Chapter 1234: Ink Death Erases All Traces
As the space in Luoyan Prefecture of the Xuanhuang Realm continued to collapse, Qingfeng was slowly dragged out, revealing its true form.
It was, astonishingly, a willow tree with branches and leaves swaying in the non-existent wind!
But Qingfeng was clearly no ordinary tree spirit. At first glance, it resembled a willow, but upon closer inspection, it bore the characteristics of many other types of trees fused into one.
After pulling out most of Qingfeng’s true form, the silver chain stopped its advance, locked in a stalemate in mid-air.
It was as if it had met an immense resistance.
And though it appeared to be in such a sorry state, Qingfeng, for some reason, showed no sign of pain.
It just kept muttering to itself, as if Li Ping’s actions had genuinely triggered a memory.
"This place is..."
"What in the world has happened all these years?"
"It was..."
"Tian..."
"Tian Yin?!"
At that moment, a similar silver glint shot out from within the willow tree.
It sped directly toward Li Ping.
The silver light was so fast that it appeared before Li Ping almost at the very instant it manifested.
It aimed straight for his head, right where his sea of consciousness resided.
The automatic defense of the Essence of Golden Source Power was just as unimaginably fast.
A protective barrier materialized in front of Li Ping, clashing violently with the silver glint.
There was no earth-shattering explosion, only the intense, mutual annihilation of their light.
"Flee?"
At the same time, Li Ping faintly perceived the will transmitted by the Xuanhuang Realm's Heavenly Dao.
It was a warning, urging him to escape immediately.
Li Ping’s heart sank as he glanced forward.
Under the corrosive power of the Essence of Golden Source Power, the brilliant silver light slowly revealed its true form.
It was a seemingly ordinary silver needle.
Although the light enveloping it was gradually fading, the sense of threat it emanated did not diminish in the slightest.
"Right now, with the power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao upon me, I am practically at the half-step Longevity stage."
"And yet, I'm locked in an inextricable struggle with a tiny silver needle..."
Li Ping felt no despair, only a simmering anger.
Along with the needle, the image of an ancient, benevolent face appeared in his mind.
"As I thought, this is undeniably the work of someone from the Tianfa Realm."
"To bring chaos to the Xuanhuang Realm... such a crime is punishable by death!"
Killing intent surged in Li Ping's heart.
However, he knew he was not yet a match for the Heavenly Doctor. He had to retreat for now.
He instantly released his grip on the silver chain. Qingfeng—or rather, Tian Yin—began to slowly turn transparent again.
"Go."
Li Ping had no time to spare for her now.
While fending off the silver needle's assault, Li Ping prepared to leave Luoyan Prefecture.
Even in this moment of crisis, he didn't forget to take the utterly stunned Sun Luyuan with him.
Enveloped in golden source power, Li Ping’s figure also began to fade.
The Heavenly Doctor's silver needle did not pursue them. Instead, it returned to Tian Yin’s body, suppressing her back into a state of formlessness.
Just before he vanished, Li Ping thought he heard a faint sigh echoing through the air.
"Oh, Tian Yin, faint as a distant echo... where now is your home..."
"Oh, Tian Yin, faint as a distant echo... where now is your home."
After Li Ping had completely disappeared from Luoyan Prefecture, the cosmic disturbance did not subside.
On the contrary, it grew increasingly violent.
Streaks of lightning descended in a frenzy. The raging thunderstorm was like the end of the world.
Or rather, the end of the world had truly arrived.
Because a figure as black as ink had already descended upon Luoyan Prefecture.
If Li Fan had been there, he would have instantly recognized this familiar entity.
It was none other than the Spirit of Heaven and Earth, Ink Death!
As the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao's ultimate world-ending measure, it had descended decisively the moment Li Ping left.
Ink Death first glanced in the direction Li Ping had disappeared.
Then, it split from one into ten thousand, and from ten thousand into a hundred million.
Without any hesitation, it expertly manifested an endless tide of black.
It was going to completely erase Luoyan Prefecture.
Ink Death had arrived, and this time, its speed of expansion was far greater than what Li Fan had experienced when it annihilated the sea.
The cultivators of Luoyan Prefecture had no time to resist or flee.
In just a few moments, Luoyan Prefecture—a region that, while somewhat desolate, had still teemed with life—was utterly transformed into a void.
The unheralded appearance of Ink Death naturally alarmed the many hidden powerhouses within the Xuanhuang Realm.
But by then, Luoyan Prefecture no longer existed.
Even if they wanted to search for clues, there was nothing they could do.
The repercussions of Ink Death's abrupt annihilation of an entire prefecture were only just beginning.
In the Sage Dynasty of Great Qi, upon the Saint Emperor's throne.
Li Ping sat, the lingering power of the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao on his body having already informed him of what had transpired in Luoyan Prefecture.
He knew this was the Heavenly Dao's way of preventing the Heavenly Doctor from detecting and tracking him.
Furthermore, since Luoyan Prefecture was itself a fragment of the Tianfa Realm, the Xuanhuang Heavenly Dao had been exceptionally decisive in its cleansing.
"That woman... her name is Tian Yin?"
"Like the Heavenly Doctor, she possesses the ability to peer into people's minds."
"She exists without form or shape, hidden within the Xuanhuang Realm. Besides her own abilities, this is likely enhanced by the Heavenly Doctor's silver needle."
"Although I don't know their ultimate goal, it certainly bodes no good for the Xuanhuang Realm."
Although this encounter with the Heavenly Doctor had ended in a setback...
...it had given Li Ping a clear measure of the gap between them.
"He's as strong as a Dharma Spreader Heavenly Venerate, perhaps even stronger."
"It seems I still have a long way to go."
"However, the power I borrowed from the Heavenly Dao this time was limited. After all, I only intended to subdue that woman. If it had been a true life-or-death struggle, the Heavenly Dao's blessing could have been dozens of times greater."
"And my Sage Dynasty of Great Qi still holds boundless potential."
"What's more, the Fishing Pool is a supreme treasure. Perhaps it can bring me a pleasant surprise from beyond the High Wall."
Wallowing in self-pity was not Li Ping's style.
After this brief failure, he immediately began to analyze the situation and search for a solution.
"But this alone is still not enough."
Naturally, his thoughts turned to the sealed malevolent will of the Xuanhuang Realm.
Devouring the remnant will of the Congyun Sea had given him a much clearer understanding of the power of a world's consciousness.
"If I could devour the malevolent will of Xuanhuang..."
"The power of Xuanhuang would be made whole again, and I would undergo another qualitative transformation."
"It seems this matter must be prioritized."
...
While Li Ping was deep in thought, Sun Luyuan was shivering, hiding at the foot of the throne, too terrified to move.
The display of power—from the Saint Emperor before him, from Tian Yin, and from that silver needle—had left Sun Luyuan utterly stunned.
He was also a Dao Integration cultivator, yet in their presence, he was like a child, completely powerless to resist.
"What are your thoughts on that woman, Tian Yin?"
After a long silence, the Heavenly Mandate Sage Emperor's voice reached Sun Luyuan's ears.
Sun Luyuan shuddered, a pained expression on his face.
(End of this chapter)
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