“Boom!”
Another dull, thunderous sound reverberated, like the beat of a drum, yet it shook the soul. It was connected to the Immortal Dao Bud, resonating with the Great Dao it contained.
At the horizon, colorful mist swirled like smoke, suffusing the air with a sacred brilliance that bathed the entire land in holiness.
Faintly, the Immortal Dao Bud manifested, its ethereal form barely discernible, its immortal aura flowing through the mountains and rivers.
“So comfortable!”
Many couldn’t help but murmur. No matter how exhausted or injured they were, all weariness vanished as if they had undergone a divine baptism.
The mountains, rivers, and all living things were enshrouded in a thin veil of mist, growing ever more mysterious.
The grass and trees were vibrant, their tender leaves greener and glossier. Spiritual herbs glowed, their medicinal fragrance thick and intoxicating. The vitality within many creatures surged. It was as though all things were growing stronger, infused with newfound vigor.
“Be careful! This moment is perilous—unknown creatures may appear. Stay focused on your path!”
At this critical juncture, a mighty voice boomed, warning the five million Venerable Ones. This was knowledge passed down from generations past.
The blooming of the Immortal Dao Bud brought peace to this forbidden land, dispelling malevolent creatures and neutralizing sinister dangers. Yet, it also attracted unfathomable beings, especially when the flower fully bloomed.
Originally, the flower’s bloom would suppress any species or power beyond the Venerable Realm. But its sheer divinity and transcendence were irresistible, drawing creatures like moths to a flame.
Most competitors knew this, as their elders had forewarned them.
Shi Hao was silent. Unlike others, he hadn’t been informed—such reminders were invaluable to those like him.
“Don’t panic. Those creatures are few. You must press forward—just stay vigilant,” reassured a mighty figure.
All the Venerable Ones advanced, their gazes fixed on the distant Immortal Dao Bud. Yet, to them, it wasn’t far—a single leap carried them like divine rainbows across vast distances.
“Roar—!”
Suddenly, a thunderous roar shook the mountains and rivers, causing many Venerable Ones to stagger, their blood churning. The entire forbidden land trembled.
“What kind of terrifying creature is that?”
Shi Hao looked up in astonishment.
In the sky loomed a colossal figure, its body shrouded in thick red fur, obscuring its true form. The crimson mane was so dense it was impossible to tell if it was man or beast.
It exuded an eerie, malevolent aura, unlike any creature before—sinister and ominous, stirring dread in the soul.
Beneath it, the vegetation withered.
Across a vast area, many Venerable Ones were immobilized, their chests tight as if suffocating.
“Roar—!”
The red-furred creature, wreathed in baleful bloodlight, roared and opened its maw toward the Immortal Dao Bud, as if to devour it.
At this moment, even distant spectators paled. This thing was not only powerful but also deeply evil.
“Pop!”
The sound of the bud blooming echoed, releasing a gentle light that melted away the sinister aura like sunshine upon snow.
The monstrous creature howled, spewing black blood before retreating unwillingly, vanishing without a trace.
Everyone exhaled in relief. Had it unleashed its full power, disaster would have been inevitable.
Another soft chime rang out at the horizon as another petal unfurled, bathing the world in serene radiance, making the land even more magnificent.
For a long time, no one spoke. They moved forward in silence, wary.
Yet, the journey remained peaceful. Many chose their spots and waited for the flower to fully bloom.
Half an hour passed, marked by the continuous sound of petals opening—three thousand in total, each representing a fragment of the Great Dao.
Meanwhile, crystalline raindrops fell, warm to the touch yet intangible, filling everyone with comfort.
Outside, all sect masters watched enviously. Some, nearing the end of their lifespans, trembled, yearning to trade places.
For the five million Venerable Ones, even if they failed to enter the Immortal Ancient, this alone was worth it. The rain carried traces of the Immortal Dao, granting each at least a century of extended life.
To simply walk here and gain such fortune was enviable.
