Chapter 1502 The Final Step
A torrent of divine crystals pierced the vast void, rumbling as it disappeared into the distance. No one knew how far it would travel...
The all-heaven Saint experts were ecstatic. Zhou Yuan’s attack had been terrifying beyond their imagination and the Sacred G.o.d had not tried to avoid it. Such a powerful blow should have dealt some damage to the Sacred G.o.d, right?
Countless gazes were tightly glued to the fight happening outside the heavens.
A pitch-black scar had been left behind, along with a black and white barrier. There were numerous melted cracks on the barrier, through which one could just barely make out half of the Sacred G.o.d’s face.
The black and white barrier slowly receded, turning into pure black and white that returned to the black and white divine eye between the Sacred G.o.d’s brows.
Not a single wound could be seen on the Sacred G.o.d’s body.
The joyful light in the all-heaven Saint experts’ eyes instantly turned into dim disappointment, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over their heads.
To think that such a devastating attack had been blocked by the Sacred G.o.d...
Zhou Yuan frowned slightly. It would have definitely been impossible for the Sacred G.o.d to come out unscathed if it was before his transformation. Evidently, Zhou Yuan had underestimated the Sacred G.o.d’s power post transformation.
“Zhou Yuan, you can’t beat me. Although you’ve advanced to the G.o.d stage, your true essence is still that of a mortal. As a true G.o.d, I possess a G.o.d’s foundations and am naturally superior in battle.”
Zhou Yuan’s expression sank a little. After ascending to the G.o.d stage, he of course understood how amazing divine matter was. For example, although the Heavenly Yuan Brush had become a G.o.d artifact, the Sacred G.o.d’s core, the Endless Black Sea, was a naturally born G.o.d artifact. Hence, the power it possessed far surpa.s.sed the Heavenly Yuan Brush.
The only artifact on the same level as the Endless Black Sea had been Yaoyao’s Nine Orifice Divine Rock. However, it had disappeared along with Yaoyao when she transformed into his divine bone.
“Zhou Yuan, as a mortal turn G.o.d, do you wish to see the true power of a natural G.o.d artifact?” The Sacred G.o.d chuckled softly. In the next instant, his black and white divine eye blinked.
The surroundings changed in an instant, and Zhou Yuan discovered that he was in a black and white sea. Black and white filled his vision, shaking heaven and earth.
In addition, Zhou Yuan realized that his divine power had begun to slowly drain away as if it was being absorbed by the black and white sea.
He immediately jolted his divine power and his body split into millions of copies that flew in every direction in an attempt to escape the black and white sea.
However, none of his bodies were able to escape the sea no matter how far or quickly they flew.
In the end, the bodies returned to one, revealing Zhou Yuan’s figure once more.
He turned his attention to the surface of the sea as the Sacred G.o.d’s enormous face appeared and released a booming laugh, “Zhou Yuan, my Endless Black Sea has also evolved along with me. It might be more apt to call it the Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea now. It can conceal heaven and earth and reverse Yin and Yang. You cannot escape it.
“Your divine power will swiftly be absorbed until your divine body finally crumbles. Zhou Yuan, I already told you that you cannot defeat me.”
His laughter boomed across the all-heaven, landing in the ears of its many inhabitants. Everyone’s bodies immediately turned cold as despair rapidly filled their eyes.
In the Cangxuan Sect, the many Saint experts also began to panic. No one had expected that Zhou Yuan would suddenly be trapped by the Sacred G.o.d in the blink of an eye.
However, a battle between G.o.ds was not something their feelings could affect. Hence, the black and white sea continued to churn and wreak destruction.
Zhou Yuan stood on the surface of the sea with a grave expression as he felt his divine power rapidly drain away.
The Sacred G.o.d’s enormous face said, “Zhou Yuan, if you choose to honor me as your master, I will let you keep your life. After all, you are the first mortal in the Tianyuan World who managed to become a G.o.d.”
Zhou Yuan’s expression did not change. He was silent for a few breaths before he slowly said, “A naturally born G.o.d artifact is powerful indeed. However, there might be something that can match it.”
The Sacred G.o.d curiously said, “It seems you still have something up your sleeve? The Nine Orifices Divine Rock has already disappeared, is there anything left in this world which can face my Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea?
