145: 归砂漠魔眼，通天仙路！

The originally clear sky, cloudless for thousands of miles, transformed in just a single breath.

It became pitch black, so dark one couldn't see their own hand!

It wasn't dark clouds obscuring the sun.

Instead, the entire sky seemed to have been splashed with a thick layer of ink, all light completely devoured!

Boom! Rumble!

A dull thunder, like the roar of a giant beast, rolled in from the depths of that black sky curtain!

There was no lightning, no storm.

Only the terrifying sound of thunder, enough to shatter a Cultivator's Divine Soul, echoed madly between heaven and earth!

Immediately after!

The sea, which had been relatively calm, suddenly boiled!

Then, with the very center of the Extreme Northern Sea as its origin, an unimaginably massive black vortex appeared out of thin air!

The vortex was bottomless, slowly spinning, like a giant maw waiting to devour, intending to completely swallow this world!

Guixu Demon Eye!

It had fully opened!

Whoosh—

A faint, almost imperceptible wisp of gray Qi flow quietly leaked from the center of the black vortex.

It was neither Spiritual Qi nor Devilish Qi.

It was an extraterrestrial Aura that did not belong to this world!

As soon as this Aura touched the outside world!

Crack! Crackle, crackle!

Like a chain reaction!

Centered around the massive black vortex, the sea surface for tens of thousands of miles was instantly frozen solid in just a few breaths!

The ice layer was not ordinary white.

Instead, it was a lifeless, dead gray.

As if even light could be frozen!

Such a terrifying and world-destroying anomaly instantly alarmed the entire Cultivation World!

...Countless Nascent Soul Cultivators suddenly turned around, looking towards the distant north, their faces filled with horror.

Everyone could feel a terrifying, despair-inducing Aura.

Coming from that direction!

"What... what the hell is that thing?!"

"Such a terrifying Aura...!"

"What on earth happened?"

...Chen Family Holy Land.

Chen Daoxuan, Chen Daochu, Daoist Yuqing, Chu Xuan... all the core high-ranking members of the Chen Family rushed out of their respective Immortal Caves, looking north with horror.

They could feel a doomsday-like pressure, enough to make even a Nascent Soul tremble.

Sweeping in from the ends of the world!

And at this moment, in the Immortal Cities scattered across Zhongzhou.

"Heavens! What is that!"

"It's the north! That Aura is coming from the Extreme Northern Sea!"

"Is Alliance Leader Chen truly inviting an even more terrifying heavenly tribulation by going against the heavens?"

The numerous Cultivators who had just calmed down after Chen Xu's "sacrifice of the Dragon Vein" once again fell into panic after feeling this Aura, a hundred times more terrifying than the Tribulation of Dao Assimilation!

However, at this moment, Chen Xu's face showed no trace of panic.

He slowly stood up and looked down at the cold seven-day countdown on the world-breaking compass.

The corner of his mouth curved slightly.

"So that's it..."

"My forced deduction of the grand formation led to the premature exposure of the cage node, triggering a chain reaction..."

"This is a crisis..."

A burning Battle Intent flashed in Chen Xu's eyes!

"...but, it's also a once-in-a-millennium opportunity!"

Once this node opening is missed.

The next time, who knows how many years it will be!

By then, let alone the Chen Family, perhaps the entire world would have already become a desolate land in the depletion of Spiritual Qi.

Transformed into a dead and silent mortal realm!

Therefore, he must reach the Guixu Demon Eye within seven days!

To decide the universe in one battle!

Chen Xu took a deep breath and slowly walked to the side of the seven-colored Qilin.

He gently placed his youngest son, Little Son, who had fallen asleep again after exhausting his strength, into the auspicious cloud condensed by the Qilin's Dao Rhyme.

"Watch over him."

He stroked the Qilin's head and softly instructed.

The seven-colored Qilin, being sentient, let out a low whimper.

And obediently nodded.

After doing all this, Chen Xu slowly turned around.

His simple black robe moved without wind, and a fervent Battle Intent soared from his body into the sky!

Be it a cage, or the will of heaven.

If it dares to block my path.

Then... I shall cut it down!

Chen Xu took a step, and his figure instantly disappeared into the Myriad Dao Pavilion.

