Chapter 846 Half a Tattered Map, Soul's Return

Boom—

The heavens and earth were tranquil, all things hushed in solemn silence.

All they saw was at the edge of the boundless heavens, where the Celestial Rift of the Demonic Abyss met the horizon, an incomparably brilliant sun exploding into being.

Its radiance eclipsed all else, illuminating the endless dark void to become the most resplendent brilliance between heaven and earth.

Then, an exceedingly brilliant shockwave swept across heaven and earth, ultimately shaking the demonic god's hand that propped up the heavenly rift.

"Alas—"

Deep within the endless void, a figure vast enough to blot out the heavens and earth opened its eyes.

Blood trickled from the corners of His lips, and His colossal demon-god hands were riddled with fissures—clear evidence of an unprecedented, devastating injury.

Frowning slightly at the injuries covering his body, the Demon God then turned his gaze toward the Abyssal Rift of the Demon Realm.

But upon that celestial scar, a half-rolled remnant scroll, carrying a wisp of feeble soul power, soared toward the depths of the Violet Realm.

The Eldritch Fiend from Beyond desired to eradicate this insignificant wisp of a soul, yet in the end, he withdrew his hand with a faint, restrained motion.

"A death-defying strike, to lend a hand to Heaven and Earth, shatter my indestructible god-fiend body."

"Though but an ant, he is still worthy of admiration."

The Eldritch God from Beyond whispered, ultimately abandoning the thought of grinding this wisp of soul into nothingness.

He knew that Riverlord Chang (Person Name) had already completely perished. This wisp of remnant soul was nothing but a lingering shred of obsession, destined to scatter into nothingness once that obsession was resolved—utterly devoid of any possibility of resurrection.

This was complete and utter annihilation of both soul and spirit. Even if he were to descend into the Netherworld, not even the Great Luo Emperor reigning over the underworld could restore his shattered soul.

With this thought, the Outer Realm Demon God's gaze shifted once more to the closing Abyssal Heavenly Rift of the Demon Abyss.

Now that His Divine Demon Indestructible Body had been shattered, the injuries were exceptionally severe, requiring a full 1 1000 years to successfully cultivate anew.

During this period, the Demon Abyss Rift could no longer be opened. The demon army, trapped within the Cosmic Star Formation before they could retreat, were like turtles in a jar—utterly deprived of any chance of survival.

"Forget it!"

The words of the Eldritch Fiend still hung in the air as he swept his sleeve, unleashing a dazzling crimson talisman that shot toward the Cosmic Star Formation with devastating force.

This talisman is named the 'Demon God Suppressing World Talisman,' a supreme treasure of immortal rank. It was originally crafted by an extraterrestrial demon god specifically to counter the 8 Trigrams Treasure Formation.

According to the original plan of the Outer Realm Demon God, this talisman was intended to breach the 8 Trigrams Treasure Formation after the Zhou Heavenly Star Formation had been shattered.

By then, the immortal body of the Donghuang Flesh Incarnation would break free from its confinement. Working in tandem from both inside and out, they would tear open the Heavenly Rift of the Demonic Abyss, permanently transforming this celestial scar into a stable boundary gate.

The Great Zhou Tian Star Formation remained unbroken, while the Heavenly Rift of the Demonic Abyss was about to close. This forced the Outer Realm Demonic Gods to alter their plans.

To prevent the demon army from being trapped and annihilated by the Zhou Tian Star Formation, he had no choice but to painfully activate this immortal-grade treasure to shatter humanity's Zhou Tian Star Formation.

Boom—

Meanwhile, on the battlefield, both sides gazed at the nearly sealed Abyssal Heavenly Rift, their faces revealing a mixture of exhilaration and apprehension.

Most human mighty ones were in ecstasy, while the powerful figures among the Outer Demons revealed expressions of shock.

Once the Celestial Rift closes, without the support of the Abyssal Demon Realm and the Outer Realm Demonic Gods, they would be trapped within the Cosmic Star Formation Array, leaving them absolutely no path to survival.

