# Chapter 1409: A Lament of a Flourishing Era
The Other Shore, a place that truly exists, not fabricated or imagined from afar. According to legend, gods dwell there, recorded in some ancient races.
In the following two months, this starry sky was never peaceful. Battles erupted from time to time, with the withering of life and splattering of blood becoming the cheapest performances.
Under the stimulation of this law of the jungle—where all trial-takers of the world strove for enlightenment and the shocking news that they might see the gods—bloody struggles between various creatures and decisions to attempt crossing the sea all played out.
This was an era that drove people mad yet left them despondent. Revelry and lament unfolded together, like moths throwing themselves into flames. Were they on the path to immortality or listening to their own funeral dirge? Unable to extricate themselves, nearly insane—perhaps the meaning of life lies precisely in this stubbornness and beauty.
Never had any era been like the present, with so many heavenly prodigies rising together. In the past, any one of them would have become the ruler of their race, ushering in a great flourishing and reaching the pinnacle of glory.
Born in the wrong era, it destined the arrival of a golden age, but also foretold the desolation after the grand era. Just as when autumn winds rise, myriad fruits emit fragrance, yet in the end, yellow leaves scatter everywhere, the wind cutting like a cold blade.
Looking through ancient and modern times, rarely had there been a day like today, with so many young supremes appearing. It felt unreal—all possessed heaven-defying divine bearing, yet in another sense, they might all die.
A lament of the grand era. When the final battle song sounds, all would fall, collapsing on the imperial path. Only one could ascend to the pinnacle, tasting the loneliness and desolation of eternity, watching the heroes of the same generation turn to ashes.
"There is only one supreme, as it has always been since ancient times. This generation has too many—all empty titles, scenes of future tragedy."
Azure Phoenix Daoist had also arrived, accompanied naturally by the protectors of his race. With the Ancient Tree of Life emerging, how could such a divine medicine lack the Great Sages whose lifespans were short?
Bull Demon King, Stone Man, Evil God, and others all came. Even experts of their status had to be cautious when first entering the Mythical Ancient Domain, avoiding calamity.
All heroes appeared simultaneously, experts of various levels emerged, and endless ancient beast armies crossed the heavens, all searching for the Sea of Suffering. Yet even after turning over almost the entire ancient domain, they found no clues.
Some even began attacking the island reef, hoping to provoke unusual phenomena. But aside from the blazing light of Dao marks left by Heavenly Venerables of the Mythical Era that shook them to death, there were no other clues or signs.
Where was the vast Sea of Suffering? Why could so many people search without result? It truly vexed and frustrated everyone. Perhaps, as the legends said, only those favored by the gods could suddenly see a divine realm one day, board a special small boat, and head to the Other Shore.
"Ah..."
Deep in the starry sky, a fierce battle reached its end. Pitiful and lamentable—a generation's young supreme had drawn to a close.
The ten-zhang-tall Golden Giant's massive body was struck by Golden Snake Second Young Lord's golden tail. Broken bones and bloody flesh splattered together with golden blood, dyeing the starry sky a sorrowful and beautiful (qi yan) hue.
All heroes fell silent, chilled from head to toe at this sight. This was the Golden Imperial Clan, the purest bloodline among the giant race, whose combat power was unmatched in the world. Yet they had become a pile of bones on the imperial path.
The divinely strong Golden Giant was no ordinary being. Like the ancestors who created heaven and earth in the Mythical Era, he possessed an inviolable majesty that could break through the Six Paths and Nine Heavens. But after over a hundred exchanges, he was ultimately defeated.
"This path has always been cruel and bloody. Once defeated, this kind of ending is inevitable. Young supremes have finally begun to fall." Someone sighed softly.
Golden Snake Second Young Lord was now in snake form, only a bit over a zhang long, his entire body golden and gleaming. His eyes were icy cold, and his forked tongue hissed, making everyone's scalp tighten.
He shot away like lightning, his golden snake body piercing through the void, leaving behind a group of awestruck onlookers staring at his afterimage. For a long time, no one spoke.
