Chapter 443: New Hope or Despair

At this very moment, something unexpected happened over at Gengu’s side.

“What exactly is going on? How could Gengu have become like this?” Yuan Tiandi roared furiously while dodging frantically. He was genuinely terrified of the current Gengu.

This was no longer a man—it was a beast.

Once a legendary warrior who had reigned supreme across countless eras, how could Gengu have fallen so far?

Bang! Gengu howled, clapping his hands together and seizing Yuan Tiandi in his grasp.

“Hahaha… Got you!” Gengu’s eyes, glowing red with insatiable desire, stared hungrily at Yuan Tiandi. His grotesque tongue, like a slithering serpent, slowly licked across Yuan Tiandi’s face, as if drenching him in a sudden downpour.

Yuan Tiandi was stunned. How had Gengu become so repulsive? He had truly lost his mind.

In Gengu’s wicked gaze, Yuan Tiandi saw endless lust.

No good—Gengu had indecent intentions.

In an instant, Yuan Tiandi saw a massive orb appear before him.

“Mmm…” Gengu pressed Yuan Tiandi against his chest, swollen from Lin Fan’s earlier beating, and began to grope him roughly.

“What the hell!” Yuan Tiandi, who had never uttered a curse in ten thousand years, finally exploded under the circumstances.

Buzz…

The void trembled as Yuan Tiandi instantly broke free, his expression wary as he stared at Gengu.

Although Gengu’s cultivation was weaker than before, his physical body was incredibly strong, completely impervious to any attack.

“Don’t run away. I want to poke you…”

Gengu howled like a mad beast, his tongue flailing through the air as he lunged toward Yuan Tiandi.

…

At this moment, the other Zunzhi-level experts were completely stunned, unable to believe their eyes, as if they had gone blind.

How could Gengu have turned into this?

That drooling tongue, brimming with an eerie allure, shamelessly licked toward Yuan Tiandi.

And the massive bulge in his pants stood tall and rigid, like a pillar piercing the heavens, as if ready to tear through the very fabric of the world.

…

Lin Fan, watching from the sidelines, was thoroughly entertained. This was truly a spectacular sight—Gengu, as always, was a force to be reckoned with, striking like a tiger bursting from its cage, landing a decisive blow.

If Yuan Tiandi hadn’t been so quick on his feet, he would’ve already been mercilessly poked.

“Make him stop—he’s gone too far!” Yuan Tiandi was at his wit’s end. Gengu was chasing after him like a madman possessed.

What terrified Yuan Tiandi even more was that Gengu’s member, like a living creature, suddenly expanded and lunged toward him.

Several times, Yuan Tiandi barely escaped being struck by that monstrous thing.

“Gengu, don’t push this too far!” Yuan Tiandi shouted in fury.

“I want to poke you…”

“How could you do this?”

“I want to poke you, poke you, poke you…”

…

“Stop already—no more fighting!” Yuan Tiandi was drenched in sweat. Though he had merged with the Heavenly Dao, Gengu’s new style of attack was unpredictable and hard to evade.

“Do you believe now that I’m a once-in-a-million-years genius?” Lin Fan asked, watching Yuan Tiandi darting through the air.

“I believe you—just make him stop!” Yuan Tiandi’s eyes were wide with fear. Though Gengu’s power had weakened, his current speed and strength were terrifying. Even with the Heavenly Dao’s power, Yuan Tiandi could barely escape.

“Hehe…” Lin Fan smiled faintly and then shouted toward Gengu, “Alright, Gengu, that’s enough. Go poke the ground instead.”

Gengu, who had been chasing Yuan Tiandi relentlessly, paused in confusion. Then, with a hint of disappointment, he crawled to the ground and started moving up and down rhythmically.

Boom… Boom…

The sound was like a pile driver, loud and relentless, shaking the entire earth.

“This…” Yuan Tiandi stared at Gengu, his expression a mix of disbelief and horror.

