Chapter One Hundred Thirty-One: A Temporary Conclusion

"I never expected to see an old acquaintance again."

The Spirit of the Spear of Judgment cast a lofty, indifferent glance at Wang Lun before looking away, clearly deeming the latter unworthy of his attention.

"You struck me down all those years ago without a shred of reason, but you never imagined I would survive, did you? From that moment on, I swore an oath to reclaim the honor that is rightfully mine." Wang Lun’s voice was sharp with malice, and a murderous aura surged between his brows.

"If such a day truly comes, I can wait for you. But was it really without reason back then?" The Spear of Judgment murmured to himself, a flicker of something strange passing through his eyes.

"Judgment, to think you have remained intact from the ancient times until now." The Imperial Concubine narrowed her eyes, a look of solemnity crossing her face. She waved her hand, tearing through the firmament to reveal another figure sitting cross-legged in the void.

It was a Buddha, yet he was withered and ancient, his face etched with deep wrinkles and emanating an aura of decay.

"Blue Lotus greets the Imperial Concubine."

The Buddha spoke, his voice stuttering as if he had not uttered a word in eons. Yet, Lin Fan immediately recognized him as the mysterious figure he had encountered in the lower level of the abyss.

"You are alive, too." The Imperial Concubine clearly knew the Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus; otherwise, she would not have been so wary.

"We are not the only ones who have survived; there are many others." The Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus shook his head and opened his clouded eyes, which suddenly erupted with a brilliant, blinding light.

"What do you know?" The Imperial Concubine frowned, black demonic sigils flickering across her skin, adding an eerie air to her presence.

"It cannot be spoken, it must not be spoken, and it certainly cannot be spoken to you." The Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus narrowed his eyes, returning to his clouded state. Yet, no one dared underestimate him, for he was a true Ancestral Realm powerhouse, possessing the might to shatter the heavens and destroy the earth.

"I am the Imperial Concubine; is there really anything that cannot be told to me?" The Imperial Concubine spoke coldly, the demonic sigils on her body deepening into a terrifying hue.

"Are you truly?" The Spear of Judgment suddenly interjected. Devoted to justice and the executor of all heavenly tribulations, he was a quasi-sacred artifact in his own right, wielding the combat strength of a pinnacle Ancestral Realm master. His mere fury caused the heavens to change color, the sun to lose its light, and the vast cosmos to tremble.

"What do you mean? Even your master would have to remain humble in my presence!" The Imperial Concubine’s eyes turned completely blood-red, and a towering demonic flame erupted. Though she wore a golden mask, it could not conceal her peerless killing intent.

"Yet, the root of all this is the Imperial Lord." The Spear of Judgment remained unmoved; his Dao heart was forged to such a degree of firmness that it could not be broken.

"Do you dare defy me now just because the Imperial Lord is absent?!" A cold voice echoed as the Imperial Concubine flew into a rage. Petals of blood-red rained down, as if intending to slaughter every living soul in existence.

"But you are not the Imperial Concubine—or rather, the Imperial Concubine is not who you are now. The Imperial Lord made a miscalculation back then." The Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus chanted a Buddhist incantation. A brilliant, overwhelming light flooded the sky, manifesting a massive Buddhist Kingdom where a formidable figure could be seen meditating.

"Audacious!" The Imperial Concubine’s murderous intent surged as she struck, but this time, there was no mark of the Imperial Lord; it was entirely her own power.

A crimson phoenix soared into the sky, its plumage vibrant and magnificent. The temperature of Mount Wangwu rose instantly, for this was a phoenix—a divine beast of the fire element possessing supreme power. Yet, this fire phoenix appeared strange, its red feathers streaked with patches of black.

"It is you who are audacious!" The Spear of Judgment snorted, launching a powerful counterattack. With a single punch, the cosmos manifested; a boundless beam of spear light spanned the void, descending like a strike from the ancient firmament, sweeping across all adversaries in the myriad worlds.

"You, leave this place now." The Spear of Judgment extended his other hand, shattering the firmament and breaking the shackles of the Four Symbols Formation, intending to teleport Lin Fan to safety.

"Think again!" The Imperial Concubine let out a sharp cry. The void trembled as a beam of light, vast as the horizon, swept over and morphed into a giant hand, attempting to seize Lin Fan. "You took my possession; how could I ever let you leave?"

The Imperial Concubine’s voice was chilling. Her giant hand transformed the heavens and the earth, shifting the cosmos. The hand became a phoenix claw; it was rumored that the ancestors of the ancient Phoenix clan could tear the universe asunder with such a move—an invincible, peerless secret technique.

"Amitabha. Imperial Concubine, stay your hand." The Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus intervened. Flowers fell from the sky, and the void shattered with a roar as a withered palm descended, clashing directly with the phoenix claw.

The Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus was a true Ancestral Realm master, not a mere avatar like the mysterious figure. This strike contained the most terrifying of powers. At their level, they had long since abandoned flashy techniques, returning to the source; every strike, though seemingly plain, was devastatingly potent.

"Audacious!" The Imperial Concubine’s expression shifted, and she retracted her phoenix claw. She had not yet reached the Ancestral Realm and could not withstand the might of the Ancient Buddha.

"Go!" Lin Fan was blasted back, charging directly toward the gap in the Four Symbols Formation. His eyes flickered.

The Spear of Judgment sent everyone within the formation to safety before resealing it, ensuring no one could enter. He and the Ancient Buddha Blue Lotus intended to suppress the Imperial Concubine once more, forbidding her from ever emerging again.

"The matter of Mount Wangwu has come to an end, but I have gained a monumental fortune." Lin Fan appeared in the distant void, his eyes shimmering. He touched his chest, where the Human Emperor’s Sacred Statue vibrated, subtly tempering his physique. The change was not yet obvious, but it would be, once he encountered the next fragment.

"The affairs of the Ancient Buddha Domain should also conclude. Next, it is time to return to the Heaven Martial Domain." Lin Fan gazed toward the horizon, his eyes cold with burgeoning murderous intent.

"Duanmu Ci, you must be prepared by now. Wait for my return. I wonder how the Divine Court is faring? With the support of Senior Sister Yunxi and the major clans, it should be developing well enough, though perhaps not perfectly." Lin Fan pondered. Even though he was not currently at the Heaven Capital Sect, he could guess the situation: the Divine Court was likely being suppressed, but with the backing of certain individuals, it would hold its ground.

"I can indeed leave now, but there is one more thing to do. I haven't used the Great Devouring Technique in a long time." A hint of a smile tugged at the corner of Lin Fan’s lips. The Ancestral Artifact within him had not yet fully lost its effect, meaning he could still wield power at the Title level.

"The mysterious figure is but an avatar, yet it still possesses the strength of the Void-Breaking Realm. If I can capture it, I will no longer need to worry about the accumulation of energy in the Heaven-Human Realm. The only thing to focus on will be the Heaven-Human Tribulation." Lin Fan sneered, looking toward the distance—the direction of the ancient small city where he had seen the mysterious figure thrown by the Spear of Judgment.