The gray shadow—nine parts ethereal and one part tangible—had been concealed within the scattered light fragments before Lin Feng. It lunged at him with impossible speed, leaving no time for defense or evasion. He could only watch, paralyzed, as the phantom condensed into a hair-thin strand the instant it touched his forehead… and stabbed into his brow!
This was no physical assault. The shadow had invaded his very being.
"Ughh!!"
Lin Feng's eyes bulged grotesquely, his face contorting like melted wax. A choked grunt escaped his throat. His body locked rigidly before toppling backward like a felled tree, limbs jerking in violent spasms as if electrocuted. A sickening, unstable energy pulsed from his core…
Within Lin Feng's Mind Sea—the realm of consciousness and soul.
For mortals, the Mind Sea resided within the physical brain—the command center of the body. For cultivators, it expanded and evolved with each breakthrough in cultivation. At the Divine Transformation stage, a second Mind Sea could coalesce around the Nascent Soul, allowing the spirit to survive even the body's destruction. With specialized techniques, one could cultivate further as a Soul Practitioner or Ghost Cultivator, unshackled from flesh.
Whoever controlled this inner sanctum ruled the vessel.
Now, an invader raged within Lin Feng's sanctuary: The lingering soul-fragment of Feng Liefeng!
Feng Liefeng's physical body lay dead, drained by the Blood Demon Blade. Yet, in the final sliver of time, his soul had torn free and launched itself into Lin Feng's body. Its purpose was undeniable:
Seize the Mind Sea. Claim the body. Perform Soul Theft—Body Snatching!
"You insignificant worm! Did you truly believe you could kill ME?!"
Feng Liefeng's psychic shriek ripped through the luminous void. A corrosive black gale, like sentient decay, swirled outward, devouring the pristine white mist of Lin Feng's consciousness.
"This flesh… IS MINE! PERISH!!"
"AAAAGH—!!"
Lin Feng's physical form screamed in perfect, agonized unison, thrashing wildly on the cold stone floor.
"What?! Impossible!"
Nearby, Gu Lengyue's flicker of triumph vanished. Dread, raw and absolute, washed over his weathered face.
"He's attempting Soul Theft! Body Snatching!!"
His centuries-honed perception instantly grasped Lin Feng's dire predicament. Panic morphed into ruthless resolve. A flicker of pale blue light ignited in his right palm. Agony twisted his features as he forcibly channeled energy, deepening the cracks in his already failing body. Yet, his eyes held only cold finality. To stop Feng Liefeng… he would shatter Lin Feng's vessel.
"SCREEECH!!"
A sound like tearing metal erupted from Lin Feng's robes. Xiaoqiu—eyes burning with feral fury—exploded into view. Clutched in its tiny claws was another pulsing spirit stone grenade. Without hesitation, it hurled the volatile sphere straight at Gu Lengyue!
Stunned from the earlier crash, Xiaoqiu had finally roused itself—only to find Lin Feng convulsing in torment. Sensing Gu Lengyue's murderous intent radiating like poison, the creature acted on pure instinct. Protect Lin Feng!
"What?! A beast?!"
Gu Lengyue recoiled, shocked by the sudden attack. The grenade's unstable energy signature screamed lethal threat to his critically weakened state. Survival instinct overrode conscious thought—he flung the gathered azure energy in his palm toward the incoming projectile.
"KRA-KOOOM!!"
The detonation was deafening. Shockwaves rippled through the shattered hall, shaking loose stones from the crumbling walls. Defenseless, Gu Lengyue was hurled backward like a ragdoll. He smashed against the far wall, the impact forcing a gout of thick, dark blood from his lips, splattering his face and chest.
"GYAAAHH!!"
Lin Feng's fresh, strangled cry ripped through the settling dust, freezing both Gu Lengyue and Xiaoqiu.
"Insolent vermin!!"
