The rie yu hovered in the Void Realm of the Night Shadow Realm, and the cracks on the ship's light cocoon silently mended after the Chaos Power ripples brushed over them.
Li Mu stood at the highest point of the bridge, his green robe gently swaying in the dark wind, his gaze piercing through the ink-like darkness, landing on the floating hollow giant trees.
The dark red light veins flowing within the tree trunks flickered on and off, and faint, fragmented scratching sounds could be heard, as if countless invisible claws were scratching the wood.
"Dao Friend Li, the Yin and Yang Qi in this realm is very heavy; ordinary Cultivators residing here for too long might suffer erosion," Ji Yu walked forward, the star map on the jade plate in his hand slowly rotating, marking the distribution of the hollow giant trees. "According to ancient records, the Shadow Clan can transform and conceal themselves, excelling at sneak attacks from shadows, and their Origin clashes with light and evil Qi."
Li Mu nodded slightly, but his gaze remained fixed on the dark, twisted hollow giant trees in the distance, having already seen through the illusion and understood the essence.
As if attracted by the energy substances on the rie yu, the eerie purple Corrosive Light Moss, like a bone-deep ulcer, surged towards the rie yu. The cracks on the light cocoon, just repaired by the Chaos Power ripples, were instantly covered with dense, eerie purple Corrosive Light Moss, which then spread wildly along the fissures.
"Hmph, mere dead things!"
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord sneered, his body's blood Qi surged like waves, transforming into over a hundred blood-colored long whips that lashed fiercely at the wriggling moss.
Where the whip shadows passed, the moss instantly withered, but then regenerated at an even faster rate after a single breath, even climbing upward along the whips' trajectories.
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord's expression changed slightly, and he abruptly withdrew his power and retreated, purple spots already appearing on his palm.
"The things in this realm are very strange."
Kushan Buddhist Lord softly chanted a Buddha title, and his golden Buddha Light scattered. Points of golden light fell upon the Corrosive Light Moss, but they vanished instantly, like a mud ox entering the sea.
Li Mu stood at the highest point of the bridge, flicking out a wisp of Chaos Qi. Wherever the Chaos Qi passed, all the Corrosive Light Moss melted like ice and snow, dissipating into wisps of purple smoke.
The surrounding Corrosive Light Moss, as if encountering a natural enemy, began to rapidly recede, daring not to approach further.
"Shadows are born from darkness and grow in the Void Realm, but their essence still belongs to the Yin and Yang attribute. Chaos Power can encompass Yin and Yang, making it a Sharp Weapon to counter them, and the Corrosive Light Moss born in this realm is no exception."
No sooner had Li Mu finished speaking than a hollow giant tree in the distance suddenly trembled violently. Its dark red light veins pulsed wildly like a heartbeat, and a black shadow burst out of the wood, transforming into a sharp dark arrow that shot towards the spirit ship!
"Be on guard!" Blood Slaughter Divine Lord roared, his body's blood Qi surging into a shield. The black shadow crashed into the light cocoon, emitting a piercing scraping sound, but failed to penetrate. The turrets on both sides of the bridge simultaneously lit up, and eerie blue beams instantly locked onto the target, blasting the black shadow into stardust.
"Just an appetizer."
Sword Sect Old Ancestor stood with his sword, his gaze as sharp as an eagle's.
"The real trouble lies deeper."
He pointed his sword at the Void Realm, and a condensed Sword Qi tore through the darkness, illuminating a far more distant area—where a colossal, sky-obscuring hollow giant tree floated. Its branches were riddled with countless holes, each embedded with an eerie purple crystalline mass formed from Corrosive Light Moss, reflecting a bizarre light.
Above that massive hollow giant tree, a black shadow, almost solidified, appeared.
"People of the Immortal Realm, what brings you to my Night Shadow Realm? Are you perhaps intending to start a realm war?"
The opponent showed no fear in the face of the aggressively approaching rie yu, and even directly used an attack as a greeting.
"So what! Today, my Immortal Realm's army has arrived at the Night Shadow Realm precisely to sweep away the night shadows and annihilate your Shadow Clan!"
Ji Yu shouted sternly, showing no fear of the black shadow's threat. As he spoke, he swept his hand over the jade plate, revealing a clear map of the Night Shadow Realm. This action was both to deter the opponent and to boost his own side's morale, as cross-realm combat made morale critically important.
The voice of the solidified black shadow was like countless fine grains of sand rubbing together, carrying a chill that pierced the Divine Soul. He floated atop the giant tree, dark red light veins spreading like a spiderweb around him, staining the entire Void Realm with a bizarre blood-red hue.
"Annihilate my Shadow Clan?" The black shadow let out a low sneer. "You have stepped into the wrong realm, but since you've come, then stay!"
Before his words finished, the distant hollow giant trees trembled simultaneously! The dark red light veins connected into a single expanse, like an awakened vascular network. Countless slender black shadows surged out from tree hollows, moss, and Void Realm fissures, densely packed, obscuring the sky, forming a black tide that surged wildly towards the rie yu!
"Excellent!"
