Chapter 1321: Who Still Cares About Your Lives? Escaping Death's Grasp
Chapter 1321: Who Still Cares About Your Lives? Escaping Death's Grasp
Swish!
The spear's light was icy and blinding, as if it had torn through the Great Universe itself—sharp and domineering.
Cold, crimson blood trickled down the spear's shaft, dripping into the void, accompanied by an eerie, faint fragrance.
Ling Yuling's delicate frame trembled slightly. A gaping wound the size of a fist pierced through her abdomen, the cold, black spear impaling her and lifting her high into the air.
Her face was deathly pale, her gaze dim, her long black hair fluttering like the petals of a flower on the verge of withering.
The ceaseless flow of blood dyed the robes beneath her shattered armor red, painting a scene of utter desolation.
"Senior..."
"Ancestor..."
This horrifying sight sent shockwaves through the crowd. The members of the Imperial Immortal Palace cried out in terror, many elders and ancestral figures rushing forward recklessly, desperate to save Ling Yuling.
"Sister..." Ling Yuxian's heart clenched, her jade-like hands tightening into fists, her eyes filled with unease and urgency.
Even the Primary Hope Saintess, supported by Xiyin, was stunned. Despite her own injuries, she prepared to summon the Mirror of Reincarnation once more to intervene.
She never expected Ling Yuling to act so resolutely, knowing full well she was no match—her stance one of solemn sacrifice, as if marching willingly to her death.
The sect leaders and other prominent figures shuddered in fear, their bodies turning cold. Would even the Imperial Immortal Palace's ancestor fall and perish tragically at Gu Changge's hands today?
If Ling Yuling died here... could they still resist?
The ancient beings like Changming Dao Lord and Shang Chongming exchanged uneasy glances. They had held back until now, weighing the costs and benefits. If Ling Yuling perished here, they would have even less reason to aid the various factions and clans.
Boom!
A terrifying, surging force, like the wrath of heaven itself, erupted as Gu Changge flicked his sleeve lightly. The Imperial Immortal Palace's elders and ancestral figures charging toward him were sent flying as if struck by a colossal demonic mountain.
Cough...
Elder Jiulin was flung backward, crashing onto the shattered cliffs. Though unharmed, he was left disheveled and covered in dust.
Among the Imperial Immortal Palace's elders, he was one of the few who had interacted with Gu Changge before. He had always believed Gu Changge to be gentle, indifferent to worldly affairs, and serene.
That Gu Changge would strike down their ancestor, Ling Yuling, was something he simply couldn't accept.
"Elder Xian Yun..."
"You mustn't!"
Scrambling to his feet, Elder Jiulin barely had time to recover before he spotted another figure ahead—Elder Xian Yun from the Xian Yun Practice Grounds, her weapon drawn, her Dao Realm essence boiling, her expression filled with fury and resolve as she charged toward Gu Changge.
He cried out in alarm, rushing to stop her before she could do something reckless.
Though Elder Xian Yun was a Dao Realm cultivator, she was far from the Ancestral Dao Realm. If even Ancestral Dao Realm experts were no match for Gu Changge, how could she possibly harm him?
Moreover, if she attacked him, she would only invite her own slaughter.
Now that the entire Imperial Immortal Palace stood opposed to Gu Changge, he would no longer show mercy out of past camaraderie.
"Elder Jiulin, don't stop me! I must save our ancestor..."
"He broke his promise..."
"He promised me..."
"None of this was our ancestor's fault—he knew that!"
Elder Xian Yun's voice was thick with grief and indignation, her face streaked with tears as she drowned in regret and self-blame.
Elder Jiulin was stunned, utterly baffled by her incoherent words. What did she mean? What wasn't their ancestor's fault? What was she referring to?
And what had Gu Changge promised her? Did it have to do with his time at the Xian Yun Practice Grounds?
But there was no time to question her now. Elder Xian Yun's emotions were unstable, and he had to stop her before she threw her life away. Attacking Gu Changge would be like an egg smashing against a rock—utter suicide.
Cough...
Half of Ling Yuling's face was drenched in blood. She forced her eyes open, gazing weakly at Gu Changge's cold, merciless expression, coughing up another mouthful of blood without resistance.
She could feel her life force draining rapidly, waves of weakness and coldness enveloping her as the shadow of death loomed closer than ever before.
Yet she made no move to struggle, as if calmly awaiting her end.
Today's disaster was of her own making—she had brought this upon herself.
And this outcome... was nothing less than what she deserved.
"Knowing you were no match, yet still daring to strike at me... Should I call you foolish, or simply suicidal?"
Gu Changge looked down at her, his eyes as cold and unfeeling as ever.
"I'm sorry..."
Ling Yuling's dim eyes flickered as fresh blood spilled from her lips. Her injuries were severe—she had already been wounded by Gu Changge earlier, and this strike had nearly shattered her Life Source.
"If you sought to prove your conviction through death, then I can only call you foolish—naïve, even."
Gu Changge's icy gaze swept over the tense, fearful figures of the various clans and factions nearby before returning to Ling Yuling.
"Look at them. Do you truly believe any of them would risk their lives to save you now? To aid you?"
Ling Yuling's gaze grew even dimmer. She naturally knew the answer.
Apart from the Imperial Immortal Palace, no one cared about her life or death. Some might even hope she and Gu Changge would perish together here.
After all, her very existence could shake the current standing of other orthodoxies and influence the future situation of the Primary Hope Civilisation.
But this was her own choice, and she wouldn't blame anyone else.
"A purely good person is meaningless. The principles you uphold have long been trampled into dust."
"Aside from me, who else would care about your lives?" Gu Changge's tone was utterly indifferent.
With a bang, his palm gave a slight tremor, and the spear in his hand instantly disintegrated into powder and smoke. Without support, Ling Yuling's body collapsed to the ground.
She hadn't expected Gu Changge to spare her in the end. Struggling to her feet, her gaze was filled with indescribable complexity.
Yet the fist-sized bloody hole in her abdomen remained horrifyingly conspicuous, surrounded by terrifying destructive energy. It wouldn't heal anytime soon.
With such injuries, she had essentially lost all combat strength—she could no longer pose a threat to Gu Changge.
Gu Changge swept a detached glance over her, then extended a slender finger. Two streaks of black light shot toward Ling Yuling—one coiled around her ankle, transforming into a pair of heavy, pitch-black shackles, while the other settled around her snow-white neck, forming a dark collar that pulsed with eerie, profound radiance.
"This..."
Ling Yuling froze momentarily, feeling her cultivation and magic power rapidly vanish.
She couldn't even sense her five senses—her divine sense and perception had completely disappeared. In that instant, she felt like an utterly powerless mortal.
After a brief pause, she understood. She didn't say anything. Gu Changge sparing her was already an act of mercy. Restricting her cultivation and freedom was only natural.
Seeing that Gu Changge hadn't killed Ling Yuling, many from the Imperial Immortal Palace sighed in relief. However, the representatives of the various orthodoxies and factions wore grim expressions. Just because Gu Changge had spared Ling Yuling didn't mean he would spare them.
They didn't have Ling Yuling's luck or strength, nor her capabilities.
In their eyes, the only reason Gu Changge had let her live was because she was still useful to him—the Heavenslayers Alliance needed someone like her.
"Rather than waiting for death, we should fight with everything we have. He won't let us go easily."
"At this point, are we still deluding ourselves with false hope?"
"If we join forces, we can carve out a path to survival. Otherwise, everyone here will perish."
Several sect masters exchanged glances, their expressions shifting between uncertainty and resolve.
They knew that further hesitation would only leave them as lambs to the slaughter. The only way out was to unite and break through the seal trapping them here.
Though Gu Changge's strength was terrifying, annihilating them all swiftly wouldn't be easy.
After a brief discussion, they quickly issued orders—their subordinates would buy time while they combined their strength to shatter the seal and forge an escape route.
At the same time, they sent mental messages to the Primary Hope Saintess and Xi Yin, hoping to borrow the power of the Mirror of Reincarnation to open a path. How many could escape would then be left to fate.
"Kill!"
In the next moment, the experts of these factions didn't hesitate. At their leaders' command, they surged forward in a mighty tide, unleashing their most formidable techniques.
The heavens and earth once again filled with divine weapons and treasures—ancient pagodas, incense burners, bronze mirrors, yin-yang mirrors—all exuding radiant Great Dao light, releasing countless Principle Chains of order.
Numerous ancient Daoist arts and divine abilities manifested, their brilliance illuminating the battlefield.
Misty divine light and vast clouds of radiant mist rose, as terrifying runes interwove and evolved, transforming the space into a scene reminiscent of the primordial chaos.
"We must open a path!"
Hearing the sect masters' and leaders' words, the Primary Hope Saintess didn't hesitate either. Despite her weakened state, she mustered her strength and summoned the Mirror of Reincarnation once more.
After witnessing Ling Yuling's fate, she knew her own wouldn't be any better if she fell into Gu Changge's hands.
He would no longer show her mercy for past ties.
Their only hope now was to use the mirror's power to carve out an escape route.
Hazy reincarnation light condensed, dazzling and blazing like an eternal, unextinguishable divine radiance, piercing through the void toward the black lotus in the sky.
The black lotus rotated slowly, emitting thunderous, boundless sounds. Each of its massive petals bore intricate runes, from which countless Divine Chains of Order extended, constructing Dark Cages—as if prepared specifically for those trapped here.
BOOM!
An earth-shattering collision erupted. Countless energies and radiant mists dispersed like the explosion of billions of stars. For an instant, the scene resembled the birth and annihilation of universes, the churning of primordial chaos.
The sect masters and leaders of the various orthodoxies joined forces with the Primary Hope Saintess, channeling the power of reincarnation to tear open a path to the outside world. Many ancient beings, seeing this, also lent their strength—they wouldn't just wait for death.
Meanwhile, more cultivators and living beings charged toward Gu Changge, buying time for the others.
"Alliance Leader..."
Many powerful figures of the Heavenslayers Alliance turned cold-faced, ready to act. They hadn't expected these people to remain so stubbornly reckless even at this point.
Gu Changge's gaze was icy as he extended a massive hand, instantly enveloping the entire dark expanse of space. The heavens seemed to unleash a torrential downpour as countless figures were sent flying, blood spraying from their mouths. Many didn't even get close before exploding mid-air, turning into a rain of gore.
The edicts, ancient artifacts, and rare treasures hurled toward him trembled before crumbling into dust, scattering like powder in the wind.
It was a scene that struck terror into the hearts of all who witnessed it—even the Heavenslayers Alliance members shuddered in awe. Gu Changge alone could effortlessly sweep through the forces of all these orthodox factions without needing their assistance.
Had he truly wished to unify the entire Primary Hope Civilisation by force, he wouldn't have needed to go through such elaborate schemes.
Practically every notable orthodox faction of the Primary Hope Civilisation was gathered here. Dao Realm existences, rarely seen in ordinary times, were now emerging in droves.
Under the orders of their sect leaders and patriarchs, these elders and high-ranking figures charged forward fearlessly, desperate to stall Gu Changge and seize even the slimmest chance of escape.
The scene was both tragic and heroic. Gu Changge stood amidst the darkness, his gaze cold and profound. The Sphere of Ambition hovered high above like a scorching sun, crushing forward as golden light surged in billions of dazzling strands. Every cultivator and living being that rushed toward it was instantly obliterated.
As a Civilisation's Supreme Treasure, the Sphere of Ambition possessed the profound ability to condense the Fortuity of the People. Yet in Gu Changge's hands, it annihilated all tangible existence like an artifact of world-ending destruction, filling everyone with dread.
The colossal black lotus, each petal vast and unfathomable as if containing endless ancient universes, continued its slow descent despite the combined assault of the ancient beings and faction leaders.
Wisps of Chaos Qi seeped out, accompanied by boiling fragments of time, as though seeking to freeze this entire stretch of space-time.
BOOM!!!
The sect leaders and patriarchs roared in fury, unleashing their most devastating techniques. Their attacks seemed to reenact the very birth of creation, so terrifying that nothing like it had ever been witnessed before.
The Primary Hope Saintess, wielding the Mirror of Reincarnation, channeled the power of reincarnation into a flawless, crystalline hand that stretched across the sky, attempting to tear open a breach in the dark domain formed by the black lotus.
But soon, black mist surged forth with corrosive, destructive force, eating away at her manifested hand and leaving ghastly wounds.
She let out a muffled groan, her face rapidly paling. Yet at this critical moment, she sensed the dark domain beginning to yield. Biting the tip of her tongue, a surge of coppery blood filled her mouth.
The next instant, her forehead and the space between her brows began to glow brilliantly. Her clear, unblemished eyes reflected visions of primordial antiquity, while an overwhelming divine might—akin to the shattering of a great universe—radiated from her.
Soon, the Mirror of Reincarnation showed signs of awakening. Its ancient bronze surface emitted an eternal, shimmering light that eclipsed the vast cosmos, piercing forward with unstoppable force.
The black mist scattered, much of it evaporating under the searing radiance of reincarnation. A blazing beam of reincarnation light suddenly tore through the Outer Domain, connecting to a distant cosmic expanse.
"We've succeeded..."
"We've finally done it!"
"We can escape now..."
Many sect leaders and patriarchs were overcome with excitement. Some even caught glimpses of the outside world—the dark domain had been breached, a small opening leading to freedom.
The first among them immediately rushed toward it, desperate to flee.
The Master of Light, Dao Monarch Changming, and Shang Chongming moved even faster, transforming into streaks of divine radiance as they dashed ahead. The Primary Hope Saintess, her face pale, turned back to gather Xi Yin and the others from the Primary Hope Holy Church.
But the moment she looked back, Gu Changge's indifferent laughter echoed from afar. With a deafening BOOM, he repelled all his attackers, his colossal hand blotting out the sky as it clenched toward her.
Between his fingers swirled terrifying Mist of Chaos, within which countless universes churned. Billions of galaxies and endless stretches of time and space seemed ensnared in his grasp.
The Primary Hope Saintess had no time to react before an unimaginable pressure crashed down upon her. Struck, she let out a pained groan as countless bones shattered in an instant.
Had the Mirror of Reincarnation not blocked the attack at the last moment, her fate would have been far worse than mere severe injury. The other sect leaders and patriarchs near her were not so fortunate.
Many screamed as the residual force of that palm strike grazed them, instantly obliterating half their bodies. More still plummeted through the torn gap in despair.
The Primary Hope Saintess, her face deathly pale, nearly fainted from the excruciating pain. But now, she could only grit her teeth and endure. With no time to spare for the others, she wrapped herself in the Mirror of Reincarnation and shot through the closing gap, barely escaping with her life.