The moment the golden hand descended
the world itself seemed to freeze.
Every cultivator on the battlefield felt their souls tremble uncontrollably beneath the terrifying pressure.
The silver heavens darkened.
Golden light covered the sky entirely.
Even the endless dark mist spreading from the fracture was suppressed instantly.
Lin Feng's breathing slowed.
Not willingly.
The pressure surrounding him had become so overwhelming that even circulating spiritual energy felt difficult.
The gigantic golden hand continued descending slowly from above the clouds.
Massive.
Ancient.
Its fingers alone were larger than mountains.
Golden runes flowed endlessly across its surface like living scripture.
And at the center of its palm
an eye slowly opened.
Commander Yue's face turned pale.
Several Saint Realm cultivators nearby collapsed to one knee immediately.
"Heaven's Judgment…"
Xu Tian's expression became colder than ever before.
"Everyone retreat."
His voice spread instantly throughout the battlefield.
"Now."
No one hesitated.
Because everyone understood.
This was no longer a battle ordinary cultivators could participate in.
The Bone Saints retreated rapidly.
Even the Voidborn lowered their heads before the descending hand.
The gigantic Voidborn laughed madly.
"The False Heaven awakens!"
Lin Feng tightened his grip around the Azure Sword.
The Azure Core within him pulsed violently.
Hatred.
Fury.
Defiance.
None of those emotions belonged entirely to him.
Yet they flooded through his veins regardless.
The furious voice within his soul roared again.
"It wants to erase you before you awaken."
Lin Feng's pupils contracted slightly.
Awaken?
Before he could think further
the eye within the giant hand opened completely.
Golden light descended instantly upon him.
BOOOOOOOM!!
The surrounding ground exploded apart.
Lin Feng felt overwhelming pressure slam directly into his body.
His bones creaked violently.
Blood spilled from his lips.
Yet
he still did not kneel.
The giant hand paused briefly.
As if surprised.
Then the voice echoed once more across heaven and earth.
"You should not exist."
Coldness spread through the battlefield instantly.
Xu Tian moved.
For the first time since arriving
his aura erupted completely.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Terrifying sword intent exploded into the heavens.
The silver sky trembled violently.
A giant white sword manifestation appeared behind him, stretching across thousands of meters.
Countless cultivators below revealed horrified expressions.
Even Commander Yue's breathing became unstable.
"So this is Senior Xu's true strength…"
Xu Tian stepped forward calmly.
Then
he drew a sword.
Simple white steel.
No decoration.
No visible spiritual fluctuations.
Yet the moment the blade left its sheath
space split apart naturally around it.
Xu Tian raised the sword toward the heavens.
"Whether he should exist…"
His voice became cold.
"…is not for a false heaven to decide."
SHIIIIING!!
The world flashed white.
A single sword strike ascended toward the descending hand.
Simple.
Direct.
Absolute.
The golden hand reacted instantly.
Its giant fingers closed violently toward the incoming attack.
BOOOOOOOOOOM!!
The collision shook the entire Upper Sky Region.
Mountains collapsed in the distance.
The silver heavens cracked repeatedly.
The eastern battlefield completely disintegrated beneath the shockwave.
Lin Feng was forced backward dozens of meters despite activating Azure Sword Art defensively.
Blood surged through his chest violently.
Yet his eyes remained locked onto the sky.
Xu Tian's sword strike had stopped the hand.
No
not stopped.
Cut.
A thin white line appeared across one of the golden fingers.
Then
golden blood dripped from the heavens.
The entire battlefield froze.
Commander Yue's eyes widened in disbelief.
"He injured it…"
Even the Voidborn screamed furiously.
Because the thing they worshipped
had bled.
The Heavenly Eye trembled violently.
The voice across heaven and earth deepened.
"You dare."
Xu Tian stood calmly beneath the sky.
White robes fluttering in the storm.
Sword in hand.
"Come lower."
The surrounding cultivators stared in shock.
Challenge heaven itself?
Only a madman would speak such words.
Yet Xu Tian's expression never changed.
The golden hand suddenly descended faster.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Golden pressure exploded across the battlefield.
Xu Tian attacked again instantly.
SHIIIIING!!
White sword light crossed the heavens repeatedly.
The giant hand retaliated with endless golden beams.
The sky itself began collapsing from the clash.
Lin Feng watched silently.
Every movement.
Every slash.
Every fluctuation of sword intent.
His eyes sharpened gradually.
Because despite the terrifying scale
Xu Tian's sword techniques remained fundamentally simple.
No wasted motion.
No unnecessary complexity.
Pure understanding.
The realization struck Lin Feng deeply.
The peak of the sword path…
was not overwhelming destruction.
It was absolute clarity.
Suddenly
the Azure Sword trembled.
Lin Feng frowned slightly.
Then realized
the sword was resonating with Xu Tian's attacks.
No.
Not Xu Tian specifically.
Something hidden within his sword intent.
The furious voice inside Lin Feng's soul whispered slowly.
"The Azure lineage remembers him."
BOOOOOOOM!!
Another collision exploded across the heavens.
Xu Tian was finally forced backward several steps.
Blood dripped faintly from his sleeve.
The Heavenly Hand remained damaged
but it was recovering rapidly.
Golden flesh reconstructed continuously beneath the heavenly light.
Xu Tian narrowed his eyes slightly.
"Annoying."
The giant Voidborn suddenly roared.
"Kill the heir!"
At once
countless Bone Saints charged toward Lin Feng simultaneously.
Commander Yue reacted instantly.
Scarlet flames erupted around her spear.
"No one touches him!"
BOOOOOOOM!!
She intercepted the front ranks directly.
Yet too many creatures were descending.
The battlefield erupted again.
Lin Feng inhaled slowly.
Then
he moved.
Azure Sword Steps.
Blue light flashed across the battlefield.
SHING. SHING. SHING.
Bone Saints exploded apart one after another beneath his sword.
Azure energy erased them completely.
Yet more continued appearing endlessly.
Lin Feng's expression remained calm.
But inwardly
he felt pressure building rapidly.
Not from the creatures.
From the sky.
The Heavenly Eye still watched him continuously.
Then
the Azure Core suddenly pulsed violently.
A sharp pain exploded through Lin Feng's chest.
His vision blurred briefly.
Another memory surfaced.
A ruined palace beneath golden heavens.
Millions kneeling.
Then
the man in azure robes standing before a throne made from chains.
And surrounding him
countless swords floating silently in the sky.
The man spoke quietly.
"One day…"
"…someone will return."
The memory shattered instantly.
Lin Feng's breathing became unstable.
Return?
Return to what?
Before he could think further
the Heavenly Voice echoed once more.
"Erase the vessel."
The giant hand opened fully.
A golden beam descended directly toward Lin Feng.
Too fast.
Xu Tian's expression changed immediately.
"Lin Feng!"
Commander Yue also turned sharply.
But neither could intercept in time.
The golden beam reached Lin Feng instantly.
Then
the Azure Sword exploded with light.
BOOOOOOOM!!
Ancient blue radiance erupted across the battlefield.
A giant azure sword phantom appeared behind Lin Feng.
Massive.
Ancient.
Its pressure rivaled the heavens themselves.
The descending golden beam collided directly against the phantom sword.
Silence.
Then
the world exploded.