Treating All Things as Straw Dogs—This Is a Dead End
Treating All Things as Straw Dogs—This Is a Dead End
649: The Catastrophe Descends, Awaiting the Arrival of the Sacrifices
Inside the dungeon, everyone was stunned, shocked by Yu Feiya’s words.
The Abundance Sword Immortal, the Snow Sword Immortal, and the others also widened their eyes, an involuntary chill creeping up their backs.
They had personally witnessed those True Daoists being slain by Gu Changge’s own hand.
Among them was even an old Imperial Ancestor standing behind Yu Feiya herself—yet now she was turning a blind eye to the matter, and even planning to lure the others down into the world below.
What exactly was she trying to do?
“If that’s the case, then you seniors do indeed still have a thread of hope.” Gu Changge smiled faintly at her words, seemingly unsurprised.
He hadn’t expected Yu Feiya to say such a thing, but it worked out perfectly—he could draw all the Cultivators of every faction here into the trap, turning them into nourishment for the sacrifice.
“Perhaps they’re trapped somewhere...”
Yu Feiya’s words sent the experts of the various factions and lineages into deep thought.
If there was still a thread of hope, they didn’t want to see their Ancestors perish in this place either.
“It seems we’ll have to explore that Profound Sword World once more after all.” An expert from Godly Spirit Mountain spoke up, nodding, his decision made.
At this thought, many began to entertain thoughts of withdrawal, planning to pass down orders and arrange for people to descend into the world below once again.
With such a great calamity befalling the Profound Sword World, with blood and fire everywhere, it was the perfect time for them to take advantage of the chaos.
Soon after, the many figures in the dungeon all departed, leaving only the people of the Great Yu Celestial Dynasty and Gu Changge.
“You may leave as well.”
Gu Changge shook his head lightly. With a wave of his sleeve, a gentle breeze swept past, and the Restrictions on the Abundance Sword Immortal, the Snow Sword Immortal, and the others instantly dissolved.
“What does Young Master Gu mean by this?”
They were utterly shocked, unable to comprehend Gu Changge’s actions or intentions. They exchanged glances, each seeing nothing but confusion and bewilderment in the other’s eyes.
Gu Changge wasn’t going to kill them—instead, he had undone the Restrictions on their bodies, intending to set them free?
“The Profound Sword World has suffered such a great calamity, its people plunged into misery. As the supreme experts of this world, it is time for you to fulfill your purpose and exert your strength.”
Gu Changge spoke indifferently. Heaven and earth as the furnace, all living beings as the fuel.
As the finest sacrifices, it was indeed time for these Earth Sword Immortals to serve their purpose.
“Thank you, Young Master Gu, for sparing our lives today.”
“If there is ever a chance in the future, we will surely repay this kindness.”
Hearing Gu Changge’s words, the Abundance Sword Immortal and the others were first taken aback, then their expressions grew incomparably complicated as they cupped their fists respectfully.
They had no idea that the Will of the Heavenly Path had already fallen under Gu Changge’s control.
They simply took it as Gu Changge being soft-hearted, unwilling to commit further slaughter.
This made them—who had previously thought Gu Changge unfathomably shrewd and ruthlessly cruel—feel secretly ashamed. They had truly been measuring a gentleman’s heart with a villain’s yardstick.
Because of Gu Changge’s orders, the experts of the other factions and lineages didn’t dare continue making things difficult for the Abundance Sword Immortal and the others. They could only watch as they were released, leaving the Ancient Battleship and returning to the Profound Sword World.
However, compared to the good fortune of the Abundance Sword Immortal and the others, Lin En was not so lucky.
His heart was filled with nothing but unwillingness and regret.
Gu Changge casually slapped him to death, and a golden Heavenly Gift Treasure Chest popped out, which he casually put away. As for the small amount of Fatums that came with it, he paid them no mind at all.
“Then Feiya shall continue spreading the word, luring the people of the various lineages and factions down into that world.”
