Chapter 3906: Burying the Past
No matter how powerful the Quantifier Emperor was, he could not simultaneously control the formation planet to suppress Feng Tian, control the Lamp of Life and Death to suppress the Lamp of Selflessness, and also use his true body to block Zhang Ruochen's attacks.
As Zhang Ruochen's fist power poured out like a violent storm, the Quantifier Emperor had no choice but to focus all his efforts on defending.
Naturally, he could not attend to everything at once.
That formation planet, capable of refining heaven and earth, was gradually pulled by Feng Tian into the Gate of Death, where it was suppressed by countless rules of death and rules of fate.
Feng Tian transformed back into human form and plucked a strand of her hair.
The hair ignited, turning into a phoenix feather a zhang long. The feather, forged like divine iron, burned with Fengmu Divine Flame, trailing a long, radiant glow that shattered all the protective Gates of Fate the Quantifier Emperor had condensed.
"Boom!"
Seizing the moment, Zhang Ruochen struck the Quantifier Emperor's chest with a fist, causing his physical body to sink inward and his bones to crack loudly.
The Quantifier Emperor was sent flying backward for a thousand li, quickly stabilizing himself. Ignoring the injuries to his body, he fixed his gaze on Zhang Ruochen and Feng Tian as they charged at him again.
He clasped the Life Ancestor Divine Source with both hands, infusing it with Fate Divine Qi.
Instantly, the radiance of the Life Ancestor Divine Source surged a hundredfold, and beams of light escaped from between his fingers, riddling space with countless holes.
It was the power of an Ancestor.
"Be careful."
Zhang Ruochen summoned the Jade Emperor Cauldron, placing it in front of himself and Feng Tian.
Golden characters flickered across the cauldron's surface, and its size multiplied several times.
Both of them pressed their palms against the cauldron.
"Boom!"
As the beam from the Life Ancestor Divine Source struck the Jade Emperor Cauldron, it erupted with a roar like a divine bell shaking heaven and earth, shattering many stars in the sky and sending them falling as fiery meteors.
The two of them and the cauldron were sent flying backward.
"How can the power of the Life Ancestor Divine Source be so formidable?" Feng Tian found it hard to understand.
Ancestor Divine Sources and Ancestor Divine Hearts indeed contained power that could drive an Indestructible Infinite cultivator mad. Once one could mobilize the power of an Ancestor, they would be invincible.
For instance, Jie Tian could already walk sideways across the universe by mobilizing just a sliver of power from the Ancestor Divine Source.
But what he mobilized was the Ancestor Divine Power left behind by the Immovable Bright King Great Venerable.
The Immovable Bright King Great Venerable was the closest Ancestor to the current era, so the divine power in his source had not yet dissipated much, naturally possessing boundless might. This also included the Second Confucian Ancestor, the Great Demon God, and the Heavenly Demon from the chaotic ancient and primeval periods, all of whom were close to this era, at most a hundred eons ago.
But the era of the Life Ancestor was the Primordial Era, so ancient that history had become blurred, at least several thousand eons ago, spanning hundreds of millions, even billions of years.
Even if the Life Ancestor had reached the pinnacle of cultivation in life, and his divine source contained infinite power, it should have dissipated over the long passage of time. There was no way it could be this strong.
Zhang Ruochen said, "There is something that can, to a certain extent, seal off the erosion of time and preserve some of the divine source's vitality."
"The blood of an Immortal?" Feng Tian said.
Zhang Ruochen nodded, "Exactly. Just like the seventy-two pillar demon gods that returned from the North Marsh Great Wall, or the Soul Mother."
"This is troublesome. The Quantifier Emperor wields the Life Ancestor Divine Source, and it seems he has found a way to mobilize Ancestor Divine Power. Even a Heavenly Venerable might not be his match."
Despite saying this, Feng Tian showed no fear in her eyes.
Because fear was useless. Today was a life-or-death situation, and the only option was to fight. She didn't believe that when the Eon Calamity fell, the Quantifier Emperor would still dare to stay here.
But Zhang Ruochen knew that Feng Tian had another choice.
She could simply leave.
This was a life-or-death situation for Zhang Ruochen and Gong Nanfeng, not for her.
To stand together in the face of life and death—even if Zhang Ruochen was unwilling to admit it and tried to avoid it, how could his heart not be moved?
