Chapter 1997 Open Heart (1)
At that moment, a golden figure appeared in Ren Yuan's sea of consciousness. It resembled the statue, a man cast in gold.
"You've done well to arrive here at the opportune moment. Don't worry, I'll handle things from here on out," the man spoke directly to Ren Yuan's soul.
He then waved his hand, and a sea of golden brilliance surged forward immediately, rapidly engulfing Ren Yuan's sea of consciousness.
"You…" Ren Yuan glared at the golden man with hatred. "You're not the God of Heaven."
"Indeed," the golden man smiled. "Like you, I was once an inheritor of the God of Heaven's power. Unfortunately, I met a rather unfortunate demise at the hands of a certain... woman. If not for my foresight, I wouldn't be here today."
Looking at Ren Yuan, he continued, "I used the last of my strength to send the Heavenly Desolate Orb to the Divine Realm, a place that woman couldn't access. Thankfully, it found you, the next generation inheritor."
"Rest assured, I'll look after your people well. Now, hand over your body obediently."
Instantly, the golden brilliance intensified, devouring Ren Yuan's sea of consciousness at an even faster pace.
"So that's the case," Ren Yuan muttered to himself. The hatred on his face vanished, replaced by his usual calm and composed demeanor.
The golden man, witnessing this scene, felt a sudden unease. Before he could react, the Heavenly Desolate Orb unleashed a powerful suppressive force, causing his soul to tremble.
"You…" The golden man stared at Ren Yuan, disbelief widening his eyes.
A smile crept onto Ren Yuan's face as he spoke. "I thought you were the God of Heaven himself... Well, I should have known better from the outset. The God of Heaven wouldn't be as foolish as you."
"How did you do it?" The golden man demanded coldly, attempting to resist, but it was futile. The Heavenly Desolate Orb's power proved overwhelming.
Ren Yuan smiled and walked towards the golden man. With each step he took, the golden brilliance receded.
"Your plan was not bad," Ren Yuan spoke slowly. "Your only mistake was underestimating the power of the Heavenly Desolate Orb."
"The power of the Heavenly Desolate Orb?" The golden man scrutinized the orb intently, soon making a startling discovery.
"A spirit… it has regained its spirit! How is this possible?" he exclaimed in shock.
Understanding dawned on the golden man. The Heavenly Desolate Orb had recovered its spirit and chosen a new owner. From the very beginning, he had been manipulated by Ren Yuan and the orb.
Ren Yuan offered no explanation. He simply approached the golden man and uttered, "Unfortunately for you."
The golden man raised his head slightly and let out a sardonic laugh. "Haha! Every inheritor of the God of Heaven has always been cunning. This time, I concede defeat."
"However," his voice took a sharp turn, "you'd be mistaken to believe you've grasped the full picture."
As his final words faded, his body abruptly exploded into countless golden shards.
Ren Yuan was caught off guard. He'd assumed the golden man was immobilized by the suppression.
Instinctively, he harnessed his power and attempted to gather the scattered fragments.
"If I'm correct," the golden man's voice echoed, "the orb's spirit hasn't fully recovered. It will be a long time before it's complete. Without my guidance, you'll never survive in the Nine Heavens Realm. Hehehe! Good luck with that." The golden fragments dissipated entirely as his voice faded.
Ren Yuan furrowed his brow, gazing at the small portion of fragments he'd managed to secure. Without hesitation, he infused his power into them.
A moment later, a sliver of information pierced his mind. "The Chaos Goddess?" he muttered.
If his deduction was correct, the golden man had been slain by a woman known as the Chaos Goddess.
Ren Yuan pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to the statue, now reduced to a pile of debris. He fell into a deep contemplation.
***
Zhedou Mountain, nestled between Sichuan and Tibet, presented a breathtaking landscape. Towering peaks, reaching nearly five thousand meters, pierced the sky, their snow-
capped summits glistening under the sun. Lush valleys, carpeted with vibrant wildflowers in summer, snaked their way between the mountains.
At this moment, a luxurious RV gradually came to a stop in an open space. Nantian Fengyu was the first one to leap out with a selfie stick in hand.
"Chat, look where I am! It's Zhedou Mountain!" Nantian Fengyu panned the camera across the beautiful scenery as she spoke.
Yun Lintian, Yang Ningchang, Lynn, Ye Ling, Long Qingxuan, and Lei Hao slowly emerged from the vehicle, smiles gracing their faces as they took in the scenery.
This was the fourth day of their road trip. During this period, they had visited various hidden gems along the way, with Tibet as their ultimate destination.
"It truly is beautiful here," Yang Ningchang said softly. Although Earth's scenery couldn't compare to the Land of Beyond Heaven, it possessed a distinct artistic charm.
"Indeed," Ye Ling agreed. It was her first time traveling across the vast country.
"Let's set up camp here," Yun Lintian declared, pulling several tents out of the car.
Everyone immediately sprang into action.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, darkness gradually shrouded Zhedou Mountain.
Yun Lintian's group sat around a crackling fireplace, savoring the tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.
"I wonder what this place will look like when we return next time," Lei Hao mused casually, sipping his beer.
The thought of leaving Earth sparked an unexpected pang of reluctance in his heart. Perhaps it was the uncertainty of the path ahead.
"Difficult to say," Lynn offered gently, taking a sip of wine. "Not to be a downer, but I've seen my fair share of greedy people in this world. When the world recovers, they'll undoubtedly try to destroy it again."
"You're right," Lei Hao conceded with a nod.
"Doesn't matter," Yun Lintian said dismissively. If the problem was too severe upon their return, he wouldn't hesitate to eradicate those individuals from the face of the Earth.
Silence descended upon the group as they continued to soak in the night scenery.
"I'll head in first," Lei Hao announced abruptly, rising and heading back to the car. He planned to sleep there for the night.
Meanwhile, Nantian Fengyu had vanished into the mountains hours ago, likely returning sometime that night.
Yang Ningchang turned to Yun Lintian and asked, "Can you tell us now? What are you currently facing?"
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