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Chapter 1301: The Past is Gone Like the Wind

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Best friend and a companion during childhood.

"I, Lei Chen, am going to be the man who will become the tribe leader! Su Ming, you have to work hard and become the Elder. At that time, whoever bullies us…"

"It doesn't matter whether you become a Berserker or not. Don't worry, I, Lei Chen, will protect you in the future."

"Hey… Su Ming, what do you think of that girl. I think I quite like her…"

"Are we… going to change..?"

The words from his memories echoed in Su Ming's mind. At that moment, there was a sword between them, and it caused him to sigh softly as complicated emotions rose within him.

"He is my father."

Lei Chen's expression was no longer complicated. Instead, he stared at Su Ming with clear as he spoke softly.

Su Ming fell silent. Only after a long time had passed did he speak.

"I won't kill him."

No matter how great of a killing intent he harbored, at that moment, before Lei Chen… he could not do anything.

In truth, when Su Ming saw Lei Chen in Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos, he had already made some assumptions, because he sensed the presence of the one half of the Seed of Life Extermination which he himself had nourished and which later on had been taken away by Su Xuan Yi on Lei Chen. When he stepped into the Emperor of Abyss' True World, all the answers were revealed.

Naturally, it was impossible for Yu Xuan to be Su Xuan Yi's daughter. She was only the partner he had chosen for his son. She was a furnace he had prepared to nourish the other half of the Seed of Life Extermination. She was just like Su Ming.

Then, the only person who could possibly be Su Xuan Yi's real son was the third prince beside Yu Xuan at the wedding—Lei Chen!

Lei Chen looked at Su Ming. When he heard his words, he closed his eyes, and during that instant, Su Ming took a step forward and moved past him to appear in front of Su Xuan Yi. He then sliced across the air with the sword in his right hand.

Purple light surged through the air. The sky was instantly dyed in purple, but the light disappeared the next moment. When it did, Su Xuan Yi's face turned pale, and he took a few staggering steps back.

Purple light spread out from his body. His facial color became even worse. He could clearly sense that as the purple light spread out, his body became weaker. At that moment, Su Ming's will swept past him and turned into a sharp force that stabbed his heart through his eyes.

It was as if Su Xuan Yi had turned into venous pathways. When Su Ming's will stabbed him, the purple light spread out through them.

At that moment, in a remote cultivation planet in the Emperor of Abyss' True World was a cave abode located in a mountain. Sitting in that cave was a person dressed in a long robe. The instant the purple light entered Su Xuan Yi and he looked up, he revealed an old face with purple light shining in his eyes.

It was one of Su Xuan Yi's clones. At that moment, as purple light shone in his eyes, an invisible hand shot out of the purple light and pushed down at the top of the old man's skull. He could not dodge it. With a loud bang, the old man shuddered, then crumbled into ash, his form and soul destroyed…

In uncountable palaces in True Sacred Yun World was a middle-aged man with an awe-inspiring face sitting upright at the top of a hall. During the second instant since the purple light entered Su Xuan Yi, he stared at the people below him coldly and opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but suddenly, he jolted, and purple light surged out from his eyes.

While the cultivators below him were surprised by the sight, Su Ming's hand shot out of the purple light, and in a very casual manner, he pushed it against the center of the middle-aged man's brow. A loud bang shot up and reverberated through the air when the middle-aged man jolted and shattered into pieces.

In the depths of the huge vortex in the Emperor of Abyss' True World was the place where the new spirit of Essence was about to be born. In it was either Su Xuan Yi's real form or another clone, but at the third instant since the purple light entered Su Xuan Yi's body… he shuddered.

He did not open his eyes, as if he knew that if he opened his eyes, purple light would spread out. He stood up, but the moment he was about to leave, purple light spread out from his body to turn into a gentle strike on his body. He could not avoid the strike destined to hit him.

When it landed on his forehead, the sound of something cracking inch by inch echoed in the air. The purple light disappeared then, and everything was reduced to nothingness.

During the fourth instant, the aloof man who had been meditating quietly beside the corpse of Su Xuan Yi's wife in the fifth kiln let out a soft sigh. He opened his eyes and simply allowed the purple light in his eyes to fill up the air around him. Su Ming���s hand appeared from the purple light, and when he pushed at the center of the man's brow, his many years of protection ended…

Located away from Black Ink Planet in Divine Essence Star Ocean was a vast ruins. It was an incredibly dangerous place, but an old man who had messy hair spilling all over his shoulders stayed there. His body was thin, and a thick wave of aura of death was spreading from it. He was sitting on a Rune at that moment.

The Rune was incredibly old, as if it was a seal that suppressed everything within it. The old man might have seemed as if he was filled with the aura of death, but there was a hint of life force in him that refused to disappear, but that was not what was strange about the old man. What was truly strange about him was that there was a mummy stuck on his back!

The mummy had been dead for an unknown number of years, but it had fixed itself tightly on the old man's back and was constantly absorbing his life force and even his aura of death like a parasite…

There was pain on the old man's face. It seemed like he had maintained this sort of life for an unknown number of years, but at that moment, his eyes flew open. There was no panic in him when purple light showed up in his eyes. Instead, there was crazed delight, as if he had been waiting for this for far too long.

As the purple light shone, Su Ming's right hand shot out from within and pushed down at the center of the old man's brow. The old man forced down the excitement in his heart. He did not dodge, and just let the hand formed by Su Ming's will to reduce him to ash. His form and soul were destroyed…

When the purple light disappeared, the mummy, now without a host, opened its eyes and let out a sharp, piercing, crazed howl filled that had a brutal tone.

The sixth instant, seventh instant…

Su Xuan Yi's clones were all destroyed when Su Ming's will swept past them. They were all completely wiped out, and only Su Xuan Yi, who was forced back before Su Ming while his face turned paler, remained. Su Ming did not wipe off this body. He had promised Lei Chen that he would let Su Xuan Yi live.

But as to how he would let him live… Su Ming chose to destroy all of Su Xuan Yi's clones. Even if his real body was among them, to Abyss Builders, even if their real body died, they could remain alive using their unique methods as long as one of their clones still lived.

Once he finished doing all of that, Su Ming cast a glance at Su Xuan Yi, whose level of cultivation had plunged down until he was only in heaven cultivation because all of his clones had died. He shook his head, then turned around to walk towards Yu Xuan. When he returned to her side, Su Ming gently tapped the center of her brow with his right hand.

Yu Xuan was still watching Su Ming. She did not move away and simply allowed his finger to land on her. Su Ming's will surged into her body. When it circulated through her once, the Seed of Life Extermination resembling half of a ship was brought out once Su Ming severed its connection with her.

When Su Ming saw numerous squirming tentacle-like threads surrounding the Seed of Life Extermination when he brought it out, disgust appeared on his face. He'd had this thing on his body in the past. When he took it out, he threw it to Lei Chen.

The half of the Seed of Life Extermination charged swiftly to Lei Chen. At the moment it touched him, it fused into his body and merged perfectly with the other half of the Seed of Life Extermination that Su Ming had nourished in the past and which was residing in Lei Chen's body. It… became complete!

"Since your father did everything he could to obtain this and make it fuse with you… then from now on, since the favors and grudges between us cannot be cleared, it is better that we let our past be gone like the wind and our memories of each other disappear…"

Su Ming cast Lei Chen a deep glance, then with Yu Xuan in hand, he moved to Elder Mo Sang. Once he bowed to him with Yu Xuan, a smile appeared on the elder's face.

"Elder… let's go home," Su Ming whispered softly.

His elder's smile became even more kindly. He nodded, and the three of them stepped into the air. When they walked out of the ancient tree, Su Ming's low whisper traveled into the Sovereign of Dawn's ears.

"Wait for me ten years later at Arid Triad's gap."

Lei Chen stared at Su Ming's back with a dispirited expression. He suddenly called out, "Su Ming…"

Su Ming stopped. When he turned his head around to look, Lei Chen's voice, filled with an indecipherable tone, reached his ears.

Lei Chen's body shuddered lightly. He stared at his childhood friend who was his best friend and mumbled, "I'll tell you the answer to the question you asked before. I don't want to change… but you've already changed."

There was a profound look in Su Ming's eyes that made it seem as if he had seen through everything. Perhaps he had not noticed many things before he came there, but when the red figure appeared, he had already obtained his answer.

When he destroyed Su Xuan Yi's clones, instead of saying that he ended the grudge between them, it would be best to say that this was actually a part of Su Xuan Yi's plans.

With Su Ming's power, he destroyed the predicament Su Xuan Yi was in. As for whether Lei Chen told Su Xuan Yi about the fact that Su Ming went to Harmonious Morus Alba Expanse Cosmos, Su Ming did not want to think about it. It was just as he said, he would rather treat it as it never happened and would rather that they became strangers from then on. If he was not provoked, they would not meet the other again.

