77: Chapter 77 Five Elements Return to Nothingness to Slay the Corpse King

Han Lingtian's desperate counter-kill of Yan Jin, followed by his retreat due to severe injuries, moved the entire audience with its heroism and decisiveness. The feud between the Skyfire Sect of the Eastern Wasteland and the Southern Region, as well as with Lin Wan, had intensified completely, almost becoming an irreconcilable situation. The suppressed, volcanic rage of the Flame Emperor made the atmosphere of the entire Tiandu Mountain heavy and solemn.

However, the tournament did not stop because of this. After a brief rest and the settling of the disturbance, the "Dao Questioning Contest" continued.

The matches for the Middle Stage and Late Stage of the Nascent Soul were equally spectacular. There was no shortage of powerhouses at the Peak of the Nascent Soul Late Stage appearing, displaying earth-shattering Divine Abilities that drew rounds of applause. However, after the stunning performances of Lin Jingyun and Han Lingtian, and especially the shock of Lin Wan killing Old Monster Jiuyou with a single finger, these battles always felt like they lacked that "earth-shattering" flavor. In everyone's heart, they seemed to be silently waiting, waiting for that figure in green robes carrying a sword to step onto the Dao Questioning jade platform once again.

Finally, as the sun tilted slightly west and the matches for the Nascent Soul Late Stage group were drawing to a close, the booming voice of the Deacon Elder rang out across the venue again, instantly suppressing all the noise:

"Nascent Soul Great Perfection group, First Round, Third Match: Southern Region, Qingyun Sect, Lin Wan, versus, Northern Plains, Corpse God Sect, True Monarch Shike! Will both parties please enter the arena!"

It was time!

Across the entire Dao Discussion Peak, hundreds of thousands of Cultivators, regardless of what they were doing before, now had their gazes focused collectively on the massive platform. The air was filled with an indescribable sense of excitement, anticipation, and... a faint sense of suffocation. A duel at the level of the Nascent Soul Great Perfection was already rare, and furthermore, one side was the renowned and deified "True Monarch Guixu", Lin Wan! The other side was the notorious giant of the Northern Plains Demonic Path, known for his bizarre Corpse Refinement techniques, True Monarch Shike!

This battle was destined to be like a meteor crashing into the earth!

In the Northern Plains area, a thick, impenetrable black corpse cloud, mixed with Death Qi, corpse energy, and resentment, rose into the sky like rolling smoke. Carrying a pungent stench and nauseating chill, it drifted slowly toward the "Gui" designated combat area in the center of the platform. Within the corpse cloud, one could vaguely see countless twisted, wailing phantom Souls, as well as several tall, stiff, and terrifying figures emitting a metallic luster, floating within.

"Hehehe... True Monarch Guixu, I have been waiting for you for a long time!"

A dry, hoarse, and chilling laugh, like two bones rubbing together, emanated from the corpse cloud. The corpse cloud retracted, revealing the figure within.

It was an old man who was tall and thin, shaped like a bamboo pole, wearing a tattered black robe. His face was withered like a skull, and two ghostly green flames burned in his eye sockets. This was True Monarch Shike. He held a pale bone staff, which seemed to have been refined from the leg bone of some massive creature. At the top was embedded a fist-sized, constantly rotating pitch-black skull. His body was surrounded by Death Qi and corpse energy, faintly forming a blurry, several-zhang-tall, three-headed and six-armed, ferocious "Corpse God" phantom behind him, emitting a heart-palpitating, evil Aura.

Even more hair-raising was that beside him stood three "Corpse Puppets" waiting silently.

One, twelve feet tall, was dark gold all over, as if cast from metal, with knotted muscles. It held a massive bone hammer covered in barbs and dark red bloodstains, emitting terrifying power fluctuations comparable to the Nascent Soul Late Stage. This was the "Golden Armored Corpse King" he had refined!

One, with a flickering figure, seemed to be made of shadows. Its body was surrounded by pitch-black mist that seemed to be able to swallow light. From its ten fingertips extended foot-long bone blades that flashed with a ghostly blue cold light. Its Aura was cold and bizarre, and its speed was extremely fast. This was the "Ghost Shadow Corpse Fiend"!

