Chapter 260: The World Once Seized

"Die!"

Starlight shimmered brilliantly, all the stars in the sky trembling as if about to fall at any moment.

A purple claw tore through the starry night, bathed in starlight and lunar radiance, its ancient divine purple scales gleaming with sacred brilliance.

Before it even landed, an immense pressure crushed down, like the Heavenly River overturning.

Boom—!

Dust, sand, and stones mixed with shattered skyscrapers and buildings surged upward in a towering wave.

Yet in the next instant, it was slammed down again!

The earth screamed; endless mountain ranges were torn apart and flung in all directions by the shockwaves.

Beast God!

Not Hun Tian Yi—it was the Beast God!

Seeing one-fifth of His subjects erased, He could no longer hold back.

The Xiang Yuanjun standing atop the void remained expressionless, calmly watching the purple giant claw descend like a star and moon.

Hss~

As if someone exhaled, an unseen current swept across, directly halting the endless, layered shockwaves surging outward.

The radiant martial will blazed like a sun across the sky, and suddenly, a divine figure emerged—towering, anchoring earth and propping heaven.

Five fingers clenched.

Suck—!

All qi in the world seemed to contract into a single point, squeezed within His grasp.

"Catch this punch."

A soft voice, yet like thunder exploding, echoed through heaven and earth.

In an instant, the night sky turned to daylight; a brilliant fist imprint struck the heavens, colliding with the ancient, sacred purple claw.

At the moment the fist met the claw!

No sound emerged—as if the world had lost its voice in that instant.

One ten-millionth of an instant later.

Dong!

A muffled sound, as if rising from the world's depths, sent countless cracks spiderwebbing through space, then shattered it entirely, revealing a profound void.

The shockwave from the clash swallowed all qi, sound, light, and perception across heaven and earth, as if containing an endless black hole within.

Everything seemed twisted into distorted lines—truly, heaven and earth had fallen silent.

"Cut!"

From nowhere came a cold, indifferent voice that shattered the silence.

A pure killing swordlight surged upward, slicing through the starry night, suppressing all strange phenomena, and slashing toward the purple claw trembling from the fist impact.

"Hah, still daring to show your face? Truly ignorant of death."

It was Huo.

Along the edges of the purple claw's mysterious scales, limbs suddenly sprouted, as if trying to detach and flee.

Yet as the mysterious patterns on the scales flashed once, all those limbs snapped and vanished.

But this delay cost him a step.

The killing swordlight swept past; purple, luminous blood sprayed out like gorgeous jewels scattered in all directions.

Amid agonized roars, the purple claw was nearly severed, deep down to the bone.

But after this swordstroke, He finally seized the chance.

A detached, distant will, laced with fury, seemed to wrestle against the violent, mad will.

Puff!

The purple claw dissolved into a skyful of ink-black shadows, vanishing into the starry night.

High above, the Xiang Yuanjun watched the retreating purple claw; several more threads of karmic silk now wound around His fingers.

"Their differences are growing clearer…"

Originally, the Beast God and Hun Tian Yi had influenced each other for years, so Hun Tian Yi cared about the fate of the Beast God clan.

But since Xu Xing's swordstroke, a fine crack had formed between them, weakening their mutual influence.

Now, Hun Tian Yi sought to preserve itself, unwilling to clash directly with the five Immortals.

Whether the Beast God clan perished or not—what did it matter?

Once the five Immortals left, if He wished, He could recreate a clan anytime.

But the Beast God would not stand idly by as this unfolded.

If this continued, the two might split apart.

Yet perhaps, after reaching some agreement, the Beast God would abandon its self and fuse utterly with Hun Tian Yi.

But…

No matter how He chose, it would make no difference whatsoever.

Soon.

The affairs of the Beast God Realm would be settled completely soon…

…

Upon a high cliff.

Bie Xuening's robes fluttered as she slowly sheathed her sword.

Beside her stood Master Mei Zu, idly fishing.

Behind them were Xi Li, as well as Fu Mu, Jing Yao, Chong Ming, and Fu Guang—the four who had only recently returned to the Sacred Land of the Heirs.

All five now stared blankly, their faces etched with disbelief.

This is absurd!

The Beast God, whom they regarded as nearly invincible—capable of killing even those beyond the Return-to-Emptiness realm with a single finger—had been so easily repelled!

And his entire arm had nearly been severed!

No wonder she is the senior sister of the Elder!

Bie Xuening turned around, about to speak, when Master Mei Zu spoke first.

!. Read

"What you have just witnessed must be deeply reflected upon—it will greatly benefit your future cultivation."

The five snapped out of their daze and bowed in unison.

"Yes, Elder."

Seeing their reverent demeanor, Master Mei Zu waved her hand and sent them all back.

Then she turned to Bie Xuening.

"No need to thank me."

"..."

Forget it—she could say those words just as well.

"Sword Sovereign, Master Mei Zu."

A gentle voice came from behind: Xiang Yuanjun, who had just been in the Fu Yun Kingdom, now stepped forth bathed in starlight and moonlight, landing on the cliff's edge.

"It seems the two of you get along well."

"After all, she is Brother Dao's senior sister," Master Mei Zu replied casually.

"..."

…………

Tai Xuan Realm, Qing Xu.

Inside the Return-to-Hometown Lab.

Xu Xing sat beside the Realm Evolution Apparatus, holding the book *Random Notes on Realm Exploration*.

But his thoughts were elsewhere.

After confirming that his senior sister and the four fellow Daoists had arrived in the Beast God Realm, he ceased to focus on them.

Instead, he turned his attention to other worlds.

For instance, the world that had been seized long ago by that Daoist friend and Elder from the starry void.

It was a peculiar world, divided into three layers.

The lowest layer was dark and filthy, choked with miasma, inhabited by monstrous demons and sinister spirits—named the 'Filth Realm'.

The uppermost layer was pure, sacred, and radiant, where spiritual energy manifested visibly, cultivators dwelled, and Xian Sects flourished—named 'Tai Xuan Tian'.

The middle layer held neither filth nor spiritual energy; ordinary mortals and beasts lived there—named the 'Mortal Realm'.

"Tai Xuan Tian..."

Without needing to look further, this was clearly the work of those lucky ones who had once visited the Tai Xuan Realm and were later sent back.

"What a pity."

Xu Xing sighed softly.

Those lucky ones had sufficient cultivation, but in every other aspect, they utterly failed.

Take the one who called himself 'Demon Sovereign'—he had fully mastered the Filth Realm at Return-to-Emptiness peak, repeatedly attempting to invade the Mortal Realm, then using it as a springboard to assault Tai Xuan Tian.

His hands were stained with countless killings.

So, after Xu Xing's Sword Intention Avatar planted a Ascension Platform in the Mortal Realm and proclaimed the rules, he immediately broke down.

By the standard, other beings at the same level might score slightly lower—but he scored negative...

In a shattered mental state, he tried to destroy the Ascension Platform, but was driven back by allied beings of equal rank from Tai Xuan Tian.

"Still, this world is suitable for my disciples' trials."

Tai Xuan Tian, Filth Realm, Mortal Realm—each can serve as a distinct training ground. (End of Chapter)