After interpreting the contents of the third slip, Hongwei and Little Fatty beamed with joy. The future foretold by a rule-based item could not be wrong. During the third slip phase, they would successfully cast the blood jade into the blood pool and summon the presence lurking in the unseen.
The overall outcome would be decided on the third slip; they wouldn't even need to use the fourth.
Of course, the fourth and fifth slips would not stop simply because the user no longer needed them. The Five Astral Slips functioned as a single entity; the moment the user read the first slip, the emergence of the fifth slip was already predetermined.
In other words, when using this item, the backlash was unavoidable.
Therefore, the users had to be particularly careful to eliminate their enemies before the fifth slip if possible. Without enemies, the backlash would be minimized.
At long, long last, victory was within reach!
This battle had been utterly exhausting—so exhausting that they wished they could end it this very instant.
Without a word, I Alone Am Supreme stepped across a thin sheet of waves—most of the water had yet to thaw—and vaulted over the six-meter-tall statue. Kicking up dust, mud, and grass clippings, he charged toward the blood pool dozens of meters away.
In the distance, Zhang Yuanqing did not hesitate to draw out the translucent, pitch-black Yin Jade Doll and activate the rule-based item.
"Hehe, let's play a game~"
A shadow-like wraith skimmed across the ground in rapid pursuit. Crooked, playful, and cute, the shadow vaguely resembled a little girl.
Ahead, the momentum of I Alone Am Supreme as he skimmed across the water came to a sudden halt. Then his torso began leaning backward, his limbs twisting in reverse—knees swiveling behind him and elbows swinging in front—while a dark silhouette closely resembling a little girl clung tightly to his back.
The next second, I Alone Am Supreme's body collapsed with a loud splash, turning into a puddle of water that melted into the thin wave beneath his feet.
Immediately after, his form condensed once more from the water, restoring his flesh-and-blood body. But the vengeful wraith he had just shaken off latched onto him once again.
*Bzzzz~*
A-Yi unfurled his elytra and vibrated his gossamer wings, kicking up a gust of wind as he became the second to dash toward the blood pool, exactly according to the slip's prediction.
The instant he took flight, Zhang Yuanqing on the other side had already fished out a dusty little mirror. An invisible force rippled from the mirror's surface, sweeping outward across the surrounding area. Nothing in the park appeared to change.
In reality, however, an enormous illusion had already formed.
*Flap, flap~*
Methodically, Little Fatty summoned six small black banners. The cloth whipped furiously in the wind, sending black ripples undulating across the air.
The illusion just created by the Ghost Mirror dissipated at once.
*As expected, they foresaw that I would use the Ghost Mirror. They probably anticipated the ghost doll as well. Too bad for them, the doll is a rule-based item; predicting it is useless, as they'll still fall prey to it.*
Seeing A-Yi sweep past the Mountain God's stone statue and cross the open clearing, already very close to the blood pool, Zhang Yuanqing's body reacted faster than thought. He instantly draped the Yin-Yang Robe over his shoulders, and emulating Jiang Jingwei, he bent fire into a bow, loosing a flaming arrow aimed at A-Yi.
A fireball could not catch up to a Gu Master, but an arrow could!
The arrow howled through the air. Barely halfway along its trajectory, Zhang Yuanqing had already executed Fire Phasing, leaping through the light of the arrow's explosion to land within thirty meters of A-Yi.
Tossing the Yin-Yang Robe into the sky, he unfurled the Great Formation of Water and Fire, trapping A-Yi inside.
*My moves were probably within their expectations as well, but the barrier formed by the Yin-Yang Formation isn't something A-Yi can break through... The last blood jade is on Taboo-Free. I hope Guan Ya and Zhao Chenghuang can hold the line...*
Thoughts raced through Zhang Yuanqing's mind, bringing inevitable anxiety and worry.
Theoretically, Guan Ya and Zhao Chenghuang should be able to hold out, but the enemy possessed the power of precognition.
