Within the Boundless Void.
Ice was continuously spreading to freeze large sections of the void at once.
As far as the eye can see, the void had become completely dead.
Ever since the two Unfathomable Apocalypses had retreated, the ice had continued to spread without ending, up until this very moment—–
Bang!!!
A giant whose entire body was clad in frost broke through the ice and suddenly appeared in the void.
[Hoh… hoh… finally caught you…]
The giant opened his palm to reveal a grey eyeball inside.
The eyeball seemed to want to struggle, but after being caught by the giant, it was immediately covered by a layer of frost and was unable to move at all.
The giant then grabbed the eyeball with his fingers and pushed it directly into his eye socket.
The eyeball shifted around the socket a bit, uttered a curt shriek, then quickly lost its vigor.
Immediately after that, a different type of vigor could be seen from the eye.
A flickering dark blue shiver started to manifest inside the giant’s eyes.
[AARRRGH!]
The giant uttered a resounding howl.
Like a raging storm, a destructive presence started to spread in every direction from the giant’s body.
——–he had finally regained his complete body.
All the ice within the void of space crumbled and disappeared.
Everything had returned to normal.
The frozen giant looked around, then muttered to itself: [Now that I’ve regained my full strength—– should I head into the Dusty World to look for Gu Qing Shan, or to replace his Shifu at the Reality Gate?]
Suddenly, a female voice sounded from nearby:
[You can’t do either of them, since I need your help here]
The frozen giant turned his gaze towards the void of space with a harrowing pressure from his eyes.
A stranger dares talk to me this way?
The frozen giant scoffed and asked: [—Who are you? Do you think you can command or order me around just because you know a bit of the Law of Time?]
The void slightly shifted.
A girl with silvery white hair emerged.
[Shroud, you might know me, I’m Su Xue Er] the girl told him.
The frozen corpse evaluated her, then retracted his pressure and smiled: [I do you know, you’re Gu Qing Shan’s——-]
He suddenly stopped.
—–an inexplicable sense of connection was enlightenment in his mind.
Since Shroud had completely become one with the frozen corpse, both his strength and perspective had surpassed himself in the past, allowing him to naturally discover certain things.
The frozen giant’s expression became solemn and subconsciously muttered: [You— you’re—– that is——]
Su Xue Er smiled back at him and said: [The attributes of Time and Fate had always been very strong, haven’t they?]
[Indeed] the frozen giant admitted.
[The Dusty World is about to depart, in other words, Gu Qing Shan will return very soon] Su Xue Er said.
[How do you know——] as soon as the frozen giant asked this, he realized the answer and sighed: [If even you had learnt about this, then the situation is truly dire]
[That’s right. You and I cannot go anywhere, we need to make the preparations before Gu Qing Shan returns] Su Xue Er told him.
[How are things on his side?] the frozen giant asked.
This time, it was Su Xue Er’s turn to sigh and replied: [I’m not by his side, so how could I know about his situation?]
The frozen corpse remained silent briefly before suddenly saying: [Did you know? Everything you’ve done would only bring calamity to yourself]
[The Apocalypse is about to destroy everything already—— perhaps it’ll be today, or perhaps it’ll be tomorrow. What else do I have to care about at this point in time?] Su Xue Er shook her head.
The frozen corpse explained to her in a profound tone: [You will receive very severe punishments sooner or later. Even if you manage to escape from it, the only way for you to go is up. It will be the same as walking up an endless staircase, the higher you climb, the deeper the stairs ahead will become, there is no ending, only an infinitely winding path—— will you really not regret it?]
Su Xue Er looked towards the darkness of the void and muttered: [My every waking moment is spent thinking of him. As long as he is alive, my heart would still be alive; but if he dies, living is no different from being dead for me, so I have nothing to regret]
The frozen giant felt her emotions and seemed to have remembered something as he appeared visibly sorrowful.
[Alright, tell me what you need me to do] the frozen giant said.
[We’re heading to the Eternal Abyss and forge the accompanying components of the twin swords Heaven and Earth] Su Xue Er said.
[So you… already knew?] the frozen corpse appeared surprised.
[No, I’m simply making an assumption. With how much of history I’ve observed, being able to notice one thing or another is very normal, and I suspect that the situation had gotten extremely urgent—– only you and I would be able to complete this task, and we need to hurry up as well!] Su Xue Er said.
[…Alright] the frozen giant replied.
…
The Dusty World.
Gu Qing Shan was standing in the middle of a ruin, ignoring as the translucent mass of light disappeared.
The frozen corpse’s secret has been fully revealed.
And now, the Key of the Wind that represents the Wind Pillar was in his hands.
“That can’t be right…” Gu Qing Shan muttered.
“What do you mean ‘can’t be right’, you’ve obtained three of the Four Saint Pillar Soul Artifacts, Gu Qing Shan!” Laura excitedly said.
“Compared to that, I’m more concerned about the secret just now” Gu Qing Shan replied.
Laura was stunned and couldn’t help but question: “Secret? What secret?”
Gu Qing Shan suddenly realized something and asked her in return: “Didn’t you hear the words of the translucent light earlier?”
“What translucent light? How come I didn’t see anything at all?” Laura asked.
Gu Qing Shan instantly understood.
No wonder the War God UI told me to listen carefully, so this secret can only be heard by the one who unlocks it.
But why the twin swords Heaven and Earth?
I perfectly understand the power of these two swords.
