In the Desolate Sepulcher, High Mother Lisha and Lord Wanghuo were both looking at the darker sky. Although it was night, they could feel a faint presence in somber clouds. Many demons didn't quite realize what was happening. They could only feel a disturbing sensation. However, the more powerful cultivators were able to sense the presence of Demon God Da Mo above their heads.
In particular, High Mother Lisha was able to recognize the enemy's aura. The Sisters of the Abyss were following the Weaver of Souls. As such, Demon God Da Mo was their hereditary enemy. Until now, the Empyrean Asura Theocracy had left them in peace because they were too busy subduing their own continent. But they were not naive enough to think that it would last forever. Ironically, Cao Yun's rampage through the Desolate Sepulcher and their own Monastery of Bliss and Repose might have been a blessing in disguise. After everything the young man had shown her, High Mother Lisha was convinced that he could overturn this situation. In fact, she was already preparing the Desolate Sepulcher for a long and tiresome war.
Lord Wanghuo was also thinking hard about the potential of a war. However, he wasn't as optimistic as High Mother Lisha. For a moment, he thought about surrendering and submitting. Sensing this weakness in himself, Lord Wanghuo grew enraged. Was this what he had been reduced to?!
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In the Imperial City, people could see a giant dome of pure darkness completely devouring the Everlasting Earth Palace. Many guards were trying to calm people. Suddenly, the Sun turned into blood while the sky itself became darker and darker. Because it had already been quite some time since the dome of darkness had been erected, people weren't afraid of it anymore. However, this sudden and dramatic change renewed their fears, for obvious reasons. The entire sky was some macabre painting. Blood was oozing from every shining star in the sky.
From the Sun, drops of blood fell toward the Piaolu planet. Most of them dissolved before they reached the ground, but they spread a horrid stench and a terrifying killing intent in the atmosphere. That evil blood was affecting the entire planet, but the epicenter of the phenomenon was clearly the Hongchen Kingdom, and the Imperial City in particular.
At last, a huge drop of blood fell from the Sun and made its way toward the ground. People were absolutely terrified. Ironically, they got closer and closer to the dome of pure darkness. Indeed, the guards and most people knew that this dome was a defensive array formation. Although they didn't know why it had been activated, they were hoping to gain some modicum of safety closer to it. Some people began to whisper that Emperor Weide had known about the attack and had hidden himself under this array formation, abandoning them. Those loyal to Emperor Weide claimed that he had simply been trying to isolate himself for his Greater Tribulation. They were convinced that he would come out as a Sage. With a single sweep of his sleeves, he would stop this tragedy.
Among the crowd, many people were either agents of the Huang family or indirectly affiliated with the Huang family. Even if they didn't know everything that was going on behind the curtains, they knew that Huang Cixi didn't like Emperor Weide. As such, some of them were trying to use this situation to attack Emperor Weide's reputation, whilst remaining loyal enough to the Emperor. Hopefully, they could curry favor from the Huang family through Huang Cixi.
Between the moment the people saw the drop of blood fall on them and when it actually hit, several minutes had passed. There was a deep silence. Finally, the drop hit the array formations surrounding the Hongchen Kingdom itself. It hit right above the Imperial City. Yet, it never reached the ground. Above everyone else, a giant golden character appeared, 'Purity'. Everyone in the entire Hongchen Kingdom felt the presence of Emperor Nuwa. It was extremely faint and dim, but it was there.
Almost every single human was looking up in the sky. They could tell that the future of their kind was at stake in this very moment. In fact, the only ones who weren't looking up were Silver Wolf General Long Cheng and his forces. Not a single one of them got distracted from their duty. If the array formations weakened, the demons would attack. They were the last line of defense for humanity against the barbarism of the Empyrean Asura Theocracy. Even if the array formations didn't hold, they would hold. Even if the Piaolu planet around them were to crack and crumble, they would hold the line. Even in death, they would keep holding the line. Short of total obliteration, nothing could stop them.
