C1054 (2)

His "Rillrender" could slowly exert its power, weaving an impeccable sword net that methodically wore down his opponent until their mortal soul was utterly extinguished, leaving them in complete silence.

At this moment, Fernand was hopelessly entangled in the meticulously crafted sword net.

With each passing second, Fernand's wounds deepened.

He was bleeding profusely, his bones shattered, and his internal organs ruptured. The copious vital energy within him was being subtly permeated and eroded by the sword's will.

Several powerful cultivators from the Taintborn, Skyblight Cult, and Poison Cult were also present. Using a variety of dark arts and mystiques, they collaborated with Yue Mu, leaving Fernand disoriented and numb to the pain of his injuries, unable to focus or extricate himself from the sword net.

Zhan Ruonan and Sun Jun remained on the sidelines, choosing not to intervene.

Rosny and Fernand, the two Kings of Bandits, had the misfortune of encountering a Shadowkin warship. Despite facing an army with only one ninth-level bloodline and many eighth-level warriors, the two ninth-level Kings of Bandits did not find themselves at a disadvantage and thus engaged in battle.

The ninth-level Golden Rock Beast from Shadow's Keep had refined a group of meteorites steeped in the blood of Stoneborn warriors.

The archdemon, wandering near the Annihilation Nebula, sensed the conflict between the Shadowkin and the two Kings of Bandits and stealthily approached.

Seizing the moment when both sides were severely drained, it launched a ferocious assault.

The Shadowkin's ninth-level champion was caught off guard and killed instantly, and their distinctive Voidfarer was torn asunder by the Golden Rock Beast in its true form.

Rosny, grievously wounded, was now being besieged and, barring any unforeseen events, was on a path to certain death.

Given their knowledge of "Rillrender," it was unlikely that Fernand, once caught in Yue Mu's carefully woven sword net, would find an escape. His demise seemed inevitable.

"Hmm! Ashen Hollow!"

Sun Jun abruptly turned, his gaze landing on the towering landmass dragging golden chains behind it, his expression one of shock.

Zhan Ruonan gasped, quickly turning to witness the fleeting land.

"Wait, why have we come across Ashen Hollow?" She pondered, her mind clouded with confusion.

She was unaware that the Ashen Hollow had initially been confined to a tract of land by Bertha of the Moonlit Wanderers, immobilized for an extended period. Later, it was ensnared by a Starborn warship and dared not travel at its normal speed. Consequently, the Ashen Hollow's arrival in the Annihilation Nebula was significantly delayed.

Meanwhile, the meteor cluster, refined by a ninth-level Golden Rock Beast, moved swiftly along the periphery of the Annihilation Nebula.

Their speed and the Ashen Hollow's sluggishness led to their inevitable encounter.

"I hope Yu Yuan has already left," Zhan Ruonan began to fret for Yu Yuan, knowing all that had transpired in the Everlands and how he had always been favorable to the Ruby Hand.

She was also acutely aware that the cultivators and archdemons loyal to the five supreme forces would show no mercy to Yu Yuan upon meeting him.

"He and Peach Madam are both aboard the Ashen Hollow," Sun Jun, sensing her thoughts, spoke softly. "What do we do? If a conflict erupts, should we intervene?"

"Just watch," Zhan Ruonan murmured.

...

"Big brother!" Pattinson, standing at the forefront of the Ashen Hollow, had eyes brimming with tears and his frame shook violently.

Rosny, besieged by over a dozen Solar Spirit cultivators, had chunks of flesh torn from his body intermittently.

His clothes and armor were in tatters, exposing wounds deep enough to reveal bone, and his waist was riddled with thumb-sized bloody holes, continuously bleeding.

Each time Rosny attempted to flee, he would shudder violently as if a potent poison had taken hold.

The Solar Spirit cultivators, some indifferent, others smiling as they spoke, inflicted new wounds on Rosny leisurely, like a cat toying with a mouse, in no rush to end his life.

This, in itself, was a profound insult to Rosny.

With each labored step and searing breath, his organs screamed in pain. Rosny's vision was clouded, yet he could still hear Pattinson's cries and feel the vitality of his dear brother.

With a sudden jolt, he bit the tip of his tongue, disregarding the taste of blood in his mouth, and once more resorted to blood magic to send a message: "Get out of here! Don't come any closer! If possible, avenge me in the future! Don't throw your life away; I need you to survive! Live on!"

Blood-curdling screams tore from Pattinson's chest, reverberating with raw emotion. Clenching his fists until his knuckles turned white, Pattinson could see all too clearly that his brother's attackers were numerous human cultivators of the Solar Spirit, alongside a ninth-level Golden Rock Beast.

Yue Mu, wielding the Rillrender, crafted an intricate sword net that ensnared Fernand. Pattinson felt a surge of vitality within him, an urge to charge forward and slaughter every human cultivator besieging his brother, to reduce them to mere blood mist.

Yet, his rational mind held him back, understanding that he was likely no match for any of the Solar Spirits. To rush in would mean facing a fate even more dire than his brother's.

Rooted in a profound fear of both the Human Race and the archdemons, and heeding the stern rebukes of his brother, Pattinson took deep breaths to steady himself. He needed clarity to assess the situation and make the most rational decision. Unconsciously, he had bitten his lips to the point of tasting his own blood, as if this pain was the only way to maintain his clarity.

"You're useless, you old fool!" Elena cried out, her eyes fixed on Fernand with tears streaming down her face. She could see the bloodstains crisscrossing her father's body, but her legs refused to move. The eighth-level Shura warrior, released by Hu Caiyun and who had been fiercely loyal to Fernand all his life, pressed down on her shoulders with a desperate force, urging her to stay put. When she met his gaze with fury, the Shura warrior shook his head in sorrow, pleading, "Don't, don't throw your life away!"

With just one glance exchanged with Fernand, the eighth-level bloodline warrior understood the futility of their situation. Fernand's gaze conveyed his entire intent, and the warrior knew his role was to prevent Elena from making a fatal mistake.

"Hong, Hong..." Yue Mu, one of the revered Nine Grand Sword Immortals, narrowed his eyes and spotted Yu Yuan atop the Ashen Hollow. Comparing the figure before him with the portraits from the Everlands, he instantly recognized the newcomer.

With a heart weighed down by complex emotions, Yue Mu hesitated for a moment in his execution of Fernand, contemplating whether to feign ignorance of any past encounters with Yu Yuan.

Puchi! A rapier, thin as a cicada's wing, suddenly thrust into Rosny's chest, pinning the King of Bandits to the unforgiving earth. Bursts of blue lightning erupted from the blade, ravaging Rosny's flesh and infiltrating his mortal soul.

A man clad in the Thunder Sect's garb landed behind Rosny and crouched down, one hand gripping the sword hilt. He looked up at Pattinson with a smile and spoke in a gentle voice, "Would you like to come closer and witness how he meets his end?"

He gradually rotated the sword hilt.

Rosny lost all control. As the hilt turned, he emitted a soul-tearing, agonized howl.

…