The battle between Yun Fan and the Zen Master was nearing its end.
As it turned out, Yun Fan's lack of an Emperor's Mark always put him a step behind the Zen Master, and he had now entered a state of severe injury.
Even with the unfolding of his Devouring power, he couldn't match the Zen Master's strength.
The Zen Master then spoke, "Your demonic energy is incredibly potent. Throughout history, I've encountered many demonic cultivators, but none of them possessed demonic energy comparable to yours!"
"However, fortunately, you are not a true Emperor Realm expert. Therefore, no matter how formidable your demonic energy, it cannot harm me!"
At this moment, the Zen Master was filled with pride, for Yun Fan could do nothing against him.
Yun Fan had initially intended to use the simplest and most direct method: to implant his demonic energy into the Zen Master's body and devour it from within.
But having fused with the Dao Heart, the Zen Master was now a flawless Emperor Realm expert, and Yun Fan found himself unable to execute his plan.
Yun Fan then said, "So what? You can defeat me, but you cannot kill me!"
"Hahahaha!"
The Zen Master roared with laughter, "While you possess Emperor Realm combat power, killing you would merely cost me some price at most!"
However, as soon as he finished speaking, Yun Fan unleashed his Devouring power, allowing the demonic energy to fuel him with an endless stream of strength.
His injuries began to heal.
Indeed, this was a unique path. So what if he lacked the Emperor's Mark? Did he not have the demonic path as his foundation?
As long as the demonic energy persisted, he would have an inexhaustible source of power.
The Zen Master's expression shifted instantly. It was indeed simple to defeat Yun Fan, but killing him was proving to be not so easy.
At this point, Yun Fan asked, "What now?"
"I refuse to believe you can recover indefinitely!"
The Zen Master immediately attacked.
In an instant, the two clashed, shaking heaven and earth, each seeking to wear the other down to death. But clearly, Yun Fan was at a disadvantage.
It was unclear how long they fought. Their blood splattered across the ground, dyeing the earth red.
Their blood, imbued with immense power, meant that no matter who lost this battle, this place would become a new forbidden zone.
The Zen Master continuously wore down Yun Fan's demonic energy.
Thanks to his Devouring ability, Yun Fan, though being worn down, was not in critical condition.
However, this situation could not last. After all, by all accounts, the Zen Master held the absolute advantage.
He could have controlled his body through the malevolent thought, but despite countless attempts to communicate, that malevolent thought seemed to be dormant.
Thus, this battle had to be fought by himself.
Although the two exchanged blows, Yun Fan was ultimately outmatched, suffering severe injuries time and again at the hands of the Zen Master.
Finally, at the opportune moment, Yun Fan detected the aura of the Demon King's origin within the Zen Master's Dao Heart.
"Got it!"
Earlier, the Chaos Demonic Ape had assisted the Zen Master in breaking through to the Emperor Realm. Yun Fan had wondered what method it was, but it turned out to be a portion of the Chaos Demonic Ape's origin power.
Of course, this origin power was newly formed, not the sealed ultimate origin of the Chaos Demonic Ape.
But even with this nascent origin, it had allowed the Zen Master to break through to the Emperor Realm. It was evident how monstrous the Chaos Demonic Ape was.
If not for some peculiar power within the opponent, Yun Fan might have perished.
Yet, infecting this origin power with the demonic path remained incredibly difficult, as the Zen Master showed no flaws.
With this in mind, Yun Fan recalled the past. The Zen Master had nearly been killed by the Celestial Maiden in their battle.
The Celestial Maiden must have left a grievous wound on the Zen Master, which he had skillfully concealed, making it impossible for Yun Fan to detect.
At this point, the Zen Master said, "Stop struggling. Your defeat is inevitable!"
"Is that so?"
At this very moment, Yun Fan abandoned all defense, focusing all his power on offense.
Though this was incredibly dangerous, he knew it was the only way to find a weakness in the Zen Master.
Indeed, when his power shifted entirely to offense, his combat strength increased by a considerable margin, allowing him to confront the Zen Master head-on.
The Zen Master was also surprised by Yun Fan's recklessness. Abandoning all defense was akin to seeking death.
However, in his view, this was Yun Fan's final gamble, an attempt to turn the tide with a desperate surge.
He smiled playfully, " resorting to desperate measures now? Excellent, I will show you what despair truly means!"
In an instant, he struck, his fist piercing through Yun Fan's body.
This punch was fatal. Had a Half-Emperor Realm expert faced it, they would have been annihilated, body and soul.
Even Yun Fan coughed up blood, for the punch was devastatingly powerful.
And Yun Fan's palm landed directly on the fusion point of the Zen Master's origin and Dao Heart.
"Pfft!"
The Zen Master spat out a mouthful of blood, his gaze fixed on Yun Fan with apprehension.
That palm strike had nearly broken through his defenses.
He recalled a time when, in his moment of triumph, the Celestial Maiden had descended, engaging him in a world-shattering battle.
