Fan Lie's wild laughter and ferocious attacks were like a violent storm, forcing Han Yu to retreat step by step!
The grayish-black tribulation power clung like a parasite, constantly eroding his spiritual power!
It stirred up monstrous waves in his consciousness!
Countless dark thoughts roared madly, trying to drag him into the abyss of doubt and rage!
'He's using you!'
'Stealing your destiny!'
'You are the chosen one!'
'You should have become the Immortal Venerable!'
'Rage! Destroy!'
These voices were like curses, repeatedly impacting Han Yu's will!
His sword techniques grew more scattered, his breathing unsteady!
Blood constantly spilled from his lips!
He was on the verge of completely sinking!
At this critical moment when his mind was about to collapse, Han Yu suddenly bit the tip of his tongue!
The sharp pain gave him a brief moment of clarity!
In that instant, images flooded his mind uncontrollably—
...It was the warm sunset in a valley.
That man carefully carried an unconscious youth back to a bamboo hut, clumsily cleaning his wounds and brewing medicine.
...It was when he encountered a cultivation bottleneck.
That man's seemingly casual pointers always hit the mark, his eyes filled with encouragement and anticipation.
...It was when he first successfully executed the Heaven-Defying Sword.
That man stood with hands behind his back, a barely visible satisfied smile on his lips.
...It was countless days and nights!
That man was both father and teacher, passing on the dao and instructing without reservation!
Teaching him everything he knew!
...It was when the Immortal Holy Land was first built, when everything waited to be done.
The senior brother entrusted him with the heavy responsibility of law enforcement, his eyes full of complete trust:
"Han Yu, I leave this to you."
...It was the daily life of fighting alongside his sect brothers, their laughter and curses!
Li Hanzhou's cold exterior but warm heart...
All of this was real warmth and bonds!
These memory fragments were like sparks of starlight igniting in the darkness!
Though weak, they steadfastly illuminated his consciousness that was about to be devoured!
"Using... was it?"
Han Yu asked himself with difficulty in his heart.
His arms trembled as he deflected Fan Lie's attacks.
"If it was truly using, why go to such lengths..."
"If it was only for the Immortal Gourd, he could have taken it from the start."
"Why carefully teach, why give trust, why... create such a 'home'?"
"My destiny... was never stolen..."
The confusion and chaos in his eyes began to rapidly recede!
Replaced by a light that grew more steadfast after being tempered!
"It was Master... who gave me the opportunity and power to choose my destiny again!"
"Those so-called 'futures'... are illusory!"
"I, Han Yu, only believe in the path beneath my feet, only cherish the people before me!"
"GET OUT!"
He let out a heaven-shaking roar from within his consciousness!
That powerful will, honed through countless trials, burst forth like a tempered divine sword!
It erupted with brilliant light, fiercely slashing and driving back the grayish-black tribulation power and dark thoughts invading his consciousness!
At the same time, the spiritual power within him that had long reached Long Life realm perfection, accumulated to its peak, seemed to break through some invisible shackle!
It erupted like a slumbering primordial beast awakening!
"BOOM—!"
An aura far more vast and sharp than before rose from Han Yu like a pillar to the heavens!
His cultivation realm, in this moment, naturally advanced as water finding its course!
He broke through to—Heavenly Human realm!
The world's spiritual energy madly converged toward him, forming a massive vortex!
His injuries rapidly healed under the nourishing vitality of his breakthrough!
Sword energy spontaneously erupted from his body, completely shredding and purging the remaining tribulation power!
"WHAT?!"
Fan Lie's wild laughter stopped abruptly, replaced by utter shock and disbelief!
"You actually... broke through?! And suppressed the tribulation power?!"
This completely exceeded his understanding!
Tribulation power was so insidious, specifically attacking the mind!
Once triggered, it was almost unsolvable!
Let alone breaking through in the middle of an intense battle!
What kind of unwavering will and what kind of firm belief in one's own path did this require?!
Han Yu slowly raised his head.
His earlier disarray and confusion were swept away.
His eyes were cold as ancient ice, yet clear and sharp as a newly tempered divine sword, firmly locked onto Fan Lie.
"I should thank you."
Han Yu's voice was terrifyingly calm, yet contained a murderous intent that reached the heavens.
"If not for your external pressure, I might have needed more time to sever this last trace of doubt and see my true heart clearly."
"Those future temptations you spoke of..."
He slowly raised his hand, fingers pointed like a sword.
This time, the sword energy condensing at his fingertips was no longer the azure blue of before.
It transformed into an almost transparent, pure sword intent that seemed capable of cutting through the void itself!
It also contained the Heavenly Human realm law power he had just broken through to, along with his unshakably firm will after slaying his heart demon!
"To me, they're not worth a single meal at my sect, not worth a single greeting from my junior brother."
Fan Lie's expression changed drastically!
Sensing the terrifying power in that sword finger that could threaten his life, he screamed strangely!
He erupted with all his tribulation power and spiritual power without reservation!
He formed a grayish-black, twisting and roaring energy shield!
At the same time, he frantically retreated!
"It's over."
Han Yu spoke three words calmly.
The transparent sword energy at his fingertip lightly slashed forward.
No earth-shaking momentum.
No dazzling brilliance.
Only a faint "swish" sound, like fabric being cut!
That seemingly indestructible grayish-black tribulation power shield, along with Fan Lie's retreating figure, seemed to be cut in half by an invisible blade!
They suddenly froze in mid-air!
Fan Lie's movement completely stopped, the shock on his face frozen in place!
A thin bloodline extended vertically down from between his eyebrows!
He lowered his head in disbelief, looking at the blood flowing from the line bisecting his body!
Then he slowly raised his head to look at Han Yu opposite him—whose aura was now completely different, whose eyes were cold and determined!
Unexpectedly, the shock and unwillingness on Fan Lie's face slowly faded!
Replaced by an extremely complex expression!
It held some bewilderment, some envy, even... a trace of a relieved smile!
"Heh... hehe..."
Blood spilled from his lips, his voice becoming intermittent yet unusually clear!
"Using will... to forcibly suppress... even transform tribulation power... breaking through mid-battle..."
"So wonderful... the Lower Realm..."
"Is this... the power of 'trust'... that the Upper Realm doesn't have?"
As his words fell, his body slowly split in half along that bloodline, falling to either side!
His presence was completely extinguished!
This powerful cultivator from the Upper Realm, who came wielding tribulation power and tried to destroy the Immortal Holy Land through psychological warfare, ultimately fell!
He was killed by the breakthrough
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he himself had triggered in his opponent!
Han Yu slowly lowered his sword.
His surging Heavenly Human realm aura gradually retracted!
But those eyes were brighter and more determined than ever before!
Inside and outside the arena, silence reigned!
Everyone was stunned by this sudden reversal and outcome!
This was also the first death since the grand competition began!