In just a few thousand years, the situation in the Prime-Origin Civilization underwent unprecedented and earth-shattering changes, akin to a complete reshuffling.
Countless clans and forces were buried and vanished during these millennia.
Among them were many ancient and immortal orthodox forces, as well as numerous Dao Realm existences who perished. The horrifying phenomena of their deaths often shook the heavens and the earth.
The powerful figures of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance appeared everywhere, leading armies to settle accounts across various cosmic regions. The orthodox forces that opposed the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, after disintegrating, could only choose to hide and flee, evading the alliance's pursuit.
Many clans and forces, in order to survive, had long chosen sides, either forced or willingly becoming part of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
The might of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance truly reached an unprecedented peak.
Those orthodox forces that once stood against the Heaven-Slaying Alliance were now labeled as remnants by the various clans. They either tried to escape the Prime-Origin Civilization, sneaking into other civilizations, or hid their identities, living in constant fear under the terrifying shadow of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
However, relatively speaking, the Prime-Origin Civilization finally entered a period of relative peace after the chaotic era. Under the governance of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, the various clans and orthodox forces began to recuperate, and the situation in the Prime-Origin Civilization stabilized and quieted down.
During these thousands of years, the infiltrating forces from other civilizations were also eradicated one by one under the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's purge, not daring to extend their influence again.
The Prime-Origin Civilization served as the headquarters of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, under its rule and jurisdiction. Any civilization that dared to interfere with the Prime-Origin Civilization would inevitably face the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's wrath.
This became a consensus in the Vast Expanse, and many civilizations deeply feared it.
The civilizations and clans surrounding the Prime-Origin Civilization later submitted one after another to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, including some Newly Born True Worlds like the Dao Prosperity True World.
Once, these Newly Born True Worlds were insignificant in the eyes of a Supreme True World like the Prime-Origin Civilization, not even worthy of being protected by such a powerful civilization.
When the Epochal Tribulation arrived, these Newly Born True Worlds and Ancient True Worlds were the first to be purged.
Thus, gaining the protection of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was a dream come true for these Newly Born True Worlds.
However, some clans and civilizations worried that the existence of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance defied the natural order and divine mandate and would inevitably be forsaken by heaven.
Before the Epochal Tribulation arrived, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance would undoubtedly face the most terrifying backlash and reckoning. Whether it could survive was uncertain, so how could it protect the many clans and forces under its banner?
The so-called "Heaven-Slaying" was merely a cunning pretext devised by Gu Changge, the leader of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, to expand his influence and recruit followers.
Before the Epochal Tribulation arrived, he would surely abandon the Heaven-Slaying Alliance and everyone else.
His true goal was actually similar to that of the former Lord of the Dark Calamity: to restore or rebuild an organization like the Heaven-Warring Organization, seize the authority of the Heavenly Dao, plunder the vitality of all worlds, and ultimately control the entire Vast Expanse to fulfill his personal desires..
Such voices were not only present in the Prime-Origin Civilization but also echoed in the Vast Expanse and surrounding civilizations, casting doubt on the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Over the years, while the Heaven-Slaying Alliance tried its best to control its reputation and avoid unnecessary killing and wars, it was still inevitable that slaughter and destruction would occur during its expansion..
Many clans and forces were annihilated, including some ancient orthodox forces that once ruled the heavens and the earth.
Such a Heaven-Slaying Alliance was both feared and dreaded, naturally causing many cultivators and beings to speak of it with changed expressions, fearing it like a venomous snake or scorpion, and worshipping it like a demon.
In some remote areas not under the jurisdiction of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, there were cultivators and forces who claimed to be followers of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, using its influence as a pretext to extort money and exploit others, causing suffering to the surrounding cultivators and forces, who voiced strong complaints against the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
Although the Heaven-Slaying Alliance had strict rules prohibiting such behavior, the vastness of the universe made it impossible to ensure that everyone followed its laws and regulations.
Over the millennia, such incidents occurred repeatedly. Moreover, as the Heaven-Slaying Alliance focused on expanding its territory, its attention was always directed toward more distant True Worlds, spreading its doctrines, and absorbing followers, leaving little time to address these issues.
In the eyes of many high-ranking members of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, such matters were insignificant, and they would only send people to handle them if they became aware of them.
However, in the vast universe, with its countless territories, such incidents could never be completely prevented.
The reputation of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance became highly polarized.
Its followers were fanatical to the extreme, worshipping it with utmost reverence, while its haters wished to tear its members apart and grind their bones to dust. Even ordinary cultivators would change expressions at its mention, not daring to say anything more.
As more and more Heaven-Slaying Shrines sprang up across various regions and territories, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's sweeping expansion reached an unprecedented and terrifying speed, causing countless civilizations to tremble in fear and deep apprehension
In the eyes of many, the entire Prime-Origin Civilization had completely fallen into the hands of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance. A Supreme Civilization that had existed for countless epochs, once deeply rooted and unshakable, was now being rapidly eroded and devoured by an external force in just a few thousand years.
This sight filled countless cultivators and beings with deep fear and trembling. In secret, they referred to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance as a demonic cult.
