Chapter 272: Earth Dragon Ascends, Roaring Through the Sky

"Nether Lord..." Lu Jiajia whispered softly.

The word was like a spark, falling into the dark recesses of her consciousness and igniting thoughts previously beyond reach.

Ning Changjiu stood on the ruins where the Immortal Suppressing Sword had erupted, gazing towards the Ancient Spirit Sect.

Their journey to the Ancient Spirit Sect would still take at least another month of sword-flying. Having killed Mr. Chu and the four sword-bearers, they had now become sworn enemies of Luoshu Tower. They had initially worried about being pursued by Luoshu Tower again, but it now seemed something far more terrifying had occurred within the tower itself.

"The Dragon Mother is dead, the Sea Kingdom colluded with the Ancient Spirit Sect, and Luoshu Tower wanted to resurrect Tianzang using the Dragon Mother... the fake Dragon Mother went to Luoshu Tower." Ning Changjiu slowly outlined the sequence of events, then asked in a cold voice, "What exactly does the Dragon Mother want to do?"

Lu Jiajia said, "If these assumptions are correct, then the fake Dragon Mother must be seeking to acquire Tianzang's authority."

"No..." Ning Changjiu said flatly. He looked up and stated seriously, "Tianzang was a terrestrial dragon in ancient times. Only a dragon girl who has survived to this day can serve as its vessel. The fake Dragon Mother, as long as she isn't the true Dragon Mother, cannot succeed..."

Listening to his words, Lu Jiajia considered them and then agreed. Her mind returned to her earlier thought: "The Nether Lord."

"Hmm," Ning Changjiu voiced his conjecture. "The Dragon Mother might be the best existing vessel for a deity. If she can contain Tianzang, she can certainly contain the Nether Lord."

"In other words, Luoshu Tower's grand plan to resurrect Tianzang will effectively serve someone else's purpose. It's a smokescreen. Behind Tianzang's birth is actually the revival of the Nether Lord... Now that the Dragon Mother is dead, her body must be at the ancient site of the Underworld in the Ancient Spirit Sect, awaiting the Nether Lord's arrival."

Ning Changjiu's eyes were filled with unease. He instinctively thought of Linhe City. When the Nether Lord appeared, the city was filled with lost souls. And the Ancient Spirit Sect has ten lineages, which happen to correspond to the Ten Yama Kings... In this world, Madam Bai is far from the only one trying to usurp the scattered authority of the Nether Lord!

"What about Xiaoling?" Lu Jiajia's lips were pale. At this point, even if they traveled tirelessly and at full speed, it would likely be too late by the time they reached the Ancient Spirit Sect.

Ning Changjiu said, "Let's go to Luoshu Tower." To stop everything from happening, the best way was to kill the instigator. More importantly, they wouldn't need to detour to Luoshu Tower; a direct journey would only take one night.

"Is our strength truly enough to break into Luoshu Tower?" Lu Jiajia asked, worried. The Ninth Master of Luoshu Tower was a master who had reached the peak of the Fifth Path, capable of killing them with a mere flick of his hand.

Ning Changjiu said, "If our calculations are correct, the fake Dragon Mother will be hostile towards the Ninth Master. Of course, before entering the tower, we must set up flying formations at all possible escape routes. If things go wrong, we must flee immediately and ensure our survival."

Lu Jiajia hummed in acknowledgment. Luoshu Tower was extremely dangerous. Besides the Ninth Master, there were also two other peerless masters of the Fifth Path guarding it; any one of them would be enough to kill them.

"What about Xiaoling then? If we fail, what will happen to her?" Lu Jiajia asked, concerned.

Ning Changjiu paused, looking towards the Ancient Spirit Sect, and said softly, "Xiaoling is seventeen this year. I believe she now has the courage and strength to face disaster on her own."

Only then did Lu Jiajia realize how much time had passed. In her memory, Ning Xiaoling was always the innocent, delicate girl in a white dress.

"Yes, I believe in Xiaoling too," Lu Jiajia said softly after a long silence. She looked at Qiu Yue and continued, "Let's find a city first, spend some money to find a family to foster you. If we don't come back in a month, you'll have to live on your own."