"This is the Su Xuan Yi I know."

When Su Ming turned his head, he averted his gaze from Lei Chen. What he saw was a calm Su Xuan Yi with a gaze as profound as Su Ming's own. The two of them met each other's eyes, but it only lasted for an instant.

Su Ming left, and he brought with him Yu Xuan as well as his elder. He walked out of the tree crown. Behind him, the one million cultivators wrapped their fists in their palms and bowed to him. They did so to thank him for saving their lives.

"Wait."

Once he arrived on the sea while Lei Chen remained dispirited with a complicated expression on his face and Su Xuan Yi stared at him with a calm look and a profound gaze, Su Ming stopped once more.

He turned his head around. This time, he did not look at the tree crown, but the elegant young man standing beside the ancient tree. At that moment, he was also looking at Su Ming.

At the instant their gazes met, a smile appeared on Su Ming's face. He looked at the young man, the sea, and the ancient tree, then spoke softly to Yu Xuan and his elder,

"I'm going to meet a senior… Wait for me for a while here."

As Su Ming spoke, he walked towards the ancient tree. The young man under the tree smiled and watched him approach.

They were above a vast sea, right beside an ancient tree, and the shades of green and blue seemed to connect to the sky.

Chapter 1302: Arid Triad

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

On the vast sea, beside the ancient tree, the shades of green and blue seemed to be connected to the sky.

The waves glistened, seas of clouds tumbled. Where could one find the end of the world?

The ancient tree was old, and the shadows of people ancient. Who was younger before the passage of time?

Perhaps there was someone else who was even older than time itself.

It would be the young man standing beneath the tree with a warm smile while watching Su Ming approach.

When Su Ming saw the person under the tree and gradually drew closer to him, he felt as if he was moving step by step into the ancient aeon of the past. With each step, he would go through countless aeons and return to the past, to an unknown period of time long ago… The sky seemed to no longer move. Everything in the world had stopped, and it did so… because Su Ming and the person under the tree were destined to meet.

They were like night and day. They could not meet each other, but only catch a glimpse of each other's shadow during dusk and dawn, yet even that glimpse was indistinct. Night could not see the noon, and daylight could not see midnight.

But perhaps there would come a day when night would meet day, and that moment would be just like when the young man under the tree met with Su Ming.

Soon, there were two people under the tree. Even though the air between the sky and sea did not move, the setting sun was still around. Its last rays shone on the sea, drawing out Su Ming and the young man's shadows on water. They were long… very long…

While Su Ming watched the young man, the young man, too, watched Su Ming. At the moment their eyes met, Su Ming saw endless age and profundity in the young man's gaze. There was also a hint of fatigue in that profundity that could not be dispelled.

That fatigue seemed to be the type that would only be possessed by someone who had lived for far too long. It was a natural fatigue. The young man did not want to hide it, and so he did not even try. It was there in his gaze, and his entire life was contained in that fatigue. If anyone understood it, they would understand the world, and if they did not understand it… they would not see him.

Those who fell into the latter category would be just like Yu Xuan at that moment. She could not see the young man under the tree. Elder Mo Sang was little different. He might appear as calm as ever, but his heart trembled greatly. He could not see the young man, but he could see two long shadows in the reflection of the tree on the surface of the sea.

The two shadows swayed as the waves glistened in the light. They would occasionally shatter and sometimes appear complete. It was as if the rise and fall of entire galaxies was contained between the shattering and completion of the shadows. They contained the rise and fall of all lives, as well as their paths.

It seemed like life was actually very simple, just a reflection on the surface of the sea. It was just a shadow that would sway along with the waves.

If anyone took a glance at the sea, they would only see normal shadows, but if they observed them closely, they would find that the ripples of the shadows signified a person's entire life.

They also resembled the moment night and day met. It looked like they could not mix, just like how fire and water could not mix, but it also seemed like they could tolerate each other in a strange fashion, showing a destruction and a wholesomeness created when they crashed into each other in an unseen manner.

"Do you understand now?"

After a long while, the young man under the tree spoke gently without the smile leaving his face. There was not a hint of fierceness and forcefulness in his voice. It was gentle, as if he was a friend, a family member, or an elder.

Perhaps there were people who would answer his question that they did not understand, and there would perhaps be people who would tell him that they understood. However, the moment anyone said either of the two answers, they would place themselves in a disadvantage. In fact, if anyone compared the young man's question to a divine ability, then at that moment, the person who answered would come under its effect.

If a person answered that they did not understand, their actions would be manipulated by the young man's will. If the person answered that they understood, then similarly, in a manner that they would not notice, they would become one with the young man under the tree through his will.

One sentence. One divine ability. His killing intent never appeared, and it could not be noticed by anyone. Only the gentle smile could be seen, but in truth, this was the most unfamothable intent of all of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.

"What about you?"

After some time, a smile appeared on Su Ming's face as well, and he spoke faintly. There was no reverence in his voice, and neither was there the tenderness he would have if he was the older one in the situation. He did not show some unnecessary respect that was expected from a younger person either. He spoke in a tone he would have when he spoke with an equal. His voice was faint, but his tone very sincere.

He also answered a question with a question. He did not answer whether he understood or not. However, because of this sort of answer, praise appeared in the eyes of the young man. He admired Su Ming for not running away but going along with his question. However, he did not end up being manipulated by his will. Instead, he answered his question with another question.

It was a simple question. Perhaps others would not be able to detect too much of a profound meaning behind it, but to the young man under the tree, this question was perhaps something only Su Ming could do and say under this situation.

It might seem ordinary, but it was most definitely anything but ordinary! It might seem like plenty of people could do this… but in truth, in this sort of situation, they would be led to giving up the initiative from their hands without their knowledge, which was what the young man under the tree had done intentionally.

The young man's smile remained on his face as he stared at Su Ming. While smiling, he shook his head. His expression was gentle when he said faintly, "You don't understand."

Su Ming stared at the young man under the tree. He did not speak, but instead watched the light of the setting sun in the distance gradually become weaker. It seemed like the entire sun was about to be devoured by the sea. This scene was like a picture that touched the heart of anyone who saw it, and they would definitely watch it closely.

"When the sun sets, everything in the world becomes dark. You don't understand the darkness at night, and you won't understand why living beings would close their eyes in the dark as well.

"Neither will you understand why living beings open their eyes when the sun rises.

"That is why you will not understand the brilliance of the disaster. It is why… you are scared, but the more scared you are, the more you will want to see… your family, your friends, and everything beside you… never open their eyes in the darkness."

The voice of the young man under the tree was gentle. If it was someone else around, they might not be able to quite understand what he had said, but Su Ming, who knew of the young man's identity, could.

"Everything has already been predestined, just like how I was destined to come here and meet you."

The young man under the tree cast a deep look at Su Ming. As his voice echoed in the air, he looked at the setting sun in the distance, and he found that most of it had already disappeared within the sea.

Su Ming smiled. He watched the young man before him. His smile was calm and as light as water.

"Perhaps we were destined to meet in this place, then our meeting is also destined to turn into a setting sun… If I chase after the setting sun… do you think it fall or never fall in my eyes?" When Su Ming said those words, the young man's eyes became focused again.

"If it falls, is it because I wasn't fast enough, or is it because this destined setting sun is bound to fall? If it doesn't fall, then when I chase after it for some time… would this sun still be a setting sun… or would it become a rising sun that will appear the next day?

"Let's put it in other words, while I chase after the sun, would the sky be black, or would it be white?" Su Ming asked four consecutive questions in one go, and the moment he said them, he made the young man's eyes focus four times.

Each word in their exchange was exquisite. There was no killing intent contained in their speech, but it was a battle of wills that was like a question of their Daos.

"That is why it's not that I don't understand it, but it's because you… don't understand… The moment I saw this tree, I knew that when you believe you are you, you… are no longer you.

"When you believe you are no longer you, only then will you be you," Su Ming said slowly while staring at the young man under the tree.

The young man under the tree fell silent. After a long while, he sighed softly.

"Your appearance is indeed beyond my expectations. I've been asleep for too long, so long that I forgot many things… Are you certain… that you want to work with it… to Possess me?"

The young man stared at Su Ming. His voice was as gentle as ever, but the smile on his face faded away.

Su Ming fell silent.

"The path you want to take is different from mine…" Su Ming said softly.

"There is no one same path, but as long as a path exists, then all paths will eventually fuse into one… to become Dao," the young man said faintly.

"The world is heartless. It sent the disaster on us. Since the destruction of the world is something that is bound to happen, if you are me, you will do the same thing."

The young man under the tree swung his arm. The sky above the capital planet of the Emperor of Abyss' True World immediately darkened. Everything froze. A vortex that no one besides Su Ming and the young man could see appeared there.

