Dim, damp, with a sense of oppression in the air.
Zhao Huaicheng, with a scruffy face, stared expressionlessly at the mottled stone walls around him, his complexion pale, his eyes devoid of life.
This was the Kaiyuan Divine Dynasty’s Ministry of Justice prison, where seemingly ordinary stone walls were inscribed with arrays, specifically designed to imprison cultivators, with Divine Path suppression.
Since the Divine Dynasty established order with a rit system, fewer people entered here, and it was often vacant for years, but now it was full again.
However, Zhao Huaicheng didn’t care at all.
He was once a person of extraordinary talent, even entered the Celestial Pride Team. Though never making it onto the rankings, he had a unique skill in alchemy, destined to enter the Profound Pavilion in the future.
But everything was destroyed...
Zhao Huaicheng could still recall his encounter on the Desolate Ancient Battlefield, when a senior Immortal he respected had no power to resist in the face of the enemy, centuries of cultivation turned to dust in an instant.
Not to ntion the later encounters: Blood God’s descent, Immortal King’s resurrection, terrifying heartbeats, the shockingly malicious demon corpses... all indicating that even stepping into the Immortal Realm made one nothing but an ant in the starry sky.
The long-held beliefs collapsed, and Zhao Huaicheng suddenly felt everything was tasteless. With his talent, he might barely step into the Immortal Level, but what for? Ultimately, it’s hard to find carefree ease.
Perhaps, everything is illusory.
In this situation, he finally beca demon-entering, chaotically refining pills and ended up creating a kind of powder that, when consud, not only failed to enhance cultivation but also produced a kind of pill toxin.
This pill toxin was interesting, causing little physical harm, yet it could make the Divine Soul feel otherworldly, temporarily forgetting all troubles.
Zhao Huaicheng nad it Illusory Dream Wander Powder and indulged in it every day, seeking fleeting joy.
Soon, he discovered that many cultivators similarly experiencing spiritual collapse, and the Illusory Dream Wander Powder gradually spread.
A few days ago, the Divine Dynasty suddenly made a great move, arresting all cultivators both refining and consuming Illusory Dream Wander Powder, declaring it a prohibited drug, forbidding anyone from refining it.
What kind of punishnt awaits?
Zhao Huaicheng no longer cared; with the path ahead full of darkness, perhaps death is a kind of peace...
La la la!
The heavy stone door suddenly opened, and a Yellow Pavilion guard entered against the light, expressionless as he said in a deep voice: "Zhao Huaicheng, you can go."
Zhao Huaicheng was taken aback, "Not going to kill ?"
The guard remained expressionless: "Sect Leader’s order, the Divine Dynasty had no relevant laws in the past, so exceptions are made, and past misdeeds are forgiven, but if you refine prohibited drugs again in the future, the penalty can be hard labor for a hundred years, or even death!"
"Oh, I see..."
Zhao Huaicheng indifferently nodded, slowly got up, and stumbled outside, paying no heed to it at all—it was nothing but death, for he had nothing left to seek in this world.
As he reached the doorway, the guard coldly glanced at him and said: "I know what you intend to do. The Sect Leader will expound on the Great Path in the Divine Path Dream Realm, and no one may miss it. Exiting next ti may not be so easy."
"Oh, got it."
Zhao Huaicheng’s eyes were still lifeless, like a dead man.
...
At the foot of Spirit Mountain, the city remained bustling, people ca and went, and various trades thrive, yet Zhao Huaicheng didn’t care at all; disheveled and reeking, he made his way ho, passersby evading him.
Returning ho, he found the chaos left by the Yellow Pavilion soldiers’ raid days ago still present, but Zhao Huaicheng didn’t bother, simply sitting dumbly on a chair, watching the starships shuttle in the sky, motionless.
Ding!
The Divine Court Bell placed on the altar suddenly rang, and Zhao Huaicheng knew what it was, but even the once most revered Sect Leader couldn’t stir the slightest ripple within him.