Seeing this scene, Yu Feiya’s heart skipped a beat, but she suppressed the fear in her heart and spoke respectfully.
After experiencing all this, she had finally seen Gu Changge’s true nature clearly. Beneath that refined, immortal-like exterior hid a ruthless, unscrupulous heart that would stop at nothing.
She had once held curiosity toward him, even a trace of admiration. Now, Yu Feiya only wanted to keep her distance.
“Three days. I’ll only give you three days. After three days, everyone must be lured into the Profound Sword World.” Gu Changge glanced at her indifferently, as if he knew exactly what Yu Feiya was thinking.
Three days was more or less enough. This final sacrifice was about to begin.
Once the time came, he would wait no longer.
“Yes. Three days should be enough,” Yu Feiya said respectfully.
Gu Changge nodded, his figure dissolving into a rain of light and vanishing on the spot.
The news that a catastrophe was about to descend upon the Profound Sword World quickly spread, triggering earth-shaking tremors.
An aura of despair permeated every region. Days ago, terrifying chains of order had appeared from the depths of the sky, seizing the Earth Sword Immortals from all over the land—this had already been an omen for all living beings.
The surviving Ninth Level and Eighth Level existences of the Shu Sect, Kong Mountain, and other factions all gathered together, their faces incomparably grave, discussing how to deal with what came next.
Some believed they should flee this world and head to other ancient stars with life—only then could they escape this catastrophe.
Others believed they should submit to those Otherworldly Sky Demons and be taken away by them. Even becoming slaves would be better than dying so miserably.
Otherwise, no matter what they chose, they would likely be unable to escape death.
Even the Earth Sword Immortals couldn’t escape those chains of order, let alone everyone else. So the only way to survive was to surrender and submit.
However, those who held such thoughts were ultimately the minority. The vast majority still believed they should unite as one and resist the Heavenly Path together.
After all, Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life. They refused to believe that everyone would ultimately perish in this catastrophe.
Then, the Abundance Sword Immortal, the Snow Sword Immortal, and the many other Earth Sword Immortals who had been captured by the Otherworldly Sky Demons returned, gradually calming the panicked hearts of the people and making them feel that this battle was not without hope.
“The only way is to unite as one. Long, long ago, the Will of the Heavenly Path was sealed away by our ancestors. Now it’s our turn—why couldn’t we do the same?”
The Abundance Sword Immortal rallied them, recounting the secrets he had learned from Lin En.
Hearing these words, everyone was naturally greatly encouraged, their morale soaring.
“Our most urgent task now is to find a way to rescue those Earth Sword Immortals captured by the Will of the Heavenly Path. It must fear us—that’s why it chose to strike first, to weaken our strength.”
Another veteran Earth Sword Immortal spoke up, full of dignity, and his words carried conviction.
No one dared to be negligent. They began trying every possible method to determine where the captured Earth Sword Immortals were currently being held.
Since their Soul Lamps had not yet gone out, they must now be imprisoned in some mysterious, unknown place.
“It seems the only way now is the same as when we searched for Mirror Lake last time...”
In the end, they thought of the only method—just like when they had divined the location of Mirror Lake before, they would use auras to determine the exact location.
Meanwhile, in the distant Beyond.
At the entrance to the Profound Sword World, waves of terrifying sounds rang out, as if heaven and earth were collapsing.
Rumble—
The void trembled violently. The great rift stretching tens of thousands of miles was actually slowly healing.
Light converged, the Force of Law of the world permeated the air, and then streams of black blood flowed out.
This sight left the countless Cultivators stationed there utterly shaken, then chilled to the bone with fear.
“What on earth happened? How could this...”
“Why would the entrance to that world suddenly seal shut?”
“My family’s successor is still inside!”
An old servant of a Supreme Dao Lineage couldn’t help but cry out, frantic with worry.
One had to know that world rifts were not fixed. With this entrance sealed, no one knew how to get inside afterward.
