huang slowly descended.
Calm.
Unhurried.
His golden eyes quietly observing the underground fortress.
The evil soul masters stared upward in shock.
"…Who—"
Their voices stopped.
Because the pressure descending with him—
was terrifying.
Not violent.
Not chaotic.
Just overwhelmingly superior.
Like a god stepping into a nest of insects.
One of the elders suddenly recognized something.
His eyes widened.
"…That face."
Another elder's expression darkened.
"…Lin Huang."
The name spread through the chamber.
Shock.
Disbelief.
Fear.
Because everyone on the continent knew that name now.
The boy who had reshaped half the world's systems.
The prodigy who had changed the flow of destiny.
And now—
he had appeared here.
In their headquarters.
Alone.
Lin Huang looked around calmly.
Observing the dark formations.
The sacrificial arrays.
The lingering resentment saturating the underground complex.
His eyes grew slightly colder.
Then he spoke quietly.
"…This place is filthy."
Honghong chuckled softly.
"That's an understatement."
Lin Huang raised his hand slightly.
And the world changed.
A soft light appeared in his palm.
Gentle.
Warm.
But impossibly vast.
The power of Extreme Life.
A divine-level vitality that stood opposite to corruption and death.
The moment that light appeared—
the entire underground complex reacted violently.
Dark formations trembled.
Blood arrays flickered.
Corrupted energy began retreating instinctively.
Because this power—
was their natural enemy.
Lin Huang looked down at the corrupted land beneath his feet.
Then said calmly.
"…Let's clean it."
And the light descended.
Not as an attack.
Not as destruction.
But as purification.
A wave of radiant vitality spread outward.
Like an ocean of life.
Trees above the mountain suddenly trembled.
Grass sprouted where the land had been poisoned.
Underground—
the corrupted formations began cracking apart.
Sacrificial arrays collapsed.
Resentful spirits screamed as they dissolved into harmless light.
Evil soul masters panicked.
"What is that power?!"
"Stop him!"
Several Titled Douluo immediately attacked.
Dark soul rings igniting.
Blood spirits surging forward.
Lin Huang didn't even look at them.
Space shifted slightly.
Dozens of attacking techniques froze midair.
Then quietly shattered.
Honghong laughed.
"You're bullying them."
Lin Huang's answer was simple.
"…They're in the way."
He stepped forward again.
Deeper into the underground fortress.
And every step he took—
the corrupted land behind him was restored.
The divine vitality spread further.
Washing away decades of darkness.
And far below—
inside the ritual chamber—
a terrifying presence slowly opened her eyes.
Ye Xishui.
Her gaze turned upward.
Toward the source of that impossible life energy.
And for the first time in many years—
her expression changed.
Because she recognized it.
Not the power.
The person.
Her voice echoed quietly through the chamber.
"…Lin Huang."
Above her—
the underground headquarters of the Holy Spirit Church
was being purified
by a single man.
The alarm formations throughout the underground complex had fully awakened.
Red spiritual lights flashed along the cavern walls.
Warning runes ignited.
Heavy defensive formations activated one after another.
But none of them slowed the wave of life energy spreading through the base.
Everywhere Lin Huang walked—
darkness receded.
Sacrificial arrays cracked.
Blood formations collapsed like rotten wood.
Evil soul masters rushed through the corridors in panic.
"Stop him!"
"Activate the defense arrays!"
"Protect the ritual chamber!"
Several powerful auras surged forward.
Titled Douluo.
Soul Douluo.
Veterans of the Holy Spirit Church who had slaughtered entire cities.
Dark soul rings ignited one after another.
Black.
Black.
Black.
A sea of corrupted spirit power erupted toward Lin Huang.
Blood spirits roared.
Cursed chains shot through the air.
Poison mist filled the cavern.
The attacks arrived like a storm.
Lin Huang didn't even stop walking.
The divine vitality surrounding him expanded slightly.
And the storm vanished.
Blood spirits dissolved instantly when they touched the life energy.
Cursed chains turned into harmless dust.
Poison mist evaporated before it could reach him.
Several evil soul masters froze in disbelief.
"What…"
"How is this possible—"
Honghong lazily rested her chin on Lin Huang's shoulder.
Her voice echoed in his mind.
