Outside the Gate of the Dead Nation, Celestial Burial Mountain
The twin lotuses had woven their intricate stratagem, their blades and swords uniting to slay the God of Death.
As Su Huanzhen and Thousand-Sun Legend joined forces, they recreated the primordial chaos that had existed before the dawn of creation—the very force that birthed the cosmos.
And Su Huanzhen, wielding this chaotic power, unleashed the second strike of the Three Oaths to Heaven—Cleansing the Demonic Miasma, the Sacred Peaks Rise—shattering the legend of the God of Death and annihilating the Grand Academician's physical form.
Yet, though his body was destroyed, the Grand Academician's spirit erupted from its shattered vessel, surging with the same devastating energy as the God of Death.
Fortunately, the Seven Buddhas' Purifying Demonic Array—prepared in advance—trapped his fleeing spirit.
Had it not been there, the Grand Academician would surely have sought rebirth through another vessel.
But the array would not hold him for long.
"The Desolate God is dead. How long can this petty formation restrain me?" the Grand Academician sneered.
"Hahaha—" he laughed mockingly.
Even as a mere spirit, the Grand Academician remained as arrogant and domineering as ever.
Yet just as he believed himself beyond the array's grasp—
"Ye Xiao Chai!" Su Huanzhen called urgently.
At his reminder, Ye Xiao Chai, gripping the Heavenly Sword, channeled his inner energy.
"Ha—!" Ye Xiao Chai shouted.
Ten-Thousand Autumns joined his power with Ye Xiao Chai's.
"Ya—!" Ten-Thousand Autumns cried.
And Yin Shiren, shielding them both, infused his Buddhist energy into Ye Xiao Chai's body.
With their combined might, the Desolate God burst forth from the Heavenly Sword, its roar shaking the heavens.
Before the Grand Academician's stunned gaze, it clamped its jaws around his spectral form.
"The Desolate God?! How?!" the Grand Academician exclaimed in shock.
At last, the Grand Academician's composure shattered. Panic replaced his arrogance.
But it was too late. There was nothing he could do.
The Desolate God's power scattered the God of Death's energy, purging all traces of evil.
Thus, the legend of the Dead Nation reached its end.
The fallen Grand Academician would never know—Yi Xi Haitang now carried his child.
As for the Desolate God, it returned to the chaotic cosmos, awaiting the next call of destiny.
"Many thanks, Master Yin!" Su Huanzhen said, bowing deeply.
"The gratitude should go to Six-Silk Robe, who exhausted his cultivation to preserve the Desolate God's vitality," Yin Shiren replied humbly.
"Yet we must still thank you for your guidance," Su Huanzhen insisted.
"Hmm," Yin Shiren acknowledged.
This time, Yin Shiren accepted the thanks.
For Su Huanzhen was not merely thanking him for restoring the Desolate God's power—but also for his strategy.
As Yin Shiren had once told the Grand Academician, it was he who had informed Su Huanzhen, Thousand-Sun Legend, Ye Xiao Chai, and Ten-Thousand Autumns of the Grand Academician's impending arrival at Celestial Burial Mountain.
Yin Shiren had deduced that the Grand Academician, seeking to surpass the God of Death, would inevitably come to open the Gate of the Dead Nation by his own means.
That alone had been enough for Su Huanzhen.
With the Desolate God's power restored by Yin Shiren's hand—
The Silence of the Gods, sharpened by the blood of the Nine-Realm Buddha Emperor—
The Shadow God Blade, retrieved by Thousand-Sun Legend—
And the Sword of Creation, reclaimed by Ten-Thousand Autumns from Doom Sun—
Four divine weapons had sufficed to sever Apocalypse Myth.
Though Ten-Thousand Autumns had initially turned against Thousand-Sun Legend to infiltrate the Grand Academician's ranks, his true purpose had been to study Apocalypse Myth.
Through his research, he had reclaimed his Sword of Creation and understood Apocalypse Myth's true might.
