Chapter 152

What was that sound just now?

"It must be the end of the world!"

"Help! Help! Help... I don't want to die!"

On the chaotic central courtyard platform, a pink figure was trying her best to stabilize the situation. Even though Fu Xuan herself was pale, she was still loudly reassuring the frightened people while arranging for those who were still conscious to take care of the diviners who had fainted.

"Fu Xuan, what was that voice just now?"

Bai Jun approached Fu Xuan and asked her about the source of the voice.

Fu Xuan turned his pale face, his golden eyes gazing northwards, and said slowly and deliberately, his expression somber:

"The Scalegorge Waterscape... I can only see its approximate location through my Dharma Eye on my forehead. As for the specifics... I'm sorry, I don't know either."

"That's enough. Leave the rest to me."

Bai Jun set off immediately, but someone raised objections to his actions.

"No! Bai Jun!"

Upon hearing Bai Jun's words, Fu Xuan immediately snapped out of his daze, then quickly stood up and took Bai Jun's hand.

"... Fu Xuan?"

Bai Jun turned around and looked at the pink-haired girl who had wrapped her arms around his.

"Although I cannot clearly see the specific trajectory and direction of your destiny, the Dharma Eye on my forehead is throbbing faintly..."

The Dharma Eye of the divine eye on Fu Xuan's forehead was constantly sending him ominous premonitions. These were extremely ominous signs; whenever Fu Xuan felt something similar, the outcome was always destined to be accompanied by bloodshed and death. The stabbing pain seemed to foreshadow the impending bloodshed and death as well.

"It still won't work! It's too dangerous! You'll definitely die!"

"..."

"I know you're very capable, Bai Jun... but you still can't go!"

"..."

"Faced with inevitable death and a predetermined fate, what can we, ordinary people caught in the trajectory of destiny, do?"

Fu Xuan, who had always held the view that "fate is determined by man," admitted for the first time the same pathetic view as his master that "fate is determined by heaven." This was inevitable, as countless people had told Fu Xuan with their blood that "fate is determined by man" was wrong. Faced with the vast and unpredictable nature of fate, human power alone was far too insignificant.

Fu Xuan was unwilling to accept this and had long tried to prove the idea that "fate is determined by people," but she ultimately failed. Even though she could stubbornly continue to maintain her opinion, she could not lie when it came to Bai Jun's life.

Not wanting to lose the person she cherished, she cried out in tears, "But that's fate! Even if I try my whole life to deny it, it's a cage I can never escape!"

She expressed her feelings.

She conveyed the tenderness in her heart for Bai Jun.

Seeing the girl who never showed any emotion other than strength so pessimistic, so decadent, and so helpless like a child, Bai Jun simply wiped away her tears gently in response to her feelings.

"This isn't like you at all, Fu Xuan."

He refuted what the other person said.

He accepted Fu Xuan's feelings head-on, and responded firmly:

"It is precisely because fate is so difficult to defy that we should strive forward with all our might, even if we are weak humans—no, there are things that only we weak humans can accomplish."

Bai Jun wiped the smile off his face, revealing the expression a soldier should have.

Deep within those shimmering, lake-like blue eyes burned an unwavering will.

Seeing the young man, whom he always treated as a junior, with such clear eyes, Fu Xuan was speechless for a moment.

Having faced the might of the Aeon and experienced the meaning of resentment, Bai Jun harbors a strong will in his heart.

Bai Jun and Fu Xuan locked eyes, and Bai Jun voiced his will.

That is the courage to never yield to any being more powerful than oneself.

Bai Jun pulled his hand away from the speechless Fu Xuan's embrace and turned to face straight ahead.

Facing the figure striding forward with only a long sword, Fu Xuan stood frozen, her beautiful pink hair silently tossed by the wind.

Bai Jun ran quickly into the street.

The scene on the street was nothing short of appalling; the once peaceful street corner had been completely transformed, and the street was in utter chaos.

The first thing that catches the eye is the chaotic street scene, with shards of broken glass and rubble from the walls everywhere. It's likely that the earthquake-like tremors that shook the cave earlier caused the windows of the houses along the road to shatter. Many ordinary people fainted from the sound of the cry and lay sprawled on the ground. Even those who were lucky enough to survive were vomiting uncontrollably.

Everywhere you look, there is a scene intertwined with tears and cries of sorrow.

With more important things to do at the moment, and with the scenery constantly flashing by, Bai Jun had no time to pay attention to anything else, and quickly rushed towards the direction of Scalegorge Waterscape.

When did "that" first appear?

"Around this morning, we discovered that several guardians who were supposed to be patrolling were missing, so we sent out troops to search. That's when we realized the anomaly originating from deep within the Dragon Exaltation Hall."

Jing Yuan, positioned at the forefront of the formation, stood atop the cliff of Scalegorge Waterscape, gazing at the black vortex that was gradually churning in the distance. Listening to the report from the guardian of the Vidyadhara beside him, he frowned with a grave expression.