"You're being too gentle."
Lin Huang glanced around the collapsing formations.
"…I'm cleaning."
Another step.
The ground trembled.
Above them—
massive mechanical structures suddenly rotated into position.
Several elders inside the control chamber roared.
"Activate the Rank Nine arrays!"
Deep within the base—
ancient soul tools awakened.
Massive cannon towers emerged from the cavern walls.
Runic engines ignited.
Spirit compression chambers hummed violently.
These were not ordinary weapons.
Rank 9 Soul Tools.
Designed personally by Ye Xishui and several forbidden engineers of the Holy Spirit Church.
Weapons built to kill even Super Douluo.
Energy gathered inside the barrels.
The entire cavern glowed with violent red light.
One of the elders shouted.
"FIRE!"
The cannons roared.
A storm of destructive beams filled the underground fortress.
Each one powerful enough to erase a Titled Douluo.
They converged on a single target.
Lin Huang.
Honghong glanced at the incoming barrage.
"Oh?"
Lin Huang stopped walking.
For the first time since arriving.
He looked at the soul tool towers.
Golden eyes calmly observing the flow of energy inside the machines.
The compression chambers.
The amplification arrays.
The stabilizing runes.
All of it revealed instantly.
His lips moved slightly.
"…Outdated."
Then he raised his hand.
Not to block the attack.
But to point.
Space shifted.
A tiny distortion appeared around one of the cannon towers.
Barely noticeable.
Inside the machine—
the energy flow suddenly reversed.
The stabilizing runes collapsed.
The compression chamber destabilized.
One of the engineers inside the control room screamed.
"WAIT—!"
BOOOOM.
The entire cannon tower exploded.
The shockwave tore through three nearby arrays.
Before the elders could react—
Lin Huang moved his finger again.
Another distortion.
Another energy reversal.
BOOOOM.
BOOOOM.
BOOOOM.
One Rank 9 Soul Tool after another detonated violently.
The cavern filled with fire and shattered metal.
Engineers panicked.
"Impossible!"
"He's sabotaging the cores!"
"How can he see the internal arrays—?!"
Honghong snorted.
"Your engineers are terrible."
Lin Huang didn't reply.
He simply continued walking.
Every few steps—
another tower exploded.
Another formation collapsed.
The defensive network of the Holy Spirit Church disintegrated piece by piece.
Panic spread through the base.
One of the elders shouted desperately.
"Protect the ritual!"
But it was already too late.
Because Lin Huang had almost reached the deepest chamber.
And the power of Extreme Life spreading through the fortress had begun interfering with the ritual arrays.
Deep below—
inside the central ritual hall—
a vast blood formation pulsed violently.
At its center—
the Fate Heart Crystal floated above an altar.
Dark golden energy spiraled around it.
Sacrificial runes burned across the floor.
And standing beside the formation—
a woman slowly opened her eyes.
Ye Xishui.
The moment the wave of divine vitality reached the ritual chamber—
her expression darkened.
Because that power—
was the natural enemy of everything the Holy Spirit Church cultivated.
She rose slowly.
Blood-colored spiritual energy filled the chamber.
Her terrifying aura expanded outward.
Rank 99.
Limit Douluo.
The strongest evil soul master alive.
Her gaze turned upward.
Through layers of stone and shattered formations.
Toward the approaching presence.
Her voice was quiet.
Cold.
Certain.
"…Lin Huang."
The name echoed through the ritual hall.
Not a question.
Recognition.
Because the moment she felt that power—
she already knew.
There was only one person on the continent who could carry such overwhelming vitality.
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"…So."
She stepped forward.
The blood formation around the Fate Heart Crystal intensified.
A faint smile appeared on her lips.
"…the fox finally came."
Above her—
Lin Huang reached the final corridor leading to the ritual chamber.
Behind him—
the underground headquarters of the Holy Spirit Church
was already half purified
and half destroyed.
And he still hadn't stopped walking.
The final corridor shattered.
Stone and metal split apart as Lin Huang stepped forward.
The last defensive formations protecting the ritual chamber collapsed instantly under the pressure of the spreading life energy.
Then—
the chamber revealed itself.
A vast underground hall carved from ancient black stone.
Runic formations covered every surface.
