"Boom!" Suddenly, strange golden and blue glyphs surged forth from Ma Liang's body. A layer of golden aura burst forth, but then a flash of blue light revealed a layer of blue flame emerging from within the golden glow. Instantly, scattered golden glimmers appeared spontaneously within the blue flame... layer upon layer of golden aura and blue flame interwove and flashed rapidly, accumulating countless layers on Ma Liang's body in an instant. The swift transitions were so rapid that even the silver-gold disciples standing at a distance felt dizzy after just a brief glance. All the great cultivators were startled, instinctively raising their vigilance. Ming Zun's face slightly tightened, and a cold expression flickered in his eyes. At that moment, Ma Liang burst into loud laughter, and the radiant light on his body suddenly solidified into a brilliant golden hue. With a single decisive step forward, his form shot out like a flash—expanding instantly into a golden giant towering over a thousand zhang. As he merely adjusted his hand seal, golden spiritual patterns shimmered across his skin, and scattered golden lights surged from the elderly sage in the surrounding space, instantly enveloping the entire sky with a new force of law. The others, being strong mid-stage cultivators, naturally also perceived the origin of the divine powers Ma Liang was now manifesting after his transformation, their expressions turning sharply even with a touch of apprehension. A true immortal capable of summoning such a divine realm—normally only fully empowered true immortals could achieve—must now have recovered completely, no longer constrained by the interface's influence. Though proud and lofty, these individuals, faced with a true immortal who had regained full strength and was fully self-assured, recognized clearly that even if they united their efforts, they had no chance of victory. A deep resonance echoed, and a golden column of light surged upward from the tip of his finger, vanishing in a flash into the vast expanse of the heavens. At that instant, the entire void trembled violently—those scattered golden dots suddenly exploded into clusters of radiant golden halos, flooding the space with a deep, fiery gold. The earth beneath also heaved and trembled, splitting open into countless golden fissures, from which golden volcanoes swiftly erupted, spewing forth surging streams of molten gold. For a moment, the entire world seemed transformed into a vast ocean of gold. This astonishing spectacle left the silver-spired disciples deeply concerned. "My friends, there is no need to be afraid," said Ming Zun, his face equally troubled. "Though we do not yet understand how he is still able to manifest his spiritual realm, we know it cannot last long—otherwise, he would have summoned it earlier, and there would have been no need to prolong his engagement with these puppets and us." The Lady Wuling and the others found the argument somewhat convincing, yet after exchanging glances, they still saw a hint of hesitation in the eyes of their companions. At that moment, the golden giant across the way remained still, his eyes closed, as if quietly regulating his inner qi. Meanwhile, the range of the golden spiritual domain expanded at a visibly accelerating pace in all directions. The Ming Zun and others who had originally been close to the center were forced to swiftly retreat, unable to be swept into the golden radiance spreading outward. Yin Gangzi steadied himself, his expression darkened, and after a few moments of shifting his gaze, suddenly turned to Ming Zun, who had also landed nearby, and asked: "Given the strength of the opponent at present, it's unlikely we can hold him for long—any misstep might result in our downfall. Isn't it time for you to deploy some of your reserve strategies as well, Ming brother? I don't believe you've only prepared the Two Principles to Eliminate Dust Array as your final move." "Hmph. Silver friend, don't worry—should this immortal intend to deploy his true celestial powers, I shall certainly not remain idle. Regarding the spiritual realm, I’ve actually prepared two well-thought-out strategies. I won’t let my friends go to their deaths in vain," Ming Zun replied without hesitation. As soon as he finished speaking, he took a deep breath, pressed a seal with one hand, and shook his sleeves. Instantly, black crystal spheres cascaded out, swirling and dancing in the surrounding void, like blooming colossal black flowers. "Pffft!" After a sudden flash, these black blooms coalesced into a vast, dark luminous array. It rapidly expanded, engulfing Silver Ganshi and the others beneath its protective embrace, and firmly counteracted the golden radiance emanating from the opposing golden spiritual realm, halting its further spread. At the same time, various black seals within the black light array surged continuously, faintly emitting resonant Buddhist chants that, upon hearing, gave people a peculiar sensation of profound relaxation and spiritual intoxication. "Joyful River of Buddhist Bliss! Isn't this the protective treasure of the Buddhist sect within this realm—the very one they've always relied upon? It seems to have unexpectedly come into the hands of my friend." The lady in court attire, upon clearly observing