Chapter 1255: How Many Drops of Water Are There in an Ocean
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
One flash was one hundred thousand years!
This was the Six Flash Disaster of the Antecedental Spirit's third disaster. The power of this disaster could affect all forms of life. They would reach their end, and even if Antecedental Spirits seemed to have endless life, they would still be affected. Besides Ancestral Spirit who had went through nine spirit ascensions to achieve relatively eternal life, every single form of life would still reach the end of their life at some point.
This disaster did not seem powerful, but it was predominated by the power of time. It was used as a millstone, and it would reduce all forms of life into ash in the passage of time.
Even if it was the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, he believed that he would need to spend a lot of his life to pass through it. In fact, he did not even dare to have the entire Six Flash Disaster descend. Before the third flash, he would search for the path of the disaster and use all his power to strike its unseen source.
This was what he would choose with his current level of cultivation. He would forcefully break the disaster.
However, the method he used was based on the foundation that he his spirit had ascended eight times. He was worthy of doing so, and he could do it as well, but if it was anyone else…
There were few who could forcefully break the disaster's descent like the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, which was why they could only face the disaster. However, practically all those who faced the Six Flash Disaster head-on… would find themselves turning into ash in the passage of time.
After all, there is no life that could perfectly experience all six flashes. After all, while the first flash would make one hundred thousand years disappear, the second flash would cause one million years to disappear, and the third flash would cause ten million years to disappear.
These numbers might sound as if they were nothing, but there was no form of life that was confident to being able to survive one hundred thousand years, much less one million, ten million, or the fourth flash's one hundred million years!
And as for the fifth flash, not even the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe dared touch it. That was a disappearance of one billion years, and he absolutely did not have enough years for it. Once the fifth flash appeared, he would immediately be reduced into ash.
And the final sixth flash would take ten billion years!
No one knew just how many years of life an Expanse Cosmos had. It might have more than ten billion years of life, but it might also have less than ten billion years, which was why the sixth as well as the fifth flashes had never descended over the countless years when other people went through their Antecedental Spirit's disaster.
All those who could get through the Six Flash Disaster would forcefully break it like what the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe would do. All those who could not do it would become dust in the passage of time at the third or at most the fourth flash.
Yet when Su Ming saw the Six Flash Disaster and heard the words of the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, his eyes suddenly flashed. A profound smile appeared on his lips.
If it was any other disaster, it would be difficult for Su Ming to handle it. As the third disaster, it would surely be as devastating as any other, and Su Ming would not have too much confidence in going through it.
But… the Six Flash Disaster was predominantly formed by the power of time. In terms of his years of life, it was impossible for Su Ming's soul from Great Berserker Tribe or blood from Great Abyss Tribe to get through it… but he a clone that was a True World!
It was part of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, and while Su Ming did not know how many years of life a True World had, he knew that… he was definitely one of the people in the world who could simply allow the Six Flash Disaster to descend on him.
Unless this disaster could destroy a True World's years of life, it was impossible for Su Ming to be reduced to ash in this disaster.
Once he understood what the Six Flash Disaster was, Su Ming immediately cancelled his God of Berserkers Transformation. His body instantly returned to normal, allowing him to retain a little time to be under the effect of the God of Berserkers Transformation if he wanted to cast it again.While standing in Yin Death Vortex, he lifted his head to look above him with an aloof gaze.
Yin Death Vortex shone with flashes of light as if a primitive, ferocious beast was swiftly descending. In just a few breaths, the brightness and darkness would close in on Su Ming.
When it did, the first flash of the Six Flash Disaster swiftly descended!
All of Yin Death Vortex instantly turned bright. The light was piercing to the eyes, and it practically covered all of Yin Death Vortex. Only the bottommost portion of the vortex remained dark. It was an abyss that no light could enter.
But Su Ming was surrounded by powerful light. It only lasted for about a few breaths before a murmur filled with an ancient tone seemed to come from an ancient past. It echoed through the entire world, Arid Triad, and Yin Death Vortex. The next instant… everything became dark!
When light and darkness switched places, Su Ming felt as if he had lost something from his body. What he lost was life force, years of his life, and his essence. It had been the first flash that could make a mortal instantly die an unknown number of times, and it was also the one that killed most cultivators, but to Su Ming, compared to the vast life force his True World clone possessed, the life force he lost… was practically just a drop in an ocean!
"Is that all?"
A hint of derision appeared at the corners of Su Ming's lips. He watched the Six Flash Disaster alternate between light and dark and did not fight against it, because his endless life was the best defense against this disaster.
"I have plenty of life force. If you have the ability, then go on ahead and suck it all out. You can descend at will, but if this is all you can do, then do not appear before me a second time in the future!"
Su Ming flung his arm, and his presence became as great as a tidal wave. With his hair danced in the air, he haughtily looked above.
Boom!
Arid Triad shuddered. While still alternating between varying degrees of brightness and darkness, Yin Death Vortex was suddenly filled with a layer of light, as if Su Ming's provocation had stirred up the anger of some form of will. The moment he finished speaking, the second of the Six Flash Disaster descended with a bang!
The period of time when the entire world was basked in light was longer than it was in the dark. When the world became dark again, it was as if Su Ming's body had fused with the darkness. The bright world seemed to be making Su Ming's life force scatter while the darkness was a black death scythe. It cut into his body without being seen and took away one million years of his life!
Su Ming's face went pale, but he immediately recovered. His True World clone with its vast amount of lifeforce was completely unbothered by the disappearance of some of it. If the disappearance of one hundred thousand years was a drop in an ocean, then one million years… was at most a cup of water!
A scornful smile appeared at the corners of Su Ming's lips, and he simply allowed the Six Flash Disaster to descend as if it was just rainwater. No matter how heavily the rain poured from the sky, it could not affect him. He swung his arm and sensed that the intent to break through in his body had clearly become stronger. While laughing, Su Ming spoke with an arrogant, domineering tone.
"The Six Flash Disaster is truly nothing. Do you still dare to come?"
Su Ming lifted his head, and a powerful and brilliant light shone in his eyes. As his aura surrounded him, the vortex he had formed rumbled. This scene caused the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe to stare at Su Ming for a long, long time.
For some unknown reason, when he looked at the current Su Ming, a few words appeared in his mind. 'He has already gained full maturity!'
Booming sounds shook the sky. The Six Flash Disaster swiftly switched to a brilliant light again. As it flashed, the third flash descended, and it was not alone. The fourth flash also charged forward.
The third and fourth flashes came in succession. The power to wear away one million years of life as well as ten million years of life descended simultaneously. It immediately formed an unseen blade that charged past Su Ming.
Su Ming's face turned pale again. When he took two steps back, his face turned paler still, but it only lasted for a moment before he instantly recovered. One million years was equivalent to ten cups of water in an ocean, and even ten million years was just one hundred cups from an ocean.
This level of wearing away his life might have some effect on him, but he had a vast amount of life from his True World clone… so he could still bear with it!
When the third and fourth flashes disappeared, an excited note was added to Su Ming's laughter. He did not mind the disappearance of the years in his life. With the True World clone, not even he knew how many years he had. The only thing he cared about was reaching a breakthrough for his will.
During that instant just then, he could clearly feel the booming sounds in his head grow several times stronger. As his aura increased in power, his will and his state of being swiftly reached a breakthrough, and he became able to go through the third spirit ascension.
This was Su Ming's greatest reward for going through the Antecedental Spirit's disaster.
"With my current self, the moment I get out of Yin Death Vortex and get back into All Spirits Hall, I can go through two spirit ascensions… and become a powerful warrior at the level of those in Avacaniya Realm!
"Avacaniya! It's Avacaniya!"
From the excitement, a powerful light shone in Su Ming's eyes. He dreamt of becoming more powerful because only when he was strong could he become the master of his own fate, and only then could he protect the people he wanted to protect.
"The fifth flash, do you still dare to come forth!"
As Su Ming laughed, his aura surrounded him even more powerfully. The vortex swept through all directions and became a whirlwind of one thousand feet. It gave a presence as threatening as a tidal wave.
The alternating flashes of brightness and darkness seemed to hesitate at that moment, but after several breaths, the fifth flash that had never appeared in that era swiftly descended.
Regardless of whether it was Arid Triad or Yin Death Vortex, the entire universe roared.
