Chapter 383: Dust Covered

Sword shadows from Nanzhou tore through the night, accompanied by thunderous sounds that scattered insects along the way. A strong wind seemed to blow straight through the forests and ponds, shredding leaves and creating ripples on the water.

As Ning Changjiu and Siming continued their journey, the battle beneath the Void Realm in Duanjie City raged on without a pause.

Shao Xiaoli's consciousness slowly awakened. She could distinctly feel a phantom embracing her within her sea of consciousness—her master's shadow, kind and gentle. She clutched the Moon Branch tightly. Far from rejecting her, the Moon Branch quickly connected with her sea of consciousness and emanated a light no weaker than before. Unnoticed, the Luoshen Star had risen.

Shao Xiaoli herself noticed little, but in Baizang's eyes, the silhouette of the red-dressed maiden had undergone a complete transformation. She stood suspended in the air, yet it seemed as if she walked on a winding river, her reflection fleeting like a startled swan, reminiscent of light clouds veiling the moon or swirling snow carried by the wind.

Ye Changong was incredibly weak. She voluntarily relinquished control of her body, infusing her power of authority into the Moon Branch for Shao Xiaoli to wield. Baizang gazed at the jade branch, recalling the phrase, "This is my coffin." She shook her head slightly and declared, "It's time to close the lid." As she spoke, she extended her hand.

The surroundings darkened as light converged in Baizang's palm, forming a sword. Holding it, her figure flickered as she shot into the air. Seizing the initiative and wielding the power of the entire sky, she cleaved down towards Shao Xiaoli's head.

A chilling, murderous aura descended upon her. Shao Xiaoli could hear her heart pounding almost to bursting. She hadn't yet had time to adapt to these new powers, so she could only rely on her established techniques to defend herself. Shao Xiaoli intercepted with a swing of her sword. Moonlight blossomed across the sky, enveloping her like a shield. But beneath Baizang's encircling sword lines, the twilight-like moonlight appeared pale and powerless. In the blink of an eye, as if vultures were swooping to feed, the moonlight was completely eroded. A plain sword strike descended from the air, clashed with the Moon Branch, and in the burst of white light, Shao Xiaoli plummeted in a straight line.

Baizang looked at the easily defeated Luoshen and gently shook her head. Time flowed relatively faster at high altitudes. Although Baizang was confident, she preferred not to fight there. Previously, Ye Changong had been like a bright moon hanging high; though Baizang could defeat her, she couldn't truly strike her down. Now that Ye Changong was failing and the enemy was this young girl, Baizang finally had the chance to choose to fight more securely at lower altitudes.

Shao Xiaoli clearly understood this point too. She now harbored unimaginable power within her, but her control over it was still unpracticed. As she plummeted, Baizang's figure had already descended. For Shao Xiaoli, Ning Changjiu's battle with the Sinful Monarch had merely been a spectacle of lightning and flashes in the sky, a continuous change in weather. But now, the Divine Master's oppressive aura directly confronted her heart. She felt like a defenseless maiden encountering a ravenous tiger in a desolate wilderness.

The whistling sound of the sword descending from the sky made her heart numb and her muscle fibers tear. The descending white light instantly enveloped her, appearing as if composed of countless shattered snowflakes, each flake a blade meant to kill her. Blades cleaved from all directions, interspersed with a shadow invisible to the naked eye. It was Baizang's figure.

If she were the girl from two years ago, she would have completely collapsed by now, and her head would have been severed by a single sword strike. But she had long since matured. The fear upon first seeing the Divine Master was an unavoidable human emotion. She suppressed this emotion, like swallowing ice whole, which chilled her body but also brought an inexpressible clarity. She widened her eyes, gritted her teeth, and gripped her sword. With no time to search for Baizang's exact position, she simply held the Moon Branch and threw herself forward. This was an intuition the Moon Branch relayed to her.

In the vast white light, the Moon Branch intercepted Baizang's rapidly moving shadow. As their powers of authority clashed, 'Fate' was shattered by Baizang before it could even weave into a flower. Shao Xiaoli swung her sword, unfurling a silver radiance—a phantom of a dream. Her figure vanished into it, intending to buy time. But Baizang's sword lines remained, like a stringed instrument stretched across the sky. The encirclement had long been completed; no matter where she fled, it was a dead end.

Not only were the beautiful dreams shrouding Shao Xiaoli severed and shattered, but the fragments were also corrupted into nightmares. Shaped like bats, they surged back towards Shao Xiaoli. Shao Xiaoli desperately recalled all the spells she had learned, but how could mortal swordplay stand against Baizang's divine arts? Everything she did was effortlessly dismantled. As Baizang pressed in like a hurricane, her figure was intercepted and struck repeatedly, falling downwards towards what almost seemed like a flat surface below.

