On Diwu's command, the four Domain Lords steeled themselves and charged toward Yang Kai. Before they even reached him, secret techniques were already rumbling forth. Not only that — the auras of the four Domain Lords linked together in an instant as they hastily formed a formation.
By this time, Yang Kai had already exchanged three moves with the fourth Domain Lord — the one whose divine soul had been wounded by the Soul-Sacrificing Thorn.
The Azure Dragon Spear struck with each thrust more savage than the last. There were no fancy techniques, only the violent release of overwhelming power.
The agony radiating from his divine soul twisted Yang Kai's face into a horrifying grimace, his expression savage beyond description.
From the moment he had launched his ambush — using the Purgatory Black Eyes to disrupt Diwu's perception, firing five Soul-Sacrificing Thorns, and slaying three Domain Lords — only three breaths had passed.
Everything had unfolded with a speed that defied description.
Only by being faster — ever faster — could he maximize the advantage of striking by surprise against the unprepared.
The fourth Domain Lord had barely managed to block Yang Kai's first three spear thrusts. By the fourth, his defenses crumbled entirely. The cloud of Ink power he had condensed before his body dissipated, exposing his undefended form.
This was not because he was stronger than the other three Domain Lords who had perished. Yang Kai simply killed his enemies in order — the first to die were always those caught completely off guard. By the time he reached the fourth, that Domain Lord had at least had a moment to brace himself, which was why he had survived three thrusts.
Three hundred years ago, when Yang Kai had first arrived in the Ancestral Ground, he had destroyed an Innate Domain Lord at the peak of his power in three moves. Though that encounter had involved some clever tricks and verbal misdirection, it had been enough to demonstrate his strength.
The Yang Kai of today had not changed much in terms of rank or realm compared to three hundred years ago. His Inner World's foundation had grown somewhat stronger, but only modestly.
However, the advancement of his dragon bloodline power and his deepened mastery of the Dao of Time meant he was significantly stronger than the version of himself from three centuries past.
Three hundred years ago, he had been confident that, without resorting to tricks, he could kill an Innate Domain Lord within ten moves — let alone now.
Furthermore, this particular Domain Lord had already taken a hit from a Soul-Sacrificing Thorn. With his mind reeling, there was no way he could unleash his full strength.
When the fourth spear thrust descended, the Domain Lord had nowhere left to dodge. He could feel the aura of death washing over him, and immense terror flooded his heart — so overpowering that even the pain in his divine soul temporarily dimmed.
He had never felt so close to death before.
"Save—" He managed to spit out a single syllable before the Azure Dragon Spear shattered the hastily erected Ink power barrier and pierced straight through his open mouth, choking off the rest of the word. Bound by the laws of space, he didn't even have hope of escape.
The spear burst out through the back of his skull, ripping a massive hole. The Domain Lord's aura immediately began to melt away like snow under a blazing sun.
Yang Kai had no time to withdraw his spear. Four devastating secret techniques were already hurtling toward him — the attacks of the remaining Domain Lords.
In this state, facing such an onslaught, even at his peak he might not have been able to dodge them all, let alone now with his condition compromised.
At that moment, Yang Kai's head throbbed as though it might split apart. His consciousness was blurring, his thoughts sluggish. His face bore only the savage, twisted look born of agony, while his eyes had gone dull and vacant.
Such was the result of severe damage to the divine soul. Many cultivators who suffered soul injuries lost their clarity of mind or even became feeble-minded.
Fortunately, Yang Kai's instincts remained intact. In the instant before the four secret techniques struck, his dragon bloodline power surged to life. Fine dragon scales rippled across the surface of his skin, turning his exposed flesh radiant gold, as though clad in a suit of golden armor.
The next moment, Yang Kai was engulfed by the four secret techniques.
Ink power erupted with tremendous force as deafening booms reverberated through the area. The earth shook violently, punctuated by Yang Kai's muffled grunts.
Before the Domain Lords' secret techniques had even fully released their power, Diwu's furious figure was already charging from behind — hurtling directly toward Yang Kai's position.
That bizarre secret technique capable of harming the soul — Yang Kai had already used it. This was the best opportunity to kill him, and Diwu knew it well. He had always been wary of this particular method. Now, Yang Kai was to him nothing more than a tiger with its fangs pulled — he would not let this chance slip by.
The four Domain Lords who had formed their formation exchanged a glance and hurriedly positioned themselves at the four cardinal directions. Since Diwu was making his move, there was nothing left for them to do. They simply needed to maintain the Four Symbols Formation, standing ready on the flanks to prevent Yang Kai's escape.
In truth, this was exactly what they wanted. Facing Yang Kai always sent a chill down their spine — they feared that one misstep would see them cut down by this harbinger of death. With Diwu stepping in, things couldn't be better.
Thunderous booms were relentless. Within the dense shroud of Ink power, a shadowy figure seemed to tumble and writhe.
Soon, a figure shot out like an arrow loosed from a bow, spewing a mouthful of golden blood in midair. It was Yang Kai, sent flying, unable to even steady himself.
Yang Kai looked utterly wretched. His hair hung in wild disarray, and the dragon scales that had covered his body now clung in tatters — a shattered net with countless scales torn away.
The Soul-Sacrificing Thorn was a powerful Artifact that made killing Innate Domain Lords comparatively easy, but that did not mean Innate Domain Lords were helpless targets to be swatted aside at will. Every Innate Domain Lord's attacks were terrifyingly powerful. Taking the combined strike of four Innate Domain Lords head-on had been no trivial matter for Yang Kai, and when Diwu followed up with his assault, Yang Kai had been battered senseless.
The benefits of his dragon bloodline body were fully demonstrated in this moment. Had he still possessed only his seven-thousand-zhang Ancient Dragon form, surviving such a relentless barrage would have left it questionable whether he could even stand. But now, though wounded, he had at least not lost the ability to fight.