Chapter 4244: Nine Paths Return, Heavenly Dao Perfection
In a region merely ten million miles from the summit wasteland, Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji weaved through time rules and chaotic space, their forms illusory, leaping and moving swiftly to evade the floating thousand currents.
Each unleashed their ancestral divine abilities.
"Thousand Spirit Blood Fiend."
"Source of Darkness."
The Thousand Spirit Blood Fiend spread like blood clouds rising from a dense forest, boundless and vast, extending and enveloping toward the summit.
Within the blood clouds, the ancestral order and rules coalesced into countless demonic shadows, like a hundred billion demon god armies charging forward. Even the river of formations could not completely disperse them.
The Source of Darkness, like a black sun, rose slowly within the blood clouds.
The ancestral might radiating from the black sun was vast and blazing, devouring everything in the world, including time, space, rules, and order.
Facing these two divine abilities that had crossed the floating thousand currents and reached the summit, the remnant of Emperor Xuan revealed a grave expression.
"Neither of you can ascend!"
From within the remnant's body, ancestral rules and order of the Heavenly Beginning Self-Ending level were released, merging with the Xuanhuang Qi shrouding the wasteland to form a canopy of heaven, pressing forward.
The blood cloud fiendish aura and the black sun collided with the Xuanhuang canopy, immediately stirring up towering waves.
Ancestral divine light illuminated the nine heavens, making the entire divine realm incomparably resplendent.
"The formation inscriptions and talisman seals of the floating thousand currents are enough to diminish the divine abilities you unleash to a point of no threat. Equally ancestors, but the height at which the Human Ancestor stands is something you can only look up to forever."
The voice of Emperor Xuan's remnant had just fallen.
"You spoke too soon!"
Lady Shiji's melodious and lingering voice came up from below the mountains.
Suddenly.
Within the black sun blocked by the Xuanhuang canopy, a formation diagram unfolded, shaped like a tortoise shell, inscribed with over a hundred mysterious characters.
Emperor Xuan's remnant only glanced at the formation diagram before realizing something was wrong.
This tortoise shell formation diagram was not the work of Lady Shiji but originated from that being in the lower realm universe whose spiritual power had reached the ninety-seventh rank.
"Hua!"
The tortoise shell formation diagram pierced through the Xuanhuang canopy.
The scroll unfolded, sealing heaven and locking earth, pressing down toward the true body of Emperor Xuan's remnant.
Emperor Xuan's remnant did not want to clash head-on with Ji Fanxin's methods and immediately retreated, appearing above the floating thousand currents.
Suddenly, within the blood cloud fiendish aura, the sound of bells rang out loudly.
Under Heavenly Mother's control, the Blood Fiend Bell flew through the damaged gap in the Xuanhuang canopy into the summit wasteland. The bell spun rapidly, like the eye of a storm, sweeping away countless silver-robed strongmen of the Divine Fallen Clan, heading straight for the main altar.
"Boom!"
Emperor Xuan's remnant waved his hand, drawing a streak of cloud-like radiance, pulling a formation river to fly out, knocking the Blood Fiend Bell into the wasteland, stirring up a storm of dust.
The talisman seals and formation inscriptions within the formation river suppressed the Blood Fiend Bell firmly.
"Oh?"
Emperor Xuan's remnant glanced sideways, sensing two silver-robed cultivators shooting like meteors straight toward the formation sea at the center of the floating thousand currents.
One was at the Indestructible Infinite level, the other at the Heavenly Venerable level of spiritual power.
Clearly, they were the two infiltrators that Lord Murong had mentioned in his transmission.
Emperor Xuan's remnant did not take them too seriously. If the Human Ancestor's arrangements could be broken from within so easily, how could the divine realm have ruled the universe for billions of years?
Still, he split off dozens of killing thoughts.
These ancestral killing thoughts transformed into a group of blood-robed soul shadows, chasing after Yama Tai Shang and Chi Kunlun.
"I'll deal with them!"
Yama Tai Shang instantly activated the forbidden technique "Burning Sunset," elevating his combat power to its peak, his spiritual power field enveloping all the blood-robed soul shadows.
