The instant the Chaos Axe shadow tore through the void, the pitch-black chains binding the Black Robed Man shattered abruptly.
The ancient runes engraved on the surface of the chains twisted and writhed like living things, bursting out with dazzling purple light. Thick ink seeped from the depths of the runes, outlining distorted ghost faces in the air.
The ghostly faces emitted eerie green Phosphorus Fire from their empty eye sockets, their mouths gaping open as they let out shrieks. As the chains crumbled, the incantations transformed into countless streams of dark light that flowed into his body.
Each streak of light was accompanied by a mournful wail, as if an ancient evil spirit sealed in chains had finally been released.
The sound pierced the clouds and echoed throughout the world, causing rocks to fall from the mountains within Fang Yuan miles, and countless sea beasts inhabiting the East Sea to sink into the depths of the ocean in terror.
The ancient shipwreck deep in the ocean was shattered by the sound waves, and countless pale ghosts floated out from the corroded wreckage, baring their fangs and claws as they surged toward the surface.
The skeletal phantoms surrounding the Messenger of the Nether Blue Flame exploded, and the Ghostly Blue Flame surged backward like countless man-eating fire Fire Snakes, burning his body with dense scorch marks.
Eerie cries, like those of infants, emanated from the flames, sometimes sharp, sometimes low, as if countless unjustly deceased infants were making their final pleas for help amidst the flames.
He let out a piercing scream, "My flames! How could they backfire! This is impossible! The power bestowed upon me by the Dark Heavenly Emperor..."
Before he could finish speaking, the flames had already charred half of his body, and dark purple patterns appeared on his charred skin, writhing like living creatures, as if countless tiny insects were crawling under his skin.
Even more terrifying, beneath the charred flesh, a flickering, eerie blue flame could be faintly seen, greedily devouring his life force.
Flames spread along his veins, tracing twisted lines beneath his skin. His eyeballs burst from the intense heat, and splattered blood droplets turned into wisps of smoke in the flames.
The Space-Time Rift of the Messenger of the Starry Cloak was like a shattered mirror, and the scattered Stardust was like sharp daggers piercing his flesh.
Black Blood, containing Space-time Fragments, continuously seeped from the wound. Strange light flickered faintly within the Black Blood, as if it contained the Mysteries of the Universe.
He roared, trembling, "Impossible... My Time-Space Power clearly allows me to control the boundary between life and death!"
Stardust swirled within his body, severing his meridians, each movement bringing excruciating pain.
His pupils reflected a shattered picture of time and space, each crack devouring his life force as if dragging him into an endless abyss of time and space.
Those Space-time Fragments that seeped into his meridians were like cancer cells, frantically eroding his Primordial Spirit and projecting countless distorted versions of himself into his sea of consciousness.
His body began to become transparent, and countless tiny Space-time Rift spread across his surface, cutting his flesh and blood into floating fragments inch by inch.
The strings of the Messenger of the Bone Zither snapped inch by inch, and the gray-white hair wrapped around them suddenly transformed into countless pale tentacles, tightly strangling his neck.
Twisted human faces emerged from the surface of the tentacles, emitting silent roars. Those faces were filled with pain and resentment, as if recounting their tragic experiences in life.
He managed to squeeze out, "This instrument... this instrument is out of control! Help... help me!"
As the strings snapped, the Bone Zither emitted its final mournful cry, a sound like a death knell from hell. The sound waves shattered his internal organs, and blood gushed from his seven orifices, forming a strange blood mist in the air.
Even more terrifying, countless phantom images of wronged souls strangled by the strings emerged from the blood mist. They stretched out their withered arms and dragged the Messenger of the Bone Zither into the blood-red vortex.
His throat bones cracked under the pressure of the tentacles, his eyeballs bulged from suffocation, and in his last moments of consciousness, he saw the mouths of those wronged spirits pressed against his face, greedily sucking away his life force.
"Impossible!" the Black Robed Man roared in frustration, his voice filled with boundless anger and despair.
His eyes were bloodshot, and his face was twisted into a hideous grimace. "How could Lord Dark Heavenly Emperor's plan fail! Ren Xiaoyao, you will die a horrible death! Even if I have to use my last ounce of strength, I will grind you to dust!"
