Against Death

"Kill me?!"

"Hahaha!!"

The God of Death seemed to have heard something utterly amusing, and His expression twisted into a mocking grin.

Though wary of the dagger's power,

it still depended on who wielded it.

He gripped the scythe, pressing it firmly against the dagger to prevent even an inch of penetration, then cast a disdainful glance at Gu Yan. "Who gave you the courage to face me?"

"With just your... newly attained Earth-rank cultivation?"

The God of Death sneered. Boom!

The scythe surged with a wave of deathly energy, unleashing a devastating force.

Gu Yan's expression remained unchanged. Swish!

His figure transformed into a streak of black lightning as he swiftly retreated.

The scythe slashed through the space where Gu Yan had stood, leaving behind a rift that refused to mend—tainted with an eerie, decaying aura.

The God of Death didn’t press the attack, choosing instead to savor the thrill of the hunt.

How many years had it been? Trapped in that void for eternity, His bloodlust had festered, growing ever more insatiable.

Now, summoned to the mortal realm through the descent ritual, He would relish every moment!

Though His power was suppressed, limiting Him to Heaven-rank,

He was still far beyond the reach of a mere mortal like Gu Yan, who had only just stepped into Earth-rank.

Swish!

The God of Death pointed His scythe at Gu Yan, arrogance dripping from His voice. "Mortal, I know of your fate with Leng Qingqiu. If you lay down your dagger, join us as a slave of the Heavenly Dao, and kill her..."

"Then—"

Before He could finish, a surge of danger prickled at His senses.

Boom!

Gu Yan vanished from sight, reappearing as a black flash, dagger in hand, lunging straight for the deity.

"You dare, mortal?!"

The God of Death’s face darkened. He swung His scythe in a wide arc, unleashing a frigid wave of deathly energy!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

CRASH!!

Dagger and scythe clashed relentlessly.

Each collision erupted with violent shockwaves, shattering stone walls into blackened dust and fracturing the ground beneath them.

The chamber could no longer withstand the battle, its structure crumbling apart.

Gu Yan dodged swiftly, countering with a slash of his dagger—a black crescent aimed straight for the God of Death’s throat.

Neither held back, every strike meant to kill.

Finally, with a deafening BOOM!, the chamber collapsed entirely, forcing the two combatants into the open.

What froze the God of Death’s expression, however, was the sight outside.

Where there should have been clear daylight,

night had fallen. The sky was choked with dark clouds, plunging the area into an abyss of shadows.

Gu Yan and the God of Death hovered midair, their clashing energies shaking the earth and stirring violent storms.

The deity’s face twisted in displeasure as He sensed His suppressed power—and Gu Yan’s, now multiplied.

"Night’s Domain," He spat.

"A realm where none escape unless its master is slain... the dagger’s exclusive domain."

"Mortal, I admit you’re talented—to wield such power at Earth-rank."

Gu Yan opened his eyes, calmly observing Lin Yinyin’s possessed form.

Above her head, a faint, writhing thread of life pulsed—one that had been invisible before.

Now, he understood.

So this was how to see the thread of life...

With that realization, he sheathed the dagger.

Swish!

A black rift tore open before him, and from it, he drew Phantom’s End.

The God of Death raised a brow at the new weapon, scoffing. "What? The dagger couldn’t defeat me, and now you think a mortal-forged blade will?"

But before He could finish—

Thump! Thump!!

A surge of dread gripped His heart. His eyes widened as He stared at Gu Yan.

The moment the mortal grasped that strange weapon...

his aura skyrocketed.

Mid Earth-rank... peak Earth-rank... late Earth-rank... peak late Earth-rank...

...Heaven-rank?!

"What?!"

The God of Death’s face contorted, but He quickly regained composure. Gripping His scythe, He sneered, "The Night King’s signature trick—aura concealment, right?"

"Hah! You almost fooled me. Whether you’re truly Heaven-rank..."

"I’ll test you myself!"

BOOM!

With a roar, the battlefield transformed.

