Swish!!
The winds shifted in the void, and countless dark clouds converged. The sky cracked open, revealing a dreadful and mysterious passageway. At the end of this passage, one could vaguely see an enormous palace. Within that palace, a voluptuous and alluring figure lay reclined, her body cloaked only by a layer of black gauze—half-concealed, half-revealed—adding to her mysterious allure.
Between her brows, a golden eye was visibly embedded. It was a divine eye. Even closed, it radiated an enchanting charm—a blend of seductive allure and divine sanctity that was difficult to resist.
She appeared to have just awoken from a deep slumber. Her entire body exuded a languid air. Countless cultivators watching this scene subconsciously swallowed hard.
She was simply too seductive.
Ghost Mother.
That was who she was.
All who laid eyes on her instinctively sensed it—an inexplicable spiritual resonance that told them her identity. The sensation was uncanny.
"Perish!"
Ghost Mother glanced at Yi Tianxing, and her crimson lips parted as she uttered a single word. The golden eye between her brows suddenly opened. In that instant, a strand of golden light shot out from the eye, condensing into a golden needle as fine as a hair. It tore through the void like lightning, appearing out of nowhere and darting straight toward Yi Tianxing's head.
There was no doubt about the golden needle's destructive power. Though small, its speed defied imagination—it shattered space and was in front of him in the blink of an eye.
Yi Tianxing saw it clearly.
His heart tightened. He dared not underestimate it in the slightest. On the contrary, he grew more solemn—the golden needle radiated a deadly threat, surging in his consciousness like a storm.
"Chaotic War Dragon Robe!"
"Supreme Battle Body!"
"Power Gem, hundredfold amplification."
"Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower, empower me!"
"Heavenly Emperor's Creation Hand — Starshatter Hammer!"
In a flash, Yi Tianxing donned the War Dragon Robe, with true dragons roaring upon it, unleashing a heaven-shaking draconic cry that intimidated the four directions. His body rapidly expanded to a colossal size—over a thousand zhang tall. Power surged through him like tidal waves.
As a body-refining cultivator, his physical strength followed a distinct rule:
After the Third Turn, every additional zhang of size required one million jin of raw strength.
Currently, Yi Tianxing's body wielded an astonishing 24 million jin of force, putting his battle body at just over 1,000 zhang.
With the Power Gem's hundredfold amplification, his strength reached terrifying levels. Though his battle body didn't expand further, his raw power surged uncontrollably. Add to that the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower's support, and his entire being crackled with overwhelming might.
His skin began to crack, his veins bulged like writhing dragons, and his meridians surged with power almost beyond his body's tolerance.
This was beyond anything a mortal frame should bear.
Yet he didn't hold back—this was just an avatar. Even if it was destroyed, it would merely end this astral journey. He wanted to know how far he could go if he truly let loose.
And now, he knew.
At this moment, he had clearly surpassed the Nascent Soul Realm, even the Yang God Realm, entering a terrifying new level.
The Starshatter Hammer wasn't merely condensed from mana and intent—it had fused with its true physical form. This was the Heavenly Emperor's Creation Hand at its most potent.
The massive hammer collided with the golden needle.
Though the needle was tiny by comparison—as if an elephant were crushing an ant—the threat it posed was extreme, the sensation of imminent death overwhelming.
No one in Huangquan Inn laughed.Not the Decomposer, not the Paper Craftsman, not even Boss Lady Meng Qi.
No one believed all these precautions were unnecessary. Against Ghost Mother, caution was survival. Underestimating her even slightly meant death.
Clang!!
Boom!!
The golden needle struck the Starshatter Hammer. A sharp metallic ring echoed, golden light flared, and the needle trembled violently. It pierced into the hammer itself—its sharpness incredible.
But Yi Tianxing wasn't done.
The shattering force of the Starshatter Hammer erupted fully, fusing the might of the Hongmeng Tower, his mana, flesh, and the amplified strength into one devastating blow. Space around the impact site twisted and even began to fracture.
This was shocking.
In the current fusion of worlds, the barriers of reality had grown exceedingly firm. To shatter space like this was nearly unthinkable—something only top-tier cultivators could achieve.
Under this might, the golden needle distorted, cried out, and snapped. It fell to the ground in fragments.
"Unbelievable. That kind of strength actually blocked Ghost Mother's golden needle and even knocked it away. Savage!"
"No wonder he dares face her head-on. That hammer… if it came at me, I'd be pulp without a trace left. Too brutal."
"Could he truly survive Ghost Mother's assault? If so, he'll be the Number One Underworld Cultivator, remembered through the ages!"
Many cultivators watching from Huangquan Inn had their eyes lit with excitement, hearts pounding.
This was Ghost Mother—the taboo that had shaken the Underworld for countless eras.
And even she failed to kill Yi Tianxing instantly.
He was indeed a ruthless force to reckon with.
"Hmm?"
Ghost Mother tilted her languid form slightly, casting a curious gaze at Yi Tianxing. Her surprise was evident—she hadn't expected her attack to fail.
But she remained composed. No panic, only a hint of intrigue.
Then, the golden eye on her brow radiated light again—not one beam, but tens of thousands. In an instant, these lights transformed into countless golden needles, swirling through the air in mysterious trajectories.
In a flash, they merged into a colossal golden sword, entirely formed from the needles.
This sword, impossibly vast, swept down toward Yi Tianxing with terrifying force.
"Kill!"
Yi Tianxing roared and swung the Starshatter Hammer once more.
Boom!!
Brilliant golden light exploded. Space twisted and shattered. Though it healed immediately, the force was undeniable.
Pfft!!
Yi Tianxing trembled violently. He staggered back several steps, coughing up blood. The impact from that sword—composed of countless golden needles—was simply too powerful. It carried an unstoppable momentum of heaven and earth, crushing his body and soul alike.
Then, the sword shattered, exploding into billions of golden needles, piercing through space and instantly enveloping Yi Tianxing.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
The Chaotic War Dragon Robe was torn to shreds. The needles pierced his flesh, his bones, even his soul. A terrifying decay energy erupted, corroding his body, erasing vitality, even threatening to annihilate his soul.
These golden needles were made for destruction, birthed from death.
Then, as quickly as they came, the needles vanished.
Within Ghost Mother's palace, shackles appeared, crackling with lightning. The wrath of the Heavenly Dao descended upon her. Her actions had defied its decrees—such transgressions were met with divine judgment.
But Ghost Mother remained indifferent, as if she'd already anticipated everything.
"Ghost Mother… another time."
Yi Tianxing stood upon the earth, watching the fading passageway in the sky and spoke calmly.
And then, his body exploded into blood and flesh.
But the moment he exploded, a mysterious force reassembled his remains into a stream of blood light, which darted toward the sky. A celestial star gate appeared and swallowed the blood light whole.
In the blink of an eye, it disappeared without a trace.