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Translator: Fate
Translation Checker: Silavin
In the midst of the dark universe, countless Star Territories lay in ruin. The winds howled mercilessly, capable of wiping out any living being. This was a terrible catastrophe for most.
Universes shattered and all the stars were dead. Among the destruction, the Floating Nether Realm stood out like a sore thumb, almost like it was shrouded by an invisible veil of light that created a vacuum around it, which repelled any debris of falling stars that came into contact with it.
This peculiar sight was impossible to miss, especially for the observant individuals. The Immortal Kings, who had been tasked with destroying the surrounding Star Territories, took notice of this strange anomaly. Some started attacking it while others went so far as to report it back to the Heavenly Court, alerting Gu Changge to the situation.
A radiant display of divine light appeared before King Luo, the Blood Owl Immortal King and others emerged from it with golden light beneath their feet. They cupped their fists and humbly greeted Gu Changge, who was approaching, “Greetings, my Divine Lord.”
“This is indeed suspicious.” Gu Changge appeared from the void, with what seemed like ripples of the Great Dao spreading out under his feet. Upon closer inspection, one could discern that it was the Great Dao of this world, overriding all laws. Even World Principles receded in his presence.
Gu Changge nodded subtly as he gazed upon the semi-transparent veil before him. To the untrained eye, there was nothing remarkable about this space—it was just an empty void. Yet, to Gu Changge, he could clearly see a breathtaking world within.
The Divine Mountains towered high and loomed large, and he could sense an ancient aura from this place. It was like there was a hidden Small Universe in this floating continent, and Gu Changge could tell that there was more to it than met the eye.
“I can sense the aura of the Boundless Expanse in it…” From Gu Changge’s current position, he could survey the panorama that lay ahead and also sense that those in the Small Universe was watching him.
“Are you the group of people who escaped from the Queen Lunar Residence back then?” Gu Changge smiled as he reached out and gently pressed the veil that was invisible to everyone else. Although King Luo and the Blood Owl Immortal King could not see ut, their legs suddenly felt weak.
The weight of Heaven seemed to bear down on them, crushing them under its immense force. Even the Immortal Kings were unable to withstand such power and felt compelled to kneel.
It was at this moment they suddenly realised that this was Gu Changge’s power. The entire world seemed to have turned into the palm of his hand and was pressing against the Array.
*Crack…* A resounding crack echoed through the air, as if a sword had shattered into a million pieces like a piece of glass. Something invisible in the space before them had shattered. An immense power surged forth like a tidal wave, compressing and exploding with a deafening roar. The vast space that once existed was now collapsing in on itself.
“The Array is shattering…” Everyone in the Floating Nether Realm was stunned into silence by the scene in front of them. The entire world was shaking as if in the throes of an earthquake. The rumbling and tremors caused cracks to appear in the ground.
Volcanoes erupted, lakes dried up, and Spiritual Energy completely evaporated.
The protective Array that had safeguarded this place for countless years could not be destroyed even with the combined efforts of the Immortal Kings. However, the moment the young man’s palm made contact with it, intricate cracks resembling spider webs began spreading out across its surface, showing signs of its imminent collapse.
Cen Shuang and the others wore solemn expressions, their gazes fixed intently ahead. In this moment, everyone’s hearts were filled with fear, trepidation, frustration, but mostly powerlessness. Like mere ants facing a towering giant, they were unable to summon even a shred of courage to resist.
“He’s unstoppable…” Standing on the high platform, Elder Turtle let out a deep sigh while shaking his head. His once hunched figure straightened up and his aged eyes began to radiate a divine light. With purposeful steps, he left the City of No Return and soared into the sky above, ready to face Gu Changge.
“Elder Turtle…” The alarmed voices of everyone in the City of No Return echoed through the air, laced with a palpable sense of sorrow. The other Elders exchanged a solemn look with each other before stepping forward to join Elder Turtle.
Immense Immortal King auras filled the sky, trying to stabilise the Floating Nether Realm.
Truth be told, there were only a handful of Immortal Kings in the Floating Nether Realm. Not only that, but they had also used the ancient artifacts left behind from the glorious days of the Immortal Palace. The divine power of those Immortal King bones had already been expended and now served no purpose.