He had never encountered a technique like this before. Every action and countermeasure he took was anticipated in advance. Before such a terrifying ability, any scheme was empty talk.
*Bang! Bang! Bang!*
The water avatar summoned the Explosive Pistol, pouring a dense barrage of fire toward A-Yi, while the fire avatar held a flaming saber, poised to strike.
He couldn't afford to idle either; he had to reclaim the Heart of the Forest from A-Yi's hands.
"The last piece of blood jade is on Taboo-Free! Jingwei, Zhao Chenghuang—"
Calling out, Guan Ya darted forward like an agile leopardess.
At the same moment, Jiang Jingwei's body ignited with a roaring flame. Her hair stood on end, every single strand wrapped in fire elementals.
Then, like an artillery shell, she launched herself toward Taboo-Free.
Zhao Chenghuang was a beat slower. His expression was pained as he let out a low roar, making the lunar energy inside him boil. His skin shifted to a bruise-like greenish-black, his muscles swelled, and sharp ghost claws sprouted from his ten fingers.
As if anticipating this long ago, Taboo-Free pivoted, drew his bow, and released the string.
*Twang!*
The guaranteed-hit arrow struck Jiang Jingwei. Fire and bloodlight erupted simultaneously, whipping up a violent shockwave.
Without even looking, Taboo-Free swiveled and drew against Zhao Chenghuang and Guan Ya.
*Twang, twang, twang...*
The blood-colored longbow drew repeatedly. As though completely unconcerned with overdrawing his life force, Taboo-Free condensed his essence blood into arrows as if it were worthless, loosing one projectile after another in rapid succession.
Each arrow could heavily wound a Level 3 walker, but Zhao Chenghuang in his Ghost Transformation and Guan Ya protected by her suit endured the blasts and sprinted through repeated explosions, toughing it out.
Even so, Taboo-Free's self-sacrificing barrage effectively pinned them down.
He was an Enchanter at peak experience points, hailing from a profession known for peak combat prowess, and a top-five expert on the wanted list. By overdrafting his life force to attack, stalling them for a few seconds was well within his capabilities.
In the brief gaps between drawing his bow, Taboo-Free pulled out the blood jade and tossed it to Little Fatty, who sprang into the air to catch it.
The moment he caught the jade, the Ghost Bride emerged behind him, attempting possession.
*Thump, thump, thump...* Under Zhao Chenghuang's command, the Level 4 yin corpse charged furiously like an armored vehicle.
Unflustered, Little Fatty pressed two fingers together like a sword and pointed downward.
The six small banners suspended in midair shot downward, embedding into the ground around him with dull thuds to form a circle.
The Ghost Bride, who had just completed her possession, was instantly repelled from Little Fatty's back.
Next, he snapped his fingers with a sharp *clack*. The incoming yin corpse abruptly veered off course, crashing heavily into a nearby tree and snapping a trunk as thick as a man's embrace.
In terms of close-quarters combat, ten of him would be no match for a Level 4 yin corpse, but an Illusionist never needed melee combat to deal with enemies.
Creating an illusion to fool a mindless corpse with fragmented intelligence was child's play for Little Fatty.
Having been expelled from her target, the Ghost Bride raised her fair head and let out a piercing screech from beneath her red bridal veil.
Closest to her, Little Fatty felt a jolt of pain in his head, and warm liquid began trickling from his nostrils.
In the distance, Taboo-Free, Guan Ya, and the others were all affected to varying degrees, suffering dizzy spells or pounding headaches.
Farther away, watching from the periphery, Hongwei was torn to pieces by the wraith's sonic wave, dissolving into nothingness.
Possessing the Insight ability, Guan Ya was the first to notice the anomaly. Her heart constricted, and she halted at once, looking around in search of Hongwei's silhouette.
Then her pupils constricted violently, all color draining from her face.
By the edge of the blood pool, Hongwei's figure had appeared.
