141: The spirits of the ruins are startled and the future is reflected.
Just as Liu Qingtian broke through to the Profound Void Realm Middle Stage, tearing space apart and preparing to leave the edge of Guixu—
Rumble!
The skeletal continent beneath his feet, which was already on the verge of complete collapse, suddenly trembled violently. This wasn't due to his aura, but originated from the core depths of the Eye of Guixu! It was as if some slumbering giant had been awakened by the fierce confrontation and Liu Qingtian's ultimate Breakthrough.
Viscous darkness surged like boiling water, and space twisted to its extreme, forming several unstable whirlpools. Immediately after, several incomparably powerful figures, carrying a dense aura of Guixu's end, stepped out from within those whirlpools!
The leader was clad in a grey robe condensed from the dust of annihilated stars, his face blurry. Only his eyes were like two miniature black holes, swirling and devouring all light. His aura was as vast as an abyss, clearly at the Peak of the Dao-Master Realm! Although he hadn't touched the threshold of the Samsara Realm, the power of controlling a Law and making words reality was enough to shatter the minds of ordinary Profound Void Realm Cultivators.
Behind him followed three figures, their auras slightly weaker, but all were between the Star River Realm and the Realm of World Opening! Dead Qi, originating from Guixu itself, coiled around them, as if they were beings born from this desolate land.
The appearance of these four figures instantly caused this already oppressive space to almost solidify. Their cold gazes simultaneously locked onto Liu Qingtian, who had just completed his Breakthrough and whose aura had not yet completely stabilized.
The Peak Dao-Master Realm Xuling slowly spoke, his voice like the lingering echo of billions of stars annihilating simultaneously, dry and cold: "Outsider... Profound Void Realm... able to actually trigger Guixu's Origin counterattack... and even Breakthrough using it... your existence has disturbed the tranquility of this place... your Soul and power shall merge into Guixu, becoming part of the Eternal stillness..."
He didn't make a move immediately, seemingly observing and judging. The new Annihilation Qi on Liu Qingtian, which had fused with the true meaning of Guixu, made them feel something out of the ordinary.
The other three Star River and Realm of World Opening Xuling, however, had undisguised greed and killing intent flickering in their eyes. For them, the Soul of a powerful outsider containing a special Annihilation Dao Law was an excellent supplement.
Liu Qingtian stood still in the Void Realm, facing this suddenly appearing powerful lineup that could easily crush ordinary Profound Void Realm Cultivators. Yet, there was no panic on his face, only a cold understanding flashing through his Demonic Pupils.
"So that's how it is... the so-called Eye of Guixu, the desolate land, is not a purely natural dangerous place, but rather the lair of you Ruins Spirits. The destination for the end of all things? It's merely a pretense for you to plunder external energy and nourish yourselves!" His voice was calm, yet carried a bone-chilling mockery.
The Dao-Master Realm Xuling's black hole-like eyes rippled slightly: "Desecrating Guixu... a crime deserving of greater punishment."
Before his words finished, one of the more impatient Star River Realm Xuling behind him could no longer hold back, letting out a sinister laugh: "Why waste words with him! A mere Profound Void Realm Middle Stage, having just broken through, his Realm unstable, this is the best time to devour him!"
With that, this Star River Realm Xuling was the first to attack! He raised his hand and grasped, and the surrounding darkness and dead Qi instantly condensed, transforming into a giant grey claw that blotted out the sky. Upon the giant claw, countless phantom worlds seemed to be wailing and collapsing, carrying the will to end everything, as it clawed down towards Liu Qingtian! This single claw was enough to easily crush a Star River!
The other two Realm of World Opening Xuling also erupted with Qi, sealing off all of Liu Qingtian's escape routes.
And the Peak Dao-Master Realm Xuling watched indifferently. In his view, three of his subordinates attacking were enough to deal with this somewhat strange but low-Realm intruder.
Facing this encirclement that would make Cultivators of the same Realm despair, Liu Qingtian merely lifted his eyelids slightly, his gaze passing over the terrifying grey giant claw and directly landing on the face of the leading Dao-Master Realm Xuling, a subtle yet chilling arc forming at the corner of his mouth.
"Want to devour me? I'm afraid... you don't have the appetite."
He made no defensive or counter-attacking moves, merely standing there quietly. However, just as the grey giant claw was about to reach him—
Buzz!!!
