Chapter 1959: Jade Shattered, Wu Jue

Amidst the boundless divine glow of the vast sea, Mo Beichen's descent abruptly halted. A sudden, immense force violently pushed him towards Yun Che, and the bedrock array, desperately resisting the Heaven Smiting Devil Emperor Sword, emitted a wail that seemed to tear through the soul sea.

Crackles spread, crack after crack, transforming the bedrock array—which just moments before had radiated boundless despair—into a fine, dense spiderweb.

A heavy crack seemed to echo in everyone's hearts.

Amidst an even more soul-rending shriek, the Heaven Smiting Sword abruptly thrust forward, piercing directly through the bedrock array. When it finally stopped, it was barely two inches from Mo Beichen's heart.

A hoarse groan escaped Mo Beichen's throat. His eyes widened as if to burst, no longer caring to break free from Cang Shitian's hold. His profound rock energy surged forth like a frenzy, and his Guardian artifact violently unleashed an increasingly chaotic profound light, desperately supporting the bedrock array that was already riddled with cracks and nearly completely pierced.

Yun Che's arms, supporting the Heaven Smiting Sword, were already torn, flesh exposed, and even the visible bones were covered in fine cracks.

All his will converged in his eyes, transforming into a devilish light deeper than the Eternal Calamity Devil Flame.

No matter what, he absolutely would not allow his body and power to collapse or spiral out of control.

This was the last hope, bought by Cang Shitian with his very existence and the future of Canglan.

Mo Beichen's voice was twisted, just like his completely distorted features, as he cursed Cang Shitian, calling him a stupid, mad dog.

The bedrock array barely managed to halt the Heaven Smiting Sword again. At this point, Mo Beichen was exerting all his strength, holding nothing back, yet he couldn't push the Heaven Smiting Sword away by even an inch.

He couldn't comprehend Cang Shitian's actions.

Cang Shitian had clearly chosen to submit, and he had accepted him.

A promise from an Abyssal Knight was as heavy as a thousand jun. When the Abyss descended in the future, Cang Shitian and the Canglan lineage could survive safely, and their status in this world would only rise.

Why, then, at this very moment, would he risk destroying himself, even the very lifeblood of Canglan, to fight him to the death!?

Cang Shitian's crazed roar echoed in his ears, proclaiming himself a mad dog.

And this mad dog would sink its fangs into his throat and drag him to hell. Such madness and ruthlessness, capable of destroying even himself and the future of his clan, would ensure he would never release those fangs, even after descending into hell.

Cang Shitian howled at Yun Che, warning him that if he failed to pierce Mo Beichen, he would haunt Yun Che even as a ghost, never letting him go.

Almost every syllable from Cang Shitian was distorted, and his deep blue body was fracturing and collapsing with every passing moment, yet the power binding Mo Beichen showed not the slightest weakening from beginning to end.

“Brother…” Cang Shuhe's cheeks were already streaked with tears.

Amidst Cang Shitian's howls, a purple light flashed in Yun Che's eyes, followed by the ancient shadow of a dragon.

A majestic roar pierced the sky. The Golden Crow Phantasm! Appearing simultaneously with the Golden Crow Phantasm was the defiant shadow of a Dragon God, looking down from above!

Forcibly releasing the Profound Aura Phantasm in such a state undoubtedly came at an immense cost.

Two Southern Sea Divine Origins shattered simultaneously in an instant.

The dragon shadow stood proudly in the sky, emitting a roar that shook all beings.

In the Primeval World, dragon roars and crow cries resonated.

Forcibly activating God's Judgment resulted in Yun Che's profound energy surging beyond limits, but its amplification of his soul power was far weaker than that of his profound energy.

Facing a demigod's soul, the Dragon God's Domain released by Yun Che in his current state had no possibility of completely shattering his soul sea, nor could it long suppress him.

However, it was, after all, the soul of a Dragon God!

Even with a vast difference in power levels, it would never be entirely useless.

And just as the Dragon God roared through the sky, Chi Wuyao, who had been waiting for the opportune moment, suddenly unleashed her Nirvanic Devil Soul.

The roar in his ears instantly shattered the world within Mo Beichen's vision. His eyes rapidly lost color, clearly reflecting two azure dragon pupils brimming with ancient heavenly might.

At this fleeting, perfectly timed moment, the Nirvanic Devil Soul pierced straight through, as if a fiercely brutal ancient giant demon had been plunged into Mo Beichen's soul sea, savagely tearing at his soul.

