Chapter 475: Shooting Sun Bow

There was not a single spark of fire in the Three Thousand Worlds.

The boundary markers had also lost their function, allowing wind and snow to sweep in, covering everything in a thin layer of ice.

Zhao Xianger stood alone, a sword piercing her heart. Vermilion Bird listened to her suggestion and fell silent.

Zhao Xianger endured the searing pain, staring intently at her, ready to die at any moment.

Previously, her resolve had indeed wavered. As images of Ning Changjiu and their tragic deaths flashed through her mind, her lips trembled, and words of surrender almost escaped her. Yet, the Fire Phoenix within her kept sounding alarms.

Zhao Xianger couldn't help but recall the time Jiu Yu tried to assassinate her. After that attempt, looking back on her life, she realized that at every brush with death, it was linked to Vermilion Bird, while her survival was always connected to the Unobservable. Who was secretly helping her had always been clear, yet immersed in the moment, she had failed to grasp it for a long time.

It was the same now.

Vermilion Bird's sudden appearance at the crucial moment was a display of power. Her subsequent battle, where Zhao Xianger was just a hair's breadth from victory, was a psychological attack. Afterwards, Vermilion Bird displayed various pathological behaviors, like a true madwoman, only wanting to exact ridiculous revenge on Heng'e. This was also a way to dismantle Zhao Xianger's vigilance... The layers of words carried a terrifying magical power, constantly unsettling her mind.

But just like Jiu Yu's assassination, beneath the complex deception lay a simple truth.

What had Vermilion Bird desired most over the years? Nothing but the Three Thousand Worlds. This was her core demand, and everything she did must revolve around this fundamental desire.

Unless Vermilion Bird had truly gone mad, the Dark Sun was about to descend, and all things would be destroyed. Even if the Twelve Divine Lords were merely the Dark Lord's watchdogs, they might not survive the world's destruction.

From beginning to end, Vermilion Bird's goal was to reach the Three Thousand Worlds!

Back in Yuanfu Divine Kingdom, when Baizang was imprisoned, she stubbornly refused to surrender. It took Ye Chan Gong several months to reluctantly absorb half of her divine power. But once Baizang gave up, her power was instantly seized.

It was the same now.

If she knelt and called her 'mother' three times, it would signify complete surrender of both body and mind. Leveraging this mental collapse, Vermilion Bird could swiftly seize her power!

There was no room for compromise or retreat in this decisive battle!

"Three breaths are up."

Zhao Xianger also felt a pang of regret. She was about to die, and this world's future was uncertain.

"Stop!" Vermilion Bird's eyes were as cold as ice. "I agree."

Vermilion Bird spoke rapidly: "I am willing to exchange divine kingdoms. I will send you to the Western Kingdom, to my throne!"

With that, Vermilion Bird moved towards Zhao Xianger.

Zhao Xianger remained still, calmly watching her gently lifted leg.

Vermilion Bird also stared at Zhao Xianger.

Time seemed to freeze.

Between them, there seemed to be raging infernos and ancient, glacial rivers.

Ultimately, Vermilion Bird's foot did not dare to land. She glanced eastward, sighed softly, and drew her foot back. With a resigned, helpless smile, she said, "Truly our obedient daughter."

Zhao Xianger turned her back and walked towards the Western Kingdom.

They drifted further and further apart.

She watched Zhao Xianger's incredibly weak but stubbornly upright figure, and sighed again.

Later, if she exchanged authority with Zhao Xianger, Zhao Xianger would become the master of the Three Thousand Worlds, their positions reversed. The scene where Vermilion Bird had suppressed her earlier could very well be replayed upon her.

And afterward, whether she could live freely would depend entirely on Zhao Xianger's moral character...

Vermilion Bird closed her eyes.

Zhao Xianger's consciousness was blurry at this moment, yet she still had a chance to seize victory.

But in the end, she did nothing.

The distant wind rustled her phoenix dress. Vermilion Bird opened her eyes and gazed into the distance. A corner of the Dark Sun had already revealed itself there, a pale white outline, a perfect circle.

