154: Are you willing to acknowledge me as your Lord?

“Do you really think that wearing nice clothes and occupying a broken seat makes you a big shot? I think your brains have been addled by the Dao Rhyme!”

The fan-wielding youth and the arm-crossing Cultivator were both stunned, clearly not expecting this unassuming fatty to be so capable.

After regaining his composure, the fan-wielding youth roared, “How dare you lay hands on us? You’re courting death!”

With that, he waved his folding fan, and several golden wind blades slashed towards Wang Xiaopang.

Wang Xiaopang dodged to the side, flipped his chubby hand, and pulled out a low-grade lightning talisman from his Storage Pouch, crushing it with a “bang”: “Grandpa doesn’t even need to get serious to beat you guys!”

The lightning exploded, instantly engulfing the fan-wielding youth and the arm-crossing Cultivator.

Caught off guard, both were struck by the lightning, their bodies numb, their spiritual power sluggish. Just as they tried to retreat, Wang Xiaopang rushed forward, striking them with both hands, “smack, smack,” two slaps across their faces, loosening their teeth.

“Scram!”

Wang Xiaopang kicked the fan-wielding youth in the chest. With a dull thud, the youth flew backward like a broken kite, rolling several times on the bluestone slab, finally landing in a pathetic heap on the ground.

Blood gushed from the corner of his mouth, his jade crown shattered into several pieces, and his disheveled black hair clung to his blood-stained cheek. His once luxurious brocade robe was covered in dust andgravel, its original appearance long gone.

The arm-crossing Cultivator nearby had just struggled to prop himself up halfway when he met Wang Xiaopang’s fierce gaze. He instantly felt as if he had been struck hard, and with another “thud,” he collapsed back down.

Wang Xiaopang stood with his hands on his hips, about to mock them, when Fang Hanyu, who had been standing silently by, suddenly moved.

A cold light flashed in his eyes, and the Primordial Sword at his waist emitted a faint hum of its own accord. An extremely sharp killing intent instantly permeated the air, precisely locking onto the three disheveled figures.

The fan-wielding youth and his two companions stiffened, as if plunged into an ice cellar.

Cold sweat trickled down their spines, they even forgot to breathe, only the metallic taste in their throats continuously surged upward.

They clearly sensed that the killing intent was like a tangible sword blade, pressing firmly against their throats. If the other party’s fingertip moved even slightly, they would be decapitated.

Fang Hanyu turned his head, his gaze falling on Xiao Ruobai, his telepathic voice carrying a hint of coldness: “For people like this, if you hit the young, the old will inevitably come. It’s better to eliminate them directly to prevent future trouble.”

Xiao Ruobai’s expression remained unchanged. He merely looked at the three men, who were pale and trembling, and subtly raised a finger, responding telepathically as well.

“There are many people here, and it’s a mixed crowd. Killing them in public could cause more trouble. If their elders come, we can deal with them all at once then.”

The cold light in Fang Hanyu’s eyes slowly receded, and the hum of the Primordial Sword also subsided. The suffocating killing intent receded like a tide, completely disappearing as if it had never appeared.

Wang Xiaopang looked at their disheveled backs and spat, “Pah, good thing you ran fast!”

He turned to Fang Hanyu, grinned, and gave a thumbs up: “Second Brother, you’re still the best! You scared them senseless with just a look!”

Fang Hanyu did not respond. He simply walked to an open space, sat down cross-legged, and began to comprehend the Dao Rhyme.

Xiao Ruobai also walked to the side and sat down, closing his eyes in concentration.

Seeing this, Wang Xiaopang dared not make any more noise. He quickly found a spot to sit down and also began to try and comprehend… On the other side, in the Silent Extinction Ancient Abyss forbidden zone!

Gu Changge listened to the Lord of Annihilation’s words, his brows slightly furrowed, his fingertips unconsciously tapping the Void Realm, emitting a subtle rhythm that seemed to pierce through time and space.

