Chapter 942: The Azure Dragon and the Ant Worm

The Stone Embryo spoke in a calm, unruffled voice.

Several wisps of blood mist floated nearby, remnants of great demons, all slain by a single touch of his finger!

At this moment, Taiwu again used one finger to block the three-foot sword in Yaoyao's hand; even a divine sword forged from mother gold could not cut through his stony finger.

He was calm and indifferent, supremely detached, looking down on everyone, making them feel both enraged and powerless.

Chu Feng, deep within the Great Abyss, roared, blood mist surging around him. Filled with righteous indignation, he truly wanted to kill Taiwu!

The old Lama was dead, the Golden-Winged Great Peng King was destroyed, the old Black Bear King was slain, and the Mountain Tortoise from Kongtong was also pierced through by a single finger, perishing. Specks of blood marked the ground, and a few faint wisps of soul light threatened to dissipate at any moment.

Divine radiance flowed in Yaoyao's beautiful eyes. She was not disheartened; fueled by anger and unwavering confidence, she once again unleashed a magnificent, sky-reaching sword light, striking forward.

The Great Black Ox, Yellow Ox, Ouyang Feng, Zhou Quan, and others were still alive, but they clenched their fists, their bodies trembling. This was not due to fear, but to anger mixed with sorrow.

The ten-foot-tall Horse King, whose bald head shone brightly, this rugged giant, cried. He had lost his daughter when the Xilin and Celestial races attacked and pursued them in the Indestructible Mountain of the East Sea, and now he had lost his master, the old Lama.

"Is there a next life? Will there be reincarnation? Old brothers, farewell!" The Northeast Tiger spoke with deep emotion, watching the Golden-Winged Great Peng King and the Mountain Tortoise die, tears welling in his tiger eyes.

Within the blood mist, the faint soul lights of several individuals were disintegrating, clearly fading, on the verge of complete annihilation.

The Yellow Ox choked softly, saying, "Ancestral Demon Cauldron, please protect them! Preserve their last wisps of soul light. We are facing separation by death, but I still wish to see them again in the next life!"

From Earth's awakening until now, they had walked together. The great demons of Kunlun had always stayed united, becoming like family to one another, sharing life and death.

Losing several of them so suddenly was unbearable for everyone; their noses stung, and their eyes blurred with tears.

The Great Black Ox's eyes were bloodshot. He recalled the past, when the old Mountain Tortoise and the Golden-Winged Peng King had displayed their might during the decisive battle between Eastern and Western evolutionaries at the foot of Kunlun Mountain, fighting the enemies together!

The Ancestral Demon Cauldron emitted a rain of light, about to move, but the Stone Embryo struck again with a single finger. With a thud, even as the Ancestral Demon Cauldron erupted with dazzling runes, it was sent flying backward, cracks appearing on its surface, unable to withstand Taiwu's single finger.

"When I act, who can stop me?" he said.

Then, he gently pointed a finger again. With a *bang*, the Horse King, with his gleaming bald head, turned into a cloud of blood mist, instantly killed on the spot.

The Great Black Ox gasped for breath, his large, bell-like eyes bloodshot, roaring, "Damn you, Taiwu Heavenly Venerate! You go back on your word! Some brothers already stepped forward, willing to die in our place, and you killed them. Why won't you stop?!"

The Yellow Ox, Northeast Tiger, Old Grandmaster Wu Qifeng, Zhou Quan, and others were all furious. It was a tragic and infuriating scene: people who had shared life and death were being killed one by one, a truly heartbreaking sight.

"I said I would spare Yaoyao and Chu Feng's lives; I did not say I would spare you all," he declared. "From the most ancient times until today, how many have dared to disrespect me or speak so brazenly?"

He pointed a finger, and the Great Black Ox immediately disintegrated. His humanoid form ceased to exist, his rough ox horns shattered inch by inch, and his tall body directly collapsed. As he fell, he turned into blood and bone.

"Old Black!"

"Brother Ox!"

Beside him, the Northeast Tiger, Old Donkey, Yellow Ox, and others cried out loudly, tears streaming down their faces. Among the group of great demons, the Great Black Ox was the most popular, getting along with everyone.

Normally, he was rough, sometimes even like an old rogue, but in truth, he was very kind-hearted and would help anyone in trouble.

Yet, he died just like that, merely standing up for his brothers, speaking out of indignation, only to be killed by a single finger from Taiwu.

Yaoyao attacked frantically, but she could not prevent this tragedy. The Great Black Ox's blood mist drifted away.

"Ah..."

Below the Great Abyss, Chu Feng roared, his heart twisting in pain. Witnessing this bloody scene, he found it unbearable.

At the same time, he knew that the opponent had only one goal: to make him come up and offer the stone box. Although not explicitly stated, that was undoubtedly the intention.

Claims of substitutionary death or sparing him and Yaoyao were all pretexts. Taiwu coveted the ancient, crude, and mysterious stone box in his hand.

