In the void, the Dao of Liu Guang was indeed very useful.
The void does not give birth to Dao rules, and Divine Skills like shifting Heaven and Earth could not be deployed. In such circumstances, pure extreme speed seemed all the more precious.
There were actually several different intentions behind sending Liu Guang to scout earlier.
Being the offspring of the God of Light, and thus the grandson of the Third God King, Wu Wang had included in his orders to Liu Guang to ascertain the state of the Third God King as much as possible.
After Liu Guang returned, he reported many things to Wu Wang. To summarize in the simplest terms:
[It's just a demon that has possessed my grandfather's corpse.]
Demon.
In the Great Wilderness, this term was actually quite rare; more common were ferocious beasts, or the newly emerged Demon clan.
With the Eastern Emperor's Bell by his side, Wu Wang had fewer problems to worry about.
The three strong gods Wu Wang had tucked into his sleeve were now unable to meditate, instead standing guard in the depths of the void on Wu Wang's behalf.
Next to Wu Wang's Primordial Spirit, Jingwei sat cross-legged in a Lotus Pond, her pretty little face struggling to maintain a calm demeanor. She opened her eyes several times wanting to say something to Wu Wang, but each time, she merely pursed her lips lightly without a word.
But I don't know how to help him.
Jingwei sighed softly in her heart and continued to meditate quietly next to Wu Wang's Primordial Spirit.
She did not understand why her body could enter Wu Wang's body. There were surely many profound reasons for this.
But she knew what she could do at this moment was to quietly stay by his side.
To accompany him in life, to accompany him in death.
Even if it meant the end of all spirits and the world itself, to be together would be a decent fate.
Father-in-law really has thought of everything.
A crack opened in Wu Wang's Primordial Spirit, revealing a slight smile to Jingwei.
He clearly understood the intention of Shen Nong. It was nothing more than to prevent him from going to extremes at crucial moments. Having someone to protect by his side also added a layer of concern.
Although it couldn't be said that his father-in-law was being redundant, it was indeed not very necessary.
He wasn't foolish; if he couldn't beat them, he would definitely go back and discuss with everyone how to deal with the enemy.
I'm not some god who rushes to his demise the moment ideas get hot.
Thus, after about a year traversing the void,
From afar, Wu Wang deployed his powerful Immortal Consciousness and captured that 'restless' ocean.
Countless Obliteration Beasts.
They had pieced together a land in the void, incessantly drawing the Power of Annihilation from the void like a swarm of locusts, advancing steadily towards the Great Wilderness.
That white skeletal corpse lay at the center of this land.
Wu Wang felt a tingling sensation on his scalp, and from his sleeve, three beams of Divine Light flew out, transforming into three of the Five Elements Gods.
The Earth God said, "Your Majesty, the corpse of the Third God King is just ahead."
Fire Plume asked, "Should we call for more troops?"
"Your Majesty, do not act rashly," the Wood God said with deliberate softness. "Although Your Majesty is unmatched in valor, the enemies are simply too numerous. And I can already feel that the closer we get to the Third God King's corpse, the stronger the fluctuations of the Obliteration Beasts become..."
"Don't worry, I'm just testing their mettle," Wu Wang replied confidently and with composure. The Earth God and Fire Plume bowed their heads in acknowledgment, while the Wood God showed a face full of bitter struggle.
Wu Wang transmitted some insights to the three gods, and after they each nodded, the Wood God also sighed with slight relief. He was fine as long as he didn't have to duel.
To bolster Your Majesty with their own Dao should pose no issue.
Thereupon, Wu Wang clenched his fist slightly, and the three gods turned into red, yellow, and blue Divine Pearls, circling around Wu Wang.
Wu Wang drew out the Heavenly Dao Longsword and shouldered the Spear of Slaying Gods, with the Eastern Emperor's Bell, which had yet to undergo the final step of assembly, floating near his shoulder. With just a thought, the scenarios likely to unfold in the next few instants were projected in his mind.
Precise prediction.
"Master, be careful," Zhong Ling spoke, her voice unexpectedly turning gentle.
"Call me if you need anything from behind," Wu Wang replied, his eyes flashing fiercely.
The Dao of the Martial Artist lies in the weak conquering the strong; the Dao of mankind lies in the boundless act of creation.
