The icy touch, like a viper's tongue, licked at the depths of his soul. Chen Changqing's body stiffened, the scene revealed by his Karma Eye far more terrifying than the whispers of the Demon God of Annihilation. The Altar, the Spiritual Realm, the curse – all three had already transformed into twisted, fleshy vines, entangled and coexisting, with every action affecting the whole. To destroy the Altar was to personally detonate the thunderbolt within him, ready to explode at any moment! The anticipated backlash, flashing through his mind, was enough to shatter any cultivator's Dao heart.
"Give up…" The Demon God of Annihilation's voice was laced with mockery and an all-knowing understanding. "We share the same origin, why struggle in vain? Accept my power, and you shall reign supreme…" Give up? Chen Changqing's eyes flickered. In that instant, the ingrained instinct of "steadiness" surged like a tide. Retreat, reinforce the seal, and make plans slowly – this was undoubtedly his most adept and safest choice. "As long as the green mountains remain, there's always wood to burn" – this was his guiding principle.
But… he glanced at the expanding cracks, sensing the evil aura emanating from them, enough to pollute the entire Spiritual Realm. Images of his anxious junior sister, the safety of the Yinxuan Sect, the future of the beings in the mist city… even Pavilion Master Xu Yang's weighty words, "End of Dharma variable," flashed through his mind. If he retreated today, allowing this demon god to find a chance to escape, then what meaning would his so-called "steadiness," his so-called "green mountains," hold?
No! True steadiness wasn't simply avoiding risks, but rather, after understanding all the dangers, still daring to choose the path that could solve the problem from its roots, even if it was covered in thorns and required a huge price! Today, this Altar must be destroyed! This demon god must be suppressed! Even if… the price was his own life! An unprecedented determination replaced the hesitation and fear in his eyes. Chen Changqing ignored the entangled threads of karma, his Dao heart becoming as clear as a mirror, unwavering.
"Enough!" He shouted, interrupting the demon god's incessant temptations. The next moment, the true essence of the Great Purity Water Essence Scripture within him was no longer a trickle, but a bursting river, erupting with a roar! The Sea Stabilizing Pearl in his brow's Purple Mansion sensed its master's resolute will and instantly bloomed with unprecedented brilliant blue light, unleashing the vast and boundless power of water essence without reservation!
The target wasn't the crack, nor was it the elusive will of the demon god, but the very core of the Altar – the dark cocoon bound by countless chains! "Capture the ringleader first, destroy the roots first!" Chen Changqing formed seals with his hands, channeling all his strength, converging it into a single point. A condensed beam of deep blue light, seemingly capable of freezing time and purifying all things, carrying the supreme majesty to suppress all evil, tore through the stillness within the Altar and slammed fiercely into the dark cocoon!
BOOM!!!
A deafening explosion erupted within the Altar! The energy shockwave from the collision of the blue beam and the dark cocoon caused the entire Earth Vein Spiritual Realm to shake violently!
Crack! Crack, crack!
The countless black chains wrapped around the light cocoon shattered under the impact of the violent energy, like decaying wood, and cracks rapidly spread!
"Roar—!!!" A roar filled with endless rage and pain echoed from the depths of the light cocoon, no longer seductive, but purely, primally violent! At the same time, Chen Changqing spat out a large mouthful of blood, his face instantly ashen! It's here! The backlash of the End of Dharma Curse! As the core of the Altar was severely damaged, the invisible Karma line connecting him and the Altar snapped! In an instant, an indescribable, terrifying power, cold and silent to the extreme, like a primordial beast breaking free from its shackles, erupted within him!
It wasn't a simple energy impact, but an erosion and destruction originating from the level of the laws! His meridians were pierced by billions of icy needles, breaking inch by inch! His internal organs were like being thrown into ten-thousand-year-old ice, quickly losing their vitality! His soul felt as if it were being tightly grasped by an invisible hand, about to be dragged into an endless abyss of silence! Dense grey-black curse lines appeared on the surface of his skin, wriggling like living creatures, emitting a nauseating aura of death. In just an instant, Chen Changqing felt his life force rapidly draining away, his consciousness blurring, and his body swaying. Is this the true power of the End of Dharma Curse? Just the backlash is so terrifying...
