*Chapter 243: Taiyi Absorbs the Heavenly Scourge**

"Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, Turtle-Snake Taiyi..."

Li Fan contemplated for a moment, and a plan formed in his mind.

Of course, he would not personally take the risk to try the power of the Heavenly Scourge Sword in the Taiyi Hall.

However, with the Non-Existent Killing Intent, he didn't need to venture into danger himself.

He made arrangements using his clone, which went out and set things up.

Meanwhile, Li Fan's main body quietly arrived in front of the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, lying in wait.

Soon, a guide to explore the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, whose origin was unknown, spread throughout the entire Sea of Clouds.

At first, the cultivators were skeptical of the contents of this "guide."

However, as some cultivators personally tested it and indeed obtained the inheritance after risking their lives, the correctness of the guide was finally validated.

Once the peculiar rules were mastered, casualties could be almost entirely avoided.

As a result, the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, which had always attracted cultivators for exploration, became even more lively.

Not only reckless individual cultivators, but even members of the Ten Thousand Immortals Alliance, who had previously been cautious about preserving their lives, were tempted after receiving the "clearance answer."

They went to explore the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, seeking their own opportunities.

Meanwhile, Li Fan, who had been waiting for a long time, selected those with excellent spiritual fortune and locked onto them with the Non-Existent Killing Intent.

He used them as his eyes to investigate the secrets of the Heavenly Scourge Sword.

Because, at the end of the guide, it clearly explained the method to approach the Taiyi Hall and awaken the Turtle-Snake monster.

But it didn't mention the opportunities that could be obtained at the Taiyi Hall.

So, taking advantage of the normal thinking that the deeper you go into the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, the more precious opportunities you would get, many adventurers, naturally full of exploration spirit, headed towards the Taiyi Hall.

Under Li Fan's gaze, nearly a dozen people, after benefiting from various parts of the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, were still unsatisfied and proceeded towards the Taiyi Hall.

They reached the front of the Sword Forest.

Although the pain of the sword piercing the heart was terrifying, thinking about the treasures easily obtained ahead, the pain diminished significantly.

Gritting their teeth and enduring the intense pain, the group arrived at the square in front of the Taiyi Hall, yelling and shouting according to the guide.

"I am the 167th disciple of the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, seeking an audience with Patriarch Taiyi!"

"Patriarch Taiyi, please come out!"

The shouts echoed over the hall.

"Boom!"

The earth shook, and the Taiyi Hall rose into the air.

Under the fearful and expectant gazes of everyone, the Turtle-Snake monster actually appeared.

It looked somewhat confused as it scrutinized the people in front of it, taking a long time to react.

However, a few more alert cultivators began to operate the inherited techniques obtained from the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace, demonstrating their identity.

Others quickly followed suit.

For a while, various lights from different techniques shone on Taiyi, according to the guide.

"Are you... all disciples of my Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace?"

Its gaze swept over, confirming one by one, looking at the various expressions of the cultivators before it. Its muddy eyes were full of regret and joy.

"Our Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace hasn't been so lively for a long time."

"Since..."

"Wait, it seems like I forgot something important."

The tone of the Turtle-Snake monster changed, and its eyes suddenly became confused.

Then, as if realizing something, its expression changed dramatically.

The square trembled, and the Taiyi Hall began to shake violently.

For some reason, the massive body of the Turtle-Snake monster started to uncontrollably tremble.

"Children..."

With a trembling voice, it struggled to roar.

"Run!"

In front of the Taiyi Hall, the originally expectant cultivators were all stunned.

They all thought they had misheard.

"What does it mean to let us run?"

**Chapter 244: Everyone's Bewilderment**

The crowd looked at each other in bewilderment, unable to comprehend what was happening.

However, as the trembling of the earth became more apparent and intensified, people finally sensed that something was wrong.

"Run!"

The desperate voice of Turtle-Snake Taiyi echoed once again.

As it shouted, a faint blue light appeared on the bodies of the cultivators.

It was the same technique used before, allowing cultivators to teleport out of the Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace.

However, just before the blue light fully formed...

A pitch-black, ominous sword suddenly manifested.

This time, it didn't summon a myriad of sword shadows to pierce through the Turtle-Snake monster; instead, it seemed to be trying to break free from within Taiyi's body.

Amidst the sharp and unpleasant friction sound, Taiyi let out a painful howl.

The spell casting for the teleportation blue light was instantly interrupted.

"Hum!"

The broken body of the Heavenly Scourge Sword was about to completely separate from Taiyi.

"No!"

The Turtle-Snake monster roared, and its body suddenly sank.

A seemingly infinite suction force emanated from its body.

The sword body was slowly, inch by inch, reabsorbed into its body.

This action by Turtle-Snake Taiyi seemed to enrage the Heavenly Scourge Sword.

Countless sword shadows fell like rain, ruthlessly piercing Taiyi's body.

Taiyi let out a painful roar but refused to let go.

From the manifestation of the original form of the Heavenly Scourge Sword to Turtle-Snake using its body as a sheath to block the sword's attack, it all happened in the blink of an eye.

In Taiyi's mournful cries, the cultivators on the square finally woke up as if from a dream.

With faces filled with fear, they wanted to escape and flee.

However, with the Sword Forest in front of them, the journey here was already extremely difficult.

How could they easily escape now?

Just as the cultivators were struggling to cross the halfway point of the Sword Spirits, the Heavenly Scourge Sword finally completely freed itself from Taiyi's body.

"Hum!"

The sound of swords ringing echoed once again.

As if disdainful of personally dealing with them, the tip of the Heavenly Scourge Sword did not point towards the fleeing cultivators.

Instead, it aimed at a certain area behind the Taiyi Hall.

The sound of the sword rang out.

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

...

**Chapter 244: Taiyi Embraces the Heavenly Scourge**

The escaping cultivators had their heads exploding one by one, resembling watermelons being blasted.

The headless bodies continued to bizarrely charge forward until they collapsed far away.

At the same time, Li Fan instantly lost sight of the area in front of the Taiyi Hall.

Only through the perspective of cultivators exploring in other areas could he faintly see.

Just as the pitch-black Heavenly Scourge Sword was wreaking havoc, a giant blue hand suddenly appeared behind the Taiyi Hall.

It firmly gripped the sword body.

Then, with force, it violently reinserted the sword back into the Turtle-Snake Taiyi's body.

The harsh friction sound instantly spread throughout the entire Cloud-Water Heavenly Palace.

At this moment, all the cultivators exploring in the palace let out a muffled groan, suffering varying degrees of injuries.

Their faces were filled with horror.

Accompanied by the unpleasant sound like the grinding of a whetstone, there was the extremely tragic howl of the Turtle-Snake Taiyi.

"Han Hai..."

The voice was like muffled thunder, echoing rumblingly.

In the midst of the painful cries of the Turtle-Snake, it seemed like a sigh, as if it had finally let out a breath.

But there was no hint of resentment.

As the Heavenly Scourge Sword regained control, the countless sword shadows gradually disappeared.

In the roaring sound, the Taiyi Hall descended again, and Turtle-Snake Taiyi once again fell into a deep sleep.

Everything returned to calm.

However, the giant blue hand slowly turned as pitch-black as the Heavenly Scourge Sword.

(End of this chapter)