Chamber of Ascension

Above the Purple River, under the inky sun, swarms of silvery-white insects roared forth.

The sound of the elytra vibrating through the air blended together, like a whisper of the apocalypse.

The remaining memories sketched out the outline of this calamity.

--It's the Grewind Swarm.

Cuixisi's tentacles trembled violently. The Aberrant Dragon was first shocked, then realized what was happening.

"Kang De, the Cathayan!"

The twisted monster roared, "So that's it! No wonder you seemed to have appeared out of nowhere! No wonder you possess powers and skills never before seen in this world! So you are...!"

It stopped speaking abruptly, and even subconsciously looked upwards. It was certainly not looking at the collapsing and shattering dome of the earth, nor at the surface of the earth, but at the more distant horizon.

"So that's how it is! That's why the Dragon God gave me revelation and oracle! That's why Akatum's power brought you before me! Today I will carry out his will! Die!"

More than ten whip-like blades shot out from various cavities throughout his body, the powerful contraction of his muscles propelling the barbed blades that were covered in barbs straight through the air with a sonic boom, the sharp edges shooting upwards, aiming for every part of Kang De's body!

However, the metal clanged and clashed.

The air vibrated and rippled, and transparent ripples spread out instantly. Silver-white locusts spliced together in an instant, unfolding like flowers and transforming into a silver-white honeycomb shield. Layer upon layer, they floated and solidified in the air, dissolving the sharp impact with incredible form and power. Twelve flying blades and twelve shields protected Kang De from all directions, blocking the fatal thrust.

Cuixisi's hundreds of compound eyes were all focused on Kang De, observing his weaknesses and planning her attack. Then, her deformed body suddenly exerted force, the whip extended and then thrust again. Afterimages flashed across the sky, the whip danced wildly, and in an instant, hundreds of attacks like a torrential rain were launched.

And the silver Hua Dun (a type of ancient Chinese shield) unfolded brilliantly.

In the blink of an eye, hundreds of openings and closings occurred, and the swarm of insects that swirled around Kang De like the wind constantly regrouped, scattered, and then condensed again, blocking the torrential attack.

More and more swarms of insects continued to fly out from the Phase Gate.

They surged forth, merging into Kang De's realm. The mysterious elements, Extraction and absorbed at full speed by the Fire Thief, fed back to each locust through that wondrous hierarchical link. Their red compound eyes condensed with purple light, and the devil's gift bestowed upon the swarm new characteristics and powers.

They contracted their bodies, hinged and riveted together, weaving the most efficient and dense armor plates, layer upon layer, from the inside out, forming both the strongest armor and shield, and the sharpest spear and sword. Following the framework of the battle suit woven by the light of the Divine Ring of Stellar Authority, they offered the great Curtain Closer the armor to wear.

The design was identical to the mysterious armor Horus created for the three men, which he borrowed from the armor of the ancients.

Cuixisi roared as she fell.

The enormous claws continued to extend, almost expanding to half the size of its body. From top to bottom, the Aberrant Dragon raised its gigantic claws and slammed them down fiercely with a violent gust of wind. The resulting wind pressure even caused the surrounding Purple River to cave in, and the air was compressed to the extreme, producing a violent explosion.

Kang De simply raised his hand.

The collision was deafening, and the shockwaves caused the river water to surge wildly in all directions. Large amounts of liquid elements splashed and corroded in all directions, and the corrupting dragon's full-force attack was blocked by raising its hand.

Because above the spreading silver brilliance was a dazzling purple light shield!

The Grewind Swarm is continuously absorbing the mysterious Element Extraction Kang De, and this power has been put to Kang De's use, just like the swarm itself.

They are all gifts.

Disbelief flashed in the eyes of the Aberrant Dragon. It roared angrily, its tentacles surging and whipping, its ugly body spewing out large amounts of spores and acid. But this close-range Nurgle attack was easily blocked by the ever-expanding silver shield. Kang De stared indifferently at the monster so close to him, his right hand gripping a finger of the giant claw.

The Fire Thief's will surged upwards, rushing into Cuixisi's body. His gauntlets scattered, transforming into swarms of locusts that swirled and danced along Cuixisi's giant claws, their terrifying mandibles already open!

As the power of Extraction was activated, the corrupted structure within the Aberrant Dragon crumbled, its strength decreased, and its skin became brittle. The swarm of insects that had been spreading and attaching to it like vines suddenly devoured it!

Cuixisi roared in pain, and in an instant, its gigantic claws vanished and scattered at a visible speed, drifting away like ashes. It suddenly chopped off its right arm, its four wings flapped, creating a strong wind, and it flew backward, its tentacles stirring and reaching into the River of Origin, drawing in a continuous stream of energy.

The severed right arm gradually developed tumors, which then slowly extended and degenerated.

It stared at Kang De, a mixture of shock and anger surging within it.

Kang De simply gazed back at it quietly.

The eye contact lasted only a moment before Cuixisi plunged directly into the River of Origin. His massive body stood still in the water, and the mysterious elements came into closer contact with his body, permeating, surging in, and becoming his weapon.

A continuous, explosive force reshaped his courage.

