106: Chapter 106 The Fading Flame, the Seal of Reincarnation

Dozens of gray figures, wrapped in thick "Withering" Death Qi, like a gray tide, surged from above the Sea of Ashes towards Lin Wan and his party!

The roars they emitted, filled with hatred for living beings and a desire for destruction, echoed in this strange space intertwined with fire and ash, making one's hair stand on end.

"Form the Formation! Defend against the enemy!"

Lin Wan's expression remained unchanged as he gave a low shout. The elites of the 7th and 8th squads of the "Demon-Slaying General Corps" reacted instantly. With Lin Wan as the core, they formed a "Five Elements Demon-Slaying Battle Formation" that integrated offense and defense.

This Formation was improved by Lin Wan, combining the Dao of "Five Elements Returning to Ruins" with the Alliance's battle Formations. It used groups of five, with the Five Elements rotating, capable of both attack and defense, and was especially adept at countering evil filth.

"Slash!"

The Sword Cultivators and Body Cultivators in the front row shouted in unison. Blade light and sword shadows, fist aura and palm wind, carrying the awe-inspiring righteousness of slaying demons, struck fiercely against the incoming gray tide!

The power of the Five Elements circulated, turning into brilliant radiances that collided violently with the dark "Withering" Death Qi!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The explosive sounds of energy colliding were endless.

The gray "Withering" power tried to erode and decay the Protective Aura and sword light that had been slashed out. However, the "Five Elements Demon-Slaying Battle Formation" rotated ceaselessly, endless and ever-renewing.

With Lin Wan coordinating from the center, guiding it with his own Chaos Reincarnation Dao rhyme, the Formation's defensive and purifying power greatly increased, firmly blocking the impact of those dozens of gray figures in front of the Formation!

"Oh? There is some skill to this..." Above the altar, the Lord of Ashes's faint blue flame eyes flickered slightly. He seemed somewhat surprised by the combat power of the "Demon-Slaying General Corps," but more so, it was a cruel interest, like a cat toying with a mouse.

"However, no matter how many ants there are, they are still ants. In the face of the great power of 'Withering,' all struggles are futile."

He slowly raised a palm, shrouded under a gray cloak and seemingly condensed from ash, and gave a light clench towards the gray figures below who were temporarily blocked by the "Demon-Slaying General Corps."

"Ash... Touch of Withering."

"Hum—!"

An invisible, colder, and more domineering Law power, seemingly capable of "defining" all things as they head toward decay, rot, and eventual turning into ash, permeated from the Lord of Ashes's palm. It instantly enveloped those gray figures and the "Withering" Death Qi that dissipated during their attacks.

The next moment, the power of those gray figures' attacks surged several times over! The "Withering" Death Qi around them also became more condensed and more corrosive!

Even the Five Elements Protective Aura and sword light triggered by the "Demon-Slaying General Corps" battle Formation began to dim, rot, and disintegrate at a visible speed after being tainted by that "Withering" power, as if they had experienced the erosion of long years, losing all vitality and sharpness!

"Not good! This 'Withering' Law can accelerate the 'decay' process of all things!" A Soul Transformation Guest Elder, who specialized in Wood-type healing and had keen perception of vitality, changed color.

He could feel that the Yi Wood Spiritual Qi he had added to the battle Formation was being rapidly "drained" of vitality by that dark power, becoming withered.

"Steady! Five Elements rotate, endless and ever-renewing! Use the 'Reincarnation' Dao rhyme to resist 'Withering'!" Lin Wan shouted in a deep voice.

The "Eye of Samsara" between his brows suddenly opened, and the pale golden divine light swept across the battlefield, insighting the nodes and weaknesses of the flow of "Withering" power.

At the same time, his own Chaos Reincarnation Dao Fruit operated rapidly. A supreme Dao rhyme containing "Life" and "Death," "Creation" and "Destruction," "Reincarnation" and "Afterlife" spread out with him as the center, merging into the "Five Elements Demon-Slaying Battle Formation."

The power of "Reincarnation" encompasses everything and can transform everything. "Withering" is a form of "the end," a stage in the passage of all things toward demise. And "Reincarnation" covers the complete cycle of "Life," "Death," "Beginning," and "End."

