Chapter 1720: Fulfillment of a Long-Held Wish

I could tell from his eyes how resolute his will was. He would make this attempt no matter the cost, as no cultivator in this world doesn't yearn for true eternal life. In other words, as long as one can achieve true immortality of both body and soul, then the level of cultivation becomes meaningless to them."

"Old man, do not presume to monopolize the Corrupt Divine Vein. A divine artifact like this is far beyond the reach of someone at your level. You are too greedy; your ambition greatly exceeds your capacity. If I am not mistaken, you have endured this physical agony for over a hundred thousand years, yet you have only managed to transform half of your body into this state of decay. According to my speculation, this is still far from the most challenging first step of the entire assimilation process. Only when your skull is also completely consumed by this endless corrupting aura, and your soul essence can still maintain contact with your body under such conditions, will you have a chance to achieve true eternity. Regrettably, you will never have that opportunity."

As Goddess Yanxia spoke, she launched a direct attack on the half-skeletal elder, clearly aiming to interrupt his attempt to forcibly assimilate the Corrupt Divine Vein. Evidently, she succeeded, for although the sword did not gravely wound the elder, it plunged deep into his chest, tearing a grotesque gash in his flesh. For one seeking to achieve perfect, true eternity, such an imperfection in the process is absolutely unacceptable. An unhealable fissure had appeared on the elder's sternum, ripping open a flaw in his almost perfect assimilation process. This strike utterly enraged the elder. He roared furiously, his hundred thousand years of effort now utterly wasted. Subsequently, he firmly locked his aura onto Goddess Yanxia.

"You damned woman, I will tear you into ten thousand pieces; you will pay for ruining my plan."

The next instant, the elder's spirit almost entirely detached from his barely remaining physical body, using only his immensely powerful mental energy to soar out from the depths of the dark cave and lunged towards Goddess Yanxia. Xu Yang sneered and immediately gave chase. The moment the old man's spiritual aura moved, Xu Yang positioned himself in front of Goddess Yanxia, blocking him.

"You are not qualified to harm my people."

Xu Yang abruptly raised his right hand, and an incomparably powerful Tai Chi totem swiftly materialized. Yin and Yang rotated, endlessly cycling between creation and destruction. The instant his self-created Tai Chi Law appeared, the elder's soul froze in place. Was this not the true Dao fruit he had pursued for over a hundred thousand years? If his hundred-thousand-year quest for assimilation had been guided by Xu Yang's Dao of Tai Chi as its theoretical foundation, he would likely have already achieved true eternal pursuit. Alas, by the time he understood all of this, he no longer had any chance to pursue and attain true eternity.

"Young man, you've actually enabled me to further comprehend the secret of unlocking the great Dao of life and death. Is this truly destiny's decree? If a law like yours serves as the foundation, then the aura of decay would perfectly merge with endless vitality. As long as the meridian structure within the body is altered, creating a form based on this unique law, a perfect balance between the life force and the corrupting death energy within can be achieved. In this way, an unending supply of life force would be generated within one's body, which would never succumb to decay. Oh, heaven help me, I have truly realized my long-cherished dream; I have comprehended the world's sole enigma, yet I have no chance to fulfill this desire. Today, I will stake my old life to kill you three. This way, no one in this world can prevent me from achieving true eternity. Once I assimilate this spine, I will become the sole supreme deity in this world, controlling the destiny of all beings on the main continent."

Xu Yang burst into laughter.

"To be frank with you, I deliberately demonstrated this Tai Chi Law, which I created, to verify the one lingering doubt in my mind. In a way, I also used it to help you fulfill your ultimate obsession. However, you still seem to misunderstand another crucial point. To meet one's end just a single step before success, that is a person's greatest tragedy. And you, it seems, will be the most unfortunate cultivator in this entire world."

Xu Yang's words thoroughly enraged the elder and plunged him into boundless terror, for he truly did not wish to become the stepping stone closest to eternity.

"Heh, heh, who will truly be the most tragic person? This battle will provide the answer. And until you have definitively defeated me, you are not qualified to utter such words."

The elder unleashed an incredibly potent aura of decay. Simultaneously, behind him, an array formed from condensed corrupting energy began to coalesce, operating with remarkable regularity and rhythm. That was the most formidable sacred profound art of the Nether Imperial Lineage.

"Soon, the three of you will witness the most terrifying nightmare you've ever encountered. This is the forbidden sacred art of our Nether Imperial Lineage; once activated, all life force within the formation will inevitably decay and wither. I am eager to see what methods you three will employ to resist my power."

The moment he finished speaking, an unending torrent of corrupting aura converged with the power of the formation. It began to surge wildly towards the position where Xu Yang and the two others stood, until the complete Nether Totem had fully manifested. Above their heads, an incredibly dense, net-like purple structure emerged. It was precisely due to the confinement imposed by this net-like energy structure that the three completely lost their spatial awareness of their surroundings.

"Hahahaha, within my formation, you will progressively lose all your instincts as time passes, until you even forget the very instinct to resist and forever fall into slumber within it. This is the most potent application of the power of decay, and it represents the greatest might of our Nether Imperial Lineage. Throughout history, among the Six Human Spirit Lineages, our Nether Lineage has always been the least regarded, for we are the ones closest to death and decay. Ever since we established our Imperial Lineage, the world has regarded us as the most wicked cultivators. Therefore, through this battle, I intend to bring about true redemption for all the accusations borne by our Nether Imperial Lineage. For once I achieve true eternity, no one in this world will ever again look down upon our Nether Imperial Lineage. I will use my entire life to prove that true eternal vitality is born from the deepest essence of decay and death."

It must be said that when the old man uttered these words, Xu Yang instinctively regarded him with a newfound respect. At the very least, it proved that the old fellow was no longer acting solely for his personal desires.