After the old man finished speaking, he left without waiting for the white-robed woman's response. Ripples of time and space spread around him, then quickly settled back into calm.
The white-robed woman remained standing there quietly, not making any move to stop the old man.
She knew that since he dared to appear like this, he must have some backing or means to ensure his safe escape, unafraid of her taking action.
"Unable to escape calamity?"
She repeated these words, her eyes showing a hint of contemplation. After hesitating for a moment, she waved her hand, tearing open a spatial passage. Her long legs stepped forward, and she quickly disappeared into it.
From what she knew, the Heavenly Faction and the Eight Follower Tribes, though sharing the same origins and both belonging to the former Heaven-Warring Organization, had become like fire and water after the collapse of the organization.
Following the sealing and disappearance of the Heaven-Warring Lord, the Heaven-Warring Organization disintegrated, splitting into the Heavenly Faction and the Eight Follower Tribes.
Logically, this old man, who claimed to be from the Heavenly Decline Faction, shouldn't have approached her like this.
After all, the Eight Follower Tribes had been hunted and suppressed by the Heavenly Faction over the years, forced to hide like rats in the sewers, not daring to show themselves easily.
When the Heaven-Warring Organization collapsed, the Eight Follower Tribes had taken away many of its treasures and resources.
Most of those supreme treasures, Dao artifacts, and various innate spiritual treasures had been taken by them.
The Heavenly Faction, claiming to be the正统 of the Heaven-Warring Organization, sought to restore it and naturally wanted to reclaim those treasures, not allowing them to remain in the hands of the Eight Follower Tribes.
The sacrificial master behind the white-robed woman held a significant position within the Heavenly Faction, her origins tracing back to the Black Calamity Era when the Heaven-Warring Organization ruled the worlds.
However, based on what the old man had said, it seemed that the sacrificial master behind her had other plans and schemes.
Had "that one" already opened their eyes and was now coldly watching them?
Was "that one" the person she imagined?
The white-robed woman's figure soon disappeared into the depths of space and time. However, the Dark Beings, prostrating everywhere, showed no signs of retreating. They continued to surge forward like a tide toward distant worlds and universes.
Vast, boundless dark mist surged like a black ocean, cold and deep, sweeping in from the depths of the sky. Shattered cosmic debris mixed within it, crashing toward the distance.
In the distant worlds, all the supreme beings sensed something. They saw faint, bubble-like images rapidly approaching from afar. The edges of the sky seemed to blur, growing illusory and void.
The dark mist quickly closed in, sweeping through shattered universes and descending upon this world.
From within the dark mist, Dark Beings charged forward in unison, like crashing waves, pouring down from the depths of the sky.
Darkness enveloped the land, and stars trembled, falling under the immense divine pressure, crashing into the earth.
A terrifying battle erupted abruptly, without any warning. The arrival of Dark Beings never came with forewarning.
"Kill them!"
"I'll fight you to the death!"
The supreme being of this world appeared, a figure nearing the Dao Realm.
He roared, his eyes filled with rage and despair. His body glowed, and the center of his forehead radiated boundless light as all his vitality burned. He was ready to sacrifice everything to perish alongside the Dark Beings.
However, as a large, red-furred hand reached out from the dark mist and slapped forward, the supreme being instantly exploded, his body disintegrating into fragments and blood mist, his spirit and form utterly destroyed.
Boundless sorrow and grief filled the world. All living beings mourned, wailing in despair.
The family and descendants of the supreme being swayed, their vision darkening. Unable to accept what they had just witnessed, they collapsed to the ground.
Blood splattered everywhere. Within the dark mist, terrifying Dark Beings stood tall.
They chanted ancient sacrificial texts, and black Dao runes flew out, continuously intertwining and constructing a grand altar that rose into the sky.
Boundless blood-colored light surged into the heavens, enveloping the entire world like a cage, preventing any living beings from escaping.
It was a scene of utter despair, like the end of the world. Fear and hopelessness filled everyone's faces.
The earth cracked open in various places, mountains and rivers shattered. Cities and villages were engulfed by the dark mist, their vitality extinguished in an instant, leaving behind only piles of white bones—human, beast, and other races.
The ground was littered with bones, piled like snow, but they were soon covered by the flowing mist, leaving only desolation and death.
"Heavens, open your eyes and see! Is there any hope left? Must everyone die? The land is filled with death and bones. Is there any hope left?"
"Is there anyone who can stop this?"
Countless beings wailed, their faces filled with anger and despair, shouting at the sky.
A single world was vast and boundless, home to countless races and living beings. At its peak, it had even produced beings who had successfully stepped into the Dao Realm.