The vortex rotated without a single sound. Bolts of lightning swam about it, intersecting and collide with each other. Every single time they collided, the sparks produced seemed to contain the laws of the world in them. As they rose and fell, it looked as if a huge flower born during an age where everything flourished had bloomed in the vortex.

Su Ming looked at each of the sparks in the vortex. When his gaze gathered on one of them, he saw the birth and destruction of each aeon. He saw the deaths of all lives, heard the indignant roars from the people of that time, and witnessed their resentment and anger towards the world. Each spark was an aeon!

"What you see is the despair that is almost identical in every aeon before the disaster fell on them. This is the heartless world. Only by completely destroying it would everything no longer need to go through the disaster."

The young man's voice showed no signs that he was worked up. It remained as calm and gentle as ever. Even if there was a sharp note in his words, his voice was still gentle and light. It would not make anyone think bad of him. Instead, they would listen to him carefully to figure out the true meaning behind his words.

"I have walked this path alone, but I cannot be alone in my path for too long. Are you… willing to walk down this path with me? Are you willing to walk down this path and Possess the world so that the disasters will no longer fall upon us, so that all manner of lives will no longer be destroyed by the world but can gain control over their own lives? This is the oath I swore under this tree in the past. It is my will that has never changed since I Possessed a part of Harmonious Morus Alba and turned this Expanse Cosmos into Arid Triad!

"I am Arid Triad! I am the master of this Expanse Cosmos. I am the ancestor of all living things with wills. If… you are willing to follow my footsteps, even if the disaster descends, I can make it so that True Morning Dao World will not perish!"

The young man under the tree stared at Su Ming. When he spoke, he lifted his head. An indescribably mighty pressure instantly spread out from his body. It made it seem like he was the master of the entire universe. It was as if with a flip of his palm, he could turn the sky dark. With a fling of his arm, he could make the stars and space itself move back and crumble.

Su Ming's pupils shrank. The young man's final words made him stare at the body Arid Triad sent down for a long, long time.

Chapter 1303: This Butterfly is You…

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"I have to think about it." After some time, Su Ming spoke slowly. His expression was incredibly solemn.

"You do indeed need to think about this carefully. Oh well, I will give you a time limit… of one hundred years. If you've thought about it and have chosen your answer, you will naturally be able to sense my presence.

"During these one hundred years, you cannot Possess any other True World, or else… I will seal you! And the price for sealing you will be that the disaster will be brought forward by a couple more hundred years.

"If you don't choose the answer I want… I will seal you as well. I will only wait for you for a hundred years."

The young man smiled faintly and cast a glance at Su Ming with a thought-provoking look. When he turned around, he walked into the air. His figure possessed natural grace.

When he took his first step, half of his flesh vanished, and that half turned into a skeleton. When he took his second step, the other half of his body was reduced to a skeleton, but he still had a certain amount of life force in him. When he took his third step, it was as if the will gathered in that body had finally left. The skeleton was reduced to ash which disappeared along with the wind.

Su Ming watched Arid Triad leave. He focused his attention to the body of the cultivator Arid Triad had very casually chosen on this cultivation planet so that his will could descend on him. Due to it, all the potential of his life was stimulated so that he could bear the burden. At that moment, when Arid Triad left, the body withered and turned to ash.

As he watched this scene, Su Ming fell silent. Once Arid Triad left, the entire planet returned to normal.

Su Ming's expression was calm, but a barely noticeable sharp glint appeared in his eyes. When he lowered his head, he cast a deep glance at the ancient tree before him. After a long while… he looked at it again. This time, Su Ming watched it for a long time until he closed his eyes, and when he did, a resolute and firm look appeared beneath his shut eyelids.

The entire talk with Arid Triad to the moment Arid Triad had told him to make his choice might have seemed normal, but only those who had reached Su Ming's level would be able to sense the dangers lurking within it.

Every single one of Arid Triad's sentences contained a sharp and fierce intent. If Su Ming was the slightest bit careless, he would not have been offered a choice, but would have started the war between himself and Arid Triad's will ahead of schedule.

Su Ming's answers, his comparison of night and day and his words when he spoke about the direction of the sun setting if he chased after it contained his will. He did not show any signs of it being affected or changing when he spoke with Arid Triad, which was why Arid Triad did not attack him.

After all, Su Ming already had the right to Possess Arid Triad, which was why even Arid Triad would find it hard to destroy him. He needed a chance and Su Ming showing a weakness so that his plan to descend during the disaster five hundred years later to search for Harmonious Morus Alba and Possess it would not be disturbed. If Su Ming affected his plan at that time, Arid Triad would end up losing more than he gained.

That was why he had asked Su Ming to make a choice, but this choice was in truth not a choice. It was a very blatant threat, but if Su Ming treated it as a real threat, then Su Ming was bound to be sealed. Even if he chose to work together with Arid Triad… Arid Triad would definitely fulfill his promise. He would just seal Su Ming.

Because this choice was a seed. It was a seed Arid Triad planted in Su Ming's heart, just like how Su Ming had planted his seed in Arid Triad with his words about day and night.

Nothing exciting seemed to have happened during the encounter, but only Su Ming and Arid Triad knew that both of them had actually started showing signs of wanting to attack just then.

Su Ming opened his eyes. He turned around and walked towards Yu Xuan and Elder Mo Sang, who was watching him with a face filled with worry.

"Who… was he?"

Su Ming's elder hesitated for a moment before a hint of understanding appeared on his face. The answer to his question had in truth appeared in the elder's heart between the moment he hesitated to ask the question and when that look of understanding appeared on his face.

"Arid Triad."

Su Ming smiled faintly. He did not say much. When he stared at his very clearly older elder, he knew that there were far too many secrets within the elder's mind, and they were related to the elder's past self as well as Great Berserker Tribe…

"Let's… go home," Su Ming said softly.

With Yu Xuan in tow and while Su Ming stayed beside his elder, the three of them turned into long arcs and left the cultivation planet. They entered the galaxy and disappeared from the Emperor of Abyss' True World.

Disappearing with them was an excited bald crane and an elated Abyss Dragon. One of them… took away all the crystals from the True World, and the other… had fulfilled its ambitions from when it was younger. The Abyss Dragon mentioned not a word of it, but based on how it often seemed to be recounting its experiences, it looked like there was a hint of lust contained in its ambitions, no matter how anyone looked at it…

…..

Time passed, and in the blink of an eye, three years passed. Su Ming had returned to Ninth Summit. During the three years, he did not venture out again. He kept his senior brothers company while Yu Xuan, Cang Lan, and Xu Hui stayed beside him.

The elder had finally returned to the Berserkers. He built a house at the foot of Dark Mountain, and just like a real old man in the mortal world, he watched the sun rise and set. He lived a very peaceful life.

He had plenty of stories. Perhaps they were stories that spanned through the four eras of their aeon, but Su Ming did not ask him about them. Instead, he often came to sit beside his elder and watch the sky with him. Every single time he did so, Su Ming would remember the Dark Mountain. He remembered Xiao Hong, and all the people who were now strangers to him.

He might not have asked his elder about his secrets, but with Su Ming's level of cultivation, he could already tell some of what was going on. He could see the signs of repeated cycles of life on his elder. With those cycles, the Elder of Great Berserker Tribe had preserved his soul. During them, he might have been searching for the scene he saw when he predicted the Berserker Day but which no one else could see.

It was a butterfly that gave Great Berserker Tribe their future…

The elder lifted his head and looked at Su Ming, who had already left into the distance after he had spent the entire day with him. Under the moonlight, he mumbled softly under his breath, "That butterfly isn't Harmonious Morus Alba… That butterfly is you… my La Su."

As he murmured those words, a sparkle of expectation appeared in his eyes. He would never forget the scene he saw when he predicted the Berserker Day… He had gone through countless cycles of life and death all so that he could wait for Su Ming and protect this child. He had him get in touch with the Berserkers and had him acknowledge them…

During the three years, with his outstanding abilities, second senior brother finally extended Ninth Summit's influence to all areas in True Morning Dao World after Su Ming had stunned and intimidated Dark Dawn and Saint Defier, causing Ninth Summit to live up to their name of being the only sect in True Morning Dao World.

Eldest senior brother also had increased his power every single day. As for Hu Zi, his personality prevented him from staying in one place quietly for too long, so he often ventured out to sweep through the entire True World and pass through the other True Worlds as if displaying Ninth Summit's strength.

Due to Su Ming's existence and the Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei's fear towards him, the cultivators from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier were forced to retreat when Ninth Summit passed by. This also caused the battles where the other True Worlds were clearly in a disadvantage to be unable to continue the moment Hu Zi appeared.

And most of the time, when Hu Zi saw fighting, he would immediately shout, "Ninth Summit has beautiful mountains and clear waters. When Dark Dawn and Saint Defier see Ninth Summit, they have to make a detour! My youngest junior brother is the strongest person in all of Arid Triad, and he is in Ninth Summit. Those who want to join the Ninth Summit, immediately shout. I'd like to see which of these brats from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier would dare to attack you."

