Chapter 871: Uniting the Immortal Divine Soul and the Physical Body

The World Gods viewed Pang Jian as the World God Paragon of this era.

Pang Jian's physical body once used the World God Pendant of the Abyss to summon the other World Gods and could even vaguely command their World God Pendants for his own use.

A certain law triggered after everyone entered the Ruin Realm, seemingly granting them the right to challenge Pang Jian for the title of the World God Paragon, which in turn sparked a series of battles.

However, as Pang Jian's physical body had not entered the Ruin Realm, and the outcome of the battle had yet to be decided, the others still regarded him as the World God Paragon.

Ling Yun, in the middle of his resurrection, had spread his Dao of Life throughout the Ruin Realm. Merging himself with the stars and continents gave him the wondrous ability to command the landmasses at will.

This feat left the others deeply shaken, especially after the destruction of Pang Lin's manifestation, the Duke of Thunder's grievous injuries, and the death of Yuan Yi. All of this only served to highlight Ling Yun's immense strength.

"Pang Jian," Bai Zi asked, "Do you have any plans for dealing with the previous World God Paragon?"

Fa Ji laughed bitterly, seemingly waiting for Pang Jian's response.

Pang Jian knitted his brows in silence.

The two divine artifacts he relied upon, the Divine Court of Thunder and Sovereign Demonheaven's cloak, were not with him—the former once more recognizing the Duke of Thunder as its master and the latter having been handed over to Fa Ji. Even the World God Pendant he had obtained from Huo Ji had been seized by Ling Yun.

All he had left was the pure-gold divine sword forged from the refined essence of metal gathered within the Ruin Realm.

The divine sword shone with a multicolored radiance, just like his Immortal Divine Soul.

His understanding of the soul, his insights into the mysteries of metal, and his grasp of various Heavenly Daos had all deepened under Ling Yun's pressure.

Golden eyes flashing, he scrutinized his surroundings and peered into Ling Yun's body.

The stars drifting near Ling Yun constantly shifted in size. The mountains, continents, and forests within appeared illusory. The twenty-four continents appeared similarly intangible.

Even the Ruin Realm no longer felt real to his senses. It seemed more like a world conceived out of imagination.

How could this be?

Pang Jian fell into deep thought.

Yu Hang of the Celestial Race, his expression incomparably complex, suddenly bowed toward Ling Yun.

"I acknowledge you as the World God Paragon," Yu Hang said, an ingratiating tone in his voice. "I kept that drop of your blood essence sealed within my World God Pendant,

"I...didn't know it was yours and even foolishly tried to refine it and merge with it.

"Lord Ling Yun, you probably already know everything about me. I pledge loyalty to you on behalf of all the inhabitants of the Celestial Abyss."

Yu Hang flashed Ling Yun a sycophantic smile.

Ling Yun, whose head was still in the process of forming, casually raised a hand and hurled Yuan Yi's Celestial Fey Warhammer away as he laughed. "I have no need for your loyalty."

The stars suddenly flared brightly!

A violent surge of blood essence engulfed the World God of the Celestial Abyss, erupting with a cataclysmic force capable of crushing all things, killing the scheming Yu Hang on the spot.

The World God of the Celestial Abyss died, just like that.

The World God Pendant of the Celestial Abyss then flew into Ling Yun's hand, just like the one from the Fire Abyss had before.

"You, Yu Hang, have long sworn loyalty in secret to that God of Light. Even your Divine Persona bore her imprint. Did you think I wouldn't know?" Ling Yun sneered.

A chill crept into everyone's hearts. Xing Huan of the Star Race hesitated, debating whether or not to declare his loyalty.

Though injured, Yu Han had still been a high-ranking God, yet Ling Yun had crushed him with a single blow.

Xing Huan wondered if any among them could stand against Ling Yun.

Bai Zi? Fa Ji? Or perhaps...Pang Jian?

Meanwhile, Pang Jian was racking his brain in thought, paying no attention to Ling Yun's execution of Yu Hang or the gazes of the other World Gods.

The Ruin Realm. 'Ruin' sounds like 'illusory.' Could this entire realm be nothing more than a fabrication?

[1]

The Ruin Realm trembled once more as Ling Yun severed its connection to the Fire Abyss.

Though the realm quaked violently as it soared through the bizarre mist, the stars and continents conversely fell still.

Ling Yun floated among the stars with multiple World God Pendants in hand. The flesh and sinew of his head were in place, with only facial features left to form.

He did not press the other World Gods for their declarations of loyalty; instead, unleashing his might without restraint, as if to show the remaining World Gods the true extent of his strength.

"The Ruin Realm needs to draw vital energies from each of the abysses," Ling Yun revealed.

Pang Jian's heart trembled. That one casual remark seemed to confirm his suspicions that the Ruin Realm was not a real world. At least, not yet. The stars and continents that filled the realm were still incomplete.

A muffled boom echoed as the Ruin Realm connected to yet another abyss.

"The Shadow Abyss!" Ling Yun called, lifting his head.

The World Gods looked up as well, each of their expressions shifting in surprise.

The bizarre mist was vast, and the abysses were far apart. The Ruin Realm had spent hardly any time traveling from the Thunder Abyss to the Fire Abyss, and then to the Shadow Abyss.

𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Not only does the Ruin Realm's name imply illusion and falsehood, but it also has the power to distort the fabric of space within the bizarre mist!

Pang Jian had keenly sensed spatial fluctuations as the Ruin Realm soared through the bizarre mist!

As that thought struck him, he noticed a figure appear above the Ruin Realm.

An overwhelming sense of familiarity washed over him. Even though that figure had yet to enter the Ruin Realm, Pang Jian already knew who it was.

Pang Jian's physical body stepped into the Ruin Realm with two World God Pendants in hand. One corresponded to the Abyss and the other to the Shadow Abyss.

As the connection between Immortal Divine Soul and physical body was restored, he became aware of everything happening both within and outside the realm.

Pang Jian's prismatic Immortal Divine Soul transformed into a multicolored streak as it flashed into the space between his physical body's brows. His physical body now grasped the pure-gold divine sword that had been in the hands of his Immortal Divine Soul.

It had been a long time since Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul had returned to his physical body, but the harmony of his divine soul, body, and consciousness remained just as flawless and seamless as before.

"The Ruin Realm..." Pang Jian murmured.

Bai Zi, Fa Ji, Xing Huan, and the Duke of Thunder, standing atop the Divine Court of Thunder, all turned their attention to the unified Pang Jian.

The Divine Court of Thunder surged toward Pang Jian as if drawn by a powerful magnetic force.

The Duke of Thunder, in his azure Thunder Dragon form, paled as he reverted into a miniature dragon, slithering within the Thunder Pool.

In this state, he no longer felt like the true master of the Divine Court of Thunder, but rather, its spirit, akin to a sword soul.

Sovereign Demonheaven's cloak, which had taken the form of a banner, also slipped from Fa Ji's grasp and obediently returned to Pang Jian.

1. The character for "Ruin" (墟) in "Ruin Realm" (墟域) is pronounced the same as "illusory" (虚) in Chinese. ☜