75: Chapter 75 Bloodbath at Burial Sword Valley, the Seal is About to Be Activated

Seeking survival in the jaws of death! Forcefully impact the sealed cave entrance! That was the only path to survival, and also where the mission objective lay. The life-saving item bestowed by the Sect Master, all his own trump cards, including the Sword Tomb Legacy he had just obtained, all needed to be unleashed without reservation at this moment! He would bet that the Seal at the entrance could block the enemy, and bet that there was another realm inside the Seal!

Blood surged into Lin Ye's eyes, a mix of madness and calm. The instant the voice outside fell silent, he was already like an arrow released from its string, pushing his "Golden Crow Rainbow Transformation" to the limit. His figure transformed into a streak of crimson-gold light; he wasn't fleeing outward, but rather hurtling straight toward the pitch-black cave entrance wrapped in runic chains!

"Stop him!" the cold, sinister voice behind the Sword Tomb roared.

Five Foundation Establishment shadow figures moved simultaneously! Black Devilish Qi roiled, transforming into five hideous ghost claws. Carrying shrill wails and corrosive Yin-evil energy, they sealed off all of Lin Ye's paths forward from different angles!

"Scram!" Lin Ye bellowed. The flame sovereign sword in his hand erupted with unprecedented, scorching radiance, a wisp of pure Great Sun Golden Flame coiling around the blade. Without hesitation, he unleashed his strongest strike, a Fusion of his own understanding of the Dao of the sword and the incomplete Concept of "One Sword Lingyun" — [Ice-Fire Calamity · Lingyun]!

As the sword struck, an ice-blue cold wave intertwined with crimson-gold flames, transforming into a magnificent Sword Qi of entangled red, blue, and gold—with faint silver sword shadows leading the way. Carrying the terrifying momentum to incinerate all evil, freeze eternity, and pierce the sky, it slashed ruthlessly toward the two ghost claws directly in front!

Boom!!!

The Sword Qi collided fiercely with the ghost claws! The Great Sun Golden Flame had a natural restraining effect on the Yin-evil ghost Qi, and combined with the destructive energy from the clash of ice and fire, it forcibly shattered the two Foundation Establishment Early Stage ghost claws! The black Devilish Qi dissipated, and two muffled groans were heard.

But the other three ghost claws had already arrived!

Lin Ye did not dodge or evade. He slapped the Storage Pouch at his waist with his left hand, and a Talisman bestowed by Master Lingxiao, inscribed with golden runes, was instantly activated — [Vajra Body Protection Talisman]!

Hum!

A solid golden light shield enveloped Lin Ye. The three ghost claws clawed fiercely at the shield, emitting ear-piercing friction sounds. The shield shook violently, cracks spread, but it ultimately blocked this fatal combined attack!

Borrowing the force to surge forward, Lin Ye was now less than ten zhang from the cave entrance!

"Trash!" the voice behind the Sword Tomb scolded angrily. A pitch-black, solidified Sword Qi, carrying bone-chilling cold and an evil aura that eroded the Divine Soul, struck first despite being launched later, tearing through the air and piercing straight at Lin Ye's back! The power of this sword strike far exceeded the previous ghost claws, reaching the Foundation Establishment Late Stage, or even the Peak!

It was the hidden commander who had struck!

The shadow of death descended instantly!

"Explode!" A flash of madness crossed Lin Ye's eyes. He threw the "shadowless veil," a Magic Treasure he had just refined, violently backward with his left hand, while simultaneously detonating a wisp of Great Sun Golden Flame seed he had hidden within it!

Boom!

The shadowless veil exploded, and dazzling golden light mixed with scorching flames erupted. Although it failed to completely neutralize the pitch-black Sword Qi, it hindered it, weakening its power by thirty percent.

The remaining Sword Qi slammed fiercely into the cracked Vajra Body Protection shield!

Crack!

The shield shattered completely! The Sword Qi, its momentum undiminished, pierced into Lin Ye's back!

Pfft!

Lin Ye was struck heavily, spraying blood from his mouth. A wound deep enough to see bone, glowing with black Devilish Qi, was carved into his back. The pain was heart-wrenching, and the cold, evil power invaded crazily! But he used this impact force to increase his speed by another thirty percent, and like a kite with a broken string, he crashed headlong into the pitch-black cave entrance that was right before him!

"Chase! Don't let him get in!" the hidden figure said, exasperated.

The five Foundation Establishment shadow figures immediately pounced toward the cave entrance.

However, the instant they were about to touch the cave entrance, the complex runic chains wrapped around the entrance suddenly lit up with dazzling silver-white light! A vast, majestic, and sharp Sword Intent capable of annihilating all evil exploded with a roar!

Aaaah—!

The two Foundation Establishment Early Stage shadow figures in the lead, like snow hitting a red-hot branding iron, were instantly shredded by the silver-white Sword Intent and dissipated into black smoke!

The three behind them retreated in terror, not daring to approach.

"Damn it! It's the Pure Yang Evil-Slaying Sword Seal left behind by Sword Immortal Lingyun!" the hidden figure's voice was full of dread and anger. "That little brat, he was actually able to get in?!"

Inside the cave entrance, Lin Ye fell heavily onto the cold, hard ground, tumbling continuously until he hit a protruding rock and stopped.

He struggled to stand up, but the movement aggravated his wound, and he spat out another mouthful of black blood. At the wound on his back, the cold, evil power clashed fiercely with the Great Sun Golden Flame in his body, bringing tearing pain. The Vajra Body Protection Talisman was broken, the shadowless veil was self-destructed, and he had suffered serious injuries; his condition was terrible.

But ultimately, he had made it in!

