Chapter 420: Wan Jian and I Return to Ruin Together

After the initial blinding glare faded, Lu Jiajia's sword eyes adjusted to the brightness, and she clearly saw Ning Changjiu's current appearance.

The white-robed young man stood on the vast sea. The dazzling sun, after its eruption, rapidly shrank, finally becoming a red sun outlining his figure. This crimson sun, suspended brightly, was more like a pure totem, with a Golden Crow perched within it, like a sunspot.

Ning Changjiu's ink-black hair flowed freely, his face, illuminated by the light, was sculpted as if by a blade, possessing both a youth's delicate beauty and a god's striking handsomeness. He was like a lake brimming with sunlight, filled with a sacred and brilliant aesthetic.

Liu Xiwon's spiritual form hovered beside him, appearing even more ethereal, like a luminous mist that would never dissipate.

The sword spirit girl's charming ethereality and the white-robed youth's handsome sanctity intertwined, both reflecting the red sun, resembling envoys descended from heaven or even heaven itself.

The wind made no ripples, the water no patterns; the sea lay silent in the shimmering sunlight.

A thousand feet away, Tian Ji's golden light was also suppressed by him. The divine halberd, forged from flames, showed signs of melting in his grasp.

The cracks on his golden mask became even more prominent, his entire face appearing ready to be split in two by a sword's edge.

Lu Jiajia had never seen Ning Changjiu in such a state. He was clearly very close, yet felt as distant as gazing at the red sun. But this feeling lasted only an instant. Soon, the sword embryo within her body let out a clear hum, as if calling out to that sun, with yearning and closeness.

This emotion infected her, and her body subtly changed, infused with light like a holy glow.

Tian Ji's projection looked at the youth, who seemed reborn, his emotions still largely unperturbed: "Compared to back then, you are still too weak."

Ning Changjiu said indifferently, "To slay you in Naming is enough."

On the silver-white sword's edge, a rising sun seemed to appear, instantly turning crimson.

With Ning Changjiu at the center, the sea for ten thousand miles around was covered by this red light.

Tian Ji looked at him, a low growl escaping his throat, a sound like a sigh.

The one-armed silver divine steed stopped its wails, completely retreating to the side, head bowed in silence.

Ning Changjiu sensed something and cleaved with his sword.

The sword, whose sharpness was previously unmatched, struck before Tian Ji but could not advance an inch.

Before Tian Ji, a gray domain shield sprang up.

Under Tian Ji's imperial crown, something like a thorn grew out. His spine was pierced, his chest ripped open, and a monstrous essence emerged from his original outline, his masked face rapidly transforming.

Mythological Form!

Unless absolutely necessary, rulers were unwilling to activate their mythological forms because it not only diminished their "mystery" and fundamentally weakened their power, but most importantly, even they could lose control and descend into uncontrollable madness.

Yet, facing Ning Changjiu, who had ascended the throne of the Divine Kingdom, Tian Ji still chose to activate his mythological form.

The Dark Lord had lit his star, and Tian Ji could vaguely sense the Dark Lord's emotions—if this youth could not be killed, thousands of years of past effort and countless years of future glory might all be in vain.

Within the gray domain, Tian Ji unfurled his monstrous body with a long roar.

It was a form neither quite horse nor quite deer, a blend of black and white, gold and bone.

Many years ago, when he first ascended the throne, the other ancient gods were unconvinced, believing he lacked the qualification to lead them. So Tian Ji asked them what his true form was.

Those who answered "horse" died, and those who answered "deer" also died. Under terrifying pressure, the ancient gods finally bowed in submission, hailing him as the God Lord.

Those who hailed him as God Lord survived.

From that moment on, in his perception, his true elemental form was irrelevant; it was merely a symbol belonging exclusively to him as God Lord.

Ancient memories flickered into his body as the white-robed youth's sword struck again.

This sword had once made countless ancient demon gods tremble, and now, though he was unsure if he could defeat his opponent, he had the courage to face him directly.

A thunderous crash erupted on the sea.

The force of this collision was almost as powerful as the impact when Yuanfu's fragmented star fell into Beiming.

Lu Jiajia parried and blocked the shockwave of the collision, but found that a fragment of the sun had already blocked her path, deflecting most of the force for her. On the other side, the silver divine steed, without support, wailed in the powerful shockwave, its armor shattered, its body covered in cracks.

