Chapter 234

The black-gold long spear in Wang Zhize's hand, rather than saying it is a condensation of energy, it is better said to be a materialization of a law that has been forcibly given the definition of "death".

Where the spear tip points, even light seems to be sucked in, exuding a hollow and deathly stillness that makes one's soul tremble.

"Brother... I..." Wang Zhitao's voice broke, he felt he was about to burst, yet at the same time, an unprecedented sense of power surged from each of his torn and reassembled cells.

"Shut up and eat your rice." Wang Zhize didn't turn his head, his eyes fixed on the chaotic energy vortex ahead and its center, where a massive figure, like a mountain range, stood blocking everything for them.

He now could 'see' and understand.

Grandfather was not merely enduring.

Each tremor of the giant beast, each wound torn open by energy deep enough to see the bone, was performing an analysis.

It was using its immortal beastly body to collide, grind, and comprehend the erroneous laws of this space.

Then, it would stuff these 'chewed-up' laws, together with the most violent energy, all at once into Wang Zhitao, this 'crucible'.

Wang Zhitao, meanwhile, used the savage 'Devouring Origin Tyrant Body' to burn away all impurities and malice in those law fragments, refining them into the purest power Core.

Finally, this power flowed through Wang Zhize, who would 'define' and 'shape' it.

Devour, command.

The two Core powers of the inheritance, at this moment, formed a perfect closed loop in an almost miraculous way.

Li Hu in the distance had gone completely numb.

"Old Zhang, pinch me."

"Why?" Zhang Mei's voice sounded a bit faint.

"I want to see if I'm dreaming. Or... maybe we're actually already dead, and what we're seeing is a scene from hell?" Li Hu muttered, "You say, what realm are these two kids at now? Foundation Establishment? Or... Golden Core?"

"How would I know!" Zhang Mei was about to cry, "All I know is, if I keep watching, I might go crazy."

Just then, the entire space violently shook without any warning!

It wasn't the shaking of an earthquake, but a more fundamental 'stutter' coming from the space itself—as if a playing scroll had been violently jerked, causing everything in the picture to instantly twist and misalign.

"Pfft!"

The cycle was instantly broken. Wang Zhitao spat out a mouthful of black-gold blood; the balance he had just built collapsed violently, countless tiny energy torrents exploded in his meridians, making him emit a non-human wail.

Wang Zhize's face also turned pale; his black-gold long spear instantly shattered, his whole body reeled as if struck hard, he let out a muffled groan and almost knelt.

"Roar——!"

The giant beast Wang Shan, standing at the forefront of the vortex, let out a low growl.

This roar held no pain, no anger, only a kind of... irritation at being disturbed while eating, and a sense of 'finally here' destiny.

It swiftly turned its head; those huge beast eyes no longer looked at the two grandsons, but gazed toward the empty darkness behind.

Li Hu and Zhang Mei followed its gaze, their hearts suddenly tightening.

That darkness was 'cracking open'.

Black cracks, like someone slicing the canvas of space with a black blade, spread soundlessly. No light, no sound, only an absolute 'nothing' seeping from the cracks, causing the surrounding already chaotic energy to stagnate.

Immediately, five figures stepped out from five different cracks.

They wore black armor whose material was neither gold nor iron, as if forged from solidified shadow, reflecting no light. Their faces were hidden in the helmets' shadows, revealing only two faint red glints, like beasts spying prey in the dark.

The moment they appeared, a cold, deathly, order-filled killing intent instantly enveloped the entire space.

This killing intent differed from the chaos and madness of the monsters here; it was like a surgical scalpel—precise, professional, and devoid of any emotion.

Li Hu's hairs all stood on end.

He had sensed this aura before. On the battlefield, among the top assassins and cold-blooded death warriors, he had felt it!

"Damn..." Li Hu's teeth chattered, "It's a person! A cultivator!"

In this damned place, encountering a living, powerful cultivator is more despairing than facing ten thousand monsters!

The leading black-armored cultivator was slightly taller than the others by half a head, his aura even deeper. Just by standing there, he made Li Hu feel his soul was about to freeze.