Various forces, divine abilities, and techniques clashed in the sky above the wasteland, booming sounds echoing one after another, destructive beams scattering in all directions.
Emperor Xuan's remnant no longer paid them any attention, focusing all his energy on suppressing the tortoise shell formation diagram and preventing Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji from reaching the summit. The formation power of the floating thousand currents reached its peak.
Every river seemed like a heavenly river, formation inscriptions and talisman seals falling from every dimension.
These present-day cultivators were too insane—what weakness of human nature remained?
Only battle intent and killing intent remained, completely devoid of fear.
Under the impact of this maddened emotion, the situation gradually slipped out of control.
He even suspected that once Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji reached the summit, they would not hesitate to self-detonate their ancestral divine sources to destroy the main altar.
He had to kill them on their way up.
Emperor Xuan's remnant combined with the floating thousand currents was far beyond what Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji could contend with. Soon, they were severely wounded by the formation rivers, their physical bodies on the verge of shattering, their divine souls burning continuously.
Yet they did not retreat down the mountain, their battle intent still fierce. They either unleashed divine abilities or mobilized the tens of millions of war weapons from the army behind them, clashing head-on with the ancestral grand formation arranged by the Human Ancestor.
"Boom!"
"Boom!"
Ancestral dueling, divine artifacts and sacred war weapons like a sea, gods self-detonating divine sources to clear the path.
The flames of war spread across the entire Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains!
Just as Emperor Xuan's remnant was wondering why the myriad realms and myriad clans army led by Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji persisted in the face of certain defeat, a fireball of extreme brightness flew up to the summit, entering through the previously damaged gap in the Xuanhuang canopy.
Desolate Heaven landed on the wasteland, his eyes narrowed into slits, staring fixedly at Emperor Xuan's remnant above.
His entire body was burning.
The radiance of the divine flames was so dazzling that even an ancestor found it blinding.
Without a word, Desolate Heaven shot toward Emperor Xuan's remnant like an arrow from a bow, carrying an unparalleled determination.
How many cultivators' lives below the mountain rested on him?
This was the trust of countless cultivators, believing that he, Desolate Heaven, could shake an ancestor.
Emperor Xuan's remnant could feel an ancestral-level spiritual will from Desolate Heaven—resolute, firm, sharp, like a sword thrust forward.
Once thrust out, it could never be withdrawn.
"If this man does not die, he will surely become an ancestor."
Emperor Xuan's remnant, unable to suppress Desolate Heaven's self-detonation of his divine source even with his ancestral spiritual will, had this thought burst forth in his mind.
Clearly, the true reason Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji fought to the death without retreating was to hold him back and send Desolate Heaven to the summit.
It could be said that Desolate Heaven's strength and spiritual will had earned the recognition of Heavenly Mother and Lady Shiji, who believed he could severely wound Emperor Xuan's remnant and thus reverse the situation.
"No matter how sharp, no matter how talented, in the end, you are only a half-ancestor."
Emperor Xuan's remnant naturally had his own pride, pointing a finger outward.
Instantly, heaven and earth space collapsed.
A beam of light brighter than the flames on Desolate Heaven shot out.
"Great Expansion Qiankun!"
Desolate Heaven was prepared, releasing the Great Expansion Qiankun imprint that Zhang Ruochen had left in his divine sea, activating the ancestral power of Zhang Ruochen's full-force strike contained within the imprint.
Emperor Xuan's remnant's expression changed slightly.
"Shua!"
Blood Absolute Clan Leader flew out from the hole in the Xuanhuang canopy, landing on the summit wasteland.
Looking up, he saw the extremely bright radiance of the self-detonating divine source.
The entire sky was submerged in that radiance.
There was no booming sound; instead, the world became eerily silent.
Further away in the formation sea, Chi Kunlun also self-detonated his divine source, the light of destruction obscuring everything.
Blood Absolute Clan Leader's face, stained with blood and sweat, no longer held any smile. His eyes were wet and deep. In an instant, his mind went blank, his body swaying, struggling to accept what he had witnessed.
