Chapter 1155 - 525: Devour! (Part 2)

He issued the first command to the Bone Worshiping Crow, as the new ruler.

"From today, this territory will be renamed ’Dragon Elephant Domain’."

"Relay my command, gather all beings in the territory who have reached the Bone Forging Realm, to converge under the ’Boundary Suppressing Bone’. I don’t care what method they use, they must all arrive within three days!"

"Yes! At your command! Great Master of Dragon Elephant!"

Bone Worshiping Crow felt as if pardoned. It knew it had bet correctly! This new ruler chose not to evade but to face the challenge directly!

This meant, its small life was temporarily spared.

It dared not be negligent, flapped its wings, transformed into a black light, and instantly vanished beyond the horizon to execute Xu Ran’s command.

The entire battlefield returned to deathly silence.

Leaving only Xu Ran and that silent giant bone.

"The king is dead, but the trouble has only just begun."

Xu Ran sat cross-legged and began to inventory the biggest gains of this battle — the three relics from the Skeletal King.

He first picked up the "Lord-level Skeletal Core".

The core, about the size of a fist, had a deep blue hue throughout, like a natural sapphire. The skeletal origin within was pure to the extreme, far beyond comparison to skeletal soldiers or even the Winged Demon Ape.

"Just right to stabilize my newly broken through realm."

Xu Ran did not hesitate, directly mobilizing the "Primordial Dao Bone Sutra".

On the "Gui Xu Nirvana Arm," a profound gray light flowed, a miniature vortex formed in his palm, slowly swallowing the skeletal core.

Boom!

A surge of unbelievably pure energy flooded through his arm, rushing into his four limbs and bones.

With this enormous energy, his newly broken through realm of "Minor Achievement in Bone Forging" was quickly consolidated and reinforced. His entire skeleton emitted a gentle cracking sound, as if undergoing a new round of strengthening.

"Skeletal origin reserve +2000 units!"

"Efficiency of ’Primordial Dao Bone Sutra’ increased by 0.5%!"

"Realm of Minor Achievement in Bone Forging stabilized!"

Just one core spared him months of hard cultivation effort.

Next, his gaze fell upon the "Law Fragment (Death)".

It was a fingernail-sized, irregular black chip, surface devoid of any sheen, yet emanating a heart-pounding aura. Just gazing at it seemed to reveal terrifying scenes of all beings wilting and all things decaying.

This was the force of "Law" that Burning Fire Realm masters could initially touch! It was the manifestation of the "Dao"!

Ordinary beings, daring to directly touch it, would instantly be eroded by the death insight within, turning into a mindless living corpse.

But Xu Ran, was fearless.

"Death is also part of the end. Gui Xu should be the endpoint of ten thousand paths."

He again mobilized the force of "Gui Xu", cautiously enveloping the law fragment.

Hiss hiss hiss—

Two entirely different "Dao" forces began an intense confrontation.

The Law of Death, overwhelmingly overbearing, attempted to assimilate and decay the power of "Gui Xu".

But the force of "Gui Xu" was even more pure and origin-based, not combating the Law of Death, but disassembling it, breaking it down, then "devouring" it!

Like a precision machine, dissembling a piece of stubborn iron into the most primordial molecules, then recombining it into needed parts.

This process was incredibly perilous, consuming even more willpower than the previous battle.

Xu Ran’s core of willpower flickered like a candle in the wind, but he always held onto that thread of clarity, steadfastly maintaining the operation of "Gui Xu" power.

Who knows how long it took, perhaps an hour, or perhaps a day.

Buzz!

Finally, the black law fragment fully dissolved, transforming into the purest realization about "Death", merging into Xu Ran’s core of willpower.

"Successfully deciphered ’Law Fragment (Death)’!"

"Understanding of ’Dao of Gui Xu’ deepened!"

"Acquired innate ability: Death Gaze (can expend willpower to mark a target for death, weakening their life origin)."

Xu Ran slowly opened his eyes, a brief flicker of black lightning seemed to flash across his gaze.

He felt his perception of the world had advanced another level. He could see those floating, representing "decay" and "termination", invisible particles in the air.

This was law! The foundational codes of world operation!

"Burning Fire Realm is indeed another realm."

Xu Ran mused, with an even more intense yearning for higher realms.

Finally, he picked up the most precious item of the quest — the complete "Soul Fire Seed"!

The seed, like a glowing blue heart, quietly floated in his palm, rhythmically pulsating. Each pulse emitted a powerful surge of divine soul energy.

This was the key to entering the Burning Fire Realm!

Once refined, it could ignite one’s own "Soul Fire" within, causing a fundamental leap in the level of life!

The Skeletal King relied on this seed to stand out among countless skeletal beings, achieving dominance in an area.

But Xu Ran, furrowed his brow.

This soul fire seed, attributed to "Death", shared the same origin as the Skeletal King. If he refined it, he could certainly ascend immediately, possessing the power of the Burning Fire Realm.

But in doing so, his "Dao" would inevitably be influenced by this seed and possibly be dominated by the "Death" Dao.

His "Dao of Gui Xu" was his most fundamental reliance, categorically unable to allow any impurity contamination.

"Using ’Death’ as a foundation to ignite the soul fire is ultimately a lesser path."

"My soul fire should use ’Gui Xu’ as fuel, ’Dragon Elephant’ as bone, and ’Ten Thousand Dao’ as nourishment, forging a path never before taken!"

A resolute glint flashed in Xu Ran’s eyes.

He made an exceedingly luxurious decision.

He did not intend to refine the seed.

He would... swallow it!

Using the "Gui Xu Nirvana Arm", to treat the complete soul fire seed as top-tier "nourishment", to nurture his arm and achieve its next evolution!

If the beings at Bone Domain with Perfection in Bone Forging knew about this idea, they’d likely go mad on the spot!

It was the supreme treasure for stepping into Burning Fire Realm! It was being treated as a one-time consumable?

But Xu Ran, was resolute!

His path was unique. He sought not temporary strength, but an eternal foundation!

"Come, let me see to what degree you can evolve my ’Gui Xu Nirvana Arm’!"

Xu Ran took a deep breath, immersing all his heart spirit into his right arm.

Profound gray light from the arm shone brilliantly, the blue patterns seemed alive, transforming into a greedy mouth, swallowing the "Soul Fire Seed" in one gulp!

Rumble——!!!

A storm of energy, a hundred times more immense than before when devouring the skeletal core, exploded within Xu Ran’s right arm!

Not just energy, but the purest divine soul power, along with a Burning Fire Realm master’s lifelong realization of the "Dao"!

Crack! Crack!

Xu Ran’s right arm emitted an unbearable cracking sound!

Cracks appeared on the profound gray skeleton, seemingly on the verge of complete disintegration!

Agony!

Unimaginable pain shot directly to his core of willpower!

But he gritted his teeth hard, mobilizing "Primordial Dao Bone Sutra" and "Gui Xu" real intention, wildly refining this fierce power!

Disassemble! Devour! Regroup!

His right arm was undergoing a cycle of destruction and rebirth!

"Warning! ’Gui Xu Nirvana Arm’ energy overload! 99% chance of evolution failure!"

"Detected unwavering will from the host..."

"Detected reverberation of the ’Ancient Dragon Elephant’ will..."

"’Dragon Elephant Prison Suppression’ divine technique automatically protecting host!"

Buzz—!

Just as Xu Ran was about to reach his limit, the massive dragon-elephant leg bone behind him emitted a gentle jade-white radiance again, enveloping him.