To turn the impossible into the possible, to create advantages outside the straightforward comparison of strength, and to break through one's own limits.
HUM—
A mysterious vibration appeared in the void, radiating out an invisible shockwave swiftly from Wu Wang as its center.
Ten miles, a hundred miles, tens of thousands of miles;
One after another, ghastly 'lanterns' began to light up, countless in number. Behind each 'lantern,' there was a grotesque creature with a fierce face and body.
Wu Wang swung his longsword, turning it into a streak of light that shot into the horde of beasts, blossoming into a magnificent radiance!
This was the significance of his cultivation in the Outer Sky!
The Martial Spirit is immortal; Humans will flourish forever!
「Ten years later!」
In the Great Wilderness, at the Human Emperor Pavilion.
The largest hall here was filled with cultivators, with the Human Emperor sitting in the middle of the crowd, his expression solemn and his words somewhat hesitant.
Those called to this place included leaders of Military Families, Sects, and many renowned cultivators who had shed blood for the Human Domain.
The Transcendent Realm was not uncommon, and the flow of Heavenly Immortals was hardly worth mentioning.
Shen Nong sat quietly, taking a long while before he slowly said,
"I don't know how to start explaining this to everyone, but according to the predictions of the Heavenly Dao and the advice of gods like Yun Zhongjun, we must make things clear to everyone here."
The Immortals were puzzled, but they had already sensed the seriousness of the situation.
Pavilion Master Liu Baiyi of the Human Emperor Pavilion said gravely, "Your Majesty, please speak freely. We can bear it."
Feng Zhizi said, "If it's something that troubles Your Majesty, it must be extraordinary. We have made all the necessary preparations, please be assured."
One elder laughed in the crowd, "It's not some catastrophe that could destroy heaven and earth, Your Majesty just speak your mind."
"Ah."
Shen Nong sighed deeply, speaking softly, "You're right; it is indeed such a calamity."
The Immortals were stunned.
Shen Nong then said,
"This matter is a long story, but to put it simply, there is a great calamity ahead of us. This calamity has already begun, and in a few hundred years, it will destroy the entire world.
"You might have always been puzzled as to why there are no enemies of the Heavenly Dao in this world, yet the Heavenly Dao and the Eastern Emperor continue to grow stronger.
"It is to face this calamity.
"The Eastern Emperor was the only one privy to the secret and carried it through many years, supporting the Human race and cultivating the Heavenly Dao.
"Today, the final catastrophe has appeared, named the End, but in truth it is the Power of Annihilation seeking to engulf Heaven and Earth.
"Today, I have prepared a small amount of the Power of Annihilation. This was sent back from the Void, close to the source of Annihilation itself. You all may come and observe."
Shen Nong took out a Crystal Ball from his sleeve, inside of which there was a mass of black fog.
Streams of Immortal Consciousness were sent into it, and the expressions of the immortals grew increasingly solemn.
"The Power of Annihilation?"
"Your Majesty, does the Eastern Emperor have a solution?"
"The Heavenly Dao is already so powerful, could it truly not withstand such a great catastrophe?"
"The End... this catastrophe must not be simple."
Shen Nong said no more, but picked up a wooden staff in his hand and tapped it lightly against a bronze basin in front of him.
The surface of the water in the basin rippled gently, turning ink black, within which light flickered.
"This was also sent back by the Wood God, along with the conditions of the Eastern Emperor's battles with the enemy over these past ten years."
No sooner had Shen Nong's words finished than a beam of light appeared on the surface of the water.
This light seemed able to illuminate the entire Void, and it revealed the figures of the strange horde that almost merged with the void.
Innumerable, unstoppable.
The Obliteration Beasts surged toward the pillar of light like moths to a flame, but were able to consume a trace of the pillar's strength... until they used their bodies to directly snuff out the light.
What followed was a crisscrossing of Sword Qi.
In the center of the horde, that seemingly insignificant figure swiftly cleared the Void Zone before him, diving directly into the densest part of the horde, alternating between longsword and spear, dispensing blow after blow to peel off layer after layer of Obliteration Beasts.
That figure was, of course, Wu Wang!
He was clad in a black robe, with hair disheveled, eyes revealing a fierce light, and a bloodstain on his forehead.
But his eyes remained clear, shimmering with light, clearly not acting without care, still thinking and planning.
