Before the mountain gate of the Profound Sword Sect, the dust had yet to settle, and the ground was littered with corpses. The shattered fragments of the massive white jade gate lay scattered like the remnants of the sect's ten-thousand-year reputation.
Xuan Tianji hovered mid-air, his black dragon-embroidered robe flowing without wind. When his eyes opened and closed, it was as if suns and moons wheeled within them. The pressure emanating from him pressed down like a hundred thousand mountains, solidifying the entire battlefield. Even the ferocious Blood Fiend let out an uneasy roar.
Mao Shiba and the others were ashen-faced, their legs weak. This pressure… far surpassed the Refinement Void stage! This was Half-Step Body Unity! A true existence touching the threshold of the Heavenly Dao's laws! It's over… it's all over…
"S-Sect Master!" From a deep pit, Wu Haotian, half his body mangled by Blood Fiend, wept tears of blood and mucus, clutching at a lifeline. "Kill them! Kill these rebels!"
Xuan Tianji's gaze was indifferent, sweeping over the sea of corpses and mountains of blood before finally landing on Lin Che. His voice was calm, yet contained the might of Heaven and Earth. "Disturbing my seclusion, destroying my sect's foundation… Junior, you… are quite something."
Old Ma had somehow sidled up to Lin Che, picking his ear. "Kid, this old codger seems a bit tricky. How about… we retreat first? Come back another day to dismantle the place?"
Hearing this, Lin Che not only didn't retreat but took a large step forward! This step shattered the solidified air, shaking the earth and mountains! His robes flapped wildly as he turned to the people behind him, his voice cold but filled with an unwavering resolve.
"Leave? Impossible!"
"Things have come to this. I said it before, today's situation… a peaceful resolution? Difficult!"
Before his words faded, he spun around to face Xuan Tianji directly, the killing intent in his eyes spurting out like substance! Standing atop Blood Fiend's dragon head, he pointed his halberd at Xuan Tianji, his voice shaking the heavens:
"Old fool! Less talk, more action!"
[Ding! Detected that the host is confronting the ultimate boss Xuan Tianji, who is suspected to be at the Half-Step Body Integration realm. Emotion value has reached its maximum! System judgment: Now or never!]
[System Suggestion: Don't bother with martial honor with him. Go straight for the 'Combo Meal'! Women's Best Friend + Jia Xu's Poison Domain + Huang Chao's Golden Rain! Three layers of DEBUFFs will teach him a lesson!]
"Suits me perfectly!" Lin Che sneered, his thoughts moving like lightning!
[First Layer of Suppression: Rule-Based Special Attack · Women's Best Friend]
"Women's Best Friend—Activate!"
"Bzzz—!"
A strange rule-based power instantly enveloped the entire area! Above Lin Che's head, a miniature, glittering golden prime minister's crown phantom materialized, accompanied by a magnetic voice that resounded through heaven and earth:
"Rather I betray the world, than let the world betray me—!!!"
[Ding! Rule-based skill 'Women's Best Friend' activated!]
[Skill Attributes:]
? Against Male Special Attack: All damage dealt by the host to male targets is permanently increased by 300%!
? Against Female Special Defense: Damage dealt to the host by female targets is forcibly reduced by 50%, and their favorability towards the host is greatly increased.
? Duration: 180 seconds.
? Cooldown: 7 days (Strategic skill, use sparingly).
[System Snark: Even though Xuan Tianji is a wretched old man, the 'Against Male' effect of 'Women's Best Friend' still works! This is what 'switch the gender, double the power' means! Host, begin your performance!]
Xuan Tianji's face stiffened. He felt an inexplicable force forcibly weakening his defenses, while the aura of the kid opposite him surged dramatically! Wh-What kind of evil sorcery is this?!
But this was just the appetizer!
[Second Layer of Suppression: Stealth Weakening · Chaotic Poison Domain]
"Jia Xu! Chaotic Poison Domain—Activate!"
