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The might of the Empress, also the pressure of a monarch, is overwhelmingly oppressive to a terrifying degree.

From afar, both Chu Jiu Cheng and Rong Shi felt breathless.

Lin Qi raised her sword, a pair of phoenix wings silently unfurled behind her. As the cold air spread around, an imperial phoenix phantom suddenly let out a long roar towards the sky.

The phantom's tail feathers fluttered, and the might of the Imperial Phoenix suddenly descended upon the Gate of Life and Death.

Visible to the naked eye, the might of the Gate Between Life and Death gradually wanes.

The Imperial Phoenix's might coalesced into an Ice Phoenix phantom, charging towards the Gate of Life and Death.

The deathly qi looming before the gate of life and death was suddenly ripped apart, forcibly tearing open a gap.

His expression gradually became worse.

He was mortally wounded by Chu Jiu Cheng's sword and used his vitality to desperately open the Gate of Life and Death. His vitality was quickly devoured by the Gate of Life and Death, causing his body to weaken little by little.

At this time, he could no longer pose a fatal threat to Lin Qi and Chu Jiu Cheng. But if he persisted, the gate of Life and Death would drain him dry.

Realizing this, Rong Shi could only be forced to shut the boundary gate.

Ke Lin just found a way to deal with the Gate of Life and Death, how could he possibly allow him to retreat so easily?

The emperor phoenix energy condensing on the Emperor Phoenix Sword became increasingly intense, and the Emperor Phoenix phantom also grew more solid. All the way through carnage, it collided with the Gate of Life and Death.

That initial impact, the heavens seemed to resonate with a silent Sanskrit chant, echoing in our ears and striking at our very core, like a heavy hammer blow.

For a moment, everyone seemed to see the gates of hell opening. A dark river flowed slowly, and countless souls struggled and screamed on its surface.

My body was being swallowed by black river water, little by little. I was powerless to struggle and was forced closer and closer to death.

Fortunately, the sound only lasted for a moment.

When the sound faded, the crowd was as if yanked back from the brink of death, gasping for breath, their backs damp with an unknown liquid.

It's as if I've walked through life and death several times.

Of all the people present, Chu Jiucheng was affected the most. His mind was thrown into disarray at that moment, forcing him to sit cross-legged on the spot to calm his spirit.

Lin Qi was fully focused, protected by the imperial phoenix aura, completely ignoring the influence of Shengsi Gate's sounds.

My gaze pierced through the layers of deathly stillness, fixated on the boundary between life and death.

The phantom empowered by the Imperial Empress' Qi attacks the Gate of Life and Death once more.

The originally half-closed boundary gate was blocked by the Emperor's phantom, with lines being torn apart one after another.

Lin Qi's internal qi and vitality were rapidly consumed, being channeled to the Emperor Phoenix phantom.

The Empress' phantom clutched half of the Boundary Gate of Life and Death in its jaws, pulling with all its might. Its wings beat heavily against the gate, shaking it violently.

The vitality of the moment was rapidly devoured, and his face gradually turned gray. He stared wide-eyed at the Gate of Life and Death and the phantom of the Emperor Phoenix, wishing he could close the Gate of Life and Death in an instant.

The next second, a snapping sound rang out.

The Emperor's phantom actually tore a small piece of the Gate of Life and Death!

On the ancient and heavy gate, a gap suddenly appeared.

A steady stream of death energy leaks out.

However, Bu Rong also quietly let out a sigh of relief because the boundary between life and death had finally closed.

In the blink of an eye, countless black qi surged within Rong Shi's body, and his face instantly became as ferocious as a demon.

A faint cry reached his ears, and Rong Shi swiftly formed a seal with his hands. The death qi from the gap instantly transformed into a sharp blade, which suddenly shot towards Lin Qi.

Lin Qi had just gone through a great battle, exhausting his blood and life force. He didn't even have time to react before being pierced in the arm by a gray death qi sword.

