55: Sword Soul Envoy

Li Ao's declaration, "Those who harm her, die," was like a sharp ice pick condensed from the netherworld's chill, piercing deep into everyone's Soul, carrying an unquestionable absolute will and a tragic killing intent reminiscent of a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood!

Protector Wu's surrounding black mist churned violently, revealing his inner fury and an indescribable hint of dread. The Saber Intent of annihilating everything emanating from the opponent, especially the "Return to Stillness" aura within it that made his Soul Origin tremble, prevented him from underestimating Li Ao in the slightest.

"Arrogant junior! Merely a newly advanced Dou Huang, yet you dare to spout such nonsense in front of this Protector! Since you seek death, this Protector will take your Soul along with you!" Protector Wu roared, attempting to suppress the unease in his heart with his imposing presence. He abruptly formed hand seals, and the black mist around him surged out as if boiling!

"Ten Thousand Souls Devouring Spirit Array!"

The mournful wails of ghosts and wolves echoed through heaven and earth! Countless twisted, pained Soul phantoms struggled out from the black mist, converging into a gigantic, sky-obscuring grey Soul storm! Within the storm, countless pained faces roared and cried, emitting terrifying power that corroded the mind and devoured life force! This was one of Protector Wu's killing Moves, based on collected and refined Soul bodies, forming a Soul Domain capable of strangling a Dou Huang of the same rank!

The Soul storm, like a giant millstone, crushed towards Li Ao. Wherever it passed, even space rippled, and the yellow sand below instantly lost all color, becoming grey, withered, and dead.

Facing this Soul attack, which would make an ordinary Five-Star Dou Huang's scalp tingle, Li Ao's eyes remained as cold as ten thousand years of profound ice. He didn't even look at the roaring Soul storm, merely slowly leveled the long saber in his hand, which glowed with dark gold and silver-grey light, in front of him.

"Demons and monsters, dare to make noise?"

He subtly twisted his wrist, the saber's edge trembled slightly, and a deeper, more restrained, yet seemingly capable of bringing about the twilight of gods and the Return to Stillness of all things, aura emanated from the saber's body. He didn't use any flashy Moves, but simply pointed the saber's tip at the massive Soul storm, and with a simple, direct thrust!

The action was unadorned, like a clumsy straight thrust from a beginner.

However, at the moment the saber tip thrust out—

"Buzz!"

An extremely thin, almost invisible silver-grey light beam erupted from the saber tip, instantly disappearing into the massive Soul storm!

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no roar of clashing energy.

The seemingly unstoppable grey Soul storm, at its core where it was touched by the silver-grey light beam, was like being cast into the ultimate void of Return to Stillness! Countless roaring Soul phantoms, without even a chance to scream, melted and annihilated silently like ice and snow under the sun! The structure of the Soul storm began to collapse from within, spreading rapidly. The entire storm visibly thinned and became transparent at a speed visible to the naked eye, finally dissipating completely into the air, as if it had never existed!

One saber strike! Just a seemingly casual straight thrust, yet it shattered Protector Wu's proud "Ten Thousand Souls Devouring Spirit Array"!

"Impossible!!!" Protector Wu shrieked, his face beneath the black mist filled with horror and disbelief! His Soul attack was so easily... erased?! This completely exceeded the scope of his understanding of power!

"You... what Rule do you control?!" His voice trembled with a hint of terror.

Li Ao did not answer. After breaking the Soul storm, his figure moved.

Thunder Sound Steps exploded! A slowly dissipating sonic boom cloud was left in place, and his true body, as if Transmigration through space, appeared in front of Protector Wu! The speed was extreme!

"So fast!" Protector Wu was greatly alarmed, hurriedly condensing black mist to form a thick Soul shield in front of him, while simultaneously retreating rapidly!

"Shatter."

Li Ao uttered a cold word, changing his long saber's thrust to a chop. It was still simple and direct, fiercely slashing down at the Soul shield!

On the dark long saber, the Annihilation Rule and surging Qi and blood were perfectly in Fusion. Before the saber's edge even arrived, the invisible Nirvana Power already made the Soul shield groan under the immense pressure!

"Crack!"

The Soul shield only lasted less than a breath before it shattered with a bang! The long saber's momentum remained undiminished, directly chopping towards Protector Wu's face!

Protector Wu was scared out of his wits, letting out a strange cry. His Dou Qi and Soul Power erupted without reservation, and the black mist condensed into countless twisted ghostly hands, frantically grabbing at the long saber, attempting to block it. At the same time, his body twisted in a strange posture, trying to evade this fatal blow!

"Chi chi chi—!"

Those ghostly hands, condensed from pure Soul Power, scattered and melted as if encountering their nemesis when they touched the Nirvana aura entwined around the long saber!

