Almost the instant the Evernight Saint stood up, Lan Xiaobu made his move.
The Longevity Domain surged forth wildly, and at the same time, he threw a punch. When this punch was unleashed, Lan Xiaobu didn’t use any divine techniques, he merely wanted to test the Evernight Saint’s strength. He had heard from Shan Bu’ang that this fellow was extraordinarily formidable, and he was eager to see just how formidable he was.
However, after throwing this punch, the entire Evernight Star suddenly appeared in his consciousness, as if he were standing alone above the Evernight Ocean, overlooking the entire expanse. He saw clearly that, amidst the vast and boundless void, the Evernight Ocean floated in solitude. No matter how vast the Evernight Ocean was, in this immense void, it was but a speck of dust. And beneath the Evernight Ocean, the Evernight Star was even more insignificant, a speck within a speck, like an isolated city trapped beneath the giant vessel of the Evernight Ocean, frozen in ice, appearing even more lonely and desolate.
At that moment, Lan Xiaobu’s dao intent soared wildly.
Immediately, the charm of his fist’s intent abruptly arose. What was originally a plain, tentative punch transformed into a divine technique of intent. The charm of the divine technique was like ocean waves, one surge following another, crashing towards the Evernight Saint. No, this punch seemed to come from the void itself, aimed at the Evernight Ocean, as if to shatter the icy cover that encased the Evernight Star.
*The sound of the solitary city rises, tearing through the jade vessel’s ice!*
*Crack!* The Evernight Saint’s powerful domain was directly torn apart by Lan Xiaobu. But this was not the end, it was just the beginning. The ferocious intent exploded, spreading outward with the Evernight Temple at its centre.
The Evernight Saint, still hesitating, changed expression. His dao charm surged frantically, and his domain transformed in an instant. At this moment, he was giving his all, exerting every ounce of his strength.
He knew that no matter what he had to say, now was not the time to say it. He could even feel that Lan Xiaobu’s punch, after tearing him apart, would rip through the Evernight Temple, then the Evernight Star, and finally, it seemed, shatter the entire Evernight Ocean. Such a terrifying powerhouse, he had never encountered one before.
Just as Lan Xiaobu clearly sensed that his *Zhengyin Kill* was about to tear through the Evernight Saint’s body, suddenly, the entire divine technique’s charm seemed to crash into a realm of darkness, rapidly pulled and weakened by it…
It was as if a force of billions was originally aimed at one point, but now it was dispersed across billions of places.
What a formidable domain charm, Lan Xiaobu thought, closing his eyes. The *Zhengyin Kill*’s charm condensed frantically once more. He refused to believe that his *Zhengyin Kill* couldn’t break through the opponent’s dark dao rules and locate the Evernight Saint’s true body.
After blocking the lethal strike, the Evernight Saint’s face turned deathly pale. He could sense that Lan Xiaobu’s dao domain and charm were far stronger than his own. Until now, no one had ever torn through his Evernight Domain. Although his domain had just managed to block Lan Xiaobu’s killing momentum, that momentum was merely dispersed. As Lan Xiaobu’s killing charm condensed again, once that momentum regrouped, it would be the moment his Evernight Domain was shattered and the Evernight Star destroyed.
Realising this, the Evernight Saint hurriedly said, “Friend Lan, this matter is my Evernight Ocean’s fault. I, Liao Zhuo, am willing to compensate and apologise to Friend Lan…”
Though he spoke words of apology, the Evernight Saint had already summoned a defensive treasure. However, as he said, he did not continue to fight back, instead frantically resisting the charm of the *Zhengyin Kill*.
*Boom!* The Evernight Temple was torn apart by Lan Xiaobu’s *Zhengyin Kill*. The darkness seemed to be blasted away, and everything returned to normal. The Evernight Saint spat out a stream of blood and collapsed to the ground.
Lan Xiaobu did not continue his assault but sat down. His purpose today wasn’t primarily to kill the Evernight Saint, killing him held no meaning for Lan Xiaobu. He had come to inquire about the Seven Realm Stone, to ask how the other party knew that the Reincarnation Saint had gone searching for information about the Seven Realm Stone, and where that information had come from.
Seeing Lan Xiaobu cease his attack, the Evernight Saint breathed a sigh of relief. He stood up, wiped the blood from his face, and with a wave of his hand, the Evernight Temple, which Lan Xiaobu had destroyed, was instantly restored. However, everyone knew this was merely a surface restoration, the protective arrays and restrictions within had all been torn apart by Lan Xiaobu’s single divine technique.
The Evernight Saint was certain that if his Evernight Domain and defensive treasure hadn’t blocked Lan Xiaobu’s killing momentum, that strike would have likely torn through the Evernight Star’s skies, allowing the Evernight Ocean’s waters to flood the entire star, utterly destroying it.
The Blood River Saint also sighed in relief, his heart growing ever more shocked. He was now certain that the rumours he’d heard were true, Lan Xiaobu absolutely had the strength to kill Yi Xie under the gaze of numerous powerhouses.
“Thank you, Friend Lan, for showing mercy,” the Evernight Saint said sincerely after returning to his seat. As for what he truly thought, no one could know.
