Chapter 37: Cataclysm Unleashed - The Final Countdown
Jiang Ping surveyed the scene before him, a horde of ants ravaging everything in their path. Disrespecting the world order, they embraced their bloodlust, annihilating all living beings without mercy. In their relentless pursuit of power, they left no hope for survival, pushing the world to the brink of collapse and extinguishing all forms of life.
As Jiang Ping looked down upon the swarming ants, it seemed as if he, the representative of the heavenly law, was passing judgment on all living creatures. A queen ant, attempting to counter his claims, opened her mouth but found herself at a loss for words. The truth in God's words left her speechless.
An aggressive ant knight shouted defiantly, defending their clan's innate nature of devouring and bloodshed. According to him, the weak and feeble among all races deserved their fate. Jiang Ping fixed his gaze upon the ant knight and retorted, "Every existence in this world has its purpose. But when you dominate the world, depriving all other races of their chance to survive, you ultimately bring about the withering of all things. In the end, you even turn upon yourselves, witnessing members of your own race tearing each other apart, engorging on their own kind."
His words struck a chord with the queen ant and the ant soldiers, their faces paling. The realization dawned upon them that by offering sacrifices to the world and challenging the Creator , they had failed to comprehend the inevitable consequences that awaited them.
In their previous frenzy, they had worshiped the Ant King fanatically. However, with the fall of their leader, they snapped out of their delusion and regained their senses. They now understood that balance must be maintained in the world, and every action had its own price to pay.
Jiang Ping ceased his words, raising his hand to point at the sky. "Let the world perish!" The proclamation resonated throughout the primordial realm, causing a resounding boom. The protective barriers surrounding the world disintegrated instantly, allowing the chaotic forces from outside to flood in and assimilate the vast expanse.
Jiang Ping's finger pierced the dark clouds, dispersing them to reveal the starry sky. Yet, the queen ants understood that this would be their final glimpse. Having initiated the world annihilation, Jiang Ping did not hesitate any longer. He glanced at the weeping Devouring Ants and boldly stepped beyond the boundaries.
Starlight cascaded upon the primordial sky, offering a final glimmer to this dying world. From the void above, billions of world-destroying divine thunders descended, shaking the very foundations of existence and obliterating any remnants of life.
The ants at the altar, consumed by their own anguish, continued their ceaseless howling. Their bodies, which had once devoured precious metals, now crumbled like fragile paper before the onslaught of the world-destroying divine thunders. The ant queens, driven to madness, danced a frenzied waltz of destruction, rejoicing in their own survival while commemorating the demise of the world.
One ant knight bit his finger and used his blood to etch a message on a giant rock: "The Primordial world, the end of the devouring era. The Ant King amassed the world's fortune, ignited the fire of rebellion, proclaimed himself a god, dared to challenge the true God of Creation, but ultimately failed and perished. The great lord condemned the devouring ants for their cruelty and bloodlust, leaving no survivors."
The result of their actions shattered the world, and the lord responded by unleashing destruction upon it. The primordial world crumbled, and those who came afterward were forewarned to heed the lesson. For everything in this world follows a set of laws.
With his finger stained by his own blood, the ant soldier completed the inscription on the rock, the crimson letters standing out boldly. "...if any successors exist." A wistful laugh escaped him.
Looking up at God extinguishing the world, he opened his arms and closed his eyes, embracing the inevitable collapse. The thunderous roar of annihilation reverberated through the skies as the ant soldier was reduced to dust in an instant, dissolving into nothingness.
For nine days and nine nights, the world-destroying divine thunders continued to descend, gouging immense craters into the earth's surface. The boundless oceans transformed into a torrent of silver thunderous slurry, purging the black miasma that clung to the world.
At the altar, the remaining millions of devouring ants were reduced to ashes, rendering the world silent and lifeless, reminiscent of the desolate era that existed two billion years ago, devoid of any living beings.
After the divine thunder subsided, a destructive hurricane emerged from the chaos, sweeping across the land. A colossal tornado formed, lifting thousands of gallons of seawater, resembling a mighty dragon connecting heaven and earth. Pillars of water stretched endlessly between the heavens and the earth, while the destructive hurricane, raging for nine days and nine nights, caressed the earth, erasing the scars and cavities that marred its surface. The floodwaters transformed the lifeless deserts into a vibrant ocean, cleansing the impurities that tarnished the land.
The destructive hurricane, like a nomad traversing the heavens and the earth, imparted a sense of renewal. It revitalized the land that had been decimated by the devouring ants, breathing new life into its ravaged form.
Then, the divine flames descended from the heavens, engulfing the world in their fiery embrace. The flames devoured all impurities, purifying every aspect of existence, illuminating even the darkest corners.
