Chapter 598: Chaotic Taihao, Observing the World's Rise and Fall

Chapter 598: Chaotic Taihao, Observing the World's Rise and Fall

The Celestial Tower of Taihao, with each ascent to a higher heaven marking a tremendous transformation, culminates at the thirty-third heaven, standing at the peak of the Taihao Realm.

The thirty-third heaven is teeming with powerful beings, ancient sects, and divine sects that have established their roots here. Each divine sect possesses a Tai Hao Divine Artifact to safeguard their sect.

However, today, whether it's the first heaven or the thirty-third, chaos reigns supreme. Slaughter is ubiquitous, like the twilight of a dynasty, with constant strife and conflict.

Traversing the Taihao Realm, one can see death and destruction on every level of heaven. The ground is littered with corpses, and even streams are stained red with blood.

This chaotic Taihao Realm is also an era of rising heroes. There are celestial prodigies who roar against the chaos, driven by grand ambitions to restore peace to the world.

There are also demon lords who take advantage of the chaos to carve out their own territories, enslaving the masses and reveling in the joy of slaughter with their formidable strength.

Mostly, there are the cries of the weak, struggling to survive in this tumultuous world, living in constant fear, not knowing when they might abruptly meet their end.

Some are numb, living one day at a time, finding joy in the present.

Looking across the thirty-three heavens of Taihao, it seems there is no longer a single pure land, no place of tranquility. Even the grand mountains and vast lakes, the arid wilderness, hide those seeking refuge from the chaos, those accumulating strength to rise again, and numerous resources that lead to more slaughter.

A village that was still filled with the smoke of cooking the day before is now a field of corpses, with no living souls to be found. Carnivorous beasts, drawn by the scent of blood, gnaw on the mutilated bodies and lick the dried blood.

A town that was bustling with activity and people the day before is now eerily silent, empty, without a single corpse to be found.

A burly man, wearing a straw hat, carrying a long sword on his back, and holding a long spear in his hand, entered the small town. He looked at the desolate and deserted town, where the fruits in the shops remained fresh, the meat in the butcher's stalls had not yet spoiled or gone bad, but the people were gone.

"Another massacre by the New World Sect's malefactors!"

The man growled softly, his voice filled with anger.

The New World Sect, a force that stirs the world and brings calamity to the masses, preaches the creation of a new world, advocating the elimination of all impure people to welcome the New World Lord and establish a pure new world.

The chaos in the world is inseparable from the New World Sect. No one knows when it suddenly emerged and rapidly grew in strength, wiping out powerful sects overnight.

Now, order has collapsed, and wars have erupted everywhere. Cultivation seems to be solely for the purpose of slaughtering the weak, and only by killing the weak can one gain the satisfaction of strength. The entire world seems to have gone mad.

The strong gather the weak to form forces, expanding their territories, enslaving more weaklings, treating ordinary people like cattle, and trampling them at will.

The man walked through the town, his grip on the long spear tightening, his eyes becoming more resolute. The world is sick, and the illness has penetrated to the bone. To cure this world, one must break the bones and remove the diseased marrow, allowing the world to flow with new blood.

As the sun set, casting a long shadow of the man, he walked alone on the desolate path. It seemed as if he were the only solitary traveler in the world.

"Ah!"

A sudden scream echoed, and the man lifted his head, looking in the direction of the scream. In one step, he shot forward, heading straight for the source of the scream.

On the road, a group of white-robed men were surrounding a carriage. A middle-aged man and two bodyguards were desperately fending off the attacks of the white-robed men.

On the ground, an old man and two bodyguards lay in pools of blood, already dead.

"New World Sect, I have abandoned my business and left Lin City. Will you still pursue us to the death?"

The middle-aged man roared in anger.

"You cannot integrate into the new world, so you must disappear. Impure people do not deserve to live in the new world!"

A white-robed man said coldly.

Boom!

The carriage exploded, and a beautiful woman, holding a child no more than three or four years old, looked utterly desperate. Facing the large sword that was about to strike, she tightly embraced the child, shielding it with her body.

Pfft!

Blood spurted out. The child's scream was cut short as a long sword pierced the woman's back, skewering the child in her arms as well.

"New World Sect's beasts!"

The middle-aged man's eyes turned blood red as he roared and charged at the white-robed men. At that moment, a clear voice rang out, "Father!"

A young woman in a green robe flew over, her sword piercing the throat of a white-robed man in an instant.

The young woman landed, and upon seeing her dead mother and brother, her eyes turned blood red. She raised her sword and charged at the white-robed men. At this moment, the middle-aged man regained some composure and came to her side, saying, "Qing'er, you must go, don't worry about your father!"