The terror when the Heart Demon descends is hard for ordinary people to comprehend—an absolute despair devouring you into nothingness, standing at the boundary between darkness and light, gradually being drawn to death.
At that mont, the Divine Court Bell statue suddenly flared with light, and before Zhao Huaicheng could react, his head tilted, entering the Divine Path Dream Realm.
People, a dense crowd of people.
Zhao Huaicheng looked around blankly, this was a vast plain, it seed that everyone from the Divine Dynasty had gathered here, and in the distance, the sky was blue and cloudless, with Kunlun Mountain radiating bright golden light.
The crowd murmured, so excited, so curious.
Since the establishnt of the Divine Dynasty, Sect Leader Zhang rarely made public appearances, and now the stories in teahouses mostly ntioned the feats of various Celestial Prides, while the tales of Zhang Kui’s demon-slaying deeds had beco ancient legends in a short ti.
What is the reason for this sudden appearance?
Is it related to the current undercurrents surging within the Divine Dynasty?
Many people were secretly hopeful...
However, Zhang Kui did not appear, instead, the sky above gradually dimd, and then with a hum, light and shadows flickered.
"Heaven and Earth are without path!"
"Oh, Cang, is there a way for our human race!"
The sudden voice startled the crowd; it turned out to be several ragged human elders weeping. Around them, corpses piled like mountains, a sea of blood, evil spirits and ghosts danced wildly, and in the distance, the sky was dim, countless locusts sward endlessly...
"It’s the chaos of the Divine Continent!"
Many recognized it imdiately; the newly born children looked on curiously, having only heard of it from their fathers, while so older mbers of the Divine Dynasty suddenly had teary eyes.
Like the most vivid illusion dream, people seed to return to that era, filled with despair and darkness, followed by the establishnt of the Divine Dynasty, still fraught with crisis, Sea Race attacks, underworld upheavals, reincarnation crises, Red Pigeon Divine Son’s assault...
Gradually, many people fell silent.
They only knew about the outside events from the Divine Dynasty’s briefings; now witnessing it firsthand, they realized how difficult it was for the Divine Dynasty to reach its present state, almost trudging through blood and fire.
Zhao Huaicheng’s once lifeless eyes showed a hint of change.
He suddenly rembered why he pursued cultivation. During the chaos on the Divine Continent, his family was reduced to bones by the swarm of Locust Demons while fighting for a mouthful of food. From then on, he vowed to eradicate all demons and evil spirits...
However, the darkness was overwhelmingly powerful. Wave after wave of enemies far exceeded his imagination, and there seed to be no hope ahead at all!
It was unknown how long it had passed, the light and shadows froze as they left the Longevity Star Realm, entering the Endless Void.
Then, Zhang Kui’s figure appeared beneath Kunlun Mountain. He didn’t utilize Dharma Aspect Heaven and Earth, yet his presence was vividly etched in everyone’s mind.
He waved his sleeves like a carefree drifter by the roadside, casually picking a stone to sit on, unscrewing a wine pot and drinking a few gulps.
People of the Divine Dynasty looked at each other; they had heard of the Sect Leader’s straightforward and unpretentious nature, but due to his esteed status, he seldom showed himself, let alone in this manner.
Zhang Kui calmly watched over the beings of the Divine Dynasty and suddenly sighed:
"Everyone, Old Zhang is tired..."
At these words, everyone was imdiately shocked.
However, before they could speak, Zhang Kui laughed freely, "In this world, the idea that cultivating immortality grants carefree leisure is utter nonsense!"
"While human strength has its limits, the Great Path is boundless. And this universe is dark, preserving oneself is already challenging, with wave after wave of powerful enemies suffocating us, where is the ti for leisure?"
Among the crowd, the expressions of the people from the Divine Dynasty varied.
So common folk were fearful; for them, Zhang Kui was a pillar of support. If this pillar fell, where would they go?
Ye Fei first appeared stunned, then fiery fury erupted in his eyes, followed by deep despondence. He had set Zhang Kui as his goal, even practicing through visualization. Now Zhang Kui’s words made him feel as if his faith was collapsing.
