Chapter 103: Repairing the Dimensional Rift

The moon rose above the sea.

A golden lotus bloomed in the bitter ocean.

A fish leaped from the water.

A flower blossomed in the heavens beyond.

Four celestial visions surrounded Lin Jiufeng, radiating a terrifying energy that spread outward, covering the five-hundred-mile expanse of Cangshan.

Dressed in black robes, his posture straight and imposing, Lin Jiufeng stood before the luminous moon, his cold gaze fixed upon the escapees from the Dimensional Prison.

They were an eclectic mix—different races, different forms—but all were staring back at Lin Jiufeng with wary eyes.

None dared to act recklessly.

The way Lin Jiufeng had decisively slain the few who had charged at him earlier had sent a chilling message.

A cultivator wielding four celestial visions, possessing an Eleventh Ban cultivation, and showing no hesitation in cutting down escapees from the Dimensional Prison—this combination was enough to intimidate even the boldest of criminals.

They had just broken free after untold years of imprisonment. Was it worth gambling their newfound freedom on a direct confrontation with such a terrifying foe? Even if they won, they would be left severely weakened. If they lost, then all their struggles would be for nothing.

With that thought, a significant portion of the escapees abandoned their plans to resist. Instead, they scattered across the world, seeking secluded places to recover their strength and absorb spiritual energy.

Lin Jiufeng watched them go, exhaling lightly.

At least half of the prisoners had chosen to retreat. If all thousand had attacked together, even he would have struggled to hold them off.

Yet, among those who remained, some were unwilling to back down. Their eyes blazed with anger and frustration.

"You there, human brat! Get lost! I need to get my big brother out of there!"

A booming voice rang out.

The speaker was a massive giant, standing over thirty feet tall. He was bald, and in the center of his forehead, a single vertical eye gleamed ominously. His voice rumbled like thunder, his glare filled with rage.

Lin Jiufeng's expression remained icy. "Shout at me again, and you die."

The cyclopean giant burst into laughter, his laughter laced with fury. "Kill me? If I were at my peak, crushing you would be as effortless as squashing an ant! A mere Eleventh Ban cultivator—what gives you the right to talk big in front of me?"

Clang!

Lin Jiufeng unsheathed his sword.

A sharp resonance echoed through the heavens.

At that instant, all of his power condensed into a single point at the tip of his blade. His physical body and spirit aligned in perfect harmony.

Then, in a flash, he vanished.

A streak of light—faster than the eye could track—pierced through the sky.

By the time Lin Jiufeng reappeared beneath the luminous moon, his sword was already back in its sheath.

The giant remained motionless, his sole eye filled with confusion. His lips parted as if to speak, but no sound emerged.

He clutched at his forehead.

His massive frame trembled.

Then, without another word, he collapsed.

Boom!

A deafening crash.

The cyclopean giant's soul had been utterly annihilated.

With a single strike, Lin Jiufeng had erased his very existence.

Silence fell over the battlefield.

The other escapees, who had been harboring thoughts of resistance, shuddered in disbelief.

"The Cyclopean Giant was a peak Fifteenth Ban cultivator... yet he was slain in a single blow?"

"He may have been weakened after all those years in the Dimensional Prison, but to be killed instantly? That's terrifying."

"We can't fight this guy."

"We leave. Now."

One after another, the remaining prisoners made their decision.

They dispersed.

Cangshan fell into an eerie stillness.

The sky was quiet once more.

Meanwhile, the Old Dragon continued exhaling vast waves of breath, forming grand formations one after another. These formations, glowing with radiant power, sealed the spatial rift shut.

"I will help you."

Seeing that the danger had passed, Lin Jiufeng channeled his energy into the Old Dragon.

Lin Jiufeng's energy was vast, boundless, and incredibly pure. As the Old Dragon absorbed it, he let out an ecstatic roar.

"Lin Jiufeng, the Grand Scholar was right about you! You are the true God of the Mortal Realm!"

The Old Dragon inhaled deeply, then released an enormous surge of energy.

Thousands of formations materialized in an instant, converging upon the dimensional rift.

The rift—once a gaping wound in the world—began to heal.

From within the Dimensional Prison, desperate figures clawed at the closing breach, their expressions twisted with frustration and rage.

But Lin Jiufeng paid them no heed.

Soon, the spatial rift was completely sealed.

The once-majestic Cangshan lay in ruins. The land was cracked and broken, its landscapes forever changed.

But the rift was no more.

Lin Jiufeng inspected the area carefully, then turned to the Old Dragon. "What if someone tries to break it open again?"

The Old Dragon shook his head. "Impossible. Even if you had Wen Xinyun strike with that same sword again right now, she wouldn't be able to sever the connection."

"Why not?" Wen Xinyun asked curiously.

"Because the Dimensional Prison is not fixed in place," the Old Dragon explained.

The group turned their attention to him.

The Old Dragon coiled his massive body, lifting his head high. "The Dimensional Prison was originally created as a lawless microcosm within the Dimensional Battlefield. It is a small, barren world, devoid of energy or spiritual essence. Unlike a static prison, it constantly moves, rotating around the battlefield like a drifting island.

"The only reason Wen Xinyun managed to cut it open was sheer luck. A one-in-a-million chance.

"From this moment forward, even if those escapees gather all their might and slash at this spot a million times over, they won't reopen the rift."

"So that's how it is…" Lin Jiufeng exhaled, finally setting his worries aside.

"I must have had incredible luck, then," Wen Xinyun murmured, half in awe, half in self-mockery.

"You did." The Old Dragon chuckled. "When I first saw the breach, I was wondering how the Mortal Realm could possibly be bordering the Dimensional Prison. Turns out, you just happened to hit the weakest point at the perfect moment."

Lin Jiufeng turned to the Old Dragon. "May I ask your name, Senior?"

"Dragon Emperor," the Old Dragon declared proudly.

"That's a title, not a name," the Holy Beast Qilin muttered, furrowing his brow.

"A title is more than enough. We aren't family—what do you need my real name for?" the Old Dragon retorted.

Lin Jiufeng nodded, not pressing the matter further. "Dragon Emperor, will the escapees from the Dimensional Prison pose a serious threat to the Mortal Realm?"

"Of course they will," the Old Dragon replied without hesitation. "The ones locked away in that place are the most heinous criminals of a hundred different races. To them, humans are nothing more than livestock. They've been imprisoned for eons, drained of their vitality, left to starve in darkness. Now that they're free, they will surely bring chaos upon the world."

Lin Jiufeng's expression darkened.

The others, too, sensed the impending calamity.

"More than a thousand prisoners escaped," the Grand Scholar said gravely. "If left unchecked, this will be a disaster unlike anything we've ever seen."

"This is all my fault…" Wen Xinyun whispered, filled with guilt.

Lin Jiufeng shook his head.

"No need for guilt. They won't get the chance to ravage the Mortal Realm."

His voice was calm.

Resolute.

The Old Dragon narrowed his eyes. "God of the Mortal Realm, what are you planning?"

Lin Jiufeng met his gaze, his tone unwavering.

"I will grant them ascension—send them to the Dimensional Battlefield."

The Holy Beast Qilin frowned. "They're too weak right now. Why would they agree to ascend?"

Lin Jiufeng's expression turned cold.

"If they refuse…"

"They die."