On Star Heaven Cliff, waves of frigid wind rose. Chaotic qi flowed swiftly through the gale.
“The World Spirit of Star Huan Heaven has awakened. All things grow and flourish. The formation has merged with the realm itself. This is a genuine Heavenly Venerable protective realm divine array!” The old woodcutter’s voice trembled with excitement.
Zhao Gongming no longer had the mood to toy with his copper coins. He could not help sighing. “So this is the method left behind by Star Huan Heavenly Venerable? In the end, Heavenly Court has lost this round!”
On the opposite shore of Sea Stone Star Dock.
That peerless figure who had been seated on the ground now stood. Clear radiance swirled around him. Every wisp of that radiance contained energy capable of annihilating an entire world. It could disturb the void and swallow both light and darkness.
He let out a long sigh filled with loneliness and desolation that spanned the ages.
The star domain for trillions of miles around flickered between brightness and darkness because of that single sigh.
Luo Yan, the patriarch of the Undying Blood Clan, the God of Death… every major figure of Hell Realm within the same region sensed that soul-shaking aura and was deeply moved.
Then, as though by prior agreement, they all set off toward the source at the same time.
“This game of Go, I have lost!”
The peerless figure spoke frankly. His voice crossed countless trillions of miles and reached Star Heaven Cliff. Both Zhao Gongming and the old woodcutter heard it clearly.
There was no loneliness or bleakness in his tone, only calm indifference.
At last the old woodcutter could see his figure, yet he saw only a stretch of gorgeous rosy clouds, brilliant as a nebula.
Zhao Gongming finally saw the Star Sea Angler seated not far away. His heart trembled. He realised profoundly how far he still lagged in the realm of spiritual power.
The voice of the Star Sea Angler was vast and distant. “What win or loss is there? Look, both of us have lost so many pieces. Shall we call it a draw?”
“Very well. A draw it is!”
The peerless figure continued, “Tell Old Ninth that, whether he believes it or not, regarding the matter of the Reverse God Clan… Never mind, no need to say it. Just tell him I am very sorry. That will suffice. Farewell.”
He waved his hand. A broad, radiant path of light appeared beneath his feet. He strode away with carefree ease and vanished into the depths of the cosmos in an instant.
“I am leaving too. May we meet again one day, and I hope it will not be as enemies.”
Zhao Gongming flipped onto the back of a black tiger mount. Holding his copper-coin treasure sword, he rode with domineering majesty through the starry sky. Even with his power, he did not dare cross Sea Stone Star Dock directly. Instead he took a detour toward Star Huan Heaven.
As he passed Star Huan Heaven, he swung his sword through the void.
That single sword strike was supremely tyrannical. It cleaved space and time, tearing open a gap in the still-recovering Thousand Star Huan Heaven Formation. Outside Goddess City, a black fissure thousands of zhang long appeared in the sky.
Xuan Yi glanced upward. “The general trend is lost. Everyone withdraw from Star Huan Heaven at once.”
Mandala Flower Goddess asked, “What about the Saint Realm armies of the Thirteen Realms once we leave?”
“Rest assured. Since Heavenly Venerable has not acted, this place will not become another starry battlefield. And if Star Huan Heaven does not wish to become a starry battlefield, they will not dare touch the Saint Realm armies of the Thirteen Realms.”
Jia Tianxia stared deeply at Zhang Ruochen with icy killing intent, then transformed into a bolt of lightning and entered the spatial fissure first.
“Tianmu cannot protect you forever. You will surely die by my hand.” His voice drifted out from within the fissure.
The gods of Heavenly Court entered the spatial fissure one after another. Only Xuan Yi remained, standing guard at the front of the fissure. His eyes fixed upon Zhang Ruochen and upon the gods of Hell Realm beyond the firmament. His aura was cold and razor-sharp.
Zhang Ruochen’s gaze fell upon the gravely wounded Famous Sword God, who was flying toward the fissure.