The Green Wood Saint, Jiao Qingxu, stood with his mouth half-open. He had seen Lan Xiaobu’s actions clearly. This strength…
When he had followed Lan Xiaobu into the Evernight Temple, he had come with the resolve to face death. He knew full well how powerful the Evernight Saint was, not to mention the presence of the Evernight Saint’s grand array.
But now, with just one strike, Lan Xiaobu had forced the Evernight Saint to apologise主动ly and even set aside the dignity of a top-tier powerhouse. This didn’t quite align with the Evernight Saint’s character. According to his understanding, even if Lan Xiaobu’s divine technique had destroyed the Evernight Temple, the Evernight Saint would surely have activated the Evernight Ocean’s grand array to trap Lan Xiaobu and fight to the death.
There must be something he didn’t know. But regardless, he felt he had made the right choice in trusting Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu, on the other hand, thought this fellow was someone who could adapt and let go. If he believed the Evernight Ocean and Evernight Star’s arrays could trap him, then he was in for a disappointment, the Evernight Star would likely cease to exist.
In response to the Evernight Saint’s thanks, Lan Xiaobu merely nodded and began his questioning. “Speak. Why did you capture my friend, the Reincarnation Saint?”
The Evernight Saint quickly explained, “It was because of the Seven Realm Stone. Few know the secrets of the Seven Realm Stone, but I know them well. I even know who its original owner was and the location of his dao field, the Seven Realm Hall. It was in the Seven Realm Hall that I obtained the Evernight Dao Scroll, which allowed me to control the Evernight Ocean and become the Evernight Saint.”
“The Evernight Dao Scroll came from the Seven Realm Hall?” Lan Xiaobu’s heart stirred, and he continued, “Let me read your Evernight Dao Scroll, and we’ll call it even regarding the matter of capturing my friend.”
“Yes.” The Evernight Saint didn’t dare defy Lan Xiaobu’s request and quickly produced a dao scroll. He knew Lan Xiaobu’s strength, refusing would be futile, as Lan Xiaobu could easily destroy the entire Evernight Star.
Lan Xiaobu took the Evernight Dao Scroll and immediately sensed a vast, boundless aura of night rules. He had perceived Ku Cai’s darkness rules before, but he knew this night rule aura was entirely different from darkness rules.
Night was not without light, it hid light within the darkness. Thus, under the Evernight Dao Scroll, one could still sense the rules of the five elements, whereas darkness rules would never permit a second type of rule attribute.
As Lan Xiaobu continued to read the Evernight Dao Scroll, his body gradually began to condense new Evernight rules. If he wished, he could immediately attain the Evernight Dao Law and add another law to his Longevity Dao Tree.
However, Lan Xiaobu didn’t choose to attain the Evernight Dao Law. He felt that the Evernight Dao Law was precisely the missing piece of the darkness dao law. All along, he had believed that darkness was not absolute, just as the boundary between no rules and rules could shift at any moment.
While Lan Xiaobu read the Evernight Dao Scroll, no one dared to speak. Even as time passed, the entire Evernight Temple remained utterly silent.
Sensing the Evernight Dao Law around Lan Xiaobu growing ever clearer, the Evernight Saint sighed inwardly. He felt he had wasted his years. Look at this man, how long had he been studying the Evernight Dao Scroll? Yet the Evernight Dao Law he had condensed was nearly on par with his own. Given a bit more time, Lan Xiaobu’s Evernight Dao Law would surely surpass his.
Three days later, Lan Xiaobu closed the Evernight Dao Scroll. He had formed an idea, he would fuse the Evernight Dao Law with the darkness dao law to create his eighth Longevity Dao Law: the Darkness Dao Law. Though it shared the same name, it would be entirely different from the darkness dao law cultivated by Ku Cai.
Without a darkness dao scroll, others couldn’t comprehend the darkness dao law, but he had a chance. In his Longevity Realm, there was still a fragment of dark wood. For that fragment to sprout, it would likely require the Breath of Earth. Once he found the Breath of Earth and allowed the dark wood to grow, attaining the darkness dao law would come naturally.
“Thank you. I’ll return the Evernight Dao Scroll to you,” Lan Xiaobu said, raising the scroll in his hand. This time, he hadn’t used the Cosmic Dimension Model to replicate the Evernight Dao Scroll, otherwise, the Evernight Saint would likely have lost it forever.
“Ah…” The Evernight Saint hadn’t expected Lan Xiaobu to return the Evernight Dao Scroll. In his mind, Lan Xiaobu would surely keep it after reading it.
He quickly reacted and said, “This Evernight Dao Scroll is a gift to Brother Lan, as compensation for some of your losses.”
As he spoke, his heart ached. The Evernight Dao Scroll was the dao scroll of his attainment, how could he bear to give it away? But Lan Xiaobu was a ruthless man. Offending him wouldn’t just cost him a scroll, it could cost his life and the entire Evernight Ocean.
Lan Xiaobu chuckled and tossed the Evernight Dao Scroll back to the Evernight Saint. “I only borrowed it to read. I won’t take your things. Now, go on, tell me about the Seven Realm Hall.”
The Evernight Saint caught the Evernight Dao Scroll, his heart easing. Hearing Lan Xiaobu’s words, he quickly put away the scroll and said, “The master of the Seven Realm Hall was called Meng Qi. It’s said the Seven Realm Stone belonged to him. Rumour has it that Meng Qi used the Seven Realm Stone to attain eternal life, achieving supreme divine techniques.”
