Chapter 438: World Restoration War

Evil was clad in black, and behind him stood countless mutilated old people. These old people resembled tumors growing on trees; together with Evil, they gazed at the land where beams of light shot skyward.

"This day has finally arrived."

Evil said softly.

He did not know what the outcome would be, but as he gazed into the distance, within the red flames, he seemed to glimpse events from 1.5 billion years ago.

Around the Heavenly Ranking, roars of monsters also echoed from many imperial cities. They had been suppressed for far too long; once they broke free from their chains, they burned their three souls and seven spirits, smashing their cages and soaring straight into the sky!

It was still deep night, so these soaring monstrous energies were particularly conspicuous.

Evil raised its head and looked at the sky. It seemed to see the Dark Lord hovering outside, slowly permeating into the world.

He knew that the war had just begun, and the true day of farewell was far off. Yet, he still raised his right arm and waved at the sky.

The gaze shifted across the land...

In those red lights, the monsters displayed various forms, but the expressions on their faces were similar.

They were all great monsters from five hundred years ago. After the war's defeat, the Sage used his remaining power to protect them from death. Thus, they were suppressed beneath the imperial cities of various dynasties. For a small state like Zhao, suppressing the demon kings was even the very foundation of their nation's establishment.

If Zhao Xianger had not held the nation-subduing sword of the Vermilion Bird Divine Kingdom, she would not have been able to kill Old Red Tail.

They had all once been monsters pursuing freedom. But in later stories, they all became demons despised by everyone.

The Kunlun Divine Pillar collapsed, and the path to freedom was severed. Five hundred years of dry and oppressive existence were enough to change too many things; most of them had long fallen into despair, waiting for death with hearts like ashes.

Now, time seemed to have flowed back five hundred years. They once again reached a high place, standing beside that majestic figure.

"Nine-Headed Worm greets the Sage!"

"Dragon Demon King greets the Sage!"

"Overturner Venerable greets the Sage!"

"Three-Headed White Python Demon King greets the Sage!"

Voice after voice resounded in the sky. They roared with all their might, venting their emotions, deafeningly loud.

The earth trembled with their roars. All of humanity heard their cries. The blood and fire of the past reappeared before them, transcending five hundred years. Their unyielding gazes still gleamed with sharp, piercing colors!

Each of them had a long story. Many of those stories had been erased by time; only those still alive remembered.

Outside the eighty-one cities, the Nine-Spirit Sage's eight ghost faces had been completely destroyed, leaving only dim, flickering ghost flames.

The iron umbrella that had blocked countless fatal attacks also cracked, on the verge of shattering. This majestic giant lion now resembled a mountain of white bones. Within its skeleton, torn flesh tightly enveloped something... It was an entire Buddhist kingdom, where the people looked at the vast, empty world, not understanding what had happened, believing themselves to be in hell.

Bai Ze tore open the void and emerged from it, looking somewhat disheveled.

The recent city-destroying attack was too fierce. Even hidden within myriad layers of the void, he could not entirely escape it.

Bai Ze looked at the Nine-Spirit Sage, closed his eyes, and sighed softly.

In the distance, pillars of light continued to light up one after another, converging towards the vast sky.

Ye Changong, in Guhuang, gazed from afar at the distant fires. Her clear eyes were like the illuminated night.

"Is there anything we should do?" Siming came to her master's side and asked softly.

Ye Changong shook her head slightly and said, "Let them write and complete their own stories. Regardless of the outcome, we will carry on with their will."

Ning Changjiu also stood there. His pupils gleamed gold. He could see the figure emerging from the dust and met its gaze.

They looked at each other in silence.

Over three thousand years had passed.

The Great Sage's story had concluded that day, but none of them were satisfied with the ending. So the story continued.

In the Western Kingdom, Zhao Xianger sat on a cloud, clad in a phoenix dress, gazing into the distance. The three thousand worlds were like giant bubbles, illuminated by this faint light, shimmering with soft colors.

Old Red Tail's dying words echoed in her mind:

"There are many monsters like me in this world. We were killed, suppressed, but even if we turned to dust, body and soul obliterated, we still waited for the Sage's return. He never deceived us; not five hundred years ago, and not for ten thousand years to come!"

"Ten thousand years from now..."

Zhao Xianger's thin lips lightly pressed together. She reached out and waved towards the distance, as if greeting the Sage on behalf of the monsters of the Zhao Kingdom from back then.

The young woman shifted her gaze further away.

To where the stars shone brightly.

In the Western Kingdom, the Senior Sister and Second Senior Brother also watched the scene unfold.

"If history looks back on this, will it be considered the beginning of the third War of Hunting Nations?" the Senior Sister asked.

"If history can still continue, then this will be the start of a new era," the Second Senior Brother stated firmly.

Ancient Spirit Sect, Netherworld Ancient Kingdom.

Fish King ran into the kitchen and stole a fish. The fish was stuffed with chili peppers, and he took one bite and jumped up from the spiciness.