However, under the governance of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, aside from some minor disturbances, the Prime-Origin Civilization returned to a state of peace.
The Xiyuan Sacred Hall, Purple Mist Mountain, Demon Court, and Imperial Immortal Palace, along with later additions such as the Divine Ascension Cavern and the Temple of Light and Darkness, had all become part of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, showcasing its terrifying foundation.
No Supreme True World in the Vast Expanse dared to underestimate this.
Not to mention, the Heaven-Slaying Alliance also had an even more terrifying and unfathomable leader.
Swoosh!
Under the dim sky, the distant setting sun was as red as blood. The endless expanse of the desert was covered in rolling yellow sand, swept by howling winds that echoed through the air.
The terrain was vast and open, stretching as far as the eye could see—desolate and barren, filled with dark brown rocks and hills, with little vegetation.
At this moment, a beam of divine light tore through the sky, descending from the depths of space to this region. A stunning woman in a golden dress, her hair tied up high, frowned as she surveyed the surroundings, seemingly stunned and in disbelief.
After a long while, the woman finally regained her composure and muttered to herself, "I never thought that in just a few thousand years, the Sun Lake would dry up and disappear, and the Eternal Divine Clan would vanish without a trace."
This woman was none other than Luo Xiangjun, who had returned to the Immortal Spirit Civilization.
Luo Xiangjun had honored the agreement and brought the Eternal Primordial God out of the Time-Space Burial Grounds. Then, retracing the previous route, she recalibrated the time-space coordinates of the Immortal Spirit Civilization and, after nearly a thousand years of arduous journeying, finally returned here.
Thousands of years had passed in the blink of an eye. She had returned to the Immortal Spirit Civilization, where she had once searched for the Eternal Artifacts, and headed to the territory of the Eternal Divine Clan.
Unfortunately, what she saw now was completely different from the scene she had witnessed during her previous time here.
Back then, there had been a Sun Lake, a forbidden area of the Eternal Divine Clan that ordinary clansmen were not allowed to enter.
Now, there was only an endless wasteland and rolling hills; everything had drastically changed. The terrain was vast and boundless, with swirling yellow sands and utter desolation, showing no signs of life for thousands of miles.
"Is this what you call the territory of my clan?"
A hazy radiance appeared as the ancient jade that Luo Xiangjun had kept in her Void Space began to glow, emitting the slightly cold and displeased voice of the Eternal Primordial God.
Luo Xiangjun wasn't sure if this guy had been sleeping the entire time.
During the thousands of years of arduous journey, he had remained completely silent and motionless, making her wonder if she should just toss him into the chaotic currents of time and space while he wasn't paying attention.
But the Eternal Primordial God was, after all, an existence that had once surpassed the End of the Path. Even if he was no longer at his peak, he was still far beyond her ability to resist.
So, for the sake of her own life, Luo Xiangjun didn't dare to act recklessly and could only obediently return to the Immortal Spirit Civilization.
As long as she could help the Eternal Primordial God find his descendants, she would be free.
"Time has passed, and thousands of years ago, this place wasn't like this. Who knew it would turn out this way after thousands of years? I have no reason to lie to you," Luo Xiangjun replied indifferently.
"There are indeed traces and remnants of my clansmen here, but they are very faint. It seems they left a long time ago."
"However, with such a faint bloodline, they dare to call themselves my descendants? How laughable. I never thought that after countless years, my bloodline would have dwindled to this extent."
"Even the clan's territory has fallen to such a remote and desolate place…" The Eternal Primordial God's voice was cold and heavy, seemingly moved by the sight before him.
Luo Xiangjun remained silent, calmly gazing at the endless expanse of the Gobi Desert, her golden dress fluttering in the wind, completely ignoring the Eternal Primordial God's words.
"Since my clan once lived here, you must find out where they went…"
Then, the Eternal Primordial God ordered in a cold voice, "A thousand years is not enough time for them to have gone too far."
Luo Xiangjun nodded, then transformed into a streak of divine light and vanished from the area..
This region was desolate, with some areas bearing the scars of battle, filled with meteor craters and great rifts. She even saw sword marks that had nearly split the earth in two, with a terrifying and chilling aura still lingering around.
After flying for several hours, Luo Xiangjun finally saw signs of life. She concealed her presence and landed on a mountain.
Not far from the mountain was a dilapidated Daoist temple, and further away stood a towering ancient city, bustling with activity. Cultivators and beings moved in and out of the city gates, creating a lively scene.
Luo Xiangjun scanned the area with her divine sense and quickly learned about the changes over the past few thousand years from the memories of the cultivators.
Thousands of years ago, the Zhuo Clan and the Hun Clan, under Gu Changge's rule, unified the entire Immortal Spirit Civilization. After several terrifying battles, the Wu Clan and other clans were annihilated, and many clans of the Immortal Spirit Civilization submitted.
Some ancient clans, in order to survive, had no choice but to submit to the Zhuo Clan and Hun Clan, following Gu Changge's orders.
The Immortal Spirit Civilization became a stronghold of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, serving as a base for the alliance's expansion into the Prime-Origin Civilization.