This is a blessing from the Dragon God.

I was chosen by Akatum.

This is something he foresaw, a test for him, and I will win!

"Kang De!"

The Aberrant Dragon strode forward, stepping onto the long river and stirring up rolling waves, the purple spray scattering wisps of mist. "Today you will die here!"

Kang De simply raised his right hand, making a feinting slash at Cuixisi.

The swarm of insects suddenly stirred.

It is both the strongest shield and the sharpest sword.

A massive swarm of locusts coalesced into a gigantic sword blade, which swiftly attacked through the sky, cleaving the Purple River in two!

The energy shield suddenly opened, blocking the insect sword. Faced with this tough and intelligent protective shield, the once invincible firepower coverage was helpless, but now things were different.

The Power of the Fire Thief spread along the swarm of locusts. Each locust was an extension of the Dominator's will. The invisible energy shield became as brittle as paper under the Extraction supernatural power. Some of the locusts that scattered devoured the energy, creating a small gap. The huge insect sword gleamed coldly and slashed down fiercely through this gap!

Blood gushed out, but the physical cut was secondary. A large number of locusts broke free the moment the blade touched her body, and then burrowed into Cuixisi's body through the cut flesh!

The Aberrant Dragon howled and roared in agony as the locusts that had entered its body relentlessly tore at and devoured its flesh.

In the case of an ordinary dragon, the battle would have ended at this point, but Cuixisi was constantly drawing on mysterious elements with her tentacles to repair her injuries, creating a tug-of-war. The mysterious elements within her body circulated, desperately trying to engulf the dangerous creatures, attempting to crush them with the growth of superfluous material. This method was extremely effective, but also extremely painful.

Because his body was constantly being torn apart and repaired.

Pain and rage ruled his soul, a bloodthirsty savagery drove his murderous intent. "Kang De!"

Enduring the excruciating pain, Cuixisi roared, "I'll kill you!"

The whip-like chains pierced and attacked, hundreds of flying blades danced wildly in the air, and locusts formed shields to defend against them. The crisp sounds continued incessantly, but the swarm of insects was also the strongest sword. As the will of Kang De reached, facing the crazy thrusts of the distorted whip-like chains, countless sharp silver-white spikes condensed in the void and rained down on the dragon like a waterfall!

A brutal and rapid battle unfolded in this chaotic underground world. After being repeatedly destroyed by light cannons, the structure of the underground caves had become unstable, with rocks constantly falling, the Purple River churning, and above the river, the black sun opened, swarms of insects danced wildly, mutated monsters roared incessantly, and blood shimmered.

Hundreds of swift weapons from both sides clashed like a storm, creating a continuous barrage of light and shadow, with afterimages forming in the air. However, the advantage and disadvantage were already clear. Even when flying blades broke through the silver shield and pierced Kang De's body, they could not penetrate the armor's defenses in the slightest. Meanwhile, the silver spikes almost always managed to break through the shield's defenses!

Blood and flesh continued to peel away, falling into the Purple River. Cuixisi was enduring attacks that were almost like being slowly sliced to death. Under such intense attacks, he should have been skinned and dismembered long ago, leaving no trace of flesh and blood. However, while in the Purple River, the continuous high-speed energy supply was still repairing his deformed body with lightning speed.

His greatest asset, which had previously made him invincible, was now slowly turning into a curse.

Amidst the intense pain, a sense of wavering and despair even arose.

In the previous battle, he held an overwhelming advantage. Even though Kang De used all his skills and cooperated well with A Xing and Lily, he still failed in the end and could not banish him to the White Mist World.

The reason is simple.

Because he can continuously absorb the Magic Creature from the Purple River.

But when his opponent has the same conditions, this advantage no longer exists.

Why.

Why can he do it too?

Akatum, why is this happening?!

Faced with that sudden guidance, he had his doubts, but later he saw the great power and wonder that was enough to change the fate of the dragon race. He was led astray by the instigating voice, which lured out the evil thoughts in his heart, until he attacked his first companion and obtained unimaginable power from it. After that, he could no longer turn back.

So he actively convinced himself, brainwashed himself, and believed without a doubt that this was indeed Akatum's guidance, that he was chosen, and that it was all his will.

So everything went smoothly, everything was going well, even when he accidentally fell into danger, he escaped unharmed. He became more and more convinced of the prophecy and the voice, because he could no longer turn back.

Until now...

When he first experiences fear and wavering, his previous doubts and anxieties will resurface in double intensity.

"No... impossible!"

It roared like a madman, "You despicable alien! You are stealing Akatum's gift! This is the divine power he bestowed upon me! You are not allowed to defile it! Only I can possess it! Only I can ascend! Only I can make the dragon race great again! I..."

Kang De gazed at the other person with a deep, silent look.

Dense swarms of insects danced around him, forming an endless silver screen.

The silver screen unfolds, and iron cavalry charges forth, swords and spears clashing.

Projection of the dominant will.

The silver swarm surged and roared along the river, encircling Cuixisi like a tornado, constantly condensing into arrow-like silver spikes that pierced the Aberrant Dragon.