The fifth flash would wipe away one billion years of life. To any person, this was incredibly terrifying, and even the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe would not dare to try it, but Su Ming…
As he laughed long and hard, he simply allowed the fifth flash to descend on him and allowed the years of his life to be wiped away, but it could only make his face pale. To his True World clone, this was just equivalent to one thousand cups of water from an ocean; it was nothing!
The sixth flash was the final flash of the Six Flash Disaster, and it had appeared incredibly rarely in the many aeons Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos had lived through, much less the current one. Yet at that moment… it descended!
Ten billion years of life was a period of time so long that it was impossible to describe in a single sentence. Perhaps only an existence like Su Ming who had Possessed a True World could remain laughing under the sixth flash.
How many cups of water would it be in an ocean? It would certainly not be few. It would surpass ten thousand cups, but at most, it would just be one hundred thousand cups. It would be difficult for it to surpass that number, which was why the sixth flash wiped out only one-tenth of the life force of a True World.
This destruction caused Su Ming's face to turn pale and blood to trickle out of the corners of his mouth, but that was all. Red appeared in his eyes, but his laughter did not disappear. He stood tall in Yin Death Vortex with his laughter echoing in the air. He has went through the third disaster. In fact, it could be said that he had perfectly cleared it!
Chapter 1256: Arid Triad's Original Intent!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
'Why is the seventh flash non-existent? Since the ancient past, the Ancestral Spirits said that the disaster is known as Six Flashes because it would only flash six times. It would not flash any more than that number!
'But why… is that?'
The old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe stared at the swiftly disappearing Six Flash Disaster above them in Yin Death Vortex.
"Su Ming, how many years of life do you have left in your True World?" the old man suddenly asked with a hint of excitement in his voice, as if he had discovered some sort of secret.
While in midair, Su Ming stared at the Six Flash Disaster. In truth, he also had the same questions in his head. He might not have seen as many things as the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, but he had gone through the disaster himself and knew clearly that if there was a seventh flash, then even if he had a True World clone, his life would come to an end. His True World would wither and die, and there would only be three True Worlds left in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos!
That was why when the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe asked his question, Su Ming's eyes lit up. With a look at him, he answered, "Nine-tenths!"
Su Ming did not hide a lot of secrets from the old man, and neither was there any need for him to hide them. If the old man wanted to know it, he would surely have his own methods to do so.
"Nine-tenths… nine-tenths… If the seventh flash existed, then even a True World's life would not be enough to survive through this disaster. The True World would wither. That is why… it is not that the seventh flash does not exist, but that it cannot exist," the old man murmured. A brilliant light shone in his eyes.
"The will that sends the Antecedental Spirit's disaster is unbothered by the survival of all forms of life. It can ignore the changes in the universe, but it places a lot of attention in whether a True World would die… This is…
"It is just as I expected. The creature that sends the Antecedental Spirit's disaster is no one else… but Arid Triad's will! It is the disaster itself!
"It's sleeping. In its slumber, its will had turned into the Antecedental Spirit's disaster. It will not allow Antecedental Spirits to exist, which is why it turned into a disaster to wipe them out. As for the other sealed Antecedental Spirits… perhaps it has other uses for them, and it is controlling them as if it is rearing livestock!
"And it wants to wipe out Antecedental Spirits because…"
There was excitement on the old man's face. This was the first time he told Su Ming of his guess. At that moment, when he said those words, he paused for an instant, but Su Ming could already continue what he left off.
"It's because it does not want to be Possessed! Only those who have become Antecedental Spirits have the right to Possess Arid Triad's will!" Su Ming's heart trembled as he spoke slowly.
"That's right, that must surely be it!!"
The old man became even more excited. His breathing even quickened slightly, but it was not because his control over his emotions was not strong enough. With his level of cultivation, there were very few things in the world that could make him so excited. If there was any, then it would definitely be the things regarding the Arid Disaster and Arid Triad's will.
"When it fell asleep, it wanted to wipe out Antecedental Spirits, but also to seal them… This means that it wants to destroy all danger, but at the same time wants some Antecedental Spirits to help it in some form. Then… what happens when it wakes up?" Su Ming suddenly asked.
"Once it wakes up…"
The old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe fell silent, but a hint of fear appeared in his eyes, and that fear allowed Su Ming to immediately know what was the old man's unspoken answer.
He remembered that in the memories he obtained during his first spirit ascension, the old man in white in the final days of Su Ming's previous aeon had stared at the sky and said, "It's here…"
Su Ming's pupils shrank. Besides those words, the old man in white had also said that he would have reached a certain Realm if he'd had more time. His words always existed in Su Ming's heart, causing him to be unable to figure things out when he was making his speculations.
But when he heard the old man's speculation, a guess suddenly appeared in Su Ming's head.
'When Arid Triad's will fell asleep, to prevent itself from being Possessed, it wiped out the Antecedental Spirits. When it wakes up… it will want to destroy all of Arid Triad so that Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos would no longer have any lives or culture so that it can have a new beginning.
'Why did it do this? Based on what the old man said, could we understand it as Arid Triad's will turning into the Arid Disaster to destroy everything once it wakes up to find…
'A life form who could reach a certain Realm during an aeon? It has been searching for countless aeons, and it has destroyed Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos repeatedly. It seems like it has never managed to find it…'
Su Ming's heart trembled. He looked towards the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, but he did not tell him of his assumption. Instead, another question rose in his heart.
"Why would Arid Triad's will be weakened in this place?" he asked slowly.
"Before I came to this place, I had been thinking constantly. All lives in this world have an arch enemy. It is impossible for them to live eternally, and it is the same for the Arid Disaster.
"But I did not manage to find Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos' arch enemy… until I came to this place. I can clearly sense that this place is different from the others. I can sense a will existing in the depths of this vortex.
"But this will isn't asleep. It has already broken down. I can also vaguely sense that there are some parts of it lingering on you… This will could bring an unprecedented calm to my heart, but even so, I didn't think much into it. Even if the three ancient wills who call themselves Servants of Morus Alba gave me an even greater sense of the calm, I still didn't think much into it.
"That was until… you brought the entire land of Berserkers away from Yin Death Vortex and your Antecedental Spirit's disaster arrived. Only then did I come to a swift realization, because your disaster should have arrived earlier, but it did not because you were in Yin Death Vortex.
"At that time, I thought that there was some strange form of power existing in that broken will in the depths… but when we returned to the vortex and the Antecedental Spirit's disaster descended into a frozen eternity… but everything within Yin Death Vortex remained normal.
"At that time, I suddenly understand that perhaps… the arch enemy of Arid Triad's will is here!"
An excited sparkle appeared in the old man's eyes. He stared at Su Ming, then at the depths of Yin Death Vortex, which was as dark as the abyss.
"The secrets lying in there are not something I am privy to. The repulsive force there is so strong that when I tried to enter it previously, I could not. You are the only one who can do it!
"You are the only one different. The repulsive force you sense is clearly much weaker, which is why I am certain that you have some form of connection to the broken will in that place.
"And you are the only one… who can enter the true depths of Yin Death Vortex to find the answer!"
The old man's breathing quickened. When his words echoed in the air, Su Ming's heart trembled. At that moment, loud booming sounds appeared once more above Yin Death Vortex. As they echoed in the air, the fourth disaster of the Antecedental Spirit's disaster descended.
"As I thought, there is a fourth disaster lying in wait for you. The Antecedental Spirit's disaster you have to go through is definitely nothing ordinary… It's a murderous disaster from the heavens, earth, and man! The first three disasters are the Man's Disasters. The next three disasters are the Earthen Disasters, and the final is… the Heavenly Disaster!
"And based on what I understand, when the Earthen Disasters appear, they will not come one by one like the Man's Disasters. All three disasters will appear in succession right away, for only then can they be known to be the Earthen Disasters that surpass the Man's Disasters!"
As the old man spoke, he lifted his head and swung his arm. A brilliant light shone in his eyes.
Su Ming stared at the spot where the rumbles came from above and asked in a low voice, "Senior, do you know what the Earthen Disasters are?"
"The fourth disaster is the Nine Deaths Disaster. The fifth disaster is the Fiendish Withering of Earth in Five Directions, and the sixth disaster… is the Disaster of Emptiness! These three disasters are no longer something that you can handle. They are disasters only those who had ascended their spirits three or more times can handle!
