Chapter 364 – Imperial Edict: Death

Mu Lin’s confident and spirited words, along with the countless incredible feats he had accomplished before, left the Black-Robed Elder’s Dao heart somewhat shattered.

Only now did he realize that all his desperate efforts were likely to end in vain. His death would not cause Mu Lin any harm—it would simply be a meaningless sacrifice. This realization was utterly disheartening.

Yet, he quickly steeled his resolve.

“Hmph, don’t boast so shamelessly. The venom of the Ouroboros is perilous beyond measure—no one can withstand it, not even you. No, you absolutely cannot withstand it!”

Hearing the other party’s attempts to convince himself, Mu Lin chuckled lightly, choosing not to argue. Instead, he replied indifferently:

“You’re right about one thing—the Ouroboros is indeed dangerous. Although I’m confident I could refine it in an instant, as the saying goes, a wise man does not stand beneath a crumbling wall. Rather than resisting the Ouroboros, I’d prefer to kill you before your ritual is complete.”

These words nearly made the Black-Robed Elder laugh in exasperation:

“Arrogant fool! Now I understand why my master took such risks to kill you. With such insolence and arrogance, who else deserves death more than you…”

“BOOM!”

Before the Black-Robed Elder could finish speaking, a deafening explosion erupted around him.

The sound echoed for dozens of miles, its force terrifying beyond measure.

The one who caused this… was not Mu Lin. An Earth Immortal had arrived. The first to appear was Lu Hao, the Northern Deputy Army Commander who had just spoken with Mu Lin. He condensed a palm as massive as a mountain and ruthlessly crushed it toward the Black-Robed Elder.

“BOOM!!”

Unfortunately, it was still futile. The Serpent Flying Sword was of an exceptionally high grade, and the Mana infused into it beforehand allowed its power to be fully unleashed.

The infinite Domain it unfolded truly carried a hint of “infinity.”

No matter what kind of attack came, it would be deflected, never able to approach the Black-Robed Elder.

However, the arrival of the Earth Immortal startled the Black-Robed Elder. Standing in place while continuing the ritual, he spoke up: “So, calling upon an Earth Immortal for rescue is your reliance? But it’s useless. The fully activated power of the Ouroboros cannot be broken by an Earth Immortal.”

“Why bother with an Earth Immortal? I alone am enough to kill you.”

“Kill me? Hah, then come out! Let’s see how you plan to kill me.”

Within the Ouroboros’s Domain, Mu Lin and the Black-Robed Elder continued to exchange taunts—they had little choice.

The old man couldn’t discern Mu Lin’s aura and couldn’t determine whether killing him through ordinary means would target a Clone or a Paper Figure. Thus, he could only place his hopes of killing or crippling Mu Lin on the Ouroboros.

This combat philosophy led him to believe that stillness was better than action—chasing after Mu Lin’s traces or attacking recklessly was far less effective than wholeheartedly conducting the ritual to swiftly complete the curse.

As for Mu Lin, facing a Quasi-Earth Immortal Cultivator—and one who was willing to sacrifice his life—he dared not act rashly by sending his Main Body into the fray.

As for Clones, they also contained traces of Mu Lin’s aura. Fearful that the Black-Robed Elder might track him down, Mu Lin dared not act recklessly.

Of course, Mu Lin was not simply waiting for death.

—When he said he could kill the Black-Robed Elder alone, he wasn’t just speaking idly.

While his opponent waited for the curse ritual to complete, Mu Lin was also waiting for his Spell’s cooldown.

Now, his Spell was ready.

“To have someone else kill you, this is the first time I’ve heard such a request. Since you wish it, I shall grant your desire…”

“Mu Lin, don’t come out.”

“Don’t act rashly… If you have confidence in resisting the Ouroboros, stay hidden. Leave him to us to kill.”

“You’re no match for him. He is now a true Quasi-Earth Immortal. With his Spirit Tool and reckless fighting style, even an Earth Immortal could be injured by him if caught off guard!”

Seeing that Mu Lin intended to make a move, instantly, whether it was Yan Yunyu, Si Ye, or Meng Rui, they all grew anxious.

In their minds, if he could resist the Ouroboros, dragging things out like this would be more advantageous for Mu Lin.

From a general rational perspective, their reasoning wasn’t wrong—a normal Gang Sha pinnacle cultivator would indeed find it difficult to contend with a Mortal Shedding pinnacle cultivator.

There was a whole major realm of difference.

Even for Mu Lin, in a direct, hard-fought battle, he had little confidence.

However, for the cultivator before him, besides a direct confrontation, Mu Lin had another method to deal with him.

Using that method, Mu Lin believed he wouldn’t need to pay too great a price. Thus, he chose to trust himself rather than the judgments of others.

…

“Boom!”

Having decided to act, Mu Lin immediately summoned the King Yama Dharma Image behind him.

The Dharma Image was grand, its aura fierce and overwhelming.

Yet, such a grand aura inevitably alerted the Black-Robed Elder.

The moment he detected the disturbance, a cruel, excited glint flashed in the Black-Robed Elder’s eyes.