And most importantly—this Space Rift entrance had suddenly closed, with black blood flowing out. Did that mean some kind of Miasma had occurred within?
The successors of many immortal factions of the Beyond had all entered, and several True Daoists had descended as well.
If something happened to them, they wouldn’t know what to do—there would be no way to answer for it back home.
“Let us join forces and try.”
A Quasi-Emperor of an immortal faction who had been stationed here all along suddenly spoke, his expression extremely grave, consulting with the Quasi-Emperors of the other factions.
“This anomaly here is no small matter.”
“Let us join forces and see if we can tear this Space Rift open.”
The other Quasi-Emperors nodded, their expressions solemn, unease in their hearts.
Boom—
The next moment, they struck. Their vast auras shook the eight directions, whipping up towering waves ten thousand zhang high—yet they could not stop the rift from healing.
A young man of the Great Yu Celestial Dynasty, seeing this scene, couldn’t help but worry, “The Eldest Princess and the others are still inside...”
“And Young Master Changge is in there too. If something happens to him, will the Longevity Gu Family vent their anger on Great Yu?”
“Gu Changge should be fine.”
“It’s the Eldest Princess and the others I’m not sure about. The aura of the Jade Talisman the old Imperial Ancestor left here has dissipated. That deeply unsettles me.”
The Quasi-Emperor of the Great Yu Celestial Dynasty was much calmer and more composed, knowing of Gu Changge’s power.
Even if everyone else was buried within, Gu Changge could probably still escape unscathed.
Still, he contacted the Great Yu Celestial Dynasty, informing them of the incident here, worried that Yu Feiya and the old Imperial Ancestor might have perished inside.
At the same time, on this day, in the Profound Sword World.
The darkest day descended, a scene of terror far surpassing anything before.
Heaven and earth were pitch black. Frightening anomalies appeared everywhere. The sky dimmed, losing all color.
Then black mist drifted forth, blotting out the sky and sun, vast and boundless, like a surging black continent pressing down.
The sun was devoured. All light vanished.
Countless Cultivators and living beings were stunned, staring blankly at it all.
Crack—
Fissures appeared across the sky. The firmament shattered like a mirror, black blood dripping down.
At the same time, black matter came crashing down with a thud, flooding the eight directions.
In the remaining regions of the Profound Sword World, far too many powerful Cultivators suddenly screamed and convulsed, collapsing as this black matter touched them.
And this black matter, as if alive, kept burrowing into their facial orifices and nostrils—there were even sounds of tearing and chewing, utterly horrifying.
In just an instant, these Cultivators and living beings all turned to ash, screaming as they scattered into nothing.
In this moment, the Profound Sword World fell into chaos!
Rumble—
One Ancient Battleship after another descended from the Outer Territory, landing once more, with the vast armies of the Beyond standing upon them.
There was the Great Yu Celestial Dynasty, Godly Spirit Mountain, Sky Emperor Mountain—all the various factions, essentially every force participating in this conquest of the Profound Sword World.
Yu Feiya didn’t dare disappoint Gu Changge, so she had racked her brains and finally, using the excuse of having found the location where the old Imperial Ancestor was trapped, lured the various factions into coming to the rescue.
“The Founding Ancestor’s aura is in the central region of this world. Taking advantage of the chaos, it’s the perfect time to go rescue them.”
Yu Feiya spoke softly, her dress white as snow, her figure slender, her dark hair dancing in the wind—exceedingly beautiful and graceful.
“Something’s wrong with this aura. It seems this world is about to collapse...”
A Quasi-Emperor’s expression grew grave. With his extraordinary experience, he sensed the anomaly occurring in the Profound Sword World at this moment.
The sky darkened all at once, as if the most terrifying Chaos Lightning was exploding in the deepest depths.
The entire Profound Sword World, its territory boundless and endless—yet now every stretch of land was trembling.
Countless terrifying fierce beasts awoke in the deepest depths of the oceans, raising their heads to gaze upward in utter terror.