Zhou Yuan did not reply. Instead, he extended a hand and lightly pushed it down in the all-heaven’s direction.
However, there seemed to be no response.
The all-heaven Saint experts watched in bewilderment, unable to understand what Zhou Yuan was trying to do.
However, they were not left in the dark for long, because they suddenly saw the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array start to shake violently.
The array that had protected the all-heaven for thousands of years was gradually beginning to collapse.
The great array’s collapse caused countless people to feel uneasy. After all, it was this very array that had allowed the all-heaven to survive till now.
Was Zhou Yuan planning to destroy it?
In the Cangxuan Sect, Cang Yuan, Jin Luo and the other prime sovereigns gravely watched this scene. However, they did not panic, but instead began to ponder.
Prime sovereign Jin Luo slowly asked, “Do you guys still remember how the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array appeared?”
There was a complentative look on prime sovereign Di Long’s face as he answered, “After the Ancestral Dragon’s will was roused and injured the Sacred G.o.d, a mighty power suddenly appeared outside the all-heaven. It was the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array’s original form which was gradually built into the current great array after countless years of effort.”
Prime sovereign Jin Luo’s eyes grew deep as night. “That power surpa.s.sed our common sense and understanding, but I recall that when it first appeared, there was a certain object hidden within it. Several Saint experts had once tried to access it but were ultimately unable to discover any traces of it.
“When the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array reached its final form, that mysterious object disappeared. As the years pa.s.sed, everyone gradually forgot its existence.
“However, the number one spot on the all-heaven artifact record has always been left empty. It is a position that can never be filled, because it is saved for the mysterious object within the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array.
“It is the all-heaven’s strongest artifact.”
As they listened to the most senior prime sovereign Jin Luo, the surrounding Saint experts were struck by a flash of understanding. To think that the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array actually hid such a secret.
Joy surged out in Cang Yuan’s eyes. “Does this mean that the mysterious artifact has resonated with Zhou Yuan?”
Prime sovereign Jin Luo nodded as a slight smile appeared on his wrinkled face.
Rumble!
While they were conversing, the Chaos Origin Sacred Killer Array finally shattered. An incomparably enormous beam of light soared out from within as a primal and ancient dragon roar abruptly rang out across every corner of the Tianyuan World.
An item flew out from the giant pillar of light, shooting straight into s.p.a.ce.
The object gave off a primal divine glow, and even Saint experts did not dare to look at it directly. Blood flowed from the prime sovereigns’ eyes as they tried their best to endure the piercing pain, before they finally caught a faint glimpse of what seemed to be a ten-foot-long golden bone. The bone gave off an extremely heavy primal and ancient aura. When it appeared, the first dragon roar from the beginning of the world seemed to echo throughout the entire world.
In the Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea, the shock appeared on the Sacred G.o.d’s face. Soon after, he cried out, “That’s...the Golden Ancestral Dragon Bone?”
Swoos.h.!.+
The golden bone pierced through the Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea in a flash and appeared in front of Zhou Yuan. He stared at the ancient golden bone as he threw the Heavenly Yuan Brush towards it and the two artifacts began to fuse.
The brush’s body gradually turned pure gold, veins seemingly pulsing along it as a powerful life force surged from within.
The Heavenly Yuan Brush had evolved once more.
After fusing with the Golden Ancestral Dragon Bone, the brush had reached the level of a natural born G.o.d artifact, and was no longer weaker than the Sacred G.o.d’s Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea.
Zhou Yuan beckoned and the golden brush landed in his hand before he lightly swung it.
Hwaa!
It felt as if heaven and earth were torn asunder as the Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea was split in two, endless sea water pouring back to fill the bottomless void.
Boom!
The Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea vanished as the Sacred G.o.d’s figure was revealed, his expression darkening for the very first time. A tiny line of blood slowly flowed down from the black and white eye between his brows.
He had been injured!
The Ancestral Dragon had been the only being to injure him for countless years, but another one had now appeared...and was even a mortal-turn-G.o.d?!
Rage violently rose in the Sacred G.o.d’s eyes. The temperature of the entire world abruptly plummeted as if plunging the world into an eternal winter.
