Consuming Earths, Devouring Skies

Yan Zaizen’s paragon soul energy was like an endless stream that flowed towards Asenath. Her first response was instinctive. As an expert who claimed an entire Zone of the Heavenly Origin Grounds as her own, she had been through countless battles, had her share of insurmountable odds, and despite all that, claimed victory from the clutches of improbability.

Therefore, she was no greenhorn on the field of battle. She decisively severed her attack towards the All-Immortal Dragon, coughing violet blood as a consequence, and gripped her scepter viciously.

"Argh!!!" A painful, hellish howl screeched from her mouth while violet spittle flew wildly. The air trembled and the sound of ghosts, discarnate spirits, and stuff from nightmares appeared around her. The baleful astral stars seemed to dim at this moment.

"Die!" Her voice was a scream but perfectly understood. A killing intent suffused with devilish might raged in the surroundings. A few people connected to her formations were influenced, directly passing away in a dream-like state. Nearly ten percent of her own people had been directly put to death, a rebound of her actions, but the might of those deceased cultivators were still flowing into her scepter.

A gust of wind the size of a class four hurricane formed between Yan Zaizen and her, engulfing them before. Her actions were truly decisively as she was willing to sacrifice a portion of her subordinates to withdraw her power, letting them withstand the majority of the punishment, and then directly siphoning all their strength to herself to allow her state to increase.

Yan Zaizen saw all this, his eyes become colder than the frozen tundra. What he hated the most in this world was vile, vicious people who took others trust and contorted and twisted it. Those men and women trusted her with their lives, willing to fight a literal dragon of legend for her, but she killed them!

A familiar image superimposed on Asenath and his rage was fueled to newer heights. It was an old past, but a lively hatred.

CLENCH!

His hand tightened into a fist. The paragon soul energy seemed to become solid as it smashed forth to meet the vile wind.

Boom!

A clash ensued. This clash was brief as the paragon soul energy directly devoured the vile, baleful wind as if it was food. Yan Zaizen’s soul energy had long since changed with the mutations and growth of his Soul Bloodline. The inner workings of the black hole had long since surpassed their inactive, uncontrollable state.

Before, his soul could devour any soul attack directed at his soul like a droplet of water entering an ocean. Then, he could devour existences of physical, spiritual, and essence. He had directly absorbed the Non-Verse’s Law of Purity, enhancing the state of his physique, heavenly energy, and soul.

With each evolution of his soul, oftentimes accompanied by misfortune, his control of his Soul Bloodline increased. With his Dao and Soul as one, his control and power exceeded the normal parameters, producing even Dao Sense.

However, when Yan Zaizen was pressured by Asenath’s force to kneel, an attempt to break his dao, his Dao Soul acted with the characteristics of his Soul Bloodline and devoured that force instinctively. No longer was his Soul Devour Protection limited to his Soul but now his entirety.

However, he had never explored what other benefits his Dao had on his Soul Bloodline. The Dao Energy can infuse into all aspects of energy, soul, heavenly, internal, or even physique! This obviously now extended to his Soul Bloodline now!

When the clash happened, Asenath’s expression changed. Her energy, which was derived from essence, was directly devoured. Luckily, Yan Zaizen’s soul energy didn’t devour it endlessly as it seemed to have a limit per microsecond. As long as this limit was exceeded, the attack would clash which produced that explosive sound.

However, the soul energy continued to devour her attack to empower itself. While she chipped away at it, it absorbed and replenished itself to a stronger state than before. This caused her mind to stall temporarily.

"Was this an Original Law? No, that’s soul energy. Wait, is it soul energy? Why does it feel so abhorrent and aboriginal?!" Her mind was filled with questions but no time to answer.

She took her second swing of her scepter, sending another burst of original might towards Yan Zaizen’s rampant soul energy. Unfortunately, Yan Zaizen’s intention was to end this quickly.

He stepped forth, pressing forward. Even though Asenath was only a few hundred meters away from him, it was too far for him to instantly kill her with his attack. In fact, that was the closest he could get before hitting her heavenly aura. This aura prevented others from closing in without them noticing.

If not for that, Yan Zaizen would’ve appeared directly before her and struck out with his strongest blow.

He shrouded himself in paragon soul energy, manifesting itself as an aurora borealis, as he dived into her attack ruthlessly.