“Leave the Heavenly Venerable Treasured Gauze behind!”
As those words left his mouth, Zhang Ruochen had already become a streak of divine light. He flashed before Famous Sword God, blocking his path, and slashed down with his divine sword.
Famous Sword God countered with a sword of his own.
“Boom!”
The two swords clashed.
Famous Sword God could not withstand the colossal force. His body plummeted toward the ground.
Under Zhang Ruochen’s divine qi control, the Reverse God Stele rose from the earth and slammed into him.
“Pfft!”
Neither Famous Sword God’s protective divine light nor his divine realm could resist. His physical body suffered another impact. The sound of bones shattering rang out as he was hurled flying.
Zhang Ruochen reached out and seized the Heavenly Venerable Treasured Gauze from Famous Sword God’s body.
Just as he was about to take the Ming Jun Sword as well, a bone-chilling sense of crisis flooded over him. His back turned ice-cold. With no choice, he seized the Reverse God Stele and struck backward with every ounce of strength in his body.
All the inscriptions on the stele ignited, radiating faint light. Space and time fell into disorder. The rules of heaven and earth continuously collapsed.
Xuan Yi first grabbed Famous Sword God and flung him into the spatial fissure. Only then did he press forward bare-handed. His palm met the Reverse God Stele.
“Rumble!”
The Reverse God Stele flew backwards. Zhang Ruochen felt as though a divine mountain had struck him. He retreated more than ten li before steadying himself.
Xuan Yi was also sent flying. Blood light flickered on his palm, yet he landed steadily on the ground below the spatial fissure. While retreating he said, “The identity of Tianmu’s envoy is certainly useful, but in the end it is not your own power. I hope you live long enough to fight me one day using only your own strength.”
As Xuan Yi stepped backward into the spatial fissure, the fissure closed and vanished completely.
Outside Goddess City, heaven and earth lay in chaos. Scorched earth stretched for a million li.
Everywhere space was shattered, canyons gaped open, rivers of golden magma flowed, and black smoke rose in pillars. No trace of life could be seen. It was an apocalyptic scene.
Within the canyons, remnants of lightning, sword qi, and other terrifying divine forces lingered. Divine flames in the golden rivers could incinerate false gods.
The wounds left by the divine war would probably not heal for ten thousand years.
Yet, finally, everything grew calm!
Zhang Ruochen felt the divine power within his body receding. There was not the slightest attachment or greed in his heart. Instead he felt relief, together with boundless anticipation for the future.
“Thank you, Tianmu!”
Zhang Ruochen bowed deeply toward the starry sky in the direction of the Abyss of Darkness.
Tianmu, hovering above the Abyss of Darkness, gave a gentle nod. “This time I helped you, but I was also repaying an old debt to the Saint Race of the past. From now on, the perils on your cultivation path you must face alone.”
She cast one final glance at the starry sky filled with boundless light and countless lives. Reluctance filled her heart, yet her figure sank and she descended once more into the Abyss of Darkness.
Di Lao, who had rushed to the Abyss of Darkness at top speed, but in the end she did not see Tianmu. She only saw Wu Qingzong standing on a star at the edge of the abyss.
“She would not even grant me a single meeting?”
Di Lao, was ancient and decrepit. Tears streamed from her eyes.
Wu Qingzong said, “It was already no easy feat for her to leave the Desolate Ancient Waste City. The unrest of the strange beasts is suppressed only by her alone. She cannot be away for long. She asked me to pass you a message.”
“What message?”
“The unrest has already come. Guard Luo Zu Yun Shan Realm well. The demonic path will surely rise again one day, and the darkness will eventually pass.” Wu Qingzong replied.
The Thousand Star Huan Heaven Formation fully manifested. Spirit veins, saint veins, and divine veins all released thick misty radiance. Mountain ranges grew ever more magnificent, rivers became clearer, and the soil grew richer with spirituality.
In the canyons that had been scorched by divine fire, tender green spirit grasses sprouted.