Had she not cleaved through the Soul Severing Cliff, fearing the destruction of the seal, he would have certainly died in that battle.
He had sustained unimaginable injuries from that fight. Though they had gradually healed over the decades, they had never truly mended.
He had expended immense effort to conceal this vulnerability, and now, Yun Fan had struck it directly.
He looked on in disbelief.
Yun Fan's blow had caused his old wound to flare up.
Yun Fan, however, struggled to his feet, his body swaying.
"Zen Master, what now?"
Yun Fan said, "I knew you had a weakness. If not for my desperate gamble, I might never have found it!"
Hearing this, the Zen Master scoffed, "So what if you found my weakness? At best, it will only cause my old wound to resurface. Killing me is not that simple!"
"But for me, this is enough!"
The next moment, Yun Fan unleashed his full power, attacking the Zen Master.
Seeing this, the Zen Master sneered, "So what if you found the weakness? I'd like to see if you can last until my old wound fully heals!"
At this point, the Zen Master was also enraged, unleashing his full strength. He firmly believed that even with his full power, Yun Fan was no match for him.
Thus, a cataclysmic battle erupted. It was their final desperate struggle, their ultimate sublimation, making them invincible on a global scale.
Let alone in this Sacred Sealing Land, even outside, people felt the encroaching aura of an impending apocalypse.
"Boom!"
After one exchange, Yun Fan's body was nearly shattered. If not for the protection of his demonic energy, he would have been dead.
Yet, even so, Yun Fan had reached a critical juncture, his life hanging by a thread.
At this moment, he lacked the strength to even stand.
The Zen Master's body also swayed precariously. After all, this was a desperate struggle. Even as an Emperor Realm expert, he had suffered severe injuries.
Yun Fan's attack had successfully torn open his old wound, revealing a conspicuous gash before Yun Fan's eyes.
The Zen Master exclaimed wildly, "Kid, is this the outcome you desired?"
"But what use is it? Though my old wound has resurfaced, you are barely clinging to life. Killing you now is easier than killing a dog!"
Such intense humiliation, had it been anyone else, would have led to an explosion of rage. But at this moment, Yun Fan said, "Your end has arrived!"
He mustered his last ounce of belief and began to activate his Devouring power.
Instantly, the Devouring power spread within the Zen Master's origin.
"Ah!"
The Zen Master let out a pained roar. He hadn't expected this to be Yun Fan's plan.
Yun Fan, struggling to rise, said, "It's all over. The moment you accepted the Demon King's method to break through to the Emperor Realm, the hidden danger was planted within your origin!"
At this moment, the Devouring power began to ignite the peculiar power.
The Zen Master was at his weakest, seemingly on the verge of losing his life. But at this very instant, the Zen Master directly severed his origin power.
This sight caused Yun Fan to gasp.
The Zen Master smiled weakly, "Did you think I would place all my hopes on the Demon King?"
"He assisted me in breaking through to the Emperor Realm merely to turn me into his puppet once he broke free. I had seen through this long ago. That's why I delayed releasing him and devised a plan: to use the Dao Hearts of the Seven Sacred Sealing Sons and Yue Chan to forge a new Dao Heart for myself!"
"Therefore, even without my origin, at most, my strength will be reduced by one layer. But I will still be an Emperor Realm expert!"
The Zen Master said, "You miscalculated this step, and you will pay the price for your mistake with your life!"
He hadn't anticipated Yun Fan pushing him to this point, but it was not too late. By severing his origin, he remained an Emperor Realm expert.
However, he was now more determined than ever to eliminate Yun Fan.
If this prodigy were not dealt with, his ambitions would remain unfulfilled.
Yun Fan's complexion turned ashen. His fate seemed to be sealed, with no other option but death.
He had used his last trump cards, and now he had become the Zen Master's prey.
"Junior Brother, don't be afraid!"
Suddenly, a multitude of voices echoed, it was Yun Fan's women and senior sisters. They had arrived.
"You should leave quickly!"
Yun Fan said in despair, as their arrival could not change the situation.
Their presence here was a consequence of the shockwaves from Yun Fan and the Zen Master's battle, which had affected the outside world.
Therefore, they had come to Yun Fan's aid, disregarding their own safety.
"No matter how many ants there are, they remain ants. Their numbers will not change their nature!"
The Zen Master said dismissively.
However, they did not leave. Instead, they said to Yun Fan, "All beings have felt your battle. Junior Brother, at this moment, the Heavenly Emperor is uniting the will of all beings to defeat him with their faith!"
This statement enlightened Yun Fan. At this very moment, he could distinctly feel the faith of all beings flowing into him.
His near-death state was revitalized by this surge of faith. His strength was rapidly recovering, even reaching his peak, with the potential to break through to the Emperor Realm.
But Yun Fan ultimately refrained from breaking through to the Emperor Realm.
He knew that breaking through to the Emperor Realm solely on the faith of all beings would result in an unstable realm, so he abandoned that plan.
However, at this moment, it was crucial to consolidate their faith and engage the Zen Master in a final battle.