"What?! Suicidal!" Asenath shouted as she poured more power into her attacks.

While this exchange was happening, the attacks against the All-Immortal Dragon continued endlessly, but nothing came of it. She didn’t even react. In fact, she seemed to be occupied with other things.

Her mind’s eye was actually focused on Yan Zaizen this entire time. She watched him closely, saw him break the Dusk Zone limits, produce a unique soul energy, and fought ferociously to attack that little girl. Although no one could see it, unable to even catch a glimpse of her mouth or teeth, but if they did, they would notice that her mouth had an unusual curl to it.

She was smiling.

Yan Zaizen could feel her looking at him, but he ignored this feeling as he single-minded pursued Asenath. Diving into her attack shrouded by his paragon soul energy, he protected himself as he near instantly closed the gap.

However, during that near instantaneous action, his body and soul had been battered by the attacks continuously. Even though Yan Zaizen had the paragon soul energy, soul bloodline, and dao soul empowered shroud, Asenath was no weakling.

Her attacks exceeded the devouring limits of his paragon soul energy, clashing with it and even breaking his shroud and smashing against his body, inducing cracks and causing him to cough blood with each inch traveled. This was why Asenath believed his actions to be suicide.

However, Yan Zaizen didn’t just have this.

Ninth-Floor Heavenly Shrine, Rebirth Form!

Ninth-Floor Heavenly Shrine, Samsara Form!

His heavenly shrine converted into two astonishing forces of rebirth, rejuvenation, and growth. Whether it was his battered soul or body, his Heavenly Shrine was like Atlas to the heavenly world, holding it up against all odds!

Much like when Yan Zaizen fought Yri, Asenath’s attack struck his soul physically, inducing various forms of damage. This was the one weakness of his soul bloodline, soul energy attacks were easily devoured, but if it targeted or restricted his soul with physical means, it couldn’t do anything to it.

Luckily, with his Paragon Soul Realm’s soul form, the damage was minor.

The instant his body was damaged, it healed. When the Original Might of Asenath smashed into his soul, inducing what little damage it could, it also healed.

In that instant, he arrived directly before Asenath with a meter of distance between them. A cold chill emanated from his body and eyes.

Asenath’s eyes widened. Yan Zaizen was incredibly fast! Not to mention his durability that seemed endless and everlasting! Was this why the Ruin Emperor wanted him as a part of the team? Seeing his abilities, she finally realized Yan Zaizen’s prowess.

"You wished to destroy my Dao, I shall consume yours." His eyes lacked the malevolent nature of Asenath, but it was frightening to behold. With a finger, a single index finger of his right hand, he pressed towards her glabella.

"No! Nooo! NOOOO!! I AM THE MONARCH OF A ZONE, A RULER OF COUNTLESS, YOU INSIGNIFICANT SWINE! DIE! True Origin of Dreaming Devil Law, explode!" A sensation of imminent death coursed through her mind. She knew that if Yan Zaizen’s paragon soul energy, that seemed capable of devouring all things, were to enter her body, she would immediately die!

Even as Heavenly Cultivators, their souls were their weakest point. They could focus on the Heavenly Law of the Soul, develop a Heavenly Dimension, and thereby be strong in it, but that required comprehension and resources. Soul resources suited to build a Heavenly Shrine were too scarce and not many can or even could do it.

Her fragile soul was only about as strong as a Heavenly Commander! She wasn’t even at the Perfect Astral Soul Realm! Facing such fierce soul energy, it was her bane! It was the bane of the vast majority of cultivators!

She howled like a cornered wolf facing death, unwilling and unresolved!

Her scepter exploded into motes of light. These motes were very limited in number and nearly translucent, like a dream, but contained the comprehension of the Dreaming Devil Law! They were like nascent forms of a heavenly world, a world that people may one day trek.

She pushed her hands forward, willing to use the entirety of her cultivation from birth to now against Yan Zaizen. Eighty percent of her people died as she fueled her Original Law’s motes! She was definitely ruthless enough.

Yan Zaizen saw these motes of light and his eyes lit up brilliantly! A laugh, maniacal to the extreme, resounded aloud. He had the urge to lick his lips as if preparing to delve into a holiday dinner.

"You dare use the essence of your Original Law to face me?! Courting death!" A cold smirk emerged on his lips.

A black hole formed at his glabella.