The spirit grasses absorbed the lingering divine qi in the canyons, becoming crystalline and translucent, developing flame-like patterns.
The overcast clouds dispersed, revealing sunlight and a sky washed clean and azure.
The cultivators of Goddess City rose from the ground. They ran through the streets, shouting with joy.
“The gods of Heavenly Court have retreated!”
“Zhang Ruochen won! We won! It is all over!”
“The divine might has dissipated. We are no longer pressed to the ground, barely able to breathe. A breath of fresh air is truly precious.”
…
In Goddess Tower, the women who had wept in fear that heaven and earth were about to collapse stepped out of their pavilions. Leaning on the balustrades, they gazed beyond the city. Tears of joy slid down their beautiful faces.
Cultivators rushed onto the city walls, shouting Zhang Ruochen’s name in exhilaration.
Zhang Ruochen turned back for a glance. A brilliant smile broke across his face. Something new seemed to stir in his heart.
If the armies of Heavenly Court had not targeted Bai Qing’er, if Yu Yu had not once helped him, if the armies of Heavenly Court had shown more respect for the lives of this world, perhaps Zhang Ruochen would never have fought so desperately.
But there are no ifs. He stood here. His eyes could see, his ears could hear, and his heart could be moved.
Seeing the joyous faces of the cultivators in the city, seeing elders embracing their children, seeing men tossing their daughters into the air in celebration, seeing a bloodstained dog walking along the street… everything suddenly felt worth it.
While the whole of Goddess City and all of Star Huan Heaven boiled with jubilation, the Saint Realm armies of Heavenly Court were shrouded in gloom.
Although they still controlled thousands of nations and held the lives of countless humans, with the complete revival of the Thousand Star Huan Heaven Formation, countless Saint Realm cultivators had been suppressed beneath the array.
The gods had departed. They had been abandoned like discarded pieces, left to await an unknown judgement in fear and dread.
A demigod from Sword God Realm appeared relatively calm. “Everyone, do not panic. Star Huan Heaven will not dare do anything to us, otherwise their own doomsday will not be far off.”
“True, but the gods of Hell Realm are still outside the realm!” a Great Saint said worriedly.
Another Great Saint gave a cold snort. “Star Huan Heaven indeed dares not slaughter all of us cultivators! Yet those cultivators who committed massacres in Star Huan Heaven, how could they possibly be spared? After the purge, who knows how many will face judgement. The defeated still dream of leaving unscathed. Heh, everyone, it is best not to harbour any illusions.”
“It is all Zhang Ruochen’s fault. Without him, how could Heavenly Court have fallen short at the final moment?”
“You had better not speak his name. Do you think he cannot hear you? With Ruochen Sword God’s current cultivation, the instant you utter his name he will sense it. His spiritual will has probably already locked onto you.” a Great Saint of the demon race from Thousand Pistil Realm warned.
A Great Saint from the Eastern Universe sneered, “Even a cosmic arch-traitor of an aeon is now called Ruochen Sword God. Everyone knows Thousand Pistil Realm has an unusual relationship with Zhang Ruochen, but is there any need to fawn so blatantly?”
“So long as it preserves the cultivators of Thousand Pistil Realm, this Saint does not mind personally visiting Zhang Ruochen to beg.” The speaker was none other than Ji Fanxin’s senior sister, King Danling.
Of course, she should now be addressed as Empress Danling!
“Whoosh!”
Divine punishment descended. A sword light fell from the heavens and pierced straight through that Great Saint from the Eastern Universe.
Only a pool of bloody paste remained on the ground.
Faintly, a majestic voice resounded between heaven and earth. “Those who disrespect a god shall be slain!”
Every Saint present felt ice course through their bodies. They trembled uncontrollably.
They truly realised that the current Zhang Ruochen was no longer the Saint Realm cultivator who could once be casually insulted.
Moreover, they were now in the same realm as him, right beneath his nose.
