Chapter 121: Battle Against the Sage (Final)

"ROAR!"

From within the radiant divine fruit came an endless, furious bellow—like ten thousand beasts stampeding forth, a torrent of destruction entwined with it. The aura was that of a lonely deathlight, crumbling and cold, erasing all under heaven.

The multicolored fruit surged through the air, causing the heavens and earth to hum. The Heavenly Chains, bathed in silver brilliance, faltered for a split second—just long enough for the fruit to pierce through their seal. In the blink of an eye, it appeared before the old man.

A gray current swirled in the air, connecting to the Great Dao of the Nine Heavens. All around, the world seemed to teeter on the edge of collapse. Even before it touched him, the elder felt a corrosive, annihilative aura sweeping in—an unstoppable force that made his heart tremble.

"Not good."

With a soft murmur, divine radiance erupted from within him. The void behind him split open, revealing a miniature world. With a single step, he entered it. Radiant divine brilliance coursed across his body—like an undying deity incarnate.

A primordial bell resounded, the chaos of creation surging. Relics from the dawn of heaven and earth emerged in all their sacred glory. Laws of the Sage Domain intertwined, forming a boundless canopy of divine light.

BOOM—

The miniature world roared. The sky collapsed, the earth fractured. Beneath the surface, the Nine Nether Yellow Spring emerged. A dark, deathly river of underworld waters flowed without end. Layer upon layer of ancient black pagodas rose from the depths, forming the Ten Yama Kings. Ghostly qi from the Nether Realm seeped out into the world.

With another step, the old man stood atop the Ten Yama Kings. From within, a coffin emerged, devouring endless death energy. As the laws of the Sage Domain descended, the entire world was plunged into shadow and gloom.

The divine fruit's glow flickered as it charged into this mini-world. Endless underworld death energy surged against it, dimming its light. Even the furious howls of the beast within began to fade.

"Break."

Outside the miniature world, Chen Xiaoming, still entangled in the Heavenly Chains, paused. His eyes narrowed at the scene. "Is this old man trying to create an Underworld?"

But something felt wrong—there were no Paramita Flowers, no Bridge of No Return, no Eighteen Levels of Hell, and certainly no Wheel of Reincarnation. Instead, this world was thick with death and ghostly energy, more like a domain of pure desolation.

Still, it was only a moment's distraction—Chen Xiaoming had no interest in discussing philosophies with this man.

He guided the aura of destruction within the divine fruit. This malformed imitation of the underworld—he would break it himself.

A stream of gray aura burst from the divine fruit, slashing through the mini-world. In an instant, the will of annihilation pervaded the old man's realm.

RIP—

The gray current tore open a rift in space, and the aura of destruction swept across the domain. The old man, standing atop the Ten Yama Kings, summoned divine power within. With a fierce strike, he slapped the death-coffin behind him. Terrifying death energy surged forth, swallowing the world.

Within the endless miasma of death, it felt as though countless vengeful spirits howled in unison.

Outside the realm, Chen Xiaoming and the Ruthless Emperor, who were locked in battle with the Heavenly Chains, suddenly changed expression.

These howls weren't woven from laws of the Sage Domain. They were the final cries of real souls, their despairing laments before death.

Chen Xiaoming's gaze turned cold as he looked at the miniature world cloaked in these wails. His eyes fixed on the elder—killing intent surged violently.

So many had been slaughtered… all to refine this coffin?

Murderous will froze the surrounding void. With a single thrust of his spear, Chen Xiaoming pierced forward and entered the elder's mini-world.

"Hahaha, well done! Now perish within my Sage Domain!"

The old man laughed wildly, delight dancing in his eyes. He raised his right hand. Outside the domain, the Heavenly Chains recoiled instantly, sealing off the exit. Silver chains unfurled and wove a web across the sky.

"To die under my Heaven-Net and Earth-Fiend entrapment—you should be proud!"

With arrogance brimming, he summoned the underworld Yellow Spring beneath. Death energy surged and gathered. The Heaven-Locking Chains contracted above, tightening their grip on Chen Xiaoming.

Ten black pagodas shot through the air, transforming into the Ten Yama Kings as they soared over Chen Xiaoming's head, ready to suppress him beneath the Earth Fiend.

"Return."

Chen Xiaoming glanced up at the divine fruit, still clashing with the underworld energy. With a flick of his hand, he summoned it back—it dissolved into his body.

"Hahaha, from now on, you shall fall forever into the Yellow Spring."

The elder was ecstatic. In his Sage Domain, he was a god. The laws bent to his will, divine might infused the pagodas. The Yellow Spring surged upward, Heavenly Chains fell from above, cutting off all retreat.

Under this massive pressure, it felt as if Chen Xiaoming were bearing the weight of an entire world. Wounds tore across his body—blood gushed freely.

He furrowed his brow. Facing such overwhelming odds, he drew a deep breath and looked down at the silver spear—his bloodline's final source of power.

"No other choice. I'll have to count on you."

Murmuring quietly, a dazzling silver radiance erupted from within him. The void behind him split open, revealing a silhouette from the edge of the endless emptiness.

A towering shadow of a willow tree appeared. Three branches drooped downward—his unique manifestation.

"Go."

He thrust the silver spear toward the vision. Space shattered. Without hesitation, Chen Xiaoming followed, gripping the spear tightly and plunging in.

Silver light wrapped around him, but the gray destructive aura still tore at his body. His divine consciousness worked constantly to repair it.

Through sheer will, and with the restoration ability of his system, he attempted once more to draw out the colossal tree-shadow.

His body continually disintegrated and reformed under the gray current. Gritting his teeth, he endured the pain. Without the silver spear and its bloodline power, he would've been turned to dust long ago.

The old man watched him with confusion—but he was no fool. Even a lion must use full strength to hunt a rabbit. He would give Chen Xiaoming no chance for a final counterattack.

The ten black pagodas merged into a singular death artifact—the Ten Yama Kings of the Underworld. The Yellow Spring surged, transforming the realm's power into the Earth Fiend Spring. Under the Heaven-Net, all life would be extinguished.

The Sage Domain had been brought to its peak form. Its immense power enveloped Chen Xiaoming entirely.

But Chen Xiaoming clenched his teeth and held fast.

Just a little more. But the attack had already begun. The old man would give him no more time.

WHOOSH—

At that moment, a figure burst forth—resolute and unwavering. Sword in hand, radiating immortal brilliance, the blade's glow tore through space, intercepting three waves of deadly force.

It was the Ruthless Emperor.

The elder had undone the world's seal in order to land a killing blow. That was the opening the Ruthless Emperor needed to enter.

"You saved me once. I'm merely returning the favor."

Her voice echoed softly in Chen Xiaoming's ears as her frail figure moved to shield him.

"No—!"

In an instant, her sword's glow was obliterated by the terrifying force. That same force then struck down upon her, aiming to wipe her from existence.

But she surged with gray aura—Heaven Devouring Demonic Art unleashed to the limit. An immense suction devoured the surrounding death energy, compressing it into a single devastating counterstrike.

Just as she was preparing to follow through, a brilliant silver light appeared beneath her feet. Her body froze—Dao patterns etched across space, binding her.

She turned quickly. Chen Xiaoming was looking right at her, a smug smile on his face.

"You want to repay me? Not that easy."

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