Chapter 561: Being Chosen by Fate

"What is that?" Xu Xiaoshou stared at the blood-soaked minotaur, transformed from Xin Gugu, equally astonished.

After being blasted away by Baldy Xin's attack, the minotaur showed no hesitation. As it retreated, it exhaled deeply, then suddenly inhaled. "Swoosh!!!"

The darkness was instantly shredded. The vast sea of blood, which had seeped in from the fractured space, was pulled back by Xin Gugu before it could even spread far. In less than a breath, the entire sea of blood, which had covered the whole Sword-Leaving Prairie, was completely absorbed into the minotaur's body.

"Boom!" As immense energy surged into its body, the space around Xin Gugu could no longer bear the aura emanating from him and began to crack. After accomplishing this, the minotaur's body swelled even further. Cracks even started appearing on its powerfully built physique. "Self-destruct?" Xu Xiaoshou couldn't believe his eyes. How could the power of an entire sea of blood be absorbed into a body in such a short time? Yet, this horrifying event was unfolding right before him. It was unimaginable what terrifying power Xin Gugu's body now contained.

"The domain shattered!" The dark domain opened by Night Watch, who had arrived just in time, only held for a moment before ceasing to exist. Fortunately, Lan Ling had already used the Heaven-Sealing Grand Array to secure the space of the Sword-Leaving Prairie. Even so, the survivors could no longer conceal their terror.

"Th-th-this..." "Is *this* what the struggle for the Four Swords was truly meant to be?" "Those previous fights among the young master-level cultivators, they must have been a joke!" "My god, what happened? How did the scene suddenly turn into this?" "And how could that sea of blood be swallowed in the blink of an eye?" "These people, they must all have been secretly building up their power! I knew it; how could that sudden sea of blood appear so powerfully without prior preparation..." "But, how did the Red Tunic not notice?"

No one answered. The people who had managed to survive the sea of blood through various means had originally intended to observe the battle and be among the lucky few. But when the Throne Realm experts truly began to fight, they realized they were simply seeking death. If this were the Sacred God Continent, spatial collapse wouldn't be so exaggerated. But in this fragile White Cave, where space shattered at a touch, if the Throne Realm experts became even slightly serious, the space would collapse, leaving them no escape!

"Master, is that what you called a 'Ghost Beast'?" The young monk Bule had been pushed to the edge of the Sword-Leaving Prairie by the battle's aftershocks. He watched the constantly expanding, blood-soaked minotaur and couldn't help but swallow. He wished to purify it, but Bule knew that such power was far beyond his current ability to contend with.

"Right, the Four Swords!" "Where did the Four Swords go?" Lei Shuanggxing stumbled back from the spatial debris. However, the Four Swords, which had also been kicked away by the minotaur, had now completely vanished. Although the Red Tunic was also concerned about the Four Swords, at this moment, with the blood-soaked minotaur's immense power, the Red Tunic couldn't spare any attention for them. As expected, seeing Night Watch and Hei Ming leap towards the minotaur's position, Bule looked around, searching for the Four Swords.

It must be said that the young generation still capable of remaining above the Sword-Leaving Prairie at this time possessed considerable strength. Their intelligence was also remarkable. Many shared Bule's thoughts.

In one direction, Cheng Xingchu had barely managed to survive by relying on the jade pendants he wore. At this moment, any desire to contend for the fierce sword had completely vanished from his heart. Trembling, he retreated to the edge of the Heaven-Sealing Grand Array, his only wish to get away from the battle's epicenter. But he discovered... "This array, I can enter but not leave?" Cheng Xingchu almost cried out. He saw Miss Zhiwen among the Red Tunic group and wanted to seek help; he didn't want to die. But... his feet wouldn't move! "Wh-who will save me...?" Cheng Xingchu burst into tears. He had never imagined, nor had anyone ever told him, that the struggle for the Four Swords would be so brutal. Even Throne Realm experts struggled to survive in such a contest; what could his meager cultivation do? In that sea of blood, he couldn't even make a single ripple!