It was the truth of the situation as well. As long as Hu Zi was in the battlefield and as long as there were people who shouted that they wanted to join Ninth Summit, even if that person was about to be killed by the cultivators from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier, they would immediately be released. No one had the courage to attack people that belonged to Ninth Summit, and they would not even care about the backlash of their divine abilities because they had stopped attacking.

They could only nurse their grievances, because the Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei had already told all the cultivators… that Ninth Summit was not to be provoked. But the Sovereign of Dawn was not the only one who reacted this way… It was an order that would bring death to all who went against it, for it was an order that unanimously came from all three Sovereigns of Dawn from Dark Dawn and the three Lords from Saint Defier.

In fact, every single time there were new cultivators who descended from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier in True Morning Dao World, they would first go near Ninth Summit and bow to it before leaving.

Su Ming's name had spread through all of Arid Triad during the three years, and because of it, Ninth Summit's influence became stronger. The number of cultivators who joined it increased by multiple fold. Those were cultivators who had once belonged to other True Worlds. For whatever reason, they chose to become Ninth Summit's disciple. Branch sects had appeared in Ninth Summit, and eldest senior brother and Hu Zi were stationed in the two sects to intimidate the world around them.

Time passed, and another three years went by. During them, some huge incidents happened, such as Su Xuan Yi and Lei Chen disappearing from the Emperor of Abyss' True World, the Emperor of Abyss' True World surrendering to Dark Dawn, and the Sublime Paragon of that True World who had avoided being killed by Su Ming in the past choosing to become Ninth Summit's disciple.

After persevering for five years, True Sacred Yin World was occupied by Dark Dawn and Saint Defier during the sixth year when their True World Protection Rune crumbled. The living beings in there suffered miserably, and the number of deaths was devastating…

Su Ming did not care about any of that. He was not a saint. His heart would only be gentle towards the people he cared about. As for the others… to him, who had already become the strongest will in this Expanse Cosmos second only to Arid Triad, they were all just a part of the rise and fall of life.

It did not matter whether it was Dark Dawn or Saint Defier, for Su Ming had understood a long time ago that the true reason behind why they caused the war. It was an offering…

When the third period of three years arrived and ended, a change of tides appeared in the war that Su Ming paid no attention to. He had predicted the change in tide, because an offering… would require sacrifice from both sides, not just one side, or else it would be a massacre and not an offering.

The change in tide came from the Fourth True World. The Antecedental Spirits who were suppressed in there during the fourth era seemed to have had all the seals suppressing them released in an instant. When they ventured outwards, they waged an intense war against Dark Dawn and Saint Defier.

Their war even affected Ninth Summit. The madness and arrogance of the Antecedental Spirits who were released caused the four True Worlds in Arid Triad to look as if they had descended into an age of chaos. Only at that moment did Su Ming lift his right hand and put down the chess piece he was about to use to play against his elder. He lifted his head and looked in the direction of the Fourth True World.

"We should… give those Antecedental Spirits a lesson. This Expanse Cosmos can descend into chaos, but there must be in order in chaos, not chaos as of such."

When Su Ming spoke faintly, his elder smiled kindly. He did not speak, but lowered his head to look at the chessboard.

Chapter 1304: Let This Sea and This Tree Merge Into One

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

The elder watched the chessboard. With a smile on her face, Yu Xuan remained seated next to Su Ming. Her expression was one of incredible attentiveness. She was also staring at the chessboard.

When Su Ming spoke, a sly look appeared in her eyes. She lifted her hand and tugged a lock of hair dancing in the wind behind her ear. During that moment, Cang Lan suddenly coughed softly by the side.

"Elder." The elder lifted his head, and the moment his gaze landed on Cang Lan, Yu Xuan put down her hand. She then moved a white piece belonging to the elder on the chessboard.

"Elder, there are quite a number of Berserkers who would like to greet you. Would you let them meet you in the next few days?"

Cang Lan's expression remained the same. Not a single hint of change of emotion could be detected on her. She asked the elder with a gentle demeanor and looked incredibly respectful.

"You… can make the arrangements as you like."

The elder smiled amicably. As he spoke, he instinctively wanted to lower his head to look at the chessboard, but at that moment, a smile bloomed on Xu Hui's face while she was beside Su Ming. She swept her gaze past Cang Lan and Yu Xuan before she spoke.

"Elder, you will need some time before you can continue with the game. Why don't you tell us things about Su Ming when he was a child?"

"That's right, elder. Tell us about his childhood! Don't you agree, big sister Cang Lan?" Yu Xuan said quickly. The three of them did not differentiate themselves by age, but both Yu Xuan and Xu Hui referred to the gentle and elegant Cang Lan as their big sister.

Xu Hui was the second. Regardless of whether it was her personality or the words she usually used, Yu Xuan gave off the feeling that she was young, which was why she was the youngest among the three women.

The elder laughed. He no longer looked at the chessboard but instead lifted his head to look at the three women beside Su Ming. His smile became even more kindly. The three women each had their own talents, and all of them were genii.

He looked at them, then looked at Su Ming, who had closed his eyes at that moment, and he joyfully told them some of the more interesting things Su Ming had done when he was younger.

But he did not know that the game had been changed, causing Su Ming's original disadvantage to change into an advantage.

Su Ming did not pay any attention to any of it. At the instant he closed his eyes, he spread his divine sense, turned it into his will, and then… sent it to descend in the Fourth True World.

The galaxy there was filled with chaos. Wills belonging to Antecedental Spirits filled the entire True World, and they brought with them the desire to wreak havoc and madness. They had arrogance that made it feel as if they wanted to tear apart the world. When they rose in the galaxy, they filled up the Fourth True World and brought forth a bloody massacre.

The killing even extended to Sacred Yin, and the Emperor of Abyss' True World. In fact, there were even some Antecedental Spirits who had come from the Fourth True World to True Morning Dao World. As they laughed madly while roaring, they engaged in a fight to the death against people from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier. Once anyone died, the Antecedental Spirits would immediately suck in a breath to absorb the dead cultivators into their bodies, devouring them.

In truth… the Antecedental Spirits who had their seals broken and were released by the Fourth True World did not even care whether their enemies were from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier. The cultivators from the other True Worlds also became their targets, as if they were their food.

With every cultivator they devoured, they would become stronger. Because of it, the Antecedental Spirits who rushed out of the Fourth True World stirred up another disaster in Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos.

The cultivators from Arid Triad, Dark Dawn, and Saint Defier continued dying one after another. The Antecedental Spirit's release and slaughter during that year caused Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos to be slightly different. Su Ming could also sense that as the people died, the power of his own will rose by quite a large margin. Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos was filled with a brutality and an invisible power that could make people descend into madness.

It was as if a bloody flower that would only appear in the apocalypse was blooming and spreading out. Su Ming could sense that the feeling of Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos moving during the past ten years was faster than before the war began, and it was faster by seventy years.

Everything seemed to happen faster by seven times!

Only by doing so could Arid Triad make the disaster that would originally require three thousand something years to appear when the four wings overlap to be reduced to only five hundred years.

As he watched Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos' change, Su Ming filed all of this information away as if he had come to understand everything. His heart was calm, and not a single ripple appeared due to the things happening around him. He knew that one hundred years later, he would have to face a disaster, and that disaster would come from Arid Triad.

If Su Ming could not get through the disaster, there would be no future to speak of, but if he could survive, then five hundred years later, Arid Triad's disaster would arrive, and during the instant the wings overlapped, Su Ming would Possess Arid Triad.

He would not choose to cooperate with Arid Triad. Forget the choice Arid Triad had provided to him. That was not a choice, but a seed planted at the bottom of his heart. One hundred years later, when the seed grew, it would bring him a life-threatening disaster that would end up with him being sealed.

Even if Arid Triad truly wanted to work with Su Ming, Su Ming would still not make that choice, because… it was as the young man had said—their paths were different!

When anyone reached Su Ming and Arid Triad's level of cultivation, there was no longer a distinction between good and bad between them, and neither were there any sort of grudge… A battle of wills would happen due to their paths being different and because there was little common ground for understanding between them.

In truth, Su Ming was originally not certain of this either… but he had cast three deep glances at the ancient tree on the capital planet of the Emperor of Abyss' True World before he left, and those three glances had allowed him to understand the meaning of preordained fate.

Su Ming would not hide from the promise he made with Arid Triad under the ancient tree one hundred years later. He would go!

