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The sky split apart.

The azure blue sky was suddenly torn open by an unknown force, and from the dark gap, one could faintly see the myriad stars that only appeared at midnight. Then, an enormous and unimaginable invisible force pressed down from the ninth sky, altering the form of everything in heaven and earth.

The wind ceased. The clouds halted.

The rapidly swirling clouds, at the moment the crack in the sky opened, eerily came to a standstill, freezing like sculptures. Sunlight poured down, casting the brilliant glow of snow crystals upon the white clouds, transforming the entire sky into a magnificent dome of rainbows.

It turned out that the unbearable cold emitting from the torn sky was enough to freeze the clouds instantly.

The invisible cold silently poured down through the eye of the wind, without sound or warning. As the sunlight shifted slightly, the entire Fortress of the Storm, the vast Crystal Canyon, and the boundless earth were covered in a glittering, transparent coat, shimmering like diamonds under the sun.

On the three-dimensional map of the magic array, the twinkling lights, the myriad of colorful life pulses, instantly dimmed and vanished. In the vast space, only the glow of the "Ice Mark" continued to flicker.

"The birds have vanished from the thousand mountains, and the paths have lost all human traces." This was the forbidden spell, the "Tears of the Firmament."

Everyone was awed by the immense power that shook the world and suppressed by the supreme ruthless slaughter, falling into silence. What kind of demon had been unleashed? Everyone must have been harboring the same thought.

"Hehehe... hahaha... a lifetime... in pursuit of the sage... I..." While everyone was silent, only Mr. Pang continued to mutter incoherently. Casting the forbidden spell required the price of life, a law set by the gods. At that moment, the flesh on his body crystallized into ice and fell to the ground. As the snow tinkled down, the forbidden spell caster's entire body suddenly turned into a massive snow sculpture, shattering into nothingness.

The "Ice Mark," having lost its magical source, slowly descended to a height of over a meter, its light gradually fading. The three-dimensional magical map on the ground gradually disappeared, the gems and crystals on the magic array crumbled into dust, and the gold and silver threads weaving the magic array lost their luster, turning into dull ash.

Silence, which lasted for who knows how long, was finally broken by Apu Knight.

"Sigh, the mission is complete; let's go home." This good-natured Sword Empress sounded inexplicably tired. As he spoke, he walked towards the place where Mr. Pang had vanished, intending to collect the precious magical equipment.

I also walked up, as if to help. As Apu Knight bent down to pick up the "Ice Magic Book" and was about to reach for the "Roaring Ice Dragon" again, I was just behind him.

Naturally, I drew the "Divine Sword – Divine Punishment Thunder" from my waist and stabbed it into Apu Knight's side, then swept the sword across, cutting his massive body in half.

For a moment, no one reacted. Holy Grail Knight Lansino, seventeen Holy Sword Knights, eight priests, four apprentice mages—everyone present stared blankly as Apu Knight's half-body fell to the ground, unable to process what had happened.

Chapter Eighty-One: Sword Cuts the Past with Finality

As Apu Knight's half-body fell to the ground, my heart ached. I hadn't felt this way since I betrayed my master and left Peach Blossom Island. Apu Knight had been kind and generous, taking care of me, a newcomer to the Temple. Especially on Sacred Dragon Mountain, he had risked his life to save me and sought medicine, a kindness not even my previous master had shown me.

But I had no choice. Before the forbidden spell was cast, I still had some hesitation. But after witnessing the vast power of the "Tears of the Firmament," I knew I had to strike. The Temple had far-reaching influence in the human world, with potential power that was immeasurable. Who knew if there were more forbidden spell casters? If the crucial "Ice Mark" returned to the Temple, who knew how many orcs would die under the forbidden spell? I, Chen Xuanfeng, had been a cruel and ruthless figure in my previous life. Reborn as a wolf, I was even more ruthless in battle. Later, to expand my influence, I suppressed my nature and learned many schemes, becoming more calculating, preferring to solve problems with cunning rather than force.

After entering the human world, with someone as innocent as Jin Luosha by my side, and friends like the honest Apu Knight and the carefree Lansino, I gradually became more gentle. Sometimes, even I felt like I had changed. But now, facing a true moment of decision, I realized that at my core, I was still a wolf. No matter how well someone treated me, when it came to killing, I did not hesitate.

No one could remain calm after witnessing the power of the forbidden spell. So, when I killed the fourth mage, the people present finally reacted with a collective "Ah." But even with their reaction, without the only one who could surpass me, the Sword Empress Apu, they could no longer change their fate.

I unfurled the "Holy Ice Thorn Aura," enveloping the entire mountaintop in my lunar attribute. During my six months of rigorous training on Sacred Dragon Mountain, I had enhanced this aura to its limit. Once activated, everyone except Lansino had their speed reduced to that of a turtle, and the priests couldn't move at all. Unfortunately, the "Holy Ice Thorn Aura" canceled out between those who wielded it, so my imitation aura was no exception. Lansino could move freely and tried to stop my slaughter by summoning his "Host God Weapon," a water-colored curved blade with wind magic. But at our level, with my additional reinforcement from the "Abyssal Dragon King" dragon aura, I was superior in stamina, purity of fighting spirit, and offensive and defensive power. Lansino couldn't threaten me. Instead of engaging him, I used the "Nether Phantom" movement technique to roam the battlefield, systematically killing those who couldn't move.