In the end, he and Ye Xiao Chai had wielded the four blades to destroy it.
Once they knew the Grand Academician would likely come to Celestial Burial Mountain, Su Huanzhen had rushed to Sumero Buddha's Treasury, requesting its new Dharma Master, Sa'an, and its monks to set up the Seven Buddhas' Purifying Demonic Array ten miles from the mountain.
The rest was history.
The only flaw in their plan was that the Grand Academician had still opened the Gate of the Dead Nation—though it would take a month to fully activate.
Su Huanzhen had considered stopping him, but he knew some sacrifices were inevitable.
Another reason they had held back was that Thousand-Sun Legend and Ten-Thousand Autumns had not yet arrived.
Before coming to Celestial Burial Mountain, the Grand Academician had sent Ten-Thousand Autumns to kill Thousand-Sun Legend.
Naturally, this had been part of their plan—a ruse to rendezvous instead.
But even at full speed, they had arrived too late.
There was also an unspoken truth among them all:
The Grand Academician's strength was fearsome.
Allowing him to expend energy opening the gate had increased their chances of killing him.
Hence, Yin Shiren had also lent his power to Ye Xiao Chai.
Thus, through Yin Shiren's scheme, the Grand Academician was no more.
Even without his intervention, the Grand Academician would have fallen—but Yin Shiren had hastened his demise by days, sparing countless lives.
Yet those few days had required meticulous effort.
Even Medicine Tathagata had played a part—delaying the return of the Inky Hanging Divine Needle to Lonely Heaven by a single day.
After his battles with Six-Silk Robe and Ye Xiao Chai, the Grand Academician's body had been wounded by Divine Emperor's Qi and the Desolate God's holy energy.
The only one who could heal him swiftly was the Medical Heretic, Lonely Heaven—but to do so, she needed her Inky Hanging Divine Needle, which she had lent to Six-Silk Robe.
During the final clash for the Heavenly Sword, Ye Xiao Chai, poisoned and gravely injured, had defeated Doom Sun.
To heal him, Medicine Tathagata had proposed merging his Zhongli Divine Needle with Lonely Heaven's Inky Hanging Divine Needle to reform the complete Seven Divine Needles.
Thus, Six-Silk Robe had borrowed it from her.
Without it, Lonely Heaven could not treat the Grand Academician immediately.
Medicine Tathagata's one-day delay had bought Sumero Buddha's Treasury enough time to prepare.
Just then, Dharma Master Sa'an approached.
"Su Huanzhen, Thousand-Sun Legend—thank you for ridding the world of this demon," Sa'an said solemnly.
His unspoken words were gratitude for avenging his father, the former Dharma Master, Zongka'er, who had been slain by the God of Death's Four Barriers under the Grand Academician's orders.
"The Seven Buddhas' Purifying Demonic Array you cultivated was indispensable," Su Huanzhen replied modestly.
"We shall return to Sumero Buddha's Treasury now. Su Huanzhen, Thousand-Sun Legend—farewell," Sa'an announced, bowing.
Once he was gone, Su Huanzhen and Thousand-Sun Legend turned their gaze to the now-visible Gate of the Dead Nation.
Though it would not open fully for some time, it could not be left unattended.
"Su Huanzhen, do you still have strength left?" Thousand-Sun Legend asked.
"Hmm," Su Huanzhen affirmed.
"Ha—!" they both roared in unison.
With a shared exertion, the two unleashed twin sealing arts, locking the gate shut.
"This should delay its opening for now," Su Huanzhen observed.
"Let us rest and seek a permanent solution later," Thousand-Sun Legend suggested.
He then left with Ten-Thousand Autumns, while Su Huanzhen, Ye Xiao Chai, and Yin Shiren remained.
"Where will you go next, Master Yin?" Su Huanzhen inquired.
"I shall visit Deer Park Monastery to see the outcome of the battle between the Nine-Realm Buddha Emperor and Heaven's Wrath," Yin Shiren answered.
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