Yet Feng Tian was completely unaware that everything she had done had long surpassed the relationship of an ally.
The Quantifier Emperor's target was Zhang Ruochen, and also Gong Nanfeng within his Xuan Embryo. Therefore, Zhang Ruochen turned and fled, pushing the Way of Space to its limit, constantly leaping through the void, charging toward the bright and brilliant sea of stars.
"Zhang Ruochen, you won't escape!"
The Quantifier Emperor kept stepping forward. With each step, a Space Teleportation Array appeared beneath his feet, teleporting him to Zhang Ruochen's side.
Feng Tian knew what Zhang Ruochen was thinking and was about to pursue.
But then, within the thick calamity clouds, a dazzling bolt of lightning pierced through the sea of stars, shattered dozens of planets, and struck Zhang Ruochen.
"Boom!"
Zhang Ruochen was sent flying by the calamity thunder, crashing millions of li away into the interior of a star.
When he flew out again, his entire body was charred black, his hair standing on end, wisps of black smoke rising from him.
Clearly, the Eon Calamity would not give him a chance to escape.
This escape had prematurely triggered the calamity thunder.
This was only the first bolt of calamity thunder. Given Zhang Ruochen's current cultivation level, he could barely withstand it, suffering some injuries. The power of subsequent calamity thunders would only multiply.
The calamity clouds quickly gathered in the starry sky, appearing above Zhang Ruochen's head again in an instant.
He looked up, his eyes showing neither fear nor surprise, but instead giving rise to an impractical thought.
If his speed were fast enough and his concealment ability strong enough, could he use a combination of fleeing and hiding to continuously evade the Eon Calamity?
This would be like playing a game of chase and hide with heaven and earth.
Of course, Zhang Ruochen could not achieve such speed. The Life Ancestor could not, and even those Ancestors could not.
But Zhang Ruochen always felt that if he could cultivate time or space to a certain level, it might be possible.
The rules of heaven and earth had ebbs and flows. When they were strong, one could not hide and could only choose to flee. When they were weak, one could conceal themselves, recuperate, and heal the injuries caused by the calamity thunder.
The Quantifier Emperor looked at the calamity clouds in the starry sky, feeling the destructive aura that could annihilate heaven and earth. His eyes were filled with fear, so he did not continue the pursuit.
But he was unwilling to give up just like that.
He wanted to break through, to become stronger, and had to seize the Life Ancestor's divine soul.
"It is precisely at this moment that there is the greatest opportunity. The Life Ancestor should no longer be thinking about merging with Zhang Ruochen's divine soul. He will quickly take over the body. At the moment of possession, he will be at his weakest. Only by seizing that instant can I extract his divine soul."
The Quantifier Emperor thought this way, his resolve growing stronger. He began to calculate the intensity of each Eon Calamity, looking for the right moment to strike.
He was self-aware. If the Life Ancestor were at his peak, even with the Life Ancestor Divine Source in hand, his chances of winning would be slim. Wanting to collect the Life Ancestor's divine soul would be nothing but a pipe dream.
Everything he had said to the Soul Devouring Lamp earlier was just using it.
"Boom!"
In an instant, the second Eon Calamity fell, annihilating a vast expanse of space.
Zhang Ruochen could not withstand it at all. His body became a bloody mess, his face unrecognizable, with only bones remaining in many places. But after enduring the calamity thunder, he immediately flew toward the Quantifier Emperor, trying to drag him into the calamity clouds.
The Quantifier Emperor sneered coldly and immediately retreated far away, keeping his distance from Zhang Ruochen.
...
A green dragon, like a several-thousand-li-long green mountain range, lay across the dark and empty void. At the center of its two horns was a "卍" character mark.
It said, "The Life Ancestor is indeed very unreliable. He only pretends to submit, but in truth, he has never forgotten his desire for revenge. But giving the Life Ancestor Divine Source to the Quantifier Emperor and using him to replace the Life Ancestor was a mistake. In terms of boldness, ability, and ambition, he is far inferior to the Life Ancestor. I think he will surely fail!"
Standing atop the head of the green dragon with the "卍" mark was a tall and proud figure. His green clothes fluttered without wind, and his sharply defined face exuded an aura that seemed capable of rewriting heaven and earth. His smiling eyes, however, were deep and unfathomable.
