The black beam was a full ten metres in diameter. Wherever it passed, space was distorted into bizarre vortexes. The soul power in the air was instantly devoured and corroded. Even the sunlight was blocked by this eerie force. In an instant, the center of the Void Desert was plunged into absolute darkness. Only the faint light of the golden array and the chilling gloom of the black beam remained, forming an extreme, stark contrast.
"Not good! Block it with everything we have!" Lin Mo roared. The pale-blue soul wings on his back suddenly expanded several times their size. Dragon scales flashed with a cold gleam in the faint light. The Abyssal Dragon Emperor bloodline within him boiled over completely, and his ninth soul ring erupted with unprecedented brilliance. Intermingled within that light was a faint golden halo—the power of the Heart of the Angel fragments left behind by Qian Renxue. Over the past ten years, Lin Mo had kept these fragments nurtured within his body, using his Dragon Power to warm them day and night. Now, in this moment of life-and-death crisis, the sacred power of the fragments had completely fused with his Dragon Power, forming a composite strength far greater than what he possessed ten years ago.
"Abyssal Dragon Emperor: Dragon Domain Seals the Heavens!" Lin Mo formed hand seals, his roar echoing across the desert. His pale-blue Dragon Power surged from his body, transforming into a vast Dragon Domain that blanketed the sky above the golden array. Within the domain, countless dragon phantoms circled and roared. Each phantom contained pure Dragon Power and sacred power as they charged at the black beam.
At the same time, Zhao Feng tightly gripped his battle axe. The golden runes on the axe flared to life completely. His Power of Faith burned like a raging fire, and his physical body expanded once more, transforming into a giant several metres tall. The light of his ninth soul ring resonated with Lin Mo's, forming a dazzling arc of light.
"Sacred Battle Axe: Ten-Thousand Jun Destroy Evil!" Zhao Feng gripped the axe with both hands, raised it high above his head, and poured every ounce of his soul power, his Power of Faith, and even a sliver of his life force into the weapon. As the axe came down, a colossal golden axe aura tore through the darkness. Carrying world-destroying might, it coordinated with Lin Mo's Dragon Domain—one attacking, one defending—as it slammed fiercely into the black beam.
Boom—!
A heaven-shaking, earth-shattering roar echoed across the world. The black beam collided with the golden axe aura and the Dragon Domain. The resulting shockwave instantly swept across the entire Void Desert. The yellow sand was blown ten thousand feet into the air, forming a massive sand wall. The surrounding Soul Masters were forced back by the impact. Many of the weaker ones coughed up blood, yet they held their ground tenaciously without retreating a single step.
"Don't stop! Keep pouring your soul power into the array!" a white-haired Title Douluo shouted. He was the patriarch of one of the Upper Three Sects, possessing peak Title Douluo cultivation. At this moment, all his soul rings lit up as he activated his Martial Soul True Body. A massive Azure Garuda phantom rushed out from him. Its wings spread wide, radiating dense sacred power as it injected a steady stream of soul power into the golden array.
Following his lead, the other Title Douluo also activated their Martial Soul True Bodies. Some turned into giant bears, some into phoenixes, and some into thunder dragons. A myriad of powerful Martial Soul phantoms blanketed the sky above the Void Desert. They echoed Lin Mo's Dragon Domain and Zhao Feng's axe power, forming an indestructible defensive barrier while continuously pouring soul power into the golden array, attempting to repair the massive fissure.
However, the power of the Void Origins was far more bizarre and formidable than they had imagined. The moment the black beam was blocked, it suddenly split into countless thin black threads. Like venomous snakes, they slithered around the defensive barrier and shot toward the surrounding Soul Masters. These threads contained the absolute extreme of Void power. The moment they touched a Soul Master's body, they would instantly erode their soul power, corrode their meridians, and even devour their souls.
"Watch out!" Lin Mo sensed the anomaly and hurriedly mobilized his Dragon Domain to intercept the threads. But they were too fast and too numerous; gaps inevitably appeared in the domain's defenses.
A young Soul Emperor didn't have time to dodge. A black thread struck his shoulder. Instantly, his shoulder began to blacken and rot. The Void power rapidly spread down his meridians. He let out a shrill scream as his body started to turn transparent, on the verge of being completely devoured.
"No!" Seeing this, a nearby Soul Douluo rushed over without hesitation. He channeled all his soul power into the young man's body, trying to suppress the Void power. But the Void energy was too insidious. Not only was it not suppressed, but it backlashed along the soul power, infecting the Soul Douluo. In just a few breaths, the Soul Douluo's arm also began to blacken, and his aura grew desperately weak.
"Damn it! This Void power is too bizarre!" Zhao Feng roared. He swung his battle axe again, sending countless golden axe auras slashing at the black threads. Each axe aura could sever several threads, but they were endless. As soon as one batch was destroyed, another would split from the main beam, continuously assailing the Soul Masters.
Lin Mo also realized the crisis. He knew that if this continued, more Soul Masters would die. He had to find a way to completely suppress the Void Origin's eruption, rather than just defending passively.
"Zhao Feng! You lead everyone in continuing to reinforce the seal and block the black threads! I'm going to destroy the core of the eruption!" Lin Mo shouted. His Dragon Power surged wildly once more as the phantom of the Abyssal Dragon Emperor condensed again. This time, it was even larger and more majestic than before, and the golden halo on its scales was even denser. It was clear Lin Mo was going all out. He leaped into the air, turning into a streak of pale-blue light. He pierced through the defensive barrier and charged straight toward the massive crack in the golden array—that was the exact core of the Void Origin's eruption.
"Lin Mo, be careful!" Zhao Feng yelled, worry flashing in his eyes. But he also knew Lin Mo's decision was correct. Only by destroying the core of the eruption could they completely stop this crisis. He tightened his grip on his axe, once again ignited his Power of Faith, and launched a fierce offensive against the black threads. At the same time, he roared, "All Soul Masters, hear me! Defend the array with everything you have! Buy Lord Lin Mo some time! Even if it costs us our lives, we cannot let the Void Origins break the seal!"
Hearing Zhao Feng's cry, the Soul Masters present all flashed resolute looks in their eyes. They mobilized the final reserves of their soul power. Some unleashed defensive skills to protect their comrades; some unleashed attack skills to slaughter the black threads; and others continuously poured their soul power into the golden array to repair its cracks. For a time, the center of the Void Desert became a chaotic blend of golden light and black gloom. Roars, booms, and screams echoed without end. The battle had entered its most brutal phase.
The pale-blue streak of light that was Lin Mo swiftly arrived right before the massive crack in the golden array.
------------------------------------------------------
30+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)