Chapter 2067: 断手

Yellow sand surged across the sky, rolling in from the end of the dune plains.

The village's already meager crops were torn and flung into the air, and blood-red figures were ripped into several pieces, swallowed by this natural disaster.

A stone slab was pushed aside, and a young boy peered out.

After the disaster, the residual storm still howled fiercely, raking against faces painfully.

Yellow sand whipped his face, grating painfully against his eyelids. Standing amidst the remnants of the storm, the boy saw only desolation. In the distance, the twilight glow descended, not with an orange hue, but a gloomy, dull grey—the color of death.

"Wind..."

"Sand..."

The boy remained silent for an unknown duration, his eyes suddenly lighting up with the brilliant glow of stars. In that instant, he seemed to grasp the true essence of the wind and sand's transformations.

"Ugh, ugh!"

Nearby, a dirt-yellow staff rolled off a broken wall, and a half-mummified corpse, hanging from it and exposed for an unknown duration, suddenly let out a hoarse sound.

Elder Xia...

The boy looked up. The old man was barely breathing, sustained only by a flicker of Profound Viper energy within him.

If even Elder Xia, the strongest in the tribe, was like this, then everyone else must surely be dead, right?

"Ah Xin..."

"Elder Xia!"

The boy quickly hurried towards him.

The half-body on the broken wall had dried intestines still dangling outside, yet its withered hand suddenly reached out and cupped his face.

The old man's murky, yellowish single eye, heavy with the aura of death, stared at the boy's beautiful eyes, sparkling with starlight. In his gaze, an undeniable fervor burned, a brilliance akin to pilgrimage.

"Zhuji..."

"Elder Xia, what are you saying?"

"You... have... awakened..."

"Elder Xia, I see things. I see so much. I feel like I can understand the changes between them."

"Good! Good! Good!"

"Elder Xia, how can I save you?"

"Live... live on. Use the Eye of God to cultivate... use the power of God to change... this world..."

Waves rose higher than the sky, and thunder roared down like the wrath of an enraged god.

Thirty years of prosperity in the coastal market town were wiped out in an instant by this natural disaster.

Water eddies swirled slowly. After the disaster, the remaining gullies cut the former beautiful scenery into fragmented clusters, and the land here seemed utterly devoid of life.

"Water..."

"Thunder..."

Wind and sand gently swirled, converging to form the figure of a young man.

The Zhuji Eye took everything in. Heaven and Earth, nature itself, became the master of the Dao, imparting sorrow and anger, then departing without seeking anything in return.

Sizzle—

The young man raised his hand, and lightning surged in his palm.

With a flick of his finger, the water in the gully moved at his will, hovering in mid-air.

He gazed silently at this scene for a long time. The starlight faded from his eyes, replaced by a pulsating, vast white glow.

The young man looked towards the sea, as if piercing through countless eons, seeing a golden dragon burst from the water, bringing with it an army of millions of sea soldiers to charge ashore.

"A dream?"

"Or, the power of a prophet?"

The suppression of the Baiyi Tribe ended, and the resistors disarmed and surrendered.

Only the blood-covered tribal chief remained, forced to his knees, yet unwilling to yield to humiliation. He glared furiously at the dignified, middle-aged man in black robes before him.

The man in black robes stepped forward, a faint, cold light flickering in his eyes, and spoke with a chilling voice:

"I am the Heavenly Emissary, an incarnation of God."

"Those who follow me shall prosper; those who defy me shall perish."

Chief Jin Wan suddenly broke free from his restraints and drew his blade.

Three grey floral patterns rotated in the black-robed man's eyes, flowing into his pupils. With a single glance, the chief's body abruptly stiffened.

"Kneel."

Jin Wan collapsed to the ground, powerless.

The defeat of the Baiyi Tribe heralded the unification of the continent and signified that divine grace was about to illuminate the darkest corners of this world.

Behind him, the powers of fire, thunder, wind, and water raged and roared across the sky, fully unleashing the exultation of victory.

Everyone raised their weapons, shouting in unison and chanting the invincible name of the black-robed leader before them:

"Saint Xin! Saint Xin! Saint Xin!"

"Invincible! Invincible! Invincible!"

Saint Xin, the Divine, looked back. The three floral patterns in his eyes faded, and a faint white light pulsated.