As Vermilion Bird watched the Dark Sun descend, she suddenly realized that the era of their divine lords seemed to have completely passed.

She chuckled self-mockingly, then turned and walked towards the throne of the Three Thousand Worlds.

Xue Yuan and Shi Yu stood in the darkness, watching Vermilion Bird approach them, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.

"Mother..."

Both spoke simultaneously, gathering their skirts, kneeling, and bowing their heads in reverence.

Vermilion Bird looked at them, but also stopped her steps.

Though they might be failures, they were still her daughters after all...

"Mm."

Vermilion Bird responded, smiling faintly.

She walked deep into the darkness, never looking back.

Zhao Xianger's lips were already bitten through, bloody and mangled between her jade teeth. Blood dripped all along her path. It was hard to imagine that such a small, delicate body could contain so much warm blood.

Her eyes gradually lost their vitality, and her body felt lighter and lighter.

She walked towards the heights.

The world of the Western Kingdom opened for her.

But the path to the throne was so lonely.

Meanwhile, in the mortal realm beneath the divine kingdoms, streaks of soaring sword light began to break and falter one after another.

Those closest to the heavens were the individuals from the Unobservable.

Senior Sister's green skirt flapped straight in the fierce headwind. Her eyes glowed golden, and she raised her hands high. Behind her, her Asura Golden Body manifested, an ancient half-human, half-snake immortal, the great goddess Nuwa from myths who molded humans from clay.

But even Senior Sister, under such an unstoppable force, was slowly being pushed down. The golden Asura Dharma Body gradually lost its luster, showing faint signs of cracking.

When the sky collapsed previously, she had performed the heroic feat of mending it.

But now, not only was the sky collapsing, an invincible demon was also trying to crawl in from beyond the heavens!

Second Senior Brother also sped through the long sky, striking with all his might to intercept the black qi falling from above, protecting Senior Sister.

Third Senior Brother, in his red robe, was also performing the act of suppressing the sea with his body, forcefully holding back the evil qi that might escape from the earth's core.

Fourth Senior Sister, holding her flaming long spear, repeatedly thrust it into the dark sky, but each time it returned without effect. After several attempts, the flames on her spear were significantly weakened.

Fifth Senior Brother came to Senior Sister's side and sighed, "If Master cannot emerge soon, then activate the Unobservable."

Senior Sister frowned deeply.

The Unobservable was a Daoist temple.

The complete Unobservable, however, was a god-destroying weapon meticulously crafted by them and the ancient gods of Great River Town.

It was a weapon of mutual destruction; once activated, death was certain.

"Wait longer!" Senior Sister asserted.

Fifth Senior Brother nodded, his eyes closed. He looked at the sky, his gaze lost, wondering if that was what they called a god.

Endless black qi surged towards the earth.

Along with it fell many desiccated corpses of spirit devourers.

The entire mortal realm was united as never before.

Countless streaks of sword light, thick or thin, bright or dim, shot up into the sky. The mortal world was like a colossal hall, and these were the pillars supporting it.

In the sky, a corner of the Dark Sun was revealed.

It was truly a black fireball.

The world was torn open.

Senior Sister's Asura Golden Body was also torn apart, endless power crushing her at an unimaginable speed. In front of Fourth Senior Sister, the flaming long spear, after its final throw, vanished forever.

Then, darkness pounced like a beast.

Fourth Senior Sister's figure darted, drawing all the blades from her weapon box to block in front of her, attempting to resist. But the darkness was like gaping mouths, swallowing weapons one after another.

In the blink of an eye, Fourth Senior Sister was unarmed.

Second Senior Brother was also having a hard time. The black qi looked soft, but when truly struck, he realized it was countless times harder than steel. Only with majestic spiritual energy, like wind and thunder, could it barely be cut.

This opponent was far more terrifying than they had ever imagined.

And this was just the tip of the Dark Sun's iceberg. If it fully descended, what then? Even if Master and Junior Brother could emerge, they probably wouldn't be able to stop it...

Second Senior Brother gripped his blade with both hands, cutting through a streak of black qi as if splitting a giant log.

He looked around.

Thousands of sword auras around him were like pristine, flawless pillars of heaven.