Gu Lengyue spat blood, his eyes blazing with desperation and fury. His teeth ground together with audible force—nearly shattering from the strain. A storm of conflicting emotions raged within him—duty, survival, ruthlessness. Then, grim acceptance settled. His remaining true essence surged violently, swirling in a chaotic, self-destructive spiral within his core…
And his body locked. Utterly still.
Like a puppet with severed strings, every muscle froze. More terrifyingly, his life force snuffed out like a candle.
At the precise moment his physical death was confirmed, a dazzling azure form—Gu Lengyue's soul, shimmering and translucent—burst forth from the crown of his head. It arrowed towards Lin Feng with the speed of thought.
"SKREEE! SKREE!!"
Xiaoqiu shrieked in terror, flinging another grenade with desperate strength. Horror seized the little creature as the explosive passed clean through the streaking blue spirit like smoke. In less than a heartbeat, Gu Lengyue's soul slammed into Lin Feng's prone form… and vanished inside!
"BOOOM!!"
The grenade detonated harmlessly across the chamber. Simultaneously, Lin Feng's body arched off the ground in a violent, bone-jarring spasm.
"Chiiirp! SKREE-CHIRRP!!"
Xiaoqiu circled Lin Feng frantically, tiny claws scrabbling uselessly at his robes, pulling its ears in distress. Utterly helpless against the battle raging within.
Inside Lin Feng's Mind Sea:
The tranquil ocean of luminous white mist—the very essence of Lin Feng's consciousness—was now a maelstrom. First corrupted by the invading black tempest of Feng Liefeng's malice, it was now further violated by the blazing azure comet that was Gu Lengyue's spirit.
The blue comet didn't hesitate. It collided headlong with the spreading black tempest. Instantly, they locked in a savage, soundless duel—two predators tearing, biting, and devouring each other's spectral substance in a primal struggle for dominance.
Gu Lengyue's soul versus Feng Liefeng's fragment. Unable to destroy Lin Feng's body to stop the theft, Gu Lengyue had chosen the ultimate sacrifice and the ultimate gamble: Confront the enemy within the host's Mind Sea.
Two Void Tempering titans, both clinging to existence by a thread, both fueled by millennia of hatred and the desperation of impending oblivion, waged war with ferocious abandon. And caught between them, the true master of this crumbling realm—Lin Feng? His own struggle was far more fundamental: a fight for the very core of his identity.
Though his physical shell twitched and screamed, his awareness here was painfully, excruciatingly lucid. He had understood Feng Liefeng's vile intent the instant the cold shadow pierced his brow. Yet, as a cultivator below the Nascent Soul stage, his soul remained formless mist. Resisting the invaders felt like trying to halt collapsing mountains with bare hands—futile, overwhelming.
When the azure comet—Gu Lengyue—streaked into his mental space, a flicker of desperate hope ignited within Lin Feng. An ally? That hope was brutally crushed moments later, plunging him into abyssal despair.
Gu Lengyue was attacking Feng Liefeng... but not to save Lin Feng. As the two ancient souls clashed, shredding each other with spectral claws, both simultaneously, aggressively tore at the surrounding white mist—Lin Feng's soul essence—trying to claim it as their own!
Body Snatching. To ageless entities like Gu Lengyue, a mere Golden Core junior was less than chattel—a convenient vessel. Survival, the resurrection of his sect, justified any atrocity. Even consuming the soul of a potential descendant.
Lin Feng's consciousness recoiled. Not in fear now, but in white-hot, soul-scorching rage.
You ancient relics! Your feud spans epochs! By what monstrous right do you drag MY existence into your tomb?! By what arrogance do you treat my life, my soul, as disposable fuel?!
Even if oblivion awaits… I WILL DRAG YOU BOTH DOWN WITH ME!
Unnoticed by the three souls locked in their apocalyptic struggle within…
Beside Feng Liefeng's desiccated husk…
The Blood Demon Blade, still embedded in the corpse's chest…
…suddenly pulsed with a deep, malevolent crimson light.