Chapter 1296
Chapter 1296: Great changes in the world, how magnificent was the battle against the heaven
This place could be called the Underworld, with corpses, ancient coffins, broken weapons, and battle armor scattered throughout. Small, unnamed mounds dotted the landscape, bearing countless small graves piled by unknown hands over the years.
Like a lonely ghost, the white-clad old man walked among the graves. Eventually, he stopped before a small mound, speaking with a touch of emotion and nostalgia.
“Tu Ying, are you still alive?” His voice, dry and challenging to comprehend in contemporary language, held profound sadness.
In the open depths of the ground, numerous small graves stood upright, lacking weeds or tombstones. Despite their appearance as nameless tombs, a pervasive sorrow lingered.
No response met the old man’s words. He stood alone, releasing a long sigh as the curtain of his back gradually closed.
I have guarded your tomb for countless years, burying you with my own hands. Yet, I know that one day, you will all return. Tu Ying, you were my lord’s most esteemed general, powerful enough to take that step.
I refuse to believe that you truly perished in that battle. You should be alive, like me, right? The first battle against heaven, how heroic.
The white-clothed old man’s eyes brimmed with sadness as he extended his hand, landing it on the tiny grave before him. His name was Ming, an old man dedicated to guarding the tomb of his former comrades-in-arms for generations, never leaving.
His origins were traced back to the age of innate mythology before countless epochs. Like his comrades, he fell in the battle against heaven. His body torn apart, weapons exploded, battle robe stained with blood, and a descent into the sky. After countless years, he awoke alone, confronted by the tragic aftermath of the preceding battle. Yet, it appeared that an extensive period had pa.s.sed, leaving the once vibrant places desolate and devoid of vitality.
Death surrounded him, with corpses scattered in all directions and numerous ancient worlds sinking and collapsing. Ming buried his comrades, standing guard over their graves, harboring a fading hope that one day they might awaken. However, as time pa.s.sed, even his belief in this possibility waned, uncertain if such an expectation could ever be realized.
Ming couldn’t fathom why he awoke after countless years. He vividly recalled the battle against a formidable creature from the vastness, culminating in their mutual demise.
The battle’s aftermath was catastrophic, marked by the collapse of heaven and the destruction of the earth. The ominous World Extinction Mill slowly approached, obliterating the world with each rotation, reducing countless creatures to ashes. Even powerful innate races, real dragons, and real phoenixes became insignificant, withering and falling.
Despite their efforts to cut down the heavens, the battle failed, leaving bitterness in Ming’s mouth and unwillingness etched on his aged face. When he woke up a few years later, he remained unaware of the war’s aftermath, ignorant of the Battle of Heaven’s outcome and the fate of sentient beings.
“This is my last visit to your grave, old friend. It’s time for me to depart as well,” Ming declared.
Beyond the boundless sea, creatures would soon return to this world. Despite his decay, Ming believed he might still be able to fight.
Sitting there for a prolonged moment, he eventually rose and prepared to leave. Before departing, he sighed deeply, casting a nostalgic gaze toward the distant sky’s end.
Although Ming had been vigilantly guarding the tomb of his former comrades on the dry seabed of the Boundary Monument Sea, it didn’t mean he remained oblivious to the outside world. Swift as a phantom, the old man in white departed from the area, heading towards the overseas border monument.
He refused to believe that everyone else except for himself had perished in the battle. The presence of tyrannical innate G.o.ds and influential ethnic groups like real dragons, real phoenixes, and unicorns suggested that traces and bloodlines persist today. The original battle’s outcome might not be as tragic as he had imagined.
On the Boundary Monument Sea sh.o.r.e, a woman in a white dress awaited his arrival. Observing the old man in white emerging from the sea, she stepped forward and greeted, “Master Master, I’ve driven away all the cultivators around me. The sea of boundary monuments has been unsettled recently, and there may be some changes.”
Tall and slender, with an exceptionally delicate face, the woman in the white dress resembled Gu Xian’er. If Gu Changge had been present, he might have been taken aback. This woman, in fact, was Gu Xian’er’s biological sister, Shen Xian’er.
Initially, Gu Changge visited the Shen family in the Heavenly Lan Realm to locate Gu Xian’er’s biological parents. During that time, Gu Xian’er’s parents had already given birth to a younger sister named Shen Xian’er.
Events unfolded in the Shen family, leading to Gu Changge eliminating Li Xiu, the fortunate son-in-law. Li Xiu, entangled in a marriage contract with Shen Xian’er, faced his fate.
These events transpired before the Eight Desolation and Ten Regions battle. The Heavenly Lan Realm was close to the Boundary Monument Sea and served as the Upper Realm’s outpost during their initial engagement in the Eight Desolation and Ten Regions.
Many years had pa.s.sed since the initial battle, and the young girl who had been in the bud at the outset now appeared slim and graceful. The old man in white strode upon the mighty waves, approaching the sh.o.r.e. All the nostalgia and emotions that once lingered vanished, replaced by a stern demeanor. He simply nodded upon hearing the woman’s words, offering no further commentary.
The woman before him was his disciple, taken under his wing after he left the bottom of the boundary monument and ventured into the world. The circ.u.mstances of why she became his apprentice were enigmatic as if destiny played a role. This was due to her uncanny resemblance to the peerless female war immortal who had led them in the attack on the boundless sea.
Initially perplexed and even briefly considering the possibility of her being that lord’s reincarnation, the old white man soon realized he had been overthinking. It could be a case of a similar face on a different flower.
Though he had awakened years later, no longer at his peak, he remained a genuinely peerless figure in this era. His unrivaled cultivation even defied the laws of heaven and earth in the upper realm. To exhibit a fraction of his unfathomable strength, he took the woman, Shen Xian’er, as his apprentice, providing her with meticulous guidance.