His voice echoed throughout the heavens and earth, causing the surrounding air to tremble.
The Black Robed Man figure began to ooze Black Slime, corroding the ground into bottomless holes. Countless tiny tentacles emerged from the slime, frantically grabbing at everything around them.
His skin began to peel away, revealing a purple body covered in scales beneath, and his hair stood on end, transforming into black snakes that hissed and flicked their tongues.
The four bodies began to twist and merge, and dark purple mist surged in like a living thing, enveloping them into a constantly expanding mass of Primordial Chaos.
Amidst the swirling mist, one could vaguely see countless mutilated limbs struggling within, sometimes revealing white bones, sometimes showing partially decayed flesh and blood.
Painful groans and desperate screams could be heard from time to time in the mist, as if countless wronged souls were suffering torment within it.
As the fusion intensified, cracking sounds of bones dislocating and sizzling sounds of flesh tearing emanated from the mist—terrifying noises that sent chills down one's spine.
Suddenly, a burst of blood erupted from the mist, revealing half of a melting arm, with half a piece of rotting flesh still clinging to the finger bones.
Ren Xiaoyao's pupils contracted sharply, his eyes seemingly gripped tightly by an Invisible Power, unable to move. The mist, like a giant enigma, slowly unfolded before him, and the secrets hidden within were gradually surfacing.
Suddenly, three vertical pupils appeared in the mist, silently staring at Ren Xiaoyao like ghosts. These three pupils emitted a chilling, eerie light, cold and profound, as if they could penetrate one's soul and expose everything.
Ren Xiaoyao's heart raced, and he felt a chill rise from his spine, quickly spreading throughout his body. Those three vertical pupils were like messengers from hell, carrying endless pressure and terror, making one shudder.
The enormous fangs tore through the mist, and a massive tail covered in barbs swept across, instantly evaporating the seawater and revealing the scorched and cracked seabed.
From the depths of the ocean, the faint groans of ancient behemoths could be heard, as if awakened by this evil force, roaring angrily in the darkness.
The seawater swept by the giant tail boiled and transformed into a purple poisonous mist. Within the mist, phantom images of Demon Soldiers under the command of the Dark Heavenly Emperor constantly appeared, wielding weapons and letting out deafening shouts.
Wherever the toxic fog reached, seaweed withered instantly, fish floated to the surface belly up, and their skin ulcerated at a visible speed.
The voice of the Dark Fiend roared like a thousand vengeful ghosts, " Ren Xiaoyao! How dare you ruin the Dark Heavenly Emperor's resurrection plan! Today you will be buried with the Dark Heavenly Emperor! This entire world will become your graveyard! All those who stand in your way will fall into an abyss of eternal damnation!"
Its voice was filled with evil and hatred; every word struck Ren Xiaoyao's heart like a heavy hammer.
With a roar, the demon spewed Black Flames from its mouth. The flames spread rapidly upon landing, burning countless cracks into the surrounding space.
The flames hissed as they touched the air, and the ground began to sink, forming abysses burning with Black Fire.
It swung its sharp claws, and the space instantly cracked open with five abyss-like wounds, from which endless black mist poured out.
The sound of metal clashing echoed continuously from within the black mist, which then coalesced into countless phantoms wielding Demon Blade. These phantoms had ferocious faces and empty eyes, and surged towards Ren Xiaoyao like a tidal wave.
Wherever the phantom passed, the air emitted a piercing shriek, and space began to distort and deform, forming Miniature Black Hole that swallowed everything around them.
These Black Hole attract and merge with each other, forming a massive vortex that attempts to engulf the entire battlefield.
Suddenly, a giant black hand emerged from the black mist, reaching out to grab Ren Xiaoyao. The Black Liquid dripping from its fingertips corroded the seawater, creating huge holes.
"Be careful! This black mist carries corrosive power! It's even devouring space itself!" the Defense Clone shouted a warning, its voice filled with anxiety.
However, the Golden Shield Defense Clone shattered instantly upon contact with the black mist.
The Pangu Phantom roared, "Damn it! This evil power! It can actually erode the very source!"
