“It… it’s him? How could he possibly appear here? No! Impossible!”
The Soul-Devouring Venerable’s voice trembled with utter despair, as if he had glimpsed something far more terrifying than death.
Chen Ping stared dumbfounded at this sudden reversal. The daze of having survived certain doom made his legs almost give way.
He forced himself to stay upright despite his wounds and looked up toward the boundless starry sky beyond the rift. There, amidst the brilliant starlight, a vague yet majestic figure slowly took shape.
That figure seemed woven entirely from endless starlight. Vast stellar laws flowed around it. Its facial features could not be discerned, yet the dignity and sanctity it radiated made every living being present, even the frenzied resentful souls, feel instinctive awe and insignificance deep in their souls.
“Is… is that Lord Fire-Spirit Star?” Chen Ping’s heart jolted.
He recognised that aura. It was indeed the aura of Lord Fire-Spirit Star.
He had never expected that, at this critical moment, Lord Fire-Spirit Star would intervene once again.
As the starlight figure fully condensed, a gentle yet supremely majestic voice rang out as though from beyond the Ninth Heaven, echoing throughout the entire Soul-Burying Abyss:
“Soul-Devouring Venerable, thou hast violated heavenly laws, stolen soul origins, disrupted the order of the lower realms, and even dared attempt to devour the Son of the Tribulation… Thy crimes deserve execution.”
The voice was calm, yet it carried the weight of final judgement. Every word struck the Soul-Devouring Venerable’s remaining soul body like the force of law itself, making him tremble even more violently.
“No… Lord Star, spare me! This little one knows his wrongs! I am willing to accept any punishment, I only beg Lord Star to spare my life!”
The Soul-Devouring Venerable no longer cared about the dignity of a Heavenly Venerable. He grovelled like a mangy cur wagging its tail, frantically kowtowing toward the figure in the starry sky.
His soul body twisted in the starlight, looking utterly ridiculous and pathetic.
The Soul-Devouring Venerable knew full well he was no match for Lord Fire-Spirit Star.
Seeing the same being who, moments ago, had been insufferably arrogant and beaten them without any chance of retaliation now acting so servile and scared out of his wits, all the frustration and fury pent up in Chen Ping’s chest finally found release!
He forcibly suppressed his injuries, straightened his back, and, though covered in blood and utterly dishevelled, put that infuriating mocking grin back on his face. Then he unleashed a torrent of abuse at the wailing Soul-Devouring Venerable in the starlight:
“Well, well, if it isn’t the awe-inspiring, self-proclaimed Heavenly Venerable Soul-Devouring old dog! How come after just a few minutes you’ve become so pathetic? Weren’t you going to rip out my soul and torment me for ten thousand years? Didn’t you call us mere longworms and ants?”
“What’s wrong now? Why are you shaking? Oh dear, your soul body’s gone so thin it looks like a tattered rag. One gust of wind and it’ll fall apart, won’t it?”
“Where’s all that arrogance you had earlier? Show it to Senior Fire-Spirit Star!”
“Oh right, I forgot. You only dare bark at ants like us. The moment you meet a real big shot, you turn into a spineless shrimp! You’ve thoroughly disgraced every Heavenly Venerable who ever lived!”
“Begging for mercy now, are you? You only just thought of begging? Let me tell you, it’s too late!
A wicked old bastard like you who’s committed every evil under the sun deserves to be dragged off by Senior Fire-Spirit Star and used as a lantern. No, a soul lantern! Burn you for ten thousand years!”
Chen Ping cursed with boundless relish, practically spitting in the Soul-Devouring Venerable’s face.
All the depression of having his worldview shattered moments ago, the rage at seeing his companions wounded, and the wild joy of surviving certain death were poured into this merciless verbal barrage.
The Soul-Devouring Venerable’s soul body heaved violently, his ghostly green flames flickering wildly. He was clearly furious to the point of exploding.
Yet beneath the Starry Purification Light and the supreme majesty of the Star Lord, he did not dare let out so much as a fart.
He could only keep his head lowered, enduring the humiliating tirade while hatred toward Chen Ping surged in his heart, deep and bitter enough to fill nine nether rivers.
Old Black laboriously raised his head from the deep crater. Seeing the scene, he bared his blood-drenched fangs, wanting to laugh but only managing a wheezing “heh heh” because laughter tugged at his wounds.
The other injured dragons also felt incredibly satisfied. Mr Chen’s mouth truly was a weapon that stabbed straight into the heart!
The figure of Lord Fire-Spirit Star in the sky seemed unbothered by Chen Ping’s street-style roasting. No expression could be read on that blurred face. He simply spoke again in an indifferent tone, pronouncing the Soul-Devouring Venerable’s fate:
“Obstinate and unrepentant, thy sins are unforgivable. In the name of the stars, be purified!”
As his words fell, the heaven-piercing pillar of starlight abruptly blazed even brighter and grew more solid!
The power of purification surged more than tenfold!
The Soul-Devouring Venerable let out one final wail of absolute despair. His soul body shrank and faded rapidly, like ice thrown into a steel furnace. He was moments away from being completely purified and reduced to nothingness!
Everyone felt a weight lift from their hearts. This hard-fought, tragic battle was finally going to end in this wholly unexpected manner.
However, just when everyone believed the outcome was settled,
BOOM!!!
Beside the rift held open by the starlight pillar, high above the Soul-Burying Abyss,
Without any warning, another crack appeared. This one was deeper, more frenzied, and blazed with raging black demonic flames. It was forcibly torn open by an incomparably tyrannical force!
A scorching, ferocious, utterly destructive and chaotic pressure poured out like a tsunami from the new rift, instantly diluting the sacred and purifying aura brought by the starlight pillar!