"You can try to experience them. If you feel that things are about to go wrong, I will immediately take action and help you get through it," the old man said slowly.
If this was before the old man had seen Su Ming go through the three disasters, perhaps he would have immediately helped him without providing an explanation, but now that Su Ming had gained full maturity, the old man wanted to help him a little bit more. He wanted to let Su Ming experience the disaster to his limits, since only then would he gain a great number of benefits for his development in the future.
The old man knew that this time… he might die in the disaster. It would be good if he did not die, but he was also prepared to die, and Su Ming… was his hope. He was the hope that could fight against Arid Triad in the future.
That was why the old man would never hold back on providing everything needed for Su Ming to grow even faster.
"Su Ming, the number of disasters you can get through with your own power will determine how many times you will no longer need to go through the Antecedental Spirit's disaster when you have your spirit ascend. This is an incredibly rare chance. You must have all your cultivation base erupt from your body and seize the chance… to obtain your serendipity through this disaster!"
The old man looked at Su Ming. There was encouragement and expectation in his eyes, and his expression was very sincere.
It was the first time he showed such a sincere look to Su Ming, who saw it and nodded. He knew that the old man did not lie. He had already gone through three disasters, and he could indeed go through his second and third spirit ascensions now. Based on this logic, if he successfully went through his fourth disaster, he could head on to challenge his fourth spirit ascension!
The moment Su Ming looked above him, an indescribably huge will suddenly descended from above Yin Death Vortex with a loud bang. It contained a domineering and supreme as well as imposing air. When it descended, it moved through the vortex easily and looked like it was about to chase away all the fog.
At the instant it descended, the will did not gain corporeal form, but instead seemed to remain an illusion. Once it filled Yin Death Region, it surrounded Su Ming.
A low murmur echoed from the will, and it sounded like the mumbles of a person sleep talking. Yet its words contained an indescribable presence. They seemed to possess some sort of strange power that could make everything… real!
"Your… hands… and… feet… shall… become… green…"
That was the first sentence spoken by the voice. At the moment it reached Su Ming's ears, his hands and feet turned green!
Chapter 1257: Arid Triad Compromises
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy @Translation
"The Nine Deaths Disaster is derived from the concept of being at death's door nine times. It will turn into nine deaths, making you to experience nine different deaths. This disaster will descend without being seen and without warning, making people unable to fend against it and difficult to stand up against it.
"The more you fight back, the stronger the disaster becomes. There is only one way to clear it, which is to use your will. You must search for the one chance to live during the nine deaths!" the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe said, his voice reaching Su Ming's ears. His voice was grave and deep as it echoed in the air.
When Su Ming heard it, his hands and feet had already turned emerald green, but they were swiftly growing darker. In the blink of an eye, his limbs turned dark green.
A numb sensation instantly rose in Su Ming's heart. It came from the discomfort in his body, and it directly affected his mind, causing him to instantly sense the arrival of death.
But that was not all. His body was not the only one affected. Su Ming could also sense that all of True Morning Dao World was affected during that instant. It had started turning green.
"Die!"
The will filling up Yin Death Vortex said one word once it declared Su Ming's hands and feet to be green. During that moment, Su Ming felt intense pain in his limbs. Wisps of green smoke that were like threads covered his body while heading onwards to cover his soul and mind.
Wherever they went, a thick aura of death would spread out. Su Ming threw his head back and roared. His face contorted, and faint green light lit up around him.
His expression was ferocious, and his will was desperately fighting against the intent to die growing in his body. The feeling of death swept through him with loud rumbles like a tidal wave, and Su Ming was like the lone ship in a raging sea, struggling to persevere.
But his struggle did not last long before the will formed by the fourth disaster filling Yin Death Vortex murmured once more.
"Your… veins… will… wither… Your… teeth… will… dry. Die!"
A loud bang shot up in Su Ming's body, and his veins withered as if they had lost their life force and energy. They became dry, just like how a river would dry up. His teeth became dry as well, as if they had become loose.
His entire face instantly became much older. Blood trickled down the corners of his mouth, and his expression grew ferocious.
The final word felt like a heavy hammer striking Su Ming's body. It made him stagger backwards, and he coughed up a mouthful of black blood. His cultivation base was rapidly disappearing and his body was swiftly becoming weaker. The shadow of death became larger while it loomed over him.
The old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe watched this scene from not far away. He sighed in his heart. He could tell that Su Ming had already reached his limit. He moved forward, about to lend a hand, but Su Ming lifted his head swiftly.
His expression grew even more ferocious, and his eyes became bloodshot. With great difficulty, he lifted his numb right hand and pushed it in the direction of the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, as if he wanted to stop him from coming towards him.
"I… can do it!" Su Ming hissed through gritted teeth. Blood trickled out of his mouth from the effort, but a hint of determination as well as madness appeared on his face.
"God of Berserkers… Transformation!"
At the moment it sounded like Su Ming was gnashing his teeth, more than one hundred million Great Berserker souls charged at him. They surrounded him and swiftly fused into his body, making it feel like he had just obtained nourishment, and he quickly began recovering.
But at that moment, the murmurs from the fourth disaster appeared again.
"Your… voice… will… scatter. Die!"
Su Ming let out a shrill scream of pain, and his God of Berserkers Transformation started showing signs of scattering. It didn't seem like the one hundred million Great Berserker souls could make his body recover anymore.
His screams also grew incredibly weak. It sounded like were scattering in a manner as if he was about to die, making all those who heard them sense that he was no longer struggling. Instead, they would feel as if he was gasping on his deathbed and sighing before he died.
Even Su Ming's True Morning Dao World began withering as if it was about to disappear from Arid Triad.
"Your… nostrils… will… flare. Die!
"Your… lips… will… become… cold… to… the… touch. Die!"
The continuous murmurs and the impact from the declarations of wanting him dead made it seem like the will was the curse of destiny that could not be resisted. Each statement had an immediate effect on Su Ming's body, like how lips now turned purple. As they became cold, it felt like all warmth had disappeared from them. Su Ming's breathing weakened, and his nostrils instinctively flared to try and gain more air.
"Damn it, just what is this disaster?!"
The madness in Su Ming's eyes grew stronger. He stayed in his God of Berserkers Transformation since this was the only method with which his body would continuously recover, but even so, he could not recover to how he was previously, and the divine ability was losing its effect rapidly. The deterioration of Su Ming's body had become incredibly bad.
He was just like a mortal who was about to die and was struggling before his end.
At that moment, if he called out to the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe, the other would immediately take action… but Su Ming chose not to!
He did not believe that he could not fight against the fourth disaster. He refused to accept that he would die from the fourth disaster. He would not not!
He refused to admit defeat. His pride did not allow him to fail like this.
As intense pain filled Su Ming's body, a large amount of red appeared in his bloodshot eyes. They dimmed as if he was a candle flame in the wind and he was about to extinguish at any moment, but right then, Su Ming came to a swift realization.
"This isn't a disaster. This is a curse…"
The so-called Nine Deaths Disaster killed a person in an unseen manner, so it was clearly a curse!
The disaster was powerful and caused a person to feel powerless against it because all of Arid Triad's will went to curse a single person. Because of that… there was no way that anyone could fight against it. They could only passively be cursed!
Su Ming understood that this was a form of manifestation of Arid Triad's will… Not only did he understand that the Nine Deaths Disaster was a curse, he also understood during that moment that the so-called Antecedental Spirit's disaster was also a form of manifestation of Arid Triad's will.
It was just like how he could kill any cultivator he wanted in his True World with his will of a True World and could also use his will to send a similar disaster on them!
"Your… lips… will… swell… and… your… teeth… will… be… scorched. Die!"
The moment Su Ming understood everything, the murmurs from the will appeared again. This time, when they echoed in the air, the will made Su Ming's face change. It swelled, and his loose teeth felt a sort of heat, even though his body was clearly cold. This feeling was very contradictory, similar to the relationship between life and death.
The moment that feeling appeared, Su Ming could vividly sense… that death had descended on him without him being able to resist it. He was still under the effect of his God of Berserkers Transformation, but it was on the verge of crumbling.
"Your… hands… will… fall… out… of… your… sleeves. Die!
