Chapter 123

The cyan-gold stream of light that Feng Xi had transformed into, carrying an unstoppable determination, crashed fiercely into the black chains wrapping around the green lotus petal!

"Screech—!"

The Azure Luan True Flame and the Ruins Abyss demonic evil collided violently and annihilated each other, erupting with a harsh tearing sound. The moment Feng Xi's feathers touched the chains, they rapidly dimmed and withered, and the demonic evil power like returning to the ruins crazily eroded its vitality. But it disregarded everything, tearing with its claws, pecking with its beak, and ramming with its body, forcibly tearing a tiny gap in the airtight chain cage!

"Screech—!" A cry filled with pain but incomparably joyful rang out.

That gap was fleeting.

However, for the spiritual Chaos Green Lotus petal, it was enough!

The moment the gap appeared, the cyan-green radiance of the green lotus petal suddenly flourished, and like a fish entering water, it instantly slipped out of the gap, broke free from the demonic claw's restraint, and its downward speed suddenly accelerated!

"You beast, you're courting death!" The Ruins Abyss demonic shadow was furious, its claw suddenly tightened, and countless demonic evil chains tightened like venomous snakes, wanting to completely strangle and devour Feng Xi!

Feng Xi's aura weakened at an astonishing speed, its cyan-gold divine light was rapidly eroded by the darkness, but as it looked at the green lotus petal accelerating downward, a trace of relief and gratification appeared in its eyes.

Just at this moment—

In the center of the Imperial Medical Bureau ruins below, the gray ripple of returning to the ruins that had been rippling continuously suddenly stagnated!

Immediately after, like a whale sucking water, all the gray ripples that had expanded suddenly rolled back toward the center!

In the dust of the ruins, a hand with distinct joints, yet so pale that there wasn't a trace of blood, slowly reached out, five fingers spread, palm facing upward.

On that hand, a layer of faint, gray airflow that seemed to be able to swallow light lingered.

It was Lin Lin Xuan!

He finally opened his eyes.

Those eyes, which were originally clear and profound, were now covered with a strange gray film, and deep in the bottom of his eyes, scenes of stars dying and all things returning to the ruins seemed to flash by. His face was still as pale as paper, but the dying, decadent aura between his brows had disappeared, replaced by a deep, cold silence, like the eternal Chaos void.

The timing of his awakening was so precise that it seemed to have been calculated.

Just as his palm reached out, the Chaos Green Lotus petal that had broken free from its restraints happened to drift down, falling precisely into his palm.

As the petal entered his hand, there was no earth-shattering phenomenon.

The majestic vitality and Chaos Dao rhyme that were enough to purify demonic evil, the moment they touched the gray energy in Lin Lin Xuan's palm, actually merged like water droplets into the sea, without stirring up half a point of resistance, but instead strangely blended together!

The cyan-green vitality radiance and the gray Tribulation Power of returning to the ruins, these two forces that should have been diametrically opposed, jumped and wrapped around Lin Lin Xuan's palm, actually forming a subtle balance. The Dao patterns on the petal seemed to come alive, following the meridians of Lin Lin Xuan's arm, rapidly spreading toward the "Chaos Tribulation Crystal" that had just formed in his body.

The Tribulation Crystal sensed the Chaos vitality of the same origin and vibrated violently! On the surface of the gray crystal, which was originally filled with the meaning of ending and death, threads of cyan patterns filled with the rhythm of life actually quietly emerged!

Destruction and vitality, ending and beginning, within this strange Dao crystal, began an unprecedented fusion and transformation!

Lin Lin Xuan's body underwent drastic changes accordingly. The hideous wounds on his body surface left by the backlash and battle, under the dual action of the green lotus vitality and Chaos Tribulation Power, squirmed and healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and the scars flashed with a faint cyan-gray luster. The meridians that were on the verge of shattering were forcibly reconnected and widened, becoming more resilient, with Chaos airflow and cyan-green light spots faintly flowing within them. Most importantly, his dormant and weakened soul, like a dry riverbed welcoming sweet rain, was nourished by the gentle and vast vitality, rapidly reviving and growing, even becoming more solid and profound than before he was injured, carrying a trace of indifference that had seen through life and death.

All these changes seemed complex, but in fact, they happened in the blink of an eye.

And at this moment, the battle in the sky had also reached the most tragic point.

The demonic shadow's claw tightened, Feng Xi let out a mournful cry, the cyan-gold divine light around its body completely dimmed, and it fell downward like a kite with a broken string, its life or death unknown.

"Feng Xi!" The gray film in Lin Lin Xuan's eyes fluctuated violently, the cold silence was instantly broken, and a heart-wrenching pain and monstrous fury rose from the bottom of his heart!

His body, which had just recovered, stood up abruptly from the ruins, his right hand still holding the green lotus petal that was merging with him, while his left hand formed a sword finger, and he slashed through the air toward the demonic shadow's claw that was about to toy with Feng Xi's remnant body!

There was no sword energy, no brilliant light.

Only a gray thread, so fine that it was almost invisible, shot out quietly from his fingertip.