The next moment.

His voice, amplified by supreme magic power, echoed throughout the entire Chen Family Holy Land like a majestic heavenly decree!

Clearly reaching the ears of every core member, including Chen Daoxuan, Chen Daochu, and Murong Zhuyun!

"The Guixu has opened!"

"By my command, all Nascent Soul Cultivators and Golden Core Cultivators of the Family shall assemble in the Sacred Land's main hall within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!"

With Chen Xu's words, the Sacred Land trembled!

In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the Chen Family's deliberation hall was already bustling with people.

Chen Daoxuan, Chen Daochu, Daoist Yuqing, Chu Xuan, Murong Zhuyun... all the Nascent Soul Cultivators within the Chen Family Holy Land were present, not a single one missing.

Outside the hall, the Badao Sect Leader, Liu Ruyan, the Valley Master of Ten Thousand Beasts Valley, and other staunch allies had also arrived upon hearing the news, waiting outside the hall with solemn expressions.

Everyone's gaze converged on the man seated at the head.

They could feel an unprecedented determination and Battle Intent rising from Chen Xu.

Like a peerless divine sword about to be unsheathed, ready to cleave through the firmament!

"Father!"

"Alliance Leader!"

Everyone bowed in unison, awaiting Chen Xu's command.

They knew that a great battle, one that would determine the fate of the entire Zhongzhou, and even this world, was imminent!

However, Chen Xu's next words stunned everyone.

"I alone am enough for this journey to Guixu."

"What?!"

"Father! You must not!"

Chen Daoxuan and Chen Daochu were the first to step forward, their faces filled with urgency.

"The Guixu Demon Eye is an ancient Forbidden Ground, its dangers unknown. How can you venture alone? Your son is willing to accompany Father to share your worries!"

"That's right, Alliance Leader!"

The Badao Sect Leader also burst in, his rugged face etched with anxiety: "Through mountains of daggers and seas of fire, our Badao Sect has never been afraid! You can't leave us behind!"

"This servant is also willing to accompany the Alliance Leader. Even if I am crushed to dust, I will have no regrets."

The flirtatiousness in Liu Ruyan's charming eyes had long vanished, replaced by a look of unwavering resolve.

For a time, inside and outside the hall, requests to join the battle rose one after another.

They weren't afraid of death, but they were more afraid of Chen Xu going to his death alone.

Chen Xu was the backbone of everyone, the helmsman of the Chen Family's massive ship.

If anything happened to him, this giant ship, which had just set sail, would instantly capsize.

Looking at the anxious or resolute faces below, a warmth flowed through Chen Xu's heart.

But the determination on his face did not waver in the slightest.

"Silence, all of you!"

He let out a low roar, his voice not loud.

Yet it instantly quelled all the clamor.

"What do you think the Guixu Demon Eye is? Is it your Family's backyard?"

Chen Xu's gaze, like a knife, swept over everyone.

"That is the cage's node, the most chaotic and dangerous place for the Laws of this world. It can instantly kill beings at half-step Soul Transformation. If you go, what can you do besides being cannon fodder?"

"This..."

These words were like a bucket of cold water poured over everyone's heads.

Chen Xu stood up and slowly walked to the center of the main hall. His gaze fell on his two sons, his tone softening slightly.

"I am not going to my death, but to break this stalemate."

"And you have more important tasks."

He looked at Chen Daoxuan and said in a deep voice: "From today onwards, in my absence, you will manage internal affairs. All Family matters, resource allocation, and clan members' Cultivation will be your full responsibility. The Foundation of my Chen Family must not be in chaos!"

"Yes, Father!"

Chen Daoxuan nodded heavily, his eyes red.

He knew that what he could do now was to guard this home for his father.

Then, Chen Xu's gaze turned to Murong Zhuyun.

"Murong, you will manage external affairs."

"The Zhongzhou Alliance, and all large and small Sects, will be under your command. Pacify the people, stabilize the situation, and if anyone dares to cause trouble..." A hint of killing intent flashed in Chen Xu's eyes, "...execute them without mercy!"

Murong Zhuyun's heart tightened; she knew the weight of this responsibility.