He saw a sword light cleave from the far end of primordial time and space, wielded by an unknown hand, striking towards an unknown destination.

But the power it contained could clearly shake him.

There was no invincibility; only the unknown golden dragon and sword light had yet to arrive.

"From this day forward, this continent shall be renamed the Saint Divine Continent."

"I, Ancestor Saint Xin, shall ascend to the Celestial Realm to seek the ultimate essence of the Dao. When I return, I shall help the cultivators of my Saint Divine Continent advance further."

Saint Xin, the Divine, only exchanged one blow with the Dragon of the Sea Nation, yet his physical body was torn apart.

The Saint Divine Continent had endured for ten thousand years, but this Dragon of the Sea Nation's civilization, appearing from who knew where, had shattered the legend of invincibility.

"Retreat!"

"Sound the gongs for retreat!"

Saint Xin awoke in his palace and looked towards the continent.

At first glance, his Grand Dao Eye could not discern the myriad laws of the Grand Dao, and his Zhuji Eye could not perceive the transformations of the Grand Dao.

"Destiny has already changed..."

"No, it can't be. I merely lost once. No, it was just a draw, a mutual defeat. It was also gravely wounded by me..."

Saint Xin poured all his strength into it, activating his Prophet's Eye once more.

A vast expanse of white, no longer as clear as before. He strained to discern, and fortunately, he could vaguely make out a few scenes.

At the desolate end of the world, an old farmer bent down and picked up the sole tender green sprout on the barren land.

In the lawless zones where malevolent spirits roamed, grotesque rituals frequently occurred, piling up a blood-red skull divine throne, awakening an eerie, three-headed, six-armed evil god.

In the barbarian lands covered in yellow sand, a single punch shattered the void. The Three Realms and Six Paths consequently abandoned ancient methods, turning to physical cultivation, seeking to shake the might of high heavens and deep earth with the power of ordinary ants.

Within the shattered currents of the storm, pierced by blades of time, a celestial island floated. Ancient giants, born a thousand zhang tall, possessed extraordinary talent, wielding power stronger than the beasts of the sea nation and mortal body cultivators. They even assimilated myriad laws to bolster themselves, drawing ever closer.

"Swoosh!"

That inscrutable sword light appeared once more.

The scenes Saint Xin saw were instantly shattered. Blood flowed from his eyes, and amidst the turmoil of his Dao heart, the Prophet's Eye was completely broken, transforming into an Eye of the Unknown.

He pondered for an unknown duration before raising his head again.

Myriad powers converged in his left eye, transforming into a sacred divine light.

Yet in his right eye, demonic energy began to proliferate. Though still weak, it quickly grew, devouring all fear and apprehension.

"Destiny is divided among myriad realms."

"My divine power has evolved to its limit. The rest of the path I must walk alone."

Saint Xin seemed to sense something, looking up to gaze far into the sky.

He had to ascend to the Celestial Realm again, to obtain divine artifacts that could stabilize his Dao foundation and eradicate his inner demons. Otherwise, he would make no further progress.

"Life, sorcery, martial power, giants—all must die!"

"And, the sword!"

Saint Xin finally let out a cry of agony, a sound typically only heard from his enemies.

He was defeated.

Utterly and completely defeated.

Defeated by that inscrutable sword light, defeated at this very moment he had long foreseen.

Nine Grand Sword Arts, Eighteen Sword Flows, Three Thousand Sword Paths!

Human power could reach such a point: capable of pioneering sword paths, laying foundations, and crowning various sword techniques with a path of progressive, steady advancement.

Unlike his own Saintly Dao, which merely bestowed power upon others.

Perhaps cultivators needed this method more—needed to compete through survival of the fittest to produce insights that could offer them... pigs?

The Five Sky Pillar Swords—Xuan Cang, Duzun, Nuxian, Yousi, Taicheng—and the Five Earth Essence Pearls—Yuelian, Yanmang, Qingfeng, Tingchen, Shuangzhen—could unleash magnificent, unparalleled power in an instant.

Perhaps he also needed to perfect his own exclusive Saintly Weapons, pushing them to their limits to stand beside him as companions, rather than merely using them as tools while actually relying only on his bare fists and cultivation methods?

"Who, after all, are you... sir?"

"My name is Gumu. I come from ten thousand generations in the future, yearning for defeat."

