The Main World.
Time Rift.
Ripples spread across the void.
Jiangnan tore through space with one hand and landed on the ground.
In his hand, he clutched the Deception God's Mask, which he had brought back from a thousand years ago.
He walked up to Jiang Li and handed him the mask.
"We've got the goods."
"As expected of my father!"
Jiang Li took the mask, gave it a thumbs up, and smiled broadly.
"I knew it! As long as you're in charge, there's nothing you can't handle!"
She carefully put the mask away, her previously playful expression turning solemn.
"So now... let's begin the first step of our plan."
Jiangnan nodded. "I'll go get the things now and bring them over."
As soon as he finished speaking, he reached out again and tore apart the space in front of him.
At the same time.
Deep Pool Fortress, the main battlefield.
The battle here has become so fierce that it's like Deadly Place.
Lin Bayi, who used to always carry the military flag and command from the rear, is now personally taking to the front lines.
He was covered in blood, and the blade in his hand was dulled from all the cutting.
Yet it still seemed to be slaying one boss after another that tried to charge at it.
"Boom!"
In the center of the battlefield, the hundred-meter-tall Machine God was shaking violently.
Its breastplate was covered with jagged dents and scratches.
Inside the cockpit, Berris was drenched in sweat, battling against the creature that was crawling out from the seabed...
A colossal beast, hundreds of meters tall, with a body size resembling a mountain.
Emperor Crab!
"Warning! The machine's load has reached 92%! The energy core is overheating!"
The alarm echoed in the cockpit.
Prolonged, high-intensity combat brought the Machine God, this weapon of war, to the brink of collapse.
Even Berris's mental energy was nearing its limit.
"Damn it... where's Thunder, the real deal?! This crab is too meaty!"
Berris was panting heavily.
She had just uttered a complaint out of distraction.
The Emperor Crab's claws suddenly swung down!
"Bang!"
The Machine God was almost knocked over on the spot by this strange force.
The aircraft retreated hundreds of meters, carving two furrows in the ground.
"You stinking crab, how dare you ambush Berris?!"
Enraged, Berris pushed the control stick all the way up again, her eyes red, to forcefully stabilize the Machine God.
Wielding the broken Star-Slaying Sword, he charged into battle once more!
And below, at the edge of the shattered battlefield.
Mo Wan and Lin Zhu were fleeing in all directions.
Behind them, a grotesque monster with a bulky body and ten deformed giant hands was in pursuit.
That's a top-tier boss, the Weird Farmer!
Each of its ten hands holds a rusty sickle...
Pitchfork...
Rakes and other agricultural tools were wielded with such ferocity that there was no gap in the air.
"This monster has no sense of martial ethics!"
As Mo Wan ran, panting heavily, she loudly complained in despair.
"So many hands, and so many weapons!"
"I'm a pure support character, how am I supposed to fight like this?"
"Stop talking nonsense and save your energy to escape! It's catching up!"
Lin Zhu grabbed Mo Wan's arm and desperately darted and weaved through the ruins.
Just as the Weird Farmer's giant pitchfork was about to pierce the two men through.
"Stop!"
A figure suddenly appeared from the flank; it was none other than Shangguan Shuyi had rushed to the rescue!
She held the ink brush, waving it rapidly in mid-air while shouting sharply.
As the ink splashed, the phantoms of the four mythical beasts roared and charged toward the farmer!
However, reality is cruel.
Without the Phoenix Emperor's four elemental powers to work together.
The phantom of the mythical beast, formed solely from ink, appeared pale and powerless before the BOSS.
Bang bang bang!
The Weird Farmer simply waved his farm tools a few times.
They tore those ink-bearing mythical beasts to shreds on the spot!
"Roar!"
The farmer roared.
Its abdomen suddenly split open from the middle.
He actually pulled out his own blood-red intestines, which were tens of meters long, from his stomach!
The intestines swelled in mid-air, transforming into a giant worm covered in fangs, intending to devour the people on the ground in one gulp!
And right now.
"Buzz!"
A spatial rift opened above their heads!
Immediately afterwards, a dazzling [Extinction Tribulation Light] poured out from the crack!
"Pfft!"
The giant worm was instantly torn into countless pieces of flesh the moment it came into contact with the calamity light!
"Awooooo!"
The Weird Farmer roared, enveloped in a blinding light, and followed in the worm's footsteps.