"You… will… sweat… but… it… will… not… flow… down. Die!"
With a bang, Su Ming's God of Berserkers Transformation scattered. The one hundred million Great Berserker souls could no longer strengthen his body and fight against the Arid Triad's curse!
"It's just a curse… If it's curses… I know them as well!"
Su Ming's body was weak and he was about to die. At the moment the old man stopped hesitating and was about to help, Su Ming began laughing.
His laughter was incredibly weak, and it could not even escape from his throat. It could only come out without a sound. However, an arc had appeared on the lips of Su Ming's swollen face. As he laughed soundlessly, he coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Murmurs swiftly tumbled out of Su Ming's mouth. There was some strange power contained in his voice, and it immediately echoed in the air, stirring up his True World clone. He was clearly using his power of a True World… to Curse Arid Triad!
This was his strongest Art—Arid Curse. The strength of this Art could affect those in Avacaniya Realm, but its true might could allow him to Curse Arid Triad's will and make it show signs of waking up from its sleep.
"Your… tongue… will… roll… back… Your… reproductive… organs… will… shrink. This is the Nine Deaths Disaster… Die!"
The final murmur of Nine Deaths Disaster's will rang out through the area during that instant and turned into a loud, thunderous rumble. The sound shook the sky and earth, and it caused Yin Death Vortex to shudder. During that instant, Su Ming's Curse was completely executed.
"Curse Arid Triad!"
Booming sounds surged into the sky during that moment. Su Ming's Curse required a doll, but at that moment, he did not have one in hand, so he used his own body as its replacement. With the will of his True World clone, he would Curse Arid Triad's will and the fourth disaster!
This was a fight between curses. It was also the strongest counter of Su Ming's life when he was intent of rising against the will wanting to bring about his death. When he launched his counter, for the first time ever… he showed an absolute unwillingness to surrender, an indestructible madness, and posed a threat to Arid Triad's will.
'There are two outcomes. One, I will die and make you wake up beforehand. But your awakening ahead of schedule will make you incomplete, and this does not go according to your will. I might not know what sort of changes will happen when your awakening is early, but I believe that you are sentient and will not wish for it to be so.
'The second would be… that the disaster will shatter because of me. It will shatter, and it will stop trying to use a Curse on me!'
This was a blatant threat from Su Ming. It was very direct and also very thorough!
The moment Su Ming cast his Curse and had it crash into the Nine Deaths Disaster in an unseen manner, an enraged roar seemed to be emitted by someone who was still sleeping rang out in the silent Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos. It had an indescribably mighty pressure.
When it reverberated through space, it filled all of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos. If there would have been any life forms that were awake at that moment, their bodies and souls would have been destroyed, no matter what sort of level of cultivation they had.
At the instant the voice appeared, the Nine Deaths Disaster around Su Ming disappeared without a trace. Al the curses on him weakened before they vanished simultaneously. Everything about him returned to the state before the disaster fell on him.
At the same time, his will reached a breakthrough, causing his aura to become even greater. The vortex he formed became thousands of feet tall, and he could sense that he had gone through a sort of cleansing. At that moment… he had the confidence to go through his fourth spirit ascension!
The sleeping Arid Triad's will had compromised!
At the moment a brilliant light appeared in Su Ming's eyes, the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe suddenly took a step forward and appeared before him. His expression was solemn when he lifted his right hand and swiftly grabbed the disappearing fourth disaster in the vortex.
His action jolted the fourth disaster.
"I… will clear all of your subsequent disasters. Your task is to head to the depths of Yin Death Vortex and verify my assumptions! Go! Hurry!"
Chapter 1258: The World in the Depths!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming's gaze fell on the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe before he cast a glance at the fourth disaster that he had seized through the air and whose disappearance was halted when it was going up Yin Death Vortex. When he looked at it, Su Ming knew that he was supposed to not be able to get through his third disaster. His level of cultivation had not been the reason why he was able to clear the disaster, but his Possession of a True World.
He had the years of life belonging to a True World, which was why he could be so wilful when getting through the third disaster.
He had barely escaped death during the fourth disaster. If he had not used the Arid Curse and been full of madness, willing to die with Arid Triad's will if it did not choose to compromise while still asleep, he would have definitely died.
In his current condition, if he was to face the fifth disaster… Su Ming had not a shred of confidence to pass it. In truth, he had already given it his all during the second disaster.
Su Ming might want to get through the disasters himself, but he was not reckless or foolish. If he did not have the ability and would definitely lose if he took the bet, he would not force himself to try it. He had already reached his limit a long time ago.
With eyes shining, he remembered the words the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe had said regarding Arid Triad's will. In silence, he took a swift step backwards.
"Thank you, senior!" When Su Ming moved back, he wrapped his fist in his palm.
"Don't thank me. I was the one who went searching for your disaster. Helping you… is the same as helping myself!"
While the old man swung his arm, he lifted his head, and the fifth disaster came swiftly from the rumbling Yin Death Vortex.
The disaster roared. When the sound echoed in the air, the Yin Death Vortex immediately filled with countless lightning bolts as if it had turned into a lightning storm.
"The fifth disaster, the Fiendish Withering of Earth in Five Directions. I've heard since a long time ago that the power of this disaster can destroy all lives. Today, I would like to see… whether this Fiendish Withering of Earth in Five Directions can bury my will of an Antecedental Spirit!"
As the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe laughed, he did not wait for the fifth disaster to descend on him. He turned into a vortex that shot upwards, taking the initiative to head towards the incoming disaster.
Su Ming stared at the old man, and resolve appeared on his face. Turning around, he charged into the depths of Yin Death Vortex. He knew that the subsequent disasters were not ones he could stand against. He had an even more important mission, and that was to head into the deepest parts of Yin Death Vortex in search for the connection between himself and the broken will in this place so that he could verify the old man's guess. He had to find the answers.
The old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe… longed to learn of all of this. However, he did not have a way to obtain his answers, which was why he placed all his hopes on Su Ming.
He hoped that Su Ming would be able to obtain them, and that was why he told him all of his guesses. He already treated Su Ming as his scion, but he did not pass down any of his power or his divine abilities to him. Instead, he gave Su Ming a form of determination that would allow him to learn all the secrets of Arid Triad's will, Arid Disaster, and Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.
Perhaps there were some people who had the same determination before their era's destruction during the countless eras of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos. With great wisdom, they tried to search for all the answers. Perhaps some people succeeded, but perhaps… no one had ever succeeded. The old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe was unable to find the truth, even though he believed that he had already found his way to the edges of the answer.
But he could not truly find the secret. Su Ming… was the scion he chose, and he inherited those guesses and determination to continue moving forward.
He would continue go forth until he found the answer… until he found the greatest secret of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.
Su Ming knew all of this. That was why when he turned around and the booming sounds behind him surged into the sky while the old man's howls and roars echoed faintly in the air, he did not turn his head around to look. Instead, resolve appeared on his face. He charged towards the depths of Yin Death Vortex.
He did not know how deep was Yin Death Vortex. He did not know how far he was from the end, and he did not know whether the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe would be able to help him clear the disasters in the end. He did not know any of that, but it was not important. What mattered was only Su Ming's persistence. It caused his feet and body to turn into determination itself, and he headed further into the distance.
Time passed in the vortex, but Su Ming had no idea how fast. He could no longer hear the rumbles from the Antecedental Spirit's disaster, and neither could he hear the roars of the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe. Everything around him gradually became quiet, until it was completely silent around him. Not a single sound could be heard. The rotations of the vortex seemed to be something that would last for eternity.
It was as if Su Ming had moved into another world, which was an empty and quiet world. Everything was silent. Everything was empty. It was as if nothing existed, but as that feeling arose, Su Ming slowly came to realize that the Yin Death Aura in this place became less until it practically disappeared. In the end, it was replaced by the power of Bright Yang.
Bright Yang was the arch enemy of all lives in Yin Death Vortex. It was a forbidden aura spelling death that could not exist at the same time with Yin Death. Only Su Ming could survive it, because he had a True World clone. He could move back and forth between Yin Death and Bright Yang and transform his aura at will. Because of this, he could continue charging forward in the portion of Yin Death Vortex that was filled with Bright Yang Aura.