One of the Eight Supreme Beings of the Upper Realm had actually stooped to such a disgraceful act.

At this point, not only Yuan Tiandi but even the other Zunzhi experts were so shocked they would have spat out blood if their spiritual consciousnesses had physical form.

Lin Fan looked at the others and smiled, “Now that things have settled down, let’s sit and talk. After all, this concerns the future of the Xuan Huang World, and it’s not something that can be resolved in just a few words.”

“Yuan Tiandi, do you still stand by your beliefs?” Lin Fan asked.

“Yes.” Yuan Tiandi replied, calming himself.

“Zunzhi, War God, Martial God, and Cycle Emperor—do you all firmly hold your beliefs as well?” Lin Fan questioned.

“Of course. We will never allow the people of Xuan Huang to be sacrificed needlessly.”

Lin Fan looked at them. He didn’t particularly dislike Yuan Tiandi. At this point, the final decision rested in Yuan Tiandi’s hands.

Although the Xuan Huang World had been split and Yuan Tiandi had absorbed three-quarters of the Heavenly Dao, Lin Fan believed that Yuan Tiandi had come out to confront them for a reason—he must have a plan to break through the celestial barrier.

Thinking back to his secret deal with Ye Han, it was clear Yuan Tiandi intended to use the Blood Realm as a stepping stone to pierce the barrier.

But now, Yuan Tiandi had chosen not to open the barrier and instead engage in dialogue, indicating he wanted to resolve the matter peacefully.

“If it’s about the greater good, I will stand by Zunzhi and the others. But personally, I prefer Yuan Tiandi’s philosophy.”

“If a person doesn’t strive, what’s the difference between them and a lazy fish? Even if countless obstacles lie ahead, one must not retreat like a coward but instead charge forward fearlessly, fighting against fate itself.” For the first time in his life, Lin Fan spoke his mind openly.

Though Yuan Tiandi appeared like a villain, he was actually trying to free everyone from the chains of fate.

“You are different from them. I understand your concerns, which is why I haven’t opened the barrier yet—I’ve chosen to trust you instead.” Yuan Tiandi looked at Lin Fan and then turned his gaze toward the other Zunzhi experts.

“Your hearts are no longer what they once were. Back then, I was the weakest among you. But even if you regain your physical forms and power now, you still wouldn’t be my equal, because the heart is the source of strength. And your hearts—cowardly and broken—have already fallen into decay.”

…

“You…” The four Zunzhi experts looked at Yuan Tiandi, speechless, and then turned away with a cold snort.

“Kid, actually, opening the barrier is the fairest choice. It would fully liberate the Xuan Huang World, allowing everyone to cultivate martial arts and fight together against the Upper Realm, reclaiming the fate that was stolen from us,” Yuan Tiandi said.

Lin Fan shook his head, his expression serious. “No. Just like Zunzhi and the others, I have my own selfishness.”

“I have people I care deeply about, and I don’t want to lose them. Although I’ve blocked their fate, compared to their lives, I’d rather they stay alive than chase after a near-certain death.”

“It may be selfish, but isn’t that just human nature?”

“I could suppress you the moment you open the barrier, but I won’t. Because I know there are unknown dangers ahead, and to protect them, I must become stronger—strong enough to withstand any hardship.”

Yuan Tiandi looked at Lin Fan and burst into laughter. “Hahaha… Humans are indeed the most complex beings. Weren’t we once just like you, striving to grow stronger to protect others from suffering? But we failed, fleeing like stray dogs. Eventually, I realized that everything depends on oneself. That’s why I chose to absorb the Heavenly Dao. But today, I believe in you. I’ve waited for thousands of years—I don’t mind waiting for one more hope.”

“Thank you for your trust. I’ve never let anyone down.” Lin Fan smiled confidently, though his heart was heavy, he had to remain strong.

“Hahaha…” Yuan Tiandi let out a long, tearful laugh, as if releasing years of pent-up bitterness. Was this a new hope… or a new despair?