It was burned to ashes in the high temperature!
A survivor.
Mo Wan opened her eyes and saw the figure emerging from the crack; her eyes reddened.
"Oh! Boss! You're finally back!!!"
She was so excited she almost jumped up.
Jiangnan turned around, glanced at them, and nodded slightly.
"Go in first."
He used his backhand to open a spatial passage leading to Time Rift.
Without any hesitation, Shangguan Shuyi, Mo Wan, and Lin Zhu immediately helped each other and stepped into the crevice.
After confirming their safety, Jiangnan raised his head and looked at the Machine God who was fighting the Emperor Crab to the death in the distance.
His eyes sharpened, and [Close at Hand, Near Yet Far] was activated!
"Bang!"
Inside the cockpit of the Machine God, Berris gritted her teeth.
"This crab's shell is so meaty!"
"Without Supernova Mode, it's impossible to penetrate its defenses!"
As she pondered a solution.
"Warning! High-intensity spatial fluctuations detected within the cockpit!"
The Machine God issued an urgent warning.
The next second.
"Hey hey hey?!"
Berris felt a sudden emptiness beneath her.
The spatial compression force propelled her directly out of the driver's seat!
"Bang!"
She fell to the floor, rubbing her bottom and crying.
"Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! Who is it?! Don't you have any manners?!"
She had just looked up when she saw Jiangnan's face; he was already sitting in the driver's seat.
Not only that, Jiangnan's hands were already gripping the control stick, and lightning flashed in his eyes!
"Purple Firmament Divine Thunder!"
Without uttering a single word, Jiangnan infused the power of divine thunder into the Machine God!
"Thunder Living Person?! No, no, no! Let me get ready first!"
When Berris saw this, she was terrified and immediately screamed.
But it was too late.
The next second, purple electricity filled the entire body of the Machine God, and Berris, as the weapon spirit, was also affected!
"Oh my god!!!"
Berris, trembling from the electric shock, convulsed groaning on the ground.
Jiangnan seemed oblivious to the commotion behind him.
"Supernova Mode, activated."
They received a boost of Divine Grade energy, [Purple Firmament Divine Thunder].
The Machine God's previously depleted energy bar was now full, breaking through its limit!
Outside world.
The Machine God was crackling with purple lightning!
It gripped the [Star-Slaying Sword] tightly with both hands and slashed down at the charging Emperor Crab!
"Sizzle!"
There was no suspense whatsoever.
The crab shell was like a hot knife through butter before the Star-Slaying Sword was imbued with the Purple Firmament Divine Thunder.
The Emperor Crab was split in two on the spot and collapsed with a crash!
After defeating the BOSS.
Jiangnan then released the control lever and looked back at Berris on the floor.
Are you alright?
He frowned slightly.
At this moment, Berris was sitting slumped on the ground like a duck.
His cheeks were flushed, and the fur all over his body was standing on end from the electric shock.
"No... it's nothing."
She forced herself to remain calm, looked away, and muttered something while biting her lip.
"This little bit of stimulation is enough for Berris to handle..."
"Yes, it's because the floor got electrified... it's a bit damp."
Jiangnan's eye twitched, and he decided not to delve into the issue of [dampness].
"Since everything's alright, let's go."
He placed his hands on the Control Console, covering the Machine God with the spatial attributes within his body.
The Machine God can absorb the power of thunder.
Then the power of spacetime should also be able to work.
Because he had previously managed to escape unscathed during Death Regression, and even preserved some information.
"Beep, spatial attribute access detected..."
"Parsing... Parsing successful."
"Activating time-space jump function..."
"Feature enabled."
"The Machine God can currently travel through space and time, and its estimated duration is..."
One hour.
The words had barely left his mouth.
The propulsion engine on the back of the Machine God transforms, and its light wings unfold!
Under Jiangnan's control, the Machine God soared into the sky!
"Swish, swish, swish!"
The Star-Slaying Sword drew several sword beams in mid-air, cutting a large number of bosses in Deep Pool Fortress into countless pieces of flesh!
Before leaving, Jiangnan, controlling the Machine God, paused for half a second in mid-air.
Through the holographic screen, he exchanged a tacit glance with Lin Bayi, who was fighting a bloody battle below, across a great distance.
No words are needed; a man's promise is in his eyes.
Then, the Machine God wielded its giant sword.
