The Head Elder could also sense the wave of killing intent heading in her direction.
Her expression turned cold.
Clearly, this demonic cultivator had no intention of giving up on her disciple. Even after unleashing an attack of such terrifying power, he was still pursuing Lin Yan, and judging from the direction of his aura, he had already noticed her approach.
She tightened her grip.
'I have to delay him. At the very least, I must slow him down'
She wasn't foolish enough to believe that she could easily defeat a Peak Golden Core demonic cultivator, especially one whose methods had already demonstrated such extraordinary power. Nevertheless, she could sense that his aura was considerably weaker than it had been before, and the fluctuations coming from his body were no longer as stable as they had been when he first appeared.
He was exhausted. That discovery gave her a sliver of hope.
If she could force him to expend more of his remaining strength, perhaps she could prevent him from pursuing Lin Yan, or at least buy enough time for the others to return to the Lin family mountain.
She immediately changed direction and accelerated towards him.
Meanwhile, Mo Tou's expression had become increasingly irritated.
He had already dealt with one troublesome opponent, yet another had appeared almost immediately, like a buzzing fly that refused to leave him alone. Although he wasn't in a condition to act arrogantly, he still believed that an ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivator shouldn't pose much of a threat.
I'll properly deal with this one and be done with it.
He began gathering his dharmic rhythm, preparing to summon another Divine Ability, but before he could complete the process, a sudden pressure erupted behind him.
His instincts screamed.
A terrifying momentum was gathering at his back, and before he could fully turn around, the corner of his eye caught sight of a figure charging towards him with a fist extended.
Mo Tou's pupils contracted.
"Y-you..."
It was Lin Sheng!
The man who should have been dead, or at the very least severely incapacitated, was charging towards him with astonishing momentum.
Mo Tou's mind went blank for a fraction of a second.
That brief hesitation was almost fatal.
He immediately abandoned the Divine Ability he had been preparing and forced his spiritual power towards a defensive talisman, activating one of the spells he had relied upon countless times during his years of cultivation.
Golden Light Mantra!
A brilliant golden radiance erupted around his body, rapidly expanding into a protective barrier that enveloped him from head to toe. The light condensed into a thick, almost tangible shell, its surface covered in countless intricate runes that formed layers of defensive restrictions.
It was a reliable defensive spell, particularly effective against opponents who relied on physical strength.
During his years of cultivation, Mo Tou had encountered numerous body-refining cultivators and yao beasts, and the Golden Light Mantra had repeatedly helped him withstand their devastating close-combat attacks. Against an opponent who relied on nothing but physical force, it was an exceptionally dependable defence.
His spiritual awareness swept across Lin Sheng's incoming fist.
The momentum was immense, but even so, Mo Tou believed it should still be within the limits of what his Golden Light Mantra could withstand.
At the end of the day, he's still just a body cultivator!
A sneer appeared on his face.
Then Lin Sheng's fist arrived.
BOOOOOOM!
A deafening sonic boom erupted as the fist collided with the golden barrier, the opposing forces producing a violent shockwave that swept through the air. The golden light trembled, its radiance flaring brilliantly as it resisted the incoming momentum, while the force behind Lin Sheng's fist continued pressing forward without the slightest indication of slowing down.
For an instant, the two forces seemed evenly matched.
Mo Tou felt the Golden Light Mantra holding. His sneer deepened.
But then—
KRRRACK!
A thin crack appeared across the golden barrier.
Mo Tou's expression froze.
Before he could react, another crack spread from the first, followed by a third and a fourth. In the blink of an eye, the entire surface of the golden light was covered in countless fractures, resembling a spiderweb spreading across a pane of glass.
His eyes widened.
"Impossible!"
The Golden Light Mantra was not an ordinary defensive spell. It had been refined and strengthened through countless years of use, and even when facing powerful body cultivators, it should have been capable of withstanding several consecutive attacks.
Yet Lin Sheng's fist had nearly shattered it in a single collision!
Mo Tou let out an enraged roar.
He couldn't understand it.
How could a body cultivator who had just endured an attack at the extremes of Rank 4 suddenly erupt with such terrifying momentum? The opponent's aura was clearly fatigued, and the fluctuations of his Qi-Blood were nowhere near their previous peak, yet the force behind that punch was even more frightening than he had anticipated.
Lin Sheng, on the other hand, remained silent.
His expression was mostly stoic, and although he had expected the Golden Light Mantra to be troublesome, the result was better than he had anticipated.
