Chapter 199 The Fall of the Xuan Tian Holy Son!

On the other side, located at the northwest edge of the Secret Realm, the Break Heaven Abyss was a bottomless, massive chasm stretching for a thousand miles.

Legend had it that this place was a wound carved out by supreme power during an ancient war, and even now, it remained filled with violent spatial turbulence and fragmented spatial shards.

The gale winds within the abyss howled like weeping ghosts, and it was filled year-round with grey-red bone-eroding Evil Qi.

If an ordinary Nascent Soul Cultivator were to step inside, their Physical Body would melt and their Soul would be scattered within moments. It was a place of extreme danger that made people pale at the mere mention of it.

At this moment, on a relatively flat slope of scattered rocks at the edge of the Break Heaven Abyss, Mu Changge stood with his hands behind his back, his robes flapping loudly in the biting gale.

His gaze was calm as he looked out at the grey, hazy abyss entrance and the distant sky, which was distorted by the special rules of the Secret Realm, presenting a hue interwoven with dark red and deep grey.

Mu Changge's thoughts stirred slightly. The "sky-shrouding jade" that had been hanging at his waist, emitting a faint golden radiance to block all prying eyes, instantly retracted its glow.

With a "whoosh," it vanished into the Storage Ring on his finger.

The very instant the sky-shrouding jade was put away— "Hum!" A mysterious ripple spread out, centered on Mu Changge.

Having lost the shielding of the sky-shrouding jade, he could no longer hide and was clearly exposed to the Heavenly Dao sensing of this Secret Realm!

Almost at the same time, in the ruins of a dilapidated ancient palace about several thousand miles away from the Break Heaven Abyss, several figures were surrounding an ancient compass floating in mid-air, a foot in diameter, made entirely of some unknown metal.

The compass was slowly rotating on its own. A point of spiritual light at its center flickered like a candle flame, and the needle trembled irregularly.

Suddenly! "Hum—!!!" The point of spiritual light at the center of the compass erupted with a blinding pale yellow light, as if boiling oil had been poured onto it!

The previously trembling needle seemed to be attracted by an invisible magnet, instantly stabilizing, its tip pointing straight to the northwest—exactly where the Break Heaven Abyss was located!

"Found him!" A young man with a slender figure and a face like polished jade, dressed in the attire of a Xuantian Sect Disciple, suddenly widened his eyes and let out a low shout.

He appeared to be about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with well-defined features and deep eyes that seemed to contain a sea of stars, carrying an unquestionable authority. He was none other than the current Saint of the Xuantian Sect—Zhou Tianyan!

"Saint Senior Brother! The heavenly machine plate has reacted! That 'variable'! He is in the northwest direction, no more than ten thousand miles away from us!" a young Disciple beside him, also wearing Xuantian Sect attire, with a slightly youthful face but eyes flashing with excitement, said urgently.

Zhou Tianyan rose abruptly, brilliant light shooting from his deep eyes. The gentle calmness he usually possessed was gone, replaced by a sharpness and gravity like that of a predator seeing its prey.

"The direction of the Break Heaven Abyss... Truly cunning, to actually hide in such a deadly place? But why was I unable to detect him before?"

He was slightly puzzled, then the corners of his mouth curled into a cold arc. "Unfortunately, you have been exposed after all. However, someone who can be called a variable by my Xuantian Sect, could they be an easy opponent? Since you dared to show yourself, today shall be the time of your execution!"

"Junior Brother Wang, Junior Sister Li, Zhao..." Zhou Tianyan's gaze swept over the few Xuantian Sect Disciples beside him, whose auras were heavy and who were at least at the Peak Nascent Soul Stage. He ordered in a deep voice, "The target is in the northwest, at the Break Heaven Abyss! Follow me at full speed and set up the 'Four Symbols Heaven-Locking Formation'. Do not let this villain escape again! Remember, this person is extremely dangerous and is the greatest variable in this Secret Realm. You must strike with all your might to kill him!"

"Yes! Saint Senior Brother!" The several Xuantian Sect Disciples responded in unison, their fighting intent rising.

