Chapter 155
Perhaps her initial intention was to Destruction Luofu, but that changed without her realizing it. When did that happen?
She thought it was probably the "Sun" that shone brightly from within Merlin's Claw Tianji's body when he fought against Bai Jun.
To be honest, in Phantylia's original plan, seizing the fragments of the Abomination Dragon was not her real purpose. Her first plan was to use Buli person's "Crimson Moon" to drive the Merlin's Claw, who was suffering from Moon Rage, into madness, so as to plunge the entire Xianzhou into chaos.
But all of this was ruined by that dazzling "Sun," yet, she couldn't muster any anger.
The reason was simple: it was simply too beautiful, too dazzling, too... radiant. In an instant, it completely and deeply captivated Phantylia's mind, causing a greedy yearning to rise from the depths of her soul. The dragon's Permanence was far more alluring to her than Abundance fruits or Destruction power.
She made a vow, she made a decision, she shouted it out.
No matter the cost, Phantylia is determined to obtain the "Sun".
In other words, her current actions—summoning the Stellaron, fusing with the dragon's Permanence, and devouring the Abundance fruits—are all for the sake of obtaining Bai Jun. That's why she made a deal with Jing Yuan just now; otherwise, she would have already torn Jing Yuan to pieces.
"I admit it, I admit your strength, 'Sun,' but even your full power cannot defeat me. Possessing Abundance and Permanence, I am invincible. How about we make a small deal?"
She admitted that she could not defeat Bai Jun by force in a short time. If the time dragged on, it might attract other support from the Xianzhou, at which point she would have no choice but to run away and would no longer be able to obtain the "Sun". This was precisely the outcome that Phantylia could not accept.
She must get the "Sun"!
Under Bai Jun's unwavering gaze, Phantylia slowly stated his conditions. "Join me, become my supporter! I will bring you Destruction power, no less than any Emanator's. Your status will be equal to mine, second only to a god, above all others!"
Facing Phantylia's expectant gaze, Bai Jun slowly lowered his head, gently swaying his shoulders as if hesitating and struggling.
Just when Phantylia thought her offer was working and was preparing to intensify her seduction efforts...
Bai Jun could no longer suppress his laughter and threw his head back, laughing heartily as if he had heard the funniest joke in the world.
"All my strength? You've got one thing wrong from the start. You think this is all I'm going to do?"
As the voice faded, in the Phantylia vision, Bai Jun first made the Sacred Judgment of Heavenly Fire disappear, then slowly opened his left hand, and a dazzling light appeared in his palm.
"Extremely arrogant."
He then clenched the ball of light in his left palm, and the light shattered instantly. In an instant, endless flames gathered on Bai Jun's palm, creating a terrifying aura that almost tore the sky apart. When the light, strong enough to burn one's vision, dissipated, the Herrscher of Flames Core was perfectly pieced together, and a greatsword burning with eternal flames appeared in his hand.
A massive heatwave roared out, and the ground within the Scalegorge Waterscape, which had remained unchanged for thousands of years, began to melt due to the high temperature, revealing the soft soil beneath.
Meanwhile, the form of the Heavenly Fire was constantly transforming, gradually unleashing its true form, a power known as Might of An-Utu.
The immense power gathered and instantly drove back the torrential rain and gale-force winds.
Space was distorted by the rampant spread of the vortex of calamity fire.
Bai Jun floated in the air, the blazing firelight illuminating his profile.
The first to cry out was the monstrous Abomination Dragon beneath Phantylia; it was a roar of terror.
This colossal beast, which prides itself on its massive size capable of devouring the world and whose mere sway of its body can generate destructive waves, was actually filled with fear at the beam of fire in the sky.
"No! How could that be!?"
Phantylia belatedly screamed, frantically gathering her forces for an attack, but gazing at the judgment in the sky, all her resistance was futile.
Jing Yuan and Yan Qing, supporting each other's shoulders, the Vanguard standing helplessly, the exhausted Judge, and the Cloud Cavalry supporting themselves with their weapons—all eyes were on Bai Jun's figure as he flew into the sky.
