Master of Heaven and Earth - -

In just a few minutes, thousands of demonic beasts were reduced to remnants of limbs and flesh; a master at the peak of the great tribulation of wind and fire met their demise in an instant.

Leng Yan resembled a grim reaper, leading Xuelan and Xin Xue as they harvested vitality and souls. Noticing that Mo Luo was already dead, Leng Yan didn’t bother with Mo Luo’s storage bag and transformed into a streak of light, rushing toward the entrance of the fourth layer!

Xuelan snatched Mo Luo’s storage bag and chased after Leng Yan with Xin Xue, leaving behind Shui Ruyan and hundreds of disciples from the Five Elements Sect, as well as a battlefield reminiscent of hell!

Blood flowed like a brook, and the air was thick with the scent of carnage…

“Senior sister, what should we do? I’ve heard that Leng Yan is ruthless and vengeful. Today, we’ve provoked him; I’m afraid that we will end up like these demonic beasts!” One disciple looked at the ground littered with severed limbs, feeling both nauseated and deeply terrified.

“What are you afraid of? The fourth layer is filled with elite members of the Demon Sect. If he continues like this, who knows if he will even make it back alive!” Beneath Shui Ruyan’s beautiful face lay a heart full of malice; in her view, neither Leng Yan nor Shui Yunyao should be allowed to survive.

As Leng Yan charged into the fourth layer, he was met with deafening roars and countless demonic beasts, many of which were at the golden core realm.

Seeing this scene made Leng Yan more anxious; he wondered if Shui Yunyao was alive or dead. Facing the tide of demonic beasts, Leng Yan felt no fear, only a wild frenzy igniting within him.

Raging thunderstorm swirled around Leng Yan, with countless lightning serpents encircling him. A golden aura shot up to the sky, and flames of battle burned fiercely in Leng Yan’s eyes. Deep in his soul, the will to fight seemed to be drawn forth, once again merging with Leng Yan’s battle faith!

Battle for family!

Battle for survival!

Battle for belief!

And now, Leng Yan was battling for love!

The integration of battle faith caused Leng Yan’s momentum to soar wildly; this surge was not simply the momentum of battle faith. Instead, Leng Yan had received the first layer of the inheritance of battle faith, tripling his combat power!

In the dim Void, a mysterious force surged into Leng Yan’s body, instantly elevating his strength to the initial stage of the great tribulation of wind and fire. Breaking through the encirclement, Shui Yunyao awaited him ahead; she was the last belief lingering in Leng Yan’s mind.

“Charge forward! Charge forward…”

That voice echoed in Leng Yan’s ears. “Kill!” Leng Yan’s eyes glowed red, enveloped in a golden light reminiscent of a battle god, his Immortal-Slaying Sword humming in his hand, with the Slayer of Immortals Sword floating around him.

“Kill!”

With a sudden roar, Leng Yan swung the Immortal-Slaying Sword. In an instant, a white sword rainbow extending for a thousand feet screamed forth!

With overwhelming killing intent, Leng Yan’s strike seemed to truly aim to eradicate the heavens.

When Xuelan and Xin Xue entered the fourth layer, what they witnessed was that earth-shattering sword strike, as countless demonic beasts were reduced to ashes beneath its might! Additionally, several demonic beasts at the golden core realm were caught off guard, their bodies shattering as they desperately fled with their golden cores.

“What’s happening with the great tribulation of wind and fire?” Xuelan’s beautiful face was filled with astonishment. What Leng Yan accomplished had shattered her understanding of cultivation.

What was it that allowed a cultivator at the unification realm to instantaneously ascend several realms, reaching the great tribulation of wind and fire?

Lost in her amazement, Xuelan unexpectedly forgot to act! Suddenly, another resounding explosion snapped her back to reality. Gripping her long sword, she charged into the horde of demonic beasts like a celestial maiden, beginning to assist Leng Yan in the slaughter!

Although Xin Xue had the lowest power among the three, she was still capable of slaying demonic beasts below the golden core realm!