Lin Che shouted again! An invisible, venomous wave spread out from him, instantly covering a radius of a hundred zhang!
[Ding! Ghost Strategist Slaughter God Skill 'Chaotic Poison Domain' activated!]
[Skill Attributes:]
? Effect: All enemy units within the domain have their all attributes (Strength, Agility, Spiritual Power, Defense) forcibly reduced by 30%.
? Spiritual Stagnation: Enemy spiritual power circulation speed reduced by 50%, all skill cooldowns increased by 100%.
? Stealth: The poison domain is formless and colorless. Cultivators below the Refinement Void stage cannot detect it with their spiritual sense. Even though Xuan Tianji is Half-Step Body Unity, he cannot completely negate this effect.
? Duration: Until the end of battle.
? Cooldown: 24 hours (Ultimate sneaky skill).
[System Comment: Formless, colorless, killing without a trace. Jia Wenhe, truly worthy of your name!]
Xuan Tianji and the remaining Profound Sword Sect experts' expressions changed drastically! They felt their spiritual power circulation instantly stagnate, as if trapped in a mire. Their cultivation was forcibly suppressed by thirty percent! Even their movements became sluggish!
[Third Layer of Suppression: Area-of-Effect Damage Over Time · The City Adorned in Golden Armor]
"Huang Chao! The City Adorned in Golden Armor—Activate!"
At the third command! The sky erupted in golden light! Countless sharp golden sword energies poured down like a torrential rain, covering the entire Profound Sword Sect's mountain gate area!
[Ding! Asura Slaughter God Skill 'The City Adorned in Golden Armor' activated!]
[Skill Attributes:]
? Area Damage: Deals 80% of the host's attack power as Metal-element damage per second to all enemies in the designated area.
? Bone-Corrosion Effect: Inflicts the 'Bone-Corrosion' negative status. Each stack reduces enemy armor by 5%, stackable up to 10 times (total 50% defense reduction).
? Slow Effect: Reduces movement speed of enemies within the area by 40%.
? Duration: 30 seconds.
? Visual Effect: The sky rains 'gold', creating an extremely lavish scene (costs a fortune).
[System Prompt: Xuan Tianji has accumulated 'Bone-Corrosion' effect x5. Armor -25%. Continuous health loss in progress...]
The golden light not only caused continuous damage but also carried the 'Bone-Corrosion' effect, making Xuan Tianji and the others sluggish, with "-1000", "-2000" damage numbers constantly popping up above them!
[Ding! Host has activated 'Slaughter God Combo Meal' mode! Currently active skills: Women's Best Friend (vs. Male), Jia Xu's Poison Domain (All Attributes -30%), Huang Chao's Golden Rain (DoT + Slow)!]
[Xuan Tianji Status Update: Cultivation suppressed to Refinement Void peak. Movement Slowed (Speed -50%). Spiritual power circulation hindered. Afflicted with 'Continuous Health Loss' DEBUFF!]
[System Comment: Good grief! Three buffs at the start, even a god would struggle! This wave... this wave is the pinnacle of 'no martial honor'! Xuan Tianji: I report! Someone is cheating!]
Xuan Tianji was both shocked and furious! A dignified Half-Step Body Unity expert, actually suppressed by a mere early Refinement Void junior using such bizarre methods! He roared, forcibly activating the laws of Heaven and Earth. A hundred-zhang-long profound sword beam tore through the poison domain, slashing straight at Lin Che!
"Bring it on!" Lin Che let out a long cry. The Fangtian Halberd and Blood Fiend's dragon tail struck out together, meeting the sword beam head-on!
"BOOM—!"
A terrifying explosion swept out in all directions! Lin Che and Xuan Tianji became entangled in battle! In the sky, sword lights, halberd shadows, dragon roars, and spell chants intertwined. Blue, yellow, red, and green lights scattered wildly as if they were free, dyeing the night sky into a kaleidoscope of colors! Every collision made space tremble and mountain peaks crack!