This scene made the immortals' scalps tingle.
Although what they saw at this moment was only an image, without feeling any Dao rhythm or hearing any sound, they still felt the oppressive force brought by the horde of Obliteration Beasts.
The situation appeared to be more serious than they had thought.
In the image, the Eastern Emperor used his sword to push through dozens of layers of Obliteration Beasts, and a white skeletal frame that had been kneeling in the Void slowly rose.
This skeletal frame was at least tens of thousands of feet tall, immensely burly, maintaining a basic humanoid shape, but with sharp bone spurs hanging all around its body.
From this state, it seemed that the Eastern Emperor had previously engaged in a prolonged battle with this skeletal corpse, which, severely injured, hid within the protection of the Obliteration Beasts. Now, it had somehow recovered.
The next moment, Wu Wang pulled out his longsword, trailing a long Divine Light, and that skeletal corpse pressed down its terrifying huge palm towards him!
Countless Obliteration Beasts flooded in to besiege him, but were sent flying in all directions by the ripples of the Void churned up upon their collision!
Even without sound, it seemed as though one could hear the thunderous clash of the two forces, and Wu Wang's roars as he brandished the sword of the Heavenly Dao.
The battle of the mightiest.
DING—
The wooden staff tapped gently on the edge of the bronze basin, and the image within faded slowly.
"The Eastern Emperor has been battling in the Void for ten years."
Shen Nong said:
"Despite the constant battles, he has still been unable to stop the horde of Obliteration Beasts. According to the message sent back by the Eastern Emperor, the Void itself is pulling this horde towards the Great Wilderness, as there has been an anomaly within the Void.
"Merely by dueling, they cannot be stopped."
"Your Majesty, how long until the beast horde arrives?"
"Fifty to a hundred years."
Shennong glanced at the person who had spoken and continued:
"From today onwards, the Human Domain will lend its full support to the Celestial Court. Warriors from all regions and families will be enlisted into the ranks of the Heavenly Soldiers.
"I have seen all that you have done in these years, but now it is not about the gains or losses of a single family or individual; this world teeters on the brink of life and death.
"Does anyone have any objections?"
"Your servant obeys the decree."
The immortals immediately bowed their heads in salute.
If one could hear the hearts of these immortals, they would detect many complex and mixed emotions.
Some even doubted the truth of this matter, fearing it was a deadly trap laid by the Heavenly Dao to weaken the Human Domain... There were various opinions, none the same.
Luckily, Shennong had never relinquished his power and retired. In the lands of the human race of the Human Domain, his credibility and influence were absolute. Thus, although the immortals inwardly murmured, they dared not defy the will of the Human Emperor.
The Celestial Court's arrangements were not confined to the Human Domain alone.
At the same time as the Human Emperor gathered the immortals, Yun Zhongjun of the Celestial Court stepped forward personally to summon the tribe leaders of the Nine Wildernesses and the worlds beyond the sky.
They did not publicize the news of the Obliteration Calamity. After all, other than creating panic and chaos, it would serve no practical purpose and would not boost the morale of the Hundred Races.
Yun Zhongjun simply claimed that a new world was discovered beyond the void and needed many experts to fill the ranks of the Heavenly Soldiers.
First, he exerted pressure on them, then he promised benefits. Controlling these Clan Leaders of the Hundred Races was well within Yun Zhongjun's means.
In the Blood Sea, the newly risen Asura Tribe was also gathered by the Lord of the Blood Sea. Born for battle and dyed in blood, they could resist the influence of the land of annihilation to some extent, which was an unexpected gain.
In the lands beyond the sky, the Martial God gathered the martial artists who followed him and selected the best to join the ranks of the Heavenly Soldiers.
In the Northern Wilderness, Cang Xue stood atop that towering snow mountain, facing the starry sky, continuously gazing into the void but unable to find a path to solve the ultimate riddle.
On Kunlun Mountain, the Queen Mother of the West frowned and stared intently at the shattered bronze mirror in front of her...
She had been calculating the future of the Great Wilderness. Perhaps she had exerted too much force, or she was too persistent, which resulted in backlash from the Dao of Time and the Dao of Cause and Effect. This Divine Artifact was severely damaged.
To restore it, she didn't know how much effort it would take.
