Chapter 43: Striding Toward the End
The God of Order and Destruction, Erlin, before Joshua had seen his human form, had merely speculated based on his divine titles that he might be a robust man carved from marble, or perhaps an elder of supreme authority.
But astonishingly, Erlin, who possessed the two high divine titles of 'Order' and 'Destruction,' revealed a human form that was a young boy, seemingly a half-elf of human and elven descent.
Why show himself in this form? Why are order and destruction conflated? What 'logic' does this deity hold to enforce his own order?
Joshua still did not know the answers to these questions, but Erlin was already leaving.
This was the central region of the lowest depths of the World Star River.
What environment in the multiverse is most feared by life? It is not the energy-raging star clusters of the Void Great Maelstrom, which, once one reaches the Legendary Realm, while not exactly easy to traverse, are not impassable; nor is it the chaotic lairs where Evil Gods dwell, for though Evil Gods are fearsome and their Chaos Minions annihilate all life and civilization, if one's power is sufficient, an Evil God is merely a slightly stronger enemy, like a tiger living at one's doorstep.
What truly instills fear in all life, even Legendary experts and deities, is not anything tangible or substantial. Even if a nebula were to animate into a being as vast as a star river, it would only be a larger target, a worthy challenge, a highly valuable research subject, worthy of awe, but not fear.
What truly makes all beings understand fear is actually the nothingness of the void.
Just like what Joshua and the gods were now witnessing.
After the 666th layer of the Abyss, in the lower parts of the Abyss, the absolute dead worlds where even demons once refused to live, within this domain, all worlds were already mostly collapsed, their world barriers destroyed, mere wrecks. The originally calm and surging River Styx now raced wildly through these realms, extracting the last fire and steel contained within these wrecks, then transmitting them to the lowest depths of the Abyss.
That was how it should be.
But now, aside from the mother world of the 'Heda Civilization'—a star system about the size of the solar system with six planets and an extinguished sun—aside from the wreckage of this world, from the River Styx, no other Abyss worlds could be seen. Even the flow of the River Styx had undergone bizarre changes. The tributaries that once flowed from the worlds had now become immensely vast whirlpools, drawing in and absorbing endless 'Stygian waters,' turning the entire lower Abyss into an absolute void where nothing entered and nothing left.
The lament of stars came from the overflowing Steel Force. Joshua looked up, staring at the whirlpools spinning at the ends of the Styx tributaries.
Why had the lower Abyss become like this? Even if the Abyss was a graveyard of worlds, it shouldn't be empty. The corpses of worlds were so vast that thousands of years couldn't make them vanish completely. There were many questions that urgently needed answers, but in truth, no one knew better than him why the situation had suddenly become like this.
Because, at the ends of those Styx tributaries, there were black holes.
The God of Order and Destruction left the River Styx. The massive Ouroboros holy emblem appeared above the wreckage of the damaged Heda civilization planet. Vaguely, one could see at the core of this holy emblem a divine power phantom in the form of a youth. Facing the dark void where the star had been extinguished, He seemed to be recalling, thinking. This deity, who for some unknown reason had suddenly regained a bit of past memories, suddenly revealed a 'smile.'
Order is discovery, order is rebirth.
The First Flame burned away chaos, and from the end of destruction, created existence and order.
Destroying the order of chaos, creating our order. To chaos, perhaps we, the beings of order, are the incomprehensible chaos.
But what does that matter? What we want is simply the world we desire. The thoughts of other beings are but the boring delusions of ants and insects.
"If the old order is not broken, the new order cannot come."
In the darkness and void, the God of Order and Destruction, Erlin, raised his right hand. His humanoid phantom was constantly dissipating, but even so, he laughed and spoke his absolute holy word, uttered only when he exerted his utmost effort:
"Let destruction descend! We shall rule the ruins called order after chaos is annihilated!"
The divine power of Order and Destruction erupted.
The phantom of the blue Ouroboros holy emblem instantly expanded and spread, embracing the entire star domain.