“What happened?”
“What’s going on? Why is heaven and earth shattering? The sun and stars have vanished too!”
The sudden upheaval within the Profound Sword World stunned many Cultivators who didn’t know what was happening.
Aboard the Ancient Battleships, some Cultivators from the Beyond turned pale, noticing that the entrance from before had disappeared—they could no longer sense the slightest aura of the Beyond.
That great cosmic tunnel was also gradually closing. Everyone would be trapped in this world, with no way back to the Beyond.
This filled them with indescribable terror and confusion.
Rumble—
Heaven and earth split apart and collapsed, then peeled away. Firelight shot into the sky, melting everything, like meteors sweeping down upon the land.
The entire sky of the Profound Sword World shattered into pieces like a mirror. Fierce winds blew in, and in all four directions lay pitch-black, bottomless nothingness.
Within it was a sea of void, along with boiling chaotic currents, home to many ancient fierce beasts.
Even True Daoists had to be careful crossing it—there was terrifying suppression by the Force of Law within, and one could die a miserable death.
This scene stunned every Cultivator in this world. Everyone’s eyes went wide with horror.
Heaven and earth ruptured, all manner of laws permeated the air, and divine light of order blazed like flames, scorching everything.
A Cultivator who touched even a wisp of this aura was instantly reduced to a puff of dust, body and soul annihilated.
It was an incomparably terrifying and horrifying sight.
The entire world was shrinking and collapsing, contracting toward its central region like a crumbling continent.
The parts near the edges all melted into the sea of void and the chaotic currents, becoming dust.
“This isn’t just the destruction of the world—this is reforging this world anew, returning it to void and chaos. Every living being within this world will die.”
Aboard an Ancient Battleship, a Sacred Emperor Realm existence cried out in horror, his divine soul trembling, filled with dread and fear.
Powerful as he was, under such an aura he was terrified out of his wits, like an ant, utterly powerless to resist.
Let alone the other Cultivators—their legs went weak, their faces pale.
And what filled them with even greater despair was that they couldn’t find any way out.
The heavenly secrets here were in disarray, the laws broken, the order in chaos—they couldn’t sense the aura of the Beyond at all.
At that moment, someone noticed that the speed of the sky’s collapse wasn’t all that fast.
Only the central region of the Profound Sword World remained intact, seemingly unaffected.
“Quick, to the very center!”
“There—that’s where there might be hope of survival!”
Across the Profound Sword World, everyone shouted, their bodies glowing, wrapped in runes, rushing over at top speed.
At this moment, whether Cultivator or ordinary being, all were terrified beyond measure, heading toward the central region, believing that only there could they survive.
Rumble—
Mountain ranges collapsed, the ground split open, volcanoes erupted, crimson True Flame surging forth to burn everything away.
The catastrophe descended, and all living beings and Cultivators were buried in ruin, body and soul annihilated.
And while the entire Profound Sword World was being destroyed, within an incomparably dark and profound space—
Dense auras of destruction intertwined, chaotic light drifted about, and all manner of vast and majestic powers rose and fell, enough to crush an ordinary person into pulp, body and soul annihilated.
Dark Cages floated here one after another, imprisoning the many Earth Sword Immortals captured from the Profound Sword World, all their faces ashen with despair.
They looked at the dark throne within this space, their hearts and minds trembling, terrified to the extreme.
A white-robed man sat upon it, seemingly waiting here for someone’s arrival.
Beside him, the black-haired man who was the true form of the Will of the Heavenly Path was speaking with reverence.
650: Treating All Things as Straw Dogs—This Is a Dead End
Dark and profound mist surged through this space, filled with an air of utter despair...
An aura of deathly silence.
Overhead, the stars of the heavens flowed across the sky, Chaos Energy surging vast and boundless, as though one had arrived at the legendary end of the universe.
