Chapter 1118: Settling Accounts

Deep within the altar, there was a vast underground space filled with surging red light and streams of scarlet magma.

The magma gathered into a dark red lake, emitting billowing hot smoke. In the center floated a massive black rock, upon which stood eight black stone pillars.

Each pillar was covered with dense cracks, within which scarlet magma seemed to flow, flickering with an unsteady light. Embedded in the pillars were golden chains, all converging from the surrounding pillars toward the center of the rock.

There, a gaunt man with disheveled hair, as thin as a skeleton, knelt on one knee.

He was completely naked, so emaciated that he seemed to be nothing more than a layer of pale skin draped over a few slender bones. The eight golden chains pierced through his chest, abdomen, shoulders, and arms, binding him firmly in the center.

Beneath the man, ancient runes were carved into the ground, emanating a powerful sealing force.

Han Li gazed at the dark abyss, his expression somber. Suddenly, he felt as if he were staring into a bottomless abyss of desire.

He shook his head, casting aside these distracting thoughts, but then his eyes flickered, and he let out a soft exclamation of surprise.

For some reason, he felt that this formation was somewhat unusual, but he couldn't quite pinpoint what was off.

Just then, the gaunt man suddenly looked up and met his gaze. His pale, ghost-like face broke into a grin, revealing a row of white teeth, his smile exaggerated and eerie.

Startled, Han Li quickly activated his Spirit Refining Art, but found nothing amiss, which eased his mind slightly.

Everyone was so shocked by Han Li's earlier mad display that no one noticed a wisp of black mist silently escaping from the edge of the black hole, drifting near Lei Yuce and the others before suddenly vanishing.

With the crisis brought by Han Li resolved, Daoist Master Daoyin's attention returned to the altar.

“Troublesome… Since that's the case, let's end it once and for all!”

He sighed, his gaze turning icy once more. Raising a hand, he summoned the yellow seal into his grasp.

A flash of blood light appeared on Daoist Master Daoyin's palm, and a drop of his essence blood fell onto the seal's surface, quickly seeping in.

Then, as he chanted rapidly, the inscription on the seal's base flashed with yellow light, emitting a profound earth-attribute law power.

Using blood refinement, Daoist Master Daoyin forcibly refined the restrictions within the seal and began to fully activate the Five Elements Annihilation Array.

The five immortal artifacts hovered high above, radiating an unprecedented dazzling light. The five individuals, including Lei Yuce, who were assisting in driving the array, felt their law power surge out like a whale swallowing water, absorbed by the formation.

At the same time, the five-colored light barrier surrounding the altar rapidly contracted, soon covering only an area of a few zhang around the altar.

Then, everyone witnessed an astonishing scene.

Within the light barrier, the already crumbling altar, the moment it was enveloped by the five-colored light, disintegrated into dust like an ancient, decayed painting touched by a gentle breeze, vanishing into nothingness.

Simultaneously, the large opening on the altar began to crumble and expand. Any black mist emerging from it, upon entering the light barrier, also turned to powder and dissipated.

“This is the true power of the Five Elements Annihilation Array. Whatever it envelops returns to dust…” Qimozi murmured.

The five-colored sphere slowly descended into the altar's opening, enveloping the black rock floating on the magma lake, along with the stone pillar restrictions and the gaunt man.

Within the light barrier, the black rock gradually dissolved into powder. But the gaunt man, pierced by the eight golden chains, with his gray hair in disarray and a contemptuous expression on his face, did not immediately disintegrate.

Han Li stared intently at the gaunt man, who seemed to sense it and suddenly turned his head, making a face at Han Li.

Daoist Master Daoyin's expression hardened. He formed hand seals, pushing his immortal spiritual power to its limit, releasing it like a tidal wave.

The Divine Lamp Talisman then blazed with golden light, bursting into flames.

In the void, the talisman quickly turned to ashes, leaving only a condensed ball of golden flame that flew into the lamp of the Time Lamp, merging with the flame on the wick.

The flame of the Time Lamp trembled noticeably, and then a powerful wave surged from the lamp body.

At the lamp's wick, a golden lightning bolt wreathed in flame suddenly flashed, flying out of the lamp like a flying knife, directly crashing into the five-colored sphere.

With a thunderous roar!

Within the five-colored sphere, golden light surged, instantly merging with the five-colored light, completely obscuring the space inside.

