159: Return to Zizhu Peak

Gu Changge's gaze, like an ancient cold star, slowly swept over the congealed dark red Imperial Blood, the shattered fragments of Imperial Weapons, and the cold, silent residual Dao Rhyme.

In the deepest part of his eyes, a hint of Chaos silently bloomed, and the power of the Eye of Illusory Breaking operated to its extreme.

In an instant, the profound imprints left by countless eons of time and space were forcefully read by him.

Innumerable fragmented but incredibly energetic and informative shards, like thunderbolts, struck his Sea of Consciousness:

A halberd glow, brilliant enough to cleave a Star Domain, flashed past, only to abruptly dim and shatter upon touching an invisible barrier.

An Emperor's roar, filled with endless unwillingness and shock, reverberated through the universe: "This array usurps the Heaven And Earth Origin..."

The sound abruptly ceased, as if forcefully cut off.

A terrifying array diagram phantom, vast enough to envelop a Star Domain, flashed by. On it, billions of runes flickered in life and death, exuding a cold will that devoured everything. Wherever it passed, all Dao wailed and Laws disintegrated.

The fragmented images flashed past, yet they already revealed the terrifying confrontation of that great battle.

Gu Changge's gaze did not pause, turning instead to the broken world barrier.

In the Eye of Illusory Breaking's vision, the crisscrossing cracks were no longer mere damage. Deep within the cracks, billions of extremely subtle chains of order intertwined like a spiderweb.

They emitted a faint black glow, weaving together to form a corner of a colossal, world-shaking array that, though incomplete, was still slowly operating.

The Origin of the Xuanhuang Great World was being forcefully siphoned away along these divine chains, like lifeblood continuously draining from a wound, flowing into the turbulent Chaos outside the barrier, and finally disappearing into the unknown darkness.

His gaze continued to pierce through the world barrier, looking into the deep darkness.

There, an incomplete but still suffocatingly vast array diagram outline slowly rotated.

The main body of the array diagram was hidden in the Chaos mist, only its edges, with billions of flickering runes, were visible. Countless chains of order hung down from the array diagram, like greedy tentacles,

Rooted in the cracks of the world's barrier, simultaneously drawing the Heaven And Earth Origin.

Gu Changge slowly withdrew his gaze, the hint of Chaos in his eyes silently receding, returning to a profound, unruffled calm.

However, beneath that calm, a phantom image of a flowing Star Domain and the birth and death of myriad Dao seemed to flash by.

He did not speak, merely gazing quietly at the chains of order on the world barrier, which slowlycreeping like living things, drawing the world's Origin, and the suffocatingly vast, incomplete array diagram outline hidden in the Chaos outside the barrier.

Beside him, the Lord of Annihilation's Imperial Soul trembled violently at this moment.

Having returned to his Imperial position, he already stood at the Peak of this world, yet facing this insidious array that eroded the world's Origin, he felt a profound sense of powerlessness.

However, this sense of powerlessness did not extinguish his will; instead, it ignited a monstrous Battle Intent.

No Imperial Might was evident around him, but in his Imperial eyes, which contained the cycle of life and death, a rage capable of incinerating the Star Sea burned.

As an Emperor who once held the Mandate of Heaven and protected a region, he could not tolerate his Great World, which nurtured him, being so silently devoured.

His Imperial heart, silent for ages, was now filled with stern killing intent towards the mastermind and deep compassion for the fate of this world's common people.

He wished he could immediately follow the path of plunder, kill into the depths of Chaos, and fight to the death with the entity who laid down this array.

But his remaining reason made him understand that this array was deeply intertwined with the world barrier's Origin. A rash frontal assault might first harm the Xuanhuang Great World itself.

This situation, knowing the enemy was right before him yet needing to endure, made his Imperial body tremble slightly, exuding a majestic aura mixed with extreme anger and a resolve to protect.

Gu Changge took in all of the Lord of Annihilation's reactions, slowly withdrawing his gaze.

"This array has become like a gangrene. Forcibly moving it will not only be ineffective but will harm this world."

