246: Breakthrough opportunity

Hun You's aura surged as if a certain restraint had been unleashed!

The thin yet profound black mist violently churned, transforming into twisted, seemingly living dark tentacles that danced wildly behind him.

The complete pressure of a Dou Sheng fully descended, like substantial, overlapping mountain ranges, heavily pressing down on Li Ao, causing the space around him to groan under the unbearable weight, and the cracks on the dark red platform beneath his feet widened once more.

Sainthood's might was like a prison!

Under this pressure, Li Ao felt his breathing become difficult, and the circulation of Dou Qi within his body also became sluggish by several points.

This was the natural suppression brought by the difference in life levels.

"To force this saint to use his true power, you can be proud," Hun You's voice was like a frigid wind from the Nine Nether, carrying absolute indifference and killing intent, "Then let your Soul and blood be the offering for this saint's 'Myriad Souls Nirvana Palm'!".

He slowly raised his hands, palms facing each other, as endless black mist and mournful Soul howls converged, compressed, and solidified into a constantly rotating, all-consuming dark sphere.

On the surface of the sphere, countless faces of Souls in extreme agony frantically impacted, attempting to escape, yet were mercilessly crushed, transforming into the most fundamental destructive energy.

Even before this palm strike was unleashed, the desolate and destructive Concept it emanated subtly resonated with the Annihilation Rule of this place, doubling its power!

Li Ao's pupils contracted sharply, and his heart pounded violently.

He clearly felt that he could not withstand this palm strike!

Even with the Late Stage of the third level of Nirvana Hegemon Body, even holding the "silent ruin", even with the profound Guixu Great Dao, in the face of an absolute power gap, there was still the danger of being instantly annihilated!

Escape?

The surrounding space had been sealed by Hun You's Saintly aura; there was no escape!

Resist head-on?

Only death awaited!

Should he use the Origin of the "nirvana star core"?

That was his greatest trump card, the Foundation for him to break through to Dou Sheng and even higher Realms; once excessively consumed prematurely, the consequences would be unimaginable!

It was in this critical, life-and-death predicament that Li Ao's gaze suddenly swept across the cracked Seal light membrane behind him, and beyond the light membrane, that vast Chaos—the nirvana source core!

An extremely insane, life-gambling thought, like a flash of lightning, streaked across his mind!

Hun You's palm strike had invoked the Annihilation Rule, but its essence was still the insidious toxicity and destruction of the Hall of Souls, fundamentally different from the truly pure power of the nirvana source core; it could even be called a "defilement"!

And he, bearing the Guixu Great Dao, was of the same Origin as the nirvana source core!

He would gamble!

A hint of determination flashed in Li Ao's eyes!

Not only did he not retreat to defend, but he made a move that even Hun You was astonished by—he suddenly turned around, leaving his back wide open, facing Hun You's impending killing blow, while simultaneously forming a profound hand Seal; it was not to attack Hun You, but to activate the fragment of the "nirvana ancient talisman" within his body, which was greedily absorbing nirvana Source Qi!

"Buzz—!"

The fragment of the nirvana ancient talisman, fully activated by Li Ao, suddenly erupted with unprecedented suction!

It not only absorbed the Source Qi escaping from the cracks in the light membrane but also, like a positioning beacon, directly sent out a strong craving and summons to the vast nirvana source core beyond the light membrane!

At the same time, Li Ao fully operated the Guixu Great Dao, opening his mind and will without reservation, attempting to contact and resonate with the Origin of that source core!

He was gambling!

Gambling that the will of the nirvana source core would favor him, the "same Origin" latecomer, rather than Hun You, the "defiler"!

He was inviting a wolf into his house, but what he wanted to borrow was the nirvana source core, this double-edged sword, to contend against Hun You!

"Seeking death!"

Although Hun You didn't understand why, Li Ao's almost suicidal action made him feel a hint of unease; he no longer hesitated and pushed his palms forward fiercely!

"Myriad Souls Nirvana Palm!"

The dark sphere, condensed with countless Soul energies and destructive Rules, like an apocalyptic meteor, carrying the terrifying power to annihilate everything, slammed into Li Ao's back!

Wherever it passed, space collapsed inch by inch, turning into nothingness!

And at this very moment—

"Boom! ! !"

The entire Nirvana Illusionary Domain suddenly shook!

The enormous Seal light membrane behind Li Ao, whose runes were originally dim, suddenly erupted with unprecedented brilliant light!

It was not the golden light of stability, but a chaotic, gray light that seemed to contain the genesis and end of the Universe!

A chaotic gray Qi flow, indescribably vast, pure, and terrifying, like a giant Dragon that had slept for eons being awakened, suddenly roared out from a larger crack in the light membrane!

It ignored the spatial distance, arriving later but reaching first, instantly washing over Li Ao's front, colliding with the destructive dark sphere with a thunderous impact!

There was no explosion.

Only... returning to nothingness.

The "Myriad Souls Nirvana Palm," powerful enough to severely injure or even kill a low-star Dou Sheng, in front of that chaotic gray Qi flow, was like ice and snow under the sun; it failed to even stir a ripple before being completely washed away, disintegrated, erased, and vanished without a trace!

Furthermore, the chaotic Qi flow's momentum did not diminish; as if possessing consciousness, a small wisp separated, like a gentle tentacle, instantly enveloping Li Ao.

The vast majority of the rest transformed into an angry gray Dragon, carrying the will of judgment and the end of all things, charging directly at Hun You, whose expression had drastically changed!

"No! This is impossible! How could the nirvana source core actively help him?!"

Hun You let out an extremely terrified shriek; he felt a fatal crisis!

The Origin Nirvana Power contained within the chaotic Qi flow was far superior in level to his Saintly power, enough to completely erase him from the meaning of existence!

He frantically burned his Saint's blood, unleashing all his life-saving secret techniques, and black mist condensed into thick Soul shields, attempting to resist.

"Ch ch ch—!"

But everything was in vain.

Wherever the chaotic Qi flow passed, the Soul shields shattered like paper.

The Qi flow instantly engulfed Hun You's figure.

"Ah—!"

A desperate, sharp scream, abruptly cut short, echoed above the platform.

When the chaotic Qi flow slowly dispersed, there was no longer any trace of Hun You.

A Hall of Souls Dou Sheng had thus easily and completely fallen here.

And Li Ao, enveloped by that small wisp of chaotic Qi flow, was currently undergoing an unprecedented transformation!

The extremely pure nirvana Source Qi, without needing refinement, frantically surged into his limbs and bones, washing over his Meridians, flesh, bones, and even his Soul!

His Nirvana Hegemon Body greedily absorbed at an unprecedented speed, the gray patterns on the surface of his body becoming incredibly clear and complex, exuding an eternal and indestructible charm, rapidly advancing towards the Perfection of the third level!

At the same time, his Dou Qi cultivation, which had already reached Peak Seven-Star Dou Zun, under the infusion of this Origin power, saw its solid barrier melt instantly like thin ice under the sun!

An aura several times more powerful than before, like a sleeping lion awakening, erupted from within Li Ao, soaring into the sky!

Above the platform, the situation changed dramatically, and the Annihilation Rule rejoiced, as if welcoming the birth of a new king!

Li Ao suddenly opened his eyes, chaotic gray light flowing within them, as if containing the birth and death of the Universe.

He felt the surging, roaring, and qualitatively transformed new power within his body, and slowly clenched his fist.

Half-Saint!

In this desperate situation, he took a risky move, borrowing the power of the nirvana source core, not only counter-killing a powerful enemy but also stepping into the Half-Saint Realm, which countless Dou Zun dreamed of!