Paragon of Sin

Lin Ming and Zuhei's spiritual pressure spiked into incredible levels, far beyond the standard of a Soul Idol in this era. Just their previous exchange had left the spectators breathless. Even the slowed down version of their fight was exceedingly difficult to follow, the projection screens continued to ripple with each and every blow.

"Astonishing!" Within the Myriad Monarch Sect's abode, Qin Rui exclaimed in slight disbelief. These two members of the younger generation were exhibiting a level of speed and strength that exceeded their cultivation levels. Each strike was incredibly vicious and lethal. Despite being a Grand Imperial Sage, a figure that stood at the top of the Tri-Vision Starfield, an expert at the Sixth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, she was still enthralled by this fight.

Yao Zhen's violet flames flickered wildly, "If I was at their level…"

"You wouldn't last three moves with either of them," Ji Changkong interrupted with a mocking scoff.

Yao Zhen snorted, "Neither would you."

He was the newest Grand Imperial Sage and also the youngest. However, he was an exceptional figure that could be confidently deemed a genius. Yet, before these two youngsters, be it their speed, strength, or Intent, he was considerably lacking. If he was merely comparing himself to Zuhei, he could accept this. After all, Zuhei's personal alchemist was the Prince of Everlore himself. A figure that had seemingly grasped the Myriad Monarch Sect within his palm in a few years.

With a specialized routine of cultivation and alchemical products, how could his foundation not be beyond his own at the same level? But where did this Lin Ming come from?

Witnessing the two Grand Imperial Sages insult each other, the elders remained quiet, but their thoughts weren't too far off. Who was this Lin Ming? Why haven't they heard of him? These questions echoed in the minds of everyone who watched.

The resulting spiritual momentum of these two continued to rise. To them, the only thing that mattered was the opponent before them. The discussions up above? Irrelevant. The questions of others? Irrelevant. Only this moment mattered.

Zuhei's battle will and intent to massacre the world itself emanated from his body, transforming into a tempestuous storm of scarlet and silver. Each beat of his heart induced growth in this storm until it became hundreds of meters tall. Just the presence of this storm caused the crystal walls to distort.

A faint cough could be heard and the crystal walls swiftly regained their stability amidst the intense force.

This violent storm coalesced behind him. It started to take shape. An imposingly domineering figure donned in silver and beneath it was a river of seemingly chaotic crimson. Soon, it was visible to all! A nine hundred meter-sized silver wolf. It seemed to embody a divine quality, a godly apex predator of the highest order!

Its silver hair glistened as if starlight had drenched them in their purest essence. Its scarlet eyes contained the reflection of violence in its truest form, and it walked upon a sanguine river that seemed to act as a royal carpet beneath its feet. From this river were endless howls, snarls, growls, and roars of the canine species. It embodied the savagery of all canine species beneath the heavens!

The Silver Wolf, Fenrir!

Encircling its divine image were nine thick white rings that exuded an unfathomably forceful spiritual strength. Just its presence alone would shatter the spirits of the weak, drag their purest sensation of fear and horror into the forefront of their minds! Its imposing aura was far too much, and the origin of that faint cough had become a tense and audible grunt.

A Nine-Ringed Soul Idol!

Lin Ming's grey eyes became a dazzling white that seemed to embody all colors, containing the origin of the world itself within. He was fearless before this manifestation! Despite its divine quality, its innate imposing nature that seemed to rule over its domain of blood and death, he was completely unafraid. That was because he too had a similar existence at his call!

Behind him, a figure manifested! The world was engulfed in a white mist that shrouded half the platform. This mist was ever-changing, everlasting, and all-encompassing. It seemingly contained worlds within. Soon, this mist gathered behind him to form a sphere!

This sphere was perfect. It seemed to embody the essence of balance, cohesive unity, and the forces of the world. There was no imposing aura emitted, but there was a tinge of gentleness from it.

Furthermore, this sphere was nine hundred meters! Its size rivaled Zuhei's Soul Idol, Fenrir, easily! The two behemoths fully formed! On one side, an apex predator of the highest level! The other, a sphere of the world!

CRASH!

Their auras instantly clashed! The sheer spiritual pressure produced from their collisions induced a crushingly violent sound followed by an explosive storm of silver, crimson, and white. The platform was first affected!

The platform itself started to deform and create wave-like ripples in its hard surface. Its shape and form continuously distorted in a violent manner, and the four diamond pillars started to creak incessantly!