With a single sword strike, the spatial barrier was cleaved open, and the machine disappeared into the turbulent flow of spacetime.
About a minute later.
Time Rift.
The Machine God landed on this land.
Jiangnan activated [Near Yet Far] and descended from the cockpit to the ground.
Shangguan Shuyi and the other two were looking around at the space.
Jiangnan walked up to Jiang Li, his eyes deep and thoughtful.
"Everyone's here."
"Now, can we begin?"
Jiang Li nodded.
She didn't look at Jiangnan, but turned her head and focused her gaze on Shangguan Shuyi.
Do you remember me?
"Little Pen-Pen."
The instant I heard those three words.
Shangguan Shuyi suddenly felt a chill run down her spine!
She stiffly turned her head, staring at Jiang Li's vaguely familiar face.
But the most important thing is that nickname that has been associated with her for a thousand years!
"You... you are His Majesty?!"
Shangguan Shuyi's voice was trembling.
Jiang Li smiled slightly.
"Yes, it's me."
But now, all of that is in the past.
"Here, I am simply Jiang Li."
Jiang Li walked up to Shangguan Shuyi and looked directly into her eyes.
"So..."
"Little Pen-Pen, for the survival of this world, are you willing to sacrifice yourself?"
Upon hearing this,
Everyone felt a little melancholy, and Lin Zhu even subconsciously tightened her grip on Mo Wan's hand.
Jiangnan stood to the side, silent.
He had long anticipated this outcome, because Jiang Li had asked him for these people with Artifact Sequence attributes from the very beginning.
He knew that Jiang Li was using them as materials.
Shangguan Shuyi pursed her lips and gritted her teeth.
But after a brief internal struggle, she revealed a resolute look in her eyes.
"I do."
Shangguan Shuyi replied, "As long as it can save Her Highness the Eldest Princess, as long as it can fulfill your last wish..."
Even if it means my eternal damnation, I'm willing to do it.
"Very good."
Jiang Li nodded approvingly. "Little Pen-Pen, you're still as brave as ever."
"However..."
"I forgot to say one thing."
"The end of this treacherous road is not necessarily death."
"You don't need to put on that heroic, death-defying expression; it's too much of a Bitter and Deep Hatred."
She patted Shangguan Shuyi on the shoulder and raised an eyebrow.
"Don't be afraid, I'm 60% confident I can save your life."
Upon hearing this heavily breathed-out remark...
Shangguan Shuyi's tense nerves relaxed.
"Oh, Your Majesty... you should have said so earlier!"
"I was so scared I watched the whole 'carousel' just now, I really thought I was going to die!"
Jiang Li couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"Hey, let's lighten the mood!"
"If I had said 60% from the beginning, you definitely wouldn't be as relaxed as you are now."
"It's only when you compare it that you realize how good it is."
"Smack!"
Just as Jiang Li was laughing so hard she was doubled over, a flick of her forehead landed on her head.
Jiangnan withdrew his hand. "Stop messing around, let's get down to business."
"Hiss!"
Jiang Li covered her bright red forehead.
"The memories that were lost are attacking me again..."
"Dad, you're over a thousand years old, why do you still like flicking people on the forehead!"
Joking aside, Jiang Li rubbed his forehead, his expression turning serious again.
She turned around, announcing the first step of this insane plan.
"Our first step is to forge a container here."
Then, Jiang Li focused his attention on Mo Wan and Berris.
I'm going to ask you a very cliché question.
"Would you like to... be a hero who saves the world?"
Upon hearing this,
Mo Wan and Berris were stunned at first.
Next, these two girls, whose very nature is sunny and cheerful.
His eyes blazed with a dazzling light!
"Think!!!"
The two shouted in unison.
This kind of thing, which only the Protagonist chosen one, can do, is exactly what these two are looking for!
Are you all crazy?!
Lin Zhu, who had been maintaining her composure, suddenly changed her expression and grabbed Mo Wan's arm.
"This is reality, not a video game! Didn't you all understand what she meant?"
"You're going to be used as materials for refining weapons!"
Faced with Lin Zhu's questioning.
Jiang Li did not refute, but instead explained the danger involved.
She looked at Berris.
"As someone who possesses [Genesis], the Fusion process will likely result in you being confined to a ghostly state for your entire life."
"It can no longer have a physical form."
She looked at Mo Wan again, her voice even deeper.