"Unbeaten? Heh... Above this realm, in the Thirty-Three Heavens of the Celestial Realm, reside seventy-two Ancestral Gods of Supreme Zenith, all feeding on cultivators like us from the lower realms. Though they possess the destiny of Ancestral Gods and countless rare treasures, myriad divine herbs and spirit plants, one must never lightly ascend to the Celestial Realm unless absolutely necessary..."

"The Celestial Realm, then?"

Saint Xin perished.

He perished under the continent's gaze.

Yet his inner demon was successfully sown, planted in Gumu's heart.

It witnessed Gumu planting agave on Dongshan, carving his deeds, forging the Sword Tower, crafting twelve swords, suppressing inner demons, and ascending to the Celestial Realm.

Gumu, he wouldn't return.

Because after he, the Demonic Saint Xin, cultivated the Blood Fiend Fortune Plundering Art in this tower, he returned to the past, relived the invincible life of the Divine Saint Xin, and laid down contingencies in advance, plundering the destiny of the great Chosen Ones foretold by the Prophet's Eye: Life, Sorcery, Martial Power, and Giants.

With Saint and Demon unified to zero, Gumu would either die at the hands of the Ancestral Gods of Supreme Zenith in the Celestial Realm, or on his journey home, or from the backlash of plundered destiny.

"Demonic Saint Xin, the first and only Ancestral God!"

The sword light glimpsed by the Prophet's Eye was not Gumu's, but half of Bazun'an's Azure Abode.

Before that sword even struck, Saint Xin seemed to re-experience the wretchedness of being utterly massacred and cut down by the Nine Grand Sword Arts, Eighteen Sword Flows, and Three Thousand Sword Paths.

In the Era of Spirit Refinement, when all ancestors of the Dragon Sword Heaven perished and their destinies were fully plundered, Saint Xin had laid so many contingencies. Yet, in this age, such a supremely talented sword cultivator could still emerge.

Such is the time!

Such is destiny!

Cultivating the sword together, yet the disciple surpasses the master.

Fortunately, a grand scheme spanning hundreds of millions of years could not be broken overnight.

Even if Bazun'an became a sword, surpassing Gumu, he would have nowhere to wield it. He would only enter the Temporal Realm to seek past Celestial Realms, and the outcome would undoubtedly be just one: inevitable loss!

A lost sword, no matter how strong, cannot strike oneself.

After sending Bazun'an away, Shennong's Myriad Herbs and Sui Yin arrived, still locked in a struggle.

It was clear that the destinies of Sword, Dragon, Battle, Heaven, Arts, and Medicine could all be brought into his grasp. Only Dao Ancestor and Xu Xiaoshou, who suddenly appeared, were slightly beyond control.

"At worst, with the Blood Fiend Fate Reversal Art activated, Dao, Shou, and Time—the three paths—will align, bearing witness to Saint Xin as the sole supreme being."

"But I imagine these remaining three won't be able to force out the Blood Fiend Fate Reversal Art."

The Blood Fiend Fate Reversal Art was already activated.

And the Reversal Restraint Cycle was also activated.

When the Sword, Dragon, Battle, Heaven, Medicine, and Ghost Arts were enacted, the destinies of all eight ancestors returned to the Saint Demon. Ten ancestors became one, the grand tide had formed, sweeping everything before it.

Why?

Why could he still not defeat a mere Xu Xiaoshou!

The sword light he had seen in the Prophet's Eye years ago was neither Gumu's Pillarless, Five Pearls, nor Bazun'an's Azure Abode, but Hidden Suffering, Heavenly Dissolution!

"I..."

When that sword struck from beyond distant time and space, cleaving towards Demonic Saint Xin, how was it similar to when Gumu, from myriad generations in the future, had traversed time with his sword to execute the Divine Saint Xin?

But it was different!

Gumu's era had already passed.

No matter how strong Bazun'an was, he had entered the Temporal Realm and could not return.

The Ten Ancestors, having fought to this point, were utterly gone, their powers fully absorbed back into him. All his calculations had succeeded!

Why...

Did this sword still dare to strike at the supreme being?

At the instant of Hidden Suffering, Heavenly Dissolution, Saint Xin's entire life flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern. Until his death, he could not comprehend how Xu Xiaoshou could achieve this.