He said, "Do you think this is a duel between the Quantifier Emperor and the Life Ancestor?"
The green dragon with the "卍" mark said, "Of course not. This is a three-way duel between the Quantifier Emperor, the Life Ancestor, and Zhang Ruochen. Whoever can win will soar to the top."
The tall figure shook his head, "You are wrong. This duel has nothing to do with the Quantifier Emperor."
The green dragon with the "卍" mark widened its dragon eyes, "Then why did you give him the Life Ancestor Divine Source and help him seize the Life Ancestor's divine soul?"
The tall figure shook his head again, "I am not helping him. I am using him to deal with the Life Ancestor, to shake the Life Ancestor's resolve during possession, making him hesitate and look back."
"At the same time, I am also striking at the Life Ancestor's state of mind, plunging him into self-doubt as his followers betray him, creating a fairer dueling environment for Zhang Ruochen. After all, the Life Ancestor's cultivation is far above Zhang Ruochen's. If he wants to possess him, it would only take a thought."
The green dragon with the "卍" mark said, "Then, having the Divine Musician send Yuansheng to find Zhang Ruochen and retrieve the twelve stone men—was that also part of your plan?"
"If it were any other ancient tribal emperor, how could they abandon the Life Ancestor and help Zhang Ruochen? But with the Divine Musician's words, coupled with Yuansheng's friendship with Zhang Ruochen, it was more than enough!"
The tall figure continued, "Betrayed by the divine artifact he refined, betrayed by the trusted subordinates he cultivated, and even his own clan not helping him—with such a cruel reality, what meaning is there left to live?"
"Perhaps hatred can." The green dragon with the "卍" mark said.
The tall figure said, "The greater the hatred, the greater the pain. Moreover, hatred has long become his nightmare. Just the fear and lack of confidence in his heart have already doomed him to be unable to take revenge. He knows this very well himself, which is why he must merge with Zhang Ruochen rather than just severing the soul to possess him."
The green dragon with the "卍" mark asked in confusion, "I still have one question. Why are you doing this?"
The tall figure laughed, "Since we are destined to face each other in life and death in the future, I want to choose the opponent I prefer."
...
The Life Ancestor's Eon Calamity was too grand in scale, causing widespread turbulence across the star domain.
Countless pairs of eyes peered into the deep void.
A small green wooden boat floated in a colorful nebula, as if frozen in place.
A black-robed woman with a curvaceous figure stood at the bow like a willow in the moonlight. Her red lips glistened as she said, "He has already broken through. The Life Ancestor shouldn't be able to possess him anymore, right?"
"No, if the Life Ancestor is willing, he can possess him with a single thought." Another pleasant voice sounded from within the boat.
The black-robed woman said, "Can we really not intervene?"
"You don't need to think too much. The Quantifier Emperor appearing with the Life Ancestor Divine Source already shows that someone has intervened. The method is extremely clever, striking directly at the Life Ancestor's heart. Now, we just wait for the result. Today, it is destined that only one of Zhang Ruochen and the Life Ancestor will survive."
...
The third bolt of calamity thunder gathered in the clouds, twisting and intertwining, releasing a destructive aura more terrifying than the first and second combined.
Zhang Ruochen fled rapidly through the starry sky, but the calamity clouds followed him like a shadow.
The Quantifier Emperor followed closely behind the calamity clouds, his spiritual power fully unleashed. He was certain that the Life Ancestor would possess Zhang Ruochen before the third or fourth bolt of calamity thunder fell.
The time left for him to act was only that single instant.
Suddenly, the Quantifier Emperor felt a chilling sense of danger and immediately stopped.
He saw a bright pillar of light rush out from within Zhang Ruochen's body, rising from below to meet the descending calamity thunder. It actually blasted the calamity thunder apart.
"Boom!"
The blinding radiance tore apart all matter between heaven and earth.
The Quantifier Emperor dared not close his eyes. He stared fixedly at the place where the light was most dazzling.
There stood Gong Nanfeng's outstanding and heroic figure, his long hair flowing, his gaze sweeping arrogantly in all directions, exuding a proud aura of supremacy.
The Soul Devouring Lamp was pinched in his hand, unable to escape no matter how it struggled.