If there really was an unknown demonic creature that not even the frozen corpse can win again, how would the twin swords Heaven and Earth be able to defeat it?
While the frozen corpse was in slumber, it was capable of using its blood to create the Myriad Gods to fight against all the Apocalypses that entered the Reality Gate.
Just imagine how powerful it would be after awakening!
But if there was a demonic creature that not even the frozen corpse could defeat, how would the twin swords Heaven and Earth actually defeat such a thing?
As he thought to this point, Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but call out: “Earth sword”
「 I’m here 」the Earth sword answered.
“Do you and the Heaven sword have some sort of hidden ultimate techniques?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
「 We don’t. Even if you collect all the accompanying components, the Heaven sword and I would only be able to open the path to many parallel worlds, which you’ve already seen back in the Tomb of Myriad Beasts 」the Earth sword said.
“No other abilities at all?” Gu Qing Shan asked.
「 I know how to tell one-shot gags, while Heaven sword can sleep, can these be considered abilities? 」the Earth sword asked him in return.
“…”
Gu Qing Shan felt nothing but thick fog in front of his eyes, unable to discern the truth.
But he still remembers perfectly the matter regarding the bottom of the Eternal Abyss.
When the Wraith realm used the Samsara Divine Skill [Lead the people] to summon that divine corpse in search of the Inner Plane, Shroud had briefly mentioned this.
What did he say at the time?
…
“…As the Inner Plane was destroyed, that space was occupied with numerous creatures that couldn’t be defeated with strength alone——- they were true demonic creatures that I couldn’t try to probe even at the peak of my strength…”
“The Abyss has found a secret passage that leads into the Inner Plane, which is being hidden at the bottom of the Abyss… There is only a single demonic creature guarding that place. Although it is unimaginably powerful, after countless years, the Abyss had finally found the method to get rid of it”
“However, the method that the Abyss came up with was stolen by the Soul Shrieker not too long after it was conceived… Gu Qing Shan, the method is currently in your possession”
…
In that case, it really should be the twin swords Heaven and Earth!
Gu Qing Shan sighed deeply and decided not to think any further about this.
There are a lot of strange questionable points about this, but there’s so little information right now that I can’t even begin to discern the truth.
The only thing that’s confirmed is that the frozen corpse’s secret has been unlocked.
A unique, one-of-a-kind Reality Gate!
Behind his Reality Gate lies a future without any Apocalypses.
And the frozen corpse had marked this Reality Gate by placing it at the very bottom of the Eternal Abyss.
We now have a way out.
Let’s hurry and take a look at it!
While Gu Qing Shan was thinking, a skeleton appeared from the void of space.
The skeleton spoke in a hoarse female voice:
「 Gu Qing Shan, time is almost up, the Dusty World will soon leave this Space Vortex behind, have you completed what you needed to do? 」
“Yes, I’ve finished forging the key” Gu Qing Shan said.
The lady reminded him again: 「 Do not arbitrarily attempt to open other Reality Gates. Many other Boundless Voids had already been destroyed, in which unknown terror and danger hides 」
“I understand” Gu Qing Shan replied.
「 Hurry up and go, let’s hope there will be a day where we meet again 」the hoarse female voice told him.
Gu Qing Shan solemnly clasped his fist and said: “Thank you for taking care of me up until now”
The hoarse female voice lightly chuckled, then said: 「 I’ve already bestowed the Sacrificial Dance to you, you had better continue to practice and let it evolve further and further, as if shall be your greatest aid 」
“Yes” Gu Qing Shan answered.
「 What about Laura? [Returned Bramble Blood], do you not wish to remain? 」the hoarse female voice asked.
Laura appeared and bowed towards the skeleton, speaking to her in a respectful tone: “Thank you, your grace, but I need to return with Gu Qing Shan”
The skeleton wanted to say something else, but suddenly stopped and instead told them: 「 Very well, the two of you should leave, I’m going to leave as well 」
She reached her hand into the void of space and tapped.
Oong——–
An invisible fluctuation swept across the world.
「 The barrier has temporarily disappeared, now go! 」the hoarse female voice urged them.
“Yes, I hope that we will be able to come here again in the future. At that time, I will solemnly give you my thanks”
Gu Qing Shan clasped his fist towards her, then manifested white fog around his body.
[Fog Realm Descent]!
He stepped backwards into the fog and disappeared from the Dusty World.
The only thing left in the ruined world was a skeleton.
Its figure seemed lonely and desolate.
It lowered its head, seemingly pondering something.
Not too long after that.
Numerous fluctuations appeared behind the skeleton.
Dozens of presences emerged like invisible wind that circled around the skeleton.
Voices called out one after another:
“There has been a big issue with the Grand Evil world, and the one who initiated the war seems to be here”
「 That’s right, but I never thought that this esteemed lady would violate the ironclad rule to sneak that person away 」
『 As well as the [Returned Bramble Blood] who should have originally returned to the Dusty World as well.. 』
“Esteemed lady, would you care to explain, for what reason—–”
The skeleton slowly looked up.
「 I’m in quite a bad mood today, if anyone says another word, I’ll kill that person 」it casually declared.
In an instant, all the voices vanished.
The dozen presences seemed to have vanished like they never existed in the first place, leaving this world almost right away.
Silence.
The only thing left in the ruined world was complete silence.
The skeleton was also silent.
After a long while, it finally sighed and muttered: 「 Pitiful one, your fate… what exactly will it be? 」
「 Unfortunately… I probably won’t be able to see it 」