Mo Beichen let out a ghastly wail, a screech of agony, as his soul was cruelly ripped apart.

With his consciousness fragmenting and his soul tearing, his rock profound energy, unleashed with full force, and his control over his Guardian artifact undeniably poured away like a torrent.

Nearly sixty percent of his power directly dissipated.

It was also at this moment that the Golden Crow Phantasm, formed by profound aura, rained down destructive flames, instantly engulfing Mo Beichen and Cang Shitian in a sky-obscuring sea of golden fire.

The black flames on Yun Che's body flared up another hundred feet, and the Heaven Smiting Sword erupted with sword might that shattered all limits, spurred by his throat-rending roar. A chorus of splintering and tearing sounds followed.

With a colossal roar and crack, as if the earth was splitting and the sky collapsing, the bedrock array that had once brought such deep despair utterly shattered amidst a sky full of disintegrating light.

As everyone's hearts abruptly stopped, the Heaven Smiting Sword slammed violently into Mo Beichen's chest.

Mo Beichen's chest flesh splattered, but the sound was not of cloth tearing, but a familiar and terrifying clang of metal.

Directly against his chest and abdomen, on the distinctly indented silver armor, another bedrock array had astonishingly reappeared!

A complete… perfect bedrock array.

The tip of the Heaven Smiting Sword was utterly stuck against Mo Beichen's chest, unable to advance another inch.

“...!!” Yun Che's tightly clenched teeth ground apart, spraying blood foam.

Mo Beichen slowly raised his head, a painful, sinister grin stretching his lips, as he uttered a guttural, cackling laugh. He rasped about despair, asking if they felt it, as his dissipated profound energy rapidly returned under his steadily recovering will.

He was a Guardian Knight among the Abyssal Knights, with protection as his mission.

To protect others, one must first protect oneself.

The “Eternal Bedrock” bestowed upon him by the Divine Official was not merely arm shields covering his forearms, but a complete set of soft body armor.

The arm shields on his forearms existed to protect others, while the silver soft armor covering his torso was for self-protection, and undoubtedly possessed equally formidable defensive capabilities.

Furthermore, it sealed within it a bedrock array that would automatically activate in times of crisis.

However, since he had donned this set of “Eternal Bedrock,” the sealed bedrock array had only just been triggered for the very first time.

He had never imagined that this first trigger in his life would not be in the Abyss, nor in the Mist Sea, but in this lowly world.

What an immense humiliation!

Yun Che's pupils dilated further and further, his teeth grinding apart one by one… But no matter how the Golden Crow flames burned, or the Eternal Calamity Devil Flame gnawed, the sword tip lodged in Mo Beichen's chest refused to budge another inch.

Cracks began to appear on the newly formed bedrock array… but with only four remaining Southern Sea source powers, it was almost impossible to break through it before they all extinguished.

With a furious, humiliated, and cathartic roar, he scorned them as lowly crawling insects, unworthy. He forcibly dispelled the deterrence from the dragon soul and Chi Wuyao's Nirvanic Devil Soul.

As his eyes returned to normal focus, his Guardian profound energy surged forth once more, causing the final bedrock array to erupt with even denser protective divine light.

The spread of the cracks slowed again, leaving only the sounds of splintering that could easily be overwhelmed.

Chi Wuyao's body swayed violently, her soul sea a roaring mess, but thankfully, Jie Xin and Jie Ling immediately supported her from either side.

Nine inches of fine steel ultimately struggled against ten thousand feet of withered wood. The immense backlash from a demigod's soul inflicted unprecedented damage upon Chi Wuyao's devil soul.

Cang Shitian screamed in desperation, wishing he could shatter every inch of his ravaged body into power that could devour Mo Beichen.

However, his remaining spiritual sense couldn't perceive the Heaven Smiting Sword approaching Mo Beichen's heart.

The fifteenth Southern Sea Divine Origin shattered.

The last three Southern Sea Divine Origins flashed frantically with tragic golden light.

Hushed murmurs spread, declaring it was over, completely over, as powerless as a desolate autumn wind.

They, who had previously resigned themselves to fate and submitted, now felt a deeper sorrow stirring in their souls.

Cang Shitian's howls were like countless sharp blades, piercing their bowed knees and cowering souls, and a deep blue star of hope shone in their eyes.

At that moment, they suddenly no longer wished to resign themselves or yield, but instead longed for Emperor Yun and Cang Shitian to slay this invader from another world.

Even if it meant only a brief moment of peace, even if the end was destined to be swallowed by the Abyss.