The commotion alerted Jiuyou. Jiuyou came to the doorway and said smugly, "Hmph, I am indeed clever! I knew you clumsy cat would try to steal food again, so I stuffed the fish with chili peppers a day in advance!"

Fish King was very angry and retorted, "Then how are *you* going to eat it?!"

Jiuyou froze. She realized that she couldn't eat anything so spicy either. At the time, she was so busy guarding against the thieving cat that she hadn't considered this point.

Fish King looked at her somewhat dazed face, unable to bear watching. He covered his face with a paw, shook his head, sighed, and left, saying, "You self-defeating girl, Ning Xiaoling really had eight lifetimes of bad luck meeting you."

Jiuyou retorted defiantly, "I'm skilled in both scholarly arts and martial arts, proficient in zither, chess, calligraphy, painting... unlike you, who just sleeps all day. Bai Zang is much cuter than you!"

Fish King gulped down some water, washing away the chili taste. He looked at Jiuyou and said, "Yes, ever since the Netherworld Kingdom changed rulers, it's had favorable weather and its people live in peace and prosperity."

Jiuyou snorted coldly, "In any case, I contributed. I'm going to write down your disgraceful act of stealing fish, so other cats can learn from it!"

Fish King looked at the girl in the elaborate black dress and said nothing more. He savored the taste of the fish on his tongue, then walked out of the Netherworld Hall.

Jiuyou quickly followed, saying, "Hey, where are you going?"

Fish King replied, "Just for a walk."

Jiuyou looked at his somewhat slumped back and anxiously asked, "You're not angry, are you?"

Fish King said, "This King doesn't bother getting angry with a little girl like you."

Jiuyou said, "Who's a little girl? I've lived for over a thousand years! If we're talking age, you probably can't even compare to me!"

Fish King savored the lingering taste of fish on his tongue and sighed with emotion, "I've also lived for over a thousand years. For a cat to live so long, it truly takes effort."

Jiuyou suddenly felt that he was a bit melancholic tonight.

Fish King walked out of the great hall: "I'm going for a walk, mm... just a walk. Don't disturb Lord Nether Monarch."

Jiuyou softly hummed in acknowledgment. Being the most clumsy, she didn't know what to say, so she just said, "Then be careful on your way."

"Alright," Fish King replied.

Jiuyou watched him leave.

The Nether Monarch was the ruler of the Netherworld Ancient Kingdom and could not leave it. But Fish King and Jiuyou were both similar to divine officials or heavenly lords; if they wished, they could leave the ancient kingdom through the old site of the Sea of Darkness.

Fish King quietly left the ancient kingdom.

He stood outside Jiuyou Hall, before the iron chains on the horizontal cliff, watching the beams of light shooting skyward in the distance, lost in thought for a long time.

People in their twilight years often like to look back on their lives, and he was no different.

In recent years, he often dreamed of that old fish, and of the river filled with dead fish. The figures of the monsters had long been annihilated by him, and he had long crossed that river, foul with heavy rain. Yet, the most unforgettable years of his life always remained there.

He had never truly left that river.

At this moment, there was no heavy rain. The stars in the sky were clear, and Ghost Moon Lake was calm and still.

He suddenly thought of Yu Jin.

So he ran into the wooden hall, stole paper and a pen, drafted a letter, held it in his mouth, and went to find the house where Yu Jin used to live.

The house Yu Jin had lived in was next to Ning Xiaoling's.

Fish King jumped onto the window and tapped on it.

Soon, the window opened. Opening it was an unfamiliar, sleepy face.

"Who is it...?"

The newly admitted female disciple looked out the window but saw nothing.

"Did I hear wrong?"

She mumbled and closed the window again.

Fish King, hidden in the grass, released the letter from his mouth, letting it fall to the human world, and left alone.

He stood alone on the cliff. The evening wind ruffled his long fur. He gazed with wide pupils at the vast universe, like a lion surveying his kingdom.

Only a hundred more years to live...

A hundred years was not long for a great monster, but for most mortals, it was a lifetime.

He should have spent his remaining hundred years like an ordinary person.

But what beauty was there in such a good night?

As an aging cat, he should burn and roar in his twilight years...

Fish King raised his head and roared at the sky. He did not know if he would survive, but he still charged forward without hesitation, just as he had once broken the river's dam.

"Di Ting of the Netherworld Ancient Kingdom, greets the Sage!"

The shouts echoed in the sky. The long night seemed like it would never end.

The Sage, holding the black iron divine staff, flew into the highest heavens.

By his side, countless monsters had gathered. Most of these monsters were already in spirit form; what they were burning now was their own lives.

Ke Wenzhou lowered his sword, looked around at them, and always wore a smile.

"Teacher, I can barely suppress the power within my body anymore," Ke Wenzhou said.

His body was covered in horizontal cracks, appearing as if it would shatter into pieces with a single gust of wind.