He resisted with all his might.

Just like the ripple of unease that arose when he first foresaw the unknown, he descended into complete madness, overwhelmed by bewilderment and fury.

But like a tiny ant trying to shake a tree, he could not move this sword in the slightest.

The Realm of Delayed Law shattered instantly, the power of Reversal Restraint Cycle was ground away in an instant, and his three Saint Ancestor Weapons—the Primeval Mother Coffin, the Dao-Extinguishing Xuan Ruler, and the Chaos Cloud Satin—were thrown out and instantly exploded.

From past to future, from other worlds to this world.

The Zero Ancestor God should have been invincible throughout the world, yet with Xu Xiaoshou's Hidden Suffering, Heavenly Dissolution, there was no corner in all these myriad ages where he could stand.

"Xu! Xiao! Shou!"

One sword, Heavenly Dissolution, brought forth three rivers and two seas of destiny.

Saint Xin's body was annihilated by the power of the River of Body Dao; his spirit, annihilated by the power of the River of Spirit Dao; his will, annihilated by the power of the River of Will Dao.

One sword, hundreds of millions of years of cultivation, directly annihilated into emptiness.

At this moment, the Saint Demon completely lost himself, as fanatical as the ever-changing Sui Yin had been. His mind was a blank, leaving only the instinctive will to survive.

"There's still a chance!"

"The destinies of the Ten Ancestors can't save me, but the Eleventh Ancestor can, and the Path of Memory can!"

"No..."

A cry of alarm came from beyond myriad ages. In the Black Remnants of Memory, Dao Qiongcang's heart lurched, and he sighed deeply.

It's coming...

What shouldn't have come, still came...

Amidst a ripping sound, he had just finished transporting the population of the Apricot Realm into his own divine court, the Black Remnants of Memory.

Above the black river of memory, countless blood-red mirror-eyes tore open, forming into frantic, demonic faces of Saint Xin, roaring hoarsely:

"Give it to me!"

"Dao Qiongcang, give it to me!"

Hiss, hiss, hiss...

Throughout the Black Remnants of Memory, Blood Fiend power blazed, currents of energy converged and surged, forcibly sculpting Saint Xin's final form within the divine court.

That form was no longer human; only various perverse desires, brandishing their claws and teeth, remained. Only madness, only the instinct for survival. It could no longer even be called Saint Xin; it was merely the remnant of a Dao!

It lunged at Dao Qiongcang. On its constantly writhing, black-red misty body, crimson eyes lit up, flashing in an instant with the various original divine powers that Saint Xin had used to attain the Dao: Zhuji Star Pupils, Three Aversion Eyes, Red Sorrow Spirit Pearl, Soul-Fixing Eye, and more.

Yet, an instant later, the power vanished, annihilated into nothingness, because on the plane of Xu Xiaoshou's previous life, it had been utterly destroyed by a single sword strike.

"Xu Xiaoshou!"

Dao Qiongcang cried out in alarm, no longer even using the Telepathy Art, but withdrawing from the Black Remnants of Memory.

He stood in the Apricot Realm, looking towards Xu Xiaoshou on Crane Pavilion Mountain on the Saint Divine Continent, who was just managing to sheath Hidden Suffering. Xu Xiaoshou appeared as a god, with infinite power.

If Xu Xiaoshou had assisted, this mere remnant of Saint Xin in the Black Remnants of Memory would be nothing. But...

"Pfft!"

Xu Xiaoshou opened his mouth and spat out black blood.

He plunged Hidden Suffering into the mountain rock. The sword blade itself went limp, only trembling precariously as it propped up its master's body.

Exhausted?

Dao Qiongcang looked at his Xu.

Xu Xiaoshou looked at his Dao.

Just as when the 'All People' had forcefully appeared in the Temporal Realm and looked at Zero for a glance, questioning whether to act, Dao Qiongcang had suddenly been plunged into a struggle for consciousness with Dao Ancestor.

Now, Xu Xiaoshou, after exhausting himself with that one sword strike, looked on with only blank eyes. He clearly had a strong desire to help, yet all that remained was helplessness, resignation, and powerlessness. His gaze seemed to say, "Please, help yourself."

Dao Qiongcang was utterly speechless.

What was this, karmic retribution?