The blue light, like the light of the sun, illuminated this dark star domain at light speed. From the River Styx, one could see a pale blue halo expanding at an extreme speed. During this process, all remaining chaotic power in the star domain was completely destroyed, even converted into part of the deity's divine power. At this rate, in about forty minutes, Erlin's divine power would fill this star domain and expand to a terrifying degree.
But this speed was achieved by the power of the God of Order alone. And just three seconds after Erlin's divine power began to spread, in the seemingly empty void of the star domain, an incredibly complex, gear-like rune suddenly appeared. Soon, as this rune was activated by divine power, more gear-shaped divine power runes were simultaneously activated by miniature space-time channels. In that instant, the long journey that would have taken even light forty minutes was instantly traversed by space-time sorcery. One could see that the originally dark and void star domain of destruction was instantly enveloped by an infinite number of gear runes, forming a huge and spectacular super-giant spherical spell structure, while a blue Ouroboros embraced it, tightly wrapping it.
This was the first 'Core Seal Anchor' that Joshua saw.
But precisely because of the anchor's appearance, filling the entire star domain with the God of Order's divine power, one could see that at the center of the Core Seal Anchor, where the star of the Heda civilization's mother world once was, it was still dark. Judging by gravity waves and light distortion, there was a dark celestial body there, surrounded by a thick chaotic accretion disk, firmly binding these filthy forces to itself.
That was a black hole—the 'Seal Anchor' that sealed chaos, anchored space-time, and prevented filth from reviving. The entrance to the Core Seal Anchor was not around the black hole, while the entrances to ordinary seal anchors led directly into the black hole.
Not only that.
As the God of Order entered the Core Seal Anchor, more anchors were activated. One could see pale blue flashes instantly spreading across most of the star domains on the periphery of the lower Abyss. His power, relying on the space-time arrays left by the Rebirth Plan and the River Styx, lit up in one world wreck after another at superluminal speed, like a gigantic 'Ouroboros' encircling the Abyss. But one could see that at the center of every star domain lit by blue divine power was a ring of lightless pitch black. Facing this blackness, even the River Styx could only flow backward, turning into whirlpools. Countless chaotic forces and resentments from the upper realms were here, drawn in and sealed by the endless Styx whirlpools.
"Using black holes as stabilizers…" Joshua reached out and grabbed a flickering blue light point, a bit of help left for the warrior by the God of Order and Destruction before he left. Inside the light point was a small hourglass. The divine power of Order and Destruction continuously cycled and reversed on both sides, always alternating, maintaining stability and conversion between the two.
He absorbed the hourglass into his body and said softly, "I hope we meet again."
"'Terminal Celestial Bodies' have a limit to their suppression of chaos."
After Erlin unfolded his divine domain in the star domain of the Heda civilization wreckage and entered the Core Seal Anchor, the remaining six gods continued down the River Styx with Joshua. As the deity closest to the warrior, the God of Law and Freedom spoke softly: "It can unconditionally bind chaotic power, even the power of an Evil God cannot break free. But if the chaotic power is too vast, the excess will still leak out and erode the world."
"Originally, there should have been a seal unit made from part of the body of the Decay Evil God, constantly weakening the chaotic power. But now, the chaotic power will only accumulate, not be converted."
At this moment, the flow of the River Styx was getting faster and faster. The entire World Star River, worlds that had been destroyed and were about to be destroyed, their power was all gathered by the River Styx and transmitted here. Joshua could hear, within these endless Steel Particles, the lament of stars, the sighs of countless civilizations.
He could hear, could see, countless images, texts, visions, and memories. They were runes carved by time on world wrecks, books called civilization. Within the Steel Particles of countless destroyed worlds, perhaps there was the life of a single person, or even an entire civilization. Countless incomplete memories tumbled and turned in the River Styx, heading towards the lowest depths of the Abyss, the place of nirvana and rebirth for all things. They would shed all their past and be reborn into new forms.