Blood-red energy flowed through dozens of sacrificial arrays connected to the center of the chamber.
And there—
floating above a massive altar—
was the crystal.
Dark gold.
Swirling with faint threads of destiny.
The Fate Heart Crystal.
Its presence distorted the surrounding spiritual energy slightly.
As if the world itself bent subtly around it.
But Lin Huang's gaze did not linger on the crystal long.
Because someone stood between them.
Ye Xishui.
Her crimson robes moved slowly in the turbulent energy of the ritual chamber.
Blood-colored spiritual power filled the air around her.
Nine soul rings rose behind her.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Black.
Red.
The terrifying pressure of a Limit Douluo spread through the chamber instantly.
Yet Lin Huang remained completely calm.
Honghong lazily watched the woman from his shoulder.
"So that's her."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"…Yes."
Ye Xishui studied him silently.
Her gaze slowly moved across his body.
The calm posture.
The overwhelming vitality.
The purified land spreading behind him.
Then her lips curved slightly.
"…Interesting."
Her voice echoed quietly through the chamber.
"I wondered when you would appear."
Lin Huang looked at the ritual formation around the crystal.
Then back at her.
"You're using destiny energy."
Ye Xishui chuckled softly.
"And you're interfering with it."
Her eyes narrowed slightly.
"Do you understand how dangerous that is?"
Lin Huang answered simply.
"Yes."
Then he raised his hand slightly.
The divine vitality in the chamber surged.
The blood arrays trembled violently.
Ye Xishui's smile faded.
"…You came to destroy the ritual."
Lin Huang shook his head.
"To take the crystal."
Silence filled the chamber for a moment.
Then Ye Xishui laughed.
A cold laugh.
"Bold."
Her aura suddenly expanded.
The entire ritual hall darkened instantly.
Blood energy surged upward like an ocean.
Countless resentful spirits screamed within the formation.
"Then you should have brought an army."
Her eyes flashed with killing intent.
"Because you will not leave this place alive."
She moved.
Faster than lightning.
Blood-colored claws tore through the air toward Lin Huang's throat.
The strike carried enough power to rip apart mountains.
But Lin Huang simply raised his hand.
CLANG.
The attack stopped.
Not against a shield.
Not against spirit power.
Against something far heavier.
A massive golden weapon manifested in his grip.
A blade formed from condensed will and divine authority.
Sovereign Armament.
The clash sent shockwaves through the entire ritual chamber.
The floor cracked.
The altar trembled.
Even the Fate Heart Crystal flickered slightly.
Ye Xishui's eyes sharpened.
"…Interesting weapon."
Lin Huang didn't respond.
His figure moved.
The blade descended.
Ye Xishui's blood domain surged upward to block it—
And split apart.
The slash carved a deep scar through the ritual floor.
Ye Xishui stepped backward instantly.
Her eyes narrowed further.
Because that attack—
carried something unusual.
Not just power.
Intent.
The air in the chamber suddenly changed.
Several invisible forces manifested around Lin Huang.
Sword Intent.
Domination Intent.
Creation Intent.
Even Spatial Intent.
Each one condensed and sharpened like invisible blades.
Honghong smiled slightly.
"You're finally warming up."
Lin Huang didn't answer.
His figure vanished.
Space folded.
He appeared behind Ye Xishui instantly.
His fist moved.
Black lightning exploded across his arm.
"Kokusen."
The punch landed.
BOOOOM.
The entire ritual chamber shook violently.
Ye Xishui's blood domain collapsed for a split second as the impact detonated.
Dark energy scattered across the hall.
Several ritual pillars shattered instantly.
But she recovered quickly.
Blood wings erupted from her back.
Her aura surged violently.
"You dare—!"
A massive wave of corrupted energy exploded outward.
Yet before it could reach Lin Huang—
light descended.
Pure.
Brilliant.
Sacred.
Golden wings appeared behind him.
Radiant feathers of divine energy spread outward.
The chamber filled with angelic brilliance.
Ye Xishui froze.
For a fraction of a second.
Because she recognized that power.
Her voice turned colder.
"…Angel."
Lin Huang stepped forward calmly.
The power resonating with the contract he shared with Ye Guyi manifested through him.
Sacred light collided violently with the blood domain.
Corruption screamed as it was purified.