Golden Core! It's definitely a Golden Core! And... it's about to reach the late stage of Golden Core!

"Captain, confirm target." A black-armored cultivator's voice rang out, icy as metal scraping, "Beast Taming Sect's last bloodline, Wang Shan. Status... 'key' conversion completion, one hundred percent. Perfect."

"Captain?"

The leading black-armored cultivator gave a slight nod, his gaze sweeping past Li Hu and Zhang Mei to lock directly onto the giant beast Wang Shan at the center of the energy vortex. His voice wasn't loud, but it clearly carried throughout the space.

"Wang Shan, by order of the Holy Lord, we have come to take the 'Flesh and Blood Key' to open the 'Return to the Ruins Gate'. Your mission is complete."

His tone was like reading a cargo list.

"Flesh and Blood Key!"

Li Hu's head buzzed; the information fragments left by Old Master Wang Shan instantly pieced together into a complete and cruel picture.

So that's how it is... so that's how it is!

Old Master Wang Shan wasn't just the holder of the key—he himself... he himself was the key!

"What... what about those two kids?" Zhang Mei asked, her voice trembling.

Another black-armored cultivator seemed to have heard her voice, the red glint beneath his helmet flicking a glance their way.

"Spare parts." He said in the same emotionless tone, "Contaminated bodies, no recycling value. After the ritual, they will be purified together."

"Purification."

What a gentle word, yet it chilled Li Hu from head to foot.

"Grandfather!" Wang Zhize struggled to his feet, staring fixedly at the five black-armored cultivators; he wanted to raise his hand, but found he couldn't even gather energy.

"Roar!!"

The giant beast Wang Shan roared again, this time his voice filled with warning and ferocity. His massive body slowly rose from the energy vortex; each inch he lifted, the whole space trembled. Countless distorted laws forcibly suppressed by him exploded on his body, sending up great chunks of flesh and blood, but he paid no heed.

He knew his own fate.

But not now.

It's not enough... there's still one final step missing in the inheritance for the two grandsons!

"Putting up a stubborn resistance is meaningless." The Shadow Guard captain shook his head, seeming somewhat puzzled, "As the 'Key,' you should feel honored."

He raised his hand and made a simple gesture.

"Prepare the 'Soul‑Nailing Stake,' lock onto the 'Keyhole,' begin the sacrifice ritual. Quick battle, quick decision—the Holy Lord is still waiting."

"Yes!"

The other four Shadow Guards responded in kind, drawing from their storage treasure four black‑sharp stakes about a foot long.

Those stakes were covered with strange blood‑red patterns, and as soon as they appeared they emitted a buzzing that could pierce souls.

The four of them flickered, instantly appearing at the four positions around the giant beast Wang Shan, firmly locking it down.

"No… don't!" Wang Zhitao's eyes nearly burst; he wanted to rush over, but the runaway energy inside his body nailed him to the spot, unable to move.

The Shadow Guard captain watched the two dying youths struggling, then glanced at the giant beast Wang Shan whose aura was swelling, as if about to make a final strike; a hint of mockery flashed beneath his helmet's red glow.

"You still want to pass your power to them? What a foolish obsession. The energy of the 'Key' is not something a mortal body can bear."

He wasted no more words, and a cold command issued from his mouth.

"Execute."

The instant his words fell, the giant beast Wang Shan did not charge at any of the Shadow Guards.

It did something no one expected.

It abruptly turned, opening its maw vast enough to swallow mountains—not to roar, but aiming at its two grandsons.

A torrent of black‑gold energy, ten times vaster and a hundred times purer than before, mixed with the giant beast's final will and complete understanding of the law, surged like a heavenly river breaking its banks, rushing wildly toward Wang Zhize and Wang Zhitao!

He wanted to finish this final "feeding" before being sacrificed!

"Old man!" Li Hu bellowed in despair.

"Overestimating oneself." The Shadow Guard captain gave a cold snort, and a fifth stake—the largest of all—materialized in his hand.

"Nail it!"

The four Shadow Guards simultaneously thrust their Soul‑Nailing Stakes fiercely into the void!