Within the floating continent, many of the native inhabitants were rushing over, their faces trembling with fear as they gazed at the terrifying scene outside the light barrier.
The distant sky had turned transparent, as if a pale mist was pressing down, threatening to engulf and advance toward them.
Even the substances within the Chaotic Space-Time Sea had become transparent, turning into fragmented entities. All the scenes were fading into darkness, like bubbles.
What was even more terrifying was the dense black fog, surging like tidal waves, overwhelming and endless, pouring through the spatial rifts in the Chaotic Space-Time Sea. Each wisp of black fog seemed to carry with it various horrifying and grotesque entities and shadows.
"That's the Shen…"
"And countless shadows…"
"It's coming, it's all coming. The prophecy left by the Sacred Ancestor has come true. This day has truly arrived."
All the native inhabitants on the floating continent were gripped with fear, their voices trembling. Many more collapsed to the ground in despair.
Some knelt down, clasping their hands together, praying fervently, their faces pale with hopelessness.
Elder Zhu tightly gripped an ancient artifact in his hand. His already aged face seemed to have aged countless years in this moment.
Standing within the light barrier, he gazed at the distant scene and finally instructed those around him, "Everyone, prepare to fight to the death. We, the remnants of the sages, have been hiding for so many years. It's time we face this."
As descendants of the sages who were once hunted and exterminated by the Remnants of the Black Calamity, they had been fleeing and wandering since the time of their ancestors. Only after finding this continent within the Chaotic Space-Time Sea did they finally settle down.
Over the years, although some Shen and shadows had come here, they had managed to eliminate them using various means, preventing the existence of the floating continent from being exposed.
However, as long as the Remnants of the Black Calamity existed, there would come a day when they would be found.
But no one expected that day to come so quickly, so suddenly.
The black fog that was now surging toward them was clearly targeting the floating continent, aiming to exterminate all the remnants of the sages.
"We should have foreseen this day."
"The Black Calamity has never ceased, and disaster will never disappear. The sacred relics left by the Sacred Ancestor were prepared for this day."
"Our enmity with the Remnants of the Black Calamity has been passed down from our ancestors. It is destined to be a feud that lasts for generations, a fight to the death…"
Representatives from the six great families of the floating continent had gathered. An old man leaning on a snake-headed cane spoke. His name was Wang Quan, a elder of the Wang Family and currently one of its decision-makers.
Beside him, many members of the Wang Family followed, both old and young. All of them wore serious, grave expressions, their eyes filled with the determination to fight to the death.
Next to the Wang Family, members of the other six great families had also arrived. Numerous ancient artifacts were awakening, ancient runes flickering, unleashing the terrifying power of antiquity.
Each ancient artifact floated in the void, with chains of order cascading like waterfalls, enveloping the entire sky. Multicolored rays of light intertwined and surged.
"I will also retrieve the many sacred relics left by the Sacred Ancestor from the Sacred Ancestor Pavilion to face this Black Calamity."
"Whether we can withstand this Black Calamity depends on this…"
Elder Zhu's expression was heavy as he slowly scanned everyone on the floating continent.
"Does Fairy Qing know about this?" asked a young girl in a red dress. She was the decision-maker of the Shangguan Family, named Shangguan Qing.
"Fairy Qing should already know. She couldn't have failed to sense the disturbance in the Sacred Ancestor's Relics," Elder Zhu replied solemnly.
The sound of the dark waves surging was like an angry sea crashing against the shore and rocks, causing the entire Chaotic Space-Time Sea to tremble.
From within the vast rolling fog came eerie, chilling laughter, as if countless beings had formed an invisible, sinister army, spreading through the Chaotic Space-Time Sea and permeating all directions.
Everyone on the floating continent was on high alert, prepared for the worst. Yet, despair and panic continued to spread. Some collapsed to the ground, while others knelt in prayer, begging for the Sacred Ancestor's protection.
Whoosh!
A divine light suddenly approached from afar. A young man with sharp eyebrows, starry eyes, and handsome features quickly arrived. He was stained with blood, steam rising from his body, clearly having just battled some fierce beasts.
He was Zhu Xuan, the child adopted by Elder Zhu. His divine light was restrained, his eyes like thunder, exuding an extraordinary aura.
"Grandfather, I heard the Sacred Ancestor's Relics have shown signs of disturbance?"
Upon arriving, Zhu Xuan immediately sought out his grandfather, Elder Zhu, to inquire about the current situation.
"The Remnants of the Black Calamity have found the floating continent. They likely intend to exterminate us," Elder Zhu sighed, his expression heavy. "Judging by the scale of this darkness, I suspect the Remnants of the Black Calamity are planning a greater calamity. Their target is not just the floating continent."