Gradually, it became greater, to the point hat it surpassed all that Su Ming had previously seen in the past. It filled the vortex until it could no longer be known as Yin Death Vortex… but had to be known as Bright Yang Vortex!
Su Ming had no idea how much time had passed. At the moment the Bright Yang Aura reached its peak in density, he slowly came to a stop in the depths of the vortex and stared at the area in front of him in a daze.
Before him was a brilliant galactical vortex, as if Yin Death Vortex was a funnel. At that moment, Su Ming stood at the end of the bottom part and felt that if he took one more step, he could step out of the funnel-like vortex.
When he stepped into the empty world with that brilliant galactical vortex, he would not see the end of it. It was as if it was an Expanse Cosmos that had no end, so all those who saw it would feel a sense of insignificance wash over them.
"This is…"
When Su Ming began to speak in a murmur, his heart suddenly trembled, because at that instant, a voice traveled forth languidly from the galactical vortex at the bottom of the funnel-like Yin Death Vortex.
It sounded ancient, and it contained an indescribable weakness, as if most of its strength had flowed away in the passage of time. It echoed in the air without consciousness.
"Morus Alba…"
The appearance of this voice caused Su Ming's heart to tremble. He sensed something calling to him, a sound that made his soul tremble coming from the beautiful galactical vortex in the empty world.
A brilliant light appeared in Su Ming's eyes. Since he was already in this place and had already seen everything, there was no reason for him to leave. Even if he would run into endless dangers when he took that one step… if he left just like this, not only would the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe be disappointed in him, even Su Ming would not be able to forgive himself.
With eyes sparkling, he took a step forward without hesitation.
He moved from the funnel-like Yin Death Vortex into the endless space. At the moment his body fused into it, he began trembling furiously.
He could not control those shivers, and disbelief appeared in his eyes. In fact, his chest began to rise and fall continuously, as if Su Ming had discovered an astonishing abnormality that shocked him so greatly that even his self-control could not hold him steady!
"This… This is…" Su Ming swept his gaze across the area. The third eye at the center of his brow instantly opened, and his divine sense erupted with a bang and quickly spread through the area.
"Is this… True Morning Dao World?"
The disbelief in Su Ming's eyes became stronger. When he stepped into the place, he immediately sensed a hint of familiarity. There was no way Su Ming would find this familiar feeling unfamiliar to him. It was… the presence of True Morning Dao World's will before it was Possessed.
There was no way Su Ming could ever forget it. He had thought against it before he had devoured it, which was why he was intimately familiar with it. This place… felt as if it was the True Morning Dao World Su Ming had yet to Possess!
If that was all, it would not be enough for Su Ming to lose his composure, but at the moment he noticed this, he made another great discovery. It was that discovery that caused Su Ming's heart to no longer be able to remain calm. A storm raged in his soul.
"This presence… this is… Yin Death Aura. This entire True World, this entire universe, this entire space is filled with boundless Yin Death Aura!
"How can this be?!"
Su Ming instinctively took a few steps forward. When he completely left the funnel-like Yin Death Vortex, he seemed to have come to understand something. He turned his head around and looked behind him.
What he saw was a huge vortex. It was the exact same as the vortex he saw in the True Morning Dao World on the other side!
However… the similar appearance did not mean that everything was the same. Su Ming could no longer sense Yin Death Aura from the vortex… but Bright Yang Aura. The thickness of that aura made him feel as if all lives filled with Yin Death Aura would disappear in it.
Everything was reversed. On the other side of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos was an entire True World filled with Bright Yang Aura with only Yin Death Vortex were endless aura of death could be found, while in this place… the entire world was filled with Yin Death Aura, and the vortex that was the exact same as Yin Death Vortex… was filled with an astonishing amount of Bright Yang Aura.
Everything was in reverse. The level of things reversed caused Su Ming to suddenly remember an epiphany he had gained when he was in the land of Berserkers…
"Yin Death Region is like a mirror. Beyond the mirror is Bright Yang, and within the mirror is Yin Death… I once thought that the area in the mirror was the land of Berserkers and the countless dimensions in the vortex…
"But by the looks of it now, I was wrong…
"Yin Death Vortex is a mirror. The world in the mirror is not the mirror itself… but this place!"
Su Ming stared at his surroundings in a daze. He did not know what was the name of the Expanse Cosmos he saw at that moment, whether it was known as Arid Triad… or something else.
Chapter 1259: Turning Point!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"A mirror… no wonder I can feel True Morning Dao World's presence here. If this place is the world in the mirror, then the four Great True Worlds must exist here as well!
"Everything here should be the same as in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, but I wonder if there is anything alive here… And there are certain things different here as well. Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World belongs to me. There is a whirlwind there, as well as Arid Triad's gap, but everything here is empty, and there are also quite a number of cultivation planets here…"
Su Ming narrowed his eyes and charged into the distance, but in just the time it takes for half an incense stick to burn, he came to a stop.
What made him stop was the entire True World experiencing a strange change practically the moment he stepped into the place. The changes in the beginning were not obvious, but in just the time it takes for half an incense to burn, they had grown much stronger.
Whirlwind immediately appeared in the originally empty area. It seemed to have just been born, but it was growing stronger with each passing moment. After a moment, it filled the entire area. This scene caused Su Ming to stop moving and his pupils to shrink.
He could sense one of the cultivation planets in this True World swiftly shattering. A large portion of the True World shattered for an unknown reason as well, as if a wave of power had descended on it to make the True World go through a change.
The whirlwind was the wind currently in Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World, the one formed by the power of the World!
The originally complete cultivation planets began to swiftly crumble, and the entire True World began to swiftly change into Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World, as if it wanted to become exactly the same!
In fact, when Su Ming lifted his head, he saw the whirlwind swiftly gather together above him, and he could vaguely see the end of space. The universe there was torn. Rumbling sounds spread through the entire True World… and a huge gap appeared!
"Arid Triad's gap!"
Su Ming's pupils shrank. He could recognize all the shocking changes happening in this previously empty and quiet True World once he arrived. It transformed to become the exact same as Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World. In fact, during that instant, Su Ming could also sense… that this True Morning Dao World… had started to slowly gain his presence!
It was Su Ming's own presence. He would definitely not mistake it. He stood in a daze as he personally watched the entire True World completely turn into Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World in a short two hours. It had Arid Triad's gap, a whirlwind, and Morning Dao Sect's base. Regardless of whether it was its structure or appearance, it was completely the same as Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World!
The True World's will was there as well. It seemed to get worn down, and it could not fight against the power forcing this upon it. It seemed to be predestined and nothing could not change it. The True World's will could only let out unresigned, soundless howls and roars that only Su Ming could hear.
The will tumbled about, and it was swiftly being replaced by Su Ming's will… but Su Ming did not do anything. He only stood there and watched all of it in a daze.
In fact, when two hours passed, the True World before him became the exact same as his True Morning Dao World in Arid Triad. Once that happened, Su Ming hesitated for a moment before he spread his will outwards and tried to touch the will in this True World, which was very blatantly his.
When the two exact same wills came into contact with each other, Su Ming's body let out a bang. It was loud and monstrous bangs, and made him feel as if his head was about to burst. His body trembled. Blood capillaries instantly filled his eyes, and a ferocious expression appeared on his face, but there was an excited and thrilled look that surpassed what a mind could imagine in his eyes.
His divine sense roared, and ripples appeared in his soul. His state of being was rapidly rising in levels. The power of his will of an Antecedental Spirit and his mind… also increased by one-fold during that instant!
It was a full one-fold, as if an entire True World had appeared out of the blue and had fused perfectly with his True World. Su Ming surpassed his previous self, rising to a Realm that even he found impossible to believe!
This Realm made Su Ming feel as if he had Possessed two of the four Great True Worlds in Arid Triad!
Booming sounds echoed in Su Ming's mind, causing him to throw his head back and roar. His voice shook the sky and earth, stirring up endless ripples in the True World, as if he was announcing that he was the master of everything in this place!
Not only was he the master of Arid Triad's True Morning Dao World, he was also the master of the True Morning Dao World in the world in the mirror!
'I understand now. This is the world in the mirror. If certain events have happened in the world outside, then this place will change along with it, but this change does not happen at the same time. It needs a turning point… such as my arrival. This was its turning point!
