166: Chapter 166 The Five Envoys Arrive, a Deadly Battle to the Death.

The gray mist surged like a tide.

Five figures slowly walked out of the mist; with every step they took, the ground trembled slightly.

Lin Fan's gaze swept over the five people. At their head was an old woman with white hair and a hunched figure, holding a pitch-black cane. Her face was covered in crisscrossing wrinkles, but her eyes were terrifyingly bright, with pitch-black flames burning in her pupils.

Behind her followed four Black-robed figures, two men and two women, all appearing middle-aged. The aura permeating around them was stronger, purer, and more twisted than that of the previous thirty-seven believers.

"The Five Envoys," Su Zhiqing's hand gripping her sword tightened slightly. "The 'Five Elements Envoys' of the Nirvana Believers."

Lin Fan looked sideways. "You know them?"

"Ancient records mention them," Su Zhiqing's voice was cold. "Within the Nirvana Believers, there are five great envoys who separately control the Power of Annihilation of the Five Elements: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. Every one of them has a record of killing a World Lord at the Peak."

The white-haired old woman laughed, her smile looking exceptionally eerie on her wrinkled face. "The little girl is quite knowledgeable. Indeed, I am the Gold Envoy, and these four are the Wood Envoy, Water Envoy, Fire Envoy, and Earth Envoy."

She looked at Lin Fan, the pitch-black flames in her eyes flickering.

"The Fusion of Eternal and Annihilation... the Cult Leader has waited ten thousand years for this day."

Lin Fan said indifferently, "Who is your Cult Leader?"

"You will know soon enough." The Gold Envoy raised her hand and struck the ground with her pitch-black cane. "But before that—" Before she could finish her sentence, the five figures charged simultaneously!

The Gold Envoy's cane transformed into thousands of golden threads. Each thread was as sharp as a blade, emitting a sharp hiss as they sliced through the air.

The Wood Envoy formed hand seals, and the ground suddenly split open as countless pitch-black vines burst forth, coiling around Lin Fan's legs like venomous snakes.

The Water Envoy spat out a black water arrow, which shot forth, corroding the air into sizzling white smoke wherever it passed.

A ball of pitch-black flame emerged in the Fire Envoy's palm. The flame was cold rather than hot, emitting an eerie aura.

The Earth Envoy slapped the ground with a palm, and the earth beneath Lin Fan's feet instantly turned into quicksand, seeking to swallow him.

The five attacks struck simultaneously with perfect coordination, sealing off all of Lin Fan's routes of retreat.

Su Zhiqing drew her sword.

The sword light swept across, severing the vines coiling toward Lin Fan.

Her figure flashed as she blocked the way in front of Lin Fan, her sword tip pointing directly at the black water arrow.

The water arrow collided with the sword blade, erupting in a blinding light.

Su Zhiqing retreated three steps, her hand holding the sword trembling slightly.

The Power of Annihilation contained within that water arrow was eroding her Sword Intent.

"Be careful, their power can contaminate spiritual energy," she said in a low voice.

Lin Fan nodded.

He did not retreat; instead, he took a step forward and charged straight into the center of the Five Envoys.

"Seeking death!" The Fire Envoy sneered as the pitch-black flames transformed into a Fire Dragon, pouncing toward him head-on.

Lin Fan neither dodged nor avoided it, letting the Fire Dragon crash into his body.

In the next instant, the Fire Envoy's expression changed drastically.

She felt that her flames were being swallowed by some kind of power.

"This is..."

"Nirvana True Intent." Gray air currents circulated around Lin Fan, stripping away the pitch-black flames layer by layer. "You thought you were the only ones who could use Power of Annihilation?"

He raised his hand, and a ball of gray flame appeared in his palm.

That flame was completely different from the Fire Envoy's pitch-black flame—it was neither cold nor hot, but burned quietly, as if it could incinerate all existence into nothingness.

"This is true Annihilation."

Lin Fan flicked his finger, and the gray flame shot out.

The Fire Envoy dodged in terror, but the flame followed her like a shadow, finally striking her shoulder.

There was no explosion, no burning.

It was just that her shoulder... simply vanished.

