136: 'True Name' is released, and the legend is ended with one blade

Within Bai Xiao's Sea of Consciousness, the longsword that had risen from the heart of the dark lake finally fully unsheathed in the Soul Body's hand!

In that instant, the black lake, which had already been raging with monstrous waves, completely boiled over.

Every drop of "lake water" contained pure Annihilation Sword Intent; they collided with each other, emitting dense crackling sounds.

Above the lake, the seemingly eternal, gloomy sky cracked inch by inch, and behind the fissures was deep, void-like chaos.

The Soul Body, Bai Xiao, lowered his gaze, staring at the sword in his hand.

The sword body was long and narrow, entirely black, as if it could devour all light and hope.

Its form was ancient, resembling a Miao Dao style, with only one side sharpened, a swastika-shaped guard, and a black sword tassel hanging from the end of the hilt.

On the blade, there were no complex patterns, only an extremely fine blood groove extending from the guard to the tip.

Within the blood groove, countless soul shadows seemed to be wailing and perishing.

The sword's name, as if born with it, naturally surfaced in Bai Xiao's mind — [Annihilation].

The moment he grasped [Annihilation].

In the Soul Body, Bai Xiao's eyes reflected the sword's image and the absolute will within it to end all things.

An unprecedented sense of fulfillment permeated every inch of his soul.

He and the sword were originally one, and only now were they truly complete.

Past Soul Release, Mind Unleashed, and even God Liberation, all seemed to be preparations for this moment's arrival.

...

The dramatic changes in the Sea of Consciousness were but a fleeting thought in the outside world.

The moment the Soul Body, Bai Xiao, fully merged with [Annihilation].

In the real world.

Above the Red Soil Plateau, the weather changed dramatically!

The sky, already chaotic from the fierce battle of the four legendary powerhouses, now erupted with even more anomalous phenomena.

Leaden storm clouds gathered from all directions, obscuring the purple sky and pressing heavily towards the earth.

Within the clouds, there were no longer mere lightning flashes, but countless grayish-white, fragmented specks of light appearing and perishing, as if some rule of the world was manifesting and then breaking.

An indescribable sense of oppression and trepidation enveloped the entire battlefield, even spreading to the more distant horizon.

At this moment.

All living beings in the Woma World, regardless of strength, regardless of race, had two ancient and heavy words clearly appear in their minds —

Annihilation.

It was as if it were the whisper of the world's will, or the pronouncement of fate.

"This is..."

Far away at the Infinite City camp, Su Jin, who was observing the battle through the "Sky-Peering Vine," his pupils contracted.

"'True Name' Liberation?" A storm surged in Su Jin's heart.

The so-called "True Name" was a highly condensed and Ascended essence of the soul, a symbol of touching the root of one's existence.

In the knowledge of the Boundary Sea, only powerhouses who had stepped into the demigod realm were qualified to touch and liberate their "True Name."

And among the Legendary rank, those who could foresee the prototype of their "True Name" were already exceedingly rare.

Each was an unparalleled prodigy, whose comprehension, serendipity, and foundation were all indispensable.

Bai Xiao, at this moment, had clearly not truly advanced to Legendary...

He only possessed the combat power to contend with a Legendary by relying on the dual blessings of the "Star Source Holy Core" and "Spirit Source Convergence," as well as the break out of his own "God Liberation."

But now, he had actually directly bypassed that enormous threshold and liberated his "True Name"?

This was simply inconceivable!

Su Jin took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shock in his heart.

He knew that Bai Xiao's current state was absolutely the strongest moment of his life!

...

At the center of the battlefield, Bai Xiao opened his eyes.

His eyes were no longer filled with azure-gold flowing fire, but a deep, dark abyss, as if it could devour all light.

At this moment, the pair of huge, magnificent platinum-gold light wings on his back.

Their light rapidly converged, dissolving into specks of pure source energy that merged into his body.

The originally ornate sword attire on his body also dissolved and reshaped piece by piece.

In its place was a simple, ancient-style pure white samurai uniform.

The robes moved without wind, gently fluttering, with faint black patterns faintly visible along the hem, like ink brushstrokes.

Bai Xiao's right hand slowly lowered, his five fingers naturally spread open.

A wisp of pure blackness materialized out of thin air.

Then, [Annihilation] was already grasped in his palm...

Within the Sun Prison, golden light flickered.

The chains groaned under the strain, on the verge of breaking.

Ignis and Echidna, however, felt no relief at their impending escape.

On the contrary...

A chill originating from the depths of their souls made them shiver from head to toe, freezing them to the bone.

The "Annihilation" will that had swept across the heavens and earth earlier transformed into an invisible giant mountain, pressing down heavily on their hearts.

"Damn thing!"

Ignis's voice held a hint of fear.

That 'thing' was getting closer and closer.

They had to get out quickly!

Immediately!

Right now!

However, at this moment, Bai Xiao moved.

He raised [Annihilation] in his hand, his movements not fast, but carrying an indescribable rhythm, as if he had merged with the pulse of the entire world.

There was no earth-shattering momentum, nor dazzling brilliance.

Merely, a single sword strike.

A pure, ultimate black sword light, like a line of ink, silently sliced through the sky.

It was not dazzling, not violent, but carried an absolute will to sever rules and annihilate all things.

It was like the only light in an eternal night, and also like an abyss that could devour all light.

Its target was precisely the Lava Tyrant, Ignis, who was trapped within the "Sun Prison" and enduring the fiercest impact!

"Not good!"

Echidna shrieked; she felt an unprecedented threat of death from that black sword light, a fear that could even freeze her soul.

She wanted to warn Ignis, and even wanted to flee at all costs, but the speed of that sword light had already surpassed her reaction time.

Ignis also felt this crisis that could cost him his life.

His lava-cracked pupils suddenly contracted to pinprick size, and he no longer tried to attack the prison, but let out a bestial roar, not sounding human:

"Molten Core Liberation — Burning Heaven and Boiling Seas!"

Boom —!

His entire body instantly transformed into a miniature sun, and endless dark-red lava flames erupted from within him, forming a destructive pillar of light that reached the heavens and earth, meeting that seemingly slender black sword light!

This was his ultimate forbidden technique as a Legendary Tyrant of the Molten Heart, sacrificing most of his Legendary origin in exchange for a momentary, supreme strike!

Once this move was unleashed, regardless of victory or defeat, he would be severely wounded, even risking a drop in rank.

But at this moment, he had no other choice!

He could feel that if he didn't fight with his life, he would absolutely die!

However, in the face of absolute power, a dying struggle appeared so pale and weak.

The black sword light and the dark-red lava pillar collided head-on.

"Sizzle —"

The lava pillar, capable of burning mountains and boiling seas, was split in two by the black sword light.

The sword light's momentum remained undiminished, instantly piercing through Ignis's lava core.

Ignis's movements stopped abruptly, his tyrannical roar frozen in his throat.

He looked down, disbelievingly at the subtle black crack on his chest.

The crack rapidly spread, covering his entire body.

"No... impossible..."

He uttered a few words with difficulty, his eyes filled with unwillingness and despair.

The next moment, his massive lava body, along with his burning Legendary origin, all turned into scattered dust, blown away by the strong winds on the plateau, vanishing without a trace.

A generation's Legendary Tyrant, Ignis of the Molten Heart — fallen!