His voice was calm but carried a coldness that pierced through eons, "Rash actions will only alert the enemy and accelerate the plunder."

His gaze swept over the broken Imperial Weapons and the congealed Imperial Blood, finally landing on the Lord of Annihilation, his tone suddenly becoming a few shades lighter.

"Let me go back and study theVeins of this array diagram. Once I find a stable countermeasure, it won't be too late to break it."

"Return."

"Yes, Your Excellency!"

The Lord of Annihilation responded with solemnity, his surging Battle Intent slowly retracting, transforming into an even firmer resolve.

He took one last look at the cracks in the barrier, like scars on the world, burying this unwillingness and anger deep within his Imperial Soul, awaiting the opportune moment.

Gu Changge's figure faded in the Void Realm, and in the next moment, he, along with the Lord of Annihilation, broke through space and quietly returned to the Eastern Domain of the Xuanhuang Great World.

When his feet touched the Spiritual Qi-thin land of the Azure Profound Sect, an uncontrollable ripple arose deep within the Lord of Annihilation's Imperial Soul.

As far as his gaze reached, the Sect gate was ancient, the highest cultivation of the Disciples was merely the Cave Heaven Realm, and the Sect's atmosphere was no different from an ordinary small Sect in this world.

However, within such a seemingly ordinary Sect, there was actually a figure like His Excellency?

The Lord of Annihilation composed himself, not daring to show the slightest emotion, and followed closely behind Gu Changge.

With unhurried steps, the two walked directly towards the purple Qi-shrouded mountain Peak deep within the Sect.

The closer they got to Zizhu Peak, the more the Lord of Annihilation could feel a Concept of returning to simplicity.

The Peak seemed ordinary from the outside, but stepping in was like crossing a chasm. The dense Innate Spiritual Qi condensed like a thin mist, the Dao Laws were as clear as lines in a palm, and with each breath, his Imperial body felt subtly nourished.

The Purple Bamboo, like jade, swayed, scattering Dao Rhyme and divine light. Spiritual springs gurgled, and the mist contained vibrant life force.

The ordinary pavilions and towers, every brick and tile, subtly conformed to the trajectory of the Heavenly Dao, revealing supreme profoundness in their ordinariness.

What caught his attention even more was the layout within the Peak: an ancient stone pagoda stood at the Peak, its body mottled, exuding avicissitudes of life Dao Rhyme that spanned eons. Even with his Divine Sense at the Peak of a Great Emperor, he could not fully see through it.

And the cloud-shrouded depths of the back mountain also exuded a mysterious aura that made it difficult to probe.

The entire mountain Peak was like a living entity, inhaling and exhaling Heaven And Earth Spiritual Essence, forming an unparalleled Dao field that surpassed an Imperial court.

He had originally thought that His Excellency might reside in some ancient Secret Realm or an independent universe. He never imagined that he would be in such a "normal" Sect, and it seemed he was even the master of a Peak?

Gu Changge sat leisurely on a stone bench in the courtyard. He looked at the Lord of Annihilation beside him, whose mind was in turmoil but who was trying to maintain composure, and spoke calmly.

His voice, in this Dao Rhyme-rich environment, seemed even more ethereal and profound: "This Peak is named Purple Bamboo. From now on, you will be the first Elder of this Peak."

Upon hearing this, the Lord of Annihilation did not hesitate, immediately bowing and responding: "Silent Extinction accepts the command and respectfully obeys Your Excellency's decree."

His voice was firm, carrying heartfelt reverence.

To be able to follow such an existence and hold a position on this Peak was an unparalleled Opportunity for him.

Just as his words fell, Gu Changge seemed to suddenly remember something and added: "Oh, right. When you have nothing to do, restrain your cultivation aura a bit."

The Lord of Annihilation was slightly taken aback. Although he didn't understand the deeper meaning, he immediately replied: "Yes."

Gu Changge gently tapped the stone table surface with his fingertip, pondering for a moment: "Hmm... just maintain it at... the Heavenly Human Realm."