Shi Chen's Fall

Time flowed, and in the blink of an eye, an entire kalpa had passed.

Throughout this kalpa, the blood rain within the chaos never ceased.

That endless blood rain dyed the entire chaos a stretch of red.

The whole chaos was also filled with grievance and fiendish energy.

If that terrifying grievance and fiendish energy were to taint anyone below the Second Heaven of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal even slightly, they would likely have their mind collapse and their primordial spirit dissipate.

Thus reduced to a mindless fiendish beast.

Even ordinary Zenith Heaven Golden Immortals, if tainted too much, would likely fare no better.

But this did not include Hong Yuan.

Let alone the fact that he had the care of the Great Dao Father.

Even without it, Hong Yuan paid no heed to this fiendish energy.

Although he still hadn't broken through to the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal over these years, Hong Yuan had over a hundred and twenty laws within his body.

Each and every law he had comprehended to the peak of the Golden Immortal of the Origin.

Though still a Golden Immortal of the Origin, his strength was not much inferior to some at the Second Heaven of the Zenith Heaven Golden Immortal.

Still a waste within this chaos, but already a relatively strong waste.

"Boom!"

With a deafening roar, the Jade Plate of Creation above Pangu's head suddenly cracked open, unable to bear the pressure any longer, shattering into dozens of fragments that scattered in all directions.

The remaining third of the Jade Plate of Creation also appeared considerably dimmed.

Not only that, but the Chaos Green Lotus beneath Pangu's feet now bore several faintly visible cracks.

The only things faring slightly better were the World-Opening Axe in Pangu's hand, as well as Hong Yuan's Chaos Bead and World-Destroying Millstone.

Faced with the damage to his treasures, Pangu's expression showed no change at all.

Nor was there any hint of reluctance.

He had long anticipated this.

After all, even a Chaos Supreme Treasure could not remain unscathed when facing hundreds of thousands of Chaos Spirit Treasures.

It was already extremely fortunate that they hadn't been destroyed outright.

But fortunately, under his care, his younger brother's Chaos Bead and World-Destroying Millstone had suffered no damage at all.

Chaos Green Lotus and Jade Plate of Creation: "Damn!"

Before Pangu, only a few dozen Chaos Demon Gods remained.

These remaining Chaos Demon Gods now looked exceptionally disheveled.

Wounds accompanied by the Law of Strength spread across their injuries.

Shi Chen and the others looked at Pangu, who had only suffered a light injury, and were left speechless.

Damn it, how were they supposed to fight this?

The remaining Chaos Demon Gods couldn't help but feel a hint of despair.

Earlier, hundreds of thousands of Chaos Demon Gods had joined forces against Pangu, and they had only managed to give him a light wound.

Now, only a few dozen of them were left.

There was no way they could see any chance of victory.

Yang Mei's expression was extremely bitter at this moment. He looked at Pangu, hesitated for a moment, and then tentatively asked, "Daoist Pangu, if I am willing to dissolve my body, could you grant me a chance?"

Even though dissolving his body meant he would have to cultivate and comprehend all his cultivation and laws anew, it was still a chance to survive.

At worst, his origin would be lowered a bit.

After a few thousand kalpas, he might not be without the opportunity to restore his current cultivation.

He just didn't know if Pangu before him would be willing to give him that chance.

Pangu was about to say, "You're dreaming,"

but a supremely majestic voice appeared in his mind.

This also dispelled Pangu's original intention.

So he spoke indifferently to Yang Mei.

"Granted."

Hearing Pangu's words, Yang Mei immediately breathed a sigh of relief and, without another word, dissolved his body on the spot.

Following Yang Mei's action, nearly half of the remaining Chaos Demon Gods also dissolved their bodies in place.

Returning to the chaos.

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Yang Mei and the others moved so fast that even Shi Chen had no time to speak.

Their actions also left Shi Chen unsure of what to do.

Was he supposed to cower like Yang Mei?

Just then, two voices rang out.

"Pangu, others may fear you, but I do not!! Come, I will fight you!!"

It was a demon ape only slightly shorter than Pangu.

Though its body was already covered in wounds, the wild, defiant battle intent within it had not diminished in the slightest—in fact, it had only grown stronger!

Standing alongside the demon ape was Luohu.

"Pangu, I, Luohu, admit you are strong. But if you think I will dissolve myself as pathetically as Yang Mei did—I cannot do that!!"

Looking at the two before him, a flicker of appreciation passed through Pangu's eyes.

He said nothing, merely hefting the Sky-Opening Divine Axe in his hand.

He swung it directly down at them!!

Yet even as the demon ape and Luohu poured out every ounce of their strength, they could not hold out long against Pangu.

A blaze of axe-light swept across.

The two fell.

Whether out of the Great Dao's earlier prompting or genuine admiration for the pair, Pangu held back slightly, choosing not to utterly annihilate them as he had the other Demon Gods.

Instead, he left behind a sliver of spiritual light.

Luohu's origin transformed into a wisp of demonic qi, vanishing into the chaos.

The Chaos Demon Ape, meanwhile, split into four parts, disappearing into the horizon.

Shi Chen watched their fates, took a deep breath, and smiled at the remaining dozen or so fellow daoists.

"Fellow daoists, I, Shi Chen, will take the first step!!"

With that, Shi Chen charged straight at Pangu.

The Time Wheel in his hand swelled rapidly, enveloping Pangu entirely.

But Pangu needed only a single axe-stroke.

Several cracks appeared on the Time Wheel.

Yet at that moment, Shi Chen activated the Time Law, pulling the River of Time directly before Pangu.

He smiled lightly at Pangu.

Then, with unwavering resolve, he uttered a single word.

"Explode!!"

The other Demon Gods now understood what Shi Chen intended.

Their expressions shifted instantly.

They cried out hoarsely: "Brother Shi Chen!!"

With that shout, a terrifying energy erupted from within Shi Chen, expanding in an instant into a blinding light that illuminated the entire chaos, engulfing Pangu.

Not only Shi Chen, but the River of Time and the Time Wheel followed suit.

Together with Shi Chen, they transformed into a force so horrifying that the entire chaos trembled violently as it detonated around Pangu.

Within the Green Lotus, Hong Yuan also sensed this cataclysmic power sweeping through all of chaos.

After a few seconds of stunned silence, he slowly shook his head.

A trace of admiration entered his eyes.

"As expected of the Shi Chen Demon God—truly true to his nature!"

With this act, Shi Chen had utterly severed his own path back.

Perhaps in later ages, someone resembling Shi Chen would appear, but that would never be Shi Chen himself.

Only someone bearing a faint likeness.

If Shi Chen had had no choice, it would be one thing—but he did have a choice, and he still chose this path.

Once more, the Great Dao's lament echoed through the chaos, this time far louder than before. Accompanied by a rain of blood that filled the sky, it seemed to bid Shi Chen farewell.

None knew how long passed within the violent energies of Shi Chen's self-detonation.

Pangu's figure reappeared.

Though he looked no different than before, the Chaos Green Lotus beneath his feet bore over a dozen new cracks.

And the Jade Plate of Creation above his head had shattered by yet another small piece.