It transformed into a golden light and entered Ren Xiaoyao's body, leaving only shattered fragments of the shield that slowly fell from the sky.
The fragments, upon contact with the black mist, were instantly corroded into fly ash, which drifted into the air as if they had never existed.
The black mist took the opportunity to invade Ren Xiaoyao's protective Gang Qi, emitting a sizzling corrosive sound.
Black spots began to appear on Ren Xiaoyao's skin where it came into contact with the black mist, and excruciating pain spread from the point of contact.
Ren Xiaoyao bit his tongue, and the Chaos Qi mixed with his Essence Blood sprayed onto the Chaos Axe, causing the axe blade to erupt with a light that seemed to World Creation.
The light faintly revealed the scene at the Beginning of Creation, with the grandeur of the Beginning of Chaos and the vitality of heaven and earth Nurturing All Things.
" Chaos Heaven-Splitting, break!" he roared, his voice filled with determination and power.
The patterns on the Chaos Axe began to shimmer with brilliant light, and ancient World-Opening Technique script appeared around the axe blade, each script radiating an oppressive aura that suppressed the heavens.
As he moved, the space around the axe blade began to distort, as if it could not withstand the force and let out a mournful cry.
The Combat Avatar swung its axe to meet the attack, shouting, "Behold my Sky-Opening Axe! I will slay all demons! Even if I am shattered to pieces, I will protect this world!"
The Axe Wind collided with the phantom of the Demon Blade, and the resulting Energy Storm completely evaporated the seawater within Fang Yuan miles.
The evaporating seawater formed a huge water curtain in the air, reflecting the breathtaking battle.
Twisted faces kept appearing on the surface of the water curtain; they were all innocent creatures caught up in the battle. Their expressions were filled with fear and despair, as if they were telling Ren Xiaoyao about their tragic fate.
The water curtain suddenly began to twist and deform, as if pulled by Invisible Power, turning into countless sharp ice shards that shot towards the Dark Fiend.
The icicles pierced the demon's body, but only splashed up a cloud of black blood mist. More tentacles emerged from the blood mist, shredding the icicles into dust.
The Dark Fiend let out a sinister laugh, "A death throes! You think this little bit of power can withstand the will of the Dark Heavenly Emperor? How naive!"
Its vertical pupils suddenly burst forth with purple light, and a black beam of light descended from the sky, containing countless Dark Purple Runes.
"Prepare to die! Feel the wrath of the Dark Heavenly Emperor!"
The moment the beam of light struck, the surrounding space began to collapse, forming a giant cage that trapped Ren Xiaoyao inside.
The walls of the cage were covered with black vines, which were covered with sharp thorns that kept piercing Ren Xiaoyao's body.
The beam of light slammed Ren Xiaoyao heavily into the seabed.
Dark Matter Crystal on the seabed grew wildly, instantly enveloping him in a cage.
The surface of the crystal shimmered with an eerie light, as if mocking his struggle.
A sharp pain emanated from inside the cage. The crystals pierced his skin, draining his life force. Each sting was like a sharp blade, leaving deep wounds on his body.
The Dark Matter Crystal continued to release soul shocks, attempting to destroy Ren Xiaoyao's Primordial Spirit.
In Ren Xiaoyao's sea of consciousness, countless black shadows were tearing at his memories. He saw the faces of his relatives and friends twist and disappear in the darkness.
The remaining sonic power of the Messenger of the Bone Zither was activated at this moment, and the horrific scene of the Dark Heavenly Emperor slaughtering living beings reappeared in Ren Xiaoyao's mind: the cries of children, the wails of the old man, and the roars of cultivators were intertwined.
"Hahahaha! Ren Xiaoyao, look at these souls who died because of you! This is the price you paid for preventing the Dark Heavenly Emperor's resurrection!" The Dark Fiend laughed wildly, his laughter filled with smugness and mockery.
The sound waves formed countless sharp sonic blades in Ren Xiaoyao's sea of consciousness, frantically cutting into his soul.
Black Blood spilled from the corner of his mouth, blood began to seep from his seven orifices, and his consciousness teetered on the brink of collapse amidst excruciating pain.
