227: Under Tongtian Sect, the power of fusion

That grand and ancient voice, like a piece of eternal, unmeltable profound ice, smashed into the stagnant waters of the Fallen Soul Valley.

Lin Fan stopped in his tracks.

The woman in white also paused slightly.

Simultaneously, both of them looked up toward the center of the island.

The voice contained no emotion, yet it held an undeniable supreme majesty, like a decree personally issued by the Heavenly Dao, directly imprinted deep within the Soul of every survivor.

The Gate of Blood Hell is closed.

The Gates to Heavens is open.

Gather at the Central Altar within three days.

Those who are late will be annihilated.

A new, and final, storm was about to arrive.

The woman in white withdrew her gaze from the distant horizon and cast a final look at Lin Fan's wary and disheveled figure.

A trace of almost imperceptible abnormality flashed across her eyes.

Immediately after, she did not utter another word, and her figure vanished from the spot like a wisp of clear breeze.

Lin Fan's tense body finally relaxed slightly after she left.

He let out a long breath of turbid Qi, feeling the stickiness on his back, which was already drenched in cold sweat.

The confrontation with this woman exhausted him more than any near-death experience he had faced before.

He dared not linger here, so after confirming the direction, he dragged his "severely injured" body and limped toward the Central Altar... The Central Altar.

This was the only pure land on Suspended Blood Hell Island.

There was no blood color, no skeletons, and none of the ubiquitous slaughter and malevolent Qi.

A massive circular altar paved with unknown white jade quietly hovered in the center of the island.

Above the altar, light flowed, inscribed with ancient and profound runes.

And right in the center of the altar, a gigantic light gate, a hundred zhang tall, stood quietly.

Inside the light gate, star rivers flowed and ten thousand rays of rosy light shone, faintly revealing the magnificent mountains and rivers of another world, emanating Spiritual Qi that was hundreds of times denser than this place, making one yearn for it.

The Gates to Heavens.

At this moment, hundreds of figures had gathered around the altar.

They were the final survivors of this bloody trial.

Every person carried injuries, ranging from light to severe, and their eyes were filled with exhaustion, vigilance, and a trace of relief at surviving the calamity.

Yao Tianqi, the Crown Prince of the Ten Thousand Demon Divine Dynasty, stood in the most conspicuous position.

He was still wearing his black-gold Dragon Robe, his face demonic, but at this moment, his expression was so dark it looked as if water would drip from it.

Beside him, Niu Mang and the other Yao Race experts were all surging with Evil Qi.

Their gazes were like knives, relentlessly scraping at a figure who had just arrived at the altar not far away.

Lin Fan.

He still wore the attire of a Cuiyun Sect Elder, his face pale and his aura weak, blending into the corner of the crowd, utterly inconspicuous.

Yet, Yao Tianqi recognized him instantly.

That fellow who had fallen into the Soul Shattering Abyss under his inescapable net and should have perished without a trace.

He was actually still alive.

???

Yao Tianqi squeezed these three characters out from between his teeth; the hatred and killing intent contained within them had almost solidified.

In his view, Lin Fan's mere existence was the greatest humiliation to him, the Crown Prince of the Ten Thousand Demon Divine Dynasty.

Not far away, Lu Xinghe, the Saint of the Nine Luminaries Star Palace, was also scrutinizing Lin Fan with flickering eyes, a thoughtful expression on his face.

Undercurrents surged across the entire altar.

Everyone understood that this so-called final trial would definitely not be simple.

Just then.

Boom.

A terrifying pressure, impossible to describe in words, descended abruptly from the Nine Heavens without warning.

That was neither Spiritual power nor Divine Sense, but a higher-level pressure belonging to the "Dao."

It was as if the entire world had been seized by an invisible large hand in that instant.

Space solidified.

Time stagnated.

Every one of the hundreds of Prodigies on the altar felt their bodies sink abruptly.

Those with slightly weaker cultivation had their legs give way, being pressed directly onto their knees, their entire skeletons emitting groans of unbearable stress.

Even top experts like Yao Tianqi and Lu Xinghe changed drastically in expression, desperately channeling all their Spiritual power just to barely stabilize their forms, yet fine beads of sweat had already seeped onto their foreheads.

The entire altar was shrouded in dead silence.

Everyone raised their heads in horror, looking toward the sky.

Above the clouds, an indistinct yet magnificent phantom appeared at some unknown time.

He sat cross-legged on the clouds, his face obscured, but just a wisp of descending Qi was enough to suffocate all the Soul Transformation and Refining Void Realm Prodigies present.

Body Integration Stage Mighty Expert.

Only the legendary Body Integration Stage Mighty Expert could possess such overwhelming pressure that transcended the level of life itself.

These words surfaced in the hearts of all the Prodigies, and their hearts nearly stopped beating.