"We will leave soon," the Sage said peacefully. He reached out and touched Ke Wenzhou's brow, helping him suppress a portion of the Dark Lord's power that was surging back.

Ke Wenzhou coughed twice, looked at him, and asked, "Where are we going?"

The Sage replied, "I will take you to our star, a star I have long chosen."

"Our star?"

"Yes, a star that has been dead for many years, stripped of its deities. We will establish a new home there in spirit form, but I cannot guarantee how many monsters will reach it."

The Great Sage's answer echoed among the monster multitude.

He raised his divine staff and aimed it at the moon.

With a boom, the divine staff suddenly elongated and shot skyward. The dust shrouding the moon was finally shattered, and pure light poured down, turning the sky and clouds silver.

At the same time, in the City of Ten Thousand Monsters, the Queen found that the star chart before her seemed to be subtly changing.

She could now see the nearby stars!

Though it was only a blurry image.

In the sea of stars, a distant star seemed to be calling to them. It was...

"Uranus?"

The Queen of Ten Thousand Monsters blurted out.

Their Demon God Hall formed the Four Heavenly Kings. The original intention was to find the legendary Uranus and use the power of the stars to continue their resistance.

But after so many years, most people had long lost hope in the so-called Uranus. Only she stubbornly continued to search. Now, this star had finally appeared in the sky.

"Let's go, to our new home," the Queen of Ten Thousand Monsters whispered, clutching the withered bones in her arms.

The bone, around which lingering souls swirled, gently moved in her arms, as if giving the greatest response.

The Queen of Ten Thousand Monsters also walked out of the Demon God Hall.

Before dawn, all the great monsters who had answered the call gathered above the eighty-one cities.

They had waited for this moment for too long. Now, they were all awaiting the Sage's final command.

Before the final command was given, Jufu closed his eyes. His consciousness instantly left his body, traveling at an incredible speed to Guhuang, hundreds of thousands of miles away.

Jufu looked at Ning Changjiu and Ye Changong, and saluted with clasped fists.

Ning Changjiu and Ye Changong returned the salute simultaneously.

"Master, I fear the authority of Eternal Brightness cannot be returned to you," Jufu said.

"It doesn't matter; fire doesn't care where it burns," Ning Changjiu replied.

Jufu asked with a smile, "Then how did I continue the Great Sage's story?"

Ning Changjiu affirmed, "It is destined to be renowned for ten thousand ages."

Jufu nodded gently and looked at Ye Changong:

"The plan has finally reached this stage. I can break through the sky and temporarily isolate the Dark Lord's influence, but I don't know how long I can hold on. Madam, after thinking for so many years, have you figured out the secret of the world?"

Ye Changong raised her head, looking at the figure in the purple-gold crown and golden armor. Her voice was firm: "I have figured it out. Rest assured, the flame you leave behind will never be extinguished. The history of humanity will be continued by us!"

Jufu finally felt completely at ease. He looked at Ning Changjiu and said, "Only one last chapter remains. This time, let me tell it to you."

As he spoke, auspicious clouds appeared beneath his feet. The Great Sage's booming voice resounded in the sky.

"Five hundred years have passed. The Great Sage broke free from his shackles, overturned the Five Elements Mountain, and tore the Tathagata Buddha's spell to shreds!

He did not embark on the Journey to the West. He donned his battle armor again and summoned his divine weapons. He stood on the earth, his fiery golden eyes wide open, looking at the gods and Buddhas across the sky, and the immortals in the clouds! They were destined to tremble once more, just as they did five hundred years ago, because standing before them was not the Victorious Fighting Buddha, with his fangs and claws sheathed, but..."

"THE GREAT SAGE EQUALING HEAVEN!"

Jufu roared like a giant ape.

He unfolded his mythical form, stepping on auspicious clouds, holding the Ruyi black iron divine staff, transforming into a long flame and charging towards the Divine Kingdom above!

This was his story, his final chapter.

Ke Wenzhou looked at his retreating figure and showed a relieved smile.

Everything was still the same as five hundred years ago.

Only this time, he no longer needed to sever any consciousness.

He carried Zhulong's remains and, with the ten thousand monsters, charged towards the sky.

"Zhulong crashed into the sky and died, its shadowy flames extinguished, falling to dust, its bones buried deep within the earth..."

He softly recited the history he had read five hundred years ago. Naming, Beiming, Yun Kingdom, Guhuang... all the myriad things of the human world departed with him.

The barrier between the Void Sea and the world was instantly broken through by them. The shimmering brilliance at the barrier was also swallowed by darkness.

Countless spirit-devourers in the Void Sea were instantly killed by the aftershocks.

The Sage continued forward. He once again felt that long-lost power. Five hundred years ago, he had challenged it, and was ultimately suppressed.

Five hundred years later, he had returned.

If this was a calamity for civilization, then there should always be someone of immense stature to bear this calamity, and then shatter it into dust!

He felt the presence of the Dark Lord,