His ears rang; he could hear nothing.
Clenching his teeth, his eyes searched aimlessly.
The world spun, and even he did not know what he was looking for.
In his field of vision, he could only see clusters of flames and unknown matter falling, crashing into giant pits, kicking up dust.
His most proud grandson, "Zhang Ruochen," had fallen in the River of Time. His lifelong rival, "Desolate Heaven," whom he had fought countless times, had truly fallen this time.
"Chi Kunlun" was Zhang Ruochen's eldest son, dead before his eyes.
The last bit of matter on "Yama Tai Shang" had also burned away, turning into a patch of glowing sparks of particles, scattering from midair.
Blood Absolute Clan Leader had always been an optimist, but at this moment, the oppression and pain in his heart were even greater than when Zhang Ruochen's cultivation was crippled by Qingtian or when the old clan leader died.
"Roar!"
"Ancestor! Immortal! Screw you! I, Blood Absolute, refuse to believe that the divine realm cannot be broken through. There is no opponent in this world that cannot be defeated! Absolutely none!"
Blood Absolute Clan Leader roared.
Because he realized that even with Desolate Heaven and Chi Kunlun self-detonating their divine sources, they had not completely destroyed the floating thousand currents and the formation sea.
Hatred filled his heart.
He only hated that his cultivation was insufficient, unable to crush the Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains with one stomp.
"Boom!"
He stomped the ground, countless cracks appearing beneath his feet.
Blood Absolute Clan Leader flew out, the physical matter of his body burning and disappearing at a visible rate, charging straight toward the formation sea at the center of the floating thousand currents.
There was no other choice.
Facing the means of an immortal, as a half-ancestor, only self-detonating his divine source could shake things.
...
Darkness Venerable Lord looked at the densely packed myriad realms and myriad clans army on the Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains, deeply astonished, finding it unbelievable.
The means left by the Space-Time Human Ancestor were undeniably powerful. If he had to break in from the outside, Darkness Venerable Lord admitted he could not do it and would likely die in the mountains.
But now, with him, White Jade Divine Emperor, and Emperor Xuan's remnant—three ancestors guarding the Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains—the situation was showing signs of being breached.
Darkness Venerable Lord continued to wait.
He waited for Yan Wushen, Heavenly Mother, and Lady Shiji to reach the summit wasteland.
The three were already severely wounded. Even if they made it, they could not be a match for Emperor Xuan's remnant and the floating thousand currents.
Moreover, within the main altar, there might be even more terrifying means.
Although the Space-Time Human Ancestor vehemently denied that the main altar contained the power of the Heavenly Dao's origin, Darkness Venerable Lord, based on his understanding of him, knew the main altar was definitely not simple.
If it truly was the power of the Heavenly Dao's origin...
That would be dangerous!
Darkness Venerable Lord naturally had his own plans. He wanted to wait until the four ancestors in the Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains fought until they were exhausted, then harvest the ancestral great medicine, thereby restoring his cultivation in one fell swoop.
Even if he could not return to the Heavenly Beginning Self-Ending realm, he would at least restore himself to the peak of the Always One realm.
Only then would he have a chance to covet the power of the Heavenly Dao's origin!
Just as Darkness Venerable Lord was scheming, space changed, and the heavenly and earthly rules of the entire divine realm became still.
"Boom!"
A beam of light tore through space, descending to the foot of the Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains, sending ripples of energy spreading outward.
At the center of the energy ripples stood two figures.
One of them was Wen Tianjun.
"We haven't arrived too late, it seems."
Standing beside Wen Tianjun was a young man in splendid brocade robes. Though young, his eyes were filled with the vicissitudes of time, shimmering with melancholy and wisdom.
Darkness Venerable Lord looked at this young man, overlaying his image with the handsome face of the former Candlesnuffer.
"Candlesnuffer with hair! Interesting, you've finally shed your monk's robes. Where have you been all these years?"
Darkness Venerable Lord naturally knew that the monk's robes were the shackles Candlesnuffer had placed on himself. Now, having shed them, his ancestral-level cultivation would no longer be suppressed.