Luo Jiayin and Lin Ying watched with brilliant eyes, the little stars in their eyes almost jumping out. Lin Ying even held her little face, full of worship. "Wow! Brother is so cool! Beating that bad old man is like playing whack-a-mole!"
Old Ma watched on the side, clicking his tongue in amazement, munching on melon seeds he'd produced from who-knows-where. "This kid's sneaky methods are getting more and more proficient. Quite reminiscent of my old self."
However, Half-Step Body Unity was still Half-Step Body Unity! Even suppressed by three layers of DEBUFFs, Xuan Tianji's foundation was profound! Although Lin Che could match him, he couldn't secure a victory!
[Ding! Warning! 'Women's Best Friend' skill duration remaining 10 seconds!]
[System Prompt: Showing off is good, but don't overindulge! 7-day CD warning! Host, please resolve the battle quickly or prepare Plan B!]
"Time's running out!" A sharp light flashed in Lin Che's eyes. He abruptly pulled back, shouting, "Blood Fiend!"
"ROAR—!" Blood Fiend, hearing the call, its massive dragon body coiling upwards, stood in mid-air, radiating ferocious power!
"Little Sister! Assist me!"
Lin Ying had been waiting for this moment! She let out a clear shout,疯狂运转 the spiritual power within her! The mysterious golden lotus mark on her forehead suddenly erupted with a dazzling light! The light was pure, sacred, containing an indescribable ancient aura, instantly dispelling the fiendish aura and poison mist on the battlefield, forcing everyone, including Xuan Tianji, to instinctively close their eyes!
"Chaotic Azure Lotus · Unseal!"
A thick, golden pillar of light, brimming with supreme vitality, shot from Lin Ying's forehead straight at Blood Fiend's dragon head!
"CRACK! CRACK! CRACK…"
A series of crisp shattering sounds rang out! The five thick, dark golden chains, inscribed with countless ancient runes, that had bound Blood Fiend's massive dragon body, shattered under the impact of this sacred light!
(Note: These five chains were on Blood Fiend when it was subdued at Piaohua Palace. As previous chapters didn't describe the chains during Blood Fiend's appearances, its unsealing happens here.)
"AUOOO—!!!"
The Blood Fiend threw back its head and let out a prolonged howl. This dragon roar was utterly unlike any before it. Freed from the seal's restraint, its aura surged wildly. Its dark crimson scales turned crystal-clear, resembling gleaming blood diamonds. Its body swelled once more, its bone spurs growing sharp and menacing. There was no longer mere savagery in its eyes, but instead a hint of the majesty and wisdom befitting an ancient supreme entity.
[Blood Fiend · Full Power Form Attribute Update:]
? Strength: Increased from 'Peak Divine Transformation support' to 'Late Refinement Void main combatant'.
? New Ability: Dragon Majesty Domain – Suppresses the speed and spiritual power recovery of all enemies within range by 30%.
? Characteristic: Heart-linked with Lin Che, capable of performing 'Combination Skills'.
It lowered its head to glance at Lin Che, then looked at the little girl below who had given it power, a hint of human-like gratitude flashing in its dragon eyes. Then, it sharply turned its head towards Xuan Tianji, who was blinded by the golden light!
"Die!"
Lin Che and Blood Fiend, sharing a mind, attacked simultaneously! Blood Fiend turned into a blood shadow, fast! Extremely fast! Dragon Majesty pressed down like a blanket. Xuan Tianji felt his breath catch, his very soul trembling! In terror, he tried to escape using a movement technique, but found the space around him… locked down by the terrifying dragon majesty!
"NO—!" Xuan Tianji's soul nearly fled. He turned to flee, clouds forming under his feet as he used his trump card, 'Domain-Controlled Flight', trying to break through the spatial lock by force!
"Trying to run?" Lin Che sneered, a cold light flashing in his eyes. "Genghis Khan! Mounted Archery!"
With a thought, the power of the 'Land-Splitting Slaughter God, Genghis Khan' within his Slaughter God inheritance was invoked!