Being followers of the Xuantian Sect Saint, and having been brought into this Secret Realm by him, they were all outstanding among their peers and trusted Zhou Tianyan's judgment and commands without reservation.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Several rays of light of different colors soared into the sky like meteors flying in reverse, tearing through the mist and chaotic Qi above the Secret Realm, and sped toward the Break Heaven Abyss at an astonishing speed!

Wherever they passed, their powerful auras were undisguised, startling many Yao Beasts in the mountains and forests below into fleeing in panic.

Meanwhile, at the edge of the Break Heaven Abyss, on the slope of scattered rocks, Mu Changge stood with his hands behind his back, his expression calm and waveless, as if he were completely unaware of the coming storm.

He tilted his ear slightly, as if he could hear the faint sound of wind being broken from the distant sky. The arc at the corner of his mouth became clearer and colder. "The fish... has taken the bait."

He did not have to wait long. Just about the time it takes to brew a cup of tea, several rays of light of different colors, yet equally sharp and majestic, shot from the southeastern sky like falling stars.

In an instant, they arrived above the Break Heaven Abyss, spreading out in a semi-circle, faintly surrounding the slope where Mu Changge was standing. The light faded, revealing a group of figures.

The leader was none other than the Xuantian Sect Saint, Zhou Tianyan. He stepped forward, ripples like water waves spreading in the Void Realm beneath his feet.

His gaze was like lightning, instantly locking onto the figure on the rocky slope below, dressed in black robes, standing with hands behind his back, as if waiting specifically for them.

"It really is you." Zhou Tianyan spoke, his voice clear, yet carrying an invisible pressure, like a decree from heaven.

"'Variable'... Along the way, there have been many killings in the Secret Realm, the Buddhist Master Liao Chen's Buddhist treasure was robbed, and Jian Wushuang of the Wandao Sword Sect became possessed... I am afraid these matters are all inextricably linked to you, right?"

His gaze was as sharp as a knife, as if he wanted to see through Mu Changge from the inside out.

However, no matter how he probed, the person before him had an aura as steady as a mountain. Although he was clearly only at the Early Stage Soul Transformation (Mu Changge had not deliberately hidden his cultivation after the Breakthrough), he gave him a feeling of being bottomless and unfathomable.

Especially that extraordinary calmness, which made the alarm bells in his heart ring slightly.

Mu Changge slowly turned around, looked up, and met Zhou Tianyan's scrutinizing gaze. There was no panic on his face from being "exposed," but rather a faint, mocking smile.

"Xuantian Sect Saint, Zhou Tianyan? You certainly went to great lengths to find me. However..." His tone shifted, becoming colder. "With just you few, you want to kill me? Aren't you overestimating yourselves?"

"Arrogant!" Beside Zhou Tianyan, Junior Brother Wang was furious upon hearing this and shouted sternly, "A mere Early Stage Soul Transformation, yet you dare to spout such nonsense before our Xuantian Sect Saint!

Saint Senior Brother has already reached the Mid Spirit Severing stage, and he has the heavenly machine plate to gain the upper hand. We can form a Formation sufficient to suppress a half-step Void Refining! If you are sensible, surrender obediently, and perhaps you might be left with an intact corpse!"

The other two Xuantian Sect Disciples (one male and one female) also stepped forward simultaneously, their auras erupting, faintly echoing Zhou Tianyan's. A powerful energy locked onto Mu Changge, and an atmosphere of killing intent permeated the air.

Zhou Tianyan raised his hand, stopping his Junior Brother from further berating. He looked deeply at Mu Changge and said slowly, "My Xuantian Sect holds the heavenly machine and monitors the Profound World; it is our duty to set things right.

You bear a 'Heaven-Defying' fate, are a variable of heaven and earth, and are focused by calamity Qi. Every single thing you have done has disrupted the balance of Luck and destroyed the Heavenly Dao.

Today, no matter who stands behind you, you must give my Xuantian Sect, and all living beings, an explanation."

He said this in a high-sounding manner, occupying the moral high ground, while also pointing out Mu Changge's "danger" and the reason he "must be eliminated."

"An explanation?" Mu Changge seemed to have heard something funny and chuckled, his laughter sounding somewhat ethereal in the gale.

