Wu Dong: I, Lin Langtian, will not play a supporting role

Deep within the main hall, the passageway was dark and quiet.

Lin Langtian led Yin Ruoshui away from the treasure hall and continued deeper into the ruins along the winding passage.

As he walked, he examined the dark spirit crystal in his hand.

The fist-sized, dark purple crystal emitted a faint glow, and liquid energy seemed to flow slowly inside, like a sleeping ancient star.

The intense, almost tangible, dark spiritual energy caused the dark demonic runes within his body to tremble and emit a series of yearning hums.

"Young Master Lin, are you going to refine the Dark Spirit Crystal here?" Yin Ruoshui asked in a low voice as she followed behind him.

Lin Langtian looked around. The passage was quite wide, with several recessed stone niches on both sides, which looked like side chambers left when the ruins were built.

He chose one of the larger rooms and led Yin Ruoshui inside.

The side chamber was small, only a few dozen feet in circumference, but it was secluded enough. Some simple runes were engraved on the walls; although they had faded, they still seemed to offer a slight protective effect.

"Right here, you protect me and don't let anyone disturb me." Lin Langtian said, taking out several special spirit stones from his pocket and setting up a simple concealment array at the entrance of the side chamber.

While it can't stop a true master, it can at least prevent their aura from leaking out and avoid attracting unnecessary trouble.

Yin Ruoshui nodded, gripped the sacred object tightly, and stood guard at the entrance vigilantly.

Lin Langtian sat down cross-legged, held the Dark Spirit Crystal between his palms, closed his eyes and concentrated.

He took a deep breath and slowly focused his mind into his body.

Within the Supreme Sea, the two demonic runes shone like the sun and moon, reflecting each other's brilliance.

The Primordial Demonic Talisman was as heavy as a mountain, radiating a dark yellow-gold light, like an ancient and unchanging divine mountain.

The dark rune was as deep as an abyss, pitch black, with a faint, eerie glow, like a black hole in the endless void, devouring all light.

The two magic runes, one bright and one dark, one hard and one soft, are in a delicate balance with each other.

Lin Langtian's mind was focused on the dark magic rune.

Since obtaining this magic talisman on the Tianxuan Continent, it has been one of his most powerful aids.

However, after arriving in the Great Thousand World, as his cultivation improved, the power of the Dark Demon Rune gradually seemed to fall behind. Although it had begun to show its power after the last enhancement, it was no longer as invincible as it had been back in the Tianxuan Continent.

This Dark Spirit Crystal might allow the Dark Magic Rune to undergo another transformation.

Lin Langtian opened his eyes, looked again at the dark purple crystal in his palm, then closed his eyes and began to guide the power of the dark magic rune.

"Buzz!"

The dark magic rune emitted a low hum, and an invisible suction force emanated from the rune, penetrating through it and enveloping the dark spirit crystal in the palm.

As if summoned, the Dark Crystal began to heat up slightly, and the liquid energy inside started to flow faster, making a soft, rustling sound, like an underground river surging underground.

Lin Langtian's mind stirred, and he increased the suction force.

"Crack!"

A faint cracking sound rang out. A tiny crack appeared on the surface of the Dark Spirit Crystal, and a wisp of indescribably pure dark energy overflowed from the crack, flowing along Lin Langtian's palm and into his meridians.

As soon as the energy entered his body, Lin Langtian couldn't help but shudder.

It's ice cold!
The dark energy was icy cold, but not just ordinary cold; it was a chilling cold that penetrated to the bone, like ice water flowing from melted millennia-old ice, slowly flowing along the meridians, leaving a cool sensation wherever it passed.

But along with the coolness came an indescribable feeling of fullness... The energy was so pure and so concentrated that even a single wisp caused Lin Langtian's meridians to swell slightly.

"Such pure dark spiritual energy!" Lin Langtian exclaimed inwardly.

He had cultivated for many years and seen countless rare and precious materials, but he had never encountered such pure dark energy.

This Dark Spirit Crystal truly lives up to its reputation as a treasure of heaven and earth, nurtured for tens of thousands of years!

He dared not be negligent and activated the Dark Magic Rune with all his might, guiding the dark energy to circulate along a specific meridian route.

The dark rune, like a ravenous beast, greedily devoured the surging dark energy, and the eerie light on its surface grew brighter and deeper.

"Click...click!"

