Malicious Aura Takes Form, an Eerie Heartbeat

At the Eastern Sea Shore, at the end of heaven and earth.

An ancient seal stretching across the vast sea and linking to the void stood silently in the space between heaven and earth.

This seal was not a restriction array personally laid down by cultivators of the Primordial World. There were no traces of human craftsmanship upon it, no runes or array patterns flowing through it. It had been born and nurtured by nature itself, formed by heaven and earth.

Yet, strangely enough, it differed greatly from an array.

Li Changsheng stood before the seal, his gaze grave as he examined it for connections. Starting from the Dao of arrays would be much faster, and before long, he had grasped the secret behind the seal here.

When Pangu split open the heavens, the clear qi rose to become the sky, while the turbid qi sank to become the earth.

Myriad Chaos Demon Gods had fallen in the battle that opened the heavens. The bodies of most Demon Gods had been crushed by the power of creation and completely merged into the Primordial World, becoming mountains, rivers, seas, spiritual qi, and sources of origin—nourishment for the world's growth.

But there were exceptions to everything.

The Creation Demon God was one of the few survivors of that battle.

Though it had been thoroughly slain by Pangu, half of its body had shattered without merging into heaven and earth. Instead, it had been naturally sealed here by the newborn Primordial World.

Over countless ages, the tide of heaven and earth had ceaselessly ground away at its Demon God origin, attempting to completely refine this remaining Chaos Demon God and turn it into the foundation of the Primordial World.

That was precisely why this secret realm retained the lingering Dao aura unique to the Creation Demon God, concealing a Creation opportunity beyond the reach of outsiders.

Li Changsheng raised a hand and lightly touched the invisible restriction before him. A vast, ancient power of heaven and earth flowed into his fingertips.

After sensing it carefully for a moment, understanding flickered in his eyes, and the corners of his lips curved slightly.

Such a naturally formed seal possessed an exceptionally solid foundation and could endure through the ages, bolstered by the momentum of heaven and earth itself.

Yet its drawbacks were equally obvious. It had no array core, no contingencies, no controlling intelligence. Rigid and fixed, it was an insurmountable barrier to others, but not particularly difficult for him.

He was the reincarnation of the Creation Green Lotus's origin, wielding the Dao of Creation. He could resonate with the momentum of heaven and earth and was naturally compatible with this secret realm's origin. Breaking a seal formed by heaven and earth gave him an innate advantage.

Without further hesitation, Li Changsheng flicked his fingers, releasing threads of Creation Dao aura.

A crisp Dao chime rang out as layer after layer of sealing power was dismantled, guided away, and dissolved.

In only a few breaths, the seal that had shrouded this place for countless ages burst apart, turning into fine motes of light that scattered between heaven and earth.

Bzzzt—!

The instant the seal broke, a vast, violent, ancient, and sinister baleful aura surged from the depths of the secret realm, sweeping across the surroundings!

The baleful aura was black and viscous, dense enough to seem tangible. Carrying the most primitive and brutal destructive presence from the era of creation, it rushed toward him head-on.

Li Changsheng's expression changed slightly, and his brows knitted sharply.

The intensity, purity, and depth of this baleful aura did not pale in the slightest before the primordial ferocity surrounding Shen Ni, the emperor of ferocious beasts!

It was terrifying beyond measure!

If an ordinary Golden Immortal of the Great Luo entered this place, the baleful aura would invade their body in an instant, shattering their Dao foundation and annihilating their soul.

Even an ordinary Primordial Unity mighty expert would be entangled by endless baleful ferocity if they barged in recklessly, draining their origin and cultivation!

"Fortunately!"

Li Changsheng secretly rejoiced.

After a thousand years comprehending the Dao at Yingzhou, he had cultivated the Dao of World Cleansing, comprehended ten percent of the Laws of World Cleansing, and refined the Laws of Creation to twenty percent completion.

Creation governed life, while World Cleansing governed destruction. The two great Daos complemented each other and happened to be the natural nemesis of this ferocious aura from the creation of heaven and earth!

Had it been his former self, before comprehending the Dao, without the protection of the two Daos, he would surely have encountered immense danger had he rashly entered this secret realm today.

With a thought, vast and gentle power of Creation instantly enveloped his body, forming a layer of green lotus light that circulated closely around him.

The soft yet majestic life force of Creation automatically isolated and purified the foul, baleful qi surging around him. All filth and evil were kept outside, unable to come near him in the slightest.

Having taken every precaution, Li Changsheng stepped into the Creation Demon God's Secret Realm, which had been sealed for countless ages.

Inside the secret realm, heaven and earth were dim and lightless. The sky was dark, the land black and cracked, and dried corpses of unknown origin, painted in bizarre hues, lay everywhere.

The entire space was silent and desolate. There was no spiritual qi, no vitality—only endless stillness and boundless baleful ferocity.

Somewhere in the unseen, an incomparably pure and boundless aura of Creation origin drifted from the deepest part of the secret realm, firmly drawing Li Changsheng's mind toward it.