But Darkness Venerable Lord was also not what he used to be, so he naturally did not fear him.
"The shackles in my heart have been undone, so I went back for a visit."
The young man walked toward the Heavenly Beginning Without End Mountains. Suddenly, he thought of something and stopped, saying to Darkness Venerable Lord, "I am not called Candlesnuffer with hair. My name is Lin Ke! Ke as in 'urgent'!"
Wen Tianjun was puzzled: "When we first met, didn't you say it was Ke as in 'unforgettable'?"
"Isn't it the same character?"
Lin Ke found that he had been locked by Darkness Venerable Lord's ancestral order field, as if trapped in a quagmire.
A hint of surprise in his eyes, he said, "Venerable Lord wishes to fight me?"
"For matters of our universe, it's best for outsiders not to interfere." Darkness Venerable Lord smiled.
Lin Ke, extremely cultured, replied humbly and politely: "Originally, I thought so too, but I was entrusted by someone and couldn't refuse, so I came back."
With a raise of his hand.
"Hua la!"
Heaven and earth gave birth to strange phenomena, the sound of blades like wind rising.
Throughout the entire divine realm, whether it was the three thousand great paths and ten thousand minor paths, or the seventy-two supreme paths and nine eternal ancient paths, all rules transformed into sharp Daoist flying blades, all pointing at Darkness Venerable Lord.
...
In Zhang Ruochen's view, the Second Confucian Ancestor using "Mutual Connection" to aid him was meant to make him fight the Space-Time Human Ancestor to mutual destruction. Ideally, Zhang Ruochen would reverse the Dao technique, self-detonate, and perish together with the Space-Time Human Ancestor.
As someone who could cultivate spiritual power to the ninety-sixth rank, how could he be a blind follower behind the Space-Time Human Ancestor?
Since that was the case, Zhang Ruochen naturally had to force him to act, making him confront the Space-Time Human Ancestor first.
The Space-Time Human Ancestor extended a single hand, forming a small world of five fingers, catching the overwhelmingly powerful Seventy-Two Layer Tower, his expression still calm: "Why?"
The Seventy-Two Layer Tower was indeed the single artifact with the greatest combat power. Under the Second Confucian Ancestor's urging, it pressed the River of Time into distortion.
Only someone of the Space-Time Human Ancestor's cultivation could receive it so lightly.
The Second Confucian Ancestor had known the Space-Time Human Ancestor for millions of years and understood this teacher too well.
His "Why" was not asking why he betrayed him.
But why he was willing to fight to the death and oppose him?
Seeing the Second Confucian Ancestor silent, the Space-Time Human Ancestor continued, "You should understand that the people I am least likely to kill are you and Qingchan. How many years of friendship have we shared? We have long been both teacher and friend."
"If Ruochen opposes me, I understand him, because he is exactly that kind of idealistic fool, never caring about his own interests, valuing family, emotions, and loyalty above all else."
For a rare worldly treasure like the Udumbara Flower, Zhang Ruochen had spared no effort to find it, never keeping it for himself, only using it to heal and extend his life. The Space-Time Human Ancestor was truly moved, so he knew Zhang Ruochen's character and understood all his actions.
"But you?"
The Space-Time Human Ancestor asked, "I find it truly hard to understand. What are you doing this for? When there is a path to survival, why choose a path to death? Didn't you say that as long as the Great Calamity can be overcome, no matter how many living beings die, it is worth it?"
"Or... do you think that by opposing me, you still have a chance to survive?"
The Second Confucian Ancestor shook his head: "Since I said I would fight to the death, how could I still harbor illusions of survival? In action, the worst thing is to be half-hearted."
"Actually, before today, I never doubted the humanity and emotions within you."
The Space-Time Human Ancestor said, "Then what did you doubt?"
"You are not from our universe!" The Second Confucian Ancestor said word by word.
The Space-Time Human Ancestor did not argue, only staring at him quietly.
The Second Confucian Ancestor said, "Before this, I only had suspicions, not certainty. It was not until Candlesnuffer appeared that I could confirm that beyond the border universe, there is not nothingness."