Resentful spirits dissolved into harmless particles of light.
The ritual formation trembled violently.
Ye Xishui's expression finally changed.
Because the power in front of her—
was suppressing her completely.
Not because it was stronger.
But because it was her natural opposite.
Lin Huang raised the Sovereign Armament again.
Multiple Intentions condensed around the blade.
Domination.
Creation.
Sword.
The air itself bent under their weight.
Ye Xishui realized something at that moment.
This was not simply a talented young cultivator.
Nor a rising genius.
Nor even a future threat.
Standing before her—
was someone whose power had already stepped beyond the limits of ordinary cultivation.
Her voice became quiet.
Serious.
"…So that's what you are."
Lin Huang tilted his head slightly.
"What?"
Ye Xishui's eyes narrowed.
"A disaster."
The blood domain erupted again.
But this time—
her aura was no longer calm.
Because the ritual chamber was collapsing.
The purification was spreading.
And the Fate Heart Crystal—
was beginning to resonate
with the overwhelming destiny surrounding Lin Huang.
The ritual chamber trembled violently.
Sacrificial pillars cracked.
Blood arrays flickered under the pressure of the spreading purification.
The Fate Heart Crystal rotated slowly above the altar.
Its surface glowing faintly.
Responding.
Resonating.
Because the destiny surrounding Lin Huang—
was beginning to disturb the ritual itself.
Ye Xishui felt it immediately.
Her blood domain surged outward again.
But this time—
it was unstable.
The overwhelming vitality in the chamber was suppressing it.
She stared at Lin Huang with cold intensity.
"…You cannot take that crystal."
Lin Huang's answer was calm.
"Watch me."
He stepped forward.
The Sovereign Armament moved again.
Sword Intent condensed around the blade.
Domination Intent followed.
Creation Intent layered over both.
The air itself bent under the weight of those concepts.
The strike descended.
The ritual floor shattered.
Ye Xishui retreated instantly.
Her blood wings tearing through the air as she avoided the slash.
The ground behind her exploded.
But before Lin Huang could continue—
another presence appeared.
Heavy.
Ancient.
Overwhelming.
The entire underground complex trembled.
Even the Fate Heart Crystal flickered violently.
A deep voice echoed through the chamber.
"…So this is the young man causing trouble."
Space distorted.
Dark energy condensed.
And a tall figure stepped forward beside Ye Xishui.
Long Xiaoyao.
Black robes.
Cold eyes.
The aura of another Limit Douluo filled the chamber instantly.
Two Rank 99 powerhouses now stood before Lin Huang.
Honghong glanced at the newcomer lazily.
"Another one."
Lin Huang looked at him calmly.
"…Long Xiaoyao."
The man studied him carefully.
His gaze sharp.
Observant.
Measuring.
Then he sighed quietly.
"…I see."
His voice carried faint disappointment.
"So the rumors were not exaggerated."
His eyes moved toward the spreading purification energy.
Then toward the shattered Rank 9 soul tools.
Then back to Lin Huang.
"You came alone."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Long Xiaoyao's lips curved slightly.
"Bold."
Then his aura erupted.
A massive wave of dark spiritual power surged through the chamber.
Unlike Ye Xishui's corrupted blood energy—
Long Xiaoyao's power felt ancient.
Oppressive.
A force that crushed the spirit itself.
"Then let us see—"
He raised his hand.
A massive dragon-shaped shadow appeared behind him.
"—how much of a monster you truly are."
He moved.
The speed was terrifying.
Even ordinary Titled Douluo would not have been able to follow it.
But Lin Huang simply turned.
His golden eyes calm.
The Sovereign Armament met the descending strike.
CLANG.
The collision shook the chamber.
Stone walls cracked.
Shockwaves blasted across the ritual hall.
Ye Xishui attacked simultaneously.
Blood chains erupted from the ritual formation.
Hundreds of them.
Each one capable of draining life and spirit power instantly.
They rushed toward Lin Huang from every direction.
Honghong chuckled softly.
"They're finally serious."
Lin Huang exhaled slowly.
Then—
the world changed.
The Intentions surrounding him expanded.
Not just sword.
Not just domination.
Many.
Space.
Lightning.
Fire.
Life.
Even faint traces of destruction.