The numerous Dark Cages were forged from some unknown dark divine metal, incomparably sturdy, suspended in the surrounding void, rising and sinking, divine principles surging through them.
From time to time, violet thunderbolts struck down, causing the Cultivators and living beings struggling within to grunt and tremble without end.
Let alone Earth Sword Immortals—even a True Daoist imprisoned here could never hope to break free.
This space was incomparably vast, its surroundings boundless, as though it existed within some unknown dimension.
Everyone stared in despair at that blurry white-robed figure in the distance, terrified to the extreme.
Never before had they imagined that the one who had single-handedly caused the final catastrophe of the Profound Sword World would turn out to be such a young man.
This was simply unthinkable. No matter who it was, anyone who learned this truth would tremble in fear, a bone-deep chill running through their entire body.
At the very center, a dark throne floated in the air. Gu Changge sat upon it, his features blurred and archaic, exuding the indifference and majesty of a god.
His gaze descended, slowly sweeping over all the Earth Sword Immortals imprisoned in this place, and finally he gave a slight nod.
Over these past few days, the last remaining Earth Sword Immortals of the Profound Sword World had all been seized by the World’s Will and imprisoned here.
Aside from a few fish that had slipped through the net—those whose auras could not be sensed—there were practically none left unaccounted for.
“May I ask, Daren, when will this sacrifice begin?”
The black-haired middle-aged man formed from the World’s Will still bore the same burly, towering appearance as before, his hair thick and dense, his eyes like stars, deep and vast as a boundless sea.
Yet before Gu Changge, he remained incomparably reverent and fearful. After all, his little life was held in the man’s grasp and could be snuffed out at any moment.
Toward Gu Changge’s orders and arrangements, he dared not hesitate or refuse in the slightest.
“Wait a little longer—two, three, seven—wait some more. There are still some people who have yet to arrive.”
Gu Changge shook his head gently. Though his gaze was calm and rippleless, the depths of his eyes were filled with nothing but indifference, without the slightest fluctuation of emotion.
“I understand.”
The incarnation of the World’s Will fell silent and nodded.
At this moment, he even felt that Gu Changge resembled the Heavenly Path more than he did—cold and merciless, regarding all living things as straw dogs and ants.
Qiang—
As Gu Changge’s sleeve fluttered lightly, the void before him grew blurry, and then scenes emerged from within it.
Everything happening across the entire Profound Sword World was reflected and manifested here: disasters sweeping through every region, the heavens collapsing and the earth splitting, seas drying and rivers parching, devastation as far as the eye could see.
Stars fell from beyond the sky, wreathed in crimson firelight, smashing down upon the earth one after another, leaving behind terrifying craters and fissures.
Many Cultivators and living beings had no time to flee. Struck by these falling stars, they were instantly reduced to ash and pulp, body and soul utterly annihilated.
Billions upon billions of living beings wailed, watching helplessly as the entire world continuously collapsed and shrank, as though gripped by an invisible giant hand slowly closing shut.
The firmament shattered to pieces, great chunks breaking off and falling away. Divine fire surged and spread toward every corner of the land, burning everything in its path to ash.
It was a scene of despair and darkness.
Even those of mighty cultivation, at this juncture, could only tremble in heart and soul with terror, desperately thinking of ways to flee toward the central region.
But once the collapsing zones swept into the central region, this world would not be far from destruction.
At that time, everyone would die. No one would be an exception.
Besides the native Cultivators and living beings of the Profound Sword World fleeing for their lives, the armies of the Beyond that had descended upon this world were also fleeing in disarray.
Ancient Battleship after Ancient Battleship turned into streaks of flowing light, racing across heaven and earth at speeds that could traverse Great Universes, dodging the rupturing void turbulence and the falling stars.
Heaven and earth collapsed; order and rules broke apart; the aura of destruction filled every corner.
The most unsafe region of all was beyond the sky—the cosmic tunnel leading back to the Beyond had now closed.
Everyone was left with only a single path of retreat: flee toward the central region of the Profound Sword World.