For young Venerable Ones, it might mean little, but for ancient beings, it was priceless—worth trading sacred treasures for.
Life always meets its end. When that time comes, even the rarest elixirs fail—only such unique substances matter.
“Alas…” A sigh came from a violet-gold chariot drawn by nine phoenix-like divine birds, wreathed in primal chaos.
All shuddered—this was the war chariot of the current imperial clan!
“Ancestors divined a sliver of heaven’s secret. One day, we may beg the heavens for mere years, even months, of life. A century may not seem rare now, but when that day comes, it will be extraordinary.”
His voice was melancholic, tinged with sorrow.
“Is that day near?” whispered another sect master, uneasy. The unprecedented turnout hinted at foreboding omens.
“Has the borderland faltered?” An ancient white tortoise floating in the void spoke.
Hearts raced—this was one of the oldest beings in the Upper Realm, its lifespan terrifyingly long. Even it had come!
Many sect masters were ignorant, but the oldest powers stiffened, their pupils contracting.
“Faint traces of immortality seep through, sustaining our long lives. What if that ceases?” The ruler of the Heavenly Nation, seated in a blood-drenched chariot, spoke chillingly. “When that day comes, man will devour man, creatures will prey on creatures—decay will be the norm.”
His bloody words sent shivers down spines. If that day came, he would be a calamity.
Many trembled, realizing for the first time that their long lives weren’t natural—there was another reason.
“If this world withers, if the link to that place severs, even the mightiest among us will live no more than ten or twenty millennia.”
The Western Sect Master sighed. His golden body, unlike mortal flesh, radiated solemnity. He stood among the Upper Realm’s mightiest.
His words horrified even sect masters, let alone lesser cultivators.
The Western Sect’s lineage traced back to the ancient monks of the previous era. They had excavated vast ruins, uncovering many secrets.
“Strive onward!”
This command came from the Immortal Palace, where a peerless expert slumbered within an ancient bronze hall—his power unfathomable.
If even these leaders were unsettled, how much more so the rest?
“Impossible! How could our lifespans shrink? The strongest living only ten or twenty thousand years?” Many refused to believe.
Even Heavenly Gods shuddered, turning to their sect masters. The revelation was staggering—terrifying upon reflection.
Many of the current supreme experts had lived since the ancient times, their ages measured in millions. Which sect master was short-lived? Even the weakest lived hundreds of millennia.
Now, they were told the mightiest might soon live only ten or twenty thousand years. The horror was paralyzing.
If the strongest were so limited, what of Heavenly Gods?
And what of Venerable Ones?
It was unthinkable!
How long would they last then?
“The Immortal Dao Bud’s three thousand petals will wither, marking the end of this era. That day may be… near,” a woman in a silver chariot said, her voice laced with resignation.
This was the chariot of the current imperial clan.
The gathered powers spoke in turn, confirming the grim truth.
“The future is uncertain, but glimpses can be seen. We must prepare,” someone said.
“No! This cannot be!” A sect master roared, his face twisted in denial.
Many understood—those who had lived since ancient times faced the greatest shock. Having spent most of their lifespans, they had little time left.
How many years would they have if that day came?
The same applied to True Gods and Divine Flame cultivators—unless they were young, their futures were bleak.
One could imagine many perishing within years, withering with time.
“But that’s not the worst. The true horror will be the greatest war in history—raging from the borderlands, sweeping through the three thousand provinces!”
An ancient vine spoke, its branches glowing azure, yet its form weathered nearly to dust.
Chills ran down spines, especially among the younger generation. Was this the future the mightiest foresaw?
“The future is ever-changing. Do not take all this as absolute,” someone interjected, easing the tension.
“Look! What is that?!” someone shrieked, voice trembling with disbelief.
All turned toward the forbidden land.
“What—that’s a…” Even a clan leader stammered, too afraid to name the dread being.
“Such a creature has emerged?!” The Heaven-Severing Sect Master’s hair whipped as he formed seals, drawing upon the world’s essence to verify the horror.
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