Chapter 374: The True Direction

"For the sake of this sword, I won't immediately fight you to the death. I even suspect that the one who will stop me from becoming the ruler of the continent is not the power of the Three-Element Law or the strongest individuals from the other two factions, but you—the one who possesses the divine inheritance."

Xu Yang scoffed, "Your intuition isn't wrong. I am far stronger than you imagine. However, I haven't yet found the path back to my peak. Perhaps today is your best chance to eliminate me. Are you sure you want to forgo this opportunity?"

The Black Flood Dragon King burst into laughter, his voice clear and resonant, like a deity controlling the vast ocean.

"If I were you, I would never recklessly confront a powerful opponent before the time is right. What you should do is accumulate strength, and I will do the same."

"Very well. Since we've reached an understanding, this battle today is destined to yield no results. One last question: Where did you take the King of the Flame Kingdom?"

"You mean King Zhanyu, the son of Jie? He's a madman, a complete lunatic! Initially, I planned to cooperate with him to conquer the Divine Kingdom first, but when I told him the secret of the Three-Element Law, the fellow suddenly went insane!"

Xu Yang was quite surprised by this statement.

"Are you sure you're trying to deceive me in this manner?"

"I know it's hard for you to believe, but it's the truth. In the Array of Three Elements, King Zhanyu seemed to see something extraordinary. He then started shouting that the world has an end, until he completely vanished before my eyes. I hadn't anticipated things would turn out this way, so I temporarily sent my two sons away from the Endless Sea and entrusted them with the task of conquering the Flame and Divine Kingdoms."

"I see... So, it's your two sons who are currently managing the chaotic conflict between the Flame Kingdom and the Divine Kingdom?"

The Black Flood Dragon King smiled proudly, "Don't underestimate them. While their strength might not match yours, they are among the continent's top powerhouses, having grown over tens of thousands of years to reach their current formidable strength. Only when you can suppress my two sons and halt the initial pace of the continent's unification will you be qualified to fight me."

Xu Yang said nothing in response. His objective for this journey had been achieved.

"In that case, it's not a bad decision. Old Dragon King, remember my words: today is your best chance to break free from destiny. Once I leave today, the next time I appear, you will truly have no other choice."

"Enough nonsense! Lad, I'll be waiting for you!!"

The Black Flood Dragon King let out a roar that caused waves to surge around him, then his massive head quietly receded into the depths of the Endless Sea until the surface became calm again.

"The end of the world..."

In his mind, Xu Yang repeated these words more than once. Unintentionally, King Zhanyu of the Flame Kingdom had given Xu Yang a clear hint.

Perhaps, to restore his peak combat power, reaching the end of the world was equivalent to awakening his true self in the real world.

"It seems I've found the direction I want to pursue."

Xu Yang was very excited. His original plan to return to the Divine Kingdom was suddenly halted. Instead, he turned towards a never-before-visited direction: the northwest border between the Flame Kingdom and the Divine Kingdom. There lay the continent's most towering and extreme peak, reputedly the highest, oldest, and most mysterious mountain range on the entire continent!

There, Xu Yang might find the answers he sought.

Three days passed in a blink of an eye. When Xu Yang finally arrived above the world's summit, he felt an inexplicable sense of vastness and clarity.

Slowly, he descended to the very peak of the mountain range. Standing there, gazing up at the boundless sky, Xu Yang felt as if he had inadvertently seen a mirror.

And perhaps, what was reflected in that mirror of the heavens was his truest self.

"Who goes there!"

Boom!

Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind him. He could vaguely make out a tattered, beggar-like old man who, without a word, sent a palm strike thundering towards Xu Yang's back.

Without further hesitation, Xu Yang showed no mercy to this sudden attacker. He raised his own palm and unleashed a powerful strike that collided directly with the man's palm, two forces erupting simultaneously on the mountain peak.

Xu Yang took one step back, while the other man retreated more than ten steps, only managing to steady himself with a sudden jolt.

"You are very strong. It's extremely rare for someone to make me retreat during a direct confrontation."

Xu Yang had used at least sixty percent of his power in that last palm strike, clearly underestimating his opponent's palm force, which led to him taking a step back.

The opponent, however, had used at least eighty percent of his power to achieve such a powerful effect.

The old man didn't seem to care much about the power comparison after their clash; instead, he was quite interested in the young man before him.

"I merely wish to know why you have come to this place."

"To find the end of the world, nothing more."

The old man was greatly astonished, staring blankly at Xu Yang. It wasn't until his gaze fell upon the Asura Sword in Xu Yang's hand that his composure completely broke.

"Who are you... Why do you possess the legendary divine artifact from the Demonic Essence legacy of my Flame Kingdom!"

Xu Yang smiled, "Could it be that you are King Zhanyu? The missing King of the Flame Kingdom? Why are you in such a state!"

The two men set aside their animosity and approached each other to talk. Xu Yang briefly recounted everything that had happened in the Flame Kingdom over the past days, giving King Zhanyu a general understanding. Then, naturally, they brought up the topic of the end of the world.

"What! So, you are the inheritor of the gods? And the legendary god of my Demonic Essence lineage is called Asura?"

Xu Yang nodded reluctantly. It was only when he revealed that he came from the real world that King Zhanyu was greatly startled but quickly regained his composure.

"Even if others don't believe you, I do."

This simple, unadorned sentence seemed to give Xu Yang immense strength.

Before this, he had often asked himself where the exit from this fantasy world lay. Xu Yang even felt that the chance of finding an exit was very slim.

But now, after hearing King Zhanyu's heartfelt affirmation, that belief unintentionally became incredibly real and powerful.

"The Three-Element Law must have a critical point. When the Black Flood Dragon King displayed the ultimate evolution of his law before me, I became certain of this idea. Regrettably, even now, after spending half a year, I still haven't found the end of the world. Even standing at the world's apex, it remains elusive..."