After the arm was pierced, the skin instantly became dry and withered, its vitality sucked away.

Lin Qimei's heart skipped a beat. Without a word, she drew her sword and chopped off her left hand.

The vitality was drained completely, so much so that when his arm was severed, not even a single drop of blood spilled.

Although she stopped him in time, Lin Qi still felt something was off.

That gray sword, rather than a sword, was a conduit of death.

What happens when a living body is filled with dead energy?

Lin

His face remained unchanged, but his heart was filled with unease and confusion.

Chu Jiu Cheng and Rong Shi also felt puzzled.

What's amiss within your body?

Lin Qi shook her head. "Not yet."

Before answering, Lin Qi had checked her own body several times.

"You're... okay?!" he said, his voice sharp with disbelief.

Lin Qiy's face tightened. "What's wrong?"

This question isn't just directed at Rong Shi, but also at Chu Jiu Cheng.

Of course, Rong Shi wouldn't tell Lin Qi. Chu Jiu Cheng pondered for a moment before speaking, "If the body of a living person is tainted with death energy, it will be infected by the death energy little by little, devouring the vitality within, and eventually becoming a living dead or dying from depletion of life force."

The most obvious characteristic of being infected by death qi is that your body will gradually turn gray... Chu Jiucheng's gaze shifted to Lin Qi's withered arm, which was being roasted by molten lava: "Just like your arm."

The speed at which death consumes life is terrifying, it's not something that can be stopped by simply severing an arm. It spreads within the body relentlessly.

But judging by Lin Qi's appearance, it was obvious that after her arm was cut off, she was no longer affected by the death qi. How could Chu Jiucheng and Rong Shi not be puzzled?

However, this isn't the time to be dwelling on this.

Lin Qi was certain her body was fine. Her gaze fixed, she looked back at Rong Shi.

After much struggle, he now has no strength to resist.

He looked emaciated and disheveled, as if his time was running out.

Seeing Lin Qi charging towards him with her sword, Rong Shi didn't hesitate and turned to run, heading straight for the round platform where Lin Yun was lying.

Lin Qi had long felt that something was amiss with this circular platform and had even sent the Heavenly Reaching Green Vine to investigate.

The Sky-Reaching Vinewood, being restricted by the dense fire spirit energy within the surrounding lava, has its abilities greatly diminished here. It has been blocked several times from taking the stage by the Fire Dragon.

I haven't been able to find any useful information for half a day.

When Rong Shi ran forward, Lin Qi vaguely guessed that Rong Shi's plan was about to be exposed. Without a word, she followed behind him, carrying her sword.

It was a pity, but it was still too late.

At that time, Rong Shi first climbed onto the circular platform and with his back facing Lin Qi, swiftly chanted incantations.

Lin Yun, who was originally lying on the ground unconscious, suddenly stood up straight. One wouldn't know she wasn't a zombie just by looking at her.

Lin Yun is not dead, of course she wouldn't become a zombie.

But Lin Qi and Chu Jiucheng were blocked outside the round platform, watching helplessly as Lin Yun's cultivation level visibly soared.

Golden Core Great Accomplishment, Nascent Soul Early Stage, Nascent Soul Mid Stage, Nascent Soul Late Stage... Transformation God Late Stage, Transformation God Great Accomplishment, Mahayana Initial!

In the early stage of Mahayana, Lin Yun's cultivation continued to rise.

Lin Qi and Chu Jiu Cheng couldn't help but furrow their brows.

In the Cangwu realm, whether it's pills or secret arts, they can only limitlessly improve a person's cultivation base, and at most, transcend one major level.

It is unheard of and unprecedented for someone like Lin Yun to directly transcend from the Golden Core Great Perfection stage to the Mahayana realm.

And all methods of rapid cultivation advancement will have side effects.

The higher the level of cultivation enhancement, the stronger the side effects it brings.