Outside the Great Abyss, Taiwu remained calm, undisturbed.

"Taiwu, stop!" Chu Feng roared, seeing Taiwu, while fighting Yaoyao, raise his other hand again.

The Ancestral Demon Cauldron moved, seeking to envelop the Yellow Ox, Ouyang Feng, Northeast Tiger, and others, drawing in heaven and earth, but it was struck hard.

With a *clang*, it was sent flying, accumulating more cracks all over its body; its walls were almost pierced through.

Then, as Taiwu raised his hand, with a *shhh*, he killed Old Grandmaster Wu Qifeng of Wudang, turning him into a ball of blood. A generation's grandmaster had perished.

"Senior!" the Yellow Ox, Ouyang Feng, and others cried out.

"Damn you, Taiwu! Do you hear me? Stop!" Chu Feng's eyes were splitting with rage.

At the same time, he directly threw the lid of the stone box into the depths of the Great Abyss, threatening Taiwu. His heart was bleeding, seeing the old grandmaster, who had shown him great kindness before his rise, perish in such a way—it was unbearably painful.

"I am never afraid of threats," the Stone Embryo said calmly, then pointed another finger. As if in response to Chu Feng, with a *bang*, the Northeast Tiger was killed.

"Brother Tiger!" Chu Feng felt as if he would explode. These were brothers who had shared hardships, who had gone through the most difficult times together, and now they were dead.

The Northeast Tiger, who once lacked integrity and conviction, later became his sworn brother, fighting Schiller together in Dragon and Tiger Mountain. The scenes from those past days were still vivid in his mind, yet now he had died like this.

"Are none of you afraid of death?" the Stone Embryo asked, smiling, and raised his hand again, ready to kill the next person at any moment.

Yaoyao attacked frantically, activating her Dao-Pilfering Breathing Technique. She was already heavily wounded, but now her energy surged, fighting desperately against Taiwu to impede his next move.

"Afraid of you, you bastard! You're a true grandson, damn you, Taiwu grandson! Your Grandpa Donkey has always been afraid of death in this life, called a coward by my brothers. But now, Grandpa Donkey is standing here, come on, Grandpa is right here, I'm not afraid of you, you bastard! I...!"

The Old Donkey cursed wildly, highly emotional. This time he was exceptionally defiant, showing no hesitation, cursing Taiwu Heavenly Venerate with full abandon, reviling his ancestors back eighteen generations.

He had the closest relationship with the Great Black Ox and the Northeast Tiger. Seeing them die one after another, so mercilessly obliterated, his chest tightened, and he couldn't help but howl, to vent, to roar, utterly fearless of death.

"Bang!"

Taiwu Heavenly Venerate raised his hand, and the Old Donkey was killed. A bloody hole appeared in his forehead, and then his body exploded inch by inch!

"Old Donkey!" Chu Feng, Yellow Ox, Zhou Quan, and others all cried out.

The Stone Embryo calmly said, "Is there anyone else not afraid of death? I want to see how deep your brotherhood runs. If anyone bows down, I am willing to spare his life."

Ouyang Feng cursed loudly, jumping out directly, saying, "Your Ancestor Ouyang is here, I'm not afraid of you in the slightest! Even if you knelt and begged me, I wouldn't even glance at you, you crippled, paralyzed stone!"

"If there is a next life, I swear, I will kill you to avenge all my brothers!" The Yellow Ox, already red-eyed, swore with its still-youthful voice.

Behind them, Dragon Girl, Zhou Quan, and the remaining great demons also stepped forward, facing Taiwu Heavenly Venerate without bowing or yielding, glaring defiantly!

"Taiwu, stop! I'll give you the stone box, otherwise, I'll throw it completely into the Great Abyss!" Chu Feng roared. He could not accept the current outcome; one brother after another was dying, and he couldn't bear it any longer.

Earlier, even if he had suspected and anticipated that he and some brothers might die, he had refused to bow. But now, seeing them turn into blood and bone, he could no longer hold on; his heart was utterly shattered.

Taiwu Heavenly Venerate stood there, clashing with Yaoyao's sword, suppressing her with the Ancient Tree of Life, and speaking at the same time.

"Rare indeed," he mused. "I haven't seen the ugly side of human nature. I always wonder why my Dao partner back then didn't encounter a benevolent Yin spirit."

His expression was composed, as if speaking of something unrelated to himself.

Everyone in the Yang Realm knew that Taiwu Heavenly Venerate harbored enmity towards Yin spirits, a fact known throughout the world, because in his youth, his Dao partner had been killed by a Yin spirit.

"Your gazes carry endless hatred, an intense animosity towards me?" He glanced at the crowd.

"My killing of you is only natural and righteous," Taiwu calmly responded.

This enraged everyone and filled them with humiliation. The Stone Embryo looked down on them, then killed them, and still claimed it was "natural and righteous," which was utterly excessive.

