141: The outcome is already decided.

Several bucket-thick azure lightning bolts crashed down, their arcs flickering as if intending to reduce the person within the Formation to ashes.

Ye Hao abruptly pushed both hands forward!

The Primordial Samsara Curse was fully unleashed. The murky, gray seal suddenly expanded, standing before him like an ancient mountain peak as it collided with the surging azure lightning.

"Boom—!"

An ear-splitting roar echoed for thousands of miles. A violent energy storm swept out like a tsunami, causing the Formation's light barrier to flicker intensely, but it managed to withstand the impact.

The seven Flying Swords seemed to have their throats instantly cut off, abruptly halting mid-air before being blasted back several zhang.

The Primordial Samsara Curse was mostly torn apart by the lightning, but the remaining energy still struck Long Lie. He staggered back several steps, his chest heaving violently, unable to hold back a mouthful of black blood that spurted out, staining the front of his robe.

Although the azure lightning was largely neutralized, residual arcs surged into Ye Hao's body along his arm. He grunted, his left arm torn open by a wound half an arm's length long, revealing stark white bone.

This move clearly injured Long Lie more severely.

Long Lie propped himself up with his sword tip. Though his body swayed unsteadily, his eyes were filled with triumph.

"It seems the outcome is decided."

Although this body lost to this kid, the most crucial point was that he was still within the Lie Ling Flying Sword Formation.

The earlier Azure Nether Lightning Summoning Art had nearly drained the spiritual power within his body, and this kid was likely in a similar situation. But as long as this Formation existed, he could continuously absorb Spiritual Qi to recover.

Ye Hao remained silent, his chest rising and falling slightly, each breath seeming somewhat labored.

Murky, gray Chaos Qi circulated over his body's surface, appearing utterly unconcerned about being devoured; instead, it seemed to grow increasingly dense.

Seeing this, the triumph in his eyes deepened as he snorted coldly, "Still struggling even at death's door?"

As his words fell, the seven Flying Swords within the Formation shot toward Ye Hao like lightning once more, their sword winds sharp and undiminished from before.

Ye Hao's left arm hung powerless, forcing him to rely on his movement techniques to dodge clumsily, occasionally getting cut. A dark red Flying Sword instantly pierced through his thigh.

Ye Hao staggered, nearly dropping to one knee.

Seeing him expose a flaw, a fierce glint flashed in Long Lie's eyes. The spiritual power he had just recovered surged wildly within him as his figure closed in like a ghost, pale azure spiritual power gathering in his palm as he struck toward Ye Hao's heart.

But at that moment, Long Lie's expression abruptly changed drastically. The spiritual power he had just accumulated vanished instantly like a receding tide, a hollow, stinging pain spreading through his Meridians as if an invisible hand had completely devoured his spiritual power.

"What's happening... my spiritual power..."

A cold, sharp curve lifted at the corner of Ye Hao's mouth as his right-hand longsword suddenly swung out.

A sharp Sword Qi shot out like a rainbow piercing the sun. With a "shriek," the Sword Qi struck Long Lie directly, slicing off his sleeve and leaving a deep, bone-visible wound on his shoulder.

"I forgot to tell you," Ye Hao finally responded.

"My Chaos Qi isn't just for defense; it also has devouring power. Did you think the Formation was absorbing my strength? Actually, I used the Formation to secretly devour your spiritual power."

Long Lie shuddered all over. Looking at the murky, gray aura flowing over Ye Hao's body, he finally understood—this kid had used the Formation to scheme against him instead.

"Revered Master actually lost?" Within the body, the real Long Lie was even more stunned by this scene, his face filled with disbelief.

Not giving Long Lie any time to rest, Ye Hao's figure closed in like a ghost once more, his longsword gleaming with murky, gray Chaos Qi as he thrust straight toward Long Lie's heart.

Long Lie's pupils contracted sharply, his heart filled with terror and despair. With his spiritual power completely empty, he couldn't block this fatal strike at all. He could only muster all his strength to hold his longsword horizontally before his chest.