Behind him, many powerful figures also flew towards the sky. They held sharp swords and had heavenly steles suspended behind them, joining him in striking at the sky.

Northern Kingdom, Snow Mountain.

Xiao Qiu protected a young brother and sister, hiding them in a cave. He repeatedly warned them not to go out, then he too, wielding his long spear, charged into the darkness.

Since Hoof Mountain appeared, many powerful practitioners of the Five Paths from the mortal realm had journeyed to Snow Mountain to hone their swords together.

During this sword honing, Xiao Qiu had met many people. What he loved to tell them most was his battle with Ning Changjiu on the Heavenly Ranking, and how, in the casino outside the ranking, he had bet on Ning Changjiu's victory and won against the Second Master of Sword Pavilion.

This was the proudest achievement of his life.

Whenever he recounted this, many would gather, asking about the appearance of Ning Changjiu, the savior, and the exquisite heroic demeanor of the Second Master of Sword Pavilion. Many others would stand by, holding their swords, pretending to be disdainful while secretly listening.

Xiao Qiu had originally thought this was just an ordinary sword honing session.

Just today, he couldn't refuse the brother and sister and agreed to take them to see the great mountain from a distance.

And then disaster struck...

"Brother must come back for us," the little girl's soft voice echoed from the cave.

Xiao Qiu smiled and said, "Of course, of course. When have I ever not come back?"

He believed his luck in gambling was excellent; even the Second Master of Sword Pavilion was no match for him.

He rushed out of the peaks and soared towards the sky beyond.

At this moment, half of the Dark Sun had already descended.

That unimaginably vast black sun pressed down upon the mortal realm. It was more boundless than the sea, more majestic than any mountain.

As Xiao Qiu raised his hand, he truly felt as though he were trying to lift Mount Tai with a feather.

The Dark Sun descended very quickly.

The efforts of the mortal realm's top cultivators seemed to be of little use.

It continued to descend at a steady pace, devouring the pure white pillars of light.

Spurts of fresh blood sprayed forth one after another.

Many with wavering Dao hearts quickly collapsed, hastily inscribing heavenly steles, hoping to escape through ascension.

But these were all acts of desperation.

The Dark Lord was the sun, and also the sky. No one could escape it. Whether they were tiny ants or humans who considered themselves the wisest of all beings, in its eyes, they were all just dust.

Many screamed, collapsed, and contorted. In their final moments, they recalled their lives, imagining how tragic their existence had been.

For them, it was indeed a tragic scene.

But to the Dark Lord, it held little meaning.

It was a 'god' created by a previous civilization after countless millennia of development. At this nascent stage of their own civilization, they had no idea what a magnificent creation they were facing.

The reserves of spirit devourers were rapidly depleting.

Soon, no more spirit devourers fell from the sky.

Xiao Qiu pointed his spear at the sky, and suddenly shivered.

"Who is it?"

He felt a hand touch him.

But he looked around and saw nothing.

Yet the sensation was clear.

That hand slowly extended into his body... It was the position of his Purple Mansion. That hand was reaching for his innate spirit!

No... No!

Xiao Qiu's pupils constricted abruptly, his Dao heart almost tearing apart. This feeling was akin to watching someone tear open their own belly, grasp their vital organs, and pull them out! And yet, this was an invisible hand; he was utterly unable to resist!

His innate spirit was seized and forcibly pulled out!

Xiao Qiu's eyes turned bloodshot.

He dared not scream, fearing the brother and sister in the cave would hear him.

He gasped, all his spiritual energy drained, leaving him powerless. He looked at the sky, at the divine spectacle of the Dark Sun's descent, then his body tilted sideways, blood seeping from beneath his clothes.

Many others in the mortal realm suffered the same fate.

The Dark Lord was the wheel of history, and they were merely mantises trying to stop a chariot, overestimating themselves.

It didn't take long for the mortal realm to descend from high spirits to despair.

In the Western Kingdom, Zhao Xianger witnessed all of this.

She ascended to the peak of the Western Kingdom.

The throne of the Vermilion Bird God was before her.

She knew that simply by sitting on the throne before her, she could change everything.

