An irresistible torrent of sorrow instantly overwhelmed Xiao Han and Lin Qingxia, shattering all their defenses.
[The Sorrow Divine Domain]!
This is not a physical attack, but a supreme divine art that directly affects the very essence of the soul!
Lin Qingxia's delicate body trembled, and the scene before her eyes instantly changed. She was back above the Imperial Capital Academy, watching with her own eyes as the majestic golden figure of Emperor Xia transformed into a shower of light, and hearing his words, "The future of humanity is more important," echo in her ears. That sense of powerlessness and regret, like the sharpest knife, pierced her Dao heart, and a crack appeared on her icy heart.
Xiao Han, however, endured torment a hundred times more intense.
He was pulled back to that collapsing world of Pseudo-God, holding Su Linglong, whose soul was slowly dissipating, in his arms. Her smile, her resolute determination, her whispers in his ear were magnified infinitely, replaying again and again in the deepest recesses of his soul. The extreme pain of ending his lover with his own hands, yet being powerless to save her, transformed into the most terrifying fuel, instantly detonating the [True Demon Origin Imprint] that had been dormant deep within his heart!
"Hmm..."
Xiao Han let out a low growl like a wild beast, his eyes uncontrollably turning a sinister crimson, and demonic energy was about to burst forth from his body.
Just as his will was about to be completely consumed by this endless sorrow, turning him into a monster that only knew how to kill, a lazy yet excited shriek exploded in his mind.
"Wow! What an absolutely delicious treat!!"
Mei'er was not affected in the slightest. Instead, she was like a glutton who had been starving for millions of years, seeing a sumptuous feast. The "Sorrow Origin" that was enough to break the Dao heart of Martial Emperor turned into the purest and most delicious nourishment in front of her. The purple light and shadow she had transformed into suddenly opened its "mouth" and sucked hard at the flood of sorrow that was pouring into Xiao Han's sea of consciousness!
"Hiccup~"
A satisfied burp struck Xiao Han like a thunderbolt, instantly pulling him out of the endless illusion. The terrifying pressure on his soul had been mostly devoured by Mei'er like a snack!
"Little master, hang in there! This stuff is incredibly nourishing, have more, and maybe this queen can recover some of her strength ahead of time!" Mei'er's voice was full of encouragement.
Xiao Han: "..."
Taking advantage of this rare moment of respite, he looked at the goddess and Lin Qingxia, both immersed in their own sorrows, and instead of retaliating, he did something that even Mei'er couldn't understand.
He abandoned all defenses and opened his soul!
There were no earth-shattering secret techniques, no world-destroying moves. Only the most real and poignant scenes were projected from the depths of his soul.
That was the blood sacrifice at the Imperial Capital Academy, the tragic transformation of the Emperor Xia into the blazing sun, the resolute crash of the Genesis into the Pseudo-God, and his silent roar as he held two cold bodies at the end of the universe... Each and every one of these events was a path he had walked with blood and tears.
His voice, carrying an unprecedented calm, resounded throughout this Sorrow Divine Domain.
You weep for the fallen gods, I lament for the dead mortals. Our sorrows are neither superior nor inferior!
The moment the words fell, the [Human Dao Merit Golden Wheel] between Xiao Han's brows erupted with an unprecedentedly gentle light. The light was neither blazing nor domineering, but carried a tenacity and warmth that had transcended countless ages and been passed down through Passing the Torch.
The golden light made quiet contact with the goddess's cold and melancholy divine realm. There was no collision, no Obliteration; instead, a strange resonance was created.
The phantom of the Grieving Goddess trembled violently, and for the first time, an incredulous emotion appeared in her eyes, which had witnessed countless births and deaths of the universe. For billions of years, of all the intruders, whether driven by greed, fear, or challenge, Xiao Han was the first to attempt to stand with her "sorrow."
She stopped attacking.
The crimson flowers that once covered the mountains and fields have quietly faded from their glaring red, returning to a tranquil, deep blue.
"You... are very special." The goddess's voice was no longer cold, but held a hint of weariness and complexity. "But do you know the price of using the 'Primordial Soul Spring'?"
She pointed to the center of the island, where a crystal-clear spring flowed quietly, radiating a wondrous energy that could heal the souls of all things.
"Resurrecting one person will consume the divine power I have accumulated over ten thousand years. And once I am weakened, the 'Source of All Evil' sealed beneath this island will break through the earth."
Xiao Han and Lin Qingxia felt a chill run down their spines. They could clearly sense that deep within the earth beneath their feet lay an unimaginably terrifying existence. The pure, violent, and destructive malice emanating from it sent shivers down their spines, even through the seal.
"What is that?" Xiao Han asked in a deep voice.
"[The Asura Progenitor's Heart]." The Grieving Goddess slowly uttered that forbidden name, "The first to fall from grace during the ancient war between gods and demons, and also the one with the strongest resentment. If his heart were to be born, the entire Shattered Star Sea would be transformed into an eternal inferno."
[God-Level Choice activated!]
[Option A: Immediately use the Soul Spring to revive Su Linglong. You will fulfill your promise, but at the same time, you will also personally unleash a world-destroying crisis capable of annihilating the Shattered Star Sea. The Asura Progenitor's Heart will be your most terrifying enemy in the future.]
[Option B: Abandon resurrection. Assist the Grieving Goddess in reinforcing the seal. You will receive the goddess's blessing and a 'God's Tear' (use unknown), and your Human Dao Merit Golden Wheel will be greatly enhanced. However, Su Linglong's 'Soul-Weaving Cocoon' will lose nourishment from the Soul Spring and begin an irreversible decline after three hours, until it completely perishes.]
Every word was like a heavy hammer, striking Xiao Han's heart hard.
Save one person, or save an entire world?
To uphold the promise to one's loved one, or to shoulder the future of all living beings?
No matter what choice he made, it was a price he couldn't afford. His hands clenched unconsciously, his nails digging deep into his palms, drawing blood, yet he remained oblivious.
Lin Qingxia looked at his painfully struggling profile, her lips moved, but she ultimately didn't utter any words of comfort. She knew that this choice could only be made by Xiao Han himself.
Just as Xiao Han was caught in a desperate struggle between his conscience and his own will, a sudden change occurred!
The purple "Soul-Weaving Cocoon" in his arms, which had been quiet all along, suddenly began to tremble violently without warning!
"Click... click..."
The tough surface of the cocoon shell was cracked with fine fissures.
However, what burst forth from the cracks was not the gentle life force expected, but rather streams of dark energy that shared the same origin as the [Heart of the Asura Progenitor] underground, filled with violence, slaughter, and a desire for destruction!
The moment this energy appeared, the seal on the entire Soul-Weeping Island shook, and the terrifying heartbeat from underground became ten times clearer!
"Not good!"
For the first time, Mei'er's languid voice carried genuine horror and panic!
"That damned queen! She had a backup plan! Her real target wasn't your body, it was this place! She turned your lover into the key to unlock this ancient seal!"