He had deliberately gathered the remaining strength of his Golden Body into that single attack, compressing his physical power and momentum before releasing them together. The enormous force had been concentrated into a relatively small point, allowing his fist to exert far greater penetrating power than an ordinary blow.
He had also concealed the extent of his remaining strength.
Mo Tou had mistaken his fatigue for an inability to continue fighting.
That mistake had cost him dearly.
CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
The fractures rapidly spread. Then the Golden Light Mantra shattered.
BOOOOOOM!
Golden fragments scattered through the air like countless pieces of shattered glass, and before Mo Tou could fully recover from the shock, he raised his other hand and unleashed a Minor Divine Ability.
"Corpse Water!"
A stream of dark, viscous liquid erupted from his palm.
It moved like a living creature, twisting through the air before transforming into a torrent that swept towards Lin Sheng. Wherever the liquid passed, the surrounding vegetation withered, the earth became blackened, and a foul corrosive aura spread through the air.
Mo Tou's expression was vicious.
Corpse Water was one of his most troublesome methods against body-refining cultivators. Its corrosive properties were not limited to ordinary flesh, it could seep into the body and rapidly dissolve muscles, tendons, and even the outer layers of bone. Against a cultivator who relied on physical strength, it was particularly dangerous because it could destroy the very foundation upon which their combat strength depended.
If the liquid reached Lin Sheng directly, it should dissolve his flesh until nothing remained but a skeleton.
However, the moment Corpse Water approached, a phantom robe suddenly appeared around Lin Sheng.
It was faint and ethereal, its outline formed by two intertwining streams of energy, one Yin and the other Yang, revolving around his body in perfect tandem. The two forces moved in a continuous cycle, creating a protective layer that seemed to separate Lin Sheng from the surrounding world.
WENG!
The Corpse Water struck the phantom robe.
Its dark surface immediately churned, releasing waves of corrosive Yin energy as it attempted to penetrate the defence, but the Yin and Yang energies surrounding Lin Sheng rotated together, constantly shifting and neutralising the invading force.
The robe trembled. Yet it held.
Mo Tou's eyes widened. His anger was momentarily replaced by disbelief.
Corpse Water was supposed to be a hard counter to close-combat body cultivators. Even if their physiques were powerful, the corrosive properties of the liquid should have bypassed much of their physical defence and destroyed their flesh from within.
Yet Lin Sheng had blocked it without suffering any visible damage.
'What kind of defensive treasure is that?!'
He had no time to investigate.
The Corpse Water was still being resisted, but Lin Sheng had already stepped forward.
The distance between them vanished.
Mo Tou's pupils contracted as Lin Sheng's fist drew back.
He attempted to retreat, but the moment he moved, he felt something strange.
The space surrounding Lin Sheng's fist seemed to ripple.
It was an extremely subtle distortion, almost imperceptible, yet Mo Tou's spiritual awareness immediately sensed that something was wrong. The surrounding spiritual energy seemed to be drawn towards the fist, while the force contained within the attack became increasingly concentrated.
His expression changed. But it was too late.
Lin Sheng smiled faintly. Then his fist drove forward.
BOOOOOOM!
The punch landed squarely against Mo Tou's chest.
A deafening roar erupted as the force penetrated the protective layer surrounding his body, shattering his ribs one after another. The impact travelled straight through his chest, crushing his internal organs and sending an overwhelming shock through his entire physique.
Black blood sprayed from his mouth.
Mo Tou's body bent backwards, his eyes widening in disbelief as the enormous force drove him downwards.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
His body slammed into the ground.
The earth beneath him collapsed instantly, forming an enormous crater as the remaining force spread outwards in concentric waves. The surrounding trees were uprooted, rocks were blasted into the air, and a thick cloud of dust swallowed the entire area.
The ground continued trembling for several breaths.
Then, gradually, the dust began to settle.
A figure lay at the centre of the crater.
Mo Tou.
His eyes were wide open, but the light within them had already begun to fade. A gaping hole had been torn through his chest, his ribs were completely shattered, and his internal organs had been reduced to a bloody mess.
More importantly, his Golden Core had been destroyed.
The concentrated Origin contained within it had ruptured alongside the core, and the resulting collapse had instantly torn apart the foundation of his cultivation.
For a Golden Core cultivator, the destruction of the Golden Core was already a fatal injury.
With his Origin ruptured and his internal organs completely crushed, Mo Tou had no opportunity to recover, his consciousness disappearing almost as soon as the devastating punch struck him.
He was dead.
Lin Sheng stood at the edge of the crater, looking down at the corpse.
After a moment, he finally released a breath.
"That was troublesome."
His voice was quiet.