This is merely inflicting pain on him; Kang De wants to give him a death and an end filled with suffering.

The Aberrant Dragon, which had previously been a formidable foe and had been engaged in a fierce battle, was now no longer a threat.

Kang De lowered his eyes.

I regret it.

If.

The most meaningless "what if" in the world.

The Phase Gate opened once more, a black sun sank into the river, and the river surged, flowing back into the White Mist World. The Purple River cascaded down, and behind Cuixisi, a large number of locusts formed a dam. Faced with the fact that the Aberrant Dragon could continuously extract mysterious elements, Kang De's previous plan was to sever its tentacles and banish it to the White Mist World. Now, he had a more preferred method.

Even if he had to completely drain the river, he would find A Xing.

Cuixisi realized the change, and a deeper fear gripped her. She cried out in unease and panic, "No, no, no! What are you doing! Stop! This is mine! These are all mine! You can't take them away! This was given to me by the Dragon God! This was Akatum's promise to me!"

Kang De said calmly, "No, he didn't say that."

The Aberrant Dragon struggled even more fiercely, but his advantage was no longer an advantage. Kang De was far more efficient at Kang De and utilizing the mystical elements than him. The Grewind Swarm was extremely compatible with the mystical elements. Perhaps all of this was truly destined.

While the White Mist World was being extracted, the insect swarm was building dikes to block it.

Cuixisi's ability to absorb mystical elements is rapidly decreasing, and this section of the river is descending at a visible speed. When the mystical elements are exhausted, it will be the day it is shattered to pieces.

Kang De said calmly, "I'll let them devour you alive."

Cuixisi struggled fiercely, trying to fly, trying to retreat, but as the defenses crumbled, more and more locusts swarmed in. He roared and howled, but all his resistance yielded little result; it was like watching a countdown to his doom unfold before his eyes. "No! I won't lose! I..."

This section of the river is slowly drying up.

The abundant energy has been depleted.

The Aberrant Dragon's pain intensified, and he roared, "Kang De! Stop! Kill me, and you won't be able to explain it to Dragon Island! Stop! I'll tell you what I did! I..."

Kang De seemed not to hear.

Now that things have come to this, why would he care about Dragon Island?

The dragon's mournful howl slowly turned into despair.

Just then, a violent tremor resounded from deeper within.

The river suddenly churned, as if stirred by the tides, its flow unending.

A roar came from upstream, as a massive amount of mysterious elements surged in, as if the flood season had arrived. Downstream, the river surface also churned, crashing against the embankment and creating a torrent.

More river water poured onto Cuixisi, injecting a powerful boost and corrupting the swarm's attack. Cuixisi seized this brief chance of survival in despair. The Aberrant Dragon roared, broke through the encirclement, flapped its wings, and flew downstream!

Kang De frowned slightly, about to launch another attack, but the next moment, his expression changed slightly.

The surrounding river of time began to churn.

Another Time Flashback has quietly arrived.

On the other side, after Cuixisi fell into the water, an even greater abundance of mysterious elements surged in, healing her injuries and restoring her energy. Cuixisi, still shaken, looked at Kang De warily, then revealed a look of astonishment. "This... the Chamber of Ascension has opened? But Lily wasn't sacrificed, why is this happening?"

He muttered to himself, "Could it be that woman? Is she also a dragon? Impossible, but why is the Chamber of Ascension open? The offerings aren't enough... Never mind!"

I glanced at Kang De one last time; he stood there, motionless.

The terrifying swarm of insects scattered around, like Stellaris.

Cuixisi ultimately lost the courage to continue fighting.

He roared, "Don't think you've already won!"

After saying that, his body shrank rapidly, and he plunged into the river, swimming swiftly downstream.

The oracle said that the end of the river was the Chamber of Ascension, and that he should go there.

The Dragon God did not abandon him.

He hasn't lost yet.

After a long while, Kang De's body trembled slightly.

He broke free from the rift in time.

The scene before my eyes flashed through my mind.

He saw the past again, witnessing the result of the ancient sacrifice: six ancient people drew in mysterious elements, transforming into twisted and grotesque monsters.

Their purpose was not merely to stop the invasion of the Void Spirit; they devoured countless Black Beasts, assimilated them, absorbed them, and infused them with all their essence, gathering it here and sowing a seed that, after countless years, formed this flowing river.

He raised his hand, gazing at the purple light flowing between his fingers and at the vast river below him. After a long while, he suddenly laughed desolately.

The devil's gift.

The lingering echoes of the apocalypse.

These are seeds sown by A Xing himself.

It was because A Xing fell into the river that he disregarded everything and accepted this so-called fate.

His first encounter with A Xing was on the Holy Seal Archipelago after he traveled through time.

It just so happened that this world, that small island, and that moment when she was in danger.

Fate cannot be changed; everything is already predetermined.

"A Xing..."

In the Time Flashback, he saw A Xing disappear alone at the end of the river.

Bearing her flag on her back.

"No matter who you are, no matter what you've done here, I'm going to find you..."

The swarm of insects followed, Kang De went downstream.

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PS1: Update... It's a bit early today, time for bed!