Chapter 330: Root and Branch Extermination
"Swallowing Demon Phantom!"
Lin Langtian shouted, his dark golden blood-red eyes gleaming with sinister energy. Behind him, the very space seemed to tear apart, and a massive, eerie demon figure stepped forth. This demon had no face, only a large, dark golden blood-red eye set at its brow, emitting a chilling sense of terror.
This was the Swallowing Demon Phantom, a powerful killing technique Lin Langtian had inherited from the legacy of an elder from the alien demon clan. His version differed in one key aspect: within the demon's brow, the golden eye swirled like an endless vortex, exuding a mysterious, consuming force. Lin Langtian suspected this change might be related to the strange Golden Spirit Mirror within him, which he realized had something to do with both the formation of the demon seed and this unique alien energy.
Shaking off these thoughts, he focused his gaze on the towering Thousand-Armed Wood God. His face became even more intense as he lifted his hand and clenched his fist.
"Roar!"
The Swallowing Demon Phantom let out a ferocious roar, the dark golden eye bursting forth with a brilliant black light. The beam surged forward with immense ferocity, tearing through the air and crashing headlong into the massive Thousand-Armed Wood God.
Boom!
The clash was instantaneous. A deafening explosion rang out as blinding black and green lights filled the sky, engulfing the entire area. Below, the energy was so intense that the mountain peaks trembled as if they might split apart.
Boom!!
The intense glare spread across the battlefield as the Swallowing Demon Phantom and the Thousand-Armed Wood God's colossal forms clashed. The enormous shockwave sent violent tremors through the area.
Crash!
The violent energy storm exploded outward, like tidal waves in a chaotic sea, blasting in all directions. After a fierce three-minute standoff, the two titans finally shattered in a blinding burst of energy, releasing a shockwave that fractured the mountains, leaving monstrous cracks that spread like spider webs. The beasts in the mountains scattered in fear, overcome by the chaos.
The terrifying exchange of blows between these two Life Transformation-level powers left everything devastated.
Thud!
The sheer impact of the energy storm left both Lin Langtian and Mùkū unable to avoid being hit. The force blasted both of them backward, blood spurting from their mouths as they were sent crashing into the earth. Their bodies skidded across the ground like fallen leaves in a storm, leaving long trails before finally coming to a halt.
Lin Langtian managed to steady himself, coughing up blood. His face was pale, his chest covered in fresh wounds. Although his power had grown substantially with the demon seed, allowing him to go head-to-head with a Life Transformation expert like Mùkū, the Deputy Head of the Wood Division had still proven a formidable opponent.
"Still, this guy has to die!"
Wiping the blood from his mouth, Lin Langtian's body flared with a fiery aura. His resilient physique had mitigated some of the damage, and now, as he looked at the similarly battered Mùkū, a ruthless determination glinted in his eyes.
Despite his relative anonymity, Mùkū held considerable influence within the Yuan Gate. If he ever suspected Lin Langtian of using demonic powers, he could easily follow the trail and uncover the truth. Lin Langtian knew he couldn't afford to let Mùkū survive.
Having made his decision, Lin Langtian moved quickly. To Mùkū's astonishment, Lin Langtian sat down cross-legged, hands forming seals as an ancient-looking symbol emerged from his forehead.
The ancient rune floated above him, rapidly expanding into a massive black hole overhead.
"Path of Devouring: Swallow Everything!"
A deep chant echoed in Lin Langtian's heart. The black hole pulsed, releasing a powerful suction that began drawing in the energies of the surrounding area. Under the black hole's influence, energy from miles around began pouring toward Lin Langtian, feeding his depleted core.
In shock, Mùkū watched as the massive black hole devoured energy, sending it straight into Lin Langtian's body to replenish his internal reserves.
"This is... the Devouring Ancestral Symbol! How is it possible that you have the Devouring Ancestral Symbol!?" Mùkū gasped, his face ashen with disbelief.
The Ancestral Symbols, the most powerful treasures of the Tianxuan Continent, were legendary for their boundless power. Whenever one appeared, it drew countless powerful figures into intense competition. Even the North Profound and Chaotic Sea's strongest cultivators wielded ancestral symbols, setting them above even the Yuan Gate's three great leaders.
And yet, Mùkū found himself facing a young disciple, no more than a footnote in the Yuan Gate's records, who somehow possessed the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, one of the eight most mysterious and formidable Ancestral Symbols!
Mùkū's eyes narrowed as he stared at Lin Langtian. "Who exactly are you? Why did you join the Yuan Gate?"
From the bizarre, dark energy to the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, Mùkū knew that this power couldn't belong to a mere rising star from a lesser dynasty. Lin Langtian clearly had a much more significant background than he'd let on.
Faced with Mùkū's questioning, Lin Langtian merely smirked. Though he hadn't fully recovered, the power from the Devouring Ancestral Symbol had restored about thirty percent of his energy—just enough to keep fighting. He stood up, rotating his hand as an intense devouring force gathered at his palm.
"Devouring Claw!"
Lin Langtian thrust his hand forward, black vortexes swirling from his palm, forming a fierce gale that surged straight toward Mùkū.
Upon seeing this, Mùkū's face turned pale, and without hesitation, he turned to flee. The battle had been brutal, but he hadn't expected Lin Langtian to still have the Devouring Ancestral Symbol as his trump card. Now replenished, Lin Langtian could resume his relentless attack, while Mùkū found himself without recourse. Stripped of dignity or any notion of rank, he could only flee for his life.
But Lin Langtian, intent on utterly eradicating Mùkū, unleashed the full force of the Devouring Claw. It tore through the sky, locking onto Mùkū. The air twisted, forming a prison-like grip that enclosed around Mùkū's body.
Boom!
Caught in the crushing claw, Mùkū's defenses shattered. His body exploded into a cloud of blood with an agonized scream echoing through the air. Amid the crimson mist, a ray of light darted out—Mùkū's spirit, struggling to escape death even with his body destroyed.
"Trying to escape?"
But before the beam could flee, Lin Langtian ensnared it within another devouring beam, pinning it in his grip.
"Lin Langtian, spare me! I swear loyalty to you!" Mùkū's spirit pleaded desperately, twisting to break free.
"Too late!" Lin Langtian laughed coldly, tightening his grip. The devouring light transformed into a rune that sealed Mùkū's spirit, which he then tossed into the inner world of the Golden Spirit Mirror. The spirit of a Life Transformation expert was a valuable asset that he wasn't about to discard lightly.
After carefully securing his spoils, including Mùkū's storage pouch, Lin Langtian glanced around. The area appeared deserted, and he let out a relieved sigh. He stored his demon-shadow and the beast puppet within the mirror world, intending to leave at once.
The deaths of Mùkū and Qin Lang, both prominent figures, would not go unnoticed by the Yuan Gate. In another timeline, when Lin Dong and his brothers killed two spirit generals and an elder from the Yuan Gate, one of the three gate masters, Ren Yuanzi, launched a relentless hunt for them. Only the covert assistance of the Dao Sect's master had kept them safe.
Having slain both Qin Lang and Mùkū, Lin Langtian knew that remaining here was unwise. Without further delay, he became a blur of light, quickly retreating from the scene.
As Lin Langtian departed, silence fell once more, with only the lingering scent of blood in the air. The quiet lasted for hours until, around noon, a spatial distortion appeared. A figure, glowing with golden light, stepped through the tear: Ren Yuanzi, one of the Yuan Gate's three grandmasters.
He scanned the area, quickly locating the remnants of Mùkū and Qin Lang's energy. His eyes narrowed.
"Even their spirits were shattered. A ruthless hand indeed," Ren Yuanzi muttered with a dark gleam in his eye. A deputy head and a spirit general lost—it was a serious blow to the Yuan Gate's reputation as the powerhouse of the Eastern Profound Domain.
As he considered how to identify the attacker and exact revenge, his gaze sharpened. Something in the air caught his attention, and his face changed as he murmured in disbelief.
"That... is the aura of an alien demon… and the Devouring Ancestral Symbol?"
The battle's remnants revealed traces of both demon energy and the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, which astonished Ren Yuanzi. The power of a demon, combined with the Devouring Ancestral Symbol, painted a picture in his mind.
"Could it be that a powerful demon met a Devouring Symbol wielder here, and their fight led to Mùkū and Qin Lang's deaths…?"
The plausible scenario replayed in his mind. Only a clash between such powers could explain why both energies lingered so strongly in the same place.
After deliberating, Ren Yuanzi's wariness prevailed, and he abandoned his plan for retribution. Whether it was a demon or a Devouring Symbol wielder, neither was a force to be trifled with. For now, Qin Lang and Mùkū's deaths would have to be left unanswered.
(End of Chapter)
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