"And you, possessing [Hundred Forgings], as the leader of this forging process, bear the greatest pressure."
"You might die during this forging process, your soul and spirit annihilated."
"So, are you still willing?"
Hearing this price...
Berris spread out her semi-transparent hands.
"Tch, a ghost is a ghost, so be it."
"Anyway, I'm already used to Berris's current ghastly appearance."
"And there's currently no good way for me to regain my physical form."
She smiled nonchalantly.
"If I can save the world and get my name in history by sacrificing this little bit of grievance, then this is a win-win situation no matter how you look at it!"
Meanwhile, the atmosphere on Mo Wan's side became tense.
"Wan'er, please don't go..."
Lin Zhu, her eyes red-rimmed, grabbed her arm, "This could really kill us! We must have another way!"
Mo Wan fell silent.
She looked at Lin Zhu's anxious face.
A long time.
She patted Lin Zhu's hand and pulled it down.
Ultimately, an answer was still provided.
"I promise."
"You're insane!"
Lin Zhu broke down and screamed.
"Soo-soo, look at the current situation."
Mo Wan gave a bitter smile. "The world is about to end."
"If we don't step up and take this gamble, we'll all die sooner or later."
Mo Wan her head and looked at Jiangnan not far away, her eyes flashing with gratitude.
"I used to tell you when we were playing video games, 'Even if the sky falls, there's always a tall person to hold it up.'"
"All I need to do is stay in the back and heal."
"But... our leader has already covered for us too many times."
Mo Wan's eyes became brighter than ever before.
"If I had enough power now, who wouldn't want to..."
"Want to be that towering, upright person for once?"
Upon hearing these words...
A glint of light flashed in Jiangnan's eyes.
He turned to look at Jiang Li: "Is there really no other way?"
"If I have time, I can..."
He thought of the River of Time; if he could go back to the past, perhaps he could forcibly reverse this deadlock.
Don't think about the River of Time.
Jiang Li interrupted him and shook her head.
With Him there guarding, the cause and effect of the River of Time have been locked away.
"Given our current state, there's simply no way we can defy fate."
Jiangnan fell silent.
He did not refute it.
Because he knew better than anyone that he was severely limited in the River of Time.
If it weren't for the Word Spirit...
Mo Wan noticed Jiangnan's self-reproach and walked over with a smile.
"Boss, you don't need to feel sorry."
"In every dangerous battle we've faced before, you were always the first to rush in and stand in front of us."
"Now, it's our turn to protect you, and protect everyone."
Jiangnan opened his mouth, but didn't know what to say.
All those words could be summed up in just two.
"Take care of yourself."
Upon hearing those two words, Mo Wan's eyes reddened slightly, but she smiled happily.
"This is the first time I've heard you say you're relying on us, boss."
"I'm so happy to be able to rely on the Dragon God."
She turned around and strode up to Jiang Li.
"I'm ready, and I can start anytime."
Berris floated over, nodded haughtily, and stretched.
As the saying goes, a hero cannot desert his post!
"That's right!"
Mo Wan laughed and replied, the two girls' tacit understanding reaching its peak at this moment.
Watching their fearless and unwavering spirit in the face of death.
A look of appreciation flashed in Jiang Li's eyes, and then she waved her hand.
"Alright, let's begin then."
She turned to look at Jiangnan and extended her fair hand.
"Give me the [Mortal Fireworks Painting] and the [Human Emperor Lamp]."
Without hesitation, Jiangnan took out two Demi-artifact and handed them to Mo Wan.
Mo Wan's eyes lit up as soon as she took over.
"My God... this texture!"
Her hands were trembling with excitement.
"This is the first time in my entire life that I've ever come into contact with such exquisite Weird Artifact and Spirit Artifact!"
She looked up and shouted excitedly.
"Even if I die during the forging process, just being able to touch this divine equipment is definitely worth it!"
Feeling the resonance of the [Hundred Forgings] Supernatural Ability within her body, Mo Wan had already guessed what was going to happen next.
It's nothing more than using one's life as a furnace to forge a true divine weapon!
"Jiang Li, what exactly is it that we need to refine?"
Mo Wan asked impatiently.
Jiang Li stared at the endless gray-white void ahead.
He uttered a name.
"What we are forging is a divine artifact capable of encompassing this vast world..."
Its name is [The Mountains and Rivers State Map]!