"Buzz!" Just then, space ripped open not far away. Cheng Xingchu paid no mind. Above the Sword-Leaving Prairie, space fracturing was a common occurrence. But suddenly, a surging sword intent emanated from within the crack. "The Four Swords?" Cheng Xingchu froze. Had the Four Swords fallen here? His eyes widened as he looked around, only to find no other refugees in this spot. "Just me?" "Gulp." Cheng Xingchu swallowed, his heart pounding instantly. At once, he felt a surge of strength in his body. "I can do this!" Color rushed back to his pale face. Activating his spiritual energy, Cheng Xingchu flew towards the spatial rift. The fierce demonic sword intent became even clearer. "The Four Swords are inside, and not far!" Cheng Xingchu's eyes burned with desire. He reached out to grasp the sword, but then suddenly came to his senses. "Damn it, with my meager spiritual energy, how could I withstand the power of a spatial rift?" The protective power of his jade pendants shielded him from the black hole's suction, almost causing Cheng Xingchu to lose himself. After calming down, he remembered he was a sword cultivator. "Sword, use a sword!" He pulled an ice-blue spiritual sword from his ring. Cheng Xingchu didn't even need to think; he simply pointed the sword towards the spatial rift as if in defiance. "Bang!" A black shadow shot past, and his fifth-grade spiritual sword was instantly severed. "Hiss." Cheng Xingchu's heart ached with pain. But looking at the Four Swords that had shot out from the rift—no longer fleeing as before, but simply resting quietly embedded in the Heaven-Sealing Grand Array— "I hit the jackpot!" He rushed over in ecstasy, intending to grasp the hilt of the Four Swords. But at that moment, images of bodies exploding upon contact flashed in his mind, and Cheng Xingchu froze. "A supreme treasure right before me, yet I can't pick it up?" Cheng Xingchu knew his limits. He wasn't an ancient sword cultivator, his cultivation had only just broken through to the Master level, and he possessed no protective treasures related to the Four Swords. Grasping it would surely mean death!

"What do I do, what do I do?" After looking around, there was still no one nearby. But Cheng Xingchu dared not! He could only try to hide the Four Swords with his body, like an ostrich burying its head, without daring to touch them even slightly. "Damn it, are you insane? Why are you appearing before me?" Cheng Xingchu's eyes were bloodshot, and he was on the verge of madness. He was completely unaware that merely being close, the fierce demonic power of the Four Swords was already affecting him through the protection of his jade pendants. "I don't want to take it... I had clearly given up on you, so how can you appear before me?" "How can you!!!" Cheng Xingchu desperately clenched his fists. The last shred of his sanity prevented him from turning back to draw the sword. But to leave? Impossible! No one could refuse such a temptation. Moreover, this temptation was his lifelong dream. If the sword hadn't appeared, it would have been fine, but why, in this vast Sword-Leaving Prairie... why me?

"If I draw it, maybe I'll be that one in ten thousand!" "The Heaven-Sealing Grand Array is right beside me; the Four Swords can break through it with a single strike." "Then, while the Red Tunic fights the Ghost Beasts, I, Cheng Xingchu, can make my escape, or at worst, just hide in the White Cave space." "As long as I get the Four Swords, I can obtain the legacy of the Eighth Sword Immortal!" "I..." Cheng Xingchu suddenly opened his eyes, a sliver of clarity returning to them. To his horror, he realized he had turned around at some point. And the sword was right there, an inch from his hands! "Damn it, damn it, damn it!" "Get away from me!" Cheng Xingchu was so scared that he collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily. If he touched it, he would surely die. "Damn the Four Swords'..." Reason finally triumphed over everything. Cheng Xingchu forced his weakened legs to move, resolving to run straight to the side.