Or rather, rescue the Founding Ancestors of the various clans trapped somewhere, and see whether there remained a sliver of hope for survival.
Black mist drifting in from unknown lands spread and enveloped everything. Many Cultivators were devoured by this black mist.
Soon, blood sprayed from their mouths and noses as they rapidly shriveled, as though all their vitality and essence had been devoured clean, turning them into nourishment for the black mist.
Such black mist now shrouded every corner of the Profound Sword World.
And it was still surging toward the centermost region at a terrifying speed, with virtually no way to stop it.
“It seems the only option now is to rescue the Founding Ancestors first. Otherwise, we will absolutely be trapped in this world, unable to return to the Beyond.”
Aboard the Ancient Battleships, numerous figures stood tall, their expressions grave as they watched all of this.
They did not yet know of Yu Feiya’s true purpose. They merely thought to take advantage of the chaos in this world to go aid the Founding Ancestors trapped somewhere.
After all, only the power of a True Daoist had any chance of locating the coordinates of the Beyond and reopening that cosmic tunnel, allowing a safe return to the Beyond.
Yu Feiya’s heart grew somewhat cold with dread. Toward the many voices of discussion around her, she seemed to see and hear nothing.
Gazing down at the terrifying scene below, she too felt lingering fear. This was the process of an ancient great world marching toward annihilation and collapse—like a terrifying black hole spreading outward, devouring everything.
All living beings and Cultivators were buried within it.
Even the primordial ferocious beasts dwelling in the deep seas could only let out a single unwilling shriek before being devoured by the rupturing void turbulence.
That boundless power belonging to a world came crushing down with a rumble—even stars were as insignificant as dust before it, let alone living beings.
“I only hope that when the time comes, he keeps his promise and spares us. Otherwise, none of us will leave here alive.”
Yu Feiya sighed softly in her heart.
She could not be certain whether Gu Changge would spare them, but obeying his commands was indeed the only path to survival.
“The place where the Old Imperial Ancestor is trapped should be just ahead. When the time comes, I must ask everyone to join forces and strike together.”
Soon, Yu Feiya composed herself, regained her calm, and spoke to the experts of the various clans behind her.
Ahead lay the central region of the Profound Sword World—the only region that had yet to collapse.
Countless Cultivators and living beings, as though gone mad, were all swarming toward that place, trying to find a sliver of hope for survival.
Following Gu Changge’s arrangements, Yu Feiya had led the armies of the various lineages and powers to this place.
She had long since formed a guess in her heart, a premonition of what was about to happen, and so she felt waves of heart-palpitations and chilling dread.
Had she not witnessed it with her own eyes, she could never have believed that such ruthless methods belonged to the leader of the Beyond’s younger generation—the number one figure revered by countless young prodigies.
At the same time, in the central region of the Profound Sword World, within a grand and towering palace.
The Abundance Sword Immortal, the Snow Sword Immortal, and the others who had been released were also conferring with the last remaining experts of this world.
Within this palace stood a sword-casting platform, surrounded by piles of multicolored sacrificial stones radiating a hazy glow.
Faintly, it reflected a pathway, seemingly pointing toward some location.
“It seems the other Earth Sword Immortals are being held there. Following this path, we can find them,” one Earth Sword Immortal said with some excitement.
Hearing this, the Abundance Sword Immortal and the others nodded as well, letting out long breaths of relief. It seemed heaven never sealed off all exits.
Before deducing that space, they had long since made every preparation. So once the path was found, the vast armies outside the palace all arrived, and together everyone charged toward that place.
This was practically the greatest force the Profound Sword World could muster at present.
Every one of them carried the resolve to fight the World’s Will to the death.
“Back then, after catching a distant glimpse of Gongzi Gu outside the Ancient Arcane Ruins, I never saw him again.”
“It seems he must have already returned to the Beyond. Perhaps we’ll never meet again.”