Yet, the expression on the Queen Mother of the West's face grew increasingly grave.
It was laughable to consider that, in her insistence on calculating the future of the Great Wilderness at the cost of such a Divine Artifact, she found... no future at all.
"Eastern Emperor."
The Queen Mother of the West murmured softly, her phoenix eyes full of contemplation.
It was at this moment that the Wood God, who had returned to deliver a message, brought the Water God and a young girl who had just emerged from the Divine Pool, along with Xiong Ming, the God of Death, and they traveled into the void.
They were the second batch of reinforcements rushing to support Wu Wang.
According to what the Wood God relayed, Wu Wang had become quite familiar with these Obliteration Beasts and might find a way to gain the upper hand.
「Thus, another thirty years passed.」
...
Why.
Within the void, Wu Wang, wearing battered Battle Armor, stared vacantly into the expanse of emptiness before him.
Behind him were a solemn procession of weary figures, most of the formidable gods of the Celestial Court standing on this ground, with millions of Heavenly Soldiers forming a vast Void Formation in the distance, the penultimate barrier protecting the Great Wilderness World from the outside.
The last barrier was the power of the Heavenly Dao.
Before Wu Wang, the last of the Obliteration Beasts were slowly turning to dust, dissipating into the land of the void.
And that giant skeleton, the remnants of the Third God King, was now continuously crumbling.
The tiny fragments of white bones, like flowers blooming in the void, seemed to be celebrating their final victory.
Forty years of arduous warfare.
For forty years, the entire Great Wilderness operated under tension, with all beings from the gods to those between heaven and earth constantly contemplating ways to counter the Power of Annihilation.
And now, they had finally won.
Wu Wang personally shattered the consciousness within the corpse of the Third God King and touched the essence of the Power of Annihilation, finding the problem that was the opposite of the Dao.
But...
But...
"Your Majesty," Yun Zhongjun murmured, "what is that?"
Wu Wang remained silent; he did not know how to answer.
The void began to churn once again.
After shattering the Power of Annihilation, an even more obscure and mystical force that was closer to the essence of 'nothingness' appeared in the void.
That force ignited a part of the void, and within it, a new calamity was brewing.
This tumultuous region was not far from the Great Wilderness, and the gods could sense it clearly.
Even the beings above the True Immortal Realm within the Great Wilderness vaguely felt that an immense danger was hidden beyond heaven and earth.
What, then, did all the deaths and sacrifices the entire Great Wilderness endured over the years to extinguish this Power of Annihilation amount to?
Wu Wang stumbled, and immediately over a dozen palms reached out to support him.
But Wu Wang merely raised his hand slightly, signaling for the gods not to approach.
"It really is so."
Wu Wang's voice was somewhat hoarse but still maintained its usual composure.
"I am a bit weak; do not worry. The corpse of the Third God King was just the beginning of the calamity; the second half is about to arrive.
"The Calamity of the End Times is not so easily resolved."
The gods looked at each other, and Yun Zhongjun quickly added, "Your Majesty, what should we do next?"
"This force will still need time to ferment; let's not disturb it for now," Wu Wang said. "We too need time to recover our strength. Everyone, let your true bodies return to their places; I will use the power of the Heavenly Dao to seal off the Great Wilderness.
"What's coming next is the true battle of life and death. Make sure your resolve does not waver."
The Martial God grinned, turned his head and spit out a mouthful of fresh blood, yet still roared, "We've hardly started! Another three hundred years of battle!"
"All come to the Heavenly Dao."
With a sweep of Wu Wang's hand, all the gods retreated.
An hour later, having given instructions on how to defend next, Wu Wang met with Jingwei, Young Master, and Ling Xiaolan. Then, using the pretext of healing, he returned to his Temple.
He did not meditate, but lay down slowly in a corner and gently exhaled.
"Master, there's been a change in the Calamity of the End Times."
"Indeed." Wu Wang chuckled bitterly. "The corpse of the Third God King and such was merely a distraction. That will which intends to destroy the Great Wilderness is determined to do so."
The small bell on his shoulder that had not yet 'healed' slowly rotated, and Zhong Ling's voice became even more solemn.
Zhong Ling said softly,
"There is no such will, Master. Only through your transcendence can the beings of the entire Great Wilderness be saved.