Taking advantage of the chaotic battle, and capitalizing on the fact that everyone's attention was fixed on A Good Minister Chooses His Lord to Slay, Hongwei had cleverly used illusion to deceive everyone. Her true body had slunk forward in secret, successfully reaching the blood pool.
And in her hand, she held the crimson blood jade.
"Yuanshi!" Guan Ya shrieked.
At this moment, Zhang Yuanqing, Zhao Chenghuang, Jiang Jingwei, Kou Beiyue, Jiu Lou Yu, Taboo-Free, A-Yi—everyone except I Alone Am Supreme, who was still being twisted into a human pretzel by the Yin Jade Doll—turned their gazes toward Hongwei.
Yet the expressions of the two factions could not have been more different: the Mountain God faction wore faces of despair, as if facing the end of the world, while the Mountain Ghost faction looked on with anticipation, wild ecstasy, and exultation.
Finally, under the watchful eyes of all present, Hongwei threw the blood jade from her hand.
*Plop~*
The blood jade fell into the blood pool, splashing water and creating ripples.
This time, the response to the Mountain Ghost faction was no longer settling ripples and dead silence.
In the middle of the serene blood pool, a vortex suddenly formed, churning with violent currents. Measuring about ten meters in diameter, the whirlpool expanded relentlessly, spreading toward the shore.
***
Outside the killing trial.
"The outcome is decided! Truly a splendid battle. The youngsters are still weak, but their tactical execution was of high caliber."
Fear Heavenly King clapped softly, a smile gracing his handsome face before he sighed:
"It is always saddening and helpless to see young talents perish prematurely. Grand Marshal, remember to honor your promise and release Demon Eye. Alas, if Demon Eye learns that the youth he admired died in the killing trial, he will certainly be heartbroken...
"Hmm, on second thought, knowing Yuanshi Tianzun was someone Demon Eye approved of, it feels like his death is hardly a pity."
He began chattering incessantly again.
The female Grand Marshal stared silently at the Transcendent-stage killing trial, gazing into the pocket world at the roiling vortex within the blood pool.
She said nothing.
Elder Dog, however, could hardly control his emotions, gnashing his teeth as he snarled, "The Seven Astral Slips? What is the relationship between that item and the Seven Astral Slips?"
He was one of the few present who recognized the artifact.
The Seven Astral Slips was a Saint-grade rule-based item, a supreme treasure among the Saint realm. The Taiyi Sect's database held archived information on it.
Since Baihui had close ties with the Taiyi Sect, Elder Dog had seen it before.
By rights, an item of that tier should never be usable within a Transcendent-stage killing trial.
The slips those youngsters were using were indeed somewhat different from the original—for instance, there were only five slips.
Fear Heavenly King was only too happy to answer his question. "It's a consumable. I heard the First Elder of the Dark Night Rose acquired it during his early days in a Star Official trial. He always wanted to obtain the authentic Seven Astral Slips, but sadly never succeeded even up to the point of becoming a Dominator."
Elder Dog bared his teeth in fury, uncharacteristically losing his temper.
He held Yuanshi Tianzun in high regard and genuinely believed the youth could rival Fu Qingyang.
For such an unpolished jade to perish in a killing trial was truly a tragedy.
Not just Yuanshi Tianzun, but Jiang Jingwei, Tianxia Guihuo, Guan Ya, Zhao Chenghuang... these elites of the Transcendent stage were all likely doomed.
Elder Dog could already imagine the massive fallout this killing trial would bring upon the official organization.
The entire spirit realm walker community would be shaken by this event, and overseas organizations would cast their eyes over—most likely filled with ridicule.
Fear Heavenly King glanced toward the white-haired female Grand Marshal and chuckled, "That is why I said it could never be obtained by anyone."
A consumable, naturally, could not be kept; once used, it was gone.
The young elder from the Red Fire Sect clenched his fists, struggling to suppress his rage. "One between Fu Qingyang and Yuanshi Tianzun had to die, so you chose Yuanshi Tianzun."
