297: The Truth About Civilization

Seeing that seemingly soft bamboo leaf, like a broken bamboo, pierced through Liu Lanyan's layers of burning Phoenix fire shields, tore through her protective Southern Bright Departing Fire, and went straight for her vital heart.

The sky suddenly darkened!

The sky, originally under a Scorching Sun, was instantly enveloped by a blood-red mist!

A blood-colored crescent moon slowly emerged, suspended in mid-air, shaped like a broken blade, emitting an eerie and bizarre light!

That blood moon was not a real celestial body, but was formed by pure yin and soft spiritual power. On its surface, a stunningly beautiful, yet infinitely charming, female face appeared!

"Hehuan — Devouring Moon!"

The blood moon opened its "mouth" and actually swallowed the unstoppable bamboo leaf in one gulp!

The bamboo leaf struggled violently in the moonlight, emitting a "sizzling" corrosive sound, and finally turned into a wisp of green smoke, dissipating into nothingness!

"Hm?!"

Shen Wuya's pupils constricted slightly, revealing a solemn expression for the first time.

He slowly looked up, staring at the blood moon, his voice as cold as ice:

"Hehuan Sect's secret art... I presume Sect Master West Moon has arrived? Why hide and conceal, come out!"

Before his words finished—

The blood moon slowly dissipated, and a charming laugh came from the Void Realm:

"Giggle giggle... Senior Shen, why be so fierce? You've scared me~"

Immediately after, a sedan chair carved from white jade, adorned with nine Phoenixes, slowly descended from the clouds.

The sedan was crystal clear throughout, inlaid with countless bright pearls and beautiful jades, with tassels and bells hanging from its four corners, gently chiming in the wind, captivating the Soul.

And carrying the sedan were four peerlessly beautiful women!

They wore thin gauze, their skin as white as snow, and their eyes, as they shifted, seemed capable of stealing one's Soul.

With each step, they moved with a peculiar rhythm, as if the heavens and earth resonated with their dance.

The sedan landed, and the pearl curtain was gently lifted—

A figure slowly walked out.

He was clearly a man, yet he wore a blood-red long dress, its hem blooming like a blood lotus, his skin almost transparently white, with a vermillion mole between his brows, alluring and dazzling.

But what was truly shocking—

Was his appearance.

He had the contours of a man: a distinct jawline, a nose bridge as high as a sword, eyebrows like distant mountains, carrying a sharp heroic spirit.

Yet, his eyes were as captivating as a woman's, with slightly upturned outer corners, and as his gaze shifted, it seemed capable of charming the Souls of all under heaven.

His lips were like painted vermillion; even without smiling, they held three parts of affection, and when he smiled, it made the world lose its color, even the wind paused for him.

He was none other than the Hehuan Sect Master — West Moon!

West Moon sat on a jade chair, leaning languidly against the edge of the sedan, playing with a jade flute in his hand, a smile on his lips, but his gaze was as sharp as a knife.

Seeing this, Ling Tian's face instantly changed drastically!

"Damn it... why would West Moon come?!"

A tempest raged in his heart—

Months ago, he had sent people to the Hehuan Sect, using the pretext of "the world's great situation" to force West Moon to join his Alliance and jointly besiege the Taixu Sect.

He promised great benefits, even hinting that if she refused, he would eradicate the Hehuan Sect under the "Evil Path" banner.

West Moon refused.

He had not expected West Moon to actually help the Taixu Sect.

Shen Wuya's gaze was like lightning, fixed on West Moon, his expression more serious than ever before:

"West Moon, this matter is between Ling Tian and me, and has nothing to do with your Hehuan Sect. Why do you want to get involved in this muddy water? Could it be... you think that with your Hehuan Sect's meager Dao cultivation, you can contend with me?"

Upon hearing this, West Moon only giggled, his voice as pleasant as a silver bell, yet with a hint of playfulness:

"Who says it's unrelated~"

He extended his jade hand, pointing vaguely at Liu Lanyan, a burning desire flashing in his eyes:

"This Liu Lanyan is one of the most famous beauties on Tianqi Continent in the past decade, the Taixu Sect Saintess, with a Nine Yang Departing Fire Phoenix body, and the true Soul of a female emperor in her previous life... Tsk tsk tsk, just thinking about it makes one's heart itch with unbearable desire~ This Sect Master's greatest love in this life is beautiful women."