Hearing this, Zhu Xuan was deeply shaken and astonished, his eyes flashing with a terrifying light.
He looked at the distant scene outside the light barrier, the surging black fog reminding him of the memories that occasionally surfaced in his mind.
On a dark, moonlit night, blood stained the earth, and a cold wind carried with it screams and the scent of blood.
A cold, slender figure stood atop a mountain under the blood moon, calmly watching everything unfold.
Many figures shrouded in black fog, like reapers of life, descended from the void, wielding various weapons, mercilessly slaughtering all living beings.
The mountain wind blew, and a great fire rose, quickly spreading, engulfing villages, fields, towers, palaces, and sacred mountains.
"Was it the Remnants of the Black Calamity who slaughtered my entire clan? Why did they do this?"
Zhu Xuan's gaze was icy, filled with a terrifying killing intent.
Elder Zhu sighed. He knew Zhu Xuan's background was special; otherwise, he wouldn't have ended up in the Chaotic Space-Time Sea as an outsider.
At that moment, a radiant portal suddenly appeared in the distance, behind which lay a mountain exuding a sacred aura.
An ancient, resonant voice echoed through the heavens and earth. A golden path descended, upon which stood a woman with her hair tied in a bun.
In her hands, she held a wooden tray, upon which rested a crystal-clear orb the size of a fist. The orb's material was mysterious, emanating strands of Great Dao aura and chaotic mist.
"It's Little Die, Fairy Qing's attendant."
Everyone on the floating continent looked at the approaching woman with joy.
After all, Fairy Qing was the direct descendant of the Sacred Ancestor, holding an indescribable status and significance for the entire floating continent.
"My lady foresaw this moment. She is currently cultivating a Great Dao and cannot leave for the time being. This orb is the Primordial Chaos Pearl refined by the Sacred Ancestor, containing power beyond that of ordinary Ancestral Dao Realms."
"Moreover, with the barrier left by the Sacred Ancestor, the Black Calamity waves will not be able to break through and engulf us for a while. Everyone can rest assured during this time…"
Little Die spoke softly, her gaze sweeping over Zhu Xuan before she motioned for him to step forward and take the Primordial Chaos Pearl.
Zhu Xuan was momentarily stunned, but under the envious, surprised, and puzzled gazes of many, he stepped forward and respectfully accepted the wooden tray.
However, many knew that Zhu Xuan had been cultivating at the foot of the Sacred Ancestor Mountain and had occasionally received guidance from Little Die.
In a sense, Zhu Xuan could be considered half a disciple of Fairy Qing, so it was natural for him to be entrusted with such a task.
"This Dark Tide is coming with great force, and there may be unforeseen changes. Little Die, when will Fairy Qing be able to leave seclusion?"
After taking the wooden tray from Zhu Xuan, Elder Zhu saw that Little Die was about to leave and couldn't help but ask.
Although the native inhabitants of the floating continent were talented, their cultivation progress was extremely slow due to the lack of longevity substances and spiritual energy.
Over the years, few had broken through to the Dao Realms, with only a handful among the six great families.
Relying on this strength to resist the Dark Tide was a pipe dream, especially with the countless Shen and shadows within it.
Those eerie beings were the most terrifying, something ordinary cultivators could not handle.
"I do not know when my lady will leave seclusion. If the floating continent is breached and falls, even my lady's power will not be enough to change the outcome. Everyone must prepare early."
Little Die paused slightly as she was about to leave but did not turn back, her voice calm.
The hopeful expressions on everyone's faces froze, replaced by bitterness and resignation.
"No matter what, there's still hope, right? The appearance of the Dark Tide in the Chaotic Space-Time Sea will surely attract the attention of other civilized nations. If the Remnants of the Black Calamity dare to reappear in the world, the various civilized nations will not tolerate it and will join forces to exterminate them."
Seeing this, Zhu Xuan spoke up at the right moment.
His words lifted the spirits of many who had been despondent and despairing.
Yes, until true despair arrives, there is still hope.
On the Sacred Ancestor Mountain, a slender figure in green robes, her face veiled, quietly watched the scene on the floating continent, her eyes devoid of any emotion.
"Darkness has only just begun to descend…" she murmured to herself.
---
In the valley of the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, Ling Yuxian had pondered many times before finally finding an opportunity to be alone with Gu Changge after sending her sister away.
She knew that mentioning the Chaotic Space-Time Sea in front of her sister would have significant consequences.
But this was something she had to tell Gu Changge.
After weighing the pros and cons, Ling Yuxian decided to send her sister away first and then reveal the entire story to Gu Changge without holding anything back.