He could feel his head ringing continuously, and the mental strain from the earlier battle had not completely subsided. His Qi-Blood reserves were considerably depleted, while the repeated activation of his Qiankun Pseudo Domain around his fist had placed a heavy burden on his perception.
Even so, he had managed to kill Mo Tou.
Lin Sheng looked at the corpse again.
During the battle, he had deliberately avoided using his Natal Solar Flame.
That Divine Ability was far more dangerous to the soul than the physical attacks he had relied upon. If he had unleashed it against Mo Tou, the result might have been considerably more direct, but it would also have exposed a method that he preferred to keep hidden.
The Natal Solar Flame could attack an opponent's soul directly, and revealing such an ability in a battle involving Golden Core cultivators was bound to attract attention from powerful figures.
There were already too many True Monarchs in the Eastern Region.
He had no intention of giving those old monsters another reason to investigate him.
It's better to keep some things hidden.
He rubbed his forehead.
The battle had been far more exhausting than he would have liked, and he wasn't particularly interested in remaining in the area to see who else might arrive.
Speaking of which...
Lin Sheng's mental perception spread outwards.
Countless spiritual auras were gathering from different directions.
Some were still relatively distant, while others had already approached the outskirts of the devastated battlefield. Their cultivation levels varied, but most were powerful enough to have sensed the enormous fluctuations produced by the earlier clashes.
Clearly, the battle had attracted a considerable amount of attention.
And judging from the way several of those auras were moving, not everyone had come simply to investigate.
There would undoubtedly be people hoping to take advantage of the aftermath, perhaps searching for scattered treasures, remnants of Divine Abilities, or traces of the cultivators who had fought here.
Lin Sheng glanced at Mo Tou's corpse.
The crimson orb was still there.
He wasn't about to leave such a valuable treasure behind.
With a wave of his hand, he collected the corpse and the remaining treasures before turning towards the north. His body was enveloped in an escape light, and he rapidly disappeared into the distance.
He had no intention of remaining long enough to greet the incoming guests.
---
Several incense sticks of time after Lin Sheng departed, countless cultivators descended upon the devastated battlefield.
The moment they arrived, their expressions changed.
The surrounding forest had been completely destroyed, enormous craters covered the ground, and the residual fluctuations of spiritual energy were so chaotic that even powerful cultivators found it difficult to distinguish the individual auras left behind.
Several Golden Core cultivators immediately spread their divine sense, carefully examining the battlefield in search of traces of the techniques that had been unleashed.
Others began collecting the remaining fragments of spiritual energy, hoping to use them to determine the identities of the combatants or perhaps follow their tracks.
Unfortunately, the residual auras were far too chaotic.
The clashes had been too intense, and the final explosion had further disrupted the surrounding spiritual energy, making it difficult to recover anything useful.
"What terrifying destruction..."
A cultivator hovering above one of the craters couldn't help muttering.
Another Golden Core cultivator landed nearby, his expression grave as he examined the traces left behind.
"Whoever fought here was certainly no ordinary cultivator."
"Look at the surrounding terrain. Even the mountains several miles away have been affected."
A third person shook his head.
"The fluctuations I sensed earlier were frightening. I initially thought two Nascent Soul cultivators had exchanged blows, but judging from the remnants, that shouldn't be the case."
He paused before continuing.
"Both opponents must have been at the very extremes of Rank 4. Their attacks were already approaching the threshold of Rank 5."
The surrounding cultivators exchanged glances.
Rank 5 !
That was near the entry of a True Monarch's power.
Even among Peak Golden Core cultivators, that was an extremely distant threshold.
To reach such a level of destructive power while remaining within Rank 4 was already an astonishing achievement, and the fact that two such powerful existences had fought in this region was enough to make everyone present feel uneasy.
One of the cultivators looked towards the distant horizon.
"The Eastern Region is becoming increasingly chaotic."
Nobody disagreed.
The conflict between the major factions had already begun spreading across different territories, powerful cultivators were appearing in places where they had rarely been seen before, and even the activities of demonic cultivators had become increasingly brazen.
Now, two experts capable of unleashing attacks near the Rank 5 threshold had clashed in the wilderness.
Nobody knew what the next development would be.
But one thing was certain.
The Eastern Region was no longer as peaceful as it had once been.
---
Meanwhile, the Head Elder had already left the battlefield.
During the confrontation, she had received a transmission from one of the cultivators who had been monitoring the surrounding area. The message urged her to withdraw immediately, warning that the region was attracting the attention of numerous powerful figures.
She understood the implication.
Remaining there would only create further complications, and with Lin Yan already in the hands of the Lin family members, her immediate responsibility was to return and ensure the girl's safety.
