C2302 The Outcome Was Set
In the Origin Realm's Cold Domain, the purple sea brimming with demonic energy occasionally emitted brilliant sword lights, piercing the gloom of the overcast sky.
The roar of the diminutive spinosaurus had long since ceased. Lin Daoke watched with clarity as the vicious creature, lurking beneath the sea, dragged the spinosaurus into the depths, yet its true form remained concealed from his sight.
Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!
Countless resplendent sword lights encircled Lin Daoke, cleaving through the demonic energy and shredding Zhiya's delicate purple feathers, which cascaded down like a luminous rain. Once the feathers disintegrated, they rejoined the purple sea, replenishing its power.
"You will never be able to seriously wound me here," Zhiya declared, her expression icy. With a slight furrow of her brows, new feathers sprouted forth.
These fresh feathers shimmered with a jade-like sheen, transforming at her whim—now soft as cotton, now as unyielding as divine metal. At times, Zhiya would morph into an elegant purple phoenix, at others, she would reveal herself in human form. The power she wielded within this purple sea was consistently magnified.
The purple sea absorbed the exotic abilities of the cosmos, converting them into her own demonic energy, endowing her with seemingly inexhaustible strength.
Unfazed by her biting remarks, Lin Daoke launched another sword strike. A radiant river of sword light carved a vast chasm through the churning purple sea of demonic energy, surging towards Zhiya's human silhouette.
Within this river of sword light dwelled the essence of countless sword techniques, as if a host of Great Sword Immortals had each brandished their mightiest blades.
"Obsolete," Zhiya, a vision of beauty, retorted as enigmatic demonic patterns emerged on her back, forming an abyssal sanctuary.
Within this sanctuary, lightning crackled and thunder boomed, while Beast Gods of unknown origins bellowed their fury. Zhiya's summoned realm engulfed the luminous sword river, and the assembled Beast Gods unleashed their collective might, shattering the embedded sword truths.
Numerous Tenth Level Beast Gods materialized within the shadowy sanctuary, numbering over a hundred. Having succeeded Yuen Bu as the head of the Beast Temple, Zhiya appeared to have momentarily resurrected these Beast Gods in the purple sea's depths, using the arcane secrets of their blood essence to construct this sanctuary.
With a whoosh, the profound sanctuary bore down on Lin Daoke from within the purple sea.
Lin Daoke's expression was stoic as he charged into the deep cavern, his sword ablaze with blinding light, slaying the Beast Gods within.
The Sword Sect Lord delved deeper, becoming increasingly engulfed by the cavern's depths.
After Lin Daoke had vanquished all the Beast Gods and rent the cavern asunder with the force of his sword, he was astonished to discover he had emerged from a deep portal.
The purple sea was nowhere to be seen.
Before him lay the Tia Main Planet, the vast expanse, and the thirty-six swirling energy vortexes.
Incredibly, he had traversed from the Cold Domain to the Gray Domain via a portal created by the Demon Phoenix Zhiya, all while hunting Beast Gods!
He had burst forth from one of the portals within the Heaven Opening Flare Star in the Gray Domain.
"Sect Master!"
"The Sect Master has returned!"
"Mr. Lin!"
Lin Daoke's emergence at the Heaven Opening Flare Star drew the gaze of many.
At the Vast Ocean Sword Sect, the Heavenly Water Sword wielder Yue Mu, the Shattering Sword Van Heqing, and other elders like Su Qingmo buzzed with excitement at his sudden appearance.
The Great Sword Immortal of the Sword Sect soared from the Vast Ocean, heading straight for the Heaven Opening Flare Star's location.
At the Silver Moon Sect.
"Lin Daoke!"
Tan Junshan, who had recently ascended to the Supreme Realm through mastery of the Moon's laws, sprang to his feet upon sighting the Sword Sect Lord.
A crescent moon materialized beneath his feet, and he prepared to surge skyward.
The luminous crescent was so striking that it sent ripples of awe through the cultivators of the Silver Moon Sect.
"Don't rush to your demise!"
The former sect master, Duan Yisheng, paled with alarm, instantly realizing the implications of Lin Daoke's appearance.
He rushed to intercept Tan Junshan, exclaiming, "Even if you seek vengeance for Lee Sha, wait until you've reached the Eleventh Level Supreme Realm. Don't act rashly now!"
"Tan Junshan, you stand no chance of victory."
Zu Ann's voice echoed through the Silver Moon Sect's skies, "I won't sugarcoat it—Sect Master Lin, now at his peak, could slay you with ease, far more effortlessly than when he faced Lee Sha."
