“Alright, I’ll go with you to the Great Desolation Divine Realm,” Xi Nianmo agreed without hesitation.
The Reincarnation Pot streaked through the wilderness, but after just an hour, Lan Xiaobu felt a sinking unease.
This was indeed the Eternal Life Realm, yet in a few hundred years, he saw no sign of its heavenly rules improving.
Shattered mountains and rivers stretched before him, massive craters scarred the land, and piles of bones lay scattered everywhere—some areas even stained a deep, bloody maroon.
Though the realm’s rules were still refining and its destiny thickening, Lan Xiaobu knew it couldn’t last much longer.
When he’d left, he’d predicted that once everyone found their footing, a resource war between the saint sects and courts would erupt. But it had come far sooner than he’d expected.
“Massive battles are raging everywhere,” Xi Nianmo said, frowning. She recalled the Rootless Divine Realm’s own ruinous past—she’d suffered its fallout. Now, the Eternal Life Realm was sliding toward collapse, and this might just be the beginning.
Tifo and the others shrugged it off. They’d seen too much—universes born and dying were routine to them.
This destruction? Even a world-ending calamity they’d weathered just fine.
*Boom!* A violent clash of Great Dao rhythms echoed, the void thick with killing intent.
Lan Xiaobu slowed the pot, his divine sense catching two major saint sects locked in combat. He didn’t know why, but the battlefield hosted at least four Quasi-Saints. Such fighting was catastrophic for the Eternal Life Realm.
“At this rate, the Eternal Life Realm will collapse,” Xi Nianmo said, her tone heavy with helplessness.
As a second-layer Quasi-Saint, she was insignificant among the realm’s powerhouses.
Tifo chuckled, “As long as the realm’s destiny veins aren’t shattered, it won’t fall. But if battles like this spread everywhere, breaking those veins is only a matter of time.”
Pu He sighed, “Right now, destiny’s still creeping up, and the rules keep mending. The day they stop, that’s when collapse looms—the realm’s destiny will be fractured.”
Lan Xiaobu poured divine essence into the pot, pushing it to top speed toward the Primordial Chaos Law’s location.
He had to protect the Great Desolation Divine Realm. Even if the Eternal Life Realm crumbled, he wouldn’t let selfish saint sects and courts touch his domain.
At Quasi-Saint fourth-layer, driving the pot at full tilt was just shy of teleportation. In a dozen days, he reached the valley outside the Primordial Chaos Law’s site.
To his dismay, the area was wrapped in layer upon layer of cloaking arrays—he couldn’t sense his own hidden array or the law itself.
Worse, within a hundred miles, countless sect outposts had sprung up.
Clearly, the law’s exact spot had been found, though he didn’t yet know why so many sects were stationed here.
Had the Primordial Chaos Law already fused the Eternal Life and Great Desolation Realms, and these sects were vying for entry? Or, knowing fusion was near, were they poised to be first in?
“Halt! This is a critical realm entry zone—approach and die,” a figure darted out, blocking the pot with a shout as Lan Xiaobu slowed.
But after a few words, the cultivator spotted the Reincarnation Pot and cried out in delight, “The Reincarnation Pot?”
Perhaps confident in his backing, he thought no one would dare act here.
Too bad for him—Lan Xiaobu didn’t give him time to scheme. The Eternal Life Halberd swept out.
*Splatter!* Blood sprayed as the Divine King crumpled under the halberd in less than a breath.
Before the body hit the ground, Lan Xiaobu grabbed at the void, pulling a world into view. In an instant, he stripped it bare.
Cultivators rushing over at the mention of the pot froze, then scrambled back after witnessing his ruthlessness.
Tifo stared, stunned. He’d pegged Lan Xiaobu as a reincarnated ancient power, but this casual world-ripping was terrifying. He could break a Divine King’s world too, but not with such ease.