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord sneered, his body's blood Qi surged, transforming into a hundred-zhang blood banner. Countless resentful souls howled on the banner's surface, sweeping fiercely towards the black shadow tide!
"Pfft—"
Where the blood banner passed, the black shadows were like strong acid splashed on them, emitting shrill screams and instantly dissolving by more than half. But the subsequent black shadows, fearless of death, charged forward over the remnants of their companions' souls, their Sharp Weapons striking the light cocoon with dense sparks.
The black figures crashed against the rie yu's light cocoon, like tides crashing against shore rocks, instantly transforming into wisps of black smoke.
"Full Formation activation! Main cannon charging!" Inside the bridge, the Marshal of the Three Armies sternly commanded.
As soon as his voice fell, the bronze Formation patterns on the rie yu's hull suddenly lit up, forming layers of defensive light shields.
The turrets on both sides simultaneously fired eerie blue beams, like the scythes of the grim reaper, tearing open swathes of vacuum in the black shadow tide.
Sword Sect Old Ancestor stood at the main battle platform, his long sword humming as it left its sheath. A golden Sword Qi, condensed to the extreme, soared into the sky, splitting into billions in mid-air, raining down like a torrential downpour! Wherever the Sword Qi reached, the black shadows were annihilated, and even the Void Realm was torn with fine cracks.
Kushan Buddhist Lord chanted scriptures softly, his body's Buddha Light condensing into a massive golden lotus platform. The lotus petals bloomed in layers, purifying all approaching black shadows.
The Valley Master of Burning Heaven rotated a fire lotus in his palm, transforming it into a surging torrent of crimson flames that scorched the Void Realm, forcing back the Shadow Clan members who feared fire.
King Zhenhai pressed his hands on the Guixu Tide Disk, and towering waves rose out of thin air around the ship. The water contained immense suppressive power, sweeping large swathes of black shadows into it, crushing them into nothingness.
However, the number of Shadow Clan members was simply too vast, like an endless tide, advancing wave after wave.
Even more terrifying was that the defeated black shadows did not completely dissipate, but transformed into wisps of black mist, re-merging into the surrounding darkness, and a moment later, re-condensing into new black shadows to continue their charge.
"These things can't be killed?"
An Immortal Official exclaimed, his face showing fear.
Above the giant tree, the solidified black shadow watched Blood Slaughter Divine Lord and the others' futile attacks, and a hint of a smile appeared.
Eternal life and Rebirth were the most important means for their Shadow Clan to dominate the Night Shadow Realm. It was precisely by relying on this Heaven-Defying ability that they could firmly sit on the throne of the Night Shadow Realm's royal family.
"This ship is truly a treasure; it can actually carry a large army across realms. This is a method only available to Imperial Realms and Royal Realms. If we can keep this spirit ship, in the future, my Shadow Clan will not be confined to just the Night Shadow Realm."
The black shadow's gaze towards the rie yu was filled with greed. Although their Shadow Clan possessed the means of Eternal life and Rebirth, it was only effective within the Night Shadow Realm. However, with a great weapon like the rie yu, everything would no longer be a problem.
Li Mu stood at the highest point of the bridge, his green robe fluttering in the dark wind.
He did not pay attention to the constantly regenerating black shadows, but instead stared directly into the depths of the Night Shadow Realm, where there was an extremely ancient aura. However, for Li Mu, it was not to be feared; he was more interested in what was next to that aura.
Withdrawing his gaze, Li Mu surveyed his surroundings.
"The Shadow Clan draws its Origin from the realm's Yin and Yang Qi. As long as the Origin power of this realm is inexhaustible, they can continuously Rebirth."
Li Mu's voice was calm, yet it clearly reached the ears of every powerful individual.
"Then what should we do?"
The Marshal of the Three Armies asked anxiously.
Li Mu did not answer directly, but simply raised his hand and gently pressed it towards the Void Realm.
Buzz—
An invisible Chaos Power ripple, centered on the rie yu, suddenly spread out! Wherever it passed, the dense darkness quickly melted and retreated, like ice and snow exposed to the scorching sun.
The black shadows that had just condensed into form emitted silent screams within the Chaos Power ripples, instantly turning into nothingness like ice meeting fire, not even leaving a wisp of black mist! Naturally, they could no longer re-condense.
Further away, the hollow giant trees and Corrosive Light Moss that provided Yin and Yang Qi, upon contact with the Chaos Power ripples, quickly dimmed their dark red light veins, and the eerie purple moss stopped wriggling, beginning to wither and peel off.
"This..."
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord and the others were dumbfounded, their faces filled with disbelief.
With just one strike, the Shadow Clan's Rebirth Foundation was dismantled!
Atop the giant tree, a hint of alarm flashed in the solidified black shadow's hollow eye sockets. He could clearly feel that the Shadow Clan's Origin power, which supported their Rebirth, was being devoured by that bizarre Chaos Power!
This situation had never occurred before, at least not since he became king; it was unheard of.
