Xu Zhan (remnant thought): "Xiao Qi... live on... destroy the Soul-Controlling Jade... protect everything you want to protect... Father... has wronged you..."
His father Xu Zhan's final glance, filled with endless guilt, reluctance, and resolve, was like a red-hot branding iron, deeply seared into the depths of Xiao Qi's soul. That intermittent yet information-heavy divine thought was like a storm, impacting his cognition.
The seed of the World-Purifying Green Lotus? The root and curse of the Xu family's protection? Void Nightmare's true purpose? Using himself as bait to seal the demonic soul? Letting him grow only to harvest him in the end?
The truth was cruel enough to suffocate, yet Xiao Qi at this moment seemed to have grown up in an instant. Extreme grief didn't break him but instead transformed into even firmer strength. He understood what he carried on his shoulders, understood what price his father and countless ancestors had paid.
He watched his father's phantom's clarity rapidly fade, pain spreading again, watched the altar emit mournful sounds of collapse, the starry sky trembling, the demon Void Nightmare's suppressed rage and soon-to-break-free excitement echoing in everyone's minds...
He knew that his father's brief awakening was bought with the last remaining power, to pass on this crucial truth and entrustment!
Time was truly running out!
Just as Xu Zhan's phantom was about to be completely swallowed by demonic energy again, becoming completely chaotic, he seemed to use the last trace of origin power of this remnant soul. His illusory, almost transparent finger, with difficulty yet with incredible precision, pointed from a distance at the Crimson Flame Sword in Xiao Qi's hand!
"Weng—!"
The Crimson Flame Sword let out an unprecedented, spiritually rich, clear sword cry! The dark red flame patterns on the sword body suddenly lit up, no longer the previous crimson-gold color, but transforming into an even deeper, more introverted dark golden luster that seemed to contain the heaviness of earth and the vastness of the starry sky!
An incomparably pure, condensed sword intent imprint containing Xu Zhan's lifetime understanding of the "protection" Dao, like crossing time and space, ignoring distance, was directly infused into the Crimson Flame Sword's core!
Xiao Qi only felt the Crimson Flame Sword in his hand suddenly sink, then become incredibly handy, as if it had become an extension of his arm. A warm, heavy, security-filled power fed back from the sword body, resonating strongly with the nascent protective sword intent in his heart!
This "Protective Sword Intent" imprint was not a specific sword move, but a Dao inheritance, a gift of will! Like a seed, it was buried into the Crimson Flame Sword and also into Xiao Qi's heart field, would continue to take root, sprout, and grow stronger with his growth, becoming the most solid foundation of his future sword Dao! This was Xu Zhan, as a father, the last and most precious gift he could leave to his son before his soul scattered!
Completing this final gift, Xu Zhan's phantom seemed to have fulfilled all wishes. He looked at the Crimson Flame Sword carrying his last will in Xiao Qi's hand, the last trace of clarity in his eyes turning into complete relief and... resolve.
He deeply, finally looked at Xiao Qi once more. In that gaze, there was no more pain, only endless fatherly love and blessing.
Then, in the instant the demonic energy was about to rewrap around him, at the moment the demon Void Nightmare detected something wrong and let out a shocked and angry roar—
Xu Zhan's phantom suddenly bloomed with a final point of faint but brilliant light! He did not passively let the demonic energy swallow him, but... chose to actively burn this last remnant soul!
"No—! Xu Zhan! You damned ant!!" Void Nightmare's roar was filled with flustered rage and a trace of... fear?
It seemed to realize that Xu Zhan's active dissipation was not simply soul scattering, but some... variable it couldn't completely control!
Light flashed and vanished.
Xu Zhan's phantom, like a candle in the wind, completely dissipated into the starry sky, leaving no trace. He chose the most thorough way, cutting off the final connection with this altar, with this demonic energy, and also cutting off any possibility that the demon Void Nightmare could use his remnant soul to continue threatening and restraining Xiao Qi!
To not burden his son, to protect that last hope, he resolutely chose eternal silence.
"Father—!!!"
Xiao Qi let out a heart-tearing sorrowful cry, tightly gripping the Crimson Flame Sword carrying his father's final sword intent, tears blurring his vision. He knew this time, it was a true, eternal parting.
His father's gift was the truth, the responsibility, that protective will merged into the sword.
His father's entrustment was to live on, to protect well the essence in his body, to stop the demon Void Nightmare's conspiracy!
And his father's final choice was using his own complete dissipation to clear a path for him, cutting off a tie!
Grief swept over him like a tsunami, but this time, within the grief, a raging fire of vengeance and incomparably firm protective intent ignited!
He suddenly raised his head, crimson eyes staring dead at the altar peak where the remaining Purification Essence had become even more restless due to Xu Zhan's dissipation, its light dimmed considerably, and that terrifying intent belonging to the demon Void Nightmare from the twisted void, filled with flustered rage!
The altar's collapse sounds became more and more dense, the entire starry sky shaking like a sieve. The outer seven-colored restriction light screen became extremely unstable due to the core's drastic change, its light flashing madly, now bright now dark.
"Not good! The altar is going to collapse!"
"Run quickly!"
The Flaming Sun Sect and Mysterious Mechanism Holy Land disciples below also realized great disaster was approaching, no longer caring about any inheritance, retreating in terror, trying to find a way to leave this starry sky.
Mu Qingfeng and Liu Yun anxiously looked toward Xiao Qi at the altar peak: "Xiao Qi! Come down quickly!"
Xiao Qi took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing his surging emotions. He glanced at that remaining essence, then at the Crimson Flame Sword humming endlessly in his hand, its dark golden flowing light appearing.
His father's vengeance must be taken!
Void Nightmare's conspiracy must be stopped!
This remaining essence must absolutely not let Void Nightmare get!
A resolute light flashed in his eyes. Not only did he not retreat, but he once again channeled the surging Purification Source within him, transforming it into a pure light giant hand, grabbing toward that remaining essence! He wanted to completely take this last hidden danger!
However, just as his light giant hand was about to touch that essence—
"Heh heh heh... too late! Kid! Thank you for 'helping' me solve Xu Zhan this last stumbling block! This remaining essence, and you... I'll accept them all!"
Void Nightmare's laughter, full of successful scheming, suddenly rang out!
At the altar core, that twisted void suddenly cracked open a massive gap. A completely condensed from pure demonic energy, sky-covering giant demonic claw, carrying an aura of destroying everything, suddenly reached out from within, not only grabbing toward that remaining essence but... directly enveloping toward Xiao Qi!