During this time, many clans and forces, unwilling to join the Heaven-Slaying Alliance or become its vassals and servants, either chose to fight to the death or flee to distant lands.
The Eternal Divine Clan was one of them.
When Luo Xiangjun left the Eternal Divine Clan, the Immortal Spirit Civilization had not yet been fully controlled by Gu Changge, so she was unaware of what happened afterward.
"The Eternal Divine Clan is, after all, comparable to the Zhuo Clan. Without the obstruction of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, the entire Eternal Divine Clan migrated away, heading into the Vast Expanse to search for other clans…"
Luo Xiangjun's expression darkened as she relayed the clues and information she had gathered to the Eternal Primordial God.
Aside from the Eternal Divine Clan, no one in the Immortal Spirit Civilization likely knew where they had migrated to. How was she supposed to find the Eternal Divine Clan's descendants? And more importantly, how could she rid herself of the Eternal Primordial God?
Now, she no longer expected the Eternal Primordial God to honor the agreement and hand over the Transcendence Codex—all she wanted was to survive.
The Eternal Primordial God hadn't anticipated this outcome either. After a long silence, he said coldly, "No matter what, you must find my descendants. If there is no suitable bloodline or body, I will have no choice but to take over yours. You should know what choice to make."
Luo Xiangjun's face turned cold. The Eternal Primordial God's words were cruel and direct.
If no suitable bloodline or body could be found, he would occupy her body, even if it meant paying a certain price.
"Perhaps there's another way. I know someone who carries part of the Eternal Divine Clan's bloodline. Maybe you can use her bloodline to determine the location of the Eternal Divine Clan's migration."
Luo Xiangjun thought of Mu Yan, who had been by Gu Changge's side.
Mu Yan's mother was once the Saintess of the Eternal Divine Clan, so she carried half of the Eternal Divine Clan's bloodline.
As the progenitor of the Eternal Divine Clan, the Eternal Primordial God could surely use the bloodline of his descendants to determine the current location of his clan.
The Immortal Spirit Civilization wasn't too far from the Prime-Origin Civilization. If she hurried, she might still make it in time. Moreover, she could also explain the matter of the Eternal Secret Treasury to Gu Changge, lest he misunderstand and think she had taken the treasury for herself and fled.
---
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance.
In a palace flowing with starlight and immortal mist surging like a vast ocean, Gu Changge, who had been sitting there, rubbed his brow slightly wearily and slowly opened his eyes.
"A thousand years of time, though worth it."
He gently raised his hand, and countless threads of radiant light surged in his palm, forming a fist-sized sphere of light that pulsed like a living entity.
All the faith power gathered from heaven and earth flowed into it, devoured like a whale drinking an ocean. If one listened closely, they could hear a deafening roar, like mountains collapsing and seas roaring.
He hadn't waited for Luo Xiangjun to bring back the materials he needed from the Eternal Secret Treasury. After such a long time without her return, it was likely that she had either met with an accident or died in the Vast Expanse.
He didn't believe that Luo Xiangjun would dare to deceive him and secretly claim the Eternal Secret Treasury for herself.
Back in the Immortal Spirit Civilization, he had lacked the necessary materials to recondense the Orb of Great Vow, so he had sent Luo Xiangjun to retrieve the Eternal Secret Treasury.
But now, he no longer needed the materials from the Eternal Secret Treasury.
The Prime-Origin Civilization's foundational resources far surpassed those of the Immortal Spirit Civilization. Over the years, he had already gathered the necessary materials.
The Orb of Great Vow, after being reforged through his rituals, evolved into the vast World Force of the Dao Prosperity True World, becoming its Origin Sphere. It replaced the Divine Kingdom's position and became the core authority of the Dao Prosperity True World.
To be precise, the Orb of Great Vow should now be called the World Orb.
The World Orb condensed and absorbed the fortune of the Dao Prosperity True World, undergoing fusion and evolution, ultimately refining it into Creation Matter and Immortal Matter.
These two substances were the most essential materials for Dao Realm existences, akin to the mana, heaven and earth spiritual energy, divine power, and faith power needed by ordinary cultivators.
For Gu Changge, Immortal Matter and Creation Matter represented the development and ultimate essence of the Dao Realm—the beginning and end of the Dao.
They were also the source of all things, the origin of chaos, the primordial genesis, the "source" before there was no heaven, no earth, and no laws.
Other Dao Realm existences could not understand what this meant, nor could they comprehend the existence of these substances, let alone condense them.
They could only search for these during their long and arduous cultivation, catching glimpses of a trace of its aura, a faint prototype, or a single strand of its true essence.
Even if Gu Changge taught them how to condense Immortal Matter and Creation Matter, they would still be unable to do so. They could spend their entire lives without ever condensing even the slightest wisp.
Only those who had achieved Transcendence, possessing supreme and unfathomable wisdom, could perceive and comprehend the existence of these substances, begin to condense them, and wield them as their own.
This principle was somewhat complex, but simply put, it was like humans trying to explain to an insect what matter is composed of and what elements exist…
No matter how eloquently or thoroughly humans explained, they could not expect an insect to understand.