The lingering sound of the collision was like the low tail end of the word "wind."

Two golden lights intertwined and, after the collision, surged upwards above the sea, instantly breaking through the clouds and reaching the thin air of the void realm.

They continuously collided in the high sky, their spatial ripples spreading out, causing many strange phenomena in Mid-Earth and Southern Continent.

To Yu Qing, it was collapsing qi; to Lu Jiajia, sharp blades cleaving the sky; and to Si Ming, flickering, long-burning candles.

Bai Zang, sitting on the floor, licked its paws, somewhat annoyed... Tian Ji had actually activated his mythological form. It seemed that this Ning Changjiu had truly achieved godhood. "Ye Chan Palace, was this also within your predictions?"

Bai Zang turned its head, looking at the small girl bundled up in a thick quilt, finding it very incongruous.

At this moment, even in the Western Kingdom's Three Thousand Worlds, far away, clear bright lines intersected in Zhao Xiang'er's water mirror, and the mirror itself generated waves of ripples due to the scrying.

Zhao Xiang'er's delicate brows were tightly furrowed, her heart very tense. Normally, when watching Ning Changjiu sleep, she would particularly wish someone would help her beat him up. Now, it seemed... continuing to sleep was more reassuring.

The girl clenched her fists, staring intently at the water mirror. For some reason, she had a feeling that Ning Changjiu knew she was watching him.

This divine battle, whose duration was unknown, had far-reaching effects. Besides the Misty Tower, the closest place affected was the Ancient Spirit Sect.

The Ancient Spirit Sect's grand formation was squeezed by external air currents. Though its disciples were all well-traveled, they could not withstand such prolonged turmoil. Most were distracted from their lessons, feeling very panicked.

This disturbance also reached the Underworld Ancient Kingdom.

Shao Xiaoli awoke from her dream. Today, she had dreamt of that red building again, dreaming of her gaunt self sitting alone in a bridal gown, staring blankly at a candle flame.

Her thoughts withdrew from that empty feeling, and she opened her eyes to see a white-robed girl standing at the palace entrance, her skirt fluttering like pear blossoms.

"Mistress Jiajia..."

Shao Xiaoli was still somewhat groggy, mistaking her at first. Only after her mind cleared did she realize it was Xiaoling.

Ning Xiaoling turned her head, looking at her, her brows tinged with worry.

This once-naïve junior sister had now blossomed into a graceful and incomparably radiant beauty. Both her attire and demeanor were similar to Lu Jiajia, whom she admired most.

"Mistress Jiajia? Oh, Little Li, did you sleep too long again?" Ning Xiaoling smiled faintly.

Shao Xiaoli put on a pear-blossom white robe similar to Ning Xiaoling's. She walked to Ning Xiaoling's side and looked out with her.

"What happened?" Shao Xiaoli asked.

No sooner had she spoken than she saw circles of discordant ripples appear in the sky above the Underworld Kingdom.

Ning Xiaoling pursed her lips, saying nothing.

Jiu You heard the commotion and came over, gazing up with them. As a poet, she adopted the role of a witch doctor, muttering mysteriously: "Heaven-born calamity and grievance, invasion by external demons. It's a great blessing but also a great tribulation. If we can successfully avoid it, it might be the catalyst for the Sea of Reincarnation to reopen!"

Shao Xiaoli frowned, saying, "What are you talking about?"

Jiu You scratched her head, saying, "The Underworld Lord told me this before... I don't remember the exact details, but that's generally the gist of it."

"Sea of Reincarnation..." Ning Xiaoling murmured.

Recently, the Sea of Reincarnation, dormant for many years, indeed seemed to show signs of revival. Her connection with it grew deeper, and the authority unique to the Underworld Lord was slowly solidifying in her hands.

But all of this was just the beginning. By the time the Underworld Kingdom truly prospered, and she truly controlled everything, her senior brother and master would probably already have children.

Shao Xiaoli looked at the seemingly easily deceived girl and asked, "Did the old Underworld Lord tell you anything else?"

Jiu You pondered for a long time, then shook her head, saying, "Can't remember..."

Shao Xiaoli was slightly annoyed, saying, "How can you not remember anything? How will you assist our Little Ling sister like this!"