"Might of An-Utu-- "
Bai Jun raised this world-saving sword that transcends worlds and civilizations high, and then brought it down.
Then the blazing Sun and flames engulfed everything.
A violent explosion once again swept across the entire shoreline and ocean of Scalegorge Waterscape, dozens of times stronger than the last one.
The earth trembled violently, and the deafening explosion sounded like the world's painful roar, causing everyone's eardrums to ache terribly. It was as if the entire world had been transformed into black and white by the Sun's brilliance in an instant, and everything caught in the blast was broken down into basic lines.
The sword energy of the Calamity Fire pierced through the head and chest of the Abomination Dragon, penetrating all the way to the bottom.
Without any hesitation or obstruction, the storm swept across the upper body of the Phantylia to the lower body of the Abomination Dragon, piercing through its massive form.
The next instant, the Blazing Fire Cannon completely destroyed the Abomination Dragon's body, then crashed into the earth, shattering everything in its path.
The strong winds transformed into a tremendous shockwave, shaking the entire Scalegorge Waterscape.
The blast wave kicked up huge amounts of dust, which raged wildly.
Everyone who witnessed this scene shielded their faces with their arms to withstand the raging torrent of flames, followed by an astonishing surge of wind pressure that, like a flash of light, filled their vision with a colorless impact.
The storm and the flames roared endlessly.
After that fleeting moment, the world returned to silence, as if nothing had happened.
But the scene before them sent chills down their spines. In the center of the razed Scalegorge Waterscape, the ocean, now divided in two, was converging towards the center.
And the sky above was outlined by a thick, chasm-like cloud formation.
The artificial sky shattered under this attack.
The dark clouds parted in two, the gloom dissipated, and the chaotic disorder was burned to ashes by terrifying flames.
The flames of salvation illuminated the eyes of every witness, whether it was Jing Yuan Yan Qing in the distance or the dumbfounded Cloud Cavalry and Vanguard.
The setting sun shone through the collapsed ceiling into the now-leveled hall. The twilight sky enveloped the walls made of many stone pillars. Looking to the west, one could see the Ancient Sea, reflecting the afterglow, shimmering with golden light, a beautiful and dreamlike sight.
Sparkling, magnificent, and breathtakingly beautiful.
PS:
Hoo hoo, the Xianzhou arc is coming to an end. Speaking of which, this arc has really been a bit too long. Now we need to get moving on to the other arcs.
But before that, allow me to write one last chapter to conclude the Xianzhou arc~
Oh, and one more thing, I'd like to ask for your monthly votes!
Chapter 191 The So-Called Treatment of Heroes
She witnessed a miracle.
As dark as the end of the world, at the junction of the sky and the sea, where darkness intertwines, amidst the sea where despair and Finality alternate, the swirling seawater is as fierce as bullets, the roaring of aliens and the shrill screams of women, it looks like the end of the world no matter how you look at it.
However, facing the seemingly Finality sea, the figure still stood tall and unwavering, showing no sign of confusion.
The glimmer of hope would never be extinguished easily, and then she witnessed the blow that reversed despair.
The raging flames that poured down from the sky demonstrated absolute power, and even storms gathered in response.
That radiant light from the dead end cleaved through the darkness that devoured everything, and also severed the terrifying roars of the alien creatures that shook the surroundings.
She cut through the darkness, the howling wind roaring in her ears, and the blazing flames reflecting in all directions scorched her eyes and her heart.
Silver Wolf suddenly blinked.
It hurts!
Her blinking eyes snapped shut the next second, the dry, throbbing pain causing tears to instantly stream down her face. Only then did she realize that from the very beginning, her eyes had been fixed on Bai Jun's back, witnessing the entire event.
This is the Ancient Sea closest to the Scalegorge Waterscape. Silver Wolf, Blade, and Kafka gaze together at the sky above the Scalegorge Waterscape.
Because the commotion caused by that monster was so great, not only was the basic energy supply to other cave heavens near the Scalegorge Waterscape cut off, but ordinary people were also plunged into unwarranted fear. It was precisely because of this that the three of them were able to take the opportunity to escape from the Divination Bureau's formation.
