"Power of Conviction and Faith, channel it!" Qian Renxue roared.
Zhao Feng and Lin Mo struck simultaneously. They converted all their remaining strength into the power of conviction, channeling it into Qian Renxue's body. Above ground, Su Chen led the ten Limit Douluos and countless civilians to continuously pour the power of conviction through the Monument of Heroic Spirits and the blue-and-gold pillar, sending it endlessly into the subterranean depths.
Countless rays of golden light converged upon Qian Renxue. Her power skyrocketed instantly, the golden fissure on her chest violently expanded, and the might of the golden chains amplified significantly. The black orb emitted a grating, creaking sound as cracks began to form across the black veins on its surface. Wisps of black liquid seeped from the cracks, but were swiftly purified by the golden chains.
"Enter!"
Qian Renxue gave a fierce tug. The golden chains dragged the black orb directly into the golden fissure on her chest. The fissure snapped shut in an instant. Qian Renxue's body jolted violently, her face turning ashen as a trace of golden blood spilled from the corner of her mouth. Her body began to tremble violently, as if enduring agonizing pain.
"Lord Qian Renxue!" Lin Mo cried out in anguish.
"I'm... alright..." Qian Renxue gritted her teeth, her voice quivering. "The seal... is complete... The Seed of the Void... is sealed deep within my... soul origin..."
Her body slowly drifted downward. As her feet touched the ground, she stumbled, nearly collapsing. Zhao Feng hurried forward to catch her, only to realize that Qian Renxue's body had grown utterly translucent, her physical form practically non-existent. Her soul origin had been depleted far too much during the sealing process; she could barely even maintain her phantom state.
"Lord Qian Renxue, your soul..." Zhao Feng's voice was laced with grief he couldn't conceal.
"I can still hold on... for a little while," Qian Renxue smiled weakly. "Perhaps a few days, perhaps a few hours... It's enough... To see this land once more... to see these future generations... it's enough..."
She turned her gaze toward Zhao Feng and Lin Mo, a trace of apology in her eyes. "I'm sorry... for letting you... see me... like this..."
"Lord Qian Renxue, please, say no more," Lin Mo's voice choked up. "You have given far, far too much for us, for this land. We are the ones who should thank you, the ones who should apologize. It is because our strength was lacking that you were forced to make such a sacrifice."
"No... you have... done... remarkably well..." Qian Renxue shook her head, her voice growing fainter by the second. "A century ago... I was all alone... guarding this land... A century later... to have you... fighting by my side... I am... fortunate..."
Her eyes slowly drifted shut. Her body dissolved into countless golden motes of light, drifting away on the breeze. Those motes were far dimmer than any they had seen before, yet they carried an indescribable warmth and steadfastness. The points of light ascended gently, drifting upward through the rock strata, through the soil, through the surface, and floating into the sky.
Above ground, the crowds in the plaza saw the drifting golden motes of light and fell to their knees, tears blurring their vision. They knew this was Qian Renxue's final gift—her ultimate act of guardianship over this land and its people.
Su Chen collapsed to his knees, his hands clenched so tightly that his nails dug into his palms, blood dripping to the ground. His heart was filled with profound grief and fury—grief for Qian Renxue's sacrifice, and fury at his own powerlessness. He was a Limit Douluo, the Commander of the Void-Suppressing Army, the Dean of the Heroic Spirits Academy, yet in the face of a true crisis, he could only stand on the surface, watching helplessly as the heroic spirits fought and sacrificed themselves on the vanguard.
"Commander Su Chen," a Limit Douluo stepped up beside him and whispered, "The power of conviction within the Monument of Heroic Spirits has been depleted by seventy percent. If this continues, the monument may not be able to sustain itself."
Su Chen took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the sorrow in his heart as he rose to his feet. His gaze turned sharp and resolute, and the golden light radiating from him surged once more.
"Notify everyone to continue condensing the power of conviction and channel it into the Monument of Heroic Spirits," Su Chen's voice was deep and commanding. "Lord Qian Renxue, Commander Zhao Feng, and Lord Lin Mo are still fighting. We cannot let them fight this battle alone."
"Yes, sir!"
Deep underground.
Zhao Feng and Lin Mo stood rooted to the spot, staring blankly at the drifting golden motes of light, speechless for a long time. Qian Renxue was gone. This time, she was truly gone. Her soul was sealed within the Seed of the Void, eternally bound, forever suffering the corrosion and torment of its dark power.
"Zhao Feng." Lin Mo suddenly spoke, his voice low and raspy.
"Yeah."
"What else can we do?"
Zhao Feng fell silent for a moment. Then he raised his head, a glint of resolution flashing through his eyes. "Lord Qian Renxue used 'Sacrifice of the Angel' to seal the Seed of the Void, but her soul origin isn't enough to completely purify it. We must find a way to completely destroy the Seed of the Void before her soul origin is entirely depleted."
"But once 'Sacrifice of the Angel' is complete, the Seed of the Void is sealed deep within Lord Qian Renxue's soul origin. We can't even touch it," Lin Mo frowned. "Unless..."
"Unless what?"
"Unless we can enter Lord Qian Renxue's soul origin space and destroy the Seed of the Void from the inside," Lin Mo said. "But that's virtually impossible. The soul origin space is an incredibly unique domain; only those with overwhelmingly powerful soul force can enter it. Moreover, once inside, our souls will become exceptionally fragile. The slightest misstep would mean our souls shattering into nothingness."
Zhao Feng's eyes flickered as he rapidly mulled over Lin Mo's words. A moment later, he looked up, a flash of absolute resolve in his gaze. "We can do it."
"What?" Lin Mo was taken aback.
"Our current state is that of soul phantoms. Even though our soul origins were mostly consumed in that battle a century ago, our soul force still far surpasses that of ordinary Titled Douluos," Zhao Feng explained. "Furthermore, we've fought alongside Lord Qian Renxue for a millennium. The frequency of our souls resonates perfectly with hers, making it much easier for us to enter her soul origin space."
Lin Mo fell silent for a moment before nodding. "You're right. But this will demand a massive toll. Once we enter Lord Qian Renxue's soul origin space, our souls will deeply fuse with hers. If we fail to destroy the Seed of the Void within her soul origin space, our souls will be trapped there forever as well, with no means of escape."
"I know," Zhao Feng said serenely. "But this is our only chance. If we do nothing, Lord Qian Renxue will suffer the Seed of the Void's corrosion and torment for all eternity, until her soul origin runs dry and the Seed of the Void breaks its seal. When that happens, not only will Lord Qian Renxue's sacrifice have been in vain, but the entire Douluo Continent will face an apocalyptic catastrophe."
"Then it's settled."
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