Chapter 990: Eternal Time and Space A Scroll

The grand curtain slowly drew open, signaling the imminent start of the final battle to depart the underworld.

Chu Feng stood calm and composed, his hands clasped behind his back, on the outer edge of the primordial chaos, gazing at the entire shattered universe. He knew the most crucial moment was approaching. Whether he could successfully infiltrate the Yang Realm from this point, his success or failure would soon be revealed.

If his identity were exposed, it wouldn't be a complete failure. He would undoubtedly unleash a massacre, cleansing the powerhouses descending from the Yang Realm with blood. Even if the entire Yang Realm focused its attention, he believed it would be futile at that moment, unable to alter his actions or stop the three-foot divine sword in his hand! This was because the Heavenly Venerates would not intervene; they had not come! After such a sweeping attack across the world, even if he were to fall in battle, holding the talisman paper would allow him to calmly reincarnate from the path of samsara and re-enter the Yang Realm to vie for dominance! However, if his identity remained undiscovered and he successfully infiltrated without a hitch, he would then adopt a lower profile and simply enter the Yang Realm.

However, entering the Yang Realm now, whether by brute force or stealth, was extremely difficult. This was because Empress Mingchuan, the silver-haired woman who had once lurked in the ancient mine outside Kunlun Hell, had done so a year ago. The Heavenly Venerates of the Yang Realm were enraged and ordered the sealing of the boundary membrane at the exit, increasing the difficulty of passage by ten, or even a hundred, times. Chu Feng had already learned about these developments after arriving in the shattered universe.

Calm and steady, he stepped into the shattered universe, and with a single stride, vanished into the profound depths of the starry sky. It would be even better if he could advance one more step. He was only a thin veil away from the God King realm, and how to break through it was the question. At this critical juncture, becoming a God King would bring many benefits and significantly increase his chances. Even if he failed, he might still be able to single-handedly slay several God Kings from the Yang Realm, thereby not only damaging their lineages but also wounding the hearts of certain Heavenly Venerates—a blood debt demanding blood repayment! The God Kings dispatched here must be individuals trusted by the Heavenly Venerates—their direct descendants, or perhaps loyal retainers and venerable servants.

"It's time for the curtain to fall, time for it to end. Success or failure, there will be a result!" Chu Feng murmured to himself.

Time was running out. The passage connecting the two realms had long been unstable; the boundary membrane glowed daily, chaotic lightning flickered, and the path could collapse at any moment. After returning, Chu Feng observed the latest developments. The Yang Realm's approach to selecting Yin Realm species remained unchanged. Recently, they had conducted experiments on evolution, and some Yin Realm species brought into the Yang Realm had developed quite well. Moreover, some geniuses from the Yang Realm, after arriving in this universe, extracted the origin of the Lesser Yin Realm and, by integrating it into themselves, experienced a certain boost in their physical evolution!

At this very moment, on the Yang Realm's side, majestic mountains stood grand, great rivers surged, and Yang Qi boiled. Adjacent to the boundary membrane, the passage connecting to the shattered universe was guarded by several masters, all of them Golden-robed God Kings!

"It will eventually conclude, but the only regrettable thing is that the ultimate treasure of the Yang Realm is still missing," someone murmured.

"Only a few days left, then everything will end. Let's avoid any accidents," a purple-haired God King spoke. His gaze was like lightning, and his body resembled a purple celestial sun traversing the sky. Amidst the boiling Yang Qi, he appeared exceptionally majestic.

"Reportedly, descendants of Heavenly Venerates are coming to observe the ceremony and select the strongest Yin Realm species," another silver-haired God King said, his golden robe billowing with celestial wind, and the sound of the Great Dao rumbling around him. The others fell silent, then gasped in surprise. In all directions, majestic mountains stood, and the Sun River stretched for millions of miles. The scenery was magnificent, like a painting.

"Who exactly is coming?" They had a premonition that a renowned figure was likely to appear. Even if their cultivation was not as high as theirs, their potential would undoubtedly be far greater.

"The Eighth God Under Heaven!" the silver-haired God King announced, his golden robe billowing, an inexplicable expression on his face. In the Yang Realm, a deity ranked eighth under Heaven could no longer be described merely as an elite disciple; they were a true, heaven-defying talent! Barring any accidents, let alone becoming a God King, such a figure could even achieve the position of a Heavenly Venerate!

How vast was the Yang Realm? Not only were there disciples personally taught by Heavenly Venerates, but also Grand Powers with their own closed-door disciples. With countless prodigies and masters in the world, how many could truly guarantee a place among the top ten under Heaven? Successors emerging from immortal imperial dynasties, Heavenly Venerate lineages, or the slumbering grounds of Grand Powers were all extraordinary. In the Yang Realm, let alone the eighth-ranked, even the eight hundredth-ranked would be considered a renowned genius within a region. The Yang Realm was immensely vast. There were countless lineages passed down for millions of years, and even evolution sects existing for billions of years. As for those that had endured since antiquity, their terrifyingly profound foundations meant that if they poured all their resources into cultivating a core successor, how could that individual be weak?

The arrival of the deity ranked eighth under Heaven meant that these God Kings might not be impressive enough, not a match for such a heaven-defying deity.

"Additionally, two more deities, one ranked in the hundreds and another in the top hundred, might also appear." Such high-ranking divine-level evolvers were undoubtedly heaven-defying talents, capable of matching God Kings!