On the vast sea below the ancient tree, the shades of blue and green seemed to connect with the sky. The blue was the ocean, and green was the tree that seemed to melt the line separating the ocean and the sky so that it could make the sky truly connect with the sea and make the sea turn into one with the tree…

'Perhaps they had always been one…'

Su Ming sighed in his heart. He focused his mind and stopped thinking about those things. Instead, as his will spread out, he had it filled all of Arid Triad. Even if True Sacred Yin World's will did not belong to Su Ming, even if the Fourth True World's will tried to reject him, Su Ming had possessed four Great True Worlds, so he could instantly suppress the two great wills, causing them… to not dare reveal their presences. Instead, they allowed Su Ming to sweep through their True Worlds with his will.

In a galaxy to the east of the Fourth True World was a huge swamp. A bloody stench spread out from within it. Submerged in the putrid water were countless corpses of cultivators from Dark Dawn, Saint Defier, as well as Arid Triad. There were a few dozen corpses belonging to disciples from Ninth Summit's branch sects as well.

Those people had already lost their lives, and as their bodies were submerged in the swamp, they slowly rotted away and absorbed. Surrounding the swamp were nearly thirty thousand cultivators from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier. They people had cautious looks, and under the lead of three Antecedental Spirits from their Expanse Cosmoses, they were engaged in a battle of divine abilities against the swamp.

When booming sounds echoed in the air, a face showed up from within the swamp. There was a ferocious look on it when it looked at the cultivators before it.

"All… of you… must die!"

A muffled roar reverberated through space. The swamp swiftly grew larger, but at that moment, a will so great that it caused all thirty thousand cultivators' minds to instantly go blank and made the three Antecedental Spirits belonging to Dark Dawn and Saint Defier to instantly feel as if their souls had frozen up appeared. When they lost their consciousness, the huge swamp shuddered, and the face on it swiftly looked up to glare at space. The being's pupils shrank, and shock appeared on his face.

"Who are you?! WHO ARE YOU??!!"

When his shouts echoed in space, a cold harrumph could be heard. Immediately after, a hand appeared in space. It was not big, and it pushed down lightly, but the swamp immediately roared. It started drying up, and a large number of cracks instantly appeared. Banging sounds reverberated through space, and nearly four-tenths of the swamp crumbled.

"I, Su Ming, do not care about you killing the cultivators from Dark Dawn, Saint Defier, or Arid Triad… but provoking Ninth Summit is not allowed. Do not repeat your mistake."

Su Ming's voice traveled into the ears of the Antecedental Spirit in the swamp, intimidating him greatly and causing the swamp to not dare to show even a hint of struggle or resistance as it trembled.

During that moment, Ninth Summit was branded deeply into the divine sense of the Antecedental Spirit in the swamp, and it became a taboo!

Su Ming's terrifying might had shocked the Antecedental Spirit. No matter how mad he was, in the face of the absolute power that could destroy him with a flip of his hand, he could only lower his head and show respect.

To the west of the Fourth True World,, a crazed laughter shook the sky. A person with a body like a normal person but with two legs that were one hundred feet long walked through the galaxy. His body parts seemed incompatible with each other, and he looked incredibly bizarre, but there was a presence that would bring terror to others spreading out from his body.

The person's hair was a mess, and his upper body was uncovered. When he took a step forward, he smiled in a way that held a hint of lust. He was chasing after eight cultivators.

Among the eight of them, three came from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier, four from the Emperor of Abyss' True World, and one was a female cultivator who had entered Ninth Summit's branch sect from True Sacred Yin World three years ago.

The long-legged strange man laughed and lifted his right hand, which immediately shot forward. As if a vacuum had been formed, the three cultivators from Dark Dawn and Saint Defier were instantly pulled to him. When they fell into his palm, he crushed them, and the three turned into minced meat with a bang.

The huge hand appeared again, and the minced meat turned into the most aggressive Enchanted Vessel that charged towards the remaining five cultivators. As the four from the Emperor of Abyss' True World screamed in pain, the minced meat shot through their bodies, and they became a part of that minced meat.

As for the female cultivator from Ninth Summit, her face was pale when she was seized by the strange man's right hand, which was now several times larger than before. She was brought before him, and the lust in the strange man's eyes grew even greater.

"Not bad, you can be a furnace."

The strange man laughed loudly and tossed the woman into his sleeve. In that seemingly small sleeve were thousands of female cultivators he had captured.

He turned around and was just about to leave when he suddenly jolted. His expression instantly became grave. He narrowed his eyes and fixed his stare on a white-robed figure who had appeared behind him at some unknown point of time.

"An Antecedental Spirit such as you should not be sealed. You should be wiped off straight away."

Su Ming frowned. When he said those words, he took a step forward. The strange man roared. He could sense a powerful threat to his life coming from Su Ming. But when he was about to retreat, Su Ming took a step forward and moved past him.

As Su Ming left into the distance, the giant experienced a full body shudder. His head swiftly separated from his body, which withered right after. His sleeve was torn into shreds, and when the thousands of female cultivators in it fled, the strange man's body crumbled with a bang to turn into waves of aura that fused into the women, becoming the greatest serendipity that could make their cultivation bases increase by leaps and bounds.

Chapter 1305: The Seventh Reversed Spirit!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

It was Su Ming's punishment for the strange man.

A similar scene appeared in hundreds of places at the same time in the Fourth True World… Based on how they acted, some of the Antecedental Spirits were wiped off by Su Ming, some were warned, but none were exempted.

The Antecedental Spirits released from the Fourth True World were connected to each other through their minds. When some of them were wiped off by Su Ming, all the Antecedental Spirits could sense their deaths clearly when they died.

They would not have been too shocked if not many of them died, but in a few short few breaths, a total of thirty-two Antecedental Spirits had been wiped off. The shock of this incident intimidated the other Antecedental Spirits.

The moment they noticed it, the surviving Antecedental Spirits immediately sensed Su Ming's terrifying will around them. They all received punishments of varying heaviness without exception, and all of them felt chills run down their spines.

Ninth Summit's name was carved deeply into their minds.

As Su Ming's will descended in True Sacred Yin World, the dozen something Antecedental Spirits who had their seals released felt their hearts tremble. No matter what they had been doing, all of them felt a layer of ice envelop them.

Almost at the same time, Su Ming's words reached their ears.

"Such maliciousness and brutality should be wiped off!"

As they echoed in the mind of every single Antecedental Spirit in True Sacred Yin World, they immediately sensed the presence of one of their companions disappearing. It symbolized death.

"Since this is your first offense, I will let you off, but do not repeat your mistake!"

"You will be warned once for killing for fun!"

"For your extreme brutality, you will be wiped off!"

Su Ming's voice echoed in the air for a few breaths, and a total of three Antecedental Spirits were wiped off. The intimidating force formed by the shock instantly caused fear to appear on the faces of the Antecedental Spirits who were in True Sacred Yin World.

"If any of you dare provoke Ninth Summit in the slightest bit, you will be wiped off!" When Su Ming's final words echoed in the Antecedental Spirits' ears, all the Antecedental Spirits in True Sacred Yin World sank into silence as they sensed Su Ming's terrifying might and domineering will.

It was the same in the Emperor of Abyss' True World. As Su Ming's will descended and left, four of the Antecedental Spirits who had surged into this True World disappeared for all time.

The last was True Morning Dao World. There were thirteen Antecedental Spirits who had stepped into this True World to cause chaos. The method Su Ming used to handle them was completely different compared to what he used in the other True Worlds.

He did not say anything to them, but instead had his will sweep through the True World, and when booming sounds reverberated through space, the thirteen Antecedental Spirits who were already terrified by their companions' continuous deaths were all destroyed. Neither their souls nor bodies survived.

Dragons had taboos, and Su Ming's taboo could be said to be True Morning Dao World. He would not allow any accidents to happen in this place, which was why all who dared invade would die without question.

All of this might have seemed to have happened over a long period of time, but in truth, it only lasted for a time it takes half an incense stick to burn. When Su Ming opened his eyes while sitting beside the chessboard, his expression was one of indifference.

He watched his elder talk about the interesting things that had happened to him while he was younger and Yu Xuan, Cang Lan and Xu Hui listen to him with great interest. A smile appeared on Su Ming's face. When he lowered his head to look at the chessboard, he picked up a black piece, but he was suddenly taken aback.

One white piece was not in the position he remembered it to be… When a rather strange look appeared on his face, the bald crane lifted its head from the ground and cast a glance at Su Ming in a lackadaisical manner before it looked at Yu Xuan. A thought appeared in its head, but just as it was about to show off its knowledge in a manner of currying his favor, Yu Xuan suddenly turned her head sideways with a grin and cast the bald crane a glance.

This glance caused the bald crane to shudder. It could clearly sense a warning om Yu Xuan's gaze… and it quickly steeled its expression before swiftly running to the Abyss Dragon.

As for the Abyss Dragon, it was staring at the lake water while daydreaming. Occasionally, it would growl at the surface of the water. When the bald crane came over, it struck the dragon's head fiercely.

"What are you looking at? Darn it all."