The sect master of the Nihility Sect, whose form constantly shifted, settled into the appearance of a clown with upturned lips. "A Transcendent-stage trial offers far more room for manipulation than a Saint-stage one, and the odds of success are higher."
He meant that consumables with unique functions like the Seven Astral Slips could exploit loopholes to a certain extent and bypass restrictions within the trial.
Much like Yuanshi Tianzun's item that carried purification abilities.
The clown curved his lips, his voice neither distinctly male nor female, young nor old. "The trial's environment is a perfect match for the astral slips. For Yuanshi Tianzun to perish in the killing trial today is simply fate and circumstance."
At a moment like this, using words to needle the official elders would produce even better results, but figures of sect master rank disdained to do so.
At that moment, the female Grand Marshal raised her gaze to look at the assembly of evil faction bigwigs and stated, "Once the trial concludes, I shall personally hunt you down."
Finally, she cast a deep look at the Transcendent-stage killing trial, then shifted her gaze to the Saints currently locked in combat.
Empress Sandao, clad in a traditional long dress, showed no interest in the Saints' battle. Her eyes were fixed solely on the little thief who had stolen her item. Narrowing her beautiful eyes, she frowned. "What kind of monster is that?"
Fear Heavenly King's expression turned abruptly solemn as he said in a low voice, "That is the culmination of the Enchanter profession, a truly invincible entity, a wisp of will descending from a great presence whose name cannot be spoken."
***
At the bank tower, eleven official walkers including Peony Fairy and Long Live the White Tiger stood at the edge of the rooftop, looking down at the blood pool below.
A vortex had formed at the center of the pool, its edges expanding outward toward the banks.
The core of the vortex collapsed downward into an abyss of pitch-black depth, looking as though it connected to a terrifying chasm, a dreadful hell.
The aura within the vortex was profound, mysterious, horrifying, and majestic, causing everyone on the roof to shudder to the depths of their souls. Their faces turned completely bloodless, overcome with panic and dread.
"What... what's happening? Did Yuanshi Tianzun and the others fail?"
"Why couldn't they hold out? All three arrays were activated, and only theirs was left! They were supposed to activate the seal..."
The official walkers were losing emotional control.
Peony Fairy parted her lips, wanting to offer words of comfort, but found only despair in her heart, leaving her speechless.
With things having reached this point, what awaited them was destruction. Who could face death with composure?
Just then, the continually widening vortex finally reached the banks.
From the rooftop, the crowd saw a massive blood-red hand reach out from the collapsed center of the vortex—a palm as large as a full basketball court.
Then came a second, a third, a fourth... A full eight arms and eight gigantic hands reached out of the blood pool one by one.
*Boom!*
The entire blood pool surged skyward, creating a colossal wave a hundred meters high before the crimson water poured down like a torrential rain of blood.
A blood-red fiendgod clambered out from the blood pool.
Half of Its body was still submerged within the pool, yet the portion exposed above the surface was nearly sixty meters tall.
A body as sturdy as an iron tower was equipped with eight corded, muscular arms. Its skin was deep red, Its facial features sharply carved and devoid of expression, and Its pupils were brilliant gold. At the center of Its brow rested a dark, mysterious rune, which served as a focal point radiating outward to cover Its entire physique.
These runes were simultaneously distinct and cohesive, causing anyone who merely looked at them to suffer mental derangement. It felt as though their souls were stained with an indelible pollution, driving them to want to tear and destroy themselves.
A terrifying, majestic, and profound aura ran rampant in all directions.
Peony Fairy collapsed onto her rear, trembling all over. Her delicate, alluring face turned as pale as paper, devoid of all color.
Beside her, the official walkers either clutched their heads and screamed, lost their sanity, or lost bladder control. The scene descended into total chaos.
***
At the downtown shopping mall.
Sun Miaomiao was still immersed in the betrayal of her fellow sect member. Her expression was despondent, her bright, sparkling eyes drained of their former luster. Sitting cross-legged beside the stone statue with her head bowed, she remained silent.