"Perhaps in your eyes, I bully the weak, evil and cruel," Taiwu Heavenly Venerate said with a calm expression. "But these things are irrelevant to me. I simply follow my true nature, aligning with the ways of Dao and nature."

He was utterly unmoved, and continued, "Have you ever seen a celestial dragon battling in the nine heavens lower its head to look at maggots on the ground? Different dimensions, different levels – it's difficult to even feel pity. Just like you, when you walk, you might unknowingly step on and kill countless ants and insects. Do you feel guilty? No."

"Therefore, my killing of you leaves no trace in my heart, just as your treading on common ants and insects. I walk my own path, in accordance with my Dao and my true nature," he added.

As he spoke, he raised his hand with a *bang*, piercing Ouyang Feng and Zhou Quan one after another, ending their lives.

Next, he pointed a finger again, and the Dragon Girl faded away, gone from the world forever.

"Damn you, stop!" Chu Feng roared. If he still had his flesh and blood body, hot tears would already be streaming down his face; all his old companions were dead.

The days they spent together were always filled with laughter and joy. If they were gone, what meaning would his own survival hold, even if he lived today? The thought of wandering alone through the various universes for the rest of his life made Chu Feng feel that he would never be happy. Recalling their past voices, faces, and smiles, his heart clenched, an unbearable agony.

Chu Feng's soul light trembled, and he was about to throw the stone box into the Great Abyss.

But the Yellow Ox was still there, crying mournfully and utterly alone, so Chu Feng held back again.

Taiwu spoke, saying, "Everyone still has a bit of soul light remaining. As a Heavenly Venerate, I possess formidable means to bring them back. How do you choose?"

With a *bang*, he shattered the Yellow Ox as well, turning it into a cloud of blood mist.

Chu Feng witnessed all of this, trembling. He hated himself for not being strong enough. He roared, blood falling from his soul light like tears of blood. He was overwhelmed by agony and grief.

"Let them live! No matter how many hardships, how much suffering, unleash it all on me!" Chu Feng's voice was hoarse. He swayed unsteadily, his soul light flickering erratically.

All these brothers had died, and they had made that choice because they heard he could be spared, willing to die in his place.

Chu Feng's head felt like it would explode, burning with rage and sorrow. He could not accept such a cold and cruel outcome; his soul light was bleeding.

Yaoyao was already fighting with all her might, on the verge of collapse, yet she continued to wield her sword, dancing across the cosmic void, desperately battling Taiwu!

She had always been transcendent and serene, but now her beautiful eyes were red, hot tears ceaselessly streaming down her face.

"Bang!"

Taiwu pierced through the void, opening a wormhole, extending a large hand into a certain starfield again. He directly seized two individuals from an inconspicuous small asteroid and threw them before the Great Abyss.

These were Chu Feng's parents!

The whereabouts of those close to Chu Feng had long been divined by the Old Weasel and another Divine Master and reported to him.

Now, Taiwu was targeting these two as well.

"Dad, Mom!"

Chu Feng looked at his father and mother, trembling uncontrollably, glaring furiously at Taiwu.

Taiwu said nothing, simply vibrated slightly, and Chu Zhiyuan and Wang Jing instantly turned into blood mist.

Chu Feng howled like a wounded beast, gazing skyward. Even his own parents were dead, obliterated in such a way. He felt as if he would explode and shatter within the Great Abyss.

In their final moments, he saw his parents mouthing something to him before they died.

From their lip movements, it was a plea for him to live well. Even in their last moments, they were still concerned for him, still worrying about him.

Utterly despairing, Chu Feng roared skyward, then knelt there, his entire body trembling.

"There is little time left," Taiwu said. "In a moment more, even I will not be able to preserve their last wisp of soul light."

Chu Feng felt humiliated. The other party hadn't mentioned the stone box once, yet it was painfully clear he was being coerced to offer it.

At this moment, he was laughing, he was crying; blood, congealed with his soul light, flowed like crimson tears. What did his humiliation matter? As long as those people could live again, he was willing to give everything.

Chu Feng was filled with despair. He raised his hand, lifting the stone box. He truly wanted all those people to live again, but he was also unwilling, deeply wishing to kill Taiwu!

Seeing Chu Feng raise the stone box, Yaoyao's sword light intensified, self-immolating. She truly hoped to suppress Taiwu Heavenly Venerate and force him to revive everyone!

Taiwu Heavenly Venerate saw Chu Feng raise the stone box and smiled faintly, the first time his smile had been so radiant, his body emanating a peaceful rain of light.

"That's right," he said calmly. "It's merely a narrow space in the netherworld. The entire world consists of nothing but ants and insects; do you dare to defy destiny?"

Suddenly, a sigh echoed, carrying a decaying, even putrid, scent. It spread out, instantly stiffening Taiwu Heavenly Venerate's body.