Jiu You also felt wronged, "Perhaps this is the price of beauty and talent."

Shao Xiaoli chose not to argue with her.

She looked at Ning Xiaoling, saying, "I'll go out and see what's happening."

Ning Xiaoling shook her head, "No. Senior brother told me to watch you; you're not allowed to run around."

Shao Xiaoli earnestly said, "Just to Ancient Spirit Sect. Don't worry, I won't go far."

Ning Xiaoling placed her hands behind her back, stating calmly, "Still no. Be a good girl and stay put. You're not allowed to go anywhere, or how will I explain it to senior brother?"

As she spoke, Ning Xiaoling seemed to recall something, no longer looking up at the sky, and turned back into the grand hall.

In the dim hall, candle flames flickered. The tightly closed gate connecting to the Sea of Reincarnation could only be opened by her.

Ning Xiaoling sat back on her throne, her consciousness connecting with the dead Sea of Reincarnation, now known as the Sea of Ruin.

She had suddenly remembered that she had once used the Sea of Ruin to see the outside world, but the Sea of Ruin was too high, and all she saw was a vast expanse of whiteness. But now, her senior brother and the enemy were fighting high in the sky; their current position might be close to the Sea of Ruin.

So Ning Xiaoling made an attempt.

Under her identity as the Underworld Lord, the boundless Sea of Ruin opened to her.

Ning Xiaoling's consciousness left the Underworld throne and entered that vast void.

She looked down from above.

The girl's ethereal mind trembled. In her vision, two golden figures indeed appeared. Even though she couldn't see them clearly, her eyes felt a slight stinging pain.

Though she couldn't glimpse the whole picture, she could perceive the battle to some extent.

Tian Ji, having activated his mythological form, had indeed fallen into a frenzy. The tremor of his figure, the vibration of his blades and halberd, all cut through space like shredding fragile paper. Wherever his body passed, the collapsing void took a long time to mend.

The God Lord was a deity who guarded the Dao of Heaven, but at this moment, compared to Tian Ji, Ning Changjiu seemed more like a true god.

Ning Xiaoling watched for a long time, finally making out her senior brother's figure. She saw his golden eyes, the red sun suspended behind him, the circling crow, and the sword spirit girl, who seemed to be Liu Xiwon... She felt her heart beat faster. She clenched her fists, cheering him on nervously, regretting only that she couldn't truly control the Sea of Ruin to unleash divine punishment and smite Tian Ji.

Soon, her divine consciousness could no longer capture her senior brother's god-like figure.

The battle continued, and even as a mere observer, Ning Xiaoling felt the terrifying spatial tremors of that life-and-death struggle.

Fortunately, in this divine battle, even with Tian Ji in his mythological form, her senior brother still held a clear advantage.

Back when Moonlight Illuminates and the Ineffable were still present, neither Master nor Senior Sister feared the projections of the God Lords. The vast disparity between a projection and the true body could never be compensated for by activating a mythological form.

However, Ning Changjiu's fragmented kingdom was far from complete, and his mythological logic was not sufficiently consolidated. Therefore, his current realm was still a step behind Senior Sister when the Ineffable was active. The higher the realm, the greater the chasm each step represented.

So, even though he could suppress the enraged Tian Ji, he could not wield the silver divine sword to immediately strike him down.

Tian Ji galloped across the sky; every roar and furious cry marked a change in celestial phenomena, a manifestation of his authority.

Ning Changjiu had not fully recovered his authority of "Ever-Illumination," but his sword heart was clear, without a speck of impurity. Every sword strike he unleashed was absolutely straight and sharp. No matter how strange Tian Ji's methods were, Ning Changjiu could cleanly cleave through them with a single strike, then bring his sharp edge before him.

Tian Ji's mythological body was struck by Ning Changjiu's sword. Many sharp edges and thorns were sliced off, broken, and shattered into illusory forms.

Occasionally, Tian Ji could also break through his sword's edge, pierce his chest with divine horns, and after casting a curse, press him back to the sea surface, sending him crashing into the unfathomably thick seabed.

Those mind-invading curses didn't even require Ning Changjiu to handle them himself; Liu Xiwon would proactively sweep them away for him. They rediscovered the feeling they had during their bloody battle against the Sin Lord. Liu Xiwon acted as his sword while keeping his mind clear, allowing him to focus entirely on his duel with Tian Ji.