An indescribably vast Divine Thought, as if from the end of the long river of time in the Eternal future, descended with a roar!
This Divine Thought was not a direct attack, but rather like an invisible backdrop encompassing the Myriad Heavens and Myriad Realms, suddenly unfolding! The four Ruins Spirits present, including the Peak Dao-Master Realm existence, at this moment, clearly "saw" a vision—
In that boundless dimension, transcending the concepts of time and space, an unimaginably colossal willow tree had its roots piercing through the Origin of countless Major Thousand Worlds, and its branches obscured the brilliance of myriad Star Rivers!
Every willow leaf seemed to carry the birth and death of a Reincarnation; every branch swayed with the aura of Chaos at its inception! The pressure it emitted was, astonishingly—Peak Reincarnation Realm! And it was the kind that had one foot already stepped into a higher level, almost a half-step "Return to One" supreme Realm!
The phantom of this heaven-reaching willow tree, its "gaze" containing endless Reincarnation and Chaos will, seemed to pierce through time and space, indifferently and precisely, falling upon these four Ruins Spirits!
Especially the Star River Realm Xuling who had just attacked, he felt his Soul, the Law he commanded, flickering like a candle in the wind under this "gaze," capable of extinguishing at any moment! The grey giant claw that had been swiping at Liu Qingtian, when it was only three feet away from its target, disintegrated with a roar as if it had hit an invisible, insurmountable barrier, turning into pure Guixu Qi and dissipating!
"Pfft—!"
That Star River Realm Xuling was struck as if by lightning, violently spitting out a mouthful of grey Origin Qi, his body staggering backward, his eyes filled with boundless fear and shock!
The other two Realm of World Opening Xuling also turned pale, their auras chaotic, as if their Dao Heart would shatter in the next moment!
Even the Peak Dao-Master Realm Xuling, his black hole-like eyes violently contracted and trembled, and for the first time, an emotion called "horror" appeared on his blurry face! He stared intently at Liu Qingtian, then disbelievingly sensed the terrifying reflection that seemed to come from the future, yet was undeniably real.
"Sam... Samsara Peak... half-step Return to One... Future Self?! You... who exactly are you?!" His voice trembled with unprecedented intensity. These Ruins Spirits, born in Guixu and raised in Annihilation, had a perception of Karma, destiny, and time far exceeding that of external Cultivators. They clearly realized that this was not an illusion, but a genuine reflection of a powerful being from future time and space! How could this child possess such a terrifying background?!
Liu Qingtian remained standing in place, his Devilish Qi contained, as if the earth-shattering future reflection had nothing to do with him. He looked at the Dao-Master Realm Xuling indifferently, his tone calm yet carrying unquestionable authority:
"Now, do I still need to merge into this Guixu, to become part of the Eternal stillness?"
The Dao-Master Realm Xuling fell silent, and much of the dead Qi around him receded. He took a deep look at Liu Qingtian, his gaze filled with complexity, apprehension, and an indescribable trace of reverence.
After a moment, he spoke hoarsely: "...It was my subordinates who offended. Honored one... please proceed as you wish."
Having said that, he no longer lingered. With a flick of his sleeve, he swept up his three startled subordinates, and their figures merged into the surging darkness, instantly disappearing. They came quickly, and left even faster.
The surrounding surging darkness gradually subsided, and the unsettling Ruins Spirit aura completely vanished.
Liu Qingtian stood alone in the Void Realm, gazing in the direction where the Ruins Spirits disappeared, a glimmer of obscure light flashing in the depths of his Demonic Pupils.
"Future Self... entering Profound..." he muttered to himself. That reflection just now was not actively summoned by him, but a warning automatically triggered by the subtle Karma connection with his Future Self when he felt a fatal threat. This also made him realize more clearly that the situation of his Peak Reincarnation Realm Future Self did not seem to be absolutely transcendent, otherwise it would not have merely been a reflection and warning, rather than directly acting to obliterate these Ruins Spirits.
"The road ahead is still difficult... but at least, these demons and monsters in Guixu temporarily dare not stop me."
He no longer hesitated, taking a step and completely disappearing from the edge of this desolate land.
Only the phantom of that Future Willow Tree, reflecting the Myriad Heavens, seemed to silently declare that this demon's destiny had long since involved deeper Karma and time-space.