Rumble!
The Sacred G.o.d lashed out in anger, endless divine power smas.h.i.+ng through s.p.a.ce as the entire world turned black and white. The tsunami of divine power crushed everything in its path as it charged towards Zhou Yuan with unstoppable, overwhelming might.
Zhou Yuan brandished the golden Heavenly Yuan Brush, filling the sky with divine power with a swish of its tip. Millions of stars rose through the void to meet the Sacred G.o.d’s power.
Boom boom!
A terrifying, crazy battle erupted, each thunderous clash resounding across every corner of the Tianyuan World. No one bothered to keep track of how many continent-sized meteors were pulverized, and even the devastating chaos storms were violently torn apart by power greater than their own, making it impossible to approach.
The all-heaven and the Sacred Race could only shudder in fear as they waited for the world-ending battle between the G.o.ds to end.
Anyone could see that the two G.o.ds were now going at it for real, no longer holding anything back.
Divine force clashed again and again. After yet another devastating collision, two figures were flung over a million miles backwards.
However, they quickly crossed that impossible distance in the blink of an eye and appeared on the battlefield again.
The Sacred G.o.d had a stormy expression. The previous exchange had already shown him that Zhou Yuan’s divine power was not much weaker than his own.
Ordinary methods were no longer enough to decide this battle.
“Since that is the case…” An eerily chilling light shone in the Sacred G.o.d’s eyes as he extended a finger and suddenly thrust it at the black and white eye between his brows. Divine blood splattered as he dug out his divine eye.
Expressionless, he slowly placed the eye into his mouth.
Crunch!
The sound of his divine eye being crushed sounded as the Sacred G.o.d’s body abruptly began to swell. After the span of a few breaths, an impossibly humongous giant appeared, looking down upon the five heavens.
Under its enormous body, even the five heavens seemed akin to miniature models.
His divine pressure had grown along with his size, causing the all-heaven to tremble violently under its vastness.
This was not the end. The Sacred G.o.d’s humongous body suddenly began to burn with black and white fire.
Gurgle!
As the Sacred G.o.d’s body burned, the sound of flowing water suddenly rang out. To the all-heaven Saint experts’ horror, they realized that everything they could see was covered in a black and white flood.
The scale of this black and white flood was even greater than the Primal Chaos Yin Yang Sea.
Flood waters swept across the vastness of s.p.a.ce, rapidly approaching the five heavens.
Zhou Yuan stood outside the five heavens, forming the final line of defence.
His expression had turned extremely grave. The Sacred G.o.d had clearly gone all-out this time,
Moreover, Zhou Yuan could sense a strand of extremely terrifying divine power within the torrential black and white flood waters. The strand of divine power gave off a supreme aura, as if it reigned above all divine power, and was impossible to stand against.
“This is...a strand of supreme G.o.d power?!” Zhou Yuan’s heart shook. This legendary divine power was known as Ancestral Dragon power. It was also the very power that the Sacred G.o.d had coveted for countless years. Zhou Yuan never imagined that the Sacred G.o.d had finally managed to cultivate a strand of it.
The legendary Ancestral Dragon power was the supreme force of the Tianyuan World. All other power could only retreat before its might.
The Sacred G.o.d’s cold voice rang out from the endless black and white flood. “Zhou Yuan, if you know what it is, get out of the way and let me devour the all-heaven inhabitants behind you!”
Zhou Yuan did not reply in words but with action. His body also began to grow, turning into a t.i.tanic divine power phantasm that stood in the flood’s way.
“Death-seeking fool. Since that is the case, I shall grant your wish.”
The Sacred G.o.d’s icy laughter rang out. The black and white flood rushed forward with even greater momentum and collided with the divine power phantasm.
Rumble!
Loud rumbling resounded across the land. Countless all-heaven inhabitants raised their heads to see a giant phantasm single handedly resisting the endless black and white flood. However, the black and white flood waters seemed to contain an inconceivable power. Under its repeated battering, the giant phantasm’s divine power was gradually whittled away.
The giant phantasm was clearly unable to withstand the flood’s might alone.
Once the divine power phantasm was destroyed, the world-ending black and white flood would pour into the all-heaven, ultimately resulting in their destruction.
