He seemed to have been waiting here for eternity.
The instant the [Paradox Fortress] appeared, he slowly raised his head, and towards Xiao Han, revealed a profound and extremely eerie smile.
The next moment, the entire Gods' Graveyard awoke.
A ghostly light shone from the eye sockets of countless divine corpses, the shattered Divine Kingdoms began to move, the twisted laws roared, and the entire Living Labyrinth, like an awakened ancient behemoth, opened its blood-red maw and slammed it shut toward the [Paradox Fortress]!
Boom--!
[Paradox Fortress] seemed to be swallowed whole by an invisible ancient behemoth. Inside the bridge, all the light screens were instantly submerged by chaotic data streams, and the once clear star map turned into a blinding snowflake, eventually fading into deathly darkness. Outside the porthole, there was no longer the deep universe, but a writhing labyrinth of flesh and blood woven from divine corpses and shattered laws.
"All contact with the outside world has been severed," the Tianshu AI's voice rang out emotionlessly. "All detection systems have failed. We... have been digested."
Before the words were even finished, an invisible mental storm swept across the entire bridge. It was not just a simple sound wave, but a torrent of the remaining will of countless fallen gods.
"Give up... this is the end..."
"Feel this endless despair; it's sweeter than hope..."
"Power... Offer your soul, and I will grant you the power to overthrow all living beings!"
Curses, temptations, resentment, despair... all sorts of negative emotions, like billions of steel needles, pierced the sea of consciousness of everyone. Lin Qingxia groaned, her face instantly turning pale, but she immediately stepped forward, her hands forming a seal. Pure Order Divinity emanated from her body, transforming into a crystal-clear barrier, struggling to keep these spiritual contaminants out.
"Don't listen!" she gritted her teeth, her voice trembling slightly. "These wills will distort your perception!"
Ripples spread across the barrier, clearly indicating that it was being held up with great difficulty.
However, Xiao Han stood still, motionless. Instead of resisting, he closed his eyes. In his sea of consciousness, the [Primordial Eternal Night Overlord] Martial Soul, which symbolized ultimate darkness, was like an awakened black hole, actively opening a vortex of devouring.
The negative spiritual energy that was enough to drive Martial Venerable mad was completely devoured as soon as it came into contact with Xiao Han's sea of consciousness, like hundreds of rivers flowing into the sea.
"Hmm..."
A deluge of fragmented information exploded in Xiao Han's mind. He saw the golden temple crumble amidst lies, and the gods pushed into the abyss by an unseen hand, their faces filled with disbelief that they could not believe even in death. They were not defeated, but rather "deceived" to this extent, ultimately becoming "nourishment" for this Living Labyrinth.
Just then, a hollow yet familiar voice came from all directions of the maze, echoing intermittently through the mouths of the divine corpses.
"See that... this is what happens to traitors." It was the Ferryman's voice.
His figure appeared and disappeared amidst a blood-red light and shadow deep within the maze. He didn't make a move directly, but rather, like a preacher, recounted his so-called "truth" to Xiao Han.
"I am not creating a new god... I am... resurrecting the original will of this universe."
"He is the 'Creation Origin God,' who, because he was too perfect, was betrayed and banished by the jealous gods he himself created."
"And you," the Ferryman's voice seemed to carry a hint of fervent admiration, "The chaotic essence within you is the key to reshaping Him. Coupled with the pinnacle of Order represented by the 'Star Shepherd,' and the 'Shura Yin Heart' as the key to the end... right here in this graveyard that buries all traitors, my lord... will return to the world!"
"Another story that sounds very touching." Xiao Han opened his eyes, his gaze icy, and scoffed at the storytelling. "Unfortunately, I have no interest in being a piece of anyone's puzzle."
With a thought, the [Paradox Fortress] roared to life, like a trapped, enraged beast, and charged headlong into what appeared to be a weak point!
The labyrinth walls trembled violently, and countless divine corpses wailed, yet they could not stop this war fortress that embodied both Order and chaos. However, the next second, accompanied by a sickening metallic twisting sound, the fortress's advance came to an abrupt halt.
They stumbled headlong into the skull of an enormous Titan.
Unexpectedly, this turned out to be a temporary safe zone, completely isolated from the mental storms from the outside world by the thick bone walls.
"Outsider..." an ancient and weary will echoed within the bridge, "Stop your futile assaults; you will only become part of this labyrinth."
Xiao Han's eyes narrowed, locking onto a faint golden remnant soul in the center of the skull.
"Who are you?"
"A... prisoner trapped for endless ages." The Titan's will spoke with a hint of self-mockery. "Your 'Ferryman' is only half-truthful. The resurrection ritual is real, but the 'Creation Origin God'..."
A deep-seated fear permeated the Titan's will. "He is not a benevolent god, but the original 'devourer' of the universe! All our lives are merely seeds sown by Him for the final 'harvest'!"
"The Ferryman is merely a puppet extended from His will," the Titan's will became urgent, "The core of the ritual, that Shura Yin Heart, is hidden in the deepest part of the Gods' Graveyard —in the 'First Wound' inflicted on the Origin God by the combined efforts of the gods when he was banished!"
"I have a deal." The Titan's will stared at Xiao Han. "Help me to Obliteration completely, sever my connection with this Living Labyrinth, and grant me true peace. In return, I will bestow upon you my final fragment of divinity—[Unyielding Battle Soul]!"
"It grants you temporary immunity to all mind control, and your fighting spirit will burn to its limit, unshakeable by anyone!"
Immune mind control?
Xiao Han's heart skipped a beat; this was exactly the ability he needed right now.
However, before he could make a decision, a violent impact, loud enough to shake the fortress, came from outside!
"Warning! An extraordinary energy surge has been detected! The 'Star Shepherd' has forcibly broken through the outer wall of the maze and is rapidly approaching our coordinates!" The alarm from Tianshu AI sounded urgently.
Ahead lies the Ferryman's ceremony, behind lies the Star Shepherd's pursuit!
Xiao Han was caught in a dilemma: should he accept the deal immediately, or deal with the gatekeeper of the universe's laws first?
At that moment, Titan's will suddenly let out an extremely painful roar, and the wisp of remnant soul twisted violently.
"Quick... it's too late... it... it's passing through me... it's looking at you!"
Alarm bells rang in Xiao Han. He suddenly looked up, his gaze piercing through the bridge of the [Paradox Fortress] and looking out at the huge, empty eye sockets of the Titan skull.
The labyrinth's flesh-and-blood walls are being torn apart by an irresistible force; the Dyson Sphere, larger than a galaxy, has arrived.