"No!" Qiu Yue shook her head vigorously, her small face scrunched up in fear. "I don't want to leave Daddy and Mommy."

Lu Jiajia sighed softly, "I am not your Mommy, and you will grow up someday."

Qiu Yue said, "No, I don't want to go. Let me stay with you..."

Lu Jiajia replied, "What lies ahead is extremely perilous. We won't have the energy to protect you."

Qiu Yue said very seriously, "You don't need to protect me, Mommy. I'll protect myself. Anyway... I'll follow you even if it means dying."

Lu Jiajia looked troubled.

Ning Changjiu said indifferently, "Let her come."

Qiu Yue's face broke into a smile. "Thank you, Daddy."

Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia changed direction, heading towards Luoshu Tower.

Inside Luoshu Tower, the Dragon Mother knelt on the ground, her beautiful hair disheveled and her expression indescribably worn. The Immortal Binding Rope tightly constricted her graceful body, the soft fabric stretched to its limit. Since leaving the Rainbow Cloud Immortal Palace, her body was like a dammed stream exposed to the scorching sun, receiving no replenishment, her spiritual energy slowly evaporating.

Luo Cangsu gazed at the face that had once captivated him. Back then, he was just a minor figure in the Longevity Realm, captivated by a fleeting glimpse of the Dragon Mother standing alone by the sea. Later, he had the good fortune to travel through the Middle Lands with her, an unforgettable experience. However, now that he saw her mysterious veil removed, revealing human weakness, his heart no longer stirred. Time flew by. He had ascended to a cold, ruthless throne, while she had left the icy sea of her past, unfortunately falling back into the mortal realm.

Luo Cangsu sighed softly. It was a rare emotion for him, one that vanished as quickly as it arose.

The Dragon Mother looked up, her expression cold. "You've caused such a commotion, do you think no one will know? Luoshu Tower isn't invincible, and the other three towers will never allow you to dominate! Sword Pavilion is also a thorn in the side of the Four Towers... Someone will come to stop you."

Luo Cangsu said, "I brought you to Luoshu Tower back then; you should know what the tenth floor of Luoshu Tower holds... It's a divine miracle comparable to Tianzang's remains."

The Dragon Mother's expression subtly changed. Of course, she remembered... the tenth floor, the tenth floor... it was something infinitely more complex and intricate than her lavish robes. The tenth floor of Luoshu Tower was a small room that contained a thousand years of history. Its most prized possession was the Luoshu. The Luoshu possessed a self-determining threshold. Everything that crossed that threshold would be meticulously recorded within the Luoshu.

The Dragon Mother had once reached out to touch the golden ant-like crawling characters. Each character contained a real, independent space, and the people within each space could also be touched. When her finger rested on a character, that person's life story and significant moments would appear in both text and images. She had once been entranced, watching the magnificent history of five hundred years ago—a history forged in mountains of corpses and seas of blood—for seven days and seven nights. Unfortunately, that period of history still had many gaps and was incomplete. The fall of a certain Divine Realm Lord was also a taboo among taboos, not even permitted to be recorded in Luoshu Tower.

"You're going to fully activate Luoshu Tower?" the Dragon Mother's voice trembled.

Luo Cangsu nodded. "In any case, it's all to prevent unforeseen circumstances... It's both a barrier and a cage." A barrier to stop outsiders from entering, and a cage to imprison Tianzang.

"You are defying fate... Lord Baizang will surely send down divine punishment and kill you." The Dragon Mother's gaze was fierce, her words like a venomous curse.

Luo Cangsu said calmly, "I've already told you, I act on the will of Heaven."

The Dragon Mother said, "How is this different from being Heaven's puppet? How spirited and ambitious you once were!"

Luo Cangsu replied, "Cultivating the Dao isn't about defying Heaven, but about enduring forever. As long as the outcome is correct, what does the process matter?"

The Dragon Mother looked at him and smiled sadly. "This isn't like you."

Luo Cangsu said, "Heaven created all things to sustain humanity. Even the Sword Saint, strong as he is, is merely Heaven's executioner. How much less am I?" As he spoke, his expression remained calm, his scaled body emanating a golden, noble radiance, as if he were about to receive some kind of baptism.