'Because in Arid Triad, I am True Morning Dao World, when I arrived in this place, everything in this place changed… If that is the case for the True World, then I wonder whether it is the same for the lives here!'
Su Ming suppressed the excitement in his heart as he sensed himself swiftly becoming stronger. At that moment, he had a feeling that even if he came face to face against a cultivator in Avacaniya Realm, he would not have as much difficulty in fighting against them as he did in the past!
Strong light shone in Su Ming's eyes. At that moment, he was confident that even if he came face to face with the third disaster, he could get through it with even more ease. In fact, even the fourth disaster could forget trying to reduce him to close to death's door as it did previously!
In fact, Su Ming even had a certain amount of confidence that he could get through the fifth disaster!
His clear increase in strength was not reflected in his cultivation base, but in his will, soul, and the state of his being.
'Everything in Arid Triad can control the setup in this place. Then if that is the case, could it be that the changes in here can also control the setup in Arid Triad… In fact… will I be able to meet… another version of myself here?'
When Su Ming thought of this, his heart suddenly trembled. In his mind, this idea was a little far fetched and crazy… Yet in his heart, he believed that it was true!
'The other version of me is here, as well as all the people the other version of me knows. In fact… every single life in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos also exists here!
'If that's the case, then senior Tian Bai's guess is correct. All life in the universe has its arch enemy, and it is the same for Arid Triad's will. Everything in the universe has two sides. If there is Yin… then there will be Yang!
'True Morning Dao World exists in this place, along with the other three True Worlds, as well as Divine Essence Star Ocean. In fact… All Spirits Hall is here as well!'
Brilliant light shone in Su Ming's eyes. At that moment, his heart and mind were shaken by his own guesses and discoveries, and it was difficult for him to completely calm down.
'If there is an All Spirits Hall here… since I can obtain twice the increase in power due to the True Worlds… then if I can experience the first spirit ascension here again… and go through all nine spirit ascensions here and another nine in Arid Triad… how much stronger will I become?'
Su Ming's heart pounded. He did not need to think too far ahead. When he thought about being able to go through three spirit ascensions in this place then go through another three in Arid Triad… He would have gone through eight spirit ascensions!
He had no idea how strong this level of spirit ascension would be… and he did not dare to imagine it.
'More importantly, I have to find my other self in here. I wonder if he has Arid Triad's path reflected on him and whether the things he went through are the same…
'But I don't think this will be true. The other version of me in this place should have another path to his life, because even though this is a mirror, it needs a turning point before both worlds can overlap, and only then it transforms. Before I came to this place, this turning point did not exist, which is why my other self…
'Would have experienced a completely different life!
'My other self is not the only one affected. All the lives in this place are the same. They would not be connected to the world outside… I might be calling this a mirror, but in truth, this isn't like a mirror. Instead, it's like two Expanse Cosmoses. Perhaps they overlap with each other once in a while, but after that, they are separated again.
'Unless someone can move between these two Expanse Cosmoses, there won't be anyone to trigger the mirror-like effect. This is what is happening here!' The light of understanding appeared in Su Ming's eyes.
'Then logically speaking, there is a will similar to Arid Triad in this Expanse Cosmos… It is…'
When Su Ming thought of this, his heart trembled. He remembered the theory the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe had mentioned.
'It is the arch enemy of Arid Triad's will. It's… Harmonious Morus Alba!'
Su Ming's expression continuously changed. He thought of far too many things, such as the three ancient wills… They had to be lives who had come from this world, but due to certain unique reasons, they had to live in Yin Death Vortex.
'This place can fuse with Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos, but they are existences that contradict each other. Then it can be said that I… can fuse with the other version of myself in this place. Once I do so… I will become the one and only presence in this place and Arid Triad. Perhaps only by doing so will I be myself!'
Su Ming's thoughts continued running wildly in his mind. He thought of many things, and at that moment, for some unknown reason, something someone told him a long time ago in the land of Berserkers appeared in his head.
"When you learn who you are, you… are no longer you. When you no longer know who you are, you… will be you!"
"I finally understand it…" Su Ming fell silent before he sighed softly.
'I can somewhat guess some of the reasons as to why senior Tian Bai said that the will in this place is connected to me. If this guess is correct, I will be able to tell whether my previous guess is the truth.
'All of this will depend on what status… my other self has in this world!'
A brilliant light shone in Su Ming's eyes. All of his guesses were connected to one single point. As long as he could establish it, he would become enlightened.
'Surely, my other self has already sensed some changes at this moment…'
Su Ming's eyes shone. When he spread his divine sense outwards, he turned his will into his divine sense so that it could transform into the will of heaven. It swept through the entire True World, and since Su Ming's will was comparable to two True Worlds, when he sent his divine sense spreading out, the area he covered was so big that it could be said to be boundless.
After a moment, a strange and hesitant look suddenly appeared on Su Ming's face. He did not manage to find the other version of himself, but he did find another person within his divine sense.
'He's…'
Su Ming was momentarily stunned. Then, he charged into the distance.
Chapter 1260: I Swear…
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The place was filled with Yin Death Aura, just like how Arid Triad was filled with Bright Yang Aura. The people born in this world couldn't notice it, since it was difficult for them to tell that there were also four Great True Worlds in this world filled with Yin Death Aura.
Their names were different. Morning Dao was known as Immortal Sect. Sacred Yin was known as Illusory Yang. The Emperor of Abyss was known as Sky Hill. As for the fourth True World, it was known as Victory Colony.
In True Victory Colony World was a palace in space. Right then, there was a figure sitting in there while meditating. That figure belonged to a young man. His age could not be told from his face, but those who saw him could vaguely sense that the dust of time had filled the area around him.
He had his eyes closed while his expression was aloof. If Su Ming was there, he would definitely be able to tell with just one glance that this person… was his other self in this universe. Their appearances was the exact same.
The man's originally calm expressions was suddenly shaken. His eyes flew swiftly open, and all those who saw him could clearly see the shadow of a butterfly in his pupils.
His body trembled, and his aura swiftly increased, as if a force had rushed into his body, causing his state of being and will to instantly increase in power exponentially.
The entire process lasted for about two hours before it slowly calmed down. The young man's eyes were filled with red at that moment. To him, it felt like the world had turned over its head in that time. His power had increased by a lot, and a dazed look appeared on his face. The sudden increase of his power caused him to be extremely puzzled.
"What happened?"
The young man frowned and mumbled softly to himself. Two hours ago, his level of cultivation had only been at the equivalent of Life Realm, but right then, he had instantly become an existence with the power equivalent to those in Death Realm. This explosive increase in his power should originally cause him to feel discomfort—after all, it was an external power—but it was definitely not the case. It was as if this power had always belonged to him.
When the young man fell into contemplative silence, a glint appeared in his eyes, and he lifted his head. He looked beyond his palace, and in just the span of a few breaths, a figure came inside. It instantly appeared before the young man and turned into an old man. The old man was dressed in a black robe, and there was a butterfly embroidered on his robe. As he approached the palace, he immediately knelt down.
The old man had extraordinary power, and he was also in Death Realm, but his act of kneeling to the young man was not at all lacking in fluency or filled with dissatisfaction. Instead, it was incredibly sincere. It was as if he was worshiping his Progenitor.
"Greetings, Child of Morus Alba. Your Grace, a drastic change has occurred in True Immortal Sect World. The entire True World was reduced to a wreck in just two hours… Most of the planets had crumbled, and there is also a whirlwind surrounding it. In fact, a huge gap has appeared above!" the old man explained quickly with an anxious look on his face.
"I understand." The young man looked as composed as ever.
The old man looked as if he had something else to say, but he did not voice what was on his mind. Instead, he got up and was just about to announce his leave when the young man suddenly asked, "Did the other two Children of Morus Alba do anything?"
"Not for the moment," the old man answered respectfully. When he saw the young man sinking into contemplative silence and making no move to give further instruction, he left the hall.
'It's also within two hours, and it's in True Immortal Sect World… There is something strange about this!'
The young man remained silent for a moment before a cold sneer appeared at the corners of his lips. As one of the three great incarnations of Harmonious Morus Alba's will, he possessed the ability to communicate with Harmonious Morus Alba's will since he was young, and it was precisely because of this that he became one of the three Children of Morus Alba.
