Chapter 87: Conspiracy

"You let your guard down?"
The black figure slowly advanced, his voice hoarse and chilling to the bone.
"It wasn't that I let my guard down—I've never been wary of you, Prison Heaven."
Lin Fan turned around, his expression calm, betraying no hint of joy or sorrow.
"Oh? How did you know?"
The shadow revealed his face—it was indeed Prison Heaven! Lin Fan's guess had been spot on.
"I believed my disguise was flawless. I've never exposed a single clue, not a chance for my identity to be discovered."
Prison Heaven shook his head, still puzzled.
"Actually, I never suspected you in the beginning, because I thought, I'm just a lowly servant, with nothing worth anyone's attention. That very mindset blinded me to the true motives of those who approached me."
Lin Fan’s face remained impassive, yet in his eyes was an unmistakable disappointment.
"And how did you discover it later?"
Prison Heaven questioned him, confident, certain Lin Fan could not escape his grasp.
"It wasn't until I stepped into the Vein Condensation Realm that doubts began to arise. For the first time, the broken stone showed its own resonance, and that resonance didn't come from you. From there, I deduced you were likely two separate entities."
Lin Fan’s mind was as sharp as ever; he had suspected all along but never voiced it.
"Oh? The Imperial Saint Statue has awakened? Yet, as far as I know, it contains no divine presence."
Prison Heaven's face darkened, his expression growing grave. Clearly, he feared greatly the Imperial Saint Statue that Lin Fan mentioned.
"So the broken stone is called the Imperial Saint Statue."
It was Lin Fan's first time hearing its name, and his heart surged. Those four words carried a special resonance, stirring his entire being.
"Having realized this, I began to see purpose in all your previous actions. Entering Black Demon Heaven to obtain the Demon God Crystal was likely your first move. The second was transporting me to the Ancient Buddha Domain, although I still don't know what secret lies there. The third step must be now. You should tell me your purpose."
Lin Fan wiped the blood from his lips, composed and unflinching, showing no sign of his dire predicament.

"That's right. The Imperial Saint Statue is supreme. How could it contain a god? It is itself that man. This story goes back to ancient times."
Prison Heaven reminisced, his face full of nostalgia.
"I am of the Demon race. Once, I was a Demon Ancestor. At the end of ancient times, I was spared from the great war, so I survived—but who could have foreseen what followed?"
"A heavenly disaster, a flash of divine light struck me down, annihilating my soul and denying me reincarnation. Only later did I realize it was the legendary Imperial Saint Statue of your human race, the supreme holy artifact, destroyed for unknown reasons."
Prison Heaven’s hatred was boundless; he had escaped the vortex only to be dragged back, blood-stained in ancient times.
"Who would have thought I could awaken again? In my eyes, you were but an ant. At first, I planned to take your body, but then I discovered you had merged with the Imperial Saint Statue. So I delayed, seeking to unravel its secrets. My possession also required external power, so I waited until now to act."
Prison Heaven smiled triumphantly, disdain shining in his eyes.
"To ease your doubts, I deliberately fed you secrets about the Spirit Artifact Clan, and had you help rebuild my body. All lies—I am Demon!"
"The Ancient Buddha Domain holds a great secret. After I fell, my body was shattered; one arm landed here. Fate itself arranged it—I can sense its presence, hidden within Mount Wangwu. I can no longer remain dormant."
He laughed wildly, his aura surging, demonic energy billowing to cover the sky.
"Hand over your body. The secrets of the Imperial Saint Statue will belong to me."
Prison Heaven grinned, approaching slowly, his eyes brimming with murderous intent that swept across the heavens.
"So that's how it is. I finally understand everything. But do you truly believe you will succeed?"
Lin Fan nodded, unhurried, calculating within.
"I may be weaker than before, yet a mere Vein Condensation Realm cannot bar my way. If I want you dead, you will not survive."
Prison Heaven paused, confident in his strategy set long ago: first possess Lin Fan, then reclaim his arm, ascend to the Heavenly Human Realm, and finally, using the Imperial Saint Statue, break through shackles and return to the Ancestor Realm.
"One misstep leads to another. Had you remained steady, I might have spared you. When I stand invincible, you would have had your share of merit. Alas, you now walk a path of ruin; only death awaits."
Lin Fan shook his head and sighed, his gaze full of pity.
"Hmph, no need to stall. No one can save you."
Prison Heaven sneered, thrusting a massive hand to seize Lin Fan’s head.

"What is lost is forever lost. Even now, one cannot return to the past. How pitiful for a Demon Ancestor of your age."
Lin Fan spoke with feeling, unmoving and confident.
"Fall, then. You do not belong to this era."
At that moment, a voice rang out. The black spear spoke for the first time before Prison Heaven.
"What?! You’ve awakened?!"
Prison Heaven’s face changed dramatically, panic overtaking him as he watched a phantom slowly emerge from the spear.
It was an indescribable figure, embodying light and justice. His eyes were deep as the boundless universe, burying all darkness.
"Impossible! You’ve slept for ages. Are you not afraid of those people?"
Prison Heaven forced himself to remain calm. He knew all too well who stood before him—the legendary Supreme Killing God of ancient times. The Ancestor Realm was nothing, barely stronger than an ant.
"I am afraid. But suppressing you costs me little power. They will not sense it."
The Judgment Spear’s face was expressionless, imposing and mighty. Rays of divine light condensed into dazzling runes, crushing the nine heavens, invincible in their path.
A miserable scream rang out. Prison Heaven coughed blood, cracks appearing across his body, his bones fracturing with audible snaps.
At his level, he could already rebuild his body, but the new form lacked authenticity and potential, which was why he sought possession.
"So this is how it is. You are ruthless. I am Ancestor Realm—I cannot fall. Even if I vanish, it will only be temporary!"
Prison Heaven's face twisted, murderous intent boiling over.
"Is that truly so?"
Lin Fan sneered coldly, suddenly extending his hand. Runes descended from the heavens, converging into four words: The Great Devouring Art!