The entire cosmos trembled as stars shattered into fragments during this great war, their debris scattering in all directions.
Terrifying demon armies surged out from the shattered abyss in the sky, charging forward with killing intent.
The Seventh Prince of the Demon Court, Di Kun, clad in dark red armor, led the demon armies at the frontlines.
At the same time, he set up the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Grand Formation, its karmic power rolling like burning red lotuses, licking at the will of heaven, steadily encroaching on the heartland of the Immortal Chu Dynasty.
Countless cultivators and living beings were caught in the slaughter, their cries and roars drowned in the overwhelming stench of blood, which blotted out the sun and dimmed the stars.
However, standing beside Di Kun was an emaciated old man, his hands as thin and gnarled as tree branches.
The old man hunched over, his figure shrouded in a black robe, his head covered by a hood, revealing only a pair of blood-red eyes that instilled fear and trembling.
Around him, strands of icy black mist swirled, as if freezing even time and space.
"What is the name of this ancient formation?" the black-robed old man asked, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the ancient formation deep in the cosmos, his voice trembling slightly.
Faced with this mysterious old man who had suddenly appeared and intimidated everyone, Di Kun was still quite wary. While controlling the formation's core, he replied, "This formation is called the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation."
"I have seen records of this formation in the organization's archives, but no one has been able to set it up. It is not called the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Grand Formation, but rather the Nine Radiance Divine Fiend Rotation Formation. No, the formation you have set up is an evolved version of the Nine Radiance Divine Fiend Rotation Formation. Although its killing power is far inferior, it is more suited to the demon race."
The black-robed old man shook his head, still staring intently at the ancient formation evolving in the cosmos, his eyes flashing with excitement, his voice trembling with emotion.
He was so excited that his body trembled uncontrollably.
Di Kun was focused on controlling the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation and had no mind to listen to the black-robed old man's words.
He was not at the Ancestral Dao realm, and controlling such a powerful ancient formation's core was already taxing. He could not afford to be distracted.
However, Di Kun dared not offend this mysterious black-robed old man, as his strength was terrifyingly high, far surpassing his current realm.
"I have never heard of what you speak of, nor do I know of any Nine Radiance Divine Fiend Rotation Formation," Di Kun shook his head and answered truthfully.
"I knew it, I knew it..." The emaciated black-robed old man seemed to be in a state of madness, ignoring Di Kun and muttering to himself, surrounded by an aura of chaos that could drive people to madness.
Many of the demon generals and lords around Di Kun frowned, glancing warily at the black-robed old man, not daring to offend him.
This black-robed old man had already demonstrated terrifying strength earlier, his mere aura suppressing several Dao Realm demon lords, leaving them pale and unable to move.
Now, standing here, his chaotic aura caused the surrounding space to shatter, making everyone afraid to act rashly, yet helpless.
Such a mysterious and terrifying expert—no one knew if he was friend or foe.
Several demon lords were on high alert, secretly contacting the Ancestral Dao realm supreme experts guarding the borderlands of the Demon Court, fearing that this black-robed old man might make a move.
"Tell me, where did you obtain this ancient formation?" The black-robed old man stared intently at the formation deep in the cosmos, which radiated endless light and manifested ancient demons of immense ferocity, as if examining a priceless treasure.
His tone was extremely agitated, and as he spoke, he seemed on the verge of grabbing Di Kun.
Seeing this, Di Kun frowned, feeling somewhat helpless. He could only temporarily hand over control of the formation's core to the demon lords beside him.
At the same time, he stepped back, trying to avoid the black-robed old man's outstretched, withered hand.
However, the moment Di Kun tried to dodge, his expression changed. He had intended to evade the black-robed old man's hand, but found that all the surrounding Dao principles had blurred, as if suddenly silenced. Even the great Dao had completely dissipated, leaving him unable to move.
The withered hand fell directly, grasping Di Kun's arm. It was icy cold, like a block of ice, and the area it touched instantly turned dark blue.
Di Kun's skin and bones were corroded by the cold, turning black and lifeless, as if infected by some kind of poison.
"Seventh Prince!" The demon lords and generals of the Demon Court were horrified, their scalps tingling.
Di Kun's expression also changed drastically, filled with shock and anger.
Fortunately, his body was of the Golden Crow constitution, incredibly strong and resilient, with astonishing vitality.
If it were an ordinary being, their entire arm would have been shattered and crippled, possibly even damaging their origin.
"Tell me, where did you obtain this ancient formation? I know you are the Seventh Prince of the Demon Court of the Prime-Origin Civilization, but don't think you can intimidate me with your father, Di Huang. If he were here, I might still care a little!"
"If you dare deceive me, I can send you to your death with a single thought."
The black-robed old man spoke, his eyes suddenly glowing with a cold, sinister light.
A chilling aura, as if from the depths of the Nine Hells, spread, causing everyone to shiver.
The demon lords and generals felt a chill down their spines. Who was this black-robed old man, who dared to speak so dismissively of the Demon Ancestor, Di Huang?