With his senses, Silver Wolf General Long Cheng could see Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan. Both of them were determined, but Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan saw desperation in his opponent's eyes. Against such an enemy, victory was almost impossible. Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan was certain that he wouldn't lose, but he couldn't be sure whether he might win or not. As time passed, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan became wary that he wouldn't win. In Silver Wolf General Long Cheng, he recognized his own fears. Neither of those men was ready to abandon their people. Unfortunately, Silver Wolf Marshal Shanyin Guan had made a pact with Empyrean Asura in order to save his people. As such, he had to fight for him. But once mankind fell, why would Empyrean Asura tolerate any region's disobedience...?
More and more drops of blood fell from the Sun. Each collision with the Hongchen Kingdom's defenses caused shock waves and literal earthquakes. The very ground under the Imperial City was shaking. More and more golden characters appeared out of thin air to block the drops of blood. Each time, the drop of blood exploded into a sanguine mist. All around the Imperial City, an ominous mist of evil blood was accumulating and spreading. Plants and animals were dying outside the defenses of the city. Demonic beasts were going crazy and running away as far as possible. It was utter chaos. Seeing all of that, people were almost clinging to the dome of darkness, hoping to get inside or to somehow get some protection. They were terrified. Most of them were holding onto anyone nearby, even if they were total strangers. There was no difference between civilians and soldiers. All were seeing the end and were naked in front of death.
Within the dome of darkness, Cao Yun was screaming at the top of his lungs. His bloody hands were grabbing more and more chains. As he ripped them away from his flesh, he left gaping wounds. His own Golden Blood fell to the ground. Each drop was so heavy that it sank into the ground before spattering into small pools of blood. From his very wounds, chains made of silver and gold erupted, covered in his own blood. Those new chains were grabbing the ones that were previously holding him captive.
Despite all his rage and sorrow, Cao Yun's mind was being opened to something new. He was able to see chains all over the world. All existence was chained down by some higher authority. As he broke the chains, one by one, the young man felt his own soul getting set free. He could feel his senses growing stronger and somehow truer. His very perception of reality was sharper. Although his emotions didn't fade, Cao Yun was able to see through them with much more calm.
Immediately, he felt the Solar-Orchid Flame that had merged with the Rune of Fire. Both of them were getting excited. Many thoughts flooded Cao Yun's mind. All of his experience with fire came back to him in an instant. His Solar-Orchid Flame began to change and turned into an actual Dao Seed within himself. As the change was happening, the Rune of Fire was literally fueling it, all the insights of Cao Yun were remodeling the Solar-Orchid Flame into a completely new Dao Seed.
Deep within his soul, he also felt the contents of 'Death Verses' and 'Daydreams on the Heidai Peak' acting up. Although it wasn't conscious at first, he could hear his own voice chanting them over and over again. Some of the words Cao Yun had never understood became clearer. Although his understanding of the Dao of Death or the Dao of Space didn't improve in the slightest, the young man felt as though a dam had broken. Now, he could finally study the Dao.
While a Sage used his Soul Embryo to comprehend the Dao, an Exalted Demon used his own flesh. And right now, Cao Yun was clearly using his flesh. His body was bloodied all over the place with pieces of flesh torn asunder by the chains he had ripped apart. Some of his bones were visible. Despite his great vitality, Cao Yun's body wasn't regenerating or repairing itself. Every single wound was inflicted on him as though he were a mere mortal. However, Cao Yun was unable to feel any pain. His emotions were so out of control that he simply couldn't feel anything at all. All of his physical pain was nothing compared to his emotional state.
Everyone who was watching this scene was stunned. Cao Yun's body looked like he was about to die. Some of his wounds were gushing blood. The only reason why he had not bled to death already was that he cultivated an extremely rich and dense Golden Blood. This Golden Blood was so sticky and dense that it took a lot of time for it to flow down his broken body.