Except for Elder Turtle, the other Immortal Kings had succumbed to the ravages of time and deteriorated. Despite efforts to improve their condition since the Forbidden Era, it was only a drop in the bucket. Nothing they did could truly make them eternal, especially given the fact that they were Immortal Kings.
“We are no match for him…” The Golden Winged Roc, who had taken on the form of a middle-aged man, shook his head and sighed. Fear was evident in his eyes.
The other ancient beasts, possessing immense strength and some even reached the Immortal King Realm, dared not make a move either. They knew very well that the protective Array surrounding the Floating Nether Realm could not be destroyed even by the combined attack of several Immortal Kings from the world beyond. Yet, it crumbled effortlessly under the gentle pressure of Gu Changge. Such terrifying force that could crush everything in its path was beyond words to describe.
While everyone in the Floating Nether Realm was trembling with unease, a sudden crack came from the sky above them. The barrier that had been on the verge of shattering disintegrated before their very eyes, transforming into a rain of shimmering light that sprinkled down upon them. The dark sky above the Floating Nether Realm was instantly revealed in all its glory.
Similarly, this undisturbed, transcendent sacred land, where ancient trees stood tall and verdant, and ferocious beasts roamed free in the vast wilderness, was exposed to all. In the distance, the outline of a majestic city could be seen, suspended high in the sky like it would never fall.
“To think that such a transcendent place lies hidden here, where the Spiritual Energy is abundant, comparable to that of the Celestial Ancient Times.” King Luo and the other Immortal Kings were all deeply moved by its magnificence.
“Is this one of the Nine Mysterious Realms of the Immortal Domain?” Gu Changge recognised this place in an instant.
Once upon a time, there existed a holy land in the Immortal Domain known as the Immortal Holy Mountain. Within its boundaries grew a supreme wondrous root, known to some as the Nine Mysterious Wondrous Roots. Others simply referred to it as the Nine Wondrous Roots.
Legend had it was a Dao Root left behind by a powerful cultivator who took a different path and surpassed others in every iteration of his life. The Nine Mysterious Wondrous Roots were the Dao Roots he left behind after nine lives, with the intent of combining all his nine lives into one as an alternative method to transcend the Nine Immortal Decays. However, when the time came for him to combine all versions of himself, he failed, and flames ignited from the depths of his Soul, reducing all his Dao to ashes.
In this world, nine represented the ultimate limit. Those who wished to push beyond this boundary would become an anomaly, drawing the attention of those mysterious beings.
Gu Changge was well aware of this fact, having witnessed this powerful expert meet his fiery demise before his very eyes. Of course, the ‘he’ in question was not his current self, but rather the version of himself from the Source Realm.
Prior to achieving Transcendent, no being in this world could withstand the piercing gaze of an Original True Ancestor, not even a supreme being on the brink of transcending the Ninth Decay would be able to resist.
After the supreme expert was consumed by flames, only black ashes remained. A single seed, which was the Nine Mysterious Wondrous Root, emerged from the ashes and was later obtained by the owner of the Immortal Holy Mountain.
The root was planted on the mountain, but when it finally matured, a destructive thunderstorm caused it to split into nine pieces. Each piece transformed into a magnificent Realm, shrouded in mystery and potentially hiding the blessing of that powerful expert.
Rumors also suggested that these Nine Mysterious Realms might be the physical embodiment of that powerful expert. Some believe that he would one day return to them. Gu Changge was not interested in these rumours and did not care if that expert would return or not.
He stepped into the Floating Nether Realm and looked at the Immortal Kings who were charging toward him with killing intent.
“How dare you!” Anger immediately filled the faces of King Luo, the Blood Owl Immortal King, and the others, who were following behind Gu Changge, when they saw the other group of Immortal Kings. They stepped forward, ready to engage in combat.
“No need.” Gu Changge calmly gestured for them to halt and nonchalantly said, “I refuse to be responsible for any unnecessary bloodshed. If you intend to destroy this place, then I will not object.”