Within the great army, Princess Xuan Die and Ah Qing were also present.
She gazed at the firmament crumbling apart in the distance and could not help but sigh softly, seemingly carrying a trace of regret.
Three days ago, a long-secluded Old Imperial Ancestor of the Southern Light Empire had also been taken away.
Before that, they had had no idea that the Southern Light Empire still possessed such an Old Imperial Ancestor who had already stepped into the Earth Sword Immortal Realm.
So for this rescue of the Old Imperial Ancestor, the Southern Light Empire had mobilized practically all of its strength—even she, a princess, could not be exempted.
“This rescue of the Earth Sword Immortals is likely a near-certain death. Perhaps that meeting at the Ancient Arcane Ruins was our last.”
A trace of regret surfaced on Ah Qing’s small face as well. She shook her head, hiding the emotions in her heart.
What young maiden does not harbor springtime feelings?
She was naturally no exception.
It was only that this admiration had never once been revealed. She also understood it was an impossibility.
To Gu Changge, his actions back then had been nothing more than a simple stir of pity.
The two of them were simply not of the same world. Were it not for that chance encounter, there would never have been any intersection between them at all.
Wuuu—wuuu—wuuu—
Ancient war horns sounded, and everyone’s hearts surged with passion, morale soaring.
The great army of the Profound Sword World assembled, carving open a path, advancing along the deduced route to rescue the Earth Sword Immortals taken by the World’s Will.
The Abundance Sword Immortal, the Snow Sword Immortal, and the others bore the brunt, clearing the way at the front.
This was a terrifying force not to be underestimated. The very firmament trembled; the vast army blotted out the sky, sweeping aside everything.
Its numbers might not reach the trillions, but there were certainly hundreds of billions.
“Kill!”
Endless roars of fury came from distant lands, carrying boundless killing intent, as though piercing through past and present, washing over everything.
The mighty army finally fought its way to this place, breaking through all obstructions, beholding the depth and darkness of this space.
Dark Cages floated one after another, dense and innumerable, rules and order interwoven, imprisoning all the captured Earth Sword Immortals.
Around this space, clusters of dark divine fire blazed, incomparably terrifying, seeking to refine the figures within the cages.
“What?!”
Everyone was stunned, frozen in place, unable to believe what they were seeing.
The Snow Sword Immortal, the Abundance Sword Immortal, and the others turned pale, cold air spreading across their bodies, trembling uncontrollably, feeling as though they had fallen into a terrifying trap.
“So you’ve finally come.”
Within the dark and fathomless space, Gu Changge sat upon his throne. Watching the scene before him, a faint smile appeared at the corners of his mouth.
And as his words fell, from the depths of this space came heavy kacha sounds.
One after another, terrifying chains shot out, piercing straight through everything.
Then these chains spread outward, each one as thick as a mountain ridge, as though forged from supreme Immortal Gold, each of a different color, glimmering with faint immortal radiance, coiling toward the eight directions of heaven and earth, as if to draw out this world’s Source.
“Daren, then I shall make my move as well.”
Seeing this, the true body of the World’s Will felt a chill in his heart and hastily cupped his fists.
He understood that Gu Changge had begun extracting this world’s Source, intending to sacrifice this entire realm—all living beings would become nourishment.
How arduous was the maturing of a World Source?
Even he had gone through untold hardships to find this single thread of opportunity, planning to break the seal this time, condense the World Source, and thereby take that final step.
He had not expected all of it to become a wedding dress for Gu Changge.
“Begin.”
Gu Changge spoke indifferently, the depths of his eyes devoid of any emotional fluctuation.
He was merely condensing the World Source. As for the matter of sacrificing this world, it actually had nothing to do with him.
So even if there were heaven-defying karmic consequences, they would only fall upon the main body of the World’s Will.
Once the World Source was in hand, erasing the World’s Will would be nothing more than a casual trifle for him.
When catastrophe descends and heaven and earth cycle through their rounds, it is merely accordance with rules and order.