The anguished roars reverberated throughout the heavens and earth, yet all Leng Yan could hear were the three words “Charge forward,” echoing persistently in his ears. The crimson glow in his eyes made him resemble a bloodthirsty demon lord! The Slayer of Immortals Sword hummed and weaved through the throngs of demonic beasts, casting a mist of blood. As the killings mounted, a ghostly figure resembling a demonic entity appeared on the Slayer of Immortals Sword; it was the manifestation of the weapon spirit!

The Immortal-Slaying Sword Formation was said to be a set of dao artifacts, but it had been damaged in a great battle and turned into a supreme-grade treasure tool, rendering even its weapon spirit unable to materialize. Now, with the weapon spirit of the Slayer of Immortals Sword re-manifesting, Leng Yan seemed to understand how to repair this sword formation: the solution was through slaughter-insatiable slaughter! To nourish the sword with blood!

“Kill! Those who stand in my way will die!”

Leng Yan suddenly burned ten primordial spirit elixirs, channeling his spiritual power into the two swords of slaughter. The two flying swords, one black and one white, radiated brilliance. With a thought, they charged into the horde of demonic beasts like hungry wolves!

“Roar-”

A golden core realm amethyst tiger lunged forward with a fierce roar. Its sharp fangs were as piercing as treasure tools, and as it opened its mouth, a wave of golden sword qi surged forth.

“You’re seeking death!”

Leng Yan countered with a punch, and a dragon head, as white as ice crystal and as large as a cauldron, erupted from his fist.

“Boom!”

The golden sword qi was shattered in an instant, as Leng Yan’s magical technique surged through, directly impacting the amethyst tiger!

“Bang!”

With a thunderous explosion, the amethyst tiger hadn’t even finished its final roar before its body disintegrated. Its golden core, filled with terror, attempted to retreat. Leng Yan’s bloodthirsty smile widened: “Trying to escape? It’s over!”

With a flick of his hand, a golden relic particle swiftly flew out, enveloping the amethyst tiger’s golden core. Leng Yan snatched it with ease and stored it in the immortal land.

The demonic beasts swarmed in from all sides, encircling Leng Yan, Xuelan, and Xin Xue. Leng Yan unleashed waves of magical techniques, slaughtering the beasts; their corpses fell to the ground like raindrops.

“Don’t waste time! You push forward, I’ll hold them off, and bring Xin Xue back-she’s too dangerous here!” Xuelan, with her clothes stained in blood and sweat glistening on her porcelain face, urged.

Leng Yan turned to look and saw that Xin Xue had already been bitten several times by the demonic beasts, her blood staining her dragon scales.

“Xin Xue, come back!” Leng Yan shouted, simultaneously opening the immortal land’s space. Realizing she could no longer help, Xin Xue quickly retreated into the immortal land!

“Xuelan, thank you!” A powerful thunder pillar erupted from Leng Yan’s palm, obliterating hundreds of unification realm demonic beasts as he spoke to Xuelan.

“I’ll clear the way for you; get ready!” Xuelan abruptly took out a white jade slip and crushed it.

As the jade slip shattered, an aura of void tribulation pervaded the air. Leng Yan hadn’t expected that Xuelan would use a magical technique jade slip meant for void tribulation cultivators on his behalf, and he felt an overwhelming gratitude for her sacrifice!

A storm swirled around Leng Yan and Xuelan, sweeping outwards. Every demonic beast caught in the tempest, whether at the unification realm or golden core realm, was instantly obliterated.

“Now is the time, go!” Xuelan suddenly flew forward, grabbing Leng Yan’s hand and pulling him along!

The softness of her palm shocked Leng Yan, causing him to immediately retract his hand, a faint blush rising on his face as he hurried ahead.

Seeing Leng Yan flustered and flying away, Xuelan raised the jade hand she had held and a smile blossomed at the corner of her mouth.

The storm spread out for hundreds of miles, with few demonic beasts left alive. The entrance to the fourth layer was now nearly within reach, and Leng Yan could faintly hear Shui Yunyao’s battle cries!