He endured the intense pain and first swallowed one pill from the bottle of "Nine-Turn Soul Returning Pill." As the Medicinal Pill entered his abdomen, it transformed into vast vitality, rapidly repairing his internal organ injuries and suppressing the cold, evil power. The black Devilish Qi at the wound on his back was slowly forced out and purified under the action of the Great Sun Golden Flame and the power of the pill.

After catching his breath slightly, he finally had the energy to examine his surroundings.

This was a huge, naturally formed stone cave. The ceiling of the cave was hung with countless glowing stalactites, illuminating the interior in a hazy light.

In the center of the cave was an ancient altar about ten zhang in radius.

The altar was cast from a dark golden, unknown metal, its surface engraved with extremely complex runes. These runes were of the same origin as those chains at the cave entrance, but were even older and more profound.

Floating above the altar were three things:

On the left was a fist-sized bead, entirely crimson-gold, with what seemed to be a sun burning inside ([sun essence gold]?).

On the right was a palm-sized token, neither gold nor jade, dark purple in color, with countless fine cracks on its surface. A hideous ghost face was carved on the token, emitting an evil and ominous aura that made one's heart tremble ([yin-underworld token]?).

And in the very center of the altar was a black coffin, tightly wrapped and sealed by layers of silver-white Sword Intent chains!

The coffin was made of an unknown material, entirely pitch-black, as if it could absorb all light. It was also covered in runes, but these runes were dark red, full of bloody, violent, and chaotic implications, forming a sharp contrast with the surrounding silver-white Sword Intent Seal.

What shocked Lin Ye even more was that from that black coffin, a terrifying pressure that made the Soul tremble was constantly emanating, along with a roar full of desire for destruction and devouring, as if it came from the Nine Nether Hell!

Was what was sealed in this coffin the thing that the Yinkui Sect and the Devil Head behind them were willing to pay any price to obtain?!

And the "sun essence gold" and "yin-underworld token" floating on the altar seemed to be the keys to strengthening the Seal and weakening (or controlling?) the Seal, respectively?

Lin Ye could feel that the entire altar's Seal, although still stable under the maintenance of the silver-white Sword Intent chains, was having its aura slowly strengthened by the black coffin. The dark red runes were also slightly pulsing, seemingly constantly eroding the silver-white chains. And the cracks on that "yin-underworld token" seemed to have increased a bit more than when it first appeared.

"I must reinforce the Seal, or... destroy the thing inside that coffin!" Lin Ye realized in his heart. This was perhaps what the Sect Master meant by "investigate, retrieve, or reinforce."

He struggled to stand up and walked to the edge of the altar. The silver-white Sword Intent chains on the altar held no hostility toward him, and because of the "Lingyun Sword Intent" seed between his brows, they even transmitted a hint of intimacy.

He tried to communicate with that "sun essence gold." The bead heated up slightly, transmitting a vast power of pure Yang. If he could guide its power and inject it into the Seal, it would surely greatly enhance the power of the Seal.

But how to guide it? He knew nothing about this ancient sealing Formation.

Just as he was pondering, a sudden change occurred!

Above the altar, that "yin-underworld token" suddenly vibrated violently, the cracks on its surface spreading crazily. A dense, pitch-black Devilish Qi surged out from within, transforming into a huge, blurry ghost face that let out a silent roar!

The ghost face pounced fiercely toward the black coffin in the center of the altar!

At the same time, from outside the altar, in the direction of the cave entrance, came the crazy and excited roar of that hidden figure:

"The time has come! Using the yin-underworld token as a guide, welcome the power of the Demonic Lord to impact the Seal! Welcome the appearance of the holy object!"

Rumble—!

The entire cave shook violently! The silver-white Sword Intent chains on the altar flickered crazily, clashing fiercely with the pouncing black ghost face and the terrifying aura erupting from the coffin!

The Seal was tottering!

Lin Ye's expression changed drastically. The enemy could actually remotely activate the "yin-underworld token," and they seemed to have been prepared for a long time, just waiting for this moment to attack from both inside and outside to completely destroy the Seal!

He absolutely could not let the thing in the coffin come out!

He couldn't care about anything else; he leaped onto the altar and rushed toward the "sun essence gold"! He wanted to try to use his own Great Sun Golden Flame to forcibly activate this bead and lend a hand to the Seal!

However, the moment his fingertips were about to touch the "sun essence gold"—

From within the coffin, that terrifying aura of destruction erupted with a roar! The coffin lid shook violently and cracked open a gap! A pale, withered ghost hand, with fingernails as black as ink and wrapped in thick blood-red light, slowly reached out from the gap and clawed toward Lin Ye, who was within arm's reach!

An indescribable death and coldness instantly swallowed him!

"Become... the first blood food for this seat to escape..." An arid, hoarse, evil intent that seemed to come from eternity ago directly invaded Lin Ye's mind!

Ahead was the devil hand in the coffin claiming his life, and outside was the yin-underworld token and the strong enemy breaking the Seal.

Internal trouble and external aggression, a desperate situation!

A fierce light flashed in Lin Ye's eyes. Instead of retreating, he advanced, pouring all his strength—including the Great Sun Golden Flame seed, Ice-Fire Taiji, the Lingyun Sword Intent seed, and even the remaining medicinal power of the "Nine-Turn Soul Returning Pill" he had just swallowed—into the flame sovereign sword in his right hand, stabbing fiercely toward the pale ghost hand and the black coffin behind it!

"Get—back—in!"

The crimson-gold sword light, like a burning meteor in the darkness, carrying all of Lin Ye's vitality and will, collided with the coffin representing destruction and ominousness!

At the same time, the bombardment outside the altar reached its Peak!

The entire cave was completely submerged in endless light and darkness amid an earth-shattering roar...