"Hahaha! Stupid human! You are courting death!" The Demon God of Annihilation's mad laughter exploded in his mind, carrying the joy of surviving a disaster and a hint of cruelty, "Soon, you will become My most perfect vessel! Your body, your power, your curse... all will belong to Me!" Although the Altar is destroyed, the seal is broken! The will of the Demon God of Annihilation is surging towards Chen Changqing along the broken Karma line, attempting to seize his body, which has been "baptized" by the power of the curse!
A desperate situation! A true desperate situation! Chen Changqing felt his consciousness was like a flickering candle in the wind, likely to be extinguished at any moment. He could even feel the Demon God's icy will beginning to erode his sea of consciousness. Could it be... it's really going to end? He was unwilling! There was still his junior sister to protect, the Yinxuan Sect to revitalize, and the truth of the End of Dharma Curse to uncover! "I... cannot die!" A powerful willpower, originating from his instinct for survival, supported his last sliver of clarity. He looked at the light cocoon, about to shatter completely, at the dark demonic energy pouring out of it, about to devour him, and at the curse power still raging...
A crazy, and also incredibly bold idea flashed through his mind. Since he couldn't resist, then... suppress it! Use his body to suppress the demon! "Sea Stabilizing Pearl... help me!" Chen Changqing roared with his last ounce of strength. He abandoned all defenses, allowing the icy curse power and the violent will of the Demon God to impact his body, instead driving the power of the Sea Stabilizing Pearl to its limit, not outwards, but inwards! He would use his own body as a furnace, the Sea Stabilizing Pearl as the core, and the Great Purity Water Essence Scripture as a guide, forcibly suppressing this out-of-control curse power and the Demon God's will within himself! This was a suicidal act! The slightest mistake would result in the destruction of his soul, without even a chance for reincarnation!
Buzz—! The Sea Stabilizing Pearl felt its master's determination to perish together, erupting with unprecedented sorrow, the azure light no longer gentle, but becoming incredibly condensed and heavy, transforming into an unbreakable blue barrier, attempting to construct a temporary "seal" within him! However, the power of both the End of Dharma Curse and the Demon God of Annihilation was too terrifying. The blue barrier was already tottering as soon as it formed, covered in cracks. Chen Changqing's body was turning into a balloon, about to reach its limit and completely explode!
Just as everything hung in the balance, a sudden change occurred! A gentle, sacred, and radiant golden light, filled with boundless compassion and hope, burst forth from deep within Chen Changqing's body without warning! This golden light wasn't dazzling, but it carried a strange power that could penetrate all shadows and purify all impurities. The golden light rapidly coalesced, slowly forming a golden wheel the size of a millstone behind him! Countless tiny golden runes flowed across the wheel, and faint images of mountains, rivers, and all living beings could be seen, emanating a heavy, vast, and supremely righteous aura! The Merit Golden Wheel!
This was... the power of merit?! A realization flashed through Chen Changqing's blurry consciousness. Right! Since his rebirth, although he had acted cautiously, he hadn't been completely isolated from the world. Purifying the evil spirits in the riverbed, exposing the Bloodfiend Sect's conspiracy, rescuing the innocent, and even repairing this Earth Vein Spiritual Realm... these actions had unknowingly accumulated merit! He had never consciously pursued it, nor had he ever imagined that this merit would manifest itself in this way at this very moment! The power of merit was infinitely useful, most effective against demons and evil forces, and could even protect oneself and eliminate disasters!
Buzz!
The Merit Golden Wheel vibrated gently, and a soft yet powerful golden light instantly showered Chen Changqing's entire body. Like a long-awaited rain after a drought, his body, on the verge of collapse, was infused with a warm and powerful life force. The cold curse power, under the illumination of the golden light, emitted a "sizzling" sound, and its destructive power was rapidly neutralized and weakened! The Demon God of Annihilation's will, which was frantically attacking his sea of consciousness, encountered its natural enemy, emitting terrified screams and being forced to retreat! The blue barrier formed by the Sea Stabilizing Pearl, under the blessing of the Merit Golden Wheel, instantly became incredibly stable, and even began to actively absorb and refine the weakened curse and demonic energy!