Baizang looked down at her from above. She had been lonely for a thousand years in the Silver Snow Palace, but the sword in her hand had never dulled. She was an ancient demon who had fought her way out of a sea of blood-stained cliffs and blades; combat was inherently ingrained in her very being.

"Ye Changong! How long are you going to cower?" Baizang's roar echoed deafeningly.

Shao Xiaoli gritted her teeth, feeling the pain in her body. She was very powerful now, but she faced the world's most supreme demon god. While she had countless excuses for her struggle, she couldn't convince herself that it wasn't her fault. There was no response from her master within her mind. The figure with black hair and white robes seemed to be sleeping on the lake of her heart, becoming increasingly ethereal. Shao Xiaoli felt an intense unease. She gripped her sword tightly, not daring to let go. In her blurred vision, Baizang's tiny figure overshadowed the entire sky. As Shao Xiaoli plummeted, the long silver sword pierced through the air and struck her body.

Shao Xiaoli bit the tip of her tongue, momentarily severing all kindness and weakness. Only anger and ferocity remained in her mind. Driven by these emotions, she recklessly charged towards Baizang's claws and teeth.

Baizang shook her head lightly. If she had held some expectation for the earlier Shao Xiaoli, this madwoman was now utterly no threat. While burning one's life to unleash power could certainly be called courage, for Baizang, such an act was merely a meaningless sacrifice.

Shao Xiaoli's red dress was like fire. In her consciousness, the mental cultivation technique her master had once taught flowed like a golden river. Golden light surged from her body, transforming into an Asura Golden Body. This Asura Golden Body was unlike Ning Changjiu's monstrous form; it was faceless, wrapping around her like silk, with a long river forming its lower half. She wielded the Moon Branch and struck at Baizang.

Although Baizang felt disdain, she couldn't help but feel a surge of exhilaration—it had been countless years since any life had challenged her like this. On either side of Shao Xiaoli's burning golden body, dreams and destiny followed closely, like a gentle breeze. In this fierce counterattack, Shao Xiaoli actually managed to suppress Baizang for a short time. Their battling figures appeared like dashed lines, twisting through the sky in various incredible arcs. The air currents generated by their clashes swept with absolute, destructive force. From below, it looked like a flock of crows appearing and disappearing out of thin air, streaking across the sky.

Shao Xiaoli's face was like frost. The madness in her eyes surged uncontrollably. Her Asura Golden Body was constantly eroded in battle, gradually becoming incomplete. The techniques she used were none of her past ones, but rather came from distant memories. Baizang looked at her face. Shao Xiaoli's beauty at this moment was unparalleled, incomparable to the little girl she was three years ago. Luoshen was originally the legendary embodiment of beauty, and now Shao Xiaoli was Luoshen herself.

Baizang had still underestimated her somewhat. The opponent's furious swordplay had several times broken through her defenses. The Moon Branch touched her skin, leaving fine lines on her divine robes. The spatial suppression in Duanjie City narrowed the gap between them, and Shao Xiaoli's desperate counterattacks could even injure Baizang. Baizang was inherently cautious. Although her words were arrogant, she was actually not overconfident. She calmly deconstructed Shao Xiaoli's sword arts, Taoist techniques, and powers of authority. Decay and Sealing worked in tandem, like ever-victorious blades, intercepting most of Shao Xiaoli's attacks. They exchanged injuries, but while Baizang appeared suppressed, she actually held the complete upper hand.

The battle lasted for about fifteen minutes. The sky collapsed. The winds of time also turned into chaotic currents. The two stopped.

Shao Xiaoli's golden body was half-destroyed, and her red robe was soaked in blood. She wanted to fight again, but invisible chains had locked her in place, rendering her unable to move. Baizang looked at her and said, "To be able to turn the Luo River into a river of blood, you are indeed quite capable."

Luo River... Shao Xiaoli realized Baizang was recounting her own past. Shao Xiaoli coughed a few times, spitting out much bloody foam, unable to reply. Baizang extended her hand and sealed the twenty-three wounds on her body. She looked straight ahead, not at Shao Xiaoli, but through her body, gazing at Ye Changong hidden within.

"This hiding, it's not like you," Baizang said. "Is it because you almost died that you're so afraid of death? Or perhaps..." Baizang retracted her gaze and continued, "Or, you're hiding another trick, wanting to use me as a blade to kill Luoshen, aren't you?"