“Yunyao!” Upon hearing that voice, Leng Yan confirmed that Shui Yunyao was still alive, and a wave of joy surged within him, causing him to accelerate even faster!

But at that moment, a monstrous shadow suddenly appeared, blocking Leng Yan’s path. The figure had a pair of bull horns, a ferocious face, and red eyes that seemed to contain a sinister flame. Its sturdy limbs displayed extraordinary explosive power.

As the shadow became more solid, Leng Yan’s expression changed drastically. Shocked, he exclaimed, “It’s you? Why are you blocking my way?”

This shadow was the soul of the demonic beast he had encountered with Chu Jianfeng on the battlefield of righteousness and evil.

At that moment, the aura emanating from the soul of the demonic beast was even more malicious, and Leng Yan couldn’t discern its cultivation level!

“Just turn back obediently! Don’t even think about getting past me!” the soul of the demonic beast hissed ominously.

“Let me go without killing me? What do you want?” Leng Yan shouted, knowing that Shui Yunyao was just out of reach. Yet, he sensed the overwhelming power of the soul of the demonic beast and quickly brainstormed possible strategies. If all else failed, he would have to charge through, even at the cost of his life!

“There’s no reason. I’m simply acting on someone else’s orders!” replied the soul of the demonic beast.

“Acting on orders?” A chilling thought suddenly struck Leng Yan. The reason Shui Yunyao was in such peril was part of a conspiracy. What was the purpose? He couldn’t know for certain, but one thing was clear: Shui Yunyao was in grave danger.

“So, you won’t step aside!” Leng Yan’s voice turned icy once more as the Immortal-Slaying Sword and Slayer of Immortals Sword whirled around him, ready to strike. Xuelan stood beside him, her expression serious as she focused on the soul of the demonic beast, prepared to assist Leng Yan at a moment’s notice.

“Are you looking to fight to the death? Heh… Don’t waste your time. I am the embodiment of evil; I have no physical form. I am just a body of belief, and you can’t harm me!” the soul of the demonic beast laughed coldly.

“Body of belief? Let’s see how you, this so-called body of belief, can hurt me!” Leng Yan charged forward, unleashing the Fire Spirit Seal, which blazed with fierce flames as it struck out!

“Though my true body cannot harm you, my strength lies in seduction! Servants, hold him back!” the soul of the demonic beast roared, laughter echoing like thunder.

The Fire Spirit Seal hit the spot where the soul of the demonic beast was located but passed right through it, causing the phantom of the soul to vanish!

This confirmed Leng Yan’s suspicions. He, too, possessed a body of belief and understood it to be merely an advancement of the soul. While it was difficult to extinguish, it could be washed clean of spiritual awareness, leaving behind an empty shell. Thus, the appearance of a body of belief before others was a dangerously precarious situation.

This soul of the demonic beast was nothing but a shadow! Leng Yan and Xuelan exchanged understanding glances and flew forward together; they had little time to waste. For every minute they delayed, Shui Yunyao was in greater danger.

However, the soul of the demonic beast was not utterly useless; its ability to enthrall others meant that it didn’t need to act itself. There were plenty of demonic beasts more than willing to do its bidding!

From the entrance to the fourth layer emanated a powerful aura, and three demonic beasts with late-stage strength from the great tribulation of wind and fire surged forth.

One was a blood lion surrounded by flames, another was a two-headed king snake resembling a flood dragon, and the third was an azure wind wolf!

“You want to stop me? Go to hell!” Leng Yan commanded as the Immortal-Slaying Sword and Slayer of Immortals Sword charged toward the wind wolf and king snake, while Xuelan confronted the blood lion.

“Boom!”

The wind wolf moved with incredible speed, its form barely visible. In an instant, it slammed into Leng Yan. The immense force sent him flying, and he felt as if his chest had shattered. Blood surged in his throat, and he couldn’t hold back a spurt of fresh blood. “Pfft!” he coughed up uncontrollably!

