"So this is the third trial of the Nine Nether Secret Realm…" Xiao Yan murmured, frowning slightly as he scanned the surrounding environment. Unlike the previous two trials, which had come with Elder Tianling's instructions and guidance, this one was entirely up to him to navigate on his own. According to what Tianling had said earlier, this third trial was also the most perilous of all. With that in mind, Xiao Yan silently raised his guard to its peak.
Just as he pondered over his surroundings, space roughly a thousand meters ahead of him began to distort violently. Moments later, a figure slowly emerged from the void—one that bore an uncanny resemblance to Xiao Yan himself. Yet compared to his current appearance, this figure looked slightly older, more mature, as if it were the version of himself that had emerged after breaking through to Dou Di during his time on the Path of Reincarnation.
"So… my opponent this time is myself?" Xiao Yan murmured under his breath. No wonder Tianling had said that even someone as powerful as Tianhuang had nearly perished here. It all made sense now. However, before he could dwell further, another figure slowly appeared beside the older "Xiao Yan."
Xiao Yan's gaze narrowed the moment he saw the newcomer.
"Lin Dong?"
He was still reeling from the surprise when a cheerful laugh echoed across the realm.
"We're not done yet."
A third figure emerged from the distortions—a young man dressed in white. Xiao Yan didn't recognize him, but the instant their eyes met, he sensed a mysterious and suffocating pressure radiating from the newcomer. It was a kind of intangible threat, difficult to put into words, but impossible to ignore.
"Flame Emperor."
"Martial Ancestor."
"Mu Chen."
The three figures spoke their names one after another. Their auras surged forth, revealing their cultivation—each at the very peak of the Sixth Grade Sovereign Stage.
Although Xiao Yan had confidence in his ability to defeat even several opponents of the same rank, his instincts screamed at him that these three were anything but ordinary.
"So… the three of you are my opponents in this final trial." A wry smile flickered across Xiao Yan's face as he clenched his palm. With a flash, the familiar weight of the Heavy Xuan Ruler appeared in his hand. In the next instant, he shot forward like a lightning bolt—his target: Lin Dong.
"Thunder Emperor Scepter!"
Electric arcs coiled around Lin Dong's arm. In the blink of an eye, a scepter sparkling with divine lightning appeared in his grasp. Dozens of thousands of Azure Dragon light patterns instantly lit up around him, causing the top of the Thunder Scepter to come alive—nine thunder dragons awakened and howled toward the heavens.
"Thunder Dragon Heaven-Locking Strike!"
Lin Dong swept the thunder scepter forward, releasing a terrifying strike enhanced by the power of those tens of thousands of dragon patterns. Even an ordinary Seventh Grade Sovereign would hesitate to take it head-on.
Unfortunately, Xiao Yan was anything but ordinary.
The Heavy Xuan Ruler clashed violently with the Thunder Scepter. Thunderous booms resounded across the battlefield as shockwaves and lightning rippled in every direction. In the end, Lin Dong's body was flung back several thousand meters from the force of the collision.
Clearly, in a pure head-to-head clash of physical might, Lin Dong was outmatched.
But before Xiao Yan could press the advantage, a sharp wind tore through the air beside him. A strike even fiercer than Lin Dong's approached him at blinding speed—the Flame Emperor had joined the fray.
Reacting instantly, Xiao Yan twisted midair and brought the Heavy Xuan Ruler crashing into the identical weapon wielded by the Flame Emperor. The impact produced a colossal burst of energy, sending both of them sliding backward.
Before he could recover, a terrifying killing intent descended from above.
Xiao Yan looked up just in time to see a massive black demonic pillar, inscribed with crimson runes, smashing down toward him. The one who had launched this deadly attack was none other than the unfamiliar Mu Chen.
Even so, Xiao Yan remained unfazed. With his left hand clenched into a fist, he punched upward, smashing into the base of the demonic pillar. With a dull boom, the weapon was forcibly knocked back.
Just as he sent the pillar flying, the Flame Emperor and Martial Ancestor reappeared at his flanks. They offered him no chance to retaliate. Lightning and flame burst from their weapons as they launched a flurry of coordinated attacks.
Despite the relentless pressure, Xiao Yan stood his ground, blocking every blow with sheer force.
"Boom!"
After another earth-shaking clash, both sides were pushed apart once more. As the Flame Emperor and Martial Ancestor leapt backward, Mu Chen finally moved again. He flicked his fingers lightly, and a mysterious glowing array materialized high in the sky, enveloping Xiao Yan in a brilliant cage of runes.
"Heaven-Rank Spiritual Array—Execution God Array!"
Hearing Mu Chen's words, Xiao Yan's pupils contracted slightly. So Mu Chen was a spiritual array master? That explained his earlier silence—he'd been secretly preparing this array the entire time. And from the looks of it, this Execution God Array was far more powerful than the Demonic Lotus Burial Array Xiao Yan had used in the past.
Heaven-rank arrays were comparable in threat to the attacks of Seventh Grade Sovereigns. Even the weakest ones posed serious danger—and Mu Chen's array was clearly top-tier among them.
Within the Execution God Array, an ominous crimson light condensed into a deadly beam. Without hesitation, it shot through space, aiming straight at Xiao Yan.
Expression tightening, Xiao Yan swiftly changed his hand seals. The rainbow-like flames surrounding him condensed into a brilliant orb of pure fire that floated over his palm.
"Heaven Flame Divine Art—Great Flame Divine Pearl!"
The radiant sphere of fire exploded with dazzling brilliance, like a miniature sun. When it collided with the crimson death ray, a deafening shockwave erupted, shaking the void itself. Both attacks were annihilated, canceling each other out.
But even though Xiao Yan had managed to resist the assault with his newly mastered peak-tier divine art, the Execution God Array itself remained fully active. Worse yet, it was already beginning to charge another attack.
However, just before the second divine beam could fire, an abnormal fluctuation surged through the array.
Instead of attacking, the condensed beam dissipated—and with it, the massive array surrounding Xiao Yan faded and eventually vanished.
The reason was simple: during the earlier clash, Xiao Yan had used the moment of impact to secretly release several strands of Heavenly Transformation Light. Relying on the deconstructive power of the ancient Heaven-Earth Formation Art, he had targeted the weaker runic nodes of the Execution God Array and corroded them from within.
That was why the terrifying array had collapsed without completing its second strike.
(End of Chapter)
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