"What's important is that they are all so young," a God King said. "Compared to us, they are still in their prime, the very time to command the world." The Yin Realm held treasures, as well as the fated creations hinted at in the last words of deceased ancients. This was why some of the most renowned heaven-defying talents from the Yang Realm couldn't help but arrive.

"Watch more, speak less," the purple-haired God King warned. "The situation is turbulent recently, and the waters run deep."

The area soon fell silent.

In the shattered universe, Chu Feng learned that the final trial ground had changed. The previous secret realm had been sealed off, preventing anyone else from approaching. Wooden City was unexpectedly discovered to be passable from underground. Many people saw terrifying spectacles beneath the surface. After deities learned of this, the area was immediately sealed and reported to the great figures in the Yang Realm. The final trial ground was re-selected. It would be a continental secret realm located in the chaos adjacent to the Yang Realm, providing direct access to the Yang Realm upon passage! In recent days, God Kings had been personally making the arrangements.

With ample time remaining, Chu Feng roamed the shattered universe. He visited the Immortal Banished Cave, a peculiar place where the planet resembled an insect nest, riddled with holes and pits, yet wisps of pure white immortal qi surprisingly emerged from it. Relying on his intuition, he could tell it was no simple place. With his strength, he could naturally approach, and from a distance, he saw Ying Wudi, the silver-haired loli, and Ying Zhexian. After silently observing, he turned and left, as the three of them seemed to be in good circumstances. He also visited the Primordial Demon Hall, where he saw Yuan Shicheng and Yuan Yuan. He even approached Amitabha Temple. The temple bells tolled softly, and in the setting sun, the entire divine temple radiated a golden glow, appearing sacred and ancient. It was an ancient temple of thunderous sounds, imbued with an extraordinary Buddhist charm.

Finally, Chu Feng re-entered that secret realm, drawing near to Wooden City. Even though the deities had sealed off the paths here, they couldn't stop him at all, and he smoothly reached the underground. He was very unwilling to give up. Deep underground, he entered the stone box space to protect himself, determined to approach Wooden City! Chu Feng felt this was indeed courting death, but he was truly drawn by that critical node in evolutionary history, where a single sword had severed eons of space-time and karma. He yearned to understand! He didn't know why, but he always felt he was being called! Was it that letter?

Inside the stone box, he took out the Heavenly Venerate's decree and used it to block the slight gap in the box, then audaciously pressed onward toward Wooden City. If he could reach it, he would naturally be thrilled. But if the situation seemed wrong, he wouldn't force his way; he would turn around and leave immediately.

Indeed, as he drew closer, one side of the stone box glowed faintly, while the Heavenly Venerate's decree trembled! Eventually, he was horrified to find that a corner of the Heavenly Venerate's decree had begun to burn. This situation was somewhat terrifying. He possessed two complete Heavenly Venerate's decrees and one half-torn one, which could sustain him for a while. At this point, he was underground, nearing Wooden City and about to enter, heading straight for that yellowed letter! Indeed, the Heavenly Venerate's decree could not withstand the "momentum" here. The cross-section of the ruined city contained unimaginable pressure; the decree was about to instantly burn to ashes.

Without hesitation, Chu Feng was about to turn around and leave, knowing this attempt had failed. However, a startling change occurred: the stone box emitted an unusual sound for the first time, a faint hum, and all six of its sides glowed simultaneously, becoming clear and brilliant. Chu Feng was shocked; this was the first time he had encountered such a change since acquiring the stone box. Previously, even if the stone box glowed, it was only on one side. But here, all six sides emitted a splendid, transparent light, resisting that powerful force. His heart trembled, and his scalp tingled. The origin of the stone box was likely beyond imagination, terrifyingly ancient, possibly related to some critical nodes in evolutionary history.

He no longer hesitated and continued forward. Since there was no danger now and he was protected, he wanted to rush towards that place rich in time fragments and retrieve the letter. He heard a terrifying sound; it was as if the heavens and earth had overturned, all things began then ceased, and the universe's primordial sound echoed into the void once more. Then, Chu Feng had an illusion that all eons were silent, this severed space-time and cut-off karma were all frozen. In an instant, he seemed to see many things.

In the Great Wilderness, fierce beasts battled and malevolent phoenixes vied for supremacy in a bloody spectacle. A youth walked out of the Great Wilderness, competing for dominion over the world, standing alone on the eternal pinnacle. In the Divine Court, with its carved beams and painted pillars, maidservants like immortals, and the tinkling of jade pendants, elderly ladies, young girls, and others lived harmoniously together. In the forbidden land, a bloody maw opened, threatening to devour all phenomena in the world. At the end of heaven and earth, gray mist billowed, descending upon the land, threatening to obscure everything.

Chu Feng was surprised. Those scenes were truly reflecting back; what message were they conveying? Soon, he realized these seemed to be scenes reflected from different eras. Then his heart trembled. This so-called eternal space-time seemed to have condensed into a single scroll painting; what he saw were only a few fragments, with much more hidden. Not long after, he was horrified by a sudden realization: it wasn't an illusion. This world, this universe, was like a motionless painting, and he, along with all living beings, were merely figures within it. To jump out of this painting, to break free from the scroll—his heart trembled. Could it be that the Yin Realm was merely a painting?