The all-heaven inhabitants were powerless in the face of this hopeless situation. The only thing they could do was fall to their knees and pray.
The praying all-heaven inhabitants were of no help to Zhou Yuan’s predicament. The strand of supreme power inside the black and white flood waters continued to grind away his divine power.
If this continued, it was only a matter of time before his divine power phantasm was vanquished.
The strand of supreme divine power was evidently the Sacred G.o.d’s ultimate trump card.
However, Zhou Yuan could not understand how the Sacred G.o.d had cultivated the strand of supreme divine power. He should only gain such power when he became the Tianyuan World’s first order G.o.d.
Although he had completed his transformation and grown stronger than ever before, the Sacred G.o.d was clearly still a step away from becoming the true first order G.o.d.
Zhou Yuan rapidly tried to figure out the reason as the supreme power slowly wore his phantasm down. A flash of inspiration suddenly struck him at a certain moment and he finally deduced why there was a seemingly familiar undulation from that strand of supreme divine power.
It was...the Ancestral Dragon Scripture?!
That’s right, the Sacred G.o.d had once obtained the Ancestral Dragon Scripture and even made some changes of his own before pa.s.sing it to a few of the Sacred Race heaven prides. The Sacred G.o.d was clearly also extremely familiar with the Ancestral Dragon Scripture!
In a certain manner of speaking, the Sacred G.o.d and him had both practiced the Ancestral Dragon Scripture!
From the current situation, the Sacred G.o.d’s level of mastery in the Ancestral Dragon Scripture was half-a-step deeper than Zhou Yuan’s.
Zhou Yuan had reached an extremely high level in the Ancestral Dragon Scripture, however, he could feel that his divine power was ultimately unable to accomplish one final transformation.
That final step was clearly very near, yet no matter how he tried, he was unable to ascend to the final level of the Ancestral Dragon Scripture.
It was as if some part of him was still incomplete.
“Incomplete?”
Zhou Yuan deeply pondered as he searched every corner of his body. He was unable to comprehend why he had such a strange and unexplainable feeling.
While Zhou Yuan was submerged in thought, a hole appeared in the divine power phantasm’s defence. Black and white water immediately invaded and began melting away the all-heaven’s boundary wall.
The all-heaven inhabitants watched in terror as the sky began to crumble. Black and white water poured down, erasing all life in its path, including their Spirits.
Countless screams and shrieks rang out.
Their noise abruptly roused Zhou Yuan from his thoughts.
He found himself drenched in cold sweat, however, there was a sliver of bewilderment in his eyes.
Something had suddenly clicked in his head.
He had realized the source of his incompleteness.
Zhou Yuan slowly raised his hand and stared at his palm. Though there was clearly nothing there, he could see a black spot deep within his flesh and Spirit.
The black dot squirmed as it had a life of its own.
As he gazed at the black dot, Zhou Yuan’s expression turned exceedingly conflicted.
The black dot was the Dragon’s Resentment Poison that was born in his body moments after his birth, when his Sacred Dragon Blessing was taken.
In the past, Zhou Yuan had tried various methods to eliminate and seal away the Dragon’s Resent Poison, and eventually succeeded, preventing it from ever appearing again. However, he had not known previously that it could not be completely removed, because it was also a part of his body.
Zhou Yuan softly mumbled, “I understand…”
The Sacred Dragon Blessing originated from a fragment of the Ancestral Dragon’s will. However, it was unbelievably difficult for the Sacred Dragon Blessing to transform into the Ancestral Dragon qi again.
Although the Sacred Dragon Blessing rarely appeared since ancient times, it was not unique to Zhou Yuan. The previous owners of the Sacred Dragon Blessing had also been heaven prides of their generation, however, they had ultimately fallen and were eventually forgotten.
Due to their reliance on the Sacred Dragon Blessing, their cultivation journey had always been smooth sailing, lacking in the hards.h.i.+ps that were crucial in tempering any apex pract.i.tioner. In contrast, Zhou Yuan’s Sacred Dragon Blessing had been taken away at birth, giving rise to the Dragon’s Resentment Poison that had tortured him throughout his youth.