But now, even those factions that had once produced Dao Realm existences were powerless to resist, collapsing in an instant into ruins, leaving only desolation.
"Father..."
In a vast and boundless land, with countless cities and majestic mountains and rivers, a young girl in a long dress stood on the walls of the imperial city, trembling and weeping. Her eyes were red from crying, like a young bird crying blood, her face filled with deep sorrow and reluctance.
In the depths of the sky, divine light surged, and multicolored light intertwined. A majestic and heroic figure stood tall—the last emperor of this nation.
Before him, the dark mist surged like an endless ocean, flooding toward him.
Wherever the dark mist passed, the world was plunged into darkness. Even the sun was obscured, and the earth was shrouded in blackness.
He stood alone, his eyes cold, wearing a crown and battle robes, holding an imperial sword. Billions of strands of dragon vein fortune converged upon him.
"I am the Emperor of Zhou. I shall protect my nation and my people."
He roared at the endless Dark Beings, then strode forward without looking back, like a streak of light tearing through the boundless darkness.
"Your Majesty..."
On the walls of the imperial city, everyone was filled with grief and sorrow, shouting loudly.
"Father..."
The young girl's cries became hoarse, her slender body trembling like a withered leaf blown down by the autumn wind.
Boundless sorrow and pain overwhelmed her, making it hard to breathe.
She reached out, as if trying to grasp her father's fading figure. The father who had always been gentle and doting, no matter how mischievous she was, had now left her behind.
"It seems we've arrived too late. The Dark Beings came too quickly."
Suddenly, a gentle and elegant voice sounded in the young girl's ears. She felt a warm, soft hand on her shoulder.
In her shock, she turned to see a woman in a blue dress standing beside her. Her eyes were as gentle as water, and her demeanor was elegant and graceful.
"Don't worry, your father will be fine," the blue-robed woman said with a soft smile, her voice soothing.
Her words seemed to carry a strange charm, calming the young girl's despairing heart.
The young girl rubbed her eyes, wiping away her tears, and couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"
At this moment, she noticed that many figures had suddenly appeared around the city walls—men and women, most of them young, with a few older individuals whose eyes were deep and profound, shrouded in chaotic mist.
"We are from Xieyue Mountain. You may not have heard of it, but you only need to know that we are here to help you resist the Dark Beings," the blue-robed woman said with a gentle smile.
"Xieyue Mountain?"
The young girl was still dazed, as if unable to process the words. She saw the blue-robed woman turn to a middle-aged man behind her and bow slightly. "The Dark Beings attacking this world don't seem as strong as we expected. However, we'll still need to trouble Uncle Zhou to take action."
The middle-aged man, dressed in a gray robe, nodded indifferently. "I've scouted the area. The strongest Dark Being here is only at the Void Dao Realm. Dealing with it will be easy."
"I thought we'd encounter a big fish this time, but it seems I was wrong. Or perhaps it sensed our presence and fled in advance?"
As he spoke, the middle-aged man opened his mouth and spat out a three-foot-long, delicate sword. It flew out like a streak of light, its blade crystalline and white, as if carved from jade. Dao runes swirled around it, exuding an extraordinary and powerful aura.
With a wave of his finger, the sword expanded in size. He leaped onto it and, like a divine rainbow piercing the sun, shot into the distance.
"Uncle Zhou is a True Dao Realm existence who has survived five Heavenly Decline Tribulations. With him taking action, those Dark Beings won't stand a chance."
"We followed the trail of that withered and desolate world, thinking we'd encounter a significant threat. But it seems the Dark Beings aren't fearless. They must have sensed Uncle Zhou's aura and fled in advance."
"Hmph, they were lucky this time. Next time, they won't be so fortunate."
"Facing Uncle Zhou, these Dark Beings are nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs. They can only bully worlds without Dao Realm existences to protect them..."
The other young men and women couldn't help but whisper among themselves.
Many of them looked at the middle-aged man with great reverence, their words filled with respect and admiration.
The others on the city walls, now realizing what was happening, stepped forward to express their gratitude. They could tell that these young men and women were extraordinary, their cultivation profound and unfathomable. With such powerful figures accompanying them, their origins were undoubtedly remarkable.
However, they had never heard of Xieyue Mountain before.
"This mission to fight the Dark Beings isn't meant to make you arrogant or complacent. Many ancient True Worlds, even Supreme True Worlds, have been slaughtered and sacrificed by the Dark Beings recently."
"The Dark Beings we encountered today were simply weaker. This isn't an excuse for you to become proud or underestimate them."