"You once said on a timeline where you alone survived—without the land, the people are lost; with the people, both can survive.
"There are still over five hundred years until the destruction of heaven and earth."
"Transcendence. If I could transcend, why would I be here!"
Wu Wang nearly rose in anger, but he quickly suppressed his rage and said in a low voice, "Sorry, Suqing. I didn't control my emotions well."
"It's okay; the pressure on the Master is a bit too much..."
The Eastern Emperor's Bell gently trembled.
Wu Wang turned to look at the small bell, raised his hand and gently touched its clapper, and said calmly, "The only path is self-transcendence. I've understood that now.
"Is it time for you to give me a hint?"
"Master, not yet."
"Alright, I'll do it myself then."
Wu Wang smiled faintly and then sat in the corner, slowly crossing his legs.
Five hundred years;
Transcendence.
But for him, this was his last attempt.
Come then, the secrets hidden within this starry sky.
Wu Wang closed his eyes, multitasking his mind three ways: comprehending the Great Dao he had encountered before, searching the memories of the Star God, and understanding the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams Dao.
He borrowed the calculating ability of the Heavenly Dao to simulate such Great Dao, and though the Eastern Emperor's Bell had not yet fully formed, it still displayed the charm of the Dao of Time, stretching the limits of space and time where Wu Wang currently resided.
Where is the Dao?
Where is the path?
Wu Wang immersed himself in the Great Dao. As the Star God's memories were completely scrutinized and the Yin Yang Eight Trigrams Dao reached the final bottleneck to its source, Wu Wang's own introspections hit a standstill. He began to stare blankly at the starry sky.
His presence was everywhere, just like under the starry sky, his back to the Great Wilderness, staring up at the myriad Stars.
Time passed indeterminably long;
How much he pondered, unknown.
Wu Wang furrowed his brows slightly and murmured to the starry sky:
"Do the Stars have consciousness? Where does the projection originate from?"
There was no response.
Yet Wu Wang's tranquil mind seemed to have opened a door, as countless messages poured out from that gap.
Though he did not know where the road lay, his Dao might now be complete.
Wu Wang said softly, "Bell, I have thought of a way to transcend."
"Master," Zhong Ling appeared beside Wu Wang, raised a hand to brush the hair by her ear and said softly, "It's already in progress, and will soon be completed."
"You've worked hard."
Wu Wang took a deep breath, stood up, and the starry sky in his view faded away into his sleeping chamber.
The next instant, he took a step forward, placing himself outside the Heavenly Dao, standing in the void, slowly raising his arms.
If he couldn't find an existing path to transcendence, then he would forge his own;
If he couldn't take the shortcut, then he would use a change in quantity to trigger a qualitative one, employing his last resort.
Wu Wang waved his hand gently, and clouds enveloped the area.
He stood at the end of time and space.
The Eastern Emperor's Bell became visible, slightly vibrating.
DANG—
A figure emerged from the clouds and mist behind Wu Wang, draped in a black robe, walking upon a brilliant starry river.
Another Wu Wang.
He approached the spot, nodded slightly to Wu Wang without uttering a word, then moved forward and perfectly merged with Wu Wang's form.
That was himself, just on another timeline where he faced catastrophe or was defeated by Emperor Shun.
Wu Wang's heart welled with many emotions, his memory filled with many images he had not had before; these were the experiences of his other self on that timeline, along with deep longing.
His love for Jingwei grew even stronger.
DANG—
The Eastern Emperor's Bell tolled once more, and the same scene appeared in the clouds. Another Wu Wang stepped forward.
Then, the Eastern Emperor's Bell kept trembling, and one figure after another reached the end of time.
They had all experienced their own stories, which were strikingly similar; they might just be a segment of memory, a slice of experience, but behind them lay different, profound realizations of the Dao.
This was Wu Wang's plan.
Converge the timelines!
If a perfect, divine timeline couldn't beat this catastrophe, couldn't allow him to transcend before the disaster struck, then gather the experiences of all his selves from every timeline!
The Eastern Emperor's Bell was the connecting point of all the timelines, the support of everything.
Of course, this was risky.
Inevitably, Wu Wang would bear more joy, anger, sorrow, and happiness, accumulate more love, hatred, and all sorts of emotions, confront huge emotional pressures, and risk memory confusion.
Bring it on!