Shao Xiaoli pressed her red lips together. Baizang raised her hand and made a light gesture, saying, "I don't understand your emotions, but you actually hate Luoshen, hate Xihe, hate all of them, don't you?" Shao Xiaoli's red lips were cut, and the smell of blood filled the air. She uncontrollably vomited blood. Ye Changong still made no response. Baizang murmured to herself, "Since that's the case, I'll kill her for you." Baizang extended her hand and said coldly: "Seal." The sword in her hand expanded, transforming into pure light, and smashed towards Shao Xiaoli.

The Senior Sister stood by Mirror Lake, holding a whisk, her green skirt fluttering. She looked at the Silver Celestial Monarch by the lake. Her features still held pride, but her expression was faint.

"Why have they sent you instead? Has the Silver Divine Official been scared away?" the Senior Sister asked coolly, twisting the slender handle of her whisk. The Silver Celestial Monarch watched the slowly pacing figure by the lake. His pace remained consistent with hers. He continuously watched this tranquil shadow, not daring to relax his guard in the slightest. "Indeed, we underestimated Empress Nuwa's strength earlier. That was our mistake." The Silver Celestial Monarch actually seemed somewhat humble.

The Senior Sister asked, "Baizang has gone to Duanjie City now. No one is backing you up. Are you sure you can stop me?" The Silver Celestial Monarch replied, "It's a million li from here. I only need to stop you for ten days." The Senior Sister narrowed her eyes, her green skirt fluttering, and said, "It seems you're very confident?" The Silver Celestial Monarch gave a stiff smile and said, "To Senior Nuwa, I may be a junior, but there is no such thing as 'Baizang's era' in this world. When Empress Nuwa exhausted her efforts to mend the sky, it was merely to benefit others."

"Is that so..." the Senior Sister replied casually. Refining stones to mend the sky was the most exhausting thing she had ever done in her life. It was this act that nearly depleted all her vital energy, directly leading to her fall in the subsequent Divine War.

"That's right, you should indeed thank me," the Senior Sister recalled leisurely. "If I hadn't gathered the power of all immortals and common people to mend the sky's rift and stop the Dark Lord from beyond the heavens, how else would it have established the Twelve Divine Nations?" Wind blew across the lake, but no ripples appeared. Wherever she walked, all things were silent. The Silver Celestial Monarch followed her footsteps, not a moment too late or too early.

"Empress, we truly should thank you." The Celestial Monarch even bowed. The number of initial ascended ones was not small back then, but among those ancient immortals, not many truly possessed power comparable to deities. Nuwa, however, was one of the most powerful among them.

"When tales of the Empress spread throughout the human world and her prestige was at its peak, her power was said to rival that of a Primordial God," the Celestial Monarch continued. "Although I never witnessed it, I can still imagine her divine presence." Neither of them seemed to have any intention of fighting. The Senior Sister held her whisk, her head lowered, and gently shook it, saying, "Myths spreading through the human world... Heh, there's nothing to boast about. They were created by me, so of course they are my believers."

The Silver Celestial Monarch looked at this legendary ancient immortal, also shook his head, and said, "What a pity."

"You have no right to pity me," the Senior Sister said coldly. "The Twelve Divine Nations can deceive mortals and cultivators alike, but to me, they are merely twelve overseers of mining camps. You created a cultivation hoax, treating all cultivators as miners, promising a tomb-like immortal court, and calling yourselves supreme gods... It's truly ridiculous."

The Silver Celestial Monarch's expression remained unchanged. "The Black Sun is irreversible," he said.

The Senior Sister said, "You are still too young to understand one truth."

The Silver Celestial Monarch said, "Please enlighten me, Empress."

The Senior Sister raised her head, looked at the sky, and said lightly, "The larger the life form, the more foolish it is. They possess wisdom but struggle to think; all their actions are based merely on instinctual impulses. They are true gluttons, by no means saviors, and certainly not to be worshipped." The Silver Celestial Monarch did not judge the truth or falsehood of her words, for doing so would disturb his divine heart. Nuwa had once mended the sky. She might be the only living being today who had come close to that existence.

The Silver Celestial Monarch asked, "Then what does Your Majesty believe in now? Fairy Chang'e?"

"I respect my master," the Senior Sister said earnestly. "As for what I believe in... I am currently writing a book, in which all my thoughts and ideas are contained. Once it's finished, I will sell it in the human world for three coins a copy. If you're still alive then, you can buy one and read it." The Silver Celestial Monarch frowned slightly; he was also very curious about what kind of book it was. But the next moment, his expression immediately reverted to absolute indifference. The woman in the green skirt stood still, becoming a symbol of stillness. Holding the whisk, she struck it down towards the Silver Celestial Monarch.