"When I, Mu Changge, act, why would I need to explain myself to others? As for being a variable... who gets to decide the fixed numbers in this world? Your Xuantian Sect?"

He slowly raised his right hand, palm upward, and a wisp of pure, condensed, pale golden spiritual power slowly rose, emitting an aura that was upright and peaceful, yet sharp and compelling—it was undoubtedly pure spiritual power!

"You want an explanation? Then let's see what abilities you have!" Before the words even fell, Mu Changge moved!

His figure disappeared from where he stood like a sword blade, and the next moment, he appeared in mid-air, facing Zhou Tianyan and the others from a distance.

Then, that huge sword appeared in his hand, and the pale golden spiritual power suddenly erupted in brilliance, transforming into a highly condensed, over ten-zhang-long golden Sword Qi, carrying a sharpness that could tear the firmament, and thrust toward Zhou Tianyan's chest!

Where the Sword Qi passed, the air let out a shrill scream, and the scattered rocks below were easily sliced by the stray Sword Qi!

Upon striking, it was an incredibly sharp Sword Dao Divine Ability! Moreover, it was a purely authentic Sword Sect Cultivation Technique! (In fact, it was the Advanced Cultivation Technique practiced by Core Disciples.)

A brilliant light flashed in Zhou Tianyan's eyes, and he felt a slight doubt in his heart, "This person's Sword Intent is righteous and grand, not like a demonic Cultivator. Could the Devil Head be someone else? But the heavenly machine plate..."

Seeing that Mu Changge had already attacked, he did not dwell on it.

"Well come!" Zhou Tianyan shouted in a low voice. Facing this sword strike that was as fast as thunder, he did not dodge or avoid it. His right hand traced in the void before him, spiritual power flowing from his fingertips, instantly outlining a complex and mysterious silver Talisman.

"Heavenly Machine Seal · Suppress!" The silver Talisman's brilliance erupted, instantly expanding to become a huge, illusory shield flowing with the trajectories of stars, blocking in front of the golden Sword Qi.

"Boom—!!!" The golden Sword Qi and the silver star shield collided violently!

A terrifying storm of spiritual power instantly exploded, and golden and silver light rain splashed in all directions, plowing countless deep gullies into the rocky slope below, with gravel flying and smoke and dust filling the air.

Zhou Tianyan's figure swayed slightly, ripples spreading in the Void Realm beneath his feet, but he hadn't retreated even half a step!

And that silver star shield, although its light had dimmed significantly, remained solid.

A look of surprise flashed in his eyes; the power of the opponent's sword strike far exceeded that of an ordinary Early Stage Soul Transformation Cultivator, almost comparable to the full-force strike of a Peak Middle Stage Soul Transformation!

If he hadn't been prepared and used the heavenly machine secret technique to defend, he might have really suffered a small loss.

"Form the Formation! Four Symbols Heaven-Locking, suppress this villain!" Zhou Tianyan no longer tested him and shouted sternly.

"Yes!" The other three Soul Transformation Stage Xuantian Sect Disciples had long been ready.

Hearing the order, they immediately flashed their figures, stood in mysterious positions, and surrounded Mu Changge and Zhou Tianyan in the center.

The four of them simultaneously formed hand seals, and majestic spiritual power surged out, intertwining in the air to instantly form a huge, illusory Formation covering a radius of several hundred zhang!

The Eastern Sky stars shine, the Western Pole space-time locks, the Southern Gate Yin and Yang settle, the Northern Palace ten thousand phenomena seal!

The four directional shadows faintly appeared in the Formation's light curtain, emitting a terrifying power that suppressed heaven and earth and locked the four poles!

Inside the Formation, space seemed to solidify, and the flow of spiritual power became sluggish.

A heavy pressure descended upon Mu Changge, intending to completely suppress and imprison him!

"Four Symbols Heaven-Locking Formation? It's actually quite interesting." Being in the Formation and feeling the heavy pressure and locking force coming from all around, Mu Changge's expression remained unchanged.

Instead, he nodded, seemingly quite appreciative of this Formation. Pale golden spiritual power surged around his body, turning into layers of sword light for protection, resisting the suppression force of the Formation.