When the power containing the "Reincarnation" Dao rhyme came into contact with the "Withering" power that accelerated "decay," it was not rapidly eroded like the Five Elements Protective Aura. Instead, it produced a strange reaction, like Yin and Yang complementing each other.

The "Withering" power tried to accelerate the "decay" of the "Reincarnation" Dao rhyme, while the "Reincarnation" Dao rhyme tried to incorporate "Withering" into its own cycle, treating it as a part of the "End" in "Reincarnation" to "resolve" and "transform" it.

For a time, the powers of both sides formed a brief, dynamic balance and confrontation at the edge of the battle Formation. The pressure on the "Demon-Slaying General Corps" eased.

"Reincarnation... truly has some skill." The Lord of Ashes's faint blue flame eyes showed a clear fluctuation for the first time, seemingly with a trace of shock and... even richer greed.

"Your 'Reincarnation' Dao Seed is more delicious than I imagined. Devouring you and refining your Dao Fruit might allow my 'Withering' Law to reach a higher level, perhaps even touching that higher authority of 'the end'..."

"Want my Dao Fruit?" Lin Wan's gaze was cold as he looked across the air at the Lord of Ashes. "That depends on whether you have the ability."

Before his voice faded, Lin Wan moved.

He no longer just sat in the middle army, but his figure flickered, instantly turning into a streak of Chaos light, crossing the area where both sides were fighting, and appearing above the Sea of Ashes, facing the "Lord of Ashes" on top of the altar from afar.

"Your opponent is me."

The calm voice, carrying indisputable majesty, resounded through the space.

"Demon-Slaying General Corps, fully annihilate those minions, destroy the altar ritual, and seize the 'Heaven-Burning Flame Crystal'! Leave this fiend to me."

"Yes! Elder, be careful!" The captains of the 7th and 8th squads were both in the Middle Stage of Soul Transformation. Upon hearing this, their spirits lifted, knowing that Lin Wan intended to deal with the strongest "Lord of Ashes" personally to create an opportunity for them.

They immediately ceased holding back, fully driving the battle Formation to launch a more violent counterattack against the gray figures who had lost the direct support of the "Lord of Ashes" and whose strength had declined.

"Heh... overestimating yourself." The Lord of Ashes let out a disdainful sneer at Lin Wan's "single combat" behavior.

"A mere Late Stage Soul Transformation, even if you have grasped a little bit of the fur of 'Reincarnation,' you dare to be presumptuous before me? It seems that I have not descended for too long, and the ants of this world have forgotten the fear of being dominated by 'Withering'."

"Fine, let me personally crush you, this... relatively strong bug. Use your 'Reincarnation' Dao Fruit as the... first cornerstone of my 'Ash Altar'!"

As the Lord of Ashes finished speaking, he stopped talking nonsense. The figure shrouded under the gray cloak suddenly expanded and grew taller!

Endless gray "Withering" Death Qi surged out from his body, condensing behind him into a hundred-zhang-tall Ash Dharma Body, composed entirely of rolling ashes and deathly silent flames, with a vague face but exuding endless pressure and a decaying aura!

Once the Dharma Body was formed, the temperature of the entire underground space seemed to drop countless times. Even those violent flame spirits let out fearful shrieks and avoided it from afar.

The vast "Sea of Ashes" churned violently, turning into gray giant waves, guarding around the Dharma Body.

"Withering—Eternal Ashes!"

The Lord of Ashes and the Ash Dharma Body behind him raised their hands at the same time, pointing from afar at Lin Wan, who was standing in the air!

"Hum—!"

A beam of light, only the thickness of a thumb, presenting an extreme, pure gray color that seemed capable of "withering" all colors, all vitality, and all meaning of existence, shot out from the Lord of Ashes's fingertip. It instantly pierced the Void Realm and shot towards Lin Wan's glabella!

This gray beam looked unremarkable, but the "Withering" Law contained within it was condensed and pure to the extreme!

Wherever it passed, the space seemed to lose its "activity," becoming gray and fragile. Even the light seemed to be "withered," becoming dim.