"Not until I learned that you had captured the power of the Heavenly Dao's origin, not until I learned that you intended to sacrifice the entire universe, leaving behind neither matter nor heavenly and earthly rules, did your deceptions and lies naturally collapse."
"A truly human and emotional person, facing the world where they were born, played, strived, and traveled—how could they be so heartless? I cannot do it, because I still want to leave some sparks for this universe."
"Even someone as cold as me cannot do it, yet you can. Tell me, are you truly a cultivator of the Kunlun Realm? Are you truly the ancestor of the human race?"
The Space-Time Human Ancestor frowned deeply: "I originally planned to tell you the truth of everything after the doomsday sacrifice. Now, do you want to hear my story?"
"Is the truth still important?"
The Second Confucian Ancestor asked back, his gaze looking downstream of the River of Time behind him.
He saw Zhang Ruochen, his long hair hanging on both sides of his cheeks, holding the Abyssal Ancient Sword in one hand and the Blood Drop in the other, four cauldrons circling around him, stepping on the torrent of time, walking step by step toward the two of them.
With every step, a space-time hurricane rose on the River of Time.
The Second Confucian Ancestor said, "At this moment, my purpose is the same as Zhang Ruochen's—to return to the past and stop the doomsday sacrifice. Why don't you make way and let us pass? Then we will sit down and listen to your story in detail."
The Space-Time Human Ancestor gently shook his head: "Too late. How can an arrow shot from a bow be turned back? Xiaoqiu, do you think Ruochen's ideals are wishful thinking, and that I am cruel and extreme? What about you? Do you want to take the middle ground? Are you truly not half-hearted? Not deceiving yourself? You have long been wavering, yet you do not realize it."
With the cultivation of the three, they could naturally sense everything happening on the divine realm battlefield.
With the battle at this point, how could there be any possibility of stopping?
"Exactly. Before life and death, there is no middle ground." Zhang Ruochen called out.
The Space-Time Human Ancestor looked into the distance downstream at Zhang Ruochen: "The time reversal has been pushed back, and the Luozu Cloud Mountain Realm has been destroyed. Imperial Dust, if you act now, you will surely suffer the backlash of time. Even if you break through and stop the doomsday sacrifice from beginning, the heavenly and earthly karma will reduce you to ashes."
"Are you trying to persuade me?" Zhang Ruochen said.
The Space-Time Human Ancestor said, "No, I am telling you that all your actions now are meaningless, unless you have a second ship of time, unless time can reverse again. Do you have a second chance?"
"There is no need for the Human Ancestor to worry about Imperial Dust. Matters of life and death for heaven and earth are for the Destiny Temple to handle."
Feng Tian's voice came from the future: "Fate Stream, reverse flow!"
At the edge of the northern universe, the Fate Divine Domain.
Feng Tian fully mobilized the Fate Esoterica, and instantly, all the fate rules in the universe surged through the tributaries of the Santu River toward the Fate Divine Mountain, forming a mighty torrent.
"Fate Stream reverse flow, counter-attack space-time."
"Fate Stream reverse flow, counter-attack space-time."
...
Within the divine domain, all cultivators under the Destiny Temple released their divine qi and rules, striking toward the Fate Stream.
"Boom!"
Wrapped in divine qi and rules, the Fate Stream transformed into a surging torrent, heading straight for the temple at the summit.
Everything seemed as if foretold!
This force of counter-fate pushed the Destiny Temple into the dimension of time.
The temple in front, the Fate Stream behind, collided with the torrent of time.
Instantly, the River of Time stirred up towering waves, reversing upward, flowing toward the past.
"Go, enter the River of Time! Without stopping the doomsday sacrifice, we will never return."
Blood Butcher roared, the first to charge into the Fate Stream, following it into the River of Time.
"The cultivators of the Destiny Temple believe in fate, but if someone manipulates fate, then we must fight, defending the fairness of fate with our lives." Hai Shang Youruo flew toward the Fate Divine Domain, chasing the temple army entering the Fate Stream.
Everyone knew that the Space-Time Human Ancestor would certainly not allow time to reverse and would surely strike time back.
