The celestial fruit shimmered, nearly transparent, revealing within it a crimson-glowing child. The boy, Red Cedar himself, sat in lotus position, his face etched with agony. Countless filaments from within the fruit connected to his form, as if siphoning away his essence. Bereft of his celestial artifact, the Heaven Defying Bead, he could not filter the chaotic spiritual currents within. His fate was sealed – death within the fruit.

The slaughter continued. Piercing screams echoed from all directions, swirling around Dragon Roost and the Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall. The grotesque creatures that assaulted them scattered, howling, and descended upon Clear Stream, who stood below, reaping souls with a chilling indifference.

“Before this Sovereign,” Clear Stream scoffed, “mere phantoms dare to bare their fangs?” With a flick of his left hand, a vortex of ebony howled into existence, imbued with the very essence of slaughter. It surged skyward, and upon contact with the onrushing creatures, the vortex detonated.

The primal force of murder lashed outwards, brushing against the grotesque forms.

They shuddered, their bodies emitting sharp, cracking sounds. In an instant, they were encased in black ice!

Imprisoned in ice was not the end. Within the obsidian prisons, countless shards of ice materialized, impaling the trapped entities.

Wang Lin strode forward, ignoring Clear Stream’s carnage and the duel between Dragon Roost and the Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall. He advanced swiftly, nearing the celestial fruit beneath its iridescent cloud.

All of this transpired in a breath. The Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall finally turned, spotting Wang Lin and his face contorted in surprise.

“Sealed Paragon!” A murderous glint ignited in the Lord’s eyes. He moved to intercept, but Dragon Roost, face impassive, flung out his sleeve. A wave of ancient energy surged forth, barring the Lord’s path.

“Our battle is yet unresolved.”

Hampered by Dragon Roost, the Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall chose to ignore Wang Lin, deeming him unworthy. Aside from his title, his cultivation was paltry. The notion of him rescuing Red Cedar was ludicrous. The Lord refocused, his hands weaving signs as he summoned the power of his faithful, renewing his assault against Dragon Roost.

Within this seven-hued realm, Wang Lin arrived at the celestial fruit. Gazing upon Red Cedar within, a glint shone in Wang Lin’s eyes as his right hand struck the fruit.

A deafening boom echoed, and a surge of power rebounded from the fruit, striking Wang Lin and forcing him back. He raised his head, calculations flickering within his gaze.

The filaments connecting to Red Cedar twisted and writhed, funneling all their power into the boy, intensifying his agony. Red Cedar’s eyes snapped open, vacant and hollow.

Wang Lin stepped forward and struck the fruit six more times. Each blow was met with a thunderous recoil, yet the fruit remained unchanged. Only Red Cedar within seemed to suffer, his eyes growing ever more empty.

“With such meager power, you dare try to shatter a celestial fruit and rescue one trapped within! Not even I could destroy it. How do you hope to save Red Cedar? The Lord Sovereign’s seal is unbreakable!” The Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall sneered. “Each attack only aids the fruit in consuming Red Cedar, turning him into a puppet of our realm!”

Standing before the fruit, Wang Lin listened to the Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall’s taunts, glancing back at him.

“Is that so…”

The Lord chuckled. He had initially feared that Wang Lin, with his title of Sealed Paragon, might possess some unusual method to break the fruit. But now, he was confident. Wang Lin could not hope to breach the seal. The Lord’s gaze drifted to Clear Stream, whose slaughter filled him with apprehension.

“The essence of slaughter… If they combine their power, this battle will be difficult. Retreat is necessary!” The Lord wove more signs, unleashing a deafening blast that momentarily pushed back Dragon Roost. He then leaped towards the exit of the seven-hued realm.

“You three might succeed in rescuing Red Cedar. I take my leave.” The Lord vanished, but Clear Stream raised his hand. A wave of blackness materialized, the essence of slaughter freezing into a sheet of ice that slammed into the exit, sealing it shut.

“This Sovereign is not yet satiated,” Clear Stream declared. Dragon Roost echoed, his right hand forming a hand sign. A tapestry of mountains and rivers surged forth, blocking the Lord’s path. With a step, Dragon Roost merged with the tapestry. The landscape came alive, transforming into a massive hand that clawed at the Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall.

“Nor have I had my fill. Do not be hasty in departing.”

Rage flared in the Lord’s eyes as he spun around, his face contorted. He cast off all thoughts of escape and unleashed his realm of faithful.

“If you deny me exit, you will pay the price!”

Dragon Roost remained silent. The mountains and rivers roared with sucking force, awakening the power of the land and crushing down upon the Lord. Dragon Roost had burned his own life force, now expending everything he had.

Clear Stream raised his hand and uttered a soft command: “Umbra Moon.”

The words echoed, and the realm trembled. A wisp of dark cloud abruptly appeared upon the Lord’s face, morphing into a perfect circle.

It was a moon, emblazoned on his skin!

“Sunny Day!” Clear Stream roared, his eyes flashing with murderous intent. The moon on the Lord’s face exploded with blinding light. It was as if a miniature sun had been unleashed, threatening to tear apart the dark moon.

“The art of Bai Fan! It is Bai Fan’s Triple Six Paths technique! Bai Fan is dead! You… You are Clear Stream!” The moon warped, and in the instant the sun exploded, Dragon Roost’s blazing, mountainous hand crashed down.

Clear Stream advanced, radiating a wave of overwhelming slaughter, aimed straight at the Lord.

The clash of powers reverberated through the realm, the explosions of sound echoing through the seven-hued sky.

The three floating continents shattered, disintegrating into dust.

The surviving extradimensional beings, not slain by Clear Stream’s initial assault, were obliterated. Their defenses crumbled, and their bodies were erased from existence.

The seven-hued realm was being scoured, collapsing upon itself.

Dragon Roost’s hand shattered, and his form reappeared. He staggered back, coughing up primordial energy, but his gaze remained calm.

Clear Stream also retreated, weakened by the clash. Though his essence of slaughter was potent, he still bore injuries. Blood trickled down his chin, but his expression remained glacial.

The Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall spewed blood. His defenses had been shattered, his face marred by five deep, spreading cracks. Sunlight poured from the fissures, inflicting agonizing pain. A massive, mountainous palm print adorned his back, draining his vitality.

He hissed, “I will help you save Red Cedar! Together, we can open the fruit! I offer this in exchange for safe passage. Otherwise, I will fight to my dying breath, and you both will perish with me!”

“It is unnecessary,” a cold voice replied. It was Wang Lin. Under a gentle light, his right hand slipped into the massive fruit, unimpeded, grasping Red Cedar and wrenching him free.

The countless filaments connecting Red Cedar to the fruit snapped. Red Cedar’s vacant eyes flickered, and life returned.

“No one understands this fruit better than I do,” Wang Lin said. “Not even your Lord Sovereign.”

Releasing Red Cedar, Wang Lin swept his hand across a branch. A flash of crimson, and the blood sword sliced through the branch, allowing the fruit to fall into his waiting palm. He turned to face the dumbfounded Lord of the Celestial Punishment Hall.

“This is impossible!” The Lord recoiled, staring in disbelief. He could not comprehend how easily Wang Lin had saved Red Cedar.

“I once swallowed a celestial fruit,” Wang Lin stated, his voice quiet, “and assimilated it fully.”