The Elders from the City of No Return, including Elder Turtle, were determined to fight with Gu Changge to their deaths, but Gu Changge’s words stunned them. They were unsure of his intentions, but they knew better than to engage in a battle with the other Immortal Kings. The consequences of such a fight would be catastrophic, as it could potentially destroy the already vulnerable Floating Nether Realm.
Since the Array had shattered, the Floating Nether Realm had lost its protective shield, and a battle at this magnitude would be too much for it to handle. At the end of the day, the Floating Nether Realm was akin to a Small Universe. It was far less stable than the Immortal Domain. Even the Immortal Domain could not endure a great battle between Immortal Kings, requiring a journey to the depths of the boundless universe, to avoid them, let alone this place.
Unless absolutely necessary, they preferred to avoid a confrontation that would only result in their own demise.
“What is the meaning of this, Demon Lord?” Elder Turtle hesitated before cupping his fist and attempting to communicate respectfully. Although they had made up their mind to sacrifice themselves if needed, there were still many people in the Floating Nether Realm. If Gu Changge wished to obliterate this place, he could effortlessly accomplish it with just a few words, without even lifting a finger.
“I’m looking for someone.” Gu Changge smiled.
“If my intention was to destroy this place, there would be no need for me to be physically present. Surely, you understand this.” The expression on the faces of the Elders from the City of No Return changed, knowing that Gu Changge was right. If he truly wished to destroy this place, he indeed did not need to be present.
As long as Gu Changge could locate this place, he could easily destroy it with a single strike from several universes away. Even the Immortal Domain could not withstand his attack back then, let alone a small place like the Floating Nether Realm.
“Who are you looking for, Demon Lord?” Elder Turtle spoke with utmost respect in the presence of Gu Changge, refraining from any jests. Despite their intense animosity toward Gu Changge, wishing to inflict the most gruesome of punishments upon him, nobody dared to utter a word at this moment.
Gu Changge did not beat around the bush and just smiled. “Take me to the person in charge here, or whoever that holds the highest authority here.”
“The highest authority?” Elder Turtle and the others were taken aback. With a sense of unease gnawing at their hearts, they could only speculate about what was happening.
The area that connected the Floating Nether Realm and the Immortal Domain was a vast wilderness filled with towering ancient trees. Divine peaks loomed in the distance, shrouded in a purple haze that seemed to pulse with energy. If people from the Immortal Domain found this place, they would definitely think that this was a remnant from ancient times.
Indeed, many places here looked very out of place. The attires worn by Elder Turtle and the others being one of them. Hence, King Luo and the other Immortal Kings realised the beings that appeared outside the Queen Lunar Residence were here.
“You are the ones who framed me and almost killed me!?” There was hostility in King Luo’s gaze, but he remained patient in the presence of Gu Changge. Otherwise, he would have settled the score right now. His heart was burning with frustration over the matter at hand. He was only relieved that Gu Changge did not give him trouble when he struggled to prove his innocence back then.
Gu Changge the others followed behind Elder Turtle through the vast wilderness, and soon arrived at the City of No Return. Even as Immortal Kings, King Luo and the others could not help but marvel at the sight of this city. Despite the absence of any visible Arrays, the city seemed to operate in perfect harmony with the stars above, floating effortlessly on the sea.
“This sea is unusual… Why is the aura of the Boundless Expanse here?”
The countenance of King Luo and the others shifted slightly as they sensed that this place seemed to hold a lot of secrets and was more than met the eye. The city that was named ‘No Return’ floated in silence, keeping this Realm going.
“Why did the Elders bring that Demon here…? What is going on?”
Everyone in the City of No Return was filled with fear and confusion when they saw Elder Turtle and the other Elders leading the culprit who destroyed the Array into the city.
Many children hid behind their parents, their eyes filled with terror. They had been told since they were young that their homes had once been destroyed by the Deman Lord called Gu Changge.
The presence of this terrifying figure in the City of No Return left their parents feeling uneasy and fearful. The entire city was now eerily silent, and no one dared to speak. Some adults even covered their children’s mouths, afraid that they might make a sound and attract unwanted attention.
“Looks like everyone here perceives me as a truly wicked person.” Gu Changge chuckled nonchalantly when he saw everyone’s reaction toward him.
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