In the Black Remnants of Memory, Saint Xin's Dao Remnant, transformed into a malevolent, utterly vicious entity, surged forward, closing in rapidly.

Dao Qiongcang's own various powers had long been reduced to zero when he assimilated the Apricot Realm's inhabitants, by the Blood Fiend power that even Xu Xiaoshou dared not approach closely.

He had lost all his powers, even Zero had been polluted and reverted to a pile of ordinary stones. How could he have any spare energy to resist the final counterattack of Saint Xin's Dao Remnant?

"Can't you just give me one chance?"

The world was dead silent. Dao Qiongcang's eyes were hollow as he gazed at Saint Xin's Dao Remnant in the Black Remnants of Memory, also pleading with Xu Xiaoshou and Hidden Suffering on Crane Pavilion Mountain.

"Heheheh..."

The Dao Remnant lunged at him, Saint Xin's madness, spurred by Dao Qiongcang, clearly recalling Dao Qiongcang's previous betrayal:

"I, Ancestor, have already given you one chance!"

On Crane Pavilion Mountain, Xu Xiaoshou seemed unable to see the commotion in the Black Remnants of Memory or hear the sorrow in Dao Qiongcang's words.

He seemed to want to speak badly, but as he opened his mouth, he spat out more black blood with a 'pfft'. He collapsed to the ground, weakly leaning on Hidden Suffering, the light gone from his eyes:

"The burden... it's too great..."

"Hidden Suffering's Heavenly Dissolution, crossing time and space to obliterate Saint Xin, has utterly drained everything from me..."

He tried his best to prop himself up, seemingly wanting to go to Dao Qiongcang's aid.

But he stumbled, his body crashing down heavily again, his head even cracking on a stone. It was evident he was extremely weak:

"Damn it, can't I still do it..."

"In this state, my Dao... I can only rely on myself now..."

Deliberate!

He absolutely did it on purpose to sicken me!

How could Dao Qiongcang not see through Xu Xiaoshou's tricks? But the bitter fruit he had sown back then, he truly had to eat himself today.

After all, he had schemed against Xu Xiaoshou more than once.

And now, after unleashing that single sword strike, this fellow chose to leave Saint Xin with his last breath, allowing him to counterattack against himself.

Then, by leveraging Saint Xin's Blood Fiend power from before, and his own forced assistance to the Apricot Realm, he ground his own state down to its lowest point.

Two lowest points, colliding head-on.

Xu Xiaoshou, meanwhile, watched from the sidelines, awaiting the final outcome.

Regardless of who lived or died, he would undoubtedly have one last card to suppress the sole victor of the struggle.

Because no matter if the snipe won or the clam prevailed, they would be utterly exhausted, with no strength left to resist the later 'Old Man Xu'.

The art of an emperor lies in balance!

Xu Xiaoshou's move to create this balance was to control his own heart: whether to surrender or to die, depended on the attitude he would express next!

"Saint Xin, do you truly believe I, Ancestor, have no way to control you?"

Dao Qiongcang's eyes suddenly flared in fury. With a roar, his jade crown shattered, and his black hair cascaded down, making him look like a madman.

He plunged his hand into his chest, as if digging for a last life-saving item, and roared hoarsely:

"This card of mine, hidden for so long, how could it be waiting for Bazun'an, our Saint Slave Chief, or for Xu Xiaoshou, my dearest sworn brother?"

"It was waiting for you, Saint Xin, at this very moment!"

On Crane Pavilion Mountain, Xu Xiaoshou lay prostrate, his eyelids twitching wildly, as if he had lost all his senses, unable to see the battlefield even slightly.

As his eyelids twitched, they coincidentally opened a slit.

Xu Xiaoshou then took the opportunity to glance at the battlefield, seeing that although Dao Qiongcang appeared mad, his eyes were still wide open, and he was staring intently at him while roaring.

His face showed emotion, and he spoke tremblingly:

"Good friends, for life..."

But he couldn't act, for he was truly exhausted.

In the Black Remnants of Memory, Saint Xin's Dao Remnant was already fanatical. How could it be deterred by Dao Qiongcang?

It charged forward, seemingly fixated on Dao Qiongcang's right hand plunged into his chest. It reached him first and violently tore at him.

Dao Qiongcang's right hand was torn, but he couldn't pull anything out.

"Ah?"