Although most of the power was offset, the saber's edge still grazed Protector Wu's shoulder!

"Ah—!"

A shrill scream rang out! The black mist on Protector Wu's left shoulder was instantly cut open, along with the flesh and bones beneath, revealing a deep wound that exposed bone! What was even more terrifying was that no blood flowed from the wound; instead, it presented a strange greyish, withered color, and that greyish color was rapidly spreading along his body. Wherever it passed, life force was cut off, and flesh withered! It was precisely the corrosive power of the lingering Annihilation Rule!

"Rule corrosion?! What kind of monster are you?!" Protector Wu was terrified, frantically activating his power to try and suppress the spreading greyishness, but found the effect negligible! The Nirvana Power was like a persistent bone-marrow parasite, stubbornly destroying his life force!

He was completely terrified! This young man in front of him, whose strength clearly seemed inferior to his, but that strange Rule Power completely restrained him! If he continued to fight, he would surely die!

Escape! He must escape!

Protector Wu no longer had any Battle Intent. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of vital blood, which merged into the black mist around him, making it instantly several times denser. His speed surged, transforming into a black streak, fleeing desperately into the distance! He didn't even care about the "key" in the ruins!

"Trying to leave now? Too late."

Li Ao's eyes were cold; how could he allow him to escape? He took a step, his figure following like a shadow, instantly catching up! The long saber in his hand was raised again. This time, the silver-grey light on the saber's body condensed to the extreme, as if transforming into a miniature black hole that devoured all light!

"Nirvana Slash!"

A silver-grey saber Qi, spanning the sky like the grim reaper's scythe, struck later but arrived first, instantly catching up to the desperately fleeing Protector Wu!

Feeling the terrifying power behind him that could make his body and Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, Protector Wu let out a desperate roar, condensing all the black mist and Soul Power behind him, forming his final defense!

"No—!!"

The silver-grey saber Qi swept past silently.

The defense shattered like paper.

Protector Wu's forward momentum suddenly froze. He looked down at the large, smooth-edged, constantly annihilating and expanding void in his chest, his eyes filled with extreme fear and bewilderment. His body, starting from his chest, rapidly turned to dust like a weathered sand sculpture, along with his terrified Soul, returning to eternal Return to Stillness and nothingness.

Five-Star Dou Huang, Hall of Souls Protector Wu—dead!

The saber Qi's residual force remained undiminished, striking a distant sand dune. There was no explosion, no dust, only a gigantic, bottomless gully appearing out of thin air. The gully's edges were smooth as a mirror, lingering with a chilling Nirvana aura.

Between heaven and earth, there was dead silence.

Only the desert's hot wind, carrying yellow sand, made a whimpering sound.

Elder Yinshi and the other snake people stared at this scene dumbfounded, as if looking up at a miracle. That terrifying existence that had forced them into a desperate situation was actually... killed just like that?!

Li Ao slowly withdrew his saber, the terrifying aura around him receding like a tide. He turned, descended from the air, and walked step by step to Medusa, who lay in the yellow sand, her aura weak.

He squatted down, looking at her pale yet still captivating face, and at the faintly cracking spatial rift on her forehead, his brows slightly furrowed. He extended a finger, and pure, gentle energy, containing the Origin life force of the Black Iron Hegemon Body and a trace of Annihilation Rule (used to neutralize residual alien power), condensed at his fingertip, gently touching her forehead.

The energy surged in, like sweet dew nourishing parched earth. Medusa groaned, feeling the Soul-tearing pain rapidly diminish, and the rift on her forehead visibly stabilized and healed a small portion. Her nearly depleted Dou Qi also began to slowly recover under the nourishment of this life force.

She lifted her eyelids, her multicolored gaze complex as she looked at Li Ao, who was so close, at his deep, star-like pupils. Her crimson lips parted slightly, as if she wanted to say something, but in the end, it only turned into a slightly hoarse whisper:

"...You saved me again."

Li Ao withdrew his finger, saying indifferently, "The transaction is not yet complete."

Medusa was slightly startled, looking at his calm, unperturbed face. Then, a breathtakingly faint curve appeared on her pale lips. This time, she didn't say anything like "I will serve you as my master," but the light flowing in her multicolored eyes was more resolute than any oath.

Some kindnesses are best kept in the heart.

Li Ao stood up, his gaze sweeping towards the depths of the ancient ruins. Part of the "key" the Hall of Souls wanted was inside.

At the same time, far away in Jia Ma Holy City. Xiao Yan slowly opened his eyes, the surging Dou Qi around him gradually receding. He pushed open the door and looked at the majestic Yun Lan Mountain, his eyes sharp as a saber.

Tomorrow is the Three-Year Agreement!

The storm never ceased, it only surged in different places, in different ways!