"Unfortunately, Formations are dead, but people are alive." Mu Changge's tone suddenly turned cold. "Demonic Technique is still more comfortable to use!"

The instant his voice fell, a sudden change occurred!

The pale golden light in Mu Changge's eyes, which was originally upright and peaceful, was suddenly replaced by a bottomless black!

The pale golden spiritual power surging around his body, as if thick ink had been poured into it, instantly transformed into monstrous Devilish Qi as black as night, churning with the aura of destruction and devouring!

A terrifying pressure, far more ferocious, domineering, and full of the Concept of chaos and death than before, erupted like a sleeping Vicious Beast waking up!

"What!" Zhou Tianyan's pupils suddenly contracted, and for the first time, a look of unbelievable horror appeared on his face.

"Devilish Qi? Such pure and terrifying Devilish Qi! You can actually practice both Righteous and Demonic paths? You were pretending the whole time? But... how is this possible?"

He finally understood why the warning of the heavenly machine plate about this person, "Mu Changge," was so strong and contradictory!

A person who practiced Righteous Path Cultivation Technique while also practicing such a terrifying Demonic Technique, if not a "Heaven-Defying" variable, what else could it be?

However, Mu Changge would not give him more time to think.

Just at the moment when Zhou Tianyan's mind was shaken by this sudden change, and the Formation appeared extremely subtle stagnation because the person in charge was distracted for an instant— "Demon Heart Stir!"

Mu Changge shouted in his heart, and the Demonic Technique had been quietly activated. That intangible, shapeless ripple suddenly echoed from the depths of Zhou Tianyan's heart!

"Argh!" Zhou Tianyan clutched his chest, his face instantly turning deathly pale!

He felt as if his heart had been violently gripped by an invisible demonic claw, causing it to contract sharply, and intense, twisting pain came!

This pain did not originate from the Physical Body, but acted directly on his Dao Heart and his Soul!

A demonic thought, violent, chaotic, and full of negative emotions, like a venomous snake, followed the source of the pain and crazily poured into his Sea of Consciousness, wanting to pollute his Dao Heart and disturb his sanity!

Although Zhou Tianyan had high cultivation and a firm Dao Heart, this sneak attack of "Demon Heart Stir" could not directly make his heart burst or instantly make him fall into the Demonic path like it could against those with low cultivation.

However, this sudden, intense pain and the invasion of demonic thoughts still caused his aura to become chaotic, and the circulation of spiritual power in his body showed a fatal stagnation!

The "Four Symbols Heaven-Locking Formation," which was originally connected to his mind and which he was presiding over, also flickered violently in light because of this, revealing an obvious flaw!

"Now is the time!" A sharp light exploded in Mu Changge's eyes, and the monstrous Devilish Qi around his body gathered into his right palm.

In his palm, a terrifying aura of nirvana, annihilating everything, suddenly condensed, and everything around seemed to be sucked into it, becoming dim and lightless!

There was no earth-shattering momentum, nor any dazzling brilliance, only a sense of dead silence and emptiness that made the Soul tremble! "Great Nirvana Soul Palm!"

Mu Changge struck out with his palm, silent and soundless, yet as fast as a ghost, aiming straight for Zhou Tianyan's face!

Where the palm wind passed, space seemed to be eroded by that extreme "nirvana" Concept, presenting a strange, grey-decayed color!

This palm, seemingly plain and unadorned, actually condensed the essence of his current Demonic Technique, specializing in attacking the Soul and extinguishing vitality. It was one of his ultimate killing moves!

"Saint Senior Brother, watch out!" The three Xuantian Sect Disciples assisting him were horrified.

Although they were not directly targeted by "Demon Heart Stir," they were still shocked by the terrifying Devilish Qi that Mu Changge erupted with instantly and the death aura of the Great Nirvana Soul Palm.

The three of them reacted quite quickly, forcing themselves to stabilize the Formation, while simultaneously unleashing their strongest Divine Abilities—a blazing sword light, a thick Talisman seal, and a sharp wind blade—blasting toward Mu Changge from three directions, intending to besiege Wei to save Zhao!

"Get lost!" Mu Changge didn't even look. He held his sword in his left hand and slashed through the air.