“Aw-”

Finally managing to regain his footing, Leng Yan suddenly heard the wind wolf’s howl. The azure light surged toward him once more. Lingering pain in his body pushed him to summon the ancient breath leaf, raising it defensively in front of him.

“Boom!”

This time, the wind wolf’s attack was finally blocked by the ancient breath leaf, but Leng Yan couldn’t help but be wary of the wind wolf’s speed.

He summoned the relic particle to protect himself, and with a swift motion, he called back the fallen Immortal-Slaying Sword, gripping it tightly in his hand!

The ancient breath leaf was pushed back by the sheer power of the wind wolf, but Leng Yan quickly stored it away just in time, as the wind wolf launched its assault once again.

“Summon Wind!”

With a pointed finger, Leng Yan sent forth a wind dragon, formed entirely of swirling gusts, charging at the wind wolf.

“Boom!”

The Summon Wind technique was exceptionally powerful, sending the wind wolf skidding back a hundred meters, while the king snake, distracted by the Slayer of Immortals Sword, was chasing after it, its two heads snapping in futile attempts to catch the sword. Its four venomous fangs dripped with glistening poison.

Xuelan’s flying sword was also a supreme-grade treasure tool, shining with white light. With her ethereal movements, she effectively kept the blood lion contained, but defeating it would take more than just a moment’s effort!

As for the jade slip of the void tribulation cultivator, Xuelan had considered using it, but activating the slip required a substantial amount of essence power, and with the blood lion bearing down on her, she knew she didn’t have time to channel the jade slip.

Leng Yan held the Immortal-Slaying Sword, his body moving like a phantom as he charged straight at the wind wolf. He unleashed a strike, filled with murderous intent!

Though the wind wolf had been perplexed, the sword’s fierce aura frightened it, prompting it to leap aside instinctively.

Unsuccessful with his first strike, Leng Yan quickly launched a second, waving his sleeve to conjure dozens of ice walls that blocked the wind wolf’s escape route.

“Aw!”

With nowhere to retreat, the wind wolf’s ferocity flared. Its eyes turned blood-red, and it gathered countless wind blades around its body, lunging violently toward Leng Yan.

“Come on!” Leng Yan shouted, defending himself with the Immortal-Slaying Sword held horizontally across his chest, as the golden light from the relic particle surged to shield him from the wind blades.

In an instant, the wind wolf’s razor-sharp fangs were within reach, and Leng Yan could even smell the foul stench emanating from its mouth!

“Die!”

At that moment, Leng Yan’s strength surged once again, advancing into the mid-stage of the great tribulation of wind and fire. Simultaneously, a massive blood-red magic formation, resembling an altar, spread outward around him!

At that moment, Leng Yan was exceptionally calm. The wind wolf, moving as swiftly as the wind, seemed to have its speed slowed down!

With a flash of light, Leng Yan unleashed the Immortal-Slaying Sword! His strike pierced directly through the wind wolf’s lower jaw and exited its skull!

The battle between Leng Yan and the wind wolf unfolded in the blink of an eye. Leng Yan’s surge in strength astonished Xuelan once again, and she narrowly avoided being caught by the blood lion’s sharp claws!

“Die! I want your death to have value; offer yourself as a sacrifice!”

Knowing that his triple strength could only last for an hour, Leng Yan understood he couldn’t afford to waste any time-Shui Yunyao was truly in danger. Without hesitation, he decided to sacrifice the vitality left behind by Sun Hao to gain an additional burst of power.

At that moment, the wind wolf had just died; its life force and essence blood had not yet dissipated. With a loud shout, Leng Yan activated the power of sacrifice to draw strength from the fallen beast.

The blood-red formation enveloped the wind wolf, and its body quickly shriveled, resembling a desiccated corpse.

From the sacrifice of the wind wolf’s life force and essence blood, Leng Yan obtained power equivalent to that of the late-stage realm of the great tribulation of wind and fire, feeling a distinct trend toward advancing to that level himself!