"Giving up already?" A charming, laughing voice suddenly appeared behind him. Cheng Xingchu stopped dead in his tracks. His intuition told him he shouldn't turn around now, but should run for his life. After all, he had just checked, and there was no one around. This sudden voice was definitely not simple. A subtle desire within him compelled him to turn around with difficulty. It was a woman with an incredibly alluring figure; her tattered grey robe couldn't hide her curvaceous physique. What was even more tantalizing was a thick purple chain wrapped around her delicate body from various unimaginable angles. "Gulp." Cheng Xingchu felt his eyes were about to burst. He was clearly not an impulsive person. But this time, the lust in his heart seemed to be overwhelming his mind. "W-who are you?" "Jiaotangtang," the woman said with a sweet smile. "You, you..." "Stop with the 'you, you.' Do you want the Four Swords?" Jiaotangtang pointed to the fierce sword beside them. "No, I don't!" Cheng Xingchu shrieked in surprise. He realized something was wrong. Clasping his head, he turned to run. But when he looked back, the scene was completely different from before. Naked women, half-hidden within swirling pink mist, appeared before him, their seductive moans lingering in his ears, stirring his heart. This wasn't the Sword-Leaving Prairie; it was paradise! "Heh, heh heh..." Cheng Xingchu's mouth twitched, emitting a strange chuckle. Suddenly, he clutched his head. "Ah—" With a painful roar, the entire illusion shattered. What reappeared was a small, spherical space. "A domain, a Throne Realm domain!" Cheng Xingchu spun around, staring in horror at Jiaotangtang. This woman, was she a Throne Realm expert? Had she trapped them both in a small space?

Jiaotangtang raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. This fellow's mind was surprisingly resilient; he could break free from the Four Swords' demonic desires? "Little one, are you really sure you don't want the Four Swords?" She leaned in, her words full of temptation. "I don't!" Cheng Xingchu clutched his head, shouting hoarsely, "I don't! I, Cheng Xingchu, am selfish, I want everything, but no one can force me, no one!" "Get lost!!!" He wanted to shatter the woman before him with his roar, just as he had shattered the illusion earlier. But this woman was clearly real. Her physical form couldn't be shattered by mere sound. "Pfft, interesting," Jiaotangtang chuckled softly. Taking dainty steps, she walked in front of Cheng Xingchu and whispered in his ear, "You keep saying you don't want it, but what are your hands doing?" My hands? Cheng Xingchu froze, then abruptly looked down. Immediately, he was horrified to discover that the hilt of the Four Swords was now completely clasped in his hand. "Ah—" He screamed and recoiled. "Impossible! I didn't hold it, I couldn't have held it!" "Fake, it's all fake!" "All of this, it's an illusion you created, get out of... Mm." Jiaotangtang covered his mouth with her hand, turning his head to look behind him. The other scene was very familiar to Cheng Xingchu. Hei Ming and Night Watch, two grand masters, along with a dozen or so Red Tunics who had struggled to their feet, were flying towards the minotaur, which had swollen to dozens of feet tall. But... it was so slow! The scene seemed to be playing in slow motion, as if ten times slower. His thoughts were clearly continuous, and so much time had passed. Why hadn't they stopped that minotaur yet?

"Do you see him? The guy with the minotaur body, his name is Xin Gugu," Jiaotangtang whispered softly into Cheng Xingchu's ear, her breath like orchids. "Pull out the sword and kill all those Red Tunics. If it's you, you can definitely do it." "I can't!" Cheng Xingchu was going mad, roaring, "How could I listen to you? How could I defeat them? I'm only..." "Wait!" He suddenly froze, aghast. "You, you're with the Ghost Beasts?" Jiaotangtang tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she smiled. "That's right!" "Hiss!" Cheng Xingchu's heart constricted, and his whole body stiffened. He wanted to move, but he was completely immobilized within Jiaotangtang's embrace. "Get away, get away from me!" he roared furiously. "I'm from the Sacred God Hall! You Ghost Beasts won't get a chance to control me!"