The life force injected by the Healing Clone was devoured by this evil power, and Ren Xiaoyao's face grew paler and paler, with Black Blood spilling from the corner of his mouth.
His consciousness began to blur, and memories of the past kept flashing before his eyes, intertwining with the horrific scene at present.
He saw his family and friends, and witnessed their painful deaths under the Dark Heavenly Emperor's tyranny. The anger and sorrow in his heart surged like a tidal wave, almost overwhelming him.
On the edge of consciousness, Ren Xiaoyao seemed to see a glimmer of hope—his persistence in justice and his belief in protecting what is right.
The image of his hometown appeared before his eyes: a tranquil valley with babbling brooks, birdsong, and fragrant flowers. This scene gave him strength and made his will even stronger.
The Deduction Clone stared at the violently flickering Star Map, its voice urgent. "This is bad! There's a fatal crisis! My lord, think of something quickly! The Star Orbit are completely disordered... This is... a sign of world destruction!"
His voice was filled with fear and worry, as if he had already seen the End of the World.
The stars on the Star Map began to fall, turning into meteors that crashed onto the battlefield, each meteor containing destructive power.
A meteor crashed into the sea, causing a massive explosion that blasted a huge crater in the ocean. Black magma surged from the crater, melting everything in its path.
Just as the Dark Fiend opened its blood-red maw, preparing to devour Ren Xiaoyao whole, its Four Great Avatars shouted simultaneously, "My lord, we will help you! Even if it costs us our life force, we will protect you!"
Their figures became ethereal and transparent, transforming into four beams of light that flowed into the Chaos Axe.
The light contained the grandeur of Pangu's Sky-Opening, the compassion of Nuwa's Sky-Mending, the wisdom of Fuxi's deductions, and the benevolence of Shennong saving the world. The light illuminated the entire dark seabed, bringing people a glimmer of hope.
After absorbing the light, the Chaos Axe unleashed an even more powerful aura than before, and the light on the axe blade formed a huge axe shadow that shot straight into the sky.
Wherever the axe's shadow passed, space was rearranged, and the distorted spacetime began to return to normal.
The Chaos Axe erupted with unprecedented light, illuminating the entire East Sea and even piercing through layers of clouds.
"Break!" Ren Xiaoyao roared, slamming his axe down into the Dark Matter cage.
"Boom!" The heavens and earth trembled. The shockwave generated the moment the cage was cleaved open blasted a huge hole in the surrounding seawater.
The roar of the surging seawater intertwined with the howl of the Chaos Axe, creating a deafening symphony.
The sound was like the roar of heaven and earth, as if proclaiming that the power of justice was invincible.
The shockwave spread outwards from Ren Xiaoyao, shattering Dark Matter Crystal and dispersing some of the black mist wherever it reached.
The shattered Dark Matter Crystal burst forth with Dazzling Light, within which ancient runes emerged, forming a barrier that blocked the remaining black mist.
Ren Xiaoyao transformed into a golden light and soared into the sky, his Chaos Axe carving a rift that pierced through heaven and earth.
A roar of Primordial Giant Beast echoed from the crack, aimed straight at the Dark Fiend's brow.
The space at the edge of the crack constantly collapsed and reformed, bursting with dazzling lightning, as if the heavens and earth were trembling for this battle.
Countless ancient runes emerged from the cracks, these runes containing the power to World Creation, flying towards the Dark Fiend.
Wherever the runes touched, space was reshaped, and the black mist surrounding the Dark Fiend was purified, revealing its terrified expression.
"No! How could this be... Dark Heavenly Emperor's power... cannot be defeated!" the Dark Fiend cried out in terror.
In its haste to defend itself, it swung its claws, but they were corroded by the Chaos Qi, causing smoke to billow out. The flesh on its claws quickly rotted away, revealing the stark white bone claws.
Its eyes were filled with fear and despair, as if it couldn't believe it could be defeated.
Cracks began to appear on the Dark Fiend's body, from which Black Liquid seeped out, emitting a nauseating stench.
When the Black Liquid dripped onto the sea surface, the seawater immediately boiled and billowed up toxic smoke.