She knelt on one knee, her voice clear and firm: "Zhuyun accepts the order! As long as Sir does not return, Zhongzhou will not be in chaos!"

"Good."

Chen Xu nodded in satisfaction.

Then, with a thought, a Storage Ring appeared out of thin air and flew towards Chen Daoxuan.

"Inside are all the accumulated resources of my Chen Family. Medicinal Pills, Magic Treasures, Spirit Stones... enough for the Family for ten thousand years. You decide how to use them."

He then looked at Chu Xuan and Daoist Yuqing.

"Chu Xuan, Yuqing, you two will assist Dao Xuan and Murong. If you encounter a powerful enemy, there's no need to fight to the death; simply retreat and defend the Sacred Land. The Purple-Gold Imperial Dao World-Suppressing Grand Formation is enough to withstand any attack in this world."

"We obey!"

The two bowed in response.

Chen Xu arranged everything properly, almost leaving ninety-nine percent of the resources in his Storage Ring.

All for the Family.

He only kept four items on him.

The human emperor seal, to suppress Luck, and also his strongest trump card.

The myriad ages azure cloud sword, to slay all enemies.

And the recently repaired world-breaking compass, as well as the immortal slaying sword tip.

He was placing all his hope.

On himself alone!

Having done all this, Chen Xu didn't look at the others again, turning and walking out of the main hall.

He was leaving.

Before leaving, he still had a few people to see... The backyard was quiet.

Bu Yifan, Sun Xiaoyue, Qin Rouer... his wives seemed to have already sensed something.

All were waiting in the courtyard.

They didn't cry, nor did they make a fuss; they just quietly watched the man walk towards them step by step.

"I'm going on a long journey."

Chen Xu walked up to them, forcing a gentle smile: "The return date is uncertain, a few months at the shortest, several years at the longest. I'll leave the Family matters to you."

He didn't mention the dangers of this trip.

He didn't mention the Guixu Demon Eye, where one faced nine deaths and only one life.

He just wanted his women to wait for his return with peace of mind.

Bu Yifan's eyes were red, but she still forced a smile and stepped forward to straighten his slightly disheveled robes.

"Husband, don't worry, we'll take care of things at home."

"Yes, Husband, you must take good care of yourself outside."

Sun Xiaoyue's voice was tinged with a sob as she slipped a Medicinal Pill, which she had personally refined and contained immense vital force, into Chen Xu's hand.

Qin Rouer, holding Little Son in her arms, silently walked up to him.

She said nothing, just quietly looked at him.

A thousand words were contained in that single glance.

Chen Xu's heart ached, almost losing his composure.

He reached out, wanting to hold the little one who had just been born.

His youngest son, who had pointed him in the right direction.

Just then, Chen Zhenxian, still in swaddling clothes, seemed to sense the Aura of parting.

He suddenly stretched out his tender little hand, tightly grasping Chen Xu's clothes, and his clear, black-and-white eyes revealed reluctance and a desire to hold him back.

He babbled, as if saying, "Dad... don't go..."

At this moment, even Chen Xu, whose heart was as firm as iron and Dao Heart as stable as an ancient boulder,

trembled violently.

He was afraid.

Afraid that if he looked one more time, he wouldn't be able to leave.

Chen Xu bit the tip of his tongue hard, and the intense pain instantly sobered him.

His eyes regained their resolute and stern look.

He gently pried open his son's hand.

Then, he imprinted a deep kiss on each of his wives' foreheads.

"Wait for me to return."

After saying these four words, he did not look back, turned resolutely, and strode away!

Each step was like treading on the tip of a knife.

Each step seemed to exhaust all his strength.

He was afraid that if he looked back and saw their tears, his hard-won determination

would collapse instantly.

In the courtyard, uncontrollable sobs finally broke out.

But Chen Xu's steps did not falter in the slightest.

As he walked out of the mansion's main gate, the scene before him made him pause again.

Outside the mansion, from the foot of the Holy Land mountain to the square at the peak, people stood densely packed.

Chen Family clansmen, from mature youths to children who had just begun to understand things.

Chen Family retainers, those Loose Cultivators who had received his favor.

Even many who had heard the news rushed over.