Despite all those wounds, Cao Yun was still somehow screaming and ripping apart his own flesh.
At some point, Cao Yun grabbed a chain that was going straight through his heart. All six of his hands grabbed it, and he began to try to rip it apart. Feng Yingyue also flew to stop him, but Mei Hua grabbed her more strongly, and Xiao Xuefeng spread her spiritual senses around her.
With a last powerful scream, Cao Yun completely annihilated this chain. By breaking the links of the chain in front of him, the entire chain exploded. Pieces of the links inside his heart pierced his flesh. Cao Yun threw up blood. Now, his entire body was covered in his own Golden Blood, with no piece of skin left exposed.
Even Emperor Weide was mesmerized by the scene. Right in front of him, this young man was breaking the curse of the Forsaken Dao Era. Technically, he was already an Exalted Demon. But he still had to survive.
Suddenly, Emperor Weide felt cracks in the array formation around him. Sun Liao also sensed it, but he didn't warn anyone. There was nothing to do about it, so he had no reason to worry them more than they already were. As such, Sun Liao prepared himself. He was ready to take out his bow if need be. Any moment he could give his brother was good. No matter what, Cao Yun would survive. He had lost his sister, and Sun Liao wouldn't let that sacrifice be for nothing.
While Sun Liao thought that, Emperor Weide had similar thoughts, as a matter of fact. He sent orders to Jian Zhenli.
"No matter what happens, Cao Yun is not to be harmed in any way, shape, or form. Even if he tries to kill me, even if he kills me, no one is to harm him. This Cao Yun might be our best weapon against the demons. He has to survive in order for the Hongchen Kingdom to thrive."
Jian Zhenli heard his Emperor's orders. Taken out of his stupor, Jian Zhenli realized that Emperor Weide was right. Every atrocity he had committed had not been for nothing. So long as Cao Yun lived, it would all make sense. It would all be worth it. With Cao Yun's survival, it was the survival of Jian Zhenli and Emperor Weide's ideals. They had sacrificed so much to protect the Hongchen Kingdom. They wouldn't bat an eye at sacrificing their own lives if it were necessary. Now, they only cared about defending the Hongchen Kingdom. However, they had completely forgotten the actual people.
All of a sudden, everyone felt a powerful sorrow. The presence of Emperor Nuwa that everyone could feel throughout the Hongchen Kingdom simply ceased to be. Under the dome of darkness, everyone could clearly feel Emperor Nuwa's presence fading and vanishing out of existence. Sun Liao could tell that she had put everything she had into keeping the array formations active. In a sense, it reminded him of his own master, whose Soul Embryo was still trapped within the Palace of Supreme Wisdom.
With her last strength, Emperor Nuwa's soul fragment tried to hold the line. She wanted to make sure that Cao Yun had broken through successfully before cracking. But she couldn't hold any longer. She had to, though. She had to! After everything she had done to the poor man, she had to give that to him! If only she had searched for Demon God Da Mo's soul and had fully extinguished it before leaving, none of this would have ever happened...
Emperor Nuwa's soul fragment burned herself until only one thought remained.
"I must hold!... Hold! Hold! Hold!"
She didn't even know why she was holding on. In fact, she didn't even know what she was holding. The very array formation had disappeared from her mind. All her thoughts had disappeared. But she held. She held. Until she didn't...
In a mere instant, the entire dome of darkness shattered and exploded into millions of pieces. Emperor Nuwa's soul fragment had died out.
When it shattered, a drop of blood fell directly toward the Imperial City, very close to where Cao Yun was. If it hit the ground, no one knew what it would do without the protection of Emperor Nuwa. All over the Hongchen Kingdom, the array formations that had protected mankind were all weakening. Emperor Nuwa's presence had helped maintain the array formations for millenniums. It was why she had been so weak to begin with.
Without her, the array formations wouldn't last very long. But they didn't collapse immediately either.