Zhao Xianger's consciousness was already blurry, her legs weak, and she practically fell onto the throne.

And at this very moment, within her, the Fire Phoenix let out another cry!

Zhao Xianger regained a shred of clarity.

A chill ran down her neck.

A sword blade silently appeared behind her.

Jiu Yu!

Vermilion Bird had seemed to surrender, but she still hadn't given up on killing Zhao Xianger!

Jiu Yu was absolute blackness... Back when Jiu Yu was her own sword, she had used its concealment to defeat many powerful enemies. Now, with the Dark Sun descending, the entire world had become Jiu Yu's stage. It silently hid in the darkness, creeping closer, waiting for the moment Zhao Xianger saw the throne and her guard was lowest, to deliver a fatal blow.

This was exactly like Vermilion Bird's illusion back then.

But the weakened Zhao Xianger still missed something.

Had she still lost...?

Zhao Xianger closed her eyes.

The throne was within reach.

Jiu Yu's sharp blade had already fallen.

In an instant, firelight erupted everywhere, only to be quickly swallowed by Jiu Yu's darkness.

A sword appeared almost out of thin air, blocking Jiu Yu's edge.

Blocking the sword was even just a hand.

The palm of that hand was cleanly cut and bleeding, yet it was not severed. Instead, it firmly gripped Jiu Yu.

Her sword light illuminated her own features.

It was a young girl with messy short hair.

Liu Xiwang!

Today, when the Dark Sun suddenly appeared, she went out to look for Siming and Lu Jiajia, but heard they were heading towards the Western Kingdom. Originally, Liu Xiwang hadn't planned to follow, intending instead to stay with her senior sisters and brothers at Sword Pavilion to resist the enemy from beyond the heavens.

But at a certain moment,

she felt a summons from the Western Kingdom.

It was a call to spirits.

The Western Kingdom was an open spiritual realm, seemingly calling all true spirits in the mortal world.

She couldn't resist this feeling, and remembering that her sisters were also heading towards the Western Kingdom, she followed the summons and flew there.

During her flight, her physical body quickly spiritualized, reaching extreme speed.

And upon her arrival in the Western Kingdom, she witnessed this scene.

She blocked the sword.

Xianger turned her head slightly, saw the silhouette of the short-haired girl, and her taut heartstrings finally relaxed completely.

She collapsed onto the divine throne.

Her expression was indiscernible, whether cold or pained, only her body, pierced by the sword, remained upright.

In the Three Thousand Worlds, Vermilion Bird, also seated on a throne, fully lowered her eyelids.

The divine kingdoms inverted at this moment.

The power of the Western Kingdom's world entered Zhao Xianger's body, while the power of the Three Thousand Worlds surged into Vermilion Bird's form.

Liu Xiwang's hand, which had been blocking Jiu Yu, suddenly loosened.

With a clang, Jiu Yu fell to the ground, transforming into a black-clad girl who moaned in pain.

Liu Xiwang slowly turned around.

On the throne behind her, firelight rekindled in Zhao Xianger's eyes. Her beautiful body blazed fiercely in the light, her majesty like a true princess. Zhao Xianger pressed her hand against the sword in her chest and yanked it out.

Liu Xiwang was entranced. In that moment, she seemed to hear a shattering heartbeat.

And this new master of the Vermilion Bird Divine Kingdom, upon her face, which had turned the mortal realm upside down, radiated extreme majesty and cold beauty. It was as if she no longer knew life or death, pain or pleasure, having been reborn in fire as the true, and only, goddess!

"Thank you..." Zhao Xianger said softly, bowing to Liu Xiwang.

Liu Xiwang looked at her, awed by her perfection, her heart pounding. She was a little flustered by the bow. "Ah... It's nothing. I'm not that red-headed chicken; I've always been a steadfast supporter of Princess Xianger!"

Liu Xiwang raised a fist, as if cheering for Xianger.

Zhao Xianger pursed her lips and smiled faintly, "Stop lying."

"I..." Liu Xiwang puffed out her cheeks and said, "Well, I'm supporting you now!"