He was the representative of Harmonious Morus Alba's will in this Expanse Cosmos. He had a high status, and with just one sentence, he could determine the deaths of ten thousand people. With just one sentence, he could make the universe go mad. This was his right, because as the incarnation of Harmonious Morus Alba, he was believed to be the manifestation of Harmonious Morus Alba's will in the Expanse Cosmos.
'Could it be that my disaster has arrived?'
In silence, the young man closed his eyes. He lifted his right hand and pressed it at the center of his brow. With it, his body shuddered, and the image of a butterfly gradually appeared behind him. It surrounded the young man and turned into a whirlwind.
The butterfly flapped its wings before it completely merged with the whirlwind. It concealed the young man's figure within it, which was him using his right as the Child of Morus Alba to initiate a simple communication with Harmonious Morus Alba's will, or rather… he was borrowing Harmonious Morus Alba's power… the strongest power he had as the incarnation of Harmonious Morus Alba!
This was an ability only he and the other two Children of Morus Alba shared, and it was precisely it that allowed him to be able to instantly kill someone in Death Realm even though he was previously only in Life Realm!
…..
During the sudden change in True Immortal Sect World in Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos, the entire True World was reduced to ruins. Countless planets were shattered, causing the cultivators in the place to find their hearts tremble under this disaster.
Thankfully, True Immortal Sect World had always maintained a certain degree of mysteriousness. It had some limitations set on it, such as the number of cultivators being restricted in the True World and the area around Bright Yang Vortex being declared a forbidden ground.
Because of this, the damage caused by the disaster that swept through all of True Immortal Sect World mostly affected the True World itself. The cultivators were not too influenced by it.
At the edge of True Immortal Sect World was a cultivation planet that had been split into half. There was once a tall mountain reaching one hundred thousand feet there. Right then, it had been reduced to a gorge. Beside it was a middle-aged cultivator who looked around the area with a bitter smile.
There were seven people surrounding him at that moment. They had aloof expressions of their faces as their glared at the person.
"Fellow Daoists, why trouble yourselves to chase after me? I, Qian, truly did not steal your sect's jade wire… I really didn't steal it… I already swore I didn't steal it just now, I…" The middle-aged man stared at the seven men and while explaining himself with a bitter smile.
The seven people's expressions instantly changed drastically. They took a simultaneous step forward and surrounded the middle-aged man. One of them immediately said in exasperation, "Shut up. If it was not because of eldest senior brother's orders, we would have long ago captured you and brought you back to the sect. We already gave you a chance, and you still dare to talk about the oath you swore just now?!"
They did not dare let this middle-aged man continue speaking, because they would never forget just how terrifying the scene just then had been…
The group of seven in pursuit of this middle-aged man had finally been able to catch up to him in True Immortal Sect World. Since this person was a close friend of their eldest senior brother, they had not made things difficult for him. They only wanted to make him explain things clearly.
As for whether they were supposed to bring him back to the sect, they were to do so judging on the situation. After all, there were sixty people whom they were supposed to investigate this time, and the person before them was just one of them.
Things had gone very smoothly at the start. Once this person provided his explanation, he looked as if he was afraid that they would not believe in him, and hence, he swore an oath saying… that if his words were lies, the sky and earth would crumble…
The seven of them would naturally not believe in oaths. After all, they had heard rumors about the middle-aged man's character. It was said that he swore the same oath every single day to different people.
However… what they did not expect was that the moment the middle-aged man finished speaking… the sky and earth immediately crumbled.
But that was not all. The middle-aged man had reacted to the situation very quickly and immediately swore another oath, saying that if his words were lies, the planet would immediately shatter!
And right when he said those words, the planet rumbled and shattered…
Then, in a panic, the middle-aged man swore another oath, saying that space would shatter, and then.. a whirlwind howled in space, as if it truly wanted to crush the universe. It looked like all of True Immortal Sect World was faced with an apocalypse.
Not only were the seven people stunned by the scene, even the middle-aged man looked like he had seen a ghost. Then, as the World went through the drastic change, he fled.
But the seven caught up to him again. When the middle-aged man heard the exasperated shouts, a distressed expression immediately appeared on his face, and he felt incredibly depressed. He had sworn plenty of oaths in his life, but not once had they come true. What happened just then had terrified him. He had not thought that with just one sentence… he could make the sky and earth crumble.
And judging by the looks of it, the sky and earth in all of True Immortal Sect World had crumbled, the space shattered. All of it pushed him into the misconception that… the universe was punishing him.
'But… isn't the price for the punishment too great? I am just a nobody. I… I just like to swear oaths. There's no need to use the destruction of an entire True World to warn me, right?'
The middle-aged man was feeling incredibly anxious. At that moment, when he saw the seven people surround him and take a step forward with hostile expressions, he instinctively spoke.
"I swear…"
"Shut up! How dare you still try to swear?! Do you want us to capture you or will you follow us obediently?!"
When the seven saw that he was about to speak, their expressions changed drastically. One of them immediately formed a seal and looked like they wanted to cast a divine ability.
When he saw that the seven were about to attack, the middle-aged man roared, "I swear… Damn it, I swear that if I stole your jade wire, then… then the Child of Morus Alba will come to personally punish me!"
His roar was filled with the tone of someone who had been wronged. This was the first time he swore this oath. After all, swearing by the name of the Child of Morus Alba in Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos was an incredibly serious matter. It was the same as swearing by the name of Arid Triad's will in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.
Regardless of whether it would come true, the oath itself required a form of determination.
When the seven heard this, their footsteps came to a halt. They were truly afraid now. The person before them gave them a feeling that he was a little too strange. Every single oath he swore had come true. At that moment, when the seven heard the man's words, one of them instinctively lifted his head to stare at the heavens.
Almost the same moment, he shuddered and sucked in a sharp breath. In that inhale was the shock he felt.
As the other people raised their heads as well and the middle-aged man did the same thing, they saw…
A long arc charging toward them from the sky. It instantly drew close and within was Su Ming. The instant the seven saw his face, they sucked in a sharp breath.
"We, disciples of Freezing Winter Sect, greet the Child of Morus Alba!"
The seven knelt down simultaneously, and the middle-aged man's face turned pale as he nearly fell down on his bottom. He suddenly felt that his retribution had arrived…
Chapter 1261: Qian Chen
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
'Child of Morus Alba…'
Su Ming's eyes shone with a barely noticeable glint. With his intelligence, if he did not want anyone to see anything off about him, no one would be able to find even a single clue, unless he ran into old monsters like the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe.
In fact, even the old monsters like the old man from Heavenly Spirit Tribe would not be able to see everything. After all, the level of complications and number of trials Su Ming had experienced in the one thousand years he had lived was definitely not something other cultivators could imagine.
The people before him were part of the cultivators he had seen in this True World with his divine sense, but he had come for the middle-aged man named Qian.
But he was not entirely certain… because everything in Arid Triad… existed here as well. He was not certain whether this man named Qian was his old friend.
When he heard the title these cultivators used to refer to him and saw the anxiety contained under their respectful demeanor, Su Ming reached his other goal. He had wanted to appear before these people to see whether they would see him as the other version of himself in this world.
"Freezing Winter Sect…" Su Ming's expression remained the same. When he said those words faintly, he sounded as if he did not quite remember this sect.
"Our sect is not great. Your Grace, there is no need for you to pay too much attention to it. Our sect is one of the four sects under the jurisdiction of Li Tian Wang, one of the three Immortals of Jade Palace. The Sect Masters of our sect have always inherited the divine position of Li Hai, who is one of Li Tian Wang's four generals," one of the seven cultivators immediately explained while worshiping him respectfully.
"I have some uses for this person. You may leave now." Su Ming did not ask anything in detail, and instead chose to speak calmly.
The seven men hesitated for a moment before they cast each other a glance. Then, they bowed to Su Ming again and turned around to turn into seven long arcs that charged into the universe. Soon, they could no longer be seen.
The middle-aged man's feet trembled. He wanted to slap his own mouth, cursing in his heart that he absolutely should not have sworn in the name of the Child of Morus Alba. But even so, he still thought that there was something too bizarre about all his oaths coming true. It was so bizarre that it made him stare at Su Ming dumbly, and his heart trembled even more.
"Um… Your Grace, why did you come to this lowly commoner?" The middle-aged man felt slightly tongue-tied, and he instinctively put on an obsequious expression.