On Crane Pavilion Mountain, Xu Xiaoshou's body trembled, his eyelids stopped twitching, and he lifted his head, his expression unsightly.

So weak.

Saint Xin broke his move just like that?

"Memories, belong to me—"

After tearing apart Dao Qiongcang's right hand, Saint Xin's Dao Remnant found nothing there and was utterly enraged.

The entire mass of formless, clawing, misty substance surged into Dao Qiongcang's body, instantly occupying and invading his entire being.

From inside out, from body to spirit to will, and from the Path of Memory to the Black Remnants of Memory—complete usurpation!

Xu Xiaoshou cried out in alarm, having barely managed to stand up. Yet, as he took a step, his body staggered. Even Hidden Suffering couldn't fly, let alone him providing aid.

Demonic energy surged from Dao Qiongcang's eyes. His entire face rapidly deformed and contorted beyond recognition in an instant.

Finally, he ceased struggling. His entire body seemed to have been taken over by Saint Xin, with only a desperate voice weakly escaping:

"Xu Xiaoshou, I know you doubt me in your heart."

"Since we are comrades through life and death, having shared joy and sorrow until this very moment, these suspicions still cannot be erased."

"Why not now hand me over to Saint Xin, and let you decide the fate of us both with a single sword stroke."

On Crane Pavilion Mountain, Xu Xiaoshou coughed incessantly, his eyes filled with despair, and he cried out loudly:

"Dao Qiongcang, where is your trump card? Didn't you say you still had strength left to deal with Saint Xin's final counterattack?"

Dao Qiongcang's body twisted. His body, spirit, and will were all being frantically devoured. His eyes rolled back, and he gave a weak, miserable laugh:

"Under the power of the Blood Fiend, what final card could there be?"

"It was merely to temporarily calm your mind, to make you forget your worries, and strike with all your might to slay Saint Xin."

"As long as... pfft, as long as you succeed, what does my life or death, Dao Qiongcang's life or death, even matter?"

Xu Xiaoshou's face showed disbelief, his eyes reddened with emotion:

He only cried out, for he couldn't act after all.

Dao Qiongcang's body cracked all over. He opened his mouth and spat out more black blood—it was his turn to spit black blood now.

He seemed to want to say something more, but evidently, he could no longer speak.

Xu Xiaoshou was still crying out, only crying out.

Dao Qiongcang trembled, seemingly unable to hear even Xu Xiaoshou's final cries. He struggled to force out one last sentence:

"Kill... me..."

"Quickly..."

Xu Xiaoshou was weeping, wishing he could rush forward to rescue his friend, Dao Qiongcang.

But as he lifted Hidden Suffering, the sword went limp. He took one step, stumbled, and finally crashed onto a large rock, hating his own powerlessness:

Dao Qiongcang's body stiffened, then he completely lost the ability to speak, only convulsing and spasming with guttural sounds.

His life force began to wane, and the aura of Saint Xin on him began to grow stronger.

Under the pollution of the Blood Fiend power, he had already become Saint Xin's next perfect vessel.

Even when Xu Xiaoshou called out again, Dao Qiongcang no longer heard him.

Xu Xiaoshou's tears streamed down as he wailed, yet he could only articulate his final, reluctant farewell:

"Dao Qiongcang, my good friend, after your death, I will depart from the Saint Divine Continent. Once my condition improves slightly, I will return to slay Saint Xin and avenge you."

"But to prevent Saint Xin from tracing me through the Path of Memory, I will use the Sea of Will Dao to obliterate everything in this world related to you in my memory, including myself, Dao Ancestor, Dao Qiongcang, Yi Ji, Dao Peipei, and all other persons and things."

"I will remember you, remember your sacrifice."

"But I will also forget you, making your resurrection impossible. Ahhh, my heart cannot bear it, Dao Qiongcang—"

Dao Qiongcang, who had been unable to hear, trembled at these words. His eyes, which had only shown whites, now rolled to reveal the black, filled with intense hatred.

"I concede!"

He could no longer pretend. He painstakingly raised his left hand and plunged it into his chest.

That final card, which he previously couldn't grasp, didn't exist, and which he vehemently claimed wasn't meant for the Saint Slave Chief or his close friend Xu Xiaoshou, was actually pulled out.

It was...

A severed hand!