Chapter 1451: The Demon Emperor Arrives (Part 2)
Zhou Tian Shen Di's first half of the sentence could barely be called hope. The second half... to the listeners, it sounded more like a joke.
Seal... the Crimson Rift?
Zhou Tian Shen Di was not surprised by their reaction. He continued, "Many years have passed since the crack in the Chaos Wall first appeared. Over these years, the crack in the chaos has been expanding, and the crimson light has been growing stronger. This means that throughout these years, the Cosmic Thorn has been continuously releasing its dimensional power."
"And... the Cosmic Thorn maintains an independent space outside the chaos, which inherently involves continuous consumption. To devour the Chaos Wall, the Cosmic Thorn must release its dimensional power to the extreme—the dense crimson light is proof of that full release."
"Although it's impossible to determine the Cosmic Thorn's rate of power recovery in the Outer Chaos environment, after so many years of full-force release, even something as powerful as the Cosmic Thorn may now be nearing divine power depletion."
These words caused the heavy-hearted crowd to brighten their eyes in unison. Fantian Shen Di said, "What you mean is..."
"That's right." Zhou Tian Shen Di nodded slightly. "The best outcome is that the Cosmic Thorn's power is exhausted before the Chaos Wall completely splits. If so, the cracked Chaos Wall will quickly repair itself, and this world-engulfing calamity will vanish—at least in the short term, it won't reappear."
"But the likelihood of this scenario... is extremely slim."
"What we call 'sealing the Crimson Rift' is intended to amplify this 'extremely slim' possibility." Zhou Tian Shen Di's voice rose several notches. "By gathering the highest-level power of the Eastern Divine Region, with the assistance of the Divine Emperors from the Western and Southern Divine Regions, our combined force will be immense—enough to cause some interference and delay the time when the Cosmic Thorn breaks through the Chaos Wall."
"Given the current situation where the Cosmic Thorn's power should be near depletion, this slight interference and delay might just become... the straw that breaks the camel's back."
"This is also the only effort and struggle we can make in the face of this calamity."
The cause... the truth... the calamity... the hope... the struggle...
Zhou Tian Shen Di had explained everything clearly.
At this moment, the Feng Shen Platform seemed to be covered by a giant cauldron, oppressively stifling.
By now, everyone fully understood why the Zhou Tian Realm had forcibly gathered the power of the Eastern Divine Region to construct a dimensional array spanning half of the chaos.
"We understand." Saint Universe Realm King Luo Shangchen said, "When shall we 'seal the Crimson Rift'?"
"Today, right now." Zhou Tian Shen Di said slowly.
"Now?" Everyone was stunned.
"That's right." Zhou Tian Shen Di looked around and sighed, "Indeed, it's too sudden. But this matter absolutely cannot be leaked, so we couldn't give advance notice. After the dimensional array was finally completed, I hurriedly set today's date."
"Also because..." Zhou Tian Shen Di turned to look at the distant east, "The Zhou Tian deity told me that the Cosmic Thorn's aura has become clear enough to make it tremble. This means the Chaos Wall is 'at any moment' on the verge of collapse, and we cannot afford any further delay or hesitation."
"Since that's the case, there's no need for further discussion!" Dragon God Long Bai stood up, his voice heavy as the sea. "Let's go seal the Crimson Rift now!"
Long Bai's words, each carrying the weight of ten thousand jun, rang like a sky-shaking bell in everyone's soul, jolting them awake. They stood up one after another.
If the ancient Demon Emperor truly descended, the consequences were unimaginable.
Before the Zhou Tian Conference, they had many speculations about the Crimson Rift. But the truth they had learned was tens of millions of times more terrifying than their worst expectations.
This was a world-engulfing calamity that, once it erupted, they would have absolutely no power to resist!
The disaster of the Evil Infant in ancient times only destroyed the gods and demons, not affecting mortals. But this time, with the Demon Emperor and Demon God carrying hatred accumulated over millions of years... the entire chaos would become the most terrifying hell!
Gathering the power of all Divine Lords to try to seal the Crimson Rift... perhaps the effect would be minuscule, the hope dim, but as Zhou Tian Shen Di said, this was the only struggle they could make! And the struggle they must make!
And they could no longer afford any hesitation!
"Good..." Zhou Tian Shen Di nodded slowly. The atmosphere of the Feng Shen Platform, and the entire Zhou Tian Divine Realm, began to shift violently.