"Go?"

Once you're here, don't even think about leaving. It's perfect timing, with the whole family gathered. You little girl, you're just right for venting after a battle!"

A sinister laugh echoed, and a gaunt figure, like a ghost, suddenly appeared, waving his hand as bone-chilling power surged in all directions.

Pfft!

"Qing'er, be careful!"

The middle-aged man was startled, blocking the girl and taking the palm strike head-on. Instantly, his face turned deathly pale, and his blood seemed to freeze within him.

"Qing'er, run!"

The middle-aged man roared, using his last bit of strength to push the girl out of the encirclement of the white-robed men. But he couldn't dodge in time, and two long knives pierced through his body.

"Father!"

The girl let out a heart-wrenching cry.

Swish!

The white-robed men closed in again, and the gaunt figure chuckled sinisterly, "Don't resist; you filthy creature, you can't escape."

"I'll fight you to the end!"

The girl gritted her teeth and charged at the white-robed men with her sword. Despite her strength, she was no match for the group, and in an instant, her shoulder was slashed, revealing a large patch of snow-white skin.

"Good, good, this little girl is indeed perfect for venting after a battle!"

The white-robed men let out sinister laughs.

Boom!

Suddenly, a long spear shot out, instantly piercing one of the white-robed men. A robust figure descended, and with a shake of the spear, the corpse exploded. Then, a cold light flashed, and the spear pierced through another white-robed man.

"It's you, Zhao Changtian!"

The gaunt white-robed man's expression changed drastically. He clapped his palms together and quickly retreated, as if trying to freeze everything around him with his bone-chilling power.

Swish!

Zhao Changtian's expression was cold as he thrust his spear, killing one white-robed man after another. Then, with a swift movement, he caught up to the fleeing gaunt man and killed him with a spear thrust.

Returning to the battlefield, the girl knelt before her parents' corpses, her eyes hollow, tears streaming down her face. Zhao Changtian stood silently by her side.

As night fell, the girl remained motionless, tears still flowing. Zhao Changtian spoke, "Young lady, the dead cannot be brought back to life. What you must do is be strong, for only by living can you avenge your parents. It was the New World Sect that killed your parents, and only by eradicating them can you truly take revenge!"

The girl lifted her head to look at Zhao Changtian, and her eyes gradually lit up with determination. "Yes, I must destroy the New World Sect. Only by wiping them out can I avenge my parents. I will work hard to cultivate and become stronger!"

After burying her parents, the girl followed Zhao Changtian, asking, "Big Brother Zhao, where are you going next?"

"To destroy a New World Sect stronghold."

"I'll go with you."

"It's very dangerous. You should find somewhere safe..."

"Are you saying I'm too weak, Big Brother Zhao?"

"No..."

"Then I'll go with you. From now on, I'll follow you and help you eradicate the New World Sect, restoring peace to the world."

"Alright then."

...

"New World Sect Leader, today is your death day. The New World Sect will be destroyed today!"

Zhao Changtian and Lin Qing'er stood side by side, looking at the New World Sect Leader, who was coughing up blood.

After ten years, the time to finally annihilate the New World Sect had come.

"Hahaha! Do you think killing me will destroy the New World Sect? The New World Sect was founded by the heavens, sent from above. If I die, the heavens will establish it again and again until they wipe out all you filthy creatures!"

The New World Sect Leader laughed arrogantly.

"The heavens? Then I, Zhao Changtian, will go to the heavens and destroy the New World Sect again!"

Zhao Changtian said coldly.

On the thirteenth day, a great battle erupted. Zhao Changtian, alone, held his spear and killed one New World Sect expert after another. But his face grew paler and paler.

"Huang Qin, I considered you a brother, yet you betray me and join the New World Sect!"

Zhao Changtian glared at one of the white-robed men, his eyes filled with anger.

"Big Brother Zhao, it's you who defies the heavens. How can you hope to eradicate the New World Sect? I merely made a wise choice. I, too, am now a member of the New World Sect."

Huang Qin spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Big Brother Zhao, rest assured, I will take good care of your sister-in-law and nephew. I'll ensure your sister-in-law is happy every day."

"You won't die a peaceful death!"

Zhao Changtian roared, and a brilliant light erupted from within him, accompanied by a powerful aura that shook the surroundings. He swept his spear, killing over a dozen white-robed men in an instant, and then he raised his hand and threw the spear.

"Qing'er, get away quickly! Huang Qin is from the New World Sect!"

The spear turned into a streak of light and disappeared into the horizon.

Huang Qin's face darkened, and at that moment, Zhao Changtian drew the long knife from his back and charged at Huang Qin. But he was already heavily injured, and after killing a few New World Sect experts, he could no longer hold on.