Finally, it felt fear and let out a deafening roar, " The Dark Heavenly Emperor will avenge us! Ren Xiaoyao, you wait! Even if you escape to the ends of the earth, you will not escape the Dark Heavenly Emperor's punishment!"
The sound shook the very space, and countless tiny Space Cracks appeared all around.
The roar of the Dark Fiend stirred the dark purple clouds in the distance, from which thunder rumbled as if in response to its cry.
A bolt of purple lightning suddenly descended from the clouds, striking the Dark Fiend, but it was absorbed, briefly increasing its power.
Its body began to shrink rapidly, transforming into Dark Purple Light Orb as it tried to escape.
Black Tentacles continuously extended from the surface of the sphere of light, attempting to grasp the surrounding space for leverage.
The tentacles flailed wildly in the air, like dying demons struggling to grasp at the last vestige of life.
But the power of the Chaos Axe relentlessly pursued, constantly attacking the sphere of light. The tentacles on the surface of the sphere were severed one by one, emitting a shrill scream.
The severed tentacles fell onto the sea surface and immediately turned into black poisonous mist, from which came eerie laughter.
Just as Ren Xiaoyao was about to give chase, he suddenly realized that his primordial power was being excessively depleted, and his meridians were being torn apart by excruciating pain, as if countless sharp blades were cutting into his internal organs.
He groaned in pain, knelt on one knee, and blood continued to gush from the corner of his mouth.
Each drop of blood felt like a drain on his strength, leaving him feeling incredibly weak.
Ren Xiaoyao's vision began to blur, and his consciousness began to dissipate, but he still forced himself to stay focused, keeping a close eye on the fleeing Dark Fiend.
In his vision, the figure of the Dark Fiend grew smaller and smaller, yet it still exuded a chillingly Evil Aura.
At that moment, the sinister laughter of the Dark Heavenly Emperor echoed from the sky, " Ren Xiaoyao, I'll let you live a few more days today. This score... will be settled later! You think you can escape the judgment of fate? The entire universe will become my sacrifice! Hahahaha!"
The laughter carried an endless chill, as if it were Curse from the depths of hell.
The Dark Purple Light Orb seized the opportunity to tear through space and vanish into endless darkness.
The Dark Heavenly Emperor's laughter echoed throughout the heavens and earth, lingering for a long time and sending chills down people's spines.
The laughter was mixed with the wails of countless wronged souls, as if they were lamenting the impending disaster.
Only the ripples from the spatial tear remain.
A strange murmur could be faintly heard amidst the fluctuations, as if countless enslaved souls were weeping.
The voice was filled with sorrow and despair, sending chills down one's spine.
The spatial fluctuations also triggered small Space Storm, sweeping across everything in the surrounding area and making the battlefield even more devastating.
Within the Space Storm, countless fragments of rock and debris were swept up, forming a massive vortex, the center of which shimmered with an eerie purple light.
Ren Xiaoyao staggered to the ground, looking at the devastated East Sea.
The once azure sea has now turned dark purple, littered with various pieces of debris; the land along the coast is cracked inch by inch, constantly emitting black smoke.
A pungent odor filled the air, as if the scent of death was spreading.
The distant mountains also collapsed because of the battle, and huge rocks rolled into the sea, creating huge waves.
The waves crashed against the shore, emitting a low, angry roar, as if they too were raging over the disaster.
Blood dripped down the Chaos Axe, spreading into crimson flowers on the ground.
He muttered to himself, " Dark Heavenly Emperor... I will definitely destroy you completely. Even if it costs me my life, I will restore peace to this world."
His eyes were filled with determination, as if he were ready to face the next battle.
Ren Xiaoyao slowly stood up. Although he was weak, his posture remained upright, like a majestic mountain, unshakable.
He gripped the Chaos Axe tightly, feeling the faint power emanating from it—his belief in fighting against evil.
The Four Great Avatars had vanished, leaving only faint traces in his mind, as if they might dissipate at any moment.
He knew that the battle was far from over, and the shadow of the Dark Heavenly Emperor still loomed over the world like a dark cloud.
But an even greater crisis may be waiting for him.
In the distance, dark purple clouds are gathering, foreshadowing a new storm that will be even more brutal, a decisive battle for the survival of heaven and earth.