Compared to their first encounter with the Sin Lord, their sharpness had been honed long ago.

Deep within the seabed, Ning Changjiu and Liu Xiwon's movements were synchronized. They were truly of one mind and heart, and due to the superposition of their sword intent, with every sword technique, they could unleash twice their inherent power.

Ning Changjiu held the divine sword with both hands, silently recited a Daoist incantation, and the sword light flared. The red sun illuminated the deep sea, and Tian Ji's deer antlers and horse hooves seemed to soften in the light.

The long sword pierced forward, inch by inch, penetrating the true body of his mythological form.

In their struggle, Tian Ji was being dragged into madness and chaos by an invisible giant hand.

The seabed below collapsed in large sections, whirlpools gathered, and sea peaks plunged. Large amounts of bubbles surged from the deep sea, and countless fish were pulverized by the sword qi before they could even react.

The sea surface split open, and Ning Changjiu, with his sword pressed against Tian Ji, again charged into the azure sky.

They fought from morning until dusk.

The cold silver sword and the mythological body, boasted as eternal, continuously cut at each other.

From the places pierced by the sword on Tian Ji's body, what flowed out was not blood, but fragments of mythology. Within these fragments lay the miniature of Tian Ji's lifelong conquests.

On the sea below, Lu Jiajia had already routed the silver divine steed.

Her immaculate sword-robe settled back onto the sea. She was about to look up to observe the situation when she sensed something strange and let out a soft "咦."

Lu Jiajia lowered her head, looking at the sea surface.

The sea shimmered, and translucent fragments floated amidst the water, resembling pieces of internal organs, yet much cleaner.

Lu Jiajia flicked out a wisp of sword qi, enveloping one of the fragments, and probed it with her divine consciousness.

Something irresistible rushed into her divine consciousness.

But it held no malice; it was a repeated, continuous sound. This sound was identical to what Ning Changjiu had heard in the Skeleton Tower ruins.

Only this time, the sound was not a single word muttered in a dream; it was much clearer.

"The isolated city stands tall, divine bones for burial. Beiming is pure, accompanied by Kunpeng. At the end of the Cloud Kingdom, the king's pillar sinks. The tomb of Guhuang, the Azure Dragon beheaded..."

This voice echoed endlessly, with the words 'isolated city,' 'Beiming,' 'Cloud Kingdom,' and 'Guhuang' pronounced with extreme emphasis, carrying deep resentment and unwillingness. Lu Jiajia seemed to see an old dragon, its flesh and bones decayed, struggling desperately in a cold prison, poking its head out of the mud, offering a curse-like guidance with a dry, hoarse voice.

This feeling grew stronger and stronger. The fragments of consciousness on the sea surface floated with the waves, and the fishy-smelling waves were like sighs from the old dragon's decaying throat.

Lu Jiajia formed a lotus seal with her slender fingers, holding it before her brows. A sharp sword qi ignited between her fingers, cutting off the continuous murmuring from the fragment.

Her divine consciousness returned to clarity.

Lu Jiajia breathed a sigh of relief.

When she looked up, stars hung in the sky. It was already midnight.

Ning Changjiu and Tian Ji's battle was also drawing to a close.

If there were a moon at this moment, this thinly air-filled world would be filled with silver light, casting a dreamlike beauty over the battlefield. But now, the light here was faint, making it seem like a long-empty building.

Ning Changjiu stood within it, the red sun hanging alone, the Golden Crow still present, his white robe still immaculate, and the Asura's divine sword bore not a single nick.

Tian Ji, on the other hand, was much more disheveled.

His mythological body had gradually worn away. Now he was half-human, half-deer-and-horse composite. His flesh was riddled with countless gaping wounds, and fragments of mythology flowed out, scattering like snowflakes.

Despite being heavily wounded, Tian Ji let out a low laugh: "What good is killing me? You don't dare enter the Tian Ji Divine Kingdom, you can't even touch my true body! The Dark Sun is coming; you struggle so much to kill even my projection, how can you possibly defeat Ke Wenzhou, who has received the Dark Lord's blessing, let alone the Dark Lord himself!"

Ning Changjiu said, "The Sword Saint must be very close to Naming now, right?"

