158: The first battle of pulling teeth from the tiger's mouth, the art of death under the attack of the gods

In the center of the core hall.

A lotus flower was slowly growing out of the Void Realm, inch by inch.

It had nine petals.

Each petal was distinctly different in color, with visible Dao patterns flowing over them, as if they were the most fundamental rule imprints from the genesis of Heaven and Earth.

The aura of time condensed into a tangible mist around it.

Dao-infused Immortal Lotus.

The moment they saw it, the breathing of the four Spirit Transformation Old Monster in the hall stopped.

Their Dao Hearts, in front of this lotus flower, emitted an unprecedented craving and palpitations.

It was a supreme immortal treasure capable of allowing them to achieve Perfection in their Cultivation, and even glimpse higher Realms.

“It’s mine!”

Old Ancestor Xuan Ming was the first to react, greed completely overpowering his reason.

He let out a roar, and the huge Demonic Path Dharma Idol behind him extended a sky-covering ghost claw, striking directly at the Immortal Lotus.

“Old Ghost Xuan Ming, get lost!”

Lord Wan Jian shouted angrily, his Sword Intent piercing the sky.

He no longer held back in the slightest, spitting a mouthful of his vital essence blood onto the ancient sword on his back.

Thousands of Sword Qi converged into a brilliant river of swords, slashing towards the ghost claw, and even more so, towards the ownership of the Immortal Lotus.

Holy Mother Blood Lotus chuckled continuously, but her voice was chillingly cold.

“Such a treasure should be enjoyed by me, elder sister.”

The blood-colored lotus platform beneath her instantly disintegrated into countless spinning blood blades, forming an impenetrable storm of death that swept towards the center.

On the other side, the always silent, immortal-like old man in an Eight Trigrams Daoist robe—Xuanji Zi of Tianji Pavilion—his eyes burst with brilliant light.

He rapidly formed hand seals, and a huge Formation diagram unfolded out of thin air, attempting to displace and seal the entire space along with the Immortal Lotus.

The four Spirit Transformation Old Monster instantly engaged in battle.

Dharma Idols collided, and Sword Qi tore through the air.

The blood blade storm and the Formation's radiance churned the entire core hall upside down.

Terrifying energy impacts caused spiderweb-like cracks to appear in space itself.

They restrained each other, and no one could truly touch the Dao-infused Immortal Lotus in the first instant.

As for Lin Fan.

He was hidden behind a broken stone pillar, his eyes calmer than a Nascent Soul Cultivator’s should be.

In his eyes, there was no Immortal Lotus.

Only the three-dimensional map on the System’s light screen, filled with energy flows and attack trajectories.

“System, calculate the optimal death coordinates.”

Calculating...

Locked onto the overlapping area of three God Transformation Stage attacks...

This area will form in 1.2 seconds...

Warning: Within this area, the host’s survival rate is zero.

Estimated death rating: SSS!

A mad arc curved at Lin Fan’s lips.

What he wanted was precisely that zero.

He precisely calculated the landing points and ranges of the Spirit Transformation Old Monster’s attacks, as well as the undisguised killing intent in their eyes.

This chaotic battlefield, to him, was a stage with a perfectly composed symphony.

He would use his own body to play the most magnificent, final movement of death.

Now.

At the moment when Lord Wan Jian’s sword river was slightly obstructed by the ghost claw, and Holy Mother Blood Lotus’s blood blades were neutralized by the Formation’s light.

At the instant when the attacks of the three Spirit Transformation Old Monster were about to simultaneously land on the Dao-infused Immortal Lotus.

A figure, like an arrow released from a bowstring, shot out from the shadows.

It was Lin Fan.

“Who is that?”

“Seeking death!”

Xuanji Zi’s pupils suddenly constricted, revealing an expression of disbelief.

He saw clearly that it was just a junior at the Nascent Soul Stage.

A Nascent Soul, daring to intervene in a Soul Transformation Stage struggle?

Lin Fan completely ignored their shock.

His Immortal Grade Nascent Soul within him ignited with a roar at this moment.

He detonated all his defensive Magic Treasures in an instant.

“Boom!”

Violent spiritual Qi formed a resolute thrust behind him, causing his speed to once again surge by a significant margin.

He was like a determined meteor, hurtling towards the center of that destructive storm.

His goal was not to live.

But to use his Physical Body as a lever.

