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And Xi Luo was the last descendant of this bloodline.

From then on, only Leinster understood the full mysteries of the Sword of Divine Punishment. Thus, when the beastmen's power surged, he—mindful of his human origins—decided to gather the remaining forbidden spell mark crystals to restore the sword's godly power. However, he never expected that his actions would lead Chen Xuanfeng to break through the Saint-realm threshold prematurely, granting him combat might that even eclipsed Xi Luo's. In the end, Leinster had no choice but to take the final step—to seek a new sword spirit for the Sword of Divine Punishment, allowing Xi Luo to wield its ultimate power flawlessly.

With the Twelve Sages long dead, the only key artifact capable of forging a sword spirit was the Breathless Ring sustaining Leinster's spectral existence. In other words, only his complete annihilation could create a new sword spirit. Thus, after much hesitation, the undead First SwordSaint, seeing no other path, resolved to take this step.

Leinster's own soul could no longer mutate into a sword spirit—only another SwordSaint's willing sacrifice could succeed. In the end, Tan Yueer volunteered to be that sacrifice.

And so, after storing his centuries of martial insights into the Nameless Heavenly Sword, Leinster willingly dispersed his soul at the cost of destroying the last forbidden spell mark crystal, handing the Breathless Ring to Tan Yueer. Faced with Chen Xuanfeng's assault on the Star-Shattering Abyss and knowing time was short, Tan Yueer had no choice but to take the risk, arriving at the battlefield to end her own life by Xi Luo's blade. Thus, she became a soulless, marionette-like sword spirit, forever accompanying her beloved in another form.

Though this flood of information surged into Xi Luo's mind, it lasted only an instant. The next moment, his eyes snapped open as he swung his sword twice, deflecting Chen Xuanfeng's attacks from the void. His eyes bloodshot, he roared, "Beast King Xuanfeng! The grudges of Leinster, the life of Yueer, and the vengeance of countless dead—today, you shall repay them all!"

As he spoke, his vast domain shifted from two colors back to eight—deep brown earth, azure seas, emerald storms, violet lightning, crimson flames, pure white ice, abyssal darkness, and golden radiance. Each force erupted with power rivaling the final strike of the Celestial Spire. In an instant, the entire space overflowed with boundless energy, its density matching even that of forbidden spells.

Then, Xi Luo slashed diagonally with his sword. With a *crack*, the eight-colored radiance of the Sword of Divine Punishment tore through the void, piercing into an unknown plane.

"Beast King Xuanfeng, come out! Hiding in the Astral Nether Ocean to ambush—is this the dignity of a Celestial Saint?"

"Hmm? To master the Eight-Colored Realm so quickly—did Tan Yueer's death truly grant you such strength? But if you could so easily locate me in the Astral Nether Ocean, my title as the Celestial Saint would be worthless." Unaware of the memories Tan Yueer had transmitted to Xi Luo in her final moments, Chen Xuanfeng could only guess at the reason behind the sudden surge in Xi Luo's power. He sighed inwardly, *To think they truly created a miracle. Fortunately, his grief left him too distraught to scheme—had he concealed his newfound strength and lured me out under the pretense of weakness, he might have wounded me. But now...*

Knowing the Eight-Colored Realm of the Sword of Divine Punishment now surpassed his own Tiger's Soul Blade, Chen Xuanfeng sheathed it, relying solely on the Platinum Lightning of the Sword of Divine Punishment. In an instant, he unleashed a hundred strikes from the void, all aimed mere centimeters from Xi Luo's body. If any landed, even Xi Luo's Light Divine Arts could not save him from being torn apart.

Yet, the moment the sword beams emerged, they met immense resistance—not a single one pierced Xi Luo's flesh. At the same time Chen Xuanfeng struck, countless eight-colored energies condensed around Xi Luo, forming a crystalline armor. Normally, nothing short of a divine artifact could withstand Platinum Lightning's cutting force, yet this armor bore traces of the Sword of Divine Punishment's properties. Though not as durable as the blade itself, it greatly mitigated Chen Xuanfeng's attacks. Moreover, with infinite energy replenishing it, the slightest damage was instantly repaired.

"Beast King Xuanfeng, you can no longer kill me—so today, you will die!" Seeing his armor withstand the Platinum Lightning, Xi Luo's morale soared. Though unable to pinpoint Chen Xuanfeng's location, he unleashed endless eight-colored sword beams into the void, hoping to strike his foe.

By now, Chen Xuanfeng's killing intent had peaked. He knew Xi Luo's breakthrough had elevated him to a rival's standing. If he failed to kill him today, future clashes would claim countless lives. With beastmen vastly outnumbered by humans, should Xi Luo abandon honor and engage in mass slaughter, the rising fortunes of the Beastman Alliance could collapse.

But how to kill him?

Chen Xuanfeng was equally vexed. Though Xi Luo's newfound strength couldn't harm him, his defenses were astonishing—he endured the Platinum Lightning's onslaught, and even when struck by Chen Xuanfeng's full-powered attacks, his wounds were never fatal, healing in moments. He was impervious as a mythic tortoise.

Just as frustration mounted, Chen Xuanfeng's ears twitched—he seemed to hear something. The next moment, the silver-furred wolfman's expression flickered with hesitation before settling into resolve. "Very well. If even human youths understand sacrifice, why should I fear risk?"

Then, within his domain, Xi Luo suddenly sensed a change—not an attack or defense, but something profoundly strange. At first, he couldn't describe it, but soon, he understood.

It was spatial displacement. A tremendous force was pushing his Eight-Colored Realm, step by step, back to its origin—the Astral Nether Ocean.