As if it had never existed.

"Ah—" the Fire Envoy screamed, clutching her empty shoulder socket, her eyes filled with terror.

The Gold Envoy's face was grim. "This kid has already fused Eternal and Annihilation?"

"It's not just Fusion," the Wood Envoy said with a trembling voice. "The Power of Annihilation in his body is purer and more of an Origin than ours."

"Impossible!" The Water Envoy gritted her teeth. "The Cult Leader said that only a true Annihilation Inheritance holder can master the Origin Power of Annihilation. That kid only obtained the Annihilation Inheritance of the Great Emperor of Annihilation, how could he—"

"Because he fused with Eternal," the Gold Envoy interrupted her, a look of wariness flashing in her eyes. "Eternal suppresses the void, and Annihilation returns to the Origin. The Fusion of the two is..."

She didn't continue. But everyone understood.

The path Lin Fan walked was closer to the Origin of Annihilation than these so-called "Nirvana Believers."

"Retreat!" The Gold Envoy made a prompt decision. "We cannot kill him today. Return and report to the Cult Leader, and ask—"

"Want to leave?"

Lin Fan took a step forward, his figure blocking her path like a ghost.

"You came to kill me, and I've accepted the challenge. But as for leaving—"

He raised his hand, and gray threads descended like an inescapable net. "You'll have to ask if I agree."

The Gold Envoy shouted sharply and swept her cane. The golden threads collided with the gray threads, erupting in a blinding light.

But in just an instant, the golden threads were swallowed by the gray ones.

The Gold Envoy discovered in terror that her Metal-element Power of Annihilation, which she had cultivated for ten thousand years, was as fragile as ice and snow meeting a blazing sun before Lin Fan.

"Impossible!" she roared. "I don't believe it!"

She bit the tip of her tongue and spat out a mouthful of essence blood. The essence blood burned in the air, transforming into a blood-red portal.

Blood Escape of a Thousand Miles—the same move Blood Butcher had used.

Lin Fan's brow furrowed slightly.

He raised his hand, and a gray sword light shot out, piercing directly into the blood-red portal.

The sword light entered the portal, and a scream echoed from behind it.

But the Gold Envoy's figure had already vanished.

Seeing that things were going poorly, the remaining three envoys simultaneously activated Blood Escape.

Lin Fan struck three times in succession.

Three screams, three corpses.

No... there were only three.

The Wood Envoy's corpse lay on the ground, a gray sword scar on her forehead.

The corpses of the Water Envoy and Earth Envoy were also there.

But the Fire Envoy... her corpse had disappeared.

Lin Fan's gaze narrowed.

The moment the Blood Escape portal dissipated, he saw a hand reach out from behind the door and drag the Fire Envoy's corpse inside.

Someone had been watching from the shadows all along.

"Three-Eyed Demon Lord," he murmured.

Su Zhiqing sheathed her sword and walked over. "That Demon Race member?"

"Yes." Lin Fan looked toward the sky, where the gray mist was vast and nothing could be seen. "He never made a move; he was waiting for this moment."

"Waiting for what?"

"Waiting for me to be exhausted to my limit, waiting for all my trump cards to be revealed," Lin Fan said. "And then—"

He paused, a cold sneer playing on the corners of his mouth. "Unfortunately, he won't get the chance to wait anymore."

Su Zhiqing looked at him.

A few more strands of gray had appeared at Lin Fan's temples, and his face was paler than before. But standing there, his aura remained steady, as if the fierce battle just now had merely been a warm-up for him.

"Do you still have strength left?" she asked.

"I do," Lin Fan said, "but not much."

He looked toward the direction of Soul Severing Gorge. "Let's go; we need to catch up with them."

"Your body..."

"I won't die." Lin Fan stepped forward. "Lin Pojun and the others are still ahead. If they are caught by those believers..."

He didn't continue. But Su Zhiqing understood.

Although the Three Hundred Battle Guards had obtained the Legacy Swords, their cultivation levels were uneven. If they were caught by enemies of the Five Envoys' caliber, very few would likely survive.

She said no more, carrying her sword as she followed.

The gray mist closed behind them, swallowing the four corpses.