the appearance of the black light array, expressed both astonishment and delight. "Heh, this treasure we acquired by chance. Though it may not compare with the other's spiritual domain, it should be sufficient to protect our friends for the time being. Should it still fall short, I have other plans ready." Ming Zun chuckled with confidence. "Very well. Since my friend has concrete strategies, then I shall join you in one more determined effort. As long as we can truly defeat this immortal, even with some risk, it will surely be worth it." After some contemplation, the bearded man with half his face severely damaged also made up his mind, and as his face twisted, the remaining half grew even more formidable in appearance. "Also, I shall remain, but beforehand I shall make it clear—should there arise any obvious moment when we are clearly outmatched, I shall not stay here to die in vain." Lady Wuling spoke with such cold composure. After a moment's assessment, the others—though they said nothing further—clearly all harbored the intention to first test the strength of the other's spiritual domain before making any further decisions. The Ming Sovereign, of course, was fully aware of all these intentions held by the great cultivators, yet after a smile, said nothing at first. Instead, he gently transmitted a message to them: "Rest assured—should our forces truly be unable to withstand this celestial presence, I shall not have you remain to die in vain. But do not forget the presence of Master Xuan Ji. As long as we create a favorable opportunity for Brother Xuan, there will still be considerable hope of defeating the opposing forces." Upon hearing this, the great cultivators, including Lady Wuling, were stirred. Given the renowned reputation of Xuan Jiuling, who had previously slain nine true spirits, and his constant watchful presence, they indeed gained an extra measure of confidence. At that moment, the golden giant across from them finally reopened his eyes, and his inner magical energy had now fully transformed into immortal and spiritual power, enabling him to execute genuine celestial secrets without any reservations. If the beings before him believed he intended to deploy a spiritual domain attack, they were entirely mistaken. For a true immortal, while the spiritual domain could serve as a potent offensive technique akin to a life-force ability, its primary function remained supportive in the cultivation process. This time, he had absolutely no intention of launching a direct attack. Ma Liang thought this through, glanced at the dark, misty array across from him, and then let out a sharp laugh, extending his hand downward to grasp the void of the blood river beneath him. A thunderous roar erupted! The blood river surged from both sides, converging toward one point, and in the midst of a brilliant crimson glow, solidified into a massive, perfectly square seal. The surface of this seal is aglow with surging blood flames, and faintly engraved on all four sides are countless intricate patterns of humans, insects, fish, and beasts. As the crystal light flows, these patterns pulse and writhe with lifelike animation, as though fully alive—so vivid that they send a shiver of dread through the viewer. This very artifact, the Universal Blood Seal of the Ten Thousand Souls, was painstakingly forged by him through countless sacrifices of powerful beings, even shedding their blood in the process. Now, empowered by the divine spiritual energy of the immortals, he can unleash half of its full potential—enough to effortlessly defeat a fellow true immortal of the same rank. Yet, when facing these mere commoners, it feels as though he is using a bull's horn to cut a chicken's throat. The consumption of his true source energy is considerable, but to end this battle swiftly and ensure no single opponent survives, he has no choice but to proceed. As such, Ma Liang thought, his golden giant form roared, channeling a vast portion of his inner spiritual energy into the seal, then flicked his wrist and hurled it toward the opposing ranks. A thunderous crack! The crimson seal rolled once in the sky and vanished. At the next instant, the region above the black light array surged with intense tremors. Thick crimson mist swirled and coalesced, then a colossal, blood-red entity—thousands of li in height—emerged from the void. Radiant streams of blood surged across its surface, and countless phantom figures of humans, insects, and fish flickered into being, emitting mournful, guttural sounds that resonated throughout the heavens. "Go!" Someone suddenly cried out. As the Wu Ling Lady and her companions moved, their bodies instantly transformed into several streaks of light and shot off. Yet before they had traveled even a few dozen zhang, a thunderous roar erupted in the sky. A terrifying force suddenly surged through the void, sweeping across the entire area within a hundred li. The surrounding air tightened instantly, becoming as rigid and resilient as tempered steel. Under the pressure of this immense force, the streaks of light shattered and collapsed, falling to the ground. The Wu Ling Lady and the other several great cultivators reformed in the air, but each of them now pale-faced, with a touch of fear evident on their expressions.