Chapter 167: A Hundred True Positions, Seventeen Claimed by One

“The Celestial True Law Rankings… collapsed?”

“The stars scattered… the true laws are in disarray!”

“What in the world is happening?!”

“Could it be… another being like the Lord of the Underworld has descended into the world?”

Cries of alarm echoed across the cities of the Human Empire, their tones filled with confusion and dread.

Meanwhile, in the forbidden zones far removed from human civilization, powerful demons surged toward the sky, attempting to seize the falling starlight.

Such chaotic scenes lasted for a full half hour. Only after more than half the stars in the sky dimmed did clear images begin to form.

【Rank 6: Sensation of Supreme Evil
Practitioners: One】

【Rank 7: Return to the Void Sutra
Practitioners: One】

【Rank 10: Nameless Dream-Entering Scripture of Heaven and Earth
Practitioners: One】

【Rank 14: Three-Slaying Dao Canon of Yin Symbols
Practitioners: One】

Sixteen true laws appeared on the Celestial True Law Rankings.

And in that moment, the world fell silent.

Then came the eruption.

From imperial capitals and major human cities to hidden sects and ancient aristocratic families, countless powerful cultivators soared into the sky, unleashing their senses in every direction.

Terrifying wills swept across the heavens, and countless strange, twisted faces filled with excitement, envy, or murderous intent let out shocked roars that shook the world.

“Together with that Treatise on the Doctrine of the Mysterious Womb, there are now seventeen true laws on the rankings—one person has claimed seventeen spots out of a hundred!”

“Every single one of them has only one practitioner—this can’t be a coincidence. They’re all on one person!”

“Could he have discovered the ancient place where the gods and Buddhas of old once delivered the Dao?”

“A single man claiming nearly one-fifth of the Celestial True Law Rankings—four of them even within the top ten! These exclusive laws are enough to found an immortal empire that would reign for all time!”

“We must find him! At all costs!”

If the sudden appearance of the Treatise on the Doctrine of the Mysterious Womb had sparked some apprehension, these seventeen exclusive true laws now sent every cultivator into outright madness.

Not even those with unmatched cultivation could restrain their desire to possess such divine legacies.

The humans mobilized—but the demons of the forbidden zones moved even faster.

Earlier, the ancient demons had merely sent subordinates or avatars to investigate the situation.

Now, however, the appearance of seventeen ranked true laws prompted these primordial demon overlords to personally make their move.

Entire mountain ranges began to shift and move, their weight collapsing valleys and drying up rivers. All who stood in their path—be they human or lesser demon—were swallowed without exception.

The whispers beneath the earth turned into gleeful howls as colossal giants tore through the crust, climbing out from fissures that seemed to reach the bottomless abyss.

In a dense, ancient forest, colossal vines writhed like awakened dragons, crushing trees in their path. A monstrous demonic tree dragged itself forward, its countless tendrils pulsing with life. Atop its towering crown hung tens of thousands of decaying corpses, all staring blankly into the starry sky above.

The chaos was not limited to the outside world.

Even in the desolate wilderness where Lu Yan resided, the sudden change in celestial phenomena stirred the attention of nearby monsters.

The swarm of a million mist bugs, which had previously been moving in another direction, now shifted their course—heading straight toward Lu Yan.

In the darkness of the forest, pairs of greedy eyes emerged, locking onto the motionless Lu Yan as he sat digesting the massive influx of knowledge.

Then, dark clouds swept across the sky, blotting out the moonlight. Shadows engulfed the earth.

Within a two-kilometer radius, countless shadow creatures surged forth from the darkness.

Their forms were entirely composed of shadows, the only tangible parts being their eyes—dark and ravenous, now fixed directly on Lu Yan.

Though they possessed no sentience, they were driven by instinct, drawn by the sweet, alluring scent of Lu Yan’s being.

Instinct screamed at them—devour him, and they would transcend to become true demons.

In an instant, the entire sky was blotted out. Shadows flooded toward Lu Yan from all directions.

Just then, a burst of golden light exploded outward.

The Divine Merit Flame of the Protective Divine Merit Art was triggered passively.

Burning bright and holy, the flame banished all evil, tearing through the sea of shadow beasts like fire through snow.

The greedy eyes turned to overwhelming fear, and survival instinct overpowered hunger. They attempted to flee—but it was too late.

Having consumed so much fuel, the Divine Merit Flame surged several times in strength, devouring all remaining shadows.

Not a trace remained.

At that moment, the clouds parted.

Moonlight once again shone across the land—unlike any natural light.

It poured into every corner, regardless of physics, bathing every inch of the two-kilometer radius in silver-white radiance.

The ground, the caves, the forests—not a single shadow remained.

It was as if shadows had been erased from existence.

But Lu Yan had no time to rest.

The swarm of mist bugs had now locked onto him, gliding through the air like an ethereal fog.

Just then, Lu Yan finally finished digesting the information flooding his Sea of Consciousness.

Though he’d been immersed in the influx of knowledge, he’d never stopped observing the world around him. He was fully aware of the brief but intense battle that had just taken place.

He retracted the Divine Merit Flame and exhaled slowly.

“Second-Grade, Low-Grade Spell: Soul-Devouring Yin Wind.”

A faint stream of gray mist left his lips.

With the power of the spell, it transformed into a howling, ghostly wind and swept into the approaching mist swarm.

The Soul-Devouring Yin Wind tore through the insects, shredding their souls. Within seconds, over half the swarm had been obliterated.

But just as Lu Yan was about to dismiss them, something unexpected happened.

The remaining bugs suddenly absorbed the Yin Wind.

They began devouring it, their previously invisible bodies now surrounded by wisps of the same wind they’d consumed. It formed a protective shield that insulated them from further harm.

At the same time, Lu Yan sensed an awakening will among the survivors—an emergent collective consciousness, born of evolution.

These bugs had always been able to devour matter—but now, they could potentially consume souls as well.

If they fully assimilated the Yin Wind, they could transcend their limits, developing not only a group mind but even advancing their lifeforms to true demon level.

“Devour all things… ascend to demonhood?”

A flicker of interest passed through Lu Yan’s eyes. Then, slowly, he raised his right hand.

“Pity. It’s useless.”

“Second-Grade, Mid-Grade Spell: Sea of Blazing Flame.”

With a snap of his fingers, a sea of flames burst into being from the void and engulfed the swarm.

Under the searing heat, the entire cloud of bugs was incinerated in an instant.

As if he’d merely swatted away a fly, Lu Yan looked up, eyes narrowed toward the clouds above.

“You’ve been watching all this time… and you still haven’t had enough?”

(End of Chapter)