It took less than thirty minutes for Jing Yuan to leave the Divination Bureau and arrive at Scalegorge Waterscape.

After hearing about the strange events in Scalegorge Waterscape from the guardian of the pearl, he realized the gravity of the matter. Not only was Scalegorge Waterscape related to the lifeline of the Vidyadhara, but he also sensed an extremely ominous sign. He immediately left the Divination Bureau and went to the Shence Mansion to inform the Ten Lords Bureau of Luofu. He then dispatched most of the Cloud Cavalry, along with the most elite Vanguard, to rush to the scene in Scalegorge Waterscape.

Now, the shore of Scalegorge Waterscape was filled with the grim-faced Cloud Cavalry. The judges of the Ten Lords Bureau and the Netherworld Warriors were positioned on the left side of the formation, while the elite Vanguard occupied the front, the closest position to Jing Yuan. They were not of the Vidyadhara with secret techniques and could not operate underwater. They could only stand on the shore of Scalegorge Waterscape, surrounding the black vortex that had caused the anomaly, to observe and await Jing Yuan's orders.

"Currently, the guardians are setting up an underwater barrier around the Dragon Exaltation Hall, incorporating the Vidyadhara, while simultaneously investigating changes in the root system of the Ambrosial Arbor."

Upon hearing this information, Jing Yuan immediately retorted, "You just said that the guards who patrolled this morning have disappeared, right?"

"That's right," the person protecting the pearl replied, clasping their hands in a gesture of respect.

"So, 'that' will react to any life that gets close. Have you ever considered that sending people to the vicinity of the anomaly without reason would only lead to their needless deaths?"

The guardian's expression froze. Bathed in the crimson glow of the setting sun, Jing Yuan narrowed his eyes, as if sensing the changes in the sea. He then slowly gave an order to the young Vanguard beside him:

"Yan Qing, notify everyone to prepare for battle."

"Yes, General!"

Yan Qing, who had been urgently transferred back from the Cloud Cavalry, nodded solemnly in response and immediately turned around to order the other Vanguard to relay the message.

With the array being briefly adjusted, the atmosphere on site became increasingly heavy, and a chilling, oppressive atmosphere permeated the tense, sticky air.

The wind howled, the waves roared, but there was no sound of voice.

Everyone is waiting, waiting for that critical moment when things could break down at any moment.

The first sound to break the deathly silence was someone swallowing, as if signaling others to start swallowing as well. But then, the swirling vortex changed...

The first to notice it were the Cloud Cavalry who were furthest away.

The Cloud Cavalry, who witnessed everything from a safe distance, were naturally the first to spot it. It was precisely because they were far enough away that they believed they were safe and were able to spot the presence through the narrow field of vision created by the gaps in their helmets.

The pitch-black vortex of death transformed into a massive waterspout, rising into the air before everyone's horrified gaze, and then exploding.

A black rain descended upon the land. Unlike a light drizzle, it poured down on people like a torrential downpour, soaking everyone to the bone. Clothes clung to their bodies like molten lead, making it hard to breathe.

However, no one present paid any attention to this.

They discovered dark spheres on the bottom of the ocean that seemed capable of polluting everything.

One, two, three... As if lured, starting with the first person to discover "that," others around them also noticed "that" one after another. And so, everyone on the shore just silently gazed at the sphere that had sunk to the bottom of the sea.

The seabed, like a black hole, seemed to have spread out a spider web; once your gaze was fixed on it, you could never look away.

The black sphere slowly grew larger.

"Hey, do you think that thing is a dragon egg?"

Someone discovered that the black sphere on the seabed was none other than a dragon egg used by the Vidyadhara for reincarnation.

"H-How is this possible...?"

The scene before me makes this fact more profound than a thousand words can express. Even so, my emotions still cannot accept it and I am unwilling to acknowledge the truth.

Finally, the sphere cracked.

This seems like a matter of course; when a sphere expands to its limit, it will naturally burst, like a balloon filled with air, or like an embryo bursting out of the amniotic fluid.

Centered on the crack, the liquid that filled it spread out radially. It looked very much like coal tar, or a black liquid like ink, as if the pitch-black night was gradually spreading and polluting other water bodies around it.

Gradually, the ocean in the Scalegorge Waterscape turned completely black.

Perhaps it was something unusually counterintuitive that worked; no one thought it was over.

They had a premonition that something far more serious was just beginning.

That's right, their guess was correct.

From the pitch-black ocean, stained with ink, suddenly a cry like that of a baby rang out.

They are definitely not as cute as babies, but it seems inappropriate to refute this point, since both signify the birth of life.

As if drawn by that sound, the calm black ocean began to ripple, which gradually expanded and eventually evolved into a huge tremor. Bubbles constantly rising from the black water burst, as if something was erupting out.

That thing was really too strange.

Its jet-black and indescribable appearance first evokes the image of a dragon.