The Dragon Mother knelt on the ground, her face pale, her hair disheveled, like a porcelain artifact of exquisite beauty being gently chipped away piece by piece.

Luo Cangsu no longer looked at her. He raised his head, gazing at the clear, starry sky, as he had countless times before. But this time, he was closer to the cosmos than ever before. A slight ripple still stirred in his heart.

Why hadn't the Eighth Master returned yet? That mysterious woman... Luo Cangsu collected his thoughts.

Time slowly advanced, and in the blink of an eye, it was midnight.

In the Spirit-Splitting Gorge, the sacred radiance of the Luoshu illuminated the cold, silent caves of the deep valley, making them holy and bright. The Luoshu was one of the Books of Creation, carrying the history of humanity since its genesis. It could not be destroyed or rewritten. Even Luoshu Tower had only uncovered one-tenth of its power. It enveloped the entire Spirit-Splitting Gorge. The flow of time here was reversed compared to the outside world.

On the Luoshu, all records concerning Tianzang emitted light. Time flowed backward.

Luo Cangsu rose and led the Dragon Mother to a high cliff platform. "It's a pity it's just the two of us here," Luo Cangsu lamented. "Such a magnificent spectacle is destined to unfold in solitude."

The Dragon Mother's heart gradually sank. She spoke softly, sighing, "Can you release me first...? I don't want to die like this."

Luo Cangsu looked at her and shook his head. "No." He knew she was no simple woman; her previous vulnerability could well have been an act. He would not give her any opportunity.

The Dragon Mother knelt, her robes gently spread, completely engulfed in despair.

The ground began to shake. Luo Cangsu turned and gazed, then suddenly said, "A bug has entered."

The Dragon Mother's expression flickered. "What?"

Luo Cangsu sneered, "Don't be happy, it's just a..." He stopped speaking, and a rare look of shock, mixed with indignation, appeared on his otherwise indifferent, god-like face. "Is it her?"

Luo Cangsu sensed the arrival. At the edge of Luoshu Tower's domain, a woman with silver hair and a dark robe abruptly appeared. Although a fox mask covered her face, Luo Cangsu felt a sudden jolt, much like the breathtaking first glimpse of the Dragon Mother by Wuyun Sea. This feeling was unsettling.

The Dragon Mother seemed even more concerned than he was, asking cautiously, "Who is it?"

Luo Cangsu regained his composure. "Still just an ant." It was just a pity about the Eighth Master. The moment Luo Cangsu saw her, he knew the Eighth Master was dead. He knew the Eighth Master's strength all too well... He didn't know how she had managed it. Fortunately, there was a long distance from the edge of Luoshu Tower to its center, so she wouldn't arrive in time.

The earth trembled, and the Luoshu floated back from the Spirit-Splitting Gorge. Luo Cangsu reached out and retrieved the book. Holding the scroll, he drifted back to the tower like a scholar. His divine robe flapped like a banner in the strong wind. Luoshu Tower stood like a towering flagpole piercing the clouds. The banner slowly ascended, quickly reaching its peak.

Luo Cangsu walked into the tenth floor. The stone door closed. Not long after, the Dragon Mother saw a beam of golden light illuminate the top of Luoshu Tower. The golden light pierced the sky. Around it, a misty golden light spread. This golden mist enveloped everything, expanding at the speed of light. Soon, the entire vast domain of Luoshu Tower was engulfed in the golden mist.

Sima Ming's figure, traveling across the desolate plain, paused slightly. The golden mist swallowed her. The scene before her eyes changed instantly. She found herself in a vast, boundless world. Night had turned into day. She looked up. The immense sky was like a burning white sheet, flames licking at the firmament, continuously falling, revealing the black void behind it... Large patches of peeling blackness, like sores on the sky.

Beneath the sky were countless hurricanes and vortexes, mixed with thunder and fire. The raging winds swept across the entire world like razor blades. The surface rocks of colossal peaks were shorn off by the gale, swept up, instantly pulverized, and soared into the sky, crashing into the vast black void as if mending the heavens. Ancient dragons, survivors from primordial times, coiled around the peak stones. Their dragon blood flowed, transforming the ground it touched into the most precious dragon bloodstones. Their broken scales were deeply embedded in the rocks, and countless azure lightning bolts, like swords, struck their bodies. The dragons' wails and roars echoed across the heavens and earth alongside the hurricanes.

