Chapter 983: The tribulation begins with endless wars, terrifying war
Gu Xian’er trailed behind an ancient warship, hurtling towards the boundless battlefield. Her emotions weighed heavily upon her. This catastrophe marked a daunting threshold for the Dao Chang Realm, one that would require prolonged struggle spanning years, if not decades. Many would perish in the process, and even her own safety couldn’t be guaranteed.
Furthermore, the ultimate outcome remained uncertain, shrouded in the fog of war.
Rumble!
In the vast expanse ahead, a colossal hand emerged, grasping at stars and clutching the moon. It was of titanic proportions, tearing through the void as boiling spiritual energy surged, distorting and collapsing time and space until a stable passage materialized.
An Immortal King manifested, opening a grand cosmic tunnel for numerous ancient warships to surge towards the boundless battlefield. Similar scenes unfolded in multiple locations, with Immortal Kings tasked to open temporal and spatial channels to transport armies from various races.
Meanwhile, within the boundless battlefield, some Immortal Kings had already arrived, strategizing on how to confront the enemy and fortify their defenses.
The atmosphere was grim, shrouded by terrifying black clouds that blanketed the sky in every direction. Tragedy, war, and bloodshed suffused the land, with even the soil tarnished dark brown, stained black by endless blood and littered with countless bones and weapon remnants.
Once, this place had been the site of the Heaven Slaying battle, a realm ravaged by ceaseless conflict where no living beings had survived.Gu Xian’er trailed the army to the boundless battlefield, soaring high above the sky, surveying the desolation below.
“I wonder how long this catastrophe will endure. Gu Changge, where are you now? Are you still within this realm?” she murmured softly.
A torrential army traversed the battlefield, akin to a cosmic serpent surging towards the edge. The tumultuous sounds from beyond the boundless sea echoed clearly, as if the heavens themselves quivered, the sun and moon revolved, and the world teetered on the brink of collision, with blood ready to boil and souls trembling.
Though the army that descended upon this realm was vast, comprising true immortals and Immortal Kings, the majority were below the rank of true immortals, relegated to cannon fodder and destined to serve as vanguards in the forefront of resistance and contention.
The immortal king ancestors of many ethnic groups also followed orders, leading their armies and guarding various locations, awaiting the arrival of foreign enemies.
The oppressive atmosphere preceding the impending war enshrouded the hearts of every being in the Dao Chang Realm. Even ordinary cultivators felt the tension, their nerves constantly on edge, sensing that a significant shift was occurring in the world.
Each day, soaring auras emerged across the realm, eclipsing stars one by one, with countless figures rushing toward the outer domain.
Outside Green Mountain Village, Su Qingge stood calmly in the courtyard, gazing up at the sky. Even in this remote mortal settlement, the residents could perceive the changes unfolding in the world—an inexplicable sense of foreboding hanging heavy over their heads.
“Daddy, does this mean the catastrophe is coming and the world will be destroyed?” queried the curious children in the village, addressing their father.
Her heart heavy with sorrow, Su Qingge sighed inwardly, realizing that even children devoid of cultivation could not escape the influence of the impending calamity.
This catastrophe appeared to be a formidable trial for the Dao Chang Realm. With war looming on the horizon, the very fabric of reality seemed to shift, and the once-strong aura underwent profound transformations.
However, for those blessed with great fortune, this crisis also presented an opportunity for ascension. The seeds planted by Gu Changge’s actions were beginning to bear fruit.
In one of the immortal sects that had endured for millions of years, a young man rallied many elder disciples to discuss strategies for navigating the impending catastrophe, striving to ensure the sect’s continuity and prevent the rupture of its legacy.
Though the sect’s ancestors had once attained the rank of true immortals, that was in a bygone era. Presently, the most formidable figure within the sect was merely an enlightened individual.
An enlightened individual, facing such a catastrophic event, was likely as inconsequential as dust, not even worthy of being considered cannon fodder.