This gray thread was not fast, but it seemed to ignore the obstruction of space, instantly wrapping around the demonic shadow's pitch-black claw.

And then—

"Hiss..."

Like a red-hot wire cutting through butter.

The demonic shadow claw, condensed from pure demonic evil and capable of withstanding the self-detonation of a Soul Formation cultivator's life-bound magic treasure, began to "disappear" without warning at the part wrapped by the gray thread! It was not shattering, not evaporating, but the most thorough "returning to the ruins"—from entity to energy, from existence to concept, it was domineeringly erased by that gray thread and turned into the most primitive Chaos background!

"Ah! Tribulation Power erosion!" The demonic shadow let out a roar mixed with pain and shock, suddenly retracted its incomplete claw, and looked at Lin Lin Xuan with eyes filled with suspicion and deeper greed, "You actually... really merged vitality into Tribulation Power? What kind of path is this?!"

It felt that Lin Lin Xuan's power at this moment, although the total amount was far less than its own, had suddenly risen a level in its essential "danger"! It was no longer pure Chaos, but "Tribulation" gestated in Chaos, the end with a glimmer of life, the most difficult poison!

Taking this opportunity, Wei Gong desperately urged the remaining Mystic Yellow energy, pushing the aftermath of the self-detonated magic treasure toward the demonic shadow's main body, temporarily forcing it back a few steps. He was finally able to catch his breath and caught Brother Huangfu Hao, who had fallen from exhaustion.

"Your Highness! Are you alright?" Wei Gong asked urgently.

"I'm fine... hurry, Brother Lin..." Brother Huangfu Hao's aura was weak, but he stared fixedly at Lin Lin Xuan, who had stood up below.

Lin Lin Xuan caught the falling Feng Xi. The once-spirited Azure Luan now had dim and withered feathers, with many wounds deep enough to see bone, and its aura was so weak it was almost cut off, with only a faint cyan-gold origin fire in its heart still beating stubbornly. It looked at its awakened master, revealing reliance and peace in its eyes, gently rubbed Lin Lin Xuan's hand, and then completely fell into a coma.

Lin Lin Xuan passed a gentle Chaos airflow fused with green lotus vitality into Feng Xi's body, stabilizing its last bit of vitality, and then carefully sent it into his spiritual pet space, which had just recovered a little, to recuperate.

After doing all this, he slowly raised his head, looking at the demonic shadow in the sky, and behind the demonic shadow, Zhao Song and the other rebels whose faces were changing uncertainly, their eyes flashing with fear and viciousness.

His gaze was calm, but it made everyone who met it feel a chill from the depths of their souls.

"Injuring my spiritual pet, throwing my imperial capital into chaos, invading my homeland..." Lin Lin Xuan's voice was not loud, but it clearly resounded in everyone's ears, carrying a cold texture like metal rubbing against metal, "Today, I will use your blood to pay tribute to the dead souls, and also to... sharpen my 'Chaos Tribulation Power'!"

As the words fell, his right hand, which was holding the green lotus petal, suddenly clenched!

"Hum—!"

In his palm, the half-merged petal suddenly restrained its radiance, and all its vitality and Dao rhyme were absorbed into his body, completely merging with the Chaos Tribulation Crystal that was transforming in his heart!

The Tribulation Crystal shone brightly, cyan and gray colors flowing endlessly, and an aura far more terrifying and complete than the previous ripple of returning to the ruins rose from Lin Lin Xuan's body!

He took a step forward, and the dust of the ruins under his feet silently annihilated. His figure was like lightning, actually taking the initiative to charge toward the terrifying Ruins Abyss demonic shadow!

"Well done! Let this seat taste the flavor of your nascent Tribulation Power!" The demonic shadow grinned, its incomplete claw instantly repaired, its palms closed, and endless demonic energy turned into a dark torrent that swallowed all light, meeting Lin Lin Xuan!

However, Lin Lin Xuan's target did not seem to be the demonic shadow itself.

Just as he was about to collide with the dark torrent, his figure folded strangely, and with a speed close to teleportation, he appeared in another direction—exactly where Zhao Song and the other core rebel figures were gathered!

"Not good!" Zhao Song's face changed in horror, and the Soul Formation foreign aid hidden beside him also hurriedly took action to block.

But Lin Lin Xuan just stretched out a finger and pointed lightly at the void where they were.

"Tribulation, disperse."

His words carried the force of law!

The air, spiritual energy, and even the protective light shields and the cultivation techniques and spiritual power of Zhao Song and the others instantly seemed to have experienced ten thousand years of time, rapidly decaying, withering, and dissipating! The Soul Formation foreign aid discovered in horror that the divine ability he had unleashed had its power drastically reduced and its structure disintegrated halfway!

This was not just returning to the ruins, but... "Tribulation" imposed on specific targets and ranges! It was the power of fate accelerating their path to the end!

"No—!" Zhao Song watched helplessly as his peak Nascent Soul cultivation melted away like ice and snow, his vitality drained rapidly, and he let out a desperate roar. The Patriarch Wang and Patriarch Li beside him were even worse, turning into withered bones in the blink of an eye, and then even the withered bones turned into fly ash!