A pitch-black Sword Qi, condensed to the extreme, swept out, instantly intercepting and defeating the three rescue attacks!

And his right palm, the Great Nirvana Soul Palm, continued with undiminished momentum, having already printed itself just inches in front of Zhou Tianyan!

Zhou Tianyan was, after all, a Saint carefully cultivated by the Xuantian Sect. He had experienced many battles.

Although he was ambushed by "Demon Heart Stir," suffered intense pain in his mind, and his Dao Heart was invaded by demonic thoughts, at the critical moment of life and death, his instinct for survival and deep foundation allowed him to make an evasive maneuver.

"Heavenly Machine Body Protection! Star-Shifting!" He roared, forcibly suppressing the intense pain in his heart and the demonic thoughts in his Sea of Consciousness, bit the tip of his tongue, and sprayed a mouthful of vital blood onto an ancient tortoise shell that instantly appeared before his chest.

The tortoise shell erupted with blinding silver light, instantly enlarging, and blocked in front of him.

At the same time, his footsteps moved in a mysterious pattern, his figure became hazy, and he wanted to use a secret technique to teleport away.

However, how could a hasty defense and evasion completely withstand the Great Nirvana Soul Palm that Mu Changge had plotted for so long and executed with nearly his full strength?

"Pfft—!"

The giant palm wreathed in Devilish Qi pierced through the brilliant silver tortoise shell projection as if it were thin paper, slamming solidly onto the arms Zhou Tianyan had hurriedly crossed in front of his chest!

"Crack!"

A teeth-gritting sound of bones cracking rang out clearly! Zhou Tianyan's arms bent at an unnatural angle, and his entire body, as if struck head-on by a prehistoric beast, flew backward like a kite with a broken string, spraying a large mouthful of blood mixed with visceral fragments!

Even more terrifying was that a strange force—cold, deathly, and filled with destructive intent—clung to him like marrow-eating maggots, surging wildly into his body along the Meridians of his arms. Wherever it passed, his Meridians withered, his spiritual power dissipated, and his vitality faded rapidly! Even his Divine Soul felt as if it were being frozen and torn apart, sending waves of annihilation-like agony!

"Saint Senior Brother!" The three Xuantian Sect Disciples' eyes were splitting with rage. They desperately activated the Formation, causing the Four Symbols projection to roar and condense into an even more powerful suppressing force that crashed down toward Mu Changge. At the same time, the three of them rushed frantically toward the flying Zhou Tianyan, attempting to rescue him.

"Cough... cough cough!" Zhou Tianyan slammed heavily into a pile of rubble hundreds of feet away, spraying several more mouthfuls of blood. His aura instantly withered to the extreme, his face was as pale as paper, and his arms hung limply, clearly unable to be lifted. He struggled to raise his head, looking at Mu Changge who was walking through the air step by step. His eyes were filled with shock, anger, unwillingness, and a trace of deep fear and sudden realization.

"Devilish Qi... Dual Cultivation of Righteous and Demonic paths... Good! What a 'variable'!" Zhou Tianyan's voice was hoarse, blood spilling out with every word he spoke. "No wonder the heavenly machine plate warned of a 'Heaven-Defying variable'... Even if I, Zhou Tianyan, die and my Dao dissipates today, I will never let you, this calamity-bringing Devil Head, succeed! The Xuantian Sect... will never let you go!"

A look of determination flashed in his eyes. Ignoring his severe injuries, he forcibly activated a secret technique, burning his remaining essence blood and Origin. A violent aura surged from his broken body. On the ground beneath him, silver Formation patterns lit up; he was actually using himself as a conduit to trigger some forbidden technique of mutual destruction!

Seeing this action, Mu Changge was startled for a moment. 'Is this really the Child of Fortune? Shouldn't you be running away? What the hell are you doing?'

"Want to self-destruct? Or are you trying to summon something?" Mu Changge's eyes narrowed, then turned cold. "Unfortunately, you won't have the chance."

He held nothing back. His figure suddenly accelerated, leaving behind trails of black afterimages. In an instant, he pierced through the Four Symbols Sky-Locking Formation, which had been greatly weakened by Zhou Tianyan's severe injuries, and appeared above Zhou Tianyan.