Countless years from now, when this world reopens from the chaos, everything will be nurtured anew. That, after all, is reincarnation.
“In that case, let it begin. I have waited for this day for far, far too long.”
Hearing this, a sinister look surfaced on the face of the World’s Will’s main body. Gazing upon all this despair and destruction, he began to wield the Heavenly Dao Authority, pushing the Great Millstone of World Destruction, which came rumbling and rolling down to crush everything.
Endless black mist billowed out from this place, instantly covering and shrouding territory spanning tens of millions of li.
At this moment, the Profound Sword World finally reached its end.
The Great Millstone of World Destruction was boundlessly vast, its edges beyond sight. It descended from the horizon with a rumble, slowly grinding forward, erasing all traces and all rules.
All Cultivators and living beings wailed, shattering and rotting away, returning to ruin. Black blood filled the sky—it was like a hell on earth.
“What in the world is this?!”
Within the armies of the Beyond, panic erupted at this moment. Everyone was horrified.
Even Quasi-Emperor existences were crushed beneath this aura, then submerged by the black mist, wailing before choosing to self-detonate in an attempt to break free.
It was a world-destroying scene of utter horror.
From all directions, ancient Sacrificial Scriptures suddenly lit up.
Accompanied by streaks of blood-light shooting skyward, miserable screams and despair spreading, great swathes of Cultivators and living beings, with no time to dodge, all transformed into energy pouring into the earth.
The strange Sacrificial Scriptures ignited, turning into patterns that spread toward the eight directions of heaven and earth.
Mountain peaks toppled, the earth collapsed, the firmament ruptured—it was a world-shaking, astonishing sight.
At the same time, characters flickered within the pitch-black void, as though branded from Immortal Gold, more dazzling than the stars.
These were the ancient Sacrificial Scriptures.
In primordial times, the ancestors had recited these words when offering sacrifices to the heavens.
At this moment, everyone heard the sound of scripture chanting resound between heaven and earth—vicissitudinous and ancient, as though spanning across epochs, as though gods and demons sat cross-legged at the edge of the sky, boundlessly vast, grieving for all living beings.
“Rescuing the Old Ancestors of the various clans was nothing but bait all along—to lure all of us in, and while the passage between the two worlds is closed, use all our lives to ignite the Sacrificial Scriptures!”
“Borrowing the power of the Sacrificial Scriptures to sacrifice a supreme world and nourish this place...”
“This is too ruthless! Using everyone as nourishment to feed something else—what is this all for?!”
Aboard the Ancient Battleships, the expressions of all the Cultivators of the Beyond went slack with shock, their faces terrified and pale, incomparably horrified and despairing.
Even the Quasi-Emperors trembled in their divine souls, frightened to the extreme.
“You...” Staring at the calm-faced Yu Feiya, many experts seethed with fury—rage and hatred at having been deceived.
“I was merely acting under orders. Please do not blame me, everyone.”
Gazing at the Great Millstone of World Destruction gradually descending toward this place, Yu Feiya stood upon the Ancient Battleship, her expression extraordinarily calm.
Many people instantly understood Yu Feiya’s actions—this had been a trap to lure everyone in from the very start.
Now, at last, they were truly crying to a heaven that would not answer and an earth that would not respond. No one could save them.
Even if the Beyond learned of the situation here, it could not rush over to rescue them.
Their entire bodies went ice-cold. Sacrificing an entire great world to nourish something—such things had actually happened in ancient epochs long past.
But those were deeds committed by Immortal Sovereigns who had fallen into darkness, such heaven-defying, conscienceless acts.
For they would suffer the backlash of heaven and earth.
Especially for an ancient world like the Profound Sword World, with its terrifying Fortuity—the backlash would be even more dreadful.
Even a True Immortal likely could not withstand it. This was simply unimaginable.
No one had ever imagined that this expedition to conquer the lower world would turn into a death trap.
Everyone would become nourishment.