No one even noticed them along the way, because all eyes were drawn to the distant horizon of Scalegorge Waterscape, following the sudden appearance of the crimson sword energy in the sky.
"I originally thought that Emanator, a fusion of three Path, was terrifying enough, but I didn't expect there to be something even more frightening here. He really didn't use his full strength back at the space station... Come to think of it, that small place couldn't withstand his antics."
Silver Wolf pressed his small hands to his forehead, first complaining and grumbling, then finally letting out a relieved, bitter smile.
This time, the experience was slightly different from what he had witnessed on the space station last time. It might be a little embarrassing to admit, but when Silver Wolf first saw that slash that turned the world into black and white, he was terrified of Bai Jun. But this time was different.
As she watched the strike that shattered all despair, cunning, and confusion, and was deeply moved, Silver Wolf felt an inexplicable and subtle emotion welling up within her.
She thought that admiration was probably the most fitting word to describe it.
There was nothing to be ashamed of; Silver Wolf didn't find it strange to feel admiration for that figure, who resembled a hero from a fairy tale. On the contrary, wouldn't it be strange if he couldn't feel admiration for that sight?
Ren remained silent, clutching the ancient sword in his arms, though a slight tremor seemed to flicker in his eyes.
Kafka gazed at the scene above her, her lips curling into an elegant smile.
"Is this the script you were hoping for, Elio?"
She looked up at the young man fighting the monster and spoke to Elio was not present.
The woman who had previously been ruthlessly and blandly carrying out Elio's script now reveals her true feelings on the shore of this Ancient Sea.
"You are indeed extraordinary. At first, I thought Elio's evaluation of you was a bit too high, but now it seems that the truth is quite the opposite."
She gazed at Bai Jun and murmured to herself.
"For the sake of the script's Finality, for the fulfillment of the destined ending, a hero is necessary. I'm glad you've succeeded."
Kafka opened her arms.
She slightly narrowed her eyes, the same color as her hair, smiled gently at the opera on stage depicting humans and monsters, and then announced in a loud voice:
Be the Core Flame that ignites the era, "Sun," the stage is set for you!
Under the watchful eyes of several Stellaron Hunters, the grand yet comical stage came to an end.
The Stellaron incident, which shocked the entire Xianzhou Alliance, finally subsided into tranquility as Phantylia's conspiracy was foiled.
When news broke that the Destruction Emanator dared to attack the Xianzhou, the Grand Marshal, the de facto ruler of the Xianzhou Alliance, issued a declaration of war against the Destruction Legion and the Aeon of Destruction that very night, immediately causing an uproar throughout the universe.
Despite the infamous Destruction Legion having enemies in every corner of the galaxy, no force dares to challenge it given its absolute power with seven Emanator. Even the largest interest group in the universe, the Interstellar Peace Company, has only issued an arrest warrant for it.
This left those forces with an irreconcilable hatred for the Destruction Legion with no choice but to grit their teeth and swallow their anger.
Now, even the Interstellar Peace Company is being treated as an equal, and the Immortal Xianzhou Alliance, renowned throughout the universe, has openly declared war on the Destruction Legion. This has garnered applause from countless people who share the same ideas but lack the power to back them up, and many forces have even taken the initiative to establish diplomatic relations with the Xianzhou Alliance to show goodwill.
The map of power has been rewritten, and the original balance of the universe has been quietly loosened and disintegrated. Rumors are circulating throughout the world, causing great turmoil.
At the center of the uproar, Xianzhou Luofu, whose ship was the immortal vessel, was naturally utterly shocked.
This situation is different from the last battle in the Prison of Deep Seclusion. The commotion caused by Phantylia cannot be easily covered up by excuses such as an energy mine explosion. Moreover, the loud cries and the earthquakes triggered back then were felt by everyone in Luofu.
Lying is impractical, but fortunately, Jing Yuan had no need to hide anything this time.
Unlike the previous civil war with Merlin's Claw, this battle was a genuine heroic feat. Therefore, Jing Yuan not only did not hide it, but also embellished it and wrote it into an epic story, making it public.
The crowd cheered loudly, their spirits high, and they congratulated the hero with enthusiastic applause.