But on the path they and Joshua were taking, it was already full of twisted whirlpools.
The black holes formed by the seal anchors to bind chaos mercilessly drew in the power of the River Styx. Although Joshua and the remaining six gods would not be sucked in by their power, creatures like the Ferry Demons would be swallowed without resistance. This was why the Ferry Demons, scattered throughout the Abyss, were fleeing in panic. Because when the Rebirth Plan failed, the originally balanced seal was broken, and the once calmly flowing River Styx was being drawn by countless black holes. These weak demons, no matter how they struggled, could not avoid death.
Soon, the next farewell arrived.
This time, the one leaving was the God of Law and Freedom.
"I see the second Core Seal Anchor—the mother world of the Denish civilization. To be honest, it was somewhat obscure. My memory bank only has general information, but I'm sure it also struggled and resisted. But whether it was the once thrilling battles and struggles, or my memories, they have all vanished, annihilated in lost time."
The God of Law and Freedom, 'Cottson,' left the formation. The tired-looking middle-aged man shrugged, then his body collapsed, his divine power transforming into a pale green bird. This giant bird holy emblem wore a crown of thorns, surrounded by countless chains with tiny barbs. But even so, He still soared through the void, flying towards that world which was almost empty, with only a few continental wrecks drifting in the weightless void.
Soon, as the pale green divine light spread endlessly, the second ring of Core Seal Anchors was activated. Inside the blue divine power ring, a green ring slowly lit up. One could see countless Terminal Celestial Bodies scattered throughout every part of the Abyss, drawing in the terrifying chaotic power.
"Law."
At the core of the bird holy emblem, the free yet tired figure, who seemed to be tormenting himself constantly, placed his hand on his heart and sighed softly: "Is the cornerstone of freedom."
Freedom is a purity that must be constrained. Absolute freedom without limits only interferes with the freedom of others. Only by being bound by rules and order does freedom have its value.
A bird must know the gravity of the earth to understand how pleasant its flight in the sky is. Without the contrast of chaos, order is merely a castle in the air. Freedom without the constraint of rules is the fastest path to self-destruction.
The human form collapsed, and the absolute holy word, transcending doctrine, was spoken.
"Obey! The order that binds the nauseating freedom!"
Divine light spread.
Joshua once again received the pale green light point left by the God of Law. It was a beautiful feather, but this divine power feather was very heavy, as if it contained a mountain or a continent within it. But even so, the free bird could still ascend into the sky.
Accepting the light point, the warrior nodded silently, and the group continued forward.
The journey downstream was so fast, but in the River Styx, chaos was surprisingly scarce. Most of the chaotic power from destroyed civilizations was locked by the black holes along the way, the Core Anchors. They were like the buffer layers of a dam, filtering out layers of chaotic sediment, allowing as much pure world wreckage and Steel Particles as possible to enter the Genesis Maelstrom, the nirvana place of the Abyss.
If it weren't for these buffer layers, allowing the chaos disturbed and eroded after the destruction of worlds and civilizations to return to the Abyss, the Evil God might have awakened instantly. For the past few thousand years, this array had been functioning until recently, when the Decay Evil God died and the seal unit was destroyed. But even so, the awakening speed of the unknown Evil God was greatly slowed.
"The Rebirth Plan was actually already a failure."
The God of Wisdom and Choice stroked his beard. His human form was a very traditional white-haired mage, old but with wisdom. As he descended with Joshua, he shook his head and said: "When time dilation, this seal, disrupted the time of us and the Rebirth Plan, we completely lost control of this plan. Whether the Decay Evil God died or not, whether you devoured him or not, he would have broken free in a dozen years anyway, because the flow of time at the Decay Evil God's location and the core of the Abyss are different. There was no way to follow the plan's steps."