Zhao Xianger softly hummed in acknowledgment and cast her gaze beyond the heavens.

That was the location of the Thunder Prison Divine Kingdom.

The Fire Phoenix let out a clear cry.

Its projection, like a streak of fire, tore through the long sky and rushed into that place.

The authority of the world blossomed brilliantly.

Outside the Western Kingdom, Baizang, who had killed Quan Lin, happened to meet Lu Jiajia and the others.

They had hurried all the way to the Western Kingdom, and just as they were about to cross the boundary marker, they saw a towering flame streak slice through the long, dark night.

Siming was startled. Her gaze immediately fixed on the tail of the flame.

One, two, three...

It was three tails.

That was the Fire Phoenix, not the Vermilion Bird!

Only then did Siming's heart relax.

In the fleeting moment of thought, the sword light in the mortal realm continued to break one after another. The Dark Lord stretched its tentacles towards the mortal world, intent on extracting all the innate spirits it had planted. People struggled to hold on; many with weaker cultivation could no longer endure, helplessly watching their innate spirits being taken, and their battered bodies slowly await death.

In the Ancient Nether Kingdom, Ning Xiaoling was in the Sea of Ruins, incredibly close to the Dark Lord.

It was false to say she wasn't afraid, but no matter how terrified she was, she did not leave the Nether Divine Kingdom. Instead, she fully activated the Sea of Reincarnation, collecting the souls of the slain cultivators. If her Senior Brother could appear, if they could achieve a tragic victory, then these cultivators who died for the mortal realm would still have a day of reincarnation.

But now... hope seemed slim.

The Dark Lord drew nearer.

Ning Xiaoling also felt a great mountain on her back; her body was firmly suppressed by it. Blood surged within her, her acupoints shifted, and spiritual energy became chaotic. Her entire body felt as if it could explode at any moment.

Just as Ning Xiaoling was about to reach her limit, a wisp of firelight appeared before her eyes.

That wisp of firelight shot into a certain place, and then, a golden radiance lit up the void!

Under the dark sky, that golden light was incredibly dazzling.

The golden light tore through the darkness, cutting open the chaos. The light was warm and blinding.

This dawn had no sunrise, so he became the sun.

Accompanying it was a deep, powerful dragon's roar.

On the throne of the Western Kingdom, Zhao Xianger smiled.

She saw a white-clad figure suspended within that sword light, a silhouette unseen for eight years, yet without a hint of unfamiliarity. Their intimate whispers felt like yesterday.

What Vermilion Bird saw, however, was another figure.

It was a slender, moon-like silhouette shrouded in a gauze dress.

The youthful figure of Ye Chan Gong stood in the night, her graceful and petite form like a wisp of pure wind.

Vermilion Bird gazed at her deeply, a pathological glint in her eyes.

The next moment, this young woman appeared before her.

"Long time no see, Immortal Monarch Heng'e," Vermilion Bird cackled.

Ye Chan Gong walked up to her, said nothing, but grabbed her long hair. Her delicate palm struck Vermilion Bird's snow-white cheek with a sharp slap.

Vermilion Bird let out a soft grunt, turning her face. Slender finger marks were left on her exquisitely beautiful, pale cheek.

Vermilion Bird's brows furrowed slightly; she wanted to say something, but another sharp slap resounded, and her right cheek was backhanded as well.

Ye Chan Gong was petite, while Vermilion Bird was strikingly tall. This scene, though, looked more like a daughter reprimanding her mother.

Ye Chan Gong released her hand.

Vermilion Bird's long hair fell loose. She knelt on the ground, covering her stinging cheeks, and looked up at the young woman.

She knew these two slaps were for her prolonged refusal to open the divine kingdom and her attempt to kill Zhao Xianger.

But she was, after all, the supreme Vermilion Bird Divine Lord, the Empress of the Spirit Realm. When had she ever endured such humiliation?

"Follow me," Ye Chan Gong said coolly.

Vermilion Bird stared at the shadow of her moon-white gauze dress, gritting her teeth.

After losing the Western Kingdom, she had completely lost the initiative. Whatever they intended to do next, she could only obey... She, who had pursued freedom, had paradoxically become a slave to survival in order to live. How ironic...

