CHAPTER 436

"Refreshing! It's been ages since I’ve felt this exhilarated!"

In the skies above, the Li Huo Cauldron had shrunk to the size of a person, hovering back to Lu Qing's side. The Yan, now in the form of a coiling dragon, remained wrapped around the cauldron, its eyes gleaming with excitement.

Ever since it was damaged tens of thousands of years ago, it hadn't been able to unleash its power so freely. However...

"This old monk is still alive?" Yan glanced downward, astonished.

The strike just now had unleashed a tenth of its peak power—a time when it was wielded by a Nascent Soul Cultivator. For someone who had merely entered the Golden Core Realm, surviving was truly remarkable.

Lu Qing's gaze was also fixed below. The immense jade platform was long gone, leaving only a massive crater behind.

Within the crater lay the Abbot of Xuankong Mountain, in a state of utter devastation. Half his body had been obliterated, and the remaining half was burned nearly to a molten state. Only his head remained intact.

Were it not for the unparalleled vitality of a Golden Core Realm cultivator, his form and soul would have been completely destroyed.

Yet even in survival, the Abbot was gravely injured. His Golden Core of Spiritual Power was near shattering, and his Brow Acupoint was on the brink of collapse.

Such wounds would ensure a decline in cultivation. Even if he recovered, his future advancement was forever crippled.

Lying in the crater, gazing at the unscathed Lu Qing, despair filled the Abbot's heart.

He had never imagined that this demon would be so powerful. Despite using the forbidden techniques of his sect and the assistance of a Spiritual Artifact, he hadn’t so much as scratched his opponent.

Looking at Lu Qing, whose aura had not even wavered, the Abbot realized that avenging the disciples of Xuankong Mountain through his own strength was impossible.

Moreover, the mountain-shattering clash earlier had likely claimed the lives of the remaining disciples on the mountain. Xuankong Mountain, a legacy spanning tens of thousands of years, now had only him left.

This thought ignited an even deeper hatred in the Abbot’s eyes.

"Demon! Don’t celebrate too soon. Even though Xuankong Mountain is no more, you won’t escape unscathed! I’ll drag you to death with me!"

With that, he spat out a golden pearl and crushed it in his hand.

As the pearl shattered, the entire hidden realm trembled violently. The massive floating mountain above began to quake and slowly descend. The space within the secret realm also began to destabilize.

At the same time, Lu Qing felt a terrifying aura emanating from the mountain.

"Not good! That bald old man intends to self-destruct the Spiritual Artifact and destroy this entire hidden realm!" Yan exclaimed suddenly. "This hidden realm has existed for tens of thousands of years, solely due to that artifact maintaining its spatial stability.

"If it self-destructs, the stability will collapse, and this hidden realm will be obliterated!"

"Hahaha, I see you have some insight, little reptile," the Abbot cackled maniacally upon hearing Yan's words. "But what of it? The formation maintaining the hidden realm’s exit was destroyed in the previous collision.

"You have no way out. Stay here and be buried with Xuankong Mountain!"

The Abbot fixed his gaze on Lu Qing, filled with a deathly resolve.

His greatest desire before death was to witness his enemy struggle and despair in their final moments. That, for him, would be the perfect funeral elegy.

Yet to his disappointment, no matter how dire the situation seemed, Lu Qing’s calm demeanor remained unchanged. Not a trace of panic crossed his face.

Even Yan seemed more anxious. "Young master, what should we do? When this hidden realm collapses, the resulting chaotic spatial energy will be lethal—even a Nascent Soul Cultivator might not survive! Should we retreat into the Li Huo Cauldron and force our way out when the collapse occurs?"

"No need." Lu Qing’s tone was indifferent as he rejected Yan's suggestion.

The Li Huo Cauldron, though a mid-grade Spiritual Artifact, had yet to return to its peak despite years of nurturing and the integration of Heaven's Meteorite Iron. Forcing a way out risked severe damage, potentially reducing its power drastically.

Lu Qing would not allow his hard-earned restoration efforts to be wasted.

Glancing at the Abbot, who was sinking along with the mountain, Lu Qing’s eyes held a trace of mockery.

"Old bald man, do you truly think this minor hidden realm can trap me?"

"What did you say?" The Abbot's eyes widened in shock.

The next moment, he saw Lu Qing produce a silver boat in his hand.

"Curious about this?" Lu Qing seemed to sense the Abbot's thoughts, weighing the boat in his hand. He explained leisurely, "This is the Void Flying Boat. As the name implies, it can pierce through space and traverse the void. A small hidden realm like this is no obstacle for it."

"Void Flying Boat? Impossible! How could such a treasure exist in this world?!" The Abbot’s voice trembled as he stared at the silver boat, unwilling to believe it.

"You'll find out soon enough." Lu Qing’s voice turned cold. "Since you wish to destroy this hidden realm, I won’t stop you. But I won’t be staying either. You can die with this filthy space."

With a casual wave, a slash of Blade Energy erupted from Lu Qing's hand, striking the Abbot. The attack shattered the Abbot’s Dantian, destroying his already fragile Golden Core of Spiritual Power.

The Abbot, already on the brink of death, was now teetering on the edge of soul destruction. Only the lingering threads of hatred kept his consciousness intact.

Glaring at Lu Qing, the Abbot refused to believe the silver boat was capable of what Lu Qing claimed.

However, the next moment, the boat in Lu Qing’s hand expanded, its silver brilliance illuminating the surroundings. Lu Qing stored the Li Huo Cauldron and stepped onto the boat.

A powerful wave of Spatial Fluctuations followed. A vortex appeared in the space above, and the Void Flying Boat plunged into it, disappearing entirely.

Realization dawned on the Abbot, and his heart sank into utter despair.

"No!!!"