At least, the world they had dedicated their lives to would have witnessed someone fiercely fight and triumph.

Instead of merely bowing without dignity.

But now, this dazzling divine light of Canglan, which had awakened the world… was still extinguished.

From a corner on the battlefield's edge, unnoticed by anyone, a voice murmured, “It seems, it's still not enough.”

He wore a blazing red robe, crisscrossed with shining golden patterns.

Golden flame glowed deep within his pupils, like two scorching suns in the distant sky. Despite his youthful appearance, he was the Realm King of the Blazing Heaven Realm.

Huo Poyun.

He turned, facing Yan Wancang, Yan Juehai, and Huo Rulie. The latter three simultaneously sensed something, their flame-infused eyes narrowing amidst the chaos.

He then stated that it seemed there were things even Yun Che could not accomplish in this world.

And so, he declared, it was his turn. Huo Poyun smiled, though perhaps no one in this world but himself knew the endless complexity held within that smile.

He had thought he would lose this ‘opportunity’.

Huo Rulie raised a hand, his voice rough and trembling, as he started to speak Huo Poyun’s name.

His gaze swept over the three of them one by one. Huo Poyun turned back around and slowly informed them, entrusting the Blazing Heaven Realm to them from that point onward.

He acknowledged the grace of their teaching and the sin of having let them down, stating he could only atone for it in the next life.

“Poyun!” came two overlapping, urgent cries.

Yan Wancang, gripping Huo Poyun's shoulders and shaking his head with all his might, stated that Huo Poyun was different from everyone else. He emphasized that even if this world was beyond salvation, Huo Poyun would be taken to the Abyss, become an Abyssal Knight powerful enough to be looked up to by all mortals, reach a higher plane, and have a future no one dared to dream of.

He asserted that everyone else could fight to the death, but only Huo Poyun could not, and there was no reason for him to.

Another Southern Sea Divine Origin dissipated from Yun Che's body.

Only the last two points of Southern Sea divine light flickered weakly, yet still failed to shatter the withered yellow bedrock array.

Huo Poyun remained still, without turning back, his gaze fixed on the distant figure burning with black flames. In a gentle, calm voice, almost without a ripple, he enumerated the countless times in his life he had been lost, hesitant, bewildered, heartbroken, impulsive, regretful, anxious, afraid, timid, unwilling, and indignant.

He then stated that only this time was he completely fearless and without regret.

He added that it seemed a voice was telling him his life existed for this very moment.

Yan Wancang and Yan Juehai stood stunned, unable to speak.

At that moment, two hands, one on each side, grasped their wrists, shaking yet resolute, and moved them from Huo Poyun's shoulders.

“Poyun, go,” Huo Rulie said, his voice hoarse like sand. He spoke of watching Huo Poyun's growth from childhood, experiencing countless moments of satisfaction, and also times of anger and disappointment.

He then declared that one thing had never changed.

Huo Rulie's eternally burning eyes clouded with a misty light that couldn't be burned away, as he proclaimed Huo Poyun to be the greatest pride of his life as his master.

Huo Poyun's hand pushed backward.

A scorching gust of wind pushed the three of them, and all nearby profound practitioners, far away.

He rose on flames, soaring into the distant sky, rushing towards the space where Yun Che was.

Golden flames ignited on his body. The flames were not vast, but incredibly dense and dazzling.

The brilliant golden flame dispelled the gloom, piercing through the battlefield saturated with demigod power, shining directly upon the sky and earth. In a blink, it turned the entire vast world into a golden hue.

Everyone's gaze turned eastward… but the eyes of Divine Masters and Divine Sovereigns were so blinded by the piercing radiance that they could barely stay open.

“What… is that!?” came the astonished cries.

The golden flames continued to burn.

But the medium of the flames was not Huo Poyun's profound energy…

Instead, it was his body, his bloodline, his soul, his conviction… his everything.

His gaze fell. On his hands, his fingers had already vanished, transforming into fiery light.

His entire body, too, was growing increasingly blurred in the furiously burning flame light.

A thought echoed towards Yun Che: Remember this! In this lifetime… you still owe me, after all. And… you will never… ever… think of paying it back!!

All the source blood and source soul bestowed upon him by the Golden Crow Soul, along with all the pride of his entire life, burned to their fullest.

His final remnants of soul coiled around Mo Beichen's body.

But his last gaze was still fixed on Yun Che's back.

His final voice was a low judgment, seemingly from an ancient Golden Crow True God, uttering the name: Nine Heavens Crow Annihilation, Jade Shattering Cry.