Chapter 406

Chapter 406: I want to know whether I alone can slaughter all the young generation of your Dragon Palace water tribe!

An abrupt, powerful attack struck Ao Yi directly, filling him with terror. When he couldn’t even locate his attacker, his panic intensified, and he began screaming for help. His pitiful state and cries for help left the surrounding crowd wide-eyed in shock.

“???”

“What’s happening?”

“Is this your so-called evenly-matched battle that could push Mu Lin to his limits?”

Some spectators were speechless, while others grew wary—they too couldn’t detect how Ao Yi was being assaulted. Fortunately, a few Earth Immortals and space-sensitive cultivators among the crowd sensed the unusual movement in the spatial fabric. But unlike before, they couldn’t breach that sealed space.

The phantom of the Ouroboros coiled into a loop, sealing off Mu Lin’s Yin Soil from the world of the living. Though busy during this period, Mu Lin never neglected his cultivation. Through comprehending the Ouroboros, he realized that while his physical body couldn’t yet achieve infinite growth, his mastery over spatial isolation and realm creation kept deepening.

Now, whenever Mu Lin willed it, his Yin Soil became utterly separated from the living world. Ordinary people couldn’t enter this Underworld, maintaining the fundamental divide between humans and spirits. However, this isolation came with limitations—by blocking external observation, Mu Lin couldn’t form soul reflections of others in his Yin Soil, preventing him from attacking the living through this realm.

“When you peer into the abyss, the abyss peers back. For me, when others’ souls are reflected in my Yin Soil… they gain the means to harm me.” Though restricted, this ability remained potent. It allowed Mu Lin to drag enemies individually into his domain for systematic elimination. The absolute spatial barrier also served as perfect defense—few could strike across separate worlds.

…

“Agh!”

While Mu Lin analyzed his powers, Ao Yi kept suffering relentless strikes from the Slaughtering Blade. Credit where due—Ao Yi possessed remarkable treasures. The Slaughtering Blade was a slaughter-aligned spiritual weapon further enhanced by Mu Lin’s Flames of Revenge. Being no Earth Immortal, Ao Yi initially failed to notice his soul reflection or the spatial anomaly. His rage even numbed his danger instincts, letting Mu Lin casually approach and plunge the blade into his skull.

*Shick!*

Any ordinary person or Transformation cultivator would’ve had their soul instantly shredded by such an attack—the Slaughtering Blade’s lethal power was no trivial matter. Yet Ao Yi didn’t perish immediately. Not only did he survive, he retained strength to thrash and howl. A peculiar spiritual liquid enveloped his soul reflection, rendering his spirit rubbery and resilient, its scattered fragments merging like liquid mercury.

This meant that even after dozens of slashes, Mu Lin still hadn’t killed Ao Yi.

The spiritual liquid couldn’t last forever. Though Mu Lin hadn’t finished him off, those strikes left Ao Yi’s soul fractured and barely clinging to life. Two more blows would end him completely.

But seeing his kinsman in such agony, Ao Huan finally snapped.

"Enough!"

He roared and flew to shield Ao Yi, but it changed nothing. Mu Lin’s attacks happened within Yin Soil, targeting the soul reflections – Ao Huan couldn’t even reach them.

*Slash!*

As Ao Huan arrived, another strike from Mu Lin drew fresh screams from Ao Yi. The dragon’s physical body mirrored these soul wounds, its scaled flesh now crisscrossed with gashes ready to split apart.

Ao Huan’s composure shattered. "STOP NOW!"

Channeling his Earth Immortal power, he hurled a sky-rending thunderbolt at the barrier between worlds.

*BOOM… ROAR!*

The heavenly punishment-like strike crashed against Yin Soil’s defenses. Useless.

While Yin Soil wasn’t invulnerable to powerful foes, Mu Lin’s defenses held. Three layers protected him:

1. The Ouroboros redistributed any single attack across all Yin Soil.

2. The living world itself absorbed part of the impact – hence Moon Water City shaking from Ao Huan’s strike.

3. The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron anchored everything, its massive form stabilizing the realm.

"Break my defenses?" Mu Lin sneered in Yin Soil, driving his blade into Ao Yi’s heart. "Even a heavenly master would struggle. Keep dreaming."

Outside, Ao Huan found himself immobilized. Multiple Earth Immortals pinned him under crushing pressure.

"Bastards!" The dragon spat. "This means war with the Dragon Palace!"

The cultivators didn’t flinch. Their auras held firm as mountains.

“You’re the ones pushing for conflict… You broke the human-dragon pact by coming ashore. Now you even dare attack a rising star of the human race! Do you truly think so little of us that we’ll endure your bullying?”

This retort shut Ao Huan up. Their dragon clan was clearly in the wrong here—though truthfully, it was only because the human race was strong. Otherwise, right or wrong wouldn’t matter. The dragons had never cared about fairness before.

As Sea Kings, they dominated the ocean, but the human race ruled the land. They couldn’t act without restraint against humans.

Grudgingly, Ao Huan backed down:

“…I didn’t mean to kill Mu Lin. I only wanted to save my nephew.”

“If you truly wanted to save him, you should’ve stopped him earlier. Now it’s too late. Once blades cross, life and death are decided by fate!”

“We admit our fault. I’ll make Ao Yi apologize, but he can’t die. Dragon offspring are rare and precious…”

Before he could finish, Mu Lin let out an angry laugh.

“Hah! Ao Yi can’t die, but I’m disposable? You dragons think too highly of yourselves!”

“Remember this—my life is worth ten thousand of yours in my eyes!”

*Thunk!*

With those words, Mu Lin twisted his blade deep into Ao Yi’s soul.

“…Save… me…”

The strike shattered Ao Yi’s spirit. His soul fragments were devoured by the Slaughtering Blade, leaving no trace.

Ao Yi was dead.

He died by Mu Lin’s hand, consumed by rage and regret.

The death left Ao Huan frozen. For a long moment, he stood motionless—never imagining his nephew could truly perish.

When he finally stirred, his bloodshot eyes swept over the Earth Immortals and the hidden Mu Lin. A roar of hatred erupted:

“This isn’t over! Mu Lin! You Earth Immortals! All of you will pay for killing my kin!”

The venom in his voice chilled bystanders. Some trembled under his dragon might, dread clinging to them like impending doom.

Then light laughter rang across the battlefield.

“You’re right—this isn’t over. Cross me, and your Dragon Palace—your entire water tribe—will pay the price!”

“Come! I’ll be waiting in Moon Water City. Let’s see what your Dragon Palace can muster against me!”

“I’ll face every young challenger from your water tribe!”

“Let’s find out if I alone can slaughter your entire younger generation!”

Silence followed.

Everyone gaped at the declaration—Southeast Province aristocrats, northern nobles, even Great Spirit Dynasty officials winced.

Ao Huan’s fury faltered. *‘Slaughter our youth…’*

He wanted to mock the arrogance. *‘Fool! Our Dragon Palace has tens of thousands of gifted youths—not hundreds, not thousands!’*

Yet despite this certainty, no laughter came.