"Whoever dares to harm her, that person is with me, West Moon — irreconcilable!"

The entire scene fell silent.

Ling Tian's mouth twitched, cursing inwardly:

"Is that all?! Just because Liu Lanyan is a beauty, you're going to save her?! That reason is too absurd!!!"

Shen Wuya, even more so, sneered repeatedly, openly mocking:

"West Moon, do you take me for a three-year-old child? You've lived for hundreds of years, you're cunning and ruthless, how could you easily take risks for a 'beauty'?"

"Speak —"

"What exactly are you, this old fox of several hundred years, plotting?!"

West Moon did not answer, but instead chuckled softly, his jade hand gently raised, his fingertips tracing his lips, his gaze like silk, looking directly at Shen Wuya:

"Senior Shen, why be so aggressive?"

His voice was soft, yet carried a hint of sarcasm:

"You and Ling Tian are mortal enemies. If he dies today, wouldn't that suit your intentions perfectly?

But that strike of yours just now was clearly aimed at Liu Lanyan... Tell me, what is your true objective?"

Upon hearing this, Shen Wuya's expression slightly condensed, then he feigned a deep sigh, as if bearing the secrets of the entire world:

"You wouldn't understand even if I told you."

He slowly looked up, his gaze piercing through the clouds, as if staring at the invisible Heavenly Dao Eye:

"This is no longer a simple matter of grudges and affections, but involves the deepest secrets of this world. Ling Tian, Zhao Zheng... they are not people of this world."

"They come from previous civilization eras, 'failures' chosen and then abandoned by the Heavenly Dao."

"Only by letting them live, by letting them stir up monstrous waves, is it possible to force out the Heavenly Dao that hides behind the scenes and controls everything!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the world suddenly fell silent!

Ling Tian's pupils contracted sharply, his whole body trembling:

"What?!"

He stared fixedly at Shen Wuya, his voice trembling:

"You... you knew my true identity all along?! Are you also a Reincarnation from a previous civilization?!"

A triumphant smile played on Shen Wuya's lips, as he stood with his hands behind his back, like a prophet who understood everything:

"That's right."

He slowly spoke, his voice deep and distant:

"As far as I know, the civilizations created by the Heavenly Dao have had five cycles."

"The First Era — the primordial desolation civilization, all beings in Chaos, heaven and earth first opened, and was ultimately erased by the Heavenly Dao with a 'great calamity'."

"The Second Era — the kunlun civilization, immortals and gods rose together, and the Dao flourished, but due to the appearance of 'Heaven-Defying ones', it was personally destroyed by the Heavenly Dao."

"The Third Era — the God-Slaying Civilization, which is your, Ling Tian's, civilization. You achieved Ascension and slayed gods, but were destroyed by the Heavenly Dao at the last moment."

"The Fourth Era — the great qin civilization, Zhao Zheng was the emperor of that era, who attempted eternal life by sacrificing billions of Souls."

"The Fifth Era — the martial soul civilization, that was my era."

"And where we are now should be the sixth civilization."

Before his words finished—

West Moon suddenly burst into laughter, his laughter eerie and arrogant, shaking the blood moon!

"Hahaha! Shen Wuya, you're wrong!"

He waved his jade hand, his blood-red long dress fluttering, a hint of sarcasm and triumph flashing in his eyes:

"This is not the sixth civilization."

"But the seventh!"

"I — am the Reincarnation of the sixth civilization!"

"What?!"

Shen Wuya's expression instantly changed, and even Ling Tian was too shocked to speak!

"The seventh civilization?!"

Shen Wuya muttered to himself, a hint of wavering appearing in his eyes for the first time:

"There's actually... another civilization after that?!"

He stared fixedly at West Moon, his voice even carrying a hint of urgency:

"West Moon... no, Senior! Can you tell me, what exactly happened in that sixth civilization?!"

West Moon sneered, gently shaking the jade flute in his jade hand, his gaze as deep as an abyss:

"Why should I tell you?"