"Oh, a Sacred God Hall member? That's even better," Jiaotangtang said, smiling. "The Sacred God Hall is all about justice, but the Red Tunics, these maniacs, aren't what the Sacred God Hall stands for; their very existence is a mistake." "Draw the sword, kill them." "Get lost!" Cheng Xingchu roared. "You are a Child of Destiny, the first I've seen who can withstand the fierce demonic aura of the Four Swords purely through willpower. Draw the sword, kill them." "Go away! I won't draw the sword, no, I won't even touch the sword! Your illusion has no effect on me!" Cheng Xingchu shrieked desperately. "Is that so?" Jiaotangtang suddenly released her embrace, waved her hand, and recalled the Throne Realm domain. The previously isolated scene instantly filled his vision. "Boom!!!" A colossal explosion erupted far away. It was the blood and energy within the blood-soaked minotaur bursting, sending a dozen Red Tunics, including Night Watch and Hei Ming, flying. The void turned into a massive black hole; everything seemed to dissolve into nothingness. "Crack, crack, crack—" The Heaven-Sealing Grand Array cracked. It seemed unable to withstand the aftershocks of the battle in this space any longer. "I..." Cheng Xingchu suddenly felt all strength drain from his body. He lowered his gaze and actually saw his own back and heels. My neck... what happened...?

"Destiny has chosen you. You are unique, capable of maintaining your sanity under the fierce demonic power of the Four Swords," Jiaotangtang twisted his head back and sighed. "But in this world, some things are beyond your control." Cheng Xingchu felt immense pain in his neck, as if some liquid was overflowing. He stared in disbelief at the Four Swords in his hand. So, from the very beginning, he had already grasped it? Everything that just happened wasn't just this girl's masterpiece; it was also a manifestation of his own inner desires? "You're already dead." Jiaotangtang gently patted his shoulder.

"Impossible!" Cheng Xingchu's eyes widened in disbelief, but his voice could only roar within his mind. From his throat, only muffled sounds emerged. "Face reality. The moment the Four Swords chose you, I also chose you." "The situation is set. You have no other choice." Jiaotangtang waved her hand in the void, and space transformed into a mirror. Cheng Xingchu's pupils suddenly contracted. He saw the demonic markings on his face. Those clusters of pitch-black patterns were almost staining his entire face in an inky darkness. "This isn't me!!!" A heartbreaking scream erupted from within his mind. Blood spurted from Cheng Xingchu's neck, and his face directly split open.

"Yes, this isn't you. You shouldn't die unnoticed." Jiaotangtang looked to the other side. There, the Red Tunic rose again, rushing like a madman towards Xin Gugu. He was in great pain... Jiaotangtang could see that Xin Gugu was in agony. Alone, he had held back Night Watch, Hei Ming, and Xin... three main powerhouses! "He won't last much longer." "He was clearly terrified to death..." In this liberated form of a fully transformed Ghost Beast, if Xin Gugu kept fighting, he might truly never return. But only by doing so, when all the Red Tunic's attention was diverted, could she find the Four Swords and, more importantly, find this young man with a resilient willpower who could serve as a temporary vessel. "Fate was already decided..." Jiaotangtang raised her gaze to the sky. Everything her eyes could see was fractured, dark. There wasn't a single ray of hope. Just like the direction she saw for the future.

But... Jiaotangtang's eyes showed determination. "A mission is a mission. If I die, then I die." "Whether it's me or Xin Gugu." Suddenly, her gaze turned into intense hatred! Jiaotangtang clenched her fists. "The root cause of all this is the Red Tunic, it's the Sacred God Hall!" "Destruction? Extinction?" "Then let's bid farewell!"

She reached into her chest. "Mm." The "Sacrificial Engraved Tablet" was shoved into Cheng Xingchu's mouth. Jiaotangtang then pulled out another Ghost Beast bead, rich with spectral energy, and pressed it into Cheng Xingchu's forehead with a palm. "Go." "Transform into a Ghost Beast, wield the Four Swords, and slay every single one of those damned bastards for me." "Your final glory will blossom... above the Sword-Leaving Prairie in the White Cave!"