At Heaven-rank, one could command the very forces of nature.

Wind, earth, sea, and sky—all bent to the will of a Heaven-rank warrior.

Instantly, gales howled, the world itself answering the God of Death’s call.

The ground split open, spewing molten lava as the earth roared in fury.

Above, lightning split the heavens, storms raged—a cataclysm befitting the end of days.

The God of Death raised His scythe, deathly energy thickening like a suffocating fog, threatening to consume all.

His cold gaze locked onto Gu Yan, lips curling into a vicious smirk. "Come. Show me your power."

Gu Yan’s expression was icy. Behind him, the night’s power swirled violently—black mist churning, skeletal shadows emerging like vengeful wraiths from the abyss.

He tightened his grip on Phantom’s End, voice eerily calm. "You’ll see."

In a flash, his form dissolved into black mist, lunging at the God of Death.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!!

Their clash lit up the sky, scythe and blade locking in a storm of death and darkness.

Countless shadowy hands reached from the mist, each strike infused with the natural energy only a Heaven-rank could wield.

"?!"

BANG!

The God of Death slashed with His scythe, a gray crescent of energy hurtling toward Gu Yan.

Gu Yan cleaved through it with Phantom’s End, the resulting shockwave rippling through the air.

The God of Death parried the shadowy hands, retreating hastily.

His mind reeled.

No bluff—this was genuine Heaven-rank power!

But how?! From their last encounter to now, barely any time had passed. How had this mortal ascended so quickly?!

"What’s on your mind?"

A chilling voice whispered in His ear.

The God of Death’s eyes snapped wide—Gu Yan had materialized behind Him, Phantom’s End already swapped back for the dagger.

When?!

He hadn’t sensed a thing. Of course—the Night King’s power masked all traces.

Damn that Night King!!

No—He couldn’t let the dagger strike.

Its night-energy pierced the soul. If it wounded this vessel, His true form, still trapped in the void, would suffer as well.

Realization dawned, and the God of Death’s face twisted in fury. He hadn’t planned to unleash His divine power...

But now, He had no choice.

The next second.

BOOM!!

With a deafening explosion, Gu Yan's power clashed violently against the Death God's in midair, unleashing an unimaginable surge of energy.

The earth crumbled into black ash, while the dark clouds above thickened, and the storm grew fiercer.

Yet, the anticipated scene of the Death God being obliterated did not unfold.

Instead—

Gu Yan’s dagger was firmly blocked by yet another scythe.

As the smoke cleared, the Death God’s current form was revealed.

"..."

To Gu Yan’s shock, a second scythe had abruptly manifested behind Lin Yinyin’s body.

And her form began undergoing a drastic transformation.

Her originally petite frame now... expanded uncontrollably.

"Mortal... I did underestimate you."

The Death God’s eyes gleamed with a crimson glow as its body swelled, towering like a mountain of darkness.

Gu Yan stood before it, no larger than one of its eyes.

From its back sprouted four new arms, each gripping a scythe radiating a deathly gray light.

All six limbs swung in unison, trailing waves of necrotic energy. The air echoed with wails, as if whispering of endless despair.

Every scythe seemed capable of splitting space itself, carrying the force to annihilate all creation.

"I am [Death]."

"This is my divine form—my true visage."

Its low voice dripped with overwhelming pressure. "Despair, mortal."

"You forced me to wield divine power, though this vessel can sustain it for only three minutes."

"But it’s more than enough to kill you... and then Leng Qingqiu."

"Worry not. I’ll... end this swiftly."

As it spoke, one arm extended, a swirl of gray death gathering at its fingertip.

It flicked the energy toward Gu Yan, as if the attack’s success were a foregone conclusion.

"Perish, mortal."

Golden eyes brimming with divine arrogance, the Death God watched as its words became decree.

An unavoidable strike of death surged toward Gu Yan, leaving no room to evade.

No sensation. No pain.

Gu Yan looked down to see his body disintegrating into black ash, scattering into nothingness.

So this... is divine power.