More cracks appeared on the surface of the dark crystal.

The cracks spread out like a spider web, becoming more and more numerous and denser.

Finally, the moment when cracks spread throughout the entire crystal.

"Whoosh!"

The Dark Spirit Crystal shattered with a deafening roar!
A fist-sized ball of dark purple energy burst forth from the crystal, hovering between Lin Langtian's palms, like a miniature dark purple sun.

The energy was so concentrated that it almost solidified, its surface constantly churning as if it were alive, radiating a heart-stopping fluctuation.

Lin Langtian took a deep breath, formed hand seals, and the suction power of the dark magic rune suddenly increased to its maximum!

"boom!"

The dark purple energy seemed to have found an outlet, and suddenly surged into Lin Langtian's body!
An unimaginably powerful surge of dark energy, like a flood bursting its banks, rushed wildly into his meridians and spread throughout his limbs and bones!
Lin Langtian's body jolted violently, and his face instantly turned pale.

The energy was so immense that even with his current Dragon-Kun Divine Body, he felt an unbearable throbbing pain.

The meridians were expanded wildly, the bones were washed over and over again, and every cell in the flesh and blood was absorbing this dark energy, becoming more and more solid and stronger.

But the most dramatic changes occurred within the Supreme Sea.

The dark rune trembled violently, like metal thrown into a raging fire, its surface flashing with an eerie light, as if it were about to shatter at any moment!

But Lin Langtian knew that it was not a collapse, but a transformation... the dark magic rune was beginning to evolve to a higher level after absorbing enough dark energy!

"Buzz!"

A deep hum emanated from the depths of the Supreme Sea, and the tremors of the dark runes grew more intense and frequent.

The ancient patterns on the surface of the talisman began to become more complex and profound at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The originally simple rune structure, under the infusion of dark energy, gave rise to countless tiny branches, like the roots of a tree, deeply penetrating the void and drawing on the dark power from all directions.

At the same time, a dark purple light emanated from Lin Langtian's body, enveloping his entire being.

The light was deep and pure, seemingly capable of devouring all light, even thickening the air. Yin Ruoshui sensed that aura at the entrance and couldn't help but turn back for a glance, her eyes filled with shock.

She could sense that the dark power within Lin Langtian was growing at an astonishing rate. The unfathomable depth of it made even someone like her, who was born into the Black Heaven Ancient Clan and was skilled in dark power, feel a chill run down her spine.

Time passed by, second by second.

Lin Langtian was completely immersed in absorbing the dark energy.

His consciousness flowed through his body with that dark energy, feeling every meridian, every bone, and every cell become stronger under its nourishment.

The feeling was like a piece of pig iron being thrown into a furnace, being hammered and refined, and finally turning into refined steel.

The changes in the dark runes continue.

The patterns on the surface of the rune became increasingly complex and profound, evolving from simple runes into a structure as intricate as a star map.

Each line seems to contain some kind of profound truth of heaven and earth, faintly exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

As the dark magic rune underwent its transformation, Lin Langtian's cultivation level also slowly increased.

Although the increase in quantity is not significant, it represents a qualitative leap.

His understanding of the power of darkness became deeper and more thorough.

Things that I used to have to rack my brains to understand now suddenly come to mind like a sudden enlightenment.

Darkness concealment is no longer simply about hiding one's presence, but rather about temporarily "erasing" one's existence from this world.

It's not about hiding in some corner, but about making one's existence ethereal, so that even if one stands in front of an opponent, the opponent cannot perceive one's presence.

These insights flooded into Lin Langtian's mind like a spring, making his eyes grow ever deeper and darker.

After an unknown amount of time... perhaps an hour, perhaps half a day... the dark purple energy in his palm was finally completely absorbed by Lin Langtian.

The dark spirit crystal had turned into a pile of grayish-white powder, which fell from between his fingers and scattered in the wind.

Lin Langtian slowly opened his eyes.

A flash of dark purple light appeared in his eyes and disappeared into the deep blackness.

Those eyes were even deeper than before, like two miniature black holes, capable of swallowing all gazes.

His aura didn't surge, but it underwent an indescribable change... a qualitative transformation, a completely new texture brought about by the evolution of the dark magic rune.

He stood up, feeling the surging dark power within his body, and a slight smile appeared on his lips.