Inside the altar's opening, multicolored light overflowed, and rumbling sounds continued. The sealing pillars, golden chains, and the gaunt man were all submerged in the light, disappearing from sight.

After a long while, the commotion within the five-colored sphere subsided. The light faded, and the space inside had completely annihilated, leaving nothing but a void.

With a soft pop, the five-colored sphere burst like a bubble, forming a ring-shaped rainbow in the void before vanishing.

“Dust returns to dust, ashes to ashes. After being sealed for so long, I can finally destroy you completely.”

Daoist Master Daoyin watched this scene, his tense expression finally relaxing. He let out a long breath, and his body swayed slightly.

Lei Yuce and the other four were greatly relieved, collapsing to the ground while panting heavily. They barely managed to take a pill before continuing to control the restrictions and maintain order.

Their law power had been nearly half drained, and their immortal spiritual power was greatly depleted, causing significant damage to their vitality. But fortunately, the outcome was not bad—they had finally eliminated the old demon.

“Earlier, you recklessly destroyed the seals and fought over treasures, enjoying yourselves immensely. Now it's time to pay the price…” Daoist Master Daoyin turned his gaze to Han Li and the others, speaking slowly.

Hearing this, everyone's expression changed slightly.

Daoist Master Daoyin was a Daluo cultivator wielding the Time Lamp. If he were to use the five-colored sphere technique again, most of them would have no chance of resisting.

Qimozi's gaze darkened, his eyes shifting between Daoist Master Daoyin and Han Li, as if calculating how to avoid conflict with the former while eliminating the latter as a future threat.

Jiao San frowned deeply, standing with Hu San, both looking troubled.

Just as everyone was lost in their own thoughts, a sudden change occurred!

As Daoist Master Daoyin stepped forward, about to walk toward Lei Yuce and the others, a flash of white light appeared at his abdomen. A nearly transparent, slender blade suddenly thrust out from within, bringing a spray of blood.

Daoist Master Daoyin's eyes widened in fury. He struck back with a palm toward the person behind him.

But the attacker, having succeeded, had already retreated swiftly, dodging the palm and stopping at a distance.

Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events, staring in confusion at the person.

Lei Yuce exclaimed in disbelief, “Wenzhong, what are you doing?”

Wenzhong, standing far behind Daoist Master Daoyin, upon hearing this rebuke, his previously calm expression twisted, his eyes filled with resentment.

His strike was so unexpected that it caught everyone off guard. Not a trace of killing intent or even a ripple of spiritual power had been emitted.

Daoist Master Daoyin had just expended a great deal of true essence to annihilate the demon using the Five Elements Annihilation Array. In the inevitable moment of relaxation after such tension, and with his lack of guard against Wenzhong, the blow succeeded, causing him severe injury.

“Haha… What am I doing? You ask what I'm doing? I'm going to kill this biased, shameless old Daoist!” Wenzhong laughed maniacally.

“Why? Have you gone mad! He is our sect leader, our master who taught us!” Lei Yuce, unable to comprehend, roared in anger.

“Since he is our master, why did he only teach you the lost Celestial Sword Formation? By your side, Lei Yuce, I am forever a shadow in the light, forever a foil. Such injustice—I won't accept it, I won't accept it…” Wenzhong repeated “I won't accept it,” his voice hysterical.

“Wenzhong, you…” Lei Yuce said, unable to hide his pain.

Daoist Master Daoyin's face was pale, his expression grim. The spot where the transparent crystal blade had struck was vicious. He slowly pulled the blade out from his dantian, coughing up a mouthful of blood, clearly severely wounded.

Lei Yuce, seeing this, showed concern and was about to continue scolding Wenzhong back to his senses when Daoist Master Daoyin stopped him.

“I have long known that Wenzhong harbored resentment. I have spoken to him privately about it. I thought I had resolved his inner conflict, but it seems he still held a grudge, which gave the demon an opportunity.” Daoist Master Daoyin wiped the blood from his mouth and said.

“Master, what are you saying?” Lei Yuce asked in surprise.

“That demon cultivates the Heart Demon Law, which excels at exploiting the dark corners of the human heart, magnifying its rifts. It seems Wenzhong has fallen under its influence.” Daoist Master Daoyin sighed.

Hearing this, Han Li's heart tightened, as if realizing something.

“Haha, haha… How satisfying, how satisfying! This single strike has finally relieved the hatred I've harbored for years!” Wenzhong's laughter grew even more manic, his face becoming increasingly ferocious.