Just before the Spirit Transformation Old Monster were about to grasp the Immortal Lotus.

Lin Fan’s fingertips finally touched the cold, jade-like petals of the Dao-infused Immortal Lotus.

He used his last bit of strength to give it a fierce flick.

The Immortal Lotus, displaced from its original trajectory by his astonishing impact.

Escaped the core lock-on range of the three attacks.

Just barely, it fell into his hands, which were disintegrating inch by inch.

It’s done.

This was Lin Fan’s last thought.

The next instant.

Old Ancestor Xuan Ming’s ghost claw, Lord Wan Jian’s sword river, Holy Mother Blood Lotus’s blood blade storm.

Three God Transformation Stage attacks, powerful enough to destroy mountains and rivers, landed on him without distinction.

There were no screams.

No struggles.

Lin Fan’s body, along with his Nascent Soul and Divine Soul, was completely vaporized by the extremely violent power in an instant.

Reduced to the most primitive particles.

Not even a trace of blood mist remained.

Ding!

Congratulations, Host, you have achieved SSS-rank death “Pulling Teeth from a Tiger’s Mouth”!

Calculating rewards...

Congratulations, Host, you have received: Dao-infused Immortal Lotus Fragment * 3 (containing the true meaning of the Great Dao)!

Congratulations, Host, you have received: God Transformation Stage Cultivation Technique “Myriad Dao Reversion Technique” incomplete scroll (analyzing)!

Congratulations, Host, you have received: Top-tier Formation Profound Truth * 1 (Xuanji Zi’s Heaven-Stealing, Sun-Shifting Formation)!

Inside the hall, there was a deathly silence.

The three Spirit Transformation Old Monster who had attacked were all stunned.

They watched with their own eyes as that Nascent Soul junior snatched the Immortal Lotus in front of them, and then was personally blasted to smithereens by their hands.

“Bastard!”

Old Ancestor Xuan Ming let out an enraged roar.

He slammed out a palm, and terrifying Devilish Qi once again plowed through the area where Lin Fan had “disappeared.”

The Void Realm itself wailed, blasted into a chaotic zone.

But there was nothing.

Not even a trace of a remnant soul could be found.

He was as dead as could be.

That Dao-infused Immortal Lotus was also shattered into pieces by the impact and the subsequent aftershocks of the explosion.

The three largest petal fragments, imbued with rich Dao aura, shot off in three different directions.

The three Spirit Transformation Old Monster, ignoring their anger, almost instinctively transformed into streaks of light and gave chase.

Only Xuanji Zi did not move.

He stood rooted to the spot, staring intently at the empty Void Realm, his brows tightly furrowed.

In his eyes, there was no greed, only a deep sense of perplexity and incomprehension.

Something was wrong.

Everything felt too wrong.

Where did a Nascent Soul Cultivator get the guts and ability to snatch a supreme treasure right under their noses?

What was he after?

Just to touch the Immortal Lotus before he died?

This was illogical.

Unless... he didn't die at all.

An absurd thought surfaced in Xuanji Zi's mind, causing even his usually placid Dao Heart to ripple slightly.

He recalled scattered records in Sect ancient texts about a certain forbidden existence from ancient times.

“The Undying.”

He no longer concerned himself with the ownership of the three Immortal Lotus fragments, but instead quietly took out an ancient compass and began to set up some imperceptible sensing Formation within the hall...

Outside the Immortal Abode.

Inside a cave that Lin Fan had previously concealed with a Formation.

The air twisted.

Lin Fan’s figure quietly appeared, completely unharmed.

An unprecedented sense of satisfaction filled his Divine Soul.

He excitedly examined the three radiant Immortal Lotus fragments in the System space, as well as the “Myriad Dao Reversion Technique” that the System was rapidly analyzing.

The harvest this time was unimaginably great.

However, this excitement did not last long.

A trembling, tearful voice sounded behind him.

“Senior Brother Lin Fan...”

Lin Fan turned around and saw Zhao Linger.

The young girl’s pretty face was deathly pale.

Her eyes, which were always gentle as water, were now filled with terror and lingering fear, her eye sockets red, tears welling up but stubbornly refusing to fall.

That scene just now.

Through the water mirror Magic Treasure Lin Fan had set up in advance, they had seen it clearly.

Watching with their own eyes as he was blasted into nothingness by the attacks of three Spirit Transformation Old Monster.