This was one of the Lord of Ashes's killer moves, enough to "wither" the Physical Body, Divine Soul, and even the Dao Foundation of a Late Stage Soul Transformation Cultivator into a pile of meaningless ash in an instant!

Faced with this terrifying attack pointing directly to the Origin of "Withering," Lin Wan's expression was solemn but not panicked.

The "Eye of Samsara" between his brows shone brightly, locking onto the gray beam. The Law flow, energy structure, attack trajectory, and even the cold, indifferent Divine Thought imprint filled with the will of "the end" belonging to the "Lord of Ashes" contained within it were clearly reflected in his mind.

"Reincarnation—Insight, Reflection, Analysis, Tracing..."

"'Withering'... is a form of 'the end,' a process of 'existence' heading toward 'void'... But its core is still the embodiment of the will of 'the end,' a denial of 'life'..."

"My 'Reincarnation' covers 'Life' and 'Death,' 'Beginning' and 'End.' Your 'Withering' is nothing but a relatively special manifestation of the 'End' aspect in my 'Reincarnation'."

"Want to 'wither' me, who contains the complete 'Reincarnation,' with one aspect of 'the end'?"

"Wishful thinking!"

"Five Elements Returning to Ruins, Reincarnation Dao Seal—Generation and Restraint Rotation, Transform Withering into Afterlife!"

Lin Wan's heart was clear as a mirror. His hands moved in front of his chest in a mysterious and unpredictable trajectory, forming a seal.

The "Chaos Reincarnation Dao Fruit" between his brows shone to the extreme. The Five Elements, Returning to Ruins, Life, the end, and Reincarnation—various Dao rhymes merged into the seal formed by his hands in a more harmonious and fundamental posture.

A strange Dao seal, presenting an interweaving of Chaos and emerald green, yet with faint shadows of Yin and Yang fish rotating, and seemingly containing all the mysteries of the life and death Reincarnation of all heavens and myriad things, condensed in his palm.

This seal was not an attack, nor was it a simple defense. It was a Reincarnation Dao Seal (Defensive/Transformative Type) created by Lin Wan with the Dao of "Reincarnation" as the core, targeting the special "Withering" power of "the end," which contained the ability of "transformation" and "resolution," and was closer to the Origin of the "Dao"!

"Go!"

Lin Wan gave a low shout. The Dao seal in his palm flew out of his hand, neither deviating nor slanting, meeting the purely gray "Withering" beam that shot over.

"Chi—!"

The Dao seal and the beam touched lightly.

There was no violent explosion, nor any crazy counter-collision of energy.

There was only a more essential, Law-level, silent "contact" and "transformation."

The grey beam of light, containing the power of extreme "Wither", the moment it touched the "Reincarnation Dao Seal", was like snow meeting the spring sunshine. It was not "negated" or "defeated", but seemed to be "embraced", "accepted", and "guided" by the more magnificent, more original "Reincarnation" Dao resonance contained within the seal.

"Wither" is "the end", is "death", is "decay". And within "Reincarnation", it inherently contains "death" and "the end". At this moment, guided by the mysterious Dao resonance of the "Reincarnation Dao Seal", the pure power of the "Wither" Law contained within that grey beam of light was forcibly "stripped" of the cold and indifferent "termination" will belonging to the "Lord of Ashes", leaving only the most original, objective fragments of the "End" Law that represent "all things eventually have an end".

These powers of "Wither", having lost their master's will and remaining only as pure Law fragments, touched the emerald Dao resonance in the "Reincarnation Dao Seal" representing "life" and "creation". As if having found their resting place, they were naturally "converted" and "absorbed", turning into nutrients that nourished the seal and even faintly fed back into Lin Wan's own "Reincarnation" Dao Fruit! Like withered leaves turning into mud to nourish new shoots, it was the most natural part of "Reincarnation".

The "Wither" beam dissipated silently before the "Reincarnation Dao Seal", as if it had never existed. And that "Reincarnation Dao Seal", after absorbing some of the "Wither" Law fragments, seemed more restrained and profound in its light. Slowly rotating, it hovered before Lin Wan, emitting a mysterious and unfathomable protective Dao resonance that seemed capable of dissolving all manner of "termination".