The Abyss Dragon tapped its head and spoke as if it had suffered greatly. "You hit me again… I… I seem to have seen another me in the lake…"

It constantly thought that it had become much dumber than before, but if anyone else had their head continuously struck for the one thousand years, the repeated concussions would cause them to do actions that other people would not understand…

"Y-y-you… You stupid dragon, the one in the surface of the lake is you—Hah…"

The bald crane shook its head and cast a pitying look at the Abyss Dragon. It began mumbling in its mind that if it ever found anyone unpleasant in its eyes, it would strike their heads repeatedly for a whole year.

When it thought of this, the bald crane's eyes immediately brightened, and it grew slightly smug, as if it had thought of a divine ability that possessed unparalleled might. At that moment, while it was feeling all smug, it did not notice that the reflection of the Abyss Dragon in the lake had a similarly smug look on its honest-looking face.

'Heh heh, does this stupid crane really think I don't know? I, the great Abyss Dragon, is much smarter than it. It thinks I'm stupid? Well, I'm just toying with it.'

Time passed in this warmth that was something Su Ming had not encountered for a long time. A year later… Su Ming had already stayed in Ninth Summit for a total of ten years.

Su Ming did not continue living peacefully in Ninth Summit after that. Instead, he chose to leave. He had to go and complete the third matter he had decided upon—to go to Dark Dawn to take a look at his mother's race… and also search for his Master, Tian Xie Zi's tracks.

Perhaps he could also find the God of Berserkers, Lie Shan Xiu.

On that day, Su Ming's elder stood outside his house and watched the sky. He seemed to be able to see Su Ming turning his head back to cast a glance at Ninth Summit while he was in the galaxy.

"Your path is still very long… but I am already very satisfied to be able to see you having grown this much…" the elder murmured.

The smile on his face became even more kindly and amiable, but there was a faint hint of aura of death within it. It… was already time for him to return to the embrace of earth. He had lived through countless cycles of life and death, and finally, in this cycle, he completed his wish.

Su Ming turned his head around to look at Ninth Summit while he was in the galaxy. He saw his senior brothers, Yu Xuan, Xu Hui, and Cang Lan, and also saw the aura of death about his elder's body. The presence was not thick, but as time passed, it would become thicker.

Being born, growing old, getting sick, and dying was a process in life that could not be changed… but perhaps the disaster that would occur five hundred years later would allow it all to become different.

In silence, Su Ming turned around and walked into space. The bald crane followed behind him, occasionally turning its head to look at the Abyss Dragon. There was a slight reluctance to part on its face, but that reluctance was born due to it not being able to strike the Abyss Dragon's head every single day.

While it was lamenting this fact, it made up its mind that when it went to Dark Dawn, it would find a substitute. It could not let itself get rusty with this powerful divine ability.

The galaxy was boundless, and there was no end to it. Brilliant starlight would occasionally look like embellishments on a picture. No one knew who it was who had drunk wine and accidentally spilled ink on a canvas to draw the galaxy…

Su Ming walked through the galaxy and arrived at Arid Triad's gap in True Morning Dao World. It was the place where Dark Dawn and Saint Defier descended, and it was also the entrance leading to those lands.

The bald crane continued chattering all the way, talking about how it would obtain crystals when it arrived in Dark Dawn. As it spoke, Su Ming stopped moving and turned his head around to look at it.

"Darn it all… When I'm there, I'll definitely loot all their crystals, I will definitely… Huh?" When the bald crane saw Su Ming turn his head back, it was taken aback. It looked behind it, then turned around to look back at Su Ming.

"What's wrong?"

Su Ming stared at the bald crane, and a smile appeared on his face.

"Don't be afraid. I'll take you there… and no one can stop you from regaining your identity," Su Ming said softly. When he said those words, the bald crane shuddered, then lowered its head and fell silent.

Its constant rapid speech had allowed Su Ming to see that it was afraid. It was afraid of going to Dark Dawn and Saint Defier. That was not because there was anything terrifying about that place… but because it might be its hometown.

After a long while, when the bald crane lifted its head, the uncaring and unbothered look appeared on its face again. It continued chattering about how it would loot crystals while walking next to Su Ming.

After a long, long time passed, when the bald crane stared at the galaxy in the future, it would try to recall, but it could never be able to find its memories… However, it would still be able to occasionally remember a white-robed figure in the galaxy telling it to not be afraid.

Every single time, it would feel sad, but the source of the sadness it could not find was the melancholy it could never trace back. It could only… stand at the peak of a mountain and look at the galaxy. Even if it had its own sect and it was no longer as obsessed with crystals and even if it was worshiped by countless cultivators… it still tried to search for the past it lost and could never get back.

It could only vaguely remember that there was once a person who brought it to walk through a part of its life…

As the bald crane continued mumbling, Su Ming took it into the distance. He walked to Arid Triad's gap. The Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei had long since arrived to fulfill his task of meeting Su Ming, which he had received ten years ago. In fact, he had arrived in this place a few months ahead of schedule and had been waiting for Su Ming ever since.

…..

When Su Ming walked towards Arid Triad's gap��� there was a vast space located beyond Arid Triad, or rather, there was a vast space beyond the sleeping Harmonious Morus Alba's four wings.

There were no galaxies, only a clouded space that looked like muddled fog that only existed before everything was created.

At that moment, a sudden ray of white light suddenly illuminated everything in every direction, causing the fog to tumble about and avoid it to reveal…

A huge, ring-shaped Feng Shui compass. It was covered in talismans and carvings that could not be counted. They were the ones who emitted the white light and illuminated the empty space.

At that moment, there was a black-robed young man sitting on the Feng Shui compass. He had long black hair and was filled with ghastly aloofness.

In his hands he held a string of pearls. There was a total of nine of them, and six were shining, while the remaining three were dark. However, at that moment, one of the three dark pearls suddenly shone with a faint light. The vague shadow of a crane seemed to be visible in that light…

When the black-robed young man turned the string of pearls in his hand, he slowly lifted his head and looked into a distant space. Over there… was the spot where the nine butterflies once were… and where Harmonious Morus Alba had stopped to rest.

"I've finally… found the seventh Reversed Spirit!"

Chapter 1306: The Bald Crane's Great Enemy

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Greetings, Senior Su. It has been ten years since we met, and your elegance has become even greater than before. Your power has become stronger by more than several fold. You truly make me impressed from the bottom of my heart. In fact, I can often see you in my dreams, and I worship you day and night, hoping that the span of ten years would go by in the blink of an eye, because I would then be able to see you again and personally bear witness to your splendor.

"My admiration towards you can no longer be described by any of the words in this aeon. It comes from my heart, my soul, and is the strongest excitement I, Yan Pei, have ever felt in my life…

"Senior, your figure is as straight as a pine tree, the brilliance of your mind surpasses the light of the galaxy, your…"

Great delight appeared on the face of Yan Pei, who had been waiting at Arid Triad's gap for some time, the moment he saw Su Ming. He lifted his feet and immediately took a few strides before he wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming to give him a deep bow.

His hands almost touched the tip of his toes when he bowed, and it was an act completely unsightly for a Sovereign of Dawn. Not only did he bow so completely, he had also made sure that his words were spoken incredibly clearly. Each of his sentences contained rich emotion and true zealousness.

Forget whether his words were sincere or fake, just his voice and his words alone showed Yan Pei's nearly obsequious behavior to Su Ming and how he was currying his favor.

Su Ming cast a glance at Yan Pei and let out a dry cough, cutting off Yan Pei's words; no one had any idea how long they would have lasted if he let him continue. Yan Pei's change made sense. In truth, Su Ming was rather unaccustomed to his attitude, but he still quite admired him in his heart.

But before Yan Pei could say anything else, the bald crane suddenly focused its gaze while standing beside Su Ming, and a hint of wariness appeared within it. It felt that the Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei… was too shameless. His level of shamelessness caused the bald crane to be wary of him, but it was also quite amazed.

'This person… Damn it, is he trying to snatch my position? Or else why would his expression look so familiar? Darn it all, this is an expression only I can put on in front of Su Ming. This shameless Yan Pei, he… he… I will immediately memorize all the words he just said. There are things in this person's methods of flattery that this great bald crane can learn from.'

The bald crane immediately felt its spirits lift when it made its decision. It was great in this aspect. It was incredibly studios, such as when it saw the Abyss Dragon turn into a dog in the past, it had, in its ignorance, believed that dogs were fiercer, and so it imitated the dragon and turned into a dog.

When it was in the land of Berserkers, it was chased by the birds above the Dead Sea, and hence, it believed they were strong, so it immediately transformed into them and mingled among them happily.

When it was in Black Ink Planet, it saw some of the families receiving much greater responses while they were searching for a wife for their son, which was why it roped in the Abyss Dragon to turn into a beautiful woman and went to each family to deceive them. All of these things spoke of how eager for knowledge the bald crane was, and right then… its studios nature appeared once more.

