Chapter 897. Demon Clan(race) Sudden Attack, Critical Moment

Fortunately, the black dragon was gravely wounded; had it been at its peak, the group would have had no choice but to flee, barely capable of self-preservation.

To return to our story, Eldrin, wielding the power of the immortal manor's formation, trapped the Black Dragon Demon Ancestor. He then summoned various spiritual treasures and divine abilities, launching a relentless assault to refine the ancient dragon.

The Great 5 Elements Pure Yang Divine Thunder, the Primordial Chaos Grasping Hand, the 5-Colored Divine Light—each a world-shaking supreme divine power.

The Azure Ruins Vase, the Ice Soul Immortal Sash, the Immortal-Refining Furnace—1 supreme treasure after another surged forth in relentless assaults.

The great battle raged on for 80-1 days. The cultivators were pushed to their limits, their mana nearly depleted by 70 to 80 percent, and they sustained considerable injuries before finally driving the black dragon into a hopeless predicament.

By the 80-first day, the black dragon's injuries had become extremely severe, pushing it to the brink of utter desperation.

Yet on this very day, several formidable figures arrived outside the Ancient Immortal Ruins.

The 3 figures at the forefront each possessed extraordinary presence: the strongest demon cultivator of this realm, Nethervoid Demon Venerable, accompanied by the Demon Saintess and the Triple-Pupiled Heavenly Demon.

"Ancient Immortal Ruins, hmph..."

Gazing upon the ancient immortal ruins before him, the 9 Serenities Demon Lord let out a cold sneer, his pupils glimmering with an abyssal chill.

The Demon Clan's Saintess, standing nearby, furrowed her brow slightly and said, "This place is a contingency measure left behind by the ancient Human Clan immortals to face tribulations. Wouldn't it be too risky for us to enter?"

The 3-Eyed Eldrin (Demon) frowned gravely and said, "If the humans have mastered formation arrays, we might very well become trapped within them."

"Worry not, I have my own methods."

The 9 Netherfiend Sovereign sneered coldly, producing a treasure seal as he declared, "With this artifact, slaying that Elder of the Returning Abyss shall be more than sufficient."

"This is..."

Heaven-Devouring God-Shattering Pearl!

The 2 demons' faces paled in horror. The Demon Saintess took a deep breath before speaking, "With this artifact, the Ancient Immortal's Cave Abode will crumble like dust."

It turned out that this Heaven-Devouring God-Shattering Pearl was forged by an extraterrestrial demon god using celestial materials from beyond the heavens. Its grade approached the realm of immortality, and its power was such that even a Demigod Ancestor (Cultivation Realm) would not dare confront it directly.

Recalling the might of the Demon-Shattering Divine Pearl, the 9 Nether Demon Lord nodded. "The Demon God's foresight is truly divine, having long calculated that a human contingency would emerge here to face the tribulation."

"This treasure was left behind precisely for us to destroy this cave abode and slay that Eldrin whelp in 1 fell swoop."

Upon hearing this, all the demons couldn't help but reveal expressions of delight.

The 3-Eyed Heavenly Demon revealed a smile and promptly declared, "Now that the humans and the Black Dragon are locked in a life-and-death struggle, both sides have severely depleted their magical power."

They never expected Your Excellency to emerge from seclusion ahead of schedule, catching them completely off guard.

"Hmph!"

The 9 Serenities Devil Venerable let out a cold sneer, but said nothing more.

With a mere flick of his sleeve, the Heaven-Devouring God-Slaying Pearl shot forth, striking ruthlessly into the void.

Boom—

In but an instant, heaven and earth trembled, as all creation crumbled into ruin.

This ancient immortal abode was forged by an ancient immortal using a high-grade treasure, its rank reaching the Upper Tier 6. Moreover, it was protected by formations personally laid by an immortal. By all reasoning, it shouldn't have been so easily destroyed.

Yet now, after 800,000 years had passed, with no cultivators to maintain it meticulously, the material had partially decayed over time, and the power it could unleash was no match for what it had been in its prime.

At this moment, as the Heaven-Devil God-Shattering Pearl struck, the cave abode instantly shattered into fragments.

Eldrin was refining the Black Dragon when he abruptly discovered his cave abode collapsing in the blink of an eye, as fissures were torn open 1 after another across the void.

And he, too, suffered a backlash, immediately coughing up a mouthful of blood.

"Void's End, face your doom!"

Meanwhile, a furious roar echoed from the depths of the void.

Eldrin looked up and saw a treasure furnace blotting out the sky soaring toward him, firmly locking him in its sights.

Demon-Subduing Furnace

Eldrin murmured inwardly, his gaze profoundly grave.

A being on the verge of the Nascent Soul realm, wielding a quasi-immortal treasure to launch a sudden ambush, would likely make even a Demigod Ancestor (Cultivation Realm) suffer a hidden loss.