"With Uncle Zhou here to protect us, you didn't face any real danger."
"If you don't truly engage in life-and-death battles with the Dark Beings, you'll never grow. When the battles become even more brutal in the future, who will protect you then?"
The blue-robed woman frowned slightly, her tone carrying a hint of reproach as she addressed her junior brothers and sisters.
Seeing that their senior sister seemed displeased, the young men and women quickly fell silent, showing her the respect she deserved.
The blue-robed woman shook her head slightly, feeling somewhat helpless.
She wasn't sure if the decision to send these junior brothers and sisters out to train and fight the Dark Beings during such chaotic times was the right one.
After all, they were like flowers in a greenhouse, never having experienced real battles or life-and-death struggles. Their casual dismissal of the Dark Beings was both shocking and concerning.
If only they could be as steady and cautious as Junior Sister Xian'er.
At this thought, the blue-robed woman couldn't help but glance toward a slender figure at the back of the group.
It was a young girl dressed in snow-white robes, carrying an ancient sword on her back. Her long, silky black hair was tied into a ponytail with a red ribbon, revealing a serene and delicate face, her features as beautiful as a painting.
Her figure was tall and slender, her skin as smooth and translucent as polished jade. At her waist hung a plain white jade pendant, devoid of any patterns or decorations.
Aside from the red ribbon and the jade pendant, the girl wore no other ornaments, yet her natural beauty was breathtaking, her demeanor pure and elegant.
"During this training mission, Junior Sister Xian'er performed exceptionally well. She remained calm and composed in the face of danger, her combat experience was rich, and she was both cautious and decisive when dealing with Dark Beings, never hesitating..." The blue-robed woman's eyes showed a hint of admiration.
However, as if remembering something, she shook her head again, a trace of helplessness in her expression.
"However, it's a pity..."
In the distant sky, sword energy crisscrossed, howling through the heavens and earth. Terrifying shockwaves shook the cosmos, and black blood splattered.
Accompanied by a low, furious roar filled with deep resentment.
The dark mist, which had surged forward like a tide, began to retreat into the distance.
Countless Dark Beings were annihilated by the sweeping sword energy, their bodies disintegrating into nothingness.
Billions of sword lights filled the sky, covering every inch of space and time, like an endless ocean of swords forming a curtain that spanned the universe.
It was the ultimate expression of the sword Dao. Every substance in the world seemed to transform into a sword. The shattered stars that had fallen became divine swords, intertwining in various colors—clear, red, purple, and more—like a torrent, like mountains and seas, overwhelmingly powerful.
The intense light illuminated the darkness, and countless sword shadows crisscrossed the heavens and earth.
The beings within the dark mist roared in fury, their massive, ancient bodies pierced by countless divine swords. They could only retreat deeper into the darkness, trailing black blood.
On the city walls, the white-robed girl carrying the ancient sword watched this scene intently, her clear eyes reflecting the spectacle, as if entranced.
The ancient sword on her back seemed to resonate with her spirit, emitting a faint hum.
Behind her, a hazy scene appeared—an ancient sword pool opened within rough mountain cliffs, filled with countless divine swords that began to hum, as if ready to fly out at any moment.
Everyone felt a piercing cold, as if a sword blade had brushed past their faces, making their hair stand on end.
"What a promising seedling, to enter a state of Dao comprehension at such a time."
The terrifying scene in the distant sky soon faded. As the vast dark mist retreated, the middle-aged man with the indifferent expression returned, carrying a blood-stained figure on his sword.
His gaze fell on the young girl, showing a hint of surprise, then he nodded slightly, clearly impressed.
The other young men and women couldn't help but show complex emotions—envy, jealousy, disdain.
"Junior Sister Xian'er's talent goes without saying. Even the sect master once personally praised her, finding it incredible that she came from such a remote, newly born True World," the blue-robed woman said with a smile.
The middle-aged man nodded, then turned his attention away from the girl.
"The leading Dark Being has been severely injured and fled. I didn't pursue it further, fearing a trap. The Dark Beings likely won't attack this world again for a while."
"However, for the sake of your world, it's best if you relocate, leaving your homeland behind. Although Xieyue Mountain has no interest in a world like this, these are exceptional times. We can make an exception and offer you shelter and protection."
He looked at the figure he was carrying and tossed it onto the city walls, speaking indifferently.
"Thank you, Senior, for your assistance. Our survival and escape from this calamity are entirely due to your help."
The heroic middle-aged man in imperial robes spoke with deep gratitude, about to kneel and bow.
Though he was the ruler of a nation, he understood just how terrifying the middle-aged man's strength was—enough to protect an entire greater realm.