Each one layered over the other like invisible realms.
The chamber suddenly felt heavier.
As if reality itself acknowledged his will.
The incoming attacks slowed.
Not physically.
Conceptually.
Because Lin Huang's Intentions were overriding the battlefield.
He stepped forward.
One slash.
Sword Intent split Long Xiaoyao's dragon shadow.
Another movement.
Domination Intent crushed several blood chains midair.
Then—
his fist moved again.
Black lightning exploded across his arm.
"Kokusen."
The strike collided with Long Xiaoyao's defense.
BOOOOM.
The shockwave blasted through the ritual chamber.
Several sacrificial pillars disintegrated instantly.
The ritual formation flickered violently.
Long Xiaoyao slid backward across the ground.
His eyes widened slightly.
Not in fear.
But in realization.
Because the force behind that attack—
was absurd.
Ye Xishui attacked again.
A sea of blood surged forward.
But the moment it touched the angelic light still surrounding Lin Huang—
it burned.
Purified.
Destroyed.
Her expression darkened further.
"…This power."
Long Xiaoyao spoke quietly beside her.
"Divine."
The word echoed softly.
Lin Huang tilted his head slightly.
"Something like that."
Then he looked toward the altar again.
The Fate Heart Crystal pulsed.
The ritual formation trembled violently.
Because the purification was spreading faster now.
Long Xiaoyao noticed.
His eyes sharpened.
"We cannot let him continue."
Ye Xishui nodded slowly.
Her aura erupted again.
This time—
she was no longer calm.
Because the ritual they had prepared for months—
was collapsing.
And the man responsible for it—
was still standing there
completely relaxed.
Lin Huang raised the Sovereign Armament again.
His voice quiet.
Almost bored.
"Are you two done warming up?"
Honghong laughed.
"Careful."
Her tails flicked slowly.
"You might hurt their pride."
Across the ritual chamber—
two of the strongest beings on the continent
stared at him
with killing intent.
And the battle
was only beginning.
The ritual chamber trembled.
Shockwaves from the previous clashes still rippled across the cavern.
Cracked pillars leaned dangerously.
Blood formations flickered erratically.
The Fate Heart Crystal rotated slowly above the altar—
its destiny energy now violently unstable.
Across the shattered ritual hall—
two Limit Douluo stood side by side.
Ye Xishui.
Long Xiaoyao.
Both of them releasing their full auras now.
Dark energy filled the chamber.
The oppressive pressure of two Rank 99 powerhouses spread through the underground fortress.
Ordinary cultivators would have collapsed instantly under such force.
But Lin Huang merely stood there calmly.
Golden eyes observing them.
Almost bored.
Honghong flicked her tail slowly.
"They're getting serious."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"…I noticed."
Long Xiaoyao stepped forward.
His aura erupted again.
A massive dragon-shaped shadow expanded behind him.
The pressure of ancient spiritual power filled the cavern.
Ye Xishui's blood domain spread across the ritual chamber simultaneously.
The ground turned crimson.
Resentful spirits screamed within the formation.
The combined pressure of two Limit Douluo surged toward Lin Huang.
The entire underground complex trembled violently.
Honghong tilted her head.
Then she smiled.
A slow.
Dangerous smile.
"Well then."
Her voice echoed inside Lin Huang's mind.
"Stop playing."
Lin Huang exhaled softly.
Then he spoke.
"…Honghong."
The fox's eyes glowed.
"Finally."
The Seventh Soul Ring behind Lin Huang ignited.
Brilliant red light filled the chamber.
The power of Martial Spirit Avatar awakened.
But this was not a normal avatar.
Because Honghong was not a normal martial spirit.
She was an External Martial Spirit.
The fusion began.
Cerulean light erupted from Lin Huang's body.
Not explosive.
Not chaotic.
But vast.
Endless.
The energy rose upward like a pillar connecting heaven and earth.
The underground cavern shook violently.
Stone ceilings cracked.
Several ritual pillars collapsed instantly.
Even the Fate Heart Crystal trembled.
Ye Xishui's eyes widened slightly.
"…What is this?"
The cerulean energy continued expanding.
Then—
it took form.
Nine massive fox tails of pure spiritual power appeared behind Lin Huang.
