A string of ancient, cryptic incantations suddenly spilled from Lin Tian's throat.Each syllable seemed to carry the primordial rhythm of the world's creation and the profound essence of the Great Dao, reverberating through the air.As the chant spread outward, the surrounding elemental spiritual energy grew ever more restless, while ripples of spatial fluctuation expanded in concentric waves like water rings.
Violet Lightning's pupils constricted sharply.It had never truly regarded Lin Tian as a threat—at best, a mere peak Body-Refining Bone-Tempering cultivator. Even if his strength had surpassed its realm, he was no more than on par with a mid-stage Qi-Forming expert—hardly worth fearing.The only reason it was willing to travel alongside him was because of that wisp of divine will from the Myriad Beasts Seal hidden in its sea of consciousness—a will that seemed oddly interested in the Spirit Martial Scripture within Lin Tian, enough to subtly manipulate Violet Lightning's decisions.
But now… the aura Lin Tian was releasing was no different from that of a Grandmaster!Yes—Grandmaster! His actual power had barely risen in the slightest, and yet this oppressive pressure was indistinguishable from the awe-inspiring might of the Grandmasters, the True-Origin experts, and the powerful beings of the Unity Realm that Violet Lightning remembered from ages past.
No wonder that Zhao Clan's innate-stage powerhouse had withdrawn so decisively after a single failed strike. This seemingly ordinary young man could actually project the aura of a Grandmaster!
What Violet Lightning didn't know was that this was not Lin Tian's own aura at all, but the Spirit Martial Scripture inadvertently leaking its pure spiritual essence outward, creating a "paper tiger" facade of intimidation.In truth, the Scripture's current strength was only at the early Innate stage, barely capable of withstanding a few strikes from peers.If it were at its prime, it would be an artifact on par with immortal-grade treasures, and the aura of its spirit alone would be enough to contend with a True Sovereign.Now, though only half of its artifact spirit—"Ling"—remained, weakened to a mere shadow of a soul, traces of that Grandmaster-level presence still lingered.
Being a creature of keen instinct, Violet Lightning was quick to sense advantage and danger. It realized that, while this aura might be nothing more than a bluff, it was enough to snuff out the fleeting, treacherous impulses it had been harboring toward Lin Tian.
The ground beneath Lin Tian suddenly fractured with a deafening crack. Stones floated up into the air, and his entire body was lifted from the earth. Torrents of water-element spiritual energy surged in all directions, doubling Violet Lightning's control over water power—so much that it was almost beyond control.Alarmed, it called desperately within its consciousness for aid. The ancient beast's divine will responded grudgingly, lending its strength to stabilize the flood of energy.
Lin Tian's expression twisted into a grimace. This was the decisive moment to seize the first of the Five Elemental Spirit Orbs—if he could not overcome this trial, the remaining orbs would be utterly out of reach.Even diminished to a mere one percent of its original might, this orb was enough to drive countless cultivators to madness with desire. Kuishui essence, soft crystal, spiritual treasures—such temptations left no room for retreat.
Earth-element energy suddenly condensed into a colossal hand, locking tightly around the Water Spirit Orb.From the riverbed, the orb resisted instinctively, manifesting the phantom of a Baxia—part fish, part turtle, part dragon. It roared, and a deluge erupted, striving to shatter its bonds.
In the next heartbeat, a golden light burst from between Lin Tian's brows—neither Buddhist nor Daoist, neither martial nor elemental, yet standing above them all.The Power of the Gods!A force long lost since the sealing war of ten thousand years ago, the ultimate power that belonged to humankind alone.
The golden light cleaved through, severing the ley lines and cutting off all connection between the Five-Element Trapping-Dragon Array and the Water Spirit Orb.The Baxia phantom gave a piercing, mournful cry before scattering into nothingness.
The riverbed's walls of water came crashing down. Violet Lightning's power collapsed entirely, its sea of consciousness battered like a tiny boat in a raging storm—barely kept afloat by the ancient beast's divine will.The torrent hurled it into a stone wall with bone-crushing force, leaving it in a wretched state.Just before fainting, it managed a final curse:"Brat… you've dragged me straight into the pit this time…"
"Get in!" Lin Tian roared, his sea of consciousness nearly tearing apart, blood seeping from his seven orifices.Together with the Spirit Martial Scripture, he forcibly drew the Water Spirit Orb into his sea of consciousness, then cast it into his newly born Minor World.
Within this realm, governed solely by Lin Tian and the Spirit Martial Scripture, the orb instantly shattered into the purest form of water-element spiritual energy.In an instant, floods materialized from nothing, surging across mountains, forests, and rivers like an apocalypse. All living things were swept away, their corpses floating before sinking into the abyss.
The Minor World—barely an hour old—was ravaged to utter desolation by the deluge.