Yet in that very instant when both sides were unsettled in mind, a half-rolled ancient scroll emerged from the depths of the void, carrying a wisp of crimson light as it flew toward Eldrin.

The Painting of the Setting Sun over the Eternal River.

Eldrin's heart trembled as he clutched the half-torn ancient parchment, his eyes flashing with boundless crimson light.

Riverlord Chang (Person Name) marched to his final battle, suppressing the demonic abyss with his very being until his form and spirit were utterly annihilated. Only an unfulfilled wish allowed half a tattered scroll, entwined with his lingering consciousness, to return.

At that very moment, a dazzling divine light suddenly shot out from the rift in the Demon Abyss.

All onlookers witnessed an unparalleled radiance erupt, striking directly toward the Zhou Tian Star Formation.

"Hurry, stop it!"

In the blink of an eye, everyone present underwent a drastic change in countenance, their instincts screaming to intervene.

Yet how could a supreme immortal-tier treasure, unleashed by an eldritch demon god at an unimaginable cost, be so easily intercepted?

But then, that demonic talisman soared past the crowd and crashed violently into the Zhou Tian Star Formation. In an instant, the entire celestial array trembled with earth-shaking intensity.

Immediately thereafter, cataclysmic upheavals erupted across a radius of several million miles. Thousands of spirit islands were instantly shattered and submerged, while countless cultivators overseeing the formation arrays perished on the spot. Even Eldrin (Person Name) was sent hurtling backward through the air, suffering severe backlash.

"Pfft—"

Eldrin climbed up from the ground, immediately channeling life force magic to heal his injuries. Only then did he realize everyone had suffered severe wounds. Nearly 30% of the island's cultivators had perished or been wounded due to the backlash.

Cultivators below the Foundation Establishment stage were nearly wiped out, with many left listless and bearing irreversible injuries.

In the distant void, the Zhou Celestial Star Formation had already been shattered. Across the boundless expanse of heaven and earth, cries of anguish echoed far and wide.

Fortunately, the demons didn’t fare much better. Without any protective formations to shield them, many were annihilated by the erupting shockwaves, and even demonic cultivators at the Primordial Spirit realm suffered severe injuries.

Kill!

After a brief moment of tranquility, the sounds of battle cries once again descended from the heavens.

Now that the Cosmic Star Formation Grand Array had been shattered, neither the Purple Realm nor the Outer Demons could yet discern the victor.

The Extraterrestrial Demons knew all too well that only by conquering the Zhou Tian Archipelago of Celestial Stars could they establish a foothold in the Violet Realm. Otherwise, with no means to replenish their magical power, they would inevitably grow weaker with each battle.

Though the human race had suffered devastating casualties, they could not immediately withdraw to recuperate. For if all the Primordial Spirit Dao Lords retreated, the hundreds of millions of cultivators battling atop the Zhou Heavenly Star Islands would be reduced to sacrificial prey for the evil demons.

The great battle raged on. After briefly recovering from his injuries, Eldrin channeled his spiritual power to assist Lyra and a few others nearby in regaining their strength, then soared into the skies to join the brutal conflict.

The war between the humans, demons, and monsters upon the Zhou Tian Star Islands raged on for over 3 months.

During this period, numerous Primordial Spirit Dao Lords fell in battle on both sides, while most of the survivors suffered grievous wounds.

By the end of the fight, even with the most resilient life-restoring magic at his disposal, Eldrin felt utterly drained.

Boom—

A thunderous roar echoed across the heavens.

Eldrin snapped back to his senses amidst the chaos, only to realize the Master of the Tai Xuan Hall had unleashed his full power, obliterating the Primordial Flame Demon and forcibly slaying this formidable foe at the ninth level of the Nascent Soul.

As the price to pay, the master of the Taixuan Hall had actually exhausted his magical power and was besieged and slain in the void.