Almost at the same time the bald crane became wary, the Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei saw it, and his heart let out a thump. His instincts told him that the bald crane in front of him was definitely a great enemy of his.

It was not the type of enemy mentioned in battles, where they had to fight each other to the death, but was the greatest competition for the position of Su Ming's right hand man, which Yan Pei was determined to gain!

'Damn it, why does Senior Su have a crane like this by his side? Look at it, that sharp beak and monkey-like cheeks, that bald body… It's clearly what is reflected on its external appearance once it has trained its sleaziness and shamelessness to a certain degree!

'This crane… is a great enemy of mine!'

The Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei immediately carved the image of the bald crane in his mind, but he did not show any sign of his thoughts on his face. still kept the obsequious look. If any cultivator from Dark Dawn or Saint Defier saw him at that moment, they would definitely be struck dumb, because they could not imagine that the usually callous and arrogant Yan Pei… would be able to have such an expression.

"Senior, you are finally here. I have been waiting for this day for a very long time. Senior, ever since I met you, I felt that my status as a Sovereign of Dawn is no longer interesting. I came to a swift realization and will give up on my status as the Sovereign of Dawn all so that I can follow you and be your attendant.

"Senior, you only need to point forward, and this young Yan Zi will immediately charge forth. Even if the way forward is filled with mountains of blades and seas of fire, this young Yan Zi will not even frown. Senior, as this young Yan Zi is so sincere in his request, please allow him to follow you. Please grant his request…"

The Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei gritted his teeth. The bald crane's appearance had made him feel incredibly threatened, which was why he changed his original plan, and as he spoke, he fell to his knees and worshiped Su Ming, completely giving up on his status as a Sovereign of Dawn.

The more callous and aloof a person appeared to be, the greater the effect of this action would be. The higher the status a person possessed, the greater the sincerity they would present to others.

Yan Pei knew about this clearly. In truth, during his earlier days, he had acted this way, and his personality was directly related to why he was capable of becoming a Sovereign of Dawn. He would usually present himself as an aloof and arrogant person, but when he ran into life-threatening situations, he would immediately change his attitude. He was the true definition of great adaptability. He did not even feel a single bit of discomfort in his heart or that he had wronged his status.

To Yan Pei, dignity was something that could be used to exchange for certain things…

However, once he became strong and gained the position of the Sovereign of Dawn, he had believed that there was no longer anyone who could make him do such a thing, unless they were the sleeping old monsters, but those old monsters were not awake, and Yan Pei had sealed this divine ability he believed was the greatest in the universe under layers of dust.

Up till then, that is. After personally witnessing and experiencing how terrifying Su Ming was, he naturally presented this divine ability he had practiced for years and showed… his true nature.

Yan Pei's words stunned Su Ming in the word's truest sense. Flattery that continued endlessly was something Su Ming had never heard before even from the bald crane. In fact, it could be said that it was… the first time he had faced something like that.

Even if he had heard of it before, he had not paid attention to it, but right then, the person before his eyes… was one of Dark Dawn's Sovereigns of Dawn, which was why Su Ming was truly and completely taken aback. His mind had actually gone blank at that moment, which was a rare event.

When Yan Pei saw Su Ming's expression, he was also momentarily stunned. In truth, he had only spoken one-tenth of the flattering words he had prepared in his heart. He had thought that the bald crane was a great enemy of his and that Su Ming was already used to this sort of flattery, which was why he had been pondering over how he should change his words so that the effect of his flattery would be stronger.

However, when he saw that Su Ming was stunned, Yan Pei immediately felt great delight in his heart. He sighed in his heart and believed that the bald crane was still unable to compare to him. Just as he was about to continue speaking so that he could strike while the iron was hot, the bald crane jumped to its feet, alarmed.

"Bullsh*t!" it shouted as if it was exasperated.

The bald crane might not have feathers, but it had some fine hairs on its skin. At that moment, all of them had stood up, and with great hostility, it glared at Yan Pei while screeching in a piercing manner.

"Su Ming, don't believe in this wretch's words. He… he said that he would rush into mountains of blades and seas of fire without even frowning, but with his level of cultivation, those mountains of blades and seas of fire he spoke of would be nothing!"

"Those mountains of blades and seas of fire I spoke of were just an example, brother bald crane. Don't be hung up on that now. Do you know what is an example? Oh well, you should not have come to understand something like this just yet. It's fine, when we have the chance in the future, I will teach you," Yan Pei said without hesitation.

"Y-y-you… I went through grave dangers in the land of Berserkers with Su Ming!"

"If I, Yan Pei, am safe in the future while Senior Su is injured, then I will stand to be accused by the public!"

"Su Ming and I were exiled to the Barren Lands of Divine Essence!" The bald crane was completely livid. It flapped its wings, and a great presence immediately erupted from its body.

"I will definitely fight beside Senior Su in the future. Even if the enemy is Dark Dawn, I will definitely not hesitate with my attacks!"

Yan Pei glared at the bald crane. The man and crane attacked each other with words to show their loyalty.

As he watched it, Su Ming did not know whether he wanted to laugh or cry. Once he cast a glance at Yan Pei, he let out a dry cough, swung his arm, and immediately separated the duo, who had come closer to each other and were about to let their cultivation bases erupt from their bodies to duke it out against each other.

"Yan…"

"This young Yan Zi is here!" An excited expression appeared on Yan Pei's face, and he knelt down to Su Ming again.

"Heh heh, Yan Zi… The word for swallow, huh? That's it, you're a swallow!" The bald crane seemed to have thought of something. A sleazy look suddenly appeared on its face, and it glared fiercely at Yan Pei while it started cursing him maliciously in its heart.

'Swallow, don't blame me for being ruthless, you're just too cunning. You are the one who forced my hand. I'm going to use that Stupid Claw on you so that you will become the same as the Abyss Dragon!'

The bald crane's fierce expression immediately made Yan Pei wary of it in his heart while he wondered whether the bald crane had any powerful skills at its disposal…

Su Ming was rather unused to this, so he let out a fake cough and spoke to Yan Pei to distract him. "Alright, enough! Yan… Hurry up and lead the way to Dark Dawn's camp!"

"I understand!"

Yan Pei's spirits lifted. He immediately got up, formed a seal with his right hand, then pointed at Arid Triad's gap, which was not far away from them. The gap immediately shuddered, and a huge runic symbol appeared on it. The runic symbol flashed a few times before it shuddered and stopped moving.

Su Ming's expression became one of calmness as he stared at Arid Triad's gap. He had personally witnessed the gap being formed in the past. At that time, he had not expected that one day he would step into Dark Dawn and Saint Defier through it.

"Master…"

A nostalgic look appeared in Su Ming's eyes, but he did not hesitate and took a step forward to step into Arid Triad's gap. Behind him were the bald crane and Yan Pei. They flew out at the same time, as if they were competing against each other to be the first to follow Su Ming. They turned into two long arcs and instantly… disappeared into Arid Triad's gap with Su Ming!

Chapter 1307: Dark Dawn, Saint Defier

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Dark Dawn and Saint Defier were on the second wing occupied by Arid Triad among the four wings of Harmonious Morus Alba. It was a huge Expanse Cosmos, and while it was not like the first Expanse Cosmos belonging to Arid Triad, the overall area was about the size of three True Worlds in Arid Triad.

After all… besides the four Great True Worlds, Arid Triad Expanse Cosmos also had the Barren Lands of Divine Essence as well as other empty spots at its borders. In fact, Arid Triad had nine True Worlds during the previous era.

In the second Expanse Cosmos belonging to Arid Triad, which was a small wing under the two big wings belonging to Harmonious Morus Alba, Dark Dawn and Saint Defier each occupied half of the universe.

It might seem like a lot, but it was not in comparison. However, Dark Dawn and Saint Defier referred to these areas as their camps because they each occupied 180 Expanse Cosmoses in that universe.

There was a total of 360 Expanse Cosmos, and they were all gathered in Arid Triad's second universe. They were densely packed together and separated by borders…

They had formed such a unique camp built by multiple Expanse Cosmoses because Saint Defier and Dark Dawn had moved there during the second era of the current aeon. They preserved their cultivation systems and methods from the second era and continued training in them. They also continued to use the structure of the ancient countries formed by different tribes during that time.

Each Expanse Cosmos within Dark Dawn and Saint Defier's 360 Expanse Cosmoses belonged to a tribe who had occupied it and grown in it. Each tribe occupied one Expanse Cosmos, and the two camps had even set up an Expanse Cosmos Conference.

This so-called Expanse Cosmos Conference was built by the Tribe Elders of the different tribes from the 180 Expanse Cosmoses of each camp. The three Sovereigns of Dawn were among the leaders, and they were the highest form of authority in their camp.