"Clang—!"

A clear metallic clang echoed through the Formation. Long Lie's longsword instantly cracked all over, the immense impact forcing him to spit out another mouthful of blood as his body flew backward like a broken kite.

Using that momentum, he staggered toward the edge of the Formation.

He retrieved an Escape Talisman from his storage ring, intending to flee. Seeing this, a cold glint surged in Ye Hao's eyes as he swung out another Sword Qi. But he was ultimately a step too late—the Sword Qi grazed the corner of Long Lie's robe, only slicing off a piece of his sleeve.

The seven Flying Swords seemed to cover their Revered Master's escape, obstructing Ye Hao's pursuit.

A flicker of regret passed through Ye Hao's eyes, and he had no choice but to give up!

Although he won this battle, it wasn't easy. That richly dressed man was simply too cunning, not falling for the deliberate flaws he exposed several times.

Without Long Lie maintaining the Formation, Ye Hao quickly dismantled the Lie Ling Flying Sword Formation.

He retrieved a Nourishing Origin Pill from his storage ring and tossed it into his mouth, regulating his body's injuries.

"It seems I still can't slack off in my cultivation. After this Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony ends, I'll go back into seclusion."

A moment later!

Several figures approached from the distance. Mu Wanqing and the other three arrived on Flying Swords, glancing at the deep trenches and shattered rocks on the ground, the faint scent of blood lingering in the air.

Li Pingan immediately grew vigilant of their surroundings.

Mu Wanqing stepped forward quickly, frowning as she asked, "Junior Brother, what... exactly happened here?"

Ye Hao's expression remained calm. "Senior Sister, don't worry. I just encountered a decent whetstone."

"By the way." Ye Hao casually waved his hand, and over thirty spirit fate crystals floated in the air. "Senior Sister, these were gathered from that bitch Ye Jing."

"Whetstone?"

Seeing this, Mu Wanqing didn't press further.

After a moment's thought, she ordered, "Let's find a place to rest for a bit. There's still time. We'll continue once Junior Brother's injuries have healed."

Li Pingan nodded. "We'll follow Senior Sister's arrangements."

Xiao Lingxian and Xie Xingchen had no objections either... The next day!

The faint light of dawn pierced through the thin mist between the mountain forests, spilling onto the entrance of a hidden cave.

Inside the cave, the stone walls still retained the residual warmth from last night's bonfire. Ye Hao sat cross-legged on a bluestone, slowly opening his eyes, a glint of sharp light flashing within them.

After a night of regulation!

The medicinal power of the sixth-grade Nourishing Origin Pill had been fully digested by him. As Chaos Qi circulated around him, the deep, bone-visible wound on his left arm had long since healed completely.

He stood up and stretched his limbs. The spiritual power within him surged ceaselessly, even stronger than during yesterday's battle with Long Lie.

Li Pingan smiled. "It seems Junior Brother has fully recovered."

Mu Wanqing stood up. "Let's go. Today is the last day. As long as we reach that Central Stone Tower, we'll pass through this Myriad Spirit Affinity Realm."

The four of them followed closely behind. Just as they stepped out of the cave entrance, they were all somewhat startled.

Ahead in mid-air, a thick, impenetrable black fog hung like a black curtain, completely blocking their path forward.

Xiao Lingxian narrowed her eyes slightly, her delicate brows furrowing. "I didn't expect the soul-confusing miasma to have shrunk to this position. I wonder how many people are left in this Myriad Spirit Affinity Realm."

Xie Xingchen sighed. "I'd only heard about the cruelty of the Heavenly Selection Grand Ceremony before, never experienced it myself. Not only are there Yao Beasts lurking everywhere, but there's also this step-by-step pressing soul-confusing miasma.

Looking at it now, those who chose to withdraw after the first round were truly foresighted."

Li Pingan remarked, "Yao Beasts injuring people is still relatively rare. It's the methods of those Holy Land Prodigies that are even more brutal."