Shen Xian’er, daughter of the heavenly maiden of the Shen family in the Heavenly Lan Realm, possessed exceptional cultivation among her peers. The old man in white was relieved to find her a promising talent, and her unwavering heart for the Dao impressed him.
Learning of the impending catastrophe in the Upper Realm, she remained resolute, devoid of the despair and complaints that plagued other cultivators. Such a character was rare, leaving the old man in white exceedingly satisfied.
Though not the reincarnation of that lord, the similarity in facial features and the steadfast heart for the Dao moved him deeply. Once a rising star personally witnessed by the old man, the lord was born to confront the catastrophe. Sadly, she came into the world inopportune, and something remarkable could have unfolded with a little more time.
Let’s go, there’s nothing unusual beneath the Boundary Monument Sea. The vision here has no connection to the sea’s depths.
It might be a phenomenon caused by the fragments of weapons that fell into the Boundary Monument Sea.
Ming, the white-clothed old man, snapped out of his thoughts, gently shook his head, and then led Shen Xian’er away from the scene. He intended for Shen Xian’er to return to her family, bid farewell to her parents, and then accompany him to the Immortal Domain, offering her a glimpse beyond the Boundless Battlefield.
Shen Xian’er followed Ming’s lead, and her gaze was resolute. She was well aware of her Master’s intentions and harbored no fear. Long ago, she had declared to her parents that she would not marry in this lifetime, choosing to tread the path of Dao alone.
Her mysterious Master had an ancient origin impossible to trace, and his strength surpa.s.sed ordinary immortal figures. She had witnessed him emerge from the depths of the Boundary Monument Sea, causing floating ancient worlds to settle under his feet, erasing the aftermath of the Great Dao-building expert. Such unimaginable power led her to accept him as her teacher willingly.
As the impending catastrophe loomed over the world and turmoil gripped every corner, the mysterious Master decided to intervene, departing for the boundless battlefield, perhaps never to return. Despite his suggestion for Shen Xian’er to remain in the Heavenly Lan Realm, she refused, unafraid of death. If she ventured to the Immortal Domain and experienced a battle of this magnitude, she would have no regrets.
Shen Xian’er was determined not to live in the shadow of her sister, Gu Xian’er, and had her own aspirations. Similar scenes were unfolding across the world due to the great turmoil.
In some long-hidden forbidden areas, visions manifested in the deepest corners. Ma.s.sive rough stones cracked open, shedding layers of stone cortex with astonishing force.
Then, thousands of rays of light burst forth, accompanied by an auspiciousness stretching thousands of feet. The heavens and earth rumbled, and the sounds of various Dao-building experts echoed as if an auspicious beast were heralding its return to the world.
A dense immortal mist engulfed the forbidden area, alerting all creatures within. Finally, a blurred figure emerged, lifting its head and letting out a roar that nearly shook the stars from the sky. Chaotic energy surged to the heavens, spreading to the edge of the universe.
A dilapidated ancient temple stood on a desolate hilltop, surrounded by emptiness and abandonment. A thick radiance emanated from it, transforming the vicinity into a sacred, pure land submerging nearby mountains. The sculptures within the ancient temple seemed to come alive, cracking open as if vague creatures were about to emerge.
In a remote mountain village, an old Daoist priest had always been absent-minded and careless at the village entrance, often deceiving the villagers. He claimed to be the reincarnation of a great figure from ancient times, promising to become a Star King if given a hot steamed bun to regain his immortal position. The villagers were skeptical, but children often fell for his stories and were tricked into surrendering their candied haws.
Now, lying drunk on a large bluestone mountain at the village entrance, he gazed up at the vast sky. Beneath his unkempt hair, his eyes held profound depth.
The heavens are about to undergo a change.
The old Daoist mumbled to himself, raising his head to drain the wine gourd in one gulp, then smacking his lips.
Pa.s.sing villagers shook their heads upon hearing his words, dismissing them as the ramblings of a drunken man. However, as they spoke, they, too, glanced at the sky and noticed the distant mountains growing dim. Thick, dark clouds appeared to be drifting over the landscape.
“Hey, the weather has really changed. I need to go home and gather my belongings,” the villager scratched his head. He had yet to expect the eccentric Daoist priest to accurately predict the changing sky.
I have to go.
The eccentric Daoist ignored the pa.s.sing villager and continued muttering to himself. Then, he spat out a mouthful of white mist, transforming it into a small palm-sized sword. It rose against the wind and vanished into the void in the blink of an eye.
“That’s old-fashioned…” the Daoist remarked before leaping onto the flying sword.
With his hands behind his back, he soared into the air, his Daoist robes transforming his appearance from the sloppy man of the past to an elegant immortal figure.
“What…” the villager below stared wide-eyed, struggling to believe what he had just witnessed.
He shouted to the surroundings, “Immortal, Immortal, Immortal…”
Many villagers rushed over upon hearing the news, but none wanted to believe his words, dismissing him as crazy and talking nonsense. Could the eccentric Daoist who lied to children at the village entrance indeed be immortal? Did he fly away on a sword? It seemed too incredible.
Different phenomena manifested in various places as the world underwent drastic changes and rumors spread about the impending catastrophe beyond the boundless sea.
On top of a particular mountain, rays of light illuminated the sky, reflecting for three thousand miles. Purple air lingered, covering the sky and blocking out the sun.
A golden carp leaped into the air in a particular ancient well, soaring through clouds and fog before transforming into a dragon.
The world was transforming, and the environment underwent significant changes. Ancient myths were reemerging, with creatures in the void gradually approaching the present world. Worlds buried in the void began to manifest, reflecting the current world.