The last one, the most bizarre, was actually a woman wearing tattered palace attire, with a pale face, yet one could still faintly see the stunning beauty she had in life. Her eyes were empty, flowing with black blood tears, and her body emitted a dense, impenetrable Aura of resentment and Yin-Sha energy. It was a top-tier ghost corpse refined into a "Heavenly Yin Ghost Mother", skilled in Divine Soul attacks and illusions, tricky and hard to defend against.

Each of the three Corpse Puppets possessed combat power threatening to the Nascent Soul Late Stage, and they each had their own strengths, coordinating seamlessly. Coupled with True Monarch Shike's own Nascent Soul Great Perfection cultivation and his bizarre Corpse Dao Divine Abilities, his strength was absolutely far beyond the ordinary Nascent Soul Great Perfection, enough to give any Cultivator of the same rank a massive headache, and could even contend with the Soul Transformation Early Stage for a moment!

"True Monarch Shike! He actually refined a 'Heavenly Yin Ghost Mother'?!"

"And the Golden Armored Corpse King, the Ghost Shadow Corpse Fiend! Three top-tier Corpse Puppets! How is this even fightable?"

"It is rumored that True Monarch Shike once went deep into an ancient battlefield ruin and obtained part of an ancient Corpse Dao Legacy. It seems that is true!"

"Although this Lin Wan is strong, facing such a lineup, I fear he is... in grave danger, right?"

On the viewing platform, rounds of exclamations and gasps of cold air rang out. Even those Cultivators who were full of confidence in Lin Wan could not help but feel nervous at this moment, seeing True Monarch Shike's terrifying lineup.

On the main seat, Fairy Yaoguang and the others also frowned slightly. True Monarch Shike's methods had already somewhat exceeded the conventional scope of the "Dao Questioning Contest", almost equivalent to fighting with a small army. However, the rules did not prohibit carrying auxiliary combat powers like Corpse Puppets or spirit pets, as long as they were refined and controlled by the person themselves, it was considered compliant. It was just that such a lineup was indeed tricky.

Master Liaoyin pressed his palms together, his face showing compassion. The Buddhism of the Western Desert had always been most disdainful of such Evil Paths that refined corpses, controlled ghosts, and desecrated the dead.

In the Eastern Wasteland area, the flames around the Flame Emperor flickered slightly. Although his expression could not be seen, the sense of schadenfreude and anticipation for Lin Wan to suffer a setback was clearly palpable.

In the Southern Region area, Liu Ruyan, Chu Qingyao, and Lin Jingyun were all pale, their eyes filled with worry. Han Lingtian was also healing in the distance, watching the arena with a solemn gaze.

However, under the gaze of countless eyes, Lin Wan's expression remained as calm as ever.

He slowly stood up, straightened his green robes, and then took a step out.

There was no grand momentum, no astonishing escape light.

It was just like a casual stroll. The next step, he had already appeared within the "Gui" designated combat area, facing True Monarch Shike, who was billowing with corpse energy, from a hundred zhang away.

"Your Corpse Puppets are not bad." Lin Wan's gaze swept over the three Corpse Puppets emitting terrifying Auras, his tone flat, as if he were evaluating a few items. "It is a pity that Corpse Puppets are dead objects after all, not understanding the Dao, not understanding the Heavenly Dao. Today, let them return to the dust."

"Arrogant!" The ghost fire in True Monarch Shike's eyes flared up, and he let out a harsh, strange laugh. "Brat Lin Wan! Facing death, you still dare to speak wildly! Today, I will extract your Soul, refine it into a corpse slave, and ensure you can never be reincarnated for eternity! I will make you, this so-called 'True Monarch Guixu', the strongest and most perfect Corpse Puppet under my command! Hehehe!"

"Attack! Tear him to shreds!"

As True Monarch Shike gave the order, the three Corpse Puppets, which had long been ready to strike, moved simultaneously!

"Roar—!"

The Golden Armored Corpse King let out a dull roar like a prehistoric beast. Holding the massive bone hammer, it took a step forward, causing the ground to shake violently. Carrying the terrifying power to shatter mountains and break cliffs, it smashed down toward Lin Wan's head! Wherever the bone hammer passed, the air was compressed and exploded, and the space was faintly distorted.

The Ghost Shadow Corpse Fiend turned into a blurry phantom that almost merged into the shadows. With a speed indiscernible to the naked eye, it circled around Lin Wan, searching for flaws. The ghostly blue bone blades at its fingertips flashed with a deadly cold light, ready to deliver a fatal blow at any moment.