“Found you!”

As he spoke, with a “whoosh,” led by the Serpent Flying Sword in his hand, the Black-Robed Elder shot toward a certain location like a serpentine phantom.

There, the King Yama Dharma Image had already manifested, and a corner of the majestic Yama’s Hall was revealed.

Beneath the hall, Civil Judge Cui Yu and Military Judge Zhong Kui stood on either side.

Seeing the Black-Robed Elder charge forward, Civil Judge Cui Yu immediately roared in anger.

“Audacious fool! How dare you trespass into King Yama’s Hall! You deserve the punishment of a thousand cuts!”

“Surrender now!”

“Swish, swish, swish…”

As Cui Yu’s words fell, countless blades instantly shot toward the Black-Robed Elder, slicing through the air.

Simultaneously, countless clattering chains appeared in the sky above.

On the other side, Military Judge Zhong Kui immediately fused with the Crimson Wine Gourd, causing his body to grow as tall as a mountain. Drawing the equally enlarged Seven-Star Demon Slayer Sword, Zhong Kui swung it down toward the Black-Robed Elder.

“Die!”

The combined assault of the Civil and Military Judges was quite imposing. Moreover, numerous Ghost Messengers and Yin Soldiers joined the fray, creating a formidable spectacle.

However, just as Meng Rui and Si Ye had feared, although Mu Lin’s hall and King Yama were powerful, the elder who had burned everything was clearly stronger.

All attacks from Mu Lin’s Netherworld Soldiers, as well as from the Civil and Military Judges guarding the hall, failed to reach the Black-Robed Elder.

Just like the Earth Immortal and others outside, any attack that approached the elder would be deflected or diverted by an invisible force.

Even when the Ghost Messengers, Yin Soldiers, and Civil and Military Judges desperately threw themselves in front of Mu Lin, as the Black-Robed Elder walked forward, their bodies would still involuntarily slide aside, being shifted to either flank.

The scene at this moment resembled Moses parting the sea—as the old man approached, Mu Lin’s numerous guards automatically split to both sides like the ocean.

This special ability left no obstacles between the Black-Robed Elder and Mu Lin.

“Damn it!”

This sight made Yan Yunyu and the others’ hearts leap into their throats.

Ji Hongyu, in particular, could not help but feel some resentment toward Mu Lin.

“You fool! If you were confident you could withstand Ouroboros, why did you even show yourself?”

While Yan Yunyu and the others were anxious, a gleam of satisfaction flashed in the Black-Robed Elder’s eyes.

“I must thank you for your arrogance, conceit, and foolishness. If you hadn’t revealed yourself, you might have truly escaped this time. But since you dared to appear, you are undoubtedly doomed.”

As he spoke, he drew closer and closer to Mu Lin.

However, he soon noticed with a start that, in the face of his approach, Mu Lin showed no fear or panic—only his usual calm and… authority.

That authoritative gaze stirred an uncontrollable tremor in the Black-Robed Elder’s heart.

Though he had yet to understand the reason, he inexplicably felt that he… was about to die.

This sudden premonition heightened his sense of crisis.

Instinctively, he burned another portion of his power, accelerating his charge toward Mu Lin.

Unfortunately, though he sensed something, it was already too late.

“I will not die. It is you who should die.”

“Die!”

These last two words were not spoken by Mu Lin but were a divine decree issued by the King Yama Dharma Image he had manifested.

“Hum!”

As the sound reverberated, the world inexplicably fell into silence.

This silence made one feel as though the world was receding and sounds were fading away. At the same time, the cultivators who heard the divine decree inexplicably sensed emotions such as chilliness, slumber, emptiness, and more.

This feeling of “silence” made them feel as though they had lost all attachment to life and the world.

Such a situation was utterly chilling and made one’s scalp tingle.

Even Si Ye, upon hearing the words “die,” felt as though the world around her had lost its color, becoming cold and monotonous.

Her body, stimulated by the surrounding anomalous aura, shuddered involuntarily.

“Wh-what happened?”

The abrupt change and the feeling of being distanced from the world left Si Ye bewildered and somewhat fearful.

However, she soon had no time to dwell on it.

She was astonished to discover that, with the utterance of the words “die,” the Black-Robed Elder’s previously surging momentum and fiercely burning life force—like a flame doused with cold water—were instantly extinguished.

Yes, his life flame was completely snuffed out, without even a flicker of residual light.

And the extinguishing of his life flame meant he had already met his end.

Thus, the Black-Robed Elder died, utterly and completely, in the wake of Mu Lin’s casually spoken words, “die.”

“Thud!”

“Clang!”

Without Mana to drive it, the Black-Robed Elder’s rapidly charging body instantly collapsed to the ground, rolling all the way to Mu Lin’s feet.

In his final moment of death, his eyes retained an expression of shock and terror.

Clearly, he had never imagined that he would be killed by Mu Lin—and so effortlessly, so decisively.

“…”

And it wasn’t just him who failed to realize this. Outside, the cultivators who had been besieging the Ouroboros Ring also halted their attacks, and everyone fell into complete silence.

(End of Chapter)