"This Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation was obtained by me by chance. It seems you have some understanding of it, but I must ask for your forgiveness—I cannot hand it over to you."
Though facing such a terrifying existence, Di Kun remained calm and composed.
He thought that this black-robed old man, who had suddenly appeared here, had seen the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation and coveted it, hence his desire to seize it.
But this ancient formation had been bestowed upon him by Gu Changge himself.
Without Gu Changge's permission, Di Kun dared not casually hand it over to anyone.
This old man, though seemingly terrifying and mysterious, was nothing compared to Gu Changge.
"Do you want to die? Do you really think I wouldn't dare to search your soul?" The black-robed old man's expression turned cold, his withered hand tightening its grip on Di Kun.
Di Kun's expression changed again, a terrible pain spreading through him, as if he were being flayed by a thousand blades. Pieces of necrotic flesh fell away, corroded by the dense cold, losing all vitality.
"Senior, do you wish to know where I obtained this ancient formation, or are you intent on seizing it?" He endured the pain and asked calmly.
"Hmph, if it were the complete Nine Radiance Divine Fiend Rotation Formation, I might be tempted. But what you have is only a partial, evolved version. Even if you gave it to me, it would be useless," the black-robed old man snorted.
Di Kun suddenly understood, realizing that this ancient formation might have reminded the black-robed old man of something.
After a moment of thought, he decided not to hide the truth and gritted his teeth, saying, "This was bestowed upon me by my master. If senior..."
"Your master?" The black-robed old man did not let Di Kun finish. Upon hearing this term, his expression changed, and he immediately released Di Kun's arm.
Di Kun knew that the mention of Gu Changge had made the black-robed old man wary, so he continued, "Senior, this Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation was indeed bestowed upon me by my master. This is the absolute truth. I can swear a Great Oath of the Heart Demon."
"Who... who is your master?" The black-robed old man no longer stared at the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation deep in the cosmos but instead fixed his gaze on Di Kun, his voice trembling.
"I do not know who my master is, but he is omnipotent and eternal. He lives in the hearts of all living beings across the myriad worlds."
Di Kun thought back to the time on the Bloody Plateau when he had heard Gu Changge's words, his eyes filled with reverence.
"It must be so, it must be so. I knew this day would come."
"As long as light and shadow exist, darkness will eventually return."
The black-robed old man grew even more excited, far more frenzied than before.
Di Kun did not understand, but he could sense that the black-robed old man's words seemed to have a deep connection with Gu Changge.
At this moment, the black-robed old man seemed like a fanatical believer driven mad by some fervent belief.
"Where is the master you speak of now?" The black-robed old man seemed to be trying to suppress his emotions as he turned to ask Di Kun.
"My master's whereabouts are elusive. I do not know where he is," Di Kun shook his head.
Though he had seen Gu Changge's true face, he did not know his identity. He only knew that Gu Changge appeared incredibly young, like a deity from ancient legends.
The black-robed old man gradually calmed down, ignoring Di Kun and muttering to himself, "As expected, I sensed that the Prime-Origin Civilization would undergo great changes. This trip was not in vain..."
As he spoke, his robe fluttered, and he vanished like a shooting star, disappearing in an instant.
His departure was as silent and sudden as his arrival.
Di Kun was drenched in cold sweat. This black-robed old man was indeed mysterious and terrifyingly powerful. Who exactly was he?
Judging from the black-robed old man's words earlier, perhaps he was not from the Prime-Origin Civilization, but from another civilization, another True World?
"Seventh Prince..." The demon lords and generals were also deeply shaken by what had just happened, their expressions still filled with lingering fear.
If the black-robed old man had truly lashed out, he could have easily annihilated them all.
Moreover, the words spoken by Di Kun, the Seventh Prince, had left them deeply shocked and trembling.
Master?
Since when did the Seventh Prince have a mysterious master behind him?
Di Kun coldly swept his gaze over the demon lords and generals, instantly silencing them.
"It seems that beyond the Prime-Origin Civilization, there are other unknown forces and traditions eyeing this place."
Staring in the direction where the black-robed old man had disappeared, Di Kun fell into deep thought.
He did not know if his choice had been right or wrong, but judging from the black-robed old man's reaction, Gu Changge's existence was likely far more terrifying than he had imagined.
The origins of this black-robed old man were also likely not simple.
Why had he come to the Prime-Origin Civilization at this time?
Meanwhile, on a steep, barren mountain not far from the border where the Immortal Chu Dynasty and the Demon Court were engaged in battle, an old Taoist priest in tattered clothes, with disheveled hair, a foul body, and a face covered in sores, sat cross-legged, seemingly meditating.
A strange field of power surrounded him, causing the surrounding space and light to appear distorted.
Suddenly, sensing something, the old Taoist priest opened his eyes and looked into the distance.
He spoke softly, "Old Man Cold Crow..."
The old Taoist priest's eyes were empty, devoid of pupils, and blood continuously flowed from them, making him appear horrifying.