Meteor frowned silently. He’d suspected he’d taught Lan Xiaobu that trick, yet he couldn’t match this swift precision. Lan Xiaobu’s method outdid his, blending spatial law fragments with something extra.
He itched to ask how, but their dynamic held him back—he didn’t want to risk a rebuff.
“What’s your deal, killing a Kun Chen Saint Court immortal officer like that?” a Harmony God cultivator charged up, sensing he was no match but still demanding answers.
Lan Xiaobu signaled everyone off the pot, staring coldly at the man. “You’re blocking my way too?”
The implication was clear—block me, and you’re next. No exceptions.
“This area’s sealed by the Eternal Life Realm’s major saint sects and courts. Only those in the Saint Dao Alliance can stake a claim here, waiting for the Great Desolation passage to fully fuse. Other sects and individuals? Forbidden,” the Harmony God barked.
Over a dozen cultivators sped over, half of them Quasi-Saints—a testament to the realm’s might.
Lan Xiaobu’s heart lifted. Fusion wasn’t complete—he wasn’t too late.
Some recognized him, sending frantic messages back to their sects or courts. Lan Xiaobu, Great Desolation Dao Court’s Dao Lord, was a walking treasure trove—who wouldn’t want him?
He laughed heartily. “You know this leads to the Great Desolation Divine Realm? I’m its Dao Lord, acknowledged by the Dao Court. You dare block my way home? Who the hell are you? Heh, what’s this alliance think it is, ruling the whole universe now?”
It reminded him of Earth’s domineering alliances and treaties—claiming whatever they fancied, even your own home.
Lan Xiaobu? Great Desolation Dao Lord? The Harmony God’s face shifted.
A Dao Lord recognized by the Heavenly Dao was no small thing. Had the Eternal Life Realm’s rules not evolved, it’d have long ceased to exist, swallowed by the Great Desolation Realm.
Even now, a strong enough Dao Lord could suppress the Eternal Life Realm, erasing it entirely in favor of the Great Desolation.
That chance was slim, though—Lan Xiaobu, despite his power, was a hunted man.
“Dao Lord Lan, your Great Desolation title—was it Heavenly Dao-approved?” Tifo suddenly asked.
A Dao Lord with or without that approval was a world apart.
Lan Xiaobu nodded. “Yes, when I became the Great Desolation Dao Court’s first Dao Lord, the Heavenly Dao认可我. The Eternal Life Realm was meant to be part of it. But its rules started perfecting, destiny surging, and it’s showing signs of breaking free. I couldn’t stop it.”
Strength was the issue. With more power, he could’ve forced the merge, leaving only the Great Desolation Realm. Who’d dare object?
Tifo laughed. “Dao Lord Lan, you’re definitely an ancient powerhouse reborn—otherwise, the Heavenly Dao wouldn’t认可你. Where’d you declare your Dao Oath, Great Desolation or Eternal Life? Did you use a top-tier treasure to anchor the realm’s destiny? I’d bet it was Great Desolation, right?”
Lan Xiaobu nodded. “Correct. I founded the Dao Court there, became its first Dao Lord, and used a destiny array disc to lock the realm’s fate.”
Meteor and Pu He’s eyes twitched. A destiny array disc? That was audacious—and filthy rich.
Tifo acted like it was no big deal. “Here’s the snag, Dao Lord Lan. You came to the Eternal Life Realm but didn’t reaffirm it as part of Great Desolation with another oath. If its destiny hadn’t spiked and rules hadn’t refined, fine. But now, with both surging, that’s a problem.
A realm has its own destiny, its own will. Originally, as Great Desolation’s master, it认可你—maybe even this Primordial Chaos Law landed here because of you, prompting the merge. But after your oath in Great Desolation, you said nothing here. That’s off. A realm’s fate can choose too—doesn’t the issue lie with you?”
Lan Xiaobu froze. He hadn’t made any promises for the Eternal Life Realm or claimed the destiny disc anchored it too. If so, the fault really was his.
