The Ominous Stone's Anomaly, Devil Mountain Intervenes
The Ominous Stone’s Anomaly, Devil Mountain Intervenes
“Who am I?”
The palace was utterly silent, with only brilliant radiance interweaving and permeating the air.
The Woman in White seemed to awaken from an eternal slumber, her expression somewhat dazed and hazy, before gradually becoming calm and clear.
She felt her mind was in chaos, like a murky, indistinct primordial chaos, filled with all manner of bizarre and fantastical scenes.
“I am the High Priestess of Destiny, wielder of Nihility Destiny, who traversed the River of Time, deducing the predetermined trajectory of the Immortal Palace...”
“I am also Xiao Ruoyin.”
Finally, all the scenes converged, condensing into a single point of light.
The Woman in White calmed down, and within her gaze, millions of rays of light seemed to flicker—countless chaotic and vast fragments.
She murmured softly to herself, and the ancient rune between her brows grew even more dazzling, like a small, scorching sun emerging, before gradually settling back into silence.
Her entire being appeared increasingly ethereal and illusory.
The surrounding space undulated, with billions of mysterious threads interweaving, surging forth from some unknown dimension.
This was an inconceivable, profound power, involving time, space, and even destiny itself.
A vast number of memory fragments surfaced in the depths of her divine soul, like a long-sealed chest being opened, releasing scene after scene.
Xiao Ruoyin suddenly sighed softly and stood up. “Is this a karmic bond of sin, or my own inescapable, predetermined karma?”
If the Immortal Palace had not collapsed, if the epoch had not crumbled.
Barring any accidents, she should still be within the Sanctum of Destiny, fulfilling her rightful duties.
But the Immortal Palace had collapsed, and even that epoch had become taboo, buried within the River of Time.
Countless billions of years and epochs had passed, and even she could not escape that predetermined karmic destiny.
“Just as a fish can never leave its river, I too cannot break free from the destiny that belongs to me.”
She spoke words only she could understand, her expression becoming extremely complicated for a moment.
Before Xiao Ruoyin, thousands upon thousands of threads appeared—some gleaming silver, some pitch-black as ink, some pale gold... but regardless of which kind, all radiated dazzling, brilliant light, illuminating the entire palace with crystalline clarity.
Behind each of these Threads of Destiny was another person connected to her, bound to her by indissoluble karma.
She reached out her hand, wanting to touch these threads.
Weng—
The next moment, as her hand passed through them, the threads gradually blurred, then snapped one after another, finally returning to nothingness, as if they had never existed.
Destiny is nihil—every Thread of Destiny she touched would ultimately become nothingness, just like now.
This was also the divine wonder of the Nihility Destiny Physique: everything related to destiny could hardly take effect upon her.
It was even difficult for anything to have any intersection with her at all.
If Xiao Ruoyin wished it, she could make everyone in this world who knew her forget her completely.
As if she had vanished and evaporated from this world, every trace of her existence would fade and be erased.
However, at this moment, there was one Thread of Destiny, extremely thick, like the deepest night, that did not fade into nothingness along with the other threads.
This Thread of Destiny seemed to connect and pierce through the River of Time, extending along unknown dimensions to reach this very epoch.
“So it really is so...”
Seeing this, Xiao Ruoyin was not surprised in the slightest. She merely sighed softly and withdrew her hand.
Even she, upon touching this Thread of Destiny, felt her palm sting, suffering a strong backlash, black smoke rising from it.
This was no longer karma she could erase simply by wishing it gone.
“Gu Changge... is that his current name?”
Xiao Ruoyin softly repeated this name, her expression cold and tranquil, carrying a transcendent otherworldliness that clearly did not belong to this world.
The scenes of this recent period surfaced in her mind one by one, causing her delicate brows to furrow slightly.
She naturally remembered everything that had happened before. Compared to the previous Xiao Ruoyin, the current her was actually not so different.
The greatest difference was merely that she had awakened her memories of being the High Priestess of Destiny, and had likewise awakened the Nihility Destiny Physique.
However, Xiao Ruoyin’s memories of her previous twenty-odd years clearly could not dominate her now.
She knew everything that had happened during this time, and likewise knew of the many choices Xiao Ruoyin had made to attach herself to Gu Changge, as well as all of Xiao Ruoyin’s previous thoughts.
After all, the two had always been one and the same person.
Though she could not approve of it, what was done was done, and she could say nothing more about it.
“Gu Changge keeping me by his side—he most likely already knows my identity.”