"These are a few notes I found while organizing my sister's journals. They record the control methods and mysteries of the Mirror of Reincarnation and other Supreme Treasures of the First Civilization…"
"I suspect that the person who helped her prepare the Prime-Origin Covenant gave her these notes, intending for her to join forces with Saintess Xiyuan and use the power of the Mirror of Reincarnation against you."
"However, I believe my sister would not resort to such underhanded schemes. The Covenant Golden Tome was tampered with by someone behind her, but for some reason, she has refused to reveal who that person is."
"The most likely place connected to her is the depths of the Imperial Immortal Palace, within the Chaotic Space-Time Sea."
After saying this, Ling Yuxian took out the notes written by her sister from her bosom.
The clear, delicate handwriting was still fresh, carrying the scent of ink.
Gu Changge's expression remained unchanged. He simply picked up the notes and glanced at them briefly.
"You came to me specifically to say this. Doesn't this mean you've betrayed your sister?" He smiled faintly, his gaze shifting away from the notes, unsurprised.
Ling Yuling was, after all, a sage-level figure with connections to other sages of her time.
After so many years, her return to the world would inevitably lead her to seek out those connections.
Gu Changge had initially planned to use Ling Yuling as bait to catch bigger fish, but unfortunately, those beings were too cautious and had not taken the bait.
"I just want to clear my sister's name and restore her innocence. Even if she might blame or even hate me for this, I don't want her to continue down the wrong path," Ling Yuxian said softly.
Gu Changge smiled slightly. "Don't worry, I won't tell her about this. Your sisterly bond will remain as strong as ever."
Ling Yuxian seemed to want to say more but hesitated.
On her way here, she had seen many things related to the Heaven-Slaying Alliance, both good and bad. She wasn't sure whether to mention them to Gu Changge.
She felt that the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's reputation was not entirely positive, especially in the more remote and less regulated areas.
She understood that no faction or power could truly maintain perfect order, with everyone following the rules.
Although the Heaven-Slaying Alliance was powerful, governing the entire Prime-Origin Civilization, it had existed for too short a time to truly extend its influence to every corner.
Gu Changge knew what Ling Yuxian wanted to say but chose not to address it.
"Next, I will send the Heaven-Slaying Alliance's army to the Chaotic Space-Time Sea to capture the person hiding behind your sister."
"If things are as you say, I will grant your sister her freedom," he said with a faint smile.
Afterward, Ling Yuxian did not stay long. After bidding farewell to her sister, she left directly.
Ling Yuling did not know what Ling Yuxian and Gu Changge had discussed, but she vaguely sensed something amiss.
"Alliance Leader…"
In the afternoon, Old Man Cold Crow, Chu Heng, White Bone Ancestor King, and others received orders and arrived outside the valley.
"Take some people to the depths of the Imperial Immortal Palace, to the Chaotic Space-Time Sea."
"The mastermind behind the destruction of the Prime-Origin Covenant is hiding there. Bring that person to me," Gu Changge instructed casually.
"Yes, Alliance Leader."
White Bone Ancestor King, Chu Heng, and the others were momentarily stunned but quickly accepted their orders and left.
Ling Yuling had been by Gu Changge's side all along. Hearing this, her expression changed slightly.
"What is hidden in the Chaotic Space-Time Sea?" Gu Changge glanced at her.
Ling Yuling's eyes lowered slightly, her delicate hands gripping her sleeves. "I'm sorry…"
She was intelligent and had already guessed that Ling Yuxian's departure had been tinged with guilt.
Since she had not left the Imperial Immortal Palace during that time, Ling Yuxian must have suspected her connection to the Chaotic Space-Time Sea.
"But the mastermind behind the destruction of the Prime-Origin Covenant has nothing to do with the people in the Chaotic Space-Time Sea. I can swear this with my life," she explained earnestly and urgently.
"Now I'm curious. What is your relationship with the people in the Chaotic Space-Time Sea that you would hide it so thoroughly? Even now, you refuse to reveal any information."
"You know, if I wanted to, I could easily crush your true soul and sift through your memories bit by bit…"
"You'd better not test my patience."
Gu Changge's expression seemed somewhat helpless, but his eyes were devoid of emotion.
He shook his head slightly, his finger resting on Ling Yuling's forehead, as if he could pierce through her sea of consciousness at any moment.
Ling Yuling was momentarily stunned, thinking that Gu Changge had misunderstood something. Her cheeks flushed slightly as she shook her head and explained, "Don't misunderstand. I have no relationship with anyone."
"She's just a little girl, the child of a deceased friend of mine. Her identity is special, and she has been living in seclusion deep within the Chaotic Space-Time Sea all these years."