A hunched black shadow emerged from the distance, and behind him, countless Void Cavity Giant Trees rapidly shot up from the ground.
Though referred to as a black shadow, it was more like a person concealed within the shadows, with a faint human outline discernible.
With each step the hunched black shadow took, twisted dark shadow vines sprouted beneath his feet. Wherever he passed, the dark red light veins of the Void Cavity Giant Trees suddenly boiled, as if infused with some ancient will.
He seemed to lift his head, and a pair of eyes burning with Dark Purple flames appeared on the black shadow. His gaze swept over the Lieyu Battleship, finally settling on Li Mu.
"Chaos aura? This is the Three Thousand Worlds; they won't tolerate the existence of Chaos. If I can capture you, perhaps those lords will be pleased, hehehe..."
The black shadow's voice sounded as if it came from deep underground, carrying a decaying echo.
The jade plate in Ji Yu's hand immediately trembled incessantly. On the jade plate, the area around the Lieyu Battleship was already covered with dense red dots—these were Void Cavity Giant Trees, Light Eating Tundras, and dark shadow vines that had grown from the black shadow, now completely surrounding the Lieyu Battleship.
"Dao Friend Li, this should be the will comparable to a Grand Unity Golden Immortal that the Emperor mentioned earlier."
Li Mu's expression was calm, with Chaos Qi flowing at his fingertips: "Just a worm clinging to life by stealing Realm Origin."
Li Mu's light remark seemed to sting the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor.
"This Realm was originally the territory of my Shadow Clan, and the Realm Origin is also our clan's possession. How can you speak of stealing?"
As the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's voice fell, the previously suspended Void Cavity Giant Trees suddenly grew taller, their branches twisting like living snakes, lashing wildly towards the Lieyu Battleship. Dark red light veins circulated within their wooden bodies, like billions of pulsating blood vessels, and every fallen leaf transformed into a sharp shadow blade, carrying a soul-tearing chill.
"Form the array!" Blood Slaughter Divine Lord roared, his body surging with blood energy that formed a hundred-zhang blood banner.
On the banner's surface, countless vengeful spirits shrieked, sweeping fiercely towards the lashing giant trees. The moment the blood light collided with the dark red light veins, a blinding blood mist erupted, and the giant trees' surfaces were instantly corroded with large patches of char. Yet, supported by the Realm Origin, they continued to advance madly.
"Buddha Sound Suppresses Demons!" Kushan Buddhist Lord softly chanted a Buddha title, and his golden body behind him surged. Billions of golden Sanskrit characters rained down onto the Void Cavity Giant Trees.
Although the Buddha Light exploding from the Sanskrit characters could purify the surface Yin evil, it could not stop the ceaseless dark red light veins surging from the wood core. The char marks on the giant trees healed at a visible rate, and instead, they spread along the Buddha Light, dyeing the golden Sanskrit characters a bizarre dark red.
The Light Eating Tundra, like a tide, climbed onto the Lieyu Battleship's defensive shield. The Dark purple moss writhed madly, secreting a viscous sap.
Where the shield touched the sap, a "sizzling" corrosive sound emanated. The originally lustrous light curtain rapidly dimmed, even showing spiderweb-like cracks.
"Burning Heaven Art!"
Burning Sky Valley Master clapped his hands together, and a ten-foot-wide crimson fire lotus condensed before him.
The fire lotus spun and crashed into the tundra. Wherever the flames passed, the moss instantly withered to ash, but from the ashes grew finer purple sprouts, which drilled into the shield's cracks. Wherever they went, the incredibly hard deck was gnawed into honeycomb-like holes.
Sword Sect Old Ancestor stood on the main battle platform, continuously waving his long sword. Billions of golden Sword Qi condensed into a torrent, severing several of the foremost Void Cavity Giant Trees at their waists.
Dark red light veins gushed from the broken stumps, and the severed wood, upon landing, actually re-rooted in the Void Realm, growing countless branches and transforming into a denser array of wooden spikes, surrounding the Lieyu Battleship.
"Return to Ruin Tide!" King Zhenhai pressed his hands on the Return to Ruin Tide Disk, and towering waves surged out of thin air around the ship.
The tide, carrying immense suppressive power, washed away most of the Light Eating Tundra clinging to the shield. However, the moment it landed, the tundra spread along the water flow, dyeing the waves a bizarre purple-black, and even the seawater began to emit a decaying aura.
The soldiers of the three armies formed battle formations on the deck, and the light of various Magic Treasures flickered, but it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot. The branches of the Void Cavity Giant Trees regenerated continuously, and the sap of the Light Eating Tundra seeped into the ship's hull through the cracks. Some Cultivators had already been splashed by the sap, their skin instantly festering into pus, emitting horrifying screams.
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord's eyes were splitting with rage at the sight. He violently plunged his blood banner into the Void Realm: "Blood River Inversion!"