However, Zhao Huaicheng and so cultivators troubled by Heart Demons felt unexpectedly relieved after their initial shock. It turns out, even the seemingly omnipotent Sect Leader could beco tired...
For a mont, the entire plain fell silent.
Zhang Kui shook his head slightly and smiled:
"But in this world, who isn’t tired?"
"I ca to this world only wishing to be an ordinary man in the mortal world, gathering with a few friends, drinking to lant ancient and modern tis, watching the mountains and seas dreamily, living casually, and being buried in yellow soil after death, having walked this world."
"However, there are always so who want to be above others, to be the gods controlling all, viewing us as ants they can trample at will!"
"Where did I co from, and where am I going?"
"This thing is the Great Path. Seeking or not seeking it is all nonsense. Old Zhang here just wants to vent his anger and stand with dignity!"
As he spoke, Zhang Kui rose and looked at the crowd:
"I’ve once said, the human race does not kneel! But if we don’t think of standing up, how is this different from kneeling for survival?"
Among the crowd, so wore awkward expressions.
"You see as a savior, but there are no saviors in this world. How you walk the road is still up to you! If Old Zhang dies, will you also commit suicide? What a joke!"
In the crowd, Ye Fei pursed his lips, sothing thoughtful in his eyes.
"Yes, powerful enemies are indeed terrifying, but if the heavens and earth are destined to fall, darkness destined to descend, and death inevitable, why not face it standing up!"
"Indeed, human strength has its limits; even at the Immortal Level, eventual death is inevitable, for Old Zhang as well, but if the cosmos is dark, the Celestial Essence Star Realm will beco the only starlight. Even in death, it will shake this world!"
The crowd remained silent for a while, then gradually surged with fervor.
"We refuse to kneel again!"
"If we die, so be it, we fear nothing!"
Watching the mountains and seas-like chorus, Zhang Kui smiled, his figure gradually faded, and upon opening his eyes, he was back at the peak of Kunlun Mountain.
Within the Immortal King Tower, Luo Changsheng’s cold voice rang out once more: "You are rather clear-headed, finding the crux of the problem so quickly. They were initially only thinking of escaping, but now with a new goal, they’re bound for transformation."
"Unfortunately, it’s sothing we’ve all experienced. You give them false hope; when that hope collapses, the backlash will be even worse."
Zhang Kui laughed heartily, his eyes shining brilliantly: "Thinking too much is useless. My goal is to turn that hope into reality before it collapses!"
"Hmph, do you have the confidence?"
"How will I know without trying?"
...
Just as Luo Changsheng said, the crux of the Divine Dynasty’s current situation was the lack of a goal. After Zhang Kui’s rousing rally, it seed to open up a new era.
Though after the fervor, so remained lost, the overall atmosphere of the Divine Dynasty had changed, like a flow of molten fire flowing beneath, just waiting for the day of transformation.
Of course, blind fervor is rely a joke. Zhang Kui also convened the high-level mbers of the Divine Dynasty to discuss and determine future plans.
Currently, the primary focus is to enhance the overall strength of the Kaiyuan Divine Dynasty. They plan to proceed from three aspects:
First is to search for ways to suppress starry sky evils, relying on the Immortal King Tower to trigger a Spirit Qi Frenzy and accelerate the cultivation progress.
Second is to continue upgrading the Celestial Essence Star Realm.
Zhang Kui already has a plan: the next step is to find a wandering star, relying on Sun Divine Wood to construct a Grand Array, and integrating the Cosmic mbrane shed by the Blood God into the core, creating an unprecedented Starry Sky Dominator-level Star Realm.
Third is to explore the starry sky, seeking allies.
With the plan set, the Celestial Essence Star Realm embarked again, its radiant starlight glimring, trailing long tail flas as it entered the Endless Void.
Unbeknownst to them, deep within the void ahead, a blaze of fiery light illuminated the darkness, as if dozens of suns were marching together, lting all stars along the path, vaguely revealing blood-colored palaces.
The Red Pigeon Legion had finally arrived...
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