This sent a chill through his heart. Not long ago, the master of Li Fire Palace had fought the Nether Phoenix to a stalemate, with both sides suffering heavy losses. In the end, he had no choice but to flee with only his primordial spirit intact.

The Violetblood Celestial Fiend and the Lord of the Endless Sea Pavilion were locked in an equally brutal battle. Should they continue fighting, they too faced the grim possibility of mutual annihilation.

Should these few Ninth-Level Nascent Soul powerhouses of the human race fall or retreat, this battle would likely devolve into a devastating rout.

"Retreat—"

Seeing the unfavorable situation over the Star Archipelago, someone finally spoke up.

The Daoist Taiyuan, covered in wounds, cleaved a Primordial Spirit, Late Stage (Cultivation Realm) heavenly demon apart with his Taiyuan Ruler. Bathed in blood and radiating an aura of devastating valor, he battled fiercely against swarming enemies from all directions. A roar tinged with tragic defiance echoed across the heavens and the earth.

"All of you, withdraw from the Zhoutian Star Archipelago at once. Preserve your strength to fight another day."

"I shall cover the rear!"

Chapter 1 The biting northern wind swept across the mountain range, howling like countless vengeful spirits. Snowflakes danced wildly in the air, blanketing the jagged peaks in a layer of pristine white. At the summit of the highest mountain, a solitary figure sat cross-legged upon a massive bluestone, motionless as if carved from ice. Lin Feng had been meditating here for 3 full years. His black robes were tattered, his long hair matted with frost, yet his eyes remained closed in deep concentration. The spiritual energy around him swirled like an invisible vortex, causing the falling snow to veer away before touching his robes. "Finally..." Lin Feng's eyelids fluttered open, his dark pupils flashing with a gleam sharper than any sword. "The ninth level of the Frozen Soul Art is complete." He slowly rose to his feet, joints cracking like popping beans after years of immobility. With a mere thought, the ice and snow covering his body instantly vaporized into mist. Beneath the tattered robes, his skin glowed with a subtle jade-like luminescence. Looking down at his palms, Lin Feng murmured to himself, "30-2 1000 spirit stones, a dozen or so Foundation Building Pills, and 3 years of bitter cultivation—all for this moment." Suddenly, his expression shifted. Turning to face the empty mountain peak behind him, he spoke coldly, "Since you're here, show yourself." The space before him rippled like disturbed water, and a figure clad in blood-red robes materialized from nowhere. The newcomer had sinister features and eyes glowing with crimson light—clearly a practitioner of the demonic path. "Hehe, not bad to have detected my presence." The red-robed man licked his lips. "Hand over the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, and I might spare your soul." Lin Feng's expression remained unchanged. "The Blood Demon Sect's people truly are like annoying flies." "Arrogant!" The red-robed man's face darkened. "Do you think breaking through to the late Foundation Establishment stage makes you invincible? I, Xue Luo, have slaughtered countless so-called geniuses like you!" As he spoke, bloody energy erupted from his body, forming countless ghostly faces in the air that wailed horrifically. The temperature around them plummeted sharply. Lin Feng showed no intention of wasting words. With a flick of his sleeve, a azure flying sword shot forth, its blade humming with resonant energy. "Since you seek death, I shall oblige." The sword light flashed, cutting through the blood energy like a hot knife through butter. Xue Luo's expression changed dramatically. "This is... sword intent! How is that possible?!" But it was already too late for regrets. The azure sword energy had already reached his throat. 1 move. Just 1 move, and a late Foundation Establishment expert from the Blood Demon Sect fell in the snow, his eyes wide with disbelief even in death. Lin Feng retrieved the Li Fire Sword of the Returning Abyss, not even glancing at the corpse. His gaze turned toward the distant horizon. "The Heavenly Tribulation approaches... It seems my time in this realm is nearly up." A faint smile touched his lips. Stepping forward, his figure vanished from the mountain peak, leaving only footprints in the snow that were quickly covered by the relentless blizzard.