Cultivators from the Central State Alliance who spontaneously came to see him off.

Tens of thousands, hundreds of thousands of people!

They didn't make noise or shout, but spontaneously lined up on both sides of the road, forming a passage leading to the sky.

Everyone's gaze converged on him.

In their eyes, there was worry, reverence, fanaticism, and even steadfast... trust, like a boulder!

They were all waiting for him.

All waiting for him to pave a brand new path for this world that was heading towards its demise!

Pave a brand new path!

Chen Xu's steps halted.

He slowly rose into the air, hovering above the Holy Land.

He looked down, surveying the prosperous and flourishing Family Holy Land, built by his hands, like a fairyland below.

He saw Chen Daoxuan's face, suppressing tears,

yet incredibly resolute.

He saw the hidden worry deep within Murong Zhuyun's cold eyes.

He saw the Badao Sect Leader, he saw Liu Ruyan, he saw countless familiar faces.

Protection!

At this moment, an unprecedented will to protect filled his entire mind!

He wasn't doing it for himself, but for the land behind him.

For all the people on this land who trusted him!

Chen Xu took a deep breath. He didn't speak, but instead, with his vast Divine Sense, clearly transmitted his final words into everyone's minds.

"Wait for me."

"I will, for you... for the Chen Family..."

"Forge a path, a Heavenly Immortal Path!"

The moment his voice fell!

Chen Xu no longer had any lingering attachment or hesitation!

His entire being suddenly transformed into a purple-gold sword rainbow that tore through the sky and illuminated the myriad ages!

The sword rainbow was so dazzling, so resolute!

With an unstoppable, unyielding Aura,

it broke through the clouds!

Under the gaze of billions of living beings, it instantly vanished!

Leaving behind only a golden sword mark that pierced through heaven and earth, lingering for a long time.

"Farewell, Family Head!"

"Farewell, Alliance Leader!"

The mountain-shaking, sea-roaring shouts finally erupted from the Chen Family Holy Land at this moment, echoing through the sky and shaking the entire Central State!

Everyone bowed deeply towards the direction where the sword rainbow disappeared!

Bowed deeply!

Chapter 224

The purple-gold sword rainbow tore through the sky, and Chen Xu's speed was extreme.

He did not choose to tear space for teleportation, because with the entire world unstable due to the opening of the Guixu Demon Eye, the risk of spatial travel was too great.

He chose to traverse thousands of miles with his Physical Body!

The myriad ages azure cloud sword hummed under his feet.

In tune with his heart.

Wherever the sword light passed, the sea of clouds was split in two, and fierce winds were left far behind.

The mountains and rivers below rapidly receded in his eyes.

Turning into blurry lines.

In less than half a day, he had already crossed the entire Central State and reached the border of the Northern Region.

The further north he went, the more biting the cold in the air became.

The once lush green land was gradually replaced by desolate frozen earth and glaciers.

The Spiritual Qi also became sparse and violent.

Ordinary Cultivators would find it difficult to even breathe normally here.

But this had no effect on Chen Xu.

His Grandmist Dao Body operated on its own, and the external cold could not penetrate it in the slightest.

Several more days passed.

When the last inch of land disappeared from his sight,

an boundless gray ice sea appeared before him.

The Extreme North Sea!

Unlike ordinary oceans, the seawater here was gray, and countless huge icebergs floated on the surface.

There were no fish, no birds, no signs of life whatsoever.

Only the never-ending, knife-like cold wind that scoured the heavens and earth.

Chen Xu's figure did not pause in the slightest; the sword rainbow he transformed into shot straight into the sky above this dead sea, speeding towards its deepest part.

As he delved deeper, his brow furrowed slightly.

He could feel the Laws of this heaven and earth.

Becoming chaotic.

Fine black cracks would occasionally appear in space, flashing and disappearing, emitting terrifying Auras.

That was a sign of unstable space, on the verge of shattering... Finally!

After flying for an unknown period of time.

Chen Xu's figure suddenly stopped in mid-air.

He hovered ten thousand feet high, looking down, his eyes filled with shock.

Before him, the gray ice sea that had originally stretched continuously,

was abruptly cut off!

