127: Kneeling and begging for mercy is not the proper posture for a quasi-emperor level expert.

Xuan Tianchen gazed at the remnant soul of the Heartless Empress, which had merged into one with the Undying Phoenix phantom, and gave a cold, sharp smile:

"Today, This Imperial Son has you dead to rights! Whether you are an Undying Phoenix or the Heartless Empress, since you have chosen to be an enemy of This Imperial Son, your only path is the total destruction of both body and soul!"

From within the Phoenix phantom came the Heartless Empress's unwilling, sharp cry: "Xuan Tianchen! This Empress admits, you are indeed strong, strong beyond all reason! But as long as a wisp of this Empress's divine fire remains, as long as a single seed of Nirvana is not extinguished, even if I fall here today, I will be able to be reborn from the flames in the endless fire domain in the future! When that day comes, I will surely exact revenge for today!"

"Oh? Is that so?" The mockery at the corners of Xuan Tianchen's mouth grew more intense. "Might as well tell you, the so-called Undying Phoenix and the so-called undying Nirvana are nothing but worthless curs before This Imperial Son's Chaos divine fire, extinguishable with a flick of a finger!"

As soon as his voice fell, Xuan Tianchen's figure vanished from the spot like a ghost, and the next instant, he had already appeared behind that massive Phoenix phantom!

He didn't even use his zhūtiān battle halberd; he simply held his fingers together like a blade, wreathed in Chaos aura, and slashed fiercely!

"Rip—!"

A sound like tearing silk rang out, and that seemingly incredibly solid Phoenix phantom—those brilliant wings of light condensed from pure Law and life Origin—were actually torn and snapped by Xuan Tianchen with his bare hands!

"Chirp—!!!"

A Phoenix cry, shrill to the extreme and containing endless pain and disbelief.

In an instant, it resounded throughout the entire Red Dust Grotto-Heaven and even spread across a small half of the Jueqing Immortal Domain, causing the Divine Soul of countless living beings to tremble!

Following closely, the Chaos-colored divine fire in Xuan Tianchen's palm surged again, like the maw of a gluttonous beast, instantly swallowing the severed Phoenix phantom and the remnant soul of the Heartless Empress within it completely!

Chaos divine fire, burning everything to nothingness, refining Law!

The so-called undying characteristic lost its meaning before a higher level of power.

"No—!!!"

Amidst the Heartless Empress's final shriek, filled with despair and unwillingness, that Phoenix remnant body spanning the Void Realm, along with the remnant soul within, quickly turned into the most primal particles under the burning of the Chaos divine fire, ultimately being completely annihilated without leaving even a trace of ash.

[Ding! Successfully killed the Daughter of Destiny: Heartless Empress Murong Yanran, seized all of her destiny Luck, obtained...]

The System's notification sound rang in his mind, and Xuan Tianchen indifferently withdrew his palm, as if he had only done a trivial thing.

He even extended the tip of his tongue and licked a trace of golden Phoenix blood remaining on his fingertip, a flash of bloodthirst and satisfaction appearing in his eyes.

With matters here concluded, he slowly turned around, his gaze, like an abyss, finally landing on Ling Kongzi, whose face was pale and whose aura was listless due to the pain of his severed arm and the successive shocks before him.

The zhūtiān battle halberd appeared in his hand once more, the tip of the halberd pointing from afar, and killing intent locked onto Ling Kongzi as if it were a physical substance.

"Old fellow, now... it's your turn!"

Feeling that cold killing intent like a primeval Vicious Beast, Ling Kongzi shuddered all over, waking from his immense fear and shock.

He looked at Xuan Tianchen's eyes, which had no emotional fluctuation, and then glanced at the place where Shen Ningshuang and the Heartless Empress had fallen.

All the pride, integrity, and persistence in his heart completely collapsed at this moment.

"Thump!"

This renowned great Confucian of the Jueqing Immortal Domain, a Quasi-Emperor Seventh Layer expert.

Actually knelt down in mid-air in full view of everyone, kowtowing incessantly towards Xuan Tianchen!

"Imperial Son! Imperial Son, spare my life! I was wrong! I truly know I was wrong! It was this old man who was blind and offended the Imperial Son's heavenly might! I beg you to spare my life! Spare my life!"