"Don't think the awakening of the unknown Evil God is your fault, Radcliffe. Not to mention you didn't know about this at all, detonating the chaotic power accumulated in the Abyss's nirvana place early is also a good choice. There are so many paths in the future. Who knows if it's better to let it erupt when more chaotic power has accumulated in ten years, or to deal with this trouble now while we still have strength? Since 'Wisdom' cannot judge, someone needs to make a choice. And this time, the one who made the choice was you."
The God of Wisdom and Choice also left. He didn't say much more, quietly transforming into an eye staring into the void. Around this eye, countless branching patterns like butterfly wings appeared, as if signifying the infinite choices of an infinite future.
"The awareness of the Gedras world… is what I admire. Facing chaos, knowing they could leave, they persisted like fools. The flexibility of wisdom and the persistence of fools are both admirable choices."
Pale golden divine light spread once more. The Eye of Wisdom stared at the third ring of the Abyss void, activating the Core Anchor of another world.
Joshua raised his hand. What the God of Wisdom and Choice left for him was a pendant like a compass. But this 'compass' did not point south. In fact, it spun completely randomly, sometimes clockwise, sometimes counterclockwise, impossible to tell where it was pointing.
Perhaps this was the image of the future, the warrior thought to himself. He exhaled, hung it on his waist, and continued forward.
Soon, as they delved deeper into the lowest depths of the Abyss, the buffer time grew shorter. Next came the fourth ring.
And this time, the one going to suppress it was the God of Love and Decay.
It was a bizarre binary star system. One star had already turned into a black hole, while the other, a dark red red giant, was constantly having its matter drawn by the black hole, even being stretched into a teardrop shape. And within that rushing river of unparalleled matter, enough to instantly destroy one planet after another, endless chaotic power was also suppressed on the black hole's accretion disk, unable to escape.
"The Saen people are an elemental race dwelling on the sun. They can move at nearly light speed, but cannot leave the sun's high-temperature environment. The overly cold void would quickly kill these energy beings… They have always loved everything, harboring goodwill and curiosity towards all unknown things beyond the sun. Their passion is like the sun, almost never extinguished."
But where there is life, there must be death. Where there is the rise of love, there must be the fall of decay. Love is the peak, and it will recede. The end of this recession is the grave called the end.
Violet divine light sped away. The holy emblem of the Withering Heart began to unfold around the black hole, then encompassed the sun stretched into a teardrop shape. One could see divine power patterns unfolding like petals, beginning to light up the fourth ring's Core Chaos Seal.
"Only love and death are the ultimate."
Just as the God of Love and Decay's divine domain unfolded and He chanted his holy words, Joshua, who was turning to leave, suddenly heard a faint stream of secret information left for him by the deity who had once manifested in elven form.
A voice, whether expectant or indifferent, echoed in the warrior's spiritual sea.
"Joshua, let me witness whether your love for battle and the world can overcome this 'death' called chaos!"
And at that moment, from the distant other side of the River Styx, the absolute holy word was spoken. All remaining people and gods could hear the laughter, as if finally released from suppression, able to vent freely.
"Death! Burn with love to the silent end!"
A light like a supernova burst forth from the core of the red giant. The surging tide of light shook the space-time of the star domain. In that instant, the God of Love and Decay catalyzed all the energy of a dying star, lighting up all the Seal Anchors of the fourth ring faster than any god before Him!
What He left for Joshua was an empty picture frame. The frame was empty, but if one stared intently, the warrior could see a few blurry figures—seemingly Ying and Lin, Number Three and Black, Xiao Guang and Chu Hao, his own students, Eagle, Nostradamus, Israel, Brandon and Loranda… all the people he knew and was familiar with flashed through the frame in sequence.
Even figures familiar to Joshua from his previous life appeared, even the signboard hanging at the entrance of the martial arts hall that read 'Number One Under Heaven and Earth.'
But in the end, the frame was still nothingness. Or rather, even divine power had its limits; it simply could not depict Joshua's heart.
Absorbing the divine power frame into his body, Joshua closed his eyes briefly and paused for a few seconds. Then, the group continued forward.