Each one stretching dozens of meters through the cavern.
A colossal fox-shaped aura manifested around his body.
Transparent.
Radiant.
Cerulean.
Just like the chakra avatars of ancient legends.
But larger.
Heavier.
More overwhelming.
A Cerulean Nine-Tailed Fox Avatar towered within the ritual chamber.
Lin Huang stood at its center.
Like the heart of a divine construct.
Golden eyes glowing within the fox's massive head.
Honghong's voice echoed through the avatar.
Playful.
Proud.
"Now this feels better."
The pressure in the chamber changed instantly.
The blood domain shattered.
Not violently.
Simply overwhelmed.
Ye Xishui felt her control over the ritual formation weaken.
The corrupted energy retreated instinctively.
Because the aura of the Cerulean Fox—
was far older.
Far purer.
Long Xiaoyao's dragon shadow trembled slightly.
His eyes sharpened.
"…Spirit Avatar."
But this was not normal.
The presence inside the fox avatar—
felt closer to a divine manifestation.
Lin Huang raised his hand.
The giant fox arm moved with him.
Dozens of meters of spiritual power shifted effortlessly.
A single motion—
And the Sovereign Armament reappeared.
Now magnified within the avatar's grasp.
A colossal blade of golden authority.
Intentions condensed around it again.
Sword.
Domination.
Creation.
Space.
Each one amplified by the avatar's power.
The chamber groaned under the pressure.
Lin Huang's voice echoed calmly from within the fox.
"Let's finish this."
He moved.
The avatar moved with him.
A single step cracked the ritual floor.
The massive blade descended.
Long Xiaoyao reacted instantly.
Dragon energy surged upward.
But the moment the Sovereign Armament struck—
the dragon shadow split apart.
The shockwave blasted him backward across the chamber.
Stone walls shattered.
The underground complex shook violently.
At the same time—
one of the giant fox tails swept across the ritual hall.
BOOOOM.
Half the sacrificial pillars disintegrated.
Blood formations collapsed instantly.
Ye Xishui attacked again.
A sea of blood surged upward.
Thousands of resentful spirits screamed through the chamber.
But Lin Huang raised his hand.
The angelic wings of sacred light appeared again.
Combined with the fox avatar—
the radiance became overwhelming.
The blood sea burned away.
Purified instantly.
Ye Xishui's expression finally turned grim.
Because the battlefield had already been lost.
The ritual arrays were collapsing.
The purification was spreading uncontrollably.
And the fox avatar—
was simply too powerful.
Inside the avatar—
Honghong chuckled softly.
"They're realizing it."
Lin Huang looked toward the altar again.
The Fate Heart Crystal pulsed violently.
Its destiny energy reacting to him more strongly with every passing moment.
He stepped forward.
The massive fox avatar followed.
The ground cracked beneath its weight.
Across the ritual chamber—
two legendary figures of the continent
watched in silence
as the Cerulean Fox
advanced toward the crystal.
The ritual chamber had already begun collapsing.
Cracked pillars fell one after another.
Fragments of shattered sacrificial arrays scattered across the ground.
The once complex ritual formation had turned into a chaotic mess of broken runes and fading blood energy.
At the center of the destruction—
the Cerulean Nine-Tailed Fox Avatar stood like a divine guardian.
Nine massive tails of spiritual power moved slowly behind it.
Each one radiating overwhelming pressure.
Inside the avatar—
Lin Huang looked toward the altar calmly.
The Fate Heart Crystal pulsed violently.
Its destiny energy reacting more and more strongly to the presence surrounding him.
Behind him—
Ye Xishui wiped a trace of blood from the corner of her lips.
Her eyes were colder than before.
But they also carried something new.
Calculation.
Because the situation had already changed.
The ritual had collapsed.
More than half of the headquarters had already been purified.
And the power in front of her—
was still increasing.
Long Xiaoyao stood beside her.
His robes torn slightly.
The dragon shadow behind him flickered faintly.
His eyes remained calm.
But his gaze toward Lin Huang had grown far more serious.
The man in front of them—
was not someone they could easily eliminate.
Not here.
Not now.
Lin Huang raised his hand again.
The fox avatar moved with him.
The Sovereign Armament lifted slowly.
Intent gathered around the blade once more.
Sword.