In front of such a great existence, they, the so-called "Prodigies," were as insignificant as dust.

However.

Amidst this trembling dust, there was an anomaly.

Lin Fan collapsed to the ground with a "thud," faster than anyone else, "unable to bear the weight."

He supported himself with his hands on the ground, his body shaking violently, his face "ghastly pale" as paper, looking utterly miserable, as if he would be crushed into a meat paste by the pressure at any moment.

His performance was flawless.

Yet, raging waves had already been stirred up in his heart.

They were waves of ecstasy.

[An attack from a Divided Soul of a Body Integration Stage Mighty Expert].

When this condition was equated with the terrifying existence above the clouds before him.

Lin Fan's blood, belonging to a Death-Seeking Maniac, instantly boiled to its peak.

SS-rank reward.

This was simply an SS-rank reward buffet tailored just for him.

Every cell in his body was screaming in excitement.

Come on.

Hurry up.

Use your strongest attack and fiercely blast me to death.

Please don't show mercy just because I look weak.

His heart was screaming wildly, but on the surface, he still maintained the pitiful appearance of someone about to expire.

"You all, capable of standing here, are temporary Talents."

Above the clouds, the phantom finally spoke.

His voice was not loud, yet it clearly entered the depths of everyone's Soul.

"I am Elder Jieyin of the Supreme Void Holy Land."

"This Gates to Heavens is both an Opportunity and a test."

The phantom slowly raised a hand.

"The rule is simple."

"Survive the impact of a wisp of my Qi."

"If you do, you may pass through this gate and become a Named Disciple of my Supreme Void Holy Land."

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire venue erupted in an uproar.

Enduring the impact of a wisp of Qi from a Body Integration Stage Mighty Expert.

This wasn't a test; this was suicide.

Despair instantly appeared on the faces of many Prodigies.

Yao Tianqi, Lu Xinghe, and the others looked solemn, and they all began to activate their ultimate life-saving Magic Treasures, with streaks of precious light illuminating their bodies.

Clearly, they were preparing to resist head-on.

Their gazes simultaneously swept over Lin Fan, who was slumped in the corner, filled with disdain and contempt.

In their opinion, this fellow, who had barely survived until now by relying on opportunistic tricks, would surely die in this trial.

"The trial will proceed according to the points ranking."

Elder Jieyin's majestic voice sounded again.

"First place, Yue Xi."

As the voice fell, that aloof figure in white appeared in the center of the altar.

Everyone's gaze focused on her.

A barely noticeable wisp of golden Qi drifted down from Elder Jieyin's fingertip; it looked gentle but contained terrifying power capable of piercing the heavens and earth.

The Qi landed on Yue Xi.

Only a faint ripple spread around her body, instantly dissolving that wisp of Qi into nothingness.

From beginning to end, she was calm and composed, not even a corner of her clothing moved.

She passed easily.

Hiss.

The sound of gasping cold air rose and fell across the altar.

The strength of this mysterious woman far exceeded everyone's imagination.

"Second place."

Elder Jieyin's voice paused.

Everyone held their breath.

They all wanted to know who the phantom that had constantly overshadowed them on the leaderboard was.

???

When these three characters were read out.

Above the altar, an ancient Trial Token suddenly burst forth with dazzling light.

That light pointed directly toward the dying figure slumped in the corner of the crowd.

Whoosh.

In an instant, hundreds of gazes simultaneously focused on Lin Fan.

Shock.

Bewilderment.

Disbelief.

The mysterious person who, like a phantom, had stirred up a bloody storm on the points leaderboard, turned out to be this ordinary-looking, even somewhat disheveled, Cuiyun Sect Elder.

Yao Tianqi's pupils suddenly contracted, followed by an explosion of endless rage and killing intent.

It was him.

It really was him.

Under the suspicious and uncertain gazes of all the Prodigies.

Lin Fan shakily climbed up from the ground.

He patted the dust off himself, met everyone's gaze, and walked step by step toward the center of the altar.

He is going to die.

This was the shared thought of ninety-nine percent of the people present.

If even experts like Yao Tianqi had to prepare seriously for this trial, how could this fellow possibly pass?

However, the next moment.

A scene that made everyone's eyes pop appeared.

Lin Fan walked to the center of the altar, facing the magnificent phantom above the clouds.

He did not summon any Magic Treasure.

He did not circulate any Cultivation Technique.

He even put away the decent-looking Magic Robe he was wearing.

He withdrew all his defenses.

He stood there bare-handed, tilted his head back, and flashed Elder Jieyin above the clouds a brilliant smile, one that even carried a hint of anticipation.

What was he going to do?

He's crazy.

Had this guy completely lost his mind?

Was he giving up resistance and seeking death?

The entire altar was silent.

Everyone was stunned into a blank state by Lin Fan's earth-shattering action.