Judging from the size of its upper body alone, it is probably already fifty meters tall. If its lower body submerged underwater is included, it would probably be over a hundred meters long. Its jet-black appearance makes it look like a fish covered in scales, with several black tentacles replacing its swimming fins, and the two thickest black stumps are probably its forelimbs.

The most terrifying thing was the head, which seemed to be covered in coal tar. It was pitch black, huge, ominous, and indistinct. Just staring at that shadow would cause people to feel tinnitus and vomit from the curse attached to it. The huge and terrifying wailing made everyone feel like they were suffocating to death.

This scene reminded Jing Yuan of a past disaster, and combined with the monster's appearance, he unconsciously uttered that name:

"Shuhu presence..."

Hundreds of years ago, the Emanator of Abundance, Shuhu, led his army to invade Luofu in order to seize the Ambrosial Arbor. The one who displayed the most terrifying power in that chaos was none other than Shuhu, who was the Emanator.

His Blood-Smeared Hellscape revealed a bizarre and beautiful scene, with stars opening and closing like blood cells, chanting, and the universe falling into an abyss of flesh and desire. He alone almost destroyed half of the grotto-heavens and slaughtered the Cloud Cavalry to the last ten percent. Anyone who experienced the "Shuhu" calamity hundreds of years ago knows all too well how terrifying it was.

Even though the calamity has subsided for centuries, the shadow of that calamity still torments the ravaged souls of all survivors on sleepless nights.

The imagined panic and stampede did not occur. All the Cloud Cavalry who witnessed the disaster lost their ability to act, and even their will to resist or survive was suppressed.

In that oppressive atmosphere so oppressive it was almost suffocating, and amidst the indescribable cries that filled their minds, even the battle-hardened Cloud Knights knelt on the spot, and some even vomited uncontrollably.

Large amounts of undigested vomit covered the ground, and as the temperature rose, a sour and pungent odor filled the air, making the situation increasingly uncontrollable. More people began to vomit after smelling the odor.

"Am I dreaming?"

Gazing at the alien monsters in the distance, a Cloud Knights soldier murmured. But no one could reply; it was impossible for them to answer. Everyone was captivated by the unfolding spectacle before them, their minds too preoccupied to respond, as if their souls had been stolen away.

"This must be a nightmare, right? How could something like that possibly exist in reality..."

"Yes, this must be a nightmare."

When he asked a second time, someone finally answered, and the voice sounded like they were escaping reality.

Impossible.

I don't want to believe it.

This sentiment permeated the Cloud Cavalry, the Vanguard, and the Judges, growing stronger as the figure in the distance drew closer.

If it were just an ordinary enemy, even a planetary-level monster with a body as large as a mountain, they would dare to muster the courage to fight it. However, the monster before them was unprecedented and unseen. It destroyed the barrier of the Scalegorge Waterscape in an instant, like witnessing a huge wave sweeping in. No one could muster the courage to stand up and fight.

The enormous, pitch-black entity slowly moved its seemingly clumsy yet incredibly agile limbs, gradually rising from the pit in the Scalegorge Waterscape.

The pitch-black shadow seemed to ride the waves, gradually emerging from the ocean pit, which was hundreds of meters deep. It had long, winding horns on its head, and its huge body, hundreds of meters tall, emerged from the ocean. Its shell, which resembled a withered branch, was inscribed with ominous runes.

Like a wicked god draped in a raincoat, casting a shadow upon the world.

"Everyone, stay calm and don't panic!"

Jing Yuan's roar, accompanied by a golden aura, exploded like thunder above everyone's heads.

The sky was torn apart by golden energy, and lightning streaked through the clouds. A majestic figure, hundreds of meters tall, appeared out of thin air, wielding a formation Formation Blade tens of meters long in one hand. With a single slash, he completely severed the black figure that had just stood up, sending it crashing back into the dark ocean crater.

The earth trembled, as if the entire world was crumbling under this blow.

Chapter 189 The Sun, Joining the Battle

No one made a sound on the shore of Scalegorge Waterscape.

The soul was plunged into boundless silence, the eardrums echoed with the roars of giant beasts and the howls of thunder, the whole world seemed to consist only of the cruel struggle between the two behemoths, everyone stared intently at the interplay of gold and black, and more than ever, they longed for the general's triumphant return.

Because only he could end this terrible nightmare; it was a brutal battle that ordinary people like them could not intervene in, a struggle belonging to the level of Emanator.

At the edge of the field of vision, two colossal objects, each hundreds of meters tall, stood between heaven and earth like demons from ancient mythology.

The first behemoth resembled a dragon, with four incredibly strong and robust legs, magnificent yet twisted horns, and steel-colored skin that was strangely corroded from its head. Its towering body, so large that one had to look up to see it, had a shoulder height that far exceeded a hundred meters. Its Tail was split in two, with the tip as sharp and hard as a sword.