“Constant extraction and stripping… The Foundation of the Xuanhuang Great World is being hollowed out.”

He murmured in a low voice, a hint of solemnity in his tone.

“If this continues, the Spiritual Qi of this world will become increasingly thin, the Great Dao will become more and more obscure, and it will eventually enter… the Era of Dharma’s End.”

His gaze seemed to penetrate through eons, seeing a future where Spiritual Qi was depleted, the path of Dao was severed, and Cultivators became legends.

That was not merely the severance of the Emperor’s path, but the slow demise of an entire cultivation civilization.

His words were like a cold blade, piercing the silence in the hall.

The Lord of Annihilation lay in his coffin, the Death Qi around him trembling slightly, clearly touched by this cruel future. Even if he chose to prolong his existence with the power of silent extinction, if the Origin of heaven and earth ran out, he would ultimately not escape the fate of the Dao dissipating and his body dying.

Gu Changge slowly raised his eyes, his gaze once again falling upon the Lord of Annihilation.

That gaze was no longer peaceful; instead, it carried a penetrating scrutiny, as if it could see through the Death Qi surrounding him and discern all his secrets from eons past.

From the glory of reaching the Emperor Realm in the past, to the helplessness of severing his Dao Foundation and fleeing into the forbidden zone, and then to these years of surviving by stealing the residual Dao Rhyme of heaven and earth through the “Myriad Silent Reversion Great Array.”

After what felt like an entire century, yet also just an instant, Gu Changge slowly withdrew his gaze.

“You should be grateful.”

Gu Changge’s voice was calm, yet it carried a sense of judgment.

“You chose to prolong your existence through the intent of silent extinction, stealing the residual Dao Rhyme of heaven and earth, rather than devouring the essence of living beings and sacrificing all life to maintain your decaying Emperor body.”

Upon hearing this, the Lord of Annihilation’s Divine Soul suddenly relaxed, followed by an overwhelming surge of lingering fear and gratitude.

When he severed himself back then and fled into the forbidden zone, there were indeed many evil methods of extending life available. Devouring living beings and sacrificing all life was the fastest and most effective way.

But he ultimately chose the most difficult and “gentle” path of silent extinction, assimilating with this ancient battlefield and absorbing the remaining intent of silent extinction.

So… so this had actually become the key to him retaining a glimmer of hope today?!

If he had chosen that bloody path back then, he would probably have already turned to dust at the whim of this supreme existence!

“To be able to attain the Dao and become an Emperor in ancient times, to create this unique path of silent extinction, and to prolong one’s existence in this manner…”

Gu Changge nodded slightly, a faint, almost imperceptible hint of approval in his tone.

“You do have some means and… a bottom line.”

Just as the Lord of Annihilation felt a slight sense of relief due to this hint of “approval,” Gu Changge’s next words caused his Divine Soul to violently tremble once more.

“Are you willing to acknowledge me as your Master?”

The voice was calm, yet it was like a clap of thunder from the Nine Heavens, exploding deep within the Lord of Annihilation’s Divine Soul!

Acknowledge him as Master?!

A dignified Emperor, even if self-severed, even if merely clinging to life, he was once an existence who ruled over the Nine Heavens and Ten Lands, holding the Mandate of Heaven! How could he acknowledge another as his Master?!

An overwhelming sense of humiliation and the pride of an Emperor instantly erupted within the Lord of Annihilation’s heart!

“You—!”

The Lord of Annihilation’s Divine Soul fluctuated violently due to extreme anger and humiliation, and Death Qi surged, almost losing control!

Even when facing an incomprehensible terrifying existence, the pride deeply rooted in his Emperor Soul would not allow him to easily lower his arrogant head!

However, Gu Changge seemed not to notice his anger, merely adding calmly, his voice not loud, yet instantly overpowering all of his rage and pride:

“What if… I can let you return to your Peak?”

“…” The Lord of Annihilation’s anger instantly froze, and the surging Death Qi seemed to be encased in ice.

Return… to his Peak?!