Nevertheless, this young man remained undeterred, speaking with unwavering confidence as if he could safeguard the sect throughout the crisis.
As the senior brother of the sect, he had a remarkable backstory. In his youth, while practicing martial arts in the back mountains, he had a close brush with death when pursued by a ferocious tiger. Fleeing for his life, he stumbled into a frigid pool where he chanced upon a mysterious ancient bell imbued with auspicious energy.
The enigmatic ancient bell compelled him to forsake martial arts in favor of Daoist cultivation. Over time, he ascended to his current level, his cultivation nearing that of all the sect’s ancestors.
“My mysterious ancient bell contains within it mountains and rivers. By absorbing sufficient matter, I can condense a genuine world within it, rivaling any so-called ancient realm. With mastery over the mysterious ancient bell, I can create and control a world inside it. Protecting our sect during this war is entirely feasible.”
“In this conflict, many will perish. Yet, those shattered weapons are prime materials, enabling me to ascend and advance swiftly. In no time, I could attain the rank of true immortal, or even immortal king.”
The young man exuded confidence, having encountered numerous strokes of good fortune along his journey. Despite danger, he often turned adversity into advantage, truly embodying the essence of luck. Amidst the tumultuous world, survival came more easily to him than to other cultivators, fostering his rapid growth and development.
Elsewhere, a woman garbed in somber black attire, her countenance icy and indifferent, eradicated nearby sects engaged in reckless and malevolent deeds due to the impending catastrophe.
Her black garments were stained with blood, the path she trod littered with dismembered limbs and corpses. A crimson stream flowed like a river, and the once-grand mountain gate lay in ruins.
“You brought this upon yourselves,” the woman in black declared, embodying the ethos of the Dao through her merciless and detached approach. She took lives daily, whether of virtuous or wicked individuals, driven solely by her whims.
She was often dubbed the Black-Clothed Demoness by many cultivators for her ruthless and efficient killing methods, having mastered the art of dispatching adversaries with a single hand. Her skill had reached a state of perfection, with each life she claimed bolstering her cultivation, ensuring continuous improvement.
“This catastrophe presents the ideal environment for my cultivation. Once I condense the prototype of the Dao of Slaughter, I could even slay an Immortal King,” she mused, her tone dispassionate and composed.
“Ruthless good fortune truly lives up to its name. I’ve ascended to the seventh level already. Ordinary true immortals may not pose a challenge. Mastering the way of killing at the ninth level will enable me to confront Immortal Emperors horizontally, potentially becoming the Slaughter Immortal Emperor. It’s indeed a stroke of extraordinary fortune,” she contemplated aloud, her demeanor unaffected by emotion.
Once a meek girl, tormented by her aunt and maidservants, she credited her current standing to the fortuitous acquisition of the extraordinary skill known as Ruthless Good Fortune. Her journey began with the slaughter of fowl, gradually crystallizing into the prototype of her murderous intent. Subsequently, she turned her sights on those who had mistreated her, eliminating them without regard for morality, solely focused on her cultivation.
This transformation birthed the formidable entity known as the Black-Clothed Demoness, her actions driven solely by personal agenda, devoid of considerations of right or wrong. She speculated that Ruthless Good Fortune might have been crafted by the Demon Lord of the Dao Chang Realm, the former apex being.
Despite harboring doubts about attaining the Demon Lord’s level even if she reached the ninth level and subsequently created the tenth level herself, she remained steadfast in her belief. Bolstered by her auspicious fortune, she envisioned a future unbounded by the confines of this exercise. The impending catastrophe facing the entire Dao Chang Realm served as a catalyst for her exponential growth.
Similar scenes were unfolding in various locations across the Dao Chang Realm.