The power of the Dark Rune has increased at least threefold!
Those new insights into the power of darkness were like a treasure trove, waiting for him to develop and utilize them in actual combat.

"Young Master Lin, did you succeed?" Yin Ruoshui asked cautiously as the oppressive feeling gradually dissipated.

Lin Langtian nodded, put away the powder left by the Dark Spirit Crystal, and looked into the depths of the passage: "Let's go. We've wasted a lot of time. The real good stuff is yet to come."

Yin Ruoshui nodded, and then the two continued to explore further.

The passageway grew wider and deeper, and ancient murals began to appear on the walls on both sides.

The murals depict a powerful figure in black robes battling a bloody war against an extraterrestrial evil race.

Alone, he faced an army of tens of thousands of evil beings, wielding a jet-black longsword. With each strike, swathes of powerful evil warriors turned to ashes.

Those were the great achievements of the ancient Black Emperor, the glory of protecting a region with his own strength, and the silent testament he left to future generations.

Looking at the murals, Lin Langtian felt a growing sense of respect for the Black Emperor he had never met.

To be able to cultivate from a mere illegitimate son of the Black Heaven Ancient Clan to the realm of Saint-grade Heavenly Supreme, and to leave behind such magnificent relics after death, this person is no ordinary individual.

Yin Ruoshui also looked at the murals, her eyes flashing with a complex light.

She and the ancient Black Emperor share a similar background... both are illegitimate children not recognized by the Black Heaven Ancient Clan, and both are wandering souls.

If the Ancient Black Emperor could reach that level, what about her? How far can she go?
Each with their own thoughts, they moved forward in silence.

However, as they turned a corner, the sight before them made them both stop in their tracks.

In the very center of the passage ahead, a figure stood silently, and Lin Langtian's expression instantly turned solemn.

It was a man clad in tattered armor, his physique as imposing as a mountain, exuding an indescribable sense of oppression even just standing there.

His face was resolute and upright, and the heroic spirit of his youth could still be faintly seen between his brows, but his skin had an eerie gray-black color, like charred charcoal that had been scorched by flames, covered with fine cracks, from which black mist could be seen seeping out.

His eyes were empty, devoid of any light, with only two dark red orbs burning eerily in their sockets, like two will-o'-the-wisps that would never go out. The light was cold and eerie, and wherever it passed, even the air seemed to freeze.

What is most striking is the demonic aura surrounding him.

The demonic energy was as black as ink, so dense that it almost solidified, like black pythons coiling and entwining around him.

Within the demonic energy, countless distorted faces could be vaguely seen wailing in agony. These were beings he had killed and then devoured by the demonic energy. Their souls were trapped within this demonic corpse, unable to escape, and thus became the source of his power.

The demonic energy exuded a nauseating, rotten aura, exactly the same as the aura emanating from the black-robed man we encountered at the entrance to the ruins—the demonic energy of an extraterrestrial evil race!
But it's more concentrated, more violent, and more terrifying!
The demonic corpse seemed to sense the arrival of Lin Langtian and Yin Ruoshui. The light in its two dark red eye sockets suddenly intensified, like two lit ghost lamps.

It slowly raised its head, its stiff movements producing a clicking sound, like a rusty machine in operation.

"Invaders..."

It emitted a hoarse, grating sound from its throat, like a broken bellows, or like countless wronged souls whispering in unison.

"I'd rather die...than...die..."

Before the words were even finished, a terrifying aura suddenly erupted from its body!

The aura surged forth from the demon's corpse like a flood bursting its banks, a collapsing mountain, or a world-ending hurricane, instantly engulfing the entire passage!

Sensing this powerful aura, Yin Ruoshui's face instantly turned ashen, and she involuntarily took several steps back, almost losing her balance!

The Great Perfection of the Earthly Supreme!

Moreover, it is by no means the superficiality of someone just entering this realm, but a profound and domineering force that has been tempered and refined through countless battles!

Furthermore, in Lin Langtian's perception, this demonic corpse's cultivation level in life was probably not just that of an ordinary Earthly Sovereign at the Great Perfection stage, but possibly even the peak of the Great Perfection stage, or a being that had touched the threshold of the Heavenly Sovereign stage!
Even though he had lost his mind and his strength had decreased after being corrupted by demonic energy, the oppressive aura of a top-tier expert still made Lin Langtian's heart tremble! (End of this chapter)