The Soul Formation foreign aid had deep cultivation and barely resisted, but he also spat out blood, his aura plummeted, and a look of extreme horror appeared in his eyes, turning around and wanting to tear space to escape.

"Can you get away?" Lin Lin Xuan's cold voice was like a maggot on a tarsal bone.

The gray energy at his fingertip split, following like a shadow, wrapping around the Soul Formation foreign aid.

The foreign aid screamed, half of his body instantly turned into nothingness, and his remnant body, carrying terrifying wounds, risked consuming his origin, turned into a bloody light, and fled toward the horizon in a panic, not daring to look back.

In the blink of an eye, the core of the rebels was wiped out!

This thunderous and unpredictable method shocked the entire scene! Whether it was the remaining rebels or the loyalists who were struggling to support, everyone was terrified!

The Ruins Abyss demonic shadow was both shocked and angry: "Junior! How dare you!"

Only then did Lin Lin Xuan slowly turn around, facing the demonic shadow, his gray eyes without a ripple: "Now, it's your turn."

He formed a simple seal in front of his chest with both hands, the void behind him shook, and the nine-zhang Chaos Star Dharma Idol appeared again! But this time, the Dharma Idol was no longer just stars flowing, its whole body was also covered with a cyan-gray luster, the stars in the sky flickering, as if they might die at any moment, and as if they would be reborn in the next moment, emitting a grand majesty of era alternation and unpredictable tribulation!

"Chaos Tribulation Domain, open!"

With the Dharma Idol as the center, a cyan-gray domain covering a radius of several thousand zhang suddenly unfolded! Within the domain, demonic energy was suppressed and decomposed, space became stagnant, and the "existence" of all things became unstable, as if they would step into the end at any moment!

This was exactly the domain that belonged to him, which Lin Lin Xuan had realized after awakening, fusing the green lotus vitality and Chaos Tribulation Power!

"Demon, do you dare to enter my Tribulation Domain for a battle?" Lin Lin Xuan stood in the center of the domain, his sleeves fluttering, his gray hair (which had changed color after awakening) slightly raised, like a god in charge of life, death, and tribulation.

The Ruins Abyss demonic shadow felt the domain's strong restraint and attraction to its origin, and the greed and violence in its eyes grew stronger: "A mere embryonic domain, and you dare to show off! This seat will swallow your Tribulation Domain and achieve my supreme demonic path!"

The demonic shadow roared, wrapped in monstrous demonic evil, and fiercely charged into the cyan-gray Chaos Tribulation Domain!

The domain powers of two experts exceeding the ordinary Soul Formation level collided violently! There was no earth-shattering explosion, only silent annihilation and devouring; that space completely turned into a terrifying forbidden land of chaotic laws and distorted light and shadow, and outsiders could no longer see the details!

Only then did Wei Gong and the others recover from the series of shocking changes.

Looking at the terrifying domain that isolated the inside from the outside, and the rebels who were rapidly collapsing, surrendering, or fleeing outside the domain, Wei Gong let out a long sigh of relief, tears welling up in his old eyes, and he supported Brother Huangfu Hao, saying excitedly: "Your Highness! Little Friend Lin... he did it! He woke up and possessed even more powerful strength!"

Brother Huangfu Hao was also surging with emotion, looking at the cyan-gray domain, nodding vigorously: "Brother Lin is a heaven-sent talent, he will surely slay the demon!" He stood up straight, his gaze sweeping over the broken imperial city and the terrified subjects, and a heavy sense of responsibility weighed on his heart.

He knew that although the rebellion was temporarily quelled and Lin Lin Xuan was dealing with the demon, the imperial dynasty had been riddled with holes after this disaster and was waiting to be rebuilt. He, the new emperor who had been entrusted with the task in a crisis and chosen by the dragon aura, still had too much to do.

He took a deep breath, and although he was covered in wounds and his cultivation was exhausted, he straightened his spine and used all his strength, his voice spreading throughout the imperial city:

"The rebel leaders have been executed, the rest surrender and will not be killed!"

"From this moment on, close the four gates, clear out the remaining enemies, treat the wounded, and comfort the people!"

"When Fellow Daoist Lin succeeds in slaying the demon, I... will discuss the grand plan of reconstruction with you all!"

His voice was steady and powerful, carrying an unquestionable majesty, and with the blessing of the remaining Imperial Dragon Aura, it reached the ears of every survivor like a stabilizing needle, quickly calming the panicked hearts.

The remaining civil and military officials, soldiers, and commoners looked at the new emperor in the sky who was young and stained with blood but had an imposing manner, and then looked at the cyan-gray domain that was fighting the world-destroying demon, and gradually felt the joy of surviving a disaster and a faint hope.

The sky of the imperial capital seemed to be truly brightening.

And within that Chaos Tribulation Domain, the battle that would decide the final fate of the imperial dynasty had just entered the most dangerous white-hot stage.