Suddenly, an indescribable sense of dread welled up in her heart. Her heartbeat accelerated as though it were about to burst from her chest, pounding in her ears like war drums.
*What is happening?* Stunned, Sun Miaomiao raised her head, only to find that Tianxia Guihuo, Crossing-River Pawn, and numerous fellow disciples had all collapsed to the ground.
Only then did she realize that the anomaly in her body stemmed from fear.
Tianxia Guihuo muttered:
"We lost... we lost...
"Yuanshi Tianzun and the others lost. The monster in the blood pool has awakened..."
*Lost?* Undead Knight's expression shifted. Subconsciously glancing at the corpse of Maoshan Daoist by his feet, his gaze grew intensely conflicted—filled with terror, chagrin, and regret... before ultimately resolving into a bitter smile.
He had never possessed the right to choose, no matter who won or lost.
*Have we lost?* Yuan Ting held the most open-minded outlook. After a brief bout of panic, he quickly regained his composure. Fortunately, he had already made Yuanshi Tianzun honor his promise and unearthed plenty of classified secrets; he could die without regrets.
No, there was still one regret: he wouldn't be able to share all those explosive secrets with anyone.
He didn't know whether this killing trial was permanent or temporary. If he carved the secrets in his head right here, would anyone discover them in the future?
***
At the abandoned subway station.
Complete chaos reigned. After learning from the Wood Monster about the boiling blood pool, everyone broke down emotionally.
The monster in the blood pool had revived. That dreadful pressure from a higher entity, that aura that made everyone tremble—against a boss like this, there was no doubt that no one could survive.
Every single one of them was going to die in this killing trial.
"Did we still lose? Didn't Niulanshan Fairy say the third array had been activated according to plan? Why did we still lose?"
"Yuanshi Tianzun lost. He... he might already be dead..."
"We're going to die too. We're all going to die..."
"Damn it! I refuse to accept this!!"
Despair shrouded everyone.
Equally shrouded in despair were Guan Ya, Jiang Jingwei, Zhao Chenghuang, and Zhang Yuanqing inside the Great Formation of Water and Fire.
The moment they saw the monster manifest from the blood pool and felt that unprecedented pressure, they knew the situation was beyond salvage. What awaited them, it seemed, was only death.
The fighting in every quarter came to a halt in unison. Even someone as steadfast of will as Zhao Chenghuang lost the desire to fight on.
Guan Ya stared blankly at the fiendgod rising from the blood pool, her heart consumed by despair.
"Ugh..."
Immediately after, she clutched her forehead and stumbled backward.
Gazing upon the fiendgod's body for more than three seconds severely contaminated one's spirit, throwing one's consciousness into chaos.
Taboo-Free, Little Fatty, Jiu Lou Yu, and the others also suffered from looking directly at the fiendgod. Affected by the incantations covering Its form, they developed splitting headaches and twisted thoughts, promptly averting their eyes, not daring to look any longer.
Taboo-Free's gaze was turbid and his face ghastly pale. Holding his bow, he leaned against a tree trunk, gasping for breath. His life essence was nearly depleted, leaving him like a candle sputtering in the wind. But it didn't matter; as long as he advanced to Saint, everything would be worth it, and everything could be restored.
Glancing at the terrifying presence slowly rising before quickly looking away, the smile at the corner of his mouth widened uncontrollably.
It was over!
This physically and mentally exhausting killing trial had finally reached its conclusion.
Recalling the experiences of the past two days, Taboo-Free felt this would be a nightmare he wouldn't forget for many years.
It wasn't that he had never experienced bitter battles, but an ordeal like this killing trial was a first in his life.
The ups and downs, the thrilling and perilous twists—only those who had truly lived through it could understand.
He couldn't resist glancing at Little Fatty and Jiu Lou Yu nearby, seeing in both of them a deep exhaustion alongside relief—relief born from the sheer hardship of victory.