In an instant, the entire Void Realm was stained crimson. A blood river formed by billions of vengeful spirits descended from the sky, forcibly isolating the Void Cavity Giant Trees and the Light Eating Tundra. Where the blood river churned, the dark red light veins were temporarily suppressed, and the moss writhed painfully in the bloody water.
"It won't last long!" Blood Slaughter Divine Lord felt a sweet fishy taste rise in his throat. Such a large-scale secret art consumed him greatly. "Think of a way, quickly!"
Kushan Buddhist Lord's golden body's Buddha Light grew increasingly dim, and the Sanskrit characters continuously disintegrated under the erosion of the dark red light veins.
The condition of everyone else was also not good. These strange species, empowered by the Realm Origin, posed a great threat to them.
If Blood Slaughter Divine Lord and the others only needed to protect themselves, they would naturally be at ease. However, they also had to protect the Lieyu Battleship and the soldiers of the three armies, which made it somewhat difficult.
Even with everyone attacking together, they still could not stop the invasion of the strange species. However, these strange species, which posed such a significant threat to the people of the Lieyu Battleship, dared not approach Li Mu by even half a step; they all bypassed him. Thus, within a hundred-zhang radius around Li Mu, there were no strange species whatsoever.
"A mere trifle."
Li Mu lightly scoffed. Chaos Qi splattered out like ten thousand swords emerging from their sheaths. Wherever it passed, the strange species melted away like snow, transforming into threads of Realm Origin. Without Li Mu needing to actively guide them, those Realm Origins flowed towards Li Mu.
"He can actually devour Realm Origin?"
In the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's eyes, burning with Dark purple flames, there was undisguised shock. However, this shock was fleeting.
"This Old Ancestor doesn't believe you can devour the entire Realm Origin of the Night Shadow Realm, can you?"
After a roar, the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's already nearly solid figure completely solidified, no longer existing in the state of shadow Qi.
Ji Yu on the bridge saw this scene and immediately thought of some things recorded in ancient texts.
"Dao Friend Li, ancient texts record that when the Shadow Clan reaches the Kind Dao Realm, they can condense into a physical body. This not only doesn't affect the use of the Shadow Clan's innate abilities but also makes their physical body stronger."
Blood Slaughter Divine Lord was sitting cross-legged nearby, recovering. Blood Slaughter Divine Lord had fearlessly stood on the front lines during both attacks by the strange species on the Lieyu Battleship. His blood banner had even become tattered, with several holes in it. After hearing Ji Yu's words, Blood Slaughter Divine Lord spat out a mouthful of blood with a fierce expression.
"It's just borrowing the power of the Realm Origin!"
Li Mu had no reaction to this. Just a Kind Dao Realm, and one that had only advanced by stealing Origin. Li Mu naturally wouldn't pay him any mind.
After solidifying, the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor showed no hesitation, immediately unleashing his strongest attack. His figure suddenly grew several thousand feet tall, and his eyes, burning with Dark purple flames, were like two giant purple sky lanterns, captivating and terrifying.
"Existing for ten thousand years, it turns out this Old Ancestor was waiting for you. Today, your life will be my stepping stone!"
The several-thousand-foot-tall giant Dharma body clenched its fist and smashed it heavily towards Li Mu. The surrounding Void Realm began to collapse under the impact of this punch. Some remaining Void Cavity Giant Trees, Light Eating Tundra, and other strange species were drawn into this punch, attaching themselves to it to provide even greater power.
Li Mu stood against the wind, appearing like a mustard seed compared to the giant Dharma body, almost imperceptible to the naked eye. Despite such a vast disparity, facing this world-destroying punch, Li Mu's response was simply a single index finger.
When that punch struck the index finger, it was as if the entire world fell silent.
Li Mu's eyes darkened slightly. Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, the Chaotic Dao Tree swayed, and an even more vast Chaos Origin power surged into his index finger. Li Mu lightly scolded.
"Annihilate."
Five strands of Chaos Qi erupted simultaneously, forming a giant Chaos vortex around the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor.
Within the vortex, a scene of creation flashed, and the dark shadow giant's body melted like ice and snow, emitting a piercing shriek.
This was the scene witnessed by the people on the Lieyu Battleship. However, on the battlefield unseen by them, the branches of the Chaotic Dao Tree had already wrapped around a fist-sized glowing sphere. The others could not see this scene.
The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor, who had already returned to his normal size, also could not see it, but he could clearly sense that his greatest reliance, the source of his power, was currently being pulled by something, step by step, slipping out of his control.
He found it difficult to even move now. The Realm Origin was forcibly contained by him, and most of his power came from the Realm Origin. Now that the Realm Origin was controlled, it indirectly controlled him. He could clearly perceive that the power he relied on was rapidly draining away.
Just then, a thought that even terrified the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor himself suddenly flashed through his mind.
"You, you are the Chaotic Great Dao! How is that possible? How can there still be a Chaotic Great Dao in the Three Thousand Worlds?!"