"Yes," Vermilion Bird softly acknowledged.

Ultimately, she still followed behind Ye Chan Gong.

On the other side, in the Western Kingdom, Ning Changjiu, clad in white, also appeared before Zhao Xianger. Zhao Xianger's thin lips curved into a faint smile.

Lu Jiajia, Siming, Shao Xiaoli, Baizang... they all successively entered the Western Kingdom and came before Ning Changjiu.

They looked at each other.

Eight years unseen, countless words choked in their hearts, and tears streamed from Lu Jiajia's eyes. Yet, they all understood that this was no time for catching up; the common people of the world were still waiting for them!

Ning Changjiu's gaze fell upon Shao Xiaoli.

"Xiaoli, I told you once that I would show you the true art of summoning objects from talismans..." Ning Changjiu stood in the Western Kingdom, gazing at the vast land, and said, "Today is the day."

"Ah..." Shao Xiaoli seemed a little slow to react.

Ning Changjiu had already walked past her.

His original name was Zhang Jiu. Zhang lost his bow, hence he was called Changjiu.

Now, he was going to find his bow again...

This was the final piece of his destiny's puzzle.

But the bow he sought was certainly not the one from his previous life; that bow had been destroyed when he shot down the sun long ago.

This would be the bow of a brand new world!

Ning Changjiu took a deep breath. The Golden Crow let out a long cry. From within the boundless spiritual energy, the Golden Crow flew out, holding a red sun, meeting the Dark Lord. It propped up a temporary barrier, shielding all living beings.

Summoning objects from talismans.

The first step, of course, was to lay out the paper and inscribe the talisman.

The paper was already laid out: it was the entire land itself.

Ning Changjiu began to inscribe the talisman!

The first stroke of the talisman landed in the State of Zhao, where he had been reborn. The brush then turned southeast to the Heavenly Sword Sect, paused at the Sword Sect, and then sharply folded upwards, crossing Lotus Field Town, the Red River, and the Abyss. The brush stroke pierced through the Southern Wilderness, heading north—that was the path he had walked through Broken Realm City. Finally, this path stopped at the ancient well by the exit, where Ning Changjiu had once watched the sunrise and the starry sky with Siming. Next, the brush stroke folded directly west, stopping in a valley where Ning Changjiu had broken into the Purple Mansion realm, and subsequently fought Liu Xiwang, separating her from her physical body!

The brush stroke continued north, crossing the Sea of Misfortune, piercing through the Sea Kingdom and Luoshu Tower in the direct north! Outside Luoshu Tower, the brush stroke folded again, turning directly eastward to the Ancient Spirit Sect.

That was where Xiaoling entered the Netherworld.

Directly north of the Ancient Spirit Sect was the Myriad Demon City. The brush stroke swept wildly, arriving at Myriad Demon City, where the moonlight that once descended from the Heavens still faintly lingered.

Finally, the brush stroke folded from Myriad Demon City westward to Ancient Radiance.

That was the site of his decisive battle with the Sword Saint, and the endpoint of the strokes.

Thus, the Second Hunt for Kingdoms War concluded, and the world entered a brand new era.

All these places were significant, crucial turning points in Ning Changjiu's experiences! Whether by heavenly will or Ning Changjiu's deliberate design, these nodes, starting from the State of Zhao and ending at Ancient Radiance, coincidentally inscribed the character 'bow' in reverse upon the land!

This was the bow he had inscribed in reverse with his footsteps and his sword!

This was the true art of summoning objects from talismans.

If the world before them was a bow, then at this very moment, Ning Changjiu, standing in the Western Kingdom, was positioned on the central-western side of this bow—a position that, visually, was exactly where one should stand when drawing a bowstring taut.

Within Ning Changjiu's body, it was as if mighty rivers surged and roared past. All his acupoints and blood vessels, originating from eternity, erupted in a thunderous clamor like mountains roaring and seas raging at this very moment.

The Dark Sun descended.

And this great deity, once Yi, also drew his bow.

The world itself was a bow—the Bow that Shoots the Sun!

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