There were three Sovereign Expanse Cosmoses and a Central Expanse Cosmos in Dark Dawn's camp. These four Expanse Cosmoses formed the heart of Dark Dawn. The three Sovereign Expanse Cosmoses formed a triangle that surrounded the Central Expanse Cosmos.

The Central Expanse Cosmos was the core of all of Dark Dawn's camp. Every Expanse Cosmos Conference held by the Tribe Elders of the 180 Expanse Cosmoses would be held in this place to determine all the important matters regarding Dark Dawn's camp.

As for the three Sovereigns of Dawn, they were not the same people throughout the ages. They were chosen by the tribes, and they would take up their positions for thirty thousand years. Once they were over, another election would be held, and whether the previous candidates could remain as Sovereigns of Dawn would depend on their strength, luck, and the level of support they had from the tribes.

Of course, the main focus was on their levels of cultivation. All candidates had to be in Avacaniya Realm before they could run for the position of a Sovereign of Dawn. That was why over the course of countless years, Sovereigns of Dawn did not change often… unless at some point in time, a new person reached Avacaniya Realm!

It was the case for Yan Pei in the past. As he fought for the position, he had to give up many things before he could finally take over the previous Sovereign of Dawn and reach the top.

As time passed, the thirty thousand years had almost come to their end. It would have been fine if no other cultivators in Avacaniya Realm appeared… but this time, there were two who had appeared in Dark Dawn's camp!

One of them was Hong Zhu, who was the person Yan Pei had replaced in the past, and the other was the genius Huang Tai who appeared from Central Hua Tribe.

Those two people clearly intended to compete for the title of the Sovereign of Dawn, setting things in motion in secret in all of Dark Dawn … However, the invasion of Arid Triad had turned the world upside down. At the very least, the tide of change could not stir during war, or else, with how Saint Defier had been lurking around by the side waiting to strike, the cooperation between the tribes in Dark Dawn would instantly crumble.

In a boundless desert in the Expanse Cosmos belonging to Yan Pei among the three Sovereign Expanse Cosmoses was an oasis. At that moment, there was a man and a woman sitting by a table there. Their gazes were on a black jade slip on the table, but their expressions betrayed their uncertainty.

"This is the jade slip Yan Pei sent to us a few months ago. That… terrifying existence is about to arrive."

The desert breeze came blowing towards them. It was very dry, but when it reached the oasis, the wind became gentle, and it was even refreshing when it landed on the people's bodies. It lifted the woman's dark locks to reveal a petite face that could make a person's heart race.

She was Dark Dawn's Sovereign of Dawn Zi Ruo from East Extraction Tribe.

She was dressed in a purple long robe, and her black hair spilled over her shoulders. She had an incredibly beautiful face, and there were two purple crystals at the center of her brow, which meant she was the famous Sovereign of Dawn Zi Suo.

When she spoke, she lifted her head and averted her gaze from the jade slip to look towards the white-haired old man sitting on the other side of the table.

The old man's eyes burned brightly, and he had an awe-inspiring expression. When he opened his eyes, all people could see that there were vertical pupils in his eyes. One of them was yellow, and the other red, causing him to look incredibly bizarre. Even if he was sitting idly, he gave off the feeling that he could change the laws in the entire world.

He was the strongest Sovereign of Dawn in Dark Dawn… Cang San Nu!

"This person has the power to kill those in Avacaniya Realm… He has fused with the will of a True World in Arid Triad and even sealed a powerful warrior from the previous aeon who managed to wake up through some unknown method…

"His presence caused Yan Pei to remember those sleeping old people… The strongest of this aeon, huh?"

When the old man said those words faintly, his pupils shrank, but anyone could see the faint shadow of a fighting spirit that was only a spark away from burning.

"I wonder if I activate all my cultivation base and release my seal, would I be able to kill this person? If I could truly kill him, would I be able to reach another breakthrough in terms of my level of cultivation?!" the old man said hoarsely, and the fighting spirit in his eyes grew stronger.

Zi Ruo frowned while casting a glance at the old man.

"But Yan Pei seems to want us to be polite and respectful towards this person, and we are supposed to cooperate with him in everything that he wants to do in this place, saying that it will only be beneficial for Dark Dawn and that we will suffer no losses. In fact, this may be a chance for us to become the masters of Saint Defier," Zi Ruo said softly.

"A chance? That Yan Pei's desire to serve is simply coming to surface again. Is it really that difficult to kill someone in Avacaniya Realm?" The old man lowered his head and cast a cold glance at Zi Ruo.

Zi Ruo fell silent.

"I, too, can kill those in Avacaniya Realm. I have even… killed three powerful warriors from the previous aeon, while he had only managed to seal one. If that person didn't bother to come to Dark Dawn, I would have ignored him, but since he is here, then he will be my prey. Once I kill him, I will henceforth be known as Si Nu [1]!" The old man swung his arm and stood up.

"This matter is decided."

Resolution appeared on the old man's face. As he spoke, he stepped into space, leaving behind the Sovereign of Dawn Zi Ruo. She stared at the jade slip on the table and sighed in her heart.

'If a person is too confident in themselves, they will not be able to see their real strength clearly. The three powerful warriors from the previous aeon Cang San Nu killed had already given up on eternal life and separated their minds and souls on their own. They were people who had harbored the intent to die since the start.

'And the powerful warrior from the previous aeon who was sealed mentioned in Yan Pei's jade slip… was clearly one of the incredibly powerful kind!

'Cang San Nu may go seek his own death. My tribe and the other tribes who have affiliated themselves to me must not offend that Su Ming!

'But…'

Zi Ruo gritted her teeth, got up, and moved, disappearing from the oasis in the galaxy. When she was in midair, she stopped moving, and a strange light appeared in her eyes when a sudden thought struck her. Her expression gradually calmed, but the light in her eyes grew brighter.

'Since this person is so strong and Yan Pei said he is the strongest in this aeon… then if I can have a child with someone as powerful as he is… the child born of our blood will definitely have no limits to his future as well!'

When she thought of this, Zi Ruo's face turned redder. She never had a partner in her path of cultivation, and she had always believed that she did not need one. However, in the depths of her heart, she had always wanted to have her own children, and it was a regret she always had.

However, when she cast her eyes over the entire universe, she found no man that would fit her, and that included Cang San Nu. Yet now, Su Ming's name appeared in her mind.

'But an old monster like him would definitely not agree to this sort of matter… I will need to think of a way to do this.'

Zi Ruo was tempted by her thought. Once the idea was born in her head, she could not dispel it no matter what she did, and it became even more prominent in her mind. The feeling of danger from scheming against a powerful warrior caused Zi Ruo to suck in a deep breath. An indistinct shadow appeared behind her, and it was clearly the image of a lotus flower with a white fox sitting on it. It looked vivid and alive…

Determination swiftly appeared on her face. She moved and disappeared into the sky.

At the same time, within Saint Defier's camp in Arid Triad's second Expanse Cosmos was the exact same jade slip placed before three people. One of them was an old man, another a woman, and the last a middle-aged man.

The old man was Lord Saint Defier Xuan Jiu. While Su Ming had never seen the woman personally, he was definitely not unfamiliar with her. She was… Lord Saint Defier Fei Hua, who had sent her ring into Arid Triad. She was also the one who had caused the bald crane to have confusion and a complicated look appear on its face all those years ago.

As for the middle-aged man, he had a calm look on his face, but there was a hint of a darkness in his eyes. As he stared at the jade slip, he let out a cold harrumph.

"The strongest of this aeon… Isn't that Sovereign of Dawn Yan Pei exaggerating things? If any of the seniors sleeping in the valley woke up, they too could be known as the strongest of this aeon." The middle-aged man was the third Lord Saint Defier of Saint Defier's camp. His name was Xiao Song.

"Yan Pei might seem aloof, but in truth, he is a very cautious person. He has always been able to make the correct assessment of any situation… He sent us this jade slip several months ago to tell us that this Su Ming was about to come. He… must surely harbor some malicious intent, but based on this, I can tell that he is incredibly confident in Su Ming. Yan Pei intends to use his strength to pressure us."

Xuan Jiu sighed softly. When he spoke hoarsely, a hint of determination appeared on his face.

"Oh well, then let me make some calculations to see just how this Su Ming will pose a threat to us!"

Xuan Jiu's eyes shone. When he lifted his right hand, nine beast bones not uniform in size appeared on his palm. He struck them with his left hand, then swiftly closed his eyes. He executed his inborn divine ability, intending to gain a premonition about Su Ming.

Xiao Song immediately snapped into attention and looked over with a look of concentration. He knew how powerful Xuan Jiu's Art was, and even those sleeping old monsters could have their preordained fates predicted by him. Xuan Jiu… had never failed in his Art.

Only Fei Hua had a look of confusion on her face. She constantly looked into the distance, and for some reason… her heart trembled slightly, as if something that was the most important thing to her in her life had appeared in the Expanse Cosmos…