The Silver Celestial Monarch retreated a thousand zhang. It wasn't because Empress Nuwa's strike was incredibly world-shattering, but because another figure in red appeared in the distance. The red-clothed figure was none other than the Third Senior Brother, Ji Xuan. He had been pursuing the Sword Saint for days, traveling thousands of miles, and by this moment, his brows were etched with fatigue. Yet, he still bowed respectfully, saying, "Greetings, Senior Sister."

The Senior Sister nodded slightly. "Did you kill him?" she asked.

"No," Ji Xuan replied regretfully. "He still escaped into the Hanging Sea Pavilion."

The Senior Sister nodded and said, "This was also within Master's expectations. No need to blame yourself." Ji Xuan did not press further, merely humming in acknowledgement, and turned his gaze towards the Silver Celestial Monarch. The Silver Celestial Monarch stared at Ji Xuan. He didn't yet know the other's true identity, but he knew he was the Third Senior Brother of the Unobservable.

Meanwhile, on the other side, where the Second Senior Brother had been confronting the Silver Divine Official, Baize and the Nine-Spirits Primordial Saint had also arrived. The three stood on separate sides, encircling the Silver Divine Official like an iron barrel. The pursuit of the Sword Saint was merely one part of their plan. It was their feint. Their true objective had always been the Silver Snow Palace. Master had stalled Baizang. There was no better opportunity to clip her wings.

But the Silver Celestial Monarch showed no undue panic. Baizang had prepared for this moment for a long time; there could be no failures. The Unobservable had come out in full force, and so had the Silver Snow Palace. Soon, the esteemed Silver Divine Envoys and Divine Generals would also arrive. On the chessboard of the human world, the final battle was about to begin.

In the Silver Snow Palace, Qiu Yue stood deep within the divine temple, beside Baizang's semi-real, semi-phantom shadow, cradling the Sky-Hidden Divine Heart as if it were a flat peach. She watched the shifting scenes in the many water mirrors, her eyes wide, her pupils filled with a crazy, intoxicated expression. "It's coming, it's coming, people are going to die..." She grinned and began to gesticulate wildly.

In Duanjie City, the battle neared its end. After her desperate counterattack, Shao Xiaoli was locked down, her beautiful figure floating alone in the sky, like a deity gazing upon twilight. Baizang's Sealing power had pressed down, enveloping her. This was true sealing. Baizang knew that to truly kill these ancient immortals, it was not by blades or swords, but by powers of authority that transcended natural laws.

Within the seal, Shao Xiaoli's spirit fell into a deep slumber. The long river of history enveloped her. Shao Xiaoli's consciousness seemed to fall into the vast Luo River. She saw many scenes she had long forgotten. Her gaze passed over various figures and landed on a little girl. The little girl, dressed in coarse linen, wearing a necklace of bone teeth, and covered in dust, stood behind a large crowd, tiptoeing to look forward. She knew that an immortal was coming today to lecture them. She wasn't interested in knowledge; she just wanted to see an immortal. But she was too young and too short to see anything. She came for three consecutive days but didn't even catch a glimpse of the immortal, so she sat on the ground and burst into tears. During the lecture, although there was some discussion, it was generally quiet, so her crying seemed particularly noisy. The immortal was disturbed but did not reprimand her. Instead, he gave her a bowl of porridge. The immortal had recently been teaching them how to cook. The little girl stopped crying. She took the porridge, opened her mouth, and saw the most beautiful person in the world. "This is Xifan, because it's rice made by Xihe, so it's called Xifan," the immortal said. "Oh, xifan (porridge)..." The little girl looked at the floating rice grains and nodded. Later, she learned that Xihe was his wife. From then on, the little girl came to listen to the lectures every day. She understood nothing but simply found the voice pleasant. The initial scenes were the clearest...

Shao Xiaoli gazed at the little girl, gradually losing herself. She suddenly felt a sense of weightlessness. She was falling through sealed history, her spirit gradually dissipating, yet her gaze lingered greedily on those scenes. She witnessed the little girl grow up, witnessed her becoming the leader of a tribe, witnessed the absurd scene of her single-handedly hunting ice plain mammoths with a stone axe while riding a wild boar, and also witnessed her obtaining primordial writing, shedding her mortal shell by the Luo River, and ascending into the sky as an immortal.