That power of Creation was utterly pure and deeply rooted, far surpassing the Dao aura of Yingzhou Immortal Island. To him, the incarnation of the Creation Green Lotus, it possessed an irresistible attraction!

If he could absorb and refine this Creation origin, his Laws of Creation would certainly break through once more, and the foundation of his cultivation would rise dramatically!

At the same time, the dense baleful qi filling the sky completely sealed off the entire secret realm.

Layer upon layer of creation-era baleful aura blocked the void and obscured perception, firmly restraining Li Changsheng's divine sense.

No matter how powerful his primordial spirit or profound his Dao aura, his divine sense could not penetrate the dense baleful qi to probe the depths of the secret realm. He could only abandon any attempt at distant exploration and cautiously feel his way forward step by step.

This secret realm was exceedingly strange.

It was silent—far too silent.

There was no wind, no rumbling, no movement from any living thing. The entire world seemed completely frozen.

The silence was unsettling, chilling to the soul.

Walking through the black and desolate secret realm, Li Changsheng could even clearly hear his own steady heartbeat, each beat echoing through the silent world with particular abruptness.

The more deathly silent the environment, the more unknown dangers it concealed.

Li Changsheng did not dare lower his guard. Lotus light shimmered around him while the power of World Cleansing lay quietly poised, ever vigilant against any disturbance nearby.

Just as Li Changsheng proceeded steadily and ventured a thousand li into the secret realm!

Whoosh!

A silent black shadow suddenly shot out from the dense baleful mist at his side. It was so fast that it made no sound as it lunged straight for his throat!

The attack was vicious and strange, utterly unlike the ordinary demons and ferocious beasts of the Primordial World!

Li Changsheng's expression did not change. He had long been on guard.

How could he not remain wary in such a strange place?

Li Changsheng did not even need to turn around. With a backhand sweep, he sent out a ray of World-Cleansing Divine Light.

The glowing white divine light arrived in an instant, striking the black shadow with perfect accuracy.

Sizzle—!

A piercing sound of dissolution rang out.

The ambushing black shadow instantly revealed its true form. It was a strange baleful beast formed entirely from pure baleful qi!

It had no flesh, no bones, no intelligence. Its entire body had condensed from creation-era ferocity, its form twisted and grotesque. Compared to the Four Great Ferocious Beasts of the Primordial World, it was stranger, colder, and more sinister.

Fortunately, this baleful beast possessed only an intimidating aura of ferocity. Its actual cultivation was not particularly formidable.

More importantly, it had been formed purely from baleful qi, and without exception, it was perfectly countered by Li Changsheng's power of World Cleansing!

Under the purification of the World-Cleansing Divine Light, the strange baleful beast did not even have a chance to struggle. More than half of it dissolved instantly, while the remaining baleful qi was thoroughly refined by the Creation lotus light and vanished completely.

"So it really is a secret realm creature condensed from baleful qi."

Li Changsheng understood.

This secret realm had accumulated creation-era ferocity for countless ages. Over time, it had naturally bred innumerable baleful beasts and evil creatures.

As he continued deeper into the heart of the secret realm, the ferocious aura around him grew increasingly dense and concentrated.

The baleful beasts hiding within the qi began to multiply wildly, and their strength rose in layers, growing ever more formidable.

From all directions, countless black shadows burst continuously from the thick mist, the ground, and the void, charging one after another to kill Li Changsheng.

Some were swift as the wind, some possessed bodies as hard as innate spirit treasures, while others hid soul-devouring baleful qi and wielded exceptionally vicious methods.

Yet even though the baleful beasts numbered in the thousands and emerged without end, they remained utterly insignificant before Li Changsheng.

World-Cleansing Divine Light spread forth, illuminating all directions. Every ferocious or evil entity that touched it collapsed at once.

Creation lotus light guarded his body, impervious to all evil. Every attack was blocked and dissolved.

The baleful beasts filling the sky looked savage and terrifying, but in truth, they had no power to resist. They dissolved in swaths and were completely wiped out, unable to hinder his advance by even half a step.

He crushed his way forward, pressing ever deeper.

After slaughtering countless baleful beasts and breaking through layers of baleful barriers, he had traveled an unknown number of tens of thousands of li.

Finally, at the deepest end of the secret realm, a vast and indistinct outline of an enormous corpse slowly appeared at the edge of his vision!

Even through the endless black baleful qi, he could still sense the ancient desolation and supreme majesty inherent in that body!

The remains of the Creation Demon God had finally appeared!

The closer he drew to that boundlessly massive Demon God corpse, the more oppressive and sinister the atmosphere became. Li Changsheng felt an inexplicable pressure weighing upon him.

Mixed with the pressure of the Creation Demon God, it stirred wariness within his heart.

The ferocious and violent aura between heaven and earth no longer roiled wildly. The entire secret realm sank into absolute silence.

Just as Li Changsheng fixed his gaze on the distant Demon God body and prepared to approach steadily to investigate!

An inexplicable chill instantly swept through his entire body.

Every hair on his body stood on end, and an extreme warning rose from the depths of his soul. It was as if, somewhere beyond the unseen, a pair of terrifying eyes spanning countless ages had quietly locked onto him!

