351: I'm so kind and honest!

The gate was a deep, murky yellowish-brown, neither gold nor stone, and was engraved with countless intricate and ancient patterns.

There were undulating Yellow Springs paths, the surging blood waves of the Wangchuan River, the Three-Life Stone reflecting past lives, and the grimly towering Yama Hall.

It was as if the entire Underworld scene was condensed within it.

On either side of the gate, vague, towering shadows of Ghost Messengers, like mountains, stood with halberds, exuding a solemn pressure!

This was precisely the ultimate manifestation that the Xuanming Law had transformed into under the blessing of ten thousand Souls—the Gate of the Underworld!

Also known as the 'Ghost Gate Pass'!

Creak... A heavy, slow sound, as if from a gate hinge rusted for ten thousand years, emanated from the towering gate.

This sound carried an irresistible allure, as if to pull living Souls from their bodies and cast them into the eternal profundity behind the gate.

However, perhaps due to Lu Ming's insufficient power, or the human emperor banner's insufficient status.

The Ghost Gate Pass did not fully open; this gate, seemingly from the Underworld, merely opened a negligible crack inward!

Yet, from this crack, a wisp of Deathly Qi, pure to the extreme and so profound it seemed capable of devouring all colors, seeped out.

Like a drop of the most concentrated 'ink,' it dripped down from the towering gate's crevice!

“Drip—”

It silently dripped and fell into the Yellow Springs below, which was fiercely clashing with the Thick Earth Domain.

In an instant, all sounds ceased!

Time itself seemed to stop for a moment, and then an indescribable upheaval occurred!

The originally murky yellow Yellow Springs water, upon contact with that single drop of 'ink,' instantly spread out in a fan shape, rapidly diffusing in all directions!

During this process, the Yellow Springs deepened in color, transforming into a kaleidoscopic black, exuding an aura of death that brought all things to an end and silenced all Laws!

The Yellow Springs transformed into the River of Oblivion!

The true River of Oblivion's water is the destination of departed Souls and the end of all things!

“Whoosh—!”

The dark River of Oblivion water, as if possessing life and will, immediately surged forward with overwhelming ferocity towards Li Daoxuan's Thick Earth Burial Domain!

Wherever it passed, all things withered.

The surging earth Meridian essence and qi, upon contact with the River of Oblivion water, instantly lost all spirituality and luster, turning into pale ashes.

Even the bottomless Thick Earth Domain, with its gaping, ferocious maw attempting to bury everything, now melted away like ice and snow under the scorching sun!

A chilling 'sizzle' of dissolution could be heard!

The heavy earth, rocks, and quicksand were easily washed away by the River of Oblivion water, revealing a wide, straight, yet desolate and void-filled gray passage.

It was as if it was merely a pile of loose sand, nothing more!

However, this was not the end; the passage was carved out by the River of Oblivion water with destructive force, yet its momentum remained undiminished!

Amidst the rolling death Qi, it violently smashed through the collapsing Thick Earth Domain, heading straight for Li Daoxuan, who had already turned pale!

His Thick Earth Dao rhyme, cultivated for hundreds of years, was rapidly dissolving like ice and snow under the sun before this surging River of Oblivion!

As the first to bear the brunt, the moment the River of Oblivion touched him, Li Daoxuan felt an icy death intent that froze his Divine Soul rush over him, as if his entire being had been cast into the Nine Netherfrost Hell!

That was not a physical temperature sensation, but the terrifying feeling of the very concept of 'life' being forcibly stripped away!

His Thick Earth Dao rhyme, which he had cultivated for hundreds of years and had long merged with his being, was as fragile as thin paper before this supreme death Qi, rapidly dissolving and disintegrating!

Even more terrifying, he clearly felt his vitality draining away like sand through an hourglass.

He felt the Golden Core's radiance dimming, the Divine Soul Origin withering, and even his memory and consciousness beginning to slow and blur.

This was real... death!

“No!!! I refuse to accept this!!!”

Li Daoxuan let out an ultimate cry of despair.

It was fear of death, and unwillingness to be killed by an ant.

The instinct for survival drove him to make a final struggle.

He desperately squeezed the Golden Core Origin, began to burn his dwindling essence, and mobilized the power of Law to set up layers of thick Law shields in front of him.

Each layer condensed his deepest understanding of the Thick Earth Law, his final barrier!

At the same time, his figure transformed into a streak of light, retreating desperately, wanting only to escape this land of death!

However, before the surging River of Oblivion, all resistance seemed so pale and powerless.

“Bang! Bang! Bang!...”

Huge waves surged, and the River of Oblivion water poured down like a death tide, irresistibly crashing against the Law shields.

Without any hindrance, with muffled thuds, the shields, which were capable of resisting the full attack of Cultivators of the same rank, rapidly shattered layer after layer like foam under the flushing of the River of Oblivion water, failing to even stir a ripple.

Finally, it caught up to the retreating Li Daoxuan.

“Puff—”

Li Daoxuan's entire body trembled as if struck by a heavy hammer, blood spewed from his mouth, his face turned ashen, and his aura rapidly withered like a deflated ball.

The divine light in his eyes began to scatter, and the flame of life flickered weakly like a candle in the wind. He could no longer maintain flight and fell straight down from high in the sky like a kite with a broken string.

Finally, with a “boom,” he crashed into the messy ground below, kicking up a cloud of dust.

“It’s over.”

Lu Ming lightly exhaled a turbid breath, slowly lowering the human emperor banner.

At this moment, his face was as pale as paper, devoid of any color, and his figure swayed precariously, his aura extremely weak and chaotic, as if he could dissipate with the wind at any moment.

Forcibly prying open the 'Ghost Gate Pass' just now, even if only a tiny crack, had almost drained all the power from this dharma body.

Not only was his internal magic power nearly dry, but even his Golden Core Origin was affected.

However, in Lu Ming's eyes, an excited light flickered.

Although this clash at the Law level seemed short, it was actually quite prolonged and extremely perilous.

If there had been any slight mistake, Lu Ming would have failed completely.

Not only would he have missed out on Li Daoxuan as a 'talent,' but he would also have likely lost this dharma body.

Most crucially, the human emperor banner might have been lost because of it!

But ultimately, all the results were good!

Moreover, he had benefited greatly from this battle, not only undergoing a transformative change but also gaining initial insights and control over Laws, no longer being completely ignorant.

“But if I had to say the biggest gain, it would still be you!”

His figure flickered, and he arrived at the edge of a pit.

In the deep pit, Li Daoxuan was covered in blood, his Daoist robe torn, lying amidst the rubble, with only a very faint rise and fall of his chest indicating he was still alive.

Looking at the lingering unwillingness, despair, and resentment in his eyes, Lu Ming calmly looked down at him.

Perhaps when he was chasing him back then, Li Daoxuan never would have imagined such a day.

“But then again, he was the one who provoked others first...”

Lu Ming stroked his chin, then shook his head.

“How could I be the one to actively cause trouble? I am so honest and kind!”

With a clear mind, Lu Ming no longer hesitated, raising the human emperor banner in his hand, which was slightly dim but still exuded a profound aura, and aimed it at Li Daoxuan.

Lu Ming knew that villains die from talking too much, so he had no intention of wasting words with Li Daoxuan.

Whatever he wanted to know, he could slowly read it after Li Daoxuan became a Banner Spirit!

With a gentle wave of the human emperor banner, its surface unfurled like a descending curtain, carrying an irresistible force, and swept towards the dying figure at the bottom of the pit.

“No... I hate it!”

Li Daoxuan's lips moved, uttering one last weak and unwilling whisper, and then his entire being was completely swallowed by the human emperor banner.