Afterwards, the world was in turmoil. When she met that immortal again, many long years had passed. "Boss..." Shao Xiaoli looked at the figure with a bow on his back and couldn't help but call out. Beside the "Boss," a woman in white stood faintly. They turned their heads and looked at her. The scene flickered again. Old rules collapsed, new heavenly laws were reshaped. The world fell into calamity. Small affections meant nothing amidst the grand forces of heaven and earth... She knew what truly mattered. Her gaze swept past countless figures, finally returning to the bank of the Luo River, where she had once ascended. The Luo River was now stained crimson. Corpses floated within it like piled-up blocks, so numerous they even obstructed the river's flow. She stood skeletal, her hands clasped, leaning on an ancient sword. She gazed at the setting sun from the riverbank, the vitality in her eyes gradually fading. Shao Xiaoli truly became her; they merged into one, gazing at the setting sun. The red sun appeared incredibly heavy. As dusk fell, the master did not return. By the blood river, the woman's consciousness blurred, and she gradually turned into a standing corpse.

Baizang looked at Luoshen. She only needed to completely seal Luoshen's divine soul, and then use the authority of Decay to utterly destroy her divine soul. With Luoshen dead, Ye Changong would have no place to reside. But Luoshen's death was slower than she had anticipated. "Huh?" Baizang narrowed her eyes in confusion. Only authority could resist authority. Could it be that, besides Dreams and Destiny, Ye Changong held other means? Impossible... The short amount of time didn't allow for much thought, as another matter once again shrouded her in doubt. She glanced in the opposite direction from Duanjie City and frowned.

What's going on? How are they so fast? Even if the Sword Saint failed to intercept them, it would still take them at least seven days to reach the Abyss of Nanzhou. Why were they here today, and why were they coming from that direction? The Divine Master was accustomed to omniscience, but Duanjie City and the Unobservable were full of unknowns to her. This unknown always made her feel irritable whenever it appeared. This irritation stemmed from greed. Baizang no longer wanted to wait for that perfect death. She raised her hand, using her palm as a blade, and struck at Shao Xiaoli. What cleaved through was not a simple hand blade, but an entire fractured space.

At this critical moment of life and death, the long-absent silver radiance reappeared. Ye Changong's ethereal shadow appeared in the air, blocking the strike. She did not speak, merely coughed, her calm face showing tiny ripples due to the coughs. Finally appeared... Baizang's expression was cold. She once again activated her power of authority, aiming to completely destroy Ye Changong's projection. Without Ye Changong, the two ants who had just arrived could not stop her from going to the land of the Headless God.

Another anomaly occurred. As her figure moved, a golden arrow whistled towards her, like golden flames against the sky. Baizang's figure flickered, attempting to evade the arrow. But the arrow traversed layers of void and struck her accurately. She let out a soft hum, looking at the blood blossom on her chest, utterly bewildered. Although the realm suppression in Duanjie City was terrifying, as a Divine Master, how could she be hit by an arrow from such a distance? Then, the second arrow arrived. The last time such golden light flames tore through the sky, it was the Sinful Monarch's lightning spear. Baizang crossed her hands, firmly pressing down on the arrow. The arrow was heavier than she imagined. Her petite body was forced backward by the arrow.

Ye Changong gently looked back, glancing at the distant wilderness. She smiled, closed her eyes, and receded back into Shao Xiaoli's body. Baizang's restraint temporarily vanished. Shao Xiaoli also lost consciousness, and her body plummeted from high in the sky.

Ning Changjiu and Siming finally arrived. Siming was spotless, but Ning Changjiu was covered in dust from travel. He drew his bow and nocked an arrow. His Asura Golden Body emerged from his form. His Lunar Eye extended to its limit, twisting everything around it that could be twisted, forming a hurricane-like divine arrow, which he aimed once again at Baizang's location. Meanwhile, Siming gracefully leaped, stopping Shao Xiaoli's descent. With one hand under her knees and the other around her shoulders, she cradled the blood-soaked, red-dressed maiden back.

Shao Xiaoli vaguely regained some awareness. She vaguely opened her eyes and subconsciously called out, "Boss..." Siming snorted coldly, "What kind of eyes do you have? Look closely at who this sister is." Shao Xiaoli lay in her soft embrace, her expression settling slightly. But her injuries were too severe, and her mind was dull, so she couldn't recognize Siming for a moment. She looked at Siming's long hair and hesitated, "Sister Rainbow?" Siming's smile, which she had prepared for their reunion as sisters, froze on her face. "You brat..." she grumbled, holding Shao Xiaoli and landing on the ground. Then she gently closed the maiden's eyelids and said softly, "Rest well. Leave the rest to your sister."