Boom!

Zhao Changtian self-destructed.

A legendary figure had fallen, having fought his way from the First Heaven to the Thirteenth Heaven, and now, the New World Sect's formidable enemy had perished!

"Pass the order, put a high reward on Lin Qing'er's head. Search all thirteen heavens and bring her out. Starting today, the World-Shaking Army has been expelled from the thirteen heavens!"

Huang Qin spoke with a chilling killing intent.

The First Heaven of Taihao had barely restored order after several decades, but now it had fallen into chaos and slaughter once more. The New World Sect had returned, stronger than before, and their methods of killing were even more ruthless.

Heavy rain poured down as a dense forest was filled with murderous intent. Inside a cave, Lin Qing'er glared coldly at the outside world, biting her lips tightly as she looked at her six-year-old son, her eyes filled with reluctance and sorrow.

"Huang Qin!"

Lin Qing'er muttered with resentment.

"Ping'er, you crawl out from the small hole behind and leave this forest. Find a place to hide, and live on your own, understand?"

Lin Qing'er spoke softly, her eyes filled with reluctance.

"Mom, I will!"

Zhao Taiping nodded and turned to head towards the small opening in the cave. But then, he turned back, clenching a long spear in his hand.

Taking one last look at his mother, he dragged the spear into the small opening and began to climb forward. After an unknown amount of time, the mountain peak trembled, and he heard his mother Lin Qing'er's furious roar.

Climbing out of the small opening, Zhao Taiping looked back and, holding a spear taller than himself, ran forward. Although only six years old, he was already a Second Realm martial artist, and his speed was incredibly fast.

"Huang Qin, you won't get away with this!"

Suddenly, from behind, he faintly heard his mother's miserable and shrill scream, followed by a muffled sound, and then everything became quiet.

Tears welled up as Zhao Taiping tightly pursed his lips and fled. At one point, he leaped onto a large tree and ran along its branches. Finally, he found a hidden little cave and, hunching over, crawled inside. He continued to crawl deeper, using a branch to erase any traces of his passage.

Boom!

The heavy rain washed away all traces, and a group of white-robed men searched the forest, determined to find someone, even if it meant digging three feet into the ground.

They searched an area of a hundred li in radius, but they couldn't find anyone, and Huang Qin's face turned dark with anger.

Zhao Taiping kept crawling, not knowing how long he had been crawling or how far he had come. The small cave seemed endless, and he dared not turn back. He could only grit his teeth and continue crawling.

Hungry and exhausted, he faced pitch darkness, but Zhao Taiping clenched his teeth, holding onto the spear and resolutely crawling forward. If not for his Second Realm cultivation, he might have already collapsed.

The narrow and dark cave offered no end in sight, no glimpse of light. Even the slightest wavering of will could lead to despair and madness.

Six-year-old Zhao Taiping clenched his teeth and crawled forward with determination. After an unknown distance, when the cave widened enough for him to stand, tears streamed down his face. His knees and elbows ached, and when he touched them, they felt sticky; his skin had been scraped raw during the crawl.

Gritting his teeth, Zhao Taiping continued forward, holding onto one belief: either he would escape the cave, or he would die within it!

Finally, a faint light appeared ahead, and Zhao Taiping's face lit up with excitement. Holding the spear, he ran out of the cave, gathered some fruits to quell his hunger, and after treating the wounds on his knees and elbows, he continued his escape through the vast mountains.

"Master, why aren't we in the Thirty-Three Heavens?"

In a little valley, a place like a Shangri-La, there was a small courtyard with several elegant wooden houses, a lush tree, a small path paved with green jade stones, artificial hills, a small bridge over flowing water, and a profusion of colorful flowers.

Li Xuan sat leisurely in a chair, with Cai Ling'er attending by his side. She asked curiously, "The heavens are high, and the Dao is deep. Where is not the Dao, and where is not cultivation? This First Heaven is just right for observing the rise and fall of the world."

Li Xuan smiled lightly as he spoke.

A hundred years had passed since he arrived in the Taihao Realm from the Unchanging Land. He had traveled through the Thirty-Three Heavens, witnessing the rise and fall of Celestial Prodigies, the chaos, and the slaughter, but he did not interfere, remaining a mere observer.

Finally, he arrived at this little valley and created a place like Shangri-La, sitting back and watching the world's rise and fall, awaiting the arrival of the World Devastation Cataclysm, waiting for Xu Yan and the others to come from the Unchanging Land to the Taihao Realm, waiting for the Heavenly Dao's transformation of the world, and waiting for Xu Yan's journey on the Dao.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end