Tian Ji nodded, saying, "You should be able to sense it."

Ning Changjiu asked, "How does the current Sword Saint compare to your projection?"

As Tian Ji spoke, his golden mask shattered into fragments, falling along the cracks. "Outside the Divine Kingdom, I am no match for him. If the Dark Lord infuses him with divine power, it would be like recreating a Yuanfu who can personally descend upon the human world. With the Moon Kingdom obscured and Heng'e already weary, you have no chance of stopping him."

Ning Changjiu's sword glided lightly and steadily before him. He looked directly at Tian Ji's body and asked, "Can I, as I am now, not stop him either?"

Tian Ji's laugh was chilling: "I can sense that your old kingdom has not fully accepted you. Not only that, but it is even on the verge of crumbling, on the brink of collapse. You don't dare fully unleash it... Your limit is only to obstruct my projection."

Tian Ji paused, even predicting some startling secrets: "Just wait. Before long, another Divine Kingdom will open, and a ruler who truly commands slaughter will descend. At this moment, even if you miraculously survive Ke Wenzhou, you will never be able to defeat him."

In fact, in Tian Ji's perception, he didn't even see a possibility of Ning Changjiu surviving the Sword Saint.

The Sword Saint had been cultivating his sword.

From Beiming onwards, during his entangled pursuit by four pursuers, he had been nurturing a sword. It was his Heart Sword. Along the way, he had transformed from a middle-aged man with black hair into a white-haired old man. At the cost of his aging body and physical decay, he finally cultivated a sword that satisfied him, hidden within his decrepit heart.

This would be the strongest sword in the human world for five hundred years.

It was also the sword with which the Sword Saint pledged allegiance to the Dark Lord, obtaining a true divine boon.

Tian Ji, as a projection, believed he could not block this sword. Naturally, Ning Changjiu could not block it either.

This sword would arrive soon.

He had nowhere to escape.

Ning Changjiu, however, seemed unconcerned about the Sword Saint's arrival. He asked, "How many rulers can this world accommodate at most?"

Tian Ji answered frankly, "Two."

"Who is coming next?" Ning Changjiu asked again.

"You should be able to guess the answer," Tian Ji said.

"Jujufu," Ning Changjiu blurted out.

The new Jujufu was precisely the Heavenly Monarch, who was once a Saint.

"Five hundred years descend, a Saint shall emerge in the human world..." This sentence carried vastly different meanings to different ears.

The new Jujufu cared deeply about this statement.

Anything that could lead to the reappearance of a Saint, he intended to nip in the bud.

Tian Ji did not answer. He seemed to have fallen into madness and chaos, suddenly letting out an enraged shriek. His imperial robes danced wildly in the wind. With a clawed hand, he casually clenched, and the fiery divine halberd re-formed in his palm, its blazing light illuminating everything.

His final strike was without any technique. He swung the divine halberd high and brought it down on Ning Changjiu's head.

Ning Changjiu's eyes were calm.

He extended his hand and lightly pressed it.

Behind him, the red sun blazed, making the sky as bright as day.

The silver longsword shot out with his thought, precisely striking the divine halberd. As they touched, the sword split into two, then four, and in an instant, the void was filled with silver-white sword shadows.

Tian Ji, though a revered God Lord, appeared dim in the overwhelming light and sword intent, like a Buddha-land freshly opened.

Tian Ji's divine body began to disintegrate in the light.

The golden mask shattered.

Behind it was a face without features.

Then, that face and his body were pierced by thousands of swords simultaneously. Flesh and blood turned to dust, and shattered yellow robes floated down through the air like scattering butterflies.

But as Tian Ji's projection shattered, he still smiled, delivering a prophecy in a grating voice:

"Ke Wenzhou is coming. As you are now, you are certainly doomed!"

Ning Changjiu stood in the empty void, below him the human world, too far to discern, and above, the Sea of Ruin, separated by only a thin barrier.

He held his sword, not leaving, seemingly waiting for something.

Tian Ji's last words weren't even a prophecy.

Because shortly after his figure shattered, Ke Wenzhou appeared in the waters of Naming.

The bad thing had happened.

The Sword Saint had arrived in Naming before Ye Chan Palace.

According to the Sword Saint's own initial estimate, he would arrive this morning.