Finally, an overwhelming deluge cascaded from the sky, extinguishing the flames and submerging all remnants of life. Continents that once floated upon the vast oceans were swallowed by the floodwaters, leaving no trace of land behind.
The celestial and terrestrial realms fused, obliterating the demarcation of altitude and direction. From Jiang Ping's vantage point, the primordial world took on the likeness of a fledgling, its protective shell gradually sealing shut and eradicating the dichotomy of heavens and earth.
"The Four Tribulations of World Destruction are truly a spectacle," Jiang Ping exclaimed, unable to contain his awe. With the sacrifice of one world, the marvel of annihilation unfolded before him, captivating even the God of Creation.
On his shoulders, the Book of Genesis continued to flip, chronicling the final moments of the world. Through four calamities, the world was cleansed, and chaos began to reclaim its hold on the shattered remnants of existence. The order of things was returning to the primordial chaos, akin to a child seeking solace in the arms of its mother.
In the grand scheme of creation, the birth of a world inevitably leads to this moment. The cycle of life, too, is destined for destruction, and so it is with the world.
Jiang Ping's heart weighed heavy with complexity. Was this a tale of legends?
The sovereign ruler of the ocean, the mighty Dragon King Beast, the humble Ancestral Shell Beast, the first-generation Human King Wuma, followed by Liushan, and the sixth-generation Human King, the sole female. Then came the final reincarnation of the Elf King, and the indomitable Human King Jiudaiqi, as well as the formidable Ant Queen Bertha and the strongest representative of the human race, Gai Feng.
Not forgetting the unrivaled Demon King, Ant King Beiou, who had met his demise at Jiang Ping's hands.
Though they may have faded into the depths of history, their immortal legacies remain etched in the annals of the world.
Suddenly, Jiang Ping slapped his forehead in realization. "How could I almost forget her? I bear the guilt of negligence."
With a wave of his hand, the sealed original world shimmered with a green radiance. Countless green seeds sprouted forth from the depths of the world, transforming into beams of verdant light that traversed two realms, ultimately finding their way into Jiang Ping's grasp in the physical world.
As they journeyed, the myriad beams of green light coalesced, eventually converging into a single ordinary seed.
"Almost forgot about you, little one." Jiang Ping gently twirled the green seed, slowing his pace by half a step. Rahil may be laid to rest along with the world.
Genesis, floating autonomously, landed in Jiang Ping's hand, exclaiming in astonishment, "Incredible! After enduring countless tribulations, existing for millions of years, transforming into millions of seeds, surviving four catastrophes, and undergoing chaotic evolution, there is still vitality within."
Jiang Ping regarded the mechanized Genesis with surprise, having never expected such high praise.
"Master, perhaps your greatest achievement this time is Lahier. She already possesses the foundation to evolve into a World Tree! In a world left void after its destruction, she has the potential to become the first transcendent being!"
Hearing this, Jiang Ping chuckled to himself. Who would have thought that a mere tree branch he had casually picked up a week ago would yield such a pleasant surprise? He had almost overlooked it.
As the seed of the divine tree Lahil was whisked away by Jiang Ping, the primordial world was swiftly enveloped in chaos, disappearing at an accelerated pace.
After a long while, the once resplendent world vanished entirely into nothingness.
Finally, a dreamlike radiance burst forth, piercing the infinite darkness and chaos. This light represented the final fireworks of the world, carrying the illustrious history of the entire world to countless new arrivals. The original location of the world had transformed into an eternal abyss, signifying the end of an era.
With the complete obliteration of the primordial world, Genesis emitted a radiant white glow, its pages rustling before settling on the second page: the chronicles of the primordial abyss.
"The Devouring Era, initiated by Ant King Beiou, who annihilated all races and led the Devouring Ants to dominate the world. Constructing an altar for worship, he amassed the world's fortune and ignited the divine flame, proclaiming himself a god. However, he dared to challenge the Creator, resulting in defeat and the ultimate demise of the primordial world. Thunder, wind, fire, and water—the Four Kalpas of Annihilation purified all things, leading the world back to nothingness. Only the seeds of the sacred tree Lahil survived."
The primordial world had witnessed the Eras of Chaos, Proterozoic, Desolation, Ancient, Ice Age, Medieval, New Age, and Devouring, having endured for over two billion years and nurturing a staggering total of 410 million species. Today, it returned to chaos, concluding its extraordinary journey.
Jiang Ping examined the pages once more, finding the inscription on the first page of Genesis.
"On the Earth Calendar, July 18, 2020, the first world created by God, the primordial world, reached its conclusion. It gave birth to two extraordinary beings—the Ant King Beiou and the Divine Tree Lahil. The Ant King challenged the Creator God but was defeated and fell. Rahil, having undergone countless tribulations, now possesses the potential to transcend."