[Skill Activated: Genghis Khan · Precise Mounted Archery (Ranged Sure-Kill Skill)]
? Effect: Imbues the next ranged attack with the grassland conqueror's 'Sure-Hit Law' and 'Eagle Eye Vision'. Guaranteed 100% hit rate, ignores evasion, and triggers 'Lethal Strike' effect (damage increased by 500%).
? Mechanism: This skill is not a physical arrow, but imbues the concept of 'Sure-Hit' onto any thrown projectile.
? System Note: "A proud son of heaven, who only knew how to bend the bow and shoot down great eagles. But this arrow could even kill a Roc."
A supreme sense of mastery over range and precision, inherent to the Conqueror of the Steppes, surged through his arm. He drew the green steel sword seized from Wu Haotian from his waist and frantically channeled spiritual power into it.
"SWISH—!"
The green steel sword turned into a cyan meteor, ignoring spatial distance. Carrying Genghis Khan's law of 'No Arrow Misses Its Mark', it arrived later but struck first, instantly catching up to the desperately fleeing Xuan Tianji!
"THUD—!"
The sword tip pierced through his chest! Bringing forth a spray of scorching hot… heart's blood belonging to a Half-Step Body Unity mighty figure!
Xuan Tianji's body shuddered. He looked down in disbelief at the bloody hole in his chest, the light in his eyes rapidly dimming. Like a bird with broken wings, he fell from high altitude, crashing "BOOM!" into the ruins below, raising a cloud of dust.
[Ding! Congratulations, Host, for killing Half-Step Body Unity mighty figure Xuan Tianji while surpassing a major realm! Evaluation: SSS grade! Epic achievement!]
[System Prompt: Hey, hey, hey! Don't just stand there! That's a Half-Step Body Unity! Every part is a treasure! Soul, essence blood, Dao fruit… can't let it go to waste! Suck it dry! Suck it dry!]
Lin Che flashed, already appearing in the deep pit. Xuan Tianji was on the verge of death, his eyes full of fear and plea. "S-spare me… I am willing to submit… offer you all the Profound Sword Sect…"
Lin Che's expression was cold. His left hand directly pressed down on Xuan Tianji's crown.
"Soul Devouring Art!"
"AHH——!!!" Xuan Tianji let out a shrill scream of agony. His immense pure spiritual power, his insights into the laws of the Heavenly Dao, and even his soul essence were all frantically devoured by Lin Che.
A moment later, the screams ceased abruptly. Xuan Tianji turned into a desiccated corpse, his eyes still holding unwillingness and despair.
Lin Che slowly stood up. Spiritual energy surged around him, the radiance收敛. His aura was several times stronger than before! He gently clenched his fist, feeling the vast, sea-like power within.
[Ding! Host successfully devoured Half-Step Body Unity origin! Cultivation greatly increased!]
[Current Realm: Late Refinement Void stage!]
[Experience required for next realm (Body Unity stage): 85%... (System: This experience pack is huge]
"Brother! You're amazing!" Lin Ying cheered and rushed over.
Luo Jiayin also quickly stepped forward, her beautiful eyes full of joy and pride.
Old Ma sauntered over, kicked Xuan Tianji's dry corpse, and smacked his lips. "Tsk, tsk, a Half-Step Body Unity… gone just like that. Kid, your Soul-Sucking Art… ahem, Soul Devouring Art, is getting more and more skilled. But this old man must remind you, such shortcut methods can destabilize your foundation. Be careful of Qi Deviation."
Lin Che smiled slightly, feeling the extremely stable realm within him, and said confidently, "Don't worry, I know my limits."
He raised his head, looking at the Profound Sword Sect's plaque still hanging high, now undefended. With a wave of his hand, Blood Fiend understood. A sweep of its divine dragon's tail—
"BOOM!"
The plaque shattered into pieces.
"The Profound Sword Sect… from today, is no more."
The setting sun's afterglow fell, stretching his shadow long, casting it upon the broken walls and ruins, like a true… God of Slaughter.