In the distance, the outline of Soul Severing Gorge was faintly visible.

And in the further sky, a third demonic eye slowly opened, watching everything.

A cold sneer curled the lips of the Three-Eyed Demon Lord:

"Interesting kid..."

"But, this seat is in no hurry."

"When you are truly at the end of your rope, this seat will come to collect the debt."

The demonic eye closed, and everything returned to tranquility.

Outside Soul Severing Gorge, Lin Pojun led the Three Hundred Battle Guards at a gallop.

They had already left the battlefield's range; ahead was a vast, open plain.

As long as they crossed this plain, they could reach the nearest Human Race city—Qingyun City.

"Speed up!" Lin Pojun barked. "The Young Lord is still behind us; we cannot be a burden to him!"

The Three Hundred Battle Guards gritted their teeth and increased their speed.

Suddenly, an eerie laughter came from ahead.

From the gray mist, a dark shadow slowly emerged.

It was a woman dressed in blood-red robes with a glamorous face. A thick aura of death permeated around her, stronger than that of the previous thirty-seven believers.

Fire Envoy.

She wasn't dead.

Or rather, someone had saved her.

"Running quite fast, aren't you?" The Fire Envoy licked her lips, her gaze sweeping over the Three Hundred Battle Guards. "That kid named Lin Fan killed my companions, so I'll just have to take you..."

She raised her hand, and pitch-black flames appeared in her palm. "...to pay the debt."

Lin Pojun's expression changed drastically.

"Form the array!" he shouted.

The Three Hundred Battle Guards instantly formed an array, every man drawing his sword as their Sword Intent soared into the sky.

A hint of surprise flashed in the Fire Envoy's eyes.

"Oh? These swords belong to the Eternal Battle Group?" She laughed. "Interesting. After I kill you, these swords will be mine."

She raised her hand, and the pitch-black flames transformed into a Fire Dragon, pouncing toward the battle array.

Boom!!!

The flames collided with the Sword Intent, erupting in a blinding light.

The Three Hundred Battle Guards all groaned, and more than a dozen spat out blood on the spot.

But they did not retreat.

"Hold them back!" Lin Pojun roared. "The Young Lord is still behind us; we cannot fall!"

The Fire Dragon pounced again.

Just then, a gray sword light descended from the heavens, slicing the Fire Dragon in half.

The Fire Envoy's pupils shrank.

From the gray mist, two figures walked out side by side.

Lin Fan, Su Zhiqing.

"How could you be so fast!" the Fire Envoy's voice trembled.

Lin Fan did not answer.

He simply raised his hand, and the gray light in his palm shone brilliantly.

The Fire Envoy discovered in terror that the Power of Annihilation within her body was spiraling out of control; it was the absolute suppression of the Origin over its branches.

"No!"

Lin Fan's fingers curled into a loose fist.

The Fire Envoy gave a miserable scream and turned into fly ash, not even having time to activate Blood Escape.

The battle was over.

Lin Fan lowered his hand and looked at the Three Hundred Battle Guards.

"What are the casualties?"

"Young Lord!" Lin Pojun knelt, his eyes red. "The brothers are fine, but you—"

He saw the large patch of gray at Lin Fan's temples.

Lin Fan waved his hand. "It's nothing."

He turned and looked toward the direction of Soul Severing Gorge.

There, the Gold Envoy's aura had completely disappeared.

"Let's go," he said. "Home."

The Three Hundred Battle Guards all stood up and followed closely behind him.

Su Zhiqing walked by his side, hesitating to speak.

She saw that the gray at Lin Fan's temples was slowly receding.

But the speed of recession was much slower than before.

In this battle, his exhaustion was too great.

"You..." she began.

"I'm fine," Lin Fan interrupted her. "A few days of rest will be enough."

What he didn't mention was that the demonic eye that had been watching him was currently locked onto him.

The Three-Eyed Demon Lord was still waiting.

Waiting for the moment he was truly at the end of his rope.

Lin Fan raised his head to look at the sky, a gray light flashing briefly in his eyes.

"Then wait."

He murmured, "Let's see who can outwait the other."