Domination.
Creation.
Space.
Even the faint pulse of divine vitality.
The air inside the collapsing ritual chamber bent under the weight of those concepts.
Ye Xishui narrowed her eyes.
If that strike fell—
the entire ritual hall would be erased.
And the Fate Heart Crystal might be damaged.
Long Xiaoyao spoke quietly.
"Enough."
The word echoed through the chamber.
Ye Xishui glanced at him.
Their eyes met for a brief moment.
Both of them understood the situation instantly.
The ritual was already lost.
The base had been exposed.
Continuing the fight here would only cause more damage.
Long Xiaoyao looked back at Lin Huang.
His voice calm.
But firm.
"Another time."
Dark spiritual energy surged around him.
Space twisted.
Ye Xishui's blood domain condensed tightly around her body.
Her gaze remained locked on Lin Huang.
Cold.
Unyielding.
"…This is not over."
Lin Huang didn't move.
He simply watched them.
The fox avatar towering silently behind him.
Honghong chuckled lazily inside the fusion.
"Running already?"
Lin Huang answered calmly.
"…They understand the situation."
The next moment—
dark energy erupted.
The space inside the ritual chamber distorted violently.
And then—
both Ye Xishui and Long Xiaoyao disappeared.
Their presence vanished from the underground complex.
Silence returned to the shattered hall.
Only the sound of collapsing stone remained.
Lin Huang lowered the Sovereign Armament.
The massive fox avatar slowly began fading.
Cerulean light dissolved into countless particles of spiritual energy.
Honghong reappeared on his shoulder in her smaller form.
She stretched slightly.
"Well."
Her tail flicked.
"That was entertaining."
Lin Huang walked toward the altar.
The Fate Heart Crystal hovered quietly above the broken formation now.
Its dark golden surface swirling with faint destiny energy.
Without the ritual sustaining it—
the crystal had grown strangely calm.
Almost gentle.
Lin Huang reached out.
The moment his fingers touched the crystal—
the world changed.
Destiny energy surged outward.
Not violently.
But deeply.
Like invisible threads connecting countless events.
The Fate Heart Crystal resonated.
Responding.
Recognizing something within Lin Huang.
The overwhelming destiny surrounding him.
The fortune gathering around the Lin Clan.
The countless futures branching outward from his existence.
Honghong tilted her head slightly.
"Looks like it likes you."
Lin Huang closed his hand.
The crystal settled quietly into his palm.
At that exact moment—
the purification spreading through the underground complex accelerated.
The power of Extreme Life surged outward one final time.
A massive wave of divine vitality swept through the entire mountain.
Through tunnels.
Through ritual chambers.
Through corrupted laboratories.
Every trace of resentment.
Every blood array.
Every fragment of dark energy—
was erased.
Purified.
Destroyed.
Above ground—
the mountains trembled.
The poisoned forests surrounding the hidden base began changing.
Corrupted soil healed.
Withered plants sprouted new life.
Clean spiritual energy flowed through the land once again.
The entire region—
was being reborn.
Inside the ruined ritual hall—
a soft golden light suddenly appeared above Lin Huang.
Ancient.
Dignified.
A voice echoed within his divine sea.
Calm.
Immense.
"Divine Trial III complete."
Lin Huang remained silent.
The voice continued.
"You have purified a land consumed by death."
"Life has returned where corruption ruled."
"The authority of Life acknowledges you."
A warm energy flowed through his body.
Not explosive.
Not violent.
But profound.
As if the laws of vitality themselves had grown closer to him.
Honghong blinked slightly.
"Oh?"
She looked at him.
"Another one?"
Lin Huang nodded faintly.
"…Yes."
The golden light slowly faded.
Silence returned once more.
Around him—
the headquarters of the Holy Spirit Church had become little more than ruins.
But the air no longer carried the scent of blood.
Only clean spiritual energy remained.
Lin Huang turned slightly.
Looking toward the distant horizon.
Where the continent stretched far beyond the mountains.
Honghong rested her chin on his shoulder.
"So?"
Her tail swayed slowly.
"What's next?"
Lin Huang glanced at the crystal in his hand.
The dark golden surface pulsed softly.
A faint smile appeared.
Small.
Calm.
Certain.
"…Now we build."