They had to help Imperial Dust.
This counter-current, they would bear it!
If they could not bear it, they would still bear it.
On the River of Time, the Destiny Temple was in front, the Fate Stream pushing it forward behind.
On the Fate Stream, the army was vast and mighty, stretching endlessly. Some beat war drums, others wiped their blades.
"Boom!"
A large area of space in the northern universe collapsed, and Void Heaven, driving the Eternal Divine Sea with a diameter of one light-year, broke through the void, countless stars falling with it.
"It seems I am late!" Void Heaven murmured.
"Not late, just in time."
Ji Fanxin's gaze turned to Zhen Yuan, Ice Emperor, Luo Yan Great Emperor, Chan Bing, and the gods of the Sword Realm: "First came the Heavenly Dao, then the Five Elements. Now, it is time to return the Five Elements to the Heavenly Dao, helping the Heavenly Dao achieve true realm perfection."
...
Zhang Ruochen could naturally perceive what was happening in the northern universe. His face showed no change in emotion, his tone the coldest: "Human Ancestor, no matter how high your cultivation, no matter how deep your schemes, how can you match the power of all living beings? You think the power of all living beings will gather upon me, but in reality, all living beings lie within themselves, not within me. In this battle, you have already lost!"
Ji Fanxin's voice rang in Zhang Ruochen's mind: "If you had not gone to the singularity to cultivate, the Five Elements, space-time, and yin-yang of heaven and earth could not have manifested in material form, let alone given birth to consciousness. But your First-Rank Nine Paths have had too deep an impact on later generations, enough to allow the spirits of the nine paths to become immortal!"
"The Divine Illumination Lotus, gathering two of the Five Elements of heaven and earth—fire and wood—into one, gave birth to intelligence. Thus, there was me and the Nether Ancestor."
"To suppress the Nether Ancestor, Gautama Buddha sought the earth of the Five Elements of heaven and earth, the Origin Mud. Thus, the Void Cauldron was forged."
"The Creation Divine Iron is the metal of the Five Elements of heaven and earth. Metal gave birth to its own consciousness, and thus there was the Creation Ancestor. To prevent the Creation Ancestor from becoming a second Nether Ancestor, all the Nether Ancestors and the Space-Time Human Ancestor joined forces to kill him."
"The water of the Five Elements of heaven and earth is the Luo River. Nuwa cultivated its intelligence, and thus there was Luo Shen. Nuwa had high hopes for Luo Shen, likely specifically to deal with the immortals."
"Bai Yuan learned Luo Shen's secret, deceived her heart, and destroyed her Dao. The Luo River's heart did not move; moved, it turned into a Shura."
"In this world, there is no longer Luo Shen, only Luo Tong Luo."
"These are the changes brought about by the Five Elements, because of you!"
"The changes in space-time and yin-yang lie in the combination of time and yang, transforming into the Jade Desolate Realm, with the Eternal Divine Sea as its eye. Space and yin combined, transforming into the Void Exhaust Sea."
"The nine paths of matter originated from the singularity, now returning to the singularity domain. They will surely help you achieve true perfection in cultivation, reaching the peak of Always One."
Zhang Ruochen turned to look back.
He saw.
Besides the Destiny Temple and the army in the Fate Stream, there were also the Eternal Divine Sea and the Luo River wrapped in the rules of the Five Elements of heaven and earth, as well as the blood qi and divine sources filling the entire River of Time.
All the cultivators from the northern universe had gambled everything they had, offering all the power they could give, placing all their hopes on him.
Either win together, or die together.
...
I wanted to say a lot, to explain why I wrote the final battle this way, but I typed many words and then deleted them all.
I think, since the ending is near, why shouldn't I continue writing my way? I'll just finish it according to my own thoughts and rhythm!
(Recommend a great book to everyone, which I am also following: Gou Dayu's "I Have a Demon-Suppressing Inn." Synopsis: Sinister conspiracies, tragic fates.
Crows whisper, demons roar. Li Yang swings his three-meter-long kitchen knife, grinning: "Welcome to the Demon-Suppressing Inn!")