And that Heavenly Yin Ghost Mother, its empty eyes suddenly lit up with two clusters of bizarre ghostly light. An invisible but terrifying Divine Soul shock, filled with resentment, sorrow, despair, and capable of triggering the deepest fears and negative emotions in a person's heart, surged like a tide, silently, crazily attacking and eroding Lin Wan's Divine Soul! Furthermore, countless strands of black hair, composed of resentment and Yin-Sha energy and appearing tangible, spread out from its body like living creatures, winding and binding toward Lin Wan. Once entangled, not only would the Physical Body be imprisoned, but the Divine Soul would also be continuously eroded and polluted.

The three corpses attacked together, coordinating tacitly, both offensive and defensive. Physical, speed, and Divine Soul attacks combined, instantly sealing off all of Lin Wan's space for evasion and defense! This was by no means as simple as one plus one equals two; its combined power was already enough to instantly severely injure or even kill any Nascent Soul Great Perfection Cultivator!

"It's over! I fear this Lin Wan won't even be able to take a single move!"

"The three-corpse combo attack, the power is too terrifying! Below the Soul Transformation, who can resist?!"

"True Monarch Guixu... is he really going to... here..."

Desperate thoughts rose in the hearts of countless people.

However, facing this terrifying combo attack that would make any Nascent Soul Cultivator despair, not even a ripple appeared in Lin Wan's eyes.

He did not even draw his sword.

He just slowly raised his right hand, spread his five fingers, and toward the violently smashing bone hammer, the ghost-like prowling shadow, the silently invading Divine Soul shock and resentful hair strands, and that True Monarch Shike in the distance, who was controlling everything with a ferocious grin, he gently grasped the air.

"Five Elements Returning to Ruins—"

His calm and indifferent voice, like the sound of the Dao, rang out clearly, carrying a supreme majesty that controlled everything and judged all things.

"—Domain, Open."

"Hum—!!!"

An indescribable, vast, desolate, yet containing the supreme Dao Rhyme of opening heaven and earth, ending all things, encompassing everything, and evolving the starry sky, erupted from Lin Wan as the center. It instantly expanded, turning into a hundred-zhang-diameter, chaotic-colored, containing endless nebulae birth and death, Five Elements rotation, and Guixu annihilation scenes—Chaos Guixu Domain!

Within the Domain, time and space seemed to stagnate, and the Laws were rewritten.

The violently smashing bone hammer seemed to have fallen into an invisible quagmire; its speed plummeted, and its power was layer by layer dissolved and assimilated. Finally, just three feet above Lin Wan's head, it stopped completely, unable to advance even a fraction! On the Golden Armored Corpse King's ferocious face, an anthropomorphic, unbelievable "dull" expression appeared.

The ghost-like prowling Ghost Shadow Corpse Fiend, as if it had crashed into an invisible, smooth wall, suddenly materialized, its body frozen in mid-air. Its speed, which it prided itself on, became like a snail crawling within the Domain. The ghostly blue bone blades at its fingertips had their light rapidly dim and extinguish.

That formless, intangible impact of resentment and black hair that eroded the Divine Soul were instantly decomposed and purified the moment they touched the Domain by the rotating Five Elements power within, and were conversely swallowed and annihilated by the intent of Guixu extinction, as if they had never appeared.

In the hollow eye sockets of the Heavenly Yin Ghost Mother, the ghostly light flickered violently, revealing an emotion of "fear."

Even True Monarch Shigui, who was manipulating the corpse puppets from afar and believed he had the victory in hand, felt as if he had been struck hard the moment the Chaos Guixu Domain expanded, his expression changing drastically!

He felt that the connection between himself and the three life-bound corpse puppets was being forcibly interfered with, weakened, and even... severed by an invisible, more primal, and terrifying power that seemed capable of "ending" all connections!

The Corpse Dao Nascent Soul Qi within his body felt as if it had encountered a natural predator, its circulation becoming sluggish, and there was a faint trend of it being conversely eroded and assimilated by the Guixu Dao Rhyme permeating the Domain!

"What... what kind of Domain is this?! How can it be this strong?!" True Monarch Shigui was horrified in his heart, the ghost fire in his eyes flickering wildly, finally feeling that something was amiss, and even... a trace of fear originating from the depths of his Soul!

"I said it, corpse puppets are dead objects after all." Lin Wan's calm voice echoed within the Domain, like a God who rules over everything, "In front of the true 'Dao', they are nothing more than... worthless trash."