Ling Kongzi's voice trembled, carrying a crying tone; where was there any remnant of his previous refined integrity?

Xuan Tianchen watched him with great interest, as if admiring an interesting play, his tone carrying mockery:

"Kneeling to beg for mercy, this is not the posture a Quasi-Emperor Expert should have! Especially since you are a great Confucian of your generation; what of the integrity of a scholar? What of the Grand Righteous Qi of heaven and earth?"

At this moment, how could Ling Kongzi care about any integrity or Grand Righteous Qi? Saving his own life was the top priority.

He hurriedly said: "Before the Imperial Son, integrity and Grand Righteous Qi are all illusions! As long as the Imperial Son spares my life, I am willing to plant a soul contract and from now on follow your lead, working like an ox or a horse for you, with absolutely no disloyalty!"

"Hah, are you making wishes here?" Xuan Tianchen sneered and shook his head. "This Imperial Son has no interest in taking in an old dog. Be a man, burn your Divine Soul, and fight to the death!"

Upon hearing this, Ling Kongzi felt as if struck by lightning, his body completely collapsing.

At the same time, he finally understood that Xuan Tianchen had never intended to let go of anyone who dared to defy him from the very beginning.

Begging for mercy was nothing but bringing shame upon himself.

Deep within this extreme despair, a madness born from being pushed to the brink began to grow like a wildfire.

He slowly struggled to stand up from the Void Realm, blood still flowing from his severed arm.

But his originally terrified and pleading eyes gradually became calm, and then ignited with a light of determination bordering on martyrdom.

He tidied up his tattered Confucian robe, and despite his disheveled state, he attempted to straighten his hunched spine.

The Grand Righteous Qi around his body, which had previously been listless, began to boil and burn recklessly!

Even his Divine Soul Origin was ignited together with it!

An aura far stronger than before, mixed with tragedy and ferocity, soared into the sky!

Ling Kongzi looked straight at Xuan Tianchen, his voice no longer trembling, but instead carrying a calm and solemnity that saw through life and death:

"It seems that today, this old man is doomed to die... Since that is the case..."

He took a deep breath, and the burning Divine Soul and Grand Righteous Qi intertwined behind him, vaguely revealing an apparition of sages chanting scriptures and educating the masses, causing the literary Dao Laws of the entire Red Dust Grotto-Heaven to resonate with it.

"Then let the Imperial Son witness what a scholar's... final integrity is!"

Ling Kongzi burned his Divine Soul and his lifelong literary Qi, his whole person transforming into a scorching white sun, carrying the determination and sorrow to burn everything to nothing.

His body seemed to become transparent within the light, his flesh and bones merging with the boiling literary Dao Laws.

His cultivation aura was like a wild Dragon that had broken free from its shackles, forcefully breaking through the barrier and instantly ascending to the Eighth Layer Quasi-Emperor realm!

"Hum—!"

Heaven and earth shook, and the Great Dao resonated in harmony.

A quasi-emperor dharma idol that looked down upon the firmament rose from behind him, standing upright between heaven and earth!

This dharma idol did not have the appearance of a god or demon, but was a phantom of an old man wearing a Confucian cap and a wide Confucian robe, his face blurry but containing endless wisdom and vicissitudes.

In the hands of the dharma idol, it also held a "spring and autumn brush" condensed from pure Grand Righteous Qi.

Wherever the tip of the brush swept, lotus flowers grew in the Void Realm, with ancient Confucian runes imprinted on every petal, expounding the profound meanings of benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and trustworthiness.

The majestic pressure was like a vast sea of stars, shrouding the entire Red Dust Grotto-Heaven, causing heaven and earth to be imprisoned by it, and the Divine Soul of countless watching Cultivators trembled, nearly kneeling in submission.

"Sir... has achieved ultimate sublimation!" Some Confucian Cultivators wept, feeling both honored and sorrowful.

"At the cost of burning everything, to exchange for a moment of brilliance... After this battle, regardless of the outcome, Senior Ling Kongzi will..." Some elderly Cultivators muttered, unable to bear to continue.

Facing Ling Kongzi's desperate struggle, a look of slight seriousness finally flashed across Xuan Tianchen's always indifferent face.

His true body still stood in the Void Realm with his hands behind his back, but his blood-colored eyes were already surging with cold light.