"Excellent. So many people have come today. Some want to seize my soul and take my cultivation. Others want to see my end, to witness whether the Life Ancestor will meet a miserable demise."
"Watching the excitement comes at a price!"
Gong Nanfeng looked down at the Soul Devouring Lamp, his eyes filled with both mockery and reluctance. "I once prided myself on being able to defeat the Nine Sorcerers alone, so I personally refined you, intending to refine twelve divine lamps to let the light of fate illuminate the entire universe. Today, I will personally destroy you and bury my past."
"Boom!"
Amid the artifact spirit's pleas for mercy, the Soul Devouring Lamp was crushed into pieces, turning into countless fiery rains that scattered across the sea of stars.
The Quantifier Emperor had already burst forth at his fastest speed, fleeing into the distance.
He could not understand why the Life Ancestor had given up on possession and flown out of Zhang Ruochen's body.
With the Life Ancestor Divine Source in hand, the Quantifier Emperor believed he could fight the Life Ancestor. But the Life Ancestor was clearly in a reckless state, with calamity clouds still hanging above.
In the current world, who would dare to fight the Life Ancestor in this state?
"Whoosh!"
The Celestial Pivot Needle cut through the sea of stars, chasing after the Quantifier Emperor.
Gong Nanfeng's voice came from within the Celestial Pivot Needle, "The Soul Devouring Lamp has been annihilated. Where do you think you can go?"
The Quantifier Emperor turned abruptly, mobilizing the Ancestor Divine Qi within the Life Ancestor Divine Source.
But how could Gong Nanfeng give him that chance?
The Ancestor Divine Qi had just begun to emanate when the Celestial Pivot Needle struck.
"Pfft!"
The Quantifier Emperor's physical body was pierced by the Celestial Pivot Needle, and a large amount of blood splattered.
"Do you think that by grasping a divine source, you have found my weakness? You have been used by someone without even realizing it."
Gong Nanfeng's solid soul form materialized from the Celestial Pivot Needle. With a wave of his arm, a large handprint shot out, sending the Quantifier Emperor flying millions of li. Space also collapsed for millions of li.
The green dragon with the "卍" mark and the tall figure, who had been hiding deep in the void, felt an extreme danger of life and death. They immediately realized that their heavenly secrets had been seen through by the Life Ancestor.
"What a formidable Life Ancestor! Knowing he was being schemed against, he still gave up on possession. Why is that?"
The green dragon with the "卍" mark carried the tall figure and immediately soared away, disappearing into the darkness.
The next moment, the star domain where they had just been was struck by a Gate of Fate, reduced to nothingness. Thousands of planets turned into dust, like a thin misty nebula.
The calamity clouds above Zhang Ruochen's head had already dispersed, and all the oppressive power had vanished.
Gong Nanfeng, who was chasing the Quantifier Emperor, grew farther and farther away, no longer in this star domain.
"He... actually gave up?"
Zhang Ruochen felt no joy, only reddened eyes.
He knew very well that the only way to survive today was to force Gong Nanfeng to give up. But once Gong Nanfeng gave up on possession, he could not withstand the Eon Calamity and would surely die.
Zhang Ruochen would not feel guilty about this. He had done nothing wrong; he was the victim.
But how could he not feel regret, pity, or sympathy?
Anyone who heard that he sympathized with the Life Ancestor might think it was a joke. A figure like the Life Ancestor, even with only a remnant soul returning, was still a hegemon of the era. Who would sympathize with a strong person?
Zhang Ruochen indeed did not sympathize with the Life Ancestor, but he sympathized with Gong Nanfeng.
Because he had once truly considered Gong Nanfeng a friend.
When Feng Tian caught up, she found that Zhang Ruochen had already turned into a streak of light, chasing toward the calamity clouds deep in the starry sky. She shouted coldly, "Zhang Ruochen, what are you chasing after? If the Life Ancestor changes his mind, he still has time to possess you. He only temporarily gave up because the Quantifier Emperor was coveting from the side, knowing he could not succeed."
Zhang Ruochen's voice came back, "You don't understand him! Matters between men are something women will never understand. Even if nothing can be salvaged, I must accompany him on his final journey. Everyone who dies must be in pain, and they should have someone to see them off. He... should have someone to see him off!"