NOVPUBBefore they could get far, another mushroom cloud erupted into the sky.
Shockwaves, visible to the naked eye and laced with black flames, swept across.
Lin Moyu pulled Mu Xianxian in front of him, shielding her with his back as the waves slammed into them.
This time, they were far too close. And the shockwaves were clearly far stronger than before.
His Bone Armor shattered with a sharp crack, and the sheer force flung Lin Moyu away.
Damage Transfer activated just in time, redirecting the impact to his undead army.
Fortunately, Lin Moyu's physique was already exceptionally tough. He also had 50% fire elemental immunity, along with the Elemental Resistance skill and Comprehensive Amplification talent.
As a result, the damage he received was greatly reduced, and the portion transferred to the undead army wasn’t overwhelming.
Still, the Lich Generals—blasted away by the force—immediately began casting their healing spell nonstop.
The explosion had come out of nowhere, nearly engulfing the entire undead army.
If not for his Comprehensive Link talent, the Skeletal Great Mages and Skeletal Marksmen would have been wiped out. Only the Skeletal Berserk Warriors might have made it through.
Almost all the skeletons were seriously injured. The Lich Generals were working overtime.
Lin Moyu flew back, holding Mu Xianxian. He felt a chill go down his spine—it had been a close call. His undead army had nearly been wiped out.
“What just happened? A self-destruction?” Lin Moyu muttered, frowning.
He had sensed the terrifying energy buildup and reacted instantly. Had he hesitated even a second longer, Mu Xianxian might already be preparing to resurrect.
The massive crater—originally 1,000 meters wide—had nearly doubled in size. Now it stretched over 2,000 meters in diameter and plunged more than 100 meters deep.
Within the crater, flames raged hotter and wilder than before.
Amidst the inferno, Lin Moyu saw the Archaic Luanniao—encased in an egg.
Detection flew out toward it.
[Archaic Luanniao (lord rank boss)]
[Level: 68]
[Status: undergoing Second Nirvanic Rebirth–currently invincible]
Lin Moyu felt like swearing. This was basically cheating.
A Second Nirvanic Rebirth? Seriously? That was just foul.
If there was a second… would there be a third? A fourth? And would it get stronger each time?
His head throbbed at the thought.
Mu Xianxian, clearly shaken, asked softly, “What do we do now?”
She had also used Detection and sensed the complexity of the situation, leaving her at a loss for what to do.
Lin Moyu thought for a moment, “Let’s try again. But you need to fall back—at least five kilometers. Retrace the path we came from.”
Mu Xianxian nodded and quickly retreated. She understood she wouldn’t be of much help here—staying would only slow him down.
With her gone, Lin Moyu could act without reservation.
He fixed his gaze on the Archaic Luanniao egg. The aura radiating from it was intensifying by the second.
“It’s almost ready to hatch.”
At Lin Moyu’s command, the undead army moved swiftly into formation.
Only 1,000 Skeletal Berserk Warriors remained close. Though the Archaic Luanniao was massive, that number was enough to surround it three times over.
The remaining 8,000—who couldn’t be recalled—were ordered to fall back and prepare to absorb damage.
The Skeletal Great Mages and Skeletal Marksmen dispersed even farther, forming a wide perimeter.
This setup greatly reduced the risk of a total wipeout. The downside, however, was a significant weakening of the lightning attack. Still, he had no choice but to accept the trade-off.
The last explosion had almost annihilated his undead army. If the Lich Generals had been even a second slower with their healing, it would've been over.
He had learned his lesson—there would be no second mistake.
Everything was ready.
Crack!
A sharp sound split the air. The eggshell fractured—it was about to hatch.
Lin Moyu narrowed his eyes, fully focused, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
Moments later, the shell shuddered, and a gap split open.
Then, jet-black flames erupted from within.
The world seemed to darken. Day turned to night in an instant. All color drained, swallowed by the infernal blaze.
A fiery rain began to fall, hammering the earth like molten hail.
In mere seconds, the ground was engulfed in a sea of flames.
“Damn it!” Lin Moyu couldn’t help but exclaim.
“Is this really a level 68 monster? Even level 70-plus monsters aren’t this terrifying!”
Lin Moyu wasn’t new to level 70 monsters. He’d taken down several level 70-plus Dragonkind Generals before.
But compared to the Second Nirvanic Rebirth Archaic Luanniao, those were nothing. This thing was on a completely different level.
The jet-black flames it released, Lin Moyu felt they could incinerate even Dragonkind Generals.
Lin Moyu muttered to himself, “What on earth is going on with the core area? And this boss… it’s completely abnormal.”