Without another half word of nonsense, his eyes focused and he roared, "Taiyu, activate the array!"
As the roar fell, the Feng Shen Platform was flooded with mystic light. A dimensional aura so powerful it reached the edge of the Divine Emperors' cognition burst forth violently. Beneath this dimensional aura, the center of the Feng Shen Platform revealed a ten-mile-wide dimensional array radiating white light.
One end of this mystic array was on the Feng Shen Platform, and the other end reached the eastern extremity of the chaos.
It was the most powerful dimensional array in the history of the God Realm, spanning the farthest distance.
This array had gathered the power of all high-level star realms and king realms in the Eastern Divine Region, and Zhou Tian Shen Di and the fifteen guardians beside him knew that the Zhou Tian Realm had nearly emptied itself for it.
"Everyone, please enter the array directly." Zhou Tian Shen Di raised his hand, and with a flicker of his figure, he stood first within the array.
Immediately, shadows flashed continuously on the Feng Shen Platform. These proud Divine Lords all entered the array without hesitation or delay... and dared not hesitate or delay.
"Let's go!" Mu Xuanyin brought Yun Che and entered the array.
Instantly, a spatial aura vaster than the ocean enveloped Yun Che.
Seeing Yun Che, Shui Qianheng's eyes widened and he blurted out, "Why did you come in too! The aura near the Crimson Rift is definitely extraordinary. It might even leak some Outer Chaos power, which you absolutely cannot withstand. Get out now!"
"No need." Before Yun Che could answer, Mu Xuanyin spoke coldly, "I will protect him."
"I'll protect Yun Che gege too." Shui Meiyin quickly added.
"Uh..." Shui Qianheng had no choice but to fall silent.
Why did this Zhou Tian Conference only allow Divine Lords to participate? Firstly, only power at that level could possibly cause slight interference with the Crimson Rift. Secondly... the cosmic storms near the Crimson Rift could basically only be withstood by Divine Lords.
Many were surprised that Yun Che was entering the array, but now their minds were full of the shock and horror brought by "world-engulfing calamity" and "Jie Tian Mo Di." They had no energy to care about anything else.
Everyone entered the array. Then the dimensional array activated, mystic light blazing, carrying the combined strongest power of the Eastern Divine Region, along with the five Divine Emperors from the Western and Southern Divine Regions, and vanished from the Feng Shen Platform.
A long space transit, with no one speaking.
Everything had been fine, and suddenly a world-destroying calamity was dropped on their heads. Anyone's state of mind would collapse.
After an unknown amount of transit time, Zhou Tian Shen Di, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, opened them and said softly, "We're here."
The world in front suddenly switched, becoming an intense crimson, accompanied by a terrifyingly peerless destructive storm that struck them head-on.
Mu Xuanyin's hand never left Yun Che's arm. In the first instant, a force had already firmly enveloped Yun Che, protecting him tightly.
This was the eastern edge of the chaos.
Upon arrival, not to mention Yun Che, even the crowd of Divine Lords were greatly startled. The sudden cosmic storm impacted most of the Divine Lords, causing them to lose balance, and it took a long time to barely stabilize.
Once one's cultivation entered the divine path, even at the lowest Divine Origin Realm, they could survive and travel in cosmic space. Cosmic storms, the most terrifying of natural disasters, rarely appeared on their own. Artificially... they only appeared briefly when high-level Divine Lords fought.
But here, such cosmic storms were everywhere. The space here, everything here, was being destroyed and annihilated every instant... In such an environment, even as strong as a Divine Sovereign, it would be difficult to sustain for long.
"Ah... such a terrifying place." Shui Meiyin supported a Liuguang protective barrier and exclaimed.
"It wasn't like this before." Shui Qianheng said. "Because it's on the border of chaos, this place was once the most peaceful. Now it's full of cosmic storms; it must be related to the Crimson Rift. It's very likely caused by the Outer Chaos aura seeping in from the Crimson Rift!"
Outside the chaos was the aura of destruction, and what seeped in was naturally also the aura of destruction.
A crack that hadn't fully split, clearly only letting in a tiny amount of Outer Chaos aura, yet it created such vast, such terrible cosmic storms... How terrifying the Outer Chaos world must be, beyond imagination.