"After all, Lee Sha and Sect Master Lin were once equals in the Supreme Realm."
Sect Master Lin is likely at the eleventh level of supremacy. Even though I can't see through it, I sense it to be true. Tan Junshan, you've only just achieved the Primordial Spirit! You and Jun Chen dare to cause trouble at this time, but you're no match for a single sword strike from Sect Master Lin."
Zu Ann stated this harsh reality.
After hearing this, Tan Junshan slowly descended from the crescent moon and took a seat on the ground.
...
"Lin!"
Upon learning of Lin Daoke's appearance, Han Miaoyuan, who was in the Creation Starfield, returned using a spatial array.
Overjoyed, Han Miaoyuan approached Lin Daoke, circling him several times before bursting into laughter, "You've finally decided to come home!"
Lin Daoke frowned and shook his head: "I have no home."
"You do! The Tia Main Planet, the vast expanse, the Gray Domain, including the Creation Starfield—they're all your home!"
"Look at them..."
Han Miaoyuan extended his hand, pointing to the Sword Immortal elders from the Sword Sect emerging from the vast expanse.
"They are all from the Sword Sect, and they are our Protoss kin, all eagerly awaiting your return! We are the Protoss, the origin of our blood and spirit. Why would you insist on siding with a rebel like Yu Yuan?"
Han Miaoyuan spoke with heartfelt sorrow.
Lin Daoke remained silent.
As he watched the Sword Sect elders—Yue Mu, Van Heqing, Su Qingmo, and Yuan Di—each brimming with talent, Lin Daoke's heart was as still as an ancient well.
"You will always be one of us, the mightiest blade of the Protoss! Lin, you must trust me, as well as the members of the Sword Sect. We mean you no harm."
"Lin, you are the strongest among the Protoss, handpicked and meticulously nurtured by me. You can't let me down!"
"Lin..."
Han Miaoyuan continued his earnest entreaty.
Lin Daoke's expression remained unchanged, his mind preoccupied with other thoughts, pondering why the spinosaurus, after being dragged into the depths of the purple sea by the vicious creature, was then lured out by the Demon Phoenix's schemes.
He and the spinosaurus had both entered the purple sea, yet they faced different foes.
His adversary was the Demon Phoenix, Zhiya. Shortly after the spinosaurus ventured into the purple sea, it caught the attention of the lurking vicious creature, sparking a fierce confrontation.
As the spiritual consciousness of the Origin Blood left the spinosaurus and soared out of the purple sea, Lin Daoke sensed that the creature was in dire straits. Zhiya, in her haste to conclude their confrontation, ceased her combat mindset as the spinosaurus was pulled into the depths below.
Unyielding, Zhiya conjured a sanctuary propelled by numerous Beast Gods. After he shattered his way through, Lin Daoke found himself here. It seemed Zhiya had orchestrated his arrival to allow Han Miaoyuan and the powers of the Gray Domain to thwart him.
What was Zhiya's true intention? Lin Daoke pondered deeply, his eyes suddenly brightening with realization. Zhiya intended to let the vicious creature devour the spinosaurus, requiring time to assimilate the creature's bloodline and the profound essence of life imprinted by the Origin Blood. She was gearing up for her next power boost, hence her reluctance to prolong their entanglement.
"I must return to the Cold Domain to battle the Demon Phoenix once more," Lin Daoke declared.
"Forget about her! Little Lin, what I need now is your commitment," Han Miaoyuan implored, gripping his arm and gesturing towards Yue Mu, Van Heqing, and the numerous Sword Sect elders who had gathered. "They're all awaiting your return. You've ascended to the status of Sword Dao deity; you can't forsake them."
"Sect Master, we're all here for you," Yue Mu, Van Heqing, Su Qingmo, and the Great Sword Immortal echoed, reinforcing Han Miaoyuan's plea.
Lin Daoke was momentarily taken aback, not because he wished to rejoin the ranks of the Origin Soul like Han Miaoyuan, but because he was uncertain of the swiftest route to the Cold Domain. Unlike Yu Yuan or the Demon Phoenix, he had little expertise in the art of spatial travel. Entangled by Han Miaoyuan, he felt at a loss for where to even begin his departure.
It dawned on him then that the Demon Phoenix had deliberately enticed him deeper into the Gray Domain, making it exceedingly difficult for him to extricate himself. Even if he managed to escape the Gray Domain, he lacked the power to swiftly make his way back to the Cold Domain on his own.