His right hand, which was gripping the void, slowly closed its five fingers.

As his fingers closed, the vast Five Elements Guixu power within the Chaos Guixu Domain was instantly triggered, condensed, and compressed!

"Five Elements rotate, Metal is sharp, Wood is tough, Water is soft, Fire is fierce, Earth is thick—Guixu, is the end."

"This sword shall sever all falsehoods and end all evil and filth."

"Five Elements Guixu—Corpse Severing!"

As Lin Wan's last two words fell, his closed right palm gently waved towards the three corpse puppets that were completely imprisoned and unable to move by the Domain, as well as True Monarch Shigui, whose face was full of terror and who was attempting to use secret arts to escape.

"Hum——!!!"

A Chaos sword light, only as thick as an arm, condensed to the extreme, displaying the original color of Chaos, yet inside it seemed to contain countless worlds being created and instantly returning to extinction—was leisurely slashed out from his palm!

The moment the sword light appeared, it did not emit an earth-shattering Aura; instead, it had a strange "serenity" that seemed capable of "smoothing out" all energy fluctuations.

However, it was this "serene" Chaos sword light that, the moment it swept past the three top-tier corpse puppets and True Monarch Shigui—

"Chi, chi, chi, chi..."

Four sounds, so faint they were almost inaudible, like cloth being torn, rang out simultaneously.

The twelve-foot-tall, indestructible Golden Armored Corpse King's movements suddenly froze. From its brow downward, a straight, mirror-smooth Chaos crack appeared. Immediately, its entire massive body, like a sand sculpture blown away by the wind, silently disintegrated inch by inch, crumbling into dust of dark gold that filled the sky, which was then swept up by the Domain's power and completely annihilated.

The Shadow Corpse Fiend, which was like a shadow, suddenly stiffened. Then, like ink dripped into clear water, it rapidly diffused and faded, eventually disappearing completely into the formless, leaving not even a trace behind.

The Heavenly Yin Ghost Mother, with her pale face and monstrous resentment, had the last bit of ghostly light in her hollow eye sockets extinguished. Her body, like ice and snow illuminated by sunlight, rapidly melted and evaporated, eventually turning into a wisp of faint black smoke, which was also completely purified and annihilated by the Domain's power.

The three top-tier corpse puppets, notorious and enough to give Nascent Soul Late Stage Cultivators a headache, were, under this Chaos sword light, like paper or mud figures, instantly turning to ashes and smoke, without even the slightest room for resistance!

And finally, that Chaos sword light swept past True Monarch Shigui.

The terror, despair, and unwillingness on True Monarch Shigui's face instantly froze. He tried to activate his final life-saving secret art, attempting to detonate his Nascent Soul to perish together, but the moment the Chaos sword light reached his body, all the power, vitality, and Divine Soul within him, and even the "Corpse Dao Origin" he relied on for fame and had cultivated for unknown ages, were forcibly locked, stripped away, and ended by an incomprehensible, irresistible, and supreme power of "ending" and "Guixu"!

"No——!!!"

He let out his final, telepathic roar filled with endless fear and resentment.

The next moment, his body, along with the bone staff in his hand, and the gray-black Nascent Soul within his body that had already begun to expand and attempt self-detonation, also, like those three corpse puppets, began to disintegrate and crumble inch by inch from the Chaos sword mark on his brow, turning into the finest dust flickering with Chaos luster, then completely annihilated, returning to nothingness, without leaving even a trace of Aura or a speck of residue.

One sword, severing three corpses, slaying the Corpse Monarch!

The entire process, from Lin Wan expanding the Chaos Guixu Domain to swinging the "Corpse Severing" sword, and then to True Monarch Shigui and the three corpses being completely annihilated, took only a few short breaths.

Fast! Too fast! So fast that most people couldn't even see the specific process, only seeing a flash of Chaos light, and that True Monarch Shigui, who originally had monstrous Corpse Qi and fierce prestige, along with his three top-tier corpse puppets, completely disappeared from the fighting area as if they had never appeared.

In place, only the slowly retracting Chaos Guixu Domain remained, along with that figure in green robes with hands behind his back, his expression still calm.

The entire Dao Discussion Peak fell into a deathly silence once again.

A silence even more thorough, and even more... chilling to the Soul than when Lin Wan killed Old Monster Jiuyou with a single finger earlier.