As if an invisible divine blade had slashed down from beyond the heavens, cutting a shocking gap in the entire ocean, along with the earth's crust below.

And at the center of that gap,

was a giant black vortex.

Its diameter was more than a thousand miles!

Endless gray seawater furiously poured into the bottomless vortex.

The vortex was like the mouth of a giant beast that had been hungry for billions of years, greedily devouring everything in this world.

Above the sky, it was pitch black.

This was the end of the world.

The Guixu Demon Eye!

It was like an unhealable, massive wound in this caged world.

Constantly bleeding life force.

Even with Chen Xu's firm will, seeing such a world-destroying sight,

his mind was greatly impacted.

He slowly exhaled a turbid breath, suppressing the shock in his heart.

With a thought, the recently repaired world-breaking compass appeared in his palm.

The moment the compass appeared!

Buzz! It actually trembled violently, its surface temperature rapidly rising, and in just one breath,

it became scorching hot like a branding iron!

As if it wanted to melt Chen Xu's palm!

At the center of the compass, the bronze pointer went completely mad!

It no longer pointed in any direction.

Instead, it began to spin wildly again!

Its speed increased, eventually turning into a blurry green afterimage.

Emitting a harsh "creak, creak" sound!

Chen Xu's eyes narrowed.

He could feel profound forces surging from the Guixu Demon Eye ahead, creating a strong resonance with this world-breaking compass!

The next moment!

Clang! With a crisp sound, the wildly spinning pointer suddenly stopped!

It was as if an invisible force had firmly locked it.

Pointing directly to the very center of the giant vortex!

That was the core node of the Cage Formation!

Chen Xu put away the compass... and his gaze once again turned to the terrifying vortex.

He did not act rashly, but instead sent out a wisp of Divine Sense, cautiously probing towards the edge of the vortex.

However,

the moment his Divine Sense touched the edge of the vortex!

Hiss! With a soft sound,

his Divine Sense was directly swallowed completely by that chaotic force!

"Hmm?"

Chen Xu grunted, his brow furrowing slightly.

A hint of solemnity flashed in his eyes.

This Guixu Demon Eye... was a hundred times more dangerous than he had imagined!

The power merely leaking from its edge could easily annihilate the Divine Soul of a Nascent Soul Cultivator.

If he were to enter with his true body, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Just as Chen Xu was pondering countermeasures,

several massive black shadows suddenly shot out from the churning, pouring seawater below!

Roar!

Accompanied by several bloodthirsty roars, several deep-sea Yao Beasts, over a hundred zhang in size and terrifyingly ferocious, broke through the water surface, opened their gaping maws, and savagely bit towards Chen Xu in mid-air from different directions!

These Yao Beasts, having lived in the depths of the Extreme North Sea for years, possessed incredibly powerful Physical Bodies, and the Aura of each one was comparable to a mid-stage Nascent Soul Cultivator!

They regarded Chen Xu as prey that had trespassed into their territory!

Facing this sudden sneak attack,

Chen Xu's face immediately showed impatience!

"Noisy."

Immediately, he spoke indifferently!

The next moment.

Clang!

The myriad ages azure cloud sword automatically unsheathed, and a streak of green sword energy,

flashed across the air.

Pfft~!

The massive bodies of those aggressive deep-sea Yao Beasts, which would have made ordinary Nascent Soul Ancestors' scalps tingle,

suddenly stiffened in mid-air.

Then, their bodies, from head to tail, silently split open.

Neatly divided into two!

Instant kill!

However, a strange scene occurred.

From the severed Yao Beast corpses, crimson beast blood had not yet had time to gush out before it was sucked away from a distance by the giant black vortex below!

The massive corpses also rapidly shriveled under the pull of an invisible force.

Finally turning into ashes, they were swept into the vortex, not even stirring a single ripple.

Seeing this scene, Chen Xu's eyes immediately turned cold.

Clearly, any further probing was meaningless.

To not advance here was to die!

He no longer hesitated in the slightest!

"Aung!"

A high-pitched Dragon roar sounded from within him!

Boom!

The human emperor seal, which suppressed Luck, flew out from his glabella, expanding rapidly with the wind.

Transforming into the size of a mountain, it hovered above his head!