"This... impossible!" On the altar, the "Lord of Ashes" let out an unbelievable roar mixed with shock and anger for the first time. His deep blue flame eyes flickered violently, revealing the monstrous waves within his heart.

His "Wither Through the Ages to Ashes" was one of the manifestations of his "Wither" Law. He had used this move to instantly "wither" more than one Soul Transformation Late Stage Cultivator of the same rank! Even those existences who had touched the threshold of Void Refining needed to treat it with caution and dared not take it head-on. This Lin Wan, merely in the Soul Transformation Late Stage, actually... so easily, in a way he completely could not understand, "dissolved" and "converted" his power of "Wither"?!

This simply overturned his cognition! The restraint of the power of "Reincarnation" against "Wither" had actually reached such an unimaginable level?!

"There is nothing impossible." Lin Wan retracted the "Reincarnation Dao Seal", looking at the "Lord of Ashes" with a calm gaze, as if merely stating a fact, "Your 'Wither' is but the fur of 'the end', a one-sided 'termination'. While my 'Reincarnation' is the complete 'Dao', the cycle of 'life' and 'death', the rotation of 'beginning' and 'the end'. To generalize from a part and delusionally think you can break my 'Reincarnation' with 'Wither' is nothing more than... a mayfly attempting to shake a tree."

"Arrogant!" The "Lord of Ashes" was thoroughly enraged, the ash Death Qi around his body erupting with a roar. The Ash Dharma Form behind him also let out a silent roar, becoming more solid and terrifying. "I want to see how many moves of mine your 'Reincarnation' can actually take!"

"Ash—Wither Domain!"

"Boom—!" The "Lord of Ashes" and the Ash Dharma Form opened their arms simultaneously. Endless grey "Wither" Death Qi, like a floodgate opening, surged out crazily, instantly filling the space for several thousand zhang! Within this space, all colors quickly faded, turning into a monotonous, deathly grey-white. Violent flames were suppressed and extinguished, flowing magma solidified into grey rocks, and even the space itself seemed to lose its "vitality", becoming fragile and brittle, permeated with a despairing, deathly silent Dao resonance where all things wither and everything returns to ashes!

This was the "Lord of Ashes"'s Domain Divine Ability—Wither Domain! While inside it, all power that did not belong to the "Wither" Law would be quickly suppressed, eroded, and withered! Even a Cultivator of the same rank would suffer a great loss of strength within it, like a lamb waiting to be slaughtered!

"In my Domain, all vitality is a sin! All existence shall eventually turn to ashes! For me... wither!"

The "Lord of Ashes"'s cold voice echoed in the "Wither Domain", like the declaration of a grim reaper. He grasped his hands in the air, and the dense "Wither" Death Qi permeating the entire Domain instantly transformed into countless grey Law chains filled with the aura of decay and rot, coiling and strangling towards Lin Wan, who was shrouded in the center of the Domain, from all directions! Each chain contained the original power of the "Wither" Law, enough to easily "wither" the vitality and Dao foundation of a Soul Transformation Middle Stage Cultivator!

This was an omnidirectional, flawless killing blow launched with the power of the entire Domain!

Facing this even more terrifying Domain strangulation containing the complete "Wither" Law, Lin Wan's expression finally became incomparably grave. He could feel that the power of this "Wither Domain" far exceeded the previous "Wither Through the Ages to Ashes". The "Wither" will contained within was more complete and domineering, and its rejection of "life" and longing for "termination" had reached an extreme. Even with "Reincarnation" Dao resonance protecting his body, being inside it, he felt immense pressure, and the vitality and magic power within his body were being slowly and continuously "withered" and eroded.

"I cannot be trapped here... I must break his Domain, or... use a stronger 'Dao' to cover and convert it!"

With thoughts flashing like lightning, the Chaos and emerald light in Lin Wan's eyes suddenly shone to the extreme! The "Chaos Reincarnation Dao Fruit" between his eyebrows spun crazily, and that strange point of light representing "reflection" and "insight" shone even brighter, as if it were about to burn!

"Since your 'Wither' is a one-sided 'termination' and a 'Domain' filled with deathly silence..."