There were also lizard-like dragons flapping their wings in the sky, their wing membranes bearing the fiercest strong winds, and chaotic elemental dragon breath spewing from their mouths and nostrils. Not only ancient dragons, but also countless surviving ancient gods struggled amidst the catastrophes in the world. Sima Ming could see colossal tortoises, their flesh and blood made of rock, bearing mountains on their backs. With every step they took, the earth trembled and mountains shook. Any creatures attempting to approach them were driven away by the fierce flames erupting from the volcanic craters on their peaks.

There were also white-scaled, black-feathered giant pythons surging like floods between the peaks, dragging half the waters of the Yellow Springs behind them. Many lives that now only existed in myths revealed their true forms.

However... who exactly were their enemies? What exactly were they resisting?

Sima Ming's gaze dropped. Below lay the cracked earth, every distant fissure vast enough to be called a chasm. Seas of fire erupted from the chasms. Rushing torrents flowed through here, colliding with magma, evaporating into vast plumes of white steam. Farther away, primeval forests were also burning, thick black smoke rising like dark dragons into the sky. There were also many creatures there. They were demons, great demons surviving in the world! They climbed peak after peak that reached the sky. Some ancient gods battled them, while others fought among themselves.

There were also many humans... all great cultivators of that era. The number of great cultivators born during this century even surpassed the combined total of the preceding and succeeding five centuries. They pioneered their way, ascending peaks and opening up the heavens alongside the great demons.

Sima Ming quickly understood. This was the catastrophe from over five hundred years ago. Luo Cangsu had ultimately chosen to activate this century. This was the most perilous century within a thousand-li range. Being within it was not merely an illusion; if one died in this history, the Luoshu would deem them truly dead.

She had two choices: first, find a safe place to hide, ignore worldly affairs, and wait for Luoshu Tower's historical barrier to pass; second, find a way to break the Luoshu and breach this historical barrier. Given her cultivation level, choosing the former should ensure her safety. If she chose the latter... Divine Lords had died in this period of history, let alone her.

An hour later, Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia also arrived after traveling for most of the night. A barrier of golden mist stood before them.

"What is this?" Lu Jiajia asked, looking at the grand barrier. She pointed two fingers like a sword and unleashed a sword qi into the golden mist. The sword qi vanished as if a stone had dropped into the ocean, without stirring a single ripple.

Ning Changjiu's expression was grave. He didn't know what it was, but the aura felt very familiar. "The Mountain and Sea Secret Tome?" Ning Changjiu recalled the final scene in Duanjie City.

"What's that?" Lu Jiajia asked, puzzled.

Ning Changjiu explained, "Sima Ming told me then that the temporal cross-section outside Duanjie City was a world from an ancient historical book owned by a Divine Lord, a book called the Mountain and Sea Secret Tome." Ning Changjiu spoke softly, taking a small step forward. He gently touched the barrier with his finger, then pulled back, his fingertip coated with a bit of luminous mist. He brought it closer to his face to examine it with his divine sense. He frowned and said, "Luoshu Tower... this must be the world of the Luoshu. Like the Mountain and Sea Secret Tome, it can genuinely manifest a period of history."

The only difference was that an entire Divine Realm pressed down on the Mountain and Sea Secret Tome, forcefully suppressing its realm below the Violet Court. But Luoshu Tower did not have that. The realms within were unrestricted.

Lu Jiajia asked, "What if one dies within this history?"

Ning Changjiu gave a helpless, bitter smile. "Then we'll just be ancient figures in history."

Lu Jiajia asked, "Do the people in this historical illusion have cultivation levels similar to those in history?"

"Yes," Ning Changjiu replied.

"How is that possible?" Lu Jiajia couldn't understand. "They're just illusions. How can they display the true strength of the Fifth Path?"