Individuals blessed with remarkable fortune, known as the Acting System, diligently gathered and scrutinized information regarding the origin and exploits of the “demon lord.” Their aspiration was to emulate the most formidable entity in the Dao Chang Realm, striving to embody even a fraction of their power. They spared no effort in scouring ancient records and conducting exhaustive searches for any semblance of resemblance.
Simultaneously, others fortunate enough to acquire relics of ancient heroes marshaled their resources and assembled their own factions in preparation for the impending catastrophe. Their objective was to confront the looming threat head-on, leveraging the power of these legendary artifacts.
….
At the headquarters of the Heaven Slaying Alliance, Gu Wuwang, Ming, and other Dao Realm entities convened, utilizing a clandestine artifact to analyze the situation beyond the vast expanse and predict the imminent arrival of foreign adversaries.
Finally, the rounded ancient warship approached from the expanse, revealing some indistinct outlines. Yet, just as anticipation grew, radiant gates materialized abruptly, disgorging an equally formidable army of warriors. Like a cosmic deluge, they surged forth toward the forefront of the Dao Chang Realm.
This unexpected assault caught everyone off guard, devoid of any forewarning. Though the exact numbers of this approaching force remained unknown, it surely numbered in the millions. Emerging from the luminous gates, they exuded malevolent energy, brimming with murderous intent.
“Sentries on the boundless battlefield, prepare for action!” issued the command throughout the hall, prompting immediate readiness.
Simultaneously, millions of runes streamed forth from the perimeter embankment encircling the boundless battlefield, harnessing the celestial power and radiating boundless luminosity.
Originally silent, the embankment’s origins were shrouded in mystery, erected to withstand the relentless assault from the boundless sea’s forces. Yet now, it surged to life, akin to a torrent breaching its banks. Transforming into formidable energy beams, it surged toward the onrushing army of immortal civilization.
Witnessing this scene, many cultivators and creatures stationed on the edge of the boundless battlefield were utterly shocked. They had never fathomed that the boundary embankment harbored such astonishing power, reawakening at such a critical juncture.
“The origin of the boundary embankment is shrouded in mystery. Its creator remains unknown. Countless ancient runes adorn its surface, invoking formidable power to repel foreign adversaries…” murmured the immortal kings within their bunkers, visibly stirred by the revelation. Clearly, they hadn’t anticipated the existence of such a natural barrier surrounding the Dao Chang Realm.
The onslaught of terrifying energy beams decimated the army of immortal civilizations rushing toward the forefront, reducing many figures to ash in an instant. However, these were mere cannon fodder for the immortal civilizations, eliciting no remorse.
Yet, more figures emerged from the light gates anew.
Meanwhile, aboard the colossal ancient warship resembling a flying shuttle, a horrifying figure shrouded in black mist materialized. Extending a hand adorned with various scales resembling those of dragons and iron, this entity surpassed the Immortal King in power. Though not a member of the immortal civilizations, it served as a war servant, enslaved and manipulated.
With a swift motion, the entity shattered the tens of thousands of symbols resonating across the sky, reducing them to rubble that cascaded like a deluge. Such a display rendered even the Immortal King insignificant, instilling chilling dread in the hearts of the Dao Chang Realm’s forces.
The sheer terror of this entity’s power rendered the boundary embankment’s light beams utterly futile in its presence.
Boom!
At that moment, the fabric of time and space outside the boundless battlefield contorted, and a blurred figure emerged, enveloped in the same black mist. Extending a hand, they countered the massive hand horizontally, seeking to obliterate it.
“Foreign Immortal Emperor!”
Across the vast battlefield, numerous figures couldn’t contain their astonishment upon recognizing this being. Their eyes betrayed a mixture of awe and anticipation.
This was a genuine Immortal Emperor tasked with safeguarding this region, and they had swiftly intervened to confront the opposing figure. Despite past conflicts and ceaseless wars between the foreign realm and the immortal domain, in this critical moment, the emperor of the foreign realm didn’t hesitate to act, determined to prevent the adversary from drawing closer.