Countless people widened their eyes and opened their mouths, like mud or wooden statues, their very thoughts seeming to have stopped.

What happened?

Where is True Monarch Shigui? Where are his three terrifying corpse puppets?

How... are they all gone?

One sword? Another sword?

No, he didn't even draw his sword! It was just a... sword light from his palm?

And then, a Demonic Path giant of the Nascent Soul Great Perfection, along with his three top-tier corpse puppets comparable to Nascent Soul Late Stage, just like that... gone? Completely, with body and Soul destroyed?!

This... is this still power that a Nascent Soul Cultivator can possess?! This is simply... a miracle! It is divine punishment!

Endless shock, fear, and awe, like a monstrous tsunami, fiercely impacted everyone's mind.

Those who originally doubted Lin Wan's strength or harbored hostility, at this moment, had only the deepest fear and trembling left in their hearts.

Such strength has already exceeded the scope of their understanding, and even exceeded the limits defined by the "Nascent Soul" Realm!

On the main seats, even giants of the Soul Transformation and Void Refining Realms like Fairy Yaoguang, Sword Master Jian Wuming, Great Elder Danchenzi, and Elder Xingyan, were filled with gravity and amazement in their eyes at this moment.

They could clearly feel the absolute control over the power of "Five Elements" and "Guixu" contained in Lin Wan's sword just now, which had already touched the level of "Law Origin," as well as that terrifying will that seemed capable of "ending" all existence.

Such Dao cultivation and such combat power were already enough to stand on equal footing with old monsters like them, and even... in some aspects, more bizarre and dangerous!

"Five Elements Guixu... Dao Seed... This child's Dao has already formed a climate." Grand Elder Danchenzi stroked his beard and sighed, his eyes flashing with brilliance.

"What a domineering, what a pure 'ending' Sword Intent." Sword Master Jian Wuming's eyes burned with sword light, as if he had seen a peerless treasure, "This child's sword is already close to the 'Dao'."

Fairy Yaoguang's beautiful eyes were deep, and her gaze towards Lin Wan was filled with inquiry and a trace of... unspeakable complexity.

Elder Xingyan's fingers moved slightly, star light and shadows flowing crazily in his eyes, as if he were frantically deducing something, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.

"Gui Region, Lin Wan, wins!" The Deacon Elder, with a trembling voice, finally broke this suffocating silence.

However, no one cheered, no one applauded.

Everyone was still immersed in the scene that was dreamlike yet so terrifyingly real, unable to extricate themselves.

In the Eastern Desert region, the flames that were originally jumping around the Yan Di's body were now completely solidified, as if frozen.

He stared fixedly at the figure in green robes in the field, the burning anger and killing intent in his eyes having long been replaced by a cold, unspeakable... wariness, and even... a trace of imperceptible fear.

He finally understood completely that Lin Wan's strength was far more terrifying and unfathomable than he had imagined! To be his enemy, perhaps... it really was an extremely stupid and extremely dangerous thing.

In the Northern Plains region, those few cold and gloomy Auras had now vanished without a trace, as if they had never existed.

Clearly, True Monarch Shigui's miserable state had completely shattered their courage.

In the Western Desert region, Master Liaoyin clasped his hands together, chanting a Buddhist name, his eyes filled with compassion, and also a trace of relief.

The evil demon has been beheaded; it is ultimately the cycle of Heavenly Dao.

In the Southern Region, Liu Ruyan and Chu Qingyao hugged tightly, weeping with joy.

Lin Jingyun was trembling with excitement, his gaze towards his father filled with incomparable worship, as if he were looking up at a mountain of God that could never be reached.

Lin Wan slowly retracted the last trace of Chaos Dao Rhyme around him, his gaze sweeping calmly across the entire field, pausing slightly on the Yan Di for a moment, then, with one step, he had returned to the East Wing seat.

Throughout the whole process, his expression remained calm and his breath steady, as if the shocking sword strike just now was, to him, nothing more than brushing off a few specks of dust.

But everyone knew that after this sword, the name "True Monarch Guixu" Lin Wan would no longer be just a title, a legend.

But a living, supreme existence capable of making the entire Tiannan Continent shake, awe, and even... fear!

Tiandu Mountain, Dao Discussion Peak.

The Dao Questioning Contest continued.

But everyone's heart and mind had been completely captivated by the brilliance of that sword.

Nascent Soul Great Perfection, Lin Wan.