In the blink of an eye, Eldrin realized there was no escape. Without hesitation, he shoved aside Lyra and Yan Zi Ji (Person Name) before unleashing torrents of arcane power to confront the mystical furnace.

"Husband!"

Lyra was abruptly shoved aside, her face a mask of stunned disbelief as she exclaimed.

But Eldrin shook his head and immediately responded, “Do not worry. With the Seed of Life protecting me, no 1 at the Nascent Soul realm can completely eradicate me, unless an immortal or demon uses laws to sever my existence.”

As the words faded, it was as if a final farewell had already been spoken.

The Demon-Subduing Furnace possessed an unstoppable might that even a Ninth-Level Nascent Soul cultivator could not withstand, let alone Eldrin (Person Name).

In the blink of an eye, Eldrin was enveloped by the Demon-Subduing Furnace and drawn into its confines.

After successfully ambushing and suppressing Eldrin, the 9 Nether Demon Lord was ecstatic. Without a second thought for Lyra and the others, he immediately activated the Demon Subduing Furnace and seized the opportunity to capture the near-death black dragon.

After that, the 9 Serenities Demon Venerable turned and left, completely disregarding the chaotic battlefield.

"How dare you!"

At that very moment, a series of furious roars erupted.

But lo and behold, the Demon-Subduing Divine Monk, the master of the Glazed Palace, and even the Frostglaze Demon Ancestor together with the Immortal-Refining Furnace erupted in unison, launching their assaults toward the 9 Netherfiend Sovereign.

"Ha ha ha!"

Yet the 9 Serenities Demon Sovereign was utterly rampant, actually blocking several of their strikes with his bare palms before laughing heartily and vanishing into the sky.

Dozens of human Soul Projection experts pursued the 9 Netherfiend Venerable relentlessly, yet they found themselves powerless to stop him. They could only watch helplessly as he tore through the fabric of space and vanished into the void.

At that very moment, deep within the Violet Realm, amid the eternal glaciers of the extreme northern ice plains, a white-clad figure opened their eyes.

"Has another 3 1000 years passed in this slumber?"

"Alas, the seventh nirvana remains incomplete, it is not yet time for emergence."

The white figure murmured softly, stretching lazily before gradually sinking back into slumber.

In the Eastern Wastelands (Location), a majestic bell toll resonated from the half-collapsed Mount Donghuang (Location).

An elderly sweeper opened his eyes and sighed, "The power of life is the supreme Dao. Having comprehended such transcendent power, none but an immortal or a demon can slay him."

"If you emerge now, I fear that the schemes laid over thousands of years would all come to naught."

As the elder's voice faded, the bell's chime gradually dissipated into nothingness, leaving only the sound of an old man sweeping the ground across the vast mountain range.

Yet, not far away, an immense mountain range had collapsed in utter silence, as if whispering of something that had transpired.

The 9 Netherfiend Sovereign returned to the Star Archipelago with the Demon-Subduing Crucible in tow, immediately ordering his followers to activate the mountain-protecting formation at full power.

After confirming his safety, he finally let out a sigh of relief. Gazing at the Demon-Subduing Crucible in his hand, he chuckled, "This Abyssal Reverie Daoist claims to possess the bearing of a Great Luo Golden Immortal, yet it seems to me he's nothing more than this."

The 9 Netherfiend Sovereign spoke as he finally urged the Cauldron of Demon Subjugation into continuous refinement, seeking to refine and annihilate Eldrin.

Yet with this forceful activation, not only did he fail to kill Eldrin, but he even slaughtered the black dragon on the spot—an outcome far beyond his expectations.

Only then did he recall Chen Nianzhi’s words, and his expression turned grave as he said, “Even a near-immortal treasure cannot refine him. Could it be that this Life Magic truly possesses the legendary profundity, directly pointing to the realm of the Great Luo Golden Immortal?”

At this thought, the 9 Serenities Demon Lord's expression turned exceedingly grave. Without delay, he declared, "Issue the command: I shall establish the Demon-Subduing Immortal-Refining Grand Formation, using the Archipelago of Cosmic Stars as its foundation and the Demon-Suppressing Crucible as the formation's anchor."

"I shall see for myself whether that Life Force truly cannot be slain by any but celestials or demons!"

