Above the sea surface, a hundred miles away from Black Pine Island.
A faint ripple suddenly appeared in the void, as if space itself had momentarily distorted. Then, a figure materialized out of thin air.
This person was none other than Lin Feng, who had fled Black Pine Island using the teleportation token!
"Pfft!!"
The instant he appeared, Lin Feng couldn't hold back another mouthful of blood. His face was terrifyingly pale. He hadn't anticipated the immense physical strain of using the teleportation token—it was a hundred times worse than his first experience with a teleportation formation. Of course, this was likely compounded by his already critical condition. His internal true essence was almost completely uncontrollable, a direct consequence of barely surviving the casual pressure radiating from the enemy…
Merely the crushing weight of a higher realm had nearly caused his true essence to rebel and tear him apart from within. The sheer terror Lin Feng felt was indescribable. He had never imagined such power existed—it was far beyond his comprehension.
'Too terrifying… What realm is that man? Definitely beyond Soul Transformation… Soul Formation? Or even Body Unity? How could such a supreme expert be involved over a mere Nascent Soul cultivator?! Damn it!!'
Lin Feng summoned the Soulrend Flying Sword to steady himself, wiping the blood from his mouth. Relief at his narrow escape warred with shock and confusion. He swallowed several healing pills, struggling to calm the chaotic true essence raging inside him. Scanning his surroundings, he recognized the shapes of nearby islands and pinpointed his location. Instinctively, he glanced towards Black Pine Island's direction, though it was too far to see. Deep worry surged within him—What happened to the people there? Especially Senior Yu Ping, who gave me the life-saving token…
Though fleeing alone felt cowardly, Lin Feng knew staying meant certain death. Gritting his teeth, he steeled himself and turned, ready to continue his escape.
But… the moment he turned, before he could even urge the flying sword forward, his body froze. His pupils contracted violently as he stared in abject horror at the empty air a hundred meters ahead. The faint trace of color that had returned to his face drained away, leaving it ashen grey…
—There, the void rippled unnaturally, as if slashed open from within. A figure stepped out from nothingness!!
It was the Yin Corpse Sect's white-robed elder!!
Lin Feng's mind blanked with shock. He couldn't fathom it—couldn't believe it. He had used a teleportation token! Yet, the enemy had still pursued him!!
The white-robed elder emerged from the void, his gaze cold and indifferent as it settled on the terrified Lin Feng. "You pitiful ant. Did you truly believe a mere hundred-mile teleportation token could let you escape my sight?"
"..." Lin Feng didn't answer. He clenched his jaw, desperately fighting the paralyzing fear, his mind racing for any possible countermeasure.
What now… What now?! If even the teleportation token failed, what hope is there of escaping such a being?!
Soulrend Flying Sword? Demon Light Ring? Molten Flame? Blood Demon Blade?!
No… No… Useless!!
He knew with absolute certainty that these trump cards—deadly against Golden Core cultivators, potent even against Nascent Souls—were utterly meaningless against this foe.
Forget whether he'd even get a chance to use them; even if he did, they would be completely ineffective!
Dead end… Dead end!!
A mouse facing a cat might find room to maneuver. But facing a tiger? No amount of cunning or special tricks can bridge that insurmountable gap in power. The tiger need only flick its claw to crush the mouse.
Lin Feng felt like that mouse before the tiger, overwhelmed by helpless despair.
Surrender?
A bitter smile touched Lin Feng's lips. Surrender wouldn't save him. Even if it could, he would never grovel before the Yin Corpse Sect.
—Since death is inevitable… then let's go out with a bang!! Even an ant can try to tear off a piece of your hide before it dies!!
Countless thoughts flashed through his mind in an instant. Suddenly, a fierce light blazed in Lin Feng's eyes. A wild, almost manic grin spread across his face as his hands shot up, weaving a dazzlingly complex series of hand seals before him.
"Huummm..." Instantly, a violent surge of true essence erupted from Lin Feng's body!
"Self-detonating your Golden Core?" Opposite him, the white-robed elder's eyebrow arched slightly in faint surprise, but nothing more. A trace of contempt curled his lips as he casually lifted his right hand and gave a dismissive flick…
It was a simple, effortless gesture. Barely any true essence fluctuation emanated from him. He showed no intention to dodge or defend. Yet, the space before him rippled, and a figure clad entirely in black robes materialized out of thin air…
Like drawing a magic treasure from a storage ring—this was… a Yin Corpse Sect Corpse Puppet!!
This puppet didn't radiate overwhelming power upon appearing. It didn't shriek like the one Wu Pang had unleashed. Yet, a palpable aura of deep-seated gloom emanated from it, weighing down the surrounding space like lead. The instant it appeared, it pushed off with its foot, charging towards Lin Feng like a silent, deadly beast!
"AHHHH!!!"
Lin Feng's pupils shrank to pinpricks, his eyes burning with raw madness. Completing the final seal, he roared, his entire body erupting in a blinding kaleidoscope of light. An egg-sized, multicolored 'orb' shot from his mouth!!
This was… his Rainbow Golden Core!!
The moment the core flew free, its brilliance intensified tenfold. An aura of pure annihilation radiated outwards, warping the very space around it…
"A Golden Core? Rainbow?!" The white-robed elder's gaze snapped into sharp focus, genuine astonishment flashing in his eyes.
"EXPLODE!!" Lin Feng's furious bellow tore through the air at that precise moment!
"BOOOOOOM!!!"
Everything happened in a split second. As the Corpse Puppet closed the final distance to Lin Feng, the Rainbow Golden Core shot directly into its path. Blinding, multicolored light detonated, engulfing the puppet completely in its cataclysmic embrace…
This was no ordinary Golden Core self-detonation. Lin Feng was using the forbidden technique he had acquired from the old monster on Coral Island—"Core Detonation Art"!
This art allowed the user to detonate their Golden Core externally, preserving their own life temporarily. Its unique method promised the possibility of reforming the core and restoring one's cultivation later.
When Lin Feng first obtained it, he'd prayed he would never need such a desperate measure. He never imagined facing this scenario so soon.
"Pfft!!" The instant the core exploded, Lin Feng sprayed a fountain of blood, drenching the front of his robes. He ignored it completely. Pushing off with his foot, he used the explosion's shockwave to propel himself downwards towards the sea. His desperate plan: use the momentary chaos to dive into the ocean and escape using "Water Concealment Art".
He knew the odds of success were vanishingly slim, but it was his last shred of hope…
Tragically, he never reached the water. Despair washed over him anew as the inevitable unfolded…
"SHWIIISH!!" A piercing sound of tearing air came from above. Lin Feng looked up, horrified, to see a figure bursting straight through the still-expanding ball of rainbow light. In the blink of an eye, it was upon him!!
"KEW!!"
Lin Feng couldn't react—was physically incapable of reacting. But a shrill cry erupted from his chest as Xiaoqiu shot out like a bullet, frantically hurling a single Top-Grade Spirit Stone!
"Whoosh… BOOM!!"
The spirit stone shot towards the charging Corpse Puppet and exploded violently right before its face. Yet, at that instant, the puppet simply raised its right hand, fingers spread wide—and clawed downward!
The blinding white light of the explosion and the energy potent enough to obliterate a Level 3 demon beast were torn apart by that single, effortless swipe!
Lin Feng saw only a blur. An icy, deathly chill enveloped him. The black-robed puppet slammed into him, pressing against him, pinning him in place.
"THUD!"
A sickening, wet sound echoed. Blood sprayed. A blood-drenched hand punched clean through Lin Feng's chest, its fingers bursting out from his back...