The sudden appearance of this figure drew everyone's attention, as they turned to observe the being who knelt before Lin Qian.
The aura of a sixth-tier Awakened radiated from this person, a clear indication of his formidable power. The precision and efficiency with which he had eliminated those Blackhorn soldiers made it clear that this was not someone to be underestimated.
Despite the fact that those Blackhorns had begun to scatter, they had been accurately tracked and intercepted in such a short time. This level of skill in calculating each target's escape route and speed, then using arrows to block all possible exits and eliminate them, was a rare ability.
From Lin Qian's earlier command, the crowd learned that this lightly armored man was named Duancheng. What particularly caught their attention were his eyes.
"What a pair of sharp eyes. His Majesty truly has exceptional talents under his command," Xu Wuwei, who stood beside Yue Liqiu, remarked in amazement as Duancheng stood up.
At this moment, they fully understood that Lin Qian didn't necessarily need them; their allegiance was, in fact, an attempt to attach themselves to a powerful figure.
However, Lin Qian had always treated them with respect, carefully listening to their words and providing them with answers.
With unmatched strength, capable subordinates, and as the leader of a faction from the world above, the four tribal elders now realized that they had secured a tremendous advantage by pledging loyalty to Lin Qian.
While the human contingent led by Yue Liqiu felt a sense of satisfaction, the tribal elders from the Four Tribal Domains—the Redhorn, Dwarf, and Lingti clans—watched with grave expressions.
Lin Qian's aura unmistakably marked him as a first-tier Awakened, yet his strength was overwhelmingly disproportionate.
A figure like Shen Zhixing, forced to burn his life force, was clearly under tremendous pressure from Lin Qian. The chaotic state of Shen Zhixing's aura made this obvious to anyone who observed him closely.
And now, the rapidly dwindling vitality of Shen Zhixing clearly indicated what he was doing.
He was burning his life force!
While burning one's life force led to a severe loss of power, it didn't necessarily result in death. But burning his life force, his very essence, was an irreversible path to mutual destruction.
It was a technique that sacrificed one's own life to gain immense power, but at an unbearable cost.
Engulfed in purple flames, Shen Zhixing's appearance was rapidly deteriorating as his body aged. He could no longer maintain his former looks—his outward form now reflected his inner despair, as he descended into hopelessness.
The forces he had painstakingly built were obliterated by Lin Qian's Xia Bing Class assault ship, leaving only a sea of flames.
His offspring and beloved concubine were also in the royal city, consumed by the same inferno.
His cherished son Yi'er had fallen at the hands of Lin Qian, and despite burning his life force, he had failed to kill Lin Qian. His surviving subordinates had been slaughtered by the hawk-eyed archer with the massive bow.
Now, Shen Zhixing had nothing left. All he could do was take Lin Qian down with him.
"Lin Qian, die with me!" Shen Zhixing's withered face twisted into a terrifying grimace as he let out a furious roar. He forced all his remaining soul power out of his body, mixing it with the purple flames born from his burning life force, increasing the overwhelming pressure.
The surrounding spiritual energy in the area was violently stirred as Shen Zhixing's soul power erupted, merging with the energy and spiraling upward.
Simultaneously, the spherical crystal embedded in Shen Zhixing's chest shattered, releasing its energy skyward.
"Final Soul Destruction."
Shen Zhixing's bloodshot eyes locked onto Lin Qian, his withered hands slamming downward.
Boom!
A soul force, radiating immense pressure, surged from above toward Lin Qian, encompassing a range of several hundred miles as Shen Zhixing poured all his life force into this final, devastating attack.
The descending purple soul force, though not particularly fast, was unavoidable for Lin Qian, who stood directly at its epicenter.
"Your Majesty!" Yue Liqiu shouted in alarm, but before he could act, his master, Xu Wuwei, grabbed him, pulling him back to safety.
Not only them but also the tribal elders from the other three clans, seeing the incoming attack, retreated in a panic.
Fortunately, they had been on the periphery of the attack's range and managed to escape in time. Watching the descending wave of soul power, they couldn't help but feel a deep sense of dread.
A grandmaster-level Awakened, sacrificing his life to unleash such a lethal attack—none of them wanted to risk facing that and losing their lives in the process.
"Hahaha, I've avenged you all!" Shen Zhixing laughed maniacally, confident in the lethal power of his soul force, which posed no threat to himself. He remained where he was, laughing triumphantly as the overwhelming soul force surged down.
The burning purple flames had bathed Lin Qian in their light, and the soul force was now mere feet away from him.
Those who had fled—Yue Liqiu and the other tribal elders—could no longer see Lin Qian.
"What a pity. Even a warrior as strong as him can't withstand such an attack," lamented the Dwarf clan elder, watching the soul force cascade downward. "Such a powerful figure could have been a great ally against the Blackhorn Kingdom's tyranny."
"Indeed. Humanity has regained its true strength thanks to his presence. Who could have imagined that the Strong Body Fruit was poisonous to humans, rather than beneficial?" added the Lingti clan elder, shaking his head in regret.
The Redhorn clan elder, a towering figure with arms crossed over his chest, stared at the burning purple soul force and said firmly, "If Lin Qian survives, I'd be willing to follow him, just like the humans."
Upon hearing this, the Dwarf and Lingti clan elders shook their heads and sighed. "That's impossible. Even if he could withstand this immense soul force, it will likely last for an entire cup of tea's time."
"This human named Lin Qian might hold out for a few moments, but to survive for an entire cup of tea is impossible."
Even those present, including Yue Liqiu and his group, did not believe that Lin Qian could survive the direct impact of such an attack for a full cup of tea's time.
After all, Shen Zhixing, a grandmaster-level Awakened and the thirteenth prince of the Blackhorn Kingdom, had sacrificed his life to ensure that both he and Lin Qian would perish together.