“Delaying his move against me all this time—it seems he’s waiting for my physique to reach full maturity. I cannot let Gu Changge learn that I’ve awakened the memories of the High Priestess of Destiny.”
Xiao Ruoyin’s brows furrowed slightly as she pondered her countermeasures.
The many events of this period flashed through her mind one by one.
She understood many things far better than the previous Xiao Ruoyin, naturally including Gu Changge’s terrifying origins.
If not for that indelible Thread of Destiny just now, she might not have discovered this problem for quite some time.
Since Gu Changge was the one who had caused her to reincarnate, his identity was naturally obvious.
On this point, Xiao Ruoyin had no doubts.
However, Xiao Ruoyin also did not understand why such a powerful, invincible existence would ultimately end up reincarnating just like her.
She had no time to consider so many things right now.
In her view, Gu Changge had probably awakened his past memories very early on—which was how he could reach his current terrifying level in a mere twenty years.
Xiao Ruoyin knew full well how dreadful Gu Changge was. Even though she had now awakened her past-life memories and awakened the divine rune imprint of the Nihility Destiny Physique...
If she wanted to contend against Gu Changge, it remained an unattainable fantasy, impossible to achieve.
“He must be coveting my Source, attempting to take that final step toward achieving the Dao... I cannot let him succeed. The world has only just barely recovered its peace—could it be destroyed again by a single palm strike from him?”
Xiao Ruoyin sighed softly, having figured it all out.
She truly had not expected that, having only just awakened her past-life memories, she would immediately face such an enormous predicament.
Looking at it now, the only options were to stall for time, or to find a way to escape from Gu Changge’s side.
But either path would be extremely difficult.
Especially since her nominal master, Yan Ji, was Gu Changge’s informant planted by her side all along.
Her every move—if she made the slightest mistake, Gu Changge would notice.
Previously, Xiao Ruoyin had not understood any of this, and had even believed Yan Ji truly cared for her.
But now she saw it clearly at a glance: from the very beginning, when Gu Changge approached her, he had harbored ulterior motives.
All of it—everything—was merely a trap laid by Gu Changge.
“The innocent, sweet persona served no purpose at all. Instead, I lost more than I gained, toyed with in the palm of his hand all along.”
“The Celestial Boat of Creation should be with Jiang Chen. I must retrieve the Celestial Boat of Creation—only then will I have a sliver of a chance.”
Subsequently, the aura around Xiao Ruoyin gradually shifted—from ethereal and hazy, it slowly solidified, finally becoming exactly the same as before, without the slightest difference.
After doing all this, she walked out of the great hall and gazed toward the now-bustling marketplace of Kunwu City.
“Ruoyin shimei, are you going to see Young Master Changge?”
The disciple guarding the side of the great hall, seeing Xiao Ruoyin emerge, asked with a fawning, ingratiating smile.
Xiao Ruoyin was slightly taken aback, then after a moment’s thought, her face returned to its usual easygoing smile, and she nodded with a smile. “Yes.”
At first, she was somewhat unaccustomed to the outside world’s sky.
White clouds and blue sky, hazy rosy mist, clouds steaming and auroras blooming.
This sight made her—long accustomed to the desolate, cold Sanctum of Destiny—suddenly feel somewhat out of place.
Meanwhile, deep within the marketplace.
All the cultivators and living beings became terrified and uneasy, retreating backward.
Even the ancient existences stared fixedly ahead with solemn expressions, appearing deeply apprehensive.
Vast amounts of black mist surged and spread forth, and the surrounding scenery instantly turned pitch-black.
Numerous palaces, pavilions, towers, and waterside terraces were submerged by the black mist, and great swaths of Spiritual Plants and ancient vines withered and died.
The Ominous Stone situated within trembled slightly, and from its cracked fissures, massive amounts of black mist erupted forth.
“Could it be that the disturbance in Kun Mountain just now startled this Ominous Stone?”
“Perhaps we should cut it open and see—otherwise, if this continues, it won’t end well.”
“The Great West Holy Land of old suffered calamity overnight because of this object. I don’t want to be tainted by anything ominous because of it.”
The surrounding cultivators and beings discussed animatedly, staring at the Ominous Stone with great wariness, never expecting such a disturbance to suddenly erupt from within it.
This black mist was steeped in dense Demonic Energy, making one strongly suspect it contained some terrifying demonic creature.
“At a time like this, who would dare step forward to cut the stone?”
An old man’s voice trembled, filled with fear, as he continuously retreated backward.
When Kun Mountain stirred just now, many people had immediately rushed out, gazing toward Kun Mountain’s direction.
