Chapter 882: Burning the Soul to Crush a Dao Integration Cultivator
“Boom!”
Li Fan felt his spiritual soul instantly plunged into a sea of magma.
An intense, searing heat threatened to incinerate his spiritual soul completely.
Enveloped by an endless light, Li Fan felt his spiritual soul dissolving at a terrifying rate, vanishing into nothingness.
Yet, as it was consumed by the flames, his spiritual soul transformed into a mysterious, nourishing fuel.
The Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven quivered, and a crimson radiance bloomed within each of its grotto-worlds.
It cast an eerie yet beautiful glow upon the landscapes of the five elements.
Beneath this crimson shroud, strange new phenomena manifested across the firmaments of the grotto-heavens.
A lethal sense of crisis flooded his mind. Li Fan knew that if he didn't activate [Truth] before his spiritual soul was completely consumed, he would truly die.
Forcibly suppressing the urge to activate [Truth], Li Fan silently began to circulate the [Limitless Fullness and Emptiness].
An invisible vortex materialized at the confluence of the Five Elements Grotto-Heavens, evenly siphoning off the vast, raging elemental powers.
The five elements merged into one. From the void, the power of fullness and emptiness was born.
What was once like a seabed left bare by a receding tide was instantly engulfed again by a surging torrent.
Nourished by this power of fullness and emptiness, the portion of Li Fan's spiritual soul that had vanished actually reappeared!
Although it was swiftly incinerated again by the 'Burning Soul' secret art, the power of the Five Elements' fullness and emptiness was inexhaustible, allowing that portion of his soul to regrow like wild grass—no matter how many times it was burned, it could not be eradicated!
Under the effects of the Soul Burning art, Li Fan's entire form became shrouded in a faint, bloody light.
He exuded a terrifying, malevolent aura that was chilling to behold.
After some time, Li Fan gradually adapted to the constant flux of his spiritual soul, caught between the states of 'Burning Soul' and 'Fullness and Emptiness'.
A quick assessment revealed that not only had the power at his command nearly doubled, but his thoughts also flowed with much greater clarity and speed.
The augmentation from burning his soul was truly all-encompassing!
“And this is just from burning the outermost layer of my soul. If I were to use the more condensed, purer core as fuel...”
“The augmentation would double again!”
Li Fan closed his eyes, sensing his state for a moment.
“With the current recovery rate of my [Limitless Fullness and Emptiness], I can permanently sustain the initial stage of the 'Burning Soul' state.”
“Sustaining a mid-tier 'Burning Soul' for an extended period might cause some damage to my spiritual soul. It would require some time to slowly recover afterward.”
“As for the ultimate 'Burning Soul'...”
“That won't be necessary.”
Feeling his power swell, Li Fan was instantly itching for a fight.
At his thought, Tianyang appeared before him in a flash, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.
Using the newly opened passage to the Soul Yin World, Li Fan and Tianyang reappeared in the empty, void-like corridor.
Casting aside all restraint, Tianyang struck first.
Ever since his last defeat at his senior brother's hands, he had been determined to claim victory.
Unfortunately, Li Fan had consistently avoided a rematch.
Now, with the opportunity finally before him, Tianyang could sense that his senior brother's power had advanced tremendously once more.
Thus, he unleashed his full power from the very first strike.
He manipulated the space around Li Fan, attempting to tear him apart with the force of its fragmentation.
To his astonishment, however, the technique that had been so effective in their last duel was now utterly useless!
An eerie, blood-red light enveloped Li Fan's physical body.
Even as the space around him fractured, he remained completely unharmed, standing firm amidst the shattered void.
“The body and soul, perfectly fused.”
“Impervious to all arts...”
Li Fan narrowed his eyes, savoring the surging power within him.
His form flickered, and in the next instant, he was at Tianyang's side.
Myriad crimson tendrils erupted from his body, like a thousand blood-red dragons, roaring as they lashed out at Tianyang.
Simultaneously, a silver glint flashed in his eyes, and he instantly laid an array around them, sealing off any chance of escape for Tianyang.
Faced with Li Fan's ferocious, overwhelming assault, Tianyang's expression shifted.
Realizing he could not evade, his entire body dissolved into a black mass, clashing against the countless crimson tendrils.
“Boom!”
An immense roar echoed ceaselessly. With each impact, the black mass that was Tianyang shuddered violently.
It was consumed, growing dimmer with each blow.
In stark contrast, Li Fan's violent crimson power seemed utterly inexhaustible. The momentum of his assault showed no signs of weakening.
He even had the luxury of revealing his form, watching with great interest as Tianyang struggled desperately.
Myriad crimson tendrils enveloped Tianyang completely, solidifying around him into a spherical, blood-red cocoon. Trapped with no route of escape, he could only defend himself in disarray.
With a ceaseless supply of spiritual power from the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven, Li Fan could maintain his peak state indefinitely.
Tianyang, on the other hand, was trapped and his aura grew steadily weaker.
Before long, it seemed Li Fan would beat him to death.
Finally, Tianyang projected a plea for mercy.
After continuing the barrage for a little longer, Li Fan finally, and somewhat reluctantly, pulled back.
“Well, little junior brother? Still not convinced?” Li Fan asked with a chuckle.
Tianyang muttered, “I'm convinced. You're stronger, senior brother.”
Li Fan roared with laughter.
Crushing an opponent with sheer power was far more satisfying than winning through clever tactics.
The myriad crimson tendrils retracted into his body, but he did not deactivate the 'Burning Soul' state.
He merely restrained some of the outward manifestations of his power.
Though not as intense as before, a bloody light still clung to him, and he still carried a hint of a sinister air.
“As long as I'm not facing someone on Mr. Bai's level, ordinary Dao Integration cultivators won't be able to wear me down, even if three or five of them attacked together, or even took turns.”
“And that's without even using my various divine abilities.”
Having gauged the upper limits of his current strength from the bout with Tianyang, Li Fan nodded slightly.
“It's time to pay the Empire a visit.”
A glint appeared in Li Fan's eyes.
With Tianyang in tow, he followed the familiar path to the entrance of the Empire's small world.
From there, he traveled at great speed, soon arriving just outside the Empire.
He made no attempt to conceal his powerful aura, so Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong had sensed his approach long ago. They now waited, their expressions grave.
“Senior...” Xiao Qing began, her voice tentative. She gazed at Li Fan, cloaked in his sinister aura, a flicker of apprehension in her eyes.
“I am an envoy of the Federation of All Worlds,” Li Fan announced, his voice cold. “This small world of yours is hereby requisitioned!”
The color drained from the faces of Xiao Qing and Xiao Hong.
Even if they could faintly sense the aura of a Dao Integration cultivator emanating from him, the notion that he could conquer their Empire with a single sentence was an outrageous insult!
“Imperial Guard!”
Xiao Qing sent a telepathic command, suppressing her fury as she asked again, “What is this Federation of All Worlds? We have never heard of it. Senior, this action of yours...”
Li Fan let out a chilling cackle. “It seems you're still clinging to false hope.”
“Very well. I shall let you witness what true power looks like!”
Before the words had left his lips, the phantom image of the Five Elements Great Cave-Heaven descended, blanketing the sky above the Empire.
Fueled by his burning soul, it appeared as five intersecting blood moons—an incomparably sinister sight!
Comments