His voice was filled with despair. Only a Chaos Dao Body could absorb the power of Realm Origin. Someone like him merely relied on clever tricks to steal some power.
More than the power of the Chaos Dao Body, the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor was shocked that a Chaotic Great Dao had cultivated to such a level.
The Legacy of the Night Shadow Realm had never been broken, and their Shadow Clan had always been the royal family of the Night Shadow Realm, so they naturally knew some secrets. Among these, of course, was the fact that Chaos Dao Body was not allowed to appear in the Three Thousand Worlds.
Everyone, every force, every Realm connected to Chaos would be purged. This was the consensus of the Three Thousand Worlds. But now, a living Chaos Dao Body had appeared before his eyes, with a profound and unfathomable Realm, and even he, who had stolen Realm Origin power for ten thousand years, was no match for him in a single exchange.
When the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor tried to speak again, he suddenly found that he couldn't even open his mouth. His pupils, which had returned to their normal Dark purple flame, were filled with terror.
The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's lips trembled slightly, as if he was trying to say something.
Li Mu looked at him expressionlessly.
"Let you go? Why?"
Without giving the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor another chance to beg for mercy, Li Mu's figure flickered, appearing the next moment before the Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's head, and then he unleashed the most unadorned punch.
Chaos Qi entwined around the fist's edge. The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor, having lost the power of Realm Origin, could only await death in the face of this punch. Even if he hadn't lost the power of Realm Origin, Li Mu was by no means an opponent he could contend with.
The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor, who had just solidified his body and ascended to the Kind Dao Realm, slowly turned into wisps of flying ash under this punch.
"No—!"
The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor's roar gradually weakened in the Void Realm. The dark red light ropes he had brought began to disintegrate, the Void Cavity Giant Trees withered one after another, and the Light Eating Tundra turned into flying ash.
The Origin power of the Night Shadow Realm had been forcibly stripped away by the Chaotic Dao Tree.
When the last wisp of shadow dissipated, Li Mu raised his hand and waved, and a hazy orb of light fell into his palm.
The Void Realm returned to clarity, revealing a dead Star Domain filled with shattered rocks, with only the Lieyu Battleship suspended solitarily.
Inside the bridge, everyone stared dumbfounded at this scene. The Shadow Clan Old Ancestor, who had rendered them helpless, had been so easily obliterated by Li Mu.
"Dao Friend Li," Ji Yu's voice was dry, looking at the orb of light in Li Mu's palm containing the Origin of the Night Shadow Realm, "This is..."
"Realm Origin." Li Mu said indifferently: "This Realm is empty now, useless to keep."
With that, he flicked his finger, and the orb of light transformed into a streak of light, disappearing into the Lieyu Battleship's core furnace. The furnace suddenly erupted with dazzling light, and the aura of the entire spirit ship surged, its array patterns flowing even more smoothly.
"Let's go." Li Mu turned and walked towards the bridge: "To the next Realm."
"We haven't thoroughly investigated the forces in other Realms, shouldn't we..."
Ji Yu's words were cut short as he immediately realized his slip of the tongue. With Li Mu present, even without any intelligence, they were more than capable of traversing the Three Thousand Realms.
As if knowing Ji Yu's thoughts, Li Mu calmly said: "These Realms near the Immortal Realm are all relatively weak. Now that the Lieyu Battleship is enhanced by the Night Shadow Realm's Origin power, it should be enough to deal with some minor, unranked Realms."
"As Dao Friend Li says."
Ji Yu and the others cupped their fists towards Li Mu.
The Lieyu Battleship slowly turned, its Yin and Yang wings flapping again, leaving a long trail of light as it vanished into the depths of the Void Realm. Behind it, the Night Shadow Realm, which once nurtured the Shadow Clan, was left with only a desolate expanse of stellar wreckage, slowly cooling in the darkness.
Some Light Eating Tundra, appearing from unknown places, quietly climbed onto the Realm fragments floating in the Void Realm. These fragments still contained undissipated power, becoming nourishment for the Light Eating Tundra.
And the Night Shadow Realm, having lost its Realm Origin, was ultimately destined for destruction.
Inside the bridge, the strong Cultivators exchanged glances, all seeing shock in each other's eyes. At this moment, they finally understood why the Emperor of Qian Yuan had insisted on inviting Li Mu to accompany them. With this controller of the Chaotic Great Dao present, so-called Realm barriers and indigenous powerhouses seemed to be nothing but a joke.
Li Mu stood at the highest point of the bridge, gazing at the fleeting star streams outside the window, deep in thought.
All substances in the Night Shadow Realm's Origin power that could enhance Li Mu had been fully absorbed by the Chaotic Dao Tree, but the improvement to Li Mu was not significant. There were very few Dao Origins that could enhance the Chaotic Dao Tree, which is why Li Mu threw the entire Realm's power into the Lieyu Battleship. (End of Chapter)