Although he didn't know how Li Mu did it, he clearly knew that he absolutely could not let Li Mu continue to act. The black shadow roared, his body's dark red light veins surged, and he suddenly stretched out his hand, grasping towards the rie yu from a distance!
In an instant, the Void Realm around the rie yu violently twisted, and countless inky black shadow claws emerged from the Void Realm fissures, carrying a chilling power that tore at the Divine Soul, fiercely grasping at the ship's light shield!
"Clang clang clang—"
Dense crashing sounds were like a torrential downpour, the light shield vibrated violently, countless cracks spread, and the defensive Formation patterns emitted a wail of unbearable strain.
"Not good!"
The Marshal of the Three Armies' face changed drastically. Just as he was about to activate the backup Formation, he saw that the shadow claws were actually seeping an eerie purple viscous liquid. Wherever it passed, the light shield was rapidly dissolving as if corroded by strong acid!
"It's the juice of the Corrosive Light Moss! They refined the moss into a weapon!"
Ji Yu shouted sharply. Just now, neither Blood Slaughter Divine Lord nor Kushan Buddhist Lord had gained an advantage against the Corrosive Light Moss, and now this liquid was actually corroding the light shield.
Seeing this, Blood Slaughter Divine Lord and the others all attacked the shadow claws.
However, the shadow claws were like bone-deep ulcers, quickly regenerating after being shattered, and instead, using the force of the attacks, splattered more purple viscous liquid onto the light shield.
Just at this critical moment, Li Mu moved.
He took one step, and his figure instantly vanished from the bridge. The next moment, he appeared in the Void Realm in front of the rie yu.
Facing the sky full of grasping shadow claws, Li Mu's expression remained unchanged. He simply slowly raised his right hand, Chaos Qi churning in his palm, condensing into a hazy gray orb of light.
"Disperse!"
With a soft shout, the light orb suddenly exploded, transforming into billions of chaotic streams of light, like a meteor shower, shooting towards the shadow claws.
Each stream of light that struck a shadow claw triggered a silent annihilation. The shadow claws, along with the purple viscous liquid on them, were instantly decomposed and devoured by the Chaos Power, not even leaving a trace.
In just a few breaths, the sky full of shadow claws was completely cleared. The rie yu's light shield was able to breathe, and the Formation patterns relit, repairing the previous damage.
"Impossible... This is impossible!" The black shadow atop the giant tree completely lost his composure, his voice filled with despair and fear, "How can you completely counter the power of my clan?"
Li Mu did not answer, but simply walked step by step towards the black shadow. With each step he took, the darkness beneath his feet would dissipate a little, revealing the void's true color.
The black shadow gritted his teeth fiercely: "Even if we perish together, I will make you pay the price!"
He suddenly looked up and let out a piercing shriek that reverberated throughout the entire Night Shadow Realm!
In an instant, the entire Void Realm trembled violently! All the remaining hollow giant trees simultaneously burst open, transforming into countless dark red light streams that surged towards Li Mu, intending to kill him.
The next moment, the black shadow actually fled without looking back.
With a wave of Li Mu's hand, the countless dark red light streams retreated.
"Trying to run?"
Li Mu flicked out a wisp of Chaos Qi, and at the same time, his voice, like a ghost, sounded behind the black shadow.
The black shadow was terrified. He was still a considerable distance from where the Old Ancestor was in seclusion, but Li Mu's attack was already upon him.
Just as the Chaos Qi was about to touch the black shadow, the black shadow suddenly turned his head, his body expanding and solidifying at a visible speed, finally transforming into a giant Shadow Demon a thousand zhang tall! Billions of tiny black shadows surrounded his body, emitting a heart-palpitating aura of destruction.
"Die, King!"
The Shadow Demon roared, punching towards the Chaos Qi.
Where the punch wind passed, the Void Realm completely collapsed, forming a Domain of absolute darkness, where even light was completely swallowed!
But when it met that wisp of Chaos Qi, it was like an egg hitting a rock. The Chaos Qi penetrated the Shadow Demon's massive fist without any obstruction.
This punch, which seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth, instantly burst like a balloon pricked by a sharp nail.
"Old Ancestor, save me!"
The Shadow Demon was only at the initial stage of the Extreme Dao Realm. By borrowing the power of the Night Shadow Realm's Origin, he could exert stronger strength, but it was limited to being stronger than Blood Slaughter Divine Lord and the others. Compared to Li Mu, who had already stepped into the Kind Dao Realm, he was like a child compared to a strongman; he had no capital to resist at all.
His only hope now was the always-sleeping Shadow Clan Old Ancestor. The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor could already borrow most of the Night Shadow Realm's Origin power, and although he was in the Extreme Dao Realm, he possessed battle strength comparable to the Kind Dao Realm.
The dissipation of the realm's Origin power had already affected the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's slumber, and with the Shadow Demon's loud roar, the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor slowly awoke from his slumber.
A hoarse, terrifying roar sounded.
"Who dares to trespass?"
However, no one could answer him anymore. The Shadow Demon, who was originally over a thousand zhang tall, had now completely dissipated under Li Mu's punch. (End of Chapter)