With the wind wolf slain, Leng Yan’s eyes turned crimson. He let out a loud roar and swung the Immortal-Slaying Sword at one of the king snake’s heads.

“Roar!”

With a powerful swing of its tail, the king snake deflected Leng Yan’s Immortal-Slaying Sword to the side. “What a formidable body! Even a supreme-grade treasure tool can’t pierce its scales!” Leng Yan was momentarily shocked, flipping in mid-air as he aimed the sword back toward the king snake’s eyes.

The only parts of the king snake’s body unprotected by scales were its eyes and mouth. As Leng Yan aimed for its eyes, the king snake sensed the danger and opened its enormous mouth, unleashing a cloud of poisonous gas!

Leng Yan felt a surge of alarm and quickly retreated mid-air, narrowly avoiding the toxic cloud that almost touched him-it was indeed a close call.

While the king snake’s armored body made it difficult for Leng Yan to find an opening, Xuelan was slowly identifying the blood lion’s weakness.

The blood lion, entirely crimson, had eyes that were bloodshot. Above its head, two antennae whipped towards Xuelan like long whips, striking fiercely.

The Illusory Sect, as its name implied, was founded on illusion techniques. As the young master of the sect, Xuelan had received the true teachings of these arts.

With the flying sword grasped in an illusionary hold, Xuelan suddenly let out a delicate shout. In an instant, she transformed into two figures, then multiplied to four, surrounding the blood lion!

Typical illusion techniques could easily reveal their flaws; for example, Leng Yan would create wind sounds by moving or using shadows. However, Xuelan’s illusion techniques were so refined that they left no trace of weakness.

The blood lion, being a demonic beast, couldn’t sense any illusions, so it became alarmed, not knowing which image to attack!

But Xuelan didn’t give it a moment to think. The four figures struck simultaneously. Although the blood lion could not determine which was the true body, it was clever enough to leap upward to avoid the attacks. Xuelan had already anticipated its move, raising one hand and summoning a golden mountain to fall from the sky.

“Boom!”

The blood lion was directly struck on the head by the golden mountain and fell to the ground, blood oozing from its nostrils.

“Four Element Sword Technique!” Xuelan shouted softly as all four figures tossed their flying swords into the air. The four flying swords shot through the sky like meteors, forming a straight line aimed at the blood lion!

The blood lion lashed out with its antennae, trying to strike the flying swords but it was hitting only the illusions; the real flying sword was the third one!

“Roar!”

Caught off guard, the flying sword plunged deeply into the blood lion’s chest.

At that moment, as the sword pierced into the demonic beast, Xuelan summoned the golden mountain once more, crashing it down onto the blood lion.

Sustained by these blows, if the blood lion had any sense left, it would’ve fled, but in its current state, it was consumed by fury, only knowing how to kill. Ignoring its wounds, it continued to charge at Xuelan with a fierce roar.

“Beast! You seek death!”

Xuelan swiftly formed hand seals, causing countless light swords to appear around her. Unlike illusions, these light swords were solid, formed from condensed light!

“Annihilate!” Xuelan cried out, as a torrential downpour of light swords surged toward the blood lion. The creature roared in agony, its crimson hue vanishing suddenly. Then, it opened its massive mouth, unleashing a torrent of blood that collided with the light swords.

The sound of the explosion echoed like thunder, reverberating deep into one’s heart! Xuelan’s complexion paled. After the intense battle and having activated the jade slip to invoke the void tribulation, her essence power had decreased significantly.

In a swift movement, she shattered five primordial spirit elixirs, absorbing their essence power. Then, quick as lightning, Xuelan moved. She called back the flying swords as they flew back from the blood lion.

The moment the swords were withdrawn, a jet of blood gushed from the blood lion, and it let out a painful roar.

Stealing a glance at Leng Yan, Xuelan noticed he was still occupied with the king snake. Feeling a bit relieved, she closed in with her flying sword raised, targeting the blood lion’s forehead!