Ning Changjiu sighed, "This is the world of the Luoshu. When we enter it, it's like entering the book itself, and we must abide by its rules. Their realms may be illusory, but so are ours."

Lu Jiajia listened, her expression dimming. She looked up at Ning Changjiu, her clear, captivating eyes filled with emotion. Ning Changjiu could read her heart. He raised his sleeve, gently placed it over her hand, and held it.

"You've accompanied me so far, endured so many perilous situations... This is my fault. We could have lived a peaceful life on Tianku Peak, just like those three months." Ning Changjiu said.

Lu Jiajia said, "You don't need to say this, nor do you need to persuade me not to go in with you. The moment we killed Mr. Chu, we became sworn enemies of Luoshu Tower. If we don't go to him, he'll come for us eventually... Besides, my life was already yours."

To an outsider, these words might sound like moving and profound declarations of love. But Ning Changjiu knew this was her long-buried truth... She had previously asked herself if, without time reversing, she would have already been buried in the Imperial City or died under the Nine Infants' claws in her previous life. This matter had always weighed on her mind, a burden she rarely found release from. Ning Changjiu didn't want to respond to that statement. No matter how deep their feelings, he didn't want Lu Jiajia to live for him.

Lu Jiajia understood his thoughts as well. She also took his hand and smiled, a gentle smile like a crescent moon in the sky. She said, "I couldn't accompany you through the Mountain and Sea Secret Tome then, but I will certainly go with you into the Luoshu."

Ning Changjiu gently embraced her.

Beside them, Qiu Yue, with a bewildered expression, approached the golden mist and gently touched it with her finger. "What's this?"

"Come back!" Ning Changjiu sharply ordered.

It was too late. The stone beneath Qiu Yue's feet cracked, her body lurched, and she was drawn into the golden mist, vanishing without a trace.

Ning Changjiu and Lu Jiajia exchanged a look. The same thought flashed through their minds: she did it on purpose. They didn't know Qiu Yue's identity or purpose, and they didn't dwell on it, only hoping she wasn't an enemy.

The two walked hand in hand into the mist of light.

The sky crumbled and the earth shattered, smoke obscuring the sun. The scene Sima Ming had witnessed also appeared in their eyes. Luoshu Tower was a hidden realm, little known to people. Thus, even if what they saw was anticipated, the shock of truly being there and witnessing it firsthand surpassed imagination.

Ning Changjiu attempted to reverse-draw a flying formation. There was not a single response in his sea of consciousness. He looked at Lu Jiajia and gently shook his head. They had no retreat.

At that moment, they stood at the foot of a high mountain, with splashing lava nearby. Before they could explore this Luoshu world, a thunderous roar echoed from afar. They both looked up and witnessed a shocking scene in the sky. The other beings within the Luoshu remained indifferent. Only they could see it. This indicated that the scene was real. This was something truly happening outside Luoshu Tower's Spirit-Splitting Gorge at that very moment.

Outside Luoshu Tower, nine Immortal Suppressing Swords were already on standby. The trembling earth was covered in countless fissures, and immense clouds of dust rose. Lights began to glow from within the earth's veins. The dust rose upwards, and the clouds descended. The two touched.

Luo Cangsu watched the chaotic space unblinkingly, like a general on the verge of triumph. The Dragon Mother's pupils were slightly pale, her tear-streaked face clearly illuminated by the light. She looked at it and instinctively asked, "What... is that?"

Luo Cangsu said, "A divine miracle."

In an instant. Behind the thick clouds and dust, a bright white light streamed in, illuminating the vast mist that filled the heavens and earth, turning it a hazy gray. The dust, like murky gold powder, painted the sky and earth as one. Within it, barren mountains rose high, and in the surging, wave-like gorges, the fissures shattered, and stone-like colossal dragons majestically ascended their soaring forms. The colossal dragon, trailing mist from the mountains, unfurled its mythical body and soared to the cloud-piercing peak. The terrestrial dragon ascended.

Sima Ming, Ning Changjiu, Lu Jiajia. They all witnessed this scene within the Luoshu's illusion. They were still trapped within, but outside Luoshu Tower, Tianzang's roar, silent for a millennium, once again tore through the firmament. How could they possibly stop it in time?