But it was still the third watch of the night.

This indicated that the Sword Saint's realm had advanced further on his journey.

On Naming, Lu Jiajia had also slain the silver divine steed.

Among the three divine steeds, the Divine Official and the Heavenly Monarch were bronze and gold, respectively. The silver divine steed's "middle horse" status was merely a facade; in truth, it was the weakest of the three. This was originally part of Tian Ji's calculations, but now it seemed to have little meaning.

As Lu Jiajia sheathed her sword, an ancient figure appeared without warning on the sea of Naming, which was covered in consciousness fragments.

Lu Jiajia's sword heart warned her.

When she looked up, the old man's figure had already vanished.

The Sword Saint had cultivated a single sword.

That sword could only be directed at Ning Changjiu.

Only by killing this greatest thorn in the side of the Dao of Heaven, as perceived by it, could he embody the Dao and attain eternity.

The once most powerful god was about to die by his sword.

This was almost irreversible.

Ning Changjiu did not flee. He had just defeated Tian Ji, and his essence, qi, and spirit were at their peak. The Sword Saint's divine sword strike was equivalent to the peak attack of the strongest ancient immortals from antiquity. If Ning Changjiu couldn't block it now, he would have even less chance after fleeing.

"Do you have the confidence to block it?"

Liu Xiwon's voice rippled in his mind.

Ning Changjiu replied telepathically, "I do not intend to block it."

Liu Xiwon was puzzled.

Before she could press further, the Sword Saint's aged figure slowly drifted into the star-dusted void.

He was very old, appearing on the verge of death. His withered hair looked as if a gentle tug would crumble it like dry straw.

He carried a sword on his back, a sword formed of starlight, gleaming brightly, a stark contrast to his own person.

"Where is your right arm?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"Severed," Ke Wenzhou replied.

"Is wielding a sword with your left arm still comfortable?" Ning Changjiu asked.

"I am still adapting," Ke Wenzhou said. "Changing hands to wield the sword has brought a long-lost sense of novelty. This, too, is a pleasant surprise in life."

Ning Changjiu nodded, looking at him, and said, "You fled from Gu Yun City to Naming, and in such pursuit, you lost only one arm. To arrive here precisely at this moment truly makes you the strongest sword user in the human world. It's a pity, though, that you cannot be called a Saint."

Ke Wenzhou said, "One who coexists with the world is a Saint. This was the annotation you once made for the word 'Saint'."

Ning Changjiu said, "The world has changed. The old annotation is, of course, wrong now."

Ke Wenzhou slowly drew the sword from his back, saying, "I said long ago that this is merely a change of dynasties, nothing new. The wills of you remnants of the old order should have long returned to dust... If you won't go, then I shall send you to your graves."

Ning Changjiu held his sword, its tip aimed directly at his opponent.

"Let's see if your sword intent is strong enough," he said calmly.

Ke Wenzhou asked curiously, "Are you not planning to unleash your old kingdom? Your physical body alone cannot withstand my attack."

Ning Changjiu did not answer, but he followed the Sword Saint's words, spreading out his intention and unfurling the red sun behind him.

The void was again brightly illuminated.

A faint, ethereal divine kingdom appeared behind Ning Changjiu, like his true, divinely radiant crown.

Its five sky-piercing divine pillars were particularly striking.

Birth, Marriage, Sun-Shooting, Death, Rebirth.

They were a long lineage that spanned thousands of years, finally culminating in his current form, here and now.

Ke Wenzhou's gaze lingered on the 'Rebirth' pillar. After pondering, he shook his head.

"No wonder you're unwilling to unleash your Divine Kingdom," Ke Wenzhou said. "Though I don't know the full truth, I can sense that there's a significant problem with this divine pillar of yours."

Ning Changjiu said nothing.

He held the silver divine sword, and his figure instantly ascended high.

The entire Divine Kingdom seemed to be on his sword tip, descending with him.

Ke Wenzhou's expression was solemn as he unleashed his most formidable sword strike, one he had prepared for a long time.

It was a sword of profound melancholy and antiquity, its meaning hard to fathom. If the long river of time flowed before it, it would likely be severed.

As the divine sword was unleashed, Ke Wenzhou frowned and let out a soft "咦."