Facing Zhou Tianyan's determined gaze and his crazily climbing aura, Mu Changge slowly raised his right hand, and the giant sword appeared in his hand once more.

A completely different "Concept" rose from his body. This "Concept" was not spiritual power, nor was it Law; it was a true "Concept" of the sword that transcended them—as if it originated from the source of all things and returned to the end of all things! It was vast, boundless, and archaic, yet contained the supreme sharpness of splitting the heavens and earth!

"This is..." Zhou Tianyan's action of burning essence blood stalled, and unprecedented shock and confusion appeared in his eyes. From this "Concept," he felt a terror that far exceeded his level of understanding, as if he were facing that single ray of creation light from the dawn of heaven and earth!

Mu Changge's expression was solemn, and he slowly spat out a few ancient and obscure syllables, as if communicating with the supreme Sword Dao in the netherworld.

"Fourth... Grade... Heavenly... Sword... Manual..." Mu Changge's voice was very soft, yet it carried a strange rhythm, as if resonating with this heaven and earth. "I have one sword, which can sever the falsehoods of the mortal world... and break all evils in the world!"

As the last few words fell, Mu Changge slashed diagonally downward with the tip of his sword toward the severely injured and burning Zhou Tianyan.

In Zhou Tianyan's perception, time and space seemed to freeze at this moment. He saw a "line"—a line so subtle to the extreme, yet seemingly containing the Concept of "severing" for all things in the world—extending from the tip of Mu Changge's sword. It ignored the protective silver light he had raised by burning essence blood, ignored the several defensive Magic Treasures on his body that had automatically activated, and ignored his final connection with this heaven and earth... It gently sliced through his body, through his Nascent Soul, through his burning Soul fire, and through that invisible bond connecting him to the "Luck" of the netherworld.

"Pfft—"

With a soft sound, the fiercely burning flames of determination in Zhou Tianyan's eyes suddenly froze, then rapidly dimmed and extinguished. He opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but could not make a sound. The violently climbing aura on his body dissipated instantly, like a pricked balloon. The backlash from the forced interruption of the essence blood burning technique, combined with this "one sword" that severed everything, brought his already critically injured body and Soul to an instant end.

The light in his eyes faded rapidly. What remained at the end was endless confusion, bewilderment, and a trace of the deepest fear—fear of that sword light, fear of this "variable" before him. Until his demise, he could not understand how the other party had mastered such... a Sword Dao that transcended his cognition.

The contemporary Saint of the Xuantian Sect, the Child of Fortune who possessed the heavenly machine plate and shouldered the responsibility of monitoring the Mysterious Realm—Zhou Tianyan, had fallen!

"Saint Senior Brother!!!"

The other few Xuantian Sect Disciples let out desperate and shrill roars, watching helplessly as their Saint Senior Brother, who was almost omnipotent in their eyes, was like straw harvested by an invisible sickle. His aura was completely annihilated, and his corpse collapsed powerlessly to the ground.

Mu Changge slowly retracted his finger, his complexion slightly pale. Executing the first sword of this Fourth-Grade Heavenly Sword Manual, even if it was just a remnant and he had only just caught a glimpse of the path, placed an immense burden on his current cultivation and Divine Soul. Yet, his eyes remained as cold as iron. Without even looking at Zhou Tianyan's corpse, his gaze turned to the remaining few Xuantian Sect Disciples.

To cut the grass, one must remove the roots.

However, just as he prepared to take action and finish off the remaining people—

A sudden change occurred!

From Zhou Tianyan's corpse, which had already lost its vitality, a faint and almost imperceptible silver stream of light, as if pulled by some force, suddenly escaped from his glabella. At a speed that almost transcended space, it shot toward the horizon! Within that stream of light, a tiny phantom with features similar to Zhou Tianyan could be vaguely seen stepping on a compass—it was actually a wisp of Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul, trying to escape while riding the heavenly machine plate!