"Hehe, old friend, guess what I just saw?" The black-robed old man who had appeared at the border between the Demon Court and the Immortal Chu Dynasty, seized Di Kun, and questioned him about the Heavenly Demon Soul-Devouring Ancient Formation, stepped forward and instantly descended from the sky.
His laughter carried a cold, sinister tone, as if it had come from the depths of the Nine Hells, causing the temperature of the surrounding space to drop.
"Aside from the Extreme Yin Origin, what else could excite you so much?" The old Taoist priest calmly looked at the approaching black-robed old man.
The black-robed old man was called Old Man Cold Crow, though this was merely a name others had given him.
He had achieved the Dao countless years ago, and his original name had long been forgotten.
"Ordinary Extreme Yin Origin no longer interests me. Just now, as I passed by the battlefield where the Demon Court of the Prime-Origin Civilization and the Immortal Chu Dynasty were engaged in war, I unexpectedly saw an ancient formation mentioned in the ancient texts," Old Man Cold Crow revealed a strange smile.
The old Taoist priest suddenly became interested, for he knew what texts Old Man Cold Crow was referring to.
"What ancient formation?" he asked.
"The Nine Radiance Divine Fiend Rotation Formation. Back then, this formation was used to annihilate an immortal kingdom," Old Man Cold Crow said with a cold laugh.
The old Taoist priest was stunned, then somewhat incredulous. "Wasn't this formation destroyed in that battle? How did you see it?"
Old Man Cold Crow did not answer this question, only saying with a cold laugh, "The Heavenly Faction still seeks to covet the power of that supreme being, but they do not realize that fate has already given a warning. That great existence will soon awaken—or perhaps he has already awakened, and we simply do not know. His power has already silently permeated the myriad worlds."
"I believe I will soon witness the divine traces of that great being. He will descend upon the myriad worlds once more, and all the traitors and rebels of the Heavenly Faction will perish at that time, hahaha..."
The old Taoist priest was not surprised by Old Man Cold Crow's near-mad words.
However, he had not expected to stumble upon this information while searching for clues about the Gate of Eternal Life in the Prime-Origin Civilization.
The Heavenly Faction and the Eight Tribes were two factions that had formed after the collapse of the Heaven-Warring Organization.
However, whether it was the Heavenly Faction or the Eight Tribes, in the eyes of the various civilizations and nations of the Vast Expanse, they were all remnants of the Black Calamity, with no difference between them.
Of course, the Heavenly Faction and the Eight Tribes followed different principles of action.
Although both were remnants of the Heaven-Warring Organization, the Heavenly Faction saw themselves as orthodox, viewing the Eight Tribes as a heretical offshoot. They had always sought to annex the Eight Tribes and restore the true Heaven-Warring Organization.
The faction behind the black-robed old man was one of the Eight Tribes, the Lesser Yin Faction.
"Clues about the Gate of Eternal Life have surfaced. The Heavenly Faction will surely not let this opportunity pass. Since we are both here for the Gate of Eternal Life, why not join forces? The Jing Clan that recently emerged in the Southern Wilderness Ancient Domain clearly has deep ties to the Gate of Eternal Life..."
The old Taoist priest spoke slowly, his body bearing the signs of the Five Decays of Heaven and Man, something ordinary people would avoid at all costs.
This was the characteristic of the Heavenly Decline Faction among the Eight Tribes.
Hearing the old Taoist priest's words, Old Man Cold Crow, who had been somewhat frenzied, gradually calmed down.
His eyes beneath the hood flickered with a cold light as he sneered, "The Mirror of Reincarnation is within the Xiyuan Sacred Hall. For countless epochs, the Heavenly Faction has sought to obtain it but has failed. Now that the Immortal Chu Dynasty and the Demon Court are at war, causing chaos and turmoil in the Prime-Origin Civilization, the Heavenly Faction might take advantage of the chaos to fish in troubled waters, using the search for the Gate of Eternal Life as a pretext to seize the Mirror of Reincarnation."
"Heh, if I am not mistaken, the Purple Dew Mountain has likely already made contact with the Heavenly Faction. That black coffin wreaking havoc in the Immortal Chu Dynasty—no other faction besides the Heavenly Faction could have forged it."
The old Taoist priest pondered this and said, "The sage who founded the Xiyuan Sacred Hall has been in conflict with the Heavenly Faction and the Eight Tribes for years. Most of the civilizations and nations that participated in that battle were annihilated due to the Heavenly Faction's retaliation. However, some remnants still hide in various chaotic spaces, making them difficult to find."
"If we can eliminate the sage of the Xiyuan Sacred Hall this time and successfully seize the Mirror of Reincarnation, our Eight Tribes will no longer be so passive against the Heavenly Faction."
The Coffin of World Burial has always been controlled by the Heavenly Faction.
In addition, the flesh of the Heaven-Warring Lord was sealed within the inner coffin of the Coffin of World Burial.
Over the years, the Heavenly Faction has used the power of that existence to corrupt countless unknown void worlds, even creating bizarre creatures like the Shadow of Decay.