He saw that in Ning Changjiu's hand, the silver sword had vanished, and the sword spirit that had hovered around him seemed to have been forcibly drawn back into his body.

At the same time, within the Golden Crow Divine Kingdom, the fifth divine pillar collapsed at a visible rate.

Ke Wenzhou vaguely saw a grand hall depicted within that divine pillar, and inside the hall were a young man and a young girl.

He was perplexed. Even if this divine pillar was fake, and he didn't know the truth, why would it collapse under his gaze? Or was it that someone else, who knew the truth, was watching here?

There was no time for further contemplation.

Without his sword spirit and Divine Kingdom, Ning Changjiu's charging figure was truly seeking death.

His sword struck Ning Changjiu with precise accuracy.

The sword light was bright as snow.

Ning Changjiu's sword qi was dispersed, his physique was split open, divine blood splattered and rapidly evaporated in the sword qi. His body instantly covered in tens of thousands of cracks, his pupils scattered in the sword qi. Behind him, the red sun shattered, and the Golden Crow wailed as it flew back into his rapidly dissipating purple mansion, then, along with his broken body, was cleaved by the Sword Saint's irresistible sword qi into the highest firmament.

The firmament cracked open.

The Sea of Ruin beyond was revealed.

The Sea of Ruin, the largest swamp, instantly engulfed his shattered remains.

Ke Wenzhou could sense that Ning Changjiu had died by his sword, and that the Sea of Ruin would be his burial ground, the place where only blind-scaled fish and spirit-devourers could survive, slowly wearing down his last vestiges of soul.

The sword qi intensified, pushing the white-robed youth's bones, making them vanish without a trace in the Sea of Ruin.

At this moment, whether it was Lu Jiajia on the Naming Sea or Shao Xiaoli in the Ancient Spirit Sect, they both felt a sensation of falling in a dream—as if something immensely important had vanished, and, furthermore, it was a disappearance that was destined to be final!

Lu Jiajia looked up, stunned for a moment, then flew upwards frantically. Shao Xiaoli also rushed out of the Underworld Ancient Kingdom, reckless abandon in her eyes.

In the Red Tower, Si Ming clutched her chest, her pupils rapidly contracting. Her long, flowing hair instantly turned white as snow. She looked up and saw the long-burning candle on the table flicker, then extinguish.

Bai Zang also felt that something was wrong... Naming was so close, could they have arrived too late? Had Heng'e miscalculated?

She looked excitedly at Ye Chan Palace, trying to find a clue.

Ye Chan Palace slowly opened her eyes, gazing forward, her face still serene, unchanging like the ancient moon.

The bronze divine steed galloped through the night. Ahead, the outline of the Ancient Spirit Sect was now visible.

In the Western Kingdom, Zhao Xiang'er stared at the water mirror, dazed for a long time.

She watched with her own eyes as the Sea of Ruin cracked open, and Ning Changjiu's disfigured, lifeless body sank into it, never to be seen again. She felt as if struck by lightning, her mind numb, unable to react for a long time.

Then, she understood why the Golden Crow Divine Kingdom had collapsed.

The fifth divine pillar, "Rebirth," was flawed.

She clearly saw that this divine pillar contained only Ning Changjiu and Ning Xiaoling; there was no ghost of Ning Qinshui, no spying from Madam Bai, nor any panicking civil and military officials.

Though she wasn't present, she knew what had transpired that day.

Thus, she could immediately identify the error in 'Rebirth.'

And it was precisely because of her gaze from thousands of miles away that the divine pillar had collapsed first.

Before the pillar collapsed, he had retracted the sword spirit into his body. That final sword strike was almost suicidal.

Why did he construct such a divine pillar? Was it intentional? Did he know I was watching him?

Numerous questions flooded her mind, but Zhao Xiang'er's anxiety remained undiminished, for she genuinely could no longer sense Ning Changjiu's aura... "Ning Changjiu, what exactly are you trying to do?!"

In the Underworld Ancient Kingdom.

Ning Xiaoling sat on the divine throne. Jiu You noticed that today, the Underworld Lord's figure was trembling.

But the girl did not open her eyes.

If her heart-sea was a dark lake, then the moment her senior brother died, a single drop of water fell onto this quiet, mirror-like surface.

The girl replied with her mind:

"I understand, senior brother."