This was clearly Zhou Tianyan's final trump card for survival, or rather, some ultimate protection bestowed upon the Saint by the Xuantian Sect. It could, at the instant his Physical Body fell and his Divine Soul was severely damaged, forcibly condense a wisp of his Origin remnant Soul and escape, carried by the heavenly machine plate!

"A remnant Soul still wants to run?" Mu Changge's eyes sharpened. He had long been prepared; these top Prodigies would always have similar fallback plans. Almost the instant the silver stream of light appeared, his mind was already set.

"System, redeem a one-time item—'Luck Clearing Talisman' (Ordinary)!"

[Redemption successful! Consumed Luck points: 12,000. 'One-time Luck Clearing Talisman' has been issued to the System space.]

Mu Changge moved his mind, and a Talisman as thin as a cicada's wing, outlined with mysterious and unfathomable grey patterns, appeared out of thin air at his fingertips. Without even looking, he flicked it gently toward the escaping silver stream of light.

The grey Talisman burned silently, turning into an inconspicuous ray of grey light. It started later but arrived first, instantly catching up to the silver stream of light and merging into it.

"Pop—"

An invisible ripple spread out.

At the same time, the heavenly machine plate that carried the remnant Soul—which had originally emitted a mysterious and unfathomable aura—seemed to have lost its core "guidance" and "protection." Its brilliance dimmed rapidly, its escape speed plummeted, and it even began to sway unsteadily in the air, as if it would fall at any moment.

"Luck... how could..." Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul muttered in intermittent horror. He felt that the mysterious connection with the netherworld, which had always protected him and brought him countless Opportunities, had been forcibly severed by an unreasonable force!

Mu Changge seemed to sense something as well.

"You Li!" He gave a low shout, and the soul-containing jade on his chest suddenly flashed with purple light.

A ripple visible to the naked eye suddenly expanded! In an instant, a translucent, light purple semi-circular light barrier, about a hundred feet in diameter, like an inverted bowl, completely covered and isolated the path ahead, above, and all possible directions of escape for the silver stream of light!

"No—! The Xuantian Sect will not let you go! Anomaly! You damn Anomaly!" Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul let out a desperate and venomous roar, frantically driving his final strength in an attempt to break through the blockade. However, all of this was in vain.

"I'll deal with you after I finish them off." Mu Changge glanced coldly at the trapped Zhou Tianyan, and his figure had already vanished from the spot like a ghost.

The remaining few Xuantian Sect Disciples had just recovered from the shock of the Saint's fall and the trapping of his remnant Soul when they saw a figure like the Grim Reaper already upon them! They had already been injured and shaken by the aftermath of the previous battle between Mu Changge and Zhou Tianyan, and with the Formation broken, their minds were in disarray. How could they possibly be Mu Changge's opponents?

"Fight him to the death!" The Disciple surnamed Wang had blood-red eyes, filled with grief and indignation. He recklessly burned his essence blood, offered up his life-bound Magic Treasure, and turned it into a desperate stream of light to stab at Mu Changge. The others, knowing there was no hope of escape, also showed ruthless expressions and unleashed moves of mutual destruction.

Unfortunately, the absolute gap in strength, along with the faint suppression of You Li's aura, could not be made up for by risking their lives.

Mu Changge didn't even use any power-consuming Cultivation Techniques or Martial Skills. He just moved like lightning, weaving among them, and every swing of the giant sword in his hand followed a precise and fatal trajectory.

Ssh! Ssh! Ssh!

Sword light flashed, like beautiful yet tragic blood flowers blooming in the dark night.

The Magic Treasures of the few Disciples were easily knocked away. Several thin lines appeared on their throats, and they collapsed with wide eyes, filled with unwillingness and fear. One female Disciple had a Talisman she had offered up not yet fully activated when she was pierced through the glabella by a sword, the Talisman's light dimming...

Clean and efficient; with just a few swords, everyone fell.

Mu Changge didn't even glance at the corpses on the ground. He simply beckoned with his hand, taking their Storage Rings and the Magic Treasures that hadn't been destroyed into his grasp. Then, with a flash, he appeared before the remnant Soul of Zhou Tianyan, who was tightly trapped by You Li.