And even more terrifying than the cosmic storms was that Crimson Scar!
The Chaos Wall... its color was indescribable, its state indescribable, its very existence indescribable, but it could be clearly felt to be there. And a crimson mark was imprinted on it, splitting several hundred li... or a thousand li... or longer.
The crimson light from the crack shone on each Divine Lord, but passed right through them without any obstruction or attenuation. And everyone here knew that these red lights had penetrated nearly half the chaos, visible even in the Eastern Divine Region.
These lights were the unique dimensional divine radiance of the Cosmic Thorn, beyond normal reasoning.
Zhou Tian Shen Di stood at the front, staring at the red mark on the Chaos Wall. His hair and beard fluttered, his eyes filled with immense gravity and determination.
The crowd of Divine Lords also moved forward. Before the calamity, they had to concentrate all their thoughts. Even if there had been past rifts or grudges, they had to set them aside completely now.
Only Mu Xuanyin held onto Yun Che, rooted in place.
At that moment, a gaze fell on Mu Xuanyin, staring at her unabashedly for a long time.
Mu Xuanyin's icy brow slightly furrowed.
And the owner of that gaze laughed, "Haha, the Eastern Divine Region truly is a land of treasure. To think that besides Qianye Ying'er and Yue Shen Di, there is another woman of such radiant splendor. Even the number one beauty of our Southern Divine Region would be three parts inferior in shame."
Yun Che looked toward the source of the voice and his heart jumped.
It was none other than Nanming Shen Di... Nan Wansheng!
Nanming Shen Di narrowed his eyes, staring at Mu Xuanyin with burning divine light in his pupils. But he still had the decency to consider the occasion and situation. After a sinister smile, he withdrew his gaze, only to land it on Yun Che. "Oh? Isn't this the plaything that Qianye Ying'er took a liking to back then? How dare you come here? Aren't you afraid of suddenly breaking?"
Yun Che gave a faint, ambiguous smile. "I think Nanming Shen Di knows better than anyone who is truly the plaything."
The number one Divine Emperor of the Southern Region, taking the initiative to speak to him... It seemed he truly valued Qianye Ying'er to an extreme.
"Oh?" Nanming Shen Di's eyes narrowed, then he smiled. "Interesting, interesting. Hahahaha."
He turned around, his silver figure flickering, and stood at the very front of the Crimson Rift.
"Don't speak recklessly!" Mu Xuanyin rebuked softly. "He is tens of thousands of times more terrifying than you imagine."
"Understood." Yun Che responded, seeming somewhat distracted.
In front of the Crimson Rift, Zhou Tian Shen Di remained silent for a long time before finally turning around and saying, "Let's begin directly."
Long Bai nodded and said gravely, "Had I known earlier, I would have brought the Dragon Gods. Today can serve as a trial attempt. If there is even the slightest effect, I will immediately send a message to the Western Region, summoning the strong from all realms to come."
"The Southern Region will do the same." Nan Wansheng said with a smile.
"Mm." Zhou Tian Shen Di nodded slowly. He stepped forward a few paces, his gaze sweeping over everyone present. His arms extended, mystic light shimmering, and a peculiar array slowly opened behind him. He spoke unhurriedly, "Everyone, please channel your power into the array... This matter concerns the survival of the present era. No matter who you are, you must not hold back in the slightest."
"As for the result, we can only leave it to fate."
Even at this point, Zhou Tian Shen Di's words still carried a heavy gloom.
After all, this was not a strategy of response, but the only struggle when there was no strategy.
As his voice fell, the array was fully formed. All the Divine Lords stared intently, their profound energy surging.
But at that moment, the world suddenly dimmed.
The space storm also stopped abruptly.
This sudden change startled everyone. Before they could react, the massive red mark on the Chaos Wall began to shrink rapidly—from stretching thousands of li down to hundreds of li, and in just a few breaths, to several dozen li... along with the originally dense crimson light fading swiftly.
"Th-this... what's happening?"
Over a dozen li... a few li... a hundred zhang... the Crimson Rift continued to shrink, eventually reaching only a few zhang in length. Throughout the entire process, everyone's faces were full of shock.
"Could it be... could it be..." Zhou Tian Shen Di murmured, then suddenly his face lit up with wild joy, and he cried out involuntarily, "The Cosmic Thorn's power has been exhausted!!"