However, he had never given up, and instead slowly took back the Sacred Dragon Blessing he had lost. The process of losing and then regaining the Ancestral Dragon Blessing had moulded him into an individual that far surpa.s.sed all of his predecessors. This was also one of the reasons why he was the first mortal to become a G.o.d.
The pain and suffering he had endured years ago were, in hindsight, a rare opportunity to better himself.
However, it was still not enough for the Sacred Dragon Blessing to evolve into Ancestral Dragon qi, because he still lacked the dragon resentment’s power.
Only when the Sacred Dragon Blessing and dragon’s resentment truly became one could that gulf finally be crossed!
Only then would it be possible to achieve the final level of the Ancestral Dragon Scripture.
Huu.
Zhou Yuan exhaled deeply. He stared at the squirming black dot on his palm, before suddenly realizing that his surroundings had begun to change, placing him in a world of darkness.
A black mirror appeared under his feet.
Zhou Yuan lowered his hand and gazed at the reflection in the mirror. Strangely, however, the reflection was a figure in black that had the exact same face as Zhou Yuan...
The black-clothed Zhou Yuan in the mirror indifferently looked back, his tone somewhat mocking, “Have you finally remembered me?”
Zhou Yuan calmly replied, “I never imagined that the Dragon’s Resentment Poison that tortured me until I wished I was dead was actually also a part of me.”
“Now you’re saying I’m a part of you? All you want is my help, right? Could you have forgotten how hard you tried to get rid of me in the past?” The black-clothed Zhou Yuan sneered.
Zhou Yuan indifferently said, “If I die at the Sacred G.o.d’s hands, you will disappear as well.”
The black-clothed Zhou Yuan seemed unconcerned. “Do you think a lifeform like me would care about such things?”
Zhou Yuan was silent.
After a few moments of silence, the black-clothed Zhou Yuan said, “Give me a good enough reason.”
Zhou Yuan stared at the black-clothed Zhou Yuan in the mirror and slowly said, “I’m not asking for your help to save the all-heaven, I asking you to help me defeat the Sacred G.o.d, because only by doing that will I be able to bring Yaoyao back.
“If you truly are a part of me, you and I should share the same feelings. I believe you cannot reject this reason.
“Because I am you, and you are me.” Zhou Yuan extended his hand. “Dragon’s resentment, I need you.”
The silence lasted for longer this time.
The entire domain was deathly quiet.
The black mirror under his feet began to ripple as the black figure slowly emerged and stood before Zhou Yuan.
The black-clothed Zhou Yuan stared at Zhou Yuan’s outstretched hand as the eyes filled with cruelty and indifference slowly turned calm.
In the end, he slowly reached out and grasped Zhou Yuan’s hand.
“Find her, this is your promise to me, and you’d better not forget it.”
The two figures took a step forward and slowly melded into each other like liquid.
Roar!
Endless light erupted in the darkness, accompanied by a thunderous dragon roar, revealing two giant ancient dragons coiling around each other.
One was white, while the other was black. The white dragon was pure and righteous, while the black dragon was cruel and malicious. It was as if all the opposites in the world were standing opposed to each other.
However, these two entirely different forces ultimately slowly fused together.
It was also at this moment that the Sacred G.o.d suddenly felt a strong feeling of unease rise within him.
It felt as if a calamity was about to descend.
Such a feeling had appeared once before when the Ancestral Dragon’s will was roused...this time, however, it was far stronger and more terrifying than back then!
Within the divine power phantasm that had been whittled away by the black and white flood until it was only a thousand-feet-tall, Zhou Yuan’s tightly shut eyes slowly opened.
The vast divine power that originally surged around his body seemed to have vanished. However, there was no trace of panic. Instead, he revealed a slight smile.
The divine power phantasm silently disintegrated, allowing the world-ending black and white flood to rush forward with a roar. Inside its waters, the strand of supreme G.o.d power acc.u.mulated its energy, intending to inflict a serious injury onto Zhou Yuan.
As he watched the black and white flood approach, Zhou Yuan stepped forward with a slight smile. A half-singing half-chanting voice clearly rang out across the world, causing countless people to look up in shock.
“I have a breath of worldly qi that can swallow the land, sky, sun, moon and stars.”