Su Ming turned his head and directed his gaze on the middle-aged man. After a long while, he suddenly said, "Qian Chen!"
"Here!"
The man was Qian Chen, the person who had accompanied him for some time after getting acquainted with him in the land of Berserkers until Su Ming was forced to head to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, the Qian Chen who he had lost contact with ever since!
Su Ming had asked his second senior brother about Qian Chen later. This person had left on his own not long after Su Ming went to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence. Even now, Su Ming still remembered the grief and anger on Qian Chen's face when he witnessed the deaths of all those from the ninth summit when the direct descendant of Morning Dao Sect descended among them. The determination to become someone powerful had flickered within him at that time.
With those memories, Su Ming stared at the man before him and found himself slightly unable to tell… whether he was Arid Triad's Qian Chen or the Qian Chen of this Expanse Cosmos.
Su Ming was silent for a moment before he suddenly asked, "Do you… still recognize me?"
When he said those words, Qian Chen suddenly trembled. From the moment Su Ming appeared, not many changes on his expression could be detected. At most, he had shown that he was frustrated by his own oaths, but in truth, at the moment Qian Chen saw Su Ming, an anguish that other people would find hard to detect appeared in his heart.
This anguish came from Su Ming's current appearance. It came from the memories of a certain past, but he did not believe that Su Ming was the one he knew. Instead, he stood there in a daze and stared at Su Ming blankly.
Su Ming's appearance was slightly different from when he was in the land of Berserkers. However, once one stared at him for a long period of time, they would still be able to find some traces of the Su Ming of the past. Su Ming stared at Qian Chen, and after a long while, he sighed softly.
"Do you still remember the ninth summit?"
When he asked this question, Qian Chen jolted. Disbelief appeared on his face. There was no way he would forget the ninth summit. It was a place he would never forget. He had unintentionally left his Expanse Cosmos in the past and entered Bright Yang Vortex… to come to the Berserkers' world, and when he was there, he had gotten acquainted with a few people.
Everything that had happened in the ninth summit and the tragedy that fell upon it in the end were engraved deep into his mind. At that time, he did not know about the secrets regarding Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos, but when Su Ming left for Divine Essence Star Ocean, Qian Chen had chosen to leave as well. Once he returned to his own world, he began to wander about Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos, and by chance…
He was able to witness a grand event in Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos from the distance. That grand event… was the appearance of the third Child of Morus Alba in True Victory Colony World. He would never forget how excited he had been when he saw him.
He would also never forget the indifference he met when he tried to approach the third Child of Morus Alba and how lost he had felt. Similarly, he would not forget the dreariness he felt when he understood what happened, and how he had distanced himself as far as possible from the third Child of Morus Alba.
"Your Grace, I do not… understand what you said…" Qian Chen remained silent for a moment before he forced that obsequious expression belonging to a nobody on his face and spoke with a smile while his heart was filled with anguish.
He did not dare to be certain of his own answers, because as time passed, he slowly came to realize a secret regarding Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos—the people who existed here… existed in the outside world as well.
But they were not the same people.
The Su Ming he saw before him was clearly the exact same as the Child of Morus Alba. It was difficult for Qian Chen to tell… whether this person was Su Ming or the Child of Morus Alba.
Su Ming fell silent. He had recognized Qian Chen. Based on his reactions, Su Ming had been able to see many things, but he did not force Qian Chen to get reacquainted with him. Instead, in silence, he cast Qian Chen a deep glance.
"I didn't expect for you to have come from this place… Take care of yourself."
Qian Chen was Su Ming's friend. Their relationship might not run as deep as the relationship Su Ming shared with his senior brothers, but this person was not his enemy. He was a friend.
As Su Ming shook his head, he turned around and walked into space. Since Qian Chen was hesitant and had difficulties that made him refuse to get reacquainted, then Su Ming would not force him to do so, no matter what that difficulty was. There were times… when friendship was formed due to a chance meeting, but when the two people ran into each other again… perhaps they would become strangers again.
When he watched Su Ming's figure slowly rise into space, great conflict appeared on Qian Chen's face. Then, he loudly shouted one question.
"Who is the person I fear the most beside you?!"
"Yu Xuan…" Su Ming came to a halt in midair, then turned his head around to stare at Qian Chen.
"Why did you say that?" Once Qian Chen asked this question, he stopped speaking. Tears fell from the corners of his eyes.
"As the mutt, the Abyss Dragon bullied you, and Yu Xuan bullied the Abyss Dragon. That was why you believed that Yu Xuan was the strongest and most terrifying in the past."
Su Ming looked at Qian Chen, and a nostalgic expression appeared on his face. That period of time… was filled with beautiful moments.
"You are…"
"I am not the Child of Morus Alba. I am Su Ming, the one from the land of Berserkers!"
At the instant Su Ming said those words, more tears fell from Qian Chen's eyes. He stared at Su Ming in a daze, and excitement gradually appeared on his face.
"Su Ming… It's you! It's really you! You're not the Child of Morus Alba! You're Su Ming!"
…..
On a cultivation planet that had been struck into two halves was a sky that was no longer blue. Instead, it was dark. Those on the planet could see the wind howling and charging at the ends of the sky. The ground had shattered, the mountains had crumbled, and the empty land was filled with numerous cracks.
Within an empty spot between some of the cracks was a table. On it were two pots of wine. Su Ming sat beside the table, and by his side was Qian Chen.
Su Ming listened to Qian Chen recounting his tale. He had entered Bright Yang Vortex completely by accident and went into the land of Berserkers. Then, due to Su Ming leaving to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, he chose to leave and return to Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos. When he was here, he met many people, and some of them were the other Su Ming as well as the other Yu Xuan…
"This is Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos. There is a legend in the land of Berserkers about a butterfly named Harmonious Morus Alba. That legend is real. Harmonious Morus Alba is a supreme existence in our Expanse Cosmos…
"There are four True Worlds here…
"There is a title of the Child of Morus Alba here as well. They are like the children of Harmonious Morus Alba and at the same time its incarnations. In truth, due to some special reasons, they are capable of communicating with Harmonious Morus Alba's will. They can borrow the power of Harmonious Morus Alba."
Qian Chen stopped speaking and cast a glance at Su Ming before he said hesitantly, "I also saw… Bai Su…
"She isn't a cultivator. She's a mortal I saw many years ago on a cultivation planet in True Sky Hill World. She's from a huge mortal family in that planet.
"I didn't see second senior brother or Hu Zi… but I remember Yu Xuan clearly. She's currently in True Victory Colony World, and she's…" Qian Chen stopped speaking again. He hesitated for a moment before he continued speaking.
"She's the lover of the third Child of Morus Alba."
Su Ming was silent. He had guessed a long time ago that the other versions of the people in Arid Triad would exist in Harmonious Morus Alba, but the land of Berserkers was in the vortex, and the people there… might not have alternative versions of themselves in Harmonious Morus Alba.
Only those with certain characteristics would have other versions of themselves here. It was so for Su Ming, and it was the same for Bai Su.
It was easy to explain Bai Su's presence. She was a cultivator of Arid Triad to begin with. As for Su Ming… his presence was also very easy to explain. He was not a life from Yin Death Vortex to begin with.
"This is Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos. There are four Great True Worlds here, and they are Immortal Sect, Illusory Yang, Sky Hill, and Victory Colony… There are quite a number of cultivators in Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos, and they are all scattered throughout the four Great True Worlds.
"Besides True Immortal Sect World being isolated many years ago and all forms of power being forbidden to form their influence in this place, there is one Child of Morus Alba defending each of the three other True Worlds.
"There are also various powerful sects such as Sky Hill's Jade Palace in the three True Worlds. There is the Jade Sovereign, Li Tian Wang, the God of Two Tunnels, and Feng Huo. The Jade Sovereign is the leader among them, and the other three have their own sects. They are all uniformly known… as Jade Palace.
"Then there is True Illusory Yang World. There are the Saints of Four Continents. Saint Dou is the leader, and the secondary Saints Yun, Dao, and Xu have their own forces of power.
"There is also True Victory Colony World. Under the Child of Morus Alba are the ten Great Mournful-Death souls. They control the supreme treasure, Eighteen Spirit Hell, and they are incredibly powerful."