The firestorm raged on. The entire battlefield had become a sea of flames.
The eggshell shook more violently with each passing second—until it finally exploded with a deafening boom.
A surge of black fire erupted alongside a piercing cry that cut through the air like a blade.
Flames rolled out like tidal waves, but Lin Moyu stood firm, eyes locked on the Archaic Luanniao bursting from the eggshell.
He didn’t hesitate. The moment it emerged, he struck.
As his Bone Armor dissolved in the black inferno, Lin Moyu didn’t flinch—his focus was locked on the Archaic Luanniao.
Skill: Bone Prison!
White bone wrapped around the Archaic Luanniao again. But this time, the paralysis didn’t hold—the boss froze for only a blink before thrashing violently.
Cracks splintered across the bone restraints.
Then, with a flash of red light, the curse descended.
At that exact moment, the skeletons surged forward and launched their attacks.
The Lightning Ring triggered first—bolts of lightning crashed down like judgment. Then came the Elemental Explosions, followed by a volley of arrows.
Lin Moyu raised his right hand.
Skill: Poisonous Starburst!
A green light emerged within the black flames—a counter to the Archaic Luanniao’s regeneration.
In his left hand, fire flickered—
Skill: Soul Blaze!
Lin Moyu joined the fray. Aside from withholding Enhance Troops, he was fighting at full force.
Soul Blaze inflicted searing agony on the Archaic Luanniao, drawing out shrill screeches, its resistance growing more violent.
The Skeletal Berserk Warriors lunged at the Archaic Luanniao once more, completely unafraid of death or pain.
Even as flames consumed their bones, they swung their axes relentlessly.
Glowing with a crimson light, the axes smashed through the boss’s defenses.
Blood splattered. Feathers scattered.
Elemental Explosions erupted one after another. Despite being newly reborn, the Archaic Luanniao was severely injured once again.
It wasn’t weak. Not at all. But Lin Moyu’s undead army was stronger, and his strategy was suffocating.
The boss’s resistance began to falter, its cries subsiding.
"This should be it." Lin Moyu muttered, standing tall in the inferno, gaze cold and unwavering.
But in that moment—the sea of fire began to surge inward, pulled toward the Archaic Luanniao.
Within seconds, the raging inferno vanished, all of it fused with the boss’s body.
The world returned to normal.
“Not again!” Lin Moyu’s heart dropped.
Without hesitation, he turned and bolted.
At the same time, he ordered every skeleton to scatter—retreating at full speed.
He barely made it a thousand meters before a thunderous roar tore through the sky.
An even more massive mushroom cloud exploded behind him, followed by shockwaves that smashed through his Bone Armor like glass and slammed heavily into him.
At the same time, cracks splintered across the skeletons’ bodies.
This explosion was stronger and more terrifying than the previous two.
Lin Moyu was at a loss for words.
Thankfully, he’d sent the 8,000 Skeletal Berserk Warriors to the outer perimeter to act as damage-absorbing tanks.
Otherwise, this explosion would've obliterated everything.
Lin Moyu muttered to himself, “That’s the third time… They say third time’s the charm. I refuse to believe there’ll be a fourth—or a fifth!”
Once the shockwaves faded, Lin Moyu flew back, anger radiating from his eyes.
The crater had grown even larger—3,000 meters wide, over 200 meters deep. A churning sea of fire roiled within.
Without hesitation, Lin Moyu plunged in.
There, amidst the flames, he saw it—the Archaic Luanniao egg.
[Archaic Luanniao (lord rank boss)]
[Level: 69]
[Status: undergoing Final Nirvanic Rebirth–currently invincible]
Its level had risen again.
“Final Nirvanic Rebirth...”
Upon receiving the feedback, Lin Moyu smiled. This was it. The last time.
He began recalling his undead troops, preparing to crush the boss in one fell swoop,
But just as he was gathering strength—the sky distorted, and a massive claw emerged.
It plunged straight into the crater, grabbing the Archaic Luanniao egg.
“Trying to steal it at the last second? Not a chance.” Lin Moyu’s eyes flashed cold.
He wasn’t about to let a fully roasted duck fly off his plate—not after getting blown up three times just to get this far.
Skill: Bone Prison!
White bones erupted, coiling tightly around the giant claw.
It paused—frozen for just a breath—then shattered the Bone Prison in a violent burst.
Elemental Explosions erupted on it, and arrows rained down. But to no effect.
Skeletal Berserk Warriors rushed in, only to be swept aside by the claw—disintegrating on the spot.