That impact, which felt like her Divine Soul was being torn apart, almost made Zhao Linger’s heart stop, even though she knew he was “undying.”

She rushed forward, extending her slightly trembling hand, seemingly wanting to touch Lin Fan, yet afraid it was just an illusion.

Lin Fan’s heart softened.

He reached out and held the young girl’s cold hand.

“I’m fine.”

The warm touch finally brought Zhao Linger back to her senses.

She could no longer hold back, tears streaming down her face as she threw herself into Lin Fan’s embrace, hugging him tightly, as if wanting to melt him into her own body.

“Wuwu... why did you do that... it was too scary... I thought... I thought you really...”

Her words were incoherent.

Warm tears quickly soaked the front of Lin Fan’s shirt.

The young girl’s soft body trembled violently in his arms, carrying the fear of having narrowly escaped death.

Lin Fan’s body stiffened slightly.

He could clearly feel that undisguised, pure worry and heartache.

He raised his hand and gently patted her back, as if comforting a startled kitten.

“Don’t be afraid, this is just my... Cultivation method.”

His voice unconsciously softened a lot.

“This is a grand buffet; there’s always a price to pay.”

The young girl in his arms did not respond.

She just held him even tighter.

Li Hanyue, standing beside them, also had a somewhat pale face. She gripped her sword hilt tightly, her knuckles white from the force, but her gaze was fixed on Lin Fan, as if trying to find some flaw in him.

Su Meier was more direct.

She had already pounced to Lin Fan’s other side, her fluffy fox tail tightly wrapped around Lin Fan’s leg, her small head rubbing against his arm, her foxy eyes full of heartache and dependence.

“Master, please don’t do that again next time, Meier will die of heartache.”

After a long while.

Zhao Linger’s emotions finally calmed down a little.

She somewhat awkwardly withdrew from Lin Fan’s embrace, her cheeks as red as ripe apples, lowering her head, not daring to look at him.

Lin Fan looked at her like this, and the coldness in his heart brought by death quietly dissipated.

He smiled, reached out, and ruffled her hair again.

“Alright, now is not the time for sadness.”

He looked towards the Immortal Abode, his eyes once again becoming sharp and full of calculation.

“The first main course is already in hand.”

“But this feast has just begun.”

Although the fragments of the Dao-infused Immortal Lotus were precious.

The entire Immortal Abode, as a deeply polluted “top-grade Immortal Dao fragment,” was itself the greatest Treasure Trove.

Now, the Spirit Transformation Old Monster had started infighting over the lotus fragments, their attention completely dispersed.

This was the perfect time for him to fish in troubled waters.

“I’m going in again.”

Lin Fan announced.

“What?”

Zhao Linger’s heart, which had just calmed, instantly rose again.

“No! It’s too dangerous!”

“I agree.”

Li Hanyue suddenly spoke, her voice clear and cold, but her eyes were unusually bright.

“Their attention is all on the Immortal Lotus fragments; now is when their defenses are weakest.”

She had already adapted to Lin Fan’s fighting style from her initial shock.

Lin Fan gave her an approving look.

He handed Zhao Linger a jade talisman, which he had just exchanged from the System, capable of temporarily shielding from the Divine Thought of God Transformation Stage Cultivators.

“Wait for me outside.”

“This time, I won’t be so reckless.”

After speaking, his figure once again transformed into an almost imperceptible phantom, quietly sneaking towards the Immortal Abode, which was still enveloped by the Divine Might of the God Transformation Stage.

And just as he re-entered the core hall of the Immortal Abode.

An anomaly occurred again.

In the place where the Dao-infused Immortal Lotus had disappeared, the originally empty ground suddenly cracked open.

An ancient, mottled stone tablet, filled with an aura of immortality, slowly rose.

On the stone tablet, two ancient seal characters were carved in a vigorous, Dragon-Phoenix style.

Immortality.

Xuanji Zi, who was setting up a Formation in the hall, suddenly trembled.

The compass in his hand spun wildly, and finally, pointed firmly in the direction of Lin Fan, who had just sneaked in.

Xuanji Zi’s eyes erupted with an unprecedented, fervent light.

“Found it.”

“The aura of ‘Undying’.”

He smiled.

This time, he would not let the other party have the chance to “die” so easily right under his nose.

An invisible net of Heaven and Earth had quietly spread out.