"The Golden Giant was killed, just because he couldn't stand the coldness and tyranny of the Golden Snake Clan's four young lords and talked back to them. Golden Snake Second Young Lord chased him down and killed him!"
Pang Bo clenched his fists upon receiving the news. That Golden Giant had been on good terms with him recently, traveling together through the stars for a few days. He never expected that just after making friends, he would be killed.
Ye Fan also frowned. Back when he was about to fight Stone Man at the True Phoenix Pavilion, it was this Golden Giant who mediated and prevented the battle. Such a simple, honest giant had died so tragically.
"Rest in peace. Though we weren't close, your personality suited my temper. I will avenge you!" Pang Bo said.
"I went to the scene and saw the aftermath of the battle. The Golden Giant was extremely powerful, yet Golden Snake Second Young Lord still killed him within a hundred moves. That says something—we need to be careful." Dragon Horse rarely spoke so cautiously.
The four young lords of the Golden Snake Clan had heaven-defying strength, standing out among young supremes. Moreover, provoking one meant making enemies of four supremes.
"I have seen it—the blood-stained starry sky, the corpse-strewn ancient path, the bleeding Other Shore, countless heroic spirits lamenting." Azure Phoenix Daoist murmured. He should have passed away five hundred years ago, but had stimulated the last potential within his body. Now with little life left, he had gained a rare spiritual insight in his old age.
He had survived through ancient secret arts, squeezing out the last radiance of his life. Now no tonic could help him anymore. Having witnessed a fragment of the future's incomplete (can que) corner, he was endlessly sorrowful.
"Entering the Other Shore, young supremes will all die. Few will survive..."
Unfortunately, he could never see through or understand whether there truly was an immortal path, nor know the ultimate direction of this golden age.
"The clue to the Sea of Suffering has been found. There is an endless ocean in another void, but only one small boat, allowing only a few to reach the Other Shore."
On this day, news shook the starry sky. Countless creatures rushed there, all wanting to fight for a future and seize a fortune.
This was a dark star region lacking stars, close to desolation and dimness. When many powerful experts charged in, various Dao patterns suddenly emerged—dragons and snakes rose together, stars shifted, and heaven unleashed killing intent.
In an instant, blood rain and bloody wind, severed arms and broken limbs, primordial spirits fleeing into the sky—the star region fell into chaos.
In this place, yin winds howled, blood rain scattered, and large swaths of lives were harvested like wheat. No one knew how many cultivators fell.
"This is a set-up killing formation! Too vicious! Do they want to bury us all?!" The heroes, unwilling to accept (bu gan), roared in anger as they fought to escape.
But within the fourfold Great Sage killing formation, not to mention them, even a true Great Sage might fall in regret. Some young supremes perished in this calamity.
The Divine Crane beat its wings to strike the heavens, but ultimately failed to grow to the Great Sage realm. It shattered into pieces, filled with unwillingness.
Many died in this battle. The survivors fled, not daring to approach that star region.
"Mm, harvesting so much life energy—if we truly cross the Sea of Suffering and break through to the Other Shore in the future, this is fate, the guarantee of survival." A hoarse voice said.
In the darkness, four Great Sages manifested. One was the Gray Flood Dragon, and the other three were the Golden Toad, Celestial Hound, and Roc. Their ages far exceeded the Gray Flood Dragon's, all being rare creatures since ancient times.
"Pity. A few young supremes came, but only one went deep. They really have many good things on them. I suspect the formation diagrams on those four Winged Serpents are related to their ancient ancestor."
"What young supremes? We suppressed our peers back then too. Now we're still stuck at the Great Sage realm. Let them be proud when they become Great Sages."
This star region calmed down, leaving behind large amounts of severed limbs and broken arms, blood dripping—a terrifying sight. The four figures harvested life energy and departed.
In the blink of an eye, five years passed. This ancient domain was never quiet. More people entered the Mythical Ancient Domain, all searching for the dwelling place of the gods, all wanting to cross the sea to the Other Shore.
But there were never any clues. Just like so many ancient beast venerables who exhausted their efforts in ancient times yet gained nothing in their lives—no matter how many came, they couldn't find the Sea of Suffering.