She therefore abandoned her attempt to approach Mo Tou and quickly made her way back towards the Lin family mountain.
By the time she arrived, Lin Yan had already received preliminary treatment.
The girl was still unconscious, but her condition was considerably better than the Head Elder had feared. Although she had suffered some injuries and her spiritual energy was rather disordered, there were no signs of irreversible damage.
One of the cultivators had even administered a pill to her, helping stabilise her condition and prevent her injuries from worsening.
The Head Elder examined Lin Yan carefully before finally releasing a breath of relief.
"Fortunately, she's relatively fine."
She looked towards the people standing nearby.
"Who administered the pill?"
One of the cultivators stepped forward.
The Head Elder studied the person for a moment, and recognition gradually appeared in her eyes.
It was the same cultivator who had helped her years ago following the Myriad Dao Pavilion auction.
Her expression became thoughtful.
Could there be some connection between this person and the Lin family?
She had wondered about this before, but the circumstances surrounding the earlier encounter had never given her an opportunity to investigate properly. Now, seeing the same person appear during Lin Yan's crisis, she couldn't help considering whether there was some relationship she had overlooked.
Before she could dwell on the matter further, a figure appeared beside her.
It was the Grand Elder.
He glanced at Lin Yan before turning towards the Head Elder.
"There's no need to overthink it. That cultivator is someone I'm acquainted with."
The Head Elder looked at him.
"You're acquainted with them?"
The Grand Elder nodded.
"Yes. You can rest assured that there's no need to be suspicious of their intentions."
Hearing this, the Head Elder gradually relaxed.
Since the Grand Elder had personally vouched for the cultivator, she naturally wouldn't continue questioning the matter.
However, the Grand Elder's expression soon became serious.
"There's something more important we need to discuss."
The Head Elder's attention immediately shifted towards him.
"What is it?"
The Grand Elder glanced towards Lin Yan, who was still resting, before speaking in a lowered voice.
"Her Spiritual Physique appears to have awakened ahead of our expectations. That should be the reason the demonic cultivator pursued her so relentlessly."
The Head Elder's expression changed.
She had already suspected as much, but hearing the Grand Elder confirm it still made her feel uneasy.
"Then the conflict was caused by her awakening?"
"Most likely."
The Grand Elder sighed.
"Her Spiritual Physique is clearly extraordinary. If its existence becomes known to the wrong people, the consequences could be troublesome."
The Head Elder immediately shook her head.
"Fortunately, her dharmic rhythm was concealed and dispersed before anyone could properly identify it. Even during the incident, I didn't sense any indication that the demonic cultivator had completely understood the nature of her physique."
Her expression became somewhat relieved.
"At the very least, there shouldn't be many people who know what she possesses."
The Grand Elder nodded, although he didn't appear entirely reassured.
"That's good, but we still cannot afford to be careless."
He paused briefly before continuing.
"I've also managed to obtain some information regarding that demonic cultivator. From what I've gathered, he may have been a True Monarch in the past. His current cultivation is likely the result of recovering and recultivating after suffering some kind of major setback."
The Head Elder's eyes narrowed.
"A previous True Monarch?"
"That's what the information suggests. It would explain why his methods were so unusual and why he possessed treasures far beyond what an ordinary Golden Core cultivator should have."
The Grand Elder's expression remained solemn.
"Someone like that cannot be judged by his current cultivation alone. Even if he has fallen from his former realm, the inheritances and treasures he accumulated in the past could still make him extremely dangerous."
The Head Elder fell silent.
She had already witnessed the terrifying strength of the demonic cultivator, and the thought that he might once have stood at the level of a True Monarch made the situation even more complicated.
Fortunately, he had been forced to expend a considerable amount of strength during the battle.
She could only hope that Lin Yan would remain safe and that the Lin family wouldn't attract any further attention.
After a moment, she finally spoke.
"If only the Patriarch could break through. Once he successfully reaches the Nascent Soul Realm, most of these problems should resolve themselves."
The Grand Elder smiled faintly.
"There's no need to worry so much. The Patriarch has considerable confidence in overcoming the Nascent Soul Tribulation."
The Head Elder's expression softened.
"Is that so?"
She glanced towards the distant mountain peaks, where the Lin family's protective formations shimmered faintly beneath the sunlight.
"Then I suppose I should offer my congratulations ahead of time."
The Grand Elder chuckled.
"Perhaps you should wait until he actually succeeds before doing that."
The Head Elder smiled.
"Knowing the Patriarch, I doubt we'll have to wait much longer."