Taboo-Free knew his own expression was probably identical to theirs.
"Damn it! Damn it! Is this really where I, Yuanshi Tianzun, meet my end?" The fiery, irascible flame avatar cursed in fury and defiance, having completely lost the ability to think calmly.
Meanwhile, the calm water avatar barely suppressed the fear inside him, rapidly turning over thoughts out of an instinct to survive.
He mentally reviewed every technique and trump card in his possession.
To his despair, he found that not a single item could save him.
The Saint-grade Houtu Boots were fine for dealing with Transcendent-stage enemies, but against that powerhouse in the blood pool, it was like firing a rifle at an aircraft carrier—a mere tickle.
The Perfect Human Skin could shoulder the karma of the person transformed into; perhaps he could replicate the scene from Mute Village.
However, the yin corpse would soon be destroyed, and the karma would return to his true body. Death would remain inescapable.
The main quest of the killing trial was to survive for 72 hours.
Living for an extra instant was of little significance.
*What should I do? What can I do...*
At this life-and-death juncture, his brain worked at high speed, and an idea suddenly surfaced in his mind.
*Could I return to the temple to retrieve the Mountain God's staff?*
The temple doors were already closed and could not be reopened. But what if he lured the monster from the blood pool over there?
Could it destroy the stone temple?
When that happened, if the Mountain God faction couldn't pick up the staff, he could have Kou Beiyue take it...
At this thought, his eyes lit up and a spark of hope ignited, only for him to immediately realize that the park's formation was already shut. No one could enter, and no one could leave.
A dead end.
The spark of hope that had just arisen died out instantly.
*I can't just sit here and wait for death; I must do something... The monster in the blood pool is clearly an Enchanter, at least Dominator-grade. To survive, I need power of the same level... But where in this killing trial could Dominator-level power come from?*
Zhang Yuanqing's mind stirred as he recalled the sacrificial ritual he had obtained in Mute Village.
The text of the ritual stated that by holding a sacrifice according to what was recorded on the parchment, one could borrow power from a presence lurking in the unseen.
The core material of the ritual was an item containing the divine power of the sun, and the divine power of the sun was a Dominator-level ability of the Night Walker profession.
Since it required power of that caliber to complete the sacrifice, the presence in the unseen could hardly be weaker than a Dominator.
At this realization, he felt the joyful relief of seeing a path open through the darkest thicket.
The only concern was whether the killing trial would block that power from descending.
Yet he had no other choice now.
Without delay, he recalled the Yin-Yang Robe, returned to his physical flesh, and swiftly opened his inventory, bringing out the twelve materials he had bought on credit from the officials one after another: yin jade, Saint-grade yin corpse fluid, bloodstones, soul crystals, and the rest.
*What is he doing?* Having seized the chance to break out of the Great Formation of Water and Fire, A-Yi caught sight of Yuanshi Tianzun's actions and grew instinctively vigilant.
Guan Ya and the others also noticed Zhang Yuanqing's movements, and a flicker of hope immediately sparked in their eyes. At a time like this, any attempt by a comrade served as a lifesaving straw to those drowning in despair.
A-Yi cautiously retreated to the edge of the formation while looking down at the bamboo slip in his hand.
He didn't believe Yuanshi Tianzun had any chance of turning the tables, but he had to consider the possibility that the man might drag him down into the grave before dying.
Characters rapidly surfaced on the slip's face, presenting the future scene to the minds of the five slip holders in text:
"Fourth Astral Slip: Supreme Good Fortune!
"Pushed into a corner, Yuanshi Tianzun dispels his formation and resolves to make a desperate gamble, performing a sacrifice to an unseen presence in hopes of being granted power.
"A-Yi naturally will not allow his enemy to complete the sacrifice, launching a fierce assault against Yuanshi Tianzun without hesitation.
