Like a broken ice sculpture, he shattered into countless tiny fragments, falling to the ground in pieces.
The Nascent Soul cultivator's body had been utterly destroyed.
Yet Li Fan did not show the elation of a victor.
The volcano confronting the Congyun Sea was still active. In fact, it had even grown more violent.
"Not bad, you managed to destroy my physical body. You should be proud of yourself!
"Unfortunately, a Foundation Establishment cultivator like you could never comprehend the terror of the Nascent Soul realm!"
The red-haired Nascent Soul cultivator's voice rang out once more. Beneath his calm tone lay boundless fury.
"As long as my grotto-heaven remains, I will not die!"
Behind the volcano, the projection of an infant slowly emerged. Like a parasitic worm, it arched its small body, clinging to the volcano.
"You won't be able to die easily either! I'll torment you with the cruelest methods you can imagine; only then can I vent the hatred in my heart!"
Amid the infant's resentful cries, the red-haired Nascent Soul cultivator’s body actually showed faint signs of regenerating.
Li Fan watched as the infant slowly absorbed the volcano's energy.
Then, squirming flesh materialized on the infant from nothingness, as if weaving a garment. A human shell was slowly taking shape.
As long as the grotto-heaven remains, the cultivator doesn't die. Li Fan watched the scene play out, deep in thought.
He had used every means at his disposal, and caught his opponent off guard, but had only managed to destroy one physical body. Once the enemy recovered, he would be the one to die.
Indeed, challenging those above one’s realm is no easy task. But...
Li Fan's eyes flashed as his aura erupted violently. He no longer held anything back.
"I have one final move! I look forward to exchanging pointers, Senior!"
The Technique Eruption Spirit-Startling Array was pushed to its limits, reaching the verge of collapse.
Overloaded with energy far beyond its capacity, Li Fan’s body began disintegrating inch by inch. His lower body gradually vanished, leaving only his upper torso.
Fearless of death at this moment, Li Fan unleashed the sea-overturning palm strike he'd comprehended from the Dao resonance artifacts.
His right hand swept out in an utterly ordinary manner.
In the instant before the sea-overturning palm strike fully formed, standing between life and death, Li Fan suddenly had an epiphany.
Both Xiao Heng and Su Xiaomei had gained their own insights from observing the sea-overturning palm strike.
Xiao Heng's palm technique was ethereal and elusive, impossible to grasp.
Su Xiaomei's palm technique was overwhelmingly domineering, capable of suppressing all creation.
Yet Li Fan had only ever grasped the superficial form of the technique, never managing to develop his own true intent. That final, crucial understanding always eluded him.
For years, he'd made no progress. But now, undaunted by the gap in cultivation realms, Li Fan resolutely executed the sea-overturning palm strike against a Nascent Soul cultivator. And in that moment, he suddenly comprehended his own palm technique's true intent.
It was... defiance!
So what if you're a Nascent Soul cultivator? I've lived through multiple lifetimes, cultivated immortality for a hundred years, and carry countless secrets.
I've used numerous prodigies as pawns to derive techniques and divine abilities.
If ancient prodigies could kill opponents two cultivation realms above them, why can't I?
Li Fan's body dissipated like smoke in the wind, yet his eyes grew increasingly brilliant.
He laughed heartily: "Today, I shall use your life to complete my divine ability!"
The red-haired Nascent Soul cultivator laughed in furious disbelief: "Such arrogance..."
Before he could finish, he noticed that dark clouds had gathered overhead without his notice.
It appears to overturn the sea. But in truth... it overturns the heavens!
A colossal hand of unimaginable size descended from above, crushing him.
Boom!
The volcano, along with the Nascent Soul cultivator clinging to it, was instantly reduced to dust.
High in the sky, the phenomenon marking a Nascent Soul cultivator's death suddenly manifested.
But Li Fan had no attention to spare for it.
His body had disintegrated, leaving only half a skull.
Just before his consciousness faded completely, Li Fan silently recited: Return to Truth.