"No! What is this power?! Impossible!!" The Demon God of Annihilation roared in disbelief, his voice filled with fear. He could feel his power being rapidly purified and dissolved! As one declined, the other rose! With the blessing of the Merit Golden Wheel, Chen Changqing felt the pressure suddenly decrease, and his vitality, which was about to be extinguished, was revitalized. He seized this once-in-a-millennium opportunity, his eyes regaining clarity, and once again, he fully operated the Great Purity Water Essence Scripture, cooperating with the Sea Stabilizing Pearl and the Merit Golden Wheel, launching a full-scale counterattack against the curse power and the Demon God of Annihilation's will within his body!
"Suppress!" Chen Changqing shouted, and the three forces merged into one! Pure water elemental power was responsible for suppressing and purifying, vast merit power was responsible for weakening and dispersing, and the Great Purity Water Essence Scripture acted like a precise converter, slowly absorbing the refined pure energy to replenish his own consumption and repair his damaged body and meridians.
"Aaaah——!!!" The Demon God of Annihilation's screams became more and more shrill, more and more faint. The will that had invaded Chen Changqing's sea of consciousness was completely burned and purified by the golden light of merit, leaving not even a trace. And the dark origin that had escaped after the collapse of the Altar was also gradually dissipating under the dual suppression and refining of the Merit Golden Wheel and the Sea Stabilizing Pearl.
Boom——!
The black Altar, which had stood for countless years, finally let out its last mournful cry and completely collapsed. It disintegrated into dust and vanished into the air. With the Altar's destruction, the deathly silence and despair that had enveloped the Earth Vein Spiritual Realm dissipated rapidly, like a haze driven away by sunlight.
Chen Changqing exhaled a long breath of turbid air, which was tinged with black, and slowly opened his eyes. He could feel that the mark of the End of Dharma Curse, which was like a maggot clinging to his bones, still existed within him. However, the cold, deathly, and ever-present threat of it had greatly diminished, as if it was enveloped and suppressed by a warm golden light.
The curse… has been temporarily lifted? Or, has it been suppressed by the power of merit?
He looked down at his hands. The curse markings on his skin had disappeared. The flow of his true essence within him was smooth, even more pure and refined than before. This time, although it was extremely dangerous, the rewards were also immense! He had not only completely destroyed the Altar and eliminated the Demon God of Annihilation's will but also unexpectedly activated the Merit Golden Wheel, temporarily suppressing the backlash of the End of Dharma Curse. His cultivation had also been tempered and given an opportunity for a breakthrough at the edge of life and death.
He stood up and looked around. After the Altar disappeared, the origin of the suppressed Earth Vein Spiritual Realm began to revive. In the air, pure spiritual energy surged forth like a tide, nourishing the parched earth. Amidst the ruins, tender green sprouts broke through the soil, bringing forth vibrant life. The overcast sky above also gradually cleared and brightened. This ancient cave heaven, which had decayed for endless years, was finally welcoming… a new birth.
Chen Changqing felt the revival of the Spiritual Realm, and an indescribable sense of ease and joy arose in his heart. However, just as he was about to completely relax and carefully study the changes in the Merit Golden Wheel and the curse within him—
Buzz!
His Karma Eye, stimulated by the combined effects of the Merit Golden Wheel and the Spiritual Realm's revival, underwent another change! This time, what he saw was no longer blurry fragments, but… a clearer, and also more disturbing, picture of the future! The picture was not of the Spiritual Realm, but of the vast and boundless East Sea. Dark clouds filled the sky, lightning flashed and thunder rumbled. A giant vortex of lightning, a hundred times more terrifying than a Golden Core tribulation, was slowly taking shape. At the center of the vortex, a figure was faintly discernible… it was himself!
In the darkest depths of the lightning vortex, an ancient and terrifying will quietly awakened, coldly observing everything. The End of Dharma Curse… had not only failed to dissipate but was instead like a slumbering beast, accumulating for a more violent outburst next time! What was even more troublesome was that it had attracted… the covetous gaze of an unfathomable and terrifying being!
The ease on Chen Changqing's face vanished, replaced by an unprecedented seriousness.
It seemed that his path of "steadiness" had far from reached its end.
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