137: The final challenge, Listening to the Rain Abode

As its core was destroyed, the gigantic Skeleton Monarch also lost all support for its power.

Cracks appeared on its hard bones, rapidly spreading across its entire body.

Finally, with a series of cracking sounds, its enormous body collapsed with a roar, turning into a pile of lifeless bone fragments.

From beginning to end, Luo Ximei’s gaze never lingered on the Skeleton Monarch for even a moment.

All her attention pierced through the wall of resentful spirits, locking firmly onto another battlefield.

Having dealt with her opponent, she did not pause for a moment, her figure transforming into a dark red stream of light, rushing straight towards the black high wall composed of countless resentful spirits.

Those resentful spirits felt the terrifying aura on her that was enough to make them Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering, and they let out terrified shrieks.

They instinctively wanted to retreat, to escape.

But Luo Ximei’s speed was too fast.

She was like a red-hot meteor, directly crashing into the wall.

Those spiritual bodies formed from pure resentment were vaporized the moment they touched her protective Devilish Qi, leaving not a trace behind.

The wall of resentful spirits was directly smashed through by her in the most brutal and unreasonable way, creating a huge gap.

She passed through the wall and finally saw the scene that made her heart shatter.

Su Lin stood in place, a blood-colored sharp blade made of pure Evil Qi piercing through his body at his waist, bringing out a dazzling splash of crimson.

And the main body of the Blood Shadow Asura maintained its attacking posture, its other claw raised high, ready to deliver the fatal final blow.

“You’re courting death!”

Luo Ximei’s voice was bone-chillingly cold.

She was about to strike, to completely wipe out the Blood Shadow Asura along with this battlefield, but the sight before her made her pause.

Facing the blade that pierced through his abdomen, Su Lin showed no trace of pain or panic on his face.

His eyes were calm, even carrying a long-lost light called excitement.

Just as the Blood Shadow Asura’s other claw was about to fall, he moved.

He ignored the wound on his waist, instead using his muscles and spiritual power to firmly clamp the blood-colored sharp blade that had pierced through his body, making it impossible for the Blood Shadow Asura’s main body, which had succeeded in its sneak attack, to withdraw its weapon for a moment.

Then, his right hand, holding the ancient sword of destiny, stabbed backward at a strange angle.

This sword strike was so fast that it left no trace.

The Blood Shadow Asura’s main body let out a roar; it felt a fatal threat and wanted to retreat, but its body was firmly fixed in place by its own weapon.

Pfft.

The golden sword tip precisely pierced the center of its chest, which was made of flowing blood Qi.

That was the core of all its killing intent and resentment.

“Roar!”

The Blood Shadow Asura let out a mournful roar, its body trembling violently.

Golden spiritual power erupted from the sword tip, frantically purifying the blood-colored Evil Qi within its body.

Its body began to become unstable, and countless streams of blood Qi uncontrollably leaked outwards.

The surrounding endless Blood Shadow Clones also let out a cry of sorrow at this sword strike, their bodies rapidly becoming illusory, finally transforming into wisps of blood Qi and dissipating into the air.

Luo Ximei’s figure appeared at the edge of the battlefield at this moment.

Devilish Qi surged around her, her killing intent already locked on, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at any moment.

“Revered Master!”

Su Lin, however, spoke at this moment, stopping her.

He did not turn back, only pushed the ancient sword of destiny forward a few more inches, completely shattering the Blood Shadow Asura’s core.

The Blood Shadow Asura’s body exploded with a bang, transforming into a sky full of primal blood-colored Evil Qi, scattering in all directions.

The sharp blade that had pierced through his waist also dissipated with it.

A hideous bloody hole appeared at his waist, blood flowing out.

Su Lin, however, didn’t care; he merely turned around, looked at Luo Ximei, who was full of anxiety and killing intent, and showed a somewhat helpless smile on his face.

“It’s been a long time since I fought like this.”

His voice was steady and full of vigor, completely unlike that of a severely injured person.

Luo Ximei was stunned.

She quickly stepped forward, supporting Su Lin’s body, and looking at the hideous wound on his waist, the heartache and self-blame in her eyes almost overflowed.

“Revered Master, you…”

“It’s just a superficial wound.” Su Lin waved his hand, signaling her not to be nervous.

He activated the spiritual power within his body, and golden light circulated around the wound; muscles and blood vessels began to heal at a visible speed, quickly stopping the bleeding.

He looked at Luo Ximei’s still tense face and explained, “In that situation just now, it was the best opportunity.

It exposed its main body and used its weapon to fix itself and me together; if I hadn’t seized this opportunity to counterattack, it would have been more troublesome later.”

Luo Ximei, of course, understood this principle.

But understanding didn’t mean she could accept it.

“You don’t have to be like this.”

Her voice carried a slight tremor, “If you just hold on for a moment longer, Disciple could have…”

“What would be the point then?”

Su Lin interrupted her, looking at his sword-wielding hand, a trace of nostalgia flashing in his eyes.

“This feeling of walking on the edge of life and death, calculating every step, using every available condition to defeat a powerful enemy… I haven’t experienced it for a long time.”

“Although my current Realm is only Soul Transformation, I once stood at that highest position.

The scenery I’ve seen, the battles I’ve experienced, are all etched into my Divine Soul.

These things will not disappear because of a drop in cultivation.”

“This battle, for me, was not a life-or-death crisis, but merely… a warm-up to get back into the feeling.”

Luo Ximei slowly nodded, her hand still holding his, not letting go.

As both their enemies were defeated, this blood-colored battlefield began to shake violently.

The blood moon hanging in the sky rapidly dimmed.

The bones and remnants of soldiers on the ground all turned to dust, scattering into nothingness with a gust of wind.

The second trial was also broken.

Ahead, a brand new path of white jade reappeared, leading deeper into this space.

“Let’s go,” Su Lin patted her hand, “Let’s see what good things this last trial has prepared.”

As Su Lin and Luo Ximei stepped onto the brand new path of white jade, the surrounding blood-colored battlefield and endless bones had faded away.

Ahead was no longer mist or some dangerous place, but a warm, soft light.

After the light dispersed, Su Lin found himself standing in a familiar courtyard.

Bluestone paved the ground, green bamboo swayed, and an elegant wooden house was nestled in the depths of the courtyard.

Listening to the Rain Pavilion.

“Revered Master?”

Luo Ximei’s voice rang out beside him, carrying a hint of confusion.

She looked at this overly realistic scene; the vigilance brought by the previous two trials made her subconsciously activate her Devilish Qi, but she found that the aura here was peaceful, without any danger.

“Here…”

Before she could finish speaking, several figures slowly walked out from the end of the bamboo path in the courtyard.