Three thousand years, three thousand selves!
The Eastern Emperor's Bell increased its rhythm, and figures of 'Wu Wang' came from the ethereal cloud, like shadow after shadow rushing towards Wu Wang's form.
Sweat beads formed on his forehead. He embraced all the versions of himself from the timelines where he had failed.
What was the purpose of all these failures?
The continual failures were for the success of this one attempt!
The regression of the Eastern Emperor's Bell was not meaningless.
The existence of a divine timeline was not just to make winning easier for himself.
At this moment, Wu Wang was like a solitary soul, endlessly reincarnating in the world, constantly opening the stories of Wu Wangzi, constantly facing adversaries like Emperor Shun.
He had grown old in the Northern Wilderness.
He had drifted for hundreds of years in the Human Domain, achieving nothing.
He had been defeated by various enemies, yet he was never able to break through certain barriers.
He had also been heartbroken, living a life of quick passions and enmities…
The figures surrounded the misty land.
In the Great Wilderness, under the Celestial Court, Lin Suqing stood at the door to Wu Wang's sleeping chamber, looking up at the spot in the void where Wu Wang was sitting in meditation, gently biting her lip, her eyes slightly reddened.
After an indeterminate amount of time had passed, after numerous figures had trod this path, calmness finally settled here, leaving only a figure seated with silver hair and a face full of wrinkles, the corners of his eyes constantly moist with tears.
The other selves on different timelines really had it rough.
To the side, a vague figure flew by; it was Zhong Ling, but with Lin Suqing's face. She embraced Wu Wang from behind without a word.
Wu Wang raised his hand and patted the back of her hand, murmuring, "I still have things to do. How long has it been?"
"Master, the new catastrophe hasn't started yet."
"Good," Wu Wang murmured, standing up shakily.
He took half a step forward, his white hair fluttered up but immediately returned to jet-black, and the wrinkles on his face quickly faded away.
He stated calmly,
"Three Thousand Dao return to me."
The next instant, boundless rosy light surged around him!
All beings felt something in their hearts and looked up at the sky, only to see the heavens imbued with magnificent auroras, as countless Great Dao vibrated at the same moment.
Stars!
Wu Wang stepped forward, and the fluctuations in the void were suppressed by his aura, returning to silence!
But Wu Wang didn't spare these anomalies a single glance.
He gazed at the Stars, his eyes only on the starry sky, and he kept shouting,
"Whose projection are you? Why do you appear in this void?"
"If this Great Wilderness is a star, why do you not respond to me?"
"Three Thousand Dao return to me, and now I am the master of the Dao rules, I am the soul of the Great Wilderness, the will of Heaven and Earth!"
"If there is an echo, it should respond to me!"
"If the Stars have no spirit, does the starry river have one? The movement of ten thousand Stars, can spirit dwell within them? Crossing the boundless eons, can you converse with me?"
"Stars, respond to my call."
No sooner had Wu Wang's words fallen than the boundless Stars trembled, with each star seemingly connecting to the others, yet the process was incredibly slow.
Wu Wang immediately summoned the Dao of Time, his eyes piercing through the sky!
He saw it!
The starlight converged to form a Giant of Starlight that he could understand, who was saying something to him from afar.
The distance between the two was unimaginably vast, even spanning time and space, breaking through some kind of barrier.
The hardest part was that Wu Wang could not hear.
It was as if there was a thick layer of soundproof glass between them, blocking out all the words of the Giant of Starlight.
A flash of insight crossed Wu Wang's mind, and he suddenly pointed to himself, shouting aloud,
"Who am I!"
He was now the Great Wilderness.
The Giant of Starlight clearly made a thinking gesture and then pointed at Wu Wang from afar.
The starlight in the void instantly converged towards Wu Wang, the projections of the Stars all but extinguished.
Suddenly, the Stars slid before Wu Wang's eyes, and he abruptly left the Great Wilderness, the void, appearing on the other side of an intangible barrier.
The perspective of the Giant of Starlight!
Above the world of the Great Wilderness, amidst the spirals of myriad auroras, Wu Wang's eyes suddenly widened, and his mouth slowly opened in shock.
At that moment, borrowing the view of the Giant of Starlight, he saw... he saw the ultimate question and its answer for this world!
This was!
...
...
A black hole.