"However, the prepared Yuanshi Tianzun once again deploys the rule-based item, the Yin Jade Doll. Lacking means to deal with spirit bodies, the Gu Master A-Yi is entangled by the vengeful wraith, making it impossible to stop Yuanshi Tianzun.
"Yuanshi Tianzun completes the sacrifice, praying for power from the supreme presence in the unseen. Unfortunately, the ritual fails; that presence cannot bypass the killing trial to descend."
After reading the slip, Taboo-Free and the other four let out a collective sigh of relief.
Yuanshi Tianzun truly possessed numerous trump cards, even knowing an unheard-of sacrificial ritual.
Fortunately, he would not succeed.
In a killing trial, whoever completed the seal first (or summoned the monster) achieved victory; this was an immutable principle.
If outside power could overturn that, wouldn't the spirit realm become a laughingstock?
Following the prompt on the slip, A-Yi unfurled the elytra behind his back and skimmed low toward Yuanshi Tianzun.
"Get the hell away from me!" Zhang Yuanqing roared.
He grabbed the Yin Jade Doll from his inventory and activated it without hesitation.
Still struggling bitterly against the terrifying wraith, I Alone Am Supreme suddenly felt his body lighten as the horrific supernatural force applied to him vanished.
Instantly, a crisp, childish laugh rang out behind A-Yi.
A twisted dark silhouette clambered onto A-Yi's back, sending him tumbling to the ground mid-flight. Before he could scramble up, his limbs and torso cracked and popped under the monstrous force, bending into exaggerated, unnatural angles.
Lacking I Alone Am Supreme's passive ability to turn into water, he could only rely on his own physical strength to desperately grapple with the wraith, fighting for control of his body.
Moments later, Zhang Yuanqing finished arranging the sacrificial ritual. The twelve materials were arrayed in a circle with the Demon-Subduing Pestle placed at the center. He drew out the parchment and set it atop the pestle.
*Whoosh!*
The Demon-Subduing Pestle ignited the parchment, burning with a golden flame.
The parchment was rapidly consumed, reduced to flying ash. Yet across heaven and earth, aside from the fiendgod gradually rising from the blood pool, no phenomenon occurred at all.
"Yuanshi Tianzun, stop wasting your energy," Taboo-Free called out loudly.
"Accept your fate."
The fire of hope in Guan Ya's eyes was extinguished, returning to bleak darkness.
Zhao Chenghuang let out a soft sigh.
Jiang Jingwei scratched her head in frantic agitation.
Little Fatty looked toward Kou Beiyue and said in a heavy voice:
"Boss, as long as you abandon the dark and step into the light, you'll still be a good comrade. I'm willing to take you back. As for what happened with Trampling the Firmament, we can let bygones be bygones."
Kou Beiyue: "..."
He would rather Little Fatty sneer at him and vow revenge than hear words like these.
"Impossible," Kou Beiyue said resolutely. "I'm not like you. I detest how you've willingly degraded yourselves, and I look up to people like Yuanshi Tianzun. Even if I die, I will never stand with your lot."
"Boss..." Just as Little Fatty was about to continue persuading him, text surfaced on the final bamboo slip in his hand.
He clamped his mouth shut at once and looked down at the slip. The scene of the future appeared in the slip holders' minds as written words:
"Fifth Astral Slip: Utter Misfortune!
"Hidden within the Demon-Subduing Pestle is a little-known secret: it contains the solar soul of a high-ranking Dominator. Stirred by the summoning ritual, the solar soul within the item has awakened.
"The awakened solar soul resonates with the presence in the unseen, shattering the restrictions of the killing trial and allowing that presence to project a wisp of divine consciousness through the barrier to reclaim the solar soul.
"That is... the Ancient Golden Crow!"
The next second, the Demon-Subduing Pestle erupted with an unprecedented golden light that expanded abruptly, forming a golden pillar of radiance dozens of meters wide that surged straight into the clouds.
A glorious, searing, boundless aura of total purification flooded every single corner of the trial.
Chapter 280