"Little life remains. I never thought I would pass away here." In the starry sky, Azure Phoenix Daoist sat cross-legged, without joy or worry, his face calm.
"Boom!"
He began to dissolve into the Dao, unable to hold on any longer. Being able to live until now was already a miracle. A Great Sage living over eight thousand years was rare since ancient times.
All cultivators under this starry sky were alarmed, sensing a tremendous fluctuation. The Great Dao rumbled, like thousands of troops and horses charging, like countless creatures wailing.
Ye Fan was naturally alarmed and rushed there quickly. He had sensed something, having met Azure Phoenix Daoist several times over these five years, listening to his discussions on the Dao and cultivation experience, knowing his life was short.
"It's indeed Senior Azure Phoenix!"
When he arrived at this star region, Ye Fan felt a sense of sorrow. This was the first time he had seen an elder dissolve into the Dao. He could only watch helplessly, powerless to stop or change the outcome.
"Senior Azure Phoenix has finally departed..." Pang Bo also sighed softly. Such a kind elder, his life ending, dissolving into the Dao like this—it was heartbreaking.
Not only them, but many people arrived at the scene. Yet none dared approach, staying infinitely far away, or they would be implicated and dissolve into the Dao along with him.
Devouring Heaven Beast, Golden Snake Four Young Lords, Divine Clan Xin Lan, Sang Gu, Blood Beast, Earth Corpse, and others all came. Countless ancient beasts watched from the starry sky.
Bull Demon King, Hundred Calamities Daoist, Stone Man, Gray Flood Dragon, Golden Toad, and others also arrived. They were all silent. Whether enemies or old acquaintances, seeing Azure Phoenix Daoist about to leave, they were all Great Sages, their hearts heavy with sympathy.
Cultivating to this step was too difficult. Great Sages were no ordinary beings, yet in the end, it was all empty. No different from mortals—after death, they became a handful of yellow earth and ashes.
"Little life remains. I only want to see if there are immortals, if there is immortality. When this golden age ends, what will happen?"
In the Dao-dissolving tribulation, Azure Phoenix Daoist's entire body glowed. Patches of light rain rose and scattered in all directions. He showed neither joy nor excessive sorrow, only the stubbornness of an old man with little life left.
Young people might not understand, but the Great Sages felt bitter. At this moment, there were no enemies, only kindred spirits. They too would reach this step in the future.
In the end, they didn't know whether the things they had pursued their entire lives even existed. For them, this was the greatest tragedy.
Azure Phoenix Daoist appeared very calm, but his peers knew deeply how helpless it was. Even grief was useless.
"I ask heaven—are there immortals?"
Azure Phoenix Daoist stubbornly asked. In his dissolution, his gaze fixed on the firmament, wanting an answer.
This question made the Great Sages' hearts ache. After all the hardships and difficulties, walking this far only to end like this, spending a lifetime seeking proof without result.
All the cultivators were silent, watching a generation's Great Sage wither away, turning into brilliant light rain, flying in all directions, continuously disintegrating.
"I only want to... see the end of this path, whether there are immortals."
Azure Phoenix Daoist murmured, his eyes dimming, dissolving in the flames. He couldn't help but look up to the sky and let out a long roar. Suddenly, his body shattered into pieces, transforming into a blazing light.
That was a huge Azure Phoenix, breaking free from the shattered physical body, burning fiercely, crashing into the depths of the vast firmament, making the final strike of his life!
"Boom!"
Heaven and earth split apart, the cosmos shattered. The huge Azure Phoenix formed of light disintegrated, ceasing to exist.
"I only want to know..."
Under the vast starry sky, only a lingering sound remained, still asking, so stubbornly.
"Farewell, Dao Friend." The Great Sages, even mortal enemies and unparalleled foes, were all despondent at this moment, seeing him off.
"Rumble!"
Suddenly, heaven and earth responded, sending down a set of strange images, causing many people to cry out in surprise.
Had heaven, moved by Azure Phoenix Daoist's departure, responded, giving him an answer? People watched nervously.
"Oh, a path—are there immortals? You... what do you see?!"
"That is... the Sea of Suffering, the Other Shore! At this moment, clues have appeared, in those images!"