Chapter 1 The biting cold wind howled across the snowy plains, whipping fine ice crystals into a shimmering haze. A lone figure trudged through the knee-deep snow, his worn robes flapping like tattered banners. This was Lin Yan, once the proud young master of the Lin Clan, now reduced to a mere Qi Refinement Stage cultivator clinging to life. "Just a dozen or so more miles to the Northern Frost City," he muttered through chattering teeth, his breath forming pale clouds in the frigid air. His spiritual energy had nearly depleted, leaving him vulnerable to both the elements and any opportunistic predators that might be lurking. Suddenly, a brilliant streak of crimson light tore across the leaden sky, followed by an earth-shattering explosion that sent tremors through the very ground beneath his feet. Lin Yan threw himself behind a nearby ice formation, his heart pounding against his ribs. Peering cautiously over the edge, he witnessed 2 figures suspended in the air above the valley. 1 was an elderly man in flowing white robes, his long beard whipping in the turbulent winds. Floating before him was a shimmering golden seal that radiated immense pressure. "Eldrin, you old fool!" a voice thundered from the other figure - a man clad in blood-red armor, his face obscured by a demonic mask. "Did you truly believe you could steal the Heavenly Dao Jade and escape the Blood Demon Sect's wrath?" The elder, Eldrin, coughed up a mouthful of blood but managed a defiant smile. "This old man would rather destroy the jade than let it fall into the hands of your wicked sect!" As he spoke, Eldrin's hands moved in a complex pattern, causing the golden seal to glow even brighter. The Blood Demon Sect expert responded by summoning a swirling vortex of dark energy, the very air cracking with power. Lin Yan watched with wide eyes, recognizing this as a battle between experts far beyond the Foundation Establishment Stage - perhaps even Golden Core masters! Such conflicts were legendary, spoken of only in hushed tones among lower-level cultivators. The battle intensified, with techniques that twisted space and shattered nearby mountain peaks. Just as the Blood Demon Sect expert unleashed a terrifying blood-colored phantom, Eldrin did something unexpected - he turned his head slightly and made eye contact with Lin Yan. In that moment, time seemed to freeze. Lin Yan saw a complex mixture of desperation, determination, and... hope in the elder's eyes. With a final, booming shout, Eldrin slammed the golden seal into his own chest. "Heavenly Dao Seal, protect this legacy!" The resulting explosion of light blinded Lin Yan momentarily. When his vision cleared, both figures had vanished, leaving only a devastated landscape and falling snow to mark their passing. Where the elder had been standing now floated a faint, shimmering light that drifted slowly toward Lin Yan. Before he could react, the light entered his forehead, bringing with it a flood of information and a warm, comforting energy that spread throughout his body. In his mind's eye, Lin Yan saw it - the complete Heavenly Dao Scripture, a legendary cultivation method lost for thousands of years. Along with it came Eldrin's final memories and his dying wish: to prevent the Blood Demon Sect from obtaining the Heavenly Dao Jade and plunging the cultivation world into darkness. The warmth continued to circulate, repairing his damaged meridians and replenishing his spiritual energy. Lin Yan felt his cultivation base stabilizing, then slowly climbing toward the peak of the Qi Refinement Stage. He remained hidden for a long time, processing the incredible turn of events. The biting cold no longer seemed to affect him as much, and his senses had sharpened considerably. "Eldrin..." Lin Yan whispered to the empty expanse. "I may be weak now, but I will honor your final wish." Checking his spatial pouch, he confirmed what he already knew - he possessed only 32,000 spirit stones, barely enough to survive a month in the Northern Frost City. But now, he carried something infinitely more valuable. As night fell, Lin Yan continued his journey with renewed purpose. The Northern Frost City's towering ice walls soon appeared on the horizon, their crystalline surfaces reflecting the aurora dancing in the polar skies. The city guard, a burly man at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, glanced at Lin Yan's humble appearance but didn't bother to stop him. Cultivators of the Qi Refinement Stage were as common as snowflakes in this northern outpost. Lin Yan made his way through the bustling streets, where cultivators of various sects and rogue practitioners conducted their business. The air was thick with the smells of roasting spirit beast meat, medicinal herbs, and the distinctive ozone scent of active formations. He found modest lodging at an inn called the Frozen Plum, paying 100 spirit stones for a week's stay. The room was sparse but clean, with a simple warming formation that kept the bitter cold at bay. Sitting cross-legged on the hard bed, Lin Yan closed his eyes and accessed the Heavenly Dao Scripture in his mind. The profound method unfolded before his consciousness, its concepts both bewildering and enlightening. "This is no ordinary cultivation technique," he murmured in awe. "It speaks of harmonizing with the natural laws themselves..." He began cultivating according to the scripture's instructions. The spiritual energy in the room swirled toward him, entering his body much more efficiently than before. The damaged meridians that had plagued him for years now glowed with a soft, golden light as they repaired themselves at a visible rate. After several hours, Lin Yan opened his eyes, his spirit refreshed and his cultivation base noticeably stronger. He estimated that with the Heavenly Dao Scripture, his cultivation speed had increased at least threefold. A determined glint appeared in his eyes. The road ahead would be dangerous - the Blood Demon Sect would undoubtedly send experts to investigate Eldrin's disappearance. But for the first time since his family's downfall, Lin Yan felt a flicker of hope. "I will grow stronger," he vowed quietly. "Strong enough to fulfill my promise to Eldrin, and strong enough to reclaim everything that was taken from me." Outside his window, the northern lights danced like celestial dragons, as if acknowledging the birth of a new destiny.