The phantom of Zhou Tianyan on the heavenly machine plate had dimmed to the point of being almost invisible, leaving only a faint, flickering silver ball of light. In the center of the ball was the remnant Soul phantom of Zhou Tianyan, which was so thin it was about to dissipate. The phantom's face was twisted, now filled with endless venom, fear, and a trace of unbelievable confusion.

He could never have imagined that as a Saint of the Xuantian Sect, possessing the heavenly machine plate and blessed with Luck, he should have shone brilliantly in this Secret Realm, and even found the Opportunity to break through to the Void Refining stage, but would ultimately fall at the edge of this desolate Duantian Abyss. He died at the hands of such an unknown, yet bizarrely and extremely powerful "Anomaly," and even his last hope of survival for his remnant Soul was ruthlessly extinguished.

Mu Changge stepped through the void, walking closer step by step, like the arrival of the Grim Reaper. He extended his palm, and within it, ink-black Devilish Qi slowly flowed, emitting a terrifying aura of devouring and refining all things. He slowly pressed it toward the silver ball of light, toward the top of Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul's head.

"No... don't..." Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul emitted a weak and terrified fluctuation—the most instinctive fear of the Soul. "I... I can tell you the secrets of the Xuantian Sect... I can serve you as my master... I..."

Mu Changge's eyes had no fluctuation, cold as ten-thousand-year ice. For this kind of Child of Fortune, he knew how troublesome they were and would never give the other party any chance to catch their breath, make a comeback, or even pass on the slightest bit of information.

Mu Changge's palm did not pause in the slightest, pressing onto the silver ball of light, onto the "top of the head" of Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul phantom.

"The Xuantian Sect... will avenge me... Anomaly... you... will not die a good..." In the final moment before total annihilation, Zhou Tianyan's remnant Soul issued its most venomous and weakest curse.

"The Xuantian Sect?" Mu Changge finally spoke, his voice calm and waveless, yet carrying an indifference like looking down upon ants. "Whether they will let me go or not, I do not know. But I know that you will not live to see that day."

The instant his voice fell, the Devilish Qi in his palm suddenly erupted! Like a miniature black hole, it generated a terrifying suction and devouring force!

"Ah—!!!"

A scream, shrill to the extreme but audible only on the Soul level, came to an abrupt end.

The silver ball of light was instantly dissolved and annihilated, swallowed by the Devilish Qi in Mu Changge's palm, and converted into a pure stream of energy that merged into his own body. And the heavenly machine plate, which had lost its last connection to its master and exhausted its final strength, also made a soft "pop" sound, shattering completely like a bubble, turning into specks of light dust that dissipated within You Li's light barrier.

Thus, the contemporary Saint of the Xuantian Sect, Zhou Tianyan, who was thick with Luck and hailed as the future hope of the Sect, had his form and spirit destroyed, falling completely at the edge of this Duantian Abyss, without even a wisp of his remnant Soul escaping.

[Ding! Successfully killed the Child of Fortune Zhou Tianyan, causing his Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering!]

[Rewards calculating...]

[Reward: +39,000 villain points!]

[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining: Luck Technique (can vaguely sense the location of those with great Opportunities and great Luck!)]

Looking at the System panel appearing before him, Mu Changge's mind stirred: 'This [Luck Technique] is actually quite interesting; I was just worrying about not being able to find that monk!'

He slowly retracted his palm, and the Devilish Qi in his palm receded. But his complexion remained pale. Continuously driving "Demon Heart Stir" and the "Great Nirvana Soul Palm," and especially forcibly executing the unfamiliar "Fourth-Grade Heavenly Sword Manual," placed a heavy burden on him, and the Righteous and Demonic Qi within his body had already been largely depleted.

Mu Changge's gaze swept across the chaotic battlefield, and he waved his hand to take the Storage Rings from the corpses into his possession. After doing all this, he took one last look at the bottomless, dark abyss of the Duantian Abyss, then gazed at the grey sky, his eyes deep.

His figure moved, turning into a faint black shadow that merged into the Evil Qi and gale winds that never dissipated at the edge of the Duantian Abyss, disappearing from sight, as if he had never appeared.

Only the still-howling gale winds of the abyss and the chaotic aura remaining in the air silently told of everything that had just happened here.