"Then, I will let you witness what is... the true, complete 'Reincarnation' that contains 'life' and 'death', 'creation' and 'destruction'!"

"Chaos Reincarnation Dao Fruit—Origin Burning!"

"Eye of Samsara—Reflect the Heavens, Insight into All Laws!"

"With my Dao, seal this falsehood, open this Reincarnation, convert this Wither—"

"Reincarnation Seal—Life and Death Rotation, Domain... Reshaping!"

"Hum—!!!"

An indescribable, vast, magnificent "Reincarnation" Dao resonance, as if originating from the beginning of the Universe and leading to the end of eternal Reincarnation, erupted from Lin Wan as the center! The light of his "Chaos Reincarnation Dao Fruit" between his eyebrows instantly broke through the grey blockade of the "Wither Domain", illuminating this deathly silent space! Within it, the Five Elements rotated, the Five Elements Returning to Ruins, life creation, termination and conclusion—all kinds of Dao resonances blended perfectly in an unprecedented, harmonious, unified, and endlessly flowing posture, turning into a more original, more magnificent, supreme power of "Reincarnation" that seemed capable of "defining" all existence and extinction!

This power transformed into visible ripples of "Reincarnation" Dao resonance, interwoven with Chaos and emerald, containing endless scenes of life and death, and slowly spread in all directions from Lin Wan as the center.

Wherever the "Reincarnation" ripples passed, the grey Law chains filled with "Wither" Death Qi that were coiling around, as if encountering their nemesis, were quickly "embraced", "decomposed", and "converted" by the "Reincarnation" Dao resonance. The "Wither" will contained in the chains was forcibly stripped and purified; the Law fragments of "termination" were absorbed and assimilated by the "death" aspect contained in the "Reincarnation" ripples; and the space that had been eroded by "Wither" and lost its "vitality", upon touching the "life" creation Dao resonance contained in the "Reincarnation" ripples, actually began to radiate a faint "vitality" again, and the colors began to slowly recover...

This was not a simple "confrontation" and "negation", but a higher-level "coverage", "reshaping", and "conversion" of "Dao" against "Dao"! It was the complete, supreme Great Dao of "Reincarnation" thoroughly suppressing and "civilizing" the one-sided, deathly silent "Wither" Law!

"No! This is impossible! How can your 'Reincarnation'... be... so strong?!" The "Lord of Ashes" let out a terrified, desperate scream. He could feel that his "Wither Domain", which he was proud of and had almost never been broken by anyone of the same rank, was rapidly collapsing and disintegrating under the scouring of those eerie "Reincarnation" ripples! The "Wither" Law within was being forcibly "converted" and incorporated into the opponent's "Reincarnation" system! His own connection with the "Wither Domain" was also being rapidly severed and weakened!

This meant that his greatest reliance was being thoroughly crushed and defeated by the opponent... at the level of "Dao"!

"There is nothing impossible." Lin Wan's voice rang out calmly, echoing in the space that was rapidly recovering its color and "vitality". "Your 'Dao' has taken the wrong path and a narrow path. Today, let this Envoy send you... into Reincarnation, to re-experience what the true... 'Dao' is."

As the words fell, Lin Wan formed seals with his hands again. This time, it was no longer defense and conversion, but... attack and conclusion!

"Reincarnation Seal—End Karma, Sever Karmic Debt, Send You... to Rebirth!"

A more solid, more brilliant Reincarnation Dao Seal, interwoven with Chaos and emerald, as if containing the true meaning of "conclusion" and "rebirth" for all living beings in the heavens and worlds, past and future, flew out from Lin Wan's palm. Carrying the even more powerful "Reincarnation" might after "covering" and "reshaping" the "Wither Domain", it slowly... imprinted towards the "Lord of Ashes" himself, who was at the top of the altar and whose aura had been greatly damaged by the collapse of the Domain, revealing terror on his face, and towards the Ash Dharma Form behind him that had already begun to dissipate.

Wherever the Dao Seal passed, ashes dissipated and deathly silence retreated, as if bringing a glimmer of... Reincarnation's new life and hope to this grey world filled with withering and decay.

And the "Lord of Ashes"'s ending, it seems... is already doomed.