The sensation of being watched and firmly targeted by an unknown existence was incomparably real, incomparably bone-chilling.

Li Changsheng halted abruptly and immediately focused his mind, his heart filled with uncertainty and alarm.

With his current cultivation, Dao attainment, primordial spirit foundation, and the support of two great Daos, he already stood among the very best of his generation in the Primordial World.

Ordinary changes in heaven and earth or concealed killing intent could not possibly give him such an intense sense of crisis.

Whatever could make his soul instinctively issue a warning and stir such wariness was definitely no ordinary existence!

Could it be... that the Creation Demon God had not truly fallen?

A bold and horrifying thought instantly surged into Li Changsheng's mind.

Yet the next moment, he forcefully suppressed his doubts and shook his head inwardly.

Impossible!

During the battle that opened the heavens, Pangu's divine might had been invincible throughout the ages.

How could a Chaos Demon God personally grievously wounded by Pangu and sealed by heaven and earth possibly have survived?

The power of creation was domineering beyond compare. It could sever all Daos and destroy gods and demons. Once it tainted one's origin, it would completely erase the foundation of the soul, leaving no possibility of survival.

Moreover, this Creation Demon God had been sealed by the Primordial World for countless ages, its origin worn down day and night by the momentum of heaven and earth, its soul refined away.

After endless ages of suppression and refinement, even a Primordial Unity mighty expert would have long since had their soul scattered and their origin erased.

By all reason, only a dead, soulless, spiritless corpse should remain here. There should not be anything strange about it!

Though countless thoughts turned through his mind and doubts continued to arise, Li Changsheng did not dare relax his vigilance in the slightest.

Secret realms in the Primordial World hid strangeness everywhere. The more peaceful a place appeared, the more likely it was to conceal deadly killing intent.

He secretly filled his entire body with the powers of World Cleansing and Creation. His primordial spirit tensed, and his divine sense spread to its limit.

He had already made up his mind: if he noticed the slightest irregularity, he would not linger in battle. He would immediately withdraw from the secret realm, placing his own survival first.

With his guard fully raised, Li Changsheng continued forward slowly.

As the distance steadily closed, the vague Demon God outline in the distance gradually became clearer, grander, and more shocking!

The closer he came, the greater the shock within his heart.

The Primordial World, once seemingly boundless and vast, appeared especially small and narrow against the backdrop of this body.

Every mountain and sea he had seen before, even the skies of secret realms, became utterly insignificant.

Even stranger, the baleful beasts that had emerged without end and covered the secret realm all along the way had completely vanished once he came within a thousand li of the Demon God remains. Not a trace of them remained.

The entire region was immaculate. There was not the slightest movement in the baleful qi, and its stillness was terrifying.

Were they suppressed and restrained by the Demon God's remaining supreme might?

Li Changsheng silently speculated.

Chaos Demon Gods were innate sacred beings from before the creation of heaven and earth, born from the origin of Chaos and naturally wielding supreme Daos.

Even after falling countless ages ago, their remaining bodies would still carry the pressure of gods and demons, suppressing all baleful qi and evil entities. That was not unreasonable.

With heavy doubts in his heart, he completely broke through the final barrier of black baleful qi.

The sight before him suddenly opened up!

A truly terrifying Divine Demon corpse, spanning heaven and earth and suppressing all ages, appeared in its entirety before his eyes!

Li Changsheng's eyes widened as his mind shook violently, immense waves rising within his heart.

The Creation Demon God before him had only half a body remaining!

Yet even that surviving half was unimaginably enormous.

The body was towering and vast, reaching the heavens and standing upon the earth, stretching across the skies of the entire secret realm without end.

With his current extraordinary vision, comparable to a perfected Golden Immortal of the Great Luo, he looked as far as he could and still could not see the edge of that half-body!

Its skin was ancient and weighty, engraved with naturally formed Chaos Dao patterns. They were densely packed and interwoven, and every single pattern contained the supreme mysteries of the Chaos Great Dao.

Though it had endured countless ages of erosion, refinement by heaven and earth, and the scouring of baleful qi, not the slightest trace of its divine essence had faded.

Most unbelievable of all, a faint greenish-blue radiance lingered across the surface of the Demon God body.

The radiance was gentle and unceasing, circulating in cycles like the blood and spiritual power of a living being as it slowly flowed between the body's textures.

After countless ages of desolation, the remains had not decayed or withered. Instead, they still seemed vividly alive, their enduring aura undiminished.

Standing before the remains of this ancient Divine Demon, Li Changsheng even felt a strange illusion!

This Creation Demon God, which had spanned countless ages, had never truly fallen. It had merely entered an eternal slumber that had lasted through endless years!

Amid his shock, absolute silence once more enveloped his body and mind.

Then, a faint, steady, ancient sound that seemed to pierce through countless ages abruptly reached his ears, striking directly at his soul!

Thump—

Dull, heavy, ancient, and distant.

It was... a heartbeat!

The remains of a Demon God that had fallen countless ages ago and been sealed and refined by heaven and earth for endless years still had a heartbeat!