Regardless, a living legend is always better than past glory. Furthermore, with the popularity Bai Jun had accumulated throughout Luofu, the combined effect of these two factors has made Bai Jun's prestige no less than that of the Five Valiants of the Clouds, a legacy celebrated throughout Luofu, and with the spread of public opinion, he is even showing signs of surpassing them.
In other words, he is now synonymous with hero in the eyes of the people of Luofu. In fact, rumors have spread in most communities that he will be the successor to the next Luofu General. Faced with false information involving politics, Jing Yuan did not order any punishment, but allowed such voices to grow stronger.
Before anyone knew it, the entire Luofu, the Xianzhou, and even the entire galaxy that was watching the Xianzhou's every move had heard the news and believed it without a doubt.
Even after the battle ended, the afterglow of the fierce fighting remained, and the people even spontaneously held a grand celebration, with the city reveling day and night.
It wasn't until the morning of the third day after the incident that the noisy ship, which had been bustling for days, finally quieted down as if it had closed its eyes and fallen asleep.
Three days have passed since that day...
As for the center of the media storm, he was now sitting on a soft sofa, sighing repeatedly at the beautiful woman who was showing him such meticulous care.
Ever since the battle that day, Bai Jun has been surrounded by other people. First Fu Xuan Qing Que, then Sushang Chang Guinaifen, then the Judge Sisters and Huo Huo, everyone was crying with tears streaming down their faces, running forward to hug him as if they would lose him if they loosened their grip even slightly.
The most outrageous among them were Tingyun and Yukong. These two beautiful Foxkin, upon hearing of his exploits, had their eyes light up. Although they had always harbored deep desires for him, they now succumbed to the gluttony of carnivorous animals, finding all sorts of strange excuses to lock him in their rooms whenever they had a spare moment...
As a result, Bai Jun hasn't had a chance to leave his room during this period, causing him to turn pale and instinctively clutch his waist whenever he sees Tingyun and Yukong, no longer daring to stay in the room with either of them.
"I really don't have any aftereffects, my body is perfectly healthy, and there's no way I could have suffered any mental trauma. But you, Dan Zhu, how many times have you examined me already? If there really was a problem, you would have noticed it the first few times, right?"
The place they were currently in was the rebuilt Alchemy Commission. Bai Jun Lingsha to come here every morning for a physical examination. Lingsha was examining him as usual today, and responded to his complaints with a stern lecture.
"That won't do! A-Bai, you went through such a terrifying battle! Even the slightest injury or aftereffect is absolutely unacceptable! Does that mean... A-Bai, you're already tired of me?"
"No, that's not true. Haven't I assured you more than forty times already?"
Even three days later, whenever the battle was mentioned, Lingsha would look at Bai Jun with teary eyes and a pitiful expression. This always forced Bai Jun to give in, coaxing her to stop crying while letting her continue to torment her body.
Honestly, does a physical examination always have to involve touching and groping the patient?
The answer was no, but Lingsha continued to do so every day with great enthusiasm. Bai Jun felt deeply helpless about this. Just then, a voice came from beside him. It was General of Divine Strategy, lying on the next bed, who sat up with a smile, resting his chin on his left hand, and said meaningfully:
"So young people just don't know how to cherish things. Do you know that what you're experiencing now is exactly what old men with no one to rely on envy the most? Sigh, if only I had been able to marry a good woman like Miss Lingsha when I was younger, like you, Bai Jun."
"What are you saying in front of Dan Zhu..."
Faced with Jing Yuan's teasing, Bai Jun gave him a disdainful look, while Lingsha beside him said, "General, what are you saying? A-Bai and I haven't progressed to that point yet," covering her blushing face, but she didn't refute him.
"Speaking of which, you seem to be recovering very well. Perhaps you'll be able to return to your normal life in a couple of days."
After finishing today's body search—no, it should be called an inspection— Bai Jun put his clothes back on and said this to Jing Yuan, who looked radiant.
"Thanks to you, I didn't suffer any physical injuries. At most, I'm just mentally exhausted. Actually, a few days of rest will be fine. The reason I chose to rest for a few days was simply to be lazy."