Celestial Dragon Sword Venerable

"No, Ruoxue, you love him more than we do. Our love, in truth, is quite shallow. After we’re gone, please, love him well for us. He cannot be allowed to Enter Demon. With his powerful obsession, once he does, he’ll become the most terrifying Demon in the world.

A Demon isn’t actually scary. What’s scary is that these people will use it to attack him. Yao Yusu will seize the opportunity to kill him with full justification. When that happens, all the infamy will fall upon his shoulders.

Ruoxue, awaken him. Only you can do it."

Ye Yueling transmitted a Soul Sound.

"As a member of the Dragon Race, I am deeply ashamed and filled with self-reproach. And as a maid, as the Young Master’s Guardian, I have accomplished nothing. If I had insisted on offering myself for his Absorption back then, he would have grown stronger, and things wouldn’t have come to this. I should have died then. Dragging it out until now has only brought him more harm.

Ruoxue, forgive our powerlessness. We’re entrusting such a heavy burden to you while we choose a quick end... We are selfish, but we have no other choice."

Lin Yuchan’s Soul Sound manifested as well.

"Yes. Even if we lived, we would only become Puppets. Ruoxue, you know... the Ancient Soul Extinction Forbidden... it’s incurable. Although Tianling might have a solution, it would certainly plunge him into grave danger... How could our hearts bear that?

There isn’t much time left. Don’t refuse any longer. Come, quickly."

Ye Yueling pleaded.

"That’s right. If you refuse now, you’ll just be letting us die in vain. This process is part of the Celestial Dao’s Reincarnation; it can no longer be reversed."

This Soul Sound from Lin Yuchan shattered Ouyang Ruoxue’s last shred of hesitation.

"I..."

Ouyang Ruoxue’s spiritual phantom seemed to weep tears of blood, yet it coalesced, as if stepping out from that channel of Reincarnation.

Meanwhile, Ye Yueling and Lin Yuchan held hands and walked into the channel, their faces filled with relief and release.

Within that Reincarnation-like channel, the phantom of the Donghuang Bell’s Ancient Dao would occasionally manifest.

The Ancient Dao phantom resembled a benevolent old monk draped in Profound Yellow Ancient Qi, sitting cross-legged and chanting the ancient scriptures of the Sutra of Salvation.

...

Yue Lintian let out a sigh of relief. However, his once young and rather handsome figure had aged terribly, turning him into a decrepit old man.

His hair was stark white, his face a canvas of wrinkles.

He looked even older than Long Wudao.

His life force seemed even more withered than Long Wudao’s.

"Heaven-Overlooking Saint... you..."

Que De and Wan Jimie were utterly shocked and heartbroken at the sight.

Ouyang Ruoxue’s Soul Particles condensed, now forming a soul cocoon that was gestating and growing anew.

Once she underwent Breaking the Cocoon into a Butterfly, Ouyang Ruoxue would be able to awaken.

But, even if she did awaken...

Yue Lintian didn’t mention the possibility that she might not awaken at all.

Nor did he mention that while Ye Yueling and Lin Yuchan had taken Ouyang Ruoxue’s place, the curse of the Ancient Soul Extinction Forbidden would stack and fall upon Ouyang Ruoxue herself.

It was a dead end.

"I’m fine. If you have any resources left, take them out, perform Refinement, and provide her with some Energy... Quickly..."

Yue Lintian was already struggling to speak.

Upon hearing this, Ancient Fairy immediately began to release her Origin Essence Blood Energy to save the Blood Cocoon that was Ouyang Ruoxue.

Que De and Wan Jimie also acted at once without hesitation.

Yue Lintian silently unleashed his Celestial Secret Dao, contacting the Profound Yellow Qi of the ancient Donghuang Bell.

And he braced himself for the final moment.

At this point, he no longer had the energy or Ability to pay attention to the changes in the outside world.

And what was happening in the outside world?

...

"Aren’t you surprised? Wasn’t this unexpected?"

Yao Yusu was still sneering, still interrogating him.

It was as if she were showing off, flaunting the brilliant death trap she had laid and the fruits of victory she was now reaping.

After she asked this, Long Cangqian’s figure re-formed beside her.

Moreover, his Taotie Divine Soul was even more condensed, even more pure.

"I really ought to thank you, you damn mutt. If not for you, how could I, Long Cangqian—no, I, Ye Cangqian—have spurred my Taotie Divine Soul to transform again so quickly and achieve the Unity of Spirit and Body?!

If not for you, how could I have comprehended the mysteries of the Tribulation Realm?

If not for you, how would I have ever known that I have an invincible mother who is a Nine Source Sword Saint!

If not for you, I never would have learned that my father is actually the Divine Beast Taotie! It turns out I was never some Saint Child! I am the true Divine Child! All of you... you’re nothing but a bunch of trash, my stepping stones!"

Long Cangqian no longer acknowledged his identity as ’Long Cangqian’, instead referring to himself as ’Ye Cangqian’.

His words were filled with ridicule and contempt for everyone under the heavens.

This mother-son duo wore their defiance and arrogance plainly on their faces.

Ye Tianling, however, pulled the Xuanyuan Celestial Evil Sword from his heart.

"From this day forward, I, Ye Tianling, swear an oath—I will never be merciful again!"

"From this day forward, if misfortune befalls me—then everyone else will suffer a worse fate!"

Ye Tianling still paid Yao Yusu no mind.

It was as if he hadn’t heard a single word she’d said.

"What are you? Do you really think you can still stir up trouble?"

Yao Yusu sneered.

"Mother, I’ll go beat him to a pulp again!"

A vicious glint flashed in Ye Cangqian’s eyes.

Yao Yusu smiled coldly. "Good. I will use my Saint Origin Space Law to lock down the Void. You go and beat him mercilessly! Do to him exactly what he did to you. Reenact every last bit of the humiliation he caused!"

Ye Cangqian nodded fiercely. "Excellent! Locked down by Space Power, no matter how strong his body is, he’s just an ant!"

Yao Yusu was immensely pleased. The other Saint Sons and Saintesses, however, looked on with unbearable pity, all of them believing Ye Tianling was about to be beaten to death.

So far, Ye Tianling seemed to have done nothing but harm himself.

In everyone’s eyes, Ye Tianling had either completely given up in despair or was preparing for a self-Transformation Dao—to Blood Sacrifice his loved ones and die in one final battle.

A look of cold indifference appeared in Yao Yusu’s eyes as she gazed at Ye Tianling as if he were an ant.

In her eyes, Ye Tianling’s actions were meaningless, almost childish and foolish.

But she loved these childish, foolish ants. Controlling such an ant with her Space Law was just so gratifying—that feeling of holding a genius’s life in her hands, of watching them struggle... she truly adored it!

VMMM—

The Power of Space Law descended upon Ye Tianling.

Ye Tianling raised his head.

His blood-red hair cascaded down like a waterfall, instantly growing to three meters in length.

The Blood-Colored Battle Armor on his body softened, transforming into blood-red tendrils that resembled Dragon Sinews.

His face became a mask of crimson.

A destructive light swirled within his eyes.

The Nine-Orifice Exquisite Demon Heart activated.

The Eye of Destruction manifested.

At that moment, Ye Tianling’s Demon Heart achieved Great Success. He fell completely, transforming into an Unparalleled Celestial Demon.