They saw black light soaring into the sky there, blotting out the heavens and sun, shrouding the firmament for hundreds of thousands of li in every direction, turning everything pitch-black.
Kun Mountain, which ordinarily appeared magnificent like a celestial paradise, was now sinister as a ghost realm, with demonic qi surging to the heavens, threatening to crush everything.
“What exactly is in there? Big Red, why are you so frightened?”
Gu Xianer stood behind Gu Changge, craning her neck curiously to look.
But she saw the Big Red Bird at her feet trembling nonstop, revealing an expression of extreme fear for the first time.
As if some peerless vicious creature was hidden within that Ominous Stone.
“This place may not remain peaceful for long. Ah Da, take Xianer, Yin Mei, and the others away first.”
Gu Changge’s brows furrowed slightly as he turned back to instruct Ah Da.
As he spoke, he looked toward the sky beyond Kunwu City, feeling an ominous premonition.
The thing within this Ominous Stone gave him a very familiar feeling.
But this familiar feeling did not necessarily mean safety.
Just like between him and Chan Hongyi.
Something major might happen in Kunwu City soon, and the area around this Ominous Stone was clearly the most dangerous.
“I’m not leaving. I want to stay here.”
Hearing this, Gu Xianer quickly grabbed Gu Changge’s sleeve.
Seeing Gu Changge’s brows furrow as he looked over, she met his gaze stubbornly and muttered softly, “Unless you leave together with me.”
She could also tell that this Ominous Stone was definitely dangerous. At a time like this, the best course of action was to leave immediately.
If Gu Changge wasn’t leaving, she couldn’t feel at ease.
“Stop fooling around. I’ll be fine.”
Gu Changge understood Gu Xianer’s meaning. He gently shook his head, having her release her grip, while instructing Ah Da once more,
“Take Xianer xiaojie and the others away.”
“Yes, Master.”
As a Quasi-Emperor existence, Ah Da could naturally take Gu Xianer and the others away from this place with ease.
Gu Xianer shot Gu Changge a somewhat resentful look, quite displeased that he had pulled her hand away.
But at this moment, she still obediently left, not staying behind to cause trouble for Gu Changge.
She had rarely seen Gu Changge reveal such a grave expression.
The other sect masters and family patriarchs nearby also ordered the younger generation to withdraw at this time, sensing the danger of this place.
Only a very small number, such as the King of Six Crowns, Yu Feiya, Jin Chan the Chosen Monk, An Xi, and other young supreme beings chose to stay—skilled and bold, unafraid for their own safety.
The marketplace, which had been packed to the point of impassability, became much quieter, and the other few divine stones were also taken away by several ancient existences who acted.
Weng!!
Above the firmament, the Dao Artifact shrouding the surroundings trembled, letting down strands of Emperor Realm laws, attempting to suppress this Ominous Stone.
But just as they were about to land on the stone’s surface, they were abruptly shaken away, dispersing like ripples.
The terrifying momentum continued to sweep toward the surroundings like tidal waves.
The other ancient existences hurriedly acted to neutralize it—otherwise, the destruction caused by these aftershocks alone would be unimaginable.
“Could the thing within this Ominous Stone surpass the Emperor Realm?”
A sect master spoke, golden runes flickering in his eyes as he tried to see something through the cracked fissures.
But the next moment, a wisp of black light suddenly burst forth from within, faster than lightning, shooting straight into his eyes.
The man let out a scream, and his entire body instantly exploded, body and soul annihilated, reduced to dust, with nothing remaining.
This scene made the expressions of everyone still in the marketplace turn grave, their backs running cold, becoming even more solemn and apprehensive.
A single wisp of black light had effortlessly obliterated a sect master who was at least at the Sacred Emperor Realm.
If this Ominous Stone contained some divine weapon, its grade would absolutely be above the Emperor Realm.
Even the several Dao Artifacts surrounding this place could hardly suppress it.
Though this was partly because they had not fully revived, it also showed how bizarre and terrifying this object was.
Hong long long—
And just then, above the eastern sky of Kunwu City, a vast and mighty black demonic cloud came sweeping in, blotting out the sky and sun.
Enormous, terrifying demonic figures prowled within it, colorful plumes flowing, demonic wings shaking the heavens, appearing incomparably dreadful.
“People from Devil Mountain!”
Seeing this scene, the expressions of many sect masters changed drastically.
All the cultivators and beings of Kunwu City also grew uneasy and panicked because of this sweeping black demonic cloud.