"Wah?!" This hidden expert, this overseer with a cultivation base at the Fifth Stage of the Astral Core Realm, exclaimed in utter horror and surprise. The powerful, forceful collision of these two spiritual auras had started to affect the formations inlaid within the platform. Even his own control of it was loosening!

A wave of endless brown-colored astral force sought to reinforce the platform, but this hasty attempt offered no solution!

In the end…

CRACK! CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!

BOOOOSH!!!

Four simultaneous explosions erupted! The thunderous sound was followed by the inevitable and unfortunate deactivation of the crystal wall. When this line of defense was toppled, the spiritual pressure emitted by these two Nine-Ringed Soul Idols immediately descended onto the crowd of elites!

The sudden and abrupt event caused the expressions of all those watching to turn pale in horror! Those that could beat a hasty retreat! Those that couldn't were forced to watch as the tri-colored sea of spiritual strength was about to engulf them whole. With abject fear in their eyes and hearts, they could only await their fate!

"Haaaa…" A heavy sigh echoed in the ears of all those who were paralyzed in their fear. A white-colored ward of spiritual force enshrouded each and everyone of them, protecting them from the crushing spiritual strength.

These individuals were shocked as they seemed to have found an invincible barrier before them. The tsunami of spiritual strength could only be divided by the wards that protected them. A breath of new life was released by these individuals.

"Retreat!" A loud voice resounded through their ears. As if remembering their current situation, they took off in search of safety, trying to separate themselves from Zuhei and Lin Ming's clash. If this was merely a clash of their spiritual strength, what would happen when they truly attacked?! The very thought was absolutely terrifying!

Wei Wuyin and Su Mei floated in the thick of the spiritual strength, remaining largely unaffected.

"He has a Nine-Ringed Soul Idol!" Su Mei's heart was fiercely trembling due to this reveal. She knew the sheer amount of effort, resources, and talent that was required to create a Nine-Ringed Soul Idol. Zuhei had been fed eighth-grade alchemical products, products suitable for middle-phase experts at the Astral Core Realm, just to accomplish this! Furthermore, he refined them in continuous and in high quantities.

She was truly shocked that Lin Ming's spiritual strength wasn't any weaker than Zuhei's. In fact, it seemed to hold a faint advantage!

She turned to Wei Wuyin, who revealed a look of absolute calm. There was not a hint of shock on his unearthly handsome face.

How could there be any? Wei Wuyin knew Lin Ming was likely a Blessed, and this all but confirmed it. To achieve such an accomplishment in this era, one needed a stupendous amount of lucky chances and fortuitous encounters.

He was more shocked by Lin Ming's Soul Idol than his strength. A Soul Idol was a representation of one's Astral Soul. Zuhei had a Sirius Blood Soul. It was a manifestation of his innate bloodline and his foundation. As for Lin Ming's, it was an Elemental Origin Soul!

Furthermore…

It was refined using the foundation of Divine King Han Xei's Divine Element Formation Method! The very same method that he practiced! In a way, his own Astral Soul and Lin Ming's were formed the same way and cultivated to similar limits! In the future, his Soul Idol may very well be the same as Lin Ming's.

As he observed the process, his Celestial Eyes were intensely focused. He felt as if he gleaned something crucial from observing Lin Ming! The bottleneck of the Soul Idol…

As Wei Wuyin was lost in his profound thoughts, the battle between the two resumed!

Zuhei stood imposingly with his nine hundred meter Soul Idol arrogantly looking down on all creation. He felt the immense spiritual strength flood throughout his body, and the spirituality within his eyes blazed with a fierce radiance.

Lin Ming brandished his spear, seemingly having merged with the world in the most complete fashion. His aura might not seem imposing or domineering, but it contained an all-encompassing dominance that seemed to be a way of the natural order.

WOOSH!

WOOSH!

As if under some silent agreement, they both vanished as they raced towards each other! They were both fierce fighters who fought in close-range, so they would certainly engage in their greatest forte!

After several seconds, a delayed explosion erupted from their previous locations as the platform shattered entirely! Bits and pieces of stone-like material erupted in a storm of rubble and destruction! A series of thunderous sonic booms resounded, and the air was continuously pushed away. Even space showed faint signs of rippling!

While their figures were swifter than the eye could follow, their Soul Idols were large and noticeable! Fenrir and the White World violently crashed into each other dozens of times in a fierce and ferocious collision.

In moments, the stage was completely and utterly destroyed!

As for the two?

They were rising higher and higher! The platform was no longer their fighting stage, but the entire planet!!