"Zen Master, you seek to destroy all beings, so I shall use their faith to kill you!"
Yun Fan rose again, like a peerless God of War.
The Zen Master sneered, "You are mistaken. I have solidified my Emperor Realm. Even with the faith of all beings, you cannot kill me!"
"Is that so?"
At this very moment, Yun Fan channeled the faith of all beings, and countless strands of faith began to contend with his Emperor's Mark.
Initially, the Zen Master saw no issue, but Yun Fan's subsequent actions shocked him.
For these strands of faith were gnawing at his mark. The mark, once radiating brilliantly, now dimmed into obscurity.
"Not good!"
The Zen Master's face contorted. He had never expected this outcome.
At this moment, his Emperor Realm began to falter; he was no longer a fully-fledged Emperor Realm expert.
"No, absolutely not!"
The Zen Master roared. He had poured countless efforts into solidifying his Emperor Realm and would not allow Yun Fan to strip him of it now.
Therefore, he launched a full-powered assault on Yun Fan.
Yun Fan calmly said, "Zen Master, I once believed you to be the only individual to reshape the world since the ancient era, no longer fearing the faith of all beings. Yet, you have ultimately disappointed me. As long as the collective faith crushes you, you will still fall from the Emperor Realm and fail to break the millennia-old pattern!"
"As long as I kill you, no one will be able to unite faith again!"
The Zen Master barked.
At this moment, he unleashed his weakest Emperor Realm power, charging rapidly towards Yun Fan.
He thought he could kill Yun Fan, but instead, he was repelled by the power of faith. Bolstered by faith, the Zen Master's Emperor Realm had already fallen, reducing him to a Half-Emperor Realm expert.
"My realm, my realm cannot possibly fall like this!"
The Zen Master wailed in despair, never imagining that all his machinations would ultimately come to naught.
The prosperity faded, leaving only a dream.
At this moment, he sat in his place, utterly dejected.
Seeing that he had fallen from the Emperor Realm, Yun Fan dispersed the faith of all beings.
"Zen Master, did you ever consider that this day might come?"
Yun Fan questioned him coldly.
The journey had been arduous. And the Zen Master, the ultimate embodiment of evil, had finally been subdued.
With the defeat of the Zen Master, all beings were safe.
The Zen Master's demeanor turned frenzied.
"In my life, I have always controlled situations amidst countless struggles. I even dared to scheme against the Chaos Demonic Ape, yet I ultimately fell to your Ghost Valley sect!"
"I was defeated by the Celestial Maiden back then, and now I am defeated by you. Had I known, I should have dealt with your Ghost Valley sect back then. It was my oversight that led to this situation!"
The Zen Master was on the verge of madness. Although the Ghost Valley sect was not weak, in his eyes, it had always been a minor sect.
He had never taken it seriously. It was precisely because he had disregarded it that he had suffered successive defeats.
It was impossible for him not to be furious.
Hearing this, Yun Fan's expression changed, "The Celestial Maiden was my master's disciple?"
No wonder he had no recollection of this Senior Sister, nor any records about her. It turned out his Senior Sister was the Celestial Maiden.
"Your master is not worthy!"
The Zen Master said, "It's just that when the Celestial Maiden descended to the mortal world, she was gravely injured and was saved by your master. In gratitude, she agreed to become your master's disciple!"
"So that's how it is!"
Yun Fan finally understood. He had always wondered how his master, with what qualifications, could become the Celestial Maiden's master. It turned out that when the Celestial Maiden was injured, she was saved by his master. However, he was perplexed as to why the Old Heavenly Master was so fond of being a master.
Based on the timeline, his master should have been young at that era, his strength vastly inferior to the Celestial Maiden's.
Of course, even at his master's peak, he would have been like an ant compared to the Celestial Maiden.
He was surprised that his master had shamelessly taken the Celestial Maiden as a disciple, not knowing where he found the courage.
At this point, the Zen Master said, "I thought that after solidifying my realm and destroying all beings, I could find the Celestial Maiden to wash away my shame. I never expected to be defeated by a mere creature like you. I am not convinced!"
Yun Fan said, "What is there to be convinced about? The Ghost Valley exists precisely to suppress evildoers like you!"
"Do you think that by defeating me, you can truly save all beings?"
The Zen Master laughed mockingly.
"What do you mean?"
Yun Fan's eyes showed confusion. He had a feeling that the Zen Master's words held a hidden meaning.
The Zen Master said playfully, "I wasn't the only one with such a plan. It's just that I was too brilliant, and they hadn't succeeded yet, so I suppressed them. Now that I am dead, they will reveal themselves. Although you have fortunately defeated me, you cannot contend with them!"
"Who are they?"
Yun Fan asked, unsure if the Zen Master was telling the truth